Queen City News RALEIGH, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The N.C Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Standards Division fined two stores for price scanning errors during the first quarter of 2025 “We inspect stores to ensure their pricing is accurate and the price at the register matchesthe price on the shelf,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler the ones that do not will face fines until they come into compliance.” unannounced inspections of price-scanner systems inbusinesses to check for accuracy between the prices advertised and the prices that ring up at theregister If a store has more than a 2% error rate on overcharges inspectors discuss the findingswith the store manager and conduct a more intensive follow-up inspection later Consumers who would like to file a complaint about scanner errors they encounter can call the Standards Division at 984-236-4750 Penalties are assessed if a store fails a follow-up inspection the store will be subject to reinspection every 60 days from the last inspection until it meets the 2%-or-less error rate Additional penalties may be assessed if a store fails reinspection The following are civil penalties recorded in the first quarter of 2025: these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025 Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5 take advantage of these freebies and deals Hazardous Weather OutlookNational Weather Service Blacksburg VA755 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025 NCZ001-002-018-VAZ007-009>012-015-WVZ042>044-507-508-031200-Ashe-Alleghany NC-Watauga-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Grayson-Mercer-Summers-Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier-755 AM EDT Fri May 2 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest North Carolina,southwest Virginia and southeast West Virginia Severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening Themain risk with these storms is damaging winds and large hail .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Saturday through Thursday Showers and thunderstorms on Saturday evening into Sunday will becapable of locally damaging winds and hail as well as periods ofheavy rain that could result in flash flooding Weather spotters are requested to report hail of any size as wellas any damage caused by thunderstorm winds in their area Your local source for propane and heating fuels water heaters and more are located in each Blue Ridge Energy district office instagram takipçi satın al -instagram takipçi satın al mobil ödeme -takipçi satın al bahis siteleri -deneme bonusu -casino siteleri bahis siteleri -kaçak bahis -canlı bahis goldenbahis -makrobet -cepbahis cratosslot -cratosslot giriş -cratosslot 2025) – The Board of Directors of Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation has appointed Kelvin Gryder to fill the Watauga District Board seat that was left open when Tom Trexler stepped down from the Board following 13 years of service Gryder will complete the seat’s three-year term Article III Section 3.09 of the Cooperative’s Bylaws requires the Board of Directors to appoint a replacement director for the open seat whenever there are one or more years remaining in the term The Board also follows all Bylaw requirements for director qualifications as stated in Article III Section 3.02 with over four decades of experience in engineering and technical sales an independent engineering consulting and technical sales company that provides specialized consulting services and technical representation across a range of industries He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from UNC Charlotte and earned his Professional Engineer certification in 1986 Gryder has been a member of the Blue Ridge Energy Member Advisory Committee (MAC) since 2020 and recently served as Chair He has also contributed through service on additional committees including the Credentials and Election Committee and the Nominating Committee.He is an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Boone He has previously served as a Deacon and Clerk of Session and has participated in multiple disaster relief missions.A graduate of Watauga High School Gryder has remained a lifelong resident of Watauga County Gryder began his duties with the Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation Board of Directors on Tuesday Blue Ridge Energy is a member-owned electric cooperative provides residential and commercial services in the Cooperative’s service area and beyond with showrooms in each of the Cooperative’s district offices The Cooperative’s telecommunications subsidiary provides broadband and telecommunications services to businesses providing end-use internet access services NCC009-189-193-010000-/O.NEW.KRNK.FA.Y.0025.250430T2049Z-250501T0000Z//00000.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/Ashe NC-Watauga NC-Wilkes NC-449 PM EDT Wed Apr 30 2025 …FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING… Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads please send your reports of flooding,including mudslides or flooded roads to the National WeatherService by calling toll free at 1…8 6 6…2 1 5…4 3 2 4 Reportsand pictures can also be shared on the National Weather ServiceBlacksburg Facebook page and on Twitter Press Release from Watauga County Emergency Services – Watauga County would like to offer our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and miscommunication regarding traffic congestion along 421 in the Boone Mountain area this morning with the contractor now informed of the proper procedures for traffic management and the required rules and permissions through DOT for any project going forward This has been addressed now and should not happen going forward we apologize for the difficulty of this morning’s commute the Watauga County Transfer Station will be closed on the following dates: NO TRASH/GARBAGE/BRUSH/RECYCLING will be accepted ALL CONVENIENCE CENTERS WILL BE OPERATING ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE A Watauga County man is among the latest new Highway Patrolmen to graduate from Basic Highway Patrol School Carlson Tester was among 46 new troopers to graduate during the 165th ceremony on Friday The ceremony commemorates 15 weeks of extensive training to prepare the graduates for a rewarding career in law enforcement Jonathan Johnston from Wilkes County will also be based out of the Watauga duty station had Governor Josh Stein serving as guest speaker and provided congratulatory remarks to the graduates The oath of office was administered by Judge Jeffrey K Carpenter of the North Carolina Court of Appeals provided remarks to the newest sworn members of the State Highway Patrol we feel you are ready to fulfill this role and be ambassadors who represent the State Highway Patrol,” said Johnson “Your presence throughout North Carolina will begin exactly where it is needed most and that is in the communities within which you will serve I am certain that you will serve with honor and distinction.” These new state troopers will report to their respective duty stations on Wednesday to begin a demanding field training program Bright yellow and blue lights shine down on the Watauga High School auditorium “I remember exactly where I was when it happened,” they say forcefully in unison The Watauga High School Pioneer Playmakers are a group of theater students who write and produce a show for competition each year they had settled on creating a show honoring the voices of Appalachian women across generations prepared to come back the next day and work on their production “We didn’t see them for 10 days,” Sarah Miller The Watauga River reached a height of 13 feet Hurricane Helene wiped through western North Carolina leaving entire communities without access to power And – like so much in Watauga County – the Playmakers’ plans were blown out the window Only half of the cast was able to join due to lack of internet access The yearly theater competition season begins with the North Carolina Theatre Conference’s (NCTC) Regional High School Play Festival Despite their first round of competition being a mere 28 days away the Playmakers collectively agreed they still wanted to attend and compete at regionals – but with a different show Their idea shifted to tell three different stories of the tragedy Helene unleashed throughout western North Carolina When the Playmakers returned to school in person Oct they were able to find a haven in their theater Walker said they spent their time writing and creating the show in every way they could to tell the story – their story – of Helene Named for the surge of water the hurricane brought to the mountains the play featured the stories of a grandmother mother and daughter saving a local church; four siblings running a coffee shop they inherited from their mother; and a family that owns a local Christmas tree farm “It’s a generational show where every single person in the audience has a direct link to what’s going on on the stage,” Zach Walker Miller said the Playmakers wanted to ensure the script was as accurate as possible when describing the details of the storm The cast used the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to research exact weather statistics certain characters known as the reporters keep the timeline moving along by announcing the time of day speed of the rivers and inches of rain fallen WHS junior Liliana Lemus portrays a young girl named Ivy Ivy and her mother’s contentious relationship shines through as they loudly argue on their way to help protect the church next door from the storm Shortly after Ivy and her family leave the stage the reporters note the wind gusts as recorded on the major mountains in the state Mount Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain both clocked gusts over 100 mph These hurricane-force winds were later responsible for the widespread power outages and destruction across the mountains “Surge” was successful at the regional competition earning a superior rating along with multiple other awards The Playmakers won Excellence in Original Songwriting Outstanding Achievement in Acting by Rowan Tait Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Acting and Distinguished Play Audience Choice M Quigley is a senior at Watauga High School and the lighting technician for “Surge.” They said throughout the show a blue lighting wash shines over the stage to represent the influx of water in the mountains “I wanted to show the destruction of the water and be able to show also the healing that happened during the aftermath of [the storm],” Quigley said The audience sees inside the coffee shop as the storm worsens the characters scream and scramble to safety Lappan’s character forces her siblings up on planks and blocks trying to reach higher ground as the shop begins to flood The reporters flash on the stage and say the French Broad River flowed at a rate of 240,000 cubic feet per second at the peak of the storm is boarded up inside the church next door with her mother and grandmother Ivy sings to distract from the roaring wind and rain When the sounds of the storm begin to drown out her voice The three women sing louder and louder until the storm forces them to stop The stained glass windows shatter to the floor and they race to hide inside the church’s kitchen the youngest daughter of the Christmas tree farm family with a knack for rebellion Sudden’s journey is one of the most intense portrayed in the show detailing her separation from her family during the storm Sudden’s family is headed by her strong-armed father Most concerned about saving the family’s only source of income Charles ignores the family’s cries to protect the house from the storm Her family shouts and frantically searches for Sudden as the lights fade and the scene ends Sudden finds herself swept away in a mudslide and crushed under a pile of branches and trees she is buried under splintered trees completely limp and unconscious as the audience falls into a stunned silence “Because that happened – people lost their lives in this hurricane.”  Helene was recently named the deadliest hurricane to hit the contiguous United States since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 Lemus and Hogan both recall performances when they could hear the sobs and gasps from the audience “I feel humbled that they would feel brave enough to write a story that requires them to relive the trauma of Helene every time we rehearse was held at Greensboro College in late November The Playmakers returned to Boone celebrating once again Lipscomb Award for Excellence in Directing Distinguished Play Adjudicator’s Choice and Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Theater “I don’t think we really had the objective to do this – to make someone feel this way to get this score from the judges,” Walker said “It was really just cathartic to come [to the theater] the audience holds its breath after Sudden is carried away as the weight of the storm settles over the stage The reporters wander aimlessly around taking in the destruction as the blue lighting wash covers the stage the rebuilding and recovery began almost immediately The siblings’ coffee shop sustained damage—but beneath the broken glass and waterlogged floors Ivy and her mother reconcile through their love for singing as they sweep the church floor almost 10 minutes after the audience last saw her hobbling onto the stage with her father’s help but she and her family will carry the memory of the mudslide with them forever “Surge” is a message written to the community The Playmakers drew on their own experiences and stories to create the characters “This one is definitely one of the closest tight knit groups that I’ve been part of because of what we’ve all experienced and what we’ve been through and how we’ve coped with it,” Lemus said Hogan said the process of creating “Surge” built a family out of the Playmakers because no matter what each of them experienced individually The WHS auditorium became a home for many of the Playmakers Miller said the stage became a place for them to put their emotional feelings about Helene “It’s not just some random production we pulled out of thin air,” she said the Playmakers represented North Carolina at the national competition in Baltimore taking the stage for their final performance of “Surge.”  It was the most success Watauga High School has ever had at this level of competition “Surge” won three All Star Acting and Composition awards for Ky Hogan as well as Best Original Play Concept and Excellence in Ensemble Acting Watauga was the only school of 18 awarded with the Excellence in Ensemble Acting “I think it’s so beautiful how we can share our community’s story with such a widespread audience,” Lemus said The final scene of “Surge” shows all of the characters together helping one another recover from the storm They’re singing “Down in the River to Pray,” a traditional folk hymn The creation of “Surge” not only allowed the cast and crew to heal but it also provided a space for the students and community to come together supporting one another as they navigated their own paths toward recovery “I will never experience anything like this again,” Hogan said “This has been the most beautiful experience that I’ve been a part of so far – ever – in my life.” Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — After Helene came through North Carolina many communities used art as a form of therapy and a way to process the tragedy The Pioneer Playmakers of Watauga High School did just that by writing a play focused on the storm but for the community who came to see the performance “You never forget the way that you felt or what you saw But we can’t forget what actually happened here,” student Abby Ardois said “This is a story that doesn't deserve to be forgotten It deserves to be remembered and shown as it was.” the Watauga High School Playmakers were working on a completely different play they decided to start from scratch and write about what happened to their community “The kids wanted to use this experience as a way to process and heal and work through the trauma and the community efforts of trying to get things built back together,” said Zach Walker a theater arts teacher at Watauga High School “We weren't writing it to do anything or prove anything or tell anything It was really just a cathartic way to use art as kind of therapy.” just in time for the first theater competition of the season “It just fell out of them,” said theater arts teacher Sarah Miller “I've never been a part of that kind of a writing experience.” It’s a story about three different families from their town and what their lives were like before Students used their real-life experiences to influence their writing When they performed "Surge: The Last Wave" for their community for the first time but you could tell that he was definitely crying “It's rare that you perform a play where the audience comes in you know that every single person in the audience has firsthand experience with what's going on in the show,” Walker said Not only did it act as a form of therapy to help them process the tragedy together but it was an outlet for audiences who came to see it as well “There's not a person in western North Carolina or east Tennessee who's not affected by Helene,” Miller said “It's like a whole thing just to see all your friends again and family and relatives,” student William Greene said and seeing them in front of you… it's a feeling that comes over you that you can't even explain.” Students say this play is a love letter to their community “I feel that we have a responsibility to share this story,” Ardois said but as the real experiences of actual people.” The playmakers performed "Surge" for theater competitions across the state ultimately making it to the national level During last month’s Southeastern Theatre Conference in Baltimore Watauga High School won the most awards the theater department has ever won in its history Those include “all star acting and composition,” “best original play concept,” and “excellence in ensemble acting.” We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at web@mountaintimes.com or call us at 828-264-6397 Several power outages impacted portions of Watauga County on Monday The larger outage was caused by a burnt switch inside a substation according to Renee Walker with Blue Ridge Energy There were also several smaller outages during the day which are often caused by animals getting into a substation or tripping something on a line Ramen and sushi are coming to Watauga via Hokkaido Ramen and Sushi taking over a former Pei Wei at 7620 Denton Hwy where it will serve its signature menu of sushi Hokkaido has roots in Japan as well as branches across the U.S. which provides the ramen noodles that are a Hokkaido staple item The menu places a special focus on the tonkotsu pork broth ramen found on the northern island of Hokkaido in Japan The local franchisee is Louie Lou, who also owns the Hokkaido Sushi and Steakhouse in Arlington, which opened in 2016, and the Hokkaido in City View Towne Crossing in Fort Worth that opened in 2024 He says that the Watauga location will feature an expanded selection of Chinese dishes such as beef with broccoli and sesame chicken He's also adding a lobster ramen featuring a lobster tail Sushi options include basics like California and yellowtail as well as specialty rolls such as the Lion King roll with spicy crab there will be alcohol and Japanese drinks like Ramune soda and teas a colorful character and a bit of a moving target promises activities and specials on opening day — he'll even treat visitors to his own singing performance There’s a new Nashville chicken restaurant now open in Mansfield: Called 2 Neighbors Southern Chicken it opened in March in the Broad Street Shopping Center at 2751 E where it's serving an authentic version from a family with first-hand knowledge Owner Carlonda Marshall is a native of Nashville who's getting some backup from her mother "We grew up on Nashville fried chicken that would be our Friday night meal," Marshall says Mansfield is a second location: Marshall opened the first 2 Neighbors in 2017 in Cedar Hill, before relocating to the Grow DeSoto Market Place in 2020, where it’s still open today. (They also briefly opened a burgers and shakes concept next door in the marketplace The new Mansfield location has fast-casual service Fans can buy hats and T-shirts with the restaurant's design The menu at Mansfield is similar to DeSoto location but with a bigger focus on Southern fried chicken Customers can get plain fried chicken or the spicier Nashville-style Prices range from $8.50 for nuggets to $14 for catfish & fries The only thing they're not doing at Mansfield is sandwiches a twist on the classic Kentucky butter cake a moist pound cake with a butter and sugar syrup and a vanilla glazed crust The center where they're located has a healthy mix of shops and restaurants. They took over a space that was previously occupied by another chicken place called Chick'n Cone now closed; but Marshall is upbeat about the area "Just looking in the Mansfield area and seeing all the growth there we decided it’s kind of booming over there,” she says "We're so busy in Mansfield right now we're getting a lot of walk-in traffic." In the heart of North Carolina’s High Country From its headwaters at Grandfather Mountain it winds through forests and over rocky banks before flowing into Watauga Lake in eastern Tennessee Shull’s Mill Dam stood as a concrete barrier across these waters Fish and Wildlife Service joined forces to remove the dam When combined with the 2021 removal of Ward Mill Dam downstream our partnership created something remarkable: a 78-mile corridor of free-flowing water — an achievement that would soon prove far more important than anyone imagined Nature’s test: Hurricane HeleneIn October 2024 Hurricane Helene devastated the region with unprecedented rainfall the river handled the flood like it had for thousands of years before and when we can move restrictions out of the way American Rivers’ Southeast Conservation Director The timing of the dam removal couldn’t have been better — engineers believe the old dam would likely have failed during the hurricane potentially causing catastrophic damage downstream who had made the difficult decision to remove their family’s historic dam in 2021 Ward that surviving Helene was attributed to removing the dam — that’s a strong testimony to the impact of this work,” Erin shares.   The power of local partnershipsThis project’s success was built on trust and relationships “We were only able to achieve this because of a strong partnership we’ve had with MountainTrue since 2020,” Erin reflects this project represented something personal “Growing up on the banks of the Mississippi river we couldn’t touch the river because it was dangerous,” she recalls “I fell in love with the Southern Appalachian Mountains this river is where I caught my first trout and go to recharge This project is about giving something back — helping the river flow freely while supporting the people Part of a larger movementThe Watauga River story adds to a growing movement across the nation it’s smaller projects like Shull’s Mill that show how local action can protect the places we love while ensuring community safety against climate change each project brings us closer to our goal of removing 30,000 obsolete dams nationwide “We’re inextricably linked to these rivers,” Erin concludes What started as removing old concrete has grown into something far more powerful — a blueprint for how our partnerships and our reconnection to rivers can build a stronger and more vibrant future for both people and nature.  National Geographic, How removing a dam could save North Carolina’s ‘lasagna lizard’  and website in this browser for the next time I comment Every $1 donated to American Rivers helps us make rivers clean and healthy for people and wildlife Don’t let the latest river news and actions pass you by Walking the same halls: App State nursing graduate finds purpose where brother died Going the distance: Graduate student breaks records for App State College Gameday broadcaster Lee Corso set to retire, ends 38-year run App at a Glance: Summer Edition May 10-August 10 Playlist of the week: Summer soundscapes throughout the High Country Playlist of the Week: End of semester nostalgia Students revive LGBTQ+ graduation 1 year with Norris: Chancellor reflects on leadership, shares goals for future Meet Goldie: App State’s forgotten mascot College Gameday broadcaster Lee Corso set to retire, ends 38-year run App State baseball falls in lone game against Wake Forest Jefferson Griffin, a Republican candidate in the 2024 election for the North Carolina Supreme Court, sued the State Board of Elections in November to have over 60,000 votes nullified Rallies took place throughout North Carolina Feb The votes Griffin petitioned to have nullified are publicly available in a searchable database called The Griffin List To have a vote nullified means it is not legally recognized and is not counted when a race is being called Votes are nullified by boards of elections or courts when there is evidence against their legality Griffin lost the race for Associate Justice Seat 6 to incumbent Democrat Allison Riggs in November by 734 votes Many of the challenged votes cast allegedly did not have a driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number on file. According to NCSBE individuals are still entitled to vote without this information on file if they show a valid form of ID the organization works to defend voting rights hold the government more accountable and encourage transparency Cathy Williamson was the organizer for the People v The rally was held in the Boone Town Council Chambers and included testimonies from voters who had been put on The Griffin List Williamson had four people speak publicly at the rally about their experiences as voters in Watauga County All of them have been voting for at least five years and one individual has voted in 38 elections The 2024 election was the first time that these individuals were made aware of any problems with their information “The ultimate goal is to make you doubt the system frustrate you about voting so that when voting comes around Jared Caudill is a senior geography major who is on The Griffin List He said he had no idea this situation was happening at all “I honestly don’t know the context or story behind the Griffin List but if someone can potentially get away with nullifying votes what else could possibly occur when something doesn’t go someone’s way?” Caudill said Layla Bouis is a junior music education major who is on the list as well She registered to vote on campus as a freshman and has voted twice since then I was required to show my ID during early voting on site so it doesn’t make any sense to me that my vote would be nullified,” Bouis said She said the reaction from Griffin feels unfair and it seems like he is desperately trying to get a different result by any means necessary “It feels like we’re in a new age where if someone loses an election even if the votes are recounted numerous times someone has to cry wolf and claim fraud,” she said it should be known that there is a possibility of losing and if that person loses Williamson agreed with the sentiment and said this situation sets a bad precedent for future elections Do they petition to throw out 100,000 votes?” Williamson said She said this situation is embarrassing for North Carolina because this race remains the only uncertified race left from the 2024 election “This is voter suppression and it is a non-partisan issue There are Democrats and Republicans and unaffiliated voters on this list So this offends everybody,” Williamson said Williamson said even though this is not a localized issue there are still solutions and actions to be taken “I think what the solution is going to be is public pressure And by that I mean getting on social media and putting your story out there,” Williamson said Voters can go to thegriffinlist.com to see if they or someone they know is on the list of challenged votes Correction: A previous version of this article noted that Griffin sued the board in December rather than in November This has been changed in the article and more clarifying information has been added our student staff wanted to ask if you would consider supporting The Appalachian's award-winning journalism We are celebrating our 90th anniversary of The Appalachian in October 2024 which helps us to compensate our students for the work they do for The Appalachian the bulk of our operational expenses — from printing and website hosting to training and entering our work into competitions — is dependent upon advertising revenue and donations We cannot exist without the financial and educational support of our fellow departments on campus and donations of money and time from alumni Our journalism is produced to serve the public interest readers can access our paywall-free journalism Our supporters help to keep us editorially independent please consider supporting us with a financial gift from $10 We appreciate your consideration and support of student journalism at Appalachian State University If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation or if you would prefer to make a recurring monthly gift please give to The Appalachian Student News Fund through the university here: https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/54088/donations/new?designation_id=faa93386& The Student News Site of Appalachian State University Cancel reply The North Carolina School Public Relations Association (NCSPRA) has honored Watauga County Schools for excellence in Communications Watauga County Schools earned a total of three Blue Ribbon Awards for outstanding and effective communication Two awards were for Electronic Media and one was for Excellence in Writing Director of Communications/Community Relations was thrilled to accept the awards during a special ceremony in High Point NCSPRA recognizes outstanding communications through its Blue Ribbon Awards program each year Watauga County Schools was one of 35 school districts statewide to receive a Blue Ribbon award Its mission is to build support for public education through well-planned and responsible public relations Watauga County Schools is excited to announce Ricky Ward as the 2025-26 principal of the year The announcement was made in a surprise celebration in the gymnasium of Bethel School on April 1 “It is a huge honor to be chosen by my peers for this recognition and I can't explain enough how much this means to me,” Ward said “I am blessed to work with such an amazing group of administrators in Watauga County I love being part of the Bethel community and working alongside such a caring and dedicated group of educators We have wonderful students that make our school a great place to learn and work It is exciting to continue to strive to meet our goals and to represent our community together.” Ward was hired as the principal of Bethel School in July 2023 he was also named the Director of Watauga Virtual Academy.  many staff members gathered everyone in the gym Whitley entertained everyone with their dancing while dressed in beaver costumes Leslie Alexander and several Central Office employees entered the gym during that time Alexander went to the center of the gym floor and started talking to everyone She told them how much she enjoys visiting Bethel and was inquisitive asking them whether they thought their school was great the answer was a resounding “Yes!” The subject quickly changed to Ward with her announcing that he had been selected as the Watauga County Schools Principal of the Year Assistant Superintendent/Director of Human Resources Dr Chris Blaton and Human Resources Assistant Christy Parker joined Ward and Alexander in the middle of the gym floor to present him with a gift who came to Bethel for the surprise announcement Students quickly began chanting for him to open his gift He showed off the Appalachian State University ballcap a variety of his favorite snacks and an insulated lunchbox Ward to be named Watauga County School's Principal of the Year,” Alexander said and his focus on relationships with students and staff is evident We are fortunate to have him in Watauga County and I am proud of him for this accomplishment.” Leslie Alexander and Assistant Superintendent Dr NCZ001-002-018-VAZ015-151000-/O.NEW.KRNK.WI.Y.0012.250415T1200Z-250416T1200Z/Ashe-Alleghany NC-Watauga-Grayson-Including the cities of Boone …WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TUESDAY TO 8 AM EDT WEDNESDAY… Winds this strong can make driving difficult 2025) — In its 40th year of honoring the nation’s most elite high school athletes Gatorade today announced Kate Sears of Watauga High School is the 2024-25 Gatorade North Carolina Girls Basketball Player of the Year Sears is the first Gatorade North Carolina Girls Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Watauga High School.  Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their success on the court The award distinguishes Sears as North Carolina's best high school girls basketball player and she joins an impressive group of alumni that spans CEOs coaches and star athletes such as Candace Parker (2002-03 & 2003-04 The 5-foot-9 senior point guard averaged 27.2 points 13.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game this past season leading the Pioneers (22-6) to the Class 4A state quarterfinals Sears recorded 13 triple-doubles in 28 contests including one game where she scored 50 points and another when she tallied 43 points A four-time Northwestern Conference Player of the Year she concluded her prep basketball career with 2,613 points.  A member of her school’s chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Sears has volunteered locally as a peer math tutor and as a youth basketball coach She has also donated her time to multiple community service initiatives through Athletes for Good “Kate Sears has been sensational this season,” said Steven Phillips I can confirm she is impossible to game-plan for but she jumps center and plays the middle of the 2-3 zone Her court vision and decision-making are as good as anyone I have ever seen.”  Sears has maintained a weighted 4.54 GPA in the classroom She has signed a written letter of athletic aid to play basketball at Virginia Tech this fall.  The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states across 12 different high school sports – football and boys and girls track & field – and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the state winners in each sport.  Sears joins recent Gatorade North Carolina Girls Basketball Players of the Year Sarah Strong (2023-24 & 2022-23 Apex Friendship High School) and Saniya Rivers (2020-21 among the state’s list of former award winners.  As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $5.6 million in grants to winners across more than 2,000 organizations.  To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY and X(Twitter) at x.com/Gatorade.  Hazardous Weather OutlookNational Weather Service Blacksburg VA342 AM EDT Sat Apr 5 2025 NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-WVZ042>044-507-508-060745-Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Stokes-Rockingham-Caswell-Watauga-Wilkes-Yadkin-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA-Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-Amherst-Henry-Pittsylvania-Campbell-Appomattox-Buckingham-Halifax-Charlotte-Mercer-Summers-Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier-Western Greenbrier-342 AM EDT Sat Apr 5 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north central North Carolina,northwest North Carolina west central Virginia and southeast WestVirginia There is a low probability for widespread hazardous weather .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Sunday through Friday Scattered thunderstorms will bring a marginal risk of severe weatherand excessive rainfall on Sunday Spotter activation is not expected at this time 2025 – The Watauga County Fire Marshal has released the cause of the structure fire that destroyed six condo units at 105 Wedling Way Incoming severe weather with a strong line of winds caused a failure in the metal roofing The metal roofing wrapped a live power line causing a charge to run through the structure and short out at a propane line which ignited and accelerated the flames throughout the destroyed units National Weather Service lightning reports were used to determine that there were no lightning strikes near the area at the time of the fire UPDATE: The stolen police vehicle was located abandoned in the area of Blowing Rock Road in Boone Officers are currently attempting to locate the person of interest High Country Crime Stoppers and UNC Appalachian Healthcare Police seek the public’s assistance in solving the following crime: Anyone with information on this crime or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 828-268-6959 or the UNC Health Police Department at 828-262-4168 or Text “NCTIP plus your tip” to 274637 (CRIMES)     All information will be kept confidential High Country Crime Stoppers pays rewards for information which leads to arrests; recovery of stolen property; seizure of drugs and the location of wanted persons High Country Crime Stoppers is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization operated by a volunteer community board of directors serving Avery and Watauga Counties High Country Crime Stoppers encourages the reporting of information or leads which can assist law enforcement with solving crimes Its goal is to help in the fight against crime but it is not part of the local police departments or sheriff's offices Each County has a law enforcement coordinator who participates as an advisor to the board but is a non-voting member The citizen's board is responsible for operations of the program