App State Football fans will soon have the opportunity to purchase single-game tickets for 2026 home games at Kidd Brewer Stadium, while supplies last. wataugaonline.com/app-state-fo...

⛈️ NWS upgrades Thursday's Hazardous Weather Outlook for the High Country — spotter activation may be needed. Isolated to scattered severe storms Thursday, damaging winds the main threat, localized flooding possible. wataugaonline.com/hazardous-we... #HighCountryNC #NCWeather #SevereWeather

Boone-area gas low $3.62/gal this week — up 8¢ from last week's $3.54, but NC avg keeps falling to $3.679 and national to $4.044 (AAA, 3rd straight week down). Diesel low $4.87 Banner Elk, $4.99 most Boone stations. wataugaonline.com/high-country... #Boone #HighCountryNC #GasPrices

🚧 UPDATE: SR-184 lane closure near Dobbins Rd in Avery County extended through mid-June. Utility line relocation work continues. One lane closed with flaggers. Allow extra travel time. 📋 NCDOT wataugaonline.com/lane-closure... #AveryCounty #HighCountry #NCTraffic #NCDOT

💃 Boone's Appalachian Rhythm Clogging & Dance is heading to D.C. for America's 250th! The studio — celebrating 20 years this summer — will perform TWICE in the National Independence Day Parade on July 4. Airing on C-SPAN. wataugaonline.com/appalachian-...

Watauga County EMS is one of six High Country agencies sharing in $10 million in new state funding aimed at strengthening rural emergency medical services and expanding access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment. wataugaonline.com/watauga-coun...

Isolated strong to severe storms are possible this afternoon and evening. Damaging wind gusts will be the main threat. wataugaonline.com/hazardous-we...

Drought Monitor: NC improvement continues. D3 drops to 37 counties (peak was 67). Avery and Caldwell improve to D2. Buncombe (Asheville) drops to D1. Watauga, Ashe, Wilkes remain D3. All 100 NC counties still in drought. wataugaonline.com/drought-moni...

Anitra Ball sworn in to the Boone Town Council at the May 27 meeting, filling the seat vacated by Eric Plaag. Ball is a lifelong Boone resident and App State employee focused on affordable housing and community communication. wataugaonline.com/anitra-ball-... #Boone #HighCountryNC

Boone-area gas drops to $3.77/gal at Sheetz — down 16¢ from last week's $3.93, lowest local low in months. Range $3.77–$3.85. NC avg $3.921, national $4.290 (AAA). Diesel below $5 in Banner Elk at $4.99. wataugaonline.com/high-country... #Boone #HighCountryNC #GasPrices

Not your typical rescue call: Linville-Central Rescue Squad and Linville VFD pulled a mud-stuck cow back to greener pasture in Avery County Thursday. Avery County livestock agent on scene to keep it safe. wataugaonline.com/rescue-squad... #HighCountryNC #AveryCounty

Watauga Community Foundation awards $42,270 to 19 local organizations — food security, housing, enrichment, and more. Largest grant: $4,240 to Hospitality House for Food Lockers 2026. Full list: wataugaonline.com/watauga-comm... #WataugaCounty #HighCountryNC

Town of Boone + Boone PD launching a downtown graffiti cleanup initiative. A police intern starts June 2 to coordinate a community event later this year.https://wataugaonline.com/town-of-boone-boone-police-launch-downtown-graffiti-cleanup-initiative-community-survey-now-open/ #Boone #HighCountryNC

CCC&TI pins its largest associate degree nursing class ever — 78 graduates from Caldwell, Watauga, and surrounding counties. Congratulations to the Class of 2026! 👩‍⚕️ wataugaonline.com/cccti-pins-l... #CCCTI #Nursing #HighCountryNC

A local man was airlifted Friday after falling off a cliff into the Watauga River near Beech Mountain. Crews built a high line to extricate him from the far bank. Medi-evac from Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem responded. wataugaonline.com/man-airlifte... #HighCountryNC #BeechMountain

🚧 TRAFFIC ALERT: NC 184 near Banner Elk — lane closures possible June 1–5 while crews relocate gas lines ahead of Helene culvert replacement. Flaggers on site. Permanent repairs expected later this year. 📋 NCDOT wataugaonline.com/lane-closure... #BannerElk #NCTraffic #NCDOT #HurricaneHelene

Blue Ridge Conservancy earns two national honors from Access Fund for its work to restore access to the Howard Knob boulders in Boone. The site — closed since 1993 — was purchased in December 2025 and will open to the public soon. wataugaonline.com/access-fund-...

Former App State men's basketball head coach Houston Fancher announces retirement after 38 years in college coaching. Fancher spent 13 seasons with the Mountaineers and the past 8 at NC State, including the Wolfpack's 2024 Final Four run. wataugaonline.com/nc-state-ass...

Drought Monitor: First major improvement in months. D4 gone. D3 drops from 67 to 44 counties. Watauga drops from D4 back to D3. Alleghany improves to D2. 20+ counties improve statewide. All 100 NC counties still in drought — but trending the right direction. wataugaonline.com/drought-moni...

✅ FOUND SAFE: The missing 19-year-old Ashe County woman has been returned home. Detectives tracked her to Cincinnati, Ohio after she was taken out of state within minutes of entering a vehicle. Sgt. Detective Milam and Detective Blanco located her Wednesday evening. wataugaonline.com/ashe-sheriff...

The kickoff times and accompanying network designations for six App State football games in 2026, including the first three games in September, were announced Wednesday. wataugaonline.com/kickoff-time...

🚨 MISSING — ASHE COUNTY: Jazmin Solis Cruz, 19, reported missing Tues. May 26. Cognitive disabilities. Last seen ~11:15 a.m. at Family Central in Jefferson. 4'8", 75 lbs, brown hair/eyes, light blue jeans, black hoodie. Call Ashe County SO: 336-846-5600. wataugaonline.com/ashe-county-...

NWS: Two threats today for the High Country — Marginal Risk of severe weather (damaging wind gusts) AND Marginal Risk of Excessive Rainfall (3–4 in/hr, flash flood risk on saturated ground). Spotters activated. Low hazard probability Thursday onward. wataugaonline.com/hazardous-we...

Several Boone stations drop below $4.00 for first time in weeks. Local low $3.93 at Sheetz — down 8¢ from last Tuesday's $4.01. Range $3.93–$4.03. NC avg $4.145, national $4.491 (AAA). Diesel low $5.19 Banner Elk. wataugaonline.com/high-country... #Boone #HighCountryNC #GasPrices

✅ Elk River Falls on Pisgah National Forest has reopened just in time for Memorial Day weekend after extensive Helene debris cleanup — 85,000+ cubic yards removed. ⚠️ Swimming/wading at Elk Falls strongly discouraged; strong undercurrent. 📋 USDA Forest Service wataugaonline.com/elk-river-fa...

🇺🇸 Gov. Stein orders NC flags to half-staff: For Kyle Busch — sunrise Sat. May 23 through sunset Sun. May 24. For Memorial Day — sunrise until noon Mon. May 25. Businesses, schools, and local govts encouraged to participate. 📋 Gov. Josh Stein wataugaonline.com/flag-alert-l...

Dr. Harvey R. Durham, former App State acting chancellor and provost, has died at 88. Durham spent nearly 40 years at the university, served as chief academic officer for 24 years, and is the namesake of Durham Park on the Boone campus. 📋 App State wataugaonline.com/dr-harvey-r-...

🔥 OLD HWY 105 FIRE UPDATE (5/21): 70% contained, 12 acres. Pisgah National Forest / Grandfather Ranger District near Linville Gorge. Overnight rain not enough to extinguish sub-surface fire. No trail closures. Linville Gorge Wilderness open. 📋 USDA Forest Service wataugaonline.com/old-highway-...

⚡ OUTAGE ALERT — BOONE: @New_River_LP reports a power outage starting ~1:40 p.m. Thursday on East King St near Farthing St. and Hillcrest Cir. Cause: broken utility pole. Crews on site. Est. restore: 4 p.m. wataugaonline.com/power-outage...

Watauga County reaches D4 Exceptional Drought — the highest classification. Caldwell and Wilkes also hit D4. Five counties now at the most severe drought level. Only 1 of 100 NC counties remains at D1. Drought worsening resumes after one-week pause. wataugaonline.com/drought-moni...

UPDATE on bank robbery in Boone - wataugaonline.com/attempted-ro...

OFFICIAL: Indianapolis Colts sign Boone native Anderson Castle (Watauga HS/App State/Duke) and waive RB Jordon Vaughn. Castle had 20 career college TDs, including 12 at Duke in 2025. High Country headed to the NFL. wataugaonline.com/indianapolis... #Colts #NFL #HighCountryNC #AppState

🚧 NCDOT begins rumble strip & pavement marking installation on 8+ miles of US 321 in northern Caldwell County on Tuesday. Green Hill Rd to Kirby Mountain Rd. Lane closures possible through summer — no closures Memorial Day weekend or weekday AM rush. 📋 NCDOT wataugaonline.com/contractor-t...

Accidental camper fire Sunday afternoon on Council Ward Road in Sugar Grove destroys camper, spreads to wooded area. One person transported to Watauga Medical Center with minor injuries. Multiple fire departments responded. wataugaonline.com/camper-destr... #WataugaCounty #HighCountryNC

Boone-area gas low drops to $4.01/gal at Sheetz — down 12¢ from last Tuesday's $4.13. NC avg $4.219, national $4.528 (AAA). Diesel low $5.33 in Banner Elk. Still $1.30+ above last year. wataugaonline.com/high-country... #Boone #HighCountryNC #GasPrices

Watauga High Theatre director Sarah Miller surprised Saturday with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine — NC's highest civilian honor. 19 state competitions, two championships, national win in 2025, Tony Awards honorable mention. wataugaonline.com/watauga-high...

Valle Crucis School dedicated Saturday — Watauga County's first new K-8 since Cove Creek in 1995. Photos and Video in the full story. wataugaonline.com/valle-crucis... #WataugaCounty #HighCountryNC

BREAKING: SBI agents serving a sex offense arrest warrant in Spruce Pine today — suspect drew a concealed weapon and sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Round also struck an SBI agent's protective vest. wataugaonline.com/sbi-investig... #MitchellCounty #HighCountryNC

Boone officer injured after suspect attacked him during trespassing call at 300 Brookhollow Road Wednesday morning. Jeremy John Mojica, 36, faces felony assault on a LEO and other charges. Held on $100K bond. wataugaonline.com/boone-office... #Boone #WataugaCounty #HighCountryNC

Blowing Rock traffic stop May 9 leads to felony drug charges + 2 warrants served. K-9 Hattie alerted on vehicle; search found meth, psilocybin mushrooms, paraphernalia, concealed weapon. Leah Gose, 40, held no bond. wataugaonline.com/blowing-rock... #BlowingRock #WataugaCounty #HighCountryNC

Drought Monitor: First week without worsening in 2 months. D4 disappears — Union drops back to D3. But 67 counties still in Extreme Drought. All six High Country counties remain D3. No real improvement yet. All 100 NC counties still in drought. wataugaonline.com/drought-moni...

Hardin Park School and Watauga High School briefly entered a SECURE action Thursday due to a community concern. Both schools returned to normal operations within 10 minutes. wataugaonline.com/hardin-park-... #WataugaCounty #HighCountryNC

Gov. Josh Stein orders NC flags to half-staff Friday, May 15 for National Peace Officers Memorial Day, honoring officers who lost their lives or were injured in the line of duty. wataugaonline.com/flag-alert-l... #NorthCarolina #PeaceOfficersMemorialDay #LawEnforcement

7 volunteers pulled 800 lbs of Hurricane Helene debris from the South Fork New River — 8 tires, pool noodles, a cellphone, lumber, and more. New River Conservancy: first 30 miles of the South Fork now clean. Another cleanup this Saturday. wataugaonline.com/volunteers-p... #HighCountryNC #NewRiver

FATAL CRASH — NC 105 near Avery County line, Watauga County. Head-on collision 10:31 p.m. Tuesday. Daylen H. Buchanan, 20, Bakersville, died at scene. Driver of other vehicle charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. wataugaonline.com/one-dead-in-... #WataugaCounty

⛽ HIGH COUNTRY GAS PRICES – May 12, 2026 Boone low: $4.13 | Most stations: $4.17–$4.19 Diesel low: $5.35 (Banner Elk Speedway) NC avg: $4.16 | National: $4.52 📌 May vary, change after posting. wataugaonline.com/high-country...

Neese's Country Sausage has fully halted production. USDA confirms no inspectors on site — legally required to restart. Listeria suspension active since Sept. 2025. Website down. Google shows permanently closed. Company: "unable to comment." Is it over? wataugaonline.com/is-neeses-co...

👶 Olivia and Liam top America's most popular baby names for the seventh straight year. Charlotte climbed to #2 among girls; Eliana debuted in the top 10. Is your child's name on the list? wataugaonline.com/olivia-and-l...

🏫 Lees-McRae College has received a $10 million gift — the largest in its history — from Charlotte philanthropists Howard and Margaret Bissell. The donation funds a new townhouse village with 144 student beds and 4 employee housing units, set to open Fall 2027. wataugaonline.com/lees-mcrae-c...