High Country Press

Lees-McRae Summer Theatre Celebrates Country’s Semiquincentennial With “America 250”

Ken — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 08:34:12 +0000

BANNER ELK, N.C.— 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, and Director of Summer Theatre Janet Speer has thrown her hat into the celebratory ring with her latest original musical, “America 250.” The show will be performed as part of this season’s Lees-McRae Summer Theatre lineup Tuesday, June 30 through Sunday, July 5. Speer wrote and will direct the musical, which tells the story of a group of performers assembling a show in celebration of the nation’s big anniversary. We follow Aaron, the show’s director, as he attempts to wrangle 35 choral singers, various instrumentalists, a historian, and a writer as they agree and disagree on which music should represent the United States in their production. “They look for new angles, for tried-and-true songs with fresh arrangements, songs grander in scope, and wider in appeal. Questions are asked, but in ways that will make you laugh,” Speer said. “As we all navigate who we are as a country, we know there are times when we adore her, when we shout at her, and when we are sad or happy for her, but ultimately, we are grateful that 250 years ago, she was born.” The resulting show brings ...

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MOVIE REVIEW: Toy Story 5

Ken — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:36:51 +0000

By Bob Garver Simply put, “Toy Story” is my favorite movie franchise of all time. The 1995 original about cowboy doll Woody (Tom Hanks) fighting for relevance against hi-tech spaceman action figure Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) was about the most fun a kid could possibly have at a theater… until three worthy sequels came along. And yet here I am, saying that “Toy Story 5” is a big step down for the franchise. The main character of this movie is actually Jessie the Cowgirl (Joan Cusack), a doll introduced in the second movie with a tragic backstory of being abandoned by her human owner. Now she’s owned by 8-year-old Bonnie (Scarlett Spears), along with Buzz and other familiar figures, when the youngster is gifted frog-themed electronic tablet LilyPad (Greta Lee). Soon Bonnie is addicted to the screen, and the cowgirl has to fight for relevance against the hi-tech newcomer, eventually pulling in “lost toy” Woody for a rescue effort. The movie emphasizes helping humans make human friends, which is a nice touch, but too much of the movie is just par-for-the-course toy rescues, jokes, and bickering. Even heavy emotional moments are hit-and-miss. It’s also worth mentioning that ...

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Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Named Finalist for Prestigious Chamber of the Year Award

Ken — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 08:39:12 +0000

June 23, 2026 Boone, NC – June 23, 2026 - “Being named a Chamber of the Year finalist is a powerful reflection of leadership, innovation and measurable impact,” said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. “We congratulate these outstanding chambers on this well-deserved recognition. They are not only serving their members, they are shaping stronger economies, building more resilient communities and setting a high standard for the chamber profession.”

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Watauga, Avery Obituaries – June 23rd, 2026

Ken — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

June 23, 2026 The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland

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Watauga County Habitat for Humanity “Big Cheese” Fundraiser a Success! Over $63,000 Raised

Ken — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:01:17 +0000

On June 2, 2026, Watauga County Habitat for Humanity and friends gathered to hold The 2026 Big Cheese Fundraising Finale at Appalachian Mountain Brewery in Boone, N.C. This event was the conclusion of two months of fundraising that 8 teams and 29 individuals participated in, through “The Big Cheese Fundraiser.” The fundraiser brought in a total of $63,138 for the Watauga Habitat. This year was the 12th year of the peer-to-peer fundraiser, and it has raised a total of $521,120 since its inception. VPC Builders won in both the team and individual categories. VPC Builders raised $22,485 as a team, and VPC Builders team member Lindsey Royle won the individual category, raising $16,550. VPC Builders also won the team competition when they competed in 2024. The proceeds from this friendly competition support Watauga Habitat’s mission of building safe and affordable homes in Watauga County with those in need. In the Big Cheese Fundraiser, participants work to raise more money than the other competitors through a variety of strategies, and “The Big Cheese” winner title is won by both the top team and individual fundraisers. This year, the competition began on April 1, 2026 and concluded at Appalachian Mountain Brewery on ...

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MOVIE REVIEW: Backrooms

Ken — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:53:04 +0000

By Bob Garver Last week, I reviewed “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which was based on a series that I hadn’t seen, but I was well-aware of its larger world and its place in popular culture. This week is “Backrooms,” which is also based on a series that I haven’t seen, and was in no way known to me until a few weeks ago. Even once I did hear about it, it struck me as an obscure, niche product for horror nerds. Yet both films are estimated to have made over $81 million at the domestic box office in their first three days. How does this movie based on a simple series of web shorts find itself performing just as well as an entry into one of the biggest franchises in history? Like everything about “Backrooms,” I don’t know, it makes no sense, but I like it. The film, which I understand to feature characters never before seen in the series (I also understand that one does not need to have seen the series to understand the movie… to the degree that one can understand the movie), follows Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an unhappy, unsuccessful furniture salesman in early 90’s ...

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Blowing Rock Community Foundation Awards Scholarships to Class of 2030

Ken — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:51:30 +0000

June 23, 2026 Boone, NC – June 23, 2026 - These new scholarship students include Janie Beach-Verhey – Davidson
College, Elijah Brown – Montana State University, Jack Garrett –
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, William Greene –
Appalachian State University, Lucas Hamilton – University of North
Carolina at Charlotte, Kora Knight – North Carolina State University,
Mikey Portante – Citadel, Lily Stough - North Carolina State
University, and Ansel Westerman – University of North Carolina or
University of Utah.

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Donnie Suttles Named as Lees McRae’s Inaugural Head Baseball Coach

Ken — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:20:14 +0000

June 22, 2026 Boone, NC – June 22, 2026 - "Starting a baseball program at Lees-McRae has been a long-term strategic priority for the College," said King. "Conference Carolinas is one of the premier baseball leagues in Division II, and we look forward to competing at the highest level. Donnie Suttles has proven himself as a player, coach, professional scout, and developer of talent. Most importantly, he is an exceptional person who will build our program with excellence, integrity, and a student-first approach. I cannot wait to see him get to work building Bobcat baseball."

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Symphony Tickets Now on Sale

Ken — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:03:03 +0000

BLOWING ROCK, NC — Celebrate summer in the High Country at Symphony on the Mountain, the Blowing Rock Chamber’s signature outdoor music event, happening Friday, July 17th at the new location on the Appalachian Ski Mountain. “Symphony has long been one of Blowing Rock’s most treasured summer traditions,” said Robin Miller, President & CEO. “While the location is new this year, guests can expect unforgettable music, atmosphere, and community spirit that have made this event so special.” This year’s event features Symphony of the Mountains, celebrating America’s 250th with special guest Jake Hoot, 2019 winner of The Voice, with an opening performance by Bristol Lightning. Guests are invited to bring a blanket or chair, pack a picnic, or enjoy grab-and-go food and beverage options while taking in an unforgettable evening of live music. The evening will conclude with a fireworks show. Symphony on the Mountain Friday, July 17, 2026, Opening Performance: 5:30 PM; Main Event: 7:30 pmAppalachian Ski Mountain 940 Ski Mountain Rd., Blowing Rock General Admission: $85 through June 30th Price increases to $95 on July 1st Learn more and purchase tickets at www.SymphonyOnTheMountain.org.

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FAMILY DAY – Tuesday, June 23rd

Ken — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:56:05 +0000

BOONE, NC: The King Street Farmer’s Market will be hosting a Family Day event with live children’s music, facepainting, games, and important information on how to double your SUN Bucks and WIC benefits! Join the King Street Farmer’s Market for their Family Day event this Tuesday, June 23rd from 3:30 until 6:30pm. The market will offer live kid’s music with beloved local children’s music entertainer, Mr. Zen, face painting, games, and so much more! This is also a great time for families to learn more about the summer SUN Bucks program. SUN Bucks is a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides grocery-buying benefits in a one-time payment of $120 per eligible child on a debit-like card that can be used to buy nutritious food during the summer months when schools are out. At the King Street Farmers Market, SUN Bucks can be doubled in value thanks to the Double Up Food Bucks Program, run by Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture. This gives families twice the spending money for fresh, local produce all summer long! Families can come to the market and show their SUNBucks card to the market managers, and double up to $75 of their benefits! The ...

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MOVIE REVIEW: Disclosure Day

Ken — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:53:05 +0000

By Bob Garver Director Steven Spielberg has previously brought us all-time-classic alien films “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” Now comes “Disclosure Day,” a film about the decision to let humanity know that they are not alone in the universe. After deeply personal project “The Fabelmans,” this is Spielberg’s return to blockbuster filmmaking. And I do see this movie as a blockbuster, just not much of one. The film essentially follows six characters: hacker Daniel Kellner (Josh O’Connor) and his girlfriend Jane (Eve Hewson), TV newswoman Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) and her boyfriend Jackson (Wyatt Russell), organizer of key players Hugo (Colman Domingo), and shady coverup leader Scanlon (Colin Firth). Kellner has flash drives with irrefutable proof of alien life. Margaret suddenly has powers that are not of this world. Hugo has a full-sized replica of Margaret’s childhood home for some reason. Scanlon has alien tech that he’s ironically using against the aliens and their allies. Let the race to expose or bury the truth begin. Unconvincing CGI animals in the last act aside, Spielberg usually makes good decisions about the way this film looks and sounds (Yes, frequent collaborator John Williams is doing the ...

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Blowing Rock Chamber Announces June Art in the Park Award Winners

Ken — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:51:08 +0000

June 22, 2026 Boone, NC – June 22, 2026 -"Art in the Park continues to showcase the incredible talent and craftsmanship of artists from across the region," said Robin Miller, President & CEO of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce. "We congratulate this month's award winners and thank all of the artists and visitors who help make this beloved Blowing Rock tradition such a special experience year after year."

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MOVIE REVIEW – Obsession

Ken — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:00:23 +0000

By Bob Garver In 1992’s “Aladdin,” one of The Genie’s few rules with wishes was that he couldn’t make people fall in love. “Obsession” is a movie about what happens when a wish for love is granted. It’s a horror movie, and a nasty one. The Genie was right to have that rule. Awkward dork Bear (Michael Johnston) wishes for the romantic love of his longtime friend Nikki (Inde Navarrette) on a novelty willow stick. The wish comes true, Nikki is immediately smitten with him, and Bear reaps the rewards of her vehement affection. The woman Bear loves may not have any agency in the matter, and that’s problematic if he thinks about it, so he decides not to think about it. But of course, things go south for Bear once Nikki starts inserting herself into every corner of his life and finding creepier and creepier ways to express her devotion. Her love becomes… wait for it… obsession. This movie gamely features some of the sickest scenes from a stalker thriller ever put to film, even if they borrow heavily from other stalker thrillers like “Fatal Attraction.” And Navarrette puts in a horror performance for the ages, ...

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Watauga, Avery Obituaries – June 16th, 2026

Ken — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 12:00:00 +0000

June 16, 2026 The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland

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MOVIE REVIEW – Mortal Kombat II

Ken — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:57:47 +0000

By Bob Garver The 2021 “Mortal Kombat” movie was a disaster that left fans disappointed for many reasons, not least of which was that it didn’t feature any fights from the much-hyped tournament for universal supremacy. At least in “Mortal Kombat II,” we finally get the tournament. Only the first round is done somewhat properly before the thing breaks down into cheating, sneak-attack shenanigans, but it can’t be said that we are denied the tournament entirely. A new character, outstanding-fighter-turned-action-movie-star-turned-washout-at-both Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), is the audience surrogate into the five-on-five fighting series on a distant planet that will determine the fate of our world. Cage fights alongside Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), Cole Young, (Leweis Tan), and Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) under the mentorship of Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) against the forces of the evil Shao Khan (Martyn Ford), such as his queen Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen), stepdaughter Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), her bodyguard Jade (Tati Gabrielle), and resurrected minions Kung Lao (Max Huang) and Kano (Josh Lawson). The first movie made another mistake killing off humoristic highlight Kano, fortunately this movie brings him back so he can steal the movie all over again. “Mortal ...

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Watauga, Avery Obituaries – June 9th, 2026

Ken — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 02:09:19 +0000

June 9, 2026 The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland

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Grandfather Mountain announces Mindfulness and Well-being Series for 2026

Ken — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:54:00 +0000

June 8, 2026 Boone, NC – June 8, 2026 - “After a stellar turnout last year, we are excited to continue the Mindfulness and Well-being Series this season,” said John Caveny, vice president of conservation and education for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. “Mindfulness encompasses so many practices, and we look forward to learning a lot from these highly skilled instructors.”

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MOVIE REVIEW – The Devil Wears Prada 2

Ken — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:45:30 +0000

June 5, 2026 Boone, NC – June 5, 2026- The Miranda character was written to spend more time making demands and throwing shade than acting like she belonged in a position to be so demanding. There was basically only one scene (and granted, it’s arguably her most famous scene) where she came off as someone who had truly mastered the ins and outs of the fashion and editorial industries, and the rest of the time I saw little more than a spoiled child. The main character, Miranda’s second assistant Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), and her supervisor, first assistant Emily (Emily Blunt) had their off-putting qualities as well, but at least their misery at working for Miranda was understandable and relatable.

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Hospitality House Food Pantry Receives Two Awards

Ken — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:05:49 +0000

June 4, 2026 Boone, NC – June 4, 2026 - “We are so grateful to Second Harvest Food Bank for facilitating the Farm Fresh Nourish program and were eager to jump on board at the very beginning,” states Hospitality House of Northwest N.C. Food Service Coordinator Emily Lowe. “I have loved participating in this program, it is really rewarding to be part of something that provides fresh, local produce to our clients with chronic illnesses while also knowing that local farms like Springhouse Farm and Kornecopia Farm are being paid full value for the produce shares.”

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Watauga, Avery Obituaries – June 2nd, 2026

Ken — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:17:07 +0000

June 2, 2026 The following are recent obituary notices from Austin and Barnes and Hampton funeral homes in Boone and Reins-Sturdivant in Newland

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