The sound of metal clashing echoed across Sanford Mall Wednesday afternoon as blacksmith John Winer provided a demonstration. A crowd gathered; the sun was shining and a gentle breeze rippled through the trees as students observed John Winer at work.  John Winer and his wife, Nancy Winer, traveled from their forgery located in the hills of Mountain City, Tennessee to participate in the event hosted...

Monday, Sept. 15  ASL Club Silent Dinner Picnic  Eat away from home and enjoy serenity with the App State American Sign Language Club’s silent dinner. Come to Sanford Mall from 6-7 p.m. to meet the club members and practice signing and engaging in the world of sign language. All are welcome, even if you have never signed before. Light snacks will be provided, so bring your own dinner!    Tuesday,...

While there aren’t many similarities between a salamander, Doc Watson and the word “Boone,” there are some that can be found on the streets of downtown Boone.  At the corner of 641 W. King Street and Depot Street, painted in green, the town logo colors the brick with the tagline, “Elevation 3,333.”  The mural features an outline of a sunrise over the mountains with the phrase “Live...

Indie band Big Thief returns with their sixth studio album with nine explorative, lyrically creative tracks on “Double Infinity.” Released on Sept. 5, this is their first full record since their 2022 Grammy-nominated album, “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You.”  This is their first album since bassist Max Oleartchik split ways with the band, marking a new era in Big Thief’s sound....

Blank walls and bare floors greet students as they enter a new space, soon to become their home. It can be tough for students to get comfortable living in a different area than they are used to. Still, App State students have found ways to mirror the comfort of home in a collegiate space.  Amber Benton, a freshman electronic media and broadcasting major, brought items from home to embody the familiar...

After leaving the Peace Corps in Panama 10 years ago, Soraya Valdez Place learned the Centro Latino Hickory website was written solely in English.  “I remember googling Latino community associations, anything in this area,” Place said. “I saw that Central Latino was here, but everything was in English, and when I saw that I thought, ‘Wait, so who is this for?’”  Now the Program...