In the early morning of Sept. 27, Western North Carolina was hit by Hurricane Helene. The storm brought significant flooding to the Town of Boone. King Street became a waterway, Rankin Hallways flooded, Walmart was wrecked and residential communities including Cottages of Boone, Bradford Park and Bavarian Village saw damage. The Weather Network reported 13 inches of rain in the Town of Boone. A...

The 2024-25 academic year has been marked by construction projects throughout campus and the Town of Boone. App State’s goals with construction are outlined on their website in a master plan. The five objectives in the plan are to “create a sense of place and a central gateway,” “enhance Rivers Street,” “unite the two halves of campus,” “foster community and mixed-use partnerships...

On April 10, Ansley Puckett and Robert Armstrong were married at The Homewood in Asheville in a simple ceremony, where nothing out of the ordinary transpired.  Afterward, Puckett and Armstrong, two App State graduates from the class of 2022, hosted an afterparty for their family and friends. Soon, a large, bearded, flannel-clad silhouette appeared in the doorway. The App State fight song echoed...

Jefferson Griffin conceded the 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court race against Allison Riggs after pursuing a legal case that aimed to nullify over 60,000 votes, including 541 votes from Watauga County. A nullified vote 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, such...

Red Onion, one of the Boone’s oldest restaurants, will close Monday. The announcement was made on their Facebook page on Friday. “After 46 wonderful years of serving our community, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors,” read Red Onion’s Facebook post announcing their closure. “It has been both an honor and a blessing to share meals, laughter, and memories with each and...

The AppalCart Board held a meeting Monday where they voted unanimously to adopt potential route and stop changes for fall 2025, including the addition of an Orange Night Owl route.  This proposed new route starts and ends at ASU College Street Station, then goes south down Hardin Street and Blowing Rock Road toward its intersection with Highway 221. It then travels back up north toward King Street...