Ashe County

The mountain town of about 130 people in Ashe County will play host once again to the Appalachian and folk music Fly Around Festival. Proceeds raised will go toward continued restoration efforts due to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

After roughly three decades of research, the newly opened Tobacco Trust Fund Christmas Tree Seed Center of Excellence in Ashe County will clean, process and distribute improved Fraser Fir seeds. According to Center Director Tracy Taylor, it was important to produce trees that grow faster, have the shape growers want, and hold their needles for longer.

Volunteers in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Ashe County are cleaning parks and public spaces this weekend as part of the nationwide Greatest American Clean-Up.

The Ashe County Chamber of Commerce hosted a discussion this week about the local economic impact of the statewide child care crisis.

A ribbon cutting that symbolically marked the end of a difficult year and a celebration of how far the town has come since Helene’s waters washed away roads and flooded its Main Street businesses.

The arts have always been integral to the Appalachian experience. Helene led to a pause in much of the area’s creative output. But six months later, many artists are back at work and incorporating the tragedy into their projects.

In the second installment of "With Grace and Grit: A mountain community responds to Helene," Paul Garber reports on Lansing’s Bridge to Recovery. The nonprofit was launched post-Helene to help restore vital spans that are not maintained by the state.

The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation has reopened the window to apply for its Hurricane Helene Business Resiliency Disaster Grants.

Friday’s figures from early voting in Helene’s disaster counties show higher turnout compared to the rest of the state.

Ashe Memorial Hospital was operational throughout Hurricane Helene and is in prepared to meet all health care needs in the area.