High Country

“Peak Week” recently wrapped up in Boone. It’s usually the third week of October, when the leaves are the perfect autumn color and attract tourists.

Every October, there’s a unique annual Appalachian tradition that predicts winter weather. WFDD’s Reyna Drake recently traveled to the High Country to get the forecast.

Property owners in Beech Mountain sued the town after a six-month infrastructure project disrupted access to their homes. An appeals court has now ruled the project did not amount to a property “taking.”

There’s a High Country tradition that starts in August. Supposedly, it helps predict how many snowfalls the area will get during the winter. It’s called “Beans in a Jar.” For this week’s Carolina Curious, WFDD’s Reyna Drake discovers what’s behind the longstanding Appalachian ritual.

Boone Town Council unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on data center development Monday night. Watauga County leaders may soon consider a similar step.

Boone will consider a temporary ban on new data centers at a Monday meeting. The idea comes as proposals in Forsyth and Stokes counties face pushback.

The company says its line crews will remain on high alert throughout the weekend.

"Until we see a day above freezing, we are not going to make a lot of progress quickly," said NCDOT Maintenance Engineer Mark Crook, who covers part of the Triad.

The survey also asks about housing challenges like affordability and neighborhood safety.

In the 1990s, Howard Knob was sold to a private investor, sparking a conservation movement that led to the founding of what’s now the Blue Ridge Conservancy.