By: JC Belfi
In the Boone community, according to a staff report from The Watauga Democrat’s ‘Mountain Times’, an App state research assistant professor was recently recognized by Watauga County Schools for spending at least 12 hours a week tutoring Blowing Rock readers in school and online. The Watauga County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Scott Elliot, said how fortunate they are to have Dr Shuai Zhang as a community partner who is so dedicated to their students.
In local news, according to David Rogers from The Watauga Democrat, Blowing Rock’s Winterfest Polar Plunge was cancelled due to the freezing temperatures and a wind chill that was unheard of by the emergency teams standing by. Kent Tarbutton, owner of The Chetola Resort, said that with the need for additional staff to protect people amidst the abnormal snowstorm, there would be an increased risk of frostbite and decreasing visibility as snow was whipped up by the wind. Chetola Resort is asking participants whether they want a refund or to have their entry fee go to a nonprofit organization of the participant’s choice.
Turning to national news, according to Masooma Haq and Steve Lance at The Epoch Times, a senior economist of a free-market advocacy group, Stephen Moore, disagrees with Biden on the major causes of inflation. Blaming “monopolistic companies, high demand, and short supply”, Biden purports that these are the reasons for prices going up. Moore’s conjecture points instead to the uncontrolled federal spending, COVID stimulus funds, and the lack of interest rate hikes by the chairman of the Federal Reserve. As a result there is now increased demand with consumers’ spending, therefore leading to an increase in prices.
For Boone, we can expect a high of 48, low of 39 degrees Fahrenheit. The weather today will be mostly cloudy after our dry spout since Sunday, as rain will accumulate overnight. That should clear up by Thursday night and may end as snow showers.