By: Zachary Masters
On campus, both teachers and students alike are rejoicing at the opportunity to return to in person classes as the semester reaches its halfway point. According to The Appalachian, teachers like Jean Dehart, a professor in the Department of Communications, feel that the excitement from students returning to classes is contagious for professors as well. “When I saw how excited the students were to be back in person, that made me excited because we all missed the conversations and interactions with one another.” While students are glad to get back in the classroom, many questions have been raised on the safety of students and faculty as many students vaccination status remains unknown.
In local news, the Appalachian Regional HealthCare System is offering new options for childbirth and pregnancy care as a part of a new initiative to increase their ability to offer treatment for the whole family. The goal of the health care provider is to be able to have a fully operational prenatal clinic and be able to deliver children at the Watauga Medical Center. According to The Watauga Democrat, this recent expansion is part of a larger initiative to offer more specialized services and care to the High Country area.
In national news, NPR reports that the Sentinels of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier had their first all-female guard change in history. Patrick Roddy, commander of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, otherwise known as The Old Guard, stated: "It wasn't anyone's intent to 'engineer' this event, but we knew an event like this had significant meaning." This changing of the guard occurred last month and is a monumental event for gender equality within the US military.
Today's weather is brought to you by booneweather.com. Today, prepare for some muggy weather as clouds and rain are expected to hang over the High Country. Look for more brisk weather, as temperatures are expected to reach anywhere from a high of 65 degrees down to a low of 56 degrees.