Local

Deyton’s Fortner tabbed finalist for beginning teacher award

Samantha Fortner, a third-grade teacher at Deyton Elementary, is one of 27 finalists for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching’s 2023 Empower NC Beginning Teacher of the Year Award. NCCAT announced the list of 27 finalists this past week.

New program lets kids trade community service for new bike

Local kids who want a new bike can get one free. Free outside of a little elbow grease, anyway. Neighbors Feeding Neighbors food ministry recently donated 60 brand new bikes to The Bike Shop of Spruce Pine.

Youth to Youth students take trip to pamper, help local animals

The students of the Bowman Middle School chapter of Youth to Youth have a passion for animals which recently inspired a new service project. The group took a field trip to the Mitchell County Animal Rescue this past month to volunteer.

BRPFC announces Smart Start funding call for proposals

The Blue Ridge Partnership for Children, the local Smart Start agency, this past week announced a call for proposals for Smart Start funding for fiscal years July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025.

HCC brightens holidays for 175 kids through Christmas Angels

High Country Caregivers this past month helped families celebrate the holidays through the generosity of Christmas Angels who sponsored 175 kids who are being raised by their grandparents and other relatives in Mitchell, Yancey, Avery, Watauga, Wilkes and Ashe counties.

Ready, Set, Grow! gardening classes support local food systems

Locals looking to hone their green thumb can benefit from a series of free beginner gardening classes at the Spruce Pine Library that are set to run through March 6. The Ready, Set, Grow! gardening classes are free and open to all ages.

Give Kids a Smile set to serve area kids again

Area kids can have free dental work performed Friday, Feb. 3 at the East Carolina University Dental Community Service Learning Center in Spruce Pine.

Pain at the pump could ease some in 2023, report finds

Cory Spiers editor@mitchellnews.com   After a year that featured plenty of pain at the pumps, good news may be on the horizon in 2023.  GasBuddy this past week released its 2023 Fuel Outlook, which predicts the national average price of gas to drop nearly 50 cents per gallon from that of 2022.

Deep freeze

The Toe River was a solid sheet of ice after a round of arctic air blasted the region and the nation over the Christmas holiday. High temperatures around the holiday barely climbed out of the teens and subzero wind chills were common across the area.

December made merry by Light Up Spruce Pine

Spruce Pine was alive this past month during the first Light Up Spruce Pine Christmas Marketplace that brought Christmas cheer, carriage rides, story time with Mrs.