Editor’s note: This article features news and photos from past editions of the Ashe Post and Times (previously the Ashe Mountain Times).
Aug. 19, 2020
McNeill appointed to serve as district director for North Carolina Association of County Commissioners
On Aug. 7, Todd McNeill, Ashe County commissioner, was elected to serve as a district director for the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners to represent District 14, which includes Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties.
The NCACC organizes the state’s 100 counties into 18 multi-county districts, each of which are led by a District Director, who serves on the NCACC Board of Directors for a two-year term. District directors are chosen by commissioners from their respective district during a caucus at NCACC’s Annual Conference, which is being held virtually this year.
“I am truly honored to have been selected by my colleagues to represent our district,” McNeill said in a statement. “The High Country region is very unique with challenges and needs unlike those is many other parts of the state. I am excited to be an advocate for our corner of North Carolina on the state-wide NCACC Board of Directors.”
NCACC District Directors serve as a key conduit for information sharing between the Board of Directors and their district, communicating local issues that need attention. They also represent the Association locally, helping to establish relationships with local stakeholders, such as municipalities, regional planning organizations, civic groups, schools, community service organizations, colleges and universities, faith-based groups and others.
District directors also serve as mentors to newly-elected commissioners from their districts.
The newly elected district directors will assume their role this fall, when they are officially sworn in along with other members of NCACC’s Board of Directors.
The NCACC is the official voice of all 100 counties on issues considered by the General Assembly, Congress and federal and state agencies. The Association provides expertise to counties in the areas of advocacy, research, risk management and education and leadership training.
Aug. 18, 2021
Art exhibition shows talents of two local brothers
On the evening of Aug. 13, the Ashe County Arts Council hosted its monthly gallery crawl, which gave guests an opportunity to view its newest art exhibition, “The Brothers Shoemaker.”
The exhibition showcases the work of brothers David and Stephen Shoemaker, who are for the first time sharing a gallery space as a pair.
“We’ve talked about it for years and it was time to do it,” said the elder of the two brothers, Stephen Shoemaker. “He loves painting and everybody has always asked when are y’all going to do a show together — this has been years ago — and he moved up here and it was time to do it. We’re both different, but we both love it and depend on it for our well being. It keeps your mental attitude correct, it’s good for the soul.”
From now until Oct. 2, visitors to the Ashe County Arts council will have the opportunity to view a variety of acrylic, oil and watercolors paintings by the Shoemakers. The brother’s work ranges from vibrant landscapes and nature scenes to detailed scenes of towns and people.
“I love that me and my brother got to do one together. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve got to do a show, it’s just good to see them (the paintings) on the wall instead of on the easel. Art is brushstrokes of color and painting from the soul,” said artist David Shoemaker. “It’s been great, I’ve been wanting this for a long time.”
Pulling from two different styles, the brother’s artwork complements, or plays off one another’s unique talents rather than clashes.
“The good thing two is that we’re two different styles of painting,” David Shoemaker said. “That’s worked out good too, because we’re not competing with each other.”
Aside from the quality local art, the gallery showing featured complimentary food, wine and live hammer dulcimer music performed by Connie Woolard.
Aug. 23, 2023
Ashe County teachers receive 2023 Endowment Grants
Eleven Ashe County teachers were awarded grants through the Ashe County Schools Endowment Fund that totaled just under $20,000. Joyce Kilby, a member of the Ashe County Schools Endowment Board, presented the awards to eight of those teachers at the Ashe County Board of Education meeting on Aug. 14.
Grant recipients
Ashe County Middle School band teacher Lexi Tornatore — “Operation Noisemakers for Kids” ($2,000)
This grant will help provide musical instruments for beginning band students at the middle school.
Mountain View Elementary School PE teacher Jessica Calhoun — “Not Your Grandma’s PE” ($1,940)
Grant funding will help provide new games and equipment that are not your traditional physical education class equipment.
Mountain View Elementary School counselor Amy Tsolis, Westwood Elementary School counselor Amanda Bloomer and Blue Ridge Elementary School counselor Julie Jones — “Good Grief: Supporting Students With Loss” ($2,000)
This funding will help provide grief kits for students that have suffered a major life event such as the death of a family or friend, incarceration, foster placement, separation or homelessness.
Westwood Elementary School AIG teacher Paige Sturgill — “ESCAPE into Engagement” ($753)
The grant will provide kits for all teachers to turn their classrooms into a simulation of an escape room requiring problem solving skills.
Ashe County Middle School Media Coordinator Kelly Holleman — “Restart Your Heart: A School Wide Read” ($1,991)
The funding will provide copies of the book “Restart” by Gordon Korman that will be read by the entire school community and parents.
Ashe County Middle School seventh grade teacher Kasey Jones — “Microbehunters: We See It!” ($1,841)
The science classes will be able to learn through three-dimensional learning and Next Generation Science Standards thanks to this grant funding.
Ashe County Early College English and history teacher Stefan Kunz — “Expanding Music Club at Ashe Early College” ($1,979)
The funding will help incorporate music into social studies and English classes. Instruments will include drums and ukuleles.
Ashe County Middle School seventh grade counselor Kristy Aldridge — “Look-in-a-book: Social Emotional Support Library” ($1,612)
A reference library for all students to use. The library will include books that feature fictional characters that could be experiencing the same issues that the students are facing, such as anxiety and depression.
Ashe County Middle School ELA and social studies teacher Rachel Bledsoe — “High Tech History: Learning about the Civil War” ($1,995)
This grant will help fund the purchase of real Civil War artifacts to aid student learning about this era of history.
Blue Ridge Elementary School art teacher Elizabeth Hatch — “Replacement Ceramic Kiln” ($2,000)
The funds will be used to purchase and install a new and ventilated kiln for students to create a ceramic project. The current kiln is over 30 years old.
Blue Ridge Elementary School fifth grade teacher Allison Shoemake — “Up, Up and Away!” ($1,871)
The grant will fund the purchase of gliders and remote-controlled airplanes to help students more understand force, motion, gravity and friction.
The total grant funding for 2023 projects is $19,982.
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