We are back with another #KeepBooneHealthy conversation with Jennifer Greene, Director of Public Health for AppHealthCare, and Sean Burroughs, Director of Pharmacy for Appalachian Regional Healthcare System. They provide updates on local health trends, the latest in booster and vaccine information, and information on treatment alternatives that are gaining national attention.

Fresh off Monday's (August 9th) meeting of the Watauga County Board of Education, hear from Watauga County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Scott Elliott, about operations for the coming school year. He'll address mask policy, screening procedures, after school events, and other operational elements that can help parents best understand what to expect when school begins August 16th.

Chuck Mantooth, President/CEO of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System addresses the system's evolving operational goals and the potential impacts on the Paul H. Broyhill Wellness Center.

With the recent FDA & CDC approval for Pfizer vaccine for 12-15 year-old populations, providers in the High Country are ready to begin vaccine delivery to a new group of patients. Hear from our panel of local experts about:

• The study that led to this new age group becoming eligible.
• How and where vaccine will be deployed in Watauga County.
• How vaccine deployment to all ages can increase a return to normalcy in our area.

Featured Panelists:
Sean Burroughs, Director of Pharmacy, Appalachian Regional Healthcare System
Dr. Scott Elliott, Superintendent, Watauga County Schools
Jennifer Greene, Director of Public Health, AppHealthCare
Dr. Scott St. Clair, Pediatrician, Blue Ridge Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine

As we get closer to seeing deployment of COVID-19 vaccines in the High Country, we visit with Jennifer Greene, Director of Public Health for AppHealthCare, and Chuck Mantooth, President/CEO of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, to discuss their efforts to manage this process. 

We'll detail when the first doses are expected to be received, what parts of the population will be first to receive vaccine, and what people can do to organize themselves for inclusion as their turn approaches.

The #KeepBooneHealthy Podcast returns packed with two topical conversations.

As we look at the overall health of our community, be bring in Jennifer Greene (AppHealthCare), Dr. Scott Elliott (Watauga County Schools), and Dr. Scott St. Clair (Blue Ridge Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine) to discuss current health trends, holiday travel plans, and the impact gatherings play on all aspects of life in the High Country.

We then shift our focus to our winter tourism economy, specifically our snow sports industry. The Ski Well Be Well program has been adopted by the four area snow sports resorts to bring consistency to the COVID-19 protocols you'll see implemented this year.

Kim Jochl (Sugar Mountain Resort), Brad Moretz (Appalachian Ski Mountain), Ryan Costin (Beech Mountain Resort), and Lenny Cottom (Hawksnest Snow Tubing & Zip Line) discuss how their operations have implemented new strategies to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for staff and visitors this winter.

Conversations about racial ethnic, and social equality have been going on for generations. During the summer of 2020, the entire country was engaged in dialogue about where their communities needed to see growth in the effort to be fair and welcoming to all.

Boone and Watauga County were very much involved in these conversations. Many people and  organizations used their opportunity to speak and share stories about injustices that have been experienced i our community. Some have taken the opportunity to listen and hear perspectives other than their own, while seeking paths toward one another to engage in constructive conversations about where community growth can truly occur.

This week's podcast serves as a check-in on these important conversations, what steps have been taken to advance ideas of equality forward, and where people may be able to engage should they feel inclined to do so.

We thank Dr. Ray Christian, Boone Police Chief Andy LeBeau, Pastor Reggie Hunt, Yolanda Adams, and App State student Kyndavee Bichara for joining us to engage in this important conversation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen more people seek ways to get outdoors and find new ways to recreate.

JP Pardy operates Recess Skate & Snow, he witnesses daily the positive impact that a facility dedicated to skateboarding has on riders of all ages.

When the Boone DIY skatepark was forced to close due to a property sale, JP and his team went to work on creating a permanent home for skateboarders in the immediate Boone area. Collaboration with local partners and a grassroots approach to fundraising saw the group begin to gain momentum -- until the impacts of a global pandemic slowed progress.

Hear the uplifting story about community partners encouraged JP to seek a competitive grant and how persistence paid off to help create a new destination for people seeking outdoor activity at just the right time.

From his same perch as a retail store owner, JP also explains why some items and brands, across all retail sectors, will not be available in their full quantity around the holidays, and what you can do now to ensure you get the items you need before the shopping crunch begins.

To help continue the fundraising for the Boone Greenway Skatepark, see this GoFundMe page.

Shop Local Saturday is upon us once again! We appreciate those of you who take the extra step to keep your purchases local and positively impact businesses in our community and the families that operate them.

This week we visit with Taylor Williams, Store Manager of Footsloggers in Downtown Boone. He shares insight on the uplifting experience for he and his employees when customers intentionally choose to come to their store over making a purchase online. He also provides important details on the holiday retail shopping experience, and what to expect in terms of availability of products and overall store operations across all business sectors.

COVID-19 numbers in Watauga County are on the rise. While public health officials work with the community on prevention, the Town of Boone Police Department is among the local agencies that are charged with enforcement of Governor Cooper's Executive Orders.

This week we talk with Chief Andy LeBeau about how the Town's COVID-19 enforcement strategy and how policing during a pandemic has seen the department's operations evolve over the last several months. 

Chief LeBeau also addresses other community topics such as the department's role in ongoing discussions about racial and social injustice, bringing more diversity into the police force, and other outreach opportunities the department is focused on as they continue to protect and serve.