Verne Hill
Monday News for October 23, 2023
Peak color in the Northern Mountains
*Blog posting photo curtesy of Leslie Restivo
Update from the 46th Annual Woolly Worm Festival in Banner Elk. The winning woolly worm is named “Jeffery” and the owners live in Newland (which is close to Banner Elk in Avery County). So according to the science of reading worms, this winter will be colder and offer more ‘snow’ chances? *The 13 bands or segments of the worm line up with the 13 weeks of winter. Darker bands foreshadow colder and snowier weather and lighter ones mean a milder winter.
Note: The ‘reader of the worm prediction’ was Tommy Burleson, the 7′ 2′ former NC State and NBA basketball player, who is a resident of Newland, NC.
https://www.skisoutheast.com/2023-winning-woolly-worm-is-jeffery
Medicaid Expansion 101
Medicaid expansion in North Carolina officially begins December 1st.
Enrollment has already begun. A series of Town Hall ‘meetings’ regarding Medicaid Expansion are planned across Forsyth County…
Oct 24 (Tuesday) Walkertown Library (6:30-7:30pm)
*NOV 4 (Saturday afternoon) Lewisville Library on Shallowford Road (1pm – 2pm)
Nov 8 (Wednesday) Reynolda Manor Library (6:30-7:30pm)
Nov 9 (Thursday) Southside Library on Buchanan Street (6:30-7:30pm)
Nov 29 (Wednesday) Central Library (5th street downtown WS) from 6:30pm -7:30pm
https://medicaid.ncdhhs.gov/questions-and-answers-about-medicaid-expansion#
Details on the News Blog at wbfj.fm
One-stop, in-person early voting continues thru Nov 4 (SAT) at ‘select locations’.
General Municipal Election statewide will be Tuesday, November 7.
*Sites and voting hours plus new Voter ID requirements on the News Blog.
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-early-person#sites
At the Box Office. Taylor Swift’s Eras concert film still dominating in theaters nationwide over the weekend. ‘The Blind’ still in the Top 10 (#9) this past weekend.
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2023W42/?ref_=bo_wey_table_2
‘The Blind’, the true story of Phil and Kay Robertson long before Duck Dynasty fame, extended in theaters through this Thursday, Oct 26. BTW: ‘The Blind’ will be available digitally on November 3 then released on Blu-ray and DVD on November 14. https://theblindmovie.com/
Check locations and show times across the Triad and beyond (by zip code)
https://www.fathomevents.com/events/The-Blind/theaters
A recent USA TODAY poll asking young people a simple question: What do you want most out of life? The majority of them said, ‘To be rich and famous’…
Pastor Greg Laurie (Harvest Christian Fellowship) sharing more about a new Harvest documentary “Fame” that chronicles the careers of several ‘famous’ individuals including rocker Alice Cooper, Country singer Johnny Cash, Baseball star Darryl Strawberry and actor Steve McQueen – in an effort to answer the question, “Is fame all it’s cracked up to be?” The documentary explores how the pursuit of fame, has in some cases, led to tragedy, and for others has led them to faith in Jesus.
*To watch the documentary “Fame” and learn more, go to the link on the News Blog.
https://inbound.harvest.org/fame2023
“Fame” is based on the book Fame: Fortunes, Failure and Faith
AAA: Prepping your Vehicle for cooler weather
Check your tires. Make sure they are properly inflated.
If your car battery is close to 3 years old, have it checked, even replaced.
Beautiful inside and out?
Natasha Beresford was recently crowned Miss London in the world’s first makeup-free beauty pageant. The 26 year old works as a dental nurse in London. She has volunteered in Uganda with the charity Dentaid, and has traveled across the country to run outreach clinics to provide safe, free dental treatments to those in need. https://www.wect.com/2023/10/20/miss-london-crowned-first-makeup-free-beauty-pageant/
Mast General Store is respectfully collecting worn and tattered US flags through November 01. The worn flags will be properly ‘retired’ during a ceremony at their location on N Trade Street in downtown Winston-Salem on November 11 at 10:30am.
Scout Troop 109 will be assisting in the proper disposal of flags.
Hanes Brands Sale for 2023 is coming up in December. The Sale has been expanded to 3-days (December 1 – 3) at the Education Building at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds. Volunteers are needed. Details on the News Blog https://tinyurl.com/YWCA-Volunteers
https://journalnow.com/news/local/hanesbrands-expands-dates-hours-for-community-apparel-sale/article
The US is seeking to delay an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza amid calls to free more hostages held there by Hamas. A senior Israeli official told CNN there will be “no ceasefire” in Gaza, but emphasized efforts are ongoing to free the more than 200 hostages in the region “as quickly as possible.”
House Republicans are once again scrambling to elect a new speaker after voting to push Ohio Representative Jim Jordan out of the race on Friday — the latest sign of the chaos and divisions that have engulfed the majority party. Following Jordan’s exit, nine new candidates have entered the race for the gavel.
Number of the day: 25 million
That’s around how many Argentinians cast their ballots in the country’s presidential election — a 75% turnout amid a severe economic crisis.
FYI: The 2020 presidential election had the highest US voter turnout of the 21st century, with 66.8% of citizens 18 years and older voting in the election, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2021/2020-presidential-election-voting-and-registration-tables-now-available.html
