Here’s a check of the latest from WataugaOnline.com for Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
High Country Gas Prices at $3.86 This Week; NC Average Up About $1 From Last Year
Gas prices in the High Country have climbed significantly since our last report, with the Boone-area low for regular unleaded at $3.86 per gallon Tuesday morning — up 17 cents from the $3.69 low reported on July 29. Multiple stations are at the $3.86 local low, including Sheetz on Chestnut Drive, Speedway on NC-105 South, Circle K on Blowing Rock Road, Speedway on Blowing Rock Road, Harris Teeter on Blowing Rock Road, and Speedway on Old East King Street. The North Carolina average for regular gasoline is approximately $3.85 per gallon, according to AAA Carolinas — about a dollar more than the average price in the state at this time last year. The national average stands at $4.151 per gallon. Diesel prices have also risen sharply, with the county’s diesel low at $5.79 per gallon at Sheetz on Chestnut Drive and Quality Plus in Blowing Rock; most Boone-area stations are at $5.89. The continued rise in prices is driven largely by the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, which has kept oil markets volatile and supply uncertain. The national average has remained above $4 per gallon since mid-July.
App State Enrolls Record 21,308 Students for Fall 2026
Appalachian State University opened its 2026–27 academic year with 21,308 Mountaineer students enrolled — including the largest online, graduate, transfer and first-generation student populations in the university’s history. The 2026 census includes 19,178 undergraduate students and a record-setting 2,130 graduate students, along with 3,492 new first-year students and 1,619 new transfer students. App State Online marked its seventh consecutive year of growth with a record 3,883 enrolled students, while first-generation student enrollment rose 10% over fall 2025 to a historic 7,249 students. At the App State Hickory campus, 419 Mountaineer students are enrolled for fall 2026. “The App State Experience delivers enormous value, equipping students with high-quality educational experiences that lead to successful careers,” said App State Chancellor Heather Norris. The university’s overall first- to second-year retention rate stands at 83.4%, well above the national average of 77.9%, and its four-year graduation rate rose to 60%.
Jeff Corwin Partners With Lees-McRae College for New North Carolina TV Series
Emmy-winning conservationist, television host, and executive producer Jeff Corwin returns to national television this fall with “Jeff Corwin’s Southern Wild,” a new wildlife conservation series produced by Hearst Media Production Group in an exclusive partnership with Lees-McRae College. The series premieres Saturday, October 3, and will air weekend mornings on ABC stations nationwide as part of the Weekend Adventure educational/informational programming block. Filmed across North Carolina, “Southern Wild” follows Corwin from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic coast as he explores the wildlife, wild places and passionate people that make the Tar Heel State one of the country’s most remarkable natural environments. Joining Corwin in the field are scientists, wildlife experts and conservationists, as well as Lees-McRae College students, educators, and alumni, whose hands-on work in wildlife biology, rehabilitation, and conservation offers a window into how the next generation of environmental leaders is being prepared. “North Carolina is an extraordinary place to tell stories about wildlife,” Corwin said. “But what excites me most about ‘Southern Wild’ is that we’re not only encountering incredible animals — we’re meeting the people who have dedicated their lives to understanding and conserving them and working alongside students who will carry that mission into the future.”
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WEATHER
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— WataugaOnline