This coming weekend, one of North Carolina’s oldest ski resorts will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with a 4-day festival.

Beech Mountain Resort will honor its half-century milestone from Jan. 25-28, with tons of live music, fireworks, craft beer, trivia, day and night skiing, giveaways, and the Great Cardboard Box Derby.

Thursday night (Jan. 25th) will feature a Beech Mountain-themed trivia night at the resort’s Beech Tree Bar and Grille, and a live tribute band at the Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria.

Friday night (Jan. 26th) will include a reggae-style band at Beech Mountain Brewing Co.

Saturday (Jan. 27th), starting at 3 p.m., the Foothills Oompah Band will take the stage at Beech Tree Bar and Grille while a ‘stein-holding contest’ takes place. As the sun sets, fireworks will be set off over Beech Mountain and a live DJ will keep the tunes going into the night.

Sunday afternoon (Jan. 28th) will feature the Great Cardboard Box Derby, with prized for the best looking and fastest race time down the slope.

“The resort has worked hard year after year to become a destination for skiers and snowboarders,” says Talia Freeman, director of marketing for Beech Mountain Resort. “We want to commemorate all the hard work that’s made Beech Mountain successful the last five decades.”

For more info, go to BeechMountainResort.com.

According to the United Van Lines’ 2017 National Study, North Carolina is officially the #8 most moved-to state in America for 2017 (Charlote was also ranked the #9 most moved-to city in America).

United Van Lines is the biggest moving company in the country, helping tens of thousands of families move all of their belongings each year.

To determine the top cities being moved to, United analyzed their domestic moves during the entire 2017 year.

The Tar Heel State ranked just under South Carolina for the top inbound states of last year;

1. Vermont
2. Oregon
3. Idaho
4. Nevada
5. South Dakota
6. Washington
7. South Carolina
8. North Carolina
9. Colorado
10. Alabama

“This year’s data reflects longer-term trends of movement to the western and southern states, especially to those where housing costs are relatively lower, climates are more temperate and job growth has been at or above the national average, among other factors,” said Michael Stoll, economist and professor in the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles. “We’re also seeing continued migration to the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West as young professionals and retirees leave California.”

What do you think about all the newcomers moving to our state?

North Carolina has just slipped to 40th in the nation when it comes to public education. Our ranking has been on a continual decline for the past 7 years, ever since we were ranked 19th in the nation back in 2011.

The Tar Heel state received a C- grade and a score of 70.6 out of a possible 100 in the 2018 Quality Counts report that was just released by Education Week. Our score falls below the national average grade of C and score of 74.5.

According to the report, “North Carolina earns a C-plus in the Chance-for-Success category and ranks 31st. The average state earns a C-plus. In School Finance, North Carolina receives a D and ranks 45th. For the K-12 Achievement Index, last updated in the 2016 report, it finishes 33rd with a grade of D-plus. The average state earns grades of C and C-minus in School Finance and K-12 Achievement, respectively.”

South Carolina ranked even lower than North Carolina, coming in 42nd in the nation, with a grade of C- and an overall score of 70.3.

You can find out more about the rankings and methodology here on edweek.org.

What do you think should be done first to improve our schools?