North Carolina wine has certainly matured, and it is helping to revitalize rural economies once dominated by tobacco. With nearly 200 licensed wineries and 2,300 grape-bearing acres, the state now ranks seventh in the United States in terms of wine and grape production. In various ways, UNC System institutions have helped to grow this increasingly important segment of the state’s economy.

As you approach the entrance of Lexington Health Care Center on Cornelia Street, you will be greeted with the sight of bright flowers and comfortable benches that would make you want to sit down and chat for a while with residents of the nursing home. This welcoming environment is thanks to the center’s administrator, Appalachian State University alumna Heather McGroarty ‘18.

Dr. Andrew Koricich, assistant professor in the Department of Leadership and Educational Studies, is quoted on the increasing partisanship of education. He says the political idea that taxes shouldn’t be raised for something that benefits individuals fails to recognize how society benefits from teachers, doctors, lawyers and other jobs that require a college education.