Memorial Day 2024 Speaker
The Blowing Rock Civic Association is pleased to again participate in the sponsorship of this year’s Memorial Day Program. The event is tentatively scheduled at Memorial Park Gazebo at 11:00 am on May 25th. More event details forthcoming. U.S. Navy Seal Stephen” Scuba” Brown, served over 25 years in United States Special Operation before retiring in May 2010 as a Special Operator Senior Chief.
He is from Cumberland Maryland. It was at a local YMCA that he began swimming competitively at the age of 5. He would get his civilian diving certification during 11 grade High School summer and it was the dive instructor that encouraged him to join the Navy Dive Program. Upon graduating high school he would attend bootcamp in Great Lakes, Il. However, after completing his diving physical fitness screening, he was asked to change to the Navy UDT/SEAL Program. He would attend Basic Electricity & Electronic and Torpedoman’s Mate Surface Operator A schools in Orlando Fl. He reported to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training (BUD/S) at Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California. He was in BUD/S Class 137. Where only 19 of the original 110 would graduate in May 1985.
His operational assignments include Seal Delivery Vehicle Team Two, Naval Special Warfare Development Group, and Naval Special Warfare Group Four. He was the Leading Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Special Operation program at RTC Great Lakes. He has completed 8 overseas deployments and 2 combat deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism, including Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.
He has various military qualifications including SDV Pilot and Navigator, Dive Supervisor for Special Operator dive rigs and SDV, Naval Special Warfare Scout Sniper, Military Static Line/Freefall Parachute Jump Master, and Master Training Specialist. He is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Senior Enlisted Academy.
After retiring he was a Field Service Representative for Blackbird Technology and for three years deploying to Afghanistan several times in support of USSOCOM. In 2014 he would start a new career working for Bank of America as an VP as an Info Security Threat Management Specialist. He is also an active member of the BofA’s Military Support and Assistance Group (MSAG) Charlotte Employee Network.
He has been married for 34 yrs. to his Navy Veteran wife. She served four years and deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm. They have two adult children. Please join us for this special presentation.
Blowing Rock 2024 Comprehensive Plan is Available
The new 2024 Comprehensive plan is now available at Town Hall. Stop by and get your copy today.
BRCA 2024 Priorities Survey
Every registered voter in the Blowing Rock district (Caldwell & Watauga) should have received a postcard this week regarding the 2024 BRCA Survey. There is a QR code that will take you to the survey or you can find the survey by clicking here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R5YHRB9
We encourage everyone to participate in our survey. This helps BRCA focus its efforts for the upcoming season and express your priorities to our elected officials. The survey closes June 1, 2024.
Downtown Code & Development Subcommittee
The recently reconvened subcommittee had it’s first meeting at Town Hall on April 11th. We have asked Staff to collect information and code data on similar towns with full time, seasonal, and tourist economies so that we can review and study how they have addressed updating their codes. This should provide a good “starting point” for our code and development review process. The subcommittee will be attending a virtual Workshop with the NC School of Government on May 30, 2024, from 1:00-4:30.
2024 Second Primary Election
A second primary will take place on May 14, 2024, for the following contests:
- Republican nomination for lieutenant governor:
- Hal Weatherman
- Jim O’Neill
- Republican nomination for state auditor:
- Jack Clark
- Dave Boliek
- Early Voting Sites
In-person early voting for the May 14, 2024, second primary election begins Thursday, April 25, and ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 11. Early voting sites and schedules are available at the Early Voting Site Search. Locations and voting hours are also available at Early Voting Sites for the May 14, 2024 Election (PDF).
On behalf of all of us at BRCA we sincerely appreciate your financial support and your ongoing engagement. Thank you for following us.
Make it a great weekend!
Tom Barrett
VP & Executive Committee