North Carolina

Coretta Scott King Award given to N.C. illustrator for work on children's book

Published

2 years ago

February 16, 2024

Coretta Scott King Award given to N.C. illustrator for work on children's book

RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina artist is getting some national recognition.

Dare Coulter is the 2024 Illustrator Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award for her work in the book “An American Story” by Kwame Alexander.

What You Need To Know

Dare Coulter is the 2024 Illustrator Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award

Coulter illustrated “An American Story,” by Kwame Alexander

“An American Story” addresses the realities of slavery in a way that is accessible to children

The Coretta Scott King Award recognizes excellence in books for kids and young adults reflecting the African American experience

This award acknowledges books by Black authors and illustrators who reflect on the Black experience.

“People’s lives are changing on these live streams, and it just so happens that this year I was like one of those lives that got changed,” Coulter said.

Coulter is an artist, muralist, illustrator and sculptor. She said winning this award goes to show that her work is paying off.

“I just think it’s really special that people care about my work like this, that people care about the book that we created, that they look at Kwame’s words and they look at my pictures together and they say this is important,” Coulter said.

In “An American Story,” the book addresses the realities of slavery in a way that is accessible to kids.

“This is an important manuscript. It’s wild that it was Kwame Alexander’s as well because it’s just like that doesn’t happen, Beyonce doesn’t just call you and say, ‘hey, like first album,’ but you know, that’s the metaphor I make for people because if you know of him and of his work you know that it is valid,” Coulter said.

Coulter said through her work it’s important to uplift Black people, to tell the past tragedies but also, the resilience.

“The set of knowledge that you receive when people talk about American history starting with slavery, in a lot of curriculums the beginning of Black history is Black people as enslaved and not Black people in Africa, Black people in kingdoms where you have excellence in technology and science,” Coulter said.

Although Coulter won the 2024 Illustrator Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, she has many more projects ahead that she’s working on.

Coulter attended N.C. State University, as well as Meredith College. She said her sculptures are her favorite kind of art to create, and she hopes to make some large ones in the future.

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North Carolina

The North Carolina Arboretum’s “Spring Into the Arb” returns for year two

Published

8 hours ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

The North Carolina Arboretum’s “Spring Into the Arb” returns for year two

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — The North Carolina Arboretum has announced a new season of “Spring Into the Arb!”

The “Spring Into the Arb!” is in its second year, with its series of plant shows and sales, science and nature activities, music, and art, allowing people to reemerge and reconnect with nature.

The season begins with Nature Play Day on Saturday, March 14, continuing through April, May, and June with new activities every weekend.

TROLLS DRAW LARGE WEEKEND CROWD, FORCING N.C. ARBORETUM TO TEMPORARILY CLOSE

According to a news release, throughout the season, guests can enjoy the following:

Asheville Orchid Festival, annual Ikebana and Rose shows
Purchase plants at the Spring Plant Sale and Market
Get back to their native roots with Native Azalea Day, Mountain Science Expo, and Nature Play Day

The series culminates with Bonsai in the Blue Ridge in June, according to the release.

The release says guests and members are invited to drop in on the newly-opened Arbor Eatery in the Arboretum’s Education Center, which is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Hours extend to 5 p.m. beginning April 1.

Spring Into the Arb events and programs are included with the regular Arboretum parking fee of $25 per vehicle. Arboretum Society Members get in free.

NC ARBORETUM MARKS BIRD DAY WITH WALKS, DEMOS AHEAD OF GREAT BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

According to the release, additional admission is required for the Asheville Orchid Festival and Bonsai in the Blue Ridge.

A full list of the Spring Into the Arb 2026 events includes:

Nature Play Day: March 14
Asheville Orchid Festival: March 28 to 29
Music in the Mountains Day: April 4
Arbor Day Celebration: April 11
Native Azalea Day: April 18
Mountain Science Expo: April 25
World Bonsai Day: May 9
Change of Seasons: Spring into Ikebana: May 16 to 17
The Asheville-Blue Ridge Rose Society Exhibition: May 22 to 24
The Arb in Focus: 40 Views for 40 Years: Opening May 23
Spring Plant Sale and Market: May 29 to 30
Bonsai in the Blue Ridge: June 4 to 7

For more information, visit here.

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North Carolina

Michael Jordan North Carolina “Sports Illustrated” cover sells for record $229k

Published

20 hours ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

Michael Jordan North Carolina “Sports Illustrated” cover sells for record 9k

A copy of Michael Jordan’s 1983 “Sports Illustrated” cover debut sold for $229,360 on Saturday night at Goldin, obliterating the previous record for a graded magazine.

Before Saturday, the previous record was the $126,000 paid for Jordan’s 1984 SI debut in a Bulls uniform entitled “A Star Is Born.”

“Sports Illustrated” magazines are very common and people kept them, but collectors narrowed the category by making rarer newsstand copies most collectible, and graded condition of those copies to narrow the most desirable down further.

Then, in July, came PSA to challenge CGC in the grading space.

The record UNC Jordan, with teammate Sam Perkins on the cover, was the only PSA 9.6. The question is, with PSA’s grading just beginning, are there others our there?

It’s possible, but that Jordan issue presents a challenge because it has a gatefold that makes it more challenging to press out defects.

The big price will likely create a group of opportunists who will now take raw subscription copies of this issue and get them graded for potential arbitrage.

But it won’t be that easy. A CGC 8.0 newsstand edition sold for $4,636 in October.

Whether the big price also creates more grading and selling of rare magazines remains to be seen, but PSA’s entrance into the space has definitely turned heads.

PSA has graded more than 50 of this particular issue, the second most commonly graded after the “Star is Born” issue.

Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct and one of the country’s leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.

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North Carolina

End of 2025-26 NC ski season: Resorts announce closing dates

Published

1 day ago

March 8, 2026

Press Room

End of 2025-26 NC ski season: Resorts announce closing dates

Warmer temperatures are bringing North Carolina’s ski season to a close, with several mountain resorts announcing closing dates. Beech Mountain will close after its annual Pond Skim on March 14, while Appalachian Ski Mountain plans to stay open through March 15 for its Meltdown Games.

Web Editor : Mark Bergin
Reporter : Eric Miller

Posted 2026-03-07T23:04:58-0500 – Updated 2026-03-07T23:04:58-0500

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