Retirement celebration March 1 recognizes Jerry Burns’
44 years as Blowing Rocket editor
The editor of Blowing Rock’s only weekly newspaper will soon
turn a new page in his career.
Jerry Burns, editor of The Blowing Rocket, recently announced
his retirement after 43 years on the job.
Blowing Rocket editor Jerry
Burns will retire in March after 44 years in the position.
A retirement celebration will be held March 1 at the Hayes
Performing Arts Center in Blowing Rock. Photo
by Tammy Gragg
Burns, however, will still be regular at the Rocket office after
agreeing to remain as editor emeritus on a part-time basis.
A graduate of Blowing Rock High School, Burns attended Appalachian
State Teacher’s College (now Appalachian State) before joining
the U.S. Navy for seven years.
In 1966, Burns joined the staff of Rivers Printing Company as
the Rocket editor.
On March 1, the Blowing Rock community will present a retirement
celebration to honor Burns from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hayes Performing
Arts Center in Blowing Rock.
A reception with light refreshments will begin at 6 p.m., with
a “Toast and Roast” beginning at 7 p.m.
Among those taking part in the “Toast and Roast” are
Blowing Rock Mayor J.B. Lawrence, Kent Graham, Blowing Rock Police
Chief Owen Tolbert, Ken Kay and Mark Wilson with the Blowing Rock
Stage Company, Larry Lons and Richard Forbes with Rumple Presbyterian
Church, Jan Karon, author of the Mitford series, Bunky Davant
and Kent Tarbutton with the Blowing Rock Hospital board, members
of the Blowing Rock Town Council, Rochell Laney, Nan Chase, Becky
Steele, Aaron Burleson, Peggy Sellers and others.
For more information, call (828) 295-9886 or (828) 295-3021.
The Blowing Rocket is a weekly newspaper in Blowing Rock. It was
was created as a tabloid by state Sen. C.V. Henkel in June 1932.
During the 1930s and 1940s, it was a seasonal newspaper, published
only during the months of June, July and August. Each summer a
student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School
of Journalism was hired to edit the Rocket.
In the 1950s, the Rocket switched to broadsheet format and a year-round
publication schedule. In 1956, the Rocket was acquired by Rivers
Printing Company, which owned the Watauga Democrat in Boone.
Today the Rocket is part of Jones Media’s Mountain Times
Publications group, which includes the Watauga Democrat, The Avery
Journal and the Mountain Times.
The Blowing Rocket has the distinction of being the last newspaper
affiliated with the National Press Association to charge 10 cents
for an individual copy. The Epitaph in Tombstone, Ariz., raised
its price from 10 cents to 25 cents in 1982, shortly before the
Rocket took the same step.
Today, more than 70 years later, the Rocket is still published
weekly and sells for 50 cents per issue and is still available
at both newsstands and by subscription.
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