Jerry Burns to

retire as Rocket editor

From staff reports

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.

Burns, however, will still be regular at the Rocket office after agreeing to remain as editor emeritus.

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.

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.

Jerry Burns

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.