911 call from Lambert Wilson’s death released
Swain County Emergency Management today released audio from a 911 call that sheds light on the circumstances leading up to…
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Ramey makes false statements regarding delinquent tax issues
Republican Haywood County Commissioner Terry Ramey attempted to quell the uproar over his decade-old delinquent tax bills last week, but…
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Pinning ceremony honors Human Services grads
To help address the mental health crisis facing the nation and this region, four Southwestern Community College students recently completed…
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Marked absent: From kindergarten through college, men struggle in school
Even as an elementary school kid, Chris Cable hated school. It felt pointless, and so boring that he struggled to…
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Scammers claiming to be with DOT sending emails with payment link
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles routinely receives complaints from customers who have been targeted by scammers claiming to be…
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Highlands Middle School renovations incoming
Whether it is routine maintenance, renovation, expansion or new construction, Macon County Schools has a long list of needed capital…
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Taylor pleads guilty, judge commends him on alcohol recovery
Bill Taylor, a former chairman and member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council, pleaded guilty Monday, Jan.…
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Western legislators weigh in on upcoming General Assembly session
North Carolina’s General Assembly convened last Wednesday, beginning a new session with new dynamics that will come into play as…
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Corbin, Gillespie tapped for important leadership positions
Western North Carolina voters — and legislators — often complain about the feeling of being ignored by Raleigh, but as…
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Design alteration may come to Waynesville’s South Main Street
An awkward Hazelwood intersection could be scrapped ahead of planned North Carolina Department of Transportation improvements to South Main Street,…
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Property values on the rise in Macon
Macon County is undergoing a tax reappraisal this year, and while the numbers are jarring, they won’t be a surprise…
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Affordable housing crisis crops up in Waynesville parcel deal
A Waynesville resident who wants to buy a parcel from the town may or may not get their way after alderman…
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Haywood commissioners issue joint statement on Ramey
Republican Commissioner Terry Ramey should pay his taxes and stop threatening the media for reporting on the issue, according to…
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Now Hiring: Tuscola begins search for new football coach
In recent months Haywood County has been shaken by the suspension and eventual resignation of physical education teacher and head…
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Jackson County hits brakes on Sylva’s municipal grant request
Each year, the Jackson County Commission offers the Municipal Grant Program in which municipalities can apply for grants of up…
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Searching for a seeker: The fearless life and tragic disappearance of Melissa McDevitt
Flitting about her apartment on Vancouver Island, Melissa McDevitt had already packed her bag in preparation for the long journey…
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Appointments available for ACA health insurance
Enrollment for 2023 health insurance through the ACA Marketplace ends Jan. 15. Folks who sign up now can have quality, affordable…
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Dust complaints continue in Canton; Evergreen works to identify source
For more than a year, Canton residents have complained about a gritty white dust from the Evergreen Packaging paper mill…
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Jackson considers municipal grant applications
Jackson County is considering the latest round of municipal grant applications that arrived on commissioners desks this week. Among applications…
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Wolfetown rep faces assault charges
Wolfetown Rep. Bo Crowe spent the weekend in jail following his arrest Saturday, Jan. 7, for an alleged assault that left…
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Moody takes plea deal in phony writs case
It took more than four months, 62 federal counts and a lengthy period of pretrial detention in Buncombe County, but…
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Downtown Waynesville Commission looks forward to big year, bigger footprint
After the implosion of the 36-year-old Downtown Waynesville Association back in 2021, much of the progress made by its successor organization…
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Macon commission asks MCS to prioritize hefty capital outlay requests
Following direction from the Macon County Board of Commissioners, the Macon County Board of Education met last week to prioritize…
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Tribe to conduct census
For the first time in 22 years, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will conduct a census of its tribal…
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Health Foundation awards grant to Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau
Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation (HCHF) has awarded a grant to Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau to fund a…
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Bringing hope: In Ukraine, American nonprofits stave off humanitarian catastrophe
Since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine millions of people have left the war-torn country, with millions more driven from…
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Bringing help: Western North Carolina’s connection to the war in Ukraine
Leaning against a wall in the basement of the train station right about midnight, they were cold and tired and…
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New boards could mean new plans for Franklin High School
When Macon County Commissioners authorized LS3P Architectural Design Services to submit plans for the new Franklin High School to local…
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Tuscola football coach, principal suspended in close succession
Both Tuscola Principal Heather Blackmon and head football coach Chris Brookshire have been suspended from their positions at the school…
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Brookshire resigns following allegations of sexual harassment
After multiple allegations of sexual harassment were made against him, Physical Education Teacher and Head Football Coach Chris Brookshire has…
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Canton water service will be restored soon
Subzero temperatures over the Christmas holiday wreaked havoc with municipal water systems across the region, leaving many customers without service.…
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2022: A Look Back
The year 2022 was no 2020. But hey, that’s a good thing. In some ways the year seems less exciting…
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Fake News Freakout! Episode 7
Lately I’ve been reading a book that came highly recommended and not a moment too soon, despite it being published…
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Two months after Lambert Wilson’s death, officials remain silent
Update: Shortly after press time Dec. 20, the Jackson County Clerk of Court released an order sealing the 911 records…
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After 33 years, Steven Lloyd steps down from HART
In the depths of the Fangmeyer Theatre, on the property of the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (HART), just down the…
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Fire destroys Kituwah LLC building
Update: According to Interim Fire Chief Thomas Simmons, the fire's cause has been deterimined to be accidental, due to an…
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Stamper, Oocumma win Tribal Council seats
In the Dec. 15 special election filling two vacant Tribal Council seats, Cherokee voters favored candidates with careers in business…
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SCC and Mars Hill University partner on degree path
Graduates of Southwestern Community College who want to take the next step in their education by earning a bachelor’s degree…
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Local businesses expand in Jackson
The expansion of two local businesses in Jackson County, American Sewing Corporation and Innovation Brewing, will lead to the creation…
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New cycle for Tourism Capital Project Fund
The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority will reopen a cycle for tourism capital projects at the start of the new…
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Healthy home for the holidays
Stuck in an undersized house in Sylva with a serious mold problem, Marilyn Tollie, her husband and four kids felt…
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New indictment in Moody case adds two more defendants and multi-state conspiracy charges
The case against a Haywood County woman accused of threatening elected officials by sending phony writs from a sham court…
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WNC foodbanks feel the pinch
The holidays, a time of overabundance for some, can be the toughest time of year for those suffering food insecurity…
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Fire destroys Kituwah LLC building
The Kituwah LLC building has been destroyed in a fire that started during the early morning hours of Thursday, Dec.…
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Count for Christmas: In 123rd year, annual bird count yields critical conservation data
As Christmas 1900 approached, ornithologist Frank Chapman hatched an idea.
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Autopsy shows Jackson jail death was an overdose
Autopsy results for the June death of a man in custody at Jackson County Detention Center indicate that he died…
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Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce gives out Spirit of Community Awards
The Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce recently awarded its 2022 Spirit of Our Community Awards recognizing well-deserving individuals who dedicate…
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Major development planned for Qualla Community
Last week, the Jackson County Planning Board reviewed plans for a major subdivision in the Qualla Township on the northern…
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WNC program helps secure life-saving operation for Charlotte man
James and Brenda Porcello are thankful for many things this fall, and near the top of that list is Jan…
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More families now qualify for quality, affordable health insurance
Anyone needing a quality, affordable health insurance plan, now is the time to enroll for 2023. Open Enrollment is underway…
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