To the Editor:

I would like to thank the local author David Joy for speaking out about the removal of the plaque from the Confederate statue outside the Jackson county Library. He spoke for many of us, but being a multi-generational Southern man his words carried more weight. 

Join Jackson County Recreation from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at Cullowhee Valley School for a bike rodeo.

This is a bicycle safety event where when you register you get a free helmet (while supplies last). All children will also be entered in a raffle to win a bike. 

The Jackson County Board of Education this month took an in-depth look at per pupil spending across the school system, prompted by recent discussions about Jackson Community School and its viability for the future. 

The Jackson County ‘Headwaters District’ Conservation Plan seeks to apply an objective, fact-based approach to assessing the conservation and development priorities of communities within the southern half of Jackson County.

Registration for youth flag Football clinics and youth flag football league is now open. Registration will remain so until April 28 for the clinic and May 15 for the league.

To The Editor:

I appreciate your straightforward and informative coverage of the removal of the plaque over Sylva Sam’s Confederate flag. I am a 21-year resident of Jackson County, and have enjoyed positive relations with fellow citizens here during all those years, no matter what our political views were.  

In response to a public records request made by The Smoky Mountain News, Jackson County Manager Kevin King revealed that commissioners not only failed to discuss in any official meeting removing plaques placed on the controversial “Sylva Sam” Confederate statue at the old courthouse in 2020, they also failed to document any deliberations — likely violating state sunshine laws.  

Among the earliest flowering members of the Aster Family (Asteraceae) is the robin’s plantain (Erigeron pulchellus). Around Cullowhee, the robin’s plantain begins blooming in early April at lower elevations and can be seen blooming at higher elevations into June.

In the face of challenges with Section 8 rental assistance, Mountain Projects Executive Director Patsy Davis visited county commissions in both Haywood and Jackson counties this month to inform elected officials of just how dire the situation is becoming.  

It’s mid-afternoon and the seats are starting to fill up at the Junction Pub in Sylva. Located along Skyland Drive near downtown, the old-style railroad depot structure is now entering its next chapter.