Kevin Ensley and Brandon Rogers, respectively chair and vice chair of the Haywood County Board of Commissioners, both ran for reelection last in 2020 amid unprecedented economic challenges and a contentious national election. It’s little different this time.  

Voters can cast their ballots in-person starting Thursday, Oct. 17. Same day, in-person registration is also available at polling locations. 

Haywood County’s board of elections released a statement discussing the status of elections as early voting approaches. This comes following an assessment of conditions and infrastructure at all precincts. Here are the guidelines that will apply to both early voting and the Nov. 5 Election Day.

Early October, and these mountains are already beginning to put on their glorious garments of autumn. A splash of red here or orange there, the green sleeves of many trees shading to yellow. In just a few weeks, we will be treated to that familiar splendor that beckons tens of thousands of people to get in their cars every year and drive for hours or even days just to get a glimpse of it. 

To the Editor:

Michele Morrow is the Republican candidate for N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction. Think long and hard before voting for her. She educated her children at home (starting with a child that needed different learning strategies, which I applaud), and then via parent-led teaching coops.

To the Editor:

Among the multiple insults Donald Trump is hurling at Vice President Kamala Harris (other than purposely mispronouncing her name) is labeling her “the worst vice president ever.”  This is laughable coming from a guy that 154 members of the American Political Science Association ranked as the worst president.

To the Editor:

Savings and Loan Collapse. The year 1982 marked the beginning of supply side economics in which deregulation and tax cuts were viewed as the solution to stimulating corporate growth.

To the Editor:

Present-day political unrest reminds me of the Spanish cellist, conductor and composer, Pav Casals, known in English by his Spanish name, Pablo Casals. Casals was born in El Vendrell, Spain, Dec. 29, 1876. He lived in France after 1936 and Puerto Rico after 1956, where he died, Oct. 22, 1973. 

To the Editor:

On the anniversary of 9/11 you posted an opinion piece titled "GOP becoming a fascist party." Do you ever check the context of quotes used in the opinion pieces you publish or are you so eager to publish anti GOP and Trump comments that facts don't matter? Or is it just a simple matter of laziness? 

In a series of pointed comments, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance took aim at their respective opponents during separate visits to the Tarheel state last week, with Walz largely blaming former President Donald Trump for the country’s woes, while Vance continues to target unauthorized migrants.