The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is welcoming anglers to the Qualla Country Fishing Tournament.

With a $15 entry fee and a two-day fishing permit ($17), covering both tournament days, anglers will be competing for a share of $20,000 in the pristine freestone streams of Cherokee (excluding the 2.2 miles of catch-and-release waters). 

Smokies Life, a nonprofit partner to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, announces Jacqueline Harp as its new chief executive officer. After a national search, Harp was selected and approved by the board of directors and will begin as CEO on Sept. 11, 2024.

The Highlands Biological Foundation is hosting its final Zahner Conservation Lecture of the season. Lori Williams, a Wildlife Diversity Biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), will present “All About Hellbenders!” 

Laurel Rematore, CEO of Smokies Life, will be recognized with the Excellence in Cooperating Association Partnership Award at the National Park Service’s Excellence in Service Awards to be held Aug. 21 in Washington, D.C.

Join Haywood County Recreation for a series of fly fishing expeditions, during which anglers of all skill levels can learn skills from local guides. 

Alexandra Lewis, a USDA Forester in the Nantahala Ranger District will offer a presentation to shed light on valuation of forests. The presentation will touch on how a forest is valued relative to quality of life and flora sustainability. 

Jackson County Parks and Recreation is hosting a youth soccer camp. The camp is open to boys and girls ages 8-14. Camp will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. Aug. 19, 21 and 23. 

The sixth annual Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival will return Aug. 10-11 to the Shelton House in Waynesville. 

A special production of “Inherit the Wind” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 22-24 and 2 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. 

Regional rock/jam group Arnold Hill will perform at 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville. 

As part of the “Pigeon Community Conversations with Storytellers Series,” Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle will speak at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center, located at 450 Pigeon St. in Waynesville. 

Rising singer-songwriter Alexa Rose will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, at Yonder Community Market in Franklin. 

The “Mountain Street Dance” will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9, in front of the historic courthouse in downtown Waynesville.

There will be a special showcase of the Grace Johnson art collection and a fundraiser reception for the Friends of the Library from 4-6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 

The Haywood Community Band (HCB) will host its “All Summer Long” concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at Stuart Auditorium in Lake Junaluska. 

The first of eight planned new river gauges will be installed in Haywood County this week. When complete the project will greatly enhance Haywood County Emergency Services’ ability to monitor upstream river levels. 

Nearly three years after a historic marker on Haywood County’s oldest continuously operating farm was damaged by Tropical Storm Fred, the Bethel Rural Community Organization has replaced it — this time, adding language that acknowledges the sacrifice of the enslaved people who kept the farm in operation until their 1865 emancipation. 

On Monday, Aug. 19, the series “Where We Live: History, Nature, and Culture,” will present a screening of the film, “Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut.” 

To help address the critical workforce shortage in health care, nursing in particular, the University of North Carolina System initiated a call for grant proposals to distribute $40 million over a span of two years to UNC System schools. 

District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch announced that a Cherokee County man pleaded guilty to intentional child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury. 

As part of the “Pigeon Community Conversations with Storytellers Series,” Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle will speak at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center, located at 450 Pigeon St. in Waynesville. 

There will be a contra dance class offered from 6:30-9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 

The ArtFest community event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 

The Haywood County Arts Council’s (HCAC) latest exhibit, “Textures,” will run through Sept. 1 at the HCAC gallery on Main Street in downtown Waynesville. 

A community jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 

KidzCare Pediatrics Sylva announced a partnership with WNC Farm to Table to provide weekly food bags for patients and their families in need.

The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority (JCTDA) has announced a new quarterly cycle for the Tourism Capital Project Fund (TCPF), beginning in 2024-25.

Have your say in the future of the county’s tourism industry by attending a community input session for the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority’s forthcoming destination master plan.

The Sylva Garden Club will be hosting its annual picnic 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6, in Bicentennial Park at 122 Keener St. In the case of rain, the picnic will be moved to the Fellowship Hall at First Presbyterian Church of Sylva.

The Friends of the Lake 5K Road Race & Walk will take place at Lake Junaluska on Saturday, Aug. 31. Those who register by Thursday, Aug. 15, will enjoy discounted registration and are guaranteed to receive a “Love the Lake” T-shirt. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s State Energy Office recognized thirteen state agencies, universities and community colleges for their significant energy reductions and progress towards Executive Order 80’s goal. 

A hearing before the House Subcommittee on Federal Lands was held July 24 for H.R. 8403 — a bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives calling for a feasibility study of the Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT) with the goal of designating the BMT a National Scenic Trail. 

North Carolina is free from extreme drought in the latest advisory issued by the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC) on Thursday.

On Aug. 3, join Haywood Waterways Association on the Blue Ridge Snorkel Trail to discover the fish and other wildlife that call the Pigeon River home. 

People can soon comment on an environmental justice initiative outlined in Gov. Roy Cooper’s Executive Order 292.

The order reestablished an Environmental Justice Advisory Council and calls on state agencies to develop and track goals to improve environmental justice in North Carolina. 

National Park Service (NPS) posted the Foothills Parkway Section 8D Environmental Assessment (EA) today for a 30-day public comment period ending Aug. 21.

People interested in gardening will have the chance to join a network of like-minded folks across the state dedicated to learning and sharing research-based information, enhancing their communities through horticulture and connecting people with benefits of gardening. 

Americana/bluegrass ensemble Buncombe Turnpike will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin. 

A nationally recognized touring and recording artist of children’s music, Timmy Abell will perform at 4 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at the Boys & Girls Club of the Plateau, located 558 Frank Allen Rd. in Cashiers. 

The Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) announced the next lecture in their Zahner Conservation Lecture Series, taking place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Highlands Nature Center. 

The Town of Waynesville is applying for the Urban and Community Forestry Financial Assistance Program grant.

The goal is to implement the "Keeping Waynesville Beautiful Project,” which would aim to address several critical needs related to urban and community forestry.

“We have identified a pressing need for the enhancement of the town's urban tree population and the implementation of sustainable tree maintenance practices in two census tracts that include over half of the Waynesville population,” a news release states. “Furthermore, fostering community engagement and awareness about the importance of urban and community forestry is essential.”

By addressing these needs, the project seeks to elevate the overall quality of living in Waynesville while ensuring the long-term health and sustainability of urban and community forests.

The Town of Waynesville is seeking letters of support from community businesses and organizations that are interested in the beautification of Waynesville and the maintenance of local trees. Those letters can be submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by July 31.

The nonprofit Haywood Waterways is inviting members and supporters to gather for its annual picnic to be held at the Hemphill Bald Learning Center.

Smoky Mountain Beekeepers’ August meeting will be held at the apiary at Mountain Discovery Charter School located at the top of Brendle Street in Bryson City. 

The Talking Trees Children’s Trout Derby will be held from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 3 at the Oconaluftee River Islands Park in Cherokee. 

Bring unwanted Styrofoam by the Haywood County Farmers Market Saturday, July 27. 

The Canopy Housing Foundation continued its longstanding commitment to the communities it serves by giving away more than $25,000 in grants and scholarships to local nonprofits and students at an event in Waynesville on July 23. 

A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation has begun a safety project on U.S. 23/74 between Hyatt Creek Road and the Haywood County rest area. 

Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) is thrilled to announce the addition of a new mammography unit that will significantly enhance breast imaging services locally.

Appalachian/indie act Jackson Grimm & The Bull Moose Party will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 20, at The Scotsman in Waynesville. 

The Haywood Community Band (HCB) has announced a change of venue for the three remaining 2024 season Maggie Valley concerts to the Calvary Road Baptist Church.