Two people in unrelated cases pleaded guilty to trafficking charges in Cherokee County, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said. 

Lake Junaluska Outfitters summer activity passes are now available. The passes provide admission to the lakeside pool all summer long, as well as discounts on recreation, shopping and dining at Lake Junaluska.

Artwork by Ralph Verano will be on display through the month of April at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 

Asheville-based singer-songwriter Christina Chandler will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 28, at The Scotsman in Waynesville. 

A special stage production of “Constellations” will be held at 7:30 p.m. April 12-13 and 2 p.m. April 14 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. 

Popular Florida-based indie/soul singer-songwriter Shane Meade will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 30, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City. 

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

The Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will host the 23rd Asheville Orchid Festival entitled “House of Orchids.” 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have announced group size limits for the popular wildflower season at Whiteoak Sink. 

The open burning of trash, metal, plastic and all other man-made materials not only harms the environment and poses a public health risk, it’s against state law. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality is reminding North Carolinians that “If it doesn’t grow, don’t burn it.” 

Open burning is only allowed in limited circumstances and only for vegetative materials like leaves, limbs and yard debris. 

In addition, DEQ is reminding people that careless debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina. The N.C. Forest Service may require an open burning permit before certain fires are lit, including fires in protected areas.

Haywood Waterways will host the county’s first fishing tournament. 

With spring arriving and wildlife encounters set to increase as the weather gets warmer, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) has helpful guidance for what to do when encountering various wildlife. 

Haywood Waterways Association will lead two hikes to Mouse Falls in the Big Creek Watershed of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Tuesday, April 9, and Saturday, April 13. 

Carlos Campbell Overlook on Newfound Gap Road is closed temporarily while maintenance crews assess cracks in the pavement and sidewalk. 

Waynesville Parks & Recreation is currently hiring for summer camp counselors for Base Camp 2024. 

Friends of Panthertown was recently awarded an Environmental Enhancement Grant by the North Carolina Department of Justice for a remediation and restoration project. 

Registration is about to close for Jackson County youth volleyball league. 

Gov. Roy Cooper’s office has announced that Duotech Services, an engineering company that specializes in the repair and maintenance of legacy defense equipment, will expand its operations in Macon County, creating 95 jobs, Governor Roy Cooper announced today. The company plans to invest $6.5 million in Franklin. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Nantahala Weddings to remedy alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) at its facilities in western North Carolina. 

On Wednesday, April 10, at 7 p.m., the Western Carolina University chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will host a panel discussion on the spread of misinformation and the dangers of fake news.

On Saturday, March 30, hop on over to 566 South Haywood St. in Waynesville at 9 a.m. for a free, eggs-travagant Easter egg hunt.

The “Women’s History Trail Sculpture Community Celebration” will be held on Saturday, March 23, in Franklin.  

The Natti Love Joys will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, March 29, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva. The band will also hit the stage at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 30, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin. 

A beloved Western North Carolina tradition, the “Easter Hat Parade” will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 30, in downtown Dillsboro. 

Singer-songwriter Wyatt Espalin will hit the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 24, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Resources is now accepting public comment on the proposed list of streams, rivers, reservoirs and other water bodies in North Carolina considered to be “impaired,” or that do not meet water quality standards, in 2024.   

The annual native perennial plant sale sponsored by the NC State Extension Master Gardener volunteers has been extended. 

North Carolina drivers raised $574,461 to enhance the Blue Ridge Parkway by purchasing or renewing the national park specialty license plate in 2023.

Arbor Day will be observed March 22 in North Carolina. 

N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said tree planting is a natural and simple solution to many challenges landowners face. 

Applications are now being accepted for the N.C. Agriculture Manufacturing and Processing Initiative, which has been created to fund and promote the establishment of value-added agricultural manufacturing and food processing facilities in North Carolina. 

The Jackson County Chamber and Visitor Center Ambassador Team held a grand opening/ribbon cutting ceremony for its new members at EcoForesters, Inc.

Located at 569 Mill St. in Sylva, EcoForesters is a non-profit professional forestry organization dedicated to conserving and restoring Appalachian forests through education and stewardship.

For more information, visit their website at  ecoforesters.org, call 336.972.7444 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Join the WNC Environmental Summit March 23 at Haywood Community College.

Paul Allen from “Feed Me Foam” will showcase his mobile densifier technology. Witness firsthand how clean packing foam can be recycled efficiently and sustainably.

The event will begin with a live demonstration at 2 p.m.

Bring your clean packing foam (no food-grade foam, please) and contribute to a greener future. There will also be free recycling information available.

Lake Junaluska’s Corneille Bryan Native Garden is offering wildflower walks on Wednesdays at 1 p.m. from March 27 through May 8. 

Registration is now open for the Fire Mountain Inferno mountain bike event in Cherokee. 

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is seeking public comment on the 2024-2025 migratory game bird hunting seasons for waterfowl, webless migratory species and extended falconry. 

 In an effort to raise funds for Misfit Mountain, there will be a special art showcase and sale through March at Panacea Coffee Company in Waynesville. 

A production of “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. 22-23 and 2 p.m. March 24 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. 

The Smoky Mountain Roller Girls will host its next bout against the Yellow Jackets Roller Derby from Georgia Tech University on Sunday, March 24, at the Swain County Recreation Center in Bryson City.

The team is an amateur women’s athletic roller derby league that aims to provide an outlet for fun, fitness and camaraderie among its members and develop athletic ability and teamwork. SMRG endeavors to give back to the community that supports them through community-building initiatives and charitable donations of time and activity.

Doors open at 12:30 p.m. The junior scrimmage game will begin at 1:30 p.m. with the adult bout starting at 3 p.m.

Tickets are $5 presale or $8 at the door (cash or Venmo accepted). Kids ages 11 and under are free. Bring your own chair.

As well, are you interested in becoming a skater, referee or non-skating official? SMRG has open practices. No experience necessary.

For more information, go to facebook.com/smokymountainrollergirls.

Researchers are concerned that the Appalachian cottontail’s population may be impacted by a fast-spreading virus, RHDV2. 

The WNC Sierra Club is hosting a few public events to explain how the Federal Inflation Reduction Act has incentives to make electric living more livable. 

Join Haywood Waterways to clean up Richland Creek in Waynesville. 

Join Brent Martin, director of the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy, as he discusses the guidebook he wrote for William Bartram’s trail through North Georgia and Western North Carolina. 

Get an early start on this year’s garden by renting space at Waynesville’s Old Armory Recreation Center Greenhouse beginning March 25. 

Trays may be rented at a cost of $5 apiece. The maximum allowed is five trays per person. The Old Armory will provide the dirt and water.

Space is limited; only 200 total trays will be sold. Reservations must be made in person at the facility. 

For more information, please call Keith Shetley at the Old Armory Recreation Center at 828.456.9207 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Join Mainspring Conservation Trust on March 18 for a presentation on conservation strategy in Western North Carolina by Mainspring Conservation Outreach Associate Skye Cahoon. 

Allens Creek Park in Waynesville is open once again after being closed due to necessary cleanup efforts following recent adverse weather conditions in the county. 

Officials plan to burn approximately 96 acres in Cataloochee Valley at Great Smoky Mountains National Park this week. Weather permitting, burn operations may begin as early as Tuesday, March 12. 

Join the Mountains to Sea Trail community for an annual membership meeting — a meeting that will also offer opportunities to explore trails and nearby towns. 

The Nantahala Ranger District is seeking public input to implement trail rehabilitation and repairs along with other work within the Panthertown Valley.

In the West Flanders region of Belgium, there are several thousand graves of British Commonwealth soldiers who never made it home from World War I. 

A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation has begun work on one of the busiest roads in Haywood County that the DOT hopes will improve Russ Avenue from U.S. 74 to Main Street.