Local youth renew Sylva skatepark conversation

Residents of Jackson County have long voiced their support, organized and fundraised for a skatepark with little to show other than a temporary half-pipe that stood behind Motion Makers in Sylva for just over one year. 

WCU kicks off $100 million ‘Fill the Western Sky’ fundraising campaign

Western Carolina University officially kicked off the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in the university’s 136-year history, an effort to secure $100 million in philanthropic support with a focus on increasing the financial resources necessary for long-delayed upgrades in facilities used by Catamount student-athletes. 

Jackson County seeks lifeguards

The new Jackson County Aquatics Center is hiring five full-time lifeguards. Employees are entitled to full benefits other Jackson County employees receive.

MountainTrue hosts plant workday

MountainTrue, in partnership with the Mainspring Conservation Trust and the Pinnacle Park Foundation, is hosting a community volunteer workday to control non-native invasive plants and restore native habitat at the Pinnacle Park in Sylva. 

HERE of Jackson County requests funding for homeless shelter

HERE of Jackson County, the county’s primary homeless services provider, is requesting half a million dollars from the county to purchase and renovate a facility that would become Jackson’s first and only permanent homeless shelter. 

Jackson seeks solutions in childcare gap

Jackson County has been working to develop a plan it hopes will mend the multigenerational workforce issue that is impacting communities around the country — childcare, and the lack of availability — on the local level. 

Property values increasing in Jackson

A state-mandated, county-wide property reappraisal took effect on Jan. 1 this year. 

Prior to the appeals process, the reappraisal showing a massive increase in real property taxable value for Jackson. 

Up Moses Creek: ‘Blow wind like you’re never gonna blow again’

On Saturday morning, Dec. 14, Becky reminded me that she was going to hear Darren Nicholson and his band play at the Tuckasegee Trading Company’s annual holiday open house, and she hoped I’d go too.

2024 A Look Back: Building the future award

This year both Jackson and Swain counties received state grants of $52 million to build new middle schools. For Jackson County, this will be the first traditional middle school the county has ever had and will serve middle grade students in place of the four K-8 schools that do so now. 

School board considers options for Jackson Community School

Jackson Community School — Jackson County’s alternative learning center — is the most expensive school in the district per pupil, and now the Board of Education is considering whether it should invest more money into the aging building or relocate the small student population into a larger school. 

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