The Smoky Mountain Host held its annual meeting on May 1 at Harrah’s Conference Ballroom, bringing together businesses from across the seven counties of the region and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI).

For 36 years, the Smoky Mountain Host has been a champion for tourism in the North Carolina Smokies. This year’s meeting celebrated the continued collaboration between businesses of all sizes, from family-owned inns to major attractions, in promoting the region’s outdoor recreation, authentic experiences and unique offerings.

The event also recognized the tireless dedication of Monica Brown, operator of Bryson City’s Fryemont Inn and the longest-serving member and Chairwoman of the Smoky Mountain Host Board of Directors. In recognition of her decades of service, the Host presented Ms. Brown with a plaque in her honor.

The meeting also offered exciting news for businesses in the region. Del Holston, curator from Audubon Marketing, unveiled the new regional website, VisitSmokies.org. This extensive website serves as a powerful tool for businesses to reach a wider audience.

David Huskins, Director for Operations, also presented the newly released 8-year regional tourism economy pocket factbook. This data showcased the significant impact tourism has on the region and highlighted the opportunity for collaboration to raise the tide for all businesses.

The N.C. Source Water Collaborative — a statewide drinking water protection group — has announced the winners of the Source Water Protection Awards during the Water Resources Research Institute’s annual conference, held last month, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians took home one of the prizes. 

Martin Medina, 32, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison and three years of supervised release for a firearms offense, assaulting federal officers and assault with intent to commit murder. 

The path to cannabis legalization on the Qualla Boundary has been riddled with roadblocks, some of which the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians painstakingly navigated around, some of which it has bulldozed. 

A Swain County man is facing a federal charge for allegedly killing his wife in 2013, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. 

Throughout Western North Carolina, there is a critical need for pediatric psychologists to conduct testing and provide other resources needed for children to be successful in and out of the classroom. 

The Museum of the Cherokee People has opened a new attraction focused on the sovereignty of the Eastern Band. 

Former Cherokee Indian Police Department Chief Josh Taylor has now made it clear that he stands behind a push from at least one tribal council member to dissolve the Cherokee Police Commission. 

As keepers of our traditions and sovereignty, we vehemently oppose any attempts to exploit or appropriate the rich cultural legacy of Cherokee people.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony held Friday, Feb. 16, for a building dedicated to preserving the Cherokee language was a celebration of the culture and language that has formed the Cherokee people for countless generations.