Help out with the Haywood Fair
The Haywood County Fair is coming up Sept. 28-Oct. 1, and the Home Economics Division is looking for volunteers to help handle the more than 350 entries expected for contests in preserved foods, home furnishings and more.
Volunteers needed for Kids in the Creek
Kids in the Creek is putting out a call for volunteers for events on Sept. 11-12.
Plateau Pickup
Join neighbors, friends, family and co-workers for the annual Plateau Pickup on Saturday, April 15. Volunteers will begin at Kelsey- Hutchinson Founders Park on Pine Street at 8:30 a.m., where they will receive their geographic assignment. Stretches of U.S. 64, N.C. 28, N.C. 106 parts of downtown Highlands will be covered. Groups, families and individuals are welcome.
Protecting the nest: Volunteer program aims to restore falcons at Devils Courthouse
For years, Blue Ridge Parkway staff have been concerned that visitor behavior at Devils Courthouse, a popular overlook on the 469-mile road’s meander along the Haywood-Transylvania county line, is hurting the organisms that live there. A new volunteer program aims to combat the issue through education, one visitor at a time.
The table is set: Pancake Day is free to community this year
The table is set — all you have to do is come sit down and be served.
Lake Junaluska decorates for Christmas
A crew of more than 50 volunteers from the community decorated Lake Junaluska for the holiday season, including the Rose Walk, the Bethea Welcome Center, the gazebos along the walking trail, the Inspiration Point garden and more.
The power of conviction
The Folkmoot Friendship Center on Virginia Avenue in Hazelwood is central to the festival’s operation.
It’s called The Open Door, so come on in
Lately I’ve been hanging out at The Open Door in Frog Level and I have to admit, it’s my new favorite joint in town. After my mom passed, I began to feel overstimulated in traditional settings like ballgames, street festivals, and even crowded restaurants. All the noise, clanging, and happy sounds were so discordant with my melancholy; I would leave feeling exhausted and agitated.
As volunteer fire cavalry wanes, quick response hinges on a core of paid staff
Waynesville town leaders heard something they didn’t necessarily want to hear last week.
Desperate for recruits, volunteer firefighters hope to change the perception that their brotherhood is a boys’ club
Despite the stereotype of volunteer firefighters as Type A alpha males, knowing your Nascar drivers and driving a pick-up truck isn’t a prerequisite for being a volunteer firefighter.
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Two Days of Mountain Culture, Craft, Food, and Live Music – With Exciting New Experiences for 2026
WAYNESVILLE, N.C. — The mountains are calling, and the Appalachian True Heritage Festival is answering. Organizers are proud to announce the return of this beloved celebration to the heart of Downtown Waynesville, gathering community members, cultural bearers, artisans, musicians, and storytellers for a two-day immersion in the rich history and living traditions of Western North Carolina.
Read More
I’ll admit that I am not always the best about using our freezer to its full advantage; but here are some things I do like to keep in the freezer.
• Cheese pizza — I like to look for sales on good quality cheese pizzas and keep a couple on hand for those nights when we don’t feel like cooking or eating out. I can quickly top a cheese pizza with vegetables like sliced tomatoes, spinach or even zucchini slices or fresh arugula (once out of the oven).
Read More
Ready to take control of your wellness? MountainWise offers the North Carolina Minority Diabetes Prevention Program to help you get ahead of type 2 diabetes.
Read More
Prediabetes is when your blood sugar is elevated over what is considered normal, but as yet, not high enough to be a diagnosis of diabetes. A HbA1C (glycated hemoglobin) test will indicate Prediabetes if the result is between 5.7 % and 6.4 % (equates to average blood sugars of 117mg/dl-137mg/dl).
Even before a blood test, you may notice some issues which may indicate prediabetes:
Read More