With the late afternoon sunshine piercing through the tree canopy above the road leading into the Tsali Recreation Area on the Graham/Swain County line, the sounds of “One Alone Together” by F.J. McMahon echoed out of the truck speakers, windows rolled down with a cool fall breeze swirling around me.  

To the Editor:

We are halfway through the 2025 municipal elections for Waynesville, Canton and Clyde, which will significantly influence the leadership of these towns. Unfortunately, low voter turnout continues to threaten these municipal elections.

Waynesville isn’t just another mountain town still recovering from Hurricane Helene — it’s Haywood County’s economic, cultural and governmental hub. Nearly everything that happens in the largest municipality in the state’s western seven counties has ripple effects beyond its borders, from disaster recovery and infrastructure planning to affordable housing and fiscal stability.  

Rumors of an impending sale of the Waynesville Tower apartment building have circulated in recent weeks, but according to Waynesville Housing Authority Executive Director Beth Kahl, the 62-unit downtown complex is not on the market and remains a cornerstone of the county’s increasingly fragile stock of affordable housing. 

Greenhill Cemetery will once again take part in the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony, a national observance that began in 1992 and has grown each year as more cemeteries across the country join in the effort to remember, honor and teach about the sacrifices of American veterans.

The Haywood County Farm Bureau will hold its annual meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 20 at the Haywood County Extension Office.

This annual gathering provides members an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s work and to recognize individuals and community members who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture in Haywood County. 

At age 51, acclaimed blues rocker Patrick Sweany has performed over the decades at seemi­ngly at every venue from coast-to-coast and beyond. Through it all, one sentiment still rings true in his heart — “The whole thing is luck and trying to show up as much as possible.” 

Last September, my family was gearing up for our first “leaf season” (and apple season, and hayride season, and football season) in Haywood County. As recent transplants from another state, we had heard about how beautiful the mountains are in early fall, and we were looking forward to experiencing it.

To the Editor:

Each week I look forward to reading a copy of your newspaper. The stories, articles, op-ed pieces, letters, announcements and other items of interest are vital links in the communication networks here in our southwestern mountains. Thank you for your consistency, pursuit of truth in proper contexts, persistence and commitment to accuracy. 

Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, the federal government still hasn’t delivered on the money it promised to local governments. With the one-year anniversary looming, towns and counties say most of their needs remain unmet, forcing them back to Washington yet again, to beg for help.