N.C. Cooperative Extension of Haywood County is hosting a Learn to Grow series and Lifelong Gardening classes, which provide information presented by the horticulture agent, Rachel Douglas, and N.C. State Extension Master Gardener volunteers on a full variety of home garden-ing topics.

Master Gardeners are available to answer questions about lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and or-namental plants; disease, insect, weed or wildlife problems; soils (including soil test results) and fertilizers; freeze and frost damage; and cultural and chemical solutions to pest problems. 

Haywood County Development Services is offering free insect repellent with deet and insect repellent bracelets to anyone who needs them.

The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the Greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane. The public is welcome. 

Local author and award-winning Smoky Mountain News columnist Chris Cox will make an appearance at Smoky Mountain Roasters in Hazelwood from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, July 26.

The Haywood County Historical & Genealogical Society is hosting a Pioneer Heritage Festival in Clyde, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 26.

On Monday, July 21, the series “Where We Live: History, Nature and Culture,” will present a program on the history of Cowee School, now the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center. Speakers will be Bill Dyar, long-time principal of the school; Stacy Guffey, founding director of the Arts and Heritage Center; and Laura Brooks, current director. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking individuals to join the Elk Rover volunteer team for the upcoming 2025 season. Elk Rovers share information with visitors about safe wildlife viewing and help keep elk and visitors safe. Elk Rovers will be stationed at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

Volunteer duties include: 

• Standing and walking for extended periods. 
• Assisting with traffic management along US 441/Newfound Gap Road. 
• Assisting and guiding visitors. 
• Educating visitors about wildlife safety and etiquette. 
• Answering general questions about the park.

Interested volunteers should commit to one, four-hour afternoon shift per week on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday starting in July and continuing through mid-November. 

All new Elk Rovers are required to attend a mandatory in-person training session in July. Additionally, volunteers will have the opportunity to learn alongside a dedicated team of experienced rovers and park rangers who will provide on-the-job training.

Learn more at nps.gov/grsm/getinvolved/volunteer.htm.

Each Thursday evening at 8 p.m. through Aug. 7, Lake Junaluska will feature a family-friendly storyteller and music at the fire pit just below Shackleford Hall. Bring a chair or blanket and sit on the hillside. Afterward, enjoy s’mores under the stars. This event is free. 

Starting July 14, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will kick off a rehabilitation of a 7-mile stretch of Newfound Gap Road on the North Carolina side of the park.  

The Highlands Biological Foundation invites the public to continue exploring the forces that shape our region with the next installment of the 2025 Zahner Conservation Lecture Series.

Audubon North Carolina has named Dana Sargent as the organization’s new Community Building Director. 

Sargent comes to Audubon after serving as executive director of Wilmington-based Cape Fear River Watch for the past seven years, where her work included leading high-profile campaigns against PFAS and forever chemical pollution.

The Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will be hosting The Wonderful World of Bees from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, July 19. Fred Crawford, local beekeeper, will be presenting on bee conservation and pollination.

On July 4, the Haywood County Sheriff’s office announced that Kelly Diane Shelton, 42, and Charles Edward Morris, 56, both of Clyde, were arrested June 29 on multiple felony drug charges following an investigation by the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office. 

The electric lawnmower the Town of Waynesville bought in 2024 is paying off, according to Outdoor Maintenance Supervisor Michael Noland.

At the time, the purchase kicked up some dust, with some residents arguing that the additional expense of buying an electric mower instead of a traditional gas-powered lawn mower was wasted taxpayer money.  

On June 26, the Folk Heritage Association/Women’s History Trail completed the final stages to beautify the town’s Women’s History Park.

In March 2024, FHAMC and the Town of Franklin opened the park.

The N.C. Forest Service began accepting orders July 1 for its annual tree seedling sale. With an average annual production of 10 million seedlings, the NCFS Nursery Program produces enough native and genetically improved tree seedlings to plant roughly 18,700 acres of land. 

Amid summer’s high temperatures, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources reminds the public to avoid contact with discolored water that could indicate the presence of an algal bloom. 

Registration has started for an adult kickball league in Jackson County.

Participants must be at least 14 years old to participate. The team fee is $150, and games are played Wednesday nights in Cullowhee starting Aug. 6. 

Americana/folk singer-songwriter Woolybooger will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 3, at the Meadowlark Motel in Maggie Valley. 

A cherished gathering of locals and visitors alike, “Art After Dark” will launch its 2025 season from 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 4, in downtown Waynesville. 

The second annual “Great American Bash” will feature Americana/rock sensation The Brothers Gillespie and The Borrowed Band (country/western) on Saturday, July 5, in the parking lot of The Scotsman, located at 37 Church Street in downtown Waynesville. 

The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville announced the arrival of “Trolls: A Field Study.” Visiting on their first North American excursion, these 12 interactive troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind. 

 “George Masa: A Life Reimagined,” was recently recognized with two regional awards: the 2024 North Caroliniana Society Book Award and a 2025 Award of Excellence from the East Tennessee Historical Society. Both organizations praised the book for its contributions to cultural and historical interpretation in their respective states.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission asks the public to refrain from the illegal practice of moving inland fish, specifically mountain trout, to other mountain water bodies as it can result in altering healthy habitats and negatively impact the agency’s ongoing aquatic conservation efforts.   

The Highlands Biological Foundation is excited to continue its 2025 Zahner Conservation Lecture Series with Sonya Carpenter, Co-founder and President of Co-habitate Inc., presenting “Cohabitate; Living with Nature” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 10, at the Highlands Nature Center in Highlands. The program is free and open to the public, with a small reception to follow. 

On Sunday, July 6, with the cooperation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the North Shore Cemetery Association will host decorations at Proctor and Bradshaw cemeteries.  

The Pisgah River Rangers, a partnership between The Pisgah Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), has kicked off its 2025 season. A team of five will work to promote freshwater stewardship in the forest and surrounding communities. 

The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the Greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane. The public is welcome. 

Haywood County Emergency Management Officer Zack Koonce has been named a 2025 recipient of the “Heroic Hands” Award, presented by the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners. The award recognizes outstanding public servants across the state who exemplify dedication, courage and commitment to their communities. 

Heavy rains on the afternoon of June 18 led to a substantial rockslide on the Tennessee side of the state line that caused a closure of I-40 that officials believe will last until about July 4. 

Haywood County is reminding local business owners that the county’s tourism development authority is conducting a survey to assess recovery progress, current needs and ongoing challenges in the wake of Hurricane Helene. 

The annual “Thunder in the Smokies” summer motorcycle rally will be held June 27-29 at the Maggie Valley Fairgrounds.

The oldest and largest motorcycle rally in the Great Smoky Mountains, the weekend celebration will feature live music, dozens of vendors, motorcycle shows/games, prizes and much more. 

The long and storied tradition that is the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games returns to MacRae Meadows on Thursday, July 10, continuing through Sunday, July 13. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) has awarded more than $1.1 million in grants to support stream restoration, water-based recreation and water management projects across North Carolina. 

North Carolina is drought-free in the latest advisory issued Thursday by the North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council (DMAC), marking the first time since Oct. 15 that the state has been free of drought or abnormally dry conditions. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has secured a three-year, $750,000 grant from the Dogwood Health Trust to support regional strategies to advance tourism and related economic development. The grant activities will benefit workers and businesses in numerous gateway communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina. 

The summer heat is here. Labor Commissioner Luke Farley and the N.C. Department of Labor are reminding employers and workers alike to take simple, effective steps to prevent heat-related illnesses on the job. 

Elizabeth and Quintin Ellison will share their poetry and photography book created with the late George Ellison, “Land of Blue Shadows: Mountain Life in Verse & View,” at 1 p.m. Saturday, June 21, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. 

The nonprofit Haywood Waterways Association will host its second annual fishing tournament on the West Fork of the Pigeon River.

There are categories for both adults and youth 12 and under. Adults can participate in teams of one to four individuals. Registration fee is $200  per team. Fly and conventional rods are both OK. 

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has secured a three-year, $5.13 million grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support regional strategies to advance cultural and recreational tourism. The grant activities will benefit dozens of Appalachian gateway communities along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina that host millions of visitors each year. 

Jackson County recreation is hosting a stand-up paddleboarding event on Wolf Lake.

Beginners and seasoned paddlers alike are welcome to enjoy the adventure, which will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 20. 

The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the Greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane. 

With the help and cooperation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the North Shore Cemetery Association will be hosting decorations at Bone Valley and Hall cemeteries on Sunday, June 22 with the first boat shuttle leaving at 8:30 a.m. and the last boat leaving at 10 a.m. from the Cable Cove Boating Access Area near Fontana Village. 

The Department of State Treasurer has notified local governments of their second round of interest-free loans for Hurricane Helene relief. This round of Cashflow Loans uses the remaining $34.4 million provided by the legislature in the  Disaster Recovery Act of 2024. 

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) is providing guidance to livestock owners on methods to protect their animals from becoming prey to black bears. 

Black bears tend to consume a mostly plant-based diet and are attracted to livestock feed, such as grains and corn.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will offer the first Cades Cove vehicle-free day of the year on June 18. Vehicle-free days provide opportunities for pedestrians and cyclists to experience the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop Road without motor vehicles. 

Smokies Life is thrilled to announce its first audiobook, a narrated adaptation of the 2021 release for middle-grade readers, “A Search for Safe Passage,” about an intrepid group of animals trying to find their way across a dangerous highway. 

The following events will be held at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

• Elizabeth and Quintin Ellison will present “Land of Blue Shadows: Mountain Life in Verse & View” — a poetry and photography collaboration with the late George Ellison — at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 14.

Westernmost North Carolina Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Macon) has been named the legislator of the year by the North Carolina Community Action Association, honoring his exceptional commitment to public service, advocacy for vulnerable populations and leadership in advancing transformative legislation.