News Headlines
Waynesville officials ignore board term limits
Two members of Waynesville’s Zoning Board of Adjustment were improperly appointed by Town Council in violation of the town’s own term limits policy, a Smoky Mountain News investigation has found.
Swain County Board of Elections office to move
On June 17, the Swain County Board of Commissioners voted to authorize the Board of Elections to relocate to the Swain County Business Education and Training Center, located at 45 East Ridge Drive in Bryson City. The Board of Elections voted unanimously to request this relocation at its regular meeting on May 13.
‘A new direction’: Shining Rock shakeup signals shift in school strategy
In its first regular meeting since a superior court judge ruled that Head of School Joshua Morgan was responsible for the “improper use of governmental authority to stop or inhibit the public from accessing public records,” Shining Rock Classical Academy’s governing board doubled down on Morgan’s leadership, bid farewell to two longtime advisors, took substantial steps to bolster transparency and voted not to appeal the case.
Waynesville march honors the legacy of John Lewis
On the five-year anniversary of the death of civil rights icon and longtime U.S. Congressman John Lewis, more than 170 people clad in black and white gathered on the steps of the Haywood County Historic Courthouse for a somber memorial that quickly turned into a powerful statement of resistance.
Volunteers overhaul Waynesville little league field following Helene
Mountaineer Little League Baseball has been around since the 1970s, but like everything else, once Hurricane Helene hit, its immediate future was uncertain.
Report dives into ongoing child care crisis
The child care industry has been sounding the alarm for years now, but with federal stabilization grants drying up a few months ago, what was for many a smoldering problem has become a five-alarm fire.
Ballots are set for upcoming municipal elections
With the end of the municipal election filing period, candidates are now gearing up to take their message to voters as they look to claim seats on local government boards across Western North Carolina.
Haywood allocates nearly $3M in opioid funds to treatment, prevention
Haywood County commissioners have adopted a resolution and corresponding ordinance that lays out how nearly $3 million in opioid settlement funds will be spent over the next 14 years, focusing heavily on treatment, recovery and mitigation within the criminal justice system.
Meet Chris Cox at Smoky Mountain Roasters
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.
