News Headlines
Latest Helene recovery act passes — without small business grant support
On the nine-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene, Gov. Josh Stein signed the North Carolina General Assembly’s fifth major installment of recovery funding — a sweeping $575 million package aimed at rebuilding roads, bridges, schools and government infrastructure across the state’s western region while omitting the $60 million in small business grant support that House lawmakers had supported.
Spirit of America celebration brings Republican senate candidates to Haywood
Last weekend, Haywood County’s Republican Party hosted a fundraiser at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds that featured music, professional wrestling, a car show and a hearty helping of conservative politics.
Following the event, event organizer and Haywood GOP Treasurer Kim Genova thanked the volunteers that made the event go smoothly, as well as those who turned out.
Canton secures land for wastewater plant, launches bold bid for economic revival
In a move more than a half-century in the making, the Town of Canton has announced the pending purchase of a key parcel of land where it plans to construct a new, state-of-the-art flood-proof wastewater treatment plant — ending a long chapter of dependence on a private system operated by the now-shuttered Pactiv Evergreen paper mill and setting the stage for a bold economic redevelopment of the historic site.
Pitt praises DWI pretrial program in Waynesville, calls for Haywood to act
Ellen Pitt has dedicated the last two and a half decades to combatting drunk driving in Western North Carolina, and the one of the latest fronts in that fight involves her quest to get courts to use continuous alcohol monitoring bracelets for defendants in “high-risk” DWI cases.
Jackson commissioners delay budget adoption
Faced with a mounting backlog of infrastructure needs, Jackson County commissioners have failed to agree on a basic annual budget yet continue to insist they can accurately forecast the added costs to taxpayers of withdrawing from the Fontana Regional Library system.
Jackson County votes to leave Fontana Regional Library system
Editor's note: this story has been updated with a statement from Cynthia Mason Womble, acting chair of the Fontana Regional Library system board.
In a historic decision that will reshape the future of public library services in Jackson County, commissioners voted Tuesday night to withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library system after months of controversy over content and control.
Haywood County confronts addiction crisis with ambitious public health response
It starts the same way, most times — sirens in the distance, a frantic call, a body on the floor — but what happens next in Haywood County might soon look a lot different, thanks to a bold plan to reshape how local government responds to the addiction epidemic.
Koonce receives ‘Heroic Hands’ award
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.
I-40 closed near state line
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.
