Western North Carolina voters turned out in strong numbers across municipal races this year, deciding contests that will shape local recovery, infrastructure and growth for years to come. 

In Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, ballots featured a mix of incumbents and newcomers in competitive races that reflected both the challenges and the momentum of a region still rebuilding from repeated disasters — a region where voters think they’ve now chosen the right people to move it forward. 

Overwhelmingly, municipal officials take pride in their nonpartisan service, but once they’re elected, they don’t just leave their party hats at the chamber doors.

Clyde voters confronted familiar questions this election — how to rebuild after disaster, how to manage growth without losing the town’s identity and how to plan for a future defined by both opportunity and risk. Four candidates competed for two seats on the Board of Aldermen, offering different ideas but sharing a commitment to long-term resilience.

Haywood County commissioners advanced the long-planned Clyde EMS base project Oct. 20 by approving a $2,069,955 construction contract with RYSE Construction. 

The bid represents the second phase of a federally funded initiative to redevelop the Clyde Armory campus into a modern emergency response hub that will serve as both an EMS base and a regional emergency shelter, right in the geographic center of Haywood County. 

It’s not a lot of money, but it’s the principle — the hurricane-ravaged Town of Clyde is out more than $3,400 due to a baffling disconnect between FEMA reimbursement guidelines and a state program meant to ease the burden of debris removal on private land. 

Clyde is a small town surrounded by bigger ambitions. Tucked between Canton and Waynesville, hemmed in by interstate lanes and the Pigeon River, it is both geographically and economically poised on the edge of growth — an edge that has never been sharper than it is now, in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s destruction and amid mounting pressure to plan for a future that’s already arriving. 

Accessorized with purple-rimmed glasses, dangly beaded earrings and a well-worn Café Du Monde apron, Denise Teague brings the humility and unwavering tenacity needed to sustain Clyde United Methodist Church’s community kitchen since the earliest days following Hurricane Helene.  

 The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will host two family-friendly events to recognize National Hunting and Fishing Day, an annual celebration promoting outdoor recreation and conservation. 

To the Editor:

Local elections don’t receive much attention but are vital for the well-being of our communities, especially in places like Waynesville, Canton, Maggie Valley and Clyde. The choices made by local officials directly impact our lives, from public safety to essential services. “The Informed Citizen” understands why electing conservative candidates is vital for our city councils. 

When storms hit or property projects begin, Western North Carolina residents now have a dependable neighbor to call — Haynes Tree & Excavation. Based in Waynesville and serving surrounding communities like Clyde, Maggie Valley, and Canton,