A special stage production of “Ethnically Ambiguous” will be held at 7:30 p.m. March 20-21, 27-28 and 2 p.m. March 22, 29 at Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

Alex McDonald Villarreal shares his hilarious and heartfelt journey of growing up Mexican-American, navigating family and carving out a place in the world as an “ethnically ambiguous” actor. 

Regional blues/folk singer-songwriter Heidi Holton will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, March 20, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City.

Holton is turning heads with her unique take on one of America’s oldest popular musical traditions: the blues. She began young, leaving Murphy to play in rock bands in Athens, Georgia and New Orleans, Louisiana, before the blues called and she answered. 

A first-of-its-kind exhibition centering Native voices, perspectives and creativity in response to the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, the exhibition “Unrelenting: Cherokee People and the American Revolution” is currently being showcased at the Museum of the Cherokee People (MotCP) in Cherokee. 

Americana/folk act Woolybooger will hit the stage at 10 p.m. Friday, March 20, at Breadheads Tiki Shak in Sylva.

Creating sound dubbed “music to grow your hair out to,” the Murphy musician, whose real name is Gavin Graves, is well-regarded in this region for his mix of blues and roots music into a unique Southern Appalachian tone. 

Americana/indie singer-songwriter A. Lee Edwards will perform at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 22, and March 29, at the Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley.

Edwards has been a singer-songwriter for over 30 years. With roots steeped in the tradition of storytellers like John Prine and Townes Van Zandt, Edwards crafts songs that are both spare and richly evocative.

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

• Julie L. Reed will present her new book, “Land, Language, and Women: A Cherokee and American Educational History,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 19. Reed uses Cherokee teaching and learning traditions spanning four centuries to rethink Native American educational history. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation, she recently joined the history and anthropology departments at the University of Tulsa. 

The North Carolina Arboretum invites everyone to join in the reawakening of a new season with Spring Into the Arb. Now in its second year, this series of plant shows and sales, science and nature activities and music and art is a wonderful way to reemerge and reconnect with nature. 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking individuals to join the elk rover volunteer team for the upcoming season. Elk rovers share information with visitors about safe viewing and help keep elk and visitors safe. Elk rovers will be stationed at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, located near Cherokee. 

With North Carolina’s spring wildfire season arriving at a time when most of the state is experiencing moderate to severe drought, the N.C. Forest Service is urging the public to apply best practices and common sense with all outdoor fire, especially yard debris burns.

Escaped yard debris burns, largely due to carelessness, continue to be the leading cause of wildfires across the state, accounting for nearly half of all wildfires in North Carolina.

Haywood Community College will welcome multiple speakers, guests and partners to campus on Friday, March 20, for the WNC Environmental Summit.

The WNC Environmental Summit will provide educational opportunities for regional groups to come together, share ideas, encourage each other and take action to make a difference.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Energy Saver North Carolina program is now available in all 100 North Carolina counties, empowering eligible households to lower their energy bills. Residents can now check eligibility and apply for rebates to lower their electricity costs by making their homes more energy efficient. More than $200 million is available for home efficiency upgrades. 

The Environmental Action Community of WNC invites supporters and the public to its New Solar Financing for Organizations and Residents from 6-7 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, at the First United Methodist Church gymnasium located at 566 S. Haywood St. in Waynesville.

The latest exhibit, “Little Hands, Big Imagination,” will be showcased through April 13 in the Haywood Handmade Gallery at the Haywood County Arts Council in downtown Waynesville.

Join the HCAC for a joyful exhibit of large-scale collaborative artwork created by elementary students across Haywood County. Each school contributes one piece, made with many little hands and big imaginations. All works will be auctioned off to support each school’s art program. 

A “Community Contra Dance” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Contra dance is a form of social folk dancing from which square dancing evolved, so it shares many of the same movements. As always, no partner is necessary, generations mix. All are welcome, including beginners. No dance experience or fancy clothing are necessary. Those who would like to come out just to listen to the music are welcome, too. 

Haywood Health Foundation announced its Annual Request For Proposals for Grants Pertaining to Unmet Healthcare Needs in Haywood County.

HHF’s grant program will provide grants to Haywood County non-profit organizations, government agencies and schools for healthcare initiatives, as well as educational and leadership programs related to improving healthcare in Haywood County. 

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

• Poet Donovan McAbee will read from his new collection, “Holy the Body,” with a musical per-formance by Grammy-nominated songwriter and guitarist Thomm Jutz at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 12. McAbee’s poems explore faith, doubt and dark humor. Jutz, based in Nashville, has had songs recorded by John Prine, Del McCoury, Billy Strings and The SteelDrivers and teaches songwriting at Belmont University. 

A “Community Contra Dance” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Contra dance is a form of social folk dancing from which square dancing evolved, so it shares many of the same movements. As always, no partner is necessary, generations mix. All are welcome, including beginners. No dance experience or fancy clothing are necessary. Those who would like to come out just to listen to the music are welcome, too. 

The latest exhibit, “Little Hands, Big Imagination,” will be showcased through April 13 in the Haywood Handmade Gallery at the Haywood County Arts Council in downtown Waynesville.

Join the HCAC for a joyful exhibit of large-scale collaborative artwork created by elementary students across Haywood County. Each school contributes one piece, made with many little hands and big imaginations. All works will be auctioned off to support each school’s art program. 

Western Carolina University’s annual “Juried Undergraduate Exhibition” will run through March 20 at the Fine Art Museum on campus in Cullowhee.

This exhibition is an extraordinary opportunity for WCU undergraduate students to share their artwork with a larger public and to enhance their skills in presenting artwork in a professional gallery setting.

H.R. 2768 Benton MacKaye National Scenic Trail Feasibility Study Act of 2025, as amended, has passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources. The amendment requires the feasibility study to be completed within two years. (The Senate version required a one-year study.) 

The Corneille Bryan Native Garden at Lake Junaluska is offering wildflower walks this spring led by members of the garden’s Board of Directors. The walks will take place at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays, with the exception of one Monday walk, March 30. Participants should meet at the top of Stuart Circle. 

The Waynesville Parks & Recreation Department will host instructors from the Cataloochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited conducting an Introduction to Fly Fishing Class, on three evenings in March. Intended for first-time fly fishermen and fisherwomen wanting to learn the basics, the class will also appeal to anglers looking for some expert tips. 

High school seniors in Haywood County who have a degree of need coupled with a serious commitment to agriculture and community service are encouraged to apply for the Haywood County Farm Bureau’s scholarship program by April 15.

Students must have a GPA of at least 2.5, be residents of Haywood County, be currently enrolled in a Haywood County school or a two or four-year school, planning to enroll in an approved post-secondary program (technical/community, junior college, or a four-year institution.)

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Energy Saver North Carolina program is now available in all 100 counties, helping eligible households lower energy bills. Residents can check eligibility and apply for rebates to improve home efficiency, with more than $200 million available for upgrades. 

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission have entered into a $290 million Good Neighbor Agreement to support Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in Western North Carolina. The agreement — the largest of its kind for the Forest Service — will speed up recovery efforts, create new jobs, reduce overall costs and strengthen communities impacted by the hurricane. 

North Carolina’s annual greenhouse gas emissions are at their lowest levels in decades. However, forecasts indicate that increased reliance on natural gas and coal for electricity generation could temporarily offset these gains in the coming years.

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has released an update to the state’s greenhouse gas inventory.

In 1996, the Volunteer Water Information Network (VWIN) program was established as a water quality monitoring program for many Western North Carolina counties. In Haywood County, Haywood Waterways Association manages 25 sites on 19 streams. The program’s purpose is to provide long term water quality monitoring information to help leverage grant funding for water quality improvement projects.

The annual Haywood County Extension Master Gardener plant sale is taking place now. Available are bare root strawberries, raspberries, black raspberries, elderberries, blackberries, asparagus and horseradish, along with potted blueberries at excellent prices.

This sale is pre-order only. You may order online with a credit card or download the order forms (to print and mail in with a check) at go.ncsu.edu/haywoodplantsales. 

After nearly a decade at the helm of Waynesville government, Town Manager Rob Hites announced Feb. 27 that he will retire July 1. 

Hites arrived in 2016 following a long career in local government across North Carolina. Born in Reno and raised in Alabama, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. An urban government course led to an internship with the Greensboro mayor, setting him on a path that would lead to decades of local government administration.      

The Human Resources Department at Lake Junaluska will host a recruitment event from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, March 5; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, March 19; and noon to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 9, in Room 202 of Harrell Center.  

These events are for potential employees to learn more about Lake Junaluska’s open positions for full- and part-time seasonal opportunities and to interview on the spot. 

A special showcase, “Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop,” is now on display at the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee.  On view through May 2026, the exhibition features works by students of Tara McCoy (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) handcrafted during an intensive three-month workshop. 

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has identified infestations of spongy moth in seven counties across North Carolina that it anticipates treating in 2026.  

Residents within the impacted areas were notified by mail in February about these infestations as well as proposed treatments. Informational sessions will be held within these communities in March to collect public comments for consideration.

Have you ever thought about keeping bees? Ever wanted to have more pollinators on your property? Do you just want to know more about it? March 7 will be your chance.

The Haywood County Beekeepers Association is offering a one-day introductory class on beekeeping. Topics will include the life cycle of the bee, what you need to do through the calendar year to maintain a hive, what equipment you will need and the cost involved.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources is awarding more than $7.3 million to support repairs for several high-hazard dams that were damaged during Hurricane Helene.  

A high-hazard dam is defined as one where failure would likely result in loss of life or significant damage to homes, buildings, public utilities, primary highways or major railroads. 

The annual Haywood County Extension Master Gardener plant sale is taking place now. There are bare root strawberries, raspberries, black raspberries, elderberries, blackberries, asparagus and horseradish, along with potted blueberries at excellent prices.

This sale is pre-order only. People may order online with a credit card or download the order forms (to print and mail in with a check) at go.ncsu.edu/haywoodplantsales. 

A study by a Western Carolina University economist indicates that Jackson County saw more than $144 million in total economic impact from the $770,000 that county government invested in the local Department of Social Services to administer Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits last year. 

Lenten worship services will be held each Wednesday during Lent at Lake Junaluska’s historic Memorial Chapel and include a Maundy Thursday and Good Friday service.

The services, which will include communion, will be at noon and again at 6:30 p.m. starting on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, and continue weekly until March 25. Services on Maundy Thursday, April 2, and on Good Friday, April 3, will be at 6:30 p.m. only. 

A Graham County man recently pleaded guilty to felony littering of hazardous waste for throwing used needles on the ground in a local park, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch announced.

Jeffery Charles Heid, 53, of Robbinsville, also pleaded guilty to assault on a law enforcement officer and communicating threats. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allocated a combined $686 million to North Carolina for Hurricane Helene-related drinking water, wastewater and septic system projects, with a focus on resiliency and a goal of reducing risk and vulnerability in systems as they face future storms. 

Residents, business owners and community leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Swain County are invited to attend a pair of public open house meetings.

The Swain County open house will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, in the Community Room of the Swain County Administration Building in Bryson City. The EBCI open house will be held from 3-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at the Yellowhill Community Building in Cherokee. 

The Forest Service released its final decision on the Crossover Project, which seeks to restore and strengthen native hardwood forests on more than 1,900 acres of the Nantahala National Forest throughout the Snowbird Mountains near Topton.

Work on the Crossover Project started in 2017 with the goal of making the area healthier and more enjoyable for visitors.

Deadlines are coming up quickly for vendors, concessionaires, suppliers, Got to Be NC members and farm equipment hobbyists interested in participating in the Got to Be Festival May 15-17 at the NC State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

Got to Be NC members have until Feb. 27 to apply to be part of the Got to Be NC Pavilion in the Agri Supply Exposition Center. The pavilion showcases Got to Be NC products, beverages and food samples and is only open to members of the program. 

The 2026 Assault on BlackRock trail race has been set for Saturday, March 21 in Sylva.  

All proceeds from this race will go to the Sylva Art & Design Committee with a focus on bringing more art (outdoor murals) to downtown Sylva. 

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Services Lab will raise some of its testing fees beginning March 2, with most increases ranging from $3 to $5 depending on test.

Soil testing will remain free for North Carolina residents outside the peak season which runs late November or early December through March. In the fall of 2026, the peak-season rate will increase from $4 to $5 per sample.

Shortly after opening the doors of the Don Tomas Health Sciences Center back in 2021, Southwestern Community College developed a strategy for not only filling the area’s tremendous healthcare workforce needs — but also providing a promising future for soon-to-be high school graduates. 

A former bookkeeper from Topton was sentenced to 57 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for orchestrating an embezzlement scheme that stole $1 million from three businesses, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. 

Indie/soul singer-songwriters Shane Meade & Rob Masten will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, March 20, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva.

Hailing from Elkins, West Virginia, Meade is a self-taught late bloomer who borrowed an old guitar from his father.

NCDOT partners with wildlife agencies on creative concept for bat habitat. Sometimes, it helps to step away from the workplace to get the creativity flowing. That’s what happened to Kenny McCourt, an N.C. Department of Transportation resident engineer overseeing a set of bridge replacement projects on Interstate 40 in Haywood County.