A new National Park Service report shows that approximately 12.2 million visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2024 spent more than $2 billion in communities near the park. That spending had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of more than $2.8 billion. 

On Oct. 1, Republican-controlled Congress shut down the federal government, bringing a renewed round of confusion, finger-pointing and uncertainty to tourism-reliant Southern Appalachia — a region still paying the price for generational poverty, and still struggling with recovery from Hurricane Helene more than one year ago.  

Three candidates — incumbents Tim Hines and Ben King, and newcomer W. Kent Maxey — are vying for two open seats on the Bryson City Board of Aldermen.  

Though aldermen serve four-year terms with odd-year staggered elections, Hines has only held the position since his appointment in April 2023 following Steve Augustine’s resignation. Nonetheless, Hines, who also works as a manager at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, said he’s learned a lot about the nuanced nature of town issues throughout his time in office.  

President’s priorities are not mine

To the Editor:

Priorities: $200 million for a ballroom in the White House; $1 billion to retrofit a jet given by Qatar. Contrasted by cuts to Medicaid and other safety net programs. 

The proposed Jackson County budget for fiscal year 2025-26 contains a six cent decrease in the millage rate, and yet, for most people in Jackson County, property tax bills will increase significantly. 

The Jackson County Board of Education this month took an in-depth look at per pupil spending across the school system, prompted by recent discussions about Jackson Community School and its viability for the future. 

To the Editor:

Since adolescence, I have stood for the principles and platform of the Republican Party, especially in the area of fiscal restraint. I watched as several previous administrations bloated the national budget — recently by $2 trillion annually.

Preliminary projections from Town of Waynesville show a tight budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Elected officials don’t want to raise taxes, fees or utility rates, but a variety of factors that all came together in a perfect storm will leave Town Council with some tough decisions after a budget retreat held March 21. 

North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek has unveiled a new Hurricane Helene dashboard, an online tool designed to track relief efforts and spending in the wake of the devastating storm.

To the Editor:

I asked Rep. Chuck Edwards about the massive changes made in our names by Elon Musk and others to reduce the size of government and he assured me that “Social Security will not be touched.” How can that be?