Western Carolina University students are gearing up for their next adventures with fresh equipment, all thanks to a partnership that brings a new fleet of Liquidlogic kayaks to campus.

The Nantahala, the Tuckasegee and the French Broad rivers are world-renowned destinations for white-water sports. Beginners can enjoy slow stretches in relatively still waters, and seasoned paddlers can take on roaring rapids of every class. 

Haywood Community College continues to expand university transfer agreements with North Carolina universities. HCC offers transferable degree programs and credit options as students choose to start their postsecondary education locally before transferring to a four-year institution. As spring 2026 registration opens, HCC has two new transfer agreements in place. This offers students additional guaranteed transferable options to two North Carolina universities. 

Today was pretty surreal. I spoke to students for “High School Media Day” at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Folks from around the region. Mine was simply titled: “Music Journalism, Garret Woodward, Rolling Stone & Magazine Writer.” 

A packed slate of weekend events is on tap as Western Carolina University rolls out the welcome mat for alumni and friends to return to campus Nov. 7-8 for Homecoming 2025, including a parade and party in the university’s adopted hometown of Sylva. 

The Haywood County Farm Bureau Board of Directors announced the four recipients of its scholarship, given at the May 19 meeting held at the bureau office.

Haywood Regional Medical Center is offering free sports physicals for local student athletes on Tuesday, May 13, at the Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center in Clyde.

The Haywood County Farm Bureau Board of Directors is proud to announce the sponsorship of Central Haywood High School’s new tractor. This tractor will be used by Kevin Bailey, Ed.D., Central Haywood High’s agriculture teacher, to improve student understanding of agricultural equipment and give them real-world education and experiences directly related to the agricultural industry. 

The Night’s Watch, a student group at Western Carolina University, will hold a fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Helene at Sylva’s Bridge Park from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 12.

Growing up as an educator’s daughter, I spent afternoons running the halls of my mom’s school with the other teachers’ kids, waiting on our parents to finish grading papers, attend faculty meetings or otherwise close out their duties. My mom was a public school librarian.

State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green is set to be in Western North Carolina next week as part of his “Mo Wants to Know” tour happening throughout March and April.