No criminal charges will be brought against a South Carolina resident who shot and killed Lambert Wilson last fall, according to District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch.

Traditionally buttermilk used to be a naturally fermented beverage, the leftover product of the churning of cream to make butter.

I’ve been a Registered Dietitian for almost 30 years and have served in the US Army as a dietitian and worked in Public Health in South Carolina has a dietitian. In the last 10 years I’ve seen an increasing level of fear about food and the ingredients in food. I think much of this has to do with social media and click-bait (alarming) headlines. You could basically be convinced that anything you eat or drink and a variety of ingredients are harmful — if you look hard enough.

1. Shopping when hungry. When we’re hungry EVERYTHING looks good! We find ourselves putting things in our shopping cart because the packaging is appealing, and the descriptions sound tasty…and who can resist the smell of freshly baked breads or donuts when we’re hungry (or “hangry”). 

Located outside Western Carolina University’s Apodaca Science Building is a new sculpture by Spruce Pine artist Hoss Haley, titled “Staurolite,” that will be installed in the coming weeks.

The Appalachian Women’s Museum invites quilters and quilt collectors a chance to show off their fabrics during the annual “Airing of the Quilts” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the museum in Dillsboro. With an April 15 deadline, registration to show a quilt is open now at appwomen.org/quilts.

Spring is here, bringing with it ample opportunity to get outside, stretch your legs and enjoy the abundance of wildflowers and other plant life in the Southern Appalachians. 

The Asheville Orchid Festival, one of the largest international orchid shows in the Southeast, will return for its 22nd year 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. 

The season opens for youth hunters is April 1-7, and the statewide season is April 8 to May 6. Hunters are limited to two turkeys for the season, only one of which may be taken during youth season. 

Help make Allens Creek healthier with a stream improvement project noon to 4 p.m. March 29-30, and possibly Friday, March 31, in Waynesville. 

The project will take place at BearWaters Brewing’s new location in Hazelwood at 1940 Main Street. It includes two phases, the first of which is livestaking, which will take place on the work dates this week. Live stakes are branches of trees cut while trees are dormant and planted directly in the soil, where they develop roots and grow into new trees. 

The second phase, in May, will involve planting native plants and trees, helping create a more diverse ecosystem while also stabling the streambank and reducing pollution entering Allens Creek. 

Haywood Waterways Association is partnering with Spriggly’s Beescaping to complete the project. Volunteers are invited to come anytime, even just for an hour, and should bring a good pair of boots, hammers or rubber mallets, gloves and clothes that can get dirty. For more information, contact Caitlin Worsham at 828.476.4667, ext. 12 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

Scott Dedman, President and Executive Director of Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO), announced his plan to retire in August of this year after 30 years in the role. 

On Friday, March 10, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine was presented posthumously in honor of Lambert Wilson to his longtime partner, Jenny Holland. This award is North Carolina’s highest civilian award, given to those who have made notable contributions to their community.

Ricardo Nazario-Colón, Western Carolina University’s inaugural chief diversity officer, has been appointed by the State University of New York’s Board of Trustees as the senior vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer.

A mussel found in Western North Carolina will be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act following a decision from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Help root out invasive species from Island Park in Bryson City 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, March 29. 

Six shuttle companies will offer rides to and from popular trailheads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this year, one of multiple firsts for the park in 2023 as it continues seeking solutions to traffic congestion, parking and overcrowding issues. 

Visitors to the Nantahala Ranger District have a new Appalachian Trail Shelter to visit thanks to months of work from the Nantahala Hiking Club to replace the Rock Gap Shelter. 

Brian Turner, a four-term member of the N.C. House of Representatives who left office in January, will serve as the new policy director for Audubon North Carolina starting in April. In that role, he will oversee the organization’s policy work across the state. 

The Luc Gibson Foundation and the Town of Canton are hosting the Inaugural Cerebral Palsy 5K this Saturday, March 25 at Sorrells Park.

To the Editor:

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Those are wise words from Romans 12:19, King James Version of the Bible. Do you take the Bible literally or figuratively? Either way, ponder the wisdom of the words.

The economic impact of Pactiv Evergreen’s decision to close the Canton paper mill will be substantial. It is estimated that about 1,000 employees will be out of work by the summer, the majority of whom are Haywood County residents. 

Sixty-five-year-old Donna lived an active life until 2014, when her health struggles began. She soon felt isolated and depressed. Donna was desperate to get better, both emotionally and physically, even though her mobility was now limited. 

It's almost time for the 3rd annual Mighty Four Miler race in Waynesville. This event is presented by The Corner Kitchen and benefits The Riley Howell Foundation. Riley is a Waynseville, N.C. native who was killed after tackling a gunman who opened fire in a classroom school shooting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 

The National Heritage Areas Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law on Jan. 5, has implications for Western North Carolina. The act establishes a National Heritage Area System and a statutory framework for the NPS’s role in its administration, as well as designating, extending and authorizing studies for National Heritage Areas across the United States. 

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has received the 2023 River Champion Award from American Rivers for its leadership in pursuing removal of the Ela Dam on the Oconaluftee River. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is delaying the publication of the final revised red wolf recovery plan, which courts had ordered to be released by Feb. 28. That deadline has been extended to Sept. 29. 

To the Editor:

I liked Scott McLeod’s column last week, but disagree with the characterization of Pactiv Evergreen’s disastrous decision to close their Canton mill as a problem of “corporate culture.”

Great Smoky Mountains National Park experienced its second busiest year ever in 2022 with 12,937,633 visits. Last year’s visitation was more than 1.5 million above the park’s 10-year average and more than the visitation of Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon national parks combined. This marks the fourth time the park has exceeded 12 million yearly visits. 

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont has been awarded $25,000 from Lawson Family Foundation to support their efforts to connect people with nature through innovative pathways. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is currently recruiting local volunteers to ‘Adopt-A-Plot’ and track the seasonal change of trees, also called phenology.   

The process of termination (unwinding) of Medicaid coverage for those enrolled in the program because of the Covid Public Health Emergency begins on April 1, 2023. 

A 1,295-acre prescribed burn in the Yellow Creek area of Graham County could take place any time before April 15. 

Much of the maintenance on one side of the Spur Tunnel is complete, allowing contractors to begin work on the other side. Depending on weather conditions and arrival of supplies, the single-lane closure will switch to the opposite lane sometime between March 1-3.  

During a business meeting Thursday, Feb. 23, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission voted to adopt eight proposed rules related to wildlife management for the 2023-24 season.

The 2022 Classic Hikes of the Smokies Series has begun. 

To the Editor: I was heartened to see the recent coverage that the Pilot Travel Center off of I-40 on Exit 24 received from WLOS in Asheville. In this featured segment, the dangerous situation that has developed from the lack of adequate pull-in access for trucks was highlighted.

David Green Edwards, 32, of Cherokee, was sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual contact with a minor. 

The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority announced the hire of Kara Addy as its new Social Media Manager.

Jake Tallent vividly remembers the impact that the New Century Scholars program had on his life.

Dana Soehn, a 34-year employee of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park who has been part of its management team for the past decade, will be the next executive director and president of Friends of the Smokies. 

Folkmoot USA has announced the second semester of its “Life Long Learning” education initiative. Conceived and sponsored by Dr. Darryl Nabors, Life Long Learning offers a variety of subjects tailored to our residents.

Tax season officially began at the end of January. While most people don’t particularly enjoy dealing with taxes, we can make our lives easier by being prepared. Below are five tips to better prepare you for this tax season and those in the future. 

The N.C. Parks and Recreation Authority has approved $13.7 million to fund 11 capital improvement projects at state parks, including $900,000 for maintenance facility renovations at Mount Mitchell State Park.