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Folkmoot Live will present an evening of traditional Irish music with Andrew Finn Magill & David McKindley-Ward (Celtic/world) at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
Rising singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alma Russ will hit the stage at 6 p.m. Friday, March 28, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City.
Popular Florida-based indie/soul singer-songwriter Shane Meade will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 27, The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville.
The Haywood County Arts Council’s (HCAC) specially curated exhibit featuring the works of celebrated visual artist and author Ann Miller Woodford will run through April 7 at HCAC’s Haywood Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville.
Featuring works from faculty artisans at Western Carolina University, the 2025 School of Art & Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition will be displayed Jan. 21 through May 2 in the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.
Filled with some of Haywood County’s “juiciest, most mouthwatering burgers,” “Fat Burger Month” will run through April 6 in Waynesville, Maggie Valley and Canton.
A stage production of “An Unexpected Song” will be held at 7:30 p.m. March 21-22, 28-29 and 2 p.m. March 23 and 30 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
The Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center in Waynesville has recently announced its 2025 “Pigeon Community Conversations with Storytellers Series.”
To the Editor:
Every so often, some politician will say something so arrogant and tone-deaf as to be compared to Marie Antoinette, the doomed queen who supposedly said of France’s starving peasants, “Then let them eat cake.”
To the Editor:
I am a retired military officer (veteran); senior citizen; middle class; have grandchildren that are part of the LBGQ+ community; live in a rural area; have a grandchild still in school; and, I am a female.
Nearly six months after Hurricane Helene ravaged Western North Carolina, the region's recovery efforts continue.
Gov. Josh Stein's advisory committee, formed to aid in the recovery, held its first in-person meeting Friday at Western Carolina University.
The N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity announced a $1.2 million Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program fiber project to connect 359 households and businesses in Haywood County to high-speed internet.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) offers helpful guidance when encountering wildlife as they become more visible this time of year.
Black bears emerge from their dens in spring and become more active. BearWise offers springtime tips, such as securing garbage and taking down bird feeders, to help people prevent conflicts with bears.
The Western North Carolina Orchid Society (WNCOS) and The North Carolina Arboretum will once again host one of Western North Carolina’s greatest annual plant shows: the 24th Asheville Orchid Festival “Orchid Arcadia” from March 28-30. The festival is an American Orchid Society sanctioned judging event.
Haywood County has partnered with Consolidated Waste Services and EcoFlo to hold its spring Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) located at 278 Recycle Road in Clyde.
The Conservation Fund announced that a critical property in the Great Balsam Mountains is protected as forest and natural land.
The North Carolina Drought Management Advisory Council has classified most of the state as abnormally dry, while 56 counties are at least partially in a moderate drought, including almost the entire Smoky Mountain News coverage area.
Haywood Community College and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will offer three opportunities for boater safety courses in Spring 2025. Classes will be offered from 6-9 p.m. April 2-3, May 7-8, and June 4-5 on the HCC campus in the Walnut building, room 3322.
Haywood Community College in Clyde will welcome multiple speakers, guests and partners to campus for the WNC Environmental Summit from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, March 21,.
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation is welcoming a slate of community ambassadors to guide the next steps of its Blue Ridge Rising initiative. The group of leaders will help implement strategies to unify gateway communities surrounding the Blue Ridge Parkway for the betterment of the region.
The open burning of trash, metal, plastic and all other man-made materials not only harms the environment and poses a public health risk, it’s against state law.
Eddie Huffman will share his new book, “Doc Watson: A Life in Music.” and also be accompanied by musician Jerad Davis at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 27, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
An evening of old-time dancing (contras, rounds, squares and mixers) will be held from 7-9 a.m. Thursday, March 20, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin.
Ham radio is both a fascinating hobby and a great tool during a disaster, as folks recently found out during Hurricane Helene. Those interested in learning more about ham radio can now do so through a five-week course being offered in Haywood County.
Western North Carolina Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards will host an in-person town hall on Thursday, March 13, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Ferguson Auditorium at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Haywood County Democrats are gathering at precinct meetings beginning March 16 and ending March 30. A precinct is an area in which all voters go to a single place to cast their ballot on election day.
Haywood Health Foundation (HHF) announce its Request For Proposals (RFPs) for grants relating to unmet healthcare needs in Haywood County.
He now has big shoes to fill, but Waynesville officials think interim Fire Department Chief Chris Mehaffey has what it takes to guide the department into its next era.
The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation received the 2025 Outstanding Public Engagement Award from the Public Lands Alliance (PLA) during the organization’s annual convention and trade show in Las Vegas.
Birds face a number of threats during their long migration journeys, but you can help by simply turning off unnecessary lights at night and advocating for your neighbors, employer, or local government to do the same.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Extension office is hosting a workshop to teach people about the preservation of heirloom seeds.
Heirloom seeds help to ensure future generations maintain a reliable food supply, support financial self-reliance, preserve agricultural heritage and reflect cultural traditions.
Simon Thompson, an international birding expert, will discuss surprising effects of climactic changes on North Carolina’s and the world’s wild bird populations. He will speak to the WNC Sierra Club at 7 p.m. on April 2, in the UNCA OLLI/Reuter Center, at 300 Campus Drive.
The Haywood Community Band is a welcoming haven for musicians of all skill levels rekindling their love of creating powerful music.
If you played a band instrument in the past, you’re welcome to attend rehearsals and see if the community band is where you’d like to perform in a respected music group.
Collectors of paintings and drawings by Macon County resident/artist Ernest “Rocky” Harvey Allen, Jr. will be exhibiting their “Rocky” pieces at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin during the month of March.
To the Editor:
This is for Sen. Thom Tillis, Sen. Ted Budd and Rep. Chuck Edwards,
Every day I continue to be saddened, dismayed, shocked and angry at the spate of executive orders being issued by Mr. Trump and the unauthorized actions being carried out by Elon Musk, who was not elected.
To the Editor:
Who’s writing the script on the United States’ approach towards Ukraine and Russia? Trump or Putin?
• February 18 — Trump falsely claims Ukraine started the war with Russia. That’s a win for Putin.
Learn to build bridges of peace, share strategies for peace and be a peacemaker at the upcoming SEJ Peace Conference set for April 4-6 at Lake Junaluska.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is extending the physical damage loan deadline for disaster declarations affected by the 2024 federal funding lapse. The new deadline to apply is April 27, 2025.
The WNC Nature Center will reopen to the public March 17, five and a half months after closing due to the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene, which caused significant flooding that destroyed roads and the main bridge to the Nature Center.
The Mountain BizWorks Electrify Fund has launched to connect Western North Carolina businesses and nonprofits with affordable financing for clean energy and efficiency investments. The program will support healthy communities and economic growth by helping organizations reduce energy costs and rebuild with resilience.
It has been months since Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina and recovery is still ongoing throughout the region. Many residents and growers had devastating losses, but work is under way to rebuild and move forward in 2025.
The George Masa Foundation announced that the winning photographs from the inaugural George Masa Foundation Youth Conservation Photography Prize are on display at The North Carolina Arboretum’s Baker Building through April 30.
The Town of Waynesville Parks and Recreation is looking for 15 new lifeguards to train and certify at no cost.
This presents a great opportunity to develop valuable skills and enjoy a meaningful summer or year-round job, possibly at the Waynesville Recreation Center.
The North Carolina Arts Council has awarded $915,000 to nonprofit arts organizations in Western North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene.
The grants utilize funds from the North Carolina Arts Foundation’s North Carolina Arts Relief Fund, the National Endowment for the Arts and South Art’s Southern Arts Relief & Recovery Fund.
Kristen Gentry and Halle Hill will read from and discuss their story collections, “Mama Said” and “Good Women,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library (Room 186) in Cullowhee.
Pisgah High School’s art department is in need of a working kiln, leaving students without the opportunity to explore ceramics — a transformative art form that fosters creativity, confidence and hands-on skill development.
The Haywood County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council announced $182,420 in funds available for 2025-27 from the Department of Public Safety for services for juvenile court-involved youth in Haywood County.
The Town of Waynesville has named Assistant Fire Chief Chris Mehaffey as the town’s interim chief.
“Assistant Chief Mehaffey has demonstrated exceptional dedication and professionalism throughout his tenure, making him a natural choice for this important role,” said Town Manager Rob Hites in a press release.
The Haywood County Republican Party will hold its annual convention on March 1 at the Historic Haywood Courthouse, 216 N. Main St., in Waynesville. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and closes at 10:45 a.m.
The Waynesville Rotary Club will offer a Poor Man’s Supper from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 6 at the First United Methodist Church to benefit Waynesville Rotary community projects.
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