Peer support inside jail helps inmates have hope

CJ Deering sat at her desk inside the Haywood County Detention Center when she got a surprise phone call from…
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Haywood jail reaches capacity

Haywood County commissioners may have to start seriously considering expanding the detention center now that the average daily inmate population…
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Student homelessness high in WNC

For most kids, this is the season of anticipation, a magical time of year marked by stuffed turkeys, Christmas cookies,…
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Western North Carolina’s children are increasingly poor and hungry

For most, childhood is a time of growth, learning and stability nurtured by fertile environmental and economic conditions that ultimately…
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Cold Mountain fire grows, rain predicted

The Cold Mountain Fire is still burning in Haywood County, with a helicopter flight measuring it at approximately 126 acres…
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Fire at Cold Mountain exceeds 100 acres

A wildfire near Cold Mountain in Haywood County was reported at 3 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, and as of…
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Interstate 40 reopens in Pigeon River Gorge

Westbound drivers are once again good to go through the Pigeon River Gorge on Interstate 40.
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Canton economy keeps on truckin’

The recent announcement of one business’s relocation plans in Canton may lead to other Asheville-area corporations — and residents —…
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Regional honors to Haywood communities

Haywood County took home top three honors and prestigious Calico Cat award for 2019. The WNC Honors Awards is built…
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Sylva street to become one-way

Railroad Avenue in Sylva will soon be converted to a one-way street following a unanimous vote from the town board…
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Cherokee group aims for 2021 constitution referendum

An effort to adopt a constitution for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians through a referendum question failed to come…
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Waynesville waste treatment vote postponed

Waynesville’s new mayor and aldermen haven’t even been sworn in yet, but based on how the board’s most recent regular…
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Shining Rock charter renewal ignores transparency concerns

A consultant with the North Carolina Office of Charter Schools recommended that Shining Rock Classical Academy’s charter should be renewed…
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TWSA fees covered for road relocatees, DOT says

The N.C. Department of Transportation will pay water and sewer hookup fees for businesses displaced by the N.C. 107 project,…
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New jail, justice center top needs in Macon

In an effort to prioritize its long list of infrastructure needs, Macon County Board of Commissioners approved spending up to…
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Commercial kitchen could be boon for Haywood entrepreneurs

A recent property donation to the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministries could help create jobs, add value to agricultural products…
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VRBO changes the way it remits taxes

The explosion of online vacation rental booking options like VRBO and Airbnb has completely changed the tourism industry, and while…
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Guiney joins Sylva board with a coin flip

For the second time in three election cycles, a coin flip decided the outcome of a Sylva town board race. 
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Mau to challenge Queen in 2020

Jackson County Commissioner Ron Mau hopes to unseat Rep. Joe Sam Queen in the 2020 election, announcing before a gathering…
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BBB Warning: ‘Secret Sister’ gift exchange is illegal

Better Business Bureau is reminding consumers that the online “Secret Sister” gift exchange and similar invitations are illegal and should…
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Four uncounted ballots could break Sylva election tie

Unofficial tallies show a total of four uncounted ballots at play in the Sylva town elections going into the final…
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Donations needed for Cops for Kids

Martin M. Sohovich, financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial, will once again be helping children in Haywood County at Christmas time. 
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Mountain Projects tackles housing crisis

Social services Agency Mountain Projects continues to be at the forefront of solving the affordable housing crisis in Haywood and…
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Mudslides prompt concern over construction

The mud problems at Catamount Homes began early on Thursday, Oct. 31. 
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Housing project moving ahead in Sylva

Five working families in Jackson County will have the chance to move into brand new homes once a project currently…
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Public, private projects needed to improve housing shortage

The issue of homelessness has been a growing concern among Haywood County residents, businesses, law enforcement and government officials for…
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Rep. Queen announces reelection bid

For the tenth time in his long history of public service, Waynesville Democrat Joe Sam Queen announced his intent to…
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Macon commissioner hopes to succeed Rep. Corbin

Although Franklin Republican Rep. Kevin Corbin has decided to run for the state Senate in 2020, Western North Carolina Republicans…
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Cherokee considers Tennessee resort investment

Cherokee leaders are hoping to establish a lucrative business on a portion of the 300-plus acres of Interstate 40 frontage…
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Eveland, both Wights win in Maggie Valley

Although the race between two incumbent alderman for the Maggie Valley mayor’s gavel was an important one, the bigger story…
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Waynesville mayor, board reshuffled

On Election Day, Waynesville voters could have chosen to send almost every single incumbent back to their seats, but when…
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No surprises in Bryson City election

The town of Bryson City didn’t have any contested races this year, which means no big surprises on election night. 
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Voter turnout doubles in Franklin

The town of Franklin will keep its incumbent mayor while welcoming two new faces to the town board.
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Sylva election results up in the air

The General Election has been over for a week, but in Sylva the results won’t be certain until provisional ballots…
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Abundant Labs now operating in Canton

Abundant Labs CEO Chip Miller looked like a college chemistry professor as he started drawing diagrams and compound percentages on…
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Scott wins Franklin mayoral election

Incumbent Mayor Bob Scott has won his fourth term in office against challenger Barbara McRae.
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Legislature to ban smokable hemp in N.C.

Hemp has only been legal in North Carolina for a couple of years, but already the plant is presenting an…
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Contract awarded includes I-40 West closure

SYLVA – N.C. Department of Transportation officials have awarded an emergency repair contract to Buckeye Bridge to repair a bridge…
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High stakes in municipal elections

Voters across Western North Carolina will be making important local decisions at the polls this election season, including choosing who…
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N.C. Chief Justice Beasley speaks in Haywood

The small room of the Democratic headquarters for Haywood County was packed Oct. 31 for a speech by the Chief…
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Republican seeks N.C. Chief Justice seat

His name is Newby, but he’s far from new — Justice Paul Newby was first elected to the North Carolina…
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Animal shelter estimates within budget

It could cost less than originally anticipated to build a new 10,000-square-foot animal shelter facility in Jackson County, according to…
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Security upgrades underway at Jackson Schools

After 2018’s deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, county and school system officials in Jackson County put their heads together…
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Annual Council focuses on language preservation

In the wake of a June 27 joint resolution from the three Cherokee tribes that declared the native language to…
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Shining Rock demands illegal payment for public records

Editor’s note: This is the ninth in a series of stories on Haywood County’s public charter school, Shining Rock Classical Academy,…
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Community searches for homelessness solutions

A wide-ranging forum held last week at Frog Level Brewing to discuss Haywood’s homeless population revealed deep divisions about how…
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It's Eveland in Maggie, both Wights win alderman seats

Alderman Mike Eveland will be Maggie Valley's next mayor, after a convincing 191-145 victory over Alderman and Mayor Pro Tem…
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Caldwell cruises, Dickson, Sutton join Waynesville board, Feichter, Freeman return

With all eight Waynesville precincts reporting, it appears as though there will be some major changes in the Town of…
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Sylva board race ends in a tie

Sylva residents gave incumbent commissioners David Nestler and Greg McPherson a vote of confidence by granting them another four years…
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Early voting results released

Just after the polls close but before Election Day results are compiled, candidate totals from North Carolina’s early voting period…
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