The lowdown on the high end

fr wootenThe vibe in the Cashiers library was thick with polite tension as Jackson County Manager Chuck Wooten recently stood before a roomful of curious skeptics.

The undertone was summed up by an audience member about halfway through the meeting.

Cost-of-living raise possible for Jackson County employees

Jackson County employees could be seeing a little extra in their paychecks next year if commissioners approve County Manager Chuck Wooten’s recommendation for the upcoming budget. Wooten’s budget proposal will include a 1.5 percent cost of living increase and 20 additional hours of bonus leave. 

REACH aims for new shelter

For nearly a year, REACH of Macon County has been helping domestic abuse victims in Jackson County. The group has handled more than 400 cases in Jackson since last July. 

“To be honest with you, we feel like that number should be higher,” Andrea Anderson, the group’s executive director, told the Jackson County commissioners recently.  “We definitely have been talking and trying to figure out how to reach out to more victims.”

Jackson steep slope rewrite on hold until after election

fr steepslopeA controversial proposal to roll back Jackson County’s steep slope rules has become politically charged in the countdown to county commissioner elections this fall — prompting the sitting commissioners to delay their discussion of it until after November.

ABC merger agreed to by town and county

Jackson County and the town of Sylva agreed this month to merge the entities’ separate Alcoholic Beverage Control boards. The deal means that Jackson and Sylva will share in the overall profits generated throughout the county, including those generated at the yet-to-open ABC store in Cashiers.

Jackson justice center squeezed for space

fr jacksonjusticeThe verdict is in, and Jackson County Justice Center is a little too small. To be exact, it’s 35,807 square feet too small. 

At least according to the results of a needs assessment by Heery International, the same company that designed and built the Haywood County courthouse in the early 2000s. 

Jackson tourism board considers possibility of executive director

The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority may be ready to start thinking about hiring an executive director. Board members of the still-new tourism organization are currently forming an exploratory committee to ponder the possibilities.

Get out: Waynesville and Jackson county look to the mountains for parks programming

fr outdoorrecMountains and rivers shape the landscape of Western North Carolina, but when it comes to recreation programming, counties and municipalities tend to focus on facilities and league sports. Both the town of Waynesville and Jackson County, however, are working to look beyond the status quo to point people toward the beauty in their own backyards. 

County commissioner races heat up

coverAs the primary approaches, local candidates are making their case. Around the region, county commissioner seats are opening up and incumbents and challengers alike are looking for votes. 

• Navigating the political stripes of the Haywood commissioners’ race
Are Haywood commissioners big spenders, or doing the best they can?

• Macon commissioner race spending pits conservative and moderate Republicans
• Swain commissioner candidates weigh in on the issues

Dancing with one’s dream

art frStaring into a 2,250-degree furnace, Tadashi Torii sees his passion come to life.

“I’m really calm,” he said. “I try not to be bothered by anything else. I try to create my inner-peace area and then go from there and concentrate.”

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