After an extensive, yearslong process featuring dozens of public hearings, presentations and private meetings, Haywood County will finally get its badly-needed jail expansion, even though the final step was marred by threats and misinformation from a familiar face. 

To the Editor:

With interest, I read the article “Combating the Opioid Crisis” with interest in the February 22 issue of The Sylva Herald. In the article it was stated that an opioid settlement supplemental agreement awarded Jackson County $3 million to combat opioid use on the local level. 

Haywood County commissioners have taken the final financial step in the long process toward approving a jail expansion, all but assuring the project will move forward after years of delay and doubt. 

With several critical deadlines approaching and the cost of construction only going up, Haywood County commissioners spent more than two hours on Feb. 26 meeting with administrators, architects, builders and sheriff’s office personnel — going over every detail of the long-suffering jail expansion project, its growing price tag and its ultimate future. 

Haywood County commissioners took another step toward their multi-million dollar jail expansion last week, and although much has changed since a report issued more than three years ago recommended the project, much has not. 

Many years ago, one of the students in my English composition course approached me after class one day as other students were filing out, hesitating for just a moment until the last couple of them trickled into the hallway, leaving just the two of us. 

Haywood County still needs its proposed $21.5 million jail expansion, but an unexpectedly high bid from the lone construction bidder has temporarily derailed the process — a delay that could become costly.

For the fifth time in eight years, and the second time since July, someone has died while incarcerated at the Jackson County Detention Center.

For the fourth time in eight years, a person has died while incarcerated at the Jackson County Detention Center.

Haywood County commissioners took an important step forward on April 4 by selecting Moseley Architects of Charlotte as the preferred firm to handle architectural and engineering services for the county’s proposed jail expansion project.