The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) named George Ivey, North Carolina Development Director for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, to participate in the 2024-2025 class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute, a leadership training opportunity that equips Appalachian community leaders to use economic development as a tool to drive positive change. 

“First the huffin’, then the stuffin’.” 

That’s the motto for the Waynesville-Sunrise Rotary Club’s fourth annual 5K turkey trot, held 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 28, at Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center. 

Junaluska Sanitary District (JSD) has been awarded $9,495,104 from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) for the HCC/Broyhill and Oak Park Waterline Rehabilitation Project. 

While most of the river access points and parks are open along the Jackson County Greenway, there has been some damage that will take some time to clean up since the FEMA cleanup group has to remove debris before the county can start its own cleanup and repairs.  

N.C. Governor

Josh Stein - D

Josh Stein earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Dartmouth College in 1988 along with his J.D. and his master’s of public policy from Harvard University in 1995. Stein is currently serving in his second term as the North Carolina attorney general. In the past he worked as the campaign manager and deputy chief of staff for Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) and served as North Carolina’s deputy attorney general for consumer protection. He was born in Washington, D.C., grew up in Chapel Hill and Charlotte and resides in Wake County.
joshstein.org.

Mark Robinson - R

Mark Robinson attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and earned his bachelor’s degree in history from University of North Carolina in Greensboro in 2022. He is serving his first term as the North Carolina lieutenant governor. Robinson served in the U.S. Army Reserves, worked in furniture manufacturing and started a small daycare business with his wife. He is from Greensboro, and resides in Guilford County.
markrobinsonfornc.com

Lieutenant Governor

Rachel Hunt - D

Rachel Hunt received her bachelor’s in political science and English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1987 and her J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1992. She currently serves as the senator for North Carolina District 42 and has previously served as a House representative for District 103. Hunt served on the board of directors of the North Carolina Foundation for Public School Children. She is from Mecklenburg County.

Hal Weatherman - R

Hal Weatherman earned his bachelor’s degree in religion from Wake Forest University and his master’s in communication from Wheaton College. He founded the Electoral Education Foundation, a nonprofit organization which documents and archives North Carolina voter information to document and track voter fraud. Weatherman served as the chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Dan Forest from 2013 to 2021 and Rep. Sue Myrick from 1999 to 2011. He also was the district director for Rep. Madison Cawthorn from 2021 to 2022. Weatherman is from Wake County.

Secretary of State

Elaine Marshall - D

Elaine Marshall earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Maryland in 1969 and her J.D. from Campbell University School of Law in 1981. She is serving her seventh term as the North Carolina Secretary of State. Marshall served as the North Carolina senator for District 15 from 1993 to 1995. She has experience as a lawyer and teacher. Marshall was born and raised in Maryland and is from Wake County.

Chad Brown - R

Chad Brown received his bachelor’s in business administration from Montreat College in 2014 and his bachelor’s in marketing from North Greenville University in 1994. He is serving his third term as the Gaston County commissioner. Brown played minor league baseball for the Cleveland Indians in 1990, the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2000. He is from Gaston County.

State Auditor

Jessica Holmes - D

Jessica Holmes earned her bachelor’s in political science from University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 2006 and her J.D. from UNC School of Law in 2009. She is serving her first term as the North Carolina State Auditor. Holmes is the former chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners for District 3. She is from Wake County.

Dave Boliek - R

Dave Boliek received his bachelor’s in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1990, his J.D. and M.B.A from Campbell University in 1997. He served as the Cumberland County assistant district attorney from 1998 to 2001. He works as an attorney based out of Fayetteville,  and is a trustee at UNC Chapel Hill. He is from Durham County.

State Treasurer

Wesley Harris - D

Wesley Harris, a Taylorsville native, earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009 and his graduate and Ph.D. in economics from Clemson University in 2010 and 2014. Harris lectured on macroeconomics and international developmental economics at the University of South Carolina from 2014 to 2015 and was an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is serving his third term as the state representative for District 105 and is from Mecklenburg County.

Brad Briner - R

Brad Briner received his bachelor’s in economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1999 and his Masters of Business Administration from Harvard Business School in 2006. Briner worked as a managing director at Morgan Creek Capital Management, as co-chief investment officer at Willet Advisors and is a member of the Board of Trustees at UNC Chapel Hill, Phillips Exeter Academy and the Boston Omaha Corporation, a holding company. He is from Orange County.

Superintendent of Public Instruction

Mo Green - D

Maurice “Mo” Green, the former superintendent of Guilford County Schools from 2008 to 2015, received his bachelor’s in political science and economics and J.D. from Duke University in 1988 and 1991. Green served as the general counsel for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. He resigned from his position as the superintendent in 2015 to serve as the executive director of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, a non-profit based in Winston-Salem that focuses on state-level systemic change like advancing public education, fostering sustainable environment practices and promoting social and economic changes.

Michelle Morrow - R

Nashua, New Hampshire native Michelle Morrow earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1993. Morrow works as a nurse at Shade Tree Academy, a private school for children who have experienced trauma or have a mental health diagnosis. Morrow also worked as a grassroots activist for the conservative PAC Liberty First Grassroots and as a legislative liaison for the Pavement Education Project. She is a homeschool educator for her children after serving as a high school teacher. She is from Wake County.

Attorney General

Jeff Jackson - D

Incumbent U.S. Representative for the 14th Congressional District Jeff Jackson received his bachelor’s and master’s in philosophy from Emory University in 2004 followed by his J.D. at the University of North Carolina School of Law in 2009. Jackson is former assistant district attorney for Gaston County and former state senator for District 37. He has served in the Army National Guard since 2002 and is part of the Womble Bond Dickinson business litigation counsel. He is from Cumberland County.

Dan Bishop - R

Dan Bishop, the current U.S. representative for North Carolina District 9, worked as an attorney at Erwin, Bishop, Capitano & Moss and an associate at Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson P.A. Bishop received his bachelor’s in business administration and management and his J.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1989 and 1990. He is the former state representative for District 104 from 2015 to 2016 and the former state senator for District 39 from 2017 to 2019. He is from Mecklenburg County.

Commissioner of Agriculture

Sarah Taber - D

Sarah Taber earned her bachelor’s from Brigham Young University in 2005 and graduate and doctorate degrees in plant medicine from the University of Florida in 2011. She also participated in various agricultural research while in college. Taber was the director of food safety at Aquaponic Association from 2013 to 2016 and currently works at Boto Waterworks as a farm and food systems consultant. She is from Cumberland County.

Steve Troxler - R

Guilford County native Steve Troxler earned his bachelor’s in conservation from North Carolina State University in 1974. He is the founder and owner of Troxler Farms that focuses on growing tobacco, soybeans, wheat and other vegetables. In 2012, Troxler assumed the position of president of the National Association of State Department of Agriculture. He is serving his fifth consecutive term as the Commissioner of Agriculture.

Commissioner of Labor

Braxton Winston II - D

Camp Lejeune native Braxton Winston II has worked in news, media, marketing and sales for the Rose Brand after earning his bachelor’s in anthropology at Davidson College. He also worked as a camera operator for the Charlotte Hornets since 2004, a stagehand for IATSE since 2004 and is a college counselor for Delaware College Scholars since 2015. Winston served as the Mayor Pro Tem for Charlotte. He is from Mecklenburg County.

Luke Farley - R

Luke Farley grew up in Onslow County and currently lives in Raleigh. He earned his bachelor’s in history and philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the Wake Forest School of Law. Farley worked as a legal intern for Senator Andrew Brock (R-District 34) from 2007 to 2008, a judicial extern for Judge Robert N. Hunter, Jr. in 2009, a construction lawyer for Conner, Gwyn, Schenck PLLC and as the secretary for the Durham County Board of Elections. He currently works as a construction lawyer for Ellis & Winters LLP.

Commissioner of Insurance

Natasha Marcus - D

Natasha Marcus, the North Carolina senator for District 41 and Brockport, New York native, earned her bachelor’s in public policy from Hamilton College in 1991 and her J.D. from the Duke School of Law in 1994. She worked as a lawyer for Brooks, Pierce, McLendon, Humphrey & Leonard, LLP, a judicial clerk for Frank W. Bullock, Jr. in 2005 and is the assistant director of Development at the Ada Jenkins Center. She is from Mecklenburg County.

Mike Causey - R

Mike Causey earned his associates from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his bachelor’s from High Point University. He worked for the North Carolina Department of Transportation as an adopt-a-highway coordinator before assuming his position as the current North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance in 2017. He is from Guilford County.

11th U.S. Congressional District

Caleb Rudow - D

Caleb Rudow earned his bachelor’s in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009 and his master’s in global policy from the University of Texas in Austin in 2017. He worked as a COVID-19 case investigator with Community Care of North Carolina, a research and data analyst for Open Data Watch, a census enumerator for the U.S. Census Bureau and a volunteer for the Peace Corps from 2012 to 2014. Rudow is the current North Carolina House representative for District 116. He is from Buncombe County.

Chuck Edwards - R

Current U.S. House Representative for District 11 Chuck Edwards is a former North Carolina Senator for District 48 from 2016 to 2022. Edwards’ started his working life as a crew member at a local McDonald’s in 1976 and worked his way up into management. He is the president and owner of the C. Edwards Group, Inc. that runs a McDonald’s chain in Western North Carolina. He is from Henderson County.

General Assembly District 118

Evelyn Davidson - D

Evelyn Davidson earned her bachelor’s and graduate degrees in nursing from Southern New Hampshire University. She currently works as a charge nurse at the Julian F. Keith Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center in Black Mountain. 

Mark Pless - R

Former Haywood County Commissioner Mark Pless is the current North Carolina House representative for District 118, having served in the position for four years. Pless is a former insurance agent and paramedic.

General Assembly District 119

Mark R. Burrows - D

Mark R. Burrows earned his bachelor’s in economics from Wake Forest University and his master’s of environmental management from Duke University. He also graduated from the North Carolina Rural Center’s Rural Economic Development Institute and the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute. Burrows is a member of the American Planners Association and lives in Transylvania County.

Mike Clampitt - R

Swain County native Mike Clampitt, the current North Carolina representative for District 119 since 2021, earned an associate’s degree from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in 1976. He is a retired fire captain for the Charlotte Fire Department and former director of fire and rescue training at Central Piedmont Community College.

General Assembly District 120

Nancy Curtis - D

Nancy Curtis, a Western Carolina University alumna, worked as a freight agent and train dispatcher for Norwalk Furniture, a teacher in Dekalb County, Georgia and as a flight attendant for Pan American Airlines. She served as the mayor for the City of Andrews from 2013 to 2017. She is from Cherokee County.

Karl Gillespie - R

Macon County native and House majority whip Karl Gillespie is in his second term as the North Carolina state rep for District 120. He has been the president of National Communication Inc. since 1996. Gillespie served as a member of the Southwestern Community College board of trustees, a s the vice president of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association and as a member of the Macon County Farm Bureau board of directors.

State Senate District 47

Frank Patton Hughes III - D

Frank Patton Hughes III attended Cleveland Community College and Caldwell Community College before earning his bachelor’s degree at Appalachian State University. He is a social studies and world history teacher at McDowell High School in Marion. Hughes advised on and helped write the eighth grade history curriculum for the Winston-Salem Forsyth school district. He is from Avery County.

Ralph Hise - R

Mitchell County native Ralph Hise is currently serving his sixth term as the North Carolina senator for District 47. He earned his bachelor’s degree in statistics from Appalachian State University in 2000 followed by his master’s in higher education from North Carolina State University in 2003. Hise works as a statistician and an expert-in-residence for the Health Policy Initiative in Asheville that seeks to build a coalition between policy makers and healthcare workers.

State Senate District 50

Adam Tebrugge - D

Adam Tebrugge earned his bachelor’s from New College Florida in 1982 and his J.D from Florida State University. He works as a lawyer doing consultations and case reviews for criminal defense attorneys in Florida and is a board certified criminal trial attorney. Tebrugge is from Jackson County.

Kevin Corbin - R

Kevin Corbin is serving his second term as the state senator for District 50. He earned his bachelor’s in business, management and marketing from Appalachian State University. Corbin served as the state representative for District 120 from 2017 to 2021 and owns Corbin Insurance Agency. He is from Macon County.

In the wake of the devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene, “Rock For Relief: A WNC Flood Benefit Festival,” an all-day musical gathering for charity, will take place Saturday, Nov. 2, at a variety of venues in Waynesville, Maggie Valley, Canton and Sylva. 

Americana/bluegrass artist Darren Nicholson will hit the stage for the “Young Mountain Magic” fundraiser at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Happ’s Place in Glenville. 

The Haywood Community Band will present “Frightacular” at 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville. 

Singer-songwriter Wyatt Espalin will hit the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City. 

The Friends of the Greenway (FROG) will host an arts and crafts fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the FROG Quarters, located at 573 East Main St. in Franklin. 

Regional country/rock act The Jon Cox Band will perform as part of the “Halloween Costume Party” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Unplugged Pub in Bryson City. 

The National Park Service reminds commercial drivers that commercial vehicles are prohibited on U.S. 441/Newfound Gap Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the safety of all drivers. Violators will be subject to a citation as well as a fine of up to $5,000. 

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is offering initial emergency loans to 20 local governments for emergency projects to rehabilitate drinking water and/or wastewater systems in response to damages caused by Hurricane Helene. 

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services urges farmers and homeowners to evaluate pesticides and other chemical storage areas when cleaning up from Hurricane Helene. 

The Pisgah National Forest has reopened the Pisgah Ranger District effective Oct. 18,, in coordination with local communities and governments. 

Hurricane Helene not only flooded many areas, knocked out power and destroyed the possessions of thousands of homeowners and businesses in North Carolina, it may have washed away household termite protection as well, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said today. 

The application period for county governments and conservation nonprofit groups to apply for farmland preservation grants from the N.C. Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund opened Oct. 14.

The Jackson County Recreation Department has announced it will host an “Archery 101” class for kids ages 10-14. 

District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch announced that in separate cases, two Macon County men pleaded guilty this month to trafficking methamphetamine. 

Blue Ridge School Principal Kheri Cowan was named Jackson County’s Principal of the Year during a surprise announcement last week. In JCPS, The Principal of the Year award is selected by a vote of their peers. Cowan has been with JCPS for six years, with four of those years as principal. All six of her years have been at Blue Ridge School. 

The Haywood County Apple Harvest Festival will be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in downtown Waynesville.

Hailed as one of the “10 Best Fall Harvest Festivals in the Nation,” the annual festival is a celebration of the autumn harvest and Haywood County’s agricultural heritage, attracting upwards of 20,000 attendees throughout the day. 

Kentucky singer-songwriter Dalton Mills will perform at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, on the side-lawn stage at Yonder Community Market in Franklin. 

The annual Stecoah Harvest Festival will return Oct. 18-19 to the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center in Robbinsville. 

A community jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer or anything unplugged is invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of the Sawmill Creek Porch Band. 

The 28th annual PumpkinFest will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 19, in downtown Franklin. 

Haywood County rock/country act Outlaw Whiskey will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18, at Unplugged Pub in Bryson City. 

Voters can cast their ballots in-person starting Thursday, Oct. 17. Same day, in-person registration is also available at polling locations. 

In response to the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene on communities throughout North Carolina, the ASPCA® is announcing the launch of an animal assistance hotline for residents in Western North Carolina affected by the catastrophic storm. 

 The North Carolina Arboretum remains closed following the widespread impacts of Hurricane Helene. Staff is hard at work assessing and addressing damage to the Arboretum, however, safety and enjoyment of this resource is of top concern, so the Arboretum will remain closed to the public until further notice. 

On Oct. 10, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan joined North Gov. Roy Cooper, Sen. Thom Tillis, Rep. Chuck Edwards, Asheville Mayor Esther E. Manheimer and local officials to assess federal and state recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Helene. 

Hurricane Helene caused great devastation throughout much of Western North Carolina and farm fields were not spared. There are reports of impacts to fields in all landscape positions. This situation calls for a vigilant approach to soil and crop management that includes assessment on a field-by-field basis. 

The N.C. Forest Service is waiving the requirement for open burning permits in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties effective at noon Saturday, Oct. 12, until further notice.

The National Park Service continues to assess conditions and address damage following the impacts from Hurricane Helene in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park experienced substantial damage particularly in North Carolina, including Balsam Mountain, Big Creek and Cataloochee Valley. 

The U.S. Forest Service reopened the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Trail and all other facilities in Graham County will reopen on Oct. 11 

Haywood County’s board of elections released a statement discussing the status of elections as early voting approaches. This comes following an assessment of conditions and infrastructure at all precincts. Here are the guidelines that will apply to both early voting and the Nov. 5 Election Day.

The National Park Service (NPS) continues to assess conditions and to address damage following the impacts from Hurricane Helene in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Today, park staff are prioritizing assessments of high use roads and trails as well as radio repeaters and historic structures throughout the park. 

From the Tennessee state line to about mile marker 4 of Interstate 40, the two eastbound lanes are either gone or partially gone. In addition, there are about three other damaged locations in an 11-mile stretch leading to Fines Creek Road (Exit 15). 

Since 2006, Haywood Waterways Association (HWA) and the Haywood County Environmental Health Department, with grant funds, have repaired 200 failing septic systems in Haywood County through the Septic Repair Program.

Schools around the region will be closed beginning Sept. 29 following flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.

Western Carolina University announced Thursday, Sept. 26 that the 50th Anniversary of Mountain Heritage Day daytime festival, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, is cancelled due to hazardous weather from Hurricane Helene. 

The change of season, especially to autumn, is always a welcome and refreshing time for me. Traveling diminishes, darkness encroaches sunlight and you hunker down into the coziness of cool mornings and hot drinks.

The 112th annual Cherokee Indian Fair will be held Oct. 1-5 at the Acquoni Expo Center site, located at 1501 Acquoni Road in Cherokee. 

Presented by the Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC), the “Fashion for the Arts” fundraiser will be held from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29, at the Waynesville Inn & Golf Club. 

Jackson County Americana/folk duo Bird in Hand will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City. 

The 16th annual ColorFest will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in downtown Dillsboro. 

Regional rock/jam group Arnold Hill will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville. 

Rick Childers will share his debut novel, “Turkeyfoot,” in conversation with Meagan Lucas at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. 

Fall is a beautiful but busy time in the Smokies. Great Smoky Mountains National Park visitors should plan their trips and expect crowds, traffic congestion and limited parking throughout the park. 

The U.S. Board of Geographic Names voted to change the name of Clingmans Dome to Kuwohi.

Kuwohi is the Cherokee name for the mountain and translates to “mulberry place.” In Cherokee syllabary, the name is ᎫᏬᎯ.