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The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) will host the opening reception for a specially curated exhibit featuring the works of celebrated visual artist and author Ann Miller Woodford from 5-8 p.m. Friday, March 7, at HCAC’s Haywood Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville.
Singer-songwriter Wyatt Espalin will hit the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City.
Born and raised in Hiawassee, Georgia, Espalin has been entertaining audiences since he was eight years old.
There will be a special stage production of “Something Rotten Jr.” at 7:30 p.m. March 7-8, 14-15 and 2 p.m. March 9 and 16 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
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.
Tim Earley and Max Hipp will host a reading and book signing at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
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.
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.
Folkmoot USA will present a special evening of live music with Blue Pipa Trio at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.
Dubbed “From Harlem to Shanghai and Back,” the performance is a dynamic fusion of jazz history and Chinese tradition.
Beloved Southern Appalachian Americana/bluegrass act Unspoken Tradition will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 9, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin.
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.
A special stage production of “The Story of My Life” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28, March 1 and 2 p.m. March 2 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
A special stage production of “Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Bardo Arts Center Performance Hall at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
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.
Six Heritage Christian Academy (HCA) middle school students competed and placed in the top of their respective categories at the Region 8 Western Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Feb. 14, at Western Carolina University.
Haywood County high school seniors who have a serious commitment to community service and some degree of financial need can apply for scholarships through April 15.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation supplied funding to help a collaborative partnership conserve 406 acres of habitat for elk, whitetail deer, wild turkey, grouse and other wildlife in Western North Carolina.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Waste Management’s Underground Storage Tank Section (NCDEQ-DWM-UST), has launched the Bridge Loan Program to assist owners and operators with testing and repairing surface infrastructure for their petroleum underground storage tanks (USTs) affected by Hurricane Helene.
Smokies Life received national recognition at the 2025 Public Lands Alliance Partnership Awards for “Letters from the Smokies,” which was named Publication of the Year.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) invites the public to attend upcoming forums to discuss implementation of a Conservation Access Pass currently under consideration.
Haywood Waterways Association is creating a strategic plan for which it is seeking input, advice and opinions from the public.
The survey can be completed in one session and should take 10-15 minutes.
Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center will host its annual Soul Food Dinner in honor of Black History Month starting at 11 a.m. Feb. 28.
The community center will be serving up delicious fried chicken, collard greens, mac & cheese, sweet potatoes, cornbread and cobbler all for just $15 a plate. Come eat at the center or take a plate to go. Food will be served until it's gone.
To make the event a success, Pigeon Center needs volunteers to help the day before and the day of the event. For those interested in volunteering, sign up for a shift at signupgenius.com/.../10C0D4EA4AB22A6FEC70....
All proceeds support community programs, including after school care and the Summer Enrichment Program for local children.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter Holly Williams will perform at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, in the Ruffed Grouse Tavern at the Highlander Mountain House in Highlands.
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.
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.
Join the Nantahala Hiking club this weekend for a training session to educate people how to become “trail ambassadors.”
The session will be held with the upcoming surge of northbound Appalachian Trail hikers that will hit Western North Carolina in the next couple of months.
The Cherokee Preservation Foundation awarded 10 grants to partners within Western North Carolina. Grants totaled more than $2.1 million and were awarded to projects advancing the Foundation’s mission of improving the quality of life for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and neighboring communities.
Pancake Day at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville is once again on the horizon. Lining up to get a plateful of pancakes, bacon and sausage on the last Tuesday in February is a tradition in the mountain community that dates back to 1956.
The planting season is getting closer, and Master Gardeners are available to answer questions about lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and ornamental plants; disease, insect, weed or wildlife problems; soils (including soil test results) and fertilizers; freeze and frost damage; and cultural and chemical solutions to pest problems.
A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation has started pre-construction activities along U.S. 276, known as Jonathan Creek Road, in Haywood County in advance of a significant modernization project.
Musical duo Brian Ashley Jones and Melanie Jean will perform from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley.
After serving as the executive director of Haywood Pathways Center since 2017, Mandy Haithcox is stepping down. Haithcox and her family will be moving back to Minnesota where aging family members live and need the comfort of family in their midst.
The spring semester is underway at Western Carolina University and that means looking at how the university’s enrollment is shaping up for the first few weeks of the new year.
The Haywood County Republican Party will proceed with its regular organizational meetings this year, but with important changes for attendees.
Precinct meetings will be held on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Haywood County GOP Headquarters, 297 N. Haywood St., in Waynesville.
As part of the Great Backyard Bird Count initiative, a global community science project that helps researchers understand how birds are doing before they undertake their great spring migration, Mainspring Conservation Trust is hosting its own event.
The U.S. Forest Service has reopened more trails and roads throughout areas of the Pisgah National Forest’s Appalachian Ranger District in Haywood, Madison, Buncombe, Yancey, Mitchell and Avery counties following the damage caused by Hurricane Helene.
WNC Communities is now accepting nominations for the Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame.
This prestigious honor recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the agricultural sector, driving sustainability and growth in the region.
