When asked why he loves Western North Carolina, Travis Smith had to pause for a moment. “Well, that’s a good question,” he chuckled. “It’s special to me because I’ve been here most of my life. I love the mountains, the people. You’re away from the cities, from all the traffic and noise.”

Just mere feet from a bustling South Main Street in Waynesville resides a cocoon of creativity. With a steady stream of vehicles rushing by, one enters Jenny Bucker’s studio as if to step into a portal of a calmer ambiance. Vibrant, intricate paintings hang from any available wall space, while the sounds of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair” echo throughout the cozy abode.

What started as a job while in high school turned itself into a lifelong career and passion for Josh Monroe.

“It’s about using the best possible ingredients you can find and being able to let those ingredients shine in every dish,” he said.

A bill paving the way for the merger of Lake Junaluska with the town of Waynesville was blocked at the 11th hour this week in the N.C. General Assembly.

The dust has settled following a last-minute scramble of candidates signing up to run for the Waynesville town board last week, and voters now have their work cut out.

A new K9 skilled in bomb and explosive detection will soon be joining the ranks of the Waynesville Police Department.

Howell Mill Road won’t be an option for those planning to drive the length of the Waynesville route for the rest of the summer.

A dumpster war in Waynesville is heating up, and the town is firing back.

Work continues on repairs to a massive sinkhole that collapsed suddenly near Ingles grocery store in Waynesville several weeks ago.

A major expansion and renovation of the Ingles grocery store on Russ Avenue in Waynesville is finally imminent.