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Attorney General reiterates commitment to Canton

Following up on a campaign promise he made just over a year ago, newly-elected North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson stood within eyeshot of what used to be Pactiv Evergreen’s Canton paper mill to remind the company that he wasn’t going to ease up on a lawsuit filed by his predecessor, now-Gov. Josh Stein.

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Local officials feel good about Pactiv mill parcel sale in Canton

Apprehension over the fate of a huge industrial parcel in the heart of Canton is now transitioning to cautious optimism.

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HERE of Jackson County requests funding for homeless shelter

HERE of Jackson County, the county’s primary homeless services provider, is requesting half a million dollars from the county to purchase and renovate a facility that would become Jackson’s first and only permanent homeless shelter. 

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Jackson seeks solutions in childcare gap

Jackson County has been working to develop a plan it hopes will mend the multigenerational workforce issue that is impacting communities around the country — childcare, and the lack of availability — on the local level. 

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Gov. Stein promises intensive storm relief measures

Gov. Josh Stein has made it clear that he intends on prioritizing Hurricane Helene relief in Western North Carolina. 

Shortly after being sworn in on Jan. 1, Stein issued six executive orders meant to expedite aid to the still-devastated region where some have complained about a slow response, especially when it comes to housing amid frigid temperatures. 

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Property values increasing in Jackson

A state-mandated, county-wide property reappraisal took effect on Jan. 1 this year. 

Prior to the appeals process, the reappraisal showing a massive increase in real property taxable value for Jackson. 

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WCU’s Project Discovery celebrates, reflects on 40th anniversary

Heath Robertson sat at the back of the bus on a college tour trip when he was asked about his future plans. Robertson’s answer? He didn’t have any. 

He didn’t think he could afford college, and even if he could, he sure didn’t have the grades.

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Blanket auction to benefit local organizations

Students in the professional crafts fiber program at Haywood Community College created 10 blankets to support the community in response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. These blankets were created during the fall 2024 semester as part of student coursework to give them away for a good cause to help the community. 

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WNC counties to receive broadband upgrades

The N.C. Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Equity posted Completing Access to Broadband (CAB) program scopes of work to expand high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved homes and businesses at approximately 67,724 eligible locations, in several counties, including Haywood, Macon and Swain. 

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