You sure as heck can pack a lot into 365 days, especially when it comes to the immensely vibrant arts and culture scenes right here in our backyard of Western North Carolina. 

The civilian voter registration deadline for the March 5 Primary Election is rapidly approaching, so now’s a good time to double-check your registration or register to vote if you already haven’t. 

A Republican congressional primary debate hosted by the Clay County Republican Party on Jan. 13 revealed clear differences between the two candidates, incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) and Hayesville businessman Christian Reagan, despite mostly avoiding major hot-button issues and topics important in rural Western North Carolina. 

The Town of Canton has been through some difficult budget discussions in the past, but this year’s effort, the first to reckon with the full impact of Pactiv Evergreen’s exit from the community after more than a century, looks to be the most trying. 

Happy New Year! As we move into 2024, (2+0+2+4=8) we move into an eight vibration. According to astrologer Jacquelyn Tierney, this is the “energetic vibration of personal power, hidden power, shared resources, determination, material and financial gain, the pinnacle, recognition of work, lifestyle upgrades, rebirth and generation, and transformation." Did you get all that? Basically, themes of abundance or even the lack of it depending on how you are flowing your energy. So how do we ensure we stay in the black and far from the red? We care about how we feel.

In a recent online search, I came across “Good Riddance, But Now What?” by that master of light verse, Ogden Nash: 

If 2024 were a table laid out before you, how would you imagine it: a beautiful, feast-laden smorgasbord of rich and tasty dishes with succulent sides, or an after-dinner wreck piled high with crusted up dirty dishes, overturned wine glasses and already eaten carcasses of dead birds and picked-over porcine bones? 

With a new year approaching, it’s the perfect time to start setting fitness goals — and to plan for participating in any of the 15 races Glory Hound Events has on its schedule for 2024. 

The standing tradition of starting the New Year off on the trail will continue at N.C. State Parks Monday, Jan. 1, with more than 50 staff-led hikes showcasing the wonders of the Great Trails State. 

The race for Jackson County Board of Education is unique in that it is decided during the Primary Election, despite being non-partisan. Now, the Jackson County Commission is considering changing the date of that race to the General Election in hopes of involving more of the electorate.