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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.
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.
North Carolina homeowners and renters in 25 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance.
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.
New rules adopted by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) have shifted the timing of the western zone black-powder and gun seasons and increased antlerless hunting opportunities in many western zone counties.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) will implement Delayed Harvest Trout Waters regulations on 34 trout waters beginning Oct. 1.
The Lake Junaluska Golf Course is hosting a Junior Golf Program for boys and girls under age 17 from 4-5:30 p.m. each Wednesday Sept. 25 - Oct. 31.
Haywood Community College, in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission are hosting an event on the campus of Haywood Community College to celebrate our national conservation heritage.
WNC Sierra Club Political Co-Chair Ken Brame will discuss what is at stake for the environment in this fall’s election. He will advise voters on how to make an environmental difference at the WNC Sierra Club meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 2.
