When Western Carolina University registrar Larry Hammer began working a garden plot with his family in the Cullowhee Community Garden, he realized that the garden’s water delivery system was not working like it needed to and had not been for years. He also knew exactly who to contact for help.

A team from Bethel Middle School in Haywood County took top honors at the 2023 Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournament.

The Bethel Middle team won the overall junior division with a total score of 3,499. Students competed in rifle, shotgun and archery marksmanship, orienteering and a hunter responsibility exam. The team rose to the top of 28 teams competing at the state level.

Championship competitors advanced from district events held in March to showcase shooting and outdoor skills, as well as knowledge learned through the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Hunter Education Program. The teams were made up of participants from public and private schools, as well as homeschool associations and 4-H clubs.  

A new litter of red wolf puppies has been born in the tiny wild population in eastern North Carolina.

Upon passage of a bill by the North Carolina General Assembly, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles announced changes to the graduated driver licensing (GDL) program for teens.

A South Carolina man who used social media to groom then entice an underage teen to meet him in both Franklin and Cherokee recently pleaded guilty to statutory rape, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said.

Explore the love-hate relationship between birds and insects during a talk from Balsam Mountain Trust Executive Director Michael Wall at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 16, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

Adventure-themed artwork by the late William Nealy on loan from Nantahala Outdoor Center is on display through June 9 at the Reece Museum at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City.

The University of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountain Field School has announced a new slate of programs for 2023, offering adults who love the Great Smoky Mountains National Park a chance for deeper connection to this landscape.

Since 2021, the Highlands Biological Foundation has invested $300,000 in its University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Highlands Field Site Program.

Pick up the Pigeon River during a cleanup 9-10 a.m. Saturday, May 13, in Canton.

An Environmental Assessment examining the impact of proposed changes associated with the Laurel Falls Trail Management Plan is out for public comment through Friday, June 2.

After an extensive 11-day search, on May 6 the Great Smoky Mountains National Park halted its active field search for missing Tampa man Gordon Kaye, 68.

Dale’s Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley will offer free admission to Haywood County residents on the first Saturday of each month throughout its 2023 season. 

The Town of Waynesville’s Board of Aldermen will now be known as the Town Council, after an April 25 vote made it official.

This year’s election for seats on Waynesville’s Board of Aldermen — recently re-styled as “Town Council” — will proceed with a new sense of urgency after council members voted to enact a long-sought change in how they’re elected.

Take a leisurely hike to the Waterrock Knob overlook for sunset yoga with Tara Scarborough at 7:15 p.m., Tuesday, May 9

No criminal charges will be brought against a South Carolina resident who shot and killed Lambert Wilson last fall, according to District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch.

Traditionally buttermilk used to be a naturally fermented beverage, the leftover product of the churning of cream to make butter.

I’ve been a Registered Dietitian for almost 30 years and have served in the US Army as a dietitian and worked in Public Health in South Carolina has a dietitian. In the last 10 years I’ve seen an increasing level of fear about food and the ingredients in food. I think much of this has to do with social media and click-bait (alarming) headlines. You could basically be convinced that anything you eat or drink and a variety of ingredients are harmful — if you look hard enough.

1. Shopping when hungry. When we’re hungry EVERYTHING looks good! We find ourselves putting things in our shopping cart because the packaging is appealing, and the descriptions sound tasty…and who can resist the smell of freshly baked breads or donuts when we’re hungry (or “hangry”). 

Located outside Western Carolina University’s Apodaca Science Building is a new sculpture by Spruce Pine artist Hoss Haley, titled “Staurolite,” that will be installed in the coming weeks.

The Appalachian Women’s Museum invites quilters and quilt collectors a chance to show off their fabrics during the annual “Airing of the Quilts” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the museum in Dillsboro. With an April 15 deadline, registration to show a quilt is open now at appwomen.org/quilts.

Spring is here, bringing with it ample opportunity to get outside, stretch your legs and enjoy the abundance of wildflowers and other plant life in the Southern Appalachians. 

The Asheville Orchid Festival, one of the largest international orchid shows in the Southeast, will return for its 22nd year 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2, at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. 

The season opens for youth hunters is April 1-7, and the statewide season is April 8 to May 6. Hunters are limited to two turkeys for the season, only one of which may be taken during youth season. 

Help make Allens Creek healthier with a stream improvement project noon to 4 p.m. March 29-30, and possibly Friday, March 31, in Waynesville. 

The project will take place at BearWaters Brewing’s new location in Hazelwood at 1940 Main Street. It includes two phases, the first of which is livestaking, which will take place on the work dates this week. Live stakes are branches of trees cut while trees are dormant and planted directly in the soil, where they develop roots and grow into new trees. 

The second phase, in May, will involve planting native plants and trees, helping create a more diverse ecosystem while also stabling the streambank and reducing pollution entering Allens Creek. 

Haywood Waterways Association is partnering with Spriggly’s Beescaping to complete the project. Volunteers are invited to come anytime, even just for an hour, and should bring a good pair of boots, hammers or rubber mallets, gloves and clothes that can get dirty. For more information, contact Caitlin Worsham at 828.476.4667, ext. 12 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

Scott Dedman, President and Executive Director of Mountain Housing Opportunities (MHO), announced his plan to retire in August of this year after 30 years in the role. 

On Friday, March 10, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine was presented posthumously in honor of Lambert Wilson to his longtime partner, Jenny Holland. This award is North Carolina’s highest civilian award, given to those who have made notable contributions to their community.

Ricardo Nazario-Colón, Western Carolina University’s inaugural chief diversity officer, has been appointed by the State University of New York’s Board of Trustees as the senior vice chancellor for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer.

A mussel found in Western North Carolina will be listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act following a decision from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 

Help root out invasive species from Island Park in Bryson City 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, March 29. 

Six shuttle companies will offer rides to and from popular trailheads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this year, one of multiple firsts for the park in 2023 as it continues seeking solutions to traffic congestion, parking and overcrowding issues. 

Visitors to the Nantahala Ranger District have a new Appalachian Trail Shelter to visit thanks to months of work from the Nantahala Hiking Club to replace the Rock Gap Shelter. 

Brian Turner, a four-term member of the N.C. House of Representatives who left office in January, will serve as the new policy director for Audubon North Carolina starting in April. In that role, he will oversee the organization’s policy work across the state. 

The Luc Gibson Foundation and the Town of Canton are hosting the Inaugural Cerebral Palsy 5K this Saturday, March 25 at Sorrells Park.

To the Editor:

“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Those are wise words from Romans 12:19, King James Version of the Bible. Do you take the Bible literally or figuratively? Either way, ponder the wisdom of the words.

The economic impact of Pactiv Evergreen’s decision to close the Canton paper mill will be substantial. It is estimated that about 1,000 employees will be out of work by the summer, the majority of whom are Haywood County residents. 

Sixty-five-year-old Donna lived an active life until 2014, when her health struggles began. She soon felt isolated and depressed. Donna was desperate to get better, both emotionally and physically, even though her mobility was now limited. 

It's almost time for the 3rd annual Mighty Four Miler race in Waynesville. This event is presented by The Corner Kitchen and benefits The Riley Howell Foundation. Riley is a Waynseville, N.C. native who was killed after tackling a gunman who opened fire in a classroom school shooting at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. 

The National Heritage Areas Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law on Jan. 5, has implications for Western North Carolina. The act establishes a National Heritage Area System and a statutory framework for the NPS’s role in its administration, as well as designating, extending and authorizing studies for National Heritage Areas across the United States. 

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has received the 2023 River Champion Award from American Rivers for its leadership in pursuing removal of the Ela Dam on the Oconaluftee River. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is delaying the publication of the final revised red wolf recovery plan, which courts had ordered to be released by Feb. 28. That deadline has been extended to Sept. 29.