Archives for February 2025

Ice skating in Dillsboro? Maybe…

Could ice skating come to Dillsboro? Canton has ice skating, so why not?  Dillsboro resident Beth James spoke at last week’s town hall meeting, suggesting it would be a “perfect addition” to Monteith Park during Luminaries.  Jackson Country Parks and Recreation could look into this project and make it a reality, James said.  The company, […]

Work session brings students and staff to speak up for the Jackson Community School

The Jackson County Board of Education held a work session on Feb. 11 to hear the opinions and questions of students, staff and community members at Jackson Community School. School Superintendent Dana Ayers brought up the future of the school two months ago, citing decreased enrollment and financial needs. For JCS to remain at its […]

Executive orders from Trump have shaken LGBTQ community at WCU

While some changes came as no surprise after President Trump took office, others have been put in place more quickly than anticipated. Executive orders are impacting the LGBTQ community and the queer community at Western Carolina University has something to say about it. Ash Haight, a creative writing graduate student at WCU shared her thoughts […]

JCPS sports complex to get a face lift

The Board of Education included all around improvements to athletic facilities around Smoky Mountain High School as one of their priorities in the meeting.  The improvements include an expansion of the track from six lanes to eight lanes, a new field house with weight rooms and locker rooms for both male and female athletes, construction […]

Fairview renovations top priority for Jackson County Board of Education

Ayers kickstarted the joint meeting of the Board of Education and the County Commissioners with discussing the board’s number one priority being a new cafeteria and kitchen area for Fairview Elementary. The 52-year-old school’s cafeteria and kitchen area service 300 students at one time. A problem arises when there are currently 811 students enrolled in […]

New traditional middle school sparks excitement

The second priority of the board is to build a new middle school that would combine the 6th through 8th grades from Cullowhee Valley, Fairview, Scotts Creek and Smoky Mountain Elementary. It is estimated the roughly 700 to 900 students will be consolidated to the middle school from across the county.  Roughly $60 million has been set […]