Preserving the promise of the Jackson County Library Complex

Story originally published in The Sylva Herald, Feb. 18 edition The primary focus of discussion at the Feb. 12 meeting of Sylva’s town board was the future of the Jackson County Public Library complex, where a longtime volunteer asked town officials to help keep the Courthouse and library together under one lease.   Antoinette MacWatt, who has volunteered […]

Students help students vote the primary elections

With on-campus polling locations no longer available, the Student Democracy Coalition at Western Carolina University is organizing efforts to help students access the polls and stay informed ahead of the upcoming primary election.  The coalition addressed these concerns during its first meeting of the spring semester on Tuesday, Feb 3. It also held elections to restructure its executive cabinet […]

WCU School of Music faculty perform at spring showcase

Nearly 200 audience members filled Coulter Recital Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 27, to enjoy two hours of performances during the annual School of Music Spring Faculty Showcase. Instrumental and vocal faculty members performed prepared pieces, giving the audience a chance to experience their musicianship outside the classroom. “I definitely think out of all the concerts, […]

Mountain Life Bingo invites WCU community to explore campus and culture

Western Carolina University is inviting all students, faculty and staff to step outside and reconnect with the mountains through the WNC Mountain Life Bingo game, a campus-wide program made to encourage exploration and community connection.  The bingo challenge is part of Western Carolina University’s 2026 campus theme, now in its second year, which focuses on mountain culture and community wellbeing following Hurricane Helene. The theme highlights the Appalachian environment, Cherokee traditions and […]

Breakthrough football season shapes Western Carolina’s future

Story co-produced with Caleb Zheng For the purple-and-gold crowd that lives for Saturday kickoff, the 2025 football season became a pivotal chapter that shaped Western Carolina’s identity and future direction.  Western Carolina opened the year with ups and downs as the Catamounts worked to solidify their offense and defense. Early setbacks challenged the team, but once quarterback Taron Dickens […]

Election day in Jackson County

Story co-produced with Caleb ZhengElection day this year saw higher turnout then in the last local election even though a smaller number of candidates were running. See what we saw during the election day on Nov. 4 See more coverage of the elections here.