A version of this story was published in The Sylva Herald At the Board of Commissioners work session Tuesday night, Jackson County Sheriff Doug Farmer gave a presentation on the JCSO’s use of Flock cameras, aiming to answer residents’ questions and address what he called misconceptions. During the meeting, Farmer discussed what Flock cameras are […]
Flock, other ALPRs face rising concerns over misuse, privacy
August 7, 2026 by
A version of this was published in The Sylva Herald Jackson County has used Flock cameras since 2024, but the technology has faced growing scrutiny nationwide over concerns about accuracy, misuse and privacy. In Charlotte, accuracy concerns surrounding Automated License Plate Reader systems were highlighted by the wrongful detention of teacher Jasmine Horne in 2021. […]
Gas prices in the US: Everything to know about the rise in cost
April 13, 2026 by
Chances are if you drive you’ve noticed increasing prices at gas stations. But why is that? An AP-NORC poll done in March showed that 45% of people surveyed are extremely or very concerned about being able to afford gas, compared to 30% in the same survey from 2024. The national average retail price for regular […]
Political identity shapes trust in news, says WCU guest speaker
April 13, 2026 by
How journalists cover democracy may matter less than the readers’ political identity, according to a guest speaker at WCU on April 6 as part of the Haire Speaker Series. Dr. Katie Searles, the Olin D. Johnston Endowed Chair of Political Science at the University of South Carolina, presented her research about democracy coverage to students […]
Sylva “No Kings” draws hundreds of protesters
March 31, 2026 by
A version of the story was published in The Sylva Herald, April 1 edition Over 700 protesters filled downtown Sylva near the Jackson County Historic Courthouse for the third “No Kings” protest on Saturday, March 28. This protest was one of 3.100 organized across the country bringing over eight million people in a single protests across all 50 states making […]
Ukraine war continues with no end in sight
March 20, 2026 by
As Russia’s war against Ukraine reaches its fourth year, WCU’s Global Spotlight Series hosted a panel of experts to discuss what has changed in the four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. One of the panelists was Cory Vaillancourt, a reporter at Smoky Mountain News who went to Ukraine in late 2022 and the […]
