Story by Cory Vaillancourt. Re-publish of The Smoky Mountain News, Jan. 27 edition Unlike some counties in North Carolina, Jackson elects its county commissioners by district. Currently, District 1 is represented by Todd Bryson, who has decided not to run again. Four Democrats have filed for Bryson’s seat — John Herrera, Julie Painter, Casey Walawender […]
Library fight, taxes shape Jackson County commission races
February 2, 2026 by
Story written by Cory Vaillancourt, re-published from The Smoky Mountain News Amid growing financial concerns, Jackson County’s four Republican commissioners have spent the last few years fighting a culture war. On March 3, Primary Election voters will weigh in on their priorities. Over the past four budget cycles, Jackson County commissioners have overseen a steady […]
20 years of art at WCU Fine Art Museum
February 1, 2026 by
The Bardo Arts Center is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the WCU Fine Art Museum showcasing over five decades of art. The exhibit opened Jan. 20 and will run until July 2. The exhibition features variety of mediums involving paintings, prints, drawings, and photography, with a focus on contemporary Native American and women artists. Many of the works displayed in the exhibit come from the two predecessor galleries […]
New House Bill reinforces immigration procedures for NC sheriffs
January 31, 2026 by
A version of this story was published in The Western Carolinian and The Sylva Herald Jan. 28 edition New North Carolina House Bill 318, called the Criminal Illegal Alien Enforcement Act, is requiring sheriffs to work even more closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to the bill, jail administrators would be required to notify […]
JCPS construction projects estimated to be nearly $30 million over budget
January 30, 2026 by
A version of this story was published in The Sylva Herald Jackson County Public Schools’ new building projects and renovations are nearly twice as much as the county had previously allocated. This was the main topic of the regular joint meeting between the Jackson County Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners on Jan. 22 where no decision was […]
State board of elections closes WCU’s early voting site
January 24, 2026 by
Students will no longer be able to vote at Western Carolina University’s polling place, following the decision made by the State Board of Elections on Jan. 13. Jackson County Board of Elections in December split on the decision to consolidate Jackson County’s polling locations and closing of the early voting site at WCU University Center in a 3-2 vote. Jackson County was amongst a dozen election board counties that […]
