Story co-written with Sara Stanley. Story was originally published in The Sylva Herald on Feb. 20, 2020 Smoky Mountain High School attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the ‘most people hugging soft toys simultaneously’ on Friday, Feb. 14 in the school’s new gymnasium. Over 800 students and staff from SMHS and the Catamount School […]
Be an educated voter
Voting can be overwhelming. From the different elections throughout the year to the basics like where to vote. Luckily, Jackson County is here to help eliminate any confusion. Jackson County Public Library in Sylva hosted “Voting in Elections: How and Why?” on Feb. 11, opening the first of three events to help those who need […]
Beyond the language
Western North Carolina is nestled in the beautiful mountains of the Blue Ridge region. It’s home to the color-changing leaves you can experience every fall, the music of the Pride of the Mountains you can hear in Cullowhee and is chockful of history and heritage you can see all around. But not for long. The […]
CRC goes green with sustainable treadmills
The Campus Recreation Center (CRC) of Western Carolina University has taken a step to become more sustainable. During the fall semester of 2019, the CRC added two “green” treadmills to its inventory. Jacqueline Lanner, recent graduate of WCU, provided the idea and worked in partnership with Brandon MacCallum, Associate Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness, […]
WCU students on the 2020 Election
Story co-reported with Jessica Posa. Voting season is notorious for evoking strong public opinions, and twenty randomly selected Western Carolina University students proved no differently. Student responses were generally vague when asked what the 2020 elections meant to them. “To be honest not much, but I know that I should care,” WCU sophomore, Bryce Mitchell, […]
Indivisible not Invisible: Alleviating the stigma
Students and CAPS leaders discussed the mental health of the poor, marginalized and people of color at the Indivisible not Invisible event held Thursday, Jan. 23 at WCU. Through the discussion and exploration of statistics and personal anecdotes, participants helped alleviate the stigma that surrounds mental health in these communities on campus. Coordinated by Alpha […]









