Jackson County will be celebrating its 175th anniversary to honor its past and celebrate the present with features from live music bands, a historic train ride and special guest speakers. The festivities are on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 4to 8p.m. at the brand-new Whittier Heritage Grounds. The event is designed to recognize Jackson County’s history, […]
State board of elections approves Cullowhee voting plan, bringing back 2 polling locations
August 21, 2026 by
Republished by Deanna Sipe, WLOS The North Carolina State Board of Elections has made its decision on the controversial discussion on where an early voting site should be in Cullowhee. The board unanimously agreed on the majority plan for the Health and Human Services building, while also asking that the Jackson County Board of Elections […]
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. […]
‘Don’t let them have a vote’: Text messages about WCU polling site from auditor’s office staff to Jackson County Board of Elections chair
July 5, 2026 by
Republished by Lilly Knoepp, NCLocalJuly 2, 2026 Messages obtained by NC Local from an auditor’s office staff member to the Jackson County Board of Elections chair show a directive to halt the local board’s June 2nd vote on whether to move a polling location on Western Carolina University’s campus. Dallas Woodhouse, who serves as auditor’s […]
Thousands of people attend Greening Up The Mountain despite rain
April 26, 2026 by
Becki Veach contributed to the story What started as a small Earth Day Festival has now become a celebration of Appalachian culture and spring, turning the 28th annual Greening Up The Mountains Festival into one of the largest single-day festivals in the U.S. “We love coming to these festivals. We try to support local artists […]
Finding a solution on the childcare crisis in WNC
April 18, 2026 by
A version of the story was published in the Sylva Herald, April 15 edition Working parents don’t have it easy in North Carolina. The state has lost childcare facilities and parents are forced to either bring them to their workplace or work with the employers for accommodations. The economic impact of the childcare crisis and […]
