Smoky Mountain News

10/22/2025

“Nobody gets along about anything these days, but we have a lot of public safety issues. Some of them are like horror stories. We want people to come together, but not at a $6,000 fundraiser. We want the people that are campaigning for office and those that are already in office to listen to the public safety community.”

It was supposed to be a routine public safety forum, and in a way, it was — the faces were familiar, the frustrations all the same.  Elected officials, troopers, prosecutors and politicians once again took turns describing a justice system straining under its own weight, a system where clogge...

10/22/2025

In an interview with The Smoky Mountain News, Senate Candidate Michael Whatley responded to a letter calling for his resignation.

Hurricane Helene recovery czar Michael Whatley is blaming Democrats for the growing chorus of criticism over his job performance — but in heavily Republican Western North Carolina, it’s not just Democratic voices calling for Whatley to be replaced or step down.  “It’s kind of funny to s...

10/22/2025

With third-quarter fundraising reports now filed, campaign finance records show sharp contrasts in both fundraising totals and donor bases among candidates in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District as they look to Primary Election contests in March.

With third-quarter fundraising reports now filed, campaign finance records show sharp contrasts in both fundraising totals and donor bases among candidates in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District as they look to Primary Election contests in March. 

10/22/2025

“There’s a lot of dudes here tonight that can say, ‘Hey, we played on that field. That was our field.' Now for the kids that’s going to come up playing on it, it’s your turn. It’s your turn to make memories, and we hope this field will help you do that.”

Last September, when Hurricane Helene brought flooding to much of the region, the little league baseball field behind the Waynesville Elks Club was swamped by several inches of water, dugouts were destroyed and lights were carried downstream along with tons of other debris. But now, hundreds of thou...

10/21/2025

Here's a look at this week's cover. Check it out online and on newsstands tomorrow!

10/21/2025

🍁🎨 Art, Music & Mountains Await! 🎸🍁

Celebrate fall in the heart of Western North Carolina at the Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival — where the region’s finest artisans meet award-winning bluegrass!

🗓️ Saturday, October 25 | 11 AM – 6 PM
📍 Maggie Valley Festival Grounds

✨ What to Experience:
🎶 Live award-winning Bluegrass will fill the mountain air
🛍️ Artisan vendors with unique, handcrafted treasures
🖌️ Live artist demonstrations—see creativity in action
🍔 Delicious local food & drinks to keep you fueled
🎟️ Raffles & family fun for all ages

Come shop one-of-a-kind creations, meet local makers, and enjoy the beauty of fall foliage against the backdrop of live music and mountain views—all while supporting the arts in Haywood County.

🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://givebutter.com/SMBF25

🌐 Or visit HaywoodArts.org

10/21/2025

Tickets are on sale now for Asheville’s Brightest Holiday Tradition: Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum happening Nov. 15 through Jan. 4.

Tickets are on sale now for Asheville’s Brightest Holiday Tradition: Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum happening Nov. 15 through Jan. 4. Visitors to this year’s Winter Lights will find a special treat as they encounter six of the whimsical troll sculptures from Thomas Dambo’s Troll...

10/21/2025

Friends of the Greenway will host the 12th FROG FAIR, an arts and crafts, music and food fundraiser event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 25 at the Greenway Visitor Center/FROG Quarters at 573 E. Main St. in Franklin.

Friends of the Greenway will host the 12th FROG FAIR, an arts and crafts, music and food fundraiser event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 25 at the Greenway Visitor Center/FROG Quarters at 573 E. Main St. in Franklin.

10/20/2025

With $1 million in grant funding available, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer services requests proposals for research that advances agriculture and the agricultural economy in the state.

The deadline to apply for the $1 million grant program is Nov. 14 With $1 million in grant funding available, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer services requests proposals for research that advances agriculture and the agricultural economy in the state. Proposed research projects shoul...

10/20/2025

The 6,300 acres stretch along the Eastern Continental Divide, offering more than 25 miles of trails that wind through granite domes, mountain bogs, trout streams and waterfalls.

Thanks to a collaboration among local conservation partners, Mainspring Conservation Trust has acquired a critical 94-acre inholding within Panthertown Valley that is now on track to be permanently protected. One of Western North Carolina’s most cherished natural areas, Panthertown is often called...

10/20/2025

The National Forest Service, housed under the United States Department of Agriculture, plans to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule instated by President Bill Clinton to protect national forests’ roadless acres.

Drawing opposition from 99% of public commenters, this recission is part of a series of opaque federal actions and policies instituted in the face of significant public outcry.

The National Forest Service, housed under the United States Department of Agriculture, plans to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule instated by President Bill Clinton to protect national forests’ roadless acres.  Drawing opposition from 99% of public commenters, this recission is part of a series ...

10/20/2025

🎶✨ Support Local Arts at the Smoky Mountains Bluegrass Festival! ✨🎶

Your ticket to this annual fundraiser helps HCAC provide arts education and support local artists of all levels in Haywood County—while you enjoy award-winning bluegrass, artisan vendors, and mountain views!

📅 Saturday, October 25 | 11 AM – 6 PM
📍 Maggie Valley Festival Grounds

🎟️ Tickets: https://givebutter.com/SMBF25

🌐 Learn more: HaywoodArts.org