Grant to pay Sylva $3.5 million to protect former watershed - Sylva officials learned last week that the town will receive $3.5 million in exchange for promising to protect its former Fisher Creek watershed through a conservation easement. Town board members voted almost a year ago to apply for a grant from the state’s Clean Water Management Trust Fund that in effect would purchase all development....

‘No quarry,’ residents tell state - Tuckasegee residents packed a Justice Center courtroom to hear some 30 speakers, including Commissioners’ Chairman Brian McMahan and state Sen. John Snow, voice their opposition to a planned quarry in their community. Officials from the N.C. Department of Environment and....

County leaders vote to oppose quarry - To applause from more than 100 opponents of a planned rock quarry in Tuckasegee, county leaders voted unanimously Thursday (Aug. 17) to ask state environmental officials not to permit the proposed mining operation. Tuckasegee residents packed the meeting room to request support from Jackson County commissioners in their quest to block Carolina Boulder and Stone LLC of Franklin’s effort....

Driver faces charges after death of child - A Sylva man has been charged in connection with the death of a child injured in an Aug. 5 automobile accident. Michael Prindiville, 17, was charged with misdemeanor death by vehicle following the death of 6-year-old DeAndre Williams of White Pine, Tenn. The child died at Asheville’s Mission Hospitals on Aug. 9, four days after he was injured in a two-vehicle wreck on U.S. 23-441 between Sutton Branch and Greens Creek....

Deputies cleared of wrongdoing in death of China Dragon suspect - A review by the State Bureau of Investigation and 25th District Attorney Jay Gaither has cleared Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies of any wrongdoing in the November 2005 death of robbery suspect Dewann McCollum. According to a press release issued by local District Attorney Mike Bonfoey, an investigation into the case has determined that there was “no evidence of criminal misconduct by any of the law enforcement”....

Two charged with defrauding local lottery winner of $21,000 - Jackson County’s first big winner in the N.C. Education Lottery will have to wait a while to receive his money, and two people have been charged with attempting to defraud the man of $21,000. Cecil Green of Savannah community bought the winning Black Jack ticket on Sun., Aug. 13, at the Mountain Breeze Mart across from Harold’s Supermarket.

Mill Street repaving will begin next week - Downtown travelers may have a hard time getting around next week when the milling and repaving of Mill Street begins. Town Manager Jay Denton said repairs would start either Tuesday, Aug. 29, or Wednesday, Aug. 30, depending on the weather, according to engineer Rick Styles of the N.C. Department of Transportation. Milling is expected to take one or two days and will be done during the daytime. The street will remain open, with workers closing one....

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