TIP includes funding for portion of Southern Loop - Planning has begun on a controversial highway project that triggered widespread opposition almost four years ago. The Southern Loop, a proposed highway connector that was envisioned to relieve congestion on busy N.C. 107 by linking U.S. 23/74 near Blantons Branch to U.S. 23/441 around Cagle Branch and accessing 107 in the vicinity of Locust Creek, is partially...

Annual festival draws thousands to Sylva - Thousands of county residents and area visitors gathered downtown Saturday (April 28) for Sylva’s annual spring festival. And, despite overcast skies and sometimes threatening clouds, no rain fell to dampen the spirits of vendors and festival-goers....

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And the photo contest winner is ... - This year’s contest winner, “Spring Kiss,” could also have been titled “Kids with Kids.” It features 3-year-old Dalton and 8-year-old Morgan Buchanan with six-hour-old baby goats Larry, Curly and Moe at their home in Sylva. Morgan and Dalton are the children of Frankie and Ginger Buchanan, and their mother took the prize-winning photo. Other winners include Christy Taylor of Dillsboro, who captured both second and third places, and Bill and Muff Lyons of Cullowhee, who...

Monday night fire - Cherokee firefighters and police officers responded to a fire at the Spirit of the Wolf II craft shop in Saunooke Village Monday night (April 30). According to Cherokee Fire Chief Curtis Arneach, the building was reported “fully engulfed” at about 8:46 p.m. The craft shop and an attached apartment are a total loss, according...

EDC to offer paper company $250,000 - One week after Sylva officials unanimously voted to offer Jackson Paper incentives to locate its planned expansion within the town’s limits, the county’s Economic Development Commission offered the paper plant more encouragement to keep the company entirely local. Members of the EDC voted unanimously April 26 to offer Jackson Paper a $250,000 grant should the company choose to expand in Sylva. “We’re offering this money if and when...

County seeks input on steep-slope draft - After working on a steep-slope ordinance for more than a month, members of the Jackson County Planning Board finalized a draft April 26 and are now asking for public comment. One of the proposed ordinance’s major provisions is that anyone building a home on a slope 30 percent or greater would be subject to county regulations. In earlier drafts, that number had been 25 percent...