News Staff The question of how to spend $6.1 million of federal funding remains unanswered in Haywood County. The money is part of the $1 trillion American Rescue Plan designated not only to meet immediate pandemic response needs, but to make long-term investments in the recovery of local communities. Even though the county’s check is in the … Read more
A suspect convicted in a local drug network bust has been sentenced in the Western District of North Carolina to 30 years in prison. According to court documents, Matthew Wondra, 34, is accused of purchasing methamphetamine and heroin between 2018 and 2019, which he then distributed to dealers in western North Carolina, including in Cherokee. … Read more
HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) – A Haywood County business owner impacted by flooding from Tropical Storm Fred is finding a way to give back to the community this holiday season. As the owner of the Cluttered Kloset Children’s Store prepares to reopen in the next few weeks, she’s also giving back to the community through … Read more
The Sylva Police Department building underwent a bit of a facelift over the last several weeks. A group of volunteers from First Baptist Church planted flowers and pulled weeds in front of and on the side of the building. Donations for the landscaping effort were provided by the community and the volunteers themselves, organizers said. … Read more
Three out-of-towners passing through Waynesville were arrested for trafficking meth after a routine traffic stop led to a K9 search of the vehicle. The three individuals were from Southwest Virginia with no known connection to Haywood County. The trio were booked into the Haywood County Jail, with bonds of $450,000 for two of the suspects … Read more
LAUREL COUNTY, Kent. (WFLA) – A kidnapped teenager was rescued Thursday after using hand signs she learned on social media platform Tik Tok to signal for help, according to authorities in Kentucky. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said that a driver on I-75 called 911 after noticing a 16-year-old girl in a silver Toyota in … Read more
CANTON, N.C. (WLOS) – Thousands of Canton residents have new addresses. As of Wednesday, more than 2,000 addresses in Canton have officially been changed, due to inconsistencies, including duplicate street names and half-digit addresses, City and Haywood County leaders said. Impacted property owners should have received a letter in the mail about their new addresses. … Read more
The Jackson County Board of Education voted again to keep its mask mandate in place for everyone inside a public school building at it’s Oct. 26 monthly meeting. The vote follows an Aug. 30 law mandating school boards review their mask policies each month. A motion to maintain the mask mandate passed 4-0, with board … Read more
A Sylva man accused in a hit and run involving a Jackson County Board of Education member last month is facing multiple charges. Police arrested Audel Abarca Cruz, 39, who they say collided with Margaret McRae, 74, on Oct. 19, on Pine Creek Road near Lake Glenville when he crossed the center line and struck … Read more
A Cullowhee couple are facing dozens of charges in connection to a theft ring. Tristan Israel Sanchez, 32, and Shira Lynn Littlejohn 32, were arrested after a joint investigation, by the Jackson and Haywood County Sheriff’s Offices and Sylva Police, stemming from what detectives called a ‘short-lived scheme to steal and sell cars,’ between Sept. … Read more