A Cullowhee landmark is a total loss after a fire burned the entire building. Multiple agencies, including the Cullowhee Fire Department, along with crews from Sylva, Savannah and Balsam fire departments responded to the 115-year-old Moss General Store last Thursday and reported the blaze also damaged the abandoned single-story apartments behind the vacant store on … Read more
Trick or Treating for children with food allergies can be tricky, but The Teal Pumpkin Project is working to make sure every child has a fun and safe Halloween. Residents are encouraged to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project by displaying a teal pumpkins to let families know they are giving away safe alternatives to … Read more
Race in college admissions is back in front of the Supreme Court, with affirmative action in college admissions again on trial at the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is set to hear the affirmative action case against UNC Chapel Hill on Monday. With the current composition of the court it could bring major changes to … Read more
(Raleigh, N.C.) – The Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter is getting some surprise help. The Department’s Unclaimed Property Division (UPD) identified nearly $3,000 belonging to the Alzheimer’s Association. The State Treasurer will be heading to Asheville today [oct. 31] to present the organization with the missing funds. -0-
A digital body scan thwarted an attempt to smuggle contraband into a Sylva jail. According to the department, officers conducted a traffic stop and observed illegal drugs in the car resulting in the arrest of, April Nations, 37, of Sylva last week [Oct.19]. And, while being booked into jail, more drugs were found hidden inside … Read more
An 18-wheeler overturned on the westbound Exit 85 bridge over U.S. 74 Monday afternoon, snarling traffic for about four hours. The driver, Paul Choyce, 62, of Sylva, was hauling a truckload of cardboard to Jackson Paper when he lost control and flipped, according to N.C. Highway Patrol reports, which noted speed may have played a … Read more
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is conducting an inquiry into the death of an inmate at the Jackson County Detention Center. Kevin Scott Watson, 30, of Sylva was discovered in his cell unresponsive on Oct. 20, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. JCSO and the SBI have not released a cause of … Read more
A Jackson County man will spend a minimum of nine decades in jail for sexually abusing two teenage girls and plotting to kidnap one of them. After the jury returned a guilty verdict last week but before the sentencing phase of the trial, Kenneth David Groat, 40, of Sylva, owned up to his alleged crimes, … Read more
SYLVA – Friends, family, and colleagues are mourning the sudden passing of a beloved Southwestern Community College educator. More than 100 people commented with condolences and shared memories of how Lambert Wilson, affectionately known as, “Uncle Lambert,” was a positive influence in their lives when Swain County Schools posted the news of his loss Friday … Read more
SYLVA, NC – Students who attend Jackson County Public Schools will soon be more secure thanks to a federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant. The district said the monies, approved by the U.S. Department of Justice for funding from the COPS School Violence Prevention Program, will used to install electronic locks with access control … Read more