Regional

Photo/ Ryan Gearhart - The stump dump fire can be seen smoldering following hours of firefighting on Jan. 1.

Photo/ Ryan Gearhart - The stump dump fire can be seen smoldering following hours of firefighting on Jan. 1.

About 1 million gallons of water used to contain Highlands fire

News Staff
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Mitch Stone - reporter@highlandsnews.com Highlands Fire and Rescue were alerted to a stump dump fire at the end of Wilson Gap Road at about 11:55 p.m. Dec. 31. After battling the fire for three days, crews left the scene around 3 a.m. Jan. 2, with the fire still smoldering but contained.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Dr. John Walker explains the history of a white pine forest experiment that demonstrated the ability of forests to reduce streamflow and the tendency of pine forests to use more water than hardwood forests.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Dr. John Walker explains the history of a white pine forest experiment that demonstrated the ability of forests to reduce streamflow and the tendency of pine forests to use more water than hardwood forests.

Coweeta Lab maintains Appalachian research legacy

Shelby Powell
Monday, December 22, 2025
Coweeta Hydrological Laboratory continues to serve as a premier facility for studying rainfall and watersheds in the mountains, its data made all the more relevant by Hurricane Helene.  Dr.
Photo submitted - Noquisi Initiative Executive Director Elaine Eisenbraun plants perennial shrubs and ground cover for the Cherokee Food Forest with K-6 students from New Kituwah Academy.

Photo submitted - Noquisi Initiative Executive Director Elaine Eisenbraun plants perennial shrubs and ground cover for the Cherokee Food Forest with K-6 students from New Kituwah Academy.

Noquisi Initiative fosters connection to the land

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
The work of the Noquisi Initiative continues to connect locals to Cherokee heritage in cooperation with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians as well as inspire a relationship to traditional food production, nature and the land.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - During an open house on Nov. 6, Marianne Martinez, CEO of Vecinos, spoke of the story of imagining the new building in 2021 to seeing it come to life in 2025.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - During an open house on Nov. 6, Marianne Martinez, CEO of Vecinos, spoke of the story of imagining the new building in 2021 to seeing it come to life in 2025.

Vecinos shows off new building

Shelby Powell
Monday, November 24, 2025
During a recent open house Vecinos had the chance to show off the capabilities of its new building, which CEO Marianne Martinez called a “co-location” of medical, dental and mental health services.  In a series of guided tours held at the open house on Nov.
FRL logo

FRL logo

Fontana Regional Library board seeks neutrality

News Staff
Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Mitch Stone - reporter@highlandsnews.com   Following months of tension over book bans and Jackson County’s withdrawal from the Fontana Regional Library system, concerns about political bias continued to be a point of discussion at the Nov. 12 Fontana Regional Library Board of Trustees meeting.
Press file photo - The Coweeta Hydrologic Lab is among the sites in Macon County that could be impacted by changes withing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Forest Service.

Press file photo - The Coweeta Hydrologic Lab is among the sites in Macon County that could be impacted by changes withing the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Forest Service.

USDA changes impact local National Forests

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, October 7, 2025
Many changes at the U.S. Forest Service have been proposed or implemented since January that could change the management or makeup of the Nantahala National Forest.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Lori Richards (left) and Kathy Smith at the September FRL meeting.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Lori Richards (left) and Kathy Smith at the September FRL meeting.

Fontana Regional Library board cuts ethics statement

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
The Fontana Regional Library Board of Trustees cut its ethics statement amid a string of new policy decisions, citing improper implementation and a lack of potential for enforcement.
Press photo/Mia Overton - Owl shaped peanut butter fudge was my favorite while judging the youth baked goods for the N.C. Mountain State Fair. The one on the right is the one we sampled – that’s why he’s missing his feet.

Press photo/Mia Overton - Owl shaped peanut butter fudge was my favorite while judging the youth baked goods for the N.C. Mountain State Fair. The one on the right is the one we sampled – that’s why he’s missing his feet.

A sweet assignment

Mia Overton
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
The tables were laden with cookies, cupcakes, decorated cakes, pound cake, cookie bars, bread, biscuits, muffins, fudge. It was 9:30 a.m. My mom and I joined 10 other women last Wednesday morning to judge the baked goods at the N.C. Mountain State Fair. It was a hard job, but somebody had to do it.
Photo submitted - SAWS Trail Crew members Michael Brosseau (left) and Julian Jourdan on the Beech Creek Trail in Southern Nantahala Wilderness on the Nantahala Ranger District. The organization has been working to remove major downed trees from the trail, part of a much larger trail clearing and restoration project. 

Photo submitted - SAWS Trail Crew members Michael Brosseau (left) and Julian Jourdan on the Beech Creek Trail in Southern Nantahala Wilderness on the Nantahala Ranger District. The organization has been working to remove major downed trees from the trail, part of a much larger trail clearing and restoration project. 

Macon trails to benefit from state grant

Shelby Powell
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Macon County will join Clay, Graham and Haywood counties as the recipients of more than $250,000 in grant funding for emergency trail restoration. The N.C.