Local

Photo courtesy of Marianne Smith - Volunteers help unwrap the rope used to transfer floating docks to shore, where they are lifted by Bryan Simon’s crane.

Photo courtesy of Marianne Smith - Volunteers help unwrap the rope used to transfer floating docks to shore, where they are lifted by Bryan Simon’s crane.

Lake Glenville Clean-Up returns June 6 to clear debris

Mitch Stone - Reporter@HighlandsNews.comSpring rains typically cause litter, branches and even dock floats to end up in Lake Glenville.
Press photo/Shelby Powell - Philip Curcuru (left) and Andrew Chmar of the Hudson Library Foundation outline a request for renovations at the Hudson Library.

Press photo/Shelby Powell - Philip Curcuru (left) and Andrew Chmar of the Hudson Library Foundation outline a request for renovations at the Hudson Library.

Commissioners hear fire tax, library budget requests

Shelby Powell - Reporter The Macon County Board of Commissioners met Thursday, May 21, to hear from county fire departments and other entities about the pro- posed 2026-27 budget. The board continued the discussion on Tuesday, May 26.
Photo by Mitch Stone - The Board of Commissioners hears from Town Attorney Nick Tosco on the proposed amendment to the solicitation ordinance.

Photo by Mitch Stone - The Board of Commissioners hears from Town Attorney Nick Tosco on the proposed amendment to the solicitation ordinance.

Highlands bans solicitation on B-1 town property

Mitch Stone - Reporter@HighlandsNews.com The Town of Highlands Board of Commissioners met for a special meeting on Tuesday, May 26, to discuss whether to approve an amendment to the town’s solicitation ordinance.N.C.G.S.
Highlander graphic

Highlander graphic

District or at-large voting?

Members  of  the Macon County Planning Board met last week to discuss creating voting districts with fairer representation in county government.The May 7 meeting began with the swearing in of new member Larry Lackey.
Photo courtesy of The Village Green of Cashiers - The Village Green typically hosts The Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival each year, featuring 100 artisan vendors who sell handcrafted wood, pottery, jewelry and other fine arts.

Photo courtesy of The Village Green of Cashiers - The Village Green typically hosts The Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival each year, featuring 100 artisan vendors who sell handcrafted wood, pottery, jewelry and other fine arts.

A year-round hub for concerts and community events

The Village Green of Cashiers is a 13.2-acre park located in the heart of Cashiers, serving as a central community space for everyday activities, festivals and events.
Macon County tax administrator Abby Braswell discusses the process for the coming 2027 reappraisal. The process will result in Macon County property values being adjusted to more accurately reflect market price.

Macon County tax administrator Abby Braswell discusses the process for the coming 2027 reappraisal. The process will result in Macon County property values being adjusted to more accurately reflect market price.

2027 revaluation approaches

"Three years after the last property tax reappraisal in 2023, Macon County is preparing for a new valuation which is likely to raise the taxable values of most county properties, county tax administrator Abby Braswell said.
Anna Ferguson, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was sworn in as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives during a session in Raleigh, on Tuesday, April 21. She will represent District 119 and serve out the term of the late Rep. Mike Clampitt.

Anna Ferguson, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was sworn in as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives during a session in Raleigh, on Tuesday, April 21. She will represent District 119 and serve out the term of the late Rep. Mike Clampitt.

HISTORY MADE IN DISTRICT 119

"Local Republican leaders chose Anna Ferguson, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee (EBCI) and Jackson County resident, to finish the remainder of the late N.C. Rep. Mike Clampitt’s term in the General Assembly.
Sgt. Mark Leamon and law enforcement officers with a Special Olympian.  |  Photo courtesy of Bill Davis/Jackson County

Sgt. Mark Leamon and law enforcement officers with a Special Olympian. | Photo courtesy of Bill Davis/Jackson County

Torch Run unites Jackson County police, Special Olympics

Two dozen law enforcement officers from seven different agencies in Jackson County participated in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run to signify the opening of the Special Olympic games in the county on April 19.
Wavra enjoys the scenery on the boat of the eXXpedition voyage from the Galapagos Islands to Easter Island in 2020.  |  Photo courtesy of Lynsi Wavra

Wavra enjoys the scenery on the boat of the eXXpedition voyage from the Galapagos Islands to Easter Island in 2020. | Photo courtesy of Lynsi Wavra

PROTECTING PLACES, INSPIRING CHANGE

Whether she’s testing microplastics on Easter Island or working in the field with the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, Lynsi Wavra has built a career dedicated to preserving the places she calls home.