Birding on the Plateau

Birding on the Plateau is a year-round activity, but things kick up a notch throughout spring as migratory birds make their way back to the mountains. Highlands Audubon Society Vice President Brent Martin said this […]

At last Thursday’s Zoom Town Board meeting and again Tuesday morning, Mayor Pat Taylor stressed the need to work collaboratively on a gradual opening of town businesses, properties and public places. During a webinar Tuesday […]

During Thursday night’s Zoom Town Board meeting, Commissioner Amy Patterson announced that contract negotiations with Wide Open Networks have fallen apart. At the March’s retreat –though business isn’t typically done – business was conducted regarding […]

The construction schedule for the Performing Arts Center expansion has not gone as planned. The cost of construction and finding a company willing to take on the project, as well as fundraising hurdles have caused […]

Yesterday was Earth Day. In the past, the Highlands Plateau Cleanup took place on the Saturday closest to Earth Day. The sponsor of the event, the Highlands Chamber of Commerce, cancelled this year’s Saturday cleanup […]

The Jackson County Department of Public Health (JCDPH) has been notified of a positive case of COVID-19 in a subcontractor working on a construction site at Western Carolina University’s campus. The subcontractor is not a […]

Governor Roy Cooper announced yesterday that North Carolina has been approved for the new Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, to help families purchase food for children impacted by school closings due to COVID-19. N.C. […]

About a dozen people from local environmental groups were at The Mountain Retreat on Wednesday removing patches of the nonnative invasive plant, Garlic Mustard. It’s called Garlic Mustard because the leaves smell like garlic when […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports staying physically active is one of the best ways to keep your mind and body healthy. In many areas, people can visit parks, trails, and open spaces as a way […]

The Bascom is connecting with the community even when people can’t be physically together. “When it became clear that we needed to close our doors for the safety of the public, our students, and our […]

Contributions Exceed $1 Million The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC) continues to review and distribute grants on an expedited schedule to support frontline human service organizations responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in 18 […]

The Macon County Board of Health selected Kathy McGaha as the new Health Director for Macon County on April 14. McGaha holds a Master of Health Science in degree from Western Carolina University and has […]

Preparing each fiscal year’s budget is usually a painstaking process spanning several months. It begins with the Town Retreat, held this year on March 5, where department heads present wish lists for capital improvement projects […]

Testing, Tracing, and Trends will help determine when to loosen restrictions Yesterday Governor Roy Cooper charted a path forward for eventually easing certain COVID-19 restrictions while still protecting North Carolinians from a dangerous second wave […]