Submitted photo - Tommy and Kelly Dills at their son’s wedding.
Tuesday, June 2, 2026
Newly appointed Swain County Manager Tommy Dills says his priorities are rooted in the same values that shaped him growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina: accountability, transparency and service to neighbors.
(L-R): Ella Mounce, Adrian Gaches, Jaden Carroll, Adrienne Keene, Kristen Mankiller, Dugan Gibson, Colton Brinsfield, Jaycee Gideon, Taylor Pearce, Secretary of Natural Resources Christina Justice, Ashley Adair and Savannah Slayton.
Photo submitted - Peyton shows off her family’s petting zoo in March 2023.
Erich Atkins of Von Fader Studios showcases copper relief art at Smoky Mountain Farmers and Artisans Market May 22.
Photo/Travis Long/News & Observer
Jack Igelman / Carolina Public Press. An area of the Pisgah National Forest near Shope Creek, where severe damage occurred during Tropical Storm Helene in 2024.
Photo/Sara Eisinger. Far West Special Olympics with a superhero theme April 2025.
