Local

Submitted photo. Great Smoky Mountains National Park donated a surplus brush truck to Bryson City Fire Department.

Submitted photo. Great Smoky Mountains National Park donated a surplus brush truck to Bryson City Fire Department.

Fire department receives $50K OSFM grant

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Office of State Fire Marshal awarded the Bryson City Fire Department a Disaster Relief Grant in the amount of $50,000 Aug. 18. Section 10 of S.L. 2025-2026 (House Bill 1012) provided OSFM $18 million to grant eligible fire department and rescue squads $50,000.
Photo submitted. A Marvelous Mayhem Magic Show advertisement alerts those passing by about the “family friendly” magicians scheduled to perform at Swain Arts Center Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. 

Photo submitted. A Marvelous Mayhem Magic Show advertisement alerts those passing by about the “family friendly” magicians scheduled to perform at Swain Arts Center Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. 

Marvelous Mayhem Magic Show

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
The Marvelous Mayhem Magic Show is coming to Swain Arts Center Saturday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m.  Swain County High School students will experience the same show during a special assembly to close the school day Friday.
SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Sutton (front, left to right) and Wyatt Williams meet Swain County Sheriff Brian Kirkland and NC State Highway Patrol 1st Sgt. Kevin Milligan at Everett Street Diner where local law enforcement celebrated National Faith & Blue Weekend Monday morning.

SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Sutton (front, left to right) and Wyatt Williams meet Swain County Sheriff Brian Kirkland and NC State Highway Patrol 1st Sgt. Kevin Milligan at Everett Street Diner where local law enforcement celebrated National Faith & Blue Weekend Monday morning.

Faith & Blue weekend in Bryson

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Swain County Sheriff’s Office deputies and NC State Highway Patrol troopers met at Everett Street Diner to celebrate National Faith & Blue Weekend Monday morning.
SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Joan Bailey sells customer Leah Frazier apparel at Pursenality Marketplace Oct. 11.

SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Joan Bailey sells customer Leah Frazier apparel at Pursenality Marketplace Oct. 11.

Pursenality returns

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Paula and husband Jeff Fuller reopened Pursenality Marketplace on 184 Everett Street Saturday, Sept. 27.  Pursenality originally opened under Matt Kirkland in 2005. The fullers purchased the business, then located next to Heavenly Fudge, in 2019. They remained in business only three more years.
Submitted photos. Aldermen candidates Tim Hines, W. Kent Maxey and Ben King.

Submitted photos. Aldermen candidates Tim Hines, W. Kent Maxey and Ben King.

Candidates talk

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Two seats on the Bryson City Board of Aldermen will be filled during the General Election, with three candidates to choose from: Tim Hines, Ben King and W. Kent Maxey. Incumbents Hines and King presently occupy the two  board seats up for election.
SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Mike Tabor, Town of Bryson City street supervisor, helps remove the tree and root system from Bryson City United Methodist Church Oct. 7.

SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Mike Tabor, Town of Bryson City street supervisor, helps remove the tree and root system from Bryson City United Methodist Church Oct. 7.

Patching sidewalks

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
The Town of Bryson City Board of Alderman meeting scheduled Monday, Oct. 6 was adjourned and rescheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 20. Mayor Tom Sutton said the city is working to repair water leaks and patch sidewalks in the meantime.
SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Rhonda Jenkins rests on a sofa while visiting Swain Senior Center Oct. 3.

SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Rhonda Jenkins rests on a sofa while visiting Swain Senior Center Oct. 3.

Near-Death Experience: ‘Soon’

News Staff
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Rhonda Jenkins laid lifeless for approximately 13 minutes as nurses and doctors at Mission Hospital worked to revive her on Nov. 29, 2021. In which time, Jenkins said she visited Heaven, met Christ and reacquainted with lost loved ones, returning with the message — “Soon.
SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church parishioner Bob Burns holds a “Pray to end abortion” sign next to Right Reverend Bishop Denny Trousdale from St. Augustine’s Anglican Church during the National Life Chain demonstration in Bryson City, organized by Western Carolina Pregnancy Care Center, Oct. 5.

SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church parishioner Bob Burns holds a “Pray to end abortion” sign next to Right Reverend Bishop Denny Trousdale from St. Augustine’s Anglican Church during the National Life Chain demonstration in Bryson City, organized by Western Carolina Pregnancy Care Center, Oct. 5.

Life Chain: Prayerfully standing for life

News Staff
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Believers have congregated across the nation the first Sunday of October to prayerfully stand for life since 1987, and Western Carolina Pregnancy Care Center stood with them. Elizabeth Kelly, WCPC director, said she sent invites out to area churches and posted to social media.
SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Windy (left to right), Scott and Owen Kribs after swearing in as a Swain County Sheriff’s deputy with Sheriff Brian Kirkland and District Court Judge Kristy L. Parton Oct. 3.

SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Windy (left to right), Scott and Owen Kribs after swearing in as a Swain County Sheriff’s deputy with Sheriff Brian Kirkland and District Court Judge Kristy L. Parton Oct. 3.

Kribs gets deputized

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
The effects of Down Syndrome Awareness Month can be seen every day of the year — between friends in classrooms, students and teachers, parents and kids… even local law enforcement. Swain County Sheriff Brian Kirkland was all smiles Friday, Oct.
Submitted photo. Amy Green, program manager BBBS of Swain County and Qualla Boundary, speaks at a Rotary meeting Sept. 11.

Submitted photo. Amy Green, program manager BBBS of Swain County and Qualla Boundary, speaks at a Rotary meeting Sept. 11.

Igniting the potential of young people

News Staff
Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Leila Tvedt Contributor   Somewhere in Swain County, on the Qualla Boundary or in any of more than a dozen mountain counties around us, there are “Bigs” matched with “Littles.