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Photo/Rosemary Pearl Moore. Cassie Fortner as Dorothy, Scout Claxton as Scarecrow, Myles Taylor as Tin Man and Hunter Smith as Cowardly Lion stand arm-in-arm on their way to Oz during a ‘Wizard of Oz’ rehearsal at Swain Arts Center Friday, March 14. Approximately 30 Swain County elementary through high school students were cast in the play.

Photo/Rosemary Pearl Moore. Cassie Fortner as Dorothy, Scout Claxton as Scarecrow, Myles Taylor as Tin Man and Hunter Smith as Cowardly Lion stand arm-in-arm on their way to Oz during a ‘Wizard of Oz’ rehearsal at Swain Arts Center Friday, March 14. Approximately 30 Swain County elementary through high school students were cast in the play.

Appalachian ‘Wizard of Oz’

News Staff
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Dorothy’s ruby red boots are sure to glisten under Swain Arts Center’s bright lights in an all student led, Appalachia themed “The Wizard of Oz” production starting Friday, March 28.
Photo/Charles Bryson. Fire crews work around the clock to contain the wildfire across Alarka Tuesday, March 25. As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the fire had spread approximately 1,000 acres with 0% containment.

Photo/Charles Bryson. Fire crews work around the clock to contain the wildfire across Alarka Tuesday, March 25. As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the fire had spread approximately 1,000 acres with 0% containment.

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN

News Staff
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com Fire crews are working around the clock to contain the Alarka wildfire. As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the fire had spread approximately 1,000 acres with 0% containment.
Photo/Sara Eisinger. Swain Clean Co-chair Tom Womble spends his morning retrieving a wicker couch swing from the Tuckasegee River behind the pavilion on Saturday, March 15. A little spring rain could not stop nearly a dozen Swain Clean volunteers from picking up around the river and roadways.

Photo/Sara Eisinger. Swain Clean Co-chair Tom Womble spends his morning retrieving a wicker couch swing from the Tuckasegee River behind the pavilion on Saturday, March 15. A little spring rain could not stop nearly a dozen Swain Clean volunteers from picking up around the river and roadways.

Spring rain could not keep Swain Clean away

News Staff
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   A little spring rain could not keep nearly a dozen Swain Clean volunteers from picking up around the river and roadways on Saturday. “We got about 40 bags of trash, a car hood and other broken car pieces,” said Swain Clean Co-chair Tom Womble.
Photo/Sara Eisinger. Bobby Jenkins, Swain County Commissioner and site supervisor, (left to right), Lottie Barker, Swain County Manager, Crystal Jones, AWAKE Children’s Advocacy Center Executive Director, Celeste Young, AWAKE Case Manager, Kristen Brady, AWAKE Manager and Ashley Cook, AWAKE Operational Coordinator discuss the opening of Youth Wellness Home next to the Business Education Training Center in Bryson City Monday, Feb. 17.

Photo/Sara Eisinger. Bobby Jenkins, Swain County Commissioner and site supervisor, (left to right), Lottie Barker, Swain County Manager, Crystal Jones, AWAKE Children’s Advocacy Center Executive Director, Celeste Young, AWAKE Case Manager, Kristen Brady, AWAKE Manager and Ashley Cook, AWAKE Operational Coordinator discuss the opening of Youth Wellness Home next to the Business Education Training Center in Bryson City Monday, Feb. 17.

Youth Wellness Home opens this spring

News Staff
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Children in Swain County will have a safe place to lay their head at night thanks to a new center opening this spring. Youth Wellness Home is a homelike impermanent placement for kids ages 0-18.
Photo/Sara Eisinger. Bryson City Fire Department Chief Charles Bryson seeks funding to hire additional firefighters during a joint Swain County Board of Commissioners and Town of Bryson City Board of Aldermen work session at the Swain County Administration Building Thursday, March 13. Bryson asked that residents concerned about fire protection contact their any of their five commissioners.

Photo/Sara Eisinger. Bryson City Fire Department Chief Charles Bryson seeks funding to hire additional firefighters during a joint Swain County Board of Commissioners and Town of Bryson City Board of Aldermen work session at the Swain County Administration Building Thursday, March 13. Bryson asked that residents concerned about fire protection contact their any of their five commissioners.

More paid firefighters needed, says Bryson

News Staff
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Bryson City Fire Department Chief Charles Bryson sought funding to hire additional firefighters during a joint Swain County Board of Commissioners and Town of Bryson City Board of Aldermen work session Thursday, March 13.
Submitted photo. Father Nathaniel “Scott” Jackson, 47, who died in the fire, stands with children Nathaniel Jr. (left to right), Anthony and Landon in a recent family photo.

Submitted photo. Father Nathaniel “Scott” Jackson, 47, who died in the fire, stands with children Nathaniel Jr. (left to right), Anthony and Landon in a recent family photo.

Playing for a cause

News Staff
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   A basketball tournament to raise money for the Jackson family is scheduled to tip-off in the Swain County Middle School gym at 8 p.m. this Saturday, March 15.
SMT Photo/Sara Eisinger. Pam Pulley stands alongside former Republican Florida state Sen. Nancy Argenziano (2002-08), protesting recent administrative actions at the corner of Everett and Main streets on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 4. They rallied with members of Swain County Democratic Party and other supporters to “end executive overreach and uphold the Constitution.”

SMT Photo/Sara Eisinger. Pam Pulley stands alongside former Republican Florida state Sen. Nancy Argenziano (2002-08), protesting recent administrative actions at the corner of Everett and Main streets on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 4. They rallied with members of Swain County Democratic Party and other supporters to “end executive overreach and uphold the Constitution.”

Supporters rally against DOGE

News Staff
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.
SMT Photo/Sara Eisinger. Elizabeth “Bunny” Johns (front); (back, left to right) Jude Hammond, Drew Hammond, Sherry Spurlin and Janet Smith enjoy coffee and brunch at Mountain Perks Espresso Bar & Café on Sunday, March 9. They each had their own stories to tell about Nantahala Outdoor Center in the 1970s.

SMT Photo/Sara Eisinger. Elizabeth “Bunny” Johns (front); (back, left to right) Jude Hammond, Drew Hammond, Sherry Spurlin and Janet Smith enjoy coffee and brunch at Mountain Perks Espresso Bar & Café on Sunday, March 9. They each had their own stories to tell about Nantahala Outdoor Center in the 1970s.

Life on the river

News Staff
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Five lifelong friends enjoyed coffee and brunch at Mountain Perks Espresso Bar & Café, reminiscing back to where and when it all began — Nantahala Outdoor Center in the 1970s.
SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Patty Ambrosino (front, left to right), Tami Millsap, Annette Hussan, Judy Hensley, Barbara Sherwood, Joan Parks, Angie Collins, Roger Millsap, Rita Filowick, Betty Spencer and “Hank”; (back, left to right) Ann Bullock, Dan Manley and Bill Helwig volunteer at Bryson City Food Pantry at its Presbyterian church location Wednesday, Feb. 26. Approximately 20 people volunteered at the pantry’s open outdoor market last week.

SMT photo/Sara Eisinger. Patty Ambrosino (front, left to right), Tami Millsap, Annette Hussan, Judy Hensley, Barbara Sherwood, Joan Parks, Angie Collins, Roger Millsap, Rita Filowick, Betty Spencer and “Hank”; (back, left to right) Ann Bullock, Dan Manley and Bill Helwig volunteer at Bryson City Food Pantry at its Presbyterian church location Wednesday, Feb. 26. Approximately 20 people volunteered at the pantry’s open outdoor market last week.

Food Pantry feeds nearly 5,000 families

News Staff
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Bryson City Food Pantry is open 10 days per month and served approximately 4,600 families last year, alone. Dan Manley took the reigns as pantry coordinator three years ago in response to what he referred to as a “tremendous need” in the community.