News

Swain County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Sgt. Eli Kirkland with his detection dog, Toro, a five-year-old male German shepherd and Belgium mix in summer 2025. (Submitted photo)

Swain County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Sgt. Eli Kirkland with his detection dog, Toro, a five-year-old male German shepherd and Belgium mix in summer 2025. (Submitted photo)

Kirkland, Toro join Swain Sheriff’s Department

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Meet Swain County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Sgt. Eli Kirkland and his detection dog, Toro, a five-year-old male German shepherd and Belgium mix. Kirkland served with Franklin Police Department 18 years and handled dogs for five of those years.
Photo/Sara Eisinger. Alita Cunningham (front, left to right), Kaye McConnell, Jeannie Lerch, Marsha Sherrod; (middle, left to right) Tonya Clifton, Melissa barker, Terri Lynn Crider; (back, left to right) Nancy Jones, Candy Benton, Candy Wilson and Rhonda Tschida donate shoes and socks to kids in need at as part of a Shoes for Steps initiative headed by Swain County Resource Center to keep children’s feet warm this season at New Attitudes Hair Salon Friday, Nov. 7.

Photo/Sara Eisinger. Alita Cunningham (front, left to right), Kaye McConnell, Jeannie Lerch, Marsha Sherrod; (middle, left to right) Tonya Clifton, Melissa barker, Terri Lynn Crider; (back, left to right) Nancy Jones, Candy Benton, Candy Wilson and Rhonda Tschida donate shoes and socks to kids in need at as part of a Shoes for Steps initiative headed by Swain County Resource Center to keep children’s feet warm this season at New Attitudes Hair Salon Friday, Nov. 7.

Shoes for Steps

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Shoes and socks for kids 0-18 are being collected at New Attitudes Hair Salon and Swain County Resource Center as part of the Shoes for Steps initiative to keep children’s feet warm this winter season. New Attitudes Hair Salon hosted a shoe drive fundraising event Friday, Nov. 7.
Submitted photo. Chrome Angels Misty Dawn (left to right), Heather Osborne and Shelly Gable seek to bring Christmas joy to every child in Swain County.

Submitted photo. Chrome Angels Misty Dawn (left to right), Heather Osborne and Shelly Gable seek to bring Christmas joy to every child in Swain County.

Christmas Parade to include toy drive

News Staff
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Doreen Guma Contributor   Memories will be made during the 51st Annual Bryson City Christmas Parade Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. where the Chrome Angelz of Bryson City will participate in its first ever Toy Run. Parade attendees are asked to bring a new and unwrapped toys with them to the parade.
Photo/Sara Eisinger. Jason Foster hugs his little girl, Fern Foster, during the chili cook-off at The Grove Church Saturday.

Photo/Sara Eisinger. Jason Foster hugs his little girl, Fern Foster, during the chili cook-off at The Grove Church Saturday.

Chili cook-off funds Warming Center

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
As a fundraiser for the Warming Center, which opened under freezing temperatures Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of this week, The Grove Church held a chili cook-off Saturday. The fundraiser raised $3,000 plus a generous $5,000 donation from an anonymous source. Approximately 75 wristbands were sold.
Photo/Sarah Jones. Volunteers clean approximately 60,000 pounds of garbage from this year’s Fontana Lakeshore Trash Cleanup, hosted by Brandon Jones, Nov. 2.

Photo/Sarah Jones. Volunteers clean approximately 60,000 pounds of garbage from this year’s Fontana Lakeshore Trash Cleanup, hosted by Brandon Jones, Nov. 2.

Volunteers clean up Fontana

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Brandon and Sarah Jones organized the 8th annual Fontana Lakeshore Trash Cleanup at Fontana Marina Nov. 1-2. “This year, we cleaned from the dam past Sawyers Creek,” said Brandon Jones. “We had 90 volunteers; 50 the first day and 40 the second day.
Photo/George Carter. The oldest veteran in the room, United States Army veteran Edwin Shook, received the honors of cutting the 250th Marine Corps birthday cake at Camp Living Waters Monday, Nov. 10.

Photo/George Carter. The oldest veteran in the room, United States Army veteran Edwin Shook, received the honors of cutting the 250th Marine Corps birthday cake at Camp Living Waters Monday, Nov. 10.

Celebrating Marines

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
The 250th Marine Corps Birthday Celebration and Veteran’s Day Dinner turned out to be everything its organizer, veteran Sean Parish, had hoped for. Despite the town’s first snowfall of the year, approximately 65 adults and 15 kids attended the event at Camp Living Water.
Photo submitted. US Army Veteran Thomas Hosier of Elgin, South Carolina, and his new bride, Faye Haynes, of Camden, SC, marry at Swain County Court House Monday, Nov. 3. Julia Hunt officiated the Christian ceremony.

Photo submitted. US Army Veteran Thomas Hosier of Elgin, South Carolina, and his new bride, Faye Haynes, of Camden, SC, marry at Swain County Court House Monday, Nov. 3. Julia Hunt officiated the Christian ceremony.

Widowed and tying the knot at 80

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
It is never too late to find love as proven by United States Army veteran Thomas Hosier of Elgin, South Carolina, and his new bride, Faye Haynes, of Camden, South Carolina. The newlyweds tied the knot at Swain County Court House Monday, Nov. 3. Julia Hunt officiated the Christian ceremony.
Submitted Photo. Freda Drinkwater (left to right), Mike Drinkwater and Janice Edgerton, Executive Director of Region A Partnership for Children Oct. 29.

Submitted Photo. Freda Drinkwater (left to right), Mike Drinkwater and Janice Edgerton, Executive Director of Region A Partnership for Children Oct. 29.

Drinkwater named Champion for Children

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Mike Drinkwater, local contributor and property developer, was named Swain County’s Champion for Children in honor of Gov. Josh Stein’s Smart Start Month 2025 last Wednesday.
Kristen Nespoli

Kristen Nespoli

2026 Census Test coming to Swain

Sara Eisinger
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Kristen Nespoli, partnership specialist for the United States Census Bureau, attended a Swain County Commissioners meeting to inform the public about the upcoming 2026 Census Test and summon prospective job applicants Tuesday evening.