News

School board may offer boost to teachers for extra work

The Swain County Board of Education held its regular meeting Monday, March 9. Items discussed included the plan to combat the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, trade time for teachers and possible changes to accreditation.

Target Date Set for Opening N.C. 28 After Slide

A highway in southern Swain County will remain closed for at least one week while N.C. Department of Transportation crews clear debris from a Thursday evening landslide. Division 14 maintenance engineer Wesley Grindstaff witnessed a sedan-sized rock and additional debris fall from a hillside on N.

Slide Closes N.C. 28 in Swain County

N.C. Department of Transportation officials from Division 14 closed the highway after noticing small amounts of rock and dirt in the road Thursday afternoon.

Soil & Water Conservation District helping Swain farmers

Swain County Board of Commissioners heard the 2019 annual report for the Swain Soil & Water Conservation District during their regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 27. Creeden Kowal, Swain County Soil & Water Conservation district director, shared the year’s highlights.

Taking precautions against the spread of COVID-19

On Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper went before the public to report that the state had its first case of the 2019 novel coronavirus in Wake County. The previously unknown severe respiratory virus was first found in humans in Wuhan, China, Dec. 31, 2019.

Smoky Mountain Times earns NC Press awards

North Carolina Press Association members were honored during the 147th annual convention held at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley. Awards were handed out during an advertising luncheon and editorial banquet on February 27.

Town losing millions of gallons of water monthly

Huge losses of treated water totaling millions of gallons in the Bryson City water system have board members scrambling to figure out how and where the losses are occurring.

Swain County TDA strategizes its future

Swain County Tourism and Development Authority held a special session on Wednesday, Feb. 19 over several hours. Chris Cavanaugh, of Magellan Strategy Group in Asheville, led the board through training on becoming an independent destination marketing organization.

Federal indictment made in fentanyl overdose death case

Staff reports   A federal grand jury sitting in Charlotte returned a criminal bill of indictment on February 20, 2020, charging Shannon White, 42, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and resident of the Cherokee Indian Reservation, with distributing fentanyl that resulted...

New town sewer treatment plant recommended

Bryson City’s engineering consultant firm has recommended the town build a new wastewater treatment plant next to the town’s existing plant for an estimated price tag of $12.6 million. Discussion of the proposed plant dominated Monday evening’s work session agenda at the town council meeting.