News

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.
SMT photo /Sara Eisinger. Wize Guyz Grille Owner Thomas Bynum (left to right) and Director of Operations Bill Hamilton at its new Bryson City location on Monday. The restaurant can seat 102 people and 60 more in its outdoor patio.

SMT photo /Sara Eisinger. Wize Guyz Grille Owner Thomas Bynum (left to right) and Director of Operations Bill Hamilton at its new Bryson City location on Monday. The restaurant can seat 102 people and 60 more in its outdoor patio.

Wize Guyz Grille opens on Main Street

News Staff
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Wize Guyz Grille opened its 5,000-square-foot Main Street location on Wednesday, The restaurant can seat 102 people and 60 more in its outdoor patio.
SMT photo/ Charles Bryson. Fire crews extinguish a fire involving multiple trailers and vehicles on Ela Lane at approximately 12:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28. The second call came in a couple of hours later at a separate location with reports of people inside.

SMT photo/ Charles Bryson. Fire crews extinguish a fire involving multiple trailers and vehicles on Ela Lane at approximately 12:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28. The second call came in a couple of hours later at a separate location with reports of people inside.

Fire crews battle back to back fires, 1 fatality

News Staff
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
By Sara Eisinger sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Bryson City Fire Department responded to two separate fires on the morning of Friday, Feb. 28. The first call came in at approximately 12:18 a.m. Fire crews were dispatched to a structure fire at 301 Ela Lane.

Staff changes: Saying hello and good-bye

News Staff
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Staff Reports After nearly 11 years as editor of Smoky Mountain Times, Publisher/Editor Jessica Webb will start a new career in education in March, where she will be the GEAR UP Coordinator for Jackson County Schools.
Photos by Sara Eisinger. Event organizer Gina Wiggins stands front and center in a pink vest with members of Swain Clean, TVA and other volunteers at David Monteith Park Saturday, Feb. 22. Wiggins dedicated the cleanup effort to the late David Monteith.

Photos by Sara Eisinger. Event organizer Gina Wiggins stands front and center in a pink vest with members of Swain Clean, TVA and other volunteers at David Monteith Park Saturday, Feb. 22. Wiggins dedicated the cleanup effort to the late David Monteith.

Volunteers clear hurricane debris from David Monteith Park

News Staff
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Sara Eisinger  sara@thesmokymountaintimes.com Approximately 103 concerned residents and neighbors including members of Swain Clean gathered at David Monteith Park to remove Hurricane Helene remnants from Tuckasegee River this past Saturday and Sunday.
Submitted photo. From left, Karen Proctor and Ricky Sanford are pictured at last year’s Wet Your Whistle event. Proctor has left her position as the executive director of Swain County Chamber of Commerce, and Sanford has joined as the administrative coordinator. The chamber has also recently reopened a public office located at 1191 Main Street.

Submitted photo. From left, Karen Proctor and Ricky Sanford are pictured at last year’s Wet Your Whistle event. Proctor has left her position as the executive director of Swain County Chamber of Commerce, and Sanford has joined as the administrative coordinator. The chamber has also recently reopened a public office located at 1191 Main Street.

Proctor leaves post as Chamber of Commerce director

News Staff
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Karen Proctor is synonymous with the Swain County Chamber of Commerce, having worked there for 19 years. As executive director, she is always the first to arrive and last to leave the chamber’s huge events, rocking a neon safety vest with a clipboard in hand.
Subcontractors put up a mast arm pole on Everett Street earlier this week.

Subcontractors put up a mast arm pole on Everett Street earlier this week.

Everett Street traffic signals being installed

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
According to N.C. Department of Transportation: The contractor is currently installing the mast arm pole for the redlights on Everett Street.  Once the mast arm is complete, they will install the redlights and wire everything up along with the crosswalk signals.
Town of Bryson City is now one step closer to plans to build a new sewer plant.

Town of Bryson City is now one step closer to plans to build a new sewer plant.

Town gets TVA easement agreement for sewer plant

News Staff
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Jessica Webb editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com   At its regular meeting Tuesday, Feb. 11, Bryson City Town Board of Aldermen unanimously approved an agreement with Tennessee Valley Authority that will allow the town to move forward with its plans to construct a new wastewater treatment plant.