News

Swain has closed out-of-district enrollment for some grade levels at some of its schools including ninth-grade at Swain High

Swain has closed out-of-district enrollment for some grade levels at some of its schools including ninth-grade at Swain High

Schools close enrollment for out-of-district students

Larry Griffin lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Overcrowding at some local schools led the Swain County School Board to vote Monday night, Aug. 14, to cap admissions for new out-of-district students at those schools.
Construction takes place at the county pool where new buildings are being built including restrooms and meeting rooms.

Construction takes place at the county pool where new buildings are being built including restrooms and meeting rooms.

New pool bathrooms under construction

Larry Griffin lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Change is afoot at the Swain County Recreation Park.
Swain County Middle School has new leadership in Principal Ryan McMahan (right) and Assistant Principal Eric Stephenson.

Swain County Middle School has new leadership in Principal Ryan McMahan (right) and Assistant Principal Eric Stephenson.

New Swain County Middle School principals eager to uplift students

Larry Griffin lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Ryan McMahan has stepped up to the job of principal for Swain County Middle School, with the goal of getting all his students to feel like leaders and move forward in life. “Middle school is a challenging time for students.
Reconstruction work on Lakeview Drive began Monday with survey crews

Reconstruction work on Lakeview Drive began Monday with survey crews

Work starts on Lakeview Drive construction

Work began today on Lakeview Drive, just outside of downtown Bryson City in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The project is scheduled to last until mid-November is and is funded by the Great American Outdoors Act.
A team of emergency services personnel combed the Little Tennessee River where it feeds into Lake Fontana on Thursday, searching for two men who they discovered had drowned.”

A team of emergency services personnel combed the Little Tennessee River where it feeds into Lake Fontana on Thursday, searching for two men who they discovered had drowned.”

Two drown in Little Tennessee River in Swain County

Larry Griffin lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Two local men have drowned after being reported lost on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 10, according to the Swain County Sheriff’s Office. The victims are Francisco Javier Morjaras, 19, and Mario Garcia Ramirez, 26, his brother, both of Franklin.
A groundbreaking ceremony for eight new cabins for visitors in Nantahala Gorge took place Wednesday, Aug. 2. According to Nantahala Outdoors Center President Colin McBeath, the project is part of a strategy to keep attracting more visitors to stay longer.

A groundbreaking ceremony for eight new cabins for visitors in Nantahala Gorge took place Wednesday, Aug. 2. According to Nantahala Outdoors Center President Colin McBeath, the project is part of a strategy to keep attracting more visitors to stay longer.

NOC has groundbreaking ceremony for upscale cabins

Larry Griffin lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Ground broke on eight new cabins in the Nantahala Outdoors Center on Wednesday morning, Aug. 2. According to a press release from NOC, there will be four two-bedroom units and four one-bedroom ones.

Smokies less extreme in national summer heat wave

Larry Griffin lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Reports of a heat wave in other parts of the country have been alarming to read, with stories of people being hospitalized in the Western states for just stepping outside barefoot on pavement. In the Smokies, it may not be as big of a problem.
Paula and Jeff Fuller (from left), owners of Pursenality and Boxcar Café and Cones, attended a small town meeting with engineer Nate Bowe and Mayor Tom Sutton on Tuesday, Aug. 1 to talk about the utilities work going on.

Paula and Jeff Fuller (from left), owners of Pursenality and Boxcar Café and Cones, attended a small town meeting with engineer Nate Bowe and Mayor Tom Sutton on Tuesday, Aug. 1 to talk about the utilities work going on.

Everett Street utilities work on track

Larry Griffin lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com   At a meeting held on Tuesday, Aug.
Pictured above are domestic beers available for sale at Ingles grocery store.

Pictured above are domestic beers available for sale at Ingles grocery store.

Deep Creek annexation request to town centers on beer & wine sales

Jessica Webb editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com   Two businesses located before the entrance into Deep Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have been given the initial go-ahead from Bryson City Town Board of Aldermen to pursue a non-contiguous annexation to the town.