A coalition of environmental organizations has filed a federal lawsuit seeking to stop what they describe as an “illegal logging project” in the Nolichucky River Gorge, a scenic section of Pisgah National Forest. MountainTrue, in partnership with the Center for Biological Diversity and represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, announced Monday that it is suing the U.S. Forest Service over logging operations the group says violate federal environmental laws and the

By Staff Report The Mountain Buzz Jason Simmons, Chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, will visit Clay County on Monday, November 10, 2025, for a special luncheon with the Clay County GOP. The event will take place at 1:00 p.m. at West Tubing Company, located at 6175 Old Highway 64 West in Warne. Simmons’ visit is part of the North Carolina GOP’s “Red State Tour,” a statewide effort to engage with local conservative communities, register new voters, and encourage g

By: Staff The Mountain Buzz Over the past ten years, crime in Western North Carolina has shifted in ways that defy simple headlines. While some communities have seen notable spikes in violent incidents, others have experienced steady declines, resulting in a complex picture of public safety across the mountains. According to data from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the FBI’s National Incident-Based Reporting System, there is no consistent, region-wide in

The holiday season will officially get underway in Hayesville with the WNC Festival of Trees Sip & Stroll on Thursday, November 13 at The Beal Center, 25 Herbert Street. The festive evening will begin with a sponsor-only preview from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by public admission from 6:30 to 8 p.m. There will be a $5 entry fee for non-sponsors. Guests can enjoy a cozy and cheerful atmosphere with a selection of wine by the glass, mulled wine, and hot chocolate provided by E

Press Release On October 10, 2025, Clay County entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management to facilitate expedited assistance with debris removal resulting from Tropical Storm Helene. Tropical Storm Helene caused unprecedented damage and debris in Western North Carolina. Accumulated debris in our waterways creates emergencies and urgent conditions that require timely removal to protect health and safety and avert additional

Press Release Dr. Brian Mitchell, a beloved physician whose decades of service helped shape the landscape of healthcare in Western North Carolina, is the subject of a newly-released mini-documentary by local filmmaker Harrison Keely. Titled “Brian Mitchell – The small-town doctor who changed everything,” the film follows Mitchell’s journey from his childhood in Boston to his pivotal era at Murphy Medical Center, now known as Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital. “Dr. Mitchell’s

Voters in the Town of Hayesville made their choices Tuesday, November 4, in a local election that decided the mayor’s office and seats on the town council. Benita C. England won the race for mayor with a commanding 71.74% of the vote, earning 66 ballots in her favor. Michael R. Castellano received 26 votes, or 28.26%. No write-in votes were recorded in the contest. In the race for Hayesville Town Council, where voters could select up to three candidates, Vanessa Lauren Tiger

A Hayesville man was arrested Tuesday afternoon after repeatedly trespassing on the property of Carolina Christian Academy and First Free Will Baptist Church during school hours while carrying a chainsaw. Authorities say 47-year-old Eric Roberson had previously been warned not to return to the property. Despite the warning, he reportedly came back twice earlier in the day before being seen again around noon. At that time, children were outside for recess. School staff quickly

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — With the federal government shutdown raising concerns about possible delays in assistance programs, several organizations across Clay County are making sure local families still have food on the table. The Clay County Food Pantry on Hinton Center Road continues to serve residents every Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. The pantry is open to Clay County residents and TEFAP recipients. For more details, call 828-389-1657. In Brasstown

Clay County Sheriff's Office Press Release On 10/25/25 at 2:17 PM a resident of Chatuge Village Circle traveled to a community dock to check on the whereabouts of his part time neighbor, Lewis Preston Stallings 69 years of age from Tallahassee, Florida. The neighbor had seen Stallings’ golf cart parked at the dock since the previous day. During the previous night around 8:00 PM, the neighbor had seen a boat arrive to the dock and believed it to have been Stallings arriving ba

HAYESVILLE, N.C. (Oct. 28, 2025)  — Hayesville High School’s junior varsity and varsity volleyball teams presented a donation Tuesday to local resident Teresa Moss Lockaby, showing their support in her fight against breast cancer. The funds were raised during the teams’ recent Pink Out Night  game against Robbinsville, an annual event that promotes breast cancer awareness. Players, coaches and fans wore pink and contributed through donations and other activities during the ma

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — Two Hayesville High School students are turning lessons from the classroom into real-world compassion. After learning about global refugee crises in their Global Studies class, juniors Callie Long and Layla Parker decided to take action. Using money from their part-time jobs, the students sent a supply box to a child-only refugee center to help with winter needs. The pair has committed to sending a new box each month for the rest of the school year, contin

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — With the first real chill of fall settling across western North Carolina and north Georgia, homeowners are being urged to take advantage of the cool, dry days ahead to prepare their homes for winter. Local experts say a few preventive steps now can save money and prevent costly damage once freezing temperatures arrive in the mountains. The transition from mild autumn afternoons to frosty mornings often comes quickly in the southern Appalachians, where ele

Hiawassee, Ga. —  Efforts to control an invasive aquatic weed that spread rapidly across Lake Chatuge in recent years have shown promising results, though experts caution that full eradication remains unlikely. Local environmental groups, including MountainTrue and Save Lake Chatuge, coordinated a large-scale treatment campaign targeting parrot feather  ( Myriophyllum aquaticum ), a South American plant known for forming thick mats that choke waterways and block boat traffic.

Hayesville, N.C. — The ongoing federal government shutdown is beginning to affect daily life and economic activity across Clay and Cherokee counties in far western North Carolina, where tourism, agriculture and federal programs play central roles. Federal services remain open in many cases but are operating with limited staff or reduced support. The Nantahala National Forest, which spans both counties, continues to allow public access, though road maintenance, campground ope

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. — Residents of Western North Carolina and northern Georgia should prepare for a winter that is more likely to be warmer and drier than normal, federal and regional climate forecasters said this month, a pattern driven in part by a return of La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific. The Climate Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, issued seasonal outlook maps in mid-October that favor above-average temperatures an

By: Kim Terrell County Extension Director, Clay County North Carolina Cooperative Extension – Clay County Center is inviting residents to share their thoughts through a community survey designed to help shape future programs and outreach efforts. The survey seeks input on a wide range of topics, including agriculture and horticulture, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS), 4-H youth development, and the Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (EMGV) program. Responses will help iden

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Clay County Chamber of Commerce has released the schedule for the 2025 Punkin Chunkin event, set for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 18–19. Each day will begin with a safety meeting at 9 a.m., followed by the first round of the chunkin competition from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Public visitation is scheduled from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the second round of the competition will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The weekend event will conclude on Sunday,

HAYESVILLE, N.C. — The Clay County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Chili Cook Off and Anything Pumpkin Competition on Friday, Oct. 17, at 6 p.m. on the Hayesville Town Square. Admission to the event is $6, and only 250 tickets will be available at the gate. The evening will feature judged competitions with cash prizes and People’s Choice Awards. Participants can register for the chili cook off or pumpkin competition online at claychambernc.com  or by calling the Cha

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Christian Reagan announced Tuesday he will not seek a congressional seat in 2026, instead throwing his support behind incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards. In a press release, Reagan praised Edwards for his “100% support for Trump’s agenda” and his staff’s tireless efforts in hurricane relief. “As a result, I have chosen to stand with him in support and extend my hand in friendship,” Reagan stated. The decision reflects a shift in Reagan’s political strategy, optin