Inside Haywood

Dive into two of Haywood County's biggest icons — high school football and elk — with this week's reporters' roundtable. We'll discuss how to parcel out a mere 100 tickets for football games and reflect on 20 years of the elk calling Haywood home. Plus, catch this week's guest of the week Susan Trahan with Haywood County Friends of the Library.

Catch this week's reporters' roundtable, along with special guest Carolyn Muse Grant, who talks about the role of a home designer and shares tips on decluttering to make your space more appealing.

Get an insider's glimpse behind the lines of the mass vaccine clinics in Haywood County. Plus, catch a conversation with Downtown Waynesville Association's Buffy Phillips to find about the special deals downtown merchants offer just for locals every February.

Catch this week's insider conversation with Tim Surrett, bass player with the renown bluegrass band Balsam Range that hails from Haywood. Here about the group's new single, the bi-weekly radio show Papertown Roots, and a project to chronicle Haywood County's rich musical traditions.

The vaccine race is on in Haywood. Hear about the elation of the vaccine rollout for those 75 and up, along with some initial hiccups — including some who gamed the system to cut ahead in the vaccine queue. Plus, dive into the revealing database of who brought home the bacon in last year's runs of federal PPP pandemic business loans.

This week's reporters roundtable dives into eyewitness accounts of the Capitol insurrection, a harrowing fire at a homeless encampment and COVID strains at Haywood Regional. Plus, learn about the Haywood for Good get-healthy initiative with guest of the week Megan Hauser with Healthy Haywood.

Go behind-the-scenes into Haywood County's emergency operations from the daily flow of ambulance calls to crisis response training, as well as the unique challenges of COVID. Join us for a conversation with special guest Greg Shuping, who in just a couple of weeks is retiring as the Emergency Services Director after more than two decades of service.

New Covenant Church has been a powerhouse of the Christian spiritual community in Haywood County under the leadership of Pastor Nick Honerkamp. Join us for a conversation with Honerkamp as he reflects on his career and prepares for a new chapter, and the transition that's ahead for New Covenant.

It's nearly go time for Santa. Join The Mountaineer for a special report from Smokey Mountain Santa and Mrs. Claus (Dennis and Deborah Reed of Canton) on how preparations for the big day are coming along.

Three college students share a first-person perspective of how COVID has impacted the college experience. Join Avery Schwab, Grace Kronk and Molly Dorgan for a behind-the-scenes discussion of ghost town campuses, establishing social connections while social distancing and the ups-and-downs of online courses.