The Nantahala Health Foundation and Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation hope to address the region’s housing crisis by helping homeowners keep their homes livable. Lori Bailey, executive director of nonprofit Nantahala Health Foundation explains their new Healthy Homes Initiative. “If you’re a family that is really struggling to get by already then you need a little assistance just to keep it in good repair going forward and so that you are able to keep living there,” said Bailey. Keeping up

Downtown Sylva has a new addition - a sculpture of Harriet Tubman. Meet the local woman behind the sculpture. The 9-ft bronze sculpture called “Journey to Freedom” sits in Bridge Park. “Looking at the sculpture, I'm like that’s not my face but those are my hands, those are my feet, that’s my body. Like I am Harriet Tubman too.” That’s Jada Bryson. She’s a dance teacher in Franklin where her family has lived for as long as they have records. She was dancing at a Macon County Women’s History Trail

There was plenty of disappointment last year when MerleFest became a casualty of the pandemic. This year, the show went on. America’s premier “traditional plus” music festival returned, once again giving undiscovered acts their chance to shine.

The state legislative committee that will undertake redistricting in North Carolina made its way to the mountains Tuesday evening for its only meeting in the region. Almost 200 people showed up to the campus of Western Carolina University to listen and share comments about the redistricting process. About 50 people spoke during the public comment period. Kathleen Barnes represented the Transylvania County NAACP. She said she drove two hours to the meeting which she called “a public health risk”

In this episode of The Porch, a production of the BPR news team, we hear from -

Campgrounds are a way of life in Western North Carolina – and have been long before the current camping craze which helped bring more than 12-million visitors to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park last year. BPR went to Laurel Bank Campground in Haywood County. Camping there is more than a weekend activity or a vacation. It’s life – and family. Sherrie Lynn McArthur still remembers growing up at Laurel Bank Campground in Cruso. She is now 66 years old. “I was raised here, went to school on

On August 17th, historic flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred devastated Western North Carolina. Haywood County was hit hardest, as six people were killed in the Cruso, Canton, and Bethel areas.

A nationally-acclaimed eatery in Asheville that honors soul food and African foodways has a new chef de cuisine. The new head of the kitchen at Benne On Eagle plans to shift the restaurant’s flavors and focus.

On August 17th, flash floods caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred left six people dead in Haywood County, and devastated homes and businesses there and in neighboring Buncombe and Transylvania Counties. While the analysis is ongoing of what caused such rapid and destructive flooding in these tight spaces, one reason is inescapable - climate change.

Eastern Band of Cherokee held its general election on September 2 nd . The unofficial results for the new tribal council and the three referendum questions on the ballot. BPR’s Lilly Knoepp spoke with Holly Kays, outdoor editor and staff writer at the Smoky Mountain News about the election results. Lilly Knoepp: So Holly and I just spent the day together at Tribal Council meeting. This was recorded September 9 th . She is much more experienced with Tribal Council than I am. She's been covering