Oh, (Sigh) Christmas Tree

Oh, (Sigh) Christmas Tree

by | Dec 23, 2024 | Agriculture, Appalachia, Business, Elections, Hurricane Helene, North Carolina, North Carolina Community, Politics, Reclaiming Rural, Stevie Brooks, U.S. Politics, Western North Carolina

Christmas tree farm politics is a real thing in Western North Carolina this holiday season. It shouldn’t be. By Stevie Brooks Growing up in Western North Carolina, I have always known that Christmas is a serious business.  Christmas usually started as soon as we...

A government official encounters disinformation after Helene 

by | Dec 9, 2024 | Appalachia, Climate Crisis, Dalton George, Environment, Hurricane Helene, Hurricanes, Local Organizing, Local Politics, North Carolina, North Carolina Community, Politics, Reclaiming Rural, Western North Carolina

A Town Council member fights for people — and the truth. By Dalton George Just a day after Helene passed in late September, I found myself restless to do something to help.  An event with that scale of destruction often highlights the skills we lack. But I knew...

Mayor Smathers: Let’s come together and deliver for WNC

by | Nov 25, 2024 | Appalachia, Business, Climate Crisis, Environment, Hurricane Helene, Hurricanes, Local Organizing, Local Politics, North Carolina, North Carolina Community, North Carolina State Politics, Public Health, Reclaiming Rural, Western North Carolina

Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers calls on lawmakers in Raleigh to deliver for hurricane victims By Zeb Smathers From the moment Hurricane Helene unleashed its fury on North Carolina, we’ve witnessed the best of humanity. Neighbors of all beliefs, political parties,...

Students: Helene Made Climate Change And This Election Personal

by | Oct 24, 2024 | Climate Crisis, Education, Elections, Environment, Hurricane Helene, Hurricanes, Local Organizing, North Carolina, North Carolina Community, North Carolina State Politics

By Lili Jones, Sam Ogburn and Lydia Pate When we said “climate change is real,” this is what we meant. When we said that inaction would cost us, this is what we were afraid of. When we were told to calm down, to compromise, to be patient, we grew frustrated. We were...