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Photo by Michael O’Hearn/Staff The Bear Shadow Music Festival will return to Winfield Farm in Scaly Mountain on Friday night to kick off a three-day stretch of live music, food and cocktails.

Photo by Michael O’Hearn/Staff The Bear Shadow Music Festival will return to Winfield Farm in Scaly Mountain on Friday night to kick off a three-day stretch of live music, food and cocktails.

Bear Shadow festival on tap

Music will be ringing through the mountains of Macon County when the Bear Shadow Music Festival opens its second run on Friday. The annual three-day music festival at Winfield Farm in Scaly Mountain will feature a full slate of nationally known musical acts, along with unique foods and beverages.
Photo by Ryan Hanchett/Staff A record-number of volunteers gathered at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park last Saturday.

Photo by Ryan Hanchett/Staff A record-number of volunteers gathered at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park last Saturday.

Record number of volunteers took part in 2022 Plateau Pickup

Roadside litter got kicked to the curb on Saturday as crews from across the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau marched their way along roadsides picking up trash as part of the 2022 Plateau Pickup sponsored by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce.
Photo by Ryan Hanchett/Staff During Thursday’s board meeting a public hearing was held to address a conditional zoning request for Pine Holdings LLC’s property adjacent to Kelsey-Hutchinson Founder’s Park.

Photo by Ryan Hanchett/Staff During Thursday’s board meeting a public hearing was held to address a conditional zoning request for Pine Holdings LLC’s property adjacent to Kelsey-Hutchinson Founder’s Park.

One step closer: Zoning change approved for new development on Pine Street

The former Bank of America building on Pine Street is one step closer to coming down following the approval of a zoning change by the Highlands Board of Commissioners.
Volunteers will gather for the annual Plateau Pickup, sponsored by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce, at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founder’s Park on Saturday morning. In 2021, approximately 80 volunteers collected close to 300 bags of trash from area roadsides.

Volunteers will gather for the annual Plateau Pickup, sponsored by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce, at Kelsey-Hutchinson Founder’s Park on Saturday morning. In 2021, approximately 80 volunteers collected close to 300 bags of trash from area roadsides.

Time for spring cleaning

Litter always seems to build up along area roadways in early spring. As traffic picks up along main arteries, and more visitors make their way to Highlands and Cashiers, the accumulation of discarded trash becomes noticeable.
North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore recently made a stop in Cashiers to discuss upcoming elections.

North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore recently made a stop in Cashiers to discuss upcoming elections.

Speaker of the House talks elections

On April 11, North Carolina Speaker of the House Rep. Tim Moore, made an appearance at the Jackson County Republicans’ meeting held at Summit Charter School.
Photo by Christopher Lugo/Staff For the past two years, the Church of Incarnation has undergone a complete renovation of its sanctuary. On Sunday, parishioners had their first service in the new sanctuary.

Photo by Christopher Lugo/Staff For the past two years, the Church of Incarnation has undergone a complete renovation of its sanctuary. On Sunday, parishioners had their first service in the new sanctuary.

'Welcome home, dear ones'

It was a historic Palm Sunday for the Church of Incarnation as parishioners flooded the new sanctuary. Since Nov. 2020, through a pandemic sweeping the nation and putting construction on hold numerous times, Rev.
At a budget meeting on April 7, the town board heard from Town Manager Josh Ward, who said he reviews the Consumer Price Index each year.

At a budget meeting on April 7, the town board heard from Town Manager Josh Ward, who said he reviews the Consumer Price Index each year.

Town looks into six percent COLA increase for employees

With employees harder and harder to come by, the Highlands Town Board of Commissioners is exploring a possible cost of living adjustment for its employees. At a budget meeting on April 7, the town board heard from Town Manager Josh Ward, who said he reviews the Consumer Price Index each year.
Wilmington can keep parts of the ordinance that, for instance, require owners to provide at least one parking space for every bedroom, to post emergency numbers and other information inside the rental unit, to prohibit cooking in bedrooms and restrict whole-house lodging in certain zoning districts.

Wilmington can keep parts of the ordinance that, for instance, require owners to provide at least one parking space for every bedroom, to post emergency numbers and other information inside the rental unit, to prohibit cooking in bedrooms and restrict whole-house lodging in certain zoning districts.

N.C. Court of Appeals reaches verdict on Wilmington STR case

A North Carolina appeals court has struck down parts of Wilmington’s short-term rental ordinance that required owners to register their rental properties.
Brevard is a small mountain town one hour away from Highlands. The elevation for the town is 2,231 feet and the population is 7,744 according to the most recent census data.

Brevard is a small mountain town one hour away from Highlands. The elevation for the town is 2,231 feet and the population is 7,744 according to the most recent census data.

Brevard town council learning before taking any action on STRs

Editor’s note: Highlands is not the only town struggling with an influx of people due to COVID-19, lack of affordable housing and a short-term rental issue on its hands.