Local

Photo by Christopher Smith/Staff Patrick Taylor giving a speech after winning the Highlands Mayoral race on Tuesday night.

Photo by Christopher Smith/Staff Patrick Taylor giving a speech after winning the Highlands Mayoral race on Tuesday night.

2021 Municipal Election results

Highlander Editor
Wednesday, November 3, 2021
With 490 votes tallied in Tuesday night’s municipal elections, the incumbent mayor Patrick Taylor was reelected, incumbent commissioner Amy Patterson was reelected and former commissioner Eric Pierson was elected to serve on the Highlands Board of Commissioners once again.
The first set of questions and the introduction were published in last week’s edition of The Highlander. This week’s article will include the last three questions and the candidates’ closing remarks.

The first set of questions and the introduction were published in last week’s edition of The Highlander. This week’s article will include the last three questions and the candidates’ closing remarks.

Mayoral candidates discuss town issues at live forum: Part 2

Highlander Editor
Thursday, October 28, 2021
On Tuesday, Oct. 19, The Highlander hosted its first ever live Mayoral Candidate Forum to inform the town of the two candidates’ opinions on different issues in the Town of Highlands. Below is a direct trarnscript of the happenings.
The board voted unanimously to remove the mask mandate in all business areas including the sidewalk and in the town facilities.

The board voted unanimously to remove the mask mandate in all business areas including the sidewalk and in the town facilities.

Board of Commissioners vote to end mask mandate

Highlander Editor
Thursday, October 28, 2021
After two months of reinstating the mask mandate in the Town of Highlands to try and stop the spread of COVID-19, the Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to rescind the mandate. Back when the board reinstated the mandate, the positivity rate of COVID-19 was up to 18 percent in Macon County.
Photo by Christopher Lugo/Staff American Chestnut Foundation president Lisa Thomson visited the 73-acre farm of Highlands local Sallie Smith seven years after giving seedlings to Smith.

Photo by Christopher Lugo/Staff American Chestnut Foundation president Lisa Thomson visited the 73-acre farm of Highlands local Sallie Smith seven years after giving seedlings to Smith.

A 100-year Project

Highlander Editor
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Deep in the mountains, on a 73-acre farm, one Highlands local has teamed up with the American Chestnut Foundation to make sure the American chestnut does not go extinct. On Sept.
Jane Webb, PAC secretary, signs the wall.

Jane Webb, PAC secretary, signs the wall.

PAC wall signing

Highlander Editor
Thursday, October 21, 2021
Donors, Representatives from the Highlands Cashiers Chamber Music Festival, the Highlands Cashiers Players, the Highlands Playhouse (resident groups), town officials, and representatives from Choate Construction and JLL were on hand to toast champagne and sign the interior wall of the backstage...
Under the $28.6 billion program, which was part of the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion relief package, restaurants and bars could qualify for grants up to $10 million per business and $5 million per location to match the losses they suffered due to the pandemic.

Under the $28.6 billion program, which was part of the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion relief package, restaurants and bars could qualify for grants up to $10 million per business and $5 million per location to match the losses they suffered due to the pandemic.

Highlands restaurants recieve $1.3 million in RRF money

Highlander Editor
Thursday, October 21, 2021
Five restaurants in Highlands jumped on the train of receiving money from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Only about 40 percent of the North Carolina restaurants that applied for money from a federal program designed to help them actually received any before it ran out of money.