Opinion

Mayor on Duty - 5.15.25

Last Thursday, the Highlands Board members and staff, along with almost all the municipalities in North Carolina, were tracking bills in the legislative hopper that would impact our ability to execute land use and zoning policies at the local level.

Support for the arts increasingly crucial

Maybe the performing arts aren’t your cup of tea. That’s fine, to each their own. But whether each of us particularly enjoy theatre, there is no question that the performing arts are worthy of community support.

Mayor on Duty - 5.8.25

I had the honor of making a few remarks at the 150th Anniversary Toast to Highlands Party that the Highlands Chamber of Commerce sponsored at the Highlands Country Club. The crux of my remarks was that the Highlanders who have come before us made good decisions for the community.

Thank you to local nurses

On the football field, when a team is winning a lot of games, it’s often the quarterback who gets the glory. That’s all good and well, but anyone who knows football, knows that no quarterback can succeed without a solid offensive line and competent receivers.

Mayor on Duty - 5.1.25

I try to keep track of recovery efforts in other communities in Western North Carolina. It becomes a rather daunting task when one realizes that there are so many wide-ranging problems yet to be fully resolved in the aftermath of this terrible disaster. Many infrastructure challenges still remain.

May flowers remind us to BEE Kind

We’ve all done it. Maybe you remember the uncomfortable squirming in your desk chair during a test in high school. You knew the answer to the question, but you couldn’t stop second-guessing yourself.

Mayor on Duty - 4.24.25

Well, I thought the town board meeting would be long, and I was right. The town board meeting last Thursday was a marathon, going to about 10:45 p.m.  A lot of critical items were on the agenda, like moving the Mirror Lake dredging project forward.

House Bill presents hurdles for towns

If you’d like an exciting read, there are thrillers like Stephen King’s classic “Pet Sematary” or John Grisham’s “A Time to Kill.” On the other end of the spectrum, if you are looking for something to put you to sleep, take a gander at NC House Bill 765 Version II.

Mayor on Duty - 4.10.25

The impending budget, Mirror Lake dredging, storm recovery, code enforcement, the STR bill, state pressures on municipal zoning, and the start of town construction projects are all issues facing Highlands.

Falling trees have travel impact

If you’ve taken to the main roadways around Highlands and Cashiers over the past two weeks, you have likely found yourself delayed.