Local

MNJ Photo/Steffen Silvis. This yellow mineral on display at the Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show is a sample of crystalized sulfur from Mount Etna in Italy.

MNJ Photo/Steffen Silvis. This yellow mineral on display at the Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show is a sample of crystalized sulfur from Mount Etna in Italy.

Rock stars

Steffen Silvis
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
The 41st annual Grassy Creek Mineral and Gem Show, which runs through Aug. 3, highlights Spruce Pine’s role as a mining hub.

Police cracking down on speeders

Mariel Williams
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
The Spruce Pine Town Council met last week for a short meeting considering routine business.   Police Spruce Pine Chief of Police Kasey Cook reported to the council that he is continuing a crackdown on speeding in response to resident complaints.
MNJ Photo/Steffen Silvis. Mountain Community Health Partnership held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new facility Friday. (Above) Director of Grants and Business Development Jamie McMahan praises the project’s partners.

MNJ Photo/Steffen Silvis. Mountain Community Health Partnership held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new facility Friday. (Above) Director of Grants and Business Development Jamie McMahan praises the project’s partners.

Breaking new ground

Steffen Silvis
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Mountain Community Health Partnership held a groundbreaking Friday for its new development on a 105-acre lot in Grassy Creek. MCHP’s planned 27-thousand-foot facility is designed as an integrated health community, featuring medical and mental health care, as well as therapy services.
MNJ Photos/Steffen Silvis Based in Elizabethon, Tennessee, the popular Diggy Donuts came to a recent Tasty Thursday. The Diggy Donuts truck is a miniature bakery, where you can watch doughnuts being freshly made and then topped with glaze, chocolate, or caramel.

MNJ Photos/Steffen Silvis Based in Elizabethon, Tennessee, the popular Diggy Donuts came to a recent Tasty Thursday. The Diggy Donuts truck is a miniature bakery, where you can watch doughnuts being freshly made and then topped with glaze, chocolate, or caramel.

Food Truck rally

Steffen Silvis
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
It began toward the end of the coronavirus pandemic: A rally of food trucks began gathering on Oak Avenue in downtown Spruce Pine, which provided a chance for people to meet and eat together in the open air.
MNJ Photos/Sarah Atkins. Sen. Ralph Hise cuts the ribbon during the grand opening of the new YMCA facility. From left are Van Phillips, John Blackburn, Sarah Grimes, Williams YMCA CEO Trey Oakley, Hise, Mayland Community College President John Boyd and N.C. Gov. Josh Stein.

MNJ Photos/Sarah Atkins. Sen. Ralph Hise cuts the ribbon during the grand opening of the new YMCA facility. From left are Van Phillips, John Blackburn, Sarah Grimes, Williams YMCA CEO Trey Oakley, Hise, Mayland Community College President John Boyd and N.C. Gov. Josh Stein.

YMCA opens in Spruce Pine

Mitchell News-Journal
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Sarah Atkins seatkins05@gmail.com   Excitement brewed as rainy skies cleared Friday afternoon, and the new YMCA in Mitchell County celebrated its opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. A public hearing will be held on July 29 at 6 p.m. in the old Bowman school building in Bakersville to discuss a proposed mine near this area of the Poplar community.

MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. A public hearing will be held on July 29 at 6 p.m. in the old Bowman school building in Bakersville to discuss a proposed mine near this area of the Poplar community.

Public hearing to discuss proposed mining

Mariel Williams
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality will hold a public hearing to discuss a proposed mine in the Poplar/Green Mountain area on July 29 at 6 p.m. in the old Bowman school building in Bakersville.

Fire danger

Mariel Williams
Monday, July 7, 2025
At a special called “fiscal” year-end meeting last week, the Mitchell County Board of Commissioners focused mainly on disaster recovery issues: Fire danger caused by the trees knocked down by Hurricane Helene (downgraded to a tropical storm after slowing down over land) and recovery funding.
MNJ Photos/Steffen Silvis. A horseless carriage takes to Upper Street (Oak Avenue) adorned with patriotic bunting.

MNJ Photos/Steffen Silvis. A horseless carriage takes to Upper Street (Oak Avenue) adorned with patriotic bunting.

Spruce Pine’s 4th of July takes the 5th

Steffen Silvis
Monday, July 7, 2025
If July 4 was a day for family and friends to celebrate together over barbeques and picnic tables, the 5th was reserved for the community coming back together to mark the day collectively.