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Photo courtesy of Kenny and Heather Burleson. Run for Holland brought these runners together in 2025, and some people who could not attend in person signed up as spirit runners, paying the registration fee and running at their homes. The 5K race will start at 8:30 am on Saturday, May 2, at Riverside Park, Spruce Pine.

Photo courtesy of Kenny and Heather Burleson. Run for Holland brought these runners together in 2025, and some people who could not attend in person signed up as spirit runners, paying the registration fee and running at their homes. The 5K race will start at 8:30 am on Saturday, May 2, at Riverside Park, Spruce Pine.

Run for Holland 5K returns May 2

Mitchell News-Journal
Monday, April 13, 2026
Kiesa Kay MNJ Contributor   Holland Burleson, age 12, has been bringing awareness to her community even before the day she was born: Her parents, Adam and Brooke Burleson, started the Run for Holland thirteen years ago to support and celebrate people diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome.
Photo courtesy of Allyson Pokrzywinski. Light smoke rises from the mostly-controlled Jumping Branch Fire in McDowell County.

Photo courtesy of Allyson Pokrzywinski. Light smoke rises from the mostly-controlled Jumping Branch Fire in McDowell County.

Marion woman charged for Jumping Branch fire

Mariel Williams
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Hilary Brooke Inman, 38, of Marion has been cited and charged for inadvertently starting a prominent wildfire in McDowell County that has significantly impacted air quality in Mitchell County in recent days. According to an N.C.
MNJ Photo/Jaren Gragg. From left, County Extension Director Brandon Pitman poses with Terry and George Moffitt of Tater Hill Farm.

MNJ Photo/Jaren Gragg. From left, County Extension Director Brandon Pitman poses with Terry and George Moffitt of Tater Hill Farm.

Head, Heart, Hands & Health

(not verified)
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Jaren Gragg MNJ Correspondent   The N.C. Cooperative Extension of Mitchell County welcomed community members, families, and local leaders to Bear Creek Baptist Church recently for its Report to the People and 4-H Awards Night. Founded in the early 1900s, 4-H is part of the U.S.
MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. Smoke rises over the hills behind Poplar. A forest fire has been burning in the area along the Tennessee border for more than a week.

MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. Smoke rises over the hills behind Poplar. A forest fire has been burning in the area along the Tennessee border for more than a week.

Poplar Fire burns 370 acres along Tennessee border

Mitchell News-Journal
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
According to the most recent update from the U.S. Forest Service, the forest fire near Poplar has affected 370 acres of forest along the Tennessee border. As of Monday, the Poplar Fire was 90 percent contained.
MNJ Photo/Steffen Silvis. Dr. Daniel Barron, the chair of the Mitchell County Historical Society, stands next to the Mitchell County History Bee’s high school winners. From left are Connor Miller (second place, Mayland Early College), Sam Jones (third place, Mitchell High School), and Grace Smith (first place, Mitchell High School).

MNJ Photo/Steffen Silvis. Dr. Daniel Barron, the chair of the Mitchell County Historical Society, stands next to the Mitchell County History Bee’s high school winners. From left are Connor Miller (second place, Mayland Early College), Sam Jones (third place, Mitchell High School), and Grace Smith (first place, Mitchell High School).

The History Bee returns with a future

Steffen Silvis
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
How did the Toe River get its name? What retired MIT chemistry professor founded a free lending library in Mitchell County with over 10,000 books in 1885? How many generations of the Woody Family has built chairs in Grassy Creek?
MNJ Photo/Jaren Gragg. Gov. Josh Stein greets local government officials in Bakersville. Stein visited a home reconstruction site and spoke about disaster recovery.

MNJ Photo/Jaren Gragg. Gov. Josh Stein greets local government officials in Bakersville. Stein visited a home reconstruction site and spoke about disaster recovery.

Stein visits Mitchell

Mitchell News-Journal
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Jaren Gragg MNJ Contributor   Gov. Josh Stein visited Bakersville to observe recovery efforts underway following the impact of Hurricane Helene (downgraded to a tropical storm) in Mitchell County Thursday.