News

Economic update

Mariel Williams
Monday, January 26, 2026
Bill Slagle, executive director of the Mitchell County Economic Development Commission, gave a report on the EDC to the Mitchell County Board of Commissioners last week. Slagle noted that the written version of his semi-annual report is posted on the EDC’s website.
MNJ Photo/Jaren Gragg. The Spruce Pine Rebuild Center is being operated by Baptists on Mission as a volunteer hub for disaster recovery.

MNJ Photo/Jaren Gragg. The Spruce Pine Rebuild Center is being operated by Baptists on Mission as a volunteer hub for disaster recovery.

Old school begins a new mission

(not verified)
Monday, January 26, 2026
The old Deyton school building, located at 308 Harris St. in Spruce Pine, has been transformed into the Baptists on Mission Spruce Pine Rebuild Center. The building was purchased in November 2024 to support Baptists on Mission’s disaster-relief response efforts in the High Country.
MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. Winter Storm Fern did not live up to all the dire predictions made last week, but Mitchell County still got its share of ice and icy winds.

MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. Winter Storm Fern did not live up to all the dire predictions made last week, but Mitchell County still got its share of ice and icy winds.

Surviving a winter wonderland

Mariel Williams
Monday, January 26, 2026
Winter Storm Fern may not have been quite as severe as predicted, but Mitchell County is still recovering from a not-insignificant amount of winter weather over the weekend. Most local governments had declared a state of emergency by Friday, as did North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein.

Town council approves personnel policy changes

Mariel Williams
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
The Spruce Pine Town Council voted to approve a new personnel policy at its meeting last week. The personnel policy was developed after the town hired a consultant last year to improve staffing, personnel retention and recruitment methods.
MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. Spruce Pine resident Martin Frady tells the Town Council about his quest to get water service restored for several weeks.

MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. Spruce Pine resident Martin Frady tells the Town Council about his quest to get water service restored for several weeks.

Spruce Pine residents irate about Christmas water outage

Mariel Williams
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
The Spruce Pine Town Council faced an unusually packed house at its regular meeting last week, as a number of residents of Ollis Road and Sullins Branch area came to complain that their water has been out for weeks, beginning before Christmas.
MNJ Photo/Jaren Gragg. Loafer’s Glory suffered considerable storm damage during Hurricane Helene.

MNJ Photo/Jaren Gragg. Loafer’s Glory suffered considerable storm damage during Hurricane Helene.

ROAD TO RECOVERY

(not verified)
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Jaren Gragg MNJ Correspondent   When Hurricane Helene (downgraded to a tropical storm after slowing down over land) swept through Western North Carolina, the storm brought heavy rainfall, flooding, prolonged power outages, and significant damage, limiting access to supplies and services vital to...

Sibelco eliminates jobs, EDC offers help

Mariel Williams
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
The Mitchell Economic Development Commission (EDC) and the Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce will be working to assist local residents affected by last week’s announcement of a significant workforce reduction by Sibelco Corp. at its Mitchell County operations.
MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. Outgoing Mayland Community College President John Boyd, right, introduces his replacement, Aron Gabriel, to the Mitchell County Board of Commissioners.

MNJ Photo/Mariel Williams. Outgoing Mayland Community College President John Boyd, right, introduces his replacement, Aron Gabriel, to the Mitchell County Board of Commissioners.

Aron Gabriel takes over at Mayland

Mariel Williams
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
Aron Gabriel is the new president of Mayland Community College, as of Friday. Gabriel took over from retiring president John Boyd in a small ceremony at the college Friday, with the faculty in attendance.
MNJ Photo/Steffen Silvis. Dana Moore works on both a dog and a cat portrait in her Deer Park Lake Studio.

MNJ Photo/Steffen Silvis. Dana Moore works on both a dog and a cat portrait in her Deer Park Lake Studio.

Capturing animals in oils

Steffen Silvis
Tuesday, January 13, 2026
During Toe River Arts’ November Studio Tours, painter Carmen Grier was wrapping purchases of her work for a group of Charlotte visitors when one of them spotted a business card on Grier’s work table. She asked about the card, which featured an oil portrait of a white terrier.