Follow the trail to the issues, conversations and information connecting the region. 

Dear reader,

Happy Trails to 2025! What would you call the trail of 2025? Rocky and steep?  Gentle and picturesque? Let me know!   

From my viewpoint, the terrain has been rocky and challenging but ultimately rewarding.

Across much of  Western North Carolina, Hurricane Helene recovery continued as we move beyond the one year anniversary of the tragic natural disaster. Recovery was marked by communities working together, the red tape of federal funding and continued weather disasters. 

With the backdrop of recovery, changes in the federal government created ripple effects in Western North Carolina. FEMA shifts, a halt in SNAP benefits, high grocery prices, a low housing market and federal layoffs took their toll on the region. 

But we see time and time again how WNC communities are resilient and engaged. I see it every day as I talk with people across our region. And your enthusiasm and determination motivates me to bring you more- more stories about your neighbors, more of the information you need in your daily life, more news about what is happening in Raleigh that affects us here. 

What do you want to see more of in 2026? What stories aren’t being told that need to be heard? What state policy stories do you want to see NC Local dig into in the new year? 

Email us your ideas! 

Enjoy your time with family and friends this holiday season - it’s not too cold to take a hike together. 

Check this out

Can you hunt elk in North Carolina?

Local law enforcement received a flood of phone calls about the elk, prompting the N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission to help remove the swing. Photo courtesy of the Haywood Sheriff’s Office.

After years of work to conserve the elk, the population has reached a high enough number for lawmakers to consider lifting the hunting ban. Read more...

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Biggest stories of 2025

Looking back on 2025, local journalists stepped up to cover the aftermath and recovery of Hurricane Helene, ongoing natural disasters like wildfires and a near constant flow of political news. Here are the main stories that stuck with me from the year - all of which will continue in 2026.

• Helene recovery is undoubtedly the top story of the year. Although the storm happened in late September 2024, the water crisis in Buncombe County continued for nearly six weeks. And in the year since the hurricane, communities across WNC have struggled to rebuild homes, businesses and lives. As changes at the federal level created uncertainty, local nonprofits and mutual aid groups stepped up to fill the gaps. In 2026 recovery will continue - hopefully with a few lessons learned.

• In March 2025, with Helene less than six months in the rearview, another devastating natural disaster hit the region: wildfires spread across Graham, Swain, Haywood, Polk, Henderson, McDowell and Buncombe Counties. These wildfires were fueled by weather conditions and increased debris on the ground after Helene. This season particularly hit home for me when a fire sprang up for a few days in Jackson County just a few miles from my home. November saw wildfire danger, but damage was not as widespread as in the spring. Here’s some tips from the N.C. Forest Service to make sure that your home is ready for the next fire season. 

• The first year of Trump’s second term put politics into nearly every headline, and federal action wasn’t the only story. ProPublica’s Doug Bock Clark reported extensively on North Carolina’s conservative centers of power including state Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby and how the governor’s power in the state has been reallocated.  Changes to who holds power, combined with redistricting moves, yielded a new political landscape for much of our state. NC Local will continue to track the local impacts of these changes in 2026 and bring you the latest on how the midterms affect you.

• One of the most shocking stories of the year was the arrest of Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran as he was faced with five charges including rape and sexual assault. Cochran’s case is still working its way through the legal system in both state court and the Eastern Band of Cherokee’s tribal court. With all 100 sheriffs on the ballot in 2026, this case is sure to highlight the importance of who we choose to wear the badge. Not familiar with the story? Check out this reporting on Cochran’s history, local protests, the impacts on local government and the trial.  

• WHEW. 2025 felt like a heavy year for many in WNC. When that happens I turn to two things: animals and trails. The Associated Press organized the best animal photos of 2025. My personal favorite? The vultures making a 💜 with their wings.

My favorite trail

Chris Cooper

Welcome to a regular feature of The Trailhead: My Favorite Trail. Each installment will feature a WNC trail. This week, politics expert Chris Cooper shared his favorite spot. Want to share your favorite trail for a future newsletter? Email me!

A trail sign for the Tsali Trail Complex. Courtesy: Chris Cooper.

The Trail: Tsali Trail Complex  

When I interviewed Western Carolina University professor Chris Cooper about elections earlier this year, we also talked about his favorite trail. Cooper is an avid mountain biker so he chose his favorite trail for bikers, not hikers, but an alternating schedule lets everyone enjoy the trail. 

The Tsali Trail Complex in Swain County has four loop trails ranging from 7.3 miles to 13.9 miles, according to the Swain County Tourism Development Authority. They all include moderately difficult single track riding. The trail goes around the shores of Lake Fontana so it offers beautiful views of the lake throughout the ride.  

Why it is my favorite 

Cooper said he has been going to Tsali since the mid-1990s as a high schooler visiting his grandparents in Franklin. 

“I started mountain biking there in the mid-1990s, well before I ever lived in Western North Carolina and I've been mountain biking there ever since. It's a classic trail and probably my favorite,” he said. 

Locals might also be familiar with the nearby mountain biking area at Fire Mountain Trails on the Qualla Boundary. By comparison Tsali is a less difficult trail with no jumps, Cooper said. 

“I am an old man in many ways, and I have been biking a long time, and so my rule is to keep the rubber side down. I try to not take jumps. I do go to Fire Mountain a lot and I go around those jumps,” Cooper said.  “My logic is I would rather bike longer and wreck less. And so far, knock on wood, that's worked.” 

That seems like good advice on many fronts. So I hope you stay rubber side down as we close out 2025!