Becca Scott

Swain County residents can now find a new hotspot to connect to at the Swain County Recreational Park, thanks to a grant from the Southwestern Commission. Leonard Winchester, a member of the Swain County Broadband Committee, says the addition of a hotspot at the Swain Rec Park is an ideal location. “It’s conveniently located, everybody knows … Read more

The new year brings free Wi-Fi internet to downtown Sylva, providing a safe, public space for students and residents who may not have access in their homes, and allowing visitors to stay in town longer. The new service is a result of a partnership between SkyFi, Inc., BalsamWest, the Southwestern Commission, Jackson County Economic Development, … Read more

The non-mandatory Pre-bid meeting for the “WNC Kitchens at the WNC Farmers Market” project will take place at 10:00am on Tuesday, October 5th, 2021, at the project site:  WNC Farmers Market, Building Site.  Bids are due November 11, 2021, at 2pm.   This project will be bid and administered as an Informal Project through the … Read more

Summary of “American Rescue Plan: Local Government Funding for Affordable Housing Development” by UNC School of Government’s Tyler Mulligan The Federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 established Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (FRF) which will distribute substantial amounts of funds to state and local governments for the purpose of responding “to the … Read more

The Southwestern Rural Planning Organization has published a draft methodology for assigning local input points to potential transportation projects. Local input points are used to improve the quantitative score in an effort to obtain funding for a particular project in NCDOT’s State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). Public comments are requested on the local input point … Read more

The Southwestern Commission Area Agency on Aging is honored to once again provide the region with EMBRACING AGING: A Senior Resource Guide for the Southwestern Mountains of N.C. This guide connects older adults and their caregivers to resources within our region in an easy-to-navigate format. The articles and information—along with simply knowing whom to call … Read more

The Southwestern Commission has compiled new information and new resources for an update to our COVID Resource Guide.  In this document, you will find information relevant for businesses, nonprofits, local government units, and residents in our region.  Please continue to check back as we will continue to update this resource guide as needed!