We would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the Sylva, Dillsboro and Cullowhee community for welcoming us like an old friend.
Lately, The Western Carolinian has partnered with an increasing number of Jackson County community members. In the past few months, we have established a Citizen Spotlight series and a food review column because of how gracious the towns have received us. They make time for us in their hectic lives to answer our never-ending questions and go above and beyond to make sure we have plenty of information for our articles.
Also, businesses in the town of Sylva, as well as shops located on Western Carolina University’s main campus, have requested that they be able to share The Western Carolinian with their patrons, like Jack the Dipper ice cream parlor and Xpressions Hair Studio. Because we run The Western Carolinian not just as a registered student organization but also as a business, we are overjoyed to see more community members become involved with our distribution.
As Murat Yazan, assistant director of WCU’s Writing and Learning Commons, said, Western Carolina can seem like a “gated community,” but we have many exciting activities and breaking news stories occurring on campus that affect the people of Sylva, Cullowhee and Dillsboro. To have their input with interviews, Letters to the Editor and places to distribute the published paper allows us to expand our news coverage and provide student staff members with more opportunities to shine and learn about other aspects journalism.
We hope to continue this expansion and give coverage to events, businesses and citizens in these towns. If you know someone who has made an outstanding effort or has a unique story to tell, nominate them for the Citizen Spotlight series. Eat at an excellent dish unlike any other at a restaurant? Tell us to review them for our column. Want to distribute The Western Carolinian, a free newspaper, at your business? Do not hesitate to contact us. For all of these issues as well as Letters to the Editor and other story ideas, please email Editor-in-Chief Lex Menz at lmenz@westerncarolinian.com. Again, thank you!
