Paul Foster

Miss Caldwell County, NC, Jamie Logan, joined The Friday Feature to talk about the experience of taking part as a contestant in a beauty pageant and how it can become a rewarding experience as you give back to others. In 2026, Jamie will take part in a number of events as she makes appearances and donates her time and talents to help within the Caldwell County community and across the state. She called it a way to help make a difference. Jamie will also compete for the Miss North Carolina title next summer. This interview originally aired in early December.

GROW NC spokesperson, Matt Calabria sat down with WNCW to provide the latest on the ongoing recovery efforts for Western North Carolina related to Hurricane Helene. Matt shared numerous examples of already accomplished recovery efforts, in particular from Lake Lure to Spruce Pine and on to Asheville. He shared what's still to come, as the needs remain at a high level. We also heard about many groups and individuals who serve on Governor Josh Stein's Recovery Team. This interview originally aired in early December.

Asheville Watchdog Reporter John Boyle was interviewed about his recent story on the decline of Asheville's black population. John created a four-part series that covered everything from affordable housing to better jobs and salaries, and how leaders in Buncombe County are reviewing public recommendations that might help bring a solution. In another topic, John shared his research about the widely varying prices among propane distributors in Buncombe County.

The Hart Square Foundation, including Hart Square Park, located in Catawba County, aims to keep a historic and old-time tradition alive. It involves a community of hand-built log cabins, craft makers, etc., on 200 acres in Valdese. They provide tours and events, including the Annual Heritage Festival.

It's no surprise, especially in North Carolina, that there's a huge number of UNC Men's Basketball fans. Scott Whisnant was someone who grew up in the time of the old-school ACC basketball territories. Someone who was on the edge of his seat with every Tarheel game - including historic battles with Duke and NC State. In his book, Tarheel Bred, Scott covers how the events of his life correlated with UNC hoops.

Host of the political podcast, Frogmore Stew, based in the South Carolina low country, Grace Cowan, shared details from an interview with former State Representative Rita Allison. Topics discussed were how students are handling curricula like math and science, and how parents should always have a choice in the type of school their children attend.

The Hart Square Foundation, including Hart Square Park, located in Catawba County, aims to keep a historic and old-time tradition alive. It involves a community of hand-built log cabins, craft makers, etc., on 200 acres in Valdese. They provide tours and events, including the Annual Heritage Festival.

WUNC Education Reporter, Liz Schlemmer, was our guest to talk about how many school districts across North Carolina were able to add new and needed teachers; however, they still had to reduce their number of vacancies. Even though a good number of new teachers were hired in K-12, cuts were necessary in other positions.

WNCW had a chance to recap recent stories by Smoky Mountain News on how the federal government shutdown is affecting Great Smoky Mountains National Park and how nonprofits are helping to keep locations along the park operating. This includes support from Friends of the Smokies and Smokies Life. Our guest was the News Editor of Smoky Mountain News, Kyle Perrotti.