Smoky Mountain News

OldTown Bank

Wed05222013

     Subscribe  |  Contact  |  Advertise  |  RSS Feed  |  Other Publications

Subscribe to this RSS feed
Wednesday, 09 November 2011 21:22

County workers ready for move-in day at remodeled Walmart in Haywood

Finishing on time and on budget, the Haywood County Department of Social Services and several other government offices will move from their deteriorating, cramped homes to the renovated former Walmart by mid-January. The Walmart shell was purchased and renovated at…
Wednesday, 09 November 2011 21:20

Business owners craft campaign to promote alcohol sales

A group of Cherokee business leaders will be a driving force in the campaign to permit alcohol sales on the reservation. Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will vote in April on whether to legalize alcohol sales on…
Wednesday, 09 November 2011 21:19

Faculty want say in future reorganizations

Constant reshuffling of the organizational structure at Western Carolina University — at least three such applecart upsets in just six years — led to a recent faculty resolution seeking some order to the chaos. “This … is in response to…
Wednesday, 09 November 2011 21:18

Jackson board to revisit U.S. 441 zoning plan

Rules in Jackson County controlling how development occurs along the five-mile stretch or so of U.S. 441 that leads into the Cherokee Indian Reservation are undergoing review. That concerns former Commissioner William Shelton, a resident and farmer who lives and…
Wednesday, 09 November 2011 21:17

Shuler leads national call for much larger debt cuts

Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, is leading a bipartisan call, asking the joint super committee to spare nothing in its cuts to the U.S. deficit. “It will be heard throughout the world that we can do something together,” Shuler said in…
Wednesday, 09 November 2011 21:12

Franklin revs up for foray into motorcycle scene

Motorcycle rallies are all the rage these days in Western North Carolina, and Franklin tourism leaders are busy finalizing plans to take their first bite out of that tempting economic pie. “Rumble in the Smokies” is scheduled to take place…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:30

Bryson City — from sleeper race to write-in frenzy

Despite only having one candidate on its ballot, the Bryson City mayoral race has heated up, with two potential write-in candidates joining the race. Bryson City resident Tom Sutton is actively campaigning as a write-in candidate, while current mayor Brad…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:30

Man thieving election signs

Hide your posters; hide your signs. Somebody might sneak on your property and snatch all your election signs up. The Maggie Valley Police Department is looking for an unidentified white male who has been seen stealing elections signs from an…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:29

2011 Peace Conference addresses poverty

Registration is still open for the fourth annual Lake Junaluska Peace Conference, “Poverty, Abundance, and Peace:  Seeking Economic Justice for All God’s Children,” on Nov. 13-15. Speakers for this year’s conference include Sen. George McGovern; David Beckmann, executive director of…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:14

Speakers urge state to deny rate hike request

Economic times are simply too hard, and Duke Energy is being too greedy for the state utilities commission to allow the company to hike its rates, many of the speakers taking advantage of a public hearing in Franklin said last…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:14

Surgeons support women’s right to choose

Newly released statistics compiled by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show more than 79,000 breast reconstruction procedures were performed in 2008, a 39 percent increase compared to 2007. Yet according to a recent report, almost 70 percent of women…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:13

WCU to hold Native American Heritage Expo

The third annual Native American Heritage Expo will be held at Western Carolina University beginning Nov. 7. All events held throughout the week are free and open to the public. The Native American Heritage Expo will explore the rich and…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:13

AARP thanks veterans for service

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Driver Safety Program is offering a free, four-hour classroom course to all veterans and their spouses, regardless of age, from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30. It will update participants’ knowledge of roads, traffic…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:12

Catamount Legacy Walk fundraiser begins

With about half of the bricks for the first section of the Western Carolina University Catamount Legacy Walk commissioned, facilitators are expanding publicity efforts in hopes of having the first section installed before spring commencement. A fundraiser for a student…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:12

Grant money available

Tourism groups and projects that want to apply for a 1 percent funding grant from the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority have until 5 p.m., Nov. 7, to the town subcommittees in Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Clyde and Canton.
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:11

Foster home recruitment rally to be held

The Haywood County Department of Social Services is hosting an informational recruitment rally Nov. 5 from 1-4 p.m. Haywood County Department of Social Services is collaborating with other foster home agencies to hold the event, which aims to teach to…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:11

Hall named Macon finance director

Lori Hall has been selected as the new Finance Director for Macon County. Hall replaces Evelyn Southard, a long time county finance director who retired at the end of October. Hall began Oct. 31. Hall was selected from among two-dozen…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:10

MedWest offering ‘Hope for the Holidays’

A community event to help people deal with feelings of grief and loss during the upcoming holidays will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. and from 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 8 at First Baptist Church of Waynesville. Palliative Care and Hospice Services…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:06

Jackson room tax hike threatens Cashiers tourism group

Cashiers could soon lose autonomy over its tourism marketing efforts if a plan to merge two separate tourism entities in Jackson County goes through. While Cashiers tourism leaders are fighting to save this independent marketing arm, those in favor of…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 19:04

Where do the candidates shake out?

Three challengers in the Waynesville town election have staked out clear positions against the town’s commercial development standards. They say they would institute a review of the town’s ordinances if elected and want to loosen the standards. Current town leaders…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 18:57

Land use plan ‘truthometer’: What really happened to all those new businesses that were coming to Waynesville?

Did Waynesville run off a Cracker Barrel? What about Chick-fil-A? Challengers running in next week’s town election say Waynesville’s appearance standards for new commercial business are deterring development. A political action committee calling itself the Waynesville-Haywood Concerned Citizens are publicizing…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 18:57

Planning regs in Macon keep center stage

Macon County commissioners decided last week that they needed more time to study whether to implement construction guidelines recommended by the county’s planning board. During a workshop on the issue, commissioners heard a stern warning from a licensed engineer and…
Wednesday, 02 November 2011 18:53

Let the battles begin in Cherokee

Cherokee tribal members could vote this April on whether to allow alcoholic beverage sales on the reservation, one month before a similar referendum will be held on legalizing sales countywide in neighboring Jackson County. Cherokee’s referendum is contingent on Principal…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 12:45

Optimistic outlook for lodging revenue falls short

The Haywood County Tourism Board was hoping for a 15 percent increase in occupancy tax collection this August, but what it saw was a 20 percent decline. “The August numbers aren’t good,” said Lynn Collins, director of the tourism agency.…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 12:45

Rerouting lines gets bridge project off to a slow start

Although work has barely begun, the replacement of Park Street Bridge in Canton has already hit a delay. The project was previously slated for completion on Nov. 5, 2012, but the date has been pushed back to Dec. 1. The…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 12:41

Craft brewery hops into Frog Level

Just beyond the large glass doors and computer paper “Coming Soon” signs, Clark Williams is filling kegs with his flagship brews. “Getting open is the challenge right now,” Williams said, who is anxious to see people socializing at Frog Level…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 12:40

Free Alzheimer’s screenings

In recognition of National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month, Western Carolina University will offer free confidential memory screenings on Nov. 15 at the Haywood County Office Building on Elmwood Way in Waynesville. The purpose of the 15-minute memory screenings is to…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 12:40

Walk for a good cause

An HIV/AIDS Awareness Walk will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. in Asheville. Walkers will gather at The Grove House Complex at 11 Grove Street, and then move uptown to rally at Pack Square. The mission of the…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 12:39

Cherokee Youth Center will be built in Graham

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will build a youth center facility on approximately 20 acres of national forest land near Robbinsville. The youth center, affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club of America, will offer a variety of programs…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 12:39

Pigeon River truss bridge gets replacement

The state’s oldest metal truss bridge will be replaced with a new, $1.7-million bridge built beside the old one. The truss bridge, which was constructed in 1891, is located over the Pigeon River on Chambers Farm Lane near the intersection…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 12:37

Off-the-books accounts used to hide funds, warrants say

Less than two weeks after the Bryson City Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to fire Fire Chief Joey Hughes, state officials searched his home as part of an ongoing investigation into whether he misdirected funds. Investigators with the North Carolina…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:56

Hello Walmart Supercenter; hello vacant Walmart shell

When Walmart of Franklin moves from U.S. 441 to its new location next spring, at least two — perhaps three — of the other businesses in Holly Springs Plaza will move right along with the retail giant. That’s not a…
Tuesday, 25 October 2011 20:55

What’s going on, Franklin? Town leaders to stroll back into office unchallenged

In a town that has long thrived on competitive, and sometimes markedly heated, political contests, the prospect of an incumbents-only race this November in Franklin seems ghastly. Even to several of the shoo-in incumbents themselves. “Maybe they’re afraid they might…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:54

Mission Hospital monopoly debated

More than 300 people packed a public hearing last week to debate whether Mission Hospital in Asheville is an overbearing monopoly and is unfairly squeezing out smaller hospitals in the region. Doctors, hospital leaders and patients from across Western North…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:54

Walk for a good cause in Asheville Nov. 5

An HIV/AIDS Awareness Walk will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. in Asheville. Walkers will gather at The Grove House Complex at 11 Grove Street, and then move uptown to rally at Pack Square. County Commissioner David Gantt,…
Tuesday, 25 October 2011 20:54

MedWest volunteer classes coming up

Palliative Care and Hospice Services of MedWest Health System will hold a series of training classes for new volunteers Oct. 31 through Nov. 3 in Sylva. The 12-hour series will acquaint volunteers with the Hospice philosophy and program. Sessions run…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:53

Cherokee Youth Center will be built in Graham

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will build a youth center facility on approximately 20 acres of national forest land near Robbinsville. The youth center, affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club of America, will offer a variety of programs…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:53

Carolina Readiness Supply thanks customers

Carolina Readiness Supply will have a Customer Appreciation Day at their new location, 72 Montgomery Street in Waynesville, just below the Main Street Sun Trust Bank on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.   There will be book…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:52

WCU campus leaders accept challenge to eat on $1.50 a day

Inspired by a Global Poverty Project presentation on campus, the president of Western Carolina University’s Student Government Association and the wife of Chancellor David O. Belcher will eat on just $1.50 per day for five days. To help raise awareness…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:51

WCU chancellor cans athletics director

Western Carolina University Chancellor David O. Belcher this week fired C. Joseph “Chip” Smith, the director of intercollegiate athletics. Belcher announced that Fredrick Q. Cantler, WCU’s longtime senior associate athletic director for internal operations, has agreed to come out of…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:50

It took four decades, but new gym and fine arts center looks certain

Design work on a proposed gym and fine arts center will move forward at Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva, with commissioners this week giving the school board an unofficial thumbs up. Additionally, upgrading the men’s dressing room at Blue…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:50

Sylva explores historic district designation

There’s a move afoot in Sylva to designate some of the downtown area as a national historic district. A study, expected to take about six months to complete, will help determine whether and which parts of town have enough historic…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:49

HCC president to leave legacy of sustainability

When Rose Johnson took over at Haywood Community College five years ago, she was clearly a woman on a mission to transform both the campus and curriculum into a model of sustainability. It wasn’t always obvious at the time, but…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:48

Cherokee Indian Hospital CEO to speak Nov. 2

Casey Cooper, chief executive officer for Cherokee Indian Hospital, will deliver Western Carolina University’s annual public lecture on Indian health at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2. Cooper will address the topic “The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians: Issues in Health”…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:48

Foster care, adoption awareness event set

Homeward Bound, a foster care/adoption awareness event coordinated by the Haywood County Department of Social Services and Western North Carolina foster care agencies, will be held from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 5, at Long’s Chapel United Methodist Church.…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:47

Help a kid, give a coat

The final day to donate “Coats for Kids” through the Cullowhee United Methodist Church and Cullowhee Valley Elementary School is Monday, Oct. 31. Donations of good-condition used or new warm clothing, hats, gloves, shoes and coats can be dropped off…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:44

Canton candidates target downtown revitalization, recreation

Four years ago, candidates for office in Canton wanted new faces. Two years ago, their platforms were cooperation. And this year, business development and recreation are the common threads among candidates. “I think we also need to look at doing…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:43

Too fancy or just right?

Waynesville has spent $7 million over the past four years building a new fire station, police station and town offices — projects that have come under fire by some challengers for the town board. Opponents point to the architecture — the…
Wednesday, 26 October 2011 20:27

Meet the candidates: Who’s who in Waynesville’s race

Waynesville mayor: Pick one Mayor Gavin Brown, 64, attorney. Mayor for four years, town alderman for eight Every morning Mayor Gavin Brown dons his town of Waynesville pin on his suit lapel before heading out the door to his law…
Thursday, 20 October 2011 17:54

Share your stories of home with Smoky Mountain Living magazine

This winter Smoky Mountain Living is celebrating the home. Help share the joys of home by telling about your hometown in 300 words or less. Some questions to consider as you think about writing are: What was it like growing…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:55

Business notes

A program on “Mastering the Workplace” will be held at 8 a.m. Nov. 9 in Waynesville by the Young Professionals group of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. Learn the inside secrets to becoming an invaluable employee from speaker Meridith…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:54

Sunburst Trout opens Waynesville location

Sunburst Trout Farm has opened a retail location in downtown Waynesville, offering a convenient spot to pick up local trout products without driving out to the farm itself. “This has been an idea we have had for many years, but…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:54

WCU ranked among best for business

The Princeton Review has named Western Carolina University’s College of Business one of the top business schools in the country. The annual ranking received high marks for its master’s degree in business administration and finance and management preparation. “These accolades…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:53

MedWest focuses on fall prevention

Programs at the Osteoporosis Center at MedWest-Haywood already promote the prevention, detection and treatment of osteoporosis, but the doctors at the center want to do more. They want to identify people who are at risk for falling, which can lead…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:53

Nominate volunteers for citizenship award

Duke Energy and the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce is looking for nominees for its Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award, which honors volunteers. Nominees should be individuals or groups who make a difference in their community or workplace by…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:50

Barking dogs spark pleas for ordinance change

Residents in a Cashiers subdivision weary of incessant dog barking called on county commissioners this week to help them find some peace and quiet. “For the past six years, our community has had to deal with a kennel of dogs…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:49

Jackson nixes consumption of booze at library

Jackson County commissioners won’t allow alcohol to be served during private functions at the newly renovated historic courthouse and library. Library supporters have been marketing the venue as an ideal spot for receptions, weddings and other functions as a way…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:47

Cold for a cause: High school students homeless for a night

Suitcase in hand, freshman Jared Conrad was ready to move into his box and prepare for the night to come. The day was plagued with off and on rain — a concern for Conrad and other Tuscola High School students who…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:47

Mark your calendars, Catamounts!

Western Carolina University is holding its “Forever a Catamount”-themed homecoming Oct. 21 thru 23. FRIDAY • The annual Alumni Scholarship Homecoming Golf Tournament at 11 a.m. at Sequoyah National Golf Club in Whittier. It costs $85 per person. • Professor…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:46

Waynesville hopes business incentives could help land new jobs

The Town of Waynesville might join the 60 percent of local governments in North Carolina that have adopted a formal business incentive policy. Mayor Gavin Brown introduced the notion of a policy at last week’s town board meeting. He suggested…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:45

Waynesville to cast a wide net in search for new town manager

The Waynesville town board has hired a search firm to help with its hunt for a new town manager. The board hired Developmental Associates LLC to coordinate the search, which will cost between $15,000 and $20,000. Town Manager Lee Galloway…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:45

Haywood forges plan to put old Bargains building to use

The Haywood County plans to renovate the formers Bargains building on Russ Avenue near K-Mart to house Haywood County Board of Elections, an adult day care program, a wellness center, additional office space and warehouse storage space. The county commissioners…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:45

Construction guidelines targeted next week in Macon

Macon County commissioners will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, to discuss regulations on earth moving proposed by the county’s planning board. A vote on the guidelines probably won’t take place then, County Manager Jack Horton…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:44

Macon reval on hold in light of sputtering real estate market

Macon County will postpone a countywide reassessment of property values from 2013 until 2015. County Tax Assessor Richard Lightner recommended waiting because of lackluster sales: there simply hasn’t been enough property changing hands to provide a baseline for the going…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:40

Jackson County’s “other” bookstore

Here, by the side of U.S. 74 as you start up the Balsams after leaving Sylva, isn’t exactly the place you’d expect to stumble onto a bookstore with some 20,000 volumes of select, vintage books. A photography shop bookends one…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:39

Jiu Jitsu legend to offer seminar

A member of the world-famous fighting family, the Gracies of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will be offering a seminar in the fighting style that launched the MMA/UFC phenomena.   Royler Gracie, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and mixed martial arts world…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:38

Ronald Reagan dinner and dance

The late President Ronald Reagan was born 100 years ago this year, and Republicans in Swain, Graham and Jackson counties have decided to celebrate his life this Saturday, Oct. 22, beginning at 6 p.m. There will be a covered dish/pot…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:38

Learn good guard techniques

Girls on Guard will be offered from 9 a.m. until noon this Saturday, Oct. 22, on Southwestern Community College’s Jackson Campus. This presentation covers date rape scenarios and attacks perpetrated by acquaintances. Participants will learn tactics and techniques to defend…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:37

Sylva AM station off the air but still trolling for a buyer

There’s still no reprieve in sight for WRGC, Sylva’s radio station and a five-decade community mainstay for local weather, news and more. The station, broadcasting at 680 AM, went off the air at the end of August. Gary Ayers, a…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:34

Table is set for Sylva town election

This November, Sylva residents will elect three commissioners, deciding who will control the majority on that five-member board. All three incumbents are running for re-election, plus two challengers. In the next four years, it’s likely that Sylva’s chosen leaders will…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:32

Collective discontent bonds candidates

Three candidates running for the Maggie Valley town board with a similar message have buddied up in the campaign and chosen to run as a slate. They claim the current town leaders discourage new ideas and fail to bring residents…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:30

Maggie candidates want to rekindle tourism, but how?

Waning tourism in Maggie Valley and what to do about it is dominating the town’s election this fall. Four people are running for two seats on the town board, and there is also a contested race for mayor. A slate…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:27

From humble beginnings to goodwill enterprise: Manufacturing medical supplies provides jobs for disabled

Crafting cornhusk dolls is a far cry from mass-producing blue surgical drapes, but one local non-profit made that leap in a matter of about four years. Today Haywood Vocational Opportunities LLC employs 365 people — more than a third of whom…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:26

Mission: Free-market enemy or health care savior?

The medical community in Western North Carolina is embroiled in a debate over Mission Hospital — should its influence and reach be reined in or given the freedom it needs to serves as the region’s health care leader? A state…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:26

State auditor to speak at Democratic rally

The Haywood Democratic Party will hold its annual Fall Rally Saturday, Oct. 29, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., with State Auditor Beth Wood serving as guest speaker. The event will take place at the Canton Armory, 71 Penland Street,…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:24

‘Occupy’ movement moves into Sylva

“Occupy Sylva” on Saturday looked and sounded a lot like a Democratic-party function, but with a twist. The message wasn’t necessarily about voting Democratic, though speakers, particularly political office holders, certainly worked that wish into speeches when their moments came…
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:22

Do-over of room tax hike in Jackson

Jackson County commissioners likely erred two weeks ago when they voted to double the county’s tax on overnight lodging: they failed to hold a public hearing first. Commissioners were forced to rescind their vote, and will now hold a public…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:57

Business notes

The Carolinas Porsche Club of America Mountain chapter donated $3,000 to Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation of Waynesville last month. Porsche drivers from six states recently attended a weekend event at the Waynesville Inn, where donations and a raffle were collected…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:56

Business news

Grant helps outfit new Haywood hospice center With help from two Appalachian Regional Commission grants, Haywood Regional Medical Center plans to expand its existing facilities and add 24 jobs. The medical center will use two federal grants, totaling $146,592, to…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:56

Connie Haire retires from SCC

Connie Haire, vice president for the Macon Campus Southwestern Community College, has retired after serving 25 years at the college. Under her leadership, enrollment at the $6 million Macon campus grew 87 percent in four years and a second building…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:40

Dog park envy grips pooch owners in Sylva, Franklin

Efforts are well under way in both Sylva and Franklin to build dog parks, places where folks’ canine companions can run off-leash in safely fenced, assigned areas. If the two communities do build dog parks, they’ll be joining their neighbors…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:30

Alcohol vote could bring booze to Cherokee’s doorstep

Ray Bradley Jr. is the talkative type. He’s not shy airing his opinions, whether the discussion is about Cherokee tribal politics or, as is the case now, what legalizing alcohol sales throughout Jackson County could mean along the highway leading…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:30

MaconSense heading Macon league program

A luncheon program at noon Thursday, Oct. 13, at Tartan Hall, located in the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin, will give people an opportunity to learn about the new organization, MaconSense. The group’s initial campaign is for safe slope development…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:29

Get help on maintaining a successful business

The Jackson County Public Library will host a free business seminar on how to create and maintain successful businesses in this current difficult economic climate. The program is aimed at owners and employees of businesses of all sizes and types,…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:29

Federal settlement claims-filing help

Help filing claims in the $760 million Keepseagle Native American Farmer and Rancher Settlement is set for Oct. 18-20, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express on Painttown Road in Cherokee. This help is being offered…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:28

Rape suspects still at large in Macon County

Two recent rapes in Macon County involving assailants unknown to the victims, both cases still unsolved, have left many women here on edge. In early August, a woman living on Rose Creek Cove Road in the Cowee community was raped…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:26

Federal authorities wait to alert public of a rapist at large

It took five days for the U.S. Forest Service to alert the public about a roadside rape in the Wayah Bald area of the Nantahala National Forest late last month. The rape happened on Sunday Sept. 25. The forest service…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:25

Free vouchers available to spay and neuter cats

Haywood Animal Welfare Association Spay/Neuter is offering 100 free vouchers for surgery, rabies vaccination and parasite treatment for cats. Vouchers are available to Haywood County residents at 145 Wall Street Thursday Oct. 13 and Oct. 20, and Monday, Oct. 17.…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:24

Recognize those volunteer efforts

Know a volunteer who deserves recognition? The Haywood/Jackson Volunteer Center is now taking nominations for the North Carolina’s Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service. The Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center will select nominated volunteers in a host of categories to receive the…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:23

Care about Canton’s future? Jump on board with StepUp Canton

With a paper mill that constantly bellows smoke, Canton will not likely be the next Western North Carolina tourism destination. But, a local development group StepUp Canton does think the old mill town could become a quaint hometown for young…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:21

Get an early jump on college in Jackson

Jackson County Early College High School is recruiting for the 2012-2013 school year. Information sessions are scheduled at 6 p.m. at Southwestern Community College Sylva’s campus, in the lobby of the Early College building. The dates are: Monday, Oct. 24;…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:21

Myron Coulter, WCU chancellor emeritus, loses battle with cancer at 82

Myron L. Coulter, chancellor of Western Carolina University from 1984 until 1994, died Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer. Coulter, known to friends and colleagues by his nickname of “Barney,” guided WCU…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:20

Leaders take on tree-enshrouded vistas on Parkway

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority is looking for ways to help the Blue Ridge Parkway trim its chronic overgrowth troubles. The parkway doesn’t have the money or resources to regularly trim trees that encroach upon its many overlooks, a…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:19

Site retooled for growing ranks of smartphone-wielding tourists

As early as next week, the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority will launch the latest addition to its “See yourself in the Smokies” campaign — a mobile website and a personalized QR code. Currently, when people visit the county’s tourism website…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:18

Haywood tourism leaders leave no stone unturned in hunt for room tax money

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority may outsource its search for vacation home renters who are evading the county’s 4 percent tax on overnight lodging. Lynn Collins, director of the tourism agency, plans to meet with Virginia-based software company VRCompliance…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:17

Canned goods needed to support Haywood Meals on Wheels

The Altrusa Club of Waynesville is collecting one-serving pop-top canned goods for the Haywood County Meals on Wheels program, to coincide with Altrusa’s “Make A Difference Day” on Saturday, Oct. 22.   Canned goods can be dropped off until Friday,…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:17

Town’s public art celebrates history, heritage

Public art can be a tricky business for a town, given the wide range of public tastes. For years, Waynesville boasted rotating pieces of public art downtown. But it was labor intensive to find artists willing to lend pieces for…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:15

Smokies arch to join Waynesville’s growing parade of public art

It doesn’t take much of an artist’s eye to appreciate the newest piece of public art planned for the streets of downtown Waynesville. By this time next year, a replica of a historic arch — boasting Waynesville as the “Eastern…
Wednesday, 12 October 2011 13:13

Call to Arms!

Western North Carolina boasts several clubs for Civil War enthusiasts, from scholarly programs to reliving the experience. • Western North Carolina Civil War Roundtable: The discussion group meets the second Monday of each month to discuss Civil War history and…
Page 18 of 39