Sylva considers, shelves mask mandate proposal
Amid a spike of coronavirus cases in October, some members of the Sylva town board advocated for passing a mask…
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Cherokee approves $25 million for Sevier County development
After a 15-minute closed session discussion, Tribal Council voted unanimously Oct. 29 to allocate up to $25 million to develop…
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Parents ask Jackson school board to retire Rebel mascot
Two women presented a petition to the Jackson County School Board during an Oct. 27 meeting asking the board to…
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Farmworker Health Program receives $10K grant
Vecinos Farmworker Health Program was honored to receive a $10,000 grant from Nantahala Health Foundation, which partners and collaborates with…
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Sixth Macon Health employee positive for COVID
Macon County has identified that a sixth Macon County Public Health employee has tested positive for COVID-19.
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More community spread of COVID-19 in Haywood
Haywood County Public Health received notice of 33 new cases of COVID-19 since Oct. 23. As of 5 p.m. Oct. 29, the…
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Dem veep nominee Harris speaks in Asheville
Democratic vice-presidential nominee/California Senator Kamala Harris visited Western North Carolina last week, reminding voters of the importance of getting to…
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SCC firing range cleanup gets statewide attention
More than six years ago, Southwestern Community College officials started looking into making necessary safety improvements at their firing range…
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Injured bear hunter successfully rescued
Tuesday night at approximately 5 p.m. Haywood County received notice that a local bear hunter, Richard Warren, had been injured…
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COVID-19 cluster found at Jackson child care center
The Jackson County Department of Public Health has identified a COVID-19 cluster at a child care center.
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Pandemic hit to per cap payments smaller than feared
Due to decreased casino profits related to the pandemic, December per capita payments to members of the Eastern Band of…
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Fighting for attention: When politics and professional wrestling collide
Earlier this month, nearly 300 people packed the four-bay garage of the Jackson County Rescue Squad in Sylva on a…
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Staff, technology brings breast care to new level at Harris
Breast cancer is something that weighs heavy on every woman’s mind. What is my risk? Does it run in my…
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Council balks at casino expansion price tag
Two years into construction of a $250 million expansion at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise approached…
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Sylva to host Tubman statue
A plan to host a sculpture of Harriet Tubman at Bridge Park next year met enthusiastic approval from the Sylva…
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Who will preside over District Court? Greene, Wingate run for judgeship
Kaleb Wingate and Justin Greene both earned their law degrees at North Carolina Central University in Durham, but they have…
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Beasley, Newby race for Chief Justice of NC Supreme Court
Cheri Beasley has served as Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court since she was appointed by Gov. Roy…
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Rep. Corbin looks to move up in Senate District 50
Since last fall, events in North Carolina’s 50th Senate District have largely been overshadowed by an attention-grabbing race in the…
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COVID-19 cluster found in Jackson
The Jackson County Department of Public Health has identified a COVID-19 cluster associated with a social gathering.
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A Clear Contrast — The NC Agriculture Commissioner Race
By Boyd Allsbrook Agriculture has always been an integral part of the North Carolina culture and economy. Every year, farming…
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Jury trials to resume in WNC
After months of delay, jury trials resume on a limited basis this week in the 43rd Prosecutorial District, made up of the…
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Smokey Mountain Elementary to continue remote learning
Buildings at Smokey Mountain Elementary School will remain closed through Friday, Oct. 30, following identification of a COVID-19 cluster there…
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Mission sale: Good for WNC, or just HCA?
Smaller, less-profitable hospital nets twice the price By Peter H. Lewis AVL Watchdog Years from now, the decision in 2018…
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A Done Deal: How Mission Health Wooed HCA
More than 2 years later, secrets and silence continue By Peter H. Lewis AVL Watchdog The news stunned Asheville and…
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WCU student pleads guilty to death by vehicle
A Western Carolina University student pleaded guilty Tuesday in Jackson County District Court to misdemeanor death by vehicle in connection…
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Body of lost hiker recovered in Shining Rock Wilderness
At approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday search teams located the body of missing hiker Chad Seger. He was found in an…
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WCU to host modified Open House
Western Carolina University will pop up the tents for prospective students and their families and friends as the university holds…
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Eager voters flock to Haywood polls
Early voting began across North Carolina on Oct. 15, and since then, large numbers of voters have descended on their…
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Businesses adapt to survive pandemic
Despite the setbacks and challenges the COVID-19 Pandemic brought about in March, a surprising number of businesses in different industries…
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Haywood businesses become COVID-resilient
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | When the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns hit Haywood County in March, business owners braced for…
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Jackson businesses find their place in the post-pandemic world
Lured by the promise of drivable, socially distanced adventure, visitors from across the region have flocked to Jackson County in…
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Macon merchants adapt during pandemic to stay open
During the initial pandemic panic back in March, many merchants in Macon County closed up shop while they tried to…
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Swain businesses survive, thrive during pandemic
Swain County’s economy relies heavily on the tourism industry from outdoor recreation businesses to downtown retailers, restaurants and the railroad.
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Cherokee businesses feel pandemic impact
With the economic powerhouse that is Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort surfacing as one of the pandemic era’s most-impacted local businesses,…
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Haywood property revaluation to be presented Nov. 2
After more than a year of work, Haywood County’s property revaluation process is nearly complete and will be presented during…
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Vandalism, campaign sign thefts show deep division in Haywood
As the tumultuous 2020 election season draws to a close, partisans on both sides of the aisle are expressing anger…
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School systems seeing more COVID-19 cases, clusters
Since public school systems have returned to in-person instruction, more COVID-19 cases are being reported in Western North Carolina.
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Fierce campaign divides Mark Meadows’ old district
Those who hadn’t learned through backchannels a day or two beforehand found out early on a cold mountain morning late…
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Swain commission incumbents face challengers
Two Republicans and two Democrats are vying for two open seats on the Swain County Board of Commissioners this year.
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Wallace, Young seek open seat on Macon commission
After being the top vote-getters during the primary election, Democrat Betty Cloer Wallace and Republican Josh Young are seeking the…
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Jackson approves $4 million for animal shelter project
Jackson County commissioners voted 4-1 Oct. 20 to approve a $4.33 million contract to build a new animal rescue center…
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Kamala Harris to visit Asheville after COVID cancellation
Less than a week after cancelling travel to Asheville and Charlotte, Democratic vice presidential nominee and California Sen. Kamala Harris…
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Order wreaths for deceased veterans by Nov. 15
Wreath laying on the graves of veterans buried at Greenhill Cemetery in Waynesville will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday,…
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COVID-19 cluster identified at Franklin church
Macon County Public Health has identified a COVID-19 cluster of positive cases in an area church located in Franklin.
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WNC tourism numbers show quick recovery
When North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper gave the order to close bars and restaurants back on March 17, that was…
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Waynesville hires new assistant manager
Town Manager Robert Hites announced that he has appointed Jesse D. Fowler as Waynesville’s Assistant Town Manager. Fowler is currently…
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WCU to waive undergrad application fee
Western Carolina University is among the institutions of higher education that will be participating in “North Carolina Countdown to College,”…
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Macon volleyball game attendees could have been exposed
Macon County Public Health has identified possible exposure to COVID-19 among those who attended a volleyball game at Franklin High…
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Haywood schools rolls out COVID-19 dashboard
Haywood County Schools Administration announced the creation of the COVID-19 dashboard, intended to keep the public up to date on…
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Swain summer tourism dollars up 37 percent
The Coronavirus Pandemic hasn’t stopped the Swain County Tourism Development Authority from having another record-setting year in occupancy tax revenue.
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