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Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:47

Commissioners seek applicants for Health, TDA boards

The Haywood County Board of Commissioners is accepting applications for the following boards: Haywood County Board of Health – This board is a policy-making, rule-making and adjudicatory body for the Haywood County Health Department. The Board adopts rules necessary for…
Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:47

Free seminar offers organization tips

The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a free seminar entitled, “Organizing your Work and Life — a Great Way to Start the Year!” from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 6, on campus on the first floor…
Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:46

Haywood chooses contractor for Wal-Mart project

Clyde’s old Wal-Mart is now on track to get a new life after Haywood County commissioners voted Monday to sign a contract with Murray Construction of Monroe for the renovations. The project had stalled earlier this fall after the first…
Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:45

An attorney for everyone

Jay Coward, newly hired to serve as Jackson County’s attorney, will receive $175 an hour, commissioners agreed in a unanimous vote this week. He’ll also serve the sheriff’s department when the sheriff and his deputies need legal advice. Coward, a…
Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:44

WCU tuition increase poses financial problems for students

A tuition hike spells additional hardships for many students at Western Carolina University, at least those who already find it difficult to scratch up the dollars needed to obtain a college degree. “I’m sure it’s going to be hard on…
Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:40

Missing maps provoke discussion at Macon steep-slope meeting

No one could specify exactly who made the decision to remove the maps or when precisely that occurred, but some members of a Macon group studying steep-slope safety want them returned to the county’s website. The taxpayer-funded Slope Movement Hazard…
Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:39

Lottery money put to bleachers, but grudgingly

A wide selection of bleachers at nearly every secondary school in Haywood County will get some repairs and replacements thanks to lottery funds approved by county commissioners, but the decision was not without contention from some on the board. Commissioner…
Wednesday, 22 December 2010 19:33

County to pay fairgrounds loan

Haywood County commissioners will be stepping in to save the county’s fairground from the bank’s clutches after a vote at their Monday meeting. The fairgrounds have two loans taken out on their buildings, and since the county slashed the $150,000…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:58

Christmas family movies at Marianna Black

During the month of December the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will continue to show family Christmas favorites.  The movies are shown every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., are free to the public and projected onto an 8-by-10 foot screen,…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:37

Sylva “back street” plans moving forward: Grant application due Feb. 10

Three years ago, Holly Hooper and sister Heather Menacof had saved enough money to invest in new windows for the lower part of their popular outfitter store in Sylva, Blackrock Outdoor Company. Then the economy tanked. The sisters were forced…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:36

Jackson County library taking shape

The completion date for Jackson County’s new library is just three months away, but the likelihood the project really will be finished then isn’t that great, construction Manager David Cates of Canton-based Brantley Construction acknowledged late last week. Additional construction…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:33

WCU, Forest Hills continue hammering out Town Center concept

Looming budget cuts to the state’s higher education system won’t interfere with Western Carolina University’s goal of creating a town to call its own, the man tasked with drawing up a project agreement said this week. Tom McClure, director of…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:32

Q&A with Jackson-Swain Extension Director

Robert “Rob” Hawk, a Whittier resident and the former community resource development agent in this region for the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, last month became the new county extension director for Jackson and Swain counties. Hawk replaced Jeff Seiler, who…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:32

Commissioners to hold public hearings Dec. 20

The Haywood County Board of Commissioners will hold two public hearings at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 20, in the Historic Courtroom of the Haywood County Courthouse. The first public hearing will be for the purpose of receiving public input…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:31

Burrell recovering after fracturing vertebrae

Conrad Burrell, a member of the state’s Board of Transportation and chairman of Southwestern Community College’s board of trustees, underwent surgery Monday for fractured vertebrae in his neck. “The surgery went well,” Joel Seltzer, who oversees this region for the…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:30

Macon planning board uproar subsides

Planning board members in Macon County this week voted against a plan that would have seen their group expand from 11 to 13. “I sat on a board once that had 25 people, the chairman had to break us out…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:28

A changing of the guard at Lake Junaluska: Methodist center with deep Haywood roots works to re-invent itself

Almost a century after its inception, Lake Junaluska Assembly is still a pillar of Haywood County’s heritage, an organic, integral part of its landscape. During those years, the conference center has grown and changed with the region and the times.…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:27

Maggie Valley tries ‘flowery’ marketing idea

Maggie Valley is in the midst of a makeover. The town is taking steps to spruce itself up, modernize and, just maybe, attract a few new visitors and investors. Last month, the town’s aldermen voted unanimously to accept a set…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:26

Jackson Paper host party for local school children

Jackson Paper Manufacturing hosted more than 45 local elementary students and their families at the company’s Christmas for Kids party on Dec. 11. The guests were joined at the gathering by the children of employees of Jackson Paper. Staff at…
Wednesday, 15 December 2010 20:14

Lomo owners sell to Atlanta entrepreneur

The inside of Waynesville’s 44 Church Street does not, today, bustle with life, warmth and the scintillating scent of food wafting through the air, as it once did. The former home of the storied Lomo Grill is cold and empty;…
Friday, 10 December 2010 18:02

SMN obtains draft agreement between WCU, Forest Hills

A draft agreement between Western Carolina University and the Village of Forest Hills calls for a referendum on mixed drinks, beer and wine if the tiny incorporated community agrees to help create a new “Town Center” for its large neighbor.…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:39

Road crews ready for winter

Eight inches. 10 inches. 12 inches. Wintry mix. Ice. Snow. If the winter of 2009-2010 was characterized by anything, it was that word: snow. In Western North Carolina, a record winter blasted citizens across the region with barrages of snow…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:39

Selzer honored by NC library association

Mary Selzer received the “Library Friend of the Year” award at the North Carolina Public Library Directors Association meeting in Chapel Hill on Dec. 2. Karen Wallace, director of the Fontana Regional Library, nominated Selzer for this award. “Mary Otto…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:38

Macon’s natural spaces focus of luncheon

The Macon County League of Women Voters will sponsor a program on the Natural Areas Inventory of Macon County at 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 9. The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program (NCNHP) works to identify and protect the best examples…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:38

How to do business with the government

Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center and the Greater Haywood Chamber of Commerce have partnered to offer a free seminar on “Doing Business with the Government” from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Dec. 16. It will be held on…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:37

HCC Employees Donate $2,924 to United Way’s Imagination Library

Haywood Community College faculty and staff members collected a total of $2,924.00 for United Way to be used for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. The funds were raised through the college’s annual campaign. This year’s campaign was led by instructors…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:37

Cold weather help comes to local pets

Haywood Animal Welfare Association delivers 1,600 pounds of pet food per week to the local pantries and assists some cat colony caretakers with cat food.   The pet food distributed through the pantries advertizes HAWA’s low-cost spay/neuter program.  This year…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:36

Initiation fee waived at HRMC fitness center

Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center is waiving the usual initiation fee on six-month memberships as a holiday gift to the community. The special is valid through Jan. 7. Since Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center opened in 1998, it…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:36

Canton mill case moves forward

A recent decision by a North Caroline administrative law judge has denied Evergreen Packaging’s attempt to dismiss the case filed by Cocke County, Tenn., and seven Tennessee and North Carolina based groups against the wastewater permit for its Canton pulp…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:33

Swanger takes Haywood chairman’s seat

Haywood County Commissioner Mark Swanger has found himself in a comfortable old seat after taking over the chairmanship at the board’s Monday meeting. It was the first meeting of the newly-elected board, though it bears only one new face —…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:32

WCU’s fall commencement set for Dec. 18

Western Carolina University will honor its fall graduating class, and recognize a group of graduates who received their degrees after this year’s summer school sessions, as the university holds fall commencement at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18. The ceremony at…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:32

There’s new management in town

Jackson County’s new board of commissioners took their seats for the first time Monday night, but only after the old board bid farewell to a standing ovation from a packed house. The formerly all-Democrat board went through a shake-up in…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:30

Westmoreland: Debnam said he wanted ‘change’

To hear Kenneth Westmoreland tell it, the decision to leave his job as Jackson County manager wasn’t exactly “his decision” as portrayed after the fact by new commission Chairman Jack Debnam. Did Debnam tell a lie, on this his first…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:26

Susan Ervin, long-time member of the Macon County Planning Board, to commissioners:

I would like to speak still in support of reinstating Al Slagle to the planning board and against appointing anyone, ever to the planning board or any other board, who is actively opposed to the missions and procedures of that…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:26

Lewis Penland, chairman of the Macon County Planning Board, to commissioners:

First off, I would like to thank Chairman Beale and the commissioners for meeting with us jointly tonight. And thank the planning board members, the comprehensive plan subcommittee members, and the safe slope development workgroup members for attending. And thank…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:24

New Macon commission chair selected — Board debates planning changes

Macon County commissioners almost couldn’t hold a meeting Monday night because they couldn’t agree on a new chairman. With newly elected state Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, absent because of a mandatory meeting in Raleigh, the board split 2-2 over whether…
Wednesday, 08 December 2010 20:16

GOP shift spells trouble for planning advocates

Commissioners’ appointment of a man to the Macon County Planning Board who has openly opposed that very concept has sparked outrage and an outpouring of support for the board’s beleaguered members. The showdown for now is in Macon County, a…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 19:39

Westmoreland's retirement announced

Jackson County Manager Kenneth Westmoreland will retire effective Jan. 1, incoming Jackson County board chairman Jack Debnam has told The Smoky Mountain News. With accumulated leave, his last day in the office will be Dec. 7. “It was his decision,”…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:53

Business notes

The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a free program titled “Generating Sales during the Holiday Season and Beyond” from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 2, in the first floor of the Student Center. Merchants can get…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:52

Sarge’s, Mast, Best Buy call it a wrap

The Mast General Store has once again invited Sarge’s volunteers to wrap holiday presents at their store on Main Street in Waynesville. Best Buy at Waynesville Loop near the new WalMart Super Center has also invited Sarge’s volunteers to wrap…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:52

Amish-style bakery opens in Bryson City

Stoltzfus Bread Basket recently opened at 291 Everett Street (beside Watershed Trading Company) in Bryson City. Stoltzfus is an Amish style bakery featuring fresh baked breads, muffins, bagels and cakes and desserts by the slice or uncut. It also offers…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:51

Finally Home Staging and Redesign opens in Franklin

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of Finally Home Staging and Redesign, located in the Rusty Wagon of the Whistle Stop Mall in Franklin recently held a grand opening. Janine Peak and Carol…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:50

Canton Hardee’s reveals new look

Hardee’s in Canton has converted its restaurant at 16 New Clyde Highway to a dual-branded Hardee’s/Red Burrito location. The newly-converted Hardee’s/Red Burrito celebrated with a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. The addition of…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:49

Partner institutions reaffirm commitment to Native health

Western Carolina University, Wake Forest University and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have reaffirmed their partnership to promote Native health initiatives. Since 2006, the three institutions have collaborated to support the Culturally Based Native Health Program, or CBNHP. The…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:48

Wreath hanging kicks off Home for the Holidays

A wreath was recently hung at Haywood County Animal  Services to kick off a special animal adoption event called Home for the Holidays. “We recruited Jamie Powell, executive director of Sarge’s, and Tammy Watford, news anchor from WLOS-TV who is…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:46

New state laws strengthen animal rights, target drivers

Among new state laws taking effect this week is Susie’s Law, which promises the possibility of judges being able to sentence even first-time offenders to jail for being cruel to animals. Animal-rights advocates and law officers alike have heralded the…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:46

Sylva businesses collaborate to benefit Community Table

An evening of great food, great beer and fine wines was attended by 45 people on Nov. 18.  The event was the Community Harvest Dinner, a fundraiser for The Community Table. Annie’s Bakery, Heinzelmannchen Brewery, Mill & Main, Papou’s Wine…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:43

Shuler getting comfortable in new position

In his initial bid for political office, U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., often seemed unsure of himself. The former NFL quarterback, while clearly comfortable in the limelight, had difficulty articulating his political beliefs and staking out positions. Back in 2006…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:42

Stay little or get regulated; small farmers get some protection

Small farmers fighting against being lumped with large agribusinesses in a federal food-safety act have received a measure of possible protection. At the behest of small farmers, U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan D-N.C., and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., pushed through a…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:41

Franklin leaders consider two-way traffic on one-way streets

Transportation experts and town leaders plan to meet this week in Franklin to consider whether it’s feasible to turn one-way Main and Palmer streets into two-way roads. As in many small mountain towns, visitors to Franklin find themselves motoring around…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:38

Railroad neighbor irked by crossing controversy

When Terry Stephenson bought a piece of hillside property on Lower Alarka Road in Bryson City, he expected it to slowly develop into a homestead for himself and his 11-year-old daughter. What he didn’t expect was the headache that the…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:37

Bazaar to benefit Community Table

A Christmas Bazaar will be held Sat. Dec. 4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Sylva, at the Jackson County Community Services Building on Hospital Road below Harris Regional Hospital.  This will benefit the Community Table. There is no admission,…
Wednesday, 01 December 2010 20:32

Civil War roundtable Christmas gala

A Civil War Round Table Christmas Gala will be held at the Holiday Inn Express in Dillsboro on Dec. 13. The event is open to members and the public. Refreshments and social hour begin at 6 p.m., followed by a buffet…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:35

County to sell old hospital for $1.2 million

Haywood County’s old hospital is set to get a new life after commissioners agreed last week to sell the building for use as low-income housing for the county’s senior citizens. Following discussions in closed session at their Nov. 15 meeting,…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:34

EPA begins soil removal in Barber’s Orchard

Six years after the Environmental Protection Agency said it would cart away the arsenic-tainted topsoil from Haywood County’s Barber’s Orchard subdivision, the trucks are set to begin hauling out the contaminated earth by this December. The site, once an apple…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:34

WestCare Hospice sponsors Tree of Remembrance

During this busy holiday season, WestCare Hospice invites the community to take a moment and remember loved ones who have shaped your memories of this special time of year. The public can express their memories by making a gift to…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:31

Going hungry: Many in region, particularly children, are doing without for Thanksgiving

It’s Thursday afternoon, and Amy Grimes has her head in a freezer digging around for a few things to add to the cardboard boxes at her feet that are already filled with food of various descriptions. A few yards away,…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:30

Tribe gets future say in state prioritizations of road projects

Recognizing that Cherokee has roads, too, a transportation-planning group for the state’s six westernmost counties opted to give the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians a voice in decisions being made about highways and byways. The decision to include the tribe…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:28

Public absent in meetings where road projects decided

The way road projects get selected and prioritized in the state’s six westernmost counties might shift slightly following meetings this week and last by local government officials and transportation experts. The method of weighing the projects will be tweaked to…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:27

Second public hearing set in Macon County for Needmore Road

Another public hearing on what, if anything, to do with Needmore Road has been scheduled for February, this time in Macon County. An exact date and location hasn’t been announced. The 3.3 miles of gravel, single-lane road traverses Macon and…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:26

Athletics, smathletics; new chancellor will care about academics, too

Athletics won’t trump academics in the selection of a chancellor for Western Carolina University, committee members charged with hiring a new top leader assured worried professors this week. “I don’t want you to be concerned,” said Jerry Baker, head of…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:25

Shuler didn’t fumble this time — Pelosi challenge sets the table for political prominence

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler took a calculated loss when he challenged Rep. Nancy Pelosi for the position of House minority leader. The payoff for losing? Shuler, the Democrat representing this region who is from Bryson City and now calls Waynesville…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:24

Baking classes set for next month

Southwestern Community College is offering two holiday baking project classes in early December at its Jackson Campus. Learn to make Cookie Bouquets from 6-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 9. Instructor Raquel Moore will show participants how to create festive cookie arrangements…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:23

Public to hear about proposed changes to Waynesville land-use ordinance

A proposed update of Waynesville’s progressive land-use ordinance that has been several years in the making is close to becoming law, as planners gear up to inform the public at two information sessions next week. The new ordinance will update…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:22

Workshop offers college tuition tips

Learn what you need to know now about paying for college during a free workshop scheduled 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, on Southwestern Community College’s Jackson Campus. The workshop, titled How to Pay for College, includes three concurrent sessions that…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:21

Angelou to speak at women’s expo May 21

Area women will have a chance to learn more about health issues, while growing in mind, body and spirit during the day-long Flourish Women’s Expo, on May 21, 2011, at Harrah’s Cherokee Resort Events Center. The highlight of the event,…
Wednesday, 24 November 2010 20:20

Holiday roundup

It’s that time of year. Now that Thanksgiving has arrived, so have holiday events — lots of them. If you have an event you want listed, send it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Parades • Franklin’s Christmas Parade. Nov. 28. The town of…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:44

HRMC: A timeline

Oct. 2006-Feb. 2008 — HRMC has several problems with federal inspectors, culminating in the threat to revoke its ability to get reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid patients. Feb. 13, 2008 — HRMC given notice that Medicare funding will be revoked…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:43

Purported mega-development disappears from radar

Cataloochee Wilderness Resort, a 4,500-acre proposed development in Haywood County’s Jonathan Creek community, appears to have fallen off the map. Developers first announced plans for the massive Resort in November 2007. They touted residential, commercial and retail phases, including golf…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:40

The new watchdogs: After crisis, hospital board renews emphasis on oversight

Today at HRMC, 10 sets of eyes peer over the shoulders of the hospital administration, ready and willing to question every move. Though the hospital had a board of directors in place when the hospital lost its Medicare and Medicaid…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:38

In tough times, local company looks to expand

In yet another piece of positive economic news, Waynesville-based Haywood Vocational Opportunities announced a proposed expansion that would create at least 50 new jobs. HVO, which makes disposable medical supplies, plans to pay $400,000 for 10 acres at the Beaverdam…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:37

Child still in critical condition after dog mauling in Sylva

A 7-year-old Jackson County boy is fighting for his life after being mauled by a dog last week, according to Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe. Dalton Mathis is listed in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit at Memorial Mission…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:36

Shuler said he’ll fight for stimulus funds

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, spoke to a crowd of about 200 town and county government officials from Western North Carolina last Thursday at the Renaissance hotel in Asheville about the $787 billion stimulus plan. North Carolina is set to…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:33

Haywood extends token to Canton solar farm

FLS Solar Energy wants a tax break from Haywood County in exchange for an $8 million solar farm the company is building near Canton. FLS is asking county commissioners for financial incentives that would allow the company to pay 20…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:25

Poore a ‘breath of fresh air’: CEO’s congenial personality and industry knowledge impress community

As Mike Poore waited for an elevator between floors at Haywood Regional Medical Center Monday morning, he gazed out the sixth floor window to see cars circling the packed parking lot hunting in vain for a space. “That’s a good…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:23

Back from the brink: A year later, turn around for HRMC is on the horizon

Last February, a crisis landed on the doorstep of Haywood Regional Medical Center. After failing federal inspections, the hospital lost its Medicare and Medicaid status, followed by an exodus of private insurance companies. The hospital effectively shut its doors aside…
Wednesday, 25 February 2009 19:22

Sylva board rift heats up

Split votes are becoming increasingly common on the Sylva town board, throwing into question whether the board can meet its stated goal of agreeing on a new town manager. Town commissioners Harold Hensley and Ray Lewis often vote together against…
Wednesday, 18 February 2009 19:15

Loss of Hazelwood prison likely just a matter of time

Local legislators are preparing to fight yet another attempt by the state to close the only minimum security prison west of Asheville. The 125-bed Haywood Correctional Facility in Waynesville, commonly referred to as the Hazelwood prison, has landed on a…
Wednesday, 18 February 2009 19:10

Aldermen deny exploiting ‘Slategate’

Two Franklin aldermen said they didn’t whip up controversy regarding slate to get back at Mayor Joe Collins but because they sincerely thought it was a situation that needed to be looked into. Aldermen Bob Scott and Verlin Curtis said…
Wednesday, 18 February 2009 19:06

A long and winding road

Sylva’s current library opened in 1970 and is 6,400 square feet. The debate over where to locate a new library lasted more than eight years, with commissioners finally deciding to build it as an attachment to the historic and beloved…
Wednesday, 18 February 2009 19:03

Haywood commissioners asked for more oversight of mega-developments

A group of Haywood residents appealed to county commissioners for an ordinance assessing the impacts of large developments. The ordinance would require large developers to assess the impacts of their projects on surrounding communities and the environment. On Monday night…
Wednesday, 18 February 2009 18:57

Library success rides on public support

Dr. John Bunn of Sylva lived through the Great Depression and said people bind together during tough times to help one another. The same will stand true, Bunn believes, when it comes to donating to the new Jackson County library…
Wednesday, 18 February 2009 18:55

Tight times force tough choices for Swain schools

The Swain County School District has terminated a popular program that emphasized science and math education, offered students smaller classes and helped combat the system’s high dropout rate. The three-year-old School of Applied Science, Math and Technology was axed last…
Wednesday, 18 February 2009 18:54

Mandated cutbacks mean tough decisions

The first Friday in February came with some bad news for the Swain County School District and systems around the state. Word came from Raleigh that school budgets would be cut by 7 percent in the upcoming fiscal year. The…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:35

Jackson undeterred by price tags or economy in pursuit of library

Despite tough economic times, Jackson County commissioners decided last week to move forward with three multi-million dollar projects. In a capital projects meeting last Thursday, the commissioners reached a consensus to pursue upgrades to the solid waste transfer station estimated…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:33

Four-legged crisis brewing in Swain

Swain County’s complete lack of services to handle the growing stray animal population is putting a heavy burden on a nonprofit shelter and forcing county commissioners to weigh their options. “We have absolutely nothing right now, and we are trying…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:29

Psych unit improving mental health system, officials say

At a time when the state’s fractured mental health care system seems beyond repair, local mental health officials have hit on a solution that could go a long way toward fixing it. The key might lie in a new program…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:26

With proposals in, work starts on partnership

One of three hospitals courting Haywood Regional Medical Center and WestCare for a partnership has dropped out of the running. That leaves Mission Hospital of Asheville and Carolinas HealthCare System, a 23-hospital conglomerate based in Charlotte, still in contention. Both…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:24

A stockyard lost: Cattle farmers round up support for new auction

How far would you drive for $100? That’s the dilemma Haywood County cattle farmer Neal Stamey faces each time he hooks his trailer up to his pickup truck, loads up the cow or cows he’ll sell that day, and makes…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:16

Past pursuit of building projects proved less than organized

Commissioner Tom Massie wants to see the county formalize how it funds capital projects. Under the current method entities simply approach the county when they are in need and ask for funding. Massie suggested that entities fill out an application…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:14

Bardo pledges to defer to deans

Western Carolina University Chancellor John Bardo in an interview with The Smoky Mountain News last week said that he is distancing himself from the budget cut process. He said he is leaving it up to a “cadre of deans” and…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:13

Suttles gets nod for Haywood sheriff

The Haywood County Democratic Party has tapped Chief Deputy Bobby Suttles to replace outgoing Sheriff Tom Alexander. Suttles is a 14-year employee of the sheriff’s department and a former Waynesville police officer. He won 111 of 166 votes cast by…
Wednesday, 11 February 2009 17:12

WCU in ‘flux’ as it braces for state budget cuts

Proposed budget cuts at Western Carolina University are beginning to affect students like Will Furse, who says he won’t graduate on time if summer classes are cut. The senior construction management student knows he has little influence over the situation.…
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 16:36

Community lobbies DOT to save a piece of history

Citizens in the Oak Grove community of Macon County hope to save a bridge from demolition by the Department of Transportation. Located off N.C 28, the one-lane McCoy bridge over the Little Tennessee River is not only a community icon…
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 16:34

Feeling slighted, TDA yanks grant

Farmer Skipper Russell thought he was helping drive tourism with his famous corn “maize,” an agricultural attraction he operates each fall in Bethel. After all, the maze attracted nearly 7,000 visitors this year, many from out of town, who came…
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 16:32

Franklin wants process for releasing closed session minutes

The Franklin aldermen on Monday night (Feb. 2) unanimously voted to formalize a process for releasing the minutes from previously closed-door meetings. The town attorney, John Henning Jr., has always had the authority to make closed meeting minutes public once…
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 16:26

Park-and-ride in Haywood gains traction

A shuttle to transport commuters between Haywood and Buncombe counties is gaining momentum following the state’s recent offer to donate land for a park-and-ride lot. The proposed lot is at Exit 33 along I-40 in Canton on land owned by…
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 16:25

Landowners held accountable in wake of landslide

Property owners at the site of last month’s landslide in Maggie Valley are being tasked by county officials with the job of stabilizing the mountain in the wake of the slide. The county has given the property owners until Feb.…
Wednesday, 04 February 2009 16:20

Prone to landslides, Haywood seeks priority in slope hazard mapping

The landslide last month that destroyed a home in Maggie Valley has spurred the Haywood County commissioners to ask the state for help in keeping county residents safe. The board of commissioners discussed two separate requests for the state at…
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