DA wants to close DWI loophole
Speaking in Raleigh, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch this week urged members of the N.C. Senate Judiciary Committee to close…
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Future of Haywood lynching monument becoming clear
While much of the nation is talking about removing monuments, the discussion in one Western North Carolina county is also…
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Of meth and motherhood: Two stories of addiction, family and recovery
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | Few issues raise as much political ire in Western North Carolina as that…
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School surveys reveal lack of internet connectivity
As schools shut down during the pandemic, students were sent home and instructed to tune in online. Chromebooks were loaned…
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Consortium formed to address affordable housing in WNC
Seven counties in Western North Carolina have the opportunity to band together and receive money for affordable housing through the…
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COVID-19 cases continues to climb in N.C.
As of June 22, North Carolina had 53,605 confirmed cases of COVID-19. The death toll is now over 1,200 and…
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Fontana Village surrenders lease to Tennessee Valley Authority
Fontana Village Resort & Marina located in Graham County surrendered its lease back to the Tennessee Valley Authority on June…
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Macon approves loan fund for small businesses
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Macon County Economic Development Commission has established the Reopening Macon Fund. The program,…
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Franklin Hospice House under construction
Construction of SECU Hospice House in Franklin has crossed the 50 percent completion mark. It is anticipated that the region’s…
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WCU's Mountain Heritage Day canceled
Mountain Heritage Day, the annual community and campus celebration of Southern Appalachian culture presented by Western Carolina University since 1974,…
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Some WNC Republicans won’t back Trump-endorsed candidate
As Republicans across North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District head to the polls, some of them are bucking their party and…
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SCC reports first COVID-19 case
Southwestern Community College officials confirmed on June 20 that a student has reported testing positive for COVID-19.
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State elections director tours NC11 polling places
After widespread complaints about the way Georgia’s pandemic-influenced Primary Election was conducted last week, North Carolina’s top elections official isn’t…
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TekTone becomes majority owner of Stay Smart Care
As part of its mission to continuously provide communication solutions that evolve with the needs of our world, TekTone (based…
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Tom Fiedler reflects on policing through unrest from another era
By Tom Fiedler AVL Watchdog The legendary Miami Beach police chief Rocky Pomerance was asked in an interview with People…
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Large events curtailed for fall 2020 at WCU
Several events typically on the fall semester calendar at Western Carolina University are canceled for 2020 as part of significant…
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'Little' Logan finds a big brother
Entering the eighth grade, it didn’t look likely that Logan would get a Big Brother. Big Brothers Big Sisters has…
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NC11 candidate Lynda Bennett, WLOS-TV violate state election law
A short video segment featuring NC11 congressional candidate Lynda Bennett that was produced by Asheville-based WLOS-TV at Haywood County’s early…
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Confederate memorials still a monumental issue
For the second week in a row, many small Western North Carolina communities have seen demonstrations in response to the…
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WNC elected officials reluctant to speak on monuments
WNC elected officials reluctant to speak on monuments By Cory Vaillancourt Staff Writer On Wednesday, June 10, The Smoky Mountain…
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One-way Main Street proposal on hold
The proposal to temporarily turn Main Street in downtown Waynesville into a one-way street has been shelved for now.
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Against the narrative: WNC protests avoid polarization, violence
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | Type “George Floyd Protests, Police” into your Google images search bar. What comes…
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Swain chamber, TDA finances called into question
Swain County commissioners are going to be giving more consideration to who they appoint to county boards after hearing a…
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I-40 paving near Pigeon River Gorge continues
More than half of the construction is complete on a major project to rehabilitate the westernmost 15 miles of Interstate…
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Macon sees largest COVID-19 spike in the region
Macon County has seen the largest spike in COVID-19 cases recently, with 230 confirmed cases as of June 15.
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Mau suggests a property tax decrease in Jackson County
Over the past week the Jackson County Board of Commissioners has been discussing whether to pass the 2020-21 fiscal year…
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QuickDraw fundraiser goes viral to support arts education
By Andrew Dundas • Contributing writer | Paper, a folder and pencils — both colored and No. 2. These are…
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Foundation funds expanded health care in Highlands-Cashiers
Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation has announced a formal agreement to expand access to primary care on the Highlands-Cashiers plateau by…
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Haywood County COVID-19 cases up to 67
Haywood County Public Health received notice on June 12 that another two Haywood County residents have tested positive for COVID-19,…
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Another COVID-19 cluster identified in Macon
Macon County Public Health has identified another COVID-19 cluster in an area business.
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Downtown AVL businesses, some vandalized, show their support
By Sara Frazier AVL Watchdog One by one, they arrived at their downtown businesses this week to find shattered storefronts…
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Officials to improve existing route for Corridor K
N.C. Department of Transportation officials have selected a recommended alternative for improvements to Corridor K in Graham County. The alignment chosen…
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WCU chancellor, trustees chair respond to protests
Western Carolina University Chancellor Kelli R. Brown and Bryant Kinney, chair of the WCU Board of Trustees, set aside the…
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Cherokee Center presents Jerry Wolfe 'Gadugi' Award
By Aaliyah Swimmer WCU Cherokee Center intern Western Carolina University's Cherokee Center recently selected Class of 2020 Cherokee High…
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Man pleads guilty to Sylva break-ins
A man faces a lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty Wednesday in Jackson County to a string of break-ins and…
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Harris hospital eases visitor restrictions
Harris Regional Hospital announced that it is transitioning from a zero-visitor protocol to limited visitor restrictions as the hospital gradually…
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Expanded business counseling offered at HCC
The Haywood Community College Small Business Center has announced an expansion in business services. Beginning June 1, the SBC will…
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Support small business
As small businesses across Western North Carolina work toward reopening while meeting new guidelines during the COVID-19 Pandemic, residents are…
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Life on the road: WNC photographer embarks on adventure of a lifetime
Now 31, Steve Yocum was just 22 years old when he moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the mountains of Western…
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One-way traffic proposed for Main Street in Waynesville
As small businesses begin to reopen following the Coronavirus Pandemic, some cities and towns are finding creative ways to help…
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Jackson animal shelter project moves forward
After a unanimous vote from the Jackson County Commissioners, an architecture contract with McMillan Pazden Smith Architecture for a planned…
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Voting underway in NC 11 Second Primary
The March 3 Republican Primary Election for North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District between 12 candidates hoping to represent the party…
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Constituents concerned with Haywood commissioner’s stance on drugs
Haywood County Commissioner Mark Pless spent 15 years as a paramedic. He’s responded to more drug overdose calls than he…
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Removing the stigma: Spreading Hope and Awareness with the SHARE Project
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | “I’m looking for a personal trainer who also knows kickboxing.” An innocuous Facebook recommendation post by…
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Indoor pool question likely to appear on Jackson ballot
A proposal to include a referendum question on the November ballot asking voters to approve funding for an indoor pool…
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Demonstrations come to small-town Western NC
Waynesville. Sylva. Murphy. Canton. Bryson City. Franklin. Demonstrations associated with the death of George Floyd aren’t solely a big-city phenomenon, nor…
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HCC resolves legal action for Creative Arts Building
Haywood Community College Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the college has resolved all legal matters related to the…
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Macon man pleads guilty to 'death by vehicle' charges
A man driving drunk who crashed his pickup truck into a Sylva woman’s car, killing her a short time after…
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Landlords needed to fight impacts of COVID-19
During a time when everyone is worried about their health and the health of their loves ones, it can be…
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School board members push for graduation ceremonies
At a special called meeting on Monday, June 1, the Haywood County School Board discussed the legality and viability of…
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