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Wednesday, 19 August 2009 14:27

Town helps HVO seek state grant

The Town of Waynesville plans to step in for Haywood Vocational Opportunities in procuring state money to help with an estimated $2 million expansion at the old Wellco site in Hazelwood. HVO must create at least 40 jobs in exchange…
Wednesday, 19 August 2009 14:26

Jackson EDC still taking old board’s heat

Old records of the Jackson County Economic Development Commission are likely too spotty to complete missing audits from the years 2001 through 2005, although the county and EDC board say they will continue their quest to do so. “The citizens…
Wednesday, 19 August 2009 14:22

9-12 group is voice for those dissatisfied with government

Haywood County commissioners have seen their share of hot-button issues this year. First came the proposed nuisance ordinance, with angry citizens accusing them of communist rule. The momentum rolled over to budget time, when a 1-cent property tax increase once…
Wednesday, 19 August 2009 14:21

Macon group finishes study of living history farm

A Macon County group is one step closer to its dream of establishing a Living History Farm, a working replica of a pioneer village where visitors can witness what life was like for the earliest settlers in the area. An…
Wednesday, 19 August 2009 14:16

Waynesville looks at ways to cut energy use

Energy efficiency dominated the agenda at Waynesville’s last town meeting, with the passage of a strategic energy management plan and discussions on how to meet state requirements for contributing to renewable energy sources. The Town of Waynesville is exploring ways…
Wednesday, 19 August 2009 14:12

The road to a cash settlement

1920s Forney Creek Township wants a road leading from Bryson City to Deals Gap on the Tennessee state line. It is the height of the timber boom, and the road would improve access to Knoxville. The community took out bonds…
Wednesday, 19 August 2009 14:10

McLean and Mathis part of Richland project

The Richland Hills low-income senior housing development was touted publicly as being under the auspice of the Asheville-based nonprofit Mountain Housing Opportunities, which has built similar projects in Buncombe County. Behind the scenes, however, two local players are involved in…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:53

Prison to remain open, but future not rosy

By Julia Merchant • Correspondent The minimum-security Hazelwood Prison in Waynesville is the only correctional facility of its kind to survive state budget cuts. It is now the sole remaining old-style prison left in North Carolina. “It’s a certain thing…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:51

Pointing kids toward a love of the park

Eric Sink, a teacher at Summit Charter School in Cashiers, N.C., looks forward to loading his fifth-graders up on a bus every year and heading into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where the woods become the classroom and a…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:48

More than a number With teacher layoffs, impact of school budget cuts hits home

It’s not an uncommon scene: people rattling a tin can outside Wal-Mart to raise money, whether it’s a cheerleading squad saving up for new uniforms or the Salvation Army bell ringers. There’s no shortage of good samaritans asking shoppers to…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:43

Lake island dwellers lobby for fire protection

Homeowners on Buck Knob Island in the middle of Lake Glenville say they are owed fire protection by local volunteer firefighters and have appealed to Jackson County commissioners to settle the conflict. The homes lie within the 135-square-mile territory covered…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:41

Megow-Dowling announces resignation

Jackson County’s economic development director Dorothea Megow-Dowling had been on the job for less than a year when she announced her resignation last week. She came from a long career in economic development and specialized in strategy and planning processes.…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:40

Cherokee school bridges tradition and the future

While some students dread returning to the classroom this time of year, children in Cherokee have been asking for weeks about when they would get to go back to school. With the unveiling of The Eastern Band of Cherokee’s new…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:33

Land swap integral to Cherokee school

The Cherokee faced a long, uphill battle spanning decades to secure the idyllic tract of land now housing a brand new K-12 school for the tribe. The 143-acre parcel was part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park until a…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:30

A dollar here, a paintbrush there: Community rallies to save teachers, support schools

They came. They saw. And this past Saturday, they — nearly 1,000 volunteers from almost 50 churches — painted, scraped, powerwashed, mulched, planted and repaired the campuses of 14 Haywood County schools. When First United Methodist in Waynesville put out…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:23

Homeschooled students on the rise

More parents in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties opted to teach their children at home this year, concurring with a recent statewide report that found a record high in the number of students being home schooled in North Carolina.…
Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:18

Departing director recommends dissolving Jackson EDC board

Jackson County’s Economic Development Commission has again been thrust into turmoil, a near constant state of affairs for the entity in recent years. The county’s economic development director announced her resignation last week, and along with it, offered her views…
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 20:22

New economic development coordinator learns the ropes

Trevor Dalton, Macon County’s first paid economic development coordinator, is back on his home turf. Dalton, 24, grew up in Macon County, and majored in business administration at Appalachian State. He worked in the Wilmington, N.C., area in the insurance…
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 20:19

County ensnared in lawsuit over historic courthouse renovations

Haywood County is being sued for $2 million by the contractor in charge of renovations to the newly restored historic courthouse. Haywood County commissioners fired the contractor 18 months into the job, citing serious delays and poor work. The construction…
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 20:17

Scenic beauty, yes, but what about things to do?

By Andre A. Rodriguez • Special to the Smoky Mountain News A new travel study revealed potential visitors lack awareness about activities and attractions in Cherokee and the surrounding region, detering them from planning a visit. “People don’t have a…
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 20:16

Jackson County offers incentives to land new manufacturing jobs

Jackson County leaders are considering an economic development incentive that will provide property tax credits to Stonewall Packaging in exchange for a minimum $10 million investment in a new facility in Sylva and creation of at least 40 full-time jobs…
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 20:12

Cherokee leaders to PETA: back off our bear zoos

Despite public pressure from animal rights activists, including a visit from legendary game show host Bob Barker, Cherokee leaders do not plan to address the living conditions of captive bears at three small zoos in Cherokee. A campaign to shut…
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 19:57

State budget cuts target after school program for teens

Proposed cuts to the state budget have threatened after school care for middle school students, with programs in Canton, Franklin, Bryson City and Sylva already shut down or in jeopardy of closing. As a result, middle school students who have…
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 19:55

Haywood celebrates completion of historic courthouse renovations

Haywood County leaders held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday on the steps of the newly renovated historic courthouse. The $8.2 million renovations to the 1932 courthouse have been a long time in the making. The project has been under discussion…
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 19:49

Macon hires point man in new push for economic development

Macon County has hired a full-time economic development coordinator, finally joining the ranks of most counties who employ paid directors tasked with growing jobs and recruiting businesses. Trevor Dalton, 24, has no economic development experience or training — but the…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 19:13

Bridging the divide: Maggie struggles to find new identity among tourists, second-home owners and year-round residents

Home to 3,000 motel rooms yet only 1,610 year-round residents, Maggie Valley can’t exactly escape the term “tourist town.” Anyone driving through the main drag passing a long line of lodging options would know. But perhaps less evident to visitors…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 19:11

Maggie chases festivals as ticket to tourism

When the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen purchased land for a town festival ground in 2002, it had high hopes for success. Events held there would reel in visitors to stay at local motels, eat at local restaurants, and shop…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 19:07

Graham and Swain part ways over Deal’s Gap debate

Graham County delivered yet another jolt to the three-month debate over who should provide emergency services to Deal’s Gap, a motorcycle mecca in a satellite portion of Swain County that sees serious wrecks each year. Graham commissioners voted 3-2 at…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 19:06

Cat lovers quietly care for wild colonies

Move over rabbits, it’s cats that multiply like crazy in Haywood County. According to the Haywood Animal Welfare Association, there are about 12,000 lost or stray cats in the county, nearly a fifth of the Haywood’s total human population. To…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 19:04

Swain at last makes foray into animal control

Swain County Manager Kevin King has an ambitious idea for finally addressing the years-old issue of animal control, or lack thereof, in the county. King would like to set aside some money to hire an animal control officer to handle…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 19:01

What’s in a name? Tourism web site succumbs to proper spelling

The Haywood Tourism Development Authority announced some good news last week for all those miffed by the incorrect spelling of “Smoky” on its official Web site’s address. The TDA has put up $14 to buy a new URL, www.visitncsmokies.com, to…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 19:00

Shortchanged again, WNC demands highway dollars back

Western North Carolina has steadily lost out on tens of millions in federal highway dollars over the past decade, despite the money being specifically earmarked for the region. Mountain leaders sent a message to both Raleigh and Washington this week…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 18:58

Task force declared finished as draft plan advances for public review

Some members of the Jackson County Transportation Task Force feel like the list of road projects bearing their name has not properly been vetted, despite the work of the task force being declared finished. “I think the task force has…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 18:51

Duke faces stiff opposition to proposed rate hike

Duke Energy’s rate hike request met strong opposition at a public hearing before members of the N.C. Utilities Commission in Franklin last week. Duke claims the 12.6 percent hike is needed to pay for upgrades to power plants and infrastructure…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 18:46

Lasting precedent doubtful as county closes books on erosion suit

Developers looking for shortcuts around erosion laws won’t find amnesty in a recent court case between a landowner and Haywood County erosion officials, according to the state authority on erosion enforcement. The landowner, Ron Cameron, won a lawsuit claiming he…
Wednesday, 30 September 2009 18:43

Corridor K inches forward

A road project known as Corridor K will boast the longest tunnel in the state of North Carolina if built as planned: a 2,807-foot passage through the side of a mountain in the Stecoah area of Graham County. Construction on…
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 18:40

Local restaurants support Haywood County farmers

Local chefs are proving to be some of the best supporters of Haywood County farmers. “The Buy Haywood project is having a great year, from new produce sales at Ingles grocery stores to a new map and brochure to encourage…
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 18:38

Expert offers tips to keep downtown businesses kicking

Small business expert Tom Shay told local store owners in Franklin, Sylva and Waynesville that recessions are good for one thing: weeding out the weak. “A recession is a wonderful thing,” said Shay. “It clears the landscape.” At the same…
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 18:35

Buck Knob residents, officials seek fire protection compromise

After years of fruitlessly demanding fire protection from a local volunteer fire department, homeowners on Buck Knob Island in the middle of Lake Glenville are finally inching toward their goal. So far, the state fire marshal’s office has assessed the…
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 18:33

After delay, schools getting lottery dollars

By Julie Ball • Correspondent Some lottery money used to pay the debt on local school projects is coming to Western North Carolina months after the payments were frozen amid the state budget crunch. The money, which was withheld by…
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 18:27

Landslide maps one component of steep slope planning

The Macon County committee charged with proposing regulations for building on steep slopes is still swimming in a sea of ideas but has agreed on one point. It will incorporate landslide hazard maps into a proposed ordinance, though the maps…
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 18:26

County settles Cameron lawsuit for $75,000

Haywood County is shelling out $75,000 for an out-of-court settlement that resolves an ongoing lawsuit by a landowner over the county’s erosion control laws. The county’s liability insurance pool will cover the remaining $105,000 of the $180,000 settlement. “It was…
Wednesday, 23 September 2009 18:19

The new caretakers: Through job losses and other factors, number of stay-at-home dads on the rise

By Julia Merchant • Contributing Writer A year and a half ago, Fatie Atkinson spent most of his time in an office designing custom furniture and tossing around ideas with other creative professionals. Today, instead of the chatter of a…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 16:19

Peace conference aims to foster multi-faith dialogue

With much controversy circling around how to conduct the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a conference at Lake Junaluska this weekend will instead focus on how to bring about lasting peace. The second annual Lake Junaluska Peace Conference, scheduled for…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 16:03

Swain makes cuts to plug million dollar shortfall

The recession has finally caught up with Swain County. While other counties began bracing for declining revenues in late 2008, Swain County has only just begun to tackle a $1 million shortfall eating its way through the county budget. Swain…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 16:00

Duke countersues Jackson

Duke Energy has fired back at Jackson County’s attempt to seize the Dillsboro Dam with a counterclaim of its own. Duke claims that it is the victim of abuse of process by the county and is seeking damages. Despite the…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 15:57

Judge refuses to dismiss Mathis slander case against Council on Aging board chair

Three years later, Denise Mathis, former director of the Haywood County Council on Aging, is still fighting to restore her reputation and seek monetary damages for being wrongly accused of mismanaging the finances of her former agency. Mathis lost her…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 15:55

Sheriff, Swain point fingers over budget shortfall

The on-going tension between Swain County commissioners and the sheriff has surfaced yet again, this time over the root cause of the county’s $1 million budget shortfall. “If it hadn’t been for the expenditures of the sheriff’s office we would…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 15:51

Permit lapses for proposed Jackson County golf course

Plans for a 300-acre golf course on Cullowhee Mountain in Jackson County have been temporarily sidelined after developers failed to follow through on a federal environmental permit. Several creeks were in the way of Legasus’ golf course design. Nearly two-thirds…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 15:49

Sign snatching a futile effort to enforce ordinance without teeth

Illegal temporary signs are so commonplace in Waynesville that Byron Hickox — the town’s land use manager — does a sign sweep once every week. Hickox drives around the main thoroughfares, grabbing any sign that is not allowed and amassing…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 15:47

Watershed assessment still underway

The team of experts conducting an ecological assessment of Waynesville’s 8,600-acre watershed has collected so much data that they have had to hunt down a bigger software package that can actually handle the load. “We cannot fit this on Excel,”…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 15:43

Dam fight between Duke, Jackson goes to federal court

Jackson County’s lawsuit against Duke Energy to seize the Dillsboro Dam and surrounding river shore through eminent domain has been kicked up to federal court. Jackson County filed the condemnation lawsuit in state court in August, but Duke attorneys argued…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 15:37

Macon wades gingerly toward transportation plan

As the main coordinator of a comprehensive transportation plan for Macon County, Ryan Sherby faces a long road ahead of him. Sherby and a local steering committee — with the help of public input — aim to determine the transportation…
Wednesday, 16 September 2009 15:35

A seven-year vigil for peace

A quiet gathering of people stood outside Haywood County’s courthouse on a recent Wednesday afternoon holding colorful signs and flags calling for peace. They waved back to smiling drivers who honked their car horns in support or gave thumbs up…
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 15:10

Emotional healthcare debate brings out both sides in Sylva

The battle over healthcare reform hit home in Sylva last week. A crowd of more than 50 people gathered on Main Street at the foot of the historic courthouse Wednesday evening holding signs in support of a public health care…
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 15:09

Business expert to offer tips in three WNC downtowns

With an economy still recovering from a recession, local businesses are reaching for ways to keep customers coming. Downtown associations in Franklin, Sylva and Waynesville will assist in those efforts by bringing in the expertise of a small business consultant.…
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 15:08

Lake J seeks state help for dam, sediment

Lake Junaluska Assembly is asking Haywood County commissioners to help it land state grants for maintenance on the lake and dam. The Assembly faces two major issues: repairs to the aging dam and sediment removal from the lake. An engineering…
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 15:07

WCU to pass on electric rate hike

Those who buy their power from Western Carolina University have historically enjoyed cheaper electric bills than their neighbors, but that is soon to change. WCU buys electricity at wholesale rates from Duke Energy and resells it to customers on its…
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 15:06

Haywood gets rolling on methane project

Haywood County commissioners have taken the first step in constructing a more than $1 million methane collection system at two landfills. After two 4-1 votes, the board this week approved doling out $92,200 to McGill Associates to handle the design…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 15:02

State workers group chastises Shuler for health care opposition

Health insurance reform has garnered a seemingly incongruous ally: the already well-insured workers of the State Employees Association of North Carolina. The association held a forum in Haywood County last week to educate state employees on exactly what the 1,017-page…
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 15:00

Borrowing bikes a big hit at university

Ever since the launch of the Yellow Bike Project in late August, a new bike culture has quickly sprung up around campus at Western Carolina University. The student-led initiative, which makes a fleet of fixed-up bikes available to anyone who…
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 14:59

Macon group takes aim at day care shortage

By Julie Ball • Correspondent Working parents in Macon County have few choices when it comes to child care for their infants, according to members of a committee tasked with coming up with some solutions to the county’s child care…
Wednesday, 09 September 2009 14:58

Player death prompts sickle cell testing for Western Carolina student athletes

Western Carolina University has enacted mandatory testing for the sickle cell trait among all student athletes following the death of a football player during summer workout drills in July. Ja’Quayvin Smalls, a junior defensive back from Mount Pleasant, S.C., was…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 14:45

Free clinics feel recession’s pinch

Amy Street thought she could finally afford health insurance this year. But that was before Street’s employer slashed 25 hours from her 40-hour work week. Street, a 62-year old Waynesville resident, recently applied for retirement and social security benefits, but…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 14:42

Spinning tales, weaving dreams: Storyteller hopes to preserve craft and WNC history under one roof

By Julia Merchant • Contributing writer As a professional storyteller, Tim Hall is no stranger to spinning yarns — but it’s in Western North Carolina that Hall hopes to weave his biggest story yet. Hall’s ambitions of creating a five-story…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 14:41

Graham jerks the rug out from Swain County in Deal’s Gap

Graham County has thrown a curve ball in an ongoing debate with Swain County over ambulance service in Deal’s Gap, a motorcycle mecca that sees a disproportionately large share of wrecks. Deal’s Gap is an outlying area of Swain County,…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 14:40

Niche tourism strategy debuts ‘micro’ Web sites

Haywood County Tourism Development Authority is employing an ambitious new marketing strategy to lure tourists, and their dollars, to the region. The plan calls for a narrowing focus on certain niche markets, as well as soliciting sponsorships from local businesses.…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 14:29

Pooches pose problem in Sylva

A debate has erupted in Sylva over whether dogs should be allowed in the town’s new Bridge Park, a small green space adjacent to downtown with a covered pavilion for holding concerts and community events. The issue has split members…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 14:27

Cell company dashes hopes new tower will mimic pine tree

A new cell phone tower has been proposed on the south-facing side of Utah Mountain above Lake Junaluska. It would bring cell phone service to the dead zone on Dellwood Road (U.S. 19) when driving between Lake Junaluska and Maggie…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 14:26

Woman claims officers denied her medication during DWI incident

An epileptic woman in Macon County is alleging that she did not receive proper medical attention after being arrested for a DWI last January. Maureen Lackey, 45, is suing Macon County in a U.S. District Court and has filed complaints…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 14:07

Old timers recall Roosevelt’s trip to the Smokies

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park staged a reenactment this week of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s dedication of the newly created park nearly 70 years ago. Roosevelt’s trip to the region in 1940 is still remembered by many. Throngs of…
Wednesday, 02 September 2009 13:52

Junaluska deals with same dog issue

Sylva isn’t the first place to wrestle with the not-so-pleasant by-product of dogs in public areas. The wildly popular two-mile walking trail around Lake Junaluska in Haywood County confronted the same issue several years ago. When word got out that…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:23

Wheels Through Time celebrates reopening

The Wheels Through Time Museum had a grand reopening in Maggie Valley after resuming five-day per week operations earlier this summer. Heralded as the “Smithsonian of Motorcycles,” the museum is regarded as one of the world’s premier destinations for motorcycle…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:21

MedWest chain aims for efficiency

MedWest’s three hospitals are undergoing major innovations in food service, housekeeping, plant operations and maintenance, and clinical engineering areas that will be complete by the end of the year. MedWest is working with Compass Group, a leader in healthcare support…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:15

Franklin businesses gear up for StreetFest

StreetFest 2010 will get underway at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 15, in Franklin, when Mayor Joe Collins cuts a ribbon spanning Main Street to celebrate the opening of four new businesses. The ribbon cutting will be followed by an…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:14

New spine center unveiled in Macon

The grand opening of Mission Outpatient Spine Center at Angel Medical Center in Franklin brings close to home spine care for residents of Macon and adjoining counties. The center will be staffed by three board certified surgeons from Carolina Spine…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:10

Business notes

Western Carolina University’s College of Business announces a new interim dean, Louis E. Buck Jr., the Wesley Elingburg Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation and director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Buck will be leading the College of Business…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:09

Estate-planning seminar set for Lake Junaluska

An estate-planning seminar will be held Tuesday, Sept. 28 from 9:30-11:30 a.m. in the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. It is sponsored by the Lake Junaluska Office of Development and the Foundation, and is free…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:07

WCU homecoming to be held Oct. 8-10

Western Carolina University will celebrate “The Power of Purple” during Homecoming festivities Oct. 8-10. The annual Alumni Scholarship Homecoming Golf Tournament will begin at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 8, at Sequoyah National Golf Club in Whittier. Then on campus, the…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:05

Health Department to begin flu vaccines

Flu vaccine is plentiful this year, and the N.C. Division of Public Health and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging everyone older than six months of age to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Haywood County The…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 20:04

Public debates paving, widening Needmore Road

More than 100 people attended last week’s public hearing on a state Department of Transportation proposal to pave and widen a 3.3-mile section of road that cuts through the Needmore Game Lands and parallels the Little Tennessee River. The crowd…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:57

Documents reveal DOT tug of war over Needmore Road

State and federal environmental agencies for more than a decade have questioned the need to make substantial improvements to Needmore Road. They’ve also repeatedly raised concerns about the possibility of serious environmental damage and worries about public reaction, documents on…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:56

Railroad crossing workshop scheduled

The N.C. Department of Transportation will hold a citizens’ informational workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 5, on closure of a railroad crossing where the highway and railroad meet in Sylva. The informational meeting will begin at 5 p.m. and end at…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:55

Jackson forum on environmental issues

A candidates’ forum on environmental issues will be held Thursday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m. at the Jackson County Recreation Complex in Cullowhee. All of the candidates for the Jackson County Commission, North Carolina Senate 50th District, North Carolina House…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:54

Golf tournament set for Saturday

A golf tournament will be held Saturday, Oct. 2 at Mill Creek Golf Course in Franklin. Tee-off is 10 a.m. The Mountain Trace Nursing & Rehabilitation Center’s tournament will benefit the resident council fund at Mountain Trace. The $60 entry…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:51

Haywood’s quest for trash savings dumps costs on towns

Controversy over closing down the Haywood County trash transfer station has resurfaced now that commissioners have put the idea back on the front burner. County commissioners postponed a decision earlier this year on whether to shut down the transfer station…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:50

A simpler solution

The recession bought Haywood County a little extra life in the landfill, thanks to less construction waste and commercial trash. A pit that everyone thought would be full by now still has more than a year left. But some of…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:46

Landfill for sale? Profit motive may prompt Haywood to sell landfill space

Haywood County commissioners are deciding whether to sell off space in the county’s landfill, allowing trucks from elsewhere to dump their garbage here for a fee. There’s only 30 to 40 years of life left in the landfill. Selling space…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:44

Court filing disputes Moody claim of having no assets

Moody Funeral Home in Sylva has been accused of hiding its assets and income to avoid paying bills in violation of a court order, according to the latest filing in an ongoing lawsuit. Moody Funeral Home was sued in 2007…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:43

Whittier board in hot water with state treasurer

The chairman of a board overseeing the water needs of just more than 100 residents in the Whittier community said people there will keep receiving the service, and that state concerns about the group’s operations are being addressed. Whittier Sanitary…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:42

Federal money to help N.C. jobless dodge foreclosure

With North Carolina suffering from some of the worst unemployment rates in the country, the U.S. Treasury Department is dedicating $159 million to help laid off workers in the state avoid foreclosure. Another $121 million is likely on the way,…
Wednesday, 29 September 2010 19:36

Forest Hills in holding pattern on WCU annexation

A timetable is still being hammered out on when Forest Hills leaders will receive a formal proposal from Western Carolina University on annexing land for a commercial development. WCU wants to develop 35 acres of its main campus into a…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:39

Canton’s future pivots on heated board race

When voters head to the polls in Canton next week, they will face a daunting and even unwieldy list to choose from: 10 candidates for four seats on the board. Town politics in Canton have been marked by division the…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:39

Hospital denies county commissioners a seat at the table

Despite their requests, Haywood County commissioners will not be guaranteed a spot on the new joint operating board of Haywood Regional Medical Center and WestCare. Commissioner Mark Swanger initially called for the seat to ensure transparency and accountability to the…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:38

Balsam Mountain Preserve property owners pull off grassroots fundraising on a colossal scale

Affluent property owners in Balsam Mountain Preserve have raised commitments of $16.3 million in an effort to stave off foreclosure of the development by lenders. Balsam Mountain Preserve, a mega development on 4,400 acres in Jackson County, owes nearly $20…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:37

Cullowhee a good sports town for athletes and spectators

By Gibbs Knotts • Guest Columnist Some local sportswriters have expressed bewilderment at a recent ranking by a nationally circulated magazine, The Sporting News, that placed Cullowhee at No. 199 among the United States’ top 399 sports cities. These pundits…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:35

Meet the candidates

Two of the five seats on the Sylva town board are up for election. Both incumbents are running for re-election and will face three additional challengers. The mayor’s seat is up for election as well, but Mayor Brenda Oliver chose…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:27

Haywood-WestCare Joint Operating Agreement Frequently Asked Questions

Is it true that Haywood and WestCare have merged? No. The boards of Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) and WestCare Health System (WestCare) have formally agreed to form a unified healthcare system that will integrate the strategic, operational, and financial…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:26

Waynesville Rec Center struck by vandals

The Waynesville Recreation Center was vandalized late sometime late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. The vandals entered the building through a broken window into the pool area. Once inside, they broke internal windows, threw furniture around, pulled clocks off…
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