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Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:25

HRMC, WestCare affiliation creates MedWest

A long-awaited affiliation of the hospitals in Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties will become official in January 2010. That’s when a newly created hospital company, dubbed MedWest Health System, will take over day-to-day operations for Haywood Regional Medical Center and…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:22

Sylva candidates split on funding for downtown projects

The election for Sylva town board next week will determine the philosophical direction for the town. The board has been marked by split votes over the past two years, stemming from deep-seated ideological differences. Two years ago, the majority on…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:21

No quick fix for rock slide that closes I-40

Western North Carolina is bracing itself for the impact of a massive rockslide that will shut down a major chunk of Interstate 40 near the Tennessee border for about three months. The rockslide occurred 2 a.m. Sunday morning three miles…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:18

Meet the candidates

There are 10 candidates running for four seats on the Canton town board. Only two sitting aldermen are running for re-election, with eight challengers. All four seats are up for election every two years. Mayor Pat Smathers is running for…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:15

Haywood County braces for economic impacts of prolonged I-40 closure

By all indications, the closing of Interstate 40 due to a massive rockslide will be more than just a minor headache for many. Through traffic heading west to Tennessee will be directed to I-26 from Asheville, where cars would have…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:11

Macon rallies to defense of river and wins

Macon County has won a partial victory in the fight over the permitting of an industrial wastewater treatment plant in Rabun County, just across the state line in North Georgia. Earlier this month, Georgia environmental protection officials issued a discharge…
Wednesday, 28 October 2009 20:01

Downtown platform

Several candidates have made downtown revitalization the central tenet of their campaign and consider it the one of the most important issues on the town’s agenda. They include Gene Monson, Carole Edwards, and Kenneth Holland. “When I was growing up,…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:56

Keeping commissioner on hospital board lends accountability

The joint board that will run the eventual Haywood Regional Medical Center-WestCare affiliation needs to have a sitting Haywood County commissioner as a permanent member, as one Haywood County commissioner is now suggesting. Commissioner Mark Swanger worries that the interest…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:55

Three seek two seats on Maggie Valley board

The Town of Maggie Valley has a town board with four aldermen/alderwomen and a mayor with voting power. Each official serves a four-year term. This November, two spots on the Board of Aldermen are up for election. Alderman Mark DeMeola…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:54

Drill mimics real disaster, right down to tunnel collapse

A drill simulating the collapse of a tunnel on Interstate 40 in Haywood County tested and prepared the full gamut of emergency workers during an exercise that spanned 30 hours and involved hundreds of rescue personnel from across the region.…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:51

WCU raises $50 million for endowment

Western Carolina University last week announced that the first comprehensive fundraising campaign in university history has netted a grand total of $51,826,915 in private giving for endowed scholarships, professorships and programmatic support. The tally is more than $11 million above…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:48

Unfinished hotel mars Sylva landscape

The fate of an unfinished Clarion Inn in Sylva is up in the air after a bank foreclosed on the property earlier this month. The developer burned through a $5.1 million construction loan for the hotel but ran out of…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:46

Most make extra effort to hear public

As Haywood County commissioners grapple with a surge in this public input at their meetings, largely from the same crowd week after week, The Smoky Mountain News checked in with surrounding counties to see how they handle public comment periods.…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:43

Election guaranteed to bring new leadership in Dillsboro

This November, the Town of Dillsboro will elect all five members of its town board, along with a new mayor to replace Jean Hartbarger, who is stepping down after eight years as mayor and eight years as alderwoman. One incumbent…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:41

Haywood again looks at old Wal-Mart for DSS building

Haywood County commissioners are once again considering the abandoned Wal-Mart shell for a new Department of Social Services building. The current DSS building is housed in a cramped and crumbling 80-year-old building that was once the county’s old hospital. Patching…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:38

Haywood says state shirking responsibility

Haywood County commissioner sent a strong message to Raleigh this week, chastising state government for not stepping in to help when the county got sued by a landowner when trying to enforce erosion control standards. The county spent $282,000 on…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:35

Maggie hopefuls say tourists and locals important

If there’s a buzz word for Maggie Valley’s town board elections this year, it’s “balance.” Alderwoman Saralyn Price said she wants to “equal it out” between residents and businesses in town. Challenger Scott Pauley claims that he’ll bring balance and…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:31

Robust citizen input vexes public officials

Johnnie Cure said she never expected to become a local celebrity when she started speaking up during the public comment period of Haywood County commissioners meetings. Typically taking the county to task over what she perceives as excessive spending, Cure…
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 19:27

Marc Pruett earns praise from all sides for his work

When Haywood County commissioners convened this week to discuss the fate of the county’s erosion control program, they were met by a deep bench of prominent community members who turned out to show support for Marc Pruett. Pruett is the…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 16:17

The mystery of Judaculla Rock

Located in a field in the rural Caney Fork community of Jackson County is Judaculla Rock, a soapstone boulder covered with mysterious carvings. The lines, circles and squiggles appear to form distinct shapes, but exactly what they mean, and who…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 16:12

Cherokee immersion school aims to save language

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians praised the new Kituwah Language Academy for the cultural renaissance that’s now unfolding within its doors. The official ribbon cutting ceremony last Wednesday (Oct. 7) for the language immersion school’s opening led many speakers…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 16:10

In the running

The Town of Franklin has a town board with six aldermen/alderwomen and a mayor who votes only to break ties. Mayors serve for two years, while aldermen/alderwomen serve for four. This year, the mayor and three aldermen/alderwomen are up for…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 16:07

Oconaluftee Institute chooses Queen as program coordinator

Joel Queen has been named the new program coordinator and instructor at the Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts in Cherokee. “We stand on the edge of becoming a truly unique voice in the world for indigenous art and culture,” Queen…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:59

BMP’s problems not apparent

At first glance, it is hard to see why Balsam Mountain Preserve has been unable to satisfy the lenders behind a $19.8 million loan dating to 2005. The exact amount of the payoff on the loan has not been revealed,…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:58

Swain auditor warns that drastic measures needed

An auditor for Swain County had a clear-cut message to pass on to commissioners this week: make drastic cutbacks in expenditures or hike property taxes. “There’s nothing left,” Auditor Eric Bowman told commissioners at their meeting Monday (Oct. 5). “We…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:56

Saving Judaculla Rock: Preservation work begins on local artifact

By Julia Merchant • Contributing writer Priceless artifacts often end up tucked safely away behind the protective glass cases of museums — but not Judaculla Rock. A thin, twisted piece of rusty rebar is all that separates this well-known boulder,…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:54

Treadway, Reidmiller run unopposed

This year’s elections in Bryson City will be a cinch for Alderwoman Stephanie Treadway and Alderman Tom Reidmiller. Both are running unopposed to retain their seats on the board. Treadway, a 40-year old insurance agent with Allman Insurance, has been…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:53

Most like plans for Russ Avenue makeover

A proposed redesign of Russ Avenue, the main commercial thoroughfare in Waynesville, received strong public support among those who attended a public workshop last week to learn more about the plan. “I think this has to be done,” said Lyle…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:49

New and improved appraisal method aims to better calibrate property values

An analysis of property values in Haywood County aims to reduce disparities between the value listed on the county’s tax rolls and the real-life value. The project will more precisely hone in on characteristics that affect home values, hopefully resulting…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:48

Amid tough times, DSS director denied raise

After much deliberation, Swain County commissioners voted 3-2 against an $8,800 pay raise for the Department of Social Services director in the face of a severe budget shortfall. Director Tammy Cagle asked for the raise to be compensated for additional…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:47

Collins, Scott battle for mayor’s post in Franklin

Tensions are rife as Franklin Alderman Bob Scott and Mayor Joe Collins butt heads over the prize of a mayor spot up for election. Scott is seeking to trade his two remaining years as alderman for two years as mayor…
Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:43

One of area’s first mega developments in trouble

Balsam Mountain Preserve, a mega development on 4,400 acres in Jackson County, has defaulted on the terms of a $19.8 million loan, prompting a notice of foreclosure by nervous lenders last week. Owners of the development say they are hopeful…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:41

New plan aims to corral chaotic thoroughfare

A plan to redesign Russ Avenue would dramatically alter the appearance and traffic flow along the frenzied main commercial artery of Waynesville. The plan has several components, but chief among them is wiping out the middle turn lane. Instead a…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:40

Maggie pins hopes on director to turn corner on festival grounds

The Town of Maggie Valley is moving closer toward hiring a festival director to market its struggling festival grounds. Aldermen decided last Thursday to appoint a six-member selection committee to help sort through job applications and choose the most qualified…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:39

Libraries see increased usage as recession lingers

Local libraries report that more people are streaming through their doors as a direct result of the recession. Area residents are increasingly heading to the library rather than doling out dollars for books, CDs and DVDs, as well as newspapers,…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:38

Angel Medical continues to stand alone

While neighboring hospitals count down the days until an affiliation is finalized, Angel Medical Center in Franklin continues to stand alone during a time when independent hospitals are becoming increasingly rare. Angel Medical CEO Tim Hubbs said the small hospital…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:37

Angel CEO says hospital investing in its future

When Tim Hubbs stepped down as the CEO of Drake Software, a Franklin firm that writes accounting software, he thought the frenzy of tax season was behind him and he would coast out his years with the hassle-free title of…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:36

Hazelwood clings to its post office under threat of closure

Hazelwood seems to be getting the short end of the stick these days. Once an independent blue-collar town boasting a half-dozen factories, it has seen them close one by one over the past two decades. Now, the community is in…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:35

Price tag on land a deal killer for Jackson greenway

Despite their conceptual support for a greenway along the Tuckasegee River, Jackson County commissioners expressed hesitation about purchasing land to establish it. At a meeting Monday, the commissioners unanimously approved spending about $39,580 on a 1.4-acre plot but also unanimously…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:34

Loss of transparency likely for Haywood under new hospital joint venture

Haywood Regional Medical Center and WestCare are in the final stages of forming a partnership, with plans to launch a new joint venture as early as January. The two entities will join forces under a new umbrella organization with a…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:31

Duke’s rate hike request is poorly timed, not needed

The state should turn down Duke Energy’s request for a nearly 13 percent hike in utility rates and instead encourage the giant utility to do a better job with the revenues and power-creation capacity it already owns. There are several…
Wednesday, 07 October 2009 15:25

Task force wants final crack at honing road list

Dueling solutions for relieving traffic on N.C. 107 in Sylva are poised to make the final cut in the long-awaited Jackson County Transportation Plan. Both a bypass around the commercial thoroughfare and redesign of the road itself could ultimately be…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 15:03

An unstable past

Located atop a nearly 3,000-foot mountain in Cullowhee, the Jackson County Airport was built to avoid the low-lying fog that often shrouds the Tuckasegee River Valley. Its unique location provides pilots with an alternative landing strip to lower lying airports…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 15:01

With real estate market still in flux, Macon postpones property reappraisal

Macon County has joined a growing trend in deciding to postpone its property revaluation process for two years. The county was due for revaluation next year, but based on the testimony of its tax administrator, Richard Lightner, the board of…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 15:50

Loophole in video poker ban makes way for cyber sweepstakes

Sweepstakes have never before been so controversial — or so complicated. Far removed from the days of dropping an entry form in the mail or peering under the cap of a soda bottle, sweepstakes have now taken the form of…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 14:48

Macon tax hike in store to pay for new elementary school

Macon County’s schools will get a long-awaited upgrade, but its taxpayers are going to have to pay extra for it. County commissioners voted last Tuesday to raise the property tax rate by one-and-a-half cents to build a $15 million elementary…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 14:48

Suspects nabbed in Macon church break-in spree

A string of church break-ins that had captured widespread attention in Macon County came to an end last week when law enforcement arrested four teenage suspects in conjunction with the crimes. Between Oct. 5 and Nov. 8 no less than…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 14:45

Future of Jackson airport up in the air

The Jackson County airport has reached a crossroads. For years the little aviation field above the clouds has been a financial burden on the county. Now, with its governing body dwindling in number and its revenues lagging behind its operating…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 14:44

The life and times of Cataloochee Ranch

Tom Alexander, a famed mountain man, forester and founder of Cataloochee Ranch, chronicled his adventures over the course of his lifetime. An edited collection of his writings were compiled into a book called Mountain Fever by Alexander’s son in 1995,…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 14:43

As rockslide cleanup trudges on, misleading detour signs plague tourism industry

The cost of repairing Interstate 40 after a massive rockslide in late October will now be borne by the federal government instead of the state. Last week, the Federal Highway Administration agreed to use emergency relief funds to fully reimburse…
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 14:40

Legacy of a mountain family

For 75 years, Cataloochee Ranch has been serving up a taste of the Wild West in the Smokies. From its mile-high perch on Fie Top Mountain, the ranch offers respite and solitude, fishing and horseback riding, expansive rolling meadows and…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:35

At free clinics survival trumps politics

Dr. David Trigg, medical director at the Good Samaritan Clinic of Jackson County, doesn’t know if he should do more or less to treat the uninsured. While he and the other volunteer doctors at free clinics are their patients’ only…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:11

Swain braces for loss of jail revenue

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians recently got a big push forward in building its own jail after receiving an $18 million grant from the Department of Justice. The grant may be excellent news for the tribe, but for Swain…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:05

Haywood library to accept canned food in lieu of fines

Haywood County library is experimenting with novel methods for wiping out some of the $250,000 in late fees it is currently owed. For the month of December, the library plans to accept canned food in lieu of library late fees…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:05

Symbolic torch passing honors national park anniversaries

A Cherokee elder presided over a ceremonial torch passing from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the Blue Ridge Parkway last week. Standing at an overlook along the Parkway outside Cherokee, Elder Jerry Wolfe performed a “smudging” to open…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:05

While politics reign in Washington, real people struggle with health care costs

It was late September, and Travis George, a 27-year-old Waynesville resident, was almost done mowing his grandmother’s yard. With just five minutes left, his foot accidentally slipped right under the mower, chopping off three of his toes and part of…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:05

Hope of paper mill job attracts hundreds to ESC

More than 300 people waited in line at the N.C. Employment Security Commission in Waynesville on Monday to submit job applications with Evergreen Packaging, the paper mill in Canton. Evergreen employs 1,200 workers in Haywood County. The company is not…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:10

Shuler caught short of truth

While Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, was cleared two weeks ago by the House Ethics Committee of any wrongdoing related to a Tennessee real estate deal, controversy erupted again a week later when the Tennessee Valley Authority released a report that…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:11

Past illness leaves woman ‘uninsurable’

Though Sylva resident Marsha Crites had no risk factors, she suffered a major cerebellum stroke at the age of 49. “Not only could I not walk, I couldn’t sit,” said Crites. “I would even fall out of bed for a…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:10

Developers have plans for sites near Wal-Mart

A local developer has purchased a key parcel alongside Super Wal-Mart in Waynesville, potentially kick-starting long-awaited commercial redevelopment along the South Main Street corridor. The coming of Super Wal-Mart was heralded as an instant recipe for growth around it. But…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:11

Macon County asks for public input, take three

After two unsuccessful attempts at creating a comprehensive land-use plan, Macon County’s commissioners have directed staff to take another bite of the apple. As County Planner Derek Roland travels from community to community asking the public for input on what…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:10

When the health care crisis hits home: Three sisters share stories of insurance illusions

Nothing could have prepared Franklin sisters Suzanne Thomas and Karen Rice for the total financial ruin that followed their injuries. Thomas, 63, and Rice, 70, are still coping with the impact of astronomical medical costs from nearly a decade ago,…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:10

When insurance falls short, out-of-pocket costs become rapidly out-of-reach

As if dealing with the trauma of breast cancer wasn’t enough, Martha Yonce, 62, was also hit with a devastating $80,000 in out-of-pocket expenses for her surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Yonce, a Franklin resident, thought she had her bases covered…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:10

Jackson commissioners faced with resigning EDC members

Four of the nine members on the Jackson County Economic Development Commission have resigned in the past month, signaling growing frustration among a board that lacks clear direction from the county commissioners. The director of the EDC had already resigned…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:10

Commissioners perplexed by white paint samples

Jackson County Commissioners pondered paint samples at their meeting this week in an attempt to pick an exterior color for the new library beside the historic courthouse. “I like white,” said Chairman Brian McMahan. “It’s historically been known as a…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:05

Caliber of student could rise as admissions get more selective

A surge in students applying to Western Carolina University has allowed the college to be more selective. Despite a rise in applications –– tripling over three years –– enrollment at WCU has not risen significantly. The bigger pool has allowed…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:05

WCU rides wave of new applicants

Over the past three years the applicant pool at Western Carolina University has nearly tripled. The increase in prospective students signals a success story in outreach and marketing, and it may also mark a transitional moment for the school. According…
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 14:05

Ghost Town’s spotty financial disclosure frustrates creditors

As Ghost Town heads toward its first big showdown in bankruptcy court next week, objections from those owed money are beginning to pile up. Ghost Town, an Old West amusement park in Maggie Valley, recently filed a disclosure statement and…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 14:03

New generation of doctors prefer stability over autonomy

In an effort to boost recruitment of doctors to the region, hospitals across Western North Carolina are following in the footsteps of a national trend to employ physicians in-house. Historically, doctors set up independent, private practices. But doctors are increasingly…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

Surge in last minute write-ins makes Webster election a popular affair

In July only two candidates signed up to get on the ballot for the five spots up for grabs in Webster’s town board election, posing a quandary for the tiny Jackson County town of just over 250 registered voters. When…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

The allegations

The House of Representatives Committee on Standards and Official Conduct –– commonly known as the House Ethics Committee –– recently conducted an inquiry into whether or not Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, used his influence to benefit one of his own…
Monday, 27 September 2010 13:56

Maggie may mandate mountain motif

The days of building as you like in Maggie Valley may be numbered, with design standards in the works to guide the town’s commercial district toward a mountain theme. Maggie Valley’s planning board has released a draft version of standards…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

Furlough translates to pay cut for most WCU professors

Western Carolina University professors who haven’t already done so are running out of time to take a mandatory 10-hour furlough by year’s end. Earlier this year, Gov. Bev Perdue issued an executive order calling on all state employees to take…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

Dueling downtown bookstores to join forces in Waynesville

Waynesville’s two independent bookstores — Osondu Booksellers and Blue Ridge Books & Cafe — have merged. The economics of independent bookstores have made it nearly impossible for a town of Waynesville’s size to support two stores. Squeezed by the discount…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

House clears Shuler on ethics rap

After months of high-profile scrutiny, U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, has been cleared in an ethics inquiry that examined whether the congressman used his influence to benefit one of his real estate deals in East Tennessee. While Shuler’s office maintains…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

Angling for Sam’s Club discount, Swain jailer uses credit card to buy TV

Misuse of county credit cards by a Swain jailer has prompted tighter controls on charge card use across all departments. Earlier this year, a jailer purchased a $500 or $600 big-screen TV with the county’s credit card at Sam’s Club,…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

State passes off child support enforcement to counties

Several western counties have been scrambling to create an in-house child support enforcement program after the state announced it would no longer handle the job of tracking down delinquent parents. Swain, Macon, Cherokee and Graham counties, along with the Eastern…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

Lawsuit alleging poor treatment in Macon jail hits dead end

A federal judge has dismissed a civil lawsuit by Maureen Lackey, a 45-year old Franklin resident who alleged discrimination by Macon County and the Sheriff’s Office. Lackey, who suffers from epilepsy, claimed jailers denied her medicine after she was arrested…
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 13:37

New company part of a long local legacy

The merger of Osondu Booksellers and Blue Ridge Books and Café will eventually bring under one roof the long legacy of two beloved Waynesville institutions catering to readers and etched in the memory of the downtown community A legacy of…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:25

Digging out Lake Junaluska … again

In the ongoing battle to keep Lake Junaluska from filling with silt, the lake will once again be partially lowered this winter so accumulated sediment can be dug out. Scooping sediment out of the lake is a costly proposition. There…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:24

Bryson AM station lights up the airwaves again after year-long hiatus

The airwaves in Bryson City are active again now that WBHN is back up and running. The radio station, the only one that calls Swain County home, went off the air about a year ago because of financial problems. Two…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:23

Open House to be held on WCU campus Oct. 2

Prospective college students who want to learn the ins and outs of campus life will have an opportunity for a sneak peak as Western Carolina University holds Open House on Saturday, Oct. 2. Hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions,…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:23

Rabies clinics planned around Haywood

Haywood County Animal Control, the Haywood County Health Department and veterinarians from the county’s six animal hospitals are collaborating on a series of rabies clinics the week of Sept. 27-Oct. 1. The clinics will be held from 5 to 6:30…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:22

Spruce sell will benefit Haywood schools

TCA Tree Farm in Ironduff is selling “dig your own” 4-foot Norway spruce trees Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 as a benefit for the Haywood County Schools Foundation. The trees are immune to the woolly adelgid that attacks hemlocks, and…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:21

Radical makeover

A major remodeling job to convert the abandoned Wal-Mart in Clyde to house the Haywood County Department of Social Services could get underway by November. This rendering by Asheville firm Padgett & Freeman Architects shows how the dreary big-box storefront…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:19

Maroon Devil Classic Golf Tournament

The Seventh Annual Maroon Devil Classic Golf Tournament to will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 2, at The Ridges Resort and Golf Club in Hayesville. The tournament will be a four-man captain’s choice format. Registration is $75…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:17

Seminar focuses on Internet “findability”

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority and Haywood Community Colleges’ Small Business Center will co-sponsor a seminar for small business owners titled “Findability on the Web: Tips and Tricks From The Pros” from 10 a.m. to noon on Sept. 28.…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:10

HCC offers new solar course series

Haywood Community College’s Division of Continuing Education will offer a new solar course series called Harnessing the Power of the Sun. The series will provide more than 20 hours of instruction including some hands-on lab activities. The cost of the…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:09

Haywood Chamber to host candidates

The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Meet and Greet the Candidates forum at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 6, at the Gateway Club. Cost to attend the breakfast is $10 for chamber members and $15 for…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:08

Jackson County candidate forum

The Jackson County Home Builders Association will hold a Jackson County Town Meeting Forum at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 28, at the Cashiers Community Center. All candidates for county commissioner have confirmed they will attend, as well as both candidates…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:04

Needmore Road debate heats up

Dorothy and Steve Poole are among the few who live along a 3.3-mile stretch of Needmore Road the state Department of Transportation wants to widen and pave. “I agree with the people who want to keep it beautiful,” Dorothy Poole…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 19:02

A snake in the courthouse? Believe it

Deputy Gregory Wood was looking forward to a mundane Monday morning manning the metal detector at the Haywood County courthouse when a woman came in with some strange news: a snake had taken up residence in the elevator of the…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 18:58

Violations stack up against Cherokee bear zoo

Chief Saunooke Bear Park in Cherokee has been cited with federal violations for the treatment and condition of captive bears kept in pits for viewing by tourists. It marks the fourth federal inspection of the bear zoo in two years…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 18:57

Panel finally formed to pick Sylva’s top cop

One town commissioner, the town manager and two business owners will help pick Sylva’s next police chief. The panel, agreed on last week at a board meeting, replaces one originally conceived by Town Manager Adrienne Isenhower that sparked dissent among…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 18:55

New SCC president takes the helm after health setback

Richard Collings suffered a stroke the night he arrived in Western North Carolina to take over as president of Southwestern Community College. What followed, as Collings described it, was “kind of a weird interlude” into his new job. There had…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 18:54

Macon sheriffs race features two experienced officers

Two veteran officers, Sheriff Robert Holland and George Lynch, are vying to fill Macon County’s top law-enforcement post. The campaigns of both men have been remarkable. More for what isn’t happening rather than what has taken place. Both Holland, the…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 18:54

Jackson sheriffs race marked by acrimony

Mary Rock wants to become the first female sheriff in Jackson County, but gaining that title against two-term incumbent and Democrat Jimmy Ashe won’t be easy. Part of Rock’s tactic is that she is running unaffiliated rather than under the…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 18:53

Haywood sheriff challenger pledges modern approach

Voters will have a choice between a fresh or familiar face in this year’s Haywood County sheriff’s race. Democratic incumbent Bobby Suttles has worked law enforcement in Haywood for 35 years, including 18 years at the Haywood County Sheriff’s office.…
Wednesday, 22 September 2010 18:50

Swain sheriff candidates head for final showdown in high stakes race

It’s nearing showtime for the most heated race in Swain County: the battle between Republican Sheriff Curtis Cochran and his challenger, Democrat John Ensley. Controversial issues were neither few nor far between during Cochran’s first term as sheriff: a suspected…
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