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Wednesday, 17 February 2010 17:10

Jackson sheriff sparks controversy, policy change with expenditures

Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe may not have done anything illegal, but he’s stepped into the middle of a controversy in the run-up to his re-election campaign. Ashe used state and federal money from narcotics seizures to operate an informal…
Wednesday, 17 February 2010 17:10

Ghost Town pays liability insurance bill after slide

Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park was behind on its general liability insurance payments in the months leading up to a massive landslide that originated from its property. Ghost Town has been struggling with bankruptcy for the past year.…
Wednesday, 17 February 2010 17:10

Haywood acquires fiberoptic line

Haywood County recently dropped a lawsuit against Wynncom, after the telecommunications company agreed to hand over its fiberoptic network to the county for $6,500. Wynncom, based in Lexington, N.C., was hired to build a fiberoptic line for Haywood and be…
Wednesday, 17 February 2010 17:10

Duke Energy president agrees to meet with Cherokee chief

A disagreement over Duke Energy’s placement of a power substation near Cherokee’s most significant cultural site has instigated a meeting between the top leaders of the tribe and the company. Principal Chief Michell Hicks, the tribal council, and the attorney…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 13:32

Creeks now flow clean through Waynesville and Sylva

Ed Williams is an expert when it comes to spotting the telltale signs of sewage seeping into creeks. “You get an eye and a nose for it,” Williams said. “You put the boots on and get in. You just start…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 13:31

Get creative at Green Energy Park’s Youth Art Festival Sept. 18

The 3rd Annual Youth Art Festival will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park. Opportunities abound for hands-on art activities such as sidewalk chalk, mural painting, tile mosaics,…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 13:11

Resolution long way off in Haywood’s historic courthouse quagmire

Haywood County is headed to arbitration in a lawsuit over the $8.2 million renovation to the historic courthouse. The contractor sued the county for $2 million after being fired from the job in May 2008. The county claimed the contractor…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 13:10

Haywood commissioners finally give OK on HCC crafts building

After months of debate, Haywood Community College leaders emerged victorious this week in their quest to build a $10.3 million building where craft industries will be taught. From weaving to pottery to woodworking, the new building will be a showcase…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:51

Sept. 11 tribute honors emergency personnel

The second annual Sept. 11 “Never Forget” tribute and candlelight memorial will honor first responders who serve every day to protect the citizens of Haywood County. The tribute begins at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 at the historic Haywood Country…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:50

Suicide risk workshop offered Sept. 10

Assessing suicide risk is the topic of a daylong professional development workshop to be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, at Western Carolina University. Lunch is included. “Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk” will include lectures, exercises,…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:50

Grace Church invites applicants for grants

Grace Episcopal Church in Waynesville again will devote all the proceeds from its annual parish fair to mission outreach grants. The church invites local non-profit service agencies and organizations to submit applications by Sept. 15. Last year the church awarded…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:49

Peace conference organizer featured on UNC-TV

Haywood County resident and Lake Junaluska Peace Conference Committee Chairman Garland Young and United Methodist Bishop Ken Carder will appear on UNC TV’s “North Carolina People” with Dr. Bill Friday at 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 10, and at 5:30…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:48

Meet GOP candidates in Jackson Sept. 9

Conservative candidates running for the Jackson County commission, state legislative offices and judgeships will be speaking at a “Meet Conservative Candidates” event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Savannah Community Center in Jackson Country. The Jackson…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:46

Building Better Balance

Dr. Kate Queen will address “Building Better Balance” during a lunch and learn session from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 27, at on the second floor of Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center. She will be joined by a…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:45

Habitat for Humanity build day in Clyde

The Haywood County Board of Realtors is organizing a Build Day for Habitat for Humanity on Sept. 16 at Barefoot Ridge in Clyde. Realtors and others who would like to take part in the event should be ready to work…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:45

Log cabin raffle to benefit mentor program

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina will raffle off a Smoky Mountain cabin to benefit its efforts to recruit, screen, train and support caring adults who want to make a difference in the life of a child. The…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:44

University maintains top 10 spot in a recent national ranking

Western Carolina University maintained its top 10 ranking on a list of leading public regional universities in the south in the 2011 U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” guidebook released Aug. 17 For the second year in a row,…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:42

Ballot measure would bar felons from serving as sheriff

After six felons in North Carolina ran for sheriff during the May primaries, legislators decided it was time to close that particular legal loophole. This November, voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would put a stop to convicted…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:39

Sylva board rift over police chief reveals larger power play afoot

Sylva Commissioner Christina Matheson surfaced as peacemaker last week for a town board that, among other matters, has shown signs of fracturing over the best method of hiring a new police chief. Commissioner Harold Hensley bucked up at a meeting…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:37

Sylva pedestrian plan to come one step at a time

Getting around on your own two feet in Sylva would be safer and easier if an ambitious, $4.5-million pedestrian plan becomes reality. The plan — really, a wish list that would help keep the town moving now and in the…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:35

Efforts to preserve Waynesville neighborhood underway

Waynesville is attempting to preserve the neighborhood bounded by Walnut and North Main streets by seeking official recognition from the National Register of Historic Places. The town recently received a grant through the Certified Local Government Program to prepare a…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:34

Old Waynesville hospital could be converted to affordable housing

Haywood County officials foresee the historic hospital in Waynesville one day being transformed into affordable or senior housing. “That would be my vision,” said Commissioner Bill Upton. “Something might show up that we haven’t thought of, but affordable housing is…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:31

Supporters hoping to keep WBHN on the air

When Swain County faced an onslaught of snow and ice last winter, local radio station WBHN wasn’t broadcasting road information or school closings. Die-hard fans of Swain County High’s sports teams haven’t been able to tune into any of the…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:28

How would being a town help Cullowhee?

In hopes of transforming Cullowhee into a more vibrant college community, a group dedicated to reinventing the lackluster area around campus wants the Village of Forest Hills to expand its town limits and annex a portion of the university and…
Wednesday, 08 September 2010 12:19

Tiny town of Forest Hills holds fate of Cullowhee revitalization in its hands

Being the top leader of the Village of Forest Hills isn’t as serene as it once was. Admittedly, Irene Hooper, the first mayor of this subdivision-turned-town, dealt with some thorny issues after the residential area near Western Carolina University voted…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Rescue workers act fast in landslide disaster despite threat of more to fall

Chris Carver found himself in the unusual position of being both rescuer and evacuee when a massive mudslide struck Rich Cove Road in Maggie Valley on Friday night. “I live there, right where it stopped,” said Carver, assistant chief of…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Sylva teen club closes quietly

A Sylva teen club that sparked controversy two months ago by disseminating a flyer inviting high school students to “come as wasted as you want” has closed its doors. In December, concerned parents brought 500 signatures to a town board…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Cash settlement here at last

Swain County officially signed a cash settlement with the federal government in a moving and historic ceremony Saturday, ending a bitter decades-long dispute over the North Shore Road. Swain will received $52 million from the government, and in exchange will…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Messy lawsuits likely left in landslide’s wake

It could take months or even years for lawsuits over a massive landslide in Maggie Valley to be resolved, leaving affected property owners in limbo over who is financially responsible for the damage to their homes. The landslide originated from…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Corridor K sent back to drawing board

A proposed four-lane highway through a mountainous region of Graham County has suffered a setback. The N.C. Department of Transportation was nearing the final planning stages and hoped to start construction in a few years on what is commonly known…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Going, going, gone

When Duke first broached the idea of tearing down the Dillsboro dam eight years ago, Mark Singleton thought he would see this day come much sooner than it did. A champion of dam removal both for the ecological and recreation…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

After scare of slide wears off, residents want answers

Betty Miner was standing in her kitchen getting ready to fix supper last Friday when the pictures on her walls fell to the ground. “I heard a sound and ran to where I heard it and that’s when the mud…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Duke project threatens sacred character of Kituwah site

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians may pursue legal action against Duke Energy after learning about the utility company’s plans to put an electric substation near Kituwah mound, the tribe’s most sacred site. On Friday the EBCI’s tribal council passed…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

No road in or out

On Friday night, a mudslide thundered across Rich Cove Road in Maggie Valley, taking out a section of a guardrail and bending a drainage pipe in its path, causing water to flow alongside the road and collect at the bottom.…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Waynesville moves on skate park

Skateboard enthusiasts in Waynesville will be happy to hear the town has been busily preparing for a long-awaited skate park on Vance Street near the recreation center. The town board recently dropped $28,500 on a California firm called Spohn Ranch…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

What is Kituwah?

Kituwah is a concept much larger than the mound site proper, which is recorded with the state register of historic places. The name signifies the mothertown of the Cherokee, a kind of original community with which all Cherokees identify. “The…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Safeguards in place, but cracks remain

While buckling and cracks were readily visible in old retaining walls built out of railroad ties at Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park owners failed to officially notify anyone with Haywood County of the town of Maggie Valley. Mountainside…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

A time for healing

The signing of a cash settlement deal for Swain County last week was a heartbreaking end to a lifelong struggle for many. For decades, road supporters held on to hope — hope that the government would honor the promise it…
Wednesday, 10 February 2010 17:04

Local fishermen sad to see the dam go

The first day of demolition on the Dillsboro Dam attracted hundreds of spectators last Wednesday. A roadside pull-off overlooking the Tuckasegee afforded a bird’s eye view of the machinery chipping away at the dam below. Some vying for a spot…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

All three incumbents to run again in Macon

Macon The Macon County board has four commissioners and one chairman. This year, the seats of two commissioners and the chairman are up for re-election. A party primary in May will narrow the field to one Democrat and one Republican…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Court ruling bars county endorsement of Christian prayer

County commissioners in Western North Carolina face a fork in the road after a federal judge in Forsyth County made it clear last week that prayers mentioning “Jesus” at county meetings are unconstitutional. They can submit to the law, or…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Where ideology meets environmental reality

The term “off-the-grid” means living in a self-sufficient manner without the services of a public utility. Wikipedia estimates that in 2007 there were around 250,000 off-the-grid households in the U.S. that supplied their own water, electrical and sewer systems. Living…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Two wide-open seats will define Swain race

Swain The Swain County board has four commissioner seats and one chairman. All five seats are up for election every four years. A party primary in May will narrow down the field of candidates on the ticket to four Democrats…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Road to Nowhere crusade over at last

A defining moment in the decades-long debate over the North Shore Road will play out in Swain County this week. Commissioners are slated to vote in favor of a cash settlement from the federal government in lieu of building the…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Emotions run high at hearing on paper mill pollution

Two contrasting images of the Pigeon River emerged at a public hearing on a controversial new water pollution permit for Evergreen Packaging, a paper mill in Canton. The mill needs to renew its state permit to continue drawing roughly 29…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Dillsboro, WCU move forward with marketing relationship

Leaders of the town of Dillsboro and members of Western Carolina University’s faculty unveiled the framework for an ongoing partnership that will help Dillsboro build a business identity. Discussions between former mayor Jean Hartbarger and WCU Chancellor John Bardo last…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Finances likely to dominate Haywood commissioner race

Haywood The Haywood County board has five commissioner seats. Three seats are up for election this year. A party primary in May will narrow down the field to three Democrats and three Republicans for the three vacant seats. Haywood Commissioner…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Jackson County board race to meter voter confidence

Jackson The Jackson County board consists of four commissioners and one chairman. This year, the two commissioner seats and chairman are up for election. Commissioners must live within their voting district to seek election, but the county chairman is elected…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

SCC’s Cecil Groves to retire at end of year

Cecil Groves, president of Southwestern Community College since 1997, informed the board of trustees and college faculty and staff that he will retire at the end of this academic year. “As for everything and everyone, there is a season. My…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Back to the old homestead

Sometimes you have to go away to come home again. Way up Coweeta Gap in south Macon County is a place at the end of Shope Road called Sanders Knob. Paul and Lara Chew live there in a cabin that…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Quick facts

• The mill is operating within state pollution limits on most counts. The current permit allows a variance in two areas: temperature and water color. In the new permit, the mill is again seeking a variance for temperature, but not…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Sun power supplies a path to simplicity

Lydia Aydlett first moved to the mountains of Western North Carolina during the height of the back-to-the-land movement, and it’s taken her all the time since to understand why living a sustainable life is so important to her. Aydlett grew…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Childcare openings fall far short of demand in Macon

Macon County Chairman Ronnie Beale knew the county had a problem when two young working mothers contacted him directly following the closure of a daycare and unable to find openings elsewhere. “They were saying ‘We don’t have anywhere to send…
Wednesday, 03 February 2010 15:01

Haywood Waterways applauds water guardians

Haywood Waterways Association recently gave out 2009 stewardship awards to several people and organizations that have worked to protect and improve the waterways of Haywood County. n Volunteer Organization of the Year went to Mike Gillespie and the Richland Creek…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Blackrock brings Sylva its own distinctive BBQ

“Barbecue is all about slow and low,” said Blackrock BBQ owner and pit master James Aust. “The secret’s in the rub, and I can’t share that.” Barbecue, as a food, lends itself to mysterious discourse, in part, because it’s so…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Auto dealer reinvents to stay alive

When Daniel Allison III learned last May that General Motors wouldn’t renew his franchise agreement, he couldn’t believe it. “Shock,” Allison said. “I think you go through being angry and then, once I got through all my feelings, I worried…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Swain sheriff under fire from deep bench of challengers

There is, perhaps, no sheriff’s race as hotly contested as the one currently taking place in Swain County. Sheriff Curtis Cochran’s volatile first term as sheriff has brought no shortage of issues — or candidates — to the Swain sheriff’s…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Arson case thickens plot in sheriff’s race

A fire at the business of a Jackson County sheriff candidate last week has cast a shadow over the race. Robin Gunnels, owner of Custom Truck Covers in Sylva and a Democratic candidate for sheriff, believes the attack on his…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Landslide count keeps climbing

In a record year for landslides, yet another one struck this week, this time along U.S. 441 in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The slide occurred Monday near Newfound Gap, about a mile from the Tennessee state line. One lane…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

The elected sheriff: Medieval tradition shows flaws in modern times

“It’s the oldest constitutional office in the state,” said Eddie Caldwell, executive vice president of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. “We had sheriffs in North Carolina before we had counties.” Just because something is old, doesn’t mean it’s good. Increasingly,…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Candidate profiles

Democrat candidates Steve Buchanan, 50, Bryson City resident, owner of a construction company “Most of the thefts relate back to drug use, people stealing to pay for their drug habit, and I feel that it’s at a point now where…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Caring for Creation bridges faith and environment

A conference that connects faith and the environment will be held at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center April 8 through 11. Caring for Creation, now in its fourth year, imparts a message of stewardship and responsibility for people of…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Disobedience charges dismissed in protests of new coal plant

A group of activists arrested for civil disobedience during protests of Duke Energy’s new coal plant last year have been let off the hook for a second time. Activists were arrested for trespassing in two separate demonstrations last year, one…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Ashe squares off against three opponents

Voters in the Democratic Primary in Jackson County must choose which of the four candidates profiled below should advance to the November election. Two other candidates, Mary Rock and Tim O’Brien, plan to run in November as unaffiliated candidates, but…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Haywood sheriff faces lone but experienced challenger in primary

Voters in the Democratic Primary in Haywood County must choose which of the two candidates profiled here will advance to the November election. Republican candidate Bill Wilke is running unopposed in the primary and will automatically advance. Bobby Suttles, 65,…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

New Jackson library built as regional showpiece

The Jackson County Courthouse, Sylva’s most distinctive building, was built in a rush. C.J. Harris, a prominent industrialist and wealthy Sylva businessman, bankrolled the $50,000 project in 1914 in return for the county seat being moved from Webster to Sylva.…
Wednesday, 31 March 2010 15:01

Ridge law questions renew development debate in Jackson

Tony Elders didn’t realize quite how much on-the-job exercise he was in for when he was hired to oversee Jackson County’s new development regulations three years ago. He often must lace up his boots and take off cross-country, GPS unit…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

HCC not taking no as an answer

Haywood Community College remains hopeful that the county will increase funding to the college, despite reluctance by the county commissioners to provide what they see as special treatment to HCC amidst across the board budget cuts. “I view it as…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Federal, state taxpayers to fund Maggie slide cleanup

Everything has fallen into place for a government-sponsored cleanup of the Rich Cove mudslide in Maggie Valley, an undertaking pegged at roughly $1.47 million. The federal Natural Resources Conservation Service agreed last week to foot 75 percent of the bill…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Pregnancy support workers find their calling helping women

For many low-income women, pregnancy can lead to more stress than excitement. Most of the expecting mothers who visit local health departments are facing unplanned pregnancies. Maternal care coordinators across the state have experienced firsthand all possible emotions along with…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Community college building costs come under fire

Haywood Community College leaders say county commissioners are unfairly accusing them of overspending on a new $10.2 million complex where arts and crafts will be taught. Last week, Commissioner Kevin Ensley called it the most expensive building per square foot…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Planning board sends steep slope proposal to Macon commissioners

The Macon County Planning Board voted unanimously March 18 to forward the recommendations of its steep slope committee to the county commissioners. “What I would like to ask is that the planning board take this document before the commissioners and…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Friends of the Smokies to unveil new office space

Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 25, at its office in Waynesville. The Friends office is still located beside Blue Ridge Osondu Books on Main Street,…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Slide sends powerful message to Macon planners

Over the past month a slow-moving landslide behind the Craftsmen Village development in Macon County has worsened, leaving one property owner facing life without a home. Michael Boggan’s house was condemned by the county last week, a decision arrived at…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

For the pregnant and poor, prenatal care can remain out of reach

A pivotal moment arrives every time a pregnancy test turns positive at public health departments across the state. The new mother could walk out the doors, overwhelmed and underprepared, never to return again. She could receive little or no prenatal…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Cashiers Historical Society receives family Bible from 1800s

William and Mary Alice Fryar presented the Cashiers Historical Society with the 19th century Zachary family bible earlier this month. The Bible belonged to one of Cashiers’ early pioneer families, that of Mordecai Zachary. From 1842 until 1852, Zachary constructed…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Engineers stumped on best way to shore up Maggie slide

With federal and state grants in hand, work will soon get underway to stabilize the remnants of a massive landslide still looming precariously over Maggie Valley. “You can see the cracking of the soil. It is obviously very unstable and…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Jackson candidates chose unconventional path to the November ballot

Every so often a dissatisfied electorate injects a third current into the country’s two-party dialogue. It’s happening this year with the Tea Party movement, and it’s also happening spontaneously in Jackson County. Four Jackson County residents who want to be…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Cherokee leaders take stock of sustainability goals

Four years ago, Principal Chief Michell Hicks issued a proclamation intended to move the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians towards environmental sustainability. Last week, leaders from the tribe gathered to discuss the impact of Generations Qualla, a grant program created…
Wednesday, 24 March 2010 19:03

Baseball and soccer battle for space at new Haywood rec park

Haywood County residents have another chance to steer plans for a park in Jonathan Creek at a public meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 25. The meeting will be held at the County Office building on Russ Avenue past K-Mart,…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Plans underway for second Waynesville ABC store

Buying alcohol will become a lot more convenient for residents in Haywood County. For the first time in 43 years, a new ABC store will be constructed in Waynesville. The second location will be situated behind Hardee’s on South Main…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Sewer dispute could help redefine TWASA’s mission

A Sylva sewer line that overflowed on a residential property last month has sparked a difference of opinion between the sewer authority and the town that may have larger implications for Jackson County. According to Sylva officials, the owner of…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Library friends reveal interior design plans

The construction of the new Jackson County Main Library has been a community-driven project all along, and last week the community got its first glimpse of what the interior will look like. Friends of the Jackson County Main Library held…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Maggie may get on board with county erosion control

The Town of Maggie Valley recently transferred the responsibility for building inspections to Haywood County. Now, Maggie is considering handing over soil and erosion control, too. “We could really become a one-stop shop,” said Maggie planning director Nathan Clark. Town…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Swain passes moratorium on utility projects

The setting may have been humble –– a nondescript meeting room in a county administration building –– but the Swain County commissioners’ vote to pass a moratorium on communications and utility projects may prove monumental. The vote could force utility…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Recurring money problems pit HCC, county against each other

Haywood Community College leaders are at odds with county commissioners over funding for the college. The county slashed capital contributions to the community college by two-thirds due to the recession. The college counted on the annual funding for repairs and…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Smoky Mountain Center to offload psychiatric services

Smoky Mountain Center has begun the process of transferring its mental health services to private companies in a move that signals the advent of the latest overhaul to the state’s mental health provider network. Last week, Smoky Mountain Center closed…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Restaurant ‘ghost’ plays tricks on owners

Cindy Robertson never for a minute believed in ghosts — that is, until she moved into her new restaurant outside Cherokee. And she’s not alone. A mysterious presence has made converts of every restaurant owner who’s moved into the building…
Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:34

Maggie eases proposed design standards

The Maggie Valley Planning Board has eased requirements on a proposed set of design standards that would shape the town’s appearance in the long-term. The board hopes to replace the haphazard look of the town with more earthy colors, natural…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

SBA spreads the wealth wide and far in I-40 rockslide loans

The U.S. Small Business Administration plans to hand over more than $1.4 million in disaster relief loans to a host of unlikely recipients in the region. The low-interest loans are meant to aid businesses distressed by a rockslide that shut…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

Dixie dog transport saves lives

With the euthanasia rate at area shelters fluctuating between 50 and 70 percent, animal rescue advocates are literally going the extra mile to save pets that haven’t been adopted. Each month, local volunteers load crates of cats and dogs into…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

Waynesville on target with sidewalk construction

Waynesville is a leader when it comes walkable communities, according to a consultant hired to develop a long-range pedestrian plan for the town. “I would like to say this is a unique situation,” Terry Snow with Wilbur Smith Associates told…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

Maggie Valley to compel Ghost Town to stabilize lingering slide threat

Ghost Town is far from off the hook for repairing the latest landslide in Maggie Valley. The Rich Cove slide originated from Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park more than a month ago. About 16,000 tons of material remain…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

Sylva board blesses Community Table move

Community Table, Sylva’s nonprofit community kitchen, has outgrown its existing facility and is targeting a move to the town’s now-vacant senior center. The county built a new senior center, freeing up space in the old one, which is owned by…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

Double your money and land on the Wall of Fame

In today’s economy, people want to stretch their dollars to the max. What if you could actually double your money? Many in Jackson County are doing just that by contributing to the new Jackson County Public Library building fund at…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

Tract with road side views of Cowee Mound conserved

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee has saved a key tract from development along the Little Tennessee River near Cowee Mound. The Land Trust bought three acres that were being marketed for an RV park. The low-lying land, which…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

Fighting hunger, one bowl at a time

Fill a bowl, feed a soul, and help fight hunger with a warm heart and a full stomach. The second annual Empty Bowls Dinner is set for Friday, March 12, at Tartan Hall in Franklin. The fundraising event is a…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

Sylva pedestrian plan takes shape

The Town of Sylva finalized an agreement with the N.C. Department of Transportation last week that clears the way for a continuous sidewalk to Dillsboro. The town will pitch in $83,000 to build the missing link and maintain the sidewalk,…
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 16:12

No relief for crowded schools

Despite using every nook and cranny available, Swain County schools are still struggling to track down classroom space for its exploding student population. The number of students at Swain County High School has shot up so dramatically that the school…
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