Large declines in animal volume question need for new shelter
A new animal shelter is in the works in Haywood County despite a major decline in the number of stray…
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Paradigm shift afoot as Haywood plans new animal shelter
A new $3 million animal shelter on the horizon in Haywood County has become a catalyst for a philosophical shift…
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One tote at a time: Waynesville woman takes aim at human trafficking — by selling tote bags
Two short years ago, Fay Grant was living on the other side of the country, a professional music editor for…
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A new bistro opens in Dillsboro
By Katie Reeder • SMN intern A taste of Greece arrived in Dillsboro last week with the opening of Coach’s.
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District judge receives HCC alum award
District Court Judge Donna Forga received Haywood Community College’s Outstanding Alumni Award for 2015.
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Jackson budget focuses on school spending, savings and personnel
Jackson County residents will avoid a tax hike for one more year, if commissioners choose to adopt the proposed budget…
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Lower values lead to higher taxes in Macon
Macon County property taxes will be going up next year as the value of property values has decreased by almost…
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Western could get largest share of proposed state infrastructure bond
Of all the constructions on Western Carolina University’s campus, the distinctly non-glamorous Natural Sciences Building might have seemed like an…
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Raleigh comes to Sylva in support of historic tax credit bill
If traffic seemed a bit slow through downtown Sylva on Friday (May 22), it probably had something to do with…
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Filling Station scales up: Owners eye expansion opportunities
If you’re going to do something, do it right. That is Barry and Helene Tetrault’s motto, and that is exactly what…
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Oasis Shriners celebration coming to Maggie Valley
The Oasis Shriners will be taking over Maggie Valley next weekend as they hold their Spring Ceremonial at the festival…
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Fire tax approved for southern Jackson County
Mark Jones has never voted for a tax increase before, but the Jackson County Commissioner joined the rest of the…
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Jackson to contract audit of permitting department
Jackson County Commissioners were upset to discover last week that no one’s been enforcing the county’s mountain and hillside development…
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Taking the good with the bad
Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick remembers many Haywood County budget hearings in which the public was absent from the process, but that…
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When worlds collide: Vexed by loitering homeless, Frog Level merchants beg for help combatting soup kitchen’s overflow
Teri Siewert picked up a pink Hello Kitty alarm clock by the cord and dragged it out from under the…
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Adding to the problem
Theoretically, a new homeless shelter that opened across town in Hazelwood last fall should have made things better for Frog…
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The soul of a soup kitchen
Spend a few hours on the streets in Frog Level, and the heartwarming stories flow like water.
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Swain schools asks county to cover capital needs
Swain County schools are requesting an additional $250,000 from the county commissioners to cover some much-needed building maintenance projects at…
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Planning board gets new member
The Jackson County Planning Board will have a new face at the table with the appointment of Bonnie Claxton, a…
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No one enforcing mountain building rules in Jackson
Jackson County planning and code enforcement staff will be pouring through two years’ worth of building permits and retroactively inspecting…
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Franklin approves policy to allow promotional banners
Event promoters may soon be able to advertise by hanging a banner across Main Street in Franklin. The Franklin board…
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WNC Hospice House gets closer to goal
The Hospice House Foundation of WNC is in the midst of a major fundraising campaign to construct and operate a…
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Jackson pursuing staff attorney hire
Commissioners in Jackson County are moving forward with a plan to scrap their policy of contracting legal services with a…
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Waynesville bans smoking on sidewalks
Smoking will soon be banned on sidewalks in Waynesville. Town aldermen voted unanimously last week to ban smoking on all…
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Getting the Pathways Center off the ground
Participation at the Haywood Pathways Center in Waynesville has been holding pretty steady ever since it opened in late 2014,…
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For the better: Haywood Pathways resident reflects on what’s behind and what he hopes is ahead
Calvin Mann can’t make it far across the campus of Haywood Pathways Center without bumping into a friend.
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NAACP chapters prep public for voter ID hearing in Sylva
Local NAACP chapters in Haywood and Jackson counties are holding workshops to educate the public on North Carolina’s new voter…
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Haywood proposes 2.5-cent tax hike to pay for employee raises
Haywood County commissioners say a property tax increase is needed to dig the county out of a recession-era backlog.
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Legislation crosses over, has chance to become law
State lawmakers unleashed a torrent of proposed bills in the halls of the General Assembly this year — more than…
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Jackson gears up to replace planning position
The business end of Jackson County Planner Gerald Green’s departure — who will be in charge of finding a replacement,…
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Sylva budget haggling concludes
A stalemate over whether to raise property taxes in Sylva ended last week with the majority of town board members…
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Cashiers residents support fire department, question fairness of proposed fire tax
A public hearing to get Cashiers’ take on a proposed fire tax for the area drew about 70 people to…
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Jackson schools might expand drug testing
A bigger number of Jackson County students could be subject to random drug testing if a proposed policy change being…
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A land of possibilities: YMCA breaks ground on Swain summer camp
It’s a land with a rich past and a hopeful future. As YMCA employees, volunteers and future campers walked the…
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Smart pharmacist receives Macon entrepreneur honor
After years of education and learning the pharmaceutical ropes, Jacob Reiche had just about reached the end of his.
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Sales tax shuffle
What the bill says: The method of doling out sales tax to towns and counties would be changed to give…
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Statewide issues
Hunting on Sundays What the bill says: The Sunday hunting ban would be lifted on private land. (House bill 640)
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Local Issues
Lake Junaluska annexation What the bill says: Lake Junaluska would become part of the town of Waynesville pending approval by…
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Haywood budget burdened by higher costs of doing business
The give-and-take of crafting a budget is in full throttle in Haywood County, but what will be cut and what…
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Haywood commissioners ponder property tax hike to give county workers raises
Haywood County commissioners are contemplating a property tax increase to pay for raises for county employees.
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WNC entrepreneurs win at WCU innovation conference
Entrepreneurs and owners of existing small businesses from around Western North Carolina shared $7,000 in prize money to help launch…
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Last man standing: Waynesville makes history with an untidy ending to an untidy war
Union Col. William Bartlett tried to keep his cool as he watched his bitter, battle-hardened Confederate enemies riding down Main…
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Chief candidates weigh in on issues
It’s election season in Cherokee, and with the long-time chief Michell Hicks opting not to seek re-election, five candidates are…
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N.C. Superior Court judge to double as tribal court justice
Bradley Letts will have to keep his day job, but the Superior Court Judge will soon begin serving as a…
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Swain forms animal control committee
Swain County commissioners are moving forward with their plan to address the lack of animal control by putting together an…
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Swain commissioners: False alarm law needs common sense approach
Swain County Commissioners are moving forward with a false alarm ordinance with the understanding that the sheriff’s office will enforce…
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Jackson’s planning director departs after a short but good run
In a mere four years, Jackson County Planner Gerald Green has wrestled with just about every controversial land-use issue you…
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Sid’s on Main closes: New restaurant moving in
After a solid three-year run in Canton, Sid’s on Main is closing, leaving a huge vacancy in downtown.
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Evacuation at Tuscola: All OK after threatening email sent to high school
Things are back to normal at Tuscola High School after an emailed threat prompted a complete evacuation of the school…
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