Swain retirement dispute referred to state
When the Swain County Board of Elections didn’t get the response it wanted from the county commissioners, it decided to…
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Food trucks to roll into Canton
Tina Tuten was in tears when she left the Canton Board of Alderman meeting last week, but luckily for her…
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Teachers fight to restore public education funds
Third-grade teacher Carolyn Cope deals with many stresses day in and day out —making sure her students are happy and…
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New ER and operating rooms in the works for Jackson and Swain hospitals
Harris Regional Hospital and Swain County Hospital have finally settled on new names following the purchase of the hospitals by…
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Waynesville ditches Duke for new power supplier
Waynesville has emerged victorious in a nail-baiting quest for cheaper wholesale power to resell to its own electric customers.
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Race is on for tribal elections: Hicks not seeking re-election
Cherokee will have a new chief when Election Day concludes this September. Principal Chief Michell Hicks, who is serving his…
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Fracking fight ropes in national environmental organization
Jackson County Commissioners have voiced their opposition to fracking in the mountains loud and clear, and now they’ve signed an…
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Fracking rules go into effect
The way is now open for oil and gas companies to start drilling in North Carolina, but no wells are…
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Judge rules harassing emails not tantamount to cyber stalking in Haywood GOP drama
A Haywood County political operative and local government critic was cleared of alleged cyberstalking charges in court last week. Monroe…
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Conference digs toward the root of hunger in WNC
Sharing food can be a simple thing. Like passing a bag of trail mix to the hiking buddy who forgot…
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A noble cause on the surface, Waynesville’s smoking ban on sidewalks is fraught with what-ifs
Waynesville leaders are wrestling over how far to go with a smoking ban in public spaces. The proposed ban would…
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Haywood GOP insider charged with cyberstalking party volunteer
Editor's note: The cyberstalking allegations against Monroe Miller were dismissed by a judge following court testimony on March 24, 2015. Monroe…
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The logging legacy unchained: In Serena, Rash lays bare the real story of the Smokies timber boom
It’s been nearly a century since the logging boom swept across Appalachia, but the story is timeless, forever engraved on…
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SCC to give scholarships at open house
Free food, giveaways and the opportunity to win scholarships and other prizes will be a part of Southwestern Community College’s…
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Brett Woods named SCC Foundation director
Brett Woods has been hired to serve as director of the Southwestern Community College Foundation. Woods brings more than 15…
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Highlands-Cashiers Hospital receives new beds
Highlands-Cashiers Hospital has received a generous contribution to purchase five state-of-the-art beds that improve the care for patients at the…
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Waynesville to drop back and punt on no-smoking zones
A public hearing on whether to ban smoking in public spaces in Waynesville — including outdoors — was held Tuesday…
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Former Swain County clerk charged with embezzlement
Former Swain County Clerk of Court employee Rita Robinson Walls has been charged with embezzling $33,283 from the state in…
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School fundraiser gets family hiking
Nancy East, a member of Shining Rock Classical Academy’s board, has rallied her family to an experience-full fundraiser to gather…
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Charter school finds a home
After signing a five-year lease for a 29-acre property on Ratcliffe Cove Road, just past the traffic circle in Waynesville,…
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Front-door security coming to Jackson Justice Center
Security upgrades are on the way at the Jackson County Justice Center, but commissioners have decided to hold off on…
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Sylva parking rules land in the Legislature
A parking enforcement ordinance in Sylva is making an appearance in the state Legislature.
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Jackson County residents gear up for assault against unsightly roadsides
If Lisa Muscillo has a superpower, it’s probably her ability to zero in on roadside litter, no matter how well…
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Sidelined rewrite of steep slope rules not going anywhere fast
A stalled rewrite of Jackson County’s steep slope development rules will remain stalled for months, or even longer.
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Public gets chance to weigh in on noise proposal
Macon County commissioners appear to be amenable to the planning board’s proposed plan to deal with nuisance noise, but the…
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Macon to purchase additional landfill property
Macon County is taking the final steps to expand its landfill life expectancy by 60 years, likely the last expansion…
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Critics be damned, I’m watching it anyway
There are plenty of Ron Rash fans who have been waiting — and waiting — for “Serena” the movie to…
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Hollywood take on novel a flop?
Just because something looks good on paper doesn’t mean it’ll work in method. Case in point, the new Hollywood film…
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Serena a thrilling mix of history and fiction for locals in the know
Little bits of local lore riddle the pages of Ron Rash’s Serena. “As a fiction writer I know I am…
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Evergreen clinic, pharmacy open for another month
Evergreen Packaging Family Pharmacy and Family Medical Center in Canton announced that it has received an extension to stay open…
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Haywood’s paper mill emerges as the blue-collar mainstay
There’s good news in the marketplace for Evergreen Packaging paper mill in Canton.
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Trash or treasure?
Denver Blaylock sees nothing wrong with his junkyard that straddles U.S. 276 in the Cruso area of Haywood County.
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Food truck trend traveling to Canton
Downtown Canton could have more food options if the town board approves allowing food trucks to set up shop.
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Lake Junaluska merger bill racks up endorsements
Elected government leaders in Haywood County have lined up behind a state bill to add Lake Junaluska to Waynesville’s town…
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Tribe gains ability to prosecute non-Indians
Proponents of domestic violence prevention are cheering following the launch of a federal law that will allow tribal courts to…
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Maggie calls on higher power to referee ridgetop cross proposal
A lofty vision to build a 220-foot cross on the mountaintop above Maggie Valley has been downwardly revised to 125…
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New Haywood animal shelter on the fast track
The Haywood County Fairgrounds is being eyed as the possible site for a new county animal shelter. The fairgrounds was…
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Franklin Main Street Program takes a break
Without much warning, the Franklin Main Street Program board of directors decided last week to suspend the program. The board…
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Elections board threatens Swain with lawsuit
“We’re not on trial here,” said Swain Commission Chairman Paul Carson. But the commissioners’ meeting room did feel more like…
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Commissioners consider designated smoking area
Haywood County commissioners aren’t convinced a designated smoking area is needed after receiving little feedback on proposed changes to the…
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Rescue squad volunteer charged with embezzlement
After allegedly depositing money meant to purchase emergency rescue equipment in a personal account, Cullowhee resident Addam Carl Holdorf, 21,…
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Aging WCU faculty points to job satisfaction, university says
When Bruce Henderson first came to Western Carolina University back in 1978, he was just happy to have a job.…
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For better or worse, a new day dawns for the embattled Haywood GOP
A new guard sewed up its takeover of the Haywood County GOP at the party’s annual convention last weekend.
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WCU bucks national trend toward more part-time hires
Western Carolina University has held steady on its rate of tenured and tenure-track professors over the last decade, keeping numbers…
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Overnight tourism spending strong in Haywood
The Haywood tourism industry is on a winning streak.
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$22.5 million construction project coming to WCU
Campus dining is headed for an upgrade at Western Carolina University, with renovation toward a new and improved Brown Building…
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Maggie residents weigh in on town center plan
Maggie Valley is attempting — for the third time — to put together a plan to improve the town’s image,…
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Tailgating zone expands at WCU
The decision to expand the tailgating area at Western Carolina University boiled down to one simple thing, the university’s attorney…
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False alarms could cost Swain residents
A proposed ordinance could cost Swain County residents money if they don’t make sure their alarm systems are working properly.
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Embroiled Haywood GOP factions to settle the score at Saturday’s convention
A long-awaited showdown in the internal power struggle for control of the Haywood County Republican Party will play out this…
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