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Wednesday, 22 August 2012 12:35

Canton bridge work finished ahead of schedule

Traffic headaches caused by bridge work in downtown Canton for the past nine months are now over. Detour signs were taken down Monday, marking the end of the $3.5 million project to replace the 1920s-era Park Street bridge over the…
Wednesday, 22 August 2012 12:32

Haywood commissioners wade gingerly into Confederate flag fray

About 20 Southern heritage supporters lined a bench of Haywood County’s historic courtroom in Waynesville Monday, a show of force county commissioners were likely prepared for as they took on the perpetually controversial issue of Confederate flags: are they a…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

Swain appoints members to re-configured TDA

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer The restructuring of the Swain County TDA is well under way with a host of new board members appointed at the county commissioners’ Aug. 14 meeting. The selection of the new TDA differed from…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

Many in Macon excited about rec center prospects

After visiting the Town of Waynesville’s recreation center, Michelle Green left marveling at the range and quality of activities the facility provides Haywood County residents. Swimming, racquetball, basketball courts, an indoor walking track and more — there’s simply not a…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

Clean-up slow in wake of dam break: Patience runs thin with Balsam Mountain Preserve

Balsam Mountain Preserve has failed so far in its promise to make things right following a dam break that unleashed a wave of sediment into more than eight miles of mountain streams, according to state and federal environmental agencies. Balsam…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

Dam escaped state permit threshold: Cause of failure stemmed from construction techniques

Balsam Mountain Preserve is off the hook on one front: it didn’t need a permit from the state dam safety office before constructing a dam at its golf course.
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

Muddy math plays into sediment calculations

Calculating the volume of mud that washed downstream with the collapse of a large earth dam at Balsam Mountain Preserve has emerged as a source of contention between the developer and state and federal agencies. The packed earth dam —…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

Duke tries to get out of dredging behind dam

Duke Power does not want to dredge backlogged sediment from behind the Dillsboro dam before tearing it down despite both state and federal agencies insisting otherwise. Duke filed an appeal this week protesting a decision by the Federal Regulatory Energy…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

New TDA make-up leaves questions unanswered

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer New legislation to restructure the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority calls for a drastic overhaul of the organization while leaving much open to interpretation. The overhaul was prompted by controversy over the TDA’s budget,…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

Canton bridge project to cause delays

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Construction is slated to begin immediately on a structurally deficient bridge in downtown Canton, a project the Department of Transportation says will take months and force them to re-route a major thoroughfare. The bridge…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

Macon leaders finally address animal shelter crisis: Five years with no animal laws wore public thin

After years of debate over stray animals in Macon County — namely the lack of anywhere to take them — county leaders decided last week that it’s time to build a county animal shelter. Along with the shelter will come…
Wednesday, 22 August 2007 00:00

County wins bidding war for Jonathan Creek land

Haywood County has emerged as the high bidder for 22-acre tract of land in Jonathan Creek that will become a recreation park. The county’s bid of $1,114,029.15 was not upset. For the last two months the county and a private…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

Republicans to Taylor: Make up your mind

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Ever since Democrat Heath Shuler’s upset of incumbent Charles Taylor in the 2006 election, Republicans have been plotting their strategy to take back control of the 11th Congressional District. Taylor is the first choice…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

Shuler goes to Washington: WNC’s freshman House representative is already turning heads in congress

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Heath Shuler’s time so far in the House of Representatives is shorter than his career in pro-football, but he’s already attracting more attention as a rookie member of the House than he ever did…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

HRMC announces $16.5 million expansion

Haywood Regional Medical Center is planning a $16.5 million expansion including a surgery support wing, an endoscopy unit, a new lobby and unfinished shell space for future expansion. The expansion is being billed as a new surgery center, although it…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

Hospital defends timing of expansion

Haywood Regional unveiled plans for a $16.5 million expansion two weeks ago on the heels of a workforce reduction designed to stem three months of financial losses. Hospital officials realize the timing of the expansion announcement following layoffs is “sensitive,”…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

Mussel shoals: Researchers study endangered mussel in the Tuckasegee River

Families piling into rafts at the Dillsboro put-in on the Tuckasegee River last week cast a leery eye at what seemed like a scene from a ‘70s James Bond movie: three men in black wetsuits and masks moved stealthily up…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

Voter rolls in Swain get house cleaning

The Swain County Board of Elections last week purged 110 voters from its rolls who had listed their voting address as the Oconaluftee Job Corps Center, a job training and education center for at-risk youth. The voters had been students…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

Case between McClure, Jackson County rages on

A lawsuit against Jackson County for disbanding the Jackson County Airport Authority two-and-a-half years ago is headed for another round in court. The case had advanced to the N.C. Court of Appeals, which last week ruled the lawsuit was a…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

On being Heath Shuler

The Smoky Mountain News caught up with Rep. Heath Shuler at his home in Haywood County. Here’s what he had to say about the attention surrounding his good looks, the fast pace of life in Washington, and how his time…
Wednesday, 29 August 2007 00:00

Deed faux pas gives animal shelter to airport

Jackson County accidentally gave away the county’s animal shelter to the Jackson County Airport Authority 10 years ago, and now it wants it back. The blunder was only recently discovered. The error dates back to 1998 when the county transferred…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 13:57

Jackson revisits development rules along U.S. 441

Jackson County leaders appear to be backing down from a lofty vision to transform U.S. 441 leading to Cherokee into a pedestrian-friendly boulevard. The planning board has spent several months rewriting commercial development guidelines for the 3.5-mile stretch of highway.…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 13:55

State senate candidates stake out positions

Verbal sparring over key campaign issues in this fall’s state senate race was lively and pointed between N.C. Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and former Democratic state Sen. John Snow at an Aug. 9 forum the Macon County League of Women…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 13:40

Trading autonomy for security: Lake Junaluska weighs whether to merge with town of Waynesville

When Tom Sigmon tells people in Charlotte that he only lives there part-time, they often ask where he spends the rest of his year. Waynesville, he responds.
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 13:36

Jackson task force mired down in finer points of merging two tourism entities into one

A task force charged with creating guidelines for a joint Jackson County Tourism Development Authority is still struggling to figure out exactly how everything will work — and the deadline for making recommendations to the county leadership is drawing nearer. Jackson…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 13:35

Room tax on the rise, a sign of hope in the tourism industry

Many counties are seeing an increase in tourism-related spending this year, but most have still not bounced back to their pre-recession numbers. The only real way for counties to measure how many tourists are stopping in their towns is through…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:34

Team weight-loss competition starts soon

The Franklin Angel Medical Center is hosting the kick-off for its third team weight-loss competition 9 a.m. Aug. 25 in the hospital dining room. The competition is call Lighten UP 4 Life and consists of four-person teams who face-off against…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:34

Cat adoption fee lowered for five days in August

The Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation in Waynesville is lowering the fee to $5 to adopt cats five months or older. The promotion will run for five days starting Aug. 14. The unwanted cat population increases in the summertime, and many…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:33

HRMC Foundation presents its 21st annual Charitable Classic Golf & Gala

The HRMC Foundation is hosting its 21st annual Charitable Classic Golf & Gala, a two-day fundraiser Aug. 28-29 to benefit MedWest-Haywood. The tournament will kick off with the men’s golf tournaments at 8:30 a.m. at the Maggie Valley Club and…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:32

HCC trustees narrowly split on whether to expand their search for new president

The Haywood Community College Board of Trustees have apparently rejected five finalists in its search for a new college president and will now cast a wider net by selecting five additional candidates. In a split vote earlier this month, the…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:30

For bargain price, Haywood County is proud new owner of shuttered prison

For a little less than the cost of a cup of coffee, Haywood County is buying the small, closed-down state prison in the Hazelwood community of Waynesville. The county is buying the 128-bed minimum security prison from the state for…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:29

MedWest-Haywood to fill key slots

The county is looking to fill five open positions on MedWest-Haywood’s hospital authority board during a critical time when the MedWest system as a whole is trying to decide its future. Growing discontent among some Jackson County doctors has the…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:27

Maggie to loosen sweepstake machine regulations

The Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen will vote this week whether to relax restrictions on sweepstakes machines for businesses that plan to make their money mostly from the controversial mechanisms. If the ordinance passes as is, sweepstake-specific businesses can have…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:26

Low values prompt reval delay

Real estate prices have taken such a drastic plunge in Macon and Jackson counties — which once boasted the highest concentration of mega-developments catering to the high-end second home market — that county commissioners there keep postponing the countywide property…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:20

Going once, going twice … Local banks still feeling hangover from unprecedented boom and bust

As Macon Bank scurried to get in on the ground floor of the real estate heyday in the mountains, it unwittingly stumbled into a house of cards, and found itself caught up in a scheme akin to insider trading that…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:19

Confederate flag controversery still unsettled in Haywood

Haywood County temporarily backed off its hard-line stance against tiny Confederate flags being stuck in the ground around the base of a memorial for Confederate soldiers on the lawn of the historic courthouse in Waynesville, but has once again started…
Wednesday, 15 August 2012 12:17

Former Bryson fire chief charged in connection with fire department funds

The former Bryson City fire chief Joey Hughes is facing criminal charges following a months-long investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation into missing funds from fire department coffers. His wife, Cylena Hughes, has also been charged in connection with…
Wednesday, 05 September 2007 00:00

Blue Ridge Paper Products changes name, moves headquarters

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Blue Ridge Paper Products, long one of the largest employers in Western North Carolina, is no longer — at least in name. An internal memo sent to employees Aug. 24 announced that the company’s…
Wednesday, 05 September 2007 00:00

When to teach, when to tell? Sexual exploration among pre-schoolers is normal, but some activities cross the line

When a workshop on proper and improper sexual behavior in preschoolers premiered at a childcare conference in the region a few years ago, more than 60 childcare workers packed the session, surprising even the organizers. The reason for the popularity…
Wednesday, 05 September 2007 00:00

Fontana Lake businesses close for the season

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Two of the three boat docks on the Swain County side of Fontana Lake shut their doors before Labor Day, traditionally one of the biggest money-making weekends of the season for lake businesses.
Wednesday, 05 September 2007 00:00

Jackson’s Green Energy Park undergoes expansion

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer The Jackson County Green Energy Park is slated to get even greener with the expansion of the Smoky Mountain Biofuels’ production facility and the addition of six greenhouses on the site.
Wednesday, 05 September 2007 00:00

SCC ranks fourth among all U.S. community colleges

Southwestern Community College ranks fourth in the nation in a new listing of America’s best community colleges and was the only representative from North Carolina in the top ten. That’s according to a report in the Washington Monthly. While colleges…
Wednesday, 05 September 2007 00:00

Childcare center’s closing surprises community

First United Methodist Church’s Child Development Center in Waynesville suddenly closed its daycare and after-school programs two weeks ago, leaving 65 children without childcare. The preschool is still operating. The center cited the loss of both its director and assistant…
Wednesday, 05 September 2007 00:00

Bond hearings planned in Macon

Macon County leaders will get their first real taste of how the public feels about a $64 million bond vote at a public hearing at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10, in the Macon County courthouse. Macon residents will be voting…
Wednesday, 05 September 2007 00:00

Swain to put land transfer tax on November ballot

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Swain County residents will vote November 6 on whether to enact a new tax on real estate transactions to bolster county coffers. The tax is equivalent to 0.4 percent of a real estate transaction,…
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

Group forms to bring about revitalization of Cullowhee

A new community group dedicated to revitalizing Cullowhee will host an open house at the Cullowhee Café from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 22. “CuRvE, the Cullowhee Revitalization Endeavour, is still in the initial planning stages, and now is…
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

Recreation plan attracts mostly supporters to bond hearing

A public hearing Monday on a $64 million bond for various construction projects in Macon County attracted relatively few naysayers. Voters in Macon will get to weigh in on the slate of construction projects in a countywide vote on Nov.…
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

What Sylva is and isn’t: you be the judge

Buxton, a consulting firm that analyzes a community’s demographics, has 60 some population classes that it uses to describe the population. The Jackson County Economic Development Commission disagrees with how the firm described the Sylva area. The analysis seems to…
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

Incumbent Hicks wins in tight Cherokee election

The election for chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians came down to a mere 30 votes last week, and apparently isn’t over yet.
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

EDC says marketing study not worthwhile

An $18,000 marketing study conducted for Jackson County by consultants from Texas fell short of what the firm promised, according to members of the Jackson County Economic Development Commission. So the economic development commission is asking for its money back.
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

Maggie mayor’s zoning request still up in the air

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer A petition by Maggie Valley Mayor Roger McElroy to re-zone a 90-acre tract of land to allow for higher density development is being met with vehement protests from town residents.
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

Making the grade: Schools strain under pressure of misguided expectations

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Much like a band-aid on a kid’s scraped elbow, No Child Left Behind was put in place to mend an educational system many claimed was in disrepair. An increasing number of critics, however, are…
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

Voter interviews reflect close race

Interviews with Cherokee voters exiting the polling booths last week revealed just how divided the tribe is over who will be their next chief. The race was decided by just 30 votes — representing less than 1 percent of the…
Wednesday, 12 September 2007 00:00

Duke seeks permit for new coal plant

A public hearing on whether Duke Energy should be allowed to build a new coal-fired power plant in the Shelby area will be held Tuesday, Sept. 18, in Forest City. Duke Energy must get an air pollution permit from the…
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

Waynesville seeks solutions to Russ traffic problems

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Nearly two years after receiving a grant to study traffic issues on Russ Avenue, Waynesville is finally moving forward with the project. Town planner Paul Benson said the…
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

Southern Loop on priority list, committee says it wasn’t them

Jackson County leaders might be lending their tacit endorsement, albeit unintentionally, to the proposed Southern Loop, a controversial highway that would bisect Jackson County.
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

Courthouse site doable for new Jackson library

Years of wrestling over a location for a new Jackson County library will come to a close next month. Jackson County commissioners pledged to pick a site for a new library at their next meeting on Oct. 1. There are…
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

Waynesville PD net 6 arrests in Internet sex sting

When Crystal Shuler posted an ad on Craig’s List this summer offering a full-service massage in Waynesville, she was flooded with email responses, more than 70 to be exact. Shuler, a Waynesville police detective, wasn’t actually surfing for action but…
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

Swain nearly ready to vote on road rules

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Swain County’s first-ever planning board is nearly finished with its first project — drafting an ordinance to regulate road construction — and will send it on to county commissioners to review next week.
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

How it might work

Jackson County commissioners sanctioned a feasibility study on whether a new library would fit on the hill behind the historic courthouse. McMillan Smith and Associates concluded it would work, based on the following rough plan.
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

Arrests made for soliciting at park

The Internet sex sting conducted by the Waynesville Police Department was part of an undercover operation dubbed “Summer Heat,” which captured headlines last week for the more prominent part of the sting — arresting men soliciting gay sex in the…
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

WATR tries to stay active

By Joel Adams • Contributing Writer Strong public interest in the aftermath of the dam break at Balsam Mountain Preserve has prompted Roger Clapp, executive director for the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River, to organize a public forum on…
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

Haywood to create farmland protection plan

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Haywood County commissioners have agreed to pay for the creation of a farmland protection plan they hope will guide efforts to preserve the region’s farming tradition for generations to come.
Wednesday, 19 September 2007 00:00

Swain voter fraud investigation sent to feds

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has concluded its investigation into allegations of voter fraud in Swain County, but a final decision on whether the activities amounted to wrongdoing is still pending.
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 13:13

Rogers takes early lead in congressional fundraising

By Shannan Mashburn • Intern Democrat Hayden Rogers has commanded the lead in the money race for the congressional election to take over U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler’s seat in Washington next year. Neither Rogers nor his Republican opponent Mark Meadows…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 13:11

Jackson to assess potential for ABC profits

Jackson County commissioners in the coming months will weigh whether to open a liquor store in Cashiers, outside Cherokee — or both — but the road to a decision will take a lot of number crunching. Namely, Jackson County must…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 13:11

Angel Medical butterfly release to honors Hospice patients

The community is invited to attend a memorial butterfly release ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 9 at Angel Medical Center. The ceremony will feature music, inspirational readings and a time of prayer, followed by the release of live butterflies by…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 13:10

Notification of wastewater spill in Haywood County

The Town of Waynesville had a discharge of untreated wastewater from a sanitary sewer line located along N.C. 209, Crabtree Road adjacent to Richland Creek and the County fairgrounds. The spill amount is estimated at 9,000 gallons. The sanitary sewer…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 13:08

Confederate supporters protest flag removal at courthouse

A protest was held this week in front of the Haywood County historic courthouse by Confederate supporters who say their flag is being discriminated against.
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 13:06

Mothers unite to pray for schools

By Peggy Manning • Correspondent Every Friday morning, a small group of mothers meet in Bryson City to pray for students, teachers and school administrators. Called Moms in Prayer, the sessions last about an hour and focus on issues participants…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 13:01

Some banks still struggling to pick up the pieces

The view from Roger Plemens office is hard to beat. Bay windows serve up a bird’s eye view of the Nantahala mountain range, a vantage point that must have been a factor when Macon Bank chose this hilltop for its…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

Volunteers needed for Haywood County Fair

Adult volunteers are needed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Aug. 21 to help youth register for the Haywood County Fair. If you are available to help, volunteers are asked to sign-up for three-hour shifts from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., 1-3…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

Republican Party opening new headquarters in Sylva

Republican and unaffiliated voters are invited to the grand opening of a new Republican Party office at 4 p.m. Aug. 9 at 58 D Sunrise Park, a retail complex located opposite the intersection of Highway 107 and the Asheville Highway…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

Mission Health and the American Red Cross to offer Citizen CPR class

Mission Health, Angel Medical Center, and the American Red Cross will offer a free Citizen CPR, hands only, class at 9 and 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18. During the 30-minute class, participants learn how to check for consciousness, call…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

We salute you, Balsam Range

The Haywood County Board of Commissioners declared Aug. 10 as the official “Balsam Range Day” to celebrate the upcoming release of the bluegrass band’s newest record as well as its contributions to the county. “Congratulations. Very well deserved,” County Commissioner…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

Incoming: Jackson airport to land a share of increased casino traffic

The advent of live dealers and table games at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino is widely predicted to bring sweeping economic benefits to the region — benefits that are so far-reaching even the tiny landing strip known as the Jackson County Airport…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

Cherokee, Franklin search for common ground over Nikwasi mound dispute

Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and some Franklin townspeople would like to see the Nikwasi Indian Mound back under Cherokee ownership.
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

UPDATED: WestCare hospital board weighs future of MedWest partnership

The Westcare Board of Directors met for more than four hours Tuesday, Aug. 7, to discuss the future of MedWest-Harris and MedWest-Swain hospitals. The board did not take an official vote on whether to pull out of the MedWest partnership…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

Controversial billboard clearcutting gets fuller viewing

By Paul Clark • Contributor Implementation of a new state law that increases the amount of land that can be clear-cut in front of highway billboards will get final tweaking and a public audience this month. The N.C. Department of…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

‘One-Day Website’ class to be offered at WCU

Local residents will have an opportunity to learn how to develop a website in “The One-Day Website,” a class that will be offered from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Aug. 17, by Western Carolina University’s Office of Continuing Education. The…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

Cherokee hopes to broker tourist train deal with Great Smoky Mountains Railroad

The principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will met with the owner of the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad this week to discuss the possibility of expanding the scenic tourist railway to Cherokee. Chief Michell Hicks publicly broached…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

New outpatient surgery center aimed at easing patient experience

Barbara Wells donned her fanciest scrubs last week — a cute flowered bandana and matching green top — for the grand opening of a new outpatient surgery center on the campus of MedWest-Haywood. Whether it’s a mammogram, cataract surgery, hip…
Wednesday, 08 August 2012 00:00

Clock could be running out for denuded Waynesville hillside to get green again

An earth-moving project that has left a large, visible hillside on Russ Avenue in Waynesville denuded, gouged and barren could continue into the indefinite future despite pressure from the state environmental agency monitoring the site to bring it to a…
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 00:00

Future big-box stores, strip malls to face scrutiny in Franklin

Franklin will soon have a new slate of comprehensive guidelines regulating development and promoting smart growth principles. An overhaul of the town’s development ordinances has been four years in the making. The town board intends to pass the new regulations…
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 00:00

Initial North Shore Road payment clears Senate

Swain County inched a notch closer this month toward seeing a cash settlement in lieu of the long-promised North Shore Road.
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 00:00

Maggie Valley mayor’s race pits long-time foes

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Forget the presidential election — the biggest race to watch in the coming months may be the battle for mayor of Maggie Valley.
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 00:00

Vote on Southern Loop postponed

Opponents of the Southern Loop have questioned whether the controversial highway should be included on a list of top priority road projects for the region.
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 00:00

Mumpower first to formally challenge Shuler

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer With no word yet from former U.S. House Rep. Charles Taylor on his decision to run for re-election, one Republican candidate — Asheville city councilman Dr. Carl Mumpower — has stepped up to announce…
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 00:00

State says mill discharge does not require public notification

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer A clean water advocacy group is questioning why an accidental discharge of a paper-making byproduct into the Pigeon River by the former Blue Ridge Paper mill hasn’t been the subject of more scrutiny.
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 00:00

The Super Wal-Mart land rush: Discount retail giant brings rising property prices

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Roger Winge knew a good deal when he spotted one. Before Super Wal-Mart had announced plans to set foot in Waynesville, Winge, a local realtor, took one look at the 30-acre former industrial site…
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 00:00

Changing electorate could shake up Sylva election

The race for the Sylva town board this fall could speak volumes about the changing demographics of the town — namely whether the downtown scene dominated by a young, perhaps more progressive, clientele is truly where the town’s heart is.
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 00:00

Southern Loop opposition mounts

Jackson County residents opposed to the construction of the Southern Loop — a new major highway that would bisect Jackson County — are gearing up for a fight with the N.C. Department of Transportation to halt the slow but steady…
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 00:00

Hicks declared winner in contested Cherokee vote

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Supreme Court ruled Saturday that a new election will not be held on the Qualla Boundary, putting to rest a month-long debate filled with accusations of eligible voters…
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 00:00

Jackson library to go atop courthouse hill

A decade of debate over where to build a new library in Jackson County was put to rest this week. County commissioners voted 3-2 Monday night (Oct. 1) to build a new library next to the historic courthouse overlooking downtown…
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 00:00

Swain urged to tap into motorcycle tourism

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer The roar of motorcycles is a familiar sound in the mountains of Western North Carolina. And for many business owners, it’s music to their ears. Bikers mean warm bodies to occupy beds, eat in…
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 00:00

The new face of Waynesville: Town’s land use plan holds firm under pressure

When Doug Anderson unfurled the blueprints for his latest assignment — a new Bojangles’ going up in Waynesville — he was expecting the same cookie-cutter design as the last 10 Bojangles’ his construction company built.
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 00:00

Haywood’s League of Women Voters fosters non-partisan involvement

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Voters can thank the recently formed Haywood County League of Women Voters for the opportunity to hear what each Waynesville mayor candidate had to say about the important issues in the Nov. 6 race.
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 00:00

What magazines would work best for Swain?

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Advertising was the hot topic of discussion at the second meeting of the recently re-organized Swain County Tourism Development Authority on Sept. 26. The board was presented with a range of magazine options, courtesy…
Wednesday, 03 October 2007 00:00

Waynesville candidates make their cases

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Over 50 people came out to hear Waynesville’s next mayor speak at the this election season’s first mayor’s forum, held by the recently formed chapter of the League of Women Voters.
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