No repercussions for officers involved in dismissed drug case
Three months after lies on a search warrant and a fabricated drug dog alert prompted a federal judge to throw…
Read More
Voting from bed: WCU, Jackson County election officials hammer out a hopeful home
Walking out of the Jackson County Board of Elections offices in Sylva, Lane Perry seemed pleased. A year’s worth of…
Read More
Macon ballfield complex to break ground soon
Macon County commissioners unanimously approved the first round of bids to begin construction of a $3.8 million sports complex in…
Read More
Lake Junaluska Peace Conference
The Lake Junaluska Peace Conference, taking place March 27-30, will feature six leadership speakers from across the globe. The speakers…
Read More
New apartment rules set the stage for a safer walk to campus for WCU students
The advent of three large student apartment complexes around Western Carolina University in the past few years has prompted concern…
Read More
Gambling halls raided
Two video gambling halls were raided in Haywood County last week following an undercover investigation by law enforcement agencies.
Read More
State, counties play hot potato over teacher salaries
Stagnating pay for North Carolina teachers is prompting some local school leaders to dig a little deeper for salary bonuses…
Read More
On with the show
Though the process has been long, Steven Lloyd is beginning to see the fruits of his labor. “I sometimes feel…
Read More
One and done — Macon sheriff race to be sewed up in primary
The Macon County Sheriff race will be short and sweet. Incumbent Sheriff Robbie Holland, a Republican, only faces one challenger,…
Read More
Candidates lineup for a shot on Swain sheriff ballot
Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran will have an easy primary season, with no Republicans challenging his bid for a third…
Read More
Candidates sound off on issues in crowded sheriff race
With the May election primary drawing nearer and the ring chock-full of hats contending for the Jackson County sheriff seat,…
Read More
HCC’s low-impact development degree axed
Four years ago, Haywood Community College launched the first low-impact development program in North Carolina, a new degree to train…
Read More
Election laws in the ‘new’ North Carolina
New controversial voting laws passed by the N.C. General Assembly last year were supposed to take effect in 2016, but…
Read More
Franklin brewery deal moves along
Franklin is one step closer to getting its first microbrewery, which plans to set up shop in the former town…
Read More
Franklin downtown soul-searches for solution to discord
The division along Franklin’s Main Street is tough to see with the naked eye. Passersby appear oblivious to the battle…
Read More
County races: Swain
Swain County Swain Commissioners What’s up for election? All five seats on the county board are up for election, including…
Read More
County races: Macon
Macon County Macon Commissioners What’s up for election: One seat in the Highlands district and two seats in the Franklin…
Read More
County races: Jackson
Jackson County Jackson Sheriff About the race: This promises to be one of the most hotly contested elections in the…
Read More
Maggie roller coaster over, but stars still aren’t aligned for Haywood room tax hike
After oscillating on the issue last year, Maggie Valley town leaders have now endorsed a room tax hike in Haywood…
Read More
15 months and counting, Canton delays decision on town manager again
The Canton town board remains undecided about who will take over as town manager. The board was expected to choose…
Read More
Sylva board talks downtown traffic fixes
Over the past half-century, traffic patterns in downtown Sylva have prompted a repeated cycle of complaint, remedy and return to…
Read More
Swain cyclists help DOT in rumble strip study
When drivers veer off the road, they’re often alerted to the error by a vicious vibration caused by an ingrained…
Read More
Sheriff candidate fired from Sylva police force
Jackson County sheriff candidate Curtis Lambert no longer has a job with the Sylva Police Department, but he says his…
Read More
Brewing possibilities in Franklin: Town board considers lease offer for old town hall
Franklin could soon get its first taste of microbrew beer. An offer to lease the old town hall building and…
Read More
Jackson County Planning Board reconsiders rewrites
A proposal to loosen steep slope development rules in Jackson County is headed back to the drawing board. A large…
Read More
Film crew granted access to Judaculla Rock
A film crew with the show “American Unearthed” will arrive in Jackson County this week to film an episode on…
Read More
MedWest hosts community meetings
MedWest Haywood will hold another series of community meetings in April and May. Feedback collected from the community during an…
Read More
Macon candidate challenges reveal rift between conservative, moderate Republicans
Dueling challenges over the legitimacy of two Macon County commissioner candidates could have had far-reaching implications for the county’s political…
Read More
Macon assistant prosecutor to challenge Moore for DA job
Assistant District Attorney Ashley Welch, a Republican from Macon County, announced this week she will be running for district attorney…
Read More
Wide-open race for district attorney in 2014
District Attorney Mike Bonfoey publicly announced plans to retire next year when his current term of office expires. Bonfoey has been…
Read More
Jackson sheriff’s race shapes up
With campaign season barely off the ground, the Jackson County sheriff’s race has already drawn a hefty list of candidates…
Read More
DOT explains N.C. 107 survey letter mystery
A controversial bypass around Sylva that was supposedly tabled by the highway department last year suddenly and mysteriously seemed to…
Read More
WCU staff and students improve libraries in area jails
For most people, the word “jail” stirs up mental images of vertical bars and stark concrete walls, not of rows…
Read More
Deer reclaim historic home in Cherokee
From clothing to art to clan names, deer are everywhere in Cherokee culture. But for the past couple of centuries,…
Read More
Jackson County Republicans ready for annual convention
Jackson County Republicans have been busy during the winter season finalizing plans for their 2014 annual county convention, the NCGOP…
Read More
Steinem celebrates ‘escaping’
By Melanie Threlkeld McConnell • Correspondent Here is a simple solution for stimulating the economy in this country: give women equal…
Read More
WCU hikes citation fees
Students and visitors to the Western Carolina University campus, whether in a car or on roller skates, will soon have…
Read More
Haven convinces board that motel is home
In front of a crowded courtroom Tuesday, the Macon County Board of Elections voted unanimously to dismiss a challenge protesting…
Read More
Downtown Sylva bakery opens in April
A new bakery and bistro is coming to downtown Sylva. The Perk & Pastry Bistro will offer a wide array…
Read More
Community asked for input in prison makeover
The trio of Christian ministries and advocates for the disadvantaged looking to transform the old state prison in Hazelwood into…
Read More
Canton school to be reborn
William McDowell remembers when segregation was a reality in Canton. “When I was a kid we weren’t allowed to sit…
Read More
Voucher legislation hits roadblock
After a morning of arguments from both sides of the school voucher debate, N.C. Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood ordered…
Read More
Haywood commissioners on a quest for a better courthouse lawn
Nearly a year after cutting down the historic maple trees in front of the Haywood County Courthouse, the lawn still…
Read More
Fire at Cherokee motel under investigation
The cause of a fire that caused substantial damage to the Pageant Inn in Cherokee last week is being investigated.
Read More
Officers push boundaries in quest for probable cause
A big one got away in Cherokee earlier this year when the case against a drug dealer was thrown out…
Read More
No more Mr. Nice Guy
With the bottomed-out real estate market still stagnant, some property owners are having trouble seeing the point of paying property…
Read More
Haywood chamber to drive economic development
The daunting challenge of courting industry, cultivating entrepreneurs, helping businesses expand — and ultimately adding new jobs to the economy…
Read More
Appointment process for advisory boards comes under fire
The informal process for picking people to serve on the planning board in Jackson County has come under scrutiny, prompting…
Read More
Schools rebut charge of impeding efforts to start secular club
Haywood County Schools’ attorney has countered accusations that Pisgah High School administrators allegedly hampered a student’s attempt to form a…
Read More
Jackson’s optimistic cheerleader
After a few months on the job, Jackson County’s economic development director laid out the landscape for community leaders. He…
Read More
