Small-town papers help knit communities together
I’m dedicating my July 4 to the courageous journalists who were murdered last week at the Capital Gazette in Maryland.…
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Thoughts on water and traditions during the holiday
Are you a lake person or a beach person? I always thought I was a beach person, but now I’m…
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Leaders need to act like adults
To the Editor: Thank you so much for so eloquently stating your opinion in this article about “not much room…
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We are a nation in crisis
To the Editor: Children are being shipped around the nation with no records and officials are either lying about their whereabouts or…
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Troubling times for this country
To the Editor: Troubling times? Very troubling times! Is America the beacon of liberty we claim to be? Is America…
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There’s not much room left in the gutter
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders got asked to leave a restaurant because the owner can’t stand her boss’…
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After the shock, and the pain, life goes on
It has been about eight months since my stepfather died. My mother has been talking about getting her house in…
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We are fractured as a nation
To the Editor: All of us who rely upon the local news as a monitor on morality have heard and…
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Environmentalism needs a new leader
To the Editor: One question that keeps going over and over in my mind is, will there be an environmental…
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Anti-Trump vitriol just too much
To the Editor: Oh my goodness! What an amazing bunch of nonsense from anti-Trump letter writers in the June 20…
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No harm in striving to understand each person
By Hannah McLeod • Guest Columnist Do not decry this generation for pushing the boundaries of respect/understanding/acceptance. People today like…
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Living in The Valley
During a divorce, one person is required to move out of the family home. After months of rigmarole and this…
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Such a sad people we have become
To the Editor: Based on available evidence, how would we describe the American population? The answer would seem to be…
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False reporting in sheriff story
To the Editor: In a news article (Swain sheriff suspends mutual aid to town, opponent claims the move is purely…
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Most body cam videos should be public
To the Editor: As the Mayor of Franklin, I agree with the efforts of the three Buncombe County legislators who…
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The perfect name for Trump’s problem
To the Editor: In response to Dennis Ford’s letter, “The standard today is a double standard,” which appeared in the…
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Surely we can do better
To the Editor: Sunday morning in America (Father’s Day). Politicians eat steak, plump and happy, while playing political games. Immigrant…
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SB 99: Who will teach NC’s children?
This is about money. But it is also about the North Carolina Legislature’s Conference Report on Senate Bill 99, especially…
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Bourdain’s death puts depression in spotlight
I was only vaguely aware of who Anthony Bourdain was when news of his suicide swept the internet last week.…
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Trails are just good for communities
Trails are good and we could have more here. — The board of the Nantahala Area Southern Off-Road Bicycling Association Our…
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Be courteous to cyclists
To the Editor: My wife and I are avid recreational bicyclists, having ridden for 30 and 15 years respectively. You…
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The standard today is a double standard
To the Editor: After reading all three letters to the editor in the latest Smoky Mountain News, I’m wondering how…
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A sound decision and a wise investment
Town and counties never have enough money to provide all the services and amenities that their citizens — in a…
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Students and teachers are on my mind
It’s high stakes testing week for students and educators in Haywood County. This is my 9-year old’s first year taking…
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WLOS propaganda is sickening
To the Editor: I am extremely uncomfortable knowing that our local television station, WLOS, continues to advance political content under…
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EPA’s Pruitt is doing a bad job
To the Editor: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is in violation of his oath of office. Our members of Congress are…
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Do we want another Andrew Jackson?
To the Editor: By the year 1808, the eastern Cherokee had adopted a written legal code. In 1820, they established…
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Something is wrong with this picture
I’ve been covering local governments in North Carolina for 30 years, and a small item in Macon County’s budget for…
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The party’s in there, and we’re out here
My wife and I are introverts who pretend to be extroverts, both personally and professionally, which means that we are…
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Gun rights advocates ignore amendment’s words
To the Editor: A gun rights rally was held on the historic courthouse lawn in Waynesville on May 19. Jeremy…
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Town board failed Plott Creek residents
To the Editor: In a recent Smoky Mountain News article, the writer confirmed the Waynesville Town Board overwhelmingly reached a…
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The truth no longer matters
To the Editor: “A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes,”…
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If you have opinions on growth, it’s time to speak up
Fifteen or so years ago, meetings like those Monday and Tuesday night in Waynesville were all too common: private citizens…
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Summer break is coming into view
Watching my two little boys get excited about summer vacation makes me reflect upon my own childhood summers. Both my…
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Cancer support group values patients
To the Editor: The Cherokee Cancer Support Group is in its 20th year. We couldn’t have progressed without donations from…
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Large corporations get boost under bill
To the Editor: Thank you Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., for your public service, and thank you for your response to…
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Presidents are not above the law
To the Editor: Draw a Venn diagram. Circle one is morality. Circle two is ethics. Number three is law. As…
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Air B&B destroying my peace of mind
To the Editor: It would seem that Haywood County has a new growing pain, at least for my small neighborhood.…
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Tribal Council media ban a mistake
Symbolism is often just as important as reality. The decision by the Cherokee Tribal Council to ban all media from…
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It’s prom, and my daughter is trying on adulthood
My daughter has become the person she hoped she would be at age seven. We should all be so lucky.…
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Tax cut got me a measly $60 a year
To the Editor: In response to an opinion letter published recently, I would like to share how the GOP tax…
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Our economic, political systems are not working
To the Editor: It is encouraging to see more and more letters to the editor noting that our economic and…
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Trump really cares about the people
To the Editor: The liberals want Trump out of office because they have someone in there who cares about the…
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Living in the moment with ALS
We rode in silence. I glanced at the clock as we came to another stoplight. Already five minutes late, I…
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Moms, remember to breathe it all in
Last week, I went to a conference in L.A. with 800 other moms who tell their stories through creative outlets,…
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Now or never for the red wolf
To the Editor: The red wolf, which once ranged from Pennsylvania to Texas, is now battling extinction in the wild…
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