New charters stir emotions, but time is a healer
When we reported that Mountain Discovery Charter School and Swain County commissioners were working together to hopefully build a gymnasium,…
Read More
Kobe’s swan song turned out to be a masterpiece
“Do not go gentle into that good night,Old age should burn and rave at close of day;Rage, rage against the…
Read More
Socialism is not really such a dirty word
To the Editor: So much paranoia about socialism. We can talk about socialism in theory, in practice, as mixed with other…
Read More
HB2 should be repealed immediately
To the Editor: As members of the Reconciling Conversation Group of First United Methodist Church of Waynesville, we are striving…
Read More
What HB2 is really about — exerting power
To the Editor: The motivation for HB2 has nothing to do with bathroom safety. The motivation was to slap down…
Read More
The ‘rich’ show less empathy
To the Editor: A recent research project with 200 students at University of California at Berkley explored the effects of…
Read More
Help build a community that fights child abuse
By Julie Schroer • Guest Columnist As April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, I want you to hang in…
Read More
Call the hunting of bears what it is
To the Editor: I would like to request of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission that you stop referring to the…
Read More
Manage forests for wildlife, too
To the Editor: With recent news stories of elk doing damage to farms and the surprising number of bear living…
Read More
Who would want to lead Waynesville?
To the Editor: I read your article on the hiring of a new town manager with some amusement and dismay.…
Read More
My adopted state is an embarrassment
By Stephanie Wampler • Guest Columnist As a North Carolina woman who may or may not have a vagina (NOYB), I…
Read More
N.C. conservatives go off the deep end
By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist There are two major strains of conservatism in American politics, economic and social, and the…
Read More
Stuttering, understanding race and Merle Haggard
When I was a little girl, I had a stuttering problem. The memories of struggling with words that started with…
Read More
Community involvement is the key
To the Editor: I won’t be voting for Michele Presnell, but it seems silly for this newspaper and local elected…
Read More
Opening Day brings renewed sense of hope
I have turned off the talk shows, put down the newspapers, avoided barbershops and changed the subject at family gatherings.…
Read More
The arts thrive only if we support them
“The arts are so incredibly vital to a quality of life, smart business and the health of a community. The…
Read More
On being a columnist for a small-town newspaper
Three months into this, I’ve decided that being a columnist for The Smoky Mountain News is potentially more challenging than…
Read More
Questions for the legislature
By Dave Waldrop • Guest Columnist The North Carolina legislature has abandoned its responsibilities to public education under the guise…
Read More
What lessons from the 2016 primary?
By Chris Cooper • Guest Columnist If I had to use one word to describe the North Carolina primary, it…
Read More
Let’s get the ‘dump Presnell’ train rolling
Let the campaign to unseat Rep. Michele Presnell begin. During her two terms in office Presnell has been an obstructionist…
Read More
Me and your pet rabbit can now share a meal
A few weeks ago, I suddenly developed a thirst that I could not seem to quench. No, this is not…
Read More
Wilderness and recreation areas are good for WNC
By Brent Martin • Guest Columnist Setting aside a modest portion of the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest as Wilderness and National…
Read More
Sometimes you wonder why
To the editor: I wonder: • Why do people in the so-called “Bible belt” seem to trust guns more than God?…
Read More
Maggie Valley should make town center happen
When small towns think and act big, amazing things can happen. Anyone who has traveled has come across communities that…
Read More
Donald Trump, you haven’t fooled me
I’ve been watching the Trump shenanigans from afar, laughing it off as a collective momentary lapse in judgment, but as…
Read More
Trump is leading somewhere I just won’t go
With the North Carolina primary election just days away on March 15, Donald Trump continues his march toward the Republican…
Read More
Sanders shows a true measure of leadership
To the Editor; Many people do not have enough information about Bernie Sanders to decide, on a rational basis, whether…
Read More
It’s completely logical that Trump is winning
To the Editor: Presidential candidates for both parties have been on the political or public dole for years even decades.…
Read More
Elect a real rebel for president
To the Editor: I consider myself to be a natural-born, modern rebel! I grew up in a family very proud…
Read More
Market economics not relevant to all our human endeavors
By Mark Jamison • Guest Columnist I had planned to call this commentary “Dirty Money.” I would begin by quoting Teddy…
Read More
It is past time for a new animal shelter
By Kristen Hammett • Guest Columnist Our current Haywood County Animal Shelter is overcrowded, outdated, and unsafe for staff and the…
Read More
Blueberry pancakes, eggs, bacon, biscuits ... right
When I was growing up, it seemed that I spent most of my time at Mark Dozier’s place. Mark was…
Read More
Fortunately, the ‘ups’ outweigh the ‘downs’
Sometimes I forget why I love it so much. The truth is that newspaper work is partly satisfying, partly frustrating.…
Read More
Senate needs to do its constitutional duty
To the Editor: I understand that our Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina is a member of the Senate Judiciary…
Read More
Sanders would be a refreshing change
To the Editor: Imagine, if only there was a viable candidate for President who for decades has spoken with honesty,…
Read More
Wording change on Statue of Liberty
To the Editor: I have recently learn was told that the wording on the base of the Statue of Liberty…
Read More
Love, marriage ... and a sharp paring knife
The other night I cut a skin tag off my husband’s face with a really sharp paring knife and some…
Read More
Apple or Uncle Sam? I don’t like my choices
Who you going to trust, Apple or Uncle Sam? By deciding not to obey a court order to unlock the…
Read More
An oddly familiar photo brings back memories
I hate having my picture taken. The simple truth is that I have found clever ways to avoid it for…
Read More
Who changed words on Statue of Liberty?
To the Editor: I have recently learned from a D.C. resident that the wording on the base of the Statue…
Read More
Time for a little torture, a la Trump?
Stephanie Wampler • Guest Columnist Good news, fellow citizens. It’s only a matter of time before we can all sleep easily,…
Read More
No reason to believe N.C. will fix redistricting mess
Maybe North Carolina will be a shining star of a state working to resolve petty partisanship, and maybe it won’t. …
Read More
Say goodbye to stripper boobs
“Out: so-called stripper boobs. In: a woman’s natural shape.” I read that sentence a couple of months ago in a…
Read More
We need more wilderness areas
To the Editor: Here are three reasons why we should designate more federal land as wilderness to protect it from…
Read More
Bond initiative would waste taxpayer money
To the Editor: Voters should vote AGAINST the $2 billion “Connect NC” bonds on the March 15 ballot. Gov. Pat…
Read More
Support Connect NC bond initiative
To the Editor: One of the greatest resources our state has is the University of North Carolina System with its…
Read More
Bottom line: State needs to do more for public schools
It’s a fundamental question and voters will be the ultimate arbiters: is North Carolina spending adequately on education? The short…
Read More
Haywood County Schools: Response from Rep. Michelle Presnell
Enrollment has fallen in Haywood County Schools every year since at least 2008, and Jimmy Rogers was on the school…
Read More
Self-esteemers having trouble with Panther loss
For some time, I have been worried that my children are not learning the coping skills they will need in…
Read More
WCU should stay away from Koch money, influence
By Mark Jamison • Guest Columnist In Sons of Wichita, Daniel Schulman relates a story about Charles Koch’s attempt to…
Read More