The diet of Lent is healthy
To the Editor: This Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter, when many Christians abstain from…
Read More
Are women treated differently?
To the Editor: Have you ever heard of a man being fired for his “strong leadership style”? Ella Kliger Franklin
Read More
Atlas’ big smug shrug
By Ron Robinson • Guest Columnist The other day I attended a basketball game at Western Mountain University. I could not…
Read More
Let’s ease off the throttle on Central closing
By John Sanderson • Guest Columnist I have hesitated to make a comment about this issue, because I know personally…
Read More
We believe war is never the answer
To the Editor: Any who frequent Main Street Waynesville on Wednesday afternoons will know that a group calling ourselves Neighbors…
Read More
Lopez’s role in Koch gift, center is fair game
To the Editor: I would like the economics professors who wrote a letter in last week’s Smoky Mountain News (www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/17086)…
Read More
Happiness now, not in the ever after
There was a time in my life where I thought being wild would lead to a sense of freedom and…
Read More
GOP policies to blame for Central closing
By Jimmy Rogers • Guest Columnist If Central Elementary in Waynesville is forced to close because of budget cuts and losing…
Read More
Colleagues dismayed at attacks on Lopez
To the Editor: We the undersigned, Western Carolina University’s economics faculty, wish to express support for our colleague Dr. Ed…
Read More
Consider spending more on our schools
To the Editor: Regarding the school district’s budget shortfall, rather than the proposed drastic reductions in the public schools programs…
Read More
Jonas swept in with a hammer-like hello
I was dreaming, I can’t say exactly what. It was that kind of dream you have that floats away like…
Read More
N.C.’s laws should be changed to provide accountability
By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist People generally don’t care to hear how things are done better elsewhere, but there…
Read More
Voters will ultimately decide if firing was a mistake
Former county commissioner, mayor and longtime Haywood County political player/observer Mary Ann Enloe was dead on in her column last…
Read More
Believe it or not, fear can kill you
To the Editor: Startling new findings show that if you are a middle-aged white person, your life expectancy is dramatically…
Read More
Thankfully, we are about over Obama’s reign
To the Editor Closing the stable after the horse has bolted describes Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech last…
Read More
If it means reconnecting with my gypsy soul, I’m in
One Friday night in October my husband and I were dining at the bar at Frog’s Leap when I realized…
Read More
It’s a great plan, just work on the free throws
I was in my early twenties before I knew what I wanted to do with my life. My son, Jack,…
Read More
Proposed Koch gift to WCU a bad idea
By Mark Jamison • Guest Columnist The proposed $2 million gift from the Charles Koch Foundation to Western Carolina University…
Read More
Beware the politics of the anglerfish
To the Editor: The political season has kicked in full bore, and what we are about to witness is politics…
Read More
Let’s stand up to injustice, hatred, fear
To the Editor: The Civil Rights Movement of the 20th century brought about real positive change: the end of legalized…
Read More
Wilderness for all, all ways, always
To the Editor: Two happenings in the past 12 months led me to some end-of-the-year musings. The happenings were related,…
Read More
And the 2015 award winners are ...
The idea to start handing out annual spoof awards instead of the traditional year-in-review that most newspapers do was the…
Read More
Weather doesn’t trip up traditions
When we wake up on Christmas Eve, it is nearly 70 degrees and raining so hard that when our miniature…
Read More
Haywood just not prepared for growth
If there was ever a time in recent memory when Haywood County leaders and its citizens need reminding that they…
Read More
People of Franklin in good hands
To the Editor: Kudos to Bob Scott, mayor of Franklin, for his decision to take his oath of office on…
Read More
Roberts Burns Night a unique event
To the Editor: Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland, is the only poet or musician that has a worldwide…
Read More
Forest plan does not need more wilderness
To the Editor: I vehemently oppose designating more wilderness areas within the Pisgah and Nantahala Forests. These lands are already…
Read More
Put aside Fry Street prejudices
To the Editor: I have been a proud employee of the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (GSMR) for nine years and an active…
Read More
I swear, it’s really much ado about nothing
Sometimes in the world of journalism, the story becomes more about the reaction than the original news event. By my…
Read More
Allow tree harvesting in new forest plan
To the Editor: Please allow common sense to prevail in the forest management discussion. Trees are the ultimate gift —…
Read More
False information from Sen. Tillis’ office
To the Editor: As a North Carolina citizen, I could not understand why our senators voted against a bill that…
Read More
It’s really OK to just let kids be kids
“OK, everybody, huddle up, huddle up!” But nobody really seems to want to huddle up. Our point guard is standing…
Read More
Let’s play pretend politician: what issues would you own?
I’m not running for office and never will, but as a citizen of Haywood County and Western North Carolina and…
Read More
Diverse coalition coalesces to support forest plan
By Brent Martin • Guest Columnist In recent months I have watched a tense and difficult relationship play out nationally…
Read More
Thanks for helping feed the hungry
To the Editor: Thanks to many, many individuals and businesses, the 2015 Turkey Drive sponsored by the Maggie Valley Area…
Read More
Social injustice and our universities
To the Editor: In last week’s letter to the editor (www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/16807), Mr. Jones commented on the politicizing of WCU. Let…
Read More
Economic injustice needs to be addressed
To the Editor: It is time to wake up and take a big whiff of reality. The shape of our…
Read More
Forest Service needs capacity to manage
To the Editor: As the U.S. Forest Service proceeds through the plan revision for the Nantahala and Pisgah National Forests,…
Read More
We can find a better cell tower location
To the Editor: I hope to be understood that my family is as pro-wireless communication as anyone in Cashiers. Verizon…
Read More
Candidates would strip us of rights
To the Editor: Below are several of the solutions proposed by many of the candidates running for president to end…
Read More
Investing in what’s best about WNC
While I was living in Elizabethtown in southeastern North Carolina in 1988, Walmart opened a brand-new store. Most everyone was…
Read More
HRMC praised for patient care
To the Editor: This is in praise of our new hospital, “new” meaning the Haywood Regional Medical Center, now run…
Read More
Politicizing at WCU is just a bad idea
To the Editor: It is my understanding from an article written in the Asheville Citizen Times that Western Carolina University…
Read More
This holiday, it’s a family united
When I was 12 years old, there were few things I liked better than the Dallas Cowboys. Definitely my Farrah…
Read More
Is the free market free for everyone?
To the Editor: “I am a conservative Republican, a firm believer in free market capitalism. A free market system allows…
Read More
Does Lake Junaluska need Waynesville?
To the Editor: Here we go again. Another article (Nov. 18 Smoky Mountain News or at www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/16735) regarding the annexation…
Read More
Now is the time to finish Green Energy Park
To the Editor: Currently, Jackson County’s Green Energy Park is not self-sustaining. Neither are parks and public schools. Perhaps if…
Read More
A banquet table of issues, one bite at a time
So much going on locally and around the world that it’s just a tough week to bear down on a…
Read More
If it’s good vs. evil, only one outcome is tenable
When terrorism strikes like it did this weekend in Paris, the first reaction to the horror is shock from the…
Read More
When a part of you goes missing
Mike and I were not exactly a match made in heaven. In fact, I didn’t think we were much of…
Read More
