Sen. Tillis wasted no time becoming an embarrassment
 

Sen. Tillis wasted no time becoming an embarrassment

To the Editor: It took newly elected Sen. Thom Tillis , R-N.C., merely a month in Washington to make himself…
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Too much of a good thing can be dangerous
 

Too much of a good thing can be dangerous

I wish those planning to open a new charter school in Haywood County the best. Their intentions are completely honorable.…
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Inside immunizations: Parents weigh the risks and benefits
 

Inside immunizations: Parents weigh the risks and benefits

Lana Quinn of Waynesville has lost friends, been called crazy and was turned away from a pediatrician’s office because of…
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The butternut is a country boy’s tree
 

The butternut is a country boy’s tree

“A countryman’s tree is the Butternut, known to the farm boy but not his city cousin. One who takes thoughtful…
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Celebrate winter Smoky style
 

Celebrate winter Smoky style

Maggie Valley’s inaugural WinterFest Smoky Style will celebrate the best of the cold-weather season 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday,…
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Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon
 

Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon

Runners will take to the streets of downtown Waynesville as the inaugural Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon starts from…
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HCC nabs accreditation from Society of American Foresters
 

HCC nabs accreditation from Society of American Foresters

Haywood Community College just became the only two-year community college in North Carolina to offer a forest management technology program…
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Learn to tread lightly at Wilderness Skills Institute
 

Learn to tread lightly at Wilderness Skills Institute

Registration is now open for the fifth Wilderness Skills Institute, a training program for Wilderness stewardship and management, held at…
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Polar Plunge lands cash for waterway education
 

Polar Plunge lands cash for waterway education

Lake Junaluska was only 39 degrees on Jan. 31, but 120 people still braved the cold to participate in Haywood…
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Smokies invites you to meet new superintendent
 

Smokies invites you to meet new superintendent

Two open houses this month will offer the chance to meet and greet the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent,…
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One foot in front of the other: Haywood runner seeks to push her limits, share the joy of running
 

One foot in front of the other: Haywood runner seeks to push her limits, share the joy of running

Pushing through 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 of biking and 26.2 of running, it was all Jennifer Jacobson could do…
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Guys, don’t fear Valentine’s Day, embrace it
 

Guys, don’t fear Valentine’s Day, embrace it

Note to readers: this is one of the few times I have written a column addressed to one sex —…
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Catch the Spirit scholarships available
 

Catch the Spirit scholarships available

A nonprofit organization, Catch the Spirit of Appalachia wishes to once again provide four opportunities for a scholarship in the…
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WCU to showcase Barnwell collection
 

WCU to showcase Barnwell collection

A collection of images by acclaimed photographer Tim Barnwell that reflects the musical and craft traditions of the Southern Appalachian…
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Open call for Appalachian Lifestyle festival
 

Open call for Appalachian Lifestyle festival

The Downtown Waynesville Association is seeking heritage themed vendors for the fifth annual Appalachian Lifestyle Celebration that will take place…
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Heart to rock Harrah’s
 

Heart to rock Harrah’s

Renowned classic rock act Heart will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Harrah’s Cherokee.
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This must be the place
 

This must be the place

What are you thinking about? Staring out the window, the question asked shook me out of a trance. My gaze…
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‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ to hit WCU stage
 

‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ to hit WCU stage

Transvestite. Transsexual. Transylvania. Three words that immediately conjure images of extravagant parties, mad scientists, death, rock-n-roll, Meatloaf, aliens, sing-a-longs, freedom…
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Cashiers library volunteers to get more elbow room
 

Cashiers library volunteers to get more elbow room

Jackson County commissioners will spend $100,000 on a storage room at the Cashiers library for the Friends of the Cashiers…
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Haywood to offer some teachers signing bonuses
 

Haywood to offer some teachers signing bonuses

Haywood County Schools will be offering signing bonuses for teachers in hard-to-get fields starting next school year.
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Jackson planning asks if WCU should be subject to county development rules
 

Jackson planning asks if WCU should be subject to county development rules

When Jackson County’s subdivision ordinance was revised last year, it included some changes that would apply to development at Western…
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Cullowhee land-use plan on the move
 

Cullowhee land-use plan on the move

A land-use plan to guide growth in Cullowhee will take a detour past the planning board en route to Jackson…
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Rumors of giant cross on the ridgeline above Maggie prompts debate
 

Rumors of giant cross on the ridgeline above Maggie prompts debate

Maggie Valley leaders could land in the middle of a controversy in coming months about whether the owner of Ghost…
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Jackson deputy fired
 

Jackson deputy fired

The investigation is ongoing following a Halloween party at Dillard Excavating in Sylva that allegedly involved underage drinking and allegedly…
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Bottleneck concerns prompt bigger courthouse foyer design
 

Bottleneck concerns prompt bigger courthouse foyer design

Call it a foyer, an atrium, a lobby, a cattle call — an addition is being planned for the Jackson…
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Fire burns 400 acres near Cherokee
 

Fire burns 400 acres near Cherokee

A blaze in Cherokee has been fully contained, but not before burning up 400 acres of forest in the Qualla…
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Smokers could become scourge of downtown sidewalks
 

Smokers could become scourge of downtown sidewalks

Downtown Waynesville could feel the not-so-pleasant trickle-down effects if a proposed smoking ban on Haywood County property goes through. The…
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Sylva citizenry sounds off about noise dispute
 

Sylva citizenry sounds off about noise dispute

Conflict surrounding noise complaints at No Name Sports Pub — and the Sylva town ordinance that addresses how those complaints…
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Canton considers extensive special event policy
 

Canton considers extensive special event policy

Event organizers may have to go through a more thorough application process if the Canton Board of Aldermen adopts a…
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Canton considers Labor Day overhaul
 

Canton considers Labor Day overhaul

Canton’s annual Labor Day Celebration has been a beloved community tradition for more than 100 years.  As attendance and excitement…
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Sponsored: Who is Laura Lynn?
 

Sponsored: Who is Laura Lynn?

Question: I’ve recently moved to NC and just started shopping at a nearby Ingles Markets. Who is “Laura Lynn” and…
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Sponsored: “The Dose Makes the Poison”
 

Sponsored: “The Dose Makes the Poison”

Many people are fond of throwing around fearmongering words like: “poisonous”, “toxic”, and “dangerous” when it comes to certain foods,…
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The bizarro world of plan revision
 

The bizarro world of plan revision

The Haywood County Board of Commissioners decided that today (Feb. 2) was the day they would boldly venture into the…
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Up close with the Smokies
 

Up close with the Smokies

The Experience Your Smokies program is looking for applicants who want to get an insider’s look at park operations while…
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Two areas added to potential wilderness inventory
 

Two areas added to potential wilderness inventory

Two potential candidates for wilderness designation in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests were accidentally left off a master list…
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Wildlife Commission says no more red wolves
 

Wildlife Commission says no more red wolves

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has publicly denounced the red wolf reintroduction in coastal counties, calling for the red wolves…
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Little Sandy Mush Bald slopes purchased for nature preserve
 

Little Sandy Mush Bald slopes purchased for nature preserve

The northern slopes of Little Sandy Mush Bald, an iconic view for those who live in the coves and farms…
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Arboretum to memorialize landscaping great
 

Arboretum to memorialize landscaping great

The father of American landscape architecture will soon be memorialized at the North Carolina Arboretum.
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Learn from Leopold
 

Learn from Leopold

Aldo Leopold and his writings are cornerstones of modern environmental ethic, and a program teaching how to use his work…
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Winter on the ridge: Wintry conditions cause Parkway closures despite warm temps at low elevations
 

Winter on the ridge: Wintry conditions cause Parkway closures despite warm temps at low elevations

Though a mixture of rain and ice pelted the windshield as I headed toward the Balsam Gap access of the…
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King’s newest novel is as good as it gets
 

King’s newest novel is as good as it gets

During the past 60 years, I have maintained a hearty appreciation for what is called “fantasy/horror” literature. I guess it…
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Three men walk into a bar ...
 

Three men walk into a bar ...

To the Editor: A rich man, a middle class man and a poor man walk into a bar. They sit…
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Harris Regional committed to the region
 

Harris Regional committed to the region

Over the past couple of months there has been a fair amount of coverage in area media outlets about the…
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Pardon the explanation, but I can’t help myself
 

Pardon the explanation, but I can’t help myself

I am living the days I have dreamed of all my life. “One day,” I said, somewhere ages and ages…
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Charting a new course: Haywood’s first charter school gets set to open in Waynesville
 

Charting a new course: Haywood’s first charter school gets set to open in Waynesville

Anna Eason has nothing but good things to say about Haywood County Public Schools. It’s a “good school system,” doing…
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Love the Locals: Downtown businesses offer local discounts
 

Love the Locals: Downtown businesses offer local discounts

More than 30 downtown Waynesville businesses are offering discounts for local residents throughout the month of February. Look for the…
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Sheriffs cope with exploding costs of involuntary committals
 

Sheriffs cope with exploding costs of involuntary committals

Law enforcement officers in Western North Carolina have been spending too much time and money driving all across the state…
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Comment

A spoonful of reality helps Macon property values go down
 

A spoonful of reality helps Macon property values go down

It’s been two weeks since new property values hit the mailboxes in Macon County, but there’s nary a line to…
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Macon planning board drafts noise ordinance
 

Macon planning board drafts noise ordinance

Macon County Planning Board members are still hashing out the details of a proposed noise ordinance.  The board held two…
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Counties facing animal control inadequacies
 

Counties facing animal control inadequacies

Commissioners in Western North Carolina counties have been discussing the growing need for better animal control services.  While Jackson and…
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