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Know your bear neighbors
 

Know your bear neighbors

Joel Zachary, a noted black bear enthusiast, professional outdoor guide and author of Bears I’ve Met, will be the featured…
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Harvest Half Marathon comes to Cherokee
 

Harvest Half Marathon comes to Cherokee

More than 600 runners from across the mountains and Southeast are expected in Cherokee on Saturday, Oct. 19, for the…
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Run for Research
 

Run for Research

A group of 18 runners representing Western Carolina University’s athletic training program completed the sixth annual Mountain Jug Run for Research,…
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Wrinkles in space and time
 

Wrinkles in space and time

Millions of years ago America and Africa rubbed shoulders and the Appalachian Mountains were created. The ancient Appalachians, at one…
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Relaxed hunting rules would keep bear population in check
 

Relaxed hunting rules would keep bear population in check

A longer season, a higher quota, shooting over bait piles — these are just a few aspects of the state…
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Some old-fashioned lessons for living
 

Some old-fashioned lessons for living

Google books on parenting, and you will find thousands — tens of thousands — of titles. There are books on…
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Constitutents angry with Rep. Meadows’ actions
 

Constitutents angry with Rep. Meadows’ actions

To the Editor: This is an open letter to Rep Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers. Rep. Meadows, your actions have already denied…
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More Medicaid lies from McCrory
 

More Medicaid lies from McCrory

To the Editor: In my business, I deal with many people who are at the bottom of the economic ladder.…
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McCrory’s efforts paying off for state
 

McCrory’s efforts paying off for state

To the Editor: In most of the Western Carolina newspapers’ letters to the editor section, we can count on one…
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Meadows, Maniscalco did not attend forum
 

Meadows, Maniscalco did not attend forum

To the Editor: I attended the Maggie Valley aldermen candidate forum and read with interest your coverage of this event.…
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Citizens should not tolerate shutdown
 

Citizens should not tolerate shutdown

To the Editor: My name is David Monteith and I oppose the government shutdown. We Americans have given enough. When…
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Give chance a piece, or something like that
 

Give chance a piece, or something like that

By John Beckman • Guest Columnist There’s a lot to be said for making careful plans in our lives, crafting a…
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Breaking Bread Café opens in Haywood
 

Breaking Bread Café opens in Haywood

A new artisan café and restaurant has opened to fanfare in Bethel, only a short drive from downtown Waynesville and…
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Haywood Early College Graduate heading to medical school
 

Haywood Early College Graduate heading to medical school

Tyler McKinnish, a Haywood County student on his way to being a doctor, credits Haywood Early College with giving him…
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SCC kicks off scholarship fundraiser
 

SCC kicks off scholarship fundraiser

Southwestern Community College Foundation has launched a “Student Success Campaign” that aims to raise more than $1 million for scholarships…
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Radiography program a family affair for Maneys
 

Radiography program a family affair for Maneys

When Brittany Maney was 14, her fall from a Hayesville Middle School cheerleading pyramid caused a lot of pain, fear…
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Cherokee-led firm gets going on new casino
 

Cherokee-led firm gets going on new casino

After just a year in business, a Cherokee-based construction management company has landed the biggest trout in town — the…
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Opt-In meetings gather public input on future needs
 

Opt-In meetings gather public input on future needs

How would you spend $800 million? Residents and opinion leaders from the seven westernmost counties and the Qualla Boundary have…
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Child rescued from Whittier hotel dies
 

Child rescued from Whittier hotel dies

A four-year-old child found injured and abused in Qualla Motel in Whittier last week has died. Deputies arrived at the…
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Pedestrian fatality involves Cherokee officer
 

Pedestrian fatality involves Cherokee officer

A Cherokee Indian Police Department officer hit two pedestrians, killing one, while on patrol Wednesday night. The incident occurred on…
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Swain County marching band heading to D.C.
 

Swain County marching band heading to D.C.

Swain High School’s Marching Maroon Devils have officially been accepted to march in the National Independence Day Parade on July…
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State refuses to give North Shore interest money to Swain
 

State refuses to give North Shore interest money to Swain

The N.C. Department of Revenue is holding money belonging to Swain County captive, according to county officials.
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Candidates all want more business in Canton
 

Candidates all want more business in Canton

While infrastructure and economic development tops each candidate’s agenda, a far more consequential matter could await those who fill the…
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The face of the shutdown: Local childcare centers teetering as shutdown interrupts funding
 

The face of the shutdown: Local childcare centers teetering as shutdown interrupts funding

All Nicole Smith could do last week was try to keep the doors open. Either the shutdown of the federal…
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Looser sign rules could let Waynesville  business owners sing it from the rooftops
 

Looser sign rules could let Waynesville business owners sing it from the rooftops

Giant blow-up gorillas, bouquets of balloons, plastic banners strung from awnings or poles and billowing fabric figures piped full of…
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Raising the bar: Tougher curriculum + tougher testing = lower scores ahead
 

Raising the bar: Tougher curriculum + tougher testing = lower scores ahead

Schools are bracing for a precipitous drop in student test scores coming down the pike next month — the result…
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Rising star redefines country music
 

Rising star redefines country music

Kacey Musgraves makes me feel like a teenager. Shouts of joy escape my lungs when I find out she’s performing…
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This must be the place
 

This must be the place

Help. That’s what was texted to me a couple weeks ago. It was my co-worker at the newspaper, stuck in…
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Lake Junaluska Singers perform “Songs by the Lakeshore”
 

Lake Junaluska Singers perform “Songs by the Lakeshore”

The Lake Junaluska Singers’ “Songs by the Lakeshore” concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 18-19 in Stuart…
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Tickets on sale for White, Kool & The Gang, ZZ Top
 

Tickets on sale for White, Kool & The Gang, ZZ Top

Tickets are currently on sale for upcoming performances by comedian Ron White, funk group Kool & The Gang and rock…
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Mountain Oasis festival welcomes NIN, Bassnectar and Pretty Lights
 

Mountain Oasis festival welcomes NIN, Bassnectar and Pretty Lights

The inaugural Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit will be Oct. 25-27 in downtown Asheville. 
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Jackson County Arts Council names grant winners
 

Jackson County Arts Council names grant winners

The Jackson County Arts Council announced its 2013-14 grant recipients.
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SMCPA taps former intern for top job
 

SMCPA taps former intern for top job

The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts announced its new general manager, Paul Garner.  
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Waynesville celebrates apple harvest
 

Waynesville celebrates apple harvest

The 25th annual Haywood Apple Harvest Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in downtown…
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Mountain Momma
 

Mountain Momma

We’re in the Halloween homestretch, but I’d wager at least half of you are still riding the costume rollercoaster, days…
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WCU community to celebrate Homecoming
 

WCU community to celebrate Homecoming

Homecoming Weekend will be Oct. 24-27 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. This year’s theme is “Whee Are Catamounts!” Public…
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Mountain Momma
 

Mountain Momma

I always end up with too many pumpkins by Halloween, a trajectory I am headed down once again despite telling…
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The secret ministry of frost
 

The secret ministry of frost

It’s early October as I write this column. The first frost hasn’t, as yet, arrived. But it won’t be long…
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AT film tour coming to Franklin
 

AT film tour coming to Franklin

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy will show the film “Appalachian Impressions,” Friday, Oct. 18, at Drake Educational Center in Franklin. The…
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Wildlife investigation nabs Internet violators
 

Wildlife investigation nabs Internet violators

An ongoing, multi-state investigation to disrupt illegal animal trafficking online has netted 62 arrests. Dubbed “Operation Wild Web,” the investigation…
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WCU students run to Boone to raise funds
 

WCU students run to Boone to raise funds

In the lead-up to the football game between rivals Western Carolina University and Appalachian State University, a group of students…
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Bonsai experts coming to NC Arboretum
 

Bonsai experts coming to NC Arboretum

The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville will host the Carolina Bonsai Expo, Oct. 12-13.
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Macon man to discuss record-setting summit
 

Macon man to discuss record-setting summit

The oldest man to hike to the top of Mount Whitney in a day will give a talk about his…
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MST photography contest deadline nears
 

MST photography contest deadline nears

Public submissions are being accepted for a statewide outdoor photography contest.
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Lighting up the mountains
 

Lighting up the mountains

I was at the Allens Creek soccer fields Saturday morning watching Maddie play when my eyes were drawn to the…
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Businesses with ties to national parks suffering during shutdown
 

Businesses with ties to national parks suffering during shutdown

From wedding planners to elk tour guides to non-profit organizations, the closing of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park hasn’t…
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A warts and all biography of a WNC original
 

A warts and all biography of a WNC original

I first encountered Robert Henry’s name some 30 years ago in Lyman Draper’s account of the Battle of Kings Mountain…
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GOP shouldn’t blame this on Democrats
 

GOP shouldn’t blame this on Democrats

To the Editor: The Republicans, including our own Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, who have repeatedly stated dislike for the federal…
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Please explain what is so bad about Obamacare
 

Please explain what is so bad about Obamacare

To the Editor: I do so hope that Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, read the Oct. 2 issue of The Smoky…
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Rep. Meadows is proud of poster boy status
 

Rep. Meadows is proud of poster boy status

To the editor: In a Sept. 27 CNN article, Congressman Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, was identified as “the architect of the…
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