County OKs $3 million for immediate HCC needs
 

County OKs $3 million for immediate HCC needs

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Haywood Community College is finally on track to receive some much needed funding after…
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Haywood bids for recreation tract in Jonathan Creek
 

Haywood bids for recreation tract in Jonathan Creek

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Haywood County officials are jumping at the chance to purchase 22 acres of land…
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Haywood leaders voice support for test farm
 

Haywood leaders voice support for test farm

The region might be at risk of losing an important agricultural research station in Haywood County if a proposed state…
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Macon planning efforts gaining momentum
 

Macon planning efforts gaining momentum

Susan Ervin has served on Macon County’s Planning Board for so long she can’t actually remember how many years it’s…
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Momentum building for wisely guiding WNC’s rapid growth
 

Momentum building for wisely guiding WNC’s rapid growth

Blessed are the planners, for in their hands rest the fate of these mountains.
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Another day, and it’s off to the races
 

Another day, and it’s off to the races

7:37 a.m. — Snatched out of sleep by the ceaseless opening and closing of drawers. Goodness, woman, what can there…
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Afterschool programs still looking for respect
 

Afterschool programs still looking for respect

By Chris Lowe • Guest columnist “It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education,” said Albert Einstein. Einstein is…
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Weed or wildflower?
 

Weed or wildflower?

The status of a given plant as either a “noxious weed” or a “lovely wildflower” is pretty much a matter…
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Victim’s family sues REACH for negligence
 

Victim’s family sues REACH for negligence

REACH of Jackson County, a non-profit that aids victims of domestic violence, is being sued by the family of a…
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Green energy
 

Green energy

Over the next few weeks in The Naturalist’s Corner, I’m going to be exploring different aspects of the alternative and…
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New shelter graces Wayah Bald
 

New shelter graces Wayah Bald

After Ann McDuff was struck and killed while riding her bicycle in February 2003, her husband, Larry, spearheaded a money-raising…
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Soy ... the rest of the story
 

Soy ... the rest of the story

By Kathleen Lamont Soy is found in all kinds of foods we eat today, but do you know what’s in…
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Western counties to share land-use ideas
 

Western counties to share land-use ideas

County commissioners, planners and planning board members from the state’s seven westernmost counties will meet this month in a first-of-its-kind…
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Feudin’ banjos and writin’ laws
 

Feudin’ banjos and writin’ laws

By John Armour At the end of every week I take stock of what’s happened. Rare are the weeks which…
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Research farms will benefit from more efficient system
 

Research farms will benefit from more efficient system

We want the state Agricultural Research Station in Waynesville to remain open, but the Senate budget proposal that attempts to…
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How do we really support the troops?
 

How do we really support the troops?

This is about war, but only from a distance. When I read about deaths in Iraq or Afghanistan, it mostly…
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Bartram’s legacy: Scholars gather to discuss significance of 18th century botanist, writer, illustrator and philosopher
 

Bartram’s legacy: Scholars gather to discuss significance of 18th century botanist, writer, illustrator and philosopher

By Michael Beadle William Bartram only came through Western North Carolina for a handful of days in the spring of…
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The drive to alternative fuels
 

The drive to alternative fuels

Greenies, tree-huggers, granolas and old hippies are mothers, dads and grandmoms too. And there is a sincere desire to live…
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A voyage beyond new age
 

A voyage beyond new age

By Chris Cooper Sometimes your ears want something different. Maybe they need to hear that which steps beyond traditional form…
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Recommended diversions
 

Recommended diversions

“John From Cincinnati” Call this a leap of faith, but with “The Sopranos” now gone for good, HBO’s new series,…
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Dad’s take on father’s day
 

Dad’s take on father’s day

Father’s Day, surely a boon to the greeting card industry and certain segments of the male apparel industry, has taken…
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Activists demand a cleaner Pigeon from Blue Ridge
 

Activists demand a cleaner Pigeon from Blue Ridge

By Julia Mrchant • Staff Writer A decades-long battle between advocates for a clean Pigeon River and the Canton-based company…
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Desire for regulation may boil down to personal philosophy
 

Desire for regulation may boil down to personal philosophy

Ray Trine eased past the gatehouse guarding the entrance of a Cashiers development and turned up a gentle road landscaped…
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Library a go, probably at Jackson Plaza site
 

Library a go, probably at Jackson Plaza site

After years of the public waiting for a new library in Jackson County, county commissioners last week pledged to set…
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Library, senior complex win budget approval
 

Library, senior complex win budget approval

Jackson County commissioners whittled down three construction projects on their wish list to two last week.
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Maggie Valley unveils new land-use plan
 

Maggie Valley unveils new land-use plan

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer After months of rigorous planning sessions, Maggie Valley town officials are finally ready to…
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The public weighs in Jackson residents speak out on proposed development regulations
 

The public weighs in Jackson residents speak out on proposed development regulations

A procession of impassioned speakers pleaded with Jackson County commissioners to slow the rapid pace of development on mountainsides during…
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REACH funding called into question by commissioners
 

REACH funding called into question by commissioners

A non-profit that helps abused women escape domestic violence could be facing a budget cut by Jackson County commissioners this…
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Study puts values on working easements
 

Study puts values on working easements

A recent study in the Bethel Community revealed that “working land conservation easements” would be valued as high as $7,900…
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Blue Ridge workers hopeful after buyout
 

Blue Ridge workers hopeful after buyout

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer In the end, the acquisition of Blue Ridge Paper Products by the New Zealand-based…
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Chief’s race pits incumbent against gaming official
 

Chief’s race pits incumbent against gaming official

A tight race could be in store for the two candidates vying for principal chief of the Eastern Band of…
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Dam Break: Scale of disaster leaves community reeling
 

Dam Break: Scale of disaster leaves community reeling

A dam broke on an irrigation pond at Balsam Mountain Preserve in Jackson County two weeks ago unleashing hundreds of…
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Franklin studies upgrades to 1950s zoning laws
 

Franklin studies upgrades to 1950s zoning laws

Unlike most town and county governments in Western North Carolina, Franklin’s elected leaders had the foresight more than five decades…
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Gauging the fallout: Opinions vary on effect of Jackson’s proposed development rules
 

Gauging the fallout: Opinions vary on effect of Jackson’s proposed development rules

As Chuck Bennett rang up a sale at his electrical supply store in Cashiers, he showed no fear of the…
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Ghost Town’s economic ripple has hopes high
 

Ghost Town’s economic ripple has hopes high

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer It appears that the re-opening of Ghost Town in the Sky on Memorial Day…
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A great look, but too expensive
 

A great look, but too expensive

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Architects last week unveiled plans for a new three-level building that will house the…
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Parking downtown: Tickets cause controversy in Waynesville
 

Parking downtown: Tickets cause controversy in Waynesville

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Parking for free Public parking for as long as you want in downtown Waynesville:
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Rash of private dams altering WNC landscape
 

Rash of private dams altering WNC landscape

The damming of creeks and streams by private developments is on the rise in Western North Carolina — so much…
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Beware the leaves of three
 

Beware the leaves of three

If you like native Appalachian plants that are variable and adaptive, have interesting natural histories with abundant associations in both…
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Some gifts are always keepers
 

Some gifts are always keepers

Kayden is doing her very best not to tell me about the preparations she and mom and Jack have made…
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Shuler shows that he will vote his conscience
 

Shuler shows that he will vote his conscience

Those who supported Heath Shuler’s bid to represent this region in Congress probably did not believe the detractors who spent…
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Donors honored for conservation easements
 

Donors honored for conservation easements

The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust honored those that donated land and conservation agreements in 2006 at a recent celebration.
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Electric vehicles
 

Electric vehicles

Most people tend to think of electric (EVs) and hybrid (HEVs) vehicles in the same sphere, but the two are…
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How ‘bout the trout?
 

How ‘bout the trout?

By Michael Beadle Fishing for something fun to do this weekend? Head downstream to the Maggie Valley Fairgrounds for the…
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The rhythm method weekend
 

The rhythm method weekend

By Chris Cooper It’s been a year at least since I did a live show review, and it’s likely that…
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Recommended diversions
 

Recommended diversions

Traveling Wilburys Re-release On June 12 the Traveling Wilburys re-released the supergroup’s two albums along with (depending on whether you…
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Literature deprived
 

Literature deprived

Certain genres of literature fare better when critically judged by the standards of that particular genre rather than by any…
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Women to watch
 

Women to watch

By Chris Cooper In the mid 90’s it would’ve been nearly impossible to write about “new to the scene” female…
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Recommended diversions
 

Recommended diversions

A Man, A Can, A Plan My youngest son and I have gotten a kick out of using this cookbook…
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A clean miss
 

A clean miss

Gun Show Nation: Gun Culture and American Democracy by Joan Burbick. New Press, 2007. 288 pages. While teaching Latin at…
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