John “Trigger” Dupras takes in the view from Max Patch. Holly Kays photo
 

Life at two miles an hour: A.T. hikers share their stories

From flip-flops to overnights to the quintessential northbound thru-hike, there are many different ways to experience the Appalachian Trail on…
Read More

Comment

John “Trigger” Dupras takes in the view from Max Patch. Holly Kays photo
 

A.T. hikers share their stories

From flip-flops to overnights to the quintessential northbound thru-hike, there are many different ways to experience the Appalachian Trail on…
Read More
Trails Forever crews work on Rainbow Falls Trail, a project that wrapped up last year. NPS photo
 

Trillium Gap Trail rehab has begun

A two-year trail rehabilitation project is now underway at the Trillium Gap Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,…
Read More

Comment

Find local food
 

Find local food

The 2019 edition of the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project’s Local Food Guide is now available, an essential source for finding…
Read More

Comment

Jim Costa. WCU photo
 

Professor receives honor from New York Botanical Garden

Jim Costa, executive director of the Western Carolina University Highlands Biological Station and a professor of biology at WCU, has…
Read More

Comment

Pain was the norm with old-time dentistry
 

Pain was the norm with old-time dentistry

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in The Smoky Mountain News on May 14, 2003. Old-time dentistry as practiced here…
Read More

Comment

Deserving books that may pique your interest
 

Deserving books that may pique your interest

On the red wooden chair near my desk, 14 inches high, is a mound of books waiting for review. Three…
Read More

Comment

David Crosby. Anna Webber
 

Buddha on a hill: A conversation with David Crosby

The world has gone haywire and David Crosby is mad as hell about it. And though the years may change…
Read More

Comment

311 at Epicenter. Garret K. Woodward
 

This must be the place: You’ve got to trust your instinct and let go of regret

With the wind howling in my face, the Polaris ATV rounded the third curve of the Rockingham Speedway. The odometer…
Read More

Comment

Combine reason and emotion, Democrats
 

Combine reason and emotion, Democrats

To the Editor: Reason and emotion are the two fundamental bases for decision-making. We are facing some historic decisions in…
Read More

Comment

Help make schools safer
 

Help make schools safer

To the Editor: Each year since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the number of incidents of gun violence on…
Read More

Comment

The friend everyone needs
 

The friend everyone needs

Let’s be honest for a minute. Most of us lie to our friends on a fairly regular basis and are,…
Read More

Comment

When will the school shootings end?
 

When will the school shootings end?

“But for the grace of God, it could have been my child.” News of college and school shootings cut straight…
Read More

Comment

Updating voter registration records
 

Updating voter registration records

Have you moved, changed your name, mailing address or phone number since you registered to vote in the county, state…
Read More

Comment

Bethel bridge earns National Register designation
 

Bethel bridge earns National Register designation

The oldest metal truss bridge in the state of North Carolina has earned inclusion on the National Register of Historic…
Read More

Comment

Dogwood Health Trust to transform communities
 

Dogwood Health Trust to transform communities

The Health Equity Coalition will hold a forum to explore new ways of connecting community to philanthropy. The $1.5 billion…
Read More

Comment

Marsha Miller stands next to a civil rights monument in Montgomery. Donated photo
 

Reflections on Haywood NAACP pilgrimage

By Katherine Bartel • Secretary, Haywood County NAACP “My little brother Isaiah is, as you would call it, ‘a boy of…
Read More

Comment

Insurance premiums rise for Jackson employees
 

Insurance premiums rise for Jackson employees

Jackson County employees are now paying significantly higher premiums for their health insurance following a plan change that went into…
Read More

Comment

Previous projects for potential architecture firm McMillan Pazdan Smith include the Greenville Humane Society building. Donated photo
 

Price tag falls for Green Energy Park project

A Green Energy Park makeover under discussion in Jackson County could be a good bit cheaper than originally discussed, with…
Read More

Comment

Principal chief candidate Teresa McCoy explains her opposition to the proposed ordinance. EBCI photo
 

Council nixes proposed penalties for campaign law violations

A proposed ordinance that would have laid out the criminal penalties for violating laws regulating election campaign practices was withdrawn…
Read More

Comment

Shooter pleads guilty to second-degree murder
 

Shooter pleads guilty to second-degree murder

On Friday, May 3, Justin Scott Fuller, 31, of Waynesville, pled guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of…
Read More

Comment

Canton officials hope to maximize the utilization of the historic Colonial Theater. File photo
 

Canton looks to maintain property tax rate

The Town of Canton’s preliminary proposed budget shows an increase over last year from $8.7 million to more than $9.2…
Read More

Comment

River’s Edge Park in Clyde was designed as a flood storage channel, but also doubles as a park and playground. Cory Vaillancourt photo
 

Clyde park to reopen

Much like the Pigeon River itself, it’s been a long and winding journey for the Town of Clyde in recovering…
Read More

Comment

Protest filed — again — against McCoy’s candidacy for chief
 

Protest filed — again — against McCoy’s candidacy for chief

Following a battle that involved hearings before both the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Board of Elections and the Cherokee…
Read More

Comment

On the upswing: Golf industry changes with the times
 

On the upswing: Golf industry changes with the times

Golf is more than a game in Western North Carolina — the wellbeing of the popular past time can be…
Read More

Comment

Shining Rock is currently seeking its third head of school in four school years. Cory Vaillancourt photo
 

Grievances filed against Shining Rock interim head

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of stories on Haywood County’s public charter school, Shining Rock Classical…
Read More

Comment

The reintroduced elk have caused a surge in visitation to Cataloochee Valley over the last 18 years. @lookout_photo Photo
 

Make way for elk (and trout): Haywood, Jackson counties seek designation as state’s elk and trout capitals

If you want to see an elk, the Elk Capital of North Carolina would probably be a good place to…
Read More

Comment

New mapping program available for farmers
 

New mapping program available for farmers

A new program will allow growers to map crops by herbicide-resistant traits. 
Read More

Comment

Farm Bill causes changes for loan limits
 

Farm Bill causes changes for loan limits

The 2018 Farm Bill resulted in higher farm loan limits from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, among other changes.
Read More

Comment

Asheville Interagency Hotshot Crew. Nick Massey photo
 

Crews conquer fire in Linville

The Brushy Ridge Trail near Linville Gorge reopened last week following successful containment of a 3-acre fire there April 30. 
Read More

Comment

Magnolia fraseri showing the auriculate leaves. Don Hendershot photo
 

Magnolia trifecta

It’s May! That means my 2019 Forest Service bird survey has begun — another six weeks of roaming the wilds…
Read More

Comment

Still jazzy after all these years
 

Still jazzy after all these years

I first discovered Lawrence Ferlinghetti in high school and his book Starting From San Francisco and have read everything he’s…
Read More

Comment

Riley Howell during his seventh-grade year. Donated photo
 

Remembering Riley as a seventh-grader, during Teacher Appreciation Week

The thing I miss about teaching is human connection, being part of something bigger than myself.  When I was in…
Read More

Comment

Diversity strengthens our community
 

Diversity strengthens our community

To the Editor: A letter to the editor in The Smoky Mountain News (Let’s All Embrace God’s Healing, March 27,…
Read More

Comment

Jesus, health care and a fair system
 

Jesus, health care and a fair system

To the Editor: On Saturday I went to the Jackson County Recreation Center for a workout. I was guided into…
Read More

Comment

Imagine this happened to you
 

Imagine this happened to you

To the Editor: Imagine that you go to your general practitioner and she reminds you that it’s time for a…
Read More

Comment

We need to stop senseless violence
 

We need to stop senseless violence

To the Editor: Doubtless, most of you know about the tragic death of Riley Howell, and if you are like…
Read More

Comment

Haywood’s hero: The life and legacy of Riley Howell
 

Haywood’s hero: The life and legacy of Riley Howell

At this time last week, few knew of him and most all those who did were of the home —…
Read More

Comment

Cherokee Central Schools serves about 1,200 elementary, middle and high school students. Holly Kays photo
 

Audit finds issues with Athletic Department accounting at Cherokee schools

A recently completed report commissioned by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Office of Internal Audit and Ethics has concluded…
Read More

Comment

Franklin Town Council approved transferring ownership of Nikwasi Mound to nonprofit Nikwasi Initiative after months of debating the controversial decision. Jessi Stone photo
 

Franklin transfers ownership of Nikwasi Mound

After months of debate, Franklin Town Council voted unanimously Monday night to transfer the deed for Nikwasi Mound over to…
Read More

Comment

Joe Pellegrino/Smoky Mountain News
 

Foundation established in Riley Howell’s honor

It’s barely been a week since Riley Howell’s heroic acts at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, but a group of…
Read More

Comment

Searching for answers: Mass shootings linked to multiple factors
 

Searching for answers: Mass shootings linked to multiple factors

A senseless tragedy. Those words are repeated over and over again in the aftermath of mass shootings in the United…
Read More

Comment

Catawba Chief William Harris. U.S. Senate photo
 

Congressional hearing explores Catawba casino

Political leaders in the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are optimistic following a recent congressional hearing on legislation that would…
Read More

Comment

Police Chief Tammy Hooper discusses her budget needs with the board during a March 28 budget work session. Holly Kays photo
 

Sylva’s proposed budget features less spending, level taxes

At $4.06 million, Sylva’s proposed budget for 2019-20 will be nearly $200,000 lower than the adopted budget for 2018-19.
Read More

Comment

Sticky notes cover Cullowhee with suggestions from community members. Holly Kays photo
 

Planning underway for Cullowhee’s future

Development of a plan to guide Cullowhee’s future is now underway, with a three-day marathon of activities held April 22-24…
Read More

Comment

WCU fundraising campaign surpasses $60 million
 

WCU fundraising campaign surpasses $60 million

More than 12,000 donors contributed over a five-year period to raise over $60 million for scholarships at Western Carolina University.
Read More

Comment

Stephanie Adamavich, RN, (from left) Johanna Dewees, RN, and Ann Ottum, director of imaging at HRMC. Donated photo
 

HRMC Names 2019 Mercy Award winner

Haywood Regional Medical Center recently announced that Johanna Dewees, RN, has been recognized as the hospital’s 2019 Mercy Award winner.…
Read More

Comment

Brindley Faile photo
 

Espresso yourself: Orchard Coffee opens in Waynesville

Halfway up a steep hill in downtown Waynesville, and just a stone’s throw from the Haywood County Historic Courthouse, sits…
Read More

Comment

Brindley Faile photo
 

Espresso yourself: Orchard Coffee opens in Waynesville

Halfway up a steep hill in downtown Waynesville, and just a stone’s throw from the Haywood County Historic Courthouse, sits…
Read More
Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.