All the way from Ground Zero, salvaged metal to be erected as memorial in Clyde
 

All the way from Ground Zero, salvaged metal to be erected as memorial in Clyde

When the World Trade Center fell nearly 10 years ago, there was little left of its once-majestic towers but scattered…
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Haywood jail hopes to trim inmate health care costs
 

Haywood jail hopes to trim inmate health care costs

The health care bills rolling into the Haywood County jail for inmate care might now be slashed by up to…
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Hunt for new WCU chancellor in the homestretch
 

Hunt for new WCU chancellor in the homestretch

It’s not a bad job, really. There’s a nice house, more than 7,000-square-feet, that’s currently undergoing a nearly $300,000 facelift.…
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A modern man with an old-time passion for farming
 

A modern man with an old-time passion for farming

It’s a sunny, mid-March Friday, the air is barely warm enough to warrant open windows and loosened collars, and on…
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Frequently asked questions about the new Jackson County public library complex
 

Frequently asked questions about the new Jackson County public library complex

Where is the new library located? The new Jackson County Public Library Complex is located at 310 Keener Street in…
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Mountain visitors guide now available
 

Mountain visitors guide now available

Tourists and visitors can now pick up a free copy of the 2011 NC Mountains Visitors Guide from the Jackson…
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Inaugural Golf Classic comes to Lake Junaluska
 

Inaugural Golf Classic comes to Lake Junaluska

The inaugural Golf Classic hosted by the Wesley Foundation at Western Carolina University is coming April 16 to the Lake…
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Jobs lost, but construction and buying continue without pause on WCU campus 
 

Jobs lost, but construction and buying continue without pause on WCU campus 

A $138,000 fountain, the crowning jewel in a larger, $2.3 million construction project, is being built at Western Carolina University.…
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Documentary screening on school reform
 

Documentary screening on school reform

A viewing of Davis Guggenheim’s film, “Waiting for Superman” will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24, in the…
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Waynesville guards water supply despite pressure to unleash the spigot
 

Waynesville guards water supply despite pressure to unleash the spigot

The Town of Waynesville is negotiating with its biggest water customer, trying to take a stronger role in the future…
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Sylva bypass loses steam as priority
 

Sylva bypass loses steam as priority

Sylva leaders, asked to list their top road-building priorities, did not include a controversial bypass proposed by the state Department…
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Accounting probe prompts firing, resignation at Haywood County Schools
 

Accounting probe prompts firing, resignation at Haywood County Schools

Haywood County Schools is currently without a finance director, after long-time finance officer Larry Smith stepped down amid an investigation…
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Queen sues opponent after losing state election
 

Queen sues opponent after losing state election

All is fair in love and war, but apparently not in politics. Former state Sen. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, is…
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Boulevard redesign could be in the cards for Macon’s busiest thoroughfare
 

Boulevard redesign could be in the cards for Macon’s busiest thoroughfare

Eve Boatright isn’t prepared to openly criticize motorists speeding past her bookshop along U.S. 23/441 south of Franklin. The British…
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County’s leading critic stirs up trouble for fairground arena
 

County’s leading critic stirs up trouble for fairground arena

The predicament surrounding the arena began when Monroe Miller — the county’s leading critic who regularly lambasts commissioners at their…
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REACH village thrown a lifeline: Money problems for agency not solved, however
 

REACH village thrown a lifeline: Money problems for agency not solved, however

Mountain Projects might take control of the REACH village in Sylva, ensuring the low-income housing would remain available to area…
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High-speed broadband continues march across the mountains
 

High-speed broadband continues march across the mountains

Work to bring broadband to all of North Carolina — including adding missing sections of fiber in the mountains —…
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Macon County government to lose two of its finest
 

Macon County government to lose two of its finest

Macon County is losing an incredible amount of experience this year with the impending retirements of two employees. Between them,…
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Small Towns program under way in Bryson
 

Small Towns program under way in Bryson

HandMade in America is working with Bryson City as a part of its Small Towns program, which assists small towns…
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Red Cross offers free CPR training
 

Red Cross offers free CPR training

Haywood and Jackson County residents can attend free CPR training from the American Red Cross. Registration is open for “CPR…
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Healthy Haywood kicks off fitness challenge
 

Healthy Haywood kicks off fitness challenge

Healthy Haywood will kick off its annual fitness challenge beginning March 14. Registration is $10. Participants can attend a variety…
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MedWest expands mental health services
 

MedWest expands mental health services

A mental health program at MedWest-Haywood hospital has been expanded to include the general population through a behavioral health outpatient…
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Volunteer opportunity with Arc of Haywood
 

Volunteer opportunity with Arc of Haywood

The Arc of Haywood will be promoting advocacy for those with development disabilities in March. This is to honor Development…
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Revaluation in Jackson County back on ... maybe?
 

Revaluation in Jackson County back on ... maybe?

In a we-were-really-just-kidding-around reversal, Jackson County commissioners this week decided to delay their previous decision to delay property revaluation. A…
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Second-home economy makes its mark on WNC
 

Second-home economy makes its mark on WNC

The second-home economy has fueled far more than construction and real estate jobs over the past decade. “If it’s someone’s…
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Macon loses bragging rights for fastest growing county
 

Macon loses bragging rights for fastest growing county

Macon County isn’t exactly asking for a recount, but officials here do want to know why the county’s 2010 census…
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Former HRMC CEO gets $150,000 settlement
 

Former HRMC CEO gets $150,000 settlement

The former CEO of Haywood Regional Medical Center will get $150,000 from the hospital after settling a lawsuit claiming he…
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Swain commissioners call for resignation of DSS board
 

Swain commissioners call for resignation of DSS board

The following statement was issued by the Swain County Board of Commissioners after the DSS board failed to take action…
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Swain DSS board fails to reach consensus on suspensions
 

Swain DSS board fails to reach consensus on suspensions

The Swain County Department of Social Services board met for three hours Tuesday night (March 8) to discuss whether employees…
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Reading between the census lines
 

Reading between the census lines

Although population in Western North Carolina increased only by a modest amount over the past decade, home construction grew at…
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Haywood County bails out fairground arena, again
 

Haywood County bails out fairground arena, again

The Haywood County Fairgrounds are on the way to being back in business after a scare that shuttered the covered…
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Jackson County increasingly attracting young professionals
 

Jackson County increasingly attracting young professionals

For upwardly mobile professionals who are looking for an outdoor lifestyle, scenic mountain beauty and the company of like-minded individuals,…
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Swain commissioners recommend DSS employee suspension DSS board to meet on the matter Tuesday
 

Swain commissioners recommend DSS employee suspension DSS board to meet on the matter Tuesday

Swain County commissioners voted 4 to 1 in a special meeting Thursday (March 3) to formally recommend that the  Department…
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Swain County commissioners, DSS board to meet
 

Swain County commissioners, DSS board to meet

The Swain County Department of Social Services board has agreed to meet with the Swain County commissioners to discuss whether…
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Local magazine calls for photography
 

Local magazine calls for photography

Smoky Mountain Living magazine has issued a call for photos for its next issue, which will hit the stands in…
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Waynesville Armory launches Brain Gym for seniors
 

Waynesville Armory launches Brain Gym for seniors

For Waynesville seniors, the old armory recreation center now offers exercise for more than just the body. The new Brain…
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MedWest to open Urgent Care Center
 

MedWest to open Urgent Care Center

An Urgent Care Center will open in August at Wal-Mart Plaza in Sylva. The location of the MedWest’s new urgent…
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Volunteers needed for Meals on Wheels
 

Volunteers needed for Meals on Wheels

The Haywood County Meals on Wheels program is seeking volunteers in the Fines Creek community to deliver nutritious meals to…
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Political ill will still lingers in Jackson
 

Political ill will still lingers in Jackson

The election for the Jackson County Board of Commissioners might have wrapped up last fall, but the war of words…
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HCC causes a stir with clear cutting
 

HCC causes a stir with clear cutting

A new and long-awaited Creative Arts Building is only days away from its groundbreaking ceremony at Haywood Community College. But…
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Goodwill not showing much good will to other nonprofits
 

Goodwill not showing much good will to other nonprofits

Some local thrift shop operators in Jackson County or crying foul over a nonprofit accepting donations in Sylva despite not…
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Budget woes force WCU to cut jobs
 

Budget woes force WCU to cut jobs

Western Carolina University is laying off 10 employees in April as it struggles with the projected loss of approximately $8.6…
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Marriage and family experts offer advice
 

Marriage and family experts offer advice

“The Thoroughly Modern Family,” a program aimed at giving advice on how to provide happy and healthy marriages and families…
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Blood drive in Blanton’s memory
 

Blood drive in Blanton’s memory

The Tye Blanton Foundation is hosting its annual blood drive from 12 to 5 p.m Sunday, March 6, at Canton…
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Program on fair elections in Macon
 

Program on fair elections in Macon

The League of Women Voters of Macon County will hold a program Thursday, March 10, on fair elections, presented by…
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Downtown Waynesville readies for spring
 

Downtown Waynesville readies for spring

The Downtown Waynesville Association is gearing up for spring, with new businesses and events in the works for the coming…
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Local nursing home celebrates solar panel installation
 

Local nursing home celebrates solar panel installation

By DeeAnna Haney • SMN Intern Perched atop a Canton nursing home roof, gleaming in the sun is the newest…
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Tribal members to help develop plan for future
 

Tribal members to help develop plan for future

Two outreach sessions for members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to develop a 10-year “legacy plan” for tribal…
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Swain commissioners recommend suspending DSS employees in wake of SBI probe
 

Swain commissioners recommend suspending DSS employees in wake of SBI probe

Relatives of a Cherokee child who died in January are publicly calling for the suspension of the Swain County Department…
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Swain DSS investigated for cover-up in child’s death
 

Swain DSS investigated for cover-up in child’s death

The Swain County Department of Social Services falsified records relating to the abuse and neglect of a 15-month-old baby who…
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