There’s still a market for good journalism
The mantra since starting this newspaper has been straightforward: put out a high-quality newspaper and work like hell to make…
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Time for a little less gun loving
“Hollywood and video games glorify violence while those with mental illnesses remain untreated.“ Those are the words of Chuck Edwards,…
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Partisan local election bill a mistake
To the Editor: Municipal elections in Haywood County, which are currently nonpartisan, could soon be conducted on a partisan basis…
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Highlands’ ordinance perplexing and illogical
To the Editor: The ordinance recently passed by Highlands’ Town Council, on its face, clearly violates the law of the…
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Partisan local elections have different outcomes
As Cory Valliancourt report s in The Smoky Mountain News, North Carolina House members Rep. Mark Pless , R-Haywood, and…
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Our attitude toward time makes a difference
‘Tis the season is not only a motto for the Christmas holidays, but also an apt way to describe the…
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A wise decision on Highlands STRs
To the Editor: The Highlands Neighborhood Coalition was formed by homeowners throughout Highlands to preserve the historic character of our…
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Imagine if super-rich supported Ukraine
To the Editor: Can you imagine this: Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerburg, Bill Gates, Larry…
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Are courthouse politics gumming up the system?
When I came back to The Smoky Mountain News after six months away from journalism, one of my first trips…
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If Roe v. Wade goes, then what is next
Using Samuel Alito’s logic in proposing to strike down the “right” to an abortion, other rights that you take for…
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Time to end single-use plastics
To the Editor: The Western North Carolina Climate Action Coalition and the Outdoor Mission Community wish to express our sincere…
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Madison Cawthorn has got to go
To the Editor: A recently released video shows Maddy and friends having fun and filming some foolish, immature pranks. I…
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Park fee proposal deserves support
To the Editor: In response to the Swain County commissioners’ opposition to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park parking fee…
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Teaching my children the power of mindset
It is no wonder collegiate athletes are required to take a sports psychology course and why higher-level athletes, such as…
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Living in WNC is getting harder for workers
The affordable housing crisis looms as this region’s most pressing problem. And so far, no one has proposed any kind…
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Your primary vote is important
To the Editor: Decisions made at all levels of government (President and Congress in Washington, D.C., General Assembly in Raleigh…
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Inflation hurts consumers and small businesses
To the Editor: Is inflation eating into your budget? Is your small business struggling to stay open? High prices at…
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The story of one family among thousands
In response to the news of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) proposing fees for parking, now is an…
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Democracy in danger
You don’t need an invading army to destroy a democracy, as Russia is attempting to do to Ukraine.
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Elections must remain open and honest
To the Editor: Martin Luther King Jr. always believed “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends…
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No one is above the law
To the Editor: The late great singer Kenny Rogers recorded many songs written by other artists. Yet, he wrote one…
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Can’t believe what’s happening to my hometown
Change is difficult for most people. Watching my humble hometown turn into an unrecognizable place is a hard pill to…
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Family relationships are the ties that bind
All of my childhood memories include my older sister, Savannah. She and I did some pretty weird and funny things…
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Nothing more than political hyperbole
To the Editor: Pam McAloon's letter “The woke family is bad for U.S.” in last week’s paper is a clear…
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Letter writer wrong about Ukraine, Russia
To the Editor: The recent letter from a Sylva reader critical of support for Ukraine could have been written by…
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Paying to play may be the new reality
The proposed parking fee for visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has users — especially locals in the…
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I’ll always remember Aunt Lillie’s eyes
My Aunt Lillie fed raccoons at her house as long as I can remember, generations of them. When I was…
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The woke family is bad for U.S.
To the Editor: The nuclear family in America has been the backbone of its strength. This sacred unit has been…
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HCAE policy excludes parents
To the Editor: Although I have no school-aged children, I read with interest the article about the Haywood County Association…
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Let’s hope America can think again
To the Editor: Every once in a while an every-day experience provides the perfect example of a major issue and…
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Maggie Valley taxpayers deserve better
It may sound like some kind of bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, but trust me it’s not: the processes by which elected boards…
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Walking side by side with Freud and Jung
One of my bachelor’s degrees is in psychology. I wanted to be a therapist or psychologist to help others. I’ve…
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Why should we care about Ukraine?
To the Editor: Cory Vaillancourt’s March 30 roundup of what WCU professors have to say about the war in the…
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Knee-jerk patriotism, sadly, is gaining ground
Gag orders regarding what can be taught in schools are becoming all the rage in many conservative states. Like the…
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Current economic woes were all avoidable
To the Editor: It is not my purpose to simply compare costs from a time long past but rather to…
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Please support the free press
To the Editor: This might sound like a puff piece, but it is really a critical review of a local…
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We need to cap price of insulin
To the Editor: Late last week the U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 6833, a bill that caps the price…
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Support for Ukraine a big mistake
To the Editor: Forgive me if I don’t share the general enthusiasm for the war in Ukraine.
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Managing growth has never been easy
Zoning. It’s one of those words— and concepts — that’s been cussed, spat upon and kicked unkindly to the curb…
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Raise a glass to St. Peter’s
When I was in high school, I was on the basketball team. We weren’t very good, but we loved the…
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Meadow ‘fraud’ is propaganda
To the Editor: It looks like the leftist propaganda media has teamed up to smear former Rep. Mark Meadows with…
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The facts about modern families
To the Editor: This is in response to David L. Snell’s letter published in the March 16 edition.
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A long night, lots to think about
Last night was one of those nights. That means today I’m running on caffeine instead of sleep. Normal bedtime, three…
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Five things a month to smile about
In what feels like a previous life, I was a mom blogger. After the birth of my youngest son, now…
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