A tax break for one business is not a plan
Before Haywood County commissioners approve a request to cut property taxes on a business that plans to build an $8…
Read More
Congrats to winners of judge elections
To the Editor: I thank everyone who supported me in the recent District Court judgeship election. Having never been a…
Read More
Time to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund
By Brent Martin • Guest Columnist The craziness of this year’s mid-term elections has passed. The campaign advertisements and signs…
Read More
Finding compromise takes real leadership
To the Editor: Post-election letters to the editor continue the “take back our government” mantra, and I would ask the…
Read More
Don’t rush on important landfill decision
To the Editor: On Nov. 5 the Haywood commisioners were scheduled to accept bids from private corporations to run the…
Read More
Striking a balance between objectivity and truth
There is an interesting disconnect in how some people perceive my job and how I perceive my job. This was…
Read More
Wild South is no friend to mountain hunters
To the Editor: I was surprised to see the letter from John Edwards of Wild South proposing the N.C. Wildlife…
Read More
Thankful for support during sheriff election
To the Editor: First, let me say that it has been an honor and privilege to meet, inform, and represent…
Read More
Remember to honor the veterans
To the Editor: Veteran’s Day may just seem to be any other day to some, or maybe an extra day…
Read More
Good job, but real work has just started
To the Editor: Thank you to the candidates, the many volunteers and the voters in the mid-term elections. Macon County…
Read More
Sorry to see Sen. Snow lose in this way
To the Editor: Sen. Snow, I am so sorry that people voted based on advertisements rather than on a candidate’s…
Read More
Davis sold his soul to get to Raleigh
To the Editor: Jim Davis, who beat Sen. John Snow in the election, ran one of the filthiest campaigns I’ve…
Read More
Logging watershed is just a bad idea
To the Editor: In the early 20th century, the Waynesville Town Board purchased the Allens Creek Watershed to assure that…
Read More
All of it – glory, honor, M&Ms – just one hit away
It was a perfect day for baseball: blue sky, a crisp breeze, the sun still hanging like a pop fly…
Read More
Daily rituals keep us synched to life’s basic rhythms
Once upon a time, in a previous incarnation as a musician, I developed a routine that allowed me to focus…
Read More
Save the kids – and me – from the madness
When people say that Jim Carrey can’t act and that his movies are terrible, I always point to “The Truman…
Read More
Doing the public’s business in the open
By Avram Friedman Receiving public input is not a discretionary part of the decision-making process for elected public officials in…
Read More
Poor Edgar, doomed to an eternity with a crazy cat lady
An unhappy reader this week took me to task for writing harsh words about my 17-year-old cat, Edgar, after the…
Read More
Finding the right seat to sit on
In a short while our weather will be a tad chilly for frequent riding of motorcycles. Ah, a sad time…
Read More
The bottom of the ticket is next to sink into the slime
It’s Election Day (or very early morning, actually) as I sit to finish this, and the theme of the day…
Read More
Groups need to work together for wildlife
To the Editor: In my conversations with responsible hunters, wildlife advocates, employees of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and organizations who value wild…
Read More
Evil cat proves you get what you pay for
Every column should have a point, and here’s mine, right in the first paragraph (this to save you from having…
Read More
We need independent political leaders
To the Editor: If ever there was a need for common sense and independent thinking among our nation’s leaders, that…
Read More
Thirty years later, partying like it’s 1979
James looks at me, briefly averts his eyes, then looks at me again, this time with a purpose and a…
Read More
Sometimes public comment just muddies the water
When Haywood county commissioners decided a few weeks ago to adopt new rules guiding public comment at their meetings, some…
Read More
Spending your money where it helps the most
I was sorry to hear that Spring Street Café in Sylva had closed. Emily Elders opened the restaurant about a…
Read More
Ron Robinson must just know it all
To the Editor: Who is Ron Robinson? He must be someone who has powers beyond those of the mortals he wants…
Read More
Ellis is worthy of judgeship
To the Editor: Some of us may be confused about the many judicial contests. However, the name of one candidate is…
Read More
Very disturbing trends beset this country
To the Editor: Here are some disturbing trends. The top 20 percent of the wealthiest individuals own 93 percent of…
Read More
Cherokee could do better regulating bear zoos
“Cherokee has so much to offer, such as its beautiful mountains, museums, cultural and historical exhibits, Native American shops, friendly…
Read More
Jackson challengers don’t have good ideas
To the Editor: Over the course of the past year or so our Jackson County commissioner have been faced with…
Read More
Jackson commissioners responsive to veterans
To the Editor: In a few days, Jackson County voters will be choosing the leadership of the county for the…
Read More
Sylva’s cool factor rising, and keeping Annie’s helps
I’ve been thinking recently about what makes Sylva so cool. In my view, it has only been in the last…
Read More
The resurrection will arrive, sayeth the gardeners
There is a story about Katharine White — an editor and writer for The New Yorker magazine — that I…
Read More
Give Obama more time to succeed
To the Editor: I am going to the dentist in the coming week. As a self-employed artist and educator, I…
Read More
What happened to driver courtesy?
By David Redman • Guest Columnist When did we, as a nation, transition from courteous and abiding by the ”…
Read More
The truth still matters, even in politics
Just tell the truth. That’s what we teach our children, it’s what we need from our loved ones, and it’s…
Read More
A great place to run a bookstore
Editor’s note: Margaret Osondu’s bookstore was bought out by a competitor, Blue Ridge Books and News. Osondu remained on staff…
Read More
The most important thing to have
By Natalie Smith • Guest Columnist One of the most commonly asked questions in life is “Where are you from?”…
Read More
A 21st Century Strategy for America’s Great Outdoors
By Mark Singleton • Guest Columnist Even in times of crisis, we’re called to take the long view to preserve…
Read More
Health care in Swain is top notch
To the Editor: Your article “County health rankings yield mixed results” in the July 14 issue was well-researched, well-written and…
Read More
X marks the spot
I turned 35 years old on Tax Day. I’ve been stuck with that birth date from the beginning and have…
Read More
Tailgate Market has been around for 25 years
To the Editor: The Waynesville Tailgate Market is celebrating 25 years of serving Haywood County. The longevity of the market…
Read More
County pay raises gone afoul
To the Editor: In early 2008, Jackson County commissioners approved a study to be done of comparative public sector employees’…
Read More
The ‘loser’ case may not be all that it appears
By Chris Cox I did not expect to, but I feel sorry for Enka Middle School teacher Rex Roland, who…
Read More
Some are stealing from animal shelter
To the Editor: First, I’d like to thank all the folks who support PAWS, Swain County’s privately run no-kill animal…
Read More
Visitors are here, but who’s getting them?
To the Editor: Something is terribly wrong when the region has a “ready-made” audience of an estimated 18 million visitors…
Read More
Sediment at Lake J part of larger problem
To the Editor: Sediment in our streams is our biggest water quality threat. Everyone takes notice when more than $150,000…
Read More
Jackson’s financial position has slipped
To the Editor: Last week, Mr. Ron Robinson of Jackson County quoted a statistic in support of re-electing our county…
Read More
Barnyard wisdom arrives, but at its own speed
I am learning to move at the speed each task demands. This is a lesson the barnyard teaches. It is…
Read More
