We all have something to give
It was a tight space, but that’s often the deal with parallel parking. There were three bicycles in the bed…
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The problem with Sylva Sam
To the Editor: Recently I decided to take a closer look at the new plaques added to “Sylva Sam,” Jackson…
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Is this how democracy dies?
To the Editor: Mark Meadows (former congressman from North Carolina and President Trump’s White House chief of staff) may very…
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Jim Stevens was a true mountain man
To the Editor: Recently, we lost a true mountain man. You may have known him as Jim Stevens or maybe…
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Meadows an embarrassment to his former state, district
The recent revelations regarding Mark Meadows and his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and the events…
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Creating the holiday meant for me
Glennon Doyle is a favorite writer of mine and currently hosts a powerful podcast called “We Can Do Hard Things.”…
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Peace on earth, good will toward men?
To the Editor: Every faith tradition has special occasions to honor God’s goodness and mankind’s desire for peace on earth.
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Don’t abandon freedom of religion
To the Editor: I see where Michael Flynn, former President Trump’s National Security Advisor, is calling for us to have…
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Can you hear Johnny Cash?
To the Editor: The late, great Johnny Cash wrote: “Don’t take your guns to town, son.” In the song, Billy…
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Here it comes; we better be ready
“Both the median sales price ($325,000) and the average sales price ($379,003) rose 26.5 percent and 20.3 percent year-over-year respectively…
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GOP leaders espouse radical views on education
By Rob Schofield • Guest Columnist | It’s a bedrock principle of American law that average people can vindicate their…
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American democracy is backsliding
To the Editor: By now most Americans (and people around the globe) will have learned that the United States (for…
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Don’t let ‘conservatives’ destroy our ideals
To the Editor: This is in regards to Sen. Thom Tillis email of 3:10 a.m. Saturday morning, Dec 4, “Preventing…
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Disgraceful redistricting commonplace in N.C.
By Gary St. Arnauld • Guest Columnist | North Carolina’s General Assembly has a long and not so honorable history…
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A unique kind of holiday
Every year of our girlhood, my sister and I woke up early on Thanksgiving Day, sat at the kitchen barstools…
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You can’t un-develop land
To the Editor: I grew up in what used to be a small town in New Jersey. Everything was peaceful…
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Thankful we passed infrastructure bill
To the Editor: In the spirit of Thanksgiving and the coming holidays, I’m writing to express my gratitude to Senators…
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We can all learn by listening to each other
Letter to the Editor: I enjoyed reading Dr. Norman Hoffman’s opinion piece in the Friday, November 12, issue. I appreciate…
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Trump remains a danger to the republic
By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist | Some people may still wonder how the Germany of a century ago could…
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Let’s talk honestly about social programs
To the Editor: Communism, socialism and Democrats are all the same, always bad, all the time. Democratic-leaning relatives, friends, and…
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Cawthorn in line for Pinocchio award
To the Editor: I recently received an email from Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-Hendersonville. If only there was a Pinocchio award, so…
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Thankful for infrastructure bill
To the Editor: At long last after years of inaction, there will be greatly needed improvements to the infrastructure of…
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Inspiration from Mary Oliver, Sadhguru and Ted Lasso
“Sometimes I need / Only to stand / Wherever I am / To be blessed.” — Mary Oliver
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Now we know what the COVID police will do
I’ve had mixed feelings about the “COVID police” since the beginning of the pandemic’s lockdowns.
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Development does not fit Waynesville
To the Editor: I find myself perplexed over the “housing crisis” in Waynesville. It seems all our town does is…
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De-mock-racy and gerrymandering
To the Editor: Folks, it is gerrymandered maps time again.
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History is complicated, let’s teach it that way
There has been a lot of hype about Critical Race Theory (CRT) — most of it false. CRT actually involves…
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Back to near normalcy is a treasured gift
When practice begins each year for the new high school marching band season, summer is still bearing down, the sun…
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Cawthorn’s fears should worry us
To the Editor: As each new report comes to light about Rep. Madison Cawthorn’s concealed weaponry, we should be asking…
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No guarantee the republic will survive
To the Editor: I’ve been giving much thought recently to what the framers had in mind when contemplating the creation…
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Clampitt’s Oath Keeper membership an embarrassment
I know Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Swain, and he’s a likeable, personable guy whom I disagree with on a lot of…
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The circle of life for Main Street commerce
For several years, The Smoky Mountain News has partnered with the Haywood Chamber of Commerce to publish its annual magazine.
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No big money from outsiders
To the Editor: My name is Carrie McBane and I was a candidate for Town of Sylva Council 2021 in…
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Non-conservatives won’t accept fascism
To the Editor: A recent letter purports to represent conservatives but contains mostly platitudes and hardly anything substantive. The writer’s…
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Always something new around the corner
Travel is one of my favorite soul foods, but it’s also cool to really get to know the place you…
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Newman has my vote in Sylva
To the Editor: I was once a candidate for the Sylva Town Council but withdrew when I realized that I…
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When being a mom breaks your heart
Being a mom is always hard, but there is something uniquely challenging about parenting an adolescent. For me, it felt…
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Does American history deserve a ‘content warning?’
To the Editor: My first impression was that the letter writer’s claim (SMN, Oct. 6) was just the latest bit…
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Why ask Cawthorn to speak to police?
To the Editor: The Macon County Chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police had Rep. Madison Cawthorn as the guest…
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This place is changing
To the Editor: This past year plus has been challenging for us all due to a nasty global virus. It…
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Our public health crisis is not over yet
Allison Richmond • Guest Columnist | Haywood County is struggling to cope with a very unusual situation, two separate states…
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One of those moments — the Rolling Stones
I bought my first record when I was 11 years old — a 45-rpm single by the Rolling Stones called…
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Redistricting needs public hearings
To the Editor: Right now, politicians in the North Carolina General Assembly are dividing North Carolina into new legislative and…
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There is some good going on
To the Editor: Promoting and voting our true family interests can unify and rejuvenate this country. But we have become…
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Conservatives won’t accept socialism
To the Editor: He, or they, all seem to be confused about facts, or what they believe to be true.…
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