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7/08

7/2/08
Turmoil surfaces at Smoky Mountain Mental Health board meeting
Old rifts rear heads at HRMC
Hospital’s financial straits have Haywood doctors worried
Canton board tries to patch up finances
State Election Board says no wrongdoing in Swain vote
Landslide mapping funds cut from Senate budget
An informal poll and the importance of open dialogue
An ice cream moment, frozen in time
Art in bloom
Guitar virtuoso finds his sound
Recommended diversions
A visit to Cross Creek
A voice that resonates through time
On lead
The Naturalist's Corner
Adventure of the week
Athlete profile
A mating of sustenance

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7/9/08
Still no money coming into HRMC
Commissioners to hospital board: Start getting along better
General Assembly wraps up budget
Report sealed on slope problems at Jackson Airport
The end of the literacy council?
Restricted vacationing
Canton contemplates ways to promote itself
New lottery deal still not fair to WNC students
Swain County election probe points out several problems
Water could be the next oil
All in this together
Brush up your Shakespeare
Beyond Dylan’s shadow
Recommended diversions
Read your way across the mountains
Where the money will go in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Smokies scores $1 million from Toyota
The Naturalist's Corner
Blueberries reward early patience
Chattooga paddling debate takes a new turn
Outside the box
Adventure of the week
Western wings

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7/16/08
Fuel costs and long commutes
Gas costs worry employers who rely on commuters
Tribe ponders sale of alcohol at casino
Swain teachers rank low on pay totem pole
HRMC Board pays more attention to physicians
HRMC board seeks clarity to cash situation
Likelihood of HRMC joint venture grows
Sylva development aims for affordability
HRMC is running out of time to get it right
A shine that lasts more than 40 years
Fast food much more dangerous than snakes
A walk in the park, for a couple of hundred years
Lizzie Borden Lives
Gems From The Used Bin, Part 2
Recommended diversions
Sister Wendy on prayer
Local author explores the underbelly of Victorian England
Paddlers protest alternative
The Naturalist's Corner
Researchers work to keep rare fish off endangered list
OUTSIDE the box
Hike the upper Chattooga
The art of Cherokee basketmaking

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7/23/08
Wildlife habitat exemption aims to provide tax breaks, promote preservation
As months pass, still no progress on Haywood’s historic courthouse
River Rock raises concerns
Haywood County businesses to be charged for trash
Fontana Lake users want marina restored
DOT considers three options for Hwy. 107 woes
Alcohol a thorny issue, but successful casino important to all of WNC
Meditating on grass and life
Journey of 1,000 miles begins with borrowed GPS
Reviving the Craft Revival
From the hands of elders
Waynesville novelist publishes Holmes stories
Picks for the summertime blues
Recommended diversions
A big book for big issues
Simulated fly-overs give bikers a bird’s eye view
The Naturalist's Corner
Prevention the best bet for blight
Panthertown Valley
Splish splash
The “Big Loop”

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7/30/08
Dillsboro ponders future after railroad’s departure
But why?
Divided board OKs mental health director’s contract
Financial recovery forecast in HRMC’s future
HRMC moving closer toward affiliation, not merger
Former hard-line tack toward docs continues to soften at HRMC
Occupancy tax income going strong
Casino breaks ground for $650 million expansion
Swain sheriff sues county commissioners
Changing the way we value property
The hundred lives of Sam I Am
Native daughter Jacquelyn Culpepper comes home to WNC
Albert Lee’s tastefully mindblowing music
The hermit of Hoh
Peregrine falcons thriving in WNC
The Naturalist's Corner
OUTSIDE the box
Athlete profile
Hanging out for the birds

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8/08

8/6/08
Putting the cart before the horse
Whole Foods chooses to buy Haywood
Financing huge developments a creative endeavor
Train says loyalties lie with Bryson City
Work resumes on Haywood courthouse
Residents wary of ‘Eco-friendly’ development
Jackson used honor system when weighing vested rights
As developers ‘cool their heels,’ clock ticks on vested rights
Growth takes center stage at economic forum
HRMC now needs a lot more than ribbons and words
The fine art of non-communication
The spirit of New Orleans endures
Ever-evolving Railroad Earth
Recommended diversions
Conspiracy
Species count challenged by taxonomist shortage
The Naturalist's Corner
Invasion of the Lady Beetle
OUTSIDE the box
Big Creek and Walnut Bottoms
Parasites of the woods

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8/13/08
Legasus faces uphill battle in golf course design
Maggie Valley to get second ABC store
Community meets hospital CEO finalist
Casino alcohol sales will go to a vote
Obama campaign infiltrates WNC
Can we remain proud of our mountain communities?
They don’t make ‘em like that anymore
Local treasure
Tesh’s self-help book is a cut above the clutter
Cliff hangers
The Naturalist's Corner
State creates new natural areas
Hike on Roan Mountain
OUTSIDE the box
Finding ferns in the forest

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8/20/08
Residents at odds with county over speculative grading
Actions of Smoky Mountain Center director McDevitt come under scrutiny
Jackson County to send its surviving WWII veterans to visit memorial
Sylva puts $105K towards new Jackson library
HRMC breaking even
WCU opens $16.7 million rec center
Commissioners: Sheriff’s suit “completely without merit”
It is time for her to spread her wings and fly
Energy woes demand visionary leadership
University of storytellers
Beautiful lunacy
Darkness in the heart of youth
Get ready to tumble
The Naturalist's Corner
Dracula, beware the garlic
Blueberries on the Blue Ridge
Blueberry identification is a tricky business

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8/27/08
Some board members want explanation from McDevitt
Geographic reach challenges mental health board
Company will not appeal quarry decision
Decision on affordable housing irks some
Lawsuit hindered dialogue between Dillsboro, train
Public shares thoughts on Waynesville’s Russ Avenue
Waynesville farmer’s market moves – but not everyone’s on board
Smoky Mountain Center’s director needs to open up
US hoops restore order to the universe
Wanton mountain development is clearly immoral
Front porch picking
37th Smoky Mountain Folk Festival: A musical homecoming
Homage to the beauty in troubled souls
Shooting the wild
The Naturalist's Corner
OUTSIDE the box
Picnicking on the parkway
Dry summer good for fall color
Hendersonville woman sets Appalachian Trail record
The grand finale

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9/08

9/3/08
Cherokee artifacts stop construction of Whittier sewer plant
Swain sheriff’s salary lags behind others in WNC
Where is Swain’s cash settlement?
Macon County seeks economic development director
Mental health agency board questions director about allegations
Eastern Band chief vetoes casino alcohol vote
Ray’s Weather puts new station in Waynesville
HRMC selects new CEO
Affordable housing must remain a top regional priority
A little late in figuring out the truth
Keep in mind that you are on Cherokee land
Metal magic
It’s good to be stuck in the mud
Stoner: A tragic hero, lost
The roads scholarship
The Naturalist's Corner
Looking for a few good hemlocks
Hike Mt. Mitchell
OUTSIDE the box
The walnut family

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9/10/08
King Tobacco no longer reigns over mountain agriculture
Tailgate market tug of war
Restructuring prompts resignation of Macon County Planner Guffey
Tourism entities created in Macon
Fired manager criticizes board members
Denton fired over mishandling of funds
New school superintendent takes the helm in Swain
Seminar explores the need for Southern Loop
Franklin wants slate back from former property owner
Parting shot at media poorly timed, inappropriate
Surely we won’t make the same mistake again
Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers
Knight keeps it gritty, honest and real
Follow Lee from victory to Appomattox
Mercury in mountain fish
The Naturalist's Corner
Does your soil pass the test?
OUTSIDE the box

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9/17/08
Lake Junaluska’s secret gift
Life at the Lake
More than a walking path
Haywood still reaping rewards of century-old vision
$34 million project planned at Lowe’s intersection
Courthouse legal troubles cost Haywood thousands
Grease hunt may bring bio-diesel to Jackson County
Humane Society official says county ‘dragging feet’ on shelter
Local town leaders want Obama in White House
Swain struggles under new jail costs
Sylva town board admits it held illegal meetings
Citizens and developers at loggerheads in Jackson
Time to move past Denton’s firing
Oil industry more persnickity than an old hen
Storyteller extraordinaire
Douglas’ latest glides towards musical virtuosity
Revolutionary revelations
The Naturalist's Corner
Restoring native brookies
Endangered squirrels get a lift
Outside the box
Trapped in blue

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9/24/08
Changing times at Lake Junaluska
Blending business with community
Sylva police express concerns over pay, facility issues
Aust rips board after affordable housing vote
Embattled director of mental health agency resigns
Mumpower assured of getting last word in ‘debates’
Sylva hires interim manager
Aldermen criticize mayor’s giveaway of town property
The viability of ethanol in WNC
It was past time for McDevitt to leave
There’s something about a Sunday ...
Weekend warriors
Behind the curtain: Confessions of a theatre girl
Something special for the diehards
Teen authors challenge peers
The Naturalist's Corner
Hibiscus in the mountains

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10/08

10/1/08
Cullowhee trying to reclaim its college-town potential
Bryson police brutality claims take a new turn
Could proper training have prevented incident?
Make-over continues on HRMC board
The line between politics and religion
Making the grade on planning
Problems with planning
Waynesville greenway finally comes to fruition
Time has come for a different kind of mountain development
Life during the bailout
The Tia Jauna Wildcats
Star-spangled stand-up
The Fall local band roundup (part one)
Exploration of a tragic injustice
Will the Upper Tuck ever run?
The Naturalist's Corner
Fall cleaning for spring
Jackson County ‘frustrates’ Duke Energy, ‘incredibly’
The path less traveled

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10/8/08
Blogging in WNC
The implications of blogs
Almost 2,000 rush to register to vote
Obama rally not for the faint of heart
HRMC’s Rice salary information released, severance package being negotiated
HRMC patients have positive experience, survey shows
No communities take Haywood up on pilot planning proposal
Sylva planner quits after affordable housing vote
Corridor K alternatives need to be developed
Palin’s bubble now officially burst
Waynesville greenway is the culmination of a long-ago vision
BBQ bigwigs
Schoolhouse Rock Live!
Behind the curtain: Confessions of a theatre girl
The Fall Band Roundup — Part II
A disinterested John Adams
Little Catalooch
The Naturalist's Corner
An Old World vine

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10/15/08
Drought causes residents’ wells, springs to run dry
Officer accuses mentally ill man of assault
Poore: Affiliation with another hospital likely
Inmates welcome chance to vote in election
Haywood TDA director resigns following second marijuana charge
Planning board member blasts ‘lack of vision’
Airport project seeks to settle lawsuit
HRMC CEO pledges open atmosphere
Newspapers have to embrace, not fear, new media
It’s all about learning to pace one’s self
Ron White tells it like it is
Almost too good for public consumption
Gargoyle lives up to the hype
Here to stay
The Naturalist's Corner
Cook you compost faster
More than just a red bird

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10/22/08
Scott wants more focus on county’s eastern end
Dillsboro looks into pros and cons of merging with Sylva
Dillsboro dam fight hinges on state hearing
WestCare takes steps to stem losses; considers affiliation with HRMC
State could play pivotal role Nov. 4
Hard-fought, expensive race the norm for Queen, Presnell
Coat tails have played a role in Queen-Presnell races
Mumpower’s unique campaign not expected to unseat Shuler
Goodman vs. Kuppers in Macon Commission race
GOP’s McCrory holds slight edge over Perdue
Swanger touts his support for open government
Snow touts work ethic as he seeks re-election
Republican Ensley says he works with both parties
Hard work buys Rapp clear sailing come election time
Elizabeth Dole has her hands full with state Sen. Kay Hagan
Enloe says experience crucial in tough times
Pons wants to help take Senate from Democrats
GOP’s Allen challenges incumbent Phil Haire
Early voting popularity changes the game for all of us
Perhaps the last chance to write about W
Cowee’s T.M. Rickman General Store: Preserving heritage, serving the community
Snider directs his wit at current affairs
For an escape look at Swan Peak
The ‘Last Child in the Woods’
The Naturalist's Corner
Evocative evergreens

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10/29/08
Sign theft, defacement plague election
Cooperation beneficial in health care systems
WestCare adjusts to financial downturn
Small hospitals push back in tough health care climate
Haywood champions fertile ground for entrepreneurs
Macon candidates debate school construction plan
Wide-open race lures Swain school candidates
Mysterious phone message puts candidate on edge
We are a nation in need of a special leader
A political campaign for the average Joe
Keen Halloween art
Confessions of a theatre girl
Sylva: A trip down memory lane
A trip in time at Mingus Mill
The Naturalist's Corner
Vegetable Garden Report Card
OUTSIDE the box
Hunting history in the Smokies



11/08

11/5/08
Obama wins nation, NC votes
Inspired first-timers and young people spark voting surge
Ensley, Swanger return to Haywood board
Macon school board gets new faces
Shuler heads back to Washington
Queen again defeats Presnell for N.C. Senate District 47
Snow, Haire retain seats
Landfill methane sparks green ideas in Haywood
Jackson loses another round in fight for Dillsboro dam
Foreclosure looms for Big Ridge construction loans
A shady past
Maggie hopes to make the downtown it never had
Maggie Valley pitches aesthetic mandate for commercial district
Johnson promoted to news editor
Haywood opens the doors for entrepreneurs
Famous people not calling anymore?
Duke’s dam offer is simply not fair
Protecting Horsepasture important to WNC
Network West: Getting mountain writers’ voices out of the mountains
Gary Carden happiest when storytelling
Confessions of a theatre girl
Lamontagne hits his stride
Culture wars turned focus away from workers
Growing solar
The Naturalist's Corner
Outside the box
Enjoying the light of winter

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11/12/08
Down and out
American Dream still attainable, but banks tighten up on lending
Ways to give
Walmart fulfilling expectations in west Waynesville
Alcohol sales at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino may go on ballot
Jackson targets light pollution
Scenic Byway designation sought for historic section of N.C. 28
New board could kill plans for K-4 school in Macon
Post-election realities to sink your teeth into
Comparing lives is a futile endeavor
Showbiz brothers
Confessions of a theatre girl
Paying homage to the guitar
A cat’s best friend
The Naturalist's Corner
Homemade Hydrogen
Junk mail: it wastes so much more than your time
Harry Potter’s favorite plant
Southern Highland woodpeckers

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11/19/08
Ghost Town faces long, steep climb to reclaim former glory
Costly repairs delay reopening of flagship ride
Hospital board replacements named
Franklin merchants triumph in Town Hall tug-of-war
Jackson looks to new director for fresh economic development strategy
New downtown Sylva director takes helm
Feds continue video poker probe of Haywood Sheriff
Swain sheriff advances in lawsuit over pay
Haywood Regional lands welcome windfall
Yeah it’s bad, but it’s not all bad
Putting the past to rest – finally
Preservation, community and the Dillsboro Dam
Thanksgiving traditions | Recipes
A musical Thanksgiving, of sorts
Your undivided attention, please
Race against time
Buy Haywood products available at retail outlets
Grants help farmers grow outside the box
The Naturalist's Corner
Shed excess baggage
Nature’s weathermen

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11/26/08
Family butchers offer up a taste of the old ways
A new look for Maggie Valley garners support
Bio-diesel nixed, glass blowing a go at Green Energy Park
Macon’s irregular meetings keep public guessing
Politicians poised for Open Meetings violation in Southern Loop talks
Swain gets lofty with recreation wish list
Jackson volunteer firefighters may get paid support staff
The truth is that the price is only part of the cost
Obama may squander political capital on BCS dilemma
Two seasoned craftsmen produce exhibit for the holiday season
The revolution in the South
Slope guardians
The Naturalist's Corner
Holiday gifts for gardeners
How to save on heating costs
Appreciating winter’s gleam

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12/08

12/3/08
Unearthing clues
Prime time pushes trend in crime forensics
Haywood proud winner of 22 acres, but what now?
Duke accuses Jackson of illegally withholding dam permits
New Folkmoot director takes helm
Senior center left in lurch as grant pipeline runs dry
Schools struggle with state budget recall
Commissioners select Haywood’s top leader
Snow days are like heaven for 12-year-olds
A reminder to keep the public in mind
In high school, more than you might imagine do care about politics
Twin path productions
Unsung guitar hero’s latest keeps it lively
Bragg explores fatherhood by looking at his dad’s past
Biodiverse
Choices in home energy systems
The Naturalist's Corner
My birding through the warbler

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12/10/08
Tough times strike dealerships
Sales down, service up
Not a fan of bailouts, Shuler drives a hard bargain
Slow to start, Waynesville moves on land use plan review
Task force seeks answers to water shortages
Commissioners make extra meetings official
Town settles disagreement over pilfered stone
DOT gets earful from public on Southern Loop
Traffic simulations for 2035 takes leap of faith
Officials stay away from private DOT meeting, stay within bounds of law
Swain hunts for inmates to fill overbuilt jail
Schools give money back, Big Three ready to take it
Don’t jump up and do anything
Come rain, snow or cold, holiday lights go up
Open yourself to the simple pleasures of the season
There are ways to reduce chance of getting the flu
Nance Dude
A night of music with a purpose
Vintage king
Gear crazy
The Naturalist's Corner
National parks to lift ban on gun-packing visitors
Here come the seed catalogs
Smokies plate helps Friends help the park
First look at Paint Rock

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12/17/08
The economic downturn hits home — hard
Lending a hand
There ain’t no shelter here
Auto dealers lament Shuler’s ‘no’ vote on bailout
Home Depot scraps Waynesville plans
Sylva domestic violence shelter not to blame in murder
Macon may be out of money for K-4 school
Franklin development pushes village-style design
Trapping rainwater could solve airport slope problems
WestCare, Haywood hospitals hunt for partner
School air data suspect, officials say
Verizon cell tower violates county ordinance
Cherokee petition closes in on alcohol vote
Waynesville needs to get going on land use plan update
No guns, no bikes, and no dogs
Historic harmony: “Songs From Haywood County”
A word with the musicians
Ye Olde Christmas CD roundup ...
Russell’s ‘dog of a book’
Life in Hazel Creek
The Naturalist's Corner
College students squeeze value out of trash
Taking a likin’ to the lichen

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12/24/08
Holiday transcends economic classes
Swanger back in the game with EDC seat
Maggie Valley’s Collins picked again to lead TDA
Jackson board sets sights on historic property
Land use plan review ‘back on track’
Brought on in crisis, extra ambulance shows it’s mettle
Dissatisfied, HRMC once more on the hunt for ER docs
Chili’s scouts Waynesville as possible location
Macon, Franklin tourism boards take helm during tough climate
DOT meeting should have been advertised
That’s me on the couch, counting my blessings
With each visit home, college daughter is more grown up
NC composer and poet laureate intertwine arts | Alma
Music for the land
A stellar year for Cataloochee’s elk
The Naturalist's Corner
Dressing right for winter weather
'Tis the season for mistletoe

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12/31/08
The best of 2008
Motive behind Cherokee fire remains mystery
Nurse shortage forces closure of mental health facility
It’s past time for land use review to get started
Bad economy leads to a few good things
It’s all about the kids, right?
2008: A look at all involved
Best wishes for Sylva in 2009
Today’s boys
A look back at the year’s top environmental stories
Public lands feel the pressure: a recurring theme
The Naturalist's Corner
Save the planet by changing your diet
Boars and otters among Wildlife Commission changes
Winter wear

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