Cherokee announces record casino profits, plans for expansion

In the space of two days last week, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians announced its biggest per capita distribution…
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No pun not intended: Dave Waldrop, small-town sage

It’s said that the pun is the lowest form of humor — unless it’s yours. 
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For veterans, service doesn’t stop when uniform comes off

On Veterans Day, we commemorate the service of members of the armed forces of the United States, past and present.…
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Popular tool retailer coming to Waynesville
 

Popular tool retailer coming to Waynesville

The vacancy on Waynesville’s Russ Avenue left by big-box retailer Kmart in late 2019 is about to be filled with…
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Cawthorn won’t run for re-election in current district

During his brief political career, Western North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorn has become known for saying some surprising things to…
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Incumbents carry Canton

The mountain mill town known for its downtown rejuvenation as well as its “ grit and grace ” in the…
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Haywood man wins $668,202 Cash 5 jackpot

Jason Clark of Canton tried his luck on a Cash 5 ticket and won a $668,202 jackpot.
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Haywood reports seven COVID-19 deaths

In the last week, Haywood County has mourned the loss of seven more people to COVID-19. They ranged in age…
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Suspicious Buncombe fires draw attention in Haywood

A series of suspected arsons in Buncombe County has drawn the attention of multiple law enforcement agencies, and due to…
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Between the lines: new districts, new dynamics

After more than a dozen public hearings and substantial study by the North Carolina General Assembly, the decennial redistricting process…
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Masks optional in Macon schools
 

Masks optional in Macon schools

During an Oct. 25 meeting, Macon County Board of Education unanimously approved to allow students and staff to have the…
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Haywood Chamber celebrates 50 years of development, engagement

It’s not the first thing people usually think of when they try to recount the relative prosperity of a community…
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Following devastating August flood, BearWaters Brewing reopens

Sitting at a picnic table on the banks of the Pigeon River in downtown Canton, Kevin Sandefur turns around and…
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As Delta wave recedes, hospitals see consequences of deferred care

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are continuing to fall to the lowest levels seen in months, but hospitals say that staffing…
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Macon votes for optional masking, universal testing in schools

The Macon County School Board decided last week to make masks optional for all K-12 students. The decision came on…
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Pandemic is financial bonanza for HCA

By Peter H. Lewis • Asheville Watchdog | Nashville-based HCA Healthcare, which operates Asheville’s Mission Hospital and five other hospitals in Western…
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Cherokee aims to reduce carbon emissions

In a unanimous vote Oct. 11, Tribal Council approved a resolution that aims to drastically reduce the tribe’s carbon emissions…
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Dogwood Health invests in Native Health

Dogwood Health Trust recently awarded more than $1 million over three years to the Center for Native Health to further…
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N.C. 107 footprint expands

July 15 was a busy Thursday night at Bogart’s Restaurant  in Sylva. The dining room was full of people and…
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Maggie Valley elects Hinton, Owens with record turnout

John Hinton and Jim Owens have secured seats on the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen beating out incumbent Alderwoman Twinkle…
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Newman, Gelbaugh win Sylva election

The 2021-2025 Sylva Board of Commissioners will feature one new face, according to unofficial results from today’s municipal election.
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Crazy for the Connells

When I was a young man growing up in Rhode Island and Massachusetts back in the 1980s, I had a…
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Lynching commemoration in Franklin could ignite monumental debate

Plans are underway for a Nov. 6 event in Franklin to commemorate the lynching of a Black man more than…
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Coercion or comedy? Maggie Valley candidate prompts investigation

John Hinton, a candidate for Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen, prompted an investigation by the North Carolina State Board of…
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News in brief
 

News in brief

HCC Foundation accepting calendar submissions  The Haywood Community College campus is known for its iconic mill pond and natural beauty.…
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COVID treatment offered in Macon
 

COVID treatment offered in Macon

Monoclonal Antibody Treatment (mAb treatment) is available to Macon County residents through local hospitals (Angel Medical Center and Highlands-Cashiers Hospital). 
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Barbara Bates Smith returns to HART Theatre

When you portray strong and influential women onstage for more than 30 years, chances are some of that strength and…
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WNC African American conference to focus on reparations

The eighth annual African Americans in Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia Conference will be held virtually from 10 a.m.…
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Cawthorn refutes bombshell Rolling Stone allegations

An Oct. 26 report in Rolling Stone  based on the claims of two anonymous sources places Western North Carolina freshman…
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Sylva, Jackson to discuss opportunities for housing

The housing crisis gripping the entire region hasn’t spared Sylva, and the town board hopes to partner with Jackson County…
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Macon to spend millions on new pay plan

After spending the last several years discussing the need for an updated pay scale, Macon County commissioners recently approved spending…
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Ghost Town developers make major hire

Developers associated with the rejuvenation of Maggie Valley’s Ghost Town in the Sky are moving forward with plans to resurrect…
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Zoning decisions unearth deeper issues in Maggie Valley

A slew of zoning decisions in the Town of Maggie Valley have revealed deeper concerns about development and the future…
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‘We are the medicine’: Nonprofit uses community connection to combat addiction

A new nonprofit expanding its services into Haywood County is challenging the status quo when it comes to overcoming addiction. 
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Clampitt’s Oath Keeper membership comes as no surprise

Western North Carolina Republican Rep. Mike Clampitt is an Oath Keeper. 
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Division runs deep over Biden’s domestic agenda

Since his election last November, President Joe Biden has spent a lot of time — and untold political capital —…
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Cherokee to vote on Council term limits

During this month’s Annual Council sessions, Tribal Council’s structure and compensation loomed large in the discussion — and in the…
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Rod Honeycutt makes immediate impact in NC-11 Republican Primary

Raised in humble circumstances in Woodfin, Rod Honeycutt could have ended up on a very different path were it not…
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Municipal Election 2021

Municipal elections in Western North Carolina will be held in some jurisdictions on Tuesday, November 2, but in-person early voting…
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Zoning issues divide board, community in Maggie Valley

A Maggie Valley Town Board meeting Tuesday, Oct. 12, reached capacity with nearly 100 attendants, several people listening from the…
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Pisgah rolls to nine straight over Mountaineers

It was Friday night football on a perfect fall evening under the lights in front of a capacity crowd at…
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Freedom on the farm: Full Spectrum Farms a refuge for people with autism

On an unusually warm fall afternoon in the mountains, art class is taking place in the outdoor pavilion at Full…
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In-person early voting continues

Municipal elections in Western North Carolina will be held in some jurisdictions on Tuesday, Nov. 2, but in-person early voting…
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Haywood schools outlines COVID retention bonus plan

During COVID-19, Haywood County Schools’ employees have gone above and beyond to support the community and encourage learning during the…
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Complaint filed against Town of Highlands

A group of homeowners calling themselves the “Save Highlands Committee” has filed a legal complaint against the Town of Highlands…
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Drama continues to unfold around homelessness task force

The Town of Waynesville’s years-long attempt to address homelessness within its borders has been filled with raw emotion, whimsical theatrics…
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Body recovered on Blue Ridge Parkway

An autopsy has been completed by the North Carolina State Medical Examiner's Office on the body found Oct. 9, on the…
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Vecinos: Serving the invisible neighbors of WNC

The Coronavirus Pandemic has been a trying experience for everyone. Quarantine, the threat of serious illness and job loss have…
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COVID cases down in Haywood
 

COVID cases down in Haywood

In the last week, Haywood County Public Health has received notice of 176 new cases of COVID-19, which is down…
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In-person early voting for municipal elections begins next week

Municipal elections in Western North Carolina will be held in some jurisdictions on Tuesday, Nov. 2, but in-person early voting…
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