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
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
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
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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Cawthorn defies law on school property
By Tom Fiedler • Asheville Watchdog | For the second time in as many months, Rep. Madison Cawthorn faces a potential…
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Below the belt: Vulgarity, divisiveness push NC political discourse to a new low
North Carolina’s known as a purple state where fierce partisan divide is the norm, but after two high-profile politicians —…
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Bus driver shortage challenges WNC schools
Over 790,000 students ride the bus to and from school each day in North Carolina. That’s almost half of all…
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School data shows pandemic learning loss
Performance data recently released by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction shows that just 45.4% of elementary, middle and…
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Franklin to hire code enforcement officer
The Town of Franklin is moving forward with plans to hire a code enforcement officer after adding the new position…
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Haywood County tourism just had its best year in history
After emerging from the early stages of the Coronavirus Pandemic virtually unscathed, Haywood County’s lodging industry rebounded with a year…
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Heatherly leaves CEO post at Harris
Steve Heatherly left his position as CEO of Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital on Oct. 7 to pursue…
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Haywood’s ‘hidden history’: Monument to Waynesville lynching victim could prove controversial
Almost 120 years ago, local newspapers reported two separate instances of attempted rape in Haywood County. Similarities between the two…
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Franklin candidates: Town is moving in the right direction
The tone of this year’s Franklin Town Council election is much different than it was four years ago, making for…
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Benefit showcases Canton's 'Grit and Grace'
Multi award-winning bluegrass supergroup Balsam Range (who are also Haywood County locals) appeared in Canton’s Sorrells Street Park on Saturday,…
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Canton’s future at stake in upcoming election
A scant three months ago, when candidates filed for the upcoming municipal elections, the Haywood County town of Canton was…
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COVID-19 cluster found at Haywood jail
Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency has identified a COVID-19 cluster at the Haywood County Detention Center. Over the…
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Pfizer boosters delayed in Macon
Macon County Public Health will delay plans to begin giving COVID-19 boosters to eligible persons due to a number of…
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Etched in stone: Cemetery tour regs rub some the wrong way
Waynesville’s historic Green Hill Cemetery has long been a centerpiece of the community, but of late it’s been at the…
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New convention center opens in Cherokee
After three years and $330 million, a new hotel tower and convention center is now open at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino…
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