Archived News

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 15:34

Swain DSS board fails to reach consensus on suspensions

The Swain County Department of Social Services board met for three hours Tuesday night (March 8) to discuss whether employees named in an investigation should be suspended with pay pending the outcome. The board failed to come to a consensus.…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 21:00

County’s leading critic stirs up trouble for fairground arena

The predicament surrounding the arena began when Monroe Miller — the county’s leading critic who regularly lambasts commissioners at their meetings and via email on any and every topic — filed a complaint with the North Carolina Department of Insurance,…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:57

Haywood County bails out fairground arena, again

The Haywood County Fairgrounds are on the way to being back in business after a scare that shuttered the covered arena for code-compliance violations. An infusion of cash by Haywood County commissioners saved the fairgrounds from cancelling upcoming events at…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:56

High-speed broadband continues march across the mountains

Work to bring broadband to all of North Carolina — including adding missing sections of fiber in the mountains — is well under way, leaders with a state nonprofit group said. Construction on an important link from Enka to Sylva…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:56

REACH village thrown a lifeline: Money problems for agency not solved, however

Mountain Projects might take control of the REACH village in Sylva, ensuring the low-income housing would remain available to area residents in need, especially victims of domestic violence. This does not mean, however, that REACH of Jackson County, an anti-domestic…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:39

Macon County government to lose two of its finest

Macon County is losing an incredible amount of experience this year with the impending retirements of two employees. Between them, Wilma Anderson — assistant to the county manager/human-resources director and Evelyn Southard — finance director — have more than 60…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:38

Red Cross offers free CPR training

Haywood and Jackson County residents can attend free CPR training from the American Red Cross. Registration is open for “CPR Saturday,” which is sponsored by MedWest Carolina’s Healthcare. The event will be held with two classes at each location March…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:38

Small Towns program under way in Bryson

HandMade in America is working with Bryson City as a part of its Small Towns program, which assists small towns in revitalization efforts. A resource team with the nonprofit will visit Bryson City March 16 through March 18 to conduct…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:36

Healthy Haywood kicks off fitness challenge

Healthy Haywood will kick off its annual fitness challenge beginning March 14. Registration is $10. Participants can attend a variety of fitness classes offered by local fitness centers and businesses. Participants are free to choose which classes to attend over…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:35

MedWest expands mental health services

A mental health program at MedWest-Haywood hospital has been expanded to include the general population through a behavioral health outpatient program. The program began as a counseling and support system for active and veteran members of the military. The pilot…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:34

Volunteer opportunity with Arc of Haywood

The Arc of Haywood will be promoting advocacy for those with development disabilities in March. This is to honor Development Disabilities Awareness Month. A United Way agency, The Arc of Haywood was founded in 1976 in Haywood County and continues…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:33

Revaluation in Jackson County back on ... maybe?

In a we-were-really-just-kidding-around reversal, Jackson County commissioners this week decided to delay their previous decision to delay property revaluation. A draft resolution to push back the countywide appraisal from next year to 2016 was thoughtfully included by county staff in…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:30

Second-home economy makes its mark on WNC

The second-home economy has fueled far more than construction and real estate jobs over the past decade. “If it’s someone’s second or third home, they aren’t bringing anything with them,” said Doug Worrell, the president of High Country Furniture in…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:27

Reading between the census lines

Although population in Western North Carolina increased only by a modest amount over the past decade, home construction grew at a much higher rate, according to 2010 census data released last week. The census counts year-round residents. But much of…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:24

Macon loses bragging rights for fastest growing county

Macon County isn’t exactly asking for a recount, but officials here do want to know why the county’s 2010 census numbers fell well short of what they expected — call it more of a pointed request that federal census workers…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:21

Jackson County increasingly attracting young professionals

For upwardly mobile professionals who are looking for an outdoor lifestyle, scenic mountain beauty and the company of like-minded individuals, Jackson County has proven the perfect fit. Just-released 2010 census data shows Jackson County emerging over the last decade as…

Wednesday, 09 March 2011 20:11

Former HRMC CEO gets $150,000 settlement

The former CEO of Haywood Regional Medical Center will get $150,000 from the hospital after settling a lawsuit claiming he was wrongfully fired. David Rice was at the helm during a near meltdown of the hospital in 2008. At the…

Friday, 04 March 2011 20:48

Swain commissioners recommend DSS employee suspension DSS board to meet on the matter Tuesday

Swain County commissioners voted 4 to 1 in a special meeting Thursday (March 3) to formally recommend that the Department of Social Services Board suspend with pay four employees involved in a State Bureau of Investigation probe into an alleged…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 21:02

Swain County commissioners, DSS board to meet

The Swain County Department of Social Services board has agreed to meet with the Swain County commissioners to discuss whether DSS employees and officials should be suspended due to an ongoing criminal investigation of the agency. The two boards will…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 21:15

Tribal members to help develop plan for future

Two outreach sessions for members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to develop a 10-year “legacy plan” for tribal lands, environment and natural resources have been setup by the tribe’s Natural Resources Department. The sessions will be conducted on…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:48

Local magazine calls for photography

Smoky Mountain Living magazine has issued a call for photos for its next issue, which will hit the stands in April and May. The magazine prominently features images from across the southern Appalachians in each edition. Photo essays adhere to…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:47

Waynesville Armory launches Brain Gym for seniors

For Waynesville seniors, the old armory recreation center now offers exercise for more than just the body. The new Brain Gym system, installed thanks to a grant garnered by Haywood Community Connections, will help offer a place for the town’s…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:46

MedWest to open Urgent Care Center

An Urgent Care Center will open in August at Wal-Mart Plaza in Sylva. The location of the MedWest’s new urgent care center will in a building currently occupied by Rent-A-Center. That business is scheduled to relocate May 1 and renovations…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:42

Volunteers needed for Meals on Wheels

The Haywood County Meals on Wheels program is seeking volunteers in the Fines Creek community to deliver nutritious meals to the elderly, homebound or disabled residents. Volunteers are asked to contribute approximately one hour each week starting at 10:30 a.m.…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:40

Political ill will still lingers in Jackson

The election for the Jackson County Board of Commissioners might have wrapped up last fall, but the war of words didn’t end then. Last month, newly elected Chairman Jack Debnam wrote to unseated Commissioner Tom Massie’s employer, the N.C. Department…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:36

HCC causes a stir with clear cutting

A new and long-awaited Creative Arts Building is only days away from its groundbreaking ceremony at Haywood Community College. But the tree clearing undertaken to prepare the way for the new crafts center has proven less-than-popular with some of the…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:30

Goodwill not showing much good will to other nonprofits

Some local thrift shop operators in Jackson County or crying foul over a nonprofit accepting donations in Sylva despite not having a store in the county. Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina has a trailer (as in the second half…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:18

Swain commissioners recommend suspending DSS employees in wake of SBI probe

Relatives of a Cherokee child who died in January are publicly calling for the suspension of the Swain County Department of Social Services’ director and program manager, as well as other employees named in a State Bureau of Investigation probe…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:15

Budget woes force WCU to cut jobs

Western Carolina University is laying off 10 employees in April as it struggles with the projected loss of approximately $8.6 million in state funding. The 10 workers are employed in several divisions across the university. University leaders say they anticipate…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:14

Marriage and family experts offer advice

“The Thoroughly Modern Family,” a program aimed at giving advice on how to provide happy and healthy marriages and families in the 21st century, will be held from 3 to 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, at Blue Ridge Books…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:11

Blood drive in Blanton’s memory

The Tye Blanton Foundation is hosting its annual blood drive from 12 to 5 p.m Sunday, March 6, at Canton Central United Methodist Church. The event is held in memory of Trooper Shawn Blanton and his son, Tye. In previous…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:08

Program on fair elections in Macon

The League of Women Voters of Macon County will hold a program Thursday, March 10, on fair elections, presented by Democracy North Carolina. The group is a non-partisan organization. Democracy NC conducts original research into such topics as big money…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 20:07

Downtown Waynesville readies for spring

The Downtown Waynesville Association is gearing up for spring, with new businesses and events in the works for the coming tourist season. Buffy Phillips, the association’s executive director, told Waynesville town officials that she’s positive about the year’s outlook for…

Wednesday, 02 March 2011 19:55

Local nursing home celebrates solar panel installation

By DeeAnna Haney • SMN Intern Perched atop a Canton nursing home roof, gleaming in the sun is the newest addition to the building, bringing it to the forefront of the green initiative in North Carolina. Silver Bluff Village held…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 22:02

Swain DSS investigated for cover-up in child’s death

The Swain County Department of Social Services falsified records relating to the abuse and neglect of a 15-month-old baby who later died, according to an investigation by the Swain County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation. The specific…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:40

Railroad’s return to Dillsboro would cost Jackson $817,000

Great Smoky Mountains Railway this week promised to return to Dillsboro in a big way, on this condition: Jackson County must come up with $817,176. “We need to explore how we can work together and get that train here, and…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:30

Ingles continues growth trend

Ingles got a green light last week from Waynesville’s town board to bulk out their Russ Avenue location, complete with gas station and convenience store, adding another expansion to the chain’s growing empire of new and revamped stores. The store…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:28

Residents weigh in on new Ingles

When Ingles pushes out of its old shell, it’s new home will bring new options to customers, like a stir-fry station, improved produce section and expanded wine and café offerings. For many local residents, however, the store’s current incarnation is…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:26

Clean Slate to offer women in this region a second chance

A halfway house to help women who have been released from jail after serving time for minor offenses or other “life challenges” is opening in Sylva. The transitional housing, called Clean Slate, will serve women from Jackson, Haywood, Swain and…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:24

Much ado about everything in Maggie

In Maggie Valley’s Town Hall, the cooperative spirit has been in short supply of late, with disputes flaring at nearly every turn. A chill fell over the Board of Aldermen when former member Colin Edwards took his leave last month,…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:24

Mental health education class gets going

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Family-to-Family Education Program offers new spring classes for caregivers of individuals living with mental illness. Family-to-Family is a free, 12-week course led by John and Suzanne Gernandt, who are experienced in caring for a loved…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:23

Sylva Rotary Club hosts weekday pancake breakfast

A pancake breakfast will be held from 7:30 to 10 a.m. on Friday, March 4, at the First United Methodist Church in downtown Sylva, hosted by The Rotary Club of Sylva. On offer will be hot and cold beverages, all-you-can-eat…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:22

Jackson puts property revaluations off until 2015

Jackson County has decided to postpone its revaluation of property values from next year until 2015. A resolution to that effect is being prepared for adoption during the March meeting. Tax Assessor Bobby McMahan this week recommended the delay, citing…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:22

Tribal police struggle to communicate in outlying areas

In the farthest reaches of the Cherokee Indian Reservation, work is being done to ensure that when crime happens, the police can be there. While most portions of the reservation are central to Cherokee itself, within easy reach of police…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:14

Bigger building, higher costs, no money

Jackson County commissioners are faced with a dilemma over the new Sylva library slated to open in May: either pony up more money for staff or the library will be forced to cut hours. The new library is four times…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:14

Train to help victims of domestic violence

Reach of Haywood needs volunteers for the nonprofit’s helpline. Helpline volunteers can assist from home — or away from home — if they have a cell phone. Other opportunities for volunteering are available, including helping at the REACH office on…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:13

Health Department offering free vaccines

Free flu vaccines are available at the Haywood County Health Department while supplies last. The flu vaccine is recommended for anyone over six months old and it is especially important for people at high risk of complications, including pregnant women,…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:13

Seats open on MedWest Haywood board

Four seats on the MedWest-Haywood hospital governing board will open up in April, with a deadline to apply of Feb. 28. Applications can be accessed on the county’s web page at www.haywoodnc.net or at the county administrative building. Completed applications…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:12

Construction begins on U.S. 441

Delays are expected on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park beginning March 1, due to road rehabilitation. In addition to repaving the road, thousands of feet of stone masonry retaining walls and several…

Wednesday, 23 February 2011 20:10

Plows miss part of I-40

Motorists beware: a no man’s land at exit 37 on Interstate 40 may not be plowed and salted in bad weather with the same regularity as the rest of the highway. The stretch in question lies near the Haywood-Buncombe county…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:37

Sharpen your marketing skills, increase sales

A seminar on how to use marketing to increase sales will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. More seminars are scheduled for Feb. 24,…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:36

MedWest to honor outstanding athletes

MedWest Health System will recognize outstanding athletes from Haywood, Graham, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties and the Cherokee Indian Reservation through the Game On! spot in local newspapers. The Game On! spot will acknowledge individuals who have exemplified outstanding performance,…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:36

Shuler appointed to budget committee

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, has been appointed to serve on the House Committee on the Budget. “Our nation’s exploding debt has become the single greatest threat to America’s economic future,” Shuler said. “The Budget Committee in the 112th Congress…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:34

Cherokee police ask citizens to text their tips

Crime reporting in the region has moved into the digital age, thanks to the Cherokee Police Department’s new text-a-tip program. The system offers tipsters the option to text, via their cell phones, about crime they know about. This can be…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:29

Home remodelers to relish new Haywood Habitat thrift store

Remodelers who don’t want to send their old kitchen cabinets, bathroom sinks or screen doors to the dump will soon have a place to send unwanted wares that seem too good to throw out. Haywood Habitat for Humanity is opening…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:28

Girl Scouts ramp up cookie drive

Local Girl Scouts will begin this year’s cookie drive beginning Feb. 12. Cookies are only available for approximately two months, then the girls decide where the proceeds go. This year, Girl Scouts can also track their goals online and…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:27

Walk to benefit student emergency fund

Western Carolina University supporters have the chance to grow a student emergency fund when they commission a brick paver for the Catamount Legacy Walk. Each 4-by-8-inch, reddish-orange brick paver commissioned through a $125 gift to the Catamount Legacy Walk will…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:27

Health-care policy forum Feb. 22 at WCU

A health-care policy forum is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, in the Catamount Room of the A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University. The Department of Political Science and Public Affairs and the Public Policy Institute is…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:25

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area announces grant awards

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership today announced twenty grants, totaling nearly $245,000, have been awarded to help preserve and promote Western North Carolina’s heritage. The grant awards will help support diverse initiatives across the North Carolina mountains and…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:24

N.C. 107 connector: County leaders to weigh in on controversial project

Jackson County commissioners have been asked to select their Top Six road priorities to pass along to the state Department of Transportation — a decision that could help decide whether a controversial, five-mile bypass around Sylva is ever built. The…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:23

Better safe than sorry unscores new dam safety protocols

New protocols for the unlikely event that one of Duke Energy’s dams shows a sign of weakness could speed evacuation of residents downstream. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission wants power companies such as Duke Energy to cut the amount of…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:22

Business news

The Haywood County Board of Realtors is offering continuing education classes for current N.C. Real Estate License holders. The four-hour class called Mandatory Update will be held in the morning and the elective class Client Level Negotiating will take place…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:21

Maggie Valley extends alderman application deadline

Maggie Valley has extended its deadline for alderman applications by a month, despite already having five applications in hand. The town set an application deadline of Feb. 9 after Alderman Colin Edwards tendered his resignation last month. Edwards told The…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:19

Pegging property values in Haywood gets down to brass tacks

With a clipboard under one arm and a giant measuring spool under the other, Greg West climbed into a county-marked truck last Wednesday, cranked the engine and consulted a large Waynesville map on the seat beside him. “Today we’re hitting…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:10

Golden LEAF on the chopping block

It’s no secret that the state budget is in a tight spot. In the few weeks the General Assembly has been in session, a raft of new laws already have hit the legislative floor, most proposing cuts in varying degrees…

Wednesday, 16 February 2011 20:08

Decades of helping domestic violence victims could end

The financial situation facing REACH of Jackson County is so bleak the nonprofit is facing the possibility of shutting down, leaving women and children who live in abusive relationships nowhere locally to turn for help. The nation’s economic downturn, coupled…

Monday, 14 February 2011 21:46

County appraisers work hard to get values right

With a clipboard under one arm and a giant measuring spool under the other, Greg West climbed into a county-marked truck last Wednesday, cranked the engine and consulted a large Waynesville map on the seat beside him. “Today we’re hitting…

Saturday, 12 February 2011 16:11

Southern Loop: County leaders to weigh in on controversial project

Jackson County commissioners have been asked to select their top six road priorities for consideration by the state Department of Transportation, a decision that could help decide whether a controversial bypass around Sylva is ever built. Division 14, a 10-county…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 16:34

Southwestern Community College presidents resigns suddenly

Richard Collings has submitted his resignation as president of Southwestern Community College after just six months on the job. The resignation was submitted Tuesday, to be effective Wednesday, Feb. 9. No reason was given for the resignation. Collings suffered unexpected…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:30

Jurisdiction quagmire challenges Cherokee courts

Tribal leaders and prosecutors in Cherokee will now have stronger tools to mete out justice to criminals on the reservation, thanks to a bill signed into law by President Obama last year. The Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010,…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:29

Group serving those with disabilities seeks dollars to expand

Webster Enterprises, a community rehabilitation program serving those with disabilities and disadvantages in Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, wants money from the three counties so the nonprofit can create additional jobs. “I wouldn’t ask, if we didn’t really need it,”…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:21

UN representative discusses domestic abuse in Cherokee

Cherokee got a special visit last month from Rashida Manjoo, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, as part of a fact-finding trip around the United States. Making her stop at the special request of several tribal council…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:21

Community helpers recognized by CCC

Winners of the Commission for a Clean County’s 10th-annual awards were announced recently. The Community Pride program honors businesses, community groups, civic clubs, schools and individuals (both adults and children) for exceptional efforts in the categories of litter pick-up…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:20

Jackson tackles money shortfall

Times are tough, and in response Jackson County department heads have been ordered to reduce spending by 3 percent between now and June 30, the end of the current fiscal year. Additionally, a hiring freeze will continue and the use…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:19

Canton to see long-awaited sewer upgrade near I-40

Canton will be opening its doors to new business when a long-awaited upgrade to its Champion Drive sewer line is completed next year. The update, which town officials say has been on the list of top priorities for several years,…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:19

Candy sales to support the hungry

This year, Mast General Store will contribute $1 to MANNA FoodBank for each pound of candy purchased on Feb. 12 and 13. The eighth annual Be a Sweetheart, Feed the Hungry event is designed to raise awareness of hunger and…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:18

Animal Services reports rabid raccoon

Haywood County Animal Services officers are canvassing the Beaverdam community in search of stray animals, after hikers discovered a rabid raccoon in the area on Jan. 30. The raccoon tested positive for rabies, after being killed following a fight with…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:17

Supporters of Green Energy Park asked to step up

A meeting to form a new Friends of the Green Energy Park organization in Jackson County is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18. “In order to continue operating and moving forward, the Green Energy Park will need a lot…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:16

Jackson sheriff wants to regulate adult establishments before they open

There aren’t any strip joints, dirty bookstores or other adult establishments currently in Jackson County, but Sheriff Jimmy Ashe wants regulations put in place ... just in case. Passing an adult establishment ordinance, Ashe said this week to the Jackson…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:15

Everything is on the table financially in Macon County

Macon County Schools, like other local school systems in North Carolina, has been warned by state leaders to plan for cuts that could mount as high as 15 percent. Along with other county departments, the school system will have to…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:14

Business seminar series begins

A six-part seminar series on financial management and updated business strategies is being offered by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce and Asheville consulting firm BluePrints for Business. The seminars, sponsored by Champion Credit Union, Waynesville, will run six Thursday…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:14

Boogie to benefit the schools

The third-annual Mardi Gras dance, sponsored by Old Town Bank to benefit the Haywood County Schools Foundation, will be held at the Gateway Club March 5. This will be an evening of fun, food, pageantry and dance. A limited number…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:13

Lunch and politics with the League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters of Macon County will play host to Macon County Manager Jack Horton and Commission Chair Brian McClellan Feb 10 at noon. McClellan and Horton will discuss projects, plans, issues and the county’s economy. They plan…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:12

Workshop to focus on conservation

The Leopold Land Ethics Leaders Program will hold a conservation discussion and training session from 7 to 9 p.m. on March 8 at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. The program is rooted in renowned conservationists Aldo Leopold’s developing a personal…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:12

Macon County health assessment starts soon

Healthy Carolinians of Macon County will launch a telephone survey of 400 county residents starting next week. The question to be answered: Is the health of Macon County getting better or worse? The survey is part of a comprehensive health…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:10

Swain sheriff loses suit against county over money

A lawsuit waged by Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran against the county was shot down in court this week. Cochran accused commissioners of cutting his pay in 2006 as a form of partisan retribution. State statute protects sheriffs from politically…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:09

Hear that lonesome whistle blow? Dillsboro a little less alone with limited train service this winter

In many ways, Brian Hockman and wife Carrie of Claymates, a “paint your own pottery experience,” serve as the perfect business portrait of the new Dillsboro. This is Dillsboro post the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. A Dillsboro that maybe hasn’t…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:07

Haywood bike plan gets into gear

Haywood County cyclists – and would-be cyclists – will soon be able to breathe a little easier and peddle a bit more freely, thanks to a comprehensive plan in the works to address a range of cycling issues. The plan,…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:06

Committee looks for WCU’s next chancellor

The 16-member search committee tasked with helping select Western Carolina University’s next chancellor has developed a list of questions it will use to choose long-time chancellor John Bardo’s replacement. The questions will cover a range of topics gleaned from November’s…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:04

The changing face of Haywood County: in the middle of everything

For Darcy and Kevin Sisson, living in Waynesville makes perfect sense. She works in manufacturing in Asheville, his employer is Swain County’s Nantahala Outdoor Center. Waynesville offers the couple a central location, a town large enough to have an active…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:03

Brasstown instructor to give presentation in Haywood County

Annie Lough, a nationally known folk musician, will give a talk and musical presentation on Appalachian musical heritage and culture at Lake Junaluska. The program will be held Thursday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. in the Bethea Welcome Center. The…

Wednesday, 09 February 2011 20:03

Get the latest information on coping with mental illness

NAMI Family-to-Family Education, a free, 12-session program for relatives and friends of people diagnosed with a mental illness, will be offered from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, starting March 8 in Franklin. Sponsored by NAMI Appalachian South, the local…

Friday, 04 February 2011 19:55

NC General Assembly update

Most people predicted that this session of the North Carolina General Assembly was going to be fast and furious, and it appears that is indeed the case. The GOP-led General Assembly is advancing legislation that Democrats have traditionally not supported,…

Wednesday, 02 February 2011 20:55

Green Energy Park recommendations now on the table

The Green Energy Park would stand on its own financially within five years if Jackson County adopts recommendations made last week by interim County Manager Chuck Wooten. The park, which uses methane created by decomposing trash at the old Dillsboro…

Wednesday, 02 February 2011 20:17

Past blunders cost hospital in ER lawsuit

A group of emergency room doctors has been awarded $1.6 million in a lawsuit against Haywood Regional Medical Center. Haywood Emergency Physicians was ousted by the hospital in 2006 and replaced with a corporate physician staffing outfit before the group’s…

Wednesday, 02 February 2011 20:12

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