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Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:41

Fired jail employee says he warned of relationship between murder suspect and jailer

The Swain County sheriff and jail administrators were warned that a jailer who freed a double murder suspect March 21 was getting too close to the prisoner but didn’t do anything to intervene, a former jail employee who was fired…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:40

Haywood proposes incentives for green business

Economic development officials have adopted a policy that will give business incentives to clean, renewable energy projects that locate in Haywood County. County officials hope the policy will convince green businesses to locate in the region, as well as provide…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:38

Canton has new town manager: Lengthy search ends back where it started — with interim manager Matthews

After a search that has dragged on for more than a year, the Canton Board of Alderman has finally selected a town manager. It’s not exactly a big change. Al Matthews has served in an interim position since long-time manager…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:37

New Sylva manager’s salary below state average of similar-sized towns

Though some are complaining that the salary for the recently hired Sylva town manager is high for her level of experience, the compensation is below the state average for towns in that population range. For towns with a population of…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:35

Ghost Town faces huge challenges as it tries to restructure debt, open park

The business partners behind Ghost Town in the Sky are facing significant logistical and financial challenges as they pursue their goal of reopening the Maggie Valley amusement park by summer. Ghost Town filed for bankruptcy three weeks ago under the…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:32

Debts mount at theme park

Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley has left a wake of unpaid bills with local companies over the past year, putting some small businesses in a bind during already difficult economic times. Ghost Town owes around…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:29

New face on Waynesville board: Funeral home director fills Kenneth Moore’s seat

One would be be hard-pressed to find someone uttering anything but praise for new Waynesville Alderman Wells Greeley. The 6-foot, 5-inch former college football player and one-time Canton alderman is a well-known and well-liked figure about town. In his role…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:29

Ghost Town responds

The following comment was provided by Steve Shiver, Ghost Town CEO and president, in response to questions about the challenges Ghost Town faces in its quest to reopen the park amid Chapter 11 proceedings. “At this stage of the process…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:27

Tight budget forces libraries to trim hours

In the latest tangible consequence of countywide budget cuts, the Haywood County Library system is scaling back hours at each of its branches starting April 6. Both Waynesville and Canton libraries have reduced their evening and weekend hours, with the…
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 15:12

Haywood tourism board debates ‘Smokies’ slogan

Haywood County is having a bit of an identity crisis. The Tourism Development Authority touts the county as a place “Where the Sun Rises on the Smokies.” The slogan, created in 2005 by the Tombras Group marketing agency, appears on…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:48

Does working for the government give workers a free pass to carry a gun?

Chances are, the identity of your garbage truck driver doesn’t always cross your mind. You probably give him a friendly smile if you happen to meet over the remnants of last night’s macaroni, but the odds on knowing his life…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:40

Dillsboro Cat-Dash, Nov. 18

Guided by tweets and freshly made maps, Western Carolina University students will race against the clock, and each other, in a Twitter-based scavenger hunt Thursday, Nov. 18, as part of Destination: Dillsboro!, an appreciation event hosted by town merchants. The…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:39

Dillsboro puts out welcome mat for WCU

The town of Dillsboro will host Western Carolina University faculty, staff and students during a special event called “Destination: Dillsboro!” on Thursday, Nov. 18, from 5 to 8 p.m. Designed to show Dillsboro’s appreciation for WCU, the event will feature…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:39

Festival of Trees to be held Monday, Nov.. 22

The Kids Advocacy Resource Effort (KARE) is holding its first Festival of Trees beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 22, at the Gateway Club in downtown Waynesville. Festivities begin with a dinner buffet followed by a live auction of…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:38

Haywood schools chart course for future

This fall, while Haywood County students are focused on homework, football, the opposite sex and the many other preoccupations of youth, their teachers and administrators are mapping a plan to make them more successful and competitive when they leave Haywood’s…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:37

WCU to hold Nov. 20 Open House for prospective students

Prospective college students can get a taste of what campus life is all about as Western Carolina University holds Open House on Saturday, Nov. 20. Hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Open House gives students and their families a…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:37

Oratorial scholarship available in Haywood

Haywood County High School students can compete in the a oratorical scholarship program, sponsored by Waynesville American Legion Post 47.   All students, grades 9-12, are eligible to participate. This includes public, parochial, military, private or homeschool students. The American…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:26

Beale might not fit the bill following election; Macon board swings right

Ronnie Beale is an amiable chap, and for the past few years he’s injected a bit of humor into what is often the tediously dull process of overseeing county government. “If you want to stay and see the rest of…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:26

NC tourism official to address travel trends at Nov. 19 meeting

Wit Tuttell, director of Tourism Marketing for the N.C. Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development will discuss projected travel trends and visitor profiles at the annual meeting of Smoky Mountain Host on Nov. 19 in Maggie Valley. Tuttell will…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:24

Haywood rolls back price of Wal-Mart renovation

Haywood County commissioners are reining in their grand plans for Waynesville’s old Wal-Mart, working with designers and almost everyone else involved in the project to try and get it close to the projected budget. At a work session last week,…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:22

JobsNOW Reverse Job Fair showcases student talent

Haywood Community College’s JobsNOW program will hold a Reverse Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 18, in the Student Services building. Employers for the Automotive, Green Building Construction and Health Care Professions are invited to…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:22

Additional resources offered to seniors

Haywoood Community Connections, an advocacy organization for senior citizens in Haywood County, has updated its website. Visit  and check out the following: • Resource directory for seniors, caregivers, and persons with disablities. The directory can be accessed in two different formats. Clicking…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:21

Meals on Wheels seeks volunteers

Haywood County Meals on Wheels needs help — there is a shortage of volunteers. People are needed to deliver hot, nutritious meals to qualifying elderly, homebound and/or disabled adults who cannot prepare their own meals, or do not have someone…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:20

HCC offers parliamentary procedures seminar

Haywood Community College’s Continuing Education Department is offering a Basic Parliamentary Procedures seminar on Wednesday, November 17 with UNC School of Government faculty member A. Fleming Bell, II. The seminar will be held from 5 until 8 p.m. in the…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:20

Parking concerns in Sylva never-ending

Sheryl Rudd, just that morning, said she had fussed at her husband, Dieter Kuhn, for leaving a vehicle parked for too long outside their Sylva business. The loading of 150-pound kegs was finished, and Rudd wanted him to move the…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:18

New Jackson commissioners, new county agenda

Jack Debnam says he’s simply trying to get his feet on the ground and figure out what needs to be done first before he and two other newly elected commissioners take control next month. Debnam, running as an unaffiliated candidate,…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:17

Haywood county manager Cotton steps down

After four years in its service, the man who has stood at the helm of Haywood County will be moving on in December. In a Nov. 3 letter to county commissioners, County Manager David Cotton tendered his resignation, effective the…
Wednesday, 10 November 2010 20:11

Budget woes leave higher education institutions with tough choices

Up to 1,700 jobs, perhaps a whole campus eliminated — the dire picture painted this month by Erskine Bowles, president of the University of North Carolina system, on the state of higher education during these tough economic times isn’t pretty.…
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:36

Maggie grapples with best way to recruit new festivals

The town of Maggie Valley fired its part-time festival director after he failed to produce results a few months into the job. The town hoped their new hire, Bill Cody, would lure more festivals to the town-owned festival grounds as…
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:30

Cherokee art institute gets new home

Several years ago, an idea was planted to establish an institution of higher education on the Qualla Boundary that would emphasize and preserve the rich artistic traditions of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Out of that dream, the Oconaluftee…
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:29

River park concept centers on dam, throws Duke for a loop

Jackson County commissioners got their first look last week at a master plan for a Dillsboro river park — a plan that prominently features the controversial dam — on the same night they spent nearly three hours in closed session…
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:28

Performing arts center to open in Franklin

When Phil Drake puts his mind to something, there’s little he can’t achieve. Drake’s company, Drake Enterprises, is one of the largest private employers west of Asheville, and, it seems, owns half the businesses in the region, including The Athlete’s…
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:27

Cherokee face historic vote on alcohol

On June 4, members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will go to the polls to cast their vote on the most controversial issue that has faced the tribe in recent history — whether to allow alcohol sales at…
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:25

NOC to launch major new presence in Gatlinburg

Nantahala Outdoor Center is planning a major new outfitters store in Gatlinburg, tapping into the hub of one of the Smokies’ most bustling tourism markets. NOC will call the 18,000-square-foot flagship retail store the Great Outpost. The new store will…
Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:24

Ghost Town makes opening deadline; roller coaster still not working

Ghost Town in the Sky drew around 2,500 people over Memorial Day weekend, despite the daunting challenges of getting the theme park up and running while grappling with Chapter 11 bankruptcy. All eyes had been on the park to see…
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 17:16

Long-held dream becomes reality

It’s a project that’s been years in the making, and on Saturday the scores of Jackson County residents who gathered to watch the groundbreaking for the county’s new library couldn’t stop beaming. The excitement and pride was palpable as —…
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 17:12

Ghost Town withdraws loan request

By Becky Johnson & Julia Merchant A surprising turn of events caused the Maggie Valley town board to call off its vote on whether to loan the struggling Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park $200,000. Moments before aldermen were…
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 17:11

Haywood considers cutting jobs, raising taxes

Tight times in Haywood County have forced commissioners to consider significant job cuts and a tax increase in an attempt to make up for the county’s falling revenues. The county has $72.5 million in requests for the 2009-2010 fiscal year…
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 17:04

Macon, Rabun leaders eye future of water

Would a water-starved Atlanta ever come after the Little Tennessee River? While it may be a long shot, the prospect — however remote — has made some residents of Macon County uneasy. The concern has been sparked by forays into…
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 17:03

Project will restore courthouse’s grandeur

While the feeling of stately grandeur evoked by Jackson’s historic courthouse has remained over the years, many of the original features of the building have not. Little by little, the courthouse architects, McMillan Smith and Partners out of South Carolina,…
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 17:00

Swain jail escapees returned to NC

A murder suspect and the guard who allegedly helped him escape from the Swain County jail have been returned to North Carolina. Former jailer Anita Vestal arrived at the Macon County Detention Center Monday (May 18), said Macon County Sheriff…
Wednesday, 20 May 2009 16:59

Cutbacks could be less severe in Swain budget

Though the Swain County government hasn’t escaped the recession completely, the blow dealt by the economy has been softer there than in other places. While other local governments are contemplating tax increases, Swain County commissioners are looking to lower the…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:50

A two-horse town

A rift that splintered the town’s longtime farmers market in downtown Waynesville into two opposing groups of vendors continues to persist this season, resulting in two separate markets that will operate just half a mile apart. “They’re going to have…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:48

Persistent WCU grads find work in tough economy

It’s slim pickin’s out there, as Western Carolina University students are finding out. This past weekend, more than 1,100 graduates walked across the stage and into the most unforgiving job market in decades. The competition is stiff. Fewer companies are…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:47

Ghost Town seeks ride inspections

A team of state inspectors will arrive at Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park on Monday, May 18, in hopes of getting the rides and chairlift certified for the anticipated opening day of May 22. Ghost Town barely made…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:45

Jackson public asked to envision a greenway

For nearly a decade, a group of Jackson County residents have envisioned a greenway that would meander for miles from one end of the county to the other. Now, the Greenway Committee is finally ready to turn this lofty goal…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:43

Local farmers markets

Haywood Waynesville Tailgate Market 8 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Saturdays at American Legion parking lot near downtown Waynesville. Haywood County grown vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, honey and nursery stock. Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:41

Erosion laws put to the test

Haywood County’s sediment and erosion control policies are the subject of a bitter legal battle poised to set statewide precedent. A landowner slapped with a $175,000 fine by the county is fighting back with a lawsuit claiming he is being…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:35

Street vendors, store owners reach compromise

A potential clash between downtown Franklin merchants and street vendors was headed off the pass this week. For years, street vendors have been peddling food and sodas to the large crowds converging downtown every Saturday for the popular Pickin’ on…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:34

Swain jail keys found in get-away truck

The Swain County Sheriff’s Department got a welcome piece of news recently when it learned the escape of an inmate won’t cost as much as previously thought. Jailer Anita Vestal and accused murder suspect Jeffrey Miles were picked up in…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:33

Haywood County nixes old Wal-Mart purchase

It looks like the Department of Social Services in Haywood County won’t be getting a new home after all. Haywood County commissioners decided against purchasing the old Wal-Mart building, which would have housed DSS as well as the health department,…
Wednesday, 13 May 2009 16:31

Slowed housing market poses challenges for Swain property revaluation

The burst of the nation’s housing bubble has caused real estate markets to tank — everywhere, it seems, but in Swain County. Property values there have increased 30 percent over the past four years, according to the county’s latest property…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:24

Kephart proved to be a key figure in shepherding idea of a national park

With massive logging operations running full tilt in the Smokies in the 1920s, the sanctity of what once seemed like a vast and untouchable forest was being rapidly reduced to a desert of stumps. While most locals welcomed the money…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:23

Carden’s views on Kephart have softened

As a struggling albeit brilliant writer, Gary Carden never turns down money. So when an out-of-town man in a rental car appeared on Carden’s front porch offering a $1,000 down payment on the spot to write a play about Horace…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:18

Ellison came to WNC as a ‘Kephart pilgrim’

While George and Elizabeth Ellison are fixtures in Bryson City today — Elizabeth as a renowned artist and George as a writer and naturalist — their journey to the region 30 years ago was little more than happenstance. The Ellisons…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:13

Ghost Town files financial statements with bankruptcy court

Ghost Town in the Sky owners paid themselves nearly $25,000 over two weeks in March despite the company being in bankruptcy. The Maggie Valley amusement park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-March with the aim of reorganizing, opening the…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:12

Jackson reluctant to turn over Duke dredging permits

An attorney for Duke Energy gave Jackson County commissioners a “friendly reminder” this week to stop dragging their feet on turning over permits that will pave the way for the demolition of the Dillsboro Dam. Before Duke can tear down…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:10

New bypass alone can’t fix N.C. 107 traffic

A fix for impending traffic congestion on N.C. 107 in Sylva doesn’t lie solely with a new bypass but will require a redesign of the commercial artery itself, according to the latest traffic projections by the Department of Transportation. Two…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:08

Spot land-use plan to mark first forray into zoning

Jackson County leaders have finished the first draft of a planning ordinance they hope will transform the U.S. 441 corridor in Whittier from a mish mash of billboards and unregulated growth into a model of tidy landscaping and mountain-themed architecture.…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:05

CSA programs bring together consumers and the hands that feed them

Walk among the rows and rows of hydroponic butter leaf lettuce growing in William Shelton’s greenhouse, and you’ll notice a distinctive dark green patch that seems out of place. While the butter leaf is destined to be neatly packed in…
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 16:03

Library bids come in well under budget

The bad economy has finally reaped some dividends for Jackson County taxpayers. Construction of the new Jackson County library and renovations to the historic courthouse will cost the county roughly $1.5 million less than expected. Bids from construction companies came…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 16:07

Franklin followed the law by leaking Duke’s counteroffer

The town of Franklin acted appropriately by making public the terms of an out-of-court settlement offer extended to the town by Duke Energy. The offer was aimed at getting the town of Franklin and Jackson County to drop their opposition…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 16:05

Downtown merchants anticipate homecoming for county workforce

Downtown merchants in Waynesville hope to get a boost in customers when the Haywood County Historic Courthouse throws open its doors to the public Monday, June 29, following a two-year renovation. Main Street shops lost frequent customers when courthouse construction…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 16:01

Great Smokies become instant recipe for tourists

The mountains of Western North Carolina were no stranger to tourism prior to the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which today rakes in 9 million visitors and is by far the most visited national park in the…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:58

Waynesville seeks input on pedestrian plan

A master plan for making Waynesville even more pedestrian friendly has been unveiled after a year in the making. The long-range plan lays out priorities for new sidewalks over the next 15 years. “The basic rationale was to fill in…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:57

Historic courthouse welcomes back county offices

After two-and-a-half years of operating in temporary quarters, the big move is here. Stacks of boxes are piled high in the hallways and offices of Haywood County workers, awaiting transfer to their new home. This weekend, they’ll be moved in…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:56

Casino to buy liquor in bulk, but from whom?

Cherokee isn’t the only one that potentially stands to make money off the sale of alcohol to patrons at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino. Swain or Jackson counties could see a mini-windfall of their own if Harrah’s purchases vast quantities of liquor…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:53

Katrina refugee wades into the fray against Duke

As Jackson County leaders continue their fight against Duke Energy, an unassuming local lawyer that few have heard of has appeared as the county’s heavy-hitter against the politically powerful and uber-wealthy Fortune 500 utility. Attorney Gary Miller, 52, a former…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:52

An unfortunate object of affection

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has long been synonymous with black bears. From the first automobile tourists to today’s long-distance backpackers, catching a glimpse of the the iconic animal is the ultimate Smokies’ experience. Of course, it was much…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:50

Swain backs down from hardline stance with Bryson City Fire Department

Swain County will continue contracting with the Bryson City Fire Department to provide county fire service, despite threatening to cut ties with the department after it asked the county for more money. Earlier this year, the county balked at a…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:46

Buy local

Haywood Sunburst Trout FarmMakes: Smoked Tomato Jam, trout dip, trout cakes, trout jerky, trout sausage, trout caviar, marinated trout.Find it at: The Nest on Main Street, Waynesville (Smoked Tomato Jam); Ingles (trout dip); or order online at www.sunbursttrout.com.Bethel Eden FarmMakes:…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:44

Value-added products up the ante for homegrown goodness

Across Western North Carolina, an increasing number of people are discovering new and creative ways to use the bounty of produce and farm goods raised in the mountains. From jams to sauces to salves, homegrown chefs and artisans are turning…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:43

Tour retraces Haywood County history

By Ellen Cirino • Special To The Smoky Mountain News The fifth Cold Mountain Heritage Tour, a self-driving tour to historic sites in and around the Haywood County community of Bethel that aren’t open for public access, will be held…
Wednesday, 24 June 2009 15:41

WCU braces for housing crunch in face of growth, construction delays

Come the start of fall semester, some Western Carolina University freshmen could find themselves residing in unusual living quarters. A delay in the construction of a new residence hall is forcing WCU staff to scramble for places to put incoming…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 20:01

NC Utility Commission OK with dam seizure

Jackson County appears to be on firm footing in its quest to seize the Dillsboro dam from Duke Energy as far as state law goes, but it is unclear whether the county could hit a roadblock from the Federal Energy…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:57

Swain budget cuts target Sheriff’s office

Swain County commissioners have opted to target one department rather than spreading out county budget cuts among all county employees. Commissioners have scrapped the idea for a mandatory one-week employee furlough, which they had initially seemed to support, and have…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:56

Tensions escalate between commissioners, audience

A member of the public was escorted from a Haywood County commissioners meeting Monday (June 15) by a deputy after getting into a verbal altercation with Chairman Kirk Kirkpatrick. Tension has been high at county meetings for the past two…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:55

More than 1,000 purebreds vie for top honors at inaugural dog show

Haywood County became the Westminster of Western North Carolina this past weekend as more than 1,000 dogs and their owners flocked to the area to compete in the first AKC-sanctioned dog show ever held in the far western region. The…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:49

They’re here, with beer

The beer business has exploded on the scene in Western North Carolina in the past several years, with Asheville alone now home to seven craft breweries. A recent poll cemented the city’s status as an up-and-coming brewery epicenter, naming it…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:48

Haywood erosion enforcement shot down in court

Landowners have won a lawsuit against Haywood County claiming they were victims of overbearing enforcement of erosion control laws. Judge Laura Bridges issued her ruling this week, although the case was heard six weeks ago. Bridges ruled in favor of…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:41

Swain given option to rescind property reval

Swain County will be able to rescind its latest property revaluation — which caused property values to increase by an average of 30 percent — thanks to a bill in the General Assembly. The county had hoped to scrap its…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:41

Bardo declines nomination

Western Carolina University Chancellor John Bardo will not be among the pool of candidates being considered for president of the University of Cincinnati, he announced at a university board of trustees meeting June 5. The fact that his name was…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:32

Terms of Duke’s offer made public

The terms of Duke Energy’s counter-offer to Jackson County and the town of Franklin in exchange for dropping their opposition to Dillsboro dam removal have been made public. Duke Energy made a confidential offer to their opponents two weeks ago…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:28

Families sacrifice land for creation of the park

Gudger Palmer has never forgotten the fond memories of growing up in Cataloochee Valley. At 100 years old, one memory in particular brings a smile to his lips every time he returns to his old one-room school. “That’s the place…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:27

Macon budget avoids tax increase, layoffs

If you’re a county commissioner in Western North Carolina, it’s hard not to feel envious of Macon County’s budget. While surrounding counties are grappling with layoffs and — in Haywood’s case — a tax increase, Macon County commissioners have managed…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:26

Haywood passes budget that includes tax hike

After months of struggling to solve a $7 million budget shortfall, Haywood County commissioners voted 3 to 2 Monday night (June 15) to raise property taxes by 1.7 cents in lieu of more severe cuts to county workers. The two…
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 19:25

Duke begins prepping for dam removal

Despite the looming threat by Jackson County to win control of the Dillsboro Dam using eminent domain, Duke Energy announced that it will begin preparing for its demolition this week by dredging the backlog of sediment from behind the dam.…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 19:17

Jackson uses eminent domain to take dam

Jackson County played the ultimate trump card in the drawn-out fight against Duke Energy over the Dillsboro dam this week. County commissioners voted 4 to 1 Monday (June 8) to use the power of eminent domain to seize the dam…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 19:13

Haywood commissioners exhaust search for budget cuts, tax increase looms

A proposed tax increase that Haywood residents have fought hard against could likely be avoided if residents would just pay their taxes on time in the first place. But property tax collections are down this year, presumably due to the…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 19:11

Commissioners' viewpoints

Chairman Brian McMahan “I believe that river belongs to the people of the United States of America. That’s our river. Yes we have benefited from the production of power, but it still belongs to the people. I don’t argue the…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 19:08

Frequently asked questions

Why does Duke want to tear down the dam? Dam removal is tied to the larger issue of mitigation for Duke’s hydropower operations in the region. Duke operates 10 other dams on five rivers in the region. The permits for…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 19:06

Cherokee casino to be dry no more

When Beverly Easton came to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino for the first time and realized there was no drinking, she wondered how an alcohol-free casino could even exist. “I think it is a deterrent,” said Easton, who was visiting Harrah’s from…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 19:04

Jackson takes on Duke Energy

Jackson County’s decision to take the Dillsboro dam through eminent domain is a bold next step in the relicensing saga that has been playing out for years. Commissioners voted 4-1 Monday night to use one of the strongest powers they…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 19:01

Parents turn out to support Swain principal

A group of nearly 45 parents and friends came out to show their support for embattled Swain County West Elementary School Principal Rick Abel at a school board meeting Monday night (June 8), but left with few answers to their…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 18:56

Tribe votes in favor of lease agreement with Wal-Mart

At long last, Wal-Mart will be coming to Cherokee. A move to bring a 120,000-square-foot superstore to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian Reservation has been in the works for nearly four years. On May 20, the tribal council voted…
Wednesday, 10 June 2009 18:56

Ghost Town CEO preaches cohesive marketing

Ghost Town CEO Steve Shiver told players in the Haywood County tourism community they need to pull together if they want to effectively market and brand the region. Shiver invited members of the tourism and business community to a breakfast…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:50

New model for mountain living

Mixed-use developments where residents live, work, shop and dine within a few block radius are popping up in cities around the nation, but have been slower to take hold in the mountains of Western North Carolina. One Macon County developer…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:48

Deal over Dillsboro dam could be afoot

Five years into a bitter fight over the fate of the Dillsboro Dam, Duke Energy showed its first sign of budging this week. Following a mediation session in Washington, D.C. Duke pledged to make Jackson County a “counter offer” in…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:47

Questions mount over popular Swain principal’s sudden departure

Parents at West Elementary School in Swain County are questioning the circumstances surrounding the departure of a popular principal. In the weeks since Rick Abel’s alleged resignation, conflicting accounts have emerged that have left parents with growing suspicions over what…
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