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Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:43

Creation of the park was marked by triumph and tragedy

The creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75 years ago was nothing short of a miracle. The pitfalls were enormous and often narrowly skirted. The battle for a park came close to defeat many times, yet park boosters…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:42

New landfill proves money pit for Haywood

Haywood County commissioners grappling with the $4.4 million price tag of a landfill expansion briefly eyed the steep engineering costs as a place to trim this week. During a county meeting, commissioners questioned the hiring of two separate engineering firms…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:40

Creating the park: the early years

1900s Logging and lumber companies built railroads, camp towns and timber camps, slashing across the landscape while fueling an economic boom. 1923 National Park Service Director Stephen Mather voices his support for creation of a national park in the East.…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:38

Restoration blends function with history

After more than two years, the Haywood County historic courthouse has finally been returned to its original grandeur. The painstaking process of restoring the stately 1931 building, long an icon of the Haywood County community, has had its share of…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:36

Haywood residents protest property tax hike during bad economy

Scores of Haywood County taxpayers criticized the county’s proposed budget at a public hearing Monday (June 1) saying commissioners had not looked thoroughly at every possible option before proposing job cuts and a property tax increase. Nearly 150 residents attended…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:34

New hospital structure could dilute autonomy

Although the board of Haywood Regional Medical Center could lose much of its control following its affiliation with WestCare, it will remain a public, county-owned entity nonetheless. Haywood Regional and WestCare have announced their intention to unite under a newly…
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 18:30

Rates jump prior to signing of library loan

Hints of an up tick in the economy are good news to say the least, but a resulting rise in interest rates came a little too soon for Jackson County taxpayers. Interest rates jumped almost 0.75 percent on the eve…
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 19:21

Barker visits WNC in campaign to help bears

Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians didn’t have to duke it out with other contestants or so much as wager a guess, but somehow, they got the price exactly right. On Tuesday, July 28, the tribe won a…
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 19:19

Fundraising ramps up for Waynesville skate park

By Andre A. Rodriguez • Special to the Smoky Mountain News It’s been at least a dozen years since Waynesville’s leaders began contemplating a public skate board park to provide a safe alternative to illegal skating on streets and parking…
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 19:17

Macon mulls workforce challenges

While it doesn’t seem like much of a news flash, it has emerged as one of the top concerns in Macon County economic development circles: the workforce is aging. “It actually is something to be concerned about. It is getting…
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 19:14

Clean energy future may be blowing in the wind

Will wind-generated power save the environment or sacrifice it? The answer depends on who you ask and it could have broad implications for the future of clean energy in North Carolina. In a debate raging in the General Assembly, Western…
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 19:09

Investor in Jonathan Creek project claims he was wronged

A Tennessee man claims he was defrauded of $328,000 by the players behind Cataloochee Wilderness Resorts, a planned mega development in Haywood County that is in the preliminary conceptual stages. Plans for Cataloochee Wilderness Resorts call for a 4,500-acre development…
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 19:08

Townhomes one of few additions to Sylva housing in a decade

When Art Pohl moved to Jackson County from Florida 10 years ago, he imagined a golden retirement filled with lazy days of playing golf. But after a few years of living the dream life, his wife wondered just how much…
Wednesday, 29 July 2009 19:06

Graham proposes takeover of Swain land

Swain and Graham counties are at odds over who should provide rescue service to the isolated Deals Gap territory, a dispute that could lead to a redrawing of county lines. The Deal’s Gap area is a satellite territory of Swain…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 19:03

Region to get assisted living campus

A groundbreaking was held last Thursday (July 16) at the site of a new assisted living complex being built in Dillsboro. The event was more symbolic than most of its kind because some of the facility has already been erected;…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 19:02

Europe’s unrest lead to creation of Wellco

When Heinz Rollman left behind the unrest of Europe and struck out for America in 1939, the fate of his family was riding on his shoulders. The Nazi regime had seized a successful shoe factory from Rollman’s father in Germany…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 19:01

Ghost Town still honing bankruptcy comeback plan

Ghost Town in the Sky wants more time to prepare its bankruptcy reorganization plan and is seeking an extension. The Maggie Valley theme park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March in hopes of holding off bill collectors long enough…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 18:58

New Swain jail fails to rake in overflow inmates

When Swain County opened a new $10 million jail last fall with 109 beds — four times bigger than necessary for its own inmates — it was banking on housing federal prisoners and those from other counties to subsidize the…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 18:57

Veterans touch down in Washington for memorial visit

Two groups of Jackson County’s World War II veterans visited Washington, D.C.’s war memorial this year thanks to a project spearheaded by the Sylva Rotary Club. Honor Air flew eight veterans in fall 2008 and 13 veterans in spring 2009…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 18:55

Cataloochee Resort developer says retail component viable

Jimmy and Keith Leatherwood were always glad to see the developers of Cataloochee Wilderness Resorts walk in to their local hangout, the Jonathan Creek Café. It meant free coffee. The developer would unfurl maps on the table outlining plans for…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 18:53

Empty jail beds fuel feud between Swain sheriff, county

The new Swain jail costs the county $610,000 a year more than the old jail: $450,000 in debt payments and an additional $160,000 on overhead and staff. The county hoped to make $500,000 a year housing prisoners from out of…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 18:48

Loss of Hazelwood manufacturer marks the end of an era

When Mary Ann Enloe was growing up in the blue-collar hub of Hazelwood, she didn’t know anyone with an alarm clock. The town woke to the sound of the factory whistle and followed its cues all day long. “Everybody here…
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 18:47

HVO to purchase Wellco site

Although Wellco shoe plant in Waynesville is closing, the community will be spared the blight of another vacant industrial site. Haywood Vocational Opportunities, which manufactures and assembles medical supplies, is buying the site to expand its own operations. HVO, which…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:51

Cochran retains sheriff’s seat

In Swain County, incumbent Republican Sheriff Curtis Cochran successfully fended off challenger John Ensley. Cochran has faced several controversies in the preceding four-year term, his first in law enforcement. He has weathered well-publicized rows with county commissioners, including a discrimination…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:50

Democrats retain power on Swain board

Swain County will spend the next four years with an all-Democrat board of commissioners after all the incumbents running for office held onto their seats and Donnie Dixon and Robert White scooped up the two open spots. Neither current chairman…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:49

Queen ousted in GOP takeover of state Senate

Incumbent Joe Sam Queen (D-Waynesville) lost his state Senate seat to fresh-faced Republican challenger Ralph Hise, making Hise the youngest North Carolina senator and adding another member to the now-Republican majority in that chamber. This is just the latest in…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:41

Davis headed to Raleigh as part of Republican surge

A hard-hitting campaign, coupled with a surging Republican tide helped Jim Davis claim the state’s 50th District Senate seat on Tuesday. Davis, a Macon County resident, beat incumbent state Sen. John Snow, a Cherokee County Democrat. If unofficial election night…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:11

Suttles keeps Haywood sheriff’s job

Haywood County’s Bobby Suttles won his first election for the sheriff’s seat he has held since 2008, beating Republican challenger Bill Wilke by only 7 percent. Suttles won 20 of the 29 precincts, with Wilke taking most of the county’s…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:10

Democrats buck trend in Haywood

Democrats claimed victory in all three open commissioner seats in Haywood County, with incumbents Kirk Kirkpatrick and Bill Upton keeping their spots on the board. Newcomer Michael Sorrells took the chair left vacant by Skeeter Curtis, who did not seek…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:09

Shuler keeps House seat

Despite an overwhelming Republican landslide in the 2010 congressional election, Rep. Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville) beat back challenger Jeff Miller of Hendersonville in the 11th District to win this third term in Congress. Shuler, however, who had much more money than…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:06

Newcomer will be on Macon County Board of Commissioners

One new face — Republican Ron Haven — will be on the Macon County Board of Commissioners if unofficial voting results from Tuesday night hold. Incumbent Bob Simpson, a Democrat, lost his seat as 53 percent of Macon County voters…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:05

Holland keeps his hand on the helm in Macon County

Macon County Sheriff Robert “Robby” Holland, a Republican, has won another term in office — his third — by beating back challenger George Lynch, a Democrat. Holland and Lynch ran relatively mud-free campaigns that focused on their respective strengths as…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:04

Historic judge’s race puts three newcomers on bench

A monumental judge’s election to fill three 30th District Court seats in Western North Carolina has ended after a clean, tightly-contested election. When the dust settled three new judges were seated — Donna Forga, Kristina Earwood and Roy Wijewickrama. Forga’s…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:03

Ashe handily returns as Jackson County sheriff

Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe won his third term in office Tuesday, easily beating back a challenge from political newcomer Mary Rock. Ashe, 51, a Democrat, has been in law enforcement for 29 years. He started in 1981 as a…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:02

Allen holds her own against incumbent Haire

State Rep. Phil Haire (D-Jackson) fought off a surprisingly strong challenge from fellow Jackson County resident Dodie Allen to retain his hold on the 119th State House District. Rep. Haire, 74, is a Sylva attorney who has served in the…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 04:00

Jackson County says no thanks, no more to incumbent commissioners

Jackson County voters upended the board of commissioners Tuesday, calling an abrupt end to progressive land-development regulations that had set this county apart from all others in far Western North Carolina. The dismantling of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners…
Thursday, 04 November 2010 03:59

Dead man gets a ‘My Vote Counted’ sticker

From the we-really-couldn’t-make-this-stuff-up file, election workers in Jackson County didn’t bat an eye when a woman this election cycle brought her dead husband along to vote. Lisa Lovedahl-Lehman, director of the Jackson County Board of Elections, said the sadly mistaken…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:56

This group might have some bite — watchdog group formed to monitor WCU

It just wouldn’t be the Jackson County we’ve all come to know and love if there wasn’t some kind of community-action group watchdogging Western Carolina University’s attempts to create its very own incorporated town. But it’s Jackson County, so of…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:55

WCU board of trustees tasks search committee to find a new Bardo

Don’t rush when hiring a new chancellor to replace John Bardo, one board of trustee member for Western Carolina University cautioned the university’s other top leaders last week during a two-day annual retreat in Cullowhee. Echoing the sentiments of the…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:54

Immigration solutions topic of Women Voters program

The Macon County League of Women Voters will host a program on comprehensive immigration reform on Nov. 11 at the Tartan Hall in Franklin. Victoria Lyall, of America Springs Eternal, a non-profit organization working to cultivate understanding between immigrants and…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:50

Information session on ‘fixing’ N.C. 107 set for next week

Are you ready to rumble? Because here we go again: The great debate in Jackson County on whether traffic congestion along N.C. 107 in Sylva should be fixed, and if so — how — is back. Since the summer of…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:49

Waynesville to hold annual food drive

The town of Waynesville’s annual food drive, including a Nov. 5 curbside pick-up of food donated by residents, will take place during November. Hazelwood Elementary School and Junaluska Elementary School are participating in the drive. The collection by the schools…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:48

Junaluska Assembly selects new director

John “Jack” L. Ewing, Jr. has been named the new executive director of Lake Junaluska Assembly. He will begin his new duties on Jan. 1, 2011, and fills a position that is being vacated by the retirement of Rev. Jimmy…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:45

Town is slow moving on alley cleanup

In a downtown Canton alleyway, a rusty junction box juts out awkwardly from the sidewalk, long since abandoned to its purpose, while a few yards away broken bricks, orange traffic barrels and twisted lengths of caution tape lay in a…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:37

Macon campus to hold reception for Collings

A welcome reception honoring Richard Collings, Southwestern Community College’s new president, will be held Wednesday, Nov. 10, from 4-5 p.m. at the Macon Campus’ Groves Center. Collings, who was president of Wayne State College in Nebraska, became Southwestern’s fifth president…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:36

WCU Public Policy Institute launches N.C. politics blog

The Public Policy Institute at Western Carolina University has created a new blog site designed to offer a nonpartisan glimpse into the world of North Carolina politics and policy. The site, “Politics and Policy in the Tar Heel State,” features…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:35

Kathryn Magendie book release party is Nov. 6

Kathryn Magendie will celebrate the release of her new novel, Sweetie, at Blue Ridge Books at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6. Sweetie is Kat Magendie’s third novel. Her first two novels, Tender Graces and Secret Graces, tell the story…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:34

Veterans Day events

Jackson County honors veterans Southwestern Community College will honor veterans of all wars for their patriotism and willingness to serve during a Veterans Day observance at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11, in the Balsam Center Auditorium on the Jackson…
Wednesday, 03 November 2010 23:32

White Oak citizens seek well testing ahead of landfill privatization agreement

While Haywood County’s bid for privatizing the White Oak Landfill is still being considered, the site has now drawn the eye and ire of residents on its borders who fear contamination of their wells by its contents. The citizens, led…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:15

Health department offering flu vaccines

The Haywood County Health Department is offering flu vaccines on a walk-in basis, with no appointment necessary, to persons ages 19 and older. The walk-in vaccines are available from 9 a.m. to Noon Monday-Thursday and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:14

Learn how to get business financing Nov. 4

Find out what it takes to produce a bankable loan proposal in a free class at Southwestern Community College on Thursday, Nov. 4. Small Business Loans: Fundamentals & Options will be held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. in the…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:14

WCU’s criminal justice department explores the death penalty

How do you feel about the death penalty? Two upcoming events at Western Carolina University by the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice will explore the public’s opinions about this controversial issue. The first event is a presentation titled “Issues…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:13

Library’s “Puppy Tales” offers remedy for shy readers

If you’ve got a young reader who has difficulty reading to parents or teachers, the Haywood County Public Library may have a new approach to consider – reading to a friendly, non-judgemental canine. Puppy Tales, a program designed to encourage…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:12

Conservation group names new director

Michelle Wilson Price has been named the new executive director of the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance. Price grew up in the Glenville area and graduated from Blue Ridge School and has worked in the Plateau Region with the Upper Cullasaja Watershed…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:10

Whittier’s tangled web: sewer, water drama ratchets up … incrementally

One of three board members overseeing the Whittier Sanitary District resigned this month, saying he could not “in good faith” continue to serve with a group not in compliance with state law. “In addition, refusing to file the necessary Internal…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:09

Expansion nearly complete at Franklin Health and Fitness

A 4,000-square-foot, $800,000 expansion that includes a major renovation at the Franklin Health and Fitness Center will be finished in about eight weeks. “We’re wrapping it up,” said Rodney Morris, the facility’s general manager. Additions include a new aerobics room,…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:04

Ghost hunters turn attention to historic Shook House

In the clear chill of a mid-October midnight, all is quiet, but in Clyde, a hunt is on. Within the walls of the county’s oldest house, the Cold Mountain Paranormal Society is holding an investigation — in laymen’s terms, they…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:03

Sylva slips on parking ordinance; version passed not enforceable

In the “Oh, oops” category this week we have the town of Sylva, which, after extensive review, work and dispute ordered police officers this summer to begin ticketing business owners and their employees who take up precious parking spaces on…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:02

Parking, pedestrians and crosswalks, oh my

Fix a problem, create a new one. That’s how the cookie has crumbled lately in Sylva. When the town board ordered business owners and their employees to keep their cars out of coveted parking spaces on Main and Mill streets…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:02

Haywood deeds office gets e-filing

The Haywood County Register of Deeds Office took a big step toward going paperless with the debut of a new technology that electronically records land record documents submitted by attorneys, real estate agents and title companies. The process, known as…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:01

Republicans look to control state Senate

State Senate races here in the mountains could determine whether a historic shift occurs in North Carolina’s overall political landscape. Many experts are predicting that voters in North Carolina might punish Democrats and incumbents for the shaky economy. Republicans have…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 20:00

Campaign to target literacy

The Region A Partnership for Children  will kick off its annual fundraising campaign this month with a new emphasis on gaining community support for early literacy and early reading preparation.  Local contributions to this year’s Smart Start fundraising campaign will…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:59

Registration under way for kids’ recreation basketball

Haywood County Recreation & Parks Department is now accepting registration for the Kids Recreation Basketball League. Intended for ages 5-15, the recreation basketball league guarantees that each child will get the opportunity to play at least half of every game.…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:59

Early voting data doesn’t favor any party

Older voters are hitting the early polls in force this election year, according to data gathered by Western Carolina University professor Chris Cooper. In the 11th Congressional District, people choosing the early vote are “overwhelmingly white” — a whopping 96…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:58

For Queen and Hise, job creation is the primary concern

The race for the state’s 47th Senate District is a case study in the political battle of freshness versus experience that characterizes this mid-term election across the country. The race in the 47th pits 60-year-old Democrat Joe Sam Queen, a…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:57

Davis looks to seize Snow’s Senate seat; momentum favors GOP candidate

Sen. John Snow, a Democrat from Cherokee County, first won N.C. Senate District 50 by beating longtime incumbent Sen. Bob Carpenter, a Republican from Macon County, by fewer than 300 votes in 2004. Snow took over a district made up…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:56

Health services, info available through SCC

Cholesterol, glucose and vision screening, sonography ultrasound demonstrations, body fat checks, flexibility assessments, door prizes and a wide variety of demonstrations and display tables will highlight Southwestern Community College’s Health Fair Wednesday, Nov. 3. Sponsored by SCC medical assisting and…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:55

HVO opening brings new jobs to Haywood County

With the snip of a ribbon last Friday, Haywood County gained a new manufacturing facility and the promise of 75 new jobs thanks to Haywood Vocational Opportunities, who christened their new Westwood facility. The 117,000-square-foot space was once home to…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:54

Public comment period closed on Needmore

For being just 3.3 miles in length, the improve-or-don’t-improve Needmore Road debate has generated reams of comment. Try 772 signatures on a petition supporting some type of paving or resurfacing. And at least 66 written comments sent in to the…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:20

Certification underscores committment to ‘green’

Haywood Builders Supply has recently been certified by the Smartwood Program of the Rainforest Alliance for the “Forest Stewardship Council” (FSC) as a duly licensed “Chain-of-Custody provider of FSC wood products. Haywood Builders Supply is one of a small number…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:18

Should employees play on Web at work?

A workshop regarding the legalities and liabilities of employee use of social networking websites will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, in Room 143 of the Cordelia Camp Building on the campus of Western Carolina…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:17

HCC’s Myers wins recognition

Haywood Community College’s Sherri Myers was recently honored by the North Carolina Council of Officers for Resource Development with its Harriette McKinnon Crump Award.   The award is given annually to recognize the potential of members who are pursuing education…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:14

Consultant to share networking savvy

Andrew Sanderbeck will speak briefly on “Identifying your Inner Circle of Support for Your Business and Career” at the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Issues and Eggs at 8 a.m. on Nov. 1 at the Gateway Club in Waynesville.…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:13

Skating rink to open in Waynesville

The Smoky Mountain Sk8way, located next to the Waynesville Cycle Center on the Great Smoky Expressway, is scheduled to open in November. The skating rink and family entertainment center will offer public skating, birthday parties, a video arcade, ticket redemption…
Wednesday, 27 October 2010 19:11

Business notes

Anne Karner has joined the staff of Dogwood Women’s Health in Sylva as a certified midwife. Karner has worked at Harris Regional Hospital in Labor and Delivery for nearly 10 years, providing labor support for low- and high-risk obstetrical patients.…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 20:01

Swain gathers opinions on how to improve library

Bryson City’s Marianna Black Library could be getting a facelift, and library leaders are looking to patrons for a grasp on exactly how to do that. In eight public input sessions held last week, Swain County Librarian Jeff Delfield and…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:58

Women in Business address wide-ranging issues

Women in Haywood County looking to improve their business savvy can find support and inspiration from the Greater Haywood Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business seminar series, designed to educate local women and connect them to one another. The program,…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:57

Wal-Mart renovation to be scaled back

The renovation of Haywood County’s former Wal-Mart will be delayed as architects revise the project to match its budget. Scott Donald of Padgett and Freeman Architects, who are planning the renovations for the now-county-owned building, told Haywood County commissioners at…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:56

Proposal on tethering animals has some worried about future regulations

Hunters showed up en masse at a Haywood commissioners meeting to express their concerns about proposed changes to the ordinances stipulating how their dogs had to be tethered. While the revised ordinances do not include a prohibition on chaining or…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:52

Hospitals change names as part of new affiliation

Haywood Regional Medical Center, Harris Regional Hospital and Swain County Hospital have taken the next step in the affiliation that joined the three hospitals under the MedWest umbrella. The hospitals will now be known as MedWest-Haywood, MedWest-Harris and MedWest-Swain. MedWest…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:51

Learn how to profit from your hobby Oct. 26

The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a free seminar entitled “Turning your Hobby into a Business” on Tuesday, Oct. 26, from 6-8 p.m. It will be held on campus in the Student Center Building, first floor.…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:51

Swain sheriff receives federal grant

The Swain County Sheriff’s Office has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice under the 2010 COPS Hiring Program. The grant, in the amount of $125,811.00, will cover one officer position for a three-year period. The grant will…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:50

Group schedules pet registration

Haywood Animal Welfare Association is holding a Microchip Clinic, Saturday, Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Vance Street Park behind Bi-Lo in Waynesville.  For the cost of $15 the pet will be registered for life with HomeAgain.…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:49

Registration under way for kids’ basketball

Haywood County Recreation & Parks Department is now accepting registration for the 2010-11 Kids Recreation Basketball League. Designed for ages 5-15, the recreation basketball league guarantees that each child will get the opportunity to play at least half of every…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:48

Coat donations sought for Swain’s needy

The second annual “Coats 4 Folks” program in Swain County will continue through Oct. 31, and winter clothes can be dropped off at collection boxes in all county buildings. Organizers are collecting gently used coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, gloves, scarves, etc.,…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:47

Program on addiction scheduled at Junaluska

The Live and Learn program “The Genetics of Addiction” will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21, in the Gains Auditorium of the Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.  The program is designed to aid in understanding addiction. Experts…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:43

Haywood Heroes 5K to make first annual debut

The Haywood Heroes 5K Road Race and 1-mile Fun Run honoring emergency service personnel who gave their lives in the line of duty will be held Saturday, Nov. 6, in Canton. The race is sponsored by the Canton Lions Club…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:42

Sylva ‘back street’ eyed for facelift

Neglect has its advantages. At least it does if you are talking about preservation. On back street in Sylva — the proper name is Mill Street, but few use that term — many of the buildings still bear the names…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:37

Budget issues top Macon commission race

On this, the seven candidates for the Macon County Board of Commissioners agree: the problems of a dour economy, and the subsequent need to watch every dollar spent and encourage any economic growth possible, is the No. 1 responsibility facing…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:37

Jackson sheriff’s candidate’s only option — complain to sheriff

Is Mary Rock paranoid, trying to garner a sympathy vote? Or is her opponent for sheriff, incumbent Jimmy Ashe, really targeting her by destroying campaign signs? Over the past week or so, three signs — the large ones, which cost…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:35

Franklin commercial corridors facing future controls

Sam Greenwood has been around the governmental block a few times. He twice served as Macon County’s manager, and after retiring he promptly returned to the ranks of bureaucracy again, this time as the town of Franklin’s manager. So it…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:35

Flu shots offered

The Haywood County Health Department is offering flu vaccines on a walk-in basis, with no appointment necessary, to people ages 19 and older. The walk-in vaccines are available from 9 a.m. to Noon Monday-Thursday and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:32

Jackson forum allows for more candidate scrutiny ... sort of

Jackson County commissioners passed a slate of sweeping development regulations in 2007 designed to rein in what they saw as runaway development. Commissioners touted the regulations as protecting not only the environment and but also the quality of life from…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:30

Jackson commission race stands out in complexity

Ambivalence toward development, and who should pace and manage growth in a manner that preserves the natural beauty of the mountains, has surfaced as the central debate in the race for Jackson County’s Board of Commissioners. Three seats are open…
Wednesday, 20 October 2010 19:27

Judging the judges: Forums put candidates in public eye

Candidates in this year’s race for District Court judge fielded questions about the job they’re seeking to fill at a judge’s forum Oct. 14 hosted jointly by The Smoky Mountain News and the Western Carolina University Public Policy Institute. In…
Wednesday, 15 July 2009 20:04

NC residents state concerns at hearing on Rabun sewage permit

Macon County residents fearful that a proposed sewage treatment plant in Georgia will harm the Little Tennessee River turned out en masse at a public hearing last week to voice those concerns. The Little Tennessee River flows north from Rabun…
Wednesday, 15 July 2009 20:04

Change of signage overdue, according to brand’s owner

A regular guest at the Dillsboro Holiday Inn Express upset by phone and Internet outages at the hotel discovered it is no longer affiliated with the Holiday Inn corporate brand. The inn’s de-listing was confirmed by a spokeswoman for brand…
Wednesday, 15 July 2009 20:03

‘Skeleton’ of a plan

Derek Roland’s presentation about the effort to create a comprehensive planning document for Macon County suggested that a progressive document might come out of the planning process. But it was evident from the ensuing question-and-answer session [see main article] that…
Wednesday, 15 July 2009 20:01

Macon to create broad plan — again

At a forum on Macon County’s move to begin working on a comprehensive plan to address future growth, the presenter focused on the what, the how and the why. Following the talk, by new county Planner Derek Roland, audience members…
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