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Wednesday, 14 April 2010 17:37

Swain commissioner candidates

Democratic candidates, pick four Steve Moon, 59, owner of a tire shop, incumbent Moon is finishing up his first term as commissioner and has served on the school board for six years. Moon said he’d like to be re-elected to…
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 17:37

Fiscal responsibility resounding theme in Macon election

This year in Macon County, three seats on the board are up for election. Each commissioner represents a geographic district in the county, although all voters get to vote for all seats. Once the board is elected, the sitting members…
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 17:37

Haywood commissioner candidates

Democrat candidates, pick three Raymond L. Brooks, 59, owner of trucking company Brooks has worked with citizens for more than 30 years as a preacher at Waynesville’s Bible Baptist Church. He wants to reduce the county debt and be more…
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 17:37

Cherokee casino renovation halfway home

Last week, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians celebrated the topping off of their new 21-story hotel tower, the centerpiece of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino’s $633 million expansion. “This, for us, is a game-changer,” said Harrah’s Cherokee General Manager Darold Londo.…
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 17:37

Oversight of mental health foundation called into question

Western North Carolina’s mental health agency may be headed for a civil war with its partner foundation. Smoky Mountain Center, a quasi-state body that oversees mental health in the region, hopes to wrest $20 million in assets away from its…
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 17:37

Swain and Graham strike deal over ambulance service to motorcycle Mecca

Swain County is nearing the end of an ongoing saga with neighboring Graham County over who will provide emergency services to Deal’s Gap. The sparring counties reached a tentative agreement last week pending approval by both boards. According to the…
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 17:37

Swain candidates address task of pulling county out of the red

Nine Democrats and four Republicans have set their sights on four open commissioner seats in Swain County. A primary on May 4 will decide which four Democrats will advance to the November election. All four Republicans will automatically advance, along…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

A tale of two sports at new Jonathan Creek Park

It’s not often that soccer players go head-to-head with softball and baseball athletes. But whenever Haywood County decides to build a new recreation park, they may do just that. A competitive spirit creeps from the field into public meetings, as…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

A knack for helping others

With a long trail of accomplishments already behind him, Tony Giorgio is ready to work his magic on Western North Carolina. In the nearly three decades of work, Giorgio’s charity Compassion for Kids has raised $1.5 million for 2,000 seriously…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Friedman aims to take ‘green’ thinking to Raleigh

Avram Friedman is not your average North Carolina political candidate. Born in the Bronx, Friedman studied political science at Hunter College, and he’s been a grassroots activist since the late 1960s. After spending his life affecting change from outside the…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

TWASA looks for long-term solution on orphan sewer lines

Last month, officials from the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority and the Town of Sylva clashed over who was responsible for fixing a clogged town sewer line. The issue has since been resolved, with TWASA’s board voting 4-1 to reimburse…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Smoky Mountain Center privatizes services

Smoky Mountain Center, the mental health management entity for Western North Carolina, has finally gotten itself out of the game of providing services. The suite of programs known as Smoky Operated Services would be handed over to a partnership forged…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Jackson ridge law review off the table

The Jackson County planning board is no longer contemplating revisions to the county’s ban on ridge top construction. The ridge law posed logistical challenges for county staff tasked with enforcing the ordinance. But discussion over how to tweak the ridge…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Residents challenge price tag of new DSS building in Haywood

A handful of Haywood County residents are demanding a vote by the people before county leaders proceed with purchasing the abandoned Wal-Mart building. The request comes despite the county commissioners’ unanimous vote in January to buy the shopping center to…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

GOP contenders

There are six Republicans vying for a shot to run against Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, this year. The six Republican candidates share similar platforms on all the salient talking points: they are against the health care bill that passed, they…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

GOP hopes voter anger will help beat Shuler

Republicans hope 2010 will be their year to reclaim the congressional seat representing Western North Carolina — a seat they had long held but was wrested away in 2006 by political newcomer and football star Heath Shuler. Whoever wins the…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Malicious prosecution lawsuit dismissed

A malicious prosecution lawsuit by a woman accused of misappropriating flood relief donations was dismissed by a federal judge last week. Denise Mathis, former director of the Haywood County Council on Aging, claims she was wrongly accused of mismanaging the…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Design under way for old Wal-Mart renovations

The deserted Wal-Mart near Clyde will be hardly recognizable once Haywood County is through with its makeover of the megastore. Sunlight will stream in through 30 skylights scattered across the low-slung ceiling of the former big-box store. A new metal…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Live dealer conversation stalled in courts

After years of a stalemate with the state over live dealers at Harrah’s Casino, the election of Gov. Beverly Perdue signaled new hope for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians that an agreement finally could be reached. Perdue had signaled…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

The case for soccer

Soccer coach Nathan Trout recalled, with a tinge of jealousy, the four “unbelievable” sports parks in his Florida hometown, including six soccer fields. “It’s almost embarrassing for the community to not have nice facilities for their kids,” said Trout. “I’m…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

EPA ozone standards

Limit prior to 2008: .08 parts per million New limit set in 2008: .075 parts per million New limit pending in 2010: Between .06 and .07 parts per million How WNC stacks up Ozone levels have improved gradually in WNC…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Duke faces yet another hurdle on substation

A coalition of Cherokee and Swain County residents have stepped up the pressure on a proposed Duke Energy substation in the vicinity of the sacred Cherokee mothertown, Kituwah. Last week, a coalition of more than a dozen people filed a…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

Haire seeks re-election in N.C. 119 race

N.C. House District 119 represents Jackson, Swain and portions of Haywood and Macon counties. In the Democratic primary, incumbent Phil Haire faces challenger Avram Friedman. The winner will face Republican candidate Dodie Allen of Jackson County in the November election.…
Wednesday, 07 April 2010 17:37

The case for ball and bat

Like many of the stakeholders in the argument, county commission chairman Kirk Kirkpatrick wishes the county could build enough fields for both sports. He played baseball in college, and his daughter is currently a soccer player. But if he has…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Debate over Duke power lines shifts to second front

Imagine buying an idyllic piece of land in the mountains only to learn you’ll be living under a giant, humming transmission line the size of a 12-story building. That’s what happened to Swain County residents Paul Wolf and Jennifer Simon.…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Haywood challenger emerges as top vote-getter

With the county budget on everyone’s mind, two Haywood commissioners received a vote of confidence on the job they’ve done despite a staggering recession. Chairman Kirk Kirkpatrick and Commissioner Bill Upton both sailed through the Democratic primary with comfortable margins.…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Shelton beats Brown in Jackson primary

Incumbent William Shelton beat challenger James Bo Brown by almost a two-to-one margin to win the Democratic spot on the November ballot for the Whittier/Dillsboro district seat. The race was the only one of three county commissioners seats up for…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Crowded judge field narrowed

District Court judge candidates who made it past the primary hope the race will become more digestible to voters now that the field has been narrowed down. Three judge seats are up for election in what is considered a watershed…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Neighbors draw the line over latest rock quarry expansion

A grassroots effort to halt a mine expansion in west Waynesville jumped its first hurdle last week. Citizens have convinced a state environmental agency that there’s enough community interest over the rock quarry expansion to hold a formal public hearing…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Queen to face new challenger

After three straight match-ups with the same Republican challenger, Sen. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, will face a new opponent on the Republican side of the ticket this year. Ralph Hise, the mayor of Spruce Pine, narrowly beat out two other…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Peace for the World’s Children: 2010 Lake Junaluska Peace Conference

Join children’s advocates from across the United States at the third annual Lake Junaluska Peace Conference September 18-21, 2010, as we seek to create “Peace for the World’s Children.” With keynote speakers and leaders such as Marian Wright Edelman and…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Lake Logan dredging could reduce flood danger

Removing sediment from Lake Logan would not only benefit its owner, Evergreen Packaging, it could potentially save homes and businesses from flooding, according to a study that was recently completed by McGill Associates. “If we’re successful, we could lower the…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

No Wal-Mart for Cherokee

Wal-Mart will not build a new Supercenter in Cherokee. After months of speculation that the deal between the tribe and the mega-retailer had fallen through, a company spokesperson confirmed the news this week. “We decided not to move ahead with…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Ashe holds on in Democratic primary

Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe proved he could survive a tough race during the Democratic primary, defeating challenger Robin Gunnels by nearly 700 votes on the unofficial count. Ashe may have another tough race in November, but on Tuesday night…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Sylva cleans up town one property at a time

For the past year or so, Sylva Mayor Maurice Moody has been focused on cleaning up his town. “We’ve been talking about it for a long time, and in the last year we’ve made significant progress,” Moody said. The city’s…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Cochran hammers Dover in sheriff race

Despite widespread criticism of the job he’s done, Swain Sheriff Curtis Cochran proved unstoppable in this year’s Republican primary. Cochran buried opponent Wayne Dover in a landslide with more than 77 percent of the vote. In November, Cochran will go…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Republicans suit up for race against Shuler

Republicans faced a major decision in the primary election: who is the best man to go head to head with Congressman Heath Shuler come fall? The two front-runners going into election day came from opposite sides of the conservative spectrum:…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Macon primary shows strength of incumbents

Going into the primary elections in Macon County, every candidate stressed the need for a fiscally conservative mindset as the county continues to contend with declining revenues. With little to separate the candidates’ platforms, it seemed like a foregone conclusion…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Low voter turnout in primary elections

Mid-term election primaries are normally characterized by poor voter turnout, and that held true this year as only 14 percent of the state’s voters made it to the polls. In Western North Carolina, the percentages were higher than the state…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

$7 million investment rescues Ghost Town from bankruptcy

Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley will emerge from bankruptcy under a new corporate structure. One of the current owners has agreed to put up $7 million to buy the park. It’s not nearly enough to…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Ghost Town liability insurance lapsed prior to Feb. 5 mudslide

Ghost Town in the Sky failed to make timely payments on its liability insurance policy, and as a result it lapsed just days before a massive mudslide originating from the theme park wreaked havoc on the mountainside below. Now, property…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Friedman fails to give Haire a green scare

Phil Haire is a fortress as a state candidate. The seven-time incumbent is head of the General Assembly’s appropriations committee, and he’s been endorsed by every kind of voters group from realtors to the Sierra Club. On Tuesday night, he…
Wednesday, 05 May 2010 15:14

Retired superintendent, former commissioner join Democratic incumbents in Swain

Though both commissioner candidates running for re-election in Swain County have safely landed a spot in November’s election, a newcomer earned the top spot in Tuesday’s primary. With only four commissioner seats up for election, all four Republican candidates automatically…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

Welsh TV crew visits Cherokee

Iolo Williams is one of the Wales’ most recognized TV personalities. “Wildlife” Williams, as he is known by some fans, or “Birdman” as he is known by others, revolutionized BBC nature shows by bringing heady ecology together with rugged good…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

Quest for cost savings leads Haywood to outsource trash and recycling

Faced with a tall and growing stack of bills in the solid waste department, Haywood County commissioners are seriously considering offloading part of county trash and recycling operations to private companies. Whether it’s the $4.5 million spent to expand the…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

Cecil Groves leaves SCC with a legacy of regional growth

In 1970, Cecil Groves was the 30-year-old provost of Delgado College. The city of New Orleans was on fire, rent apart by the legacy of former President Lyndon Johnson’s policy of desegregation, and Groves was trying to guide his little…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

Ghost Town saga reaches deeper into WNC

Western North Carolina is a patchwork of small communities, close-knit groups operating independently to make their own town or area thrive. Whether it’s in the Nantahala Gorge, up the plateau in Cashiers or in downtown Canton, there are real people…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

Ghost Town owner Harper daunted but not deterred

As Al Harper watched the national recession undermine ticket sales at Ghost Town amusement park over the past two years, he faced a tough choice: pump more money into the faltering theme park or throw in the towel? Walking away…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

Maggie slide victims still living in limbo

More than three months have come and gone since a major mudslide crashed through Maggie Valley’s Rich Cove community, and slide victims are still wondering when a cleanup will finally begin. Their properties are not much better off since the…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

Tribe plans to expand gambling reach

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians plans to build a Class II gaming facility in Cherokee County, but the project will not move forward without a fight. Earlier this year, the Tribal Council approved the concept of a satellite gaming…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

HCC building feud persists unresolved

Haywood Community College leaders have chipped away more than $430,000 worth of features from its proposed creative arts building, but the project’s $10.3 million price tag continues to leave county commissioners cringing. The Haywood County commissioners gave the college the…
Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:18

Haywood commissioners balk at state plan for secondary roads

Counties usually have no choice but to accept unfunded mandates from the state, but this time, Haywood County commissioners are pushing back. For the second time in recent years, legislation has been introduced in the state that would pass on…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

New vote totals mean no runoff for Queen’s Republican challenger

An election night glitch in McDowell County led to some votes being counted two or even three times instead of just once, skewing the results in the Republican primary for a state Senate seat spanning six mountain counties, including Haywood.…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Farmers markets welcome the growing season

While the summer bounty of tomatoes, corn and green beans are still a couple of months away, there is still plenty of local grown food items to be found as local farmers markets gear up for the season. Markets are…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Top two in Swain sheriff primary headed for a rematch

Candidate Mitchell Jenkins decided last week to revive arguably the most heated race in Swain County for one more round. After coming in second in the Democratic primary for sheriff, Jenkins has called for a runoff against top vote-getter John…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Sylva cardboard box venture collapses

Stonewall Packaging, a cardboard plant in Sylva, laid off 43 workers last week and shut down operations after coming on line just a few months earlier. Stonewall Packaging was a venture of Jackson Paper, also a cardboard plant in Sylva,…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Bear gets put down after close encounter with Smokies visitor

A visitor in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park got nipped on the foot by a bear after getting too close last week. The visitor was on a high-traffic foot path at the entrance to the park right outside Gatlinburg,…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Cherokee enrollment quandary leads to talk of DNA testing

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is talking about moving to DNA testing as a way of verifying the blood requirement to be enrolled as a tribal member. The tribe’s latest quandaries over its enrollment audit have led Principal Chief…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Haywood commissioners take heat for planned overhaul of trash and recycling

Haywood County commissioners are fighting opposition on all fronts after a county task force recently recommended major changes to trash and recycling operations. The central debate is revolving around a proposal that would privatize a portion of the county’s trash…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Proposed road calls for bridge over N.C. 107 in Jackson

A new road that would traverse the campus of Southwestern Community College and provide a new link between two of Jackson County’s major roads is in the final planning stages. The proposed two-lane road is designed to alleviate congestion and…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

The EBCI enrollment audit at a glance

What is the enrollment audit? A review of the nearly 14,000 people on the tribe’s roll to determine whether they qualify as being Cherokee. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians requires members to be one-quarter Cherokee by blood and to…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

New owners take long view on Balsam Mountain Preserve

As one development after another began to bite the dust two years ago, lenders who had bankrolled the mountain building spree in its heyday fretted nervously. The demand for high-priced lots had evaporated into thin air. Banks reluctantly foreclosed, resigned…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Grant propels Waynesville skate park, but the price tag is still daunting

Ten-year-old Waynesville resident Zeb Powell has exclusive, 24-7 access to a skate park in town — it’s in his driveway. Powell got hold of a half-pipe, rails and multiple ramps when the indoor BP Skate Park closed down last fall.…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Jackson County rides out budget storm unscathed

Jackson County Manager Ken Westmoreland said he would deliver a balanced budget with no cuts to services or staff and that is exactly what he did on Monday night. While neighboring counties are taking drastic measures to offset budget shortfalls…
Wednesday, 19 May 2010 13:19

Plans in hand, but money isn’t for Haywood park

$6,342,044. That’s approximately how much money needs to be raised before Haywood County residents can expect to see a recreation park built in Jonathan Creek. With the recession retaining its stranglehold on the nation, county commissioners aren’t contributing a single…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

America’s Favorite Journey

The Blue Ridge Parkway unravels gracefully across the landscape, at times suspended from high cliffs and etched into rocky crags, then deftly shifting gears to skim over hayfields and past log cabins bound by split-rail fences. The road seems unfazed…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

Graham to vacate spot on Sylva board, but not until casting vote for next year’s budget

Sylva Commissioner Sarah Graham will step down from the town board at the end of June because her family has decided to move outside town limits. Graham said she and husband, Bill, had been looking at homes that offered more…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

Friends of Jackson library finish fundraising miracle with help from federal stimulus money

The Friends of the Jackson County Main Library have completed their remarkable effort to raise $1.6 million to outfit the interior of the new library under construction on courthouse hill in Sylva. The Friends announced this week that a $200,000…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

Downtown Waynesville entertainment venture wins state grant

A downtown Waynesville project that would put a live entertainment venue, a microbrewery and a pizza restaurant together in the old Strand Theater on Main Street has been awarded a $300,000 grant. Gov. Beverly Perdue will visit Waynesville this Friday…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

The tribe’s audit is bound to cause bitterness

How do you kick out a member of a Native American tribe? The Eastern Band of Cherokee is about to find out, and there’s no way it’s going down without some bitterness and fighting. The EBCI is almost finished with…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

Engineers still honing plan to stabilize remnants of Maggie landslide

Once repair work is complete, a precarious Maggie Valley mountainside destabilized by a major mudslide will be returned to its natural state. The hard part will be getting to that point. Last Wednesday, anxious residents downslope of the slide along…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

Angel Medical, Mission consider partnership

Angel Medical Center in Franklin may soon come under the wing of Mission Hospital in Asheville. Smaller, rural hospitals are increasingly forging partnerships with larger hospitals as it becomes tougher financially to go it alone. Angel’s 15-member hospital board unanimously…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

Sylva parking shortage in the eye of the beholder

A parking study of downtown Sylva conducted by a Western Carolina University graduate student has gotten local merchants talking and left the town board facing a puzzle. For years downtown merchants have complained that the lack of available parking for…
Wednesday, 26 May 2010 12:34

County cuts to recreation saddle towns with added costs

In the eyes of Canton’s town leaders, the status quo in recreation funding just isn’t cutting it. For years, the town of Canton has had to maintain an aging public pool and has struggled to obtain stadium lighting to allow…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 20:24

HCC Low-Impact Development fast track

A Low Impact Development FastTrack Certification will be held at Haywood Community College on Wednesday, Sept. 15 through Friday, Sept. 17. The course will give an overview of low-impact development from a holistic perspective and covers design, planning, implementation and…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 20:22

Program aims to get local produce into Jackson cafeterias

A workshop on bringing local farm produce into the schools will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at Shelton Family Farms in Jackson County. Participants will learn how to integrate school gardens, farm field trips,…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 20:14

Decoration Day authors offer presentation

Alan Jabbour and Karen Singer Jabbour, authors of Decoration Day in the Mountains: Traditions of Cemetery Decoration in the Southern Appalachians, will appear at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 7, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Decoration Day…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:55

Stiles to lead workshop in intercultural communication

A two hour workshop in Intercultural Communication will be taught by John Stiles, a Jackson County native who is the U.S. Director of International Relations and Development for Hannam University in Daejong, South Korea. The workshops will be held from…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:37

Dress code sends the right message to adolescents

A debate about how adolescents — and even pre-adolescents — dress these days is a topic that covers a lot of ground, ranging from self-expression to familial relationships. One thing, though, still holds true — public schools should use whatever…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:15

Unaffiliated candidates denied access to party voters

With more unaffiliated candidates running for office this year, political party leaders are torn over whether to open their doors to those who won’t declare party affiliation as either Democrat or Republican. In Jackson County, three unaffiliated candidates will be…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:15

Expert discusses court’s impact on Constitution

Robert A. Levy, a nationally known expert in the field of constitutional studies, will deliver a talk titled “How the Supreme Court has amended the Constitution” at Western Carolina University. The free presentation will take place 3:35 p.m. Tuesday, Sept.…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:13

Indian health and healing lecture at WCU

Eduardo Duran, a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with the legacy of historical trauma and Native American healing, will visit Western Carolina University to deliver the Biannual Public Lecture on Indian Health The lecture, “Healing the Soul Wound,” will…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:10

Intriguing religion classes offered at SCC

Everything from the authors of the Bible to religious extremism will be covered in two upcoming courses at Southwestern Community College. “Who Wrote the Bible,” held 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays from Sept. 7 to Oct. 26 at the Jackson…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:09

Help with weight loss is here

Are you battling the bulge or want to lose a few extra pounds before the holidays arrive? Take advantage of an eight-week weight management program in Waynesville or learn how to cook healthy meals in Sylva. • The Cook Smart,…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:02

Proposal to pave, widen Needmore Road met with skepticism

A state proposal to widen and pave a gravel road that runs alongside the Little Tennessee River and near the protected 4,400-acre Needmore Tract is being greeted with caution by conservationists. “It is a very important stretch of river,” said…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 19:00

Joint venture paying off for hospital group

The hospitals in Haywood, Jackson and Swain Counties can boost their bottom line by $15 million a year under their new joint venture, according to a major analysis of hospital operations conducted over the past six months. Saving money was…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:58

North Shore memorial in Swain needs input

Public input is being sought for a memorial dedicated to the North Shore families in Swain County who had their land taken in the 1940s during the creation of Lake Fontana. A design meeting will take place from 9 a.m.…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:57

Vision for Appalachian Women’s Museum stalled

A long-range plan to create a museum highlighting the role and contribution of Appalachian women might be in limbo. The Dillsboro town board last month informed representatives of the Appalachian Women’s Museum — which wants to renovate and turn the…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:55

Overrun by demand, Community Table needs help with move to bigger building

The blue-plate special fundraiser is a tradition in Sylva. On the last Wednesday of each month, Jackson County residents sit down to lunches served on battered wooden tables at the soup kitchen and eat food donated by local restaurants. The…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:55

Wong trial testimony to follow jury selection

Court testimony could start this week in the case of a Florida man who gunned down state Trooper Shawn Blanton more than two years ago in what should have been a routine traffic stop. Blanton was killed June 17, 2008,…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:53

Cherokee stands together to cope with loss of fallen trooper

Charlotte Littlejohn has spent much of her morning in a bustling kitchen preparing traditional frybread. Next to her, Donavon Crowe is stirring an enormous pot of chili. Crowe says he’s probably made six gallons of it already. Littlejohn and Crowe…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:52

SCC eyed for federal law enforcement training

Four donated modular units should help ease a space crunch at the Public Safety Training Center in Macon County, but the fix could be short-lived. The training center, run by Southwestern Community College, might soon become one of a handful…
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 18:51

Waynesville debates which special events merit street closings

Waynesville’s town board is drawing the line at 14 Main Street closings annually. As a result, the town has rejected a request to shut down part of Main Street to traffic for a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony. The group organizing…
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 15:28

Swain leaders take back raise amidst quagmire over policy

After violating their own policy, Swain County commissioners convened a special meeting Wednesday (June 23) for a do-over on a vote that gave Health Director Linda White a $15,000 raise. In the process, the board’s previous 3-2 vote to grant…
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 15:21

Memorial garden marks a lasting love

With the single-mindedness of Ahab and the devotion of a wounded heart, Phil Schmidt is building a monument for his wife. “If I didn’t have this to do, I don’t know what I would do,” Schmidt said. The Martha Jean…
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 15:20

Who’s visiting the Smokies?

While conducting a research study a few years ago, tourism official David Huskins came across an Atlanta resident who thought the Blue Ridge Parkway meandered its way through Kentucky. Another focus group participant said all he knew about the Smokies…
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 15:15

Home Depot site for sale — for $4 million

Home Depot is still trying to unload a 12-acre tract in Waynesville after sidelining plans for its first store west of Asheville a year and a half ago due to the economy. Home Depot had been asking $4 million for…
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 15:14

One-legged soccer coach inspires young players

At 9 years old, Italian Joseph Di Lillo lost his leg as a civilian casualty in World War II. He felt he no longer fit in at home or school. After months of self loathing, Di Lillo ran away and…
Wednesday, 30 June 2010 15:12

WNC tourism trends

Motorcyclists Maggie Valley business owners have seen an uptick in motorcycle enthusiasts with the opening of the Wheels through Time Museum. Brenda O’Keefe, owner of Joey’s Pancake House, says many more motorcyclists are rushing to the Smokies to ride the…
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