Republican candidates deliberate Macon’s future
Even though all five of the candidates running for two open seats in the Macon County commissioner primary are Republicans,…
Read More
Haywood candidates come up empty on fresh ideas for economic development
Candidates for Haywood County commissioner all agreed economic development is one of the top issues facing the county during an…
Read More
Prepare to show photo ID at the polls
New voter identification laws are in effect for the 2016 elections, meaning voters should be prepared to show a valid…
Read More
Free meal program going well at WNC schools
Half a year after launching a program that makes breakfast and lunch free for every child in school, the financials…
Read More
Waynesville begins mobile vending discussions
The debate over when, where and how mobile vendors should be allowed to operate within the town limits has now…
Read More
Haywood OKs outdoor shooting range moratorium
A moratorium on commercial outdoor shooting ranges took effect in Haywood County this week, temporarily halting any new shooting ranges…
Read More
Swain County partnering with charter school for new gym
With the help of Swain County commissioners, Mountain Discovery Charter School is about to begin a capital campaign to build…
Read More
Former church leader investigated for sexual misconduct
Rev. Howard “Howdie” White, former rector of the Episcopal Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville, is being investigated in…
Read More
Sylva sets sights on revitalized Scotts Creek
Running through the hearts of Dillsboro and Sylva on its tumble down from Balsam, Scotts Creek has star potential. It…
Read More
Haywood commissioners question whether scattergun economic development approach is working
A freewheeling discussion on how to create more jobs stumped Haywood County commissioners last week as they pondered what else…
Read More
Democrat candidates for commissioner weigh in on Swain issues
Five Swain County Democrats are heading for the March 15 primary election in hopes of securing a seat on the…
Read More
Four elk dead in Jonathan Creek
After three elk were shot on the Ross dairy farm in Jonathan Creek for eating winter wheat, a follow-up visit…
Read More
Wildlife Commission OKs elk hunting rules
Elk hunting could be on the way to becoming legal in North Carolina following the N.C. Wildlife Resource’s Commission unanimous…
Read More
Sky’s the limit: Drone operators on front lines of an exciting new industry
Everyone enjoys the ground-level Western North Carolina views, but drones provide a whole new perspective on things. SEE ALSO:• Drone technology…
Read More
Contractor walks away from $15.9 million road contract
Construction on the 0.7-mile connector road through Southwestern Community College has come to a halt after the contractor working on…
Read More
Arrest made in Lake Junaluska home invasion
A man accused of breaking into an occupied home at Lake Junaluska a week ago was arrested Monday night after…
Read More
Drone operators navigate strict laws
Drone operators have found that navigating the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulations is more complicated than navigating their unmanned aircrafts.
Read More
Drone technology presents opportunities and challenges
Though it can make certain aspects of life easier, technology often has unintended consequences.
Read More
The Panthers’ role in a cathode ray tube crisis
In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, avid Panthers’ fan David Francis came up with a novel approach…
Read More
Cherokee shoots down U.S. motto display
Since launching the U.S. Motto Action Committee, Rick Lanier has gotten his pitch to government leaders pretty well dialed in.…
Read More
Fired WCU worker will return to work
While most people are mourning the coming of another Monday, Rob Russell will be rejoicing as he returns to his…
Read More
SCC, DOT and road contractor debate who should fix damage to campus building
A three-way finger-pointing contest over cracks in Southwestern Community College’s biggest building — and their relation to construction work on…
Read More
Homeless shelter gets $15,000 from Jackson commissioners
A $15,000 contribution from Jackson County Commissioners will ensure that housing for the county’s homeless continues through the winter.
Read More
Blue-ribbon committee seeks balance in push-and-pull over Koch-funded center at WCU
Fears that a controversial economics policy center coming to Western Carolina University will be a vehicle to advance conservative, laissez-faire…
Read More
Conditions improving at Sequoyah golf course
The new management at Sequoyah National Golf Club in Cherokee had hoped to start turning a profit within a year…
Read More
SCC master plan calls for $34 million of construction in Jackson, Swain
What’s the best way to spend $55 million? As far as the leadership at Southwestern Community College is concerned, the…
Read More
Franklin town board plans for 2016 projects
With a few fresh faces, the Franklin Board of Aldermen met last Saturday morning to make plans and set priorities…
Read More
Steam engine project still on track
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad officials say they will make their deadline for getting a steam engine back up and running…
Read More
Tempers flare over idea of renaming Waynesville thoroughfare for MLK
Members of the African American community in Waynesville hope to rename a major street for Martin Luther King Jr., not…
Read More
Tourism board contemplates firing web manager
Every month, the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority shells out $2,650 to keep its website updated, get it to show…
Read More
Haywood mulls rules on outdoor shooting ranges
Outdoor shooting ranges could soon be under the microscope in Haywood County.
Read More
Deputies intervene during tense moment at shooting range hearing
A public hearing on an outdoor shooting range moratorium in Haywood County got off to a dicey start this week.
Read More
Central on the chopping block: who’s to blame?
Central Elementary School has become a rallying cry for advocates of public education across the state.
Read More
Central supporters appeal for solution instead of closing
Many of the speakers at a public hearing on whether to close Central Elementary School in Waynesville urged Haywood County…
Read More
The ingredients of the good life
Ricardo Fernandez is a renowned chef, master gardener and also a former national diving champion, but there’s one thing he…
Read More
Interim manager starts work in Waynesville
The new interim town manager of Waynesville has pledged to sustain the town’s momentum and not let it idle or…
Read More
From the heart: Parents, teachers and students plead to save Central Elementary from closing
Around 300 supporters of Central Elementary School in Waynesville packed into the school cafeteria Wednesday evening and made a heart-wrenching…
Read More
Gallery: ‘Save Our School’ crowd marches in support of Central Elementary
Waynesville’s youngest public demonstrators — along with their parents and teachers — took to the streets last week to show…
Read More
This must be the place
It’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Suicide. The one societal topic that makes everyone squirm, conjuring traumatic memories as…
Read More
Saturday school on tap for Haywood County kids
Haywood County Schools have pulled the trigger on Saturday school, announcing that this Saturday (Jan. 30) will be a snow make-up…
Read More
WCU faculty members discuss Koch funds
Western Carolina University Chancellor David Belcher had a heart-to-heart with university faculty last week about the controversy over a politically…
Read More
Waynesville institution to close its doors after three generations, 88 years
A devoted customer stood at the counter at Walker Service chatting with Clayton Cathey before picking up his truck for…
Read More
Democrats scramble to recruit candidates for Haywood commissioner contest
The ballot for Haywood County commissioner could be a sparse one based on rumblings of who’s running — and more…
Read More
Haywood primary offers platter of party positions
The race for Haywood County commissioner has begun to take shape with the candidate sign-up period now officially underway, with…
Read More
Harris brings OB doctors under one umbrella
Harris Regional Hospital is a powerhouse when it comes to delivering babies in the mountains, a legacy it has pledged…
Read More
Major renovation planned for Harris’ New Generations Birthing Center
A $5.5 million renovation and expansion of the New Generations Family Birthing Center at Harris Regional Hospital will soon be…
Read More
Restoring unity important, say Waynesville leaders
Waynesville leaders made a pact last week to work cooperatively in choosing a new town manager, despite the rift among…
Read More
Haywood to consider moratorium on outdoor shooting ranges
Backlash from rural residents in Haywood County who fear an indoor shooting range proposed in their midst will disrupt their…
Read More
From worst-case scenario to sinking reality: the evolution of closing a school
The potential closing of Central Elementary School in Waynesville due to a massive, sudden budget shortfall for Haywood County Schools…
Read More
Overbuilt? School consolidation targets Central Elementary as collateral damage
A feasibility report on the potential closure of Central Elementary School in Waynesville was released by Haywood County Schools last…
Read More
