Lake Junaluska merger bill racks up endorsements
Elected government leaders in Haywood County have lined up behind a state bill to add Lake Junaluska to Waynesville’s town…
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Tribe gains ability to prosecute non-Indians
Proponents of domestic violence prevention are cheering following the launch of a federal law that will allow tribal courts to…
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Maggie calls on higher power to referee ridgetop cross proposal
A lofty vision to build a 220-foot cross on the mountaintop above Maggie Valley has been downwardly revised to 125…
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New Haywood animal shelter on the fast track
The Haywood County Fairgrounds is being eyed as the possible site for a new county animal shelter. The fairgrounds was…
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Franklin Main Street Program takes a break
Without much warning, the Franklin Main Street Program board of directors decided last week to suspend the program. The board…
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Elections board threatens Swain with lawsuit
“We’re not on trial here,” said Swain Commission Chairman Paul Carson. But the commissioners’ meeting room did feel more like…
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Commissioners consider designated smoking area
Haywood County commissioners aren’t convinced a designated smoking area is needed after receiving little feedback on proposed changes to the…
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Rescue squad volunteer charged with embezzlement
After allegedly depositing money meant to purchase emergency rescue equipment in a personal account, Cullowhee resident Addam Carl Holdorf, 21,…
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Aging WCU faculty points to job satisfaction, university says
When Bruce Henderson first came to Western Carolina University back in 1978, he was just happy to have a job.…
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For better or worse, a new day dawns for the embattled Haywood GOP
A new guard sewed up its takeover of the Haywood County GOP at the party’s annual convention last weekend.
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WCU bucks national trend toward more part-time hires
Western Carolina University has held steady on its rate of tenured and tenure-track professors over the last decade, keeping numbers…
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Overnight tourism spending strong in Haywood
The Haywood tourism industry is on a winning streak.
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$22.5 million construction project coming to WCU
Campus dining is headed for an upgrade at Western Carolina University, with renovation toward a new and improved Brown Building…
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Maggie residents weigh in on town center plan
Maggie Valley is attempting — for the third time — to put together a plan to improve the town’s image,…
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Tailgating zone expands at WCU
The decision to expand the tailgating area at Western Carolina University boiled down to one simple thing, the university’s attorney…
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False alarms could cost Swain residents
A proposed ordinance could cost Swain County residents money if they don’t make sure their alarm systems are working properly.
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Embroiled Haywood GOP factions to settle the score at Saturday’s convention
A long-awaited showdown in the internal power struggle for control of the Haywood County Republican Party will play out this…
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Fire tax likely for Cashiers, Highlands
A fire tax for Sylva and Cullowhee is off the table, at least for now, but Jackson County Commissioners told…
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60-unit apartment complex proposed in Franklin
The proposed development of a 60-unit apartment complex in Franklin may be another sign that the economy is recovering, slowly…
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Cigarette users about to find it harder to light up in Waynesville
“Where will the smokers go?” has been the question on many people’s mind since the town of Waynesville and Haywood…
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Forest Service backs off planning timeline
It wasn’t long before the management planning process for the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests got heated and emotional, eventually…
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Wilderness proponents flummoxed by not-in-my-back-yard mindset
A movement to create new wilderness areas in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests has met resistance in the seven…
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Evergreen clinic prepares to close
Evergreen Family Medical Center in Canton is no longer making new appointments for patients as it prepares to shutter its…
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Bill introduced to de-annex subdivision in Maggie Valley
For the second year in a row, Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville, has introduced a bill to de-annex property from Maggie…
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Cherokee adopts Baker Roll list as basis for tribal membership
Blood quantum. Even on their own, the words have a ceremonial, reverent ring to them. For Cherokee tribal members, reality…
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Welcome to the better side of the Smokies
The new Smokies superintendent got his introduction to the North Carolina side of the park amid plates of snacks and…
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New bill heads to Raleigh to join Lake J with Waynesville
The Lake Junaluska community will make a renewed bid to merge with the town of Waynesville this year, this time…
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Four arrested in connection with Sylva Halloween party
Four arrests were made yesterday (March 3) in connection with a Halloween party last fall that allegedly involved underage drinking…
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Franklin asks state for annexation exception
To accommodate potential future growth, the Franklin Board of Aldermen passed a resolution asking the North Carolina General Assembly to…
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Franklin considers allowing street banners
Larry Hollifield, owner of American Computer Repair in Franklin, has been tasked with forming a committee and coming up with…
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Haywood Chamber, Tourism Authority and Downtown Waynesville Association talk about moving in together
Waynesville’s old town hall on Main Street could be converted into a garrison for tourism, business and economic development agencies…
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Jackson grapples with fire tax question
Jackson County’s elected leaders will be have a big decision to make over the coming month: to levy a fire…
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Jackson planning board gets new leadership
With a slate of issues including steep slope development, cell phone tower construction and zoning rules for fracking facing the…
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Haywood’s old and new tax collectors settle into new roles
When Haywood County’s long-time tax collector David Francis was narrowly ousted by a younger, inexperienced opponent in last fall’s election,…
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Noise complaints could shut down animal haven
A dispute between Haywood County neighbors could result in one couple shutting down a nonprofit operation that is near and…
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Neighbors keep close eye on Nantahala
Ami Shinitzky, developer of Mystic River, understands why all eyes are on him as he works to develop lots for…
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Survey aims to prove rural Internet need to companies
When the sun sets in rural Fines Creek, the little community library gets bumping. It may be after-hours, but any…
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Jackson entrepreneur takes on the last-mile challenge of high-speed Internet in the mountains
The gap between the haves and have nots in the world of high-speed Internet will get a little smaller this…
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Haywood discusses background checks for appointees
Haywood County commissioners debated this week whether to make volunteers who serve on appointed boards and committees undergo a background…
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Franklin plans for water and sewer improvements
Engineers for the town of Franklin are recommending the town spend $15.1 million over the next 10 years to make…
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Elections embezzlement case lands on DA’s desk
It could be just a matter of months before District Attorney Ashley Welch decides whether to press charges in a…
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Burned at auctions, Haywood retools how it recoups back taxes
When Haywood County gets stiffed on property taxes, it carries a big stick of last resort: the foreclosure. But since…
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Opinions sought on redevelopment plan for abandoned factory
A draft plan to revamp the old Drexel furniture factory property in Whittier into an agricultural center will be presented…
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Lawyers involved in Sylva’s bar noise dispute
Attorneys for the Town of Sylva and No Name Sports Pub are busy trying to hash out the legal road…
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University says county development ordinance shouldn’t apply
County and university officials had a sit-down last week over the question of whether Western Carolina University should fall under…
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Canton moves forward with expanded Labor Day
Canton has decided not to spend upwards of $60,000 to bring in a nationally known headlining music act for Labor…
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Hydropower plant proposed in Highlands
The town of Highlands may not be interested in investing millions to rebuild a hydropower plant along the Cullasaja River,…
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Haywood tourism authority to hire new position
The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority plans to grow its staff to five as it dives into reviewing applications for…
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Tribal Council approves $10 million for new tech, organizational overhaul
Scanty wireless networks, outdated computer equipment, slow servers — technological woes have been a centerpiece of discussion at Cherokee Tribal…
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Higher ed a solid investment, study shows
Higher education in North Carolina got some good news with the release of an economic impact study last week, which…
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