WNC shale gas study cancelled
 

WNC shale gas study cancelled

Western North Carolina is no longer on State Geologist Ken Taylor’s schedule for this fall’s tour de hydrocarbons in North…
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Fracking opponents prepare for battle
 

Fracking opponents prepare for battle

It was back to school for a group of staunch fracking opponents on Friday, Sept. 5. The corner conference room…
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District Attorney race: No rest for the weary
 

District Attorney race: No rest for the weary

Few put as much thought into their to-go morning coffee as Jim Moore. Most of us grab whatever’s on the…
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Pisgah Inn contract renewed
 

Pisgah Inn contract renewed

Bruce O’Connell was pretty surprised to see Blue Ridge Parkway Superintendent Mark Woods appear at his door Sept. 8. The…
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Interim CEO of Haywood Regional Medical Center shares take-away impression after first few weeks
 

Interim CEO of Haywood Regional Medical Center shares take-away impression after first few weeks

It hasn’t take long for the interim CEO of Haywood Regional Medical Center to pick up on the hospital’s biggest…
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Cash mobs Sylva
 

Cash mobs Sylva

More than 100 shoppers flocked to downtown Sylva on Sept. 5, dollars in hand, to flood the fire-damaged district with…
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Haywood candidates take sides on emergency management ordinance
 

Haywood candidates take sides on emergency management ordinance

Six candidates are vying for three seats in the Haywood County commissioners race. They fall in two tidy camps when…
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Sylva extends reach, approves ETJ expansion
 

Sylva extends reach, approves ETJ expansion

In an effort to assure aesthetic uniformity beyond town borders, Sylva’s commissioners have begun expanding the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. The…
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Clash of the titans: The race for Jackson’s big chair
 

Clash of the titans: The race for Jackson’s big chair

This year’s race for Jackson County commissioner chairman is a rematch between two familiar figures. Each have claimed the title…
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New HCC complex to offer a gamut of response training
 

New HCC complex to offer a gamut of response training

A $4 million public safety facility will be constructed at Haywood Community College over the next two years, providing police,…
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Fracking panel draws crowd in Franklin
 

Fracking panel draws crowd in Franklin

A walk through the parking lot was all that was necessary to see that a diverse crowd had gathered to…
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U.S. House candidates square off at WCU
 

U.S. House candidates square off at WCU

Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, went head-to-head with Tom Hill, D-Zirconia, his challenger for the 11th District Congressional seat, in a…
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Cherokee wants Franklin leaders to turn over historic site
 

Cherokee wants Franklin leaders to turn over historic site

Cherokee leaders have formally asked the town of Franklin to turn over Nikwasi Mound, the latest turn of events in…
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Rooted in history, growing into the future: Dillsboro celebrates its past while working toward a better future
 

Rooted in history, growing into the future: Dillsboro celebrates its past while working toward a better future

Dillsboro sits at the crossroads of U.S. 441 and N.C. 23. Nestled between the past and future, it is a…
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Sylva ETJ public hearing tomorrow
 

Sylva ETJ public hearing tomorrow

Sylva commissioners will hold a public hearing tomorrow, Sept. 4, on expanding its extraterritorial jurisdiction, or ETJ. An expanded ETJ…
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Date set for prison renovation weekend
 

Date set for prison renovation weekend

After winning a nationwide voting contest to land a $50,000 prize, Haywood Pathways Center is looking for volunteers to pitch…
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Celebration of women in Methodism at Lake J
 

Celebration of women in Methodism at Lake J

A Celebration of Women in Methodism will begin at the World Methodist Museum at 3:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at…
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Macon alters ball field plans to avoid Cherokee gravesite
 

Macon alters ball field plans to avoid Cherokee gravesite

The Parker Meadows project is taking a slight turn after the discovery of a Cherokee gravesite launched a series of…
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Shakeup on Main Street: Franklin aims for Main Street Program makeover
 

Shakeup on Main Street: Franklin aims for Main Street Program makeover

The Franklin Main Street Program has been soaking up some criticism lately, and the issues came to a head at…
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What’s in a name? Town pride muddies selection of new Haywood tourism logo
 

What’s in a name? Town pride muddies selection of new Haywood tourism logo

In a never-ending quest to lure tourists to Haywood County, the county tourism agency has once again changed the logo…
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Amid controversy, Canton changes alcohol ordinances
 

Amid controversy, Canton changes alcohol ordinances

The Canton Town Board has recently made changes to their alcohol ordinances, allowing for the option of public consumption at…
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The institution on the corner
 

The institution on the corner

The Jarrett House has stood in Dillsboro since 1884. Since before Dillsboro was Dillsboro. 
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Celebrating the 125th
 

Celebrating the 125th

The town of Dillsboro, established in 1889, was named after William Allen Dills, a Confederate veteran who was born nearby.…
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WCU lends Dillsboro a hand
 

WCU lends Dillsboro a hand

Dillsboro’s relationship with Western Carolina University began in 2009, after the economic downturn and as the town struggled to regroup.
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Sylva businesses make their way after downtown fire
 

Sylva businesses make their way after downtown fire

It’s been a couple of weeks since the downtown Sylva fire. And while most of downtown is humming along nicely,…
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Dairy whistleblower describes experiences at Osborne Farms
 

Dairy whistleblower describes experiences at Osborne Farms

When Gna Wyatt called People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals about the manure piles covering Osborne Farms in Clyde,…
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French Kirkpatrick: The boy from Laurel Branch
 

French Kirkpatrick: The boy from Laurel Branch

French Kirkpatrick just wanted to play music. “I kind of wanted to be a singer, but I couldn’t sing…
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Having a cow: PETA accuses local dairy of animal cruelty; inspectors say otherwise
 

Having a cow: PETA accuses local dairy of animal cruelty; inspectors say otherwise

Swarming flies. Cows trudging through knee-deep manure. Lame legs, an overgrown hoof, blood oozing from a nose. Bones protruding from…
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Evergreen gets its green: Lawmakers approve $12 million for natural gas upgrades in Canton
 

Evergreen gets its green: Lawmakers approve $12 million for natural gas upgrades in Canton

In a last-minute turnaround, North Carolina lawmakers wrapped up their short session last week with passage of a bill granting…
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Broken, breaking or blossoming? Macon educators discuss state of public schools
 

Broken, breaking or blossoming? Macon educators discuss state of public schools

North Carolina education has seen its share of high-profile issues over the last couple of years. Teacher raises, tenure, vouchers,…
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Swain bridge to be named in honor of Vietnam veteran, Purple Heart recipient
 

Swain bridge to be named in honor of Vietnam veteran, Purple Heart recipient

A group of Vietnam veterans in Swain County have accomplished their goal. Soon, an Alarka-area bridge will bear the name…
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Highlands pursues new Verizon tower
 

Highlands pursues new Verizon tower

Highlands residents will soon be seeing better cell phone coverage in town following the town board’s unanimous vote to move…
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Beyond the wrench: Changing credentials for manufacturing fix-it men lead to new workforce training initative at HCC
 

Beyond the wrench: Changing credentials for manufacturing fix-it men lead to new workforce training initative at HCC

It’s an industrial mechanic’s worst nightmare. A machine on the assembly line goes down, and production screeches to a halt.…
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Are visitor centers passé? Haywood tourism authority mulls bang for the buck at visitor center sites
 

Are visitor centers passé? Haywood tourism authority mulls bang for the buck at visitor center sites

The Haywood County Tourism Authority is exploring whether to close its two visitor centers in Waynesville and Maggie Valley, questioning…
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Webster embarks on planning study
 

Webster embarks on planning study

How can Webster be improved? What would make it more walkable? What would encourage community socialization?  Town leaders aim to…
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Malcolm’s swan song
 

Malcolm’s swan song

Malcolm graced the waters of Lake Junaluska for only a little while. He will be on its shore for much…
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Swain polling place moves to Cherokee
 

Swain polling place moves to Cherokee

Swain County voters living in Cherokee and Whittier will begin a new routine on Election Day this November. The precinct’s…
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Metal-siding moratorium rejected in Sylva
 

Metal-siding moratorium rejected in Sylva

The town of Sylva will not be enacting a moratorium on metal-sided buildings in its downtown area in an effort…
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Gala to help Hazelwood prison project
 

Gala to help Hazelwood prison project

The Haywood Helps 2014 Gala Event will be from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 28. The event is a fundraiser…
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Round’n’round with Rep. Meadows
 

Round’n’round with Rep. Meadows

Recently, U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows made the rounds in his district visiting with constituents. While in Haywood County, he…
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Franklin’s fracking forum
 

Franklin’s fracking forum

A fracking forum has been scheduled for Sept. 2 in Franklin. The forum, moderated by Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, will…
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The ‘Cullowhee idea’: Cullowhee institution traces evolution from a rural schoolhouse to regional powerhouse
 

The ‘Cullowhee idea’: Cullowhee institution traces evolution from a rural schoolhouse to regional powerhouse

It’s August, freshman move-in day, and Western Carolina University is welcoming a new class of freshmen to campus. It’s what…
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WCU: A timeline
 

WCU: A timeline

1889 — Cullowhee Academy opens with 18 students and 1 teacher
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Graduation and beyond: Local WCU alums reflect on university’s place in region
 

Graduation and beyond: Local WCU alums reflect on university’s place in region

Jackson County Manager Chuck Wooten arrived at Western Carolina University as a freshman in 1969. He remembers his college days…
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Journey to the 21st century: Two-room school transforms to major regional university
 

Journey to the 21st century: Two-room school transforms to major regional university

By Randall Holcombe • WCU  The little school that was the forerunner of Western Carolina University was called Cullowhee Academy. Its…
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House fails to pass $12 million in grants for Canton paper mill
 

House fails to pass $12 million in grants for Canton paper mill

A bill that would provide a $12 million incentive package to the Evergreen Packaging paper mill in Canton failed to…
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Rules of the game: Haywood firms up its facilities-use policy
 

Rules of the game: Haywood firms up its facilities-use policy

Youth sports teams will no longer be able to trade bags of fertilizer, free coffee for teachers or a fresh…
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Main Street managers meet in Waynesville
 

Main Street managers meet in Waynesville

The streets of downtown Waynesville will soon receive a look-see from a group of folks who really care about the…
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Jackson TDA explores executive director option
 

Jackson TDA explores executive director option

The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority is pretty sure it needs to start searching for an executive director to help…
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