Swain’s smart money: School officials approach budget with commissioners
Swain County Superintendent Sam Pattillo is taking a new approach this year. He’s requesting that county commissioners participate in the…
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Enclosed pool coming to Highlands
A $1.1 million donation from residents Art and Angela Williams of the Old Edwards Inn will net the town of…
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Coffee shop owner launches farmers market sans permit
Justin Phillips narrowly avoided a stand-off with Maggie Valley town hall last week, but rest assured, he was ready to…
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Cost-of-living raise possible for Jackson County employees
Jackson County employees could be seeing a little extra in their paychecks next year if commissioners approve County Manager Chuck…
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Return to normal in sight for Macon Board of Elections
More than three months after the State Bureau of Investigation started looking into $50,000 worth of embezzlement from the Macon…
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Haywood taps compassionate thinker as new county manager
If there’s a word that precedes Ira Dove, it’s smart — really smart, very smart, even super smart. “He’s always…
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Not so fast: Counties struggle with new state social services computer system
It’s been over a year since North Carolina began the rollout of a new computer program called NC FAST, for…
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REACH aims for new shelter
For nearly a year, REACH of Macon County has been helping domestic abuse victims in Jackson County. The group has…
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The grass is always greener with a $28,000 irrigation system
Haywood County commissioners decided this week to install an irrigation system for the lawn of the historic courthouse to ensure…
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A fire that lasts: Cherokee culture grows in new museum director’s life, community
Give a museum director an open opportunity to tout his facility’s newest this, unique that and state-of-the-art these, and no…
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2014 Primary Election results
The primary election was held Tuesday, May 6, in counties throughout North Carolina. Here are the results from the local…
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Parsing out a position in party primaries
Next week is decision time for voters who disagree with the new conservative tack of North Carolina’s policy makers and…
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A serendipitous tale: ‘Catching Tadpoles’ finds home in Frog Level
A life-sized bronze sculpture of three children catching tadpoles will soon have a new pad in the Frog Level district…
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Church Shoes: ‘No catch’ with shoe giveaway in Macon schools
Not everyone was happy about the free shoes. Betty Cloer Wallace was more concerned about the “holy war.”
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Maggie Valley shop offers organic beans and conversation
By Jake Flannick • Correspondent He had gained enough wealth as a young marketing executive to fulfill almost any of his…
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Remembrance, respects and Southern goodbyes: Confederate veteran receives ceremony in Swain
The cemetery is up a dirt road, past an old barn and its bygone basketball hoop. A tread-worn path leads…
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Bridge Park is public place finalist
Whatever qualities make for an ideal public space, Sylva’s Bridge Park seems to have them. At least Sarah Graham thinks…
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Jackson steep slope rewrite on hold until after election
A controversial proposal to roll back Jackson County’s steep slope rules has become politically charged in the countdown to county…
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Students get hands-on with science
Rocky Peebler’s wearing waders and a white T-shirt as he kneels on the shore of the Oconaluftee River. His boots…
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SCC looks at options to remove 60 tons of lead from shooting range
It’s been three decades since the shooting range now operated by Southwestern Community College first opened, and the college is…
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Folkmoot and Haywood tourism authority do annual tango over grant funding
Folkmoot USA International Dance Festival once again saw its grant funding cut by the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. The…
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Cullowhee’s vision
A public input session regarding the future growth in Cullowhee is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 6 at the Cullowhee…
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In pursuit of tourism dollars, Haywood festivals asked to prove their mettle
It’s an unenviable task, but one Haywood County tourism leaders face every year: weighing dozens of festivals and niche marketing…
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Wrestling the ‘sleeping giant’: Local GOP deals with divide
A leadership upheaval within the Haywood County GOP is far from settled, but some members are calling for a reconciliation…
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Jackson tourism board considers possibility of executive director
The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority may be ready to start thinking about hiring an executive director. Board members of…
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ABC merger agreed to by town and county
Jackson County and the town of Sylva agreed this month to merge the entities’ separate Alcoholic Beverage Control boards. The…
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Sex abuse case to be retried in tribal court following federal dismissal
Nine months ago, a federal sex abuse case against Harland Squirrel, of Cherokee, ended in dismissal after the jury failed…
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Franklin to get new bridge over the Little Tennessee
The bridge carrying eastbound Main Street traffic across the Little Tennessee River in Franklin will be close to 90 years…
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Jackson justice center squeezed for space
The verdict is in, and Jackson County Justice Center is a little too small. To be exact, it’s 35,807 square…
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The same, the change and ‘the machine’
Swain County’s clerk of court race is an early-season affair. With no challengers looming on November’s general election horizon, the…
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Mountain Merry Makers spread ‘a little touch of happiness’
By Jake Flannick • Correspondent If wardrobes are a form of self-expression, then Gloria Stockton has a whimsical flair. She would…
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Purple Heart petition: Swain veterans push for Dockie Brendle bridge
The breakfast crowd in Bryson City’s Bojangles’ seems to know Dockie Brendle. “Hello, Doc,” says a man at a nearby…
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Get out: Waynesville and Jackson county look to the mountains for parks programming
Mountains and rivers shape the landscape of Western North Carolina, but when it comes to recreation programming, counties and municipalities…
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Wearing it on their sleeves
When cyclists roll through Jackson County during the Tour de Cashiers May 3, some of them will be sporting new…
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County commissioner races heat up
As the primary approaches, local candidates are making their case. Around the region, county commissioner seats are opening up and incumbents and…
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County races: Haywood
Haywood County Haywood Commissioners What’s up for election? Three out of five seats on the county board. About the race:…
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Navigating the political stripes of the Haywood commissioners’ race
Three Haywood County commissioners running for re-election this year are standing on their track record of balanced leadership from the…
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Jackson sheriff's race: meet the candidates
The May 6 primary will narrow down the contenders for the Jackson County sheriff. The field of six Democrats and…
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Haywood commissioner race: meet the candidates
Three of the five seats on the Haywood County board of commissioners are up for election this year. A field…
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Legislative races, a primer- what seats are up, who’s running, and what district do I vote in?
N.C. House of Representatives, seat 118 Is this my state rep? Yes, if you live in Madison and Yancey counties…
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Macon commissioners: a meet-and-greet with Republican primary candidates
Meet the candidates, pick one Three seats are up for grabs on the Macon County Board of Commissioners this year,…
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Snap shot of US House race in WNC
About the race: This used to be a toss-up district, but clever redrawing of voting boundaries by the Republican-led legislature…
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HCC leaders talk vision
Haywood Community College is entering phase two of a process it started last spring when trustees decided it was time…
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Flying high: Cherokee fly-fishing museum gets the green light
The path to a new fly fishing museum in Cherokee has been cleared of a final hurdle after the Cherokee…
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KARE helps children who are victims of abuse
The nice, open room in the KARE house in Waynesville is a welcoming space. There’s books and toys and a…
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Big booms outside Clyde upsets neighbors
There have been reports of explosions in the Clyde area. People have written to Haywood County officials out of concern.…
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Franklin manager resigns
The search for a new town manager is on in Franklin after Warren Cabe submitted his resignation at the town…
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Clyde house of prostitution was fronted by pet store
Clyde’s new police chief has only been on the job a few weeks. But Terry Troutman already had his hands…
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The bar vote is in, the appointment is nigh
The legal community in the seven western counties has thrown its support behind Attorney Tessa Sellers, from Murphy, to fill…
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WCU takes on tourism with inaugural conference
The takeaway from Western Carolina University’s inaugural Tourism Works conference was pretty straightforward. “I don’t think tourism gets enough credit…
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