Battle for state Senate seat begins to take shape
The North Carolina Senate seat for the seven western counties could be one of the few swing races in the…
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Negotiations in progress over Ghost Town gunfighter incident
Nearly six months after a staged gunfight left a Ghost Town gunfighter injured, the incident is still not resolved. Ghost…
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Mayor’s mandate for change in Franklin searching for traction
Jake Flannick • SMN Correspondent He campaigned on the promise of making Franklin fertile ground for new ideas and encouraging more…
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New Canton board to hold public forum on vision, direction for town
Canton residents will have the chance to weigh in on the town board’s yearlong search for a town manager at…
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Jackson County has a new slogan; now what?
Jackson County tourism leaders are weighing the best way to get their message to the masses.
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Laxer steep slope rules head for public hearing in Jackson
Controls on mountainside development in Jackson County could be loosened following a year-long line-by-line rewrite of steep slope rules by…
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Folkmoot to finally get title to old school
An old elementary school in Waynesville that serves as a giant bunkhouse for troupes of international performers during the signature…
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A waiting game: WNC counties hope for continued PILT funding
From Clingmans Dome to Juneywank Falls to the winding Blue Ridge Parkway, Swain County is rich in natural beauty. But…
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SCC charts course for major Macon campus expansion
Southwestern Community College leaders unveiled a master plan last month outlining a major expansion of its campus in Macon County. …
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Time will tell if Waynesville reaps profit from new ABC store
The attractive, even swanky new liquor store in Waynesville got off to a sluggish start the first two months after…
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Sheriff’s office to buy pill counter to save time
Amid the epidemic of prescription pill abuse, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office is buying a niche device more common to…
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Tribe encourages youth to use windfall to become entrepreneurs
By Colby Dunn • Correspondent Since Harrah’s Cherokee Casino opened and started bringing an influx of steady cash to the Eastern…
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Hunters claim they were unfairly targeted in undercover poaching operation
Some hunters in Western North Carolina are speaking out against the tactics used by undercover wildlife officers in a multi-year…
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Course steady for Jackson Meals on Wheels
Jackson County’s new volunteer policy, enacted in November, is taking a bite out of the Meals on Wheels volunteer force.
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Putting a price on memories
By Melanie Threlkeld McConnell • Correspondent For most of Yvonne Wadham’s 64 years, horses were her life, on a big scale,…
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2013: The year in review
2013 is behind us now, and all the news reported over the last 12 months is headed for the history…
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Balsam Range ‘Winter Concert Series’ welcomes John Driskell Hopkins
Renowned bluegrass/gospel group Balsam Range’s 4th annual “Winter Concert Series” will continue with John Driskell Hopkins at 7:30 p.m. Jan.…
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Landslide mapping continues, albeit on a smaller scale
To Jenifer Bauer, the conditions couldn’t be better for a hike. It’s cold and soggy. There’s no leaves left, nothing…
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The big screen comes to a small town
By Colby Dunn • Correspondent For residents of Highlands, the list of things to do in town, depending on the season,…
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Capturing success in a jar
It’s about preserving tradition — delicious tradition. “We live in a small town, and it’s wonderful when you start meeting…
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Change in business fee structure a windfall for Waynesville
A new formula for business license fees will mean a six-fold increase in collections for the town of Waynesville this…
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WCU receives Golden LEAF grant
Western Carolina University has received a $500,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation to help expand engineering education across Western…
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WCU to mark 125th year in 2014
When the clock strikes midnight and Dec. 31 gives way to Jan. 1, the tolling of the bell won’t symbolize…
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Barking up the right tree
By Paul Clark • Correspondent Harvesting poplar bark to make bark shingles is never easy, but this summer Danny Heatherly and…
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Model railroad group brings joy to children and seniors
By Melanie Threlkeld McConnell • SMN Correspondent Think of it as somewhere over the rainbow. You know the place, only this…
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The Cataloochee exodus: Story of picturesque valley’s transformation captured in new film
Raymond Caldwell was 15 years old when he hitched up a team of horses to a wagon with 30 bushels…
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Ambassadors work to extend reach of Jackson County Chamber
The Ambassadors of Jackson County recently elected new officers: Chairman Tommy Dennison, Business Counselor with the Small Business and Technology…
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Props for WCU Professor Chris Cooper
Chris Cooper, associate professor and head of the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs at Western Carolina University, has…
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Festival gives WCU students experience in hospitality industry
For Carroll Brown, an associate professor in the hospitality and tourism program at Western Carolina University, there’s nothing like taking…
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Health care ‘navigators’ rush to enroll residents before deadline
By Jake Flannick • SMN Correspondent Since she started spreading the word about the new health care law, Cynthia Solesbee has…
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Sylva librarian closes book on career
Standing on the balcony of the historic Jackson County Courthouse and Library, high above downtown Sylva, Dottie Brunette begins pointing.
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Swain group makes donation to SCC Foundation
Citing a desire to maximize their donation through a federal challenge grant, representatives of the Community Services of Swain County…
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Volunteers sought for free tax preparation
Jackson County volunteers who provide free basic tax forms preparation and counseling for individuals are looking for others to join…
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Swain County eyes federal courthouse
The last day of federal court in Bryson City will be Dec. 31.
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No dice for Catawba’s casino bid
By Colby Dunn • Correspondent When it comes to Vegas-style gaming, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort has hedged its bets on…
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Closing of Vance Hardware is an end to an era
On the first day of Vance Hardware’s going-out-of-business sale, someone bought the key machine. “I think that hurt him worse…
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WCU holds commencement for graduates
The fall semester came to a close at Western Carolina University on Dec. 14 as commencement exercises were held in…
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Haywood hospital sale a done deal, but waiting on vote
Haywood County commissioners are going through the motions of selling Haywood Regional Medical Center to a national hospital chain with…
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School leaders frustrated by teacher pay raise plan
Under normal circumstances, Mike Murray would be thrilled to pass out raises to the hard-working teachers in Jackson County.
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Cullowhee businesses reflect on past, look ahead after WCU fire
Dark clouds hung above Cullowhee last Friday morning. And as the rain fell on the mountain community, tears slid down…
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Jackson still ‘economically distressed’
Jackson County retained its status as one of the economically distressed counties in North Carolina according to just-released rankings, but…
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Jackson voids tax bill for Anglican Church
Leaders from Christ Anglican Church in Cashiers convinced Jackson County commissioners to waive their property tax bill for 2013 even…
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Taming unruly meetings in Maggie a goal for new town leaders
Maggie Valley town leaders hope to create a new tone and tenor for town meetings, with “civility” being the operative…
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Jailer’s love saga comes full circle
Who knows what Anita Vestal saw in Jeffrey Miles, or why she sprang him from jail and ran away with…
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Faculty, student representatives at WCU frustrated by Raleigh
Faculty and student representatives at Western Carolina University expressed concern last week over recent legislative actions in Raleigh.
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Matheson wins election but says no to mayor’s job
A meeting of the Sylva Town Board took an unexpected turn last week when mayor-elect Christina Matheson announced that she…
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Ghost Town cited for safety violations after gunslinger injury
Ghost Town in the Sky has been cited for safety violations by the North Carolina Department of Labor stemming from…
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Macon goes local in picking new manager
At just 28 years old, Derek Roland might be the youngest county manager Macon County has ever seen, but what…
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WCU campus Master Plan wins approval of Board of Trustees
A new campus Master Plan endorsed Friday (Dec. 6) by the Western Carolina University Board of Trustees is designed to…
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Fund for Haywood gives $40,000 in grants
The Fund for Haywood County has approved $40,000 in People in Need grants to local nonprofit organizations that provide critical…
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