Abrahams gives sermon at Mandela funeral
Bishop Ivan Abrahams, the South African general secretary of the World Methodist Council who lives at Lake Junaluska, gave the…
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Cherokee elders file suit against bear zoo
Two months after sending a notice informing the Cherokee Bear Zoo of their intent to sue the roadside menagerie for…
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Christmas comes early in the Valley: Massive giveaway helps hundreds of Haywood families
The mother lode of charity operations was less than 24 hours away, and the daunting punch list should have had…
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There’s an app for that: If not, a growing number of students are learning to create one
Imagine you’re a college student in the summer of 2010. One of your professors offers you a job. He has…
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UPDATED: Undercover bust targets dealers in every corner of the county
An undercover investigation in Haywood County targeting alleged drug dealers culminated in a sweeping roundup last month, netting 31 suspects…
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Waynesville says no to blow-up gorillas: Off-the-beaten path businesses seek signage answers
Waynesville leaders last week voted to loosen the town’s sign rules at the behest of some business owners, but stopped…
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Jury deliberating fate of jailer who helped murderer escape
The jury deciding the fate of a former Swain County jailer who helped a murderer escape and then ran away…
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Cullowhee advocates seek to sharpen vision of community plan
Jake Flannick • SMN Correspondent Building consensus among the increasing number of residents and business owners in Cullowhee is critical to…
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Reception for Jackson Librarian Dottie Brunette
Jackson County Librarian Dottie Brunette will retire at the end of the year, and the public is invited to a…
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On a mission to fight drug abuse, help families
To Jean Parris, the drug bust in Haywood County last month wasn’t just a matter of locking up suspected drug…
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Student profiles
Michael Bruce 2nd year assoc. Hometown: Waynesville Major: Web Technologies App: Class Schedule Organizer As soon as he learned how…
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Coding for the rest of us
If the very thought of trying your hand at computer programming or writing software code is intimidating, Dr. Jonathan Wade…
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At WCU, an app to keep students out of the rain
By Paul Clark • SMN Correspondent So, here’s the problem. It’s raining and you need to catch the CAT TRAN, one…
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Tribal council names Snowbird resident a ‘beloved woman’
Ella Wachacha Bird has joined the ranks of a small and revered group last week after the Eastern Band of…
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Lake Junaluska merger proponents preparing for round two
Supporters of the stalled merger of Lake Junaluska with the town of Waynesville hope to get it back on the…
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Elementary school’s old cafeteria helps new breed of entrepreneurs
By Colby Dunn • Correspondent On a recent sunny afternoon, Deb Shalosky is standing in the kitchen pantry at the Fines…
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Franklin pub crossroads for people, history
By Jake Flannick • SMN Correspondent The legendary Rathskeller Coffee Haus and Pub, an institution and social mainstay in downtown Franklin,…
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Dig Sylva, buy local
By Jake Flannick • SMN Correspondent A group of merchants in Sylva rallying their fellow shopkeepers and restaurateurs in the downtown…
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Job of naming new town manager up to new Maggie Valley leaders
Maggie Valley’s interim town manager has only been on the job for a few weeks, but already has been offered…
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In push for Franklin hospice house, perseverance pays
Jake Flannick • SMN Correspondent A nearly decade-long dream to build an inpatient hospice house for the terminally ill and their…
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Sid’s on Main makes a little history, from scratch
By Paul Clark • Correspondent In the old Imperial Hotel in Canton, Sid’s on Main is creating a little history of…
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GroWNC presents to EDC
In an effort to promote growth and a positive impact on Western North Carolina communities, GroWNC came in front of…
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EDC board raises no objections to possible chamber partnership
The Haywood County Economic Development Commission last week listened to a summary of task force reports on how it and…
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Fire at WCU damages three businesses; no injuries reported
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of a fire that broke out Nov. 21 in the commercial strip…
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The how-to of a jail break
It was a fairly simple inside job in the end, one easily borrowed from the playbook of any Hollywood jailbreak.…
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Awaiting her fate: Jailer helped murder suspect escape jail, fled with him to California
The jury trial of a Swain County jailer accused of springing a murderer from jail more than four years ago…
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Human interaction can be fatal to elk
A young male elk in Cataloochee Valley was put down by park rangers last week for repeatedly rushing and taunting…
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Jackson leaders search for equity in fire tax debate
Some Jackson County commissioners expressed trepidation this week over changing the way the county’s seven volunteer fire departments are funded.
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Education changes, woes discussed at forum
What was billed to be a town hall style education forum for the Macon County School System, filled with parents…
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Waynesville listens to plan for reconfiguring N. Main, Walnut
Waynesville leaders haven’t decided whether they will back a plan to reconfigure the intersection of North Main and Walnut streets,…
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Haywood to embrace dual chamber-economic development model
A plan to move the Haywood County Economic Development Commission under the umbrella of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce…
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State reverses itself, gives Swain North Shore interest
Swain County leaders were relieved this month when the state gave them the go ahead to tap $382,000 in interest…
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SCC schedules pair of table gaming information sessions
Over the next few weeks, Southwestern Community College will host a pair of information sessions for anyone interested in pursuing…
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Applicants sought for Haywood boards
The Board of County Commissioners is seeking applicants to fill three vacancies on the Haywood County Agriculture Advisory Board (Farmland…
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Library branches collecting food for holidays
All branches of the Haywood County Public Library are currently collecting food to help meet the needs of local residents…
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New Tribal Council chair is first woman to hold position
Terri Henry has been elected as the first female Tribal Council chair of the Eastern Band of Cherokee, some six…
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The Whopper survives DOT project near Clyde
Haywood County residents won’t be down a Burger King when the state Department of Transportation starts its major reconstruction of…
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Maggie man pleads to reduced charges in dispute with town
After getting caught up in the politics of Maggie Valley and facing felony forgery charges, Joseph Maniscalco Thursday pleaded guilty…
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Sylva getting pretty good at filling empty town board seats
The Sylva town board will appoint a new leader to an empty seat on the board in coming weeks —…
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Tasing threat against 14-year-old mascot investigated by Swain
A man threatened to tase a young Cherokee girl at a football game last month, but it is unclear just…
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Tribal Council OKs plans for rehab facility — again
For years, enrolled members and leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have called for the tribe to open…
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Campus visits ‘vital’ to Western Carolina recruiting efforts
Jacob Flannick • SMN Correspondent Hundreds of high school students from across the state and beyond toured the campus of Western…
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Cullowhee planning initiative out of the gate at last
People who live and work in Cullowhee are being invited to share their opinions on growth and planning with a…
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Ghost Town gunfighter says shooting injury was no accident
Four months after he was injured in a staged Old West gunshow, a former Ghost Town in the Sky gunfighter…
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Sign kitsch to be debated at Waynesville hearing
Business owners and merchants in Waynesville angling for bigger, flashier attention-grabbing devices have piloted a rewrite of the town’s sign…
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Sylva town board welcomes new member, new mayor
The race for Sylva town board was won by only a hair on Election Day. The results show Mary Kelley…
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Waynesville wants input on plan for North Main, Walnut streets
As Waynesville pedestrians mosey down North Main Street toward Walnut Street on their way home or to one of the…
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Sylva leaders adopt streetscape plan for Main Street, N.C. 107
The Sylva town board has unanimously approved a streetscape plan for N.C. 107 from the Ingles grocery store to Dillsboro.…
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New checkpoint procedures implemented in Jackson
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and North Carolina Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union have reached an amicable settlement…
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Haywood considers integration of county departments
Haywood County is moving slowly towards consolidating its Department of Social Services and Health Department to save money and become…
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