Friday night lights, then and now
I took my first baton lesson when I was 3 years old. My sister had been twirling for a while,…
Read More
Mountain Mediation helps reduce conflicts
By Kirkwood Callahan • Guest Columnist Crime does not pay — so most Americans have been told. However, it places enormous…
Read More
Time to put Meadows out to pasture
To the Editor: Phillip Price, who is running for U.S. Congress from the 11th District, lists 289 “Past Events” on…
Read More
Build road but don’t ruin mountains
To the Editor: I attended the Sylva Town Meeting the other week and viewed the plan for the road re-design. The…
Read More
Asylum seekers deserve some consideration
To the Editor: The U.S. is a country of asylum seekers and their children. Every immigrant to the U.S. arrived…
Read More
Children can’t look up to this president
To the Editor: As a teacher for 25 years, I realize the importance of good role models for children. They…
Read More
Where are my Republican friends?
To the Editor: I remember not so long ago when I could have a civil discussion with a friend who…
Read More
Americans know better, even if Trump doesn’t
We native-born Americans — most of us, anyway — have no real concept of life under a despot except from…
Read More
The casting call is under way at the Cox home
Here’s something I never thought I would say: I’m looking for a cat. Not just any cat, but a particular…
Read More
For me the glass is half full
To the Editor: I hear that Trump derangement syndrome has now morphed into Trump anxiety disorder. I guess that means…
Read More
Expanded ballot choices a good thing
To the Editor: North Carolina now has five political parties represented on the ballot. They include the Republican Party, Constitution…
Read More
Where in the district is Mark Meadows?
To the Editor: Mark Meadows represents a district that covers over 6,600 square miles and a constituent base of nearly…
Read More
Drain the swamp indeed
To the Editor: Do you know why Donald Trump has refused to reveal his income taxes as each president has…
Read More
Rep. Clampitt definitely ‘needs improvement’
To the Editor: Last week I found in my mailbox a political flyer from Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City. He…
Read More
Is this the president you want?
To the Editor: One only has to watch a GOP rally when the president is present to see and hear…
Read More
An antidote to our society’s hysteria
Over the past few decades, our society has pushed for more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students. Countries like…
Read More
Grief is love’s souvenir
Three of life’s top five stressors are death of a loved one, divorce and moving. Within the past two years,…
Read More
Bad website, long waits mar DMV experience
A recent attempt to update my driver’s license has exposed long waits and online delays at the North Carolina Division…
Read More
In this case, the choice is obvious
“Take the high road.” It’s a simple code for life, but one too few take to heart and even fewer…
Read More
No hazy nostalgia with my first car
Some people’s memories of their first car are glazed with sugar, like candy apples at the county fair. It is…
Read More
Apartment complex pleas ignored
To the Editor: On 30 July, the Waynesville Planning Board met once again concerning the proposed apartment complex on Plott…
Read More
Some agency should have saved turkeys
To the Editor: I would like to know why the animal rescue agencies in the Waynesville area, which there are…
Read More
Trump should reveal tax information
To the Editor: Donald Trump can bellow out from the tallest building in New York that he is an innocent…
Read More
Trump is full of bad ideas
To the Editor: It is always amusing to hear supporters of President Trump claim that others are uninformed and vicious.…
Read More
Politics and the search for WCU’s chancellor
As the yoke of political influence grows ever heavier around the neck of the UNC Board of Governors, Western Carolina…
Read More
Coming full circle as a cat owner
Growing up, my family had an abundance of cats running amok. These were the days before spaying and neutering were…
Read More
President Trump, stop the obstruction
To the Editor: Donald Trump has already obstructed justice in the Russian election interference investigation. Number one, he has failed/refused…
Read More
Conservatives harming our infrastructure
To the Editor: The conservative right has controlled Western North Carolina politics for decades with an ideology of lower taxes…
Read More
Let’s restore checks and balances
To the Editor: In 2016 the Fourth Circuit of Appeals declared the 2013 N.C. Voter ID Act to be unconstitutional on…
Read More
Lawmakers fail to protect our vote
To the Editor: Western North Carolina’s federal representatives have failed their leadership report card on Russia’s interference in our elections. Rep.…
Read More
N.C. 107 safety issues ignored
To the Editor: The stated reason for the N.C. 107 project in Sylva is to reduce traffic problems and increase…
Read More
Trump is for a better America
To the Editor: It always amazes me that folks don’t seem to get it. Economic growth is at 4.1 percent,…
Read More
There’s magic in these evening Edisto walks
EDISTO ISLAND, SC – For us, the magic of Steamboat Landing Road begins where the pavement ends, where the asphalt…
Read More
Mission should not control money
To the Editor: The Mission Health board and CEO Ron Paulus clearly don’t get it: the system’s billions in assets…
Read More
Even conservatives can’t take Trump
To the Editor: A number of letters in The Smoky Mountain News have rightly pointed out that liberals are not…
Read More
President’s ties to Putin are dangerous
To the Editor: It is time for the U.S. Congress to act as a co-equal branch of government and rein…
Read More
They don’t care; we have to
To the Editor: Recently I spoke with N.C. Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, about the…
Read More
My eyes and heart open after Mexico trip
Though my parents were both teachers and worked second jobs to give my sister and me all we needed, they…
Read More
Don’t traffic in fake news
To the Editor: In reference to the letter from Lowell Crisp titled, “The whole truth about Red Hen incident,” I…
Read More
DACA immigrants should leave U.S.
To the Editor: Here is the news … but it is not new — there is a legal way to…
Read More
Folkmoot wins friends around the world
To the Editor: I would like to express my enthusiastic support for the thoughts expressed in Scott McLeod great article…
Read More
The final call to save red wolves
To the Editor: Some of you may have read my red wolf letter to the editor published in early May.…
Read More
Watershed may not meet standards
To the Editor: The Waynesville Watershed has a Water Supply 1 (WS-1) classification, which is the most strict in North…
Read More
Festival’s intangible value is immeasurable
Lori and I have always loved to travel, to go to new places or to get better acquainted with places…
Read More
It’s a broken record, that’s for sure
Quite a few people have contacted me this week seeking an English translation of President Donald Trump’s recent reflections on…
Read More
President Trump doesn’t understand volunteerism
To the Editor: It is not hard to find a lot of things to detest about what President Donald Trump…
Read More
The whole truth about Red Hen incident
To the Editor: Just a note to let you know that I did not like your Opinion editorial about the…
Read More
Hold off on vote for new justice
To the Editor: I am appalled that Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr want to rush through any nominee for…
Read More