Sen. Hagan is for the people, not big money
To the Editor: Sen. Kay Hagan’s path to Washington began in high school when she helped elect her uncle Lawton Chiles…
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County oversteps its authority
To the Editor: The Haywood County Emergency Management Ordinance was signed into effect Nov. 16, 2009, by J.W. “Kirk” Kirkpatrick,…
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Kids can endure a little stress
To the Editor: Wondering what all the fuss is over the use of Common Core standards in school, I looked…
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Enough of the labels, I’ve got band practice
Words sometimes change meaning. It may take a few years, but it happens, and it especially happens in politics. A…
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Vouchers won’t help low-income families
To the Editor: Recently, I became curious about the N.C. Opportunity Scholarships (a new name for vouchers) that are being…
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Voting challenges may overwhelm system
To the Editor: It should be reassuring that so many groups are concerned about “voter integrity” on Election Day, making…
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Create Eden, drop animal products
To the Editor: TV host Glenn Beck and other stalwarts of the Christian right have attacked the recent blockbuster “Noah”as…
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Rep. Presnell will get my vote again
To the Editor: We must speak out against this proposed room tax increase. The county leaders may want it, but…
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Has Rep. Presnell lost her memory?
To the Editor: In a recent article about the sad state of North Carolina teacher salaries, Rep. Michele Presnell was…
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There are reasons for Presnell’s opposition
To the Editor: I find it noteworthy that in the March 26 column on Rep. Michele Presnell’s opposition to the…
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Support fair trade but beware free trade
By Doug Wingeier • Columnist For some years now I have been promoting fair trade products as a means of…
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You often get the results that you plan for
To the Editor: Here is what I think about Jackson County’s revised steep slope ordinance: self-serving, self-serving and self-serving. But…
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What’s up with all the litter in Haywood?
To the Editor: Just an observation that I am sure others have made also, but what about all the trash…
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Election laws target the wrong groups
To the Editor: I attended a political club meeting last night. I purchased tickets for a fundraiser — a dinner…
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The enduring myth of welfare cheats
To the Editor: Welfare cheats. It seems that every conservative has a favorite story about how someone on public assistance…
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To shoot or not to shoot?
To the Editor: Every two or three years I read in the newspaper that a homeowner shot an intruder. Typically,…
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In Rep. Presnell’s view, it’s local leaders be damned
Some teacher a long time ago explained to my class of intro to political science undergrads the difference between a…
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Politics does make strange bedfellows
To the Editor: Politics does indeed make strange bedfellows. The recent edition of The Smoky Mountain news said this: “Carla…
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Robinson will support education, teachers
To the Editor: As I discuss the upcoming District 50 senatorial campaign with my neighbors, it is becoming clear to…
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Dealing with those who are just ‘wrong’
By Doug Wingeier • Columnist Recently my wife and I attended the showing of a documentary film on animal rights.…
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Spring beckons, but don’t forget the moment
By John Beckman • Columnist After the hard winter of sub-zero temperatures, heavy snows and power outages our region and much…
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It’s not really about Obamacare
To the Editor: The drumbeat of complaints about the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) from the political right wing leave me…
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Elect Robinson to replace Sen. Davis
To the Editor: I’m writing as a citizen and resident of Jackson County to voice my support for Ron Robinson…
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Government is always less efficient
To the Editor: I was having an otherwise intelligent conversation with one of my more liberal acquaintances the other day…
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This state’s GOP has violated the Voting Rights Act
By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist Even authoritarian regimes like Russia’s pretend to respect the right to vote. The contrast with…
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Ron Robinson supports education for all
To the Editor: Ron Robinson, a Democrat and Sylva businessman, has launched his campaign to become the next senator from…
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Do not encroach on our freedoms
To the Editor: Our basic freedoms in the Bill of Rights are encroached on almost daily by some branch of…
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N.C. 107 is a plain disaster
To the Editor: Jackson County's main business corridor, Highway 107 South, is a disaster. By allowing all the main…
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Local tourism leaders aren’t qualified
To the Editor: In response to Mr. Robert Jumper's letter in the Feb. 19 edition and the Jackson County TDA,…
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Ridgetop houses are too common
To the Editor: Regarding Clark Lipkin's guest opinion column in the Feb. 26 opinion, I find it incredulous that he…
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Tools to help cope with an uncertain future
“The less you know, the more you believe.” – Bono Quality journalism is a powerful force. I’ve been fortunate to…
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We are doomed to repeat history
To the Editor: We repeat our mistakes because we never seem to learn the lessons of history and, in our…
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Just look at what the Tea Party is doing
To the Editor: The letter saying the Tea Party is making changes is correct, but let’s look at the changes…
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Foundation should aid Good Samaritan Clinic
To the Editor: The Haywood Regional Hospital Foundation need look no further than The Good Samaritan Clinic. The support of…
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Everyone wants to protect the mountains
To the Editor: Everyone in Jackson County needs to know there was an overflow crowd at the public hearing on…
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Our schools deserve better than this
To the Editor: Sixty-nine school boards across this state joined with the State Board of Education in challenging the constitutionality…
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Reasonable people can disagree on development ordinance
By Clark Lipkin • Guest Columnist I am the vice chairman of the Jackson County Planning Board. I presided over…
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My family will miss the Shoney’s on the hill
If someone had told me 30 years ago that someday I’d be sentimental about a Shoney’s restaurant closing down, I…
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Jackson TDA working hard for the county
Letter to the Editor: While I currently serve as chairperson of the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority, I wish to…
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Haywood room tax hike just a bad idea
To the Editor: I see the notion to hike the Haywood County bed tax by 50 percent has risen again.…
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The TEA Party is who is making change
To the Editor: Recent elections in Haywood County have seen Republicans getting elected. Some of this activity is due in…
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Fracking firms don’t care about rights
To the Editor: Here are just a couple thoughts about fracking. My home water supply is spring fed, and I’ve…
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Pat the polluter is helping old friends
To the Editor: The old cliché of follow the money continues to be true, and now it’s close to home.…
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GOP pulls a fast one on ‘tax cuts’
To the Editor: I hate paying taxes. So when someone promises to lower my taxes, they have my attention. Most…
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Don’t fix what isn’t broken
To the Editor: We have heard much from GOP Gov. Pat McCrory and some leaders in the state legislature about…
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Nothing wrong with teacher pay plan
To the Editor: Regarding the plan to give some teaches a pay raise: I cannot for the life of me…
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Visualizing the options for growth
By Ben Brown • Guest Columnist Think of it as a starter kit for a comprehensive business plan for North Carolina’s…
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Democratic whining ignores progress
To the Editor: Some parts of Western North Carolina are loaded with socialist agenda people, especially in Asheville and Cullowhee. …
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Article misstated my views on slope rewrite
To the Editor: I want to thank The Smoky Mountain News for the article in the Feb 5 edition (www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/12419)…
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Moral March is not a moment, but a movement
By Doug Wingeier • Columnist As I write this, I have just returned from a tiring but exhilarating day participating in the Moral…
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