AR-15 useless against this virus
To the Editor: I see these folks protesting, yelling and carrying weapons, as if a gun is an argument that…
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I prefer to be a live jerk
To the Editor: Come on guys, your MAGA hats won’t make me sick. Your bumper stickers can’t hurt me. Your…
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What we do to survive, and why
It seems every time I sit down to write these days, it has something to do with journalism and the…
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Time to re-ignite national service programs
By Bob Scott • Guest Columnist | COVID-19 has given me the opportunity to sit and think. Not just daydream. I…
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Take action now to protect voting
To the Editor: Long lines, limited polling place hours, inconvenient polling locations, not getting time off work and the COVID-19…
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America should open up
To the Editor: Some people call it common sense, others call it critical thinking or logic, and it is so…
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Let’s help stop the spread
To the Editor: I am not writing about a political issue but a health issue. I am a senior citizen…
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Look for the best in this new normal
By Nick Breedlove • Guest Columnist | Every May we commemorate National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) to celebrate the…
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A heavy heart on Mother’s Day
It’s been said that when a cardinal appears in your yard it’s a visitor from heaven. I’ve been spending a…
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Fantasy abounds at Haywood meeting
To the Editor: In his book, FantasyLand: How America Went Haywire: A 500-Year History, Kurt Andersen discusses the “strange, post-factual,…
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Leadership in the age of Pandemics
To the Editor: About 58,000 American men and women died in the Vietnam war over a period of 20 years.…
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Trump ignorance a lethal problem
To the Editor: According to White House staff, since this past January Trump blew off — refused to read, as…
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In a crisis, ordinary people turn heroic
By Bob Scott • Guest Columnist | At 5:30 this morning I was staring at the ceiling. I doubt that I was…
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Caring for our own is what matters
By Catherine Sawyer • Guest Columnist | When I think of the stereotypes against Appalachia, what comes to mind is…
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Good thing ACA remains intact
To the Editor: In spite of the Trump administration’s current litigations to strike down the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA),…
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Trump not worthy to be commander-in-chief
To the Editor: One of my favorite books is the King James Bible (1611). Excellent advice. In the 1950s, my…
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Time to dump the fake president
To the Editor: Enough is enough. How much longer are Americans willing to tolerate this sad excuse of a president?…
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Trump talk is a really bad joke
To the Editor: Anyone with half a brain knows that Trump was making a sarcastic joke when he suggested that…
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Trump eyes Medicare, Social Security cuts
To the Editor: Lately. through observing the news media, I have seen mass support for gun ownership and confirmation of…
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Let’s open the Parkway
To the Editor: Despite the social distancing, wearing masks, stay at home orders, and all of the CDC stats and…
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UNC-Charlotte remembers Riley Howell, shooting victims
I hope this message finds you and your loved ones healthy and well. As a city, a nation, and a…
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Lost health insurance during COVID-19 Pandemic?
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the loss of jobs, income and health insurance coverage for millions. Some life changes,…
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Firefighters respond to two Graham County fires
Firefighters responded to two wildfires late April 14 near Fontana Lake in Graham County. Both fires are burning on U.S.…
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Cocooning just isn’t easy for some
If you haven’t noticed, the boomers are having a hard time staying home during this pandemic. Doing nothing and performing…
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Be careful what you wish for
To the Editor: How strange is it that some of you are becoming the thing you hate the most? In…
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Not enough lipstick to cover this pig
To the Editor: Trump’s attack on the WHO (World Health Organization) is classic Trump. Make bad decisions and then blame…
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Frontline heroes deserve our thanks
To the Editor: The “front line” people who risk their lives and health (both mental and physical) to help safeguard…
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Advice to stay sane during the insanity
Hannah McLeod, a new writer for The Smoky Mountain News, shares her advice for staying calm and connected during the…
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A glimmer of light, perhaps, in the darkness
Way back, way back, like three or four weeks ago, our little company was on track for its best year…
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Right now, life as an otter sounds pretty good
Can we all admit that this quarantine is getting a little weirder every week? The rules for what we can…
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Raise concerns if you have them
To the Editor: These are challenging days for everyone. This is particularly true for the long-term healthcare community. Whether you…
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Thank You Haywood County
To the Editor: For the past several weeks, Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) has been busy preparing for COVID-19 to…
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Actions to save us from COVID-19 Pandemic
This moment is unprecedented. In North Carolina, COVID-19 will likely infect millions, kill thousands, leave thousands unemployed and devastate families…
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Getting married in the time of coronavirus
The COVID-19 pandemic hit us all differently. For some of us, it blew to pieces what was otherwise a normal,…
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History lessons being learned the hard way
By Jerry DeWeese • Guest Columnist | When in grade school, I wondered why my teachers spent so much time…
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Finding Easter in the COVID-19 era
Growing up, my family spent the week of Easter at Ocean Lakes Campground in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We had…
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Health care is a human right
To the Editor: This is in response to last week’s story, “Democratic candidates in WNC call for immediate Medicaid expansion”…
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We need leadership from Washington
To the Editor: Thank you for your complete coverage of the worst national health disaster of my long life. President…
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Why all the out-of-state plates?
To the Editor: I realize there are illiterate people in this world but, really, who hasn’t heard or read the…
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Trump was too slow to react
To the Editor: Regarding the letter writer in the April 1 issue, blaming the news media for our current problems,…
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Lessen COVID-19 impact on small businesses
Social distancing is taking its toll on North Carolina’s small businesses. We don’t have state-specific numbers, but a new survey by…
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Supporting efforts to keep our community healthy
Our community — along with communities around the world — is navigating unprecedented challenges as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues…
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Distracting yourself during social distancing
I have a childhood friend from Chicago — we nicknamed him “Lucky” — who messed up bad and deserved what…
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It’s time to be the hero in your own life
Guys aren’t supposed to sit and wait. Guys are supposed to take action, to get things done. Yet we seldom…
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The days just drone by, listlessly
I am thinking of a scene in the movie “Fargo” that captures exactly how I am feeling a couple of…
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A good time to share hope
To the Editor: While I applaud the federal government for the passage of their Coronavirus Stimulus Packages to ease the…
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Democrats, media want to blame Trump
To the Editor: Congratulations to the politicians and the news media! You have been able to take a serious virus…
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