The drive-in brings back memories
I’m as nostalgic as the next guy. I mean, I don’t get choked up over the thought of bell bottoms…
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Thanks for offering diverse perspectives
To the Editor: Even though I do not agree with everything Franklin Graham said in the interview that appeared two…
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GOP grandstanding is an embarrassment
To the Editor: On Wednesday, Oct. 23 — the day after William Taylor gave damning testimony about the Trump Administration’s quid…
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Good Samaritans in Dillsboro
To the Editor: My husband and I were traveling through Jackson County headed home to Florida when we had a…
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Who wins from U.S. betrayal?
To the Editor: With the whirlwind of horrors in Syria, perhaps we should remind ourselves of basics: • The Kurds…
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Voter ID required in 2020 elections
To the Editor: North Carolina law now requires that everyone voting in 2020 must have an approved form of voter…
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Wide-ranging coverage, spirited opinions
These days, too many Americans refuse to concede that a point-of-view other than their own has any validity. I’m afraid…
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So this is 40
I turn 40 years old this week. The idea has not been settling well, and I’m not sure why. I’m…
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Franklin Graham is too partisan
To the Editor: The Rev. Franklin Graham (whose father, Billy Graham, my family and I saw in The Boston Gardens…
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Ban assault-style weapons
To the Editor: U.S. taxpayers buy rapid-fire weapons for qualified military personnel, which is a vital part of the “common…
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Gavin Brown is best bet for mayor
To the Editor: I’m writing to acknowledge my support for the re-election of Gavin Brown as mayor of Waynesville. I…
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The facts are known, the outcome is not
People can disagree on whether or not Donald Trump should be removed from office. That is our right. But there…
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Next season, I’ve got some new mojo in mind
I am supposed to be watching a Dodgers game tonight. At this very moment, I should be pushing one of…
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GOP should stand up to Trump
To the Editor: Last week, the White House Counsel sent a letter to the House leadership that claims Trump is…
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Here’s the truth about immigration
By Paul Strop • Guest Columnist I read with interest a recent letter expressing concerns about immigration, truly one of the…
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Trump: a quintessentially American president
To the Editor: Think about it! Donald Trump didn’t need to be President. He much prefers business to government and…
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There is no there there!
To the Editor: There is no there there! The “there” is the latest accusation from the Democrats that President Donald…
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When life comes full circle
When I was 7 years old, my dad spent hours assembling my Strawberry Shortcake dollhouse, taking time to ensure every…
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Cultivating visibility for WNC farmworkers
Fall is upon us and so are the beautiful colors and seasonal customs of our region. Just thinking of tomato…
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We must be honest about adolescent addiction
By Beth Young • Guest Columnist “It’s just a phase.” “They are just being teenagers.” “I drank when I was their…
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Surprisingly, we were able to pull it off
Before we go any further, let me be clear: I am not the guy you want to put in charge…
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Price tag for new central office is mighty high
Is it a Taj Mahal or a wise use of tax dollars? I’m talking about the proposal to spend around…
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What living well means to me
This is our annual Living Well issue where we offer suggestions and advice on topics related to fitness, nutrition and…
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More than medicine needed to address opioid epidemic
By Kae Livsey • Guest Columnist In the U.S., there is a common perception that there is a pill to…
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Wall a monument to damaged democracy
To the Editor: I am sickened by the thought of diverting yet another $18.4 billion for a border wall. That’s…
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America, get your C.R.A.P. together
To the Editor: My grandmother Evelyn was a stickler for just a couple of things. She was fortunate that her…
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Corporate socialism rewards the rich
To the Editor: A Republican acquaintance who won’t vote for her party’s candidate for president recently said, “But I don’t…
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SMN buried an important story
To the Editor: In the September 4 issue of The Smoky Mountain News I was happy to see that WCU,…
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Swain Democrats support animal control ordinance
To the Editor: Swain County Democrats recently passed a resolution in support of the county’s proposed animal control ordinance and…
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To reduce overdose deaths, start in the local jail
By Albert M. Kopak • Guest Columnist You may have a story about Peter, while someone down the road has…
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That urge just won’t go away
Every so often, she gets that feeling again. When she does, she scoots a little closer and begins tracing invisible…
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‘Blessed be the critics of newspapers’
To the Editor: Western North Carolina’s answer to Jim Acosta — Smoky Mountain News Editor Scott McLeod in his last…
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Time for Meadows to retire
To the Editor: Since North Carolina’s 11th Dist. Representative Mark Meadows, R, took office in 2013, 93,000 and counting US citizens…
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Ethically speaking, this can be a tough job
Remember those old movies where submarines find themselves navigating through an underwater minefield, sometimes relying on skill to avoid what…
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Coming full circle on an adventure
As a kid, I took the Blue Ridge Mountains for granted. They were always there in the background, but I…
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What’s peace got to do with it?
By Marsha Lee Baker • Guest Columnist Somewhere, sometime, and in some way, each of us thinks about peace. We…
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Trump is working to secure borders
To the Editor: Police drenched with buckets of water in New York, anti-police chanting as police attempt to remove a…
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Take it easy on Shining Rock
To the Editor: For the past few years I have gotten in the habit of picking up a copy of…
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Background checks are too onerous
To the Editor: In discussions with people who are clamoring for universal background checks, I find many people don’t understand…
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We have perverted the American ideal
To the Editor: Donald Trump’s only redeeming value may be that he is the shock to the system the U.S. needs…
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After 125 years, we can do better
Bob Savelson • Guest columnist Thinking about Labor Day, it has been a national holiday since 1894. Consistent with the nation’s…
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Cherry binging is a thing
One of the things I like the most about summertime is when the cherries begin showing up in the grocery…
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We stand by our brand of journalism
It’s rare when one newspaper questions the integrity of another paper and the intentions of a hard-working journalist whose entire…
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Finding inspiration in Haywood Early College wolfpack
Leaving Watami Sushi & Noodles on Main Street in Waynesville, I smiled at the hostess, a girl named Hannah. She…
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We are the problem, and we must change
To the Editor: It has been a long time sense I have written to an Editor, but the opinion in…
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All we have left is our vote
To the Editor: The only constant left in this country is our laws. We are only a great people if…
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