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Wednesday, 09 January 2013 00:00

Our state's priorities have gone askew

The swearing in of new Gov. Pat McCrory this past weekend brought to mind a conversation at a recent holiday party. I was sequestered with a few political types and several issues came up that had been covered in The…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 03:44

Firearms are not the problem

To the Editor: We are writing in response to the gun control controversy. I agree that the recent acts of violence are outrageous and totally reprehensible. We do feel, however, that that some people are reacting to these tragedies by…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 03:41

Doesn’t that just melt your face off?

It all started with a simple book fair at the middle school. My daughter, inspired perhaps by viewing the trailer for the movie about 12,000 times during the past few weeks, bought a paperback of J.R.R Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit.…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:09

We have a cultural problem, not a gun problem

By Tom Rogers • Guest columnist The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School is beyond comprehension. Such an event should never occur in this country or anywhere else. But it did. After we care for the survivors, honor the heroes,…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:02

Strong gun laws require strong politicians

By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist Had Al-Qaeda carried out the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Congress would be seething to assign blame, enact laws, and exact revenge. But with some notable exceptions — welcome to reality, Sens. Warner…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:01

We need a dialogue on guns and laws

To the Editor: I challenge The Smoky Mountain News to assist in opening a respectful, thoughtful, meaningful conversation in our region about gun policies in the United States. Give us credible, objective statistics relating to gun policies and violence, in…
Wednesday, 19 December 2012 00:00

Help protect local nonprofits from fiscal cliff fallout


To the Editor: As the executive director of Cherokee Preservation Foundation for the past 10 years, I’ve seen the tremendous value that a wide range of wonderful nonprofits contribute to our region. Unfortunately, the federal “fiscal cliff” poses a serious…
Wednesday, 19 December 2012 00:00

Make gun, ammo buyers pay to solve problem

Gary Peebles • Guest Columnist In an entirely predictable way, the Connecticut shootings have touched off another round in the debate about gun control in America. Both sides have valid points. The left is correct; guns are exceptionally efficient killing…
Wednesday, 19 December 2012 00:00

Investment in mental health might provide some answers

By Bob Scott • Guest Columnist After the killing of 26 children and adults by a young man using a semi-automatic gun best used for combat, the knee-jerk reactions have begun. Politicians on the Democrat side of the aisle are…
Wednesday, 12 December 2012 14:24

The fiscal cliff is already in our rearview mirror

By Kenn Jacobine • Guest Columnist Washington is full of drama. Americans are constantly being treated to high political suspense. Whether it’s the scandal ridden death of an ambassador, an outrageous gun dealing policy gone wrong on our southern border,…
Wednesday, 12 December 2012 14:21

Taking advantage of our unique attributes

The recently announced plans for a Blueways Trail focusing on the recreational uses of Western North Carolina’s waterways is one of the better recent ideas for promoting our region. Its focus on the unique natural wonders of our mountains will…
Wednesday, 05 December 2012 14:06

HCC appreciates fire response

To the Editor: The following letter was sent to firefighters, first responders, and law enforcement personnel for all those who helped with HCC’s recent fire: The purpose in my letter is to thank all of you who responded to the…
Wednesday, 05 December 2012 14:05

Displaying Confederate flag is not illegal

To the Editor: It is apparent that history is still being written and revised by the victors and their descendants. I read this past week a letter that attempted to describe the ancestors of many Haywood County residents as “traitors”…
Wednesday, 05 December 2012 14:05

North Carolinians have it right

To the Editor: BINGO! Most North Carolinians caught on that Barack Obama’s economic failures are not so much ineptness but rather his agenda. The more people collecting unemployment insurance, receiving welfare checks and using food stamps the more dependency on…
Wednesday, 05 December 2012 14:03

New writer launches a promising literary career

Since the publication of Wiley Cash’s debut novel A Land More Kind Than Home earlier this year, I have been listening to the buzz of conversation about this “remarkable new book” written by a Western North Carolina native. The book…
Wednesday, 05 December 2012 13:59

A small but important investment in public transit

It may seem a relatively unimportant issue, but in truth it is very symbolic because it recognizes a reality that is upon us. I’m talking about a request that will come before the Waynesville Town Board this month concerning public…
Wednesday, 28 November 2012 00:00

Early education no substitute for old-fashioned parenting

To the Editor: Doctor Raymond Turpin’s opinion of Michele Presnell, Mike Clampitt and Jim Davis seems based on the premise they “don’t get it” regarding the value of childhood programs (Oct. 24 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/9154) To…
Wednesday, 28 November 2012 00:00

Tourism overhaul was the right thing to do

To the Editor: Democracy is working in Jackson County! This week’s passage of the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) Resolution is a much-welcomed newly sprouting seed in the political landscape in the national drought of our country’s overall political climate. Our…
Wednesday, 28 November 2012 00:00

When the cat’s away, the boys will play

We had been dreading it all week, and now, as we stood there on a brisk Friday morning waiting on the school bus in front of our mailbox, my seven-year-old son and I had time to confront the reality of…
Wednesday, 21 November 2012 15:09

Internet businesses do benefit community

To the Editor: In a recent column, writer Jeff Minick implored holiday shoppers to consider shopping locally and using the Internet only as a last resort so that the money will stay in our local economy. If only life were…
Wednesday, 21 November 2012 15:08

Cowee School project part of a larger plan

To the Editor: I’ve been a fan of The Smoky Mountain News for 12 years since you very ably reported on the Needmore Tract conservation story: a locally-led campaign to conserve 27 miles of Little Tennessee River. The then-Macon County…
Wednesday, 21 November 2012 15:07

Any act of appreciation is worthwhile

To the Editor: After reading your piece this week, “Speaking too loudly sometimes belittles the message,” my reaction was “let’s err on the side of appreciation.” One of my most poignant memories came from a Memorial Day visit to Arlington National…
Wednesday, 21 November 2012 15:04

The right to a job does not exist

By Ken Jacobine • Guest Columnist The idea of the United States of America was born during the Age of Enlight-enment (17th and 18th centuries). The great philosophers of that time challenged the divine right of kings by enunciating a…
Wednesday, 21 November 2012 15:03

Cullowhee presents a great opportunity

We have many vibrant, attractive commercial districts in the mountains, some very small and some large and sprawling. I’m talking everything from downtown Waynesville to Bryson City to Asheville. Wouldn’t it be cool to add Cullowhee to this list?
Wednesday, 14 November 2012 00:00

GOP should control House for years

To the Editor: The 2012 Election results are in and it gives me hope. Tip O’Neill, the former distinguished Democratic Speaker of the House, said “All politics is local.” The sweeping Republican victory in Macon County tells us that we…
Wednesday, 14 November 2012 00:00

Tax the rich and we all pay more

To the Editor: Harry Reid, the leader of the Democrat Senate in Washington says, “Tax the rich.” Is Harry a fool or does he think we are? All tax hikes are passed on to the customer. We all know that…
Wednesday, 14 November 2012 00:00

Get ready for onslaught of new taxes

To the Editor: During the campaign, Barack Obama let it be known that he believes in redistribution of your income … this means giving government entitlements to the takers from the makers. We do know a little about how redistribution…
Wednesday, 14 November 2012 00:00

Speaking too loudly sometimes belittles the message

My father is retired Navy, and I lived on military bases until I was 10. My stepfather is retired Army Special Forces with several tours of Vietnam under his belt. My wife’s dad served in the Army and did duty…
Wednesday, 07 November 2012 00:00

Consequences of intervention not so good

To the Editor: Almost all actions of politicians have unintended consequences. In times of tragedies their mistakes are amplified. Last week, before, during and after “Super Storm” Sandy hit the northeastern United States, governors and attorneys general in that part…
Wednesday, 07 November 2012 00:00

Points about Mormonism obviously misunderstood

To the Editor: Your correspondent William Fisher has written a constructive response to my recent letter about religion and politics, which deserves an explanatory reply. To begin with, he has overlooked one important word in my letter — “among.” I…
Wednesday, 07 November 2012 00:00

Election is over, so use newfound time wisely

To the Editor: I am writing this letter in celebration that the elections are now over. I will not miss the never-ending supply of politically charged letters and opinions to the editor that have been inundating your publication over the…
Wednesday, 07 November 2012 00:00

Jackson commissioners off the mark on tourism

To the Editor: As a nearly 50-year-veteran of the tourism industry and one of the “authors” of the Florida accommodation tax legislation in the 1970s I must underscore the importance of preventing politicians from having anything to do with the…
Wednesday, 07 November 2012 00:00

Income disparity much more than a campaign issue

I’m a late-blooming entrepreneur from a lower middle-class upbringing. My parents came from farming and mill-town childhoods, and they bought wholesale into the part of the American dream that told them their children, through education and hard work, will do…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:14

Be very careful what you wish for

To the Editor: Do you wish that your child got less attention from the teacher because teachers and their aids are getting laid off while enrollment increases? Do you wish that you could subsidize other peoples’ tuition at private schools?…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:13

Hayden Rogers willing to work with GOP

To the Editor: During the 11th District Congressional debate at Brevard College, Hayden Rogers clearly distinguished himself from his Republican opponent Mark Meadows.  In my opinion, Rogers made the best connection with the audience, but I think the most important…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:12

Economics, jobs, and future business

To the Editor: Do our politicians that run for public offices really care about our future, or are they just thinking of theirs? Just over two years ago Swain County had the golden opportunity to land a construction project —…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:11

Mormonism is not what letter writer stated

To the Editor, Recently a friend of mine said to me: “Mormonism sure is a strange religion.” How so, I asked, and was shown Doug Wingeier’s letter in your Oct 24 issue. Mr. Wingeier makes a fine point that we…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:10

Rep. Rapp is a gem of a legislator

To the Editor: I was born January 1933, and I have been a student of our state and our nation’s political and legislative scenes for some 70 years and counting. During those many years I have been able to evaluate,…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:09

Rogers should be our next congressman

To the Editor: I am writing to ask for your support for Hayden Rogers for Congress. When I look at the two candidates running for the 11th Congressional District, I see a definite difference that does not relate to their…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:08

OP does not deserve a single vote

To The Editor:  Both parties have some valid points that need to be examined. But very simply, one party has spent the past four years doing all it could to disrupt the people’s business and thereby extend the recession, causing…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:08

Obama deserves another term

To the Editor: Neither of our presidential candidates has reached the stage of perfection. Neither has all the answers to all the challenges. But when I see a foreign policy of arrogance and unilateralism replaced by a policy of openness…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:07

Uninformed populace a sad state of affairs

To the Editor: Some 30 years ago about 33 national broadcast companies existed.  Today approximately five provide an extremely limited and controlled source of information for a population of more than 360 million. These broadcast companies know their audience and “frame”…
Wednesday, 31 October 2012 01:05

The military bubble will be the next to burst

Ken Jacobine • Guest Columnist As students of the Austrian School of Economics understand, financial bubbles are caused by central bank monetary policy and government intervention in the economy.  The housing boom and subsequent crash in the first decade of this…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Climate change is real, must be confronted

To the Editor: First, I want to thank The Smoky Mountain News for co-sponsoring the political candidate forum held at the Jackson County Public Library on Oct. 15. It was perhaps the most meaningful forum of its type I’ve seen,…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Discussing religion of candidates is tricky

To the Editor: As I was engaged in a peace vigil in front of the Haywood County Courthouse recently, a passerby said to me, “No, Obama!” I asked, “Why?” His reply, “He’s not a Christian.” I said, “Oh yes he…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Forum gave insight into John Snow

To the Editor: A candidate forum was held in Sylva on Oct. 15, 2012. The forum was sponsored by the Macon County League of Women Voters, Canary Coalition, Occupy WNC and The Smoky Mountain News. There were two candidates participating…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Beware the candidate who runs attack ads

To the Editor: Campaign advertising is all around us. Much of it is in the form of attack ads meant to make us vote against particular candidates. These ads are full of misstatements and just plain lies. Behind the attack…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Oscillating Romney not a good choice

To the Editor: Mitt Romney continuously switches positions to appease his audience. I am citing only a few examples. In the January presidential debate, he said the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade, but now says he was never…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Here’s why tax cuts aren’t working

To the Editor: The economy is the largest accident ever designed by man. We think we can’t control it, but we the people do. Unfortunately, it’s human nature that is in control and not our logic.  Trickle-down Reaganomics is one…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Some regulations are good for business

To the Editor: Mark Meadows and Romney-Ryan believe business can exist and prosper without government, that business owners build their businesses on their own. Obama’s message is that business owners rely on public funded infrastructure to move goods to market,…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Marty Jones’ signs are just too much

To the Editor: It is November, which means it is election time. As we all know election time means campaign time. I believe the front page headline from the Asheville Citizen-Times that read “Local Political Ads Get Uglier and Costlier”…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Davis has shown support for those with disabilities

To the Editor: Seldom do I cross party lines in politics. However, there is one Republican candidate I will vote for: Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin. My reason is that during his term in office he has been committed to serving…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Debates provide another view of candidates

The presidential debates of the 2012 election are now behind us. Barack Obama, the Democratic incumbent president running for re-election, and Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee and former governor of Massachusetts, made their pitches to the voters who watched them…
Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00

Support candidates who value early childhood programs

In the Sept. 19 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, there were some disturbing quotes from some of the local candidates for the N.C. legislature in regard to the importance of funding the NC Pre-K program (formerly known as More…
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:37

GOP mailings smear candidates, ignore facts

To the editor: The world’s first political consultants were ancient Greeks known as Sophists who taught debating skills and boasted that they could make the weaker argument sound stronger. Sophistry, which the dictionary defines as “subtly deceptive reasoning or argument,”…
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:35

Bear euthanasia was not first option

By Gordon Myers • Guest Columnist A letter was recently circulated regarding the euthanizing of a black bear in the Mountain Aire community in Western North Carolina. That letter apparently spawned a letter to the editor published in The Smoky…
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:35

We need specifics from Romney

To the Editor: The first presidential debate underscored one thing — what does Romney intend to do when campaign rhetoric must be turned into policy? He certainly gave us no clues. We all know that the economy has severely suffered…
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:33

The environment is key in this election

To the Editor: Bottom line: our economy, our health and quality of life are all dependent on how we treat our environment. The American people are the least healthy in the developed world. We spend more money per individual than…
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:33

Obama just hasn’t gotten the job done

To the Editor: This will be the election of my lifetime. I was born before WWII. I have seen my country survive many serious problems. But this year we have a man running for re-election who has had almost four…
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:32

Is Romney really the person you want?

To the Editor: After listening to Mitt Romney’s excuses over the last several months for what he has and is saying, I have a question I hope will resonate with all voters: Are we really ready to have a president…
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:32

Davis’ gain is public education’s loss

To the Editor: At the county and state government levels budgets are about choices, and those choices have moral implications, not just economic ones. Since he has participated at both government levels, you would think Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, would…
Wednesday, 17 October 2012 13:30

Parris lived in the moment, a rare trait indeed

On any given Saturday morning for the past 20 years, I would roll out of bed, crank up the coffee machine and some Rolling Stones, throw on some running shorts and a tank top, and head out to the gym,…
Friday, 12 October 2012 13:45

N.C. Wildlife Commission sets the record straight on euthanization as last resort

To the Editor: A letter was recently circulated regarding the euthanizing of a black bear in the Mountain Aire community in western North Carolina. That letter apparently spawned a letter to the editor published in the Smoky Mountain News on…
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 12:56

Barack Obama and his debate debacle

To the Editor: So, here we had it. Live TV for all the world to see. In one corner was a man vilified by MSNBC, the editorial staff at The New York Times, the main stream media and, of course,…
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 12:55

McCrory and our gems from Western Carolina

To the Editor: I am concerned about North Carolina’s unemployment rate of 9.7 percent and the country as a whole. We, the citizens of North Carolina, have a wonderful team of conservative candidates who are real leaders. Firstly, we need…
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 12:54

Make the right choice: Hayden Rogers

To the Editor: We in the mountains are known to be suspicious of outsiders who want to tell us how we should live. Mark Meadows, a native Floridian, moved into our area and has made millions buying and selling Highlands…
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 12:54

Giving bears a second chance

To the Editor: The inflexibility of the North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission (NCWRC) is alarming. The killing of a three-legged yearling bear in Western North Carolina without following up on the accredited sanctuary the community had found to accept this…
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 12:53

Backcountry fees a bad idea

To the Editor: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park plans to begin charging fees for backcountry camping and implement a new reservation and permitting process soon. For the past 80 years, backpacking and backcountry camping has been free in the…
Wednesday, 10 October 2012 12:49

HART’s Stage II is a ticket to the future

I’ve always believed in the adage that success builds success. It’s one of life’s truisms that anyone with eyes wide open sees very plainly, and it holds true in business, education, politics and the arts. That’s why Haywood Arts Regional…
Wednesday, 04 July 2007 00:00

Labor unions slowly losing power in U.S.

When Blue Ridge Paper employees voted to accept the recent buyout offer from the Rank group of New Zealand, union leaders were divided on whether to accept the offer. Union representatives from New York urged workers to vote yes, while…
Wednesday, 04 July 2007 00:00

A pack rat’s nightmare – a yard sale

You need some space. Believe me, I understand. The closets are so full, it takes two of you to press the doors closed — turn the knob to open one, and you risk a broken nose from the sheer force…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:41

Don’t be fooled again by Sen. Jim Davis

To the Editor: One of the most important decisions we will have to make on Nov. 6 is who to vote for in the N.C. Senate race. When the sweeping results of voter dissatisfaction took place in the 2010 elections,…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:40

Bernanke is killing the working class

To the Editor: It is really quite amazing that anybody would believe anything that emanates from the mouth of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Quite frankly, the fact that Barack Obama nominated him for a second term as Fed chairman…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:39

This election, let’s make a clean sweep

To the Editor: During this election the main question seems to be economical. We are a debtor nation. We are heading towards bankruptcy. There is a more important question: is the American society on the rise or decline? Fifty years…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:38

Americans are too easily deceived

To the Editor: Why are the American people so easily deceived? It seems as if they want to be deceived.  This is true regarding President Barack Obama. He has stealthily deceived himself into the White House when he had zero…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:37

GOP attack on women is real and continuing

To the Editor: The letter about women’s rights by Margery Abel in last week’s Smoky Mountain News says it very well. I’d like to add the following to what she has said. • Current Republican budget proposals call for cuts in…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:36

Independent thinkers are key to future

To the Editor: Kurt Vonnegut, a prophetic fiction writer of the 1960s, wrote an amusing, disturbing and satirical short story called “Harrison Bergeron,” describing a future day in 2081 when the ruling government has perfected an equalized society. Any natural…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:35

Sen. Davis’ comments were insulting

To the Editor: Much has been said this election year on the Republican “War on Women.” Some believe it exists while others doubt it.  I have believed for some time that it exists, beginning with Rush Limbaugh’s “slut” comment. There…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:34

The tragedy of mass shootings, gun control

Hardly a week goes by without hearing about another tragic shooting, in a movie theater, a grocery store, a Washington, D.C. family political action office or in the streets of New York City at the Empire State building. Wow! We…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:33

Support Ghost Town and other local projects

To the Editor: This is really not an “either-or” situation. Maggie Valley should definitely support Ghost Town as an investment (yes, I pay Maggie Valley taxes, so I’m entitled to that opinion). The town already invests in other things (the…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:33

Invest in nature, not Ghost Town

To the Editor: I have no problem with Ghost Town, and I wish them well in their efforts. But I don’t think Maggie Valley and Haywood County should count on it being some sort of economic engine to drive all…
Wednesday, 03 October 2012 16:31

Neither candidate is going to get the job done

To the Editor: It appears Mitt Romney has committed the unpardonable sin — he told the truth and now must pay the price. What ever the number of Americans dependent on government actually is, it is unnecessarily high, and as…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:10

Life in the GOP fact-free bubble

To the Editor: I just don’t get it. Many Republicans think that Obama is a Kenyan socialist out to destroy the country by creating a permanent welfare state with money stolen from rich people. But why would they not believe that…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:09

Conservatives take us down the wrong path

To the Editor: Webster’s dictionary defines the following terms as stated below: • Conservative: “of or relating to a philosophy of conservatism,” “tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions.” • Conservatism: “disposition in politics to preserve what is…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:08

Jim Davis living in Alice in Wonderland world?

To the Editor: Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, is apparently living in a world in where up is down, less is more, and the truth in our world is the opposite in his. In a recent “Senate Update” (Aug. 17), he…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:08

Don’t legitimize hate and violence

To the Editor: From U.S. media coverage we get the impression that the Muslim world is burning with anti-Western anger over an Islamophobic film, with hordes of violent protesters on the streets threatening us all. Actually, however, most Muslims have found…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:07

Thanks to the GOP communications chair

To The Editor: In Carol Adams’ reply to my column (“Proud to be an American … sort of,” SMN Sept. 5, 2012) she asks “Where have you been been these nearly four years, sir?” I would answer that I’ve been…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:06

Video archives useful in combatting lies

To the Editor: I noticed that last week some of Mitt Romney’s defenders tried to claim that the video from the May fundraising event was “deceptively edited” to make it look like Romney demeaned 47 percent of the electorate. I…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:06

Women’s rights, the unfinished struggle

To the Editor: Throughout America’s history courageous women have struggled to achieve social and political freedom and equality. They have fought against laws and cultural and religious traditions assigning them subservient roles in American society. This long struggle has produced…
Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:04

A different kind of freedom in the Middle East

Could you imagine how different it might feel to be an American today if the ideas of individual freedom and secularism that took root in Enlightenment Europe and the American colonies beginning in the 1700s had flowered in the Middle…
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 13:35

Obama’s record needs closer look

To the Editor: Carol Adams in her Letter to the Editor (SMN, Sept. 12) asserts that Obama’s record is “not a record he can be proud of.” What she sees as a record, others would see as a legacy of…
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 13:34

History has been altered by victors

To the Editor: Mr. McLeod, instead of being upset over a Confederate flag flying in the South, perhaps you should actually be more upset about the following. Slavery is not an exclusive club for blacks. Whites were slaves (not indentured…
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 13:33

Is journalism dead or just very biased?

To the Editor: Mark Twain once said “If you don’t read the newspaper, you are uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you are misinformed.” Unfortunately, it appears there is too much truth in this statement of humor. When the New…
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 13:33

Proposals could harm bear, deer populations

To the Editor: According to David Whitmire’s recent letters sent to the media in WNC, two pending bills for 2013-14 could have a damaging effect on bear and deer management in Western North Carolina. Whitmire, a hunter from Lake Toxaway and…
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 13:32

PetSmart will help animal rescue groups

To the Editor: PetSmart, which is known for not carrying puppy mill dogs or cats, also holds on-site adoptions for rescue groups to find homes for homeless dogs and cats. This new facility is state of the art and includes…
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 13:32

Get the facts about state education funding

To the Editor: The Macon County Democrat Headquarters got my attention with their sign. For those that haven’t seen it, it reads the “Republicans have cut $926 million from the budget for schools.” As a parent of school age children,…
Wednesday, 19 September 2012 13:30

In Democratic convention’s wake, 44 owes 42 – big time

By Savannah Bell and Don Livingston In his re-election campaign, President Barack Obama cannot count on the support of many of those who voted for him with enthusiasm in 2008. The condition and mood of the country do not favor…
Wednesday, 11 July 2007 00:00

LWCF has been a great resource for this country

When most of us here in Western North Carolina go for a hike on the Appalachian Trail, hunt or fish in the national forest, enjoy a scenic drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, or visit the Carl Sandburg Home, we…
Wednesday, 11 July 2007 00:00

Lottery could help solve state’s teacher shortage

Since North Carolina is having such a hard time finding enough teachers, one place education leaders might look for help seems obvious — lottery proceeds. As the state pores over information from the first full year of the gambling games…
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