Maggie poised to loosen tight sweepstakes cap after all

Maggie Valley town leaders plan to relax the town’s strict limits on video sweepstakes machines despite the town planning board’s recommendation to maintain the status quo.

Early birds to line up for first grabs at Haywood book sale

fr booksaleBy Peggy Manning • Correspondent

Dave and Judy Russell pride themselves on being among the first in line at the annual book sale sponsored by the Friends of the Library in Waynesville.

How Galloway’s guiding hand set the stage for Waynesville’s success

coverTo some, it might seem like luck. But Waynesville’s rise as one of the state’s preeminent small towns has been anything but.

The quality-of-life magnetism Waynesville has become known for during the past two decades is instead largely owed to an intelligent design set in motion by its methodical town manager, Lee Galloway.

Student charged with felony hate crime stays on football team

A Tuscola football player charged with a felony cross burning targeting a biracial classmate will remain on the team, at least for now.

Ben Greene, a rising junior and running back on the varsity football team, will have to sit out two games and do 25 hours of community service, according to school board policy. He can continue to practice and train with the team and is free to take the field again after sitting out the requisite number of games.

Cross burning evokes memories of past racial violence

Four teenagers in Haywood County were recently charged with burning a cross in the yard of a biracial classmate.

The act is considered a hate crime, a severe form of intimidation that is classified as a felony. All four students charged with the crime attend Tuscola High School.

Folkmoot’s financial struggles may re-define festival

coverThe popular Folkmoot international festival will become a shadow of its current self in 2014 if its financial outlook doesn’t take a quick turn for the better.

‘Too outrageous for words’: HART lands another smash hit with ‘The Bird Cage’

art frBy Shannan Mashburn • SMN Intern

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville will bring the French Rivera to life with its blockbuster summer musical “La Cage aux Folles.”

HART is taking a gamble with this play, which is among the more daring shows it has staged. Then again, HART has never been one to hold back.

Ghost Town’s limited opening offers a taste of historic amusement park’s new era

fr ghosttownGhost Town in the Sky opened last Wednesday — sort of.

The once-popular amusement park in Maggie Valley opened its chairlift and a new zipline just in time for the July 4 holiday and is offering rides on both attractions.

Tired of being the odd woman out, Haywood tourism member resigns

A Haywood County Tourism Development Authority board member has resigned from her seat after disagreeing with the rest of the board’s decision to close a couple of its visitors centers.

Maggie asked to loosen its strict cap on video sweepstake machines

fr sweepstakesMaggie Valley’s planning board voted by a narrow margin last week to keep strict regulations on video sweepstakes machines in place even if it means giving up money the town could reap by taxing the machines.

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