Cherokee pays off millions of debt
 

Cherokee pays off millions of debt

A massive load of debt left the shoulders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians last week following enactment of…
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Events for readers and writers
 

Events for readers and writers

Salvation sought through moonshine  Terry Roberts will present his new novel The Holy Ghost and Speakeasy and Revival at 3…
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The Left still has something to learn about tolerance
 

The Left still has something to learn about tolerance

I’ve been observing something for years — though recently it has snowballed  — and it has always struck me as…
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Let’s work toward a better Maggie Valley
 

Let’s work toward a better Maggie Valley

To the Editor: Former President Ronald Reagan once said, “The republic is a dream. If we stop dreaming, we will…
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Governor’s office is still in the dark
 

Governor’s office is still in the dark

To the Editor: There you are, governor of North Carolina, and somebody pushes a stack of papers in front of…
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Racism is not in the ‘eye of the beholder’
 

Racism is not in the ‘eye of the beholder’

To the Editor: Sorry Dad, but in your column in last week’s edition of The Smoky Mountain News (www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/17607), you…
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Connecting a new generation to 9/11
 

Connecting a new generation to 9/11

Recently, a group of Waynesville Middle chorus students were at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City, and when they…
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Hot Springs fire contained
 

Hot Springs fire contained

The verdict is in on a fire that had been blazing for two weeks near Hot Springs — after burning…
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Hanging Dog Campground reopens on trial basis
 

Hanging Dog Campground reopens on trial basis

After two years of closure, Hanging Dog Campground in Cherokee County has reopened through a collaborative effort between the county…
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Get the cheat sheet to buy local
 

Get the cheat sheet to buy local

Growing season has arrived in Western North Carolina, and the new Local Food Guide from the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project…
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Trail mapping project earns award for tribal member
 

Trail mapping project earns award for tribal member

A Cherokee woman received recognition from the environmental organization Wild South for her tireless work with a project to map…
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DuPont trails to close for blue ghost firefly protection
 

DuPont trails to close for blue ghost firefly protection

Closure of some trails will soon take effect in DuPont State Recreational Forest to protect the blue ghost firefly, a…
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Rivers and restaurants: TV crew falls for Jackson County  through its trout, tables and people
 

Rivers and restaurants: TV crew falls for Jackson County through its trout, tables and people

The sun is lowering toward a perfect spring evening as the crew from Fox Sports’ “Anglers & Appetites” pulls onto…
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Evolution
 

Evolution

I spend six weeks every spring doing bird surveys for the Forest Service across Western North Carolina. My travels take…
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Novel mixes Cherokee folklore with real history
 

Novel mixes Cherokee folklore with real history

This astonishing “novel” was crafted by three multi-talented western Cherokees who live and create in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. It resembles a…
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Roller derby to benefit Relay for Life
 

Roller derby to benefit Relay for Life

The Smoky Mountain Roller Girls will be hosting their second double header of the season on Saturday, May 14, at…
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JAM concert to honor Stuart
 

JAM concert to honor Stuart

Old-time music fans and friends of the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program are invited come together for a concert honoring…
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This must be the place
 

This must be the place

It is the eternal quest.
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Brighten the corner where you are
 

Brighten the corner where you are

It is the word of Southern Appalachia. For over a half a century, writer Fred Chappell has captured the essence…
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Making the grade: Educator reinvents dropout prevention, but budget cuts jeopardize program
 

Making the grade: Educator reinvents dropout prevention, but budget cuts jeopardize program

Kyle Ledford spent years working with at-risk youth and high school dropouts in the Haywood school system. Saving kids was…
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Dropout program in jeopardy
 

Dropout program in jeopardy

Despite wild success rescuing high school dropouts and turning their lives around, the Haywood Community Learning Center is on the…
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Caught in life’s crosshairs, students struggle not to dropout
 

Caught in life’s crosshairs, students struggle not to dropout

The trials of adulthood came early for Nicole Ferguson.
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Trying to put a square peg in a round hole? Kyle Ledford’s your man
 

Trying to put a square peg in a round hole? Kyle Ledford’s your man

If there’s one thing Kyle Ledford is good at, it’s pushing boulders uphill.
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Even with higher tax rate, Sylva budget a squeeze
 

Even with higher tax rate, Sylva budget a squeeze

Sylva residents will likely see their tax rate skyrocket 42 percent this year, but town commissioners say that even the…
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EMS costs and revaluation are catalysts for Jackson’s tax rate
 

EMS costs and revaluation are catalysts for Jackson’s tax rate

With a drop in county value and increase in emergency response costs, Jackson County is looking at a draft budget…
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Franklin budget proposal focuses on infrastructure needs
 

Franklin budget proposal focuses on infrastructure needs

Franklin’s proposed budget prioritizes a number of long-range infrastructure projects without increasing the tax rate.
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More firefighters needed, but is it worth a tax increase?
 

More firefighters needed, but is it worth a tax increase?

Waynesville leaders will face a big decision this budget year: whether to increase property taxes by 10 percent to pay…
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As volunteer fire cavalry wanes, quick response hinges on a core of paid staff
 

As volunteer fire cavalry wanes, quick response hinges on a core of paid staff

Waynesville town leaders heard something they didn’t necessarily want to hear last week.
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Cherokee moves toward marijuana legalization
 

Cherokee moves toward marijuana legalization

Cherokee took another step along the road toward legalizing medicinal marijuana with a vote last week to start drafting legislation…
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Farmers lease old Drexel factory in Whittier
 

Farmers lease old Drexel factory in Whittier

After years of sitting empty, the old Drexel Furniture factory in Whittier will now enter a new phase of useful…
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Gaming machines seized from local businesses
 

Gaming machines seized from local businesses

An undercover investigation into illegal gambling resulted in the seizure of more than 300 gaming machines from convenience stores across…
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TVA gives houseboats a 30-year sunset
 

TVA gives houseboats a 30-year sunset

Opposition from local, state and federal politicians, a petition with 3,500 signatures and more than three hours’ worth of poignant…
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Surgery successful for WCU chancellor
 

Surgery successful for WCU chancellor

David Belcher may not have appeared at Western Carolina University’s commencement ceremonies last week, but the university’s chancellor was there…
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Shining Rock stalled on mobile classroom contract
 

Shining Rock stalled on mobile classroom contract

Shining Rock Classical Academy is considering legal action against a modular building company for not being able to honor its…
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Haywood Schools to make layoff announcements this week
 

Haywood Schools to make layoff announcements this week

Budget cuts are forcing Haywood County Schools to lay off 10 teachers and staff at the end of this school…
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Haywood Schools dispute allegations surrounding Central Elementary
 

Haywood Schools dispute allegations surrounding Central Elementary

Haywood County school leaders went on record this week patently disputing the allegations in a lawsuit filed last week questioning…
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Bomb threat made to Jackson, Swain and EBCI government buildings
 

Bomb threat made to Jackson, Swain and EBCI government buildings

A bomb threat was called into 911 during the 11 a.m. hour this morning, with a male voice claiming bombs…
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Haywood commissioners support keeping houseboats
 

Haywood commissioners support keeping houseboats

Haywood County commissioners passed a resolution this week adding their two-cents to the debate over whether floating houseboats on Fontana…
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Top 100 in Smokies history named
 

Top 100 in Smokies history named

Throughout its journey from concept to reality to regional treasure, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has drawn the support…
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Tour the best of Haywood’s gardens this summer
 

Tour the best of Haywood’s gardens this summer

The best blooms and greenery in Haywood County will be on display with this year’s Haywood County Garden Tour Saturday,…
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New maps ‘unlock’ Tsali’s epic trail system
 

New maps ‘unlock’ Tsali’s epic trail system

Newbies to Tsali Recreation Area in Graham County will have an easier time navigating the 37-mile trail network thanks to…
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Operation box turtle: Waynesville vet works to give baby turtles a leg up
 

Operation box turtle: Waynesville vet works to give baby turtles a leg up

Joel Harrington has always been a fan of turtles. Of all animals, really — he is a veterinarian — but Harrington has…
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32 years and counting for birding expedition
 

32 years and counting for birding expedition

This past weekend marked the occasion of the 32nd annual Great Smokies Birding Expedition. Fred Alsop, the ornithologist at East…
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Crazy little thing called love
 

Crazy little thing called love

Love. What a loaded word. Let’s skip the love of country, the love of family, the love of nature, the love…
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WCU students learning valuable lessons on civil discourse
 

WCU students learning valuable lessons on civil discourse

It’s not the 1960s in terms of political activism, but recent episodes at Western Carolina University and across the country…
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No negative connotation in resignation
 

No negative connotation in resignation

To the Editor: As a founding member of the Franklin Appalachian Trail Community Council, I offer for readers the following…
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Wallet issues and the legislature
 

Wallet issues and the legislature

To the Editor: They’re baaaaaaaaack. Yes, your N.C. Legislature is back in session and talking tax cuts. Hold on to…
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A music nut makes the Merlefest pilgrimage
 

A music nut makes the Merlefest pilgrimage

Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I am a complete nut about music. There are people for…
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Vaccines important for pets
 

Vaccines important for pets

By Kristen Hammett • Guest Columnist As a pet owner, there are many things we do to keep our fur babies…
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YMCA camp gets ready to open in Swain
 

YMCA camp gets ready to open in Swain

A little more than a year ago it was nothing more than an open grassy field surrounded by forest, but…
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