Prison makeover project closes in on $50K prize
 

Prison makeover project closes in on $50K prize

Haywood Pathways Center is almost to the finish line in an online voting contest that would provide $50,000 — plus…
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Sylva considers expanding territorial jurisdiction
 

Sylva considers expanding territorial jurisdiction

Property owners along the fringes of Sylva may soon have to adhere to town zoning regulations. The town board is…
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Canton nixes street parking near Blackbear Automotive
 

Canton nixes street parking near Blackbear Automotive

A section of Johnson Street in Canton has been closed following complaints that parked vehicles — repair jobs from Blackbear…
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Growing the neighborhood: Claiborne preaches unity, community to Junaluska youth
 

Growing the neighborhood: Claiborne preaches unity, community to Junaluska youth

Shane Claiborne was a couple minutes late for his interview with The Smoky Mountain News, but for good reason. Claiborne…
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Ballot shapes up for Jackson sheriff’s race
 

Ballot shapes up for Jackson sheriff’s race

Jackson County voters will finally be able to see the shape of the November ballot with the close of a…
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The slow leak: Junaluska Sanitary District rocked by embezzlement
 

The slow leak: Junaluska Sanitary District rocked by embezzlement

No one knows for sure what motivated Scarlette Heatherly the first time she skimmed a little cash off the top…
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Tapping the trough
 

Tapping the trough

A wall calendar edged with hot-pink swirls seems out of place in the Junaluska Sanitary District, where the back door…
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Canton wins Camp Hope appeal
 

Canton wins Camp Hope appeal

A two-year court battle over the ownership of Camp Hope concluded last week when the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled…
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Macon County revisits Parker Meadows plans
 

Macon County revisits Parker Meadows plans

Discovery of a Cherokee gravesite on the soon-to-be ballfield complex at Macon County’s Parker Meadows property will likely mean that…
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Column blaming Rep. Presnell was wrong
 

Column blaming Rep. Presnell was wrong

To the Editor: The column by Editor Scott McLeod two weeks ago taking after Rep. Michelle Presnell, R-Burnsville, for stopping…
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Man of action and education proves popular
 

Man of action and education proves popular

There are movies that I simply cannot turn off once I stumble into them when I am switching channels, which…
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On the Isle again
 

On the Isle again

Thanks to the generosity of dear friends, my family gets to vacation on Isle of Palms every summer. If you…
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Proposed fracking rules released
 

Proposed fracking rules released

The Mining and Energy Commission has finished writing a proposed set of rules to govern oil and gas development in…
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Get up close with birds and fish on the Little T
 

Get up close with birds and fish on the Little T

Amateur biologists of all ages are invited to help find out how the birds and fish are doing on Land…
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New moth species named for Cherokee
 

New moth species named for Cherokee

A new moth species recently discovered in the Southern Appalachians has a locally inspired name.
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WCU fishermen head to national competition
 

WCU fishermen head to national competition

Western Carolina University will send two students to the national Bassmaster College Series National Championship following a third place win…
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Organizations step up to save the Georgia aster
 

Organizations step up to save the Georgia aster

A coalition of public and private conservation organizations is stepping up to save the Georgia aster, a purple Southern flower…
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Chemistry concentration to tap natural products movement
 

Chemistry concentration to tap natural products movement

Western Carolina University will launch a new master’s degree in chemistry this fall with a professional science concentration in natural…
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Birds of Prey program comes to Oconaluftee
 

Birds of Prey program comes to Oconaluftee

Raptors will ride into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a birds of prey program 10 a.m. Friday, July…
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Mushroom immersion at the Highlands Biological Station
 

Mushroom immersion at the Highlands Biological Station

Explore the diversity of fungi in the Southern Appalachian Mountains and their relationships with native plants through upcoming programs at…
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Hashing out habitat: Crowd debates wildlife habitat in forest management plan meeting
 

Hashing out habitat: Crowd debates wildlife habitat in forest management plan meeting

More than 100 people filled the room at Asheville’s Crowne Plaza Hotel earlier this month, but they weren’t there for…
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Summer reading always takes a different tack
 

Summer reading always takes a different tack

For whatever reason — the leisurely pace of days, the break in my work routine, the annual trip to the…
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Kansas string duo to play Bryson City
 

Kansas string duo to play Bryson City

Sister string duo Scenic Roots will continue the Summer Music Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24, at the Marianna…
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Bluegrass to hit Robbinsville stage
 

Bluegrass to hit Robbinsville stage

Acoustic bluegrass quartet The Special Consensus will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts…
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Dinosaur Train rolls into Bryson City
 

Dinosaur Train rolls into Bryson City

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad has partnered with Rail Events Inc. and The Jim Henson Company to bring the PBS…
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HCC instructor elected to Craft Guild Board
 

HCC instructor elected to Craft Guild Board

Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Wood instructor Brian Wurst was recently elected to the board of the Southern Highland Craft…
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Change in leadership at WCU arts college
 

Change in leadership at WCU arts college

Western Carolina University Provost Alison Morrison-Shetlar announced a change in leadership in the College of Fine and Performing Arts. Robert…
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Hillbilly Woodstock returns to Maggie
 

Hillbilly Woodstock returns to Maggie

The 5th Annual Hillbilly Woodstock will be held 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Aug 1-2 at the Maggie Valley Festival…
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Fountain sculpture dedication, Frog Hop in Waynesville
 

Fountain sculpture dedication, Frog Hop in Waynesville

The Waynesville Public Art Commission will hold a dedication of a new public art piece entitled “Chasing Tadpoles” during the…
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Join Jackson’s Farm, Garden & Studio Tour
 

Join Jackson’s Farm, Garden & Studio Tour

Metalsmith William S. Rogers is one of several studios participating in the July 26-27 Jackson County Farm, Garden, & Studio…
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Tritt presents country hits July 26
 

Tritt presents country hits July 26

Country music megastar Travis Tritt will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the…
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This must be the place
 

This must be the place

There’s no place like home. Amid my first few weeks living in Western North Carolina, there were times I got homesick.…
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Roddick, Courier to play charity match in Cashiers
 

Roddick, Courier to play charity match in Cashiers

The 2nd annual United Community Bank Mountain Challenge featuring American tennis legends Andy Roddick and Jim Courier will be held…
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Taylor-Shuler: What’s expected to turn into a wide open congressional race as November nears is now just barely on the radar for WNC residents
 

Taylor-Shuler: What’s expected to turn into a wide open congressional race as November nears is now just barely on the radar for WNC residents

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer The race for the 11th District’s U.S. House of Representatives seat is officially off…
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A well-crafted, if not adventurous, electronic trip
 

A well-crafted, if not adventurous, electronic trip

By Chris Cooper The brainchild of programmers Robert Smith (no, not the guy from the Cure) and Bill Walters, Blue…
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Biggers on Appalachia: New book studies Appalachia’s national significance
 

Biggers on Appalachia: New book studies Appalachia’s national significance

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Travel writer and National Public Radio commentator Jeff Biggers spent 20 years collecting and…
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Enter the mystery: World-famous extraordinist Craig Karges comes to Western Carolina University
 

Enter the mystery: World-famous extraordinist Craig Karges comes to Western Carolina University

By Michael Beadle OK, first things first — Craig Karges is not a comedian though he makes his audiences laugh.…
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A look at three self stories
 

A look at three self stories

After reading three autobiographies in less than 10 days, I emerged from the encounter feeling much like a lover who…
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Waynesville students use art class to help raise money for soup kitchen
 

Waynesville students use art class to help raise money for soup kitchen

By Michael Beadle Art class is not just a place to make art for yourself — sometimes it’s a place…
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Recommended diversions
 

Recommended diversions

Kindergarten The other day I went to a kindergarten class for “Career Day.” I had 15 minutes to talk about…
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TDA wants Reece off board
 

TDA wants Reece off board

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority called for the removal of one of its board members, Wade Reece in a…
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Sequoyah: inventor of talking leaves
 

Sequoyah: inventor of talking leaves

By Michael Beadle Sequoyah is perhaps one of the most recognizable names in Native American history — and quite rightly…
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School traffic expert offers alternative solution
 

School traffic expert offers alternative solution

Residents opposed to a plan to add a middle-turn lane along sections of Plott Creek Road in Waynesville have garnered…
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Saving the language: Teachers, parents, tribal elders and new innovative immersion programs are helping to keep the Cherokee language alive
 

Saving the language: Teachers, parents, tribal elders and new innovative immersion programs are helping to keep the Cherokee language alive

By Michael Beadle It’s a special day for 14-month-old Tawodi Clapsaddle. Several adults including his father, Ethan, look on as…
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Town’s support of road project irks aldermen
 

Town’s support of road project irks aldermen

Some members of the Waynesville board of aldermen are questioning whether Mayor Henry Foy acted in bounds when he wrote…
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Table Mountain pine
 

Table Mountain pine

Have you ever been walking one of the wind-swept, sun-bitten, high-elevation rock outcrops in the Smokies region when you suddenly…
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Banning tobacco in schools shouldn’t be so difficult
 

Banning tobacco in schools shouldn’t be so difficult

There’s really not much to say except this: why has it taken so long? The Haywood County School Board apparently…
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No loaves, just fish ... sticks
 

No loaves, just fish ... sticks

I pride myself on being a good cook. After 10 years of effort, I have finally mastered homemade cinnamon rolls.…
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Power carries a yoke of responsibility
 

Power carries a yoke of responsibility

By Michael Beadle • Columnist The recent worldwide protests against cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Mohammed have given humanity a…
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Logging plan for Kirby Knob forest upheld
 

Logging plan for Kirby Knob forest upheld

A coalition of environmental groups and local residents lost their appeal against a logging operation in the Nantahala National Forest…
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