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Jackson commissioners: Coming soon to a screen near you
 

Jackson commissioners: Coming soon to a screen near you

Jackson County commissioners may start broadcasting their meetings, bringing to the masses the nitty gritty of local government — tax…
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Family, feuds and football
 

Family, feuds and football

Heather Brookshire is behind enemy lines.  “Everybody has been giving me a hard time all day,” she chuckled. Taking orders…
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Haywood couple stands against N.C. gay marriage ban
 

Haywood couple stands against N.C. gay marriage ban

Amy Leonhart and Louise Jones met 17 years ago at church. “The best match for me was going to be…
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Haywood County Manager Marty Stamey to step down
 

Haywood County Manager Marty Stamey to step down

After navigating Haywood County through some of its toughest budget times, County Manager Marty Stamey will leave his position Jan.…
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Shutdown ignites strong feelings about public lands
 

Shutdown ignites strong feelings about public lands

By Sarah Kucharski • Columnist The government shutdown went into effect on the first night I arrived in Yosemite National…
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Let’s send Rep. Meadows home
 

Let’s send Rep. Meadows home

To the Editor: On Tuesday, Oct. 15, I delivered to Rep. Meadows’ office in Hendersonville more than 32,000 signatures of…
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Canton has had a lot of recent accomplishments
 

Canton has had a lot of recent accomplishments

To the Editor: This is my first ever letter to the editor.  I feel I must respond to comments made…
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Zeb sincere about helping Canton
 

Zeb sincere about helping Canton

To the Editor: Have you Canton folks taken a good look at the candidates for the four seats on the…
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Let’s learn to live with black bears
 

Let’s learn to live with black bears

To the Editor: As a better solution to the proposed “killing” of more black bears being advocated by the North…
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Milsap to make an appearance in Franklin
 

Milsap to make an appearance in Franklin

Country superstar Ronnie Milsap will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing…
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Woodcarving demonstration in Clyde
 

Woodcarving demonstration in Clyde

Artisan in the Mountains will host a woodcarving demonstration featuring the Pigeon River Woodcarvers Club from 1 to 4 p.m.…
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‘The Heiress’ comes to HART
 

‘The Heiress’ comes to HART

Classic Broadway drama “The Heiress” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25-26 and Nov. 1-2, and 3 p.m. Nov.…
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Hear a rare performance of Shubert’s Octet
 

Hear a rare performance of Shubert’s Octet

 The School of Music at Western Carolina University will present a performance of Franz Schubert’s Octet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday,…
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Dillsboro festival celebrates pottery
 

Dillsboro festival celebrates pottery

The Western North Carolina Pottery Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, in downtown Dillsboro.
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Leaf Lookers Gemboree returns to Franklin
 

Leaf Lookers Gemboree returns to Franklin

The 24th annual Leaf Lookers Gemboree will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 25-26 and 11 a.m.…
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This must be the place
 

This must be the place

All I wanted to do was play soccer. In the summer of 1997, I was 12 years old and ready…
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Trick or Treat in Western North Carolina
 

Trick or Treat in Western North Carolina

Bryson City • Haunted Halls of Havoc and Corn Maze will be from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Oct. 24-27 at…
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Pumpkin Fest returns to Franklin
 

Pumpkin Fest returns to Franklin

The 17th annual “Pumpkin Fest” will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25 and 9 a.m. to 4…
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Waynesville employee takes position in Henderson County
 

Waynesville employee takes position in Henderson County

Assistant Town Manager Alison Melnikova is leaving Waynesville for a new job, meaning the town is on the search for…
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Unusual geographic locations always get my attention
 

Unusual geographic locations always get my attention

Some of my happiest times here in the Blue Ridge have been those hours spent locating grassy balds, gorges, sinkholes,…
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No Throwaways
 

No Throwaways

The recycling group Macon Pride congratulated three local organizations who at lunch or dinner meetings bring and take home their…
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Star party at PARI
 

Star party at PARI

The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) is hosting a public Star Party Oct. 24-27 as part of a weekend-long celebration…
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Rare hike offered to see Waynesville watershed
 

Rare hike offered to see Waynesville watershed

Once again the Town of Waynesville is offering its popular Waynesville Watershed Hike, which offers hikers a walk through a…
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Park facilities remain closed during federal shutdown
 

Park facilities remain closed during federal shutdown

Except for Newfound Gap Road (U.S.441), the Spur, and the Gatlinburg Bypass, all visitor centers, picnic areas, campgrounds, trails, and…
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Know your bear neighbors
 

Know your bear neighbors

Joel Zachary, a noted black bear enthusiast, professional outdoor guide and author of Bears I’ve Met, will be the featured…
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Harvest Half Marathon comes to Cherokee
 

Harvest Half Marathon comes to Cherokee

More than 600 runners from across the mountains and Southeast are expected in Cherokee on Saturday, Oct. 19, for the…
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Run for Research
 

Run for Research

A group of 18 runners representing Western Carolina University’s athletic training program completed the sixth annual Mountain Jug Run for Research,…
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Wrinkles in space and time
 

Wrinkles in space and time

Millions of years ago America and Africa rubbed shoulders and the Appalachian Mountains were created. The ancient Appalachians, at one…
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Relaxed hunting rules would keep bear population in check
 

Relaxed hunting rules would keep bear population in check

A longer season, a higher quota, shooting over bait piles — these are just a few aspects of the state…
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Some old-fashioned lessons for living
 

Some old-fashioned lessons for living

Google books on parenting, and you will find thousands — tens of thousands — of titles. There are books on…
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Constitutents angry with Rep. Meadows’ actions
 

Constitutents angry with Rep. Meadows’ actions

To the Editor: This is an open letter to Rep Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers. Rep. Meadows, your actions have already denied…
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More Medicaid lies from McCrory
 

More Medicaid lies from McCrory

To the Editor: In my business, I deal with many people who are at the bottom of the economic ladder.…
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McCrory’s efforts paying off for state
 

McCrory’s efforts paying off for state

To the Editor: In most of the Western Carolina newspapers’ letters to the editor section, we can count on one…
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Meadows, Maniscalco did not attend forum
 

Meadows, Maniscalco did not attend forum

To the Editor: I attended the Maggie Valley aldermen candidate forum and read with interest your coverage of this event.…
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Citizens should not tolerate shutdown
 

Citizens should not tolerate shutdown

To the Editor: My name is David Monteith and I oppose the government shutdown. We Americans have given enough. When…
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Give chance a piece, or something like that
 

Give chance a piece, or something like that

By John Beckman • Guest Columnist There’s a lot to be said for making careful plans in our lives, crafting a…
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Breaking Bread Café opens in Haywood
 

Breaking Bread Café opens in Haywood

A new artisan café and restaurant has opened to fanfare in Bethel, only a short drive from downtown Waynesville and…
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Haywood Early College Graduate heading to medical school
 

Haywood Early College Graduate heading to medical school

Tyler McKinnish, a Haywood County student on his way to being a doctor, credits Haywood Early College with giving him…
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SCC kicks off scholarship fundraiser
 

SCC kicks off scholarship fundraiser

Southwestern Community College Foundation has launched a “Student Success Campaign” that aims to raise more than $1 million for scholarships…
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Radiography program a family affair for Maneys
 

Radiography program a family affair for Maneys

When Brittany Maney was 14, her fall from a Hayesville Middle School cheerleading pyramid caused a lot of pain, fear…
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Cherokee-led firm gets going on new casino
 

Cherokee-led firm gets going on new casino

After just a year in business, a Cherokee-based construction management company has landed the biggest trout in town — the…
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Opt-In meetings gather public input on future needs
 

Opt-In meetings gather public input on future needs

How would you spend $800 million? Residents and opinion leaders from the seven westernmost counties and the Qualla Boundary have…
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Child rescued from Whittier hotel dies
 

Child rescued from Whittier hotel dies

A four-year-old child found injured and abused in Qualla Motel in Whittier last week has died. Deputies arrived at the…
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Pedestrian fatality involves Cherokee officer
 

Pedestrian fatality involves Cherokee officer

A Cherokee Indian Police Department officer hit two pedestrians, killing one, while on patrol Wednesday night. The incident occurred on…
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Swain County marching band heading to D.C.
 

Swain County marching band heading to D.C.

Swain High School’s Marching Maroon Devils have officially been accepted to march in the National Independence Day Parade on July…
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State refuses to give North Shore interest money to Swain
 

State refuses to give North Shore interest money to Swain

The N.C. Department of Revenue is holding money belonging to Swain County captive, according to county officials.
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Candidates all want more business in Canton
 

Candidates all want more business in Canton

While infrastructure and economic development tops each candidate’s agenda, a far more consequential matter could await those who fill the…
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The face of the shutdown: Local childcare centers teetering as shutdown interrupts funding
 

The face of the shutdown: Local childcare centers teetering as shutdown interrupts funding

All Nicole Smith could do last week was try to keep the doors open. Either the shutdown of the federal…
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Looser sign rules could let Waynesville  business owners sing it from the rooftops
 

Looser sign rules could let Waynesville business owners sing it from the rooftops

Giant blow-up gorillas, bouquets of balloons, plastic banners strung from awnings or poles and billowing fabric figures piped full of…
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Raising the bar: Tougher curriculum + tougher testing = lower scores ahead
 

Raising the bar: Tougher curriculum + tougher testing = lower scores ahead

Schools are bracing for a precipitous drop in student test scores coming down the pike next month — the result…
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