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Macon board plows into floodplain rules
The Macon County planning board signaled its intent this month to loosen rules on development in floodplains.
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Diagonal parking a conundrum for downtown Sylva
Business owner Marion Jones claims to sit on Sylva’s Main Street watching traffic more than any other person in town.
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Wells Funeral Home brings multi-purpose event center to downtown Waynesville
A new event center in Waynesville could be just the beginning of the vitalization of Wall Street, said Wells Greeley,…
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Swain library dreams of new digs despite funding realities
Bryson City’s library has storied yet humble beginnings — born from a suitcase of books toted around town by a…
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Forest Hills mayor race down to the wire, but not in the way you might think
The clock was ticking. There were just two days to go for mayor candidates to step up to the plate…
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Vandalism prompts Sylva to mount security cameras in parks
Persistent vandals have pushed Sylva decision-makers to ramp up the town’s surveillance program. Coming soon to two Sylva parks…
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Law enforcement excited about new WNC crime lab
The recently signed state budget bill will fund the hiring of 19 toxicology analysts for a new western crime lab,…
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Specialty license plates rescued
Colorful specialty license plates have been spared the gallows thanks to a bill passed in the final hours of the…
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Injured Ghost Town gunfighter gets hope in worker’s comp claim
A Ghost Town in the Sky gunfighter wounded during a staged fight has new hope of being compensated for his…
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Man’s quest to flee town limits ends in charges
A candidate for Maggie Valley alderman was indicted this month on eight felony charges, including forgery. The July 19 indictment…
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In the driver’s seat: ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ hits the Bryson City stage
By Michael Beadle Miss Daisy Werthan is an elderly Jewish widow who has gotten too old to drive herself, so…
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Art all day: 4th annual Bryson City Art Walk is Oct. 14
By Michael Beadle With the blaze of leaf season in full swing, inspiration is all around — especially for local…
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Southern Cross set to test its metal
By Chris Cooper If you can imagine an even more ticked-off Phil Anselmo fronting a hybrid of COC and Black…
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Recommended diversions
Sports I’m sorry, I am an unabashed sports fan. Not one of those people who paints themselves in their team’s…
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Evolution in Europe
While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West From Within by Bruce Bawer. Doubleday, 2006. 256 pages —…
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Cherokee marketing efforts get $500,000 from foundation
The Cherokee Preservation Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Travel and Promotion program of the Eastern Band of…
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Debate plan could die due to demands
Voters who got excited at early reports that Congresman Charles Taylor and challenger Heath Shuler had agreed to a debate…
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Haire, Carpenter a contrast in philosophies
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer In the race for the 119th District seat, candidates Marge Carpenter and Rep. Phil…
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Haire, Caprenter are familiar foes
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer In some elections an incumbent candidate may face a political newcomer, like the congressional…
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Haywood seeks bids on historic courthouse renovation
The Haywood County commissioners are soliciting construction bids for the long-awaited renovation of the historic courthouse in downtown Waynesville.
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How high on the totem pole? Each with two years of experience under their belts, Presnell and Queen vie for NC Senate
When Joe Sam Queen arrived at a reception hosted by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce earlier this year, the…
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Jackson County celebrates opening of Green Energy Park
A small spot on the side of a valley overlooking the Tuckasegee River outside Dillsboro may not seem the obvious…
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Jackson race outcome may depend on party turnout
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer • Mark Jones, 47, a Democrat, has been the general manager of High Hampton…
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Ken McKim says choice is clear in 50th District
Thirty-six year-old Ken McKim has lots of ideas about the issues he would tackle if he can wrest the 50th…
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Scorecards
Several groups compile score cards for state legislators based on their voting record. Queen and Presnell were both ranked by…
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Sen. John Snow earns high marks during first term
When Sen. John Snow talks about being a senator for the far western counties that he calls home, he becomes…
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Despite community pleas, Swain shelves planning board
It appears Swain County commissioners were out of sync with public consensus two months ago when they decided to postpone…
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Taylor, Shuler share similar views on gay marriage
Gibbs Knotts, a political science professor at Western Carolina University, took time to address the gay marriage issue and how…
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Do you support a Constitutional Ammendment to define marriage as between a man and woman? Why or why not?
Taylor: My position is, and has always been, that marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman.
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Change of a good kind is in the air
I’m not sure when the characteristics of being frugal and not wasting became derisive traits, why it became wimpy to…
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Lawsuit thrown out, paddlers pledge appeal
Hikers, fishermen and environmentalists won a small victory last week in an on-going tug-of-war with paddlers over the upper Chattooga…
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Ivory-billed hiatus
Ornithologists Geoff Hill of Auburn University and Dan Mennill from University of Windsor presented a program at this year’s American…
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Scientists look at ways to stop invasive species
Resource managers and plant specialists with the Blue Ridge Parkway are calling on neighboring landowners to help rein in the…
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Playing with the numbers: School board accused of arbitrarily deflating cost estimates
Bond numbers Haywood County voters approved a $25 million school bond in May 2005 intended to pay for a host…
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Safe haven: Domestic violence hits home
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Editor’s note: The names of domestic violence victims Linda and Anne, who were interviewed…
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Slope proposal supported at hearing: Concerns raised, but most agree it’s time for steep slope laws
Slope ordinance Haywood County commissioners are considering a slope development ordinance with the following restrictions:
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Cold weather and deep sleepers
This past weekend’s sudden drop in overnight temperatures into the high 20s (26 degrees and 28 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively, at…
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Where do you get medical advice?
By Mark Jaben I always marvel at people that tell me they haven’t been to a doctor in 25 years.…
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Need negative ad material? We’ve got it
Heath Shuler says he will bring integrity and accountability to Washington? Ha! We have here in our satchel 76 examples…
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Lauderdale’s Country Super is super country
By Chris Cooper The stellar songwriting talents of Jim Lauderdale have been tapped by a “who’s who” of country music…
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Makin’ tracks: Musician/traveler/artist Jim Stoltz brings his cross-country experience to life with a multimedia show and fund raiser for the Jackson/Macon Conservation Alliance
Growing up in the suburbs of Detroit, Jim Stoltz first learned to appreciate nature on family camping trips.
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Tisn’t the season, but...
A couple of Sundays ago Bob Olthoff, Blair Ogburn (senior naturalist at Balsam Mountain Preserve) and I were at Balsam…
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Going the distance: Elite runner Jason Bodnar sets his sights on Olympic Trials
By Michael Beadle The marathon can be such a fickle race. As much as you prepare for it, a lot…
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Connecting with nature
Editors note: Bill and Sharon Van Horn with the Nantahala Hiking Club in Franklin recently attended a conference in West…
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The debate logjam: Politically calculated, popularly mistaken
Democratic congressional candidate Heath Shuler’s decision to back away from a debate with Rep. Charles Taylor sent shockwaves through the…
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