Down home radio: WPTL celebrates 60 years on the air
 

Down home radio: WPTL celebrates 60 years on the air

In the winter of 1978, Terryll Evans was a ninth grader in Orlando, Florida. But, by March, she and her…
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A love story from a more innocent time
 

A love story from a more innocent time

Every once in a while, a novel hits me with a punch I never saw coming, perhaps even one unintended…
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A rendering of the proposed arch, drawn by Waynesville artist Teresa Pennington, is available as part of fundraising efforts to complete the project. DWA photo
 

Waynesville arch nears fundraising goal

The replica of a decorative arch that once spanned Main Street in Waynesville but was removed in the early 1970s…
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In a March photo, Jason Harley Kloepfer’s home sits just as it was left following a December 2022 police shooting there.  Holly Kays photo
 

Police shooting defendants reply to lawsuit

Tribal officers in Cherokee County shooting say they thought victim was armed
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Summit breaks ground on new high school building
 

Summit breaks ground on new high school building

After graduating its first senior class in the spring of 2022, Summit Charter School has broken ground on phase II…
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Lambert Wilson stands at the opening of the 2016 “Solitude & Mystery” event at WCU’s Fine Art Museum. WCU Photo Services photo
 

Exhibition celebrates Lambert Wilson’s legacy

In 1972, Lambert Wilson’s life changed forever.
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Participants march down Main Street during the inaugural Sylva Pride celebration. Hannah McLeod photo
 

Get ready for Sylva Pride

The third annual Sylva Pride Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 9, at Bridge…
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Film to highlight the ‘grit and wit’ of Gary Carden
 

Film to highlight the ‘grit and wit’ of Gary Carden

A film about one of Western North Carolina’s most revered literary figures will make its world premiere in a free event…
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 The Higdon property is located across the street from Franklin High School. Zillow photo
 

School board approves Higdon property lease

After months of back and forth, the Macon County School Board has approved a lease agreement for the Higdon property,…
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WCU Cherokee Language Program’s ECHT Project receives $64,905 grant
 

WCU Cherokee Language Program’s ECHT Project receives $64,905 grant

The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded Sara Snyder Hopkins, assistant professor and director of the Cherokee Language Program at…
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Ashley Hindman. File photo
 

Harris Regional Hospital & Swain Community Hospital announces New CEO

Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital, Duke LifePoint hospitals, announced the appointment of Ashley Hindman as the new chief…
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Wild nights and the bar fight
 

Wild nights and the bar fight

“There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto.”   — Cormac McCarthy, “Blood Meridian” 
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Freedom Park lifts up heroic stories
 

Freedom Park lifts up heroic stories

The state government complex in Raleigh is home to a new park. Constructed on Lane Street between the legislative building…
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The 4-acre property will offer a maze of rollers and obstacles for riders to try. American Ramp Company rendering
 

Ignition point

Cherokee’s next planned bike park to give kids, new riders a place to play 
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Volunteers work on the Sam Knob Trail. David Huff Creative photo
 

Workday gives nearly 400 hours of love to Sam Knob

With 54 volunteers turning out for the Carolina Mountain Club’s Quarterly Crew Day at Sam Knob last month, the group…
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A group organized by Latinos Aventureros take in the view. Vivianette Ortiz photo
 

Made X Mtns awards inaugural outdoor equity grants

A total of 20 organizations located across the western region have received grants from Made X Mtns in support of…
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Elizabeth S. Biser. NCDEQ photo
 

NCDEQ secretary chosen for national leadership role

N.C. Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Elizabeth S. Biser has been chosen as the next president of the Environmental Council…
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Beekeepers to swarm Bryson City
 

Beekeepers to swarm Bryson City

Spend time with beekeepers during the next meeting of the Smoky Mountain Beekeepers Association at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14,…
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Channel the power of pink
 

Channel the power of pink

The 16th annual Power of Pink 5K Run/Walk/Dog Walk will raise money for early breast cancer detection on Saturday, Sept.…
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Grant to spur regional watershed education efforts
 

Grant to spur regional watershed education efforts

A $36,500 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will fuel education efforts on the wonders of the French…
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Rec center hosts after-school program
 

Rec center hosts after-school program

Registration is open for an after-school program at the Waynesville Recreation Center, which will kick off Wednesday, Sept. 13.
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Endangered status  proposed for three mussel species
 

Endangered status proposed for three mussel species

Three freshwater mussel species have been proposed for designation as endangered species under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Cumberland…
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MST turns 46
 

MST turns 46

The Mountains-to-Sea Trail turns 46 on Sept. 9, and Friends of the MST is offering a variety of opportunities to…
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Play pickup futsal
 

Play pickup futsal

Adult pickup futsal games will be held starting 6:30 p.m. Thursdays beginning Sept. 14 at the Cullowhee Recreation Center gymnasium
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Elementary bike club starting in Canton
 

Elementary bike club starting in Canton

A biking skills program will meet after school at Meadowbrook Elementary School in Canton on Thursdays from Sept. 14 through…
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The sovereign sheriff movement makes another appearance in Western North Carolina.
 

Above the law: Sheriffs largely silent on sovereign group’s meeting

A controversial law enforcement association that holds a fringe interpretation of the Constitution and has ties to white nationalism, the sovereign…
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The more things change, the more they remain the same
 

The more things change, the more they remain the same

When reporters, editors and publishers from all over North Carolina gather each year to hand out awards for the best…
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A broken heart is an open heart
 

A broken heart is an open heart

It was a beautiful sunny morning when I felt the urge to make the 45-minute drive to my hometown of…
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The Waynesville inn & Golf Club has undergone significant rehabilitation, inside and out. WIGC photo
 

The rebirth of mountain chic: Waynesville Inn & Golf Club tees up its second century

When old Jack Welch sold his Waynesville dairy farm to Jim Long in the early 1920s, he probably couldn’t have…
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The Smoky Mountain News won a host of awards across all categories. Tiffani Watts photo
 

Smoky Mountain News nets 38 NCPA awards

The staff of the Smoky Mountain News won 18 advertising awards, including three first-place honors, as well as 16 editorial…
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The paper machine and the winder making paper on Aug. 6, 1928. Jason Gregory photo
 

New book details history of manufacturing in Jackson

When Jason Gregory presented his new book on the history of manufacturing in Sylva at the Jackson County Public Library…
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U.S. Senator Thom Tillis returned to Canton last week to speak with local leaders. Cory Vaillancourt photo
 

Tillis looks towards the future in Canton

North Carolina Republican Senator Thom Tillis has taken a particular interest in Canton over the past few years, making multiple…
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Tourism in Western North Carolina continues to grow. File photo
 

TDA 2.0: Haywood’s tourism authority takes bold steps under new leadership

She’s only been on the job for a few months, but the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority’s new executive director…
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Birdtown plays Wolfetown in a stickball game during the 2021 fair week.  Jonah Lossiah/The One Feather photo
 

Cherokee fair plans for 111th year

The Cherokee Indian Fair will return Oct. 3-7 for its 111th year, but in a new location. This year’s event…
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Sylva reinstates civil penalties for discharging firearms, Molotov cocktails
 

Sylva reinstates civil penalties for discharging firearms, Molotov cocktails

The Town of Sylva has reinstated misdemeanor charges for discharging a firearm or a Molotov cocktail in town limits after…
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Phil and Connie Haire with Chancellor Kelli Brown. Donated photo
 

WCU set to recognize education champions Phil and Connie Haire

To recognize their exemplary contributions to Western Carolina University and the local and regional community, WCU’s Board of Trustees is…
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Elizabeth Waldroop joins Southwestern Community College’s Board of Trustees
 

Elizabeth Waldroop joins Southwestern Community College’s Board of Trustees

 Elizabeth (Betty) Waldroop’s ties to Southwestern Community College go way back to the very beginning and they run deep. 
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Union Academy transforms to Bartram Academy
 

Union Academy transforms to Bartram Academy

Union Academy, an alternative high school in Macon County, will henceforth be known as Bartram Academy, home of the Explorers.
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Cherokee man sentenced in meth case
 

Cherokee man sentenced in meth case

A Cherokee man will serve more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a charge of possession with…
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Legal Aid of NC uplifts domestic violence survivors
 

Legal Aid of NC uplifts domestic violence survivors

Legal Aid of North Carolina announced it has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Governor’s Crime Commission, the chief…
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Tray Wellington is a rising star of contemporary bluegrass, winning the International Bluegrass Music Association’s “Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year” award in 2019. Rob Laughter photo
 

Word from the Smokies: Blue Ridge artist Tray Wellington builds bridges with bluegrass

Late last month, I was lucky enough to catch a special musical performance in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, followed by the Blue Ridge Parkway,  spurred more visitor spending than any other national park in 2022. NPS graphic
 

Smokies, Parkway visitors spend the most in the NPS, study finds

According to the recently released results of the National Park Service’s newest peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis, in 2022 North Carolina…
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Dahlias to dazzle in Highlands
 

Dahlias to dazzle in Highlands

The 13th annual Dazzling Dahlia Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 9, in Highlands.
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Accessible fishing pier at Indian Boundary Lake. U.S. Forest Service photo
 

Campground closed near Tellico Plains

Indian Boundary Campground in the Cherokee National Forest near Tellico Plains, Tennessee, is now closed due to damage from a…
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A great-horned owl surveys its domain. NOC photo
 

Wild guests to visit NOC

Delve into the captivating world of wildlife during a 60-minute interactive experience starting at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at…
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Mourning dove. File photo
 

Dove season opens Saturday

The hunting season for mourning and white-winged doves opens Saturday, Sept. 2, and will be separated into three segments.
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Buy Mountain State Fair tickets now
 

Buy Mountain State Fair tickets now

Advance tickets are now on sale for the N.C. Mountain State Fair, slated for Sept. 8-17 at the Western North…
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