Smoky Mountain News

OldTown Bank

Sat05182013

     Subscribe  |  Contact  |  Advertise  |  RSS Feed  |  Other Publications

Subscribe to this RSS feed

Archived (9873)

Children categories

Archived News

View items...

Archived Opinion

View items...

Archived Arts & Entertainment

View items...

Archived Reading Room

View items...

Archived Outdoors

View items...

Archived Mountain Voices

View items...
Wednesday, 09 January 2013 00:00

Christian comedian/songwriter hits Franklin

Renowned performer Tim Hawkins will be taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Hawkins is best known for parodying popular songs and stand-up material on topics such…
Wednesday, 09 January 2013 00:00

‘80s rock takes the stage in Cherokee with STYX

Legendary rock group STYX will be performing at 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, at Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center. Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman and Ricky Phillips have had more live performances since 1999 than all of…
Wednesday, 09 January 2013 00:00

WNC group releases electropop album

Electropop trio Stereospread, based in Waynesville, is releasing their highly-anticipated first album, The Heart & the Thief, this month.
Wednesday, 09 January 2013 00:00

Artist showcase

An opening reception for “Ball Mason Jar Art” by Brent Martin will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at City Lights Café in Sylva.
Wednesday, 09 January 2013 00:00

Remembering the dream: Haywood celebrates Martin Luther King’s message with weekend of speeches, prayers and march

Haywood County Rev. Lamont Foster still remembers the day he learned what it meant to be black. It was the early 1960s; Foster was five years old at the time, living on a military base in North Carolina. His best…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 04:11

Indian words add color to our language

Tuckaseigee, Oconaluftee, Heintooga, Wayah, Cullasaja, Hiwassee, Coweeta, Stecoah, Steestachee, Skeenah, Nantahala, Aquone, Katuwah, and on and on. Our place names here in the Smokies region are graced throughout with evidence of the Cherokee culture that prevailed for more than 700…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 04:10

Local food on the rise

Last year was a promising year for local food production and farm education in WNC, according to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. ASAP provided some year-end figures to paint a picture of different milestones and achievements in 2012 and the…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 04:03

Contest captures state’s natural beauty

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has announced the winners of the eighth annual Wildlife in North Carolina magazine outdoor photo competition.
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 04:01

Friends, feathers and fellowship

Friday, Dec. 28, was the date of the eleventh annual Balsam Christmas Bird Count (CBC) — 11 dates but 10 actual counts as the 2009 CBC was cancelled due to inclement weather. This year’s weather was much better for the…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 03:59

Forests and water could be doomed in 2060

A comprehensive U.S. Forest Service report released last month examines how expanding populations, increased urbanization, and changing land-use patterns could impact natural resources, including water supplies, nationwide during the next 50 years.
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 03:55

Restored Lodge offers retreats, rustic getaway in the Nantahala National Forest

Nestled deep in the mountains between Sylva and Cashiers, the scenic U.S. Forest Service Balsam Lodge is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year with a makeover. Throughout the summer and fall, portions of the lodge were restored by student carpentry…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 03:45

Novel explores the woes of rich white trash

Let me take a deep breath and see if I can get this out in one long ugly sentence:  A man has some sort of mental fugue while driving, slams into a another car, and kills two people; his married…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 03:44

Firearms are not the problem

To the Editor: We are writing in response to the gun control controversy. I agree that the recent acts of violence are outrageous and totally reprehensible. We do feel, however, that that some people are reacting to these tragedies by…
Wednesday, 02 January 2013 03:41

Doesn’t that just melt your face off?

It all started with a simple book fair at the middle school. My daughter, inspired perhaps by viewing the trailer for the movie about 12,000 times during the past few weeks, bought a paperback of J.R.R Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit.…
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

2012: The year in review

The Smoky Mountain News takes note this week of some of the newsmakers of 2012 by handing out our annual awards. Back issues of the newspaper never fail to reveal a variety of humdingers: the funny, the astonishing, the interesting,…
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

Timeline for Waynesville, Lake Junaluska merger picks up speed

Lake Junaluska and the town of Waynesville are pressing ahead with the possibility of a merger. The two entities have put the wheels in motion to introduce a special bill in the N.C. General Assembly in March that would bring…
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

Soccer league seeking a leg up in Swain

Swain County suffers from a serious lack of soccer fields, a plight soccer enthusiasts there hope to do something about.
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

Two WNC National Guard units put on alert for possible deployment

The National Guard 210th and 211th Military Police Companies from Western North Carolina were recently placed “on alert.”
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

Meadows finds that homework is the first lesson for new Congressman

Give a U.S. congressman a cookie, and he can eat it. But offer him some free pancakes, and he’ll have to pass. “I can eat a pig in a blanket, but God forbid if it’s a hot dog. If it’s…
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

Explore your creative side this winter with art and photography classes

A line-up of art classes will begin in January, offered through the Inspired Art Ministry at the First Baptist Church in Waynesville. • Drawing classes for adult beginners through advanced will go from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Jan.…
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

As the Crowe flies: Chris Robinson Brotherhood rated among top shows of the year

Chris Robinson is a freak‚ a damn musical freak. Finally wrangling everything into the studio with his freewheelin’ solo project‚ Robinson has already released two albums this year (Big Moon Ritual and The Magic Door)‚ both of which could be…
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

Balsam Range series welcomes member of Zac Brown Band

Nationally acclaimed Western North Carolina bluegrass group Balsam Range will continue their winter concert series at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at The Colonial Theatre in Canton.
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

Learn to draw comic illustrations from a master

Cartoonist and illustrator James Lyle will do a presentation and demonstration on comic books and graphic novels for the Art League of the Smokies at 6:15 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 3, at the Swain County Center for the Arts in Bryson…
Tuesday, 01 January 2013 00:00

If you build it, they will come (and play)

Pulling into a row of unimposing metal garage-sized storage units on Frazier Street in Waynesville, the sound of buzzing is heard. You think maybe the truck heater is finally kicking on and combating the cold December morning, or it’s the…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 15:01

The spirituality of mountain graveyards

“I am developing a taste for walking in cemeteries.” – Jules Renard, “Journals” (December 1909) Like Jules Renard, a turn-of-the-century French novelist, not a few of us are attracted to cemeteries. When looking for a quiet place, I often visit…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:58

Classes and workshops

Wildlife program seeks help with classes Wild South’s Wildlife Outreach Initiative, along with Mountain Wildlife Days, are in the process of scheduling wildlife education programs for both adults and students during the 2012-13 school year. The programs emphasize on close-up…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:54

Ready, set, ski! Races begin at Catalaoochee

Cataloochee Ski Area is opening its winter race series beginning 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, for middle school competitors, followed by high school races at the same time on the following day, Wednesday, Jan. 9. The race series occurs weekly…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:51

News from the conservation front

Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust conserves five parcels in 2012 With the help of community members and donors, the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust will have conserved five new properties by the end of 2012. The properties include two in Highlands, one that holds…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:50

New hiker shelter finished on the AT

Hikers of the Appalachian Trail now have a new shelter where they can rest their bones. The U.S. Forest Service announced Dec. 18 the completion of the Long Branch Shelter, located in the Standing Indian Basin in the Nantahala National…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:46

When it’s good to be threatened

I wrote about wood storks, Mycteria americana, back in August of this year after a trip to Isle of Palms in South Carolina (www.smokymountainnews.com/archives/item/8361-stoked-for-storks). It was really cool to see these large prehistoric-looking birds cruising over the marsh in undulating…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:44

It’s all about the schwag: Race organizers get creative with attracting participants

You’ve been training for months. You’ve skipped the kids’ piano recitals and parent teacher conferences; you’ve bailed on dinner with the in-laws (several times) and nights out with the friends — all to adhere to your strict training schedule to…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:42

Author to discuss AT journey

Writer Amy Allen will discuss her journey along the Appalachian Trail as she presents her book, Summoning the Mountains: Pilgrimage into Forty, at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.   Allen, a recently divorced single mom,…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:40

Racism and adultery drive Spencer’s novel

Daniel Emerson is afraid of black people. After a chance encounter with a group of violent African American teenagers left him with a broken wrist, a chipped tooth and an abiding belief that he is going to be killed by…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:21

Undocumented workers arrested in Jackson traffic checkpoint now free again

Federal authorities have dropped deportation proceedings against 10 Latino men, all suspected illegal immigrants, who were arrested at a Jackson County license checkpoint in May.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:19

Swain’s oversized jail may finally be breaking even, but not for long

Swain County’s oversized jail will lose about one-third of its current inmate population and a sizeable revenue stream when the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians opens a new justice center, complete with its own jail.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:14

The ultimate gift: Jackson church builds new house for 93-year-old woman

Margie Bradley has called a ramshackle shack in the hills of Cullowhee “home” for almost 60 years. The ceilings sag, the floor is made of plywood and the wind enters through the numerous cracks scattered about the windows and walls.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:09

We have a cultural problem, not a gun problem

By Tom Rogers • Guest columnist The tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School is beyond comprehension. Such an event should never occur in this country or anywhere else. But it did. After we care for the survivors, honor the heroes,…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:02

Strong gun laws require strong politicians

By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist Had Al-Qaeda carried out the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Congress would be seething to assign blame, enact laws, and exact revenge. But with some notable exceptions — welcome to reality, Sens. Warner…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:01

We need a dialogue on guns and laws

To the Editor: I challenge The Smoky Mountain News to assist in opening a respectful, thoughtful, meaningful conversation in our region about gun policies in the United States. Give us credible, objective statistics relating to gun policies and violence, in…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Spirit of the Season: What liquor-buying trends say about a town

For liquor stores in Western North Carolina, the combination of Christmas and the New Year makes for the busiest time of the year. But with 1,800 different types of products to choose from — from the old standbys like Jim…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Haywood tourism holding its own, gradually coming back

Tourism numbers are looking good for Haywood County so far this year, and tourism leaders are keeping their fingers crossed that a cold winter will drive visitors to Cataloochee’s slopes.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Haywood sheriff to step down early

Haywood County Sheriff Bobby Suttles announced last week he will retire in February, stepping down early despite another two years to go until his term is technically up.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Democratic Party holds the power in appointing new sheriff

The task of finding a new top lawman in Haywood County to replace retiring Sheriff Bobby Suttles will begin in early January and likely be decided by March.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Soaking up the sounds of Sylva on a silent walking tour

Most people have heard of a sightseeing tour, perhaps a wine or beer tasting tour, and maybe even the all-encompassing pleasure tour. But Sylva residents got an ear-dose when they followed a musician and sound expert on a not-so-common sound…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Home for the holidays: Christmas at Broyhill Children’s Home brings happiness to all

The most wonderful time of the year — it’s a line is engrained in us all. But nobody embraces and exudes Christmas quite like Betty Porter. As she talked on the phone outside a cottage at Broyhill Baptist Children’s Home…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Celebrate the New Year!

Fine dining, jazz for New Year’s Eve There will be a special jazz performance and dinner at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. The event will feature musicians Sheila Gordon (keyboards/vocals), Mike Creech (guitar) and…
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Ride the rails into 2013

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad will ring in the New Year with an evening of live music, dancing, dining and celebration starting at 7:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, at the train depot in Bryson City.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Learn how to play the dulcimer

Registration is ongoing for the eighth annual “Dulcimer U Winter Weekend” conference for mountain dulcimer enthusiasts, which will be held Thursday, Jan. 3, through Sunday, Jan. 6, at the Terrace Hotel at Lake Junaluska.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

Arts council celebrates 35 years, Miller steps down

Haywood County Arts Council Executive Director Kay Miller is stepping down after nine years on the job.
Wednesday, 26 December 2012 00:00

A long and winding road

At a McDonald’s in Canton, S.R. “Sha” Shahan sits quietly in one of the corner booths, casually sipping his coffee and reflecting on where it all began for him. Hailing from the coal-mining hills of West Virginia, the 86-year-old was…
Page 15 of 198