Letts reverses retirement decision
 

Letts reverses retirement decision

Two days after announcing a midterm retirement from the bench, Superior Court Judge Bradley Letts reversed his decision in a…
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Town Manager Paige Dowling and outgoing Public Works Director Dan Shaeffer embrace following Dowling's presentation of an award of recognition. Holly Kays photo
 

Shaeffer recognized for service to Sylva

The Sylva Board of Commissioners recognized longtime public works director Dan Shaeffer for his nearly 20 years of service to…
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Meningitis outbreak confirmed in Macon
 

Meningitis outbreak confirmed in Macon

  Macon County Public Health has confirmed an outbreak of meningitis.
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Public records requests shed light on closed sessions
 

Public records requests shed light on closed sessions

In its role as government watchdog, The Smoky Mountain News submitted public record requests to county and municipal governments in…
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Behind closed doors: Public records laws have exceptions
 

Behind closed doors: Public records laws have exceptions

Woe to those public bodies that fail to comply with North Carolina’s sunshine laws; transparency underpins American democracy to the…
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Opened meeting minutes are organized in a binder, with staff reviewing past minutes twice per year for any discussions that should now be considered open. Holly Kays photo
 

Closed sessions easily accessible in Jackson

Of all the local governments in The Smoky Mountain News’ coverage area, Jackson County has some of the most complete…
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Detail varies in Sylva minutes
 

Detail varies in Sylva minutes

Of the nine closed-session discussions Sylva commissioners held last year, only three — all attorney-client privilege conversations related to an…
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Bryson City tackles personnel issues in closed meetings
 

Bryson City tackles personnel issues in closed meetings

Personnel issues have been the only reason why Bryson City Aldermen have held closed meetings in 2018. 
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Swain uses closed meetings for contract talks
 

Swain uses closed meetings for contract talks

Swain County commissioners typically hold two meetings per month, and it’s not unusual for them to have a closed session…
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Franklin Mayor Bob Scott, a former journalist and open government proponent, says there has to be a compelling reason for the town council to go into closed meetings. Donated photo
 

Franklin business rarely out of public view

Of all the town and county governments in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area, the Franklin Town Council had the…
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Closed meetings the norm in Macon
 

Closed meetings the norm in Macon

A vast majority of Macon County Board of Commissioners meetings end with a closed session. In fact, commissioners spent more…
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Development, personnel drive Haywood closed sessions
 

Development, personnel drive Haywood closed sessions

As the largest local government unit in The Smoky Mountain News’ four-county coverage area, Haywood County sees more action —…
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Waynesville closed sessions boring, but by the book
 

Waynesville closed sessions boring, but by the book

The Town of Waynesville Board of Aldermen meets every two weeks, or about 24 times a year, depending on the…
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Small-town closed sessions few, far between
 

Small-town closed sessions few, far between

Haywood County’s five local governments more or less fall into two tiers — there’s the county and there’s Waynesville, and…
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Chris Gaubatz (left) speaks to a group of Haywood Republicans Feb. 19. Cory Vaillancourt photo
 

Hometown hate: Haywood Republicans welcome anti-Muslim speaker

Aided by the left and abetted by the media, violent jihadists are slowly but surely infiltrating our government, our schools…
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Bradley Letts has served as Superior Court Judge of District 30B since 2009. Donated photo
 

Judge Letts to retire: Superior Court will see vacancy four months after Election Day

Amid widespread speculation about plans to run for principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Superior Court Judge…
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Slide shifts traffic on U.S. 74
 

Slide shifts traffic on U.S. 74

A slide on the westbound side of U.S. 74 on Sunday morning in Jackson County temporarily diverted traffic just west…
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I-40 slide cleanup causes closure
 

I-40 slide cleanup causes closure

Cleaning a rockslide on Interstate 40 near the Tennessee State lane will require the N.C. Department of Transportation to keep…
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Jackson County’s 40-year-old animal shelter building is in sore need of replacement. SMN photo
 

Animal shelter planning to start in Jackson County

Jackson County is facing a plethora of capital projects over the next several years, and a new animal shelter will…
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Students in the Waynesville Civilian Police Academy inspect tactical gear. Donated photo
 

Citizens Police Academy still seeking applicants

Not long after retired U.S. Air Force officer and former teacher Mary Ford moved to Waynesville with her husband, she…
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Open government is part of who we are
 

Open government is part of who we are

Whereas the public bodies that administer the legislative, policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative, and advisory functions of North Carolina and its political…
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Great schools, staff are community assets
 

Great schools, staff are community assets

Both my parents were teachers. My earliest memories are of my dad sitting at our dining room table grading papers…
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The socialists are coming!
 

The socialists are coming!

To the Editor The socialists are coming, the socialists are coming! Hide your cows and pickup trucks! The green new…
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Thanks for exploration of homelessness issue
 

Thanks for exploration of homelessness issue

To the Editor Cory Vaillancourt created a powerful, informative and moving piece of journalism (“Face to face: local homeless remain…
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The American people are not stupid
 

The American people are not stupid

To the Editor I am not stupid and neither are most people I know. However, numerous politicians, pundits and officials…
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The Get Right Band (from left) is Jesse Gentry (bass) and J.C. Mears (drums) and Silas Durocher (singer/guitarist).
 

Devil on my shoulder: With new live album, The Get Right Band to play Boojum

The hardest balance for a rock band is to straddle the line between honest emotions in your lyrics and also…
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Charles Bukowski.
 

This must be the place: Some people never go crazy, what truly horrible lives they must lead

In a recent New York Times article, “What Charles Bukowski’s Glamorous Displays of Alcoholism Left Out,” the piece analyzed and…
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In need of craft therapy?
 

In need of craft therapy?

The Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will be starting craft therapy. This get-together will be the first Tuesday of…
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Collective plans artwork in Dillsboro, sets town hall meetings
 

Collective plans artwork in Dillsboro, sets town hall meetings

In partnership with the Appalachian Women’s Museum and the Jackson County Public Library, Western Carolina University’s LIVLAB Artist Collective will…
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Yiddish noir novel hits the mark
 

Yiddish noir novel hits the mark

So, how many Yiddish authors do you know? If you’re like me your answer would be none. That is until…
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Road work underway in the Smokies
 

Road work underway in the Smokies

A pavement preservation project is underway on Little River Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, expected to result…
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New relay planned for Western NC
 

New relay planned for Western NC

A relay race set to debut this year will offer teams of four the challenge of traveling from Asheville to…
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The green team strategizes in the command room. Holly Kays photo
 

Statewide wildfire response drill comes to Haywood

In the midst of an exceptionally warm, dry winter, a wildfire erupted on Mount Lyn Lowry. About 170 acres when…
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Kids from FernLeaf Community Charter School in Fletcher explore the outdoors with Muddy Sneakers. Donated photo
 

Education program earns regional recognition

Muddy Sneakers, an outdoor science education program based in Brevard, recently won two awards in a Blue Ridge Outdoors voting…
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The newly completed section of the Foothills Parkway helped 2018 become a record-setting visitation year for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. NPS photo
 

Smokies records highest-ever visitation

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park set a new visitation record for 2018, welcoming 11.4 million visitors to its 816…
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ecoEXPLORE participants investigate the outdoors. Donated photo
 

Arboretum to expand environmental education

A $1 million grant will allow the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville to expand its innovative K-12 science education programs to…
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Congress votes to reauthorize Land and Water Conservation Fund
 

Congress votes to reauthorize Land and Water Conservation Fund

Congress has voted to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund following a 363-62 vote of the U.S. House…
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Trail cam pic of a cougar in Tennessee in 2015 (perfect setting to catch one - deer feeder in the foreground). Tennessee Wildlife Resources photo
 

The Naturalist's Corner: The St. Croix chronicles

St. Croix’s adolescent hormones were coursing through his lean muscular body when the urge to leave the Black Hills of…
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Shining Rock Classical Academy Board Chair Anna Eason (left) welcomes Nathan Duncan to the head of school job Jan. 23, 2018.
 

Shining Rock head of school fired

Barely a year after he was hired, Nathan Duncan is out at Shining Rock Classical Academy.
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The newly completed section of the Foothills Parkway helped 2018 become a record-setting visitation year for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. NPS photo
 

Smokies records highest-ever visitation in 2018

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park set a new visitation record for 2018, welcoming 11.4 million visitors to its 816…
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Hysteria yes; a national emergency, no
 

Hysteria yes; a national emergency, no

Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty-eight dead. Virginia Tech University, Blacksburg, Virginia. Thirty-three dead. Stoneman Douglass High School, Parkland,…
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N.C. legislators have a chance at redistricting
 

N.C. legislators have a chance at redistricting

By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist The North Carolina General Assembly is where good bills go to die. So it…
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Climate change must be addressed
 

Climate change must be addressed

To the Editor: As the undeniable scientific evidence of climate change and its causes and consequences mount, it is unfortunate…
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Valley View Farm is home to about 100,000 red wigglers. Holly Kays photo
 

Living soil: Waynesville woman digs into worm farming

Valley View Worms has an origin story that’s about as unusual as the vermiculture business itself, with plotlines hinging on…
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Agriculture grant winners announced
 

Agriculture grant winners announced

Five local farms are among the 39 businesses awarded a total of $216,000 in this year’s WNC Agricultural Options grant…
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Congress moves forward on Land and Water Conservation Fund reauthorization
 

Congress moves forward on Land and Water Conservation Fund reauthorization

The U.S. Senate voted Feb. 12 to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund, an important funding source for…
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A drone captures an aerial view of Bobs Creek State Natural Area. FCNC photo
 

New state natural area achieves milestone

A recent 1,500 acre land purchase by the Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina and North Carolina State Parks marked acquisition…
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Fly fishing museum seeks donations
 

Fly fishing museum seeks donations

Donations are wanted to help create a display set for the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians and Appalachian…
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