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Macon deputy cleared in Knibbs shooting
Macon County Sheriff’s Deputy Anthony Wade Momphard Jr. will not face any criminal charges after he shot and killed Scott…
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No sight required: Summer camp spurs blind youth to outdoor adventure
When Sam Chandler heard that the summer camp he’d been attending for years planned to launch an adventure camp, he…
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Students explore natural resources fields in Raleigh
A trio of local high school students recently represented Haywood County at a weeklong environmental workshop, the Resource Conservation Workshop,…
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Sunburst Trout celebrates 70 years
Sunburst Trout Farms in Waynesville will celebrate its 70th anniversary on Thursday, Aug. 2, coinciding with the first-ever National Rainbow…
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Shooting range gets upgrades
The Dirty John Shooting Range in the Nantahala National Forest near Franklin will be closed for upgrades Thursday, Aug. 2,…
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Dance raises $60K for the Smokies
The inaugural Smokies Stomp Barn Party hosted by Friends of the Smokies raised more than $60,000 to support the Great…
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Key land tract conserved in Macon
Two adjoining properties that Mainspring Conservation Trust bought in July now link previously unconnected pieces of national forest and state…
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The Naturalist's Corner: Best possible science discarded
Studying the red wolf fiasco taking place in eastern North Carolina takes me far away in time and distance —…
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A rapid series of comical noises: A conversation with comedy genius David Cross
If there was a single voice of reason amid the bombardment of deafening noise in the digital age — of…
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This must be the place: With a little help from my friends
Bolting up Interstate 95, just outside of Portland, Maine, this past Monday, I finally could smell that smell that conjures…
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A new writer with an old heart
In a prologue that will make you cry — bringing hackles of guilt to your eyes — Tommy Orange has…
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Politics and the search for WCU’s chancellor
As the yoke of political influence grows ever heavier around the neck of the UNC Board of Governors, Western Carolina…
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Coming full circle as a cat owner
Growing up, my family had an abundance of cats running amok. These were the days before spaying and neutering were…
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President Trump, stop the obstruction
To the Editor: Donald Trump has already obstructed justice in the Russian election interference investigation. Number one, he has failed/refused…
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Conservatives harming our infrastructure
To the Editor: The conservative right has controlled Western North Carolina politics for decades with an ideology of lower taxes…
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Let’s restore checks and balances
To the Editor: In 2016 the Fourth Circuit of Appeals declared the 2013 N.C. Voter ID Act to be unconstitutional on…
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Lawmakers fail to protect our vote
To the Editor: Western North Carolina’s federal representatives have failed their leadership report card on Russia’s interference in our elections. Rep.…
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N.C. 107 safety issues ignored
To the Editor: The stated reason for the N.C. 107 project in Sylva is to reduce traffic problems and increase…
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Trump is for a better America
To the Editor: It always amazes me that folks don’t seem to get it. Economic growth is at 4.1 percent,…
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Plott Creek site plan OK’d
The site plan submitted by developers for a controversial 200-unit apartment complex off Plott Creek Road was approved by the…
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Leadership Haywood starts next month
Even the smallest communities are composed of a dizzying array of institutional and organizational groups that can either work together…
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Mountain Projects eyes parcel for affordable housing
A 4.4-acre parcel in the Allens Creek community could soon put a small dent in Haywood County’s affordable housing crisis,…
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Jackson mulls middle school
Jackson County stands alone among the western counties for not having a separate middle school, but a group of parents…
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Cherokee debates election laws
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is in the midst of an effort to overhaul its elections laws, with a…
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County manager interviews begin
Almost 10 months after the abrupt resignation of County Manager Ira Dove, Haywood County is drawing closer to finding his…
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Scholarship program aims to keep health workers local
A new partnership between Southwestern Community College and Harris Regional Hospital aims to help aspiring nurses afford their education while…
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Savannah Park will cost more than planned
Establishing a park in the Savannah community of Jackson County will be more expensive than originally anticipated, with commissioners voting…
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Cooperation in a cultural crossroads: Christians, Muslims tear down walls in Cyprus
Among the groups visiting this year’s Folkmoot Festival from other countries is one from a place that isn’t quite a…
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From performer to PR: Dutch dancer does digital
Now in its 35th year, the Folkmoot Festival has been around 11 years longer than Maarten Krijger has been alive,…
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Photo gallery: Parade of Nations
Each year, one of the highlights of the 10-day Folkmoot Festival is the Parade of Nations. This year, 10 groups…
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N.C. hosts multi-state effort to boost outdoor industry
A three-day meeting to plan the future of the outdoor industry drew leaders from 11 states to Asheville this month,…
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Mountain Wildlife Days a success
More than 600 people attended the 15th annual Mountain Wildlife Days at Sapphire Valley Resort July 13-14, raising more than…
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There’s magic in these evening Edisto walks
EDISTO ISLAND, SC – For us, the magic of Steamboat Landing Road begins where the pavement ends, where the asphalt…
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Mission should not control money
To the Editor: The Mission Health board and CEO Ron Paulus clearly don’t get it: the system’s billions in assets…
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Even conservatives can’t take Trump
To the Editor: A number of letters in The Smoky Mountain News have rightly pointed out that liberals are not…
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President’s ties to Putin are dangerous
To the Editor: It is time for the U.S. Congress to act as a co-equal branch of government and rein…
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They don’t care; we have to
To the Editor: Recently I spoke with N.C. Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, about the…
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Virgin’s bower is a favorite mountain wildflower
It’s late July and before long summer will be slip-sliding toward autumn. The gap between now and then is often overlooked…
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History of American furniture a fascinating story
Oscar P. Fitzgerald’s American Furniture: 1650 to the Present (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018, 621 pages) is a door-stopper book, a…
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A loving push: Cullowhee farm provides growth, safety for people with autism
Grayson Wolfe is the kid with the huge smile on his face as he jumps between stepping stones on the…
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Candidates file for Haywood Board of Education seats
Five seats on the Haywood County Schools Board of Education are up for election this year, but only one challenger…
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Vehicle emissions testing goes up in smoke
A multi-year effort by Burnsville Republican Rep. Michele Presnell to scrap vehicle emissions testing requirements in more than two dozen…
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Cherokee to seek $280 million in credit for construction
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will seek $280 million in credit to fund a list of five priority projects…
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Statewide tour seeks answers for improving post-high school education rate
Educational leaders from across the mountain region convened at Cherokee Central Schools this month for an afternoon of conversation and…
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LifePoint Health to merge with RCCH Healthcare Partners
LifePoint Health, the parent company of three regional hospitals in Western North Carolina, recently announced its plans to merge with…
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New health foundation to form following Mission sale
Though the sale of nonprofit Mission Health to for-profit HCA isn’t official yet, the Mission Health Board of Directors hasn’t…
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N.C. 107 meeting scheduled
The upcoming remodel of N.C. 107 through Sylva will be the focus of a special meeting and public hearing planned…
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The damage done: finding needles in a haystack
Lindsay Regner and Megan Hauser tromp down an old railroad line, their steady pace creating a predictable beat of feet…
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November ballot referenda
Although legislators have been called back to Raleigh for a special session that may include modification of the descriptions of…
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Not so fast: ballot referenda bring lawmakers back to Raleigh
The polls are usually thought of as a place to vote for or against people, but this year in North…
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