REACH of Haywood County
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month — a time to honor survivors, remember those lost to violence and recommit to…
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In our mountains, behind closed doors
Every October, we see purple ribbons, social media posts and brief mentions on the news about Domestic Violence Awareness Month.…
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Women of vision: Celebrating resilience and community
More than 180 guests gathered at Chestnut Ridge Wedding Venue in Canton for REACH of Haywood County’s third annual Women…
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Mistaken perceptions
Domestic violence is widely misunderstood. Most individuals who have not had the unfortunate experience of living through it often hold…
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The cycle of healing: Finding wholeness after violence
The natural world moves in cycles, each step following another, just as the seasons change or a wound slowly mends.…
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Getting free: Terror, violence and … finally freedom
For close to four decades, I’ve been an advocate for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse. It…
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When love becomes a weapon
For many of us, pets are family. They greet us at the door, comfort us when we are sad and…
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Martha: A life silenced by domestic violence
Not all domestic violence victims escape. Some are too ashamed or fearful to leave. Some are bound by cultures or…
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Legal aid is a crucial lifeline
“Why doesn’t she just leave?” It’s a question asked countless times when trying to rationalize why someone in an abusive…
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From enforcement to empathy: How law enforcement has evolved through the years
When Jeff Haynes entered the law enforcement academy in 1990, empathy wasn’t a word heard often in the ranks. Officers…
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Just a piece of paper?: The effectiveness of a domestic violence protective order
A Domestic Violence Protective Order, sometimes called a restraining order, is one of the most important legal tools available to protect…
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Breaking the cycle: Protecting survivors, strengthening families
Behind closed doors, domestic violence and child abuse often unfold side by side, feeding off the same roots of fear…
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Shining a Light: Honoring the missing, protecting the living
Across the United States, Indigenous women face an epidemic of violence that is as urgent as it is often overlooked.…
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Tea that warms the heart
In today’s world, success in business is no longer measured by profit alone. More and more companies — large and…
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Remember When?
Remember your young teen years, seventh and eighth grade — hopeful, scared, blooming, awkward, wondering. Sound familiar? How about shyly looking…
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Listen up: Dogwood Health Trust uses local ties to assess Helene's aftermath
Five days isn’t enough time to process a disaster like Hurricane Helene, yet as uncertainty swirled and rescue operations still…
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Beyond bureaucracy: When Helene exposed government failures, nonprofits stepped in
As on any other rainy late summer morning in Southern Appalachia, the sun rose over densely wooded, knobby green peaks…
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Pushing through troubled waters: Mountain Projects saves lives after Helene, but sustainability questions remain
Michelle Parker hadn’t finished unpacking the last of her belongings that had survived Tropical Storm Fred in August 2021 when…
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Settlement reached in Cherokee County police involved shooting case
More than two years after he was shot by Cherokee Indian Police Department SWAT Team members, Jason Harley Kloepfer has…
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Meet Revolutionary War general at Haywood County Library
As part of the multi-year America 250 NC effort, Haywood County’s Sons of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American…
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Hands off Haywood hosts ‘No kings’ rally
Hands off Haywood will host a rally and speakers beginning at noon on Saturday, June 14 at the Historic Haywood…
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Haywood GOP sponsors “Spirit of America Celebration”
A “Spirit of America Celebration” will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at the Maggie…
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HRMC launches program to improve maternal health and save lives
Haywood Regional Medical Center is proud to announce the launch of the Special Delivery Program, a new initiative focused on…
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Part of broader effort, Helene recovery bill offers $60M for small businesses
When Hurricane Helene slammed into Western North Carolina in late 2024, public attention focused on damaged homes, washed-out roads and…
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'Equal opportunity offender:' Community defends FRL amidst Jackson’s possible withdrawal
Two weeks after the Jackson County Commission floated a possible withdrawal from the Fontana Regional Library system, residents showed up…
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Persistence pays off: Pless champions long-delayed infrastructure project
After more than four years of setbacks, political wrangling and bureaucratic delays, a small but vital infrastructure project in Haywood…
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Pifer named WCU Director of Athletics
Western Carolina University Chancellor Kelli R. Brown announced on May 19 the selection of Kyle Pifer to serve as the…
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Despite illness, Clampitt plans to run again
Republican Mike Clampitt, currently serving his fourth term as District 119 House Rep., tells The Smoky Mountain News he plans…
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Haywood proposes budget without tax increase
After losing roughly $200 million in valuation due to the closing of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill and the damage…
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Federal government opens Title IX investigation into WCU
Since his inauguration, President Donald Trump has made headlines by targeting the United States’ most well-known colleges — those with…
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Into the hornet's nest: The ‘Meck Dec’ at 250
Every May 20, beneath the proverbial shadows of Charlotte’s modern glass and steel skyline, supporters gather to commemorate what they…
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No tax increase in Waynesville budget
During a difficult meeting in March, Waynesville’s Town Council was presented with a perfect storm of bad budgeting news. After…
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Pless makes dramatic change to controversial TDA bill
Now that it’s been presented to the House Finance Committee, a bill filed by Haywood Republican Rep. Mark Pless that…
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EXCLUSIVE: Payton McNabb’s victim speaks out
On May 2, 2024, a brief, awkward moment inside a women’s restroom at Western Carolina University was recorded, uploaded to…
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Count for Christmas: In 123rd year, annual bird count yields critical conservation data
As Christmas 1900 approached, ornithologist Frank Chapman hatched an idea.
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Word from the Smokies: Reunion brings Cataloochee descendants home to the valley
Shadows and seasons are the main markers of time in Cataloochee Valley, a remote corner of Great Smoky Mountains National…
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Word from the Smokies: Iconic arch returns to downtown Waynesville
The air buzzed with excitement as the crowd gathered in downtown Waynesville, North Carolina, on Saturday, June 1. A standing-room-only…
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JCPS budgets for change
With a new middle school on the horizon, Jackson County Public Schools is budgeting for a changing school system. On…
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‘It’s got to go’: Commissioners want to remove Jackson libraries from FRL
Anyone who thought that two years, dozens of meetings, thousands of dollars and hours of public comment to reach a…
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Sensing opportunity, Dems lining up to run against Edwards
Henderson County Republican Congressman Chuck Edwards’ repeated failures on economic policy, entitlement programs and Hurricane Helene recovery have left him…
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NC-11 Dems elect new chair
Just two weeks after western Republicans elected a new 11th Congressional District chair, their Democratic counterparts have now done the…
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Woods Named JCPS District Teacher of the Year
Fairview School kindergarten teacher Anna Woods was named the Jackson County Public Schools District Teacher of the Year during the…
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Two men plead guilty to drug trafficking
District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch announced that two men in two separate cases in Macon County pleaded guilty this week…
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Going with the flow: Canton, developer ink interim deal to maintain wastewater service
Canton’s toilets will continue to flush thanks to an agreement born of urgency but put on paper with cooperation and…
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Eastern Band votes to allow for homegrown cannabis, again
Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who live on tribal land and possess a medical marijuana card will…
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Free lunch eligibility trending downward in Macon
For the second year in a row, Macon County Schools will request funding from county commissioners to bridge the gap…
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Moe Davis enters NC-11 congressional race
Retired Air Force Col. Moe Davis is stepping back into familiar turf — running for Congress in North Carolina’s 11th…
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May Day mayday: Translating Democratic enthusiasm into election wins
Prior to its appropriation by communist regimes, International Workers Day — May Day — was first commemorated in honor of Chicago…
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Mill site master plan coming within six months
North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson visited Canton last week, meeting with local officials and new mill…
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‘Paradise will be some kind of library’: Carden cements legacy with historic library donation
Gary Carden has accomplished a great deal in his life. But by his own estimation, none of it compares to…
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