Mobile home standards to be updated in Waynesville
New standards and stricter definitions for manufactured homes in Waynesville could make it easier to develop manufactured home parks, under…
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Transformation continues at Lake Junaluska
The Lake Junaluska Assembly prides itself on being a place of transformation and renewal for all people, but over the…
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Dorm renaming recognizes Cherokee history
Before white settlers corrupted the name to Cullowhee, the land along the Tuckasegee River south of Sylva was known to…
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FBI investigation of Cherokee BIA official extends beyond marriage fraud
The FBI’s investigation of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Cherokee Agency’s deputy superintendent Ruth Marie Sequoyah McCoy goes far deeper…
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Tribal members oppose alcohol expansion
About 100 people piled into the exhibit hall at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds the evening of Monday, Nov. 6,…
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Franklin board shoots down festival idea
Franklin alderman candidate Jimbo Ledford had hoped his idea for a multi-day music and beer festival on the languishing Whitmire…
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Veteran portraits on display in Macon
By Kurt J. Volker • Contributing writer In recognition of Veterans Day 2017, the Macon County Art Association will conduct its…
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Walker will be missed, but life goes on in Clyde
The passing of Clyde Mayor Jerry Walker Oct. 30 has not only left a huge hole in the Clyde community,…
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Will turnout turn around?
Thunder, lightning, fog and torrential downpours on an off-year municipal Election Day in Haywood County’s smallest municipalities doesn’t bode well…
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Election Day is here
Polls are open across the state and across Western North Carolina for balloting in this year’s municipal election cycle, which…
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EDC director Clasby announces retirement
After a career spanning more than 14 years as the executive director of Haywood County’s Economic Development Council, Mark Clasby…
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Time, place, manner: free speech at center of Confederate flag proposal
The South’s oldest Labor Day parade birthed a controversy this year that the parade’s founders probably didn’t foresee, but the…
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Leading by example: WCU chancellor, wife give $1.23 million for scholarships, reflect on Catamount identity
Through careers as students, teachers and administrators, David and Susan Belcher have marked the milestones of their lives in college…
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Collaborative work on Forest Service plan cost Martin his job
The former Southern Appalachian Regional Director for The Wilderness Society was the catalyst and key facilitator for a compromise and…
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Jackson to downsize TDA board
The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority Board will shrink from 15 members to nine following a unanimous vote from the…
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Swain dedicates Old 288 Park to Monteith
Swain County commissioners recently held a dedication ceremony to officially rename the Old N.C. 288 Park after David Monteith.
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Swain library project hits roadblock
As much work as they’ve put into planning and fundraising, the Marianna Black Library Campaign Planning Committee still can’t get…
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Swain coalition pushes for tobacco-free parks
Aproposed policy to make the Swain County Recreation Center a tobacco-free property may not be a slam dunk with all…
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Wastewater treatment plant has urgent needs, huge price tag
For the second meeting in a row, consultants presented the Waynesville Board of Aldermen with some unpleasant realities about the…
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Brunch ordinance passes over opposition in Canton
After weeks of public comment, opposition by religious leaders and appeals by the local business community, a controversial “Brunch Bill”…
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More retail space coming to Champion Drive
Planning board officials recommended and the Canton Board of Aldermen/women approved plans that will bring an additional 7,000 square feet…
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Canton alderman dispels anti-veteran rumors
In an unusual move, Canton Alderman Ralph Hamlett took time at the Canton Board of Aldermen/women meeting Oct. 26 to…
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Asheville, Haywood chambers to ink economic development deal
The economies of Haywood and Buncombe counties are and have been intricately linked for some time now, but a forthcoming…
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Newly issued alcohol permits cause backlash against off-casino sales
Five years ago, Cherokee voters gave a decisive response on a referendum question asking whether they’d like to see the…
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WNC Municipal Elections
Municipal Election season is upon us in Western North Carolina, and six towns have candidates running for a chance to…
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Development a priority in Canton race
Canton Alderman Zeb Smathers isn’t quite mayor yet, but that didn’t stop one local brewery from releasing a “Mayor Smathers…
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Maggie Valley candidates ask for votes
Unlike Haywood County’s other contested municipal election — in Maggie Valley — two incumbents are running for reelection and seek…
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Bryson City election: Five fight for future of their hometown
The five candidates running for Bryson City Board of Aldermen all hold their hometown near and dear to their hearts,…
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Seven run for Dillsboro town board
The years ahead are likely to be lively ones for the tiny town of Dillsboro, with a new river park…
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Contested race on tap for Forest Hills
The Village of Forest Hills could have a new member on the town council depending on the outcome of this…
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Franklin Election: Candidates excited about Franklin’s future
Every election year there are a few hot button issues that entice candidates to throw their hats into the ring…
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Franklin mayor runs unopposed
Bob Scott is seeking his third term as mayor of Franklin, and it’s his second time running unopposed for the…
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Electric rate increase coming for Waynesville
An electric rate study Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown called “sobering” was presented to the Waynesville Board of Aldermen Oct. 10…
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EBCI and Smokies work toward agreement for plant gathering in park boundaries
Cherokee tribal members could be gathering sochan plants from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as early as next spring…
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Boom or bust? New index charts Haywood’s economy
Earlier this year, a series of stories in The Smoky Mountain News focusing on Haywood County’s economy explored its various…
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Shining Rock school director resigns
The Shining Rock Classical Academy Board of Directors accepted the resignation of School Director Ben Butler during a Sunday night…
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Jack Ewing to retire as leader of Lake Junaluska
Lake Junaluska Executive Director Jack Ewing announced today that he will retire on Dec. 31, 2017.
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Early voting underway across NC
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Until then, residents of North Carolina can vote on various days and at various…
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Details emerge surrounding Jacob Ray’s death
Charges against two Charlotte teens arrested following the shooting of 21-year-old Jacob Alexander Ray, of Hendersonville, have been upgraded from…
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Shining Rock’s scores below most others
When Shining Rock Classical Academy opened in 2015, the public charter school was hailed as a victory for local proponents…
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Sylva’s mayoral race nears the finish line: Sossamon and Allen to rematch for mayor’s seat
Sylva voters might feel a bit of déjà vu when they enter the polling place this year, with both names…
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Swain County schools apply for $7 million grant
Swain County Schools will apply for a multi-million dollar grant through the new Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund that can…
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Showdown looming over Canton brunch ordinance
A highly anticipated public hearing that drew double the usual crowd to a Canton Town Board meeting wasn’t as contentious…
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Brunch Bill stalls in Jackson
A planned vote on whether to approve Sunday morning alcohol sales was delayed Oct. 16 when the Jackson County Commissioners…
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Comprehensive plan update coming for Waynesville
Inasmuch as any document can be truly hallowed on a local government level, that document is the comprehensive plan.
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Haywood hires interim county manager
Haywood County native Joel R. Mashburn has been selected to serve as interim county manager following the recent and unexpected…
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Women in Business 2017
Women owning their own businesses is nothing new, and in fact North Carolina is among the nation’s leaders in this…
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Apply for open seat on Haywood school board
Following the resignation of Beaverdam school board member Scott Smith, Haywood County School Board Chairman Chuck Francis revealed the procedure…
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Swain parents want more from recreation center
Several parents made it clear during a recent Swain County commissioners meeting they want to have more recreational opportunities for…
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