Seventeen candidates vie for two seats in special election

Voters in Cherokee’s Dec. 15 special election will choose from a crowded field of candidates seeking to fill two unexpected…
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Republicans secure big victories, but their future in North Carolina is less certain

The predicted red wave washed over most of North Carolina’s elections last week, but now as it recedes and parties…
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Republicans dominate Western North Carolina races

The highly anticipated red wave hit Western North Carolina hard on Nov. 8, with Republicans retaining several crucial legislative seats and…
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Haywood 4 Good program announces enrollment
 

Haywood 4 Good program announces enrollment

The Haywood 4 Good community wellness program is pleased to announce a new feature: continuous enrollment. Participants may register for…
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Man faces murder charges in Kobe Toineeta death

The Cherokee community is mourning the death of Kobe Toineeta, 25, who died by homicide Friday, Nov. 11. 
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No panhandling ordinance for Sylva

Sylva will not update the Streets and Sidewalks section of its code of ordinances to include a section on panhandling…
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Edwards takes 11th Congressional District over Beach-Ferrara

Hendersonville’s three-term Republican Sen. Chuck Edwards is moving up in the world, from Raleigh to Washington, after defeating his Democrat…
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Haywood Regional Medical Center names CEO

Haywood Regional Medical Center announced that Chris Brown has been named chief executive officer (CEO), effective Nov. 28, 2022. 
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Jackson Board of Elections corrects election night mistake

The Jackson County Board of Elections held a public meeting Friday, Nov. 11, to inform the public about a misstep…
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Vecinos receives federal USDA funding
 

Vecinos receives federal USDA funding

On Sept. 14, 2022, Vecinos, a free clinic for uninsured, low-income adults in Western North Carolina, received a $1 million…
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Jackson allocates funds for parks projects

This month, the Jackson County Board of Commissioners took the next steps toward capital improvement and construction projects for parks…
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Sylva to fund Art Walk with municipal grant

With the help of the Jackson County Municipal Grant, Sylva may soon be able to implement a Sylva Art Walk. 
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Haywood Tree to serve as Capitol Christmas tree, prompt spruce restoration efforts

Sometime around 1940, a red spruce seedling pushed above the forest floor in southern Haywood County. Its roots drank from…
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Rob Saunooke announces campaign for chief

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Rob Saunooke is banned from practicing law on the Qualla…
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Cherokee Central Schools gets funding for cost-of-living, minimum wage increase

The Cherokee Tribal Council allocated an additional $1.38 million to Cherokee Central Schools during an Oct. 24 Annual Council session,…
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WCU rolls out scholarship guarantee program

This fall, Western Carolina University will launch a pilot program that guarantees undergraduate students up to $3,000 per year in…
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Haywood County Special Olympics receives makeover

Haywood County residents with special needs have long treasured the Special Olympics Spring Games, but now they’ll have a reason…
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Tribe partners on Kentucky horse race track

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a key partner in a $55 million effort to bring the state’s first…
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Republicans sweep Swain County Commission races

The Swain County Board of Commissioners will be shaken up next year.
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Cochran wins re-election, will serve fifth term as Swain County Sheriff

Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran has won his bid for reelection after defeating Doug “Tank” Anthony.
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Republicans win all three Macon Commission seats up for grabs

The results are in, and the Macon County Board of Commissioners is going to look different for the next two…
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Haywood County commission goes fully Republican

Just four years after gaining their first-ever majority on the Haywood County Board of Commissioners, Republicans succeeded in booting the…
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Haywood County Operation nets 112 grams of fentanyl
 

Haywood County Operation nets 112 grams of fentanyl

Over four days, Haywood County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and agency partners led a large-scale operation that resulted in the seizure of 63…
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Vecinos awarded grant from Hispanic Federation
 

Vecinos awarded grant from Hispanic Federation

Recently, Vecinos, serving a large Hispanic/Latino community in the six western counties of North Carolina, was granted $25,000 by The…
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Cherokee Council updates ethics ordinance

During an Oct. 17 Annual Council meeting, the Cherokee Tribal Council approved an ordinance that strengthens ethics laws for tribal…
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Western counties may combine opioid settlement funds for regional treatment center

No matter how it all shakes out in the end, Nov. 3, 2022 will be looked upon as a historic…
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NC’s Local Government Commission returns to its roots in Western North Carolina

Although little-known, there’s an agency within the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer that has a tremendous impact on everything…
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Haywood student nominated to advise State Board of Education

Lily Seymour has been asked to join the State Board of Education as a student advisor. The Haywood County student’s…
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Another death at the Jackson County Detention Center

For the fifth time in eight years, and the second time since July, someone has died while incarcerated at the…
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NC Supreme Court orders state to fund Leandro Plan

The latest development in the Leandro v. The state of North Carolina court case came last week when the North…
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WCU alumnus providing leadership gifts

Steve Couch, a 1985 graduate of WCU with a degree in industrial technology, is having a major impact on the…
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Republicans gain two seats on N.C. Supreme Court

Republicans have shifted the balance of the North Carolina supreme court.
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Budd beats Beasley

Ted Budd has beat Cheri Beasely to become the next senator for North Carolina. 
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Edwards takes 11th Congressional District over Beach-Ferrara

Hendersonville’s three-term Republican Sen. Chuck Edwards is moving up in the world, from Raleigh to Washington, after defeating his Democrat…
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Farmer wins Jackson Sheriff

In another tight race for Jackson County, Republican Doug Farmer has come out on top of the race for sheriff. 
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Wilke to become next Haywood Sheriff

Private investigator, retired Army colonel, former Asheville police officer Bill Wilke will be sworn in as the first elected Republican…
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Laseter, Breeden win Macon School Board race; county votes no to quarter-cent sales tax

Stephanie Hyder Laseter and Diedre Kaye Breeden will join the Macon County School Board after winning elections for their respective…
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West out as Haywood tax collector

The state of North Carolina’s only elected tax collector and one of Haywood County's few elected Democrats will lose his…
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Jackson County Commission too close to call

With all precincts reporting, the race for Jackson County Commission is too close to call. Results will not be official…
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Three incumbents, one newcomer for Haywood School Board

All three incumbents in the race for Haywood County School Board will return to their seat on the board alongside…
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Pless survives challenge, will return to Raleigh

Haywood County Republican Mark Pless may have produced his share of controversy during his first term in the General Assembly,…
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Clampitt holds on to reconfigured 119th District

Republican Rep. Mike Clampitt will return to the Republican majority in Raleigh after defeating Transylvania County Democrat Al Platt in…
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Republicans sweep Swain County School Board

With all precincts reporting, unofficial results show Republicans R.L. Taylor and Lisa Loftis have won seats on the Swain County…
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Corbin cruises in North Carolina’s westernmost senate district

Incumbent Republican Sen. Kevin Corbin, of Macon County, will go on to serve another two years in North Carolina’s General…
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A matter of trust: NC-11 seeks stability after Meadows & Cawthorn

Western North Carolina’s last two Republican congressmen, Mark Meadows and Madison Cawthorn, have left behind them a combined decade-long legacy…
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Pless, Remillard face off with GOP supermajority at stake

Although it may look lopsided by the numbers, the race for North Carolina’s 118th House District could be a bit…
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Beasley, Budd battle for U.S. Senate

The race for United States Senate in North Carolina has been dubbed a sleepy one, but with Election Day now…
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Democrats face uphill battle for Corbin’s seat

North Carolina’s 50th Senate District remains a bastion of Republican power in the west; nonpartisan mapping site davesredistricting.org puts it at…
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Supreme Court candidates navigate partisan campaigning and judicial integrity

They may be the most consequential races in North Carolina this year, yet most people don’t even know who’s running.
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