Mountain Projects calls for participation in housing surveys

Three surveys from Mountain Projects that aim to help the nonprofit develop a housing plan, identify housing projects that will…
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Jackson County license plate agency to close: Office will reopen under new contractor

The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles’ license plate agency in Jackson County will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 15. 
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Statewide holiday ‘Booze It & Lose It’ enforcement campaign underway

 This holiday season, the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program joins local and state law enforcement to urge drivers against impaired driving. 
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Up in the air: North Canton Fire Department puts eyes in the sky to save lives

As technology evolves, every entity and industry finds new and innovative ways to use those advances to improve their operations.
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Vision for the future: WCU program helps intellectually disabled students achieve their dreams

As he entered his sophomore year at Andrews High School in Cherokee County, David Maennle started to notice his classmates…
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Macon school board opposes partisan elections

After county commissioners considered signing a resolution in support of transitioning the Macon County Board of Education to a partisan-elected…
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WCU men's basketball picks up steam

It’s a great time to be a Catamount basketball fan, certainly the best in a while. 
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Habitat’s ‘return on investment': Building strong communities, strong futures

It’s  tough out there for anyone hoping to gain entry into the housing market. 
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Fire activity resumes

Despite an uptick in precipitation and humidity levels, the region is still facing the worst drought conditions  since 2017, with…
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Two grants help Haywood students

Haywood County Schools recently received two grants from Dogwood Health Trust. One will benefit students at the Haywood Community Learning…
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Candidates continue filing for 2024 election

North Carolina’s candidate filing period for the 2024 General Election began on Monday, Dec. 4, with candidates slowly making their…
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Fox named interim county manager

Less than a month after Jackson County Manager Don Adams announced his resignation, commissioners have appointed an interim to fill…
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Man arrested for child sex crimes in Haywood

On Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, Haywood County Sheriff’s deputies from the Criminal Suppression Unit located and arrested Tyler James Ponder,…
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Johnson named Preceptor of the Year

Haywood Regional Medical Center announced that Dr. Allison Johnson was named Preceptor of the Year by the Virginia College of…
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Wildfire season 2023: live updates

After months of dry weather, drought is translating into wildfires and burn bans.
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Medicaid expansion is here; Pisgah Legal offers free advice on gaining access

More than 500,000 North Carolinians stand to gain free health coverage in the coming months. 
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Rudow announces congressional bid in Western North Carolina

The 2024 election season isn’t quite yet officially underway, but one Democrat isn’t waiting for Dec. 4 to get into…
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Burn bans lift and wildfires wind down following rain

Burn bans have been lifted and wildfires contained after steady rains Tuesday, Nov. 21, put a pause in a relentless drought that…
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Cherokee man arrested in cold case murder

Nearly a decade after 26-year-old Marie Walkingstick Pheasant’s body was found in a burned-out vehicle in Cherokee’s Big Cove community,…
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No county property for proposed Franklin Social District

Without discussion or stated reasoning, Macon County commissioners decided not to allow Franklin to use county property for its proposed…
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Arson investigations follow some wildfires

Arsonists were responsible for some of the wildfires first responders have battled over the past month, with one arrest made…
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The state of emergency services: Macon’s EMS Director highlights transport and staffing concerns

Macon County Emergency Services Director Warren Cabe came before the Board of Commissioners this month to outline problems his department…
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Macon signs resolution to restructure commission elections

Macon County Commissioners are divided over a resolution in support of revising the system to elect county commissioners in order…
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Per cap numbers indicate faltering casino revenues

The most recent per capita distribution numbers indicate flagging revenues at the two casinos operating on Eastern Band of Cherokee…
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Candidate filing begins for 2024 elections

National, state and local offices will be on the ballot across North Carolina for a high-stakes 2024 election, and it…
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Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation names new executive director

 The Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation announced that Charlotte Muir has been appointed as its new executive director. The announcement comes…
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Macon tables partisan school board discussion

After contentious debate over the decision to make the Macon County Board of Education partisan-elected, county commissioners tabled the issue…
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Mayhem in Macon

In a public meeting that lasted more than five hours, Macon County Commissioners approved premium pay for county employees, 3-2.…
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Buck the system: Macon recommends changes to Fontana Regional Library agreement

With the 10-year Fontana Regional Library agreement up for review, commissions in all three counties are considering changes to the…
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Living culture: WCU undertakes project showcasing Cherokee heritage on campus

At mid-morning on Wednesday, Nov. 15, the fountain at the heart of Western Carolina University’s campus is a thoroughfare.
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Wildfires burn as rain reaches WNC

A steady rain arrived in Western North Carolina Tuesday, Nov. 21, marking the first precipitation of that magnitude the region has…
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Watershed restoration underway after 2021 flooding

More than two years after flooding along the Pigeon River and its tributaries killed half a dozen people and destroyed…
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Haywood County and Waynesville look to stay ahead of cryptocurrency mining

It’s novel, it’s trendy and it’s a great way to become fabulously wealthy — or lose everything you have —…
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The state of the sheriff’s office: Haywood’s top cop drops data, details from his first year

It’s been just under a year since Bill Wilke became Haywood County’s sheriff, after longtime popular incumbent, Greg Christopher, decided…
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Lake Santeetlah back to business after election wins

New town leadership is looking forward to getting things moving again in the tiny Graham County municipality of Lake Santeetlah,…
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Estridge in, Guiney out for Sylva Town Council

After canvassing, the vote count is official, with Brad Waldrop, Mark Jones and Blitz Estridge winning seats on the Sylva…
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Arrest made in Big Cove cold case murder

Nearly a decade after 26-year-old Marie Walkingstick Pheasant’s body was found in a burned-out vehicle in Cherokee’s Big Cove community,…
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Wildfires burn across the region as drought continues

For the first time since 2016, Western North Carolina is in the midst of a severe drought coupled with an…
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LGBTQ+ candidates earn historic victories nationally, locally

Tuesday, Nov. 7 was an important night for out LGBTQ+ candidates across the country, the state and Haywood County, with…
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Pactiv Evergreen blamed for milk carton shortages in schools

There’s no use crying over spilt milk, but a shocking report suggests that Pactiv Evergreen failed in its analysis of…
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WNC swears in a new judge

After several months of filling gaps in court calendars with visiting judges, Western North Carolina will finally fill its District…
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Incumbents roll, 'Team Waynesville' falls flat

They ran a noisy campaign, filled with distortions, misinformation and outright fabrication, but in the end, that’s all it was…
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Sylva elects new mayor, council members

The Sylva Town Council could have three new members, including a new mayor after vote totals become official later this…
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Maggie Valley winners pledge to work together

Maggie Valley will retain two of its incumbents, including its mayor, for the next four years. 
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Haywood sees high turnout, no voter ID issues

Fears that North Carolina’s new voter ID implementation would disenfranchise legitimate voters have proven unfounded — at least in Haywood…
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Canton reveals plan for waste water treatment plant

While there are still plenty of unknowns regarding Canton’s new waste water treatment plant, including where it will go and…
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Longtime Canton board members reelected

The Town of Canton’s governing board has been through a lot in the last four years — with the 2021…
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Bridge Park set for upgrades

After delays due to funding and insufficient bids, Sylva is set to begin work on the Bridge Park Green Infrastructure…
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New principal at Waynesville Middle School

The Haywood County School Board moved quickly to approve a new principal for Waynesville Middle School after the sudden departure…
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Russell, Jesse prevail in Clyde

Incumbent Alderman Dann Jesse will return to the Town of Clyde Board of Aldermen, along with a new face, Amy…
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