Throwback sign could again grace Waynesville’s Main Street
When the old Downtown Waynesville Association imploded back in 2021 due to mismanagement and a general lack of enthusiasm, it left…
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Haywood Tourism Development Authority announces new executive director
Corrina Ruffieux has been hired as the executive director of the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority (HCTDA) following a national search. She…
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Lynda Bennett pleads guilty to campaign finance violations
Haywood County real estate agent Lynda Bennett, a 2020 candidate for the Republican nomination in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District,…
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As Sylva attempts to move forward with grant application, some question value of public art
The choice by Jackson County Commissioners not to move forward with a municipal grant application from the Town of Sylva…
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Sylva Mayor Lynda Sossamon resigns
After more than 16 years of service to the Town of Sylva, Mayor Lynda Sossamon has notified town staff of…
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Local writer hosts workshop for new writers at Cashiers Library
Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library is proud to present a new workshop series for aspiring writers. Beginning Feb. 2, the Winter…
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Haywood’s capital projects prompt report from financial advisor
With long-term debt rolling off the books and a number of high-dollar, high-profile projects on the horizon, Haywood County commissioners…
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Emergency watershed protection coming to East Fork
Asheville-based McGill Associates will begin work to provide emergency watershed protection in areas affected by Tropical Storm Fred after Haywood…
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WCU can now enroll more out-of-state students
Western Carolina University can now draw up to one-quarter of its first-year undergraduates from out of state, following a Jan.…
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Tribal Council focuses on cannabis enterprise
As the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians prepares to launch its medical marijuana program, cannabis was the main topic of…
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Town seeks JCTDA funding for Bridge Park project
Without additional funding from the Rural Transformation Grant offered by the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Town of Sylva…
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Webster Park project approved
Webster Park is slated for a host of upgrades and new construction, including a pavilion, after Jackson County Commissioners approved…
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More misinformation at Haywood commission meeting
It may be a new year with a new county commission, but anti-vaccination conspiracy theorists are still offering the same…
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Mountain Projects Waynesville resale store sees early success
In the two months since the Mountain Projects resale store opened in Waynesville, it’s already seen serious success in both…
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Complaints mount against internet provider Zito Media
The front door of the office for Zito Media in Haywood County has a piece of paper taped to the…
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911 call from Lambert Wilson’s death released
Swain County Emergency Management today released audio from a 911 call that sheds light on the circumstances leading up to…
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Ramey makes false statements regarding delinquent tax issues
Republican Haywood County Commissioner Terry Ramey attempted to quell the uproar over his decade-old delinquent tax bills last week, but…
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Pinning ceremony honors Human Services grads
To help address the mental health crisis facing the nation and this region, four Southwestern Community College students recently completed…
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Marked absent: From kindergarten through college, men struggle in school
Even as an elementary school kid, Chris Cable hated school. It felt pointless, and so boring that he struggled to…
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Scammers claiming to be with DOT sending emails with payment link
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles routinely receives complaints from customers who have been targeted by scammers claiming to be…
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Highlands Middle School renovations incoming
Whether it is routine maintenance, renovation, expansion or new construction, Macon County Schools has a long list of needed capital…
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Taylor pleads guilty, judge commends him on alcohol recovery
Bill Taylor, a former chairman and member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council, pleaded guilty Monday, Jan.…
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Western legislators weigh in on upcoming General Assembly session
North Carolina’s General Assembly convened last Wednesday, beginning a new session with new dynamics that will come into play as…
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Corbin, Gillespie tapped for important leadership positions
Western North Carolina voters — and legislators — often complain about the feeling of being ignored by Raleigh, but as…
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Design alteration may come to Waynesville’s South Main Street
An awkward Hazelwood intersection could be scrapped ahead of planned North Carolina Department of Transportation improvements to South Main Street,…
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Property values on the rise in Macon
Macon County is undergoing a tax reappraisal this year, and while the numbers are jarring, they won’t be a surprise…
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Affordable housing crisis crops up in Waynesville parcel deal
A Waynesville resident who wants to buy a parcel from the town may or may not get their way after alderman…
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Haywood commissioners issue joint statement on Ramey
Republican Commissioner Terry Ramey should pay his taxes and stop threatening the media for reporting on the issue, according to…
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Now Hiring: Tuscola begins search for new football coach
In recent months Haywood County has been shaken by the suspension and eventual resignation of physical education teacher and head…
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Jackson County hits brakes on Sylva’s municipal grant request
Each year, the Jackson County Commission offers the Municipal Grant Program in which municipalities can apply for grants of up…
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Searching for a seeker: The fearless life and tragic disappearance of Melissa McDevitt
Flitting about her apartment on Vancouver Island, Melissa McDevitt had already packed her bag in preparation for the long journey…
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Appointments available for ACA health insurance
Enrollment for 2023 health insurance through the ACA Marketplace ends Jan. 15. Folks who sign up now can have quality, affordable…
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Dust complaints continue in Canton; Evergreen works to identify source
For more than a year, Canton residents have complained about a gritty white dust from the Evergreen Packaging paper mill…
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Jackson considers municipal grant applications
Jackson County is considering the latest round of municipal grant applications that arrived on commissioners desks this week. Among applications…
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Wolfetown rep faces assault charges
Wolfetown Rep. Bo Crowe spent the weekend in jail following his arrest Saturday, Jan. 7, for an alleged assault that left…
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Moody takes plea deal in phony writs case
It took more than four months, 62 federal counts and a lengthy period of pretrial detention in Buncombe County, but…
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Downtown Waynesville Commission looks forward to big year, bigger footprint
After the implosion of the 36-year-old Downtown Waynesville Association back in 2021, much of the progress made by its successor organization…
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Macon commission asks MCS to prioritize hefty capital outlay requests
Following direction from the Macon County Board of Commissioners, the Macon County Board of Education met last week to prioritize…
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Tribe to conduct census
For the first time in 22 years, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will conduct a census of its tribal…
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Health Foundation awards grant to Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau
Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation (HCHF) has awarded a grant to Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau to fund a…
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Bringing hope: In Ukraine, American nonprofits stave off humanitarian catastrophe
Since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine millions of people have left the war-torn country, with millions more driven from…
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Bringing help: Western North Carolina’s connection to the war in Ukraine
Leaning against a wall in the basement of the train station right about midnight, they were cold and tired and…
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New boards could mean new plans for Franklin High School
When Macon County Commissioners authorized LS3P Architectural Design Services to submit plans for the new Franklin High School to local…
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Tuscola football coach, principal suspended in close succession
Both Tuscola Principal Heather Blackmon and head football coach Chris Brookshire have been suspended from their positions at the school…
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Brookshire resigns following allegations of sexual harassment
After multiple allegations of sexual harassment were made against him, Physical Education Teacher and Head Football Coach Chris Brookshire has…
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Canton water service will be restored soon
Subzero temperatures over the Christmas holiday wreaked havoc with municipal water systems across the region, leaving many customers without service.…
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2022: A Look Back
The year 2022 was no 2020. But hey, that’s a good thing. In some ways the year seems less exciting…
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Fake News Freakout! Episode 7
Lately I’ve been reading a book that came highly recommended and not a moment too soon, despite it being published…
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Two months after Lambert Wilson’s death, officials remain silent
Update: Shortly after press time Dec. 20, the Jackson County Clerk of Court released an order sealing the 911 records…
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After 33 years, Steven Lloyd steps down from HART
In the depths of the Fangmeyer Theatre, on the property of the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (HART), just down the…
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