Patient-friendly innovations highlighted at Harris Medical Park
Harris Medical Park, the newly-constructed medical office building adjacent to Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva, is now open, providing patients…
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Alcohol sales part of grander scheme at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino
Just over a year ago, the members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians voted to allow alcohol sales at…
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Waynesville farmer’s markets learn to coexist after split
Twenty-five years ago, a fledgling farmers market got its modest start in a small parking lot on Waynesville’s Main Street…
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The great routing debate: North Carolina’s battle for the Parkway
To mountain communities, the coming of the Blue Ridge Parkway 75 years ago was seen as economic salvation. It would…
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Jackson commissioners discuss role of open government
Last month the Public Policy Institute at Western Carolina University partnered with The Smoky Mountain News to conduct a poll…
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Super Wal-Mart sails into Franklin despite opposition
“I’ll tell you what this is, and I’ll tell you what it’s not,” said Franklin Mayor Joe Collins, opening a…
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Should the survey have disqualified Alderman Scott?
Franklin Alderman Bob Scott recused himself from the vote on a special use permit for a Wal-Mart Supercenter this week…
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Landslide repair down to the wire as competing plans play out
The clock is ticking for stabilization work on a landslide in Maggie Valley to get underway or a federal grant…
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WCU tuition hike to offset budget crunch
To help offset the impact of budget cuts recently authorized by the N.C. General Assembly, Western Carolina University will raise…
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Meals on Wheels to hold tennis tourney
The Haywood County Meals on Wheels is hosting a Tennis Tournament at 9 a.m., Aug. 5 to 7 at the…
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Landlords show spotty compliance with new carbon monoxide law
A little known law went into effect this year requiring landlords to install carbon monoxide detectors in any rental property…
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Canton paper mill faces opposition over Pigeon River pollution
Advocates for a cleaner Pigeon River have filed a formal challenge against a state water pollution permit for the Canton…
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Property rights crowd objects to trash rule
On Monday morning, Haywood County commissioners listened as one citizen after another came up and blasted a change to a…
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Haywood hospice center to become a reality
The first inpatient hospice west of Asheville had its groundbreaking in Clyde last week — complete with Jimmy Jack the…
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Shuler carries torch in money race
Congressman Heath Shuler has a sizeable financial advantage against his opponent heading into the fall election season. Shuler, D-Waynesville, had…
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Duke backs down from controversial substation site
After nearly eight months of wrangling with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Swain County leaders and a vocal citizens…
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North Shore residents interviews unveiled
The public is invited to watch 15 hours of raw video that will take viewers back 20 years to experience…
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Haywood hops farmer sets the bar high
Haywood County hops farmer Scott Grahl is a dreamer with his feet planted firmly on the ground. “One day a…
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Lawmakers close loophole in video poker ban
Owners of video sweepstakes parlors in North Carolina are out of luck for now. Governor Bev Perdue is expected to…
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Ongoing issues foil Ghost Town reopening plans
Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley will not open this summer, contrary to previous assertions by…
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Parents urge commissioners to build skateboard park in Jackson
On Tuesday evening, 11-year-old Ronnie Patterson said goodbye to his home away from home. Patterson is a skateboarder, and for…
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WNC schools hooked up with fiber
By the end of this year, nearly every student in the six westernmost counties will have unprecedented access to technology…
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Marker to be installed honoring George Plott
A ceremony marking the installation of a marker honoring Capt. George Ellis Plott, who was killed in action on Dec.…
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Mountain Projects offers free fans for seniors
Mountain Projects, Inc. through a collaborative effort with the Area Agency on Aging and Progress Energy is sponsoring Operation Fan-Heat…
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SCC launches Plus 50 program for Cashiers and Highlands
As the director of Southwestern Community College’s new Plus 50 program, Michael Rich is rapidly working in the community to…
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Haywood historical presents Cold Mountain heritage tour
The Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 27 at the Shook House in…
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Haywood Habitat holds open enrollment
Haywood Habitat for Humanity is holding an open enrollment through July for perspective new-home partner families. Applicants must be residents…
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Quarry must improve sediment control measures
A large rock quarry in Waynesville has been cited with a water quality violation for sending mud into nearby Allens…
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Opponents win concessions in first round of quarry permit fight
Neighbors concerned about the expansion of a rock quarry in Waynesville have won a partial victory in a early stage…
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Surge in meth labs traced to new small-batch production
Four years ago, new laws regulating the sale of pseudoephedrine in pharmacies slowed the illegal production of methamphetamine. The chemical…
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Elder abuse training available to public
The 30th Judicial District Domestic Violence-Sexual Assault Alliance is working to end elder abuse by offering training sessions across the…
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Volunteers invaluable at Folkmoot
Last year, Folkmoot USA relied on about 4,000 hours of community service to pull off the festival. Volunteers hosted BBQs,…
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Luggage logistics
At the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville, performers’ costumes erupt from the sleeping quarters to fill spare rooms, hallways, and…
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Two towns at a crossroads
For decades Maggie Valley and Dillsboro were two of the mountain’s most iconic tourist towns. Sadly, both relied heavily —…
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With the train gone, Dillsboro searches for new ways to attract tourists
The town of Dillsboro, once a thriving retail market for tourists, has taken a beating in the past two years.…
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No longer resigned to handouts from Ghost Town, Maggie searches for its own identity
No one is more intimate with the highs and lows of amusement park Ghost Town in the Sky than the…
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Facing cuts of its own, regional economic arm axes tourism from its portfolio
With ever shrinking pockets, the regional economic development arm AdvantageWest is scaling back its investment in tourism for the time…
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Invigorating Cullowhee could hinge on Forest Hills
An unusual proposition has landed on the doorstep of Forest Hills, a tiny speck of a town at the edge…
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Main Street Mile race to debut in Waynesville
A one-mile race down Main Street in Waynesville on Friday evening, Aug. 13, will raise money for the Shriners Children…
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Police survival seminar offered at WCU
Western Carolina University’s Police Department will host a free law enforcement seminar on police officer survival skills from 10 a.m.…
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Women show off the ‘Power of the Purse’
The women’s giving circle, Women for Women, was able to award $235,000 in new grants this year. To date, the…
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Groundbreaking to be held for hospice facility
An “old-fashioned” groundbreaking will be held July 30 for the new Homestead hospice inpatient facility, complete with a working mule…
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Drowned student had 0.38 BAC
A college student who drowned in the Tuckasegee River last month was highly intoxicated, according to toxicology reports that have…
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Tribe hopes to fund Cherokee as foreign language class in public schools
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is urging the state to formally license Cherokee language teachers, enabling Cherokee courses taught…
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DNA testing for crime suspects sparks ethics debate
Starting next February, all law enforcement officers will be required to collect DNA from people arrested for certain crimes. Anyone…
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Donations dropped at thrift store doorsteps being swiped by thieves
For community nonprofits facing a daily test of survival, thefts from the thrift stores they rely on are like a…
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Escaravage honored for service to Folkmoot
Longtime Folkmoot volunteer and supporter George Escaravage was given the Alan Brown award for service to the international dance festival…
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Thanks to local efforts, Folkmoot food is fresher than ever
An unseen cultural exchange takes place every day in the cafeteria where Folkmoot performers take their meals. Before, during and…
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Visa issues a growing challenge for Folkmoot
For those who think getting a travel visa is a headache, try steering hundreds of Folkmoot dancers from a dozen…
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Skyships over Cashiers? Local women track extraterrestrial activity
Eight-year-old Devon Heenan stood with her arm extended in the parking lot of the Ingles in Cashiers. With her cell…
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