I, Church Mouse: The Day and Life of a Church Mouse
NOTE: Gracie Mayer won the Building Small Essay Contest held in conjunction with the N.C. Arboretum's Building Small exhibit and…
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Close-up of a crumbling facility
Fire code violations, compromised client confidentiality, leaking roofs, freezing pipes, lack of energy efficiency, severely limited space, windows that won’t…
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Kimmel bankruptcy threatens construction management donation to WCU
The bankruptcy of one of Western Carolina University’s largest supporters will hurt the school’s fast growing construction management program. In…
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Elk delisting draws ire of protectors
“Elk don’t know how many feet a horse has.” That’s the advice Bear Claw Chris Lapp gave Jeremiah Johnson as…
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Jackson loses critical court case over Dillsboro dam
Duke Energy could start tearing down the Dillsboro Dam any day after Jackson County lost a final and critical legal…
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Congregation backs leaders’ stand on prayer
Responding to a Smoky Mountain News article covering the debate over prayer at public meetings, a group of Macon County…
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Lawyer’s actions aroused suspicion among clients, law enforcement community
An attorney that forged judges’ signatures was caught thanks to the sharp eyes of a law enforcement officer, a fellow…
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Soldiers face a second battle at home
Citizen soldiers. The National Guard’s moniker evokes the best of American values and hearkens back to a Greek ideal. The…
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Commissioners commit to former Wal-Mart site
After a marathon five hours of discussion on Wednesday (Jan. 13), Haywood County commissioners voted unanimously to buy the abandoned…
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Antenna users left in the lurch
Television viewers in Jackson and Macon counties who get their reception the old-fashioned way — with an antenna — have…
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Three new developments move forward in Waynesville
At a time when Waynesville’s appearance standards are under scrutiny for being too strict, three proposed developments cruised past the…
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License plates take off during Smokies 75th anniversary
Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park received a record $385,000 from drivers sporting the special “black bear” license plate…
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Video gambling industry undeterred by steep fees for “sweepstakes” machines
The North Carolina Court of Appeals recently upheld a state law that bans video gambling everywhere but the casino in…
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DOD-funded programs support local counseling initiatives
For the first time in history, the government, the military and private healthcare providers are working together to deliver the…
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Haywood County poised to buy abandoned Wal-Mart
Haywood County Commissioners are expected to vote this week to buy the abandoned Wal-Mart shopping center near Lake Junaluska and…
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Golf club to restore Upper Cullasaja
The Upper Cullasaja Watershed Association and the Cullasaja Club are pursuing state funding to restore the headwaters of the Cullasaja…
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Training effort bolsters enforcement of elder abuse
Elder abuse takes many forms and, thanks to a national grant program, law enforcement officers in Western North Carolina now…
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Plastic bottle ban tough to police, but getting results
It may be illegal to throw away plastic bottles in North Carolina these days, but don’t expect a landfill patrol…
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Canton Mill pursues new pollution permit
Evergreen Packaging, a large paper mill in Canton, is seeking a new water pollution permit for the Pigeon River. The…
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Attorney admits forging judges’ signatures to help clients
A 31-year-old attorney in Jackson County pleaded guilty this week to forging judges’ signatures and creating phony court documents. John…
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Latest prayer case rekindles controversy
A federal magistrate’s recommendation that limits prayer before government meetings in Forsyth County has touched off a fiery debate across…
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Christians cling to one of last vestiges of prayer in public life
They haven’t gone quietly, and they haven’t gone quickly, but Christians are losing the battle over prayer in public life.…
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More than population stats hinge on accurate census
The census has been part of government since Roman times and it has the baggage to prove it. As the…
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Undaunted, elected leaders vow to keep praying as they please
Threat of a federal lawsuit won’t be enough to stop some county commissioners in Western North Carolina from praying in…
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Database breach raises concerns over Web security
In August a computer hacker broke into a North Carolina Community College System server and potentially gained access to the…
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Jackson airport to get repairs, new level of attention
The Jackson County commissioners have breathed new life into the county’s airport authority by taking it over. After appointing themselves…
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Foreclosure barrels down on Balsam Mountain Preserve
Foreclosure against Balsam Mountain Preserve could happen by month’s end barring a last-ditch financing deal by developers in the next…
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Macon residents still waiting on McCoy Bridge plan
A year ago, state officials promised a group of Macon County residents that they would get a cost estimate for…
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Nonprofits struggle in adverse fundraising climate
It has been a difficult year for environmental nonprofits. State budget cuts have meant fewer grants and philanthropic endowments have…
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Decision pending soon in Jackson’s last chance to save the Dillsboro dam
After years of battling Duke Energy in nearly every legal arena it could scout out, Jackson County was dealt a…
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Folkmoot, Evergreen Packaging form multiyear partnership
Folkmoot USA, North Carolina’s Official International Festival, has locked down its first presenting sponsor. Evergreen Packaging has partnered with the…
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2009: Looking back at the newsmakers
The Smoky Mountain News is paying homage this week to some of the newsmakers of 2009 by dishing out our…
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New festival director seeks a larger audience for Maggie Valley
The hunt for a festival director for Maggie Valley is officially over. Beating out 22 other applicants, Audrey Hager took…
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Fund for Haywood County announces $16,000 in grants for recession relief
The Fund for Haywood County recently handed out $16,000 in grants to county nonprofits providing services for recession relief. The…
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Outrage erupts over Sylva teen club
A little-known teen club shook the Town of Sylva out of a slumber last week and shone a bright light…
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Jackson commissioners take over airport authority
Facing a moribund governing body and a facility once again in need of expensive repairs, the Jackson County board of…
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Striking while the iron’s hot
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has found a silver lining in the Interstate 40 closure following a massive rockslide…
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Safeguarding the settlement
A cash settlement with the federal government in lieu of the long-promised North Shore Road will reap annual dividends for…
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EDC audit out of reach due to spotty records
Jackson County commissioners closed the book on a painful chapter in the county’s history on Monday, announcing they would give…
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Sylva bypass makes the cut
Jackson County commissioners were split over whether to endorse the construction of a controversial new highway outside of Sylva when…
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Haywood tourism leaders critical of state’s response to rockslide
State officials have not turned a blind eye to the economic pain caused by the rockslide in Western North Carolina,…
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Snowstorm puts damper on critical shopping weekend
Business owners in Western North Carolina are wrapping up an absurdly challenging year. On top of dealing with a lingering…
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Tuscola produces two division I quarterbacks in five years
In the space of five years Tuscola High School’s football program has produced two big-time college quarterback prospects. While Friday…
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Locals do what it takes for fresh tracks
For seasoned Smoky Mountain outdoor enthusiasts, snow in the forecast means the chance to indulge suppressed fantasies. Whether its getting…
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Tourism turnaround set back by rockslide
After a slight increase in overnight visitors this fall following a dismal summer, Haywood County tourism officials are dreading November…
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Shuler scores millions for Swain in North Shore Road debate
Claude Douthit has spent half his life fighting the federal government over the North Shore Road. The decades-old debate dates…
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Slump in construction leads Maggie to can building inspector
The Town of Maggie Valley decided Monday to lay off its building inspector after already trimming 10 hours off his…
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Road failures cast uncertainty on Wildflower’s future
In 2005, two investment partners from Atlanta broke ground on a massive project on the slopes of Cowee Mountain in…
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Health care facilities to create new jobs
After successfully enlisting the help of local government, Haywood Regional Medical Center and Maggie Valley Health Investors are chasing state…
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Waynesville gets on board rail movement for passengers and freight
Last week, Waynesville’s town board linked up with a growing grassroots movement that is calling for increased rail capacity. The…
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