Will Sylva vote expose usual fault line?
The race for the Sylva town board this fall could once again gauge the extent of shifting demographics of the…
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Who’s running and who’s not?
Canton Mayor Pat Smathers could face opposition this fall from his leading opponent on the town board, Alderman Eric Dills.…
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Tindall-Taylor leaving HRMC
The director of Haywood Regional Medical Center’s Foundation and Corporate Communications Department for the past 20 years, Robin Tindall-Taylor, has…
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Franklin followed the law by leaking Duke’s counteroffer
The town of Franklin acted appropriately by making public the terms of an out-of-court settlement offer extended to the town…
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Great Smokies become instant recipe for tourists
The mountains of Western North Carolina were no stranger to tourism prior to the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains…
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Waynesville seeks input on pedestrian plan
A master plan for making Waynesville even more pedestrian friendly has been unveiled after a year in the making. The…
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Historic courthouse welcomes back county offices
After two-and-a-half years of operating in temporary quarters, the big move is here. Stacks of boxes are piled high in…
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Casino to buy liquor in bulk, but from whom?
Cherokee isn’t the only one that potentially stands to make money off the sale of alcohol to patrons at Harrah’s…
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Katrina refugee wades into the fray against Duke
As Jackson County leaders continue their fight against Duke Energy, an unassuming local lawyer that few have heard of has…
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An unfortunate object of affection
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has long been synonymous with black bears. From the first automobile tourists to today’s…
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Value-added products up the ante for homegrown goodness
Across Western North Carolina, an increasing number of people are discovering new and creative ways to use the bounty of…
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Tour retraces Haywood County history
By Ellen Cirino • Special To The Smoky Mountain News The fifth Cold Mountain Heritage Tour, a self-driving tour to…
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NC Utility Commission OK with dam seizure
Jackson County appears to be on firm footing in its quest to seize the Dillsboro dam from Duke Energy as…
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Tensions escalate between commissioners, audience
A member of the public was escorted from a Haywood County commissioners meeting Monday (June 15) by a deputy after…
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Haywood erosion enforcement shot down in court
Landowners have won a lawsuit against Haywood County claiming they were victims of overbearing enforcement of erosion control laws. Judge…
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Bardo declines nomination
Western Carolina University Chancellor John Bardo will not be among the pool of candidates being considered for president of the…
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Terms of Duke’s offer made public
The terms of Duke Energy’s counter-offer to Jackson County and the town of Franklin in exchange for dropping their opposition…
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Families sacrifice land for creation of the park
Gudger Palmer has never forgotten the fond memories of growing up in Cataloochee Valley. At 100 years old, one memory…
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Haywood passes budget that includes tax hike
After months of struggling to solve a $7 million budget shortfall, Haywood County commissioners voted 3 to 2 Monday night…
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Duke begins prepping for dam removal
Despite the looming threat by Jackson County to win control of the Dillsboro Dam using eminent domain, Duke Energy announced…
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Jackson uses eminent domain to take dam
Jackson County played the ultimate trump card in the drawn-out fight against Duke Energy over the Dillsboro dam this week.…
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Commissioners' viewpoints
Chairman Brian McMahan “I believe that river belongs to the people of the United States of America. That’s our river.…
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Frequently asked questions
Why does Duke want to tear down the dam? Dam removal is tied to the larger issue of mitigation for…
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Cherokee casino to be dry no more
When Beverly Easton came to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino for the first time and realized there was no drinking, she wondered…
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Jackson takes on Duke Energy
Jackson County’s decision to take the Dillsboro dam through eminent domain is a bold next step in the relicensing saga…
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Deal over Dillsboro dam could be afoot
Five years into a bitter fight over the fate of the Dillsboro Dam, Duke Energy showed its first sign of…
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Creation of the park was marked by triumph and tragedy
The creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75 years ago was nothing short of a miracle. The pitfalls…
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New landfill proves money pit for Haywood
Haywood County commissioners grappling with the $4.4 million price tag of a landfill expansion briefly eyed the steep engineering costs…
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Creating the park: the early years
1900s Logging and lumber companies built railroads, camp towns and timber camps, slashing across the landscape while fueling an economic…
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New hospital structure could dilute autonomy
Although the board of Haywood Regional Medical Center could lose much of its control following its affiliation with WestCare, it…
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Rates jump prior to signing of library loan
Hints of an up tick in the economy are good news to say the least, but a resulting rise in…
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River park concept centers on dam, throws Duke for a loop
Jackson County commissioners got their first look last week at a master plan for a Dillsboro river park — a…
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NOC to launch major new presence in Gatlinburg
Nantahala Outdoor Center is planning a major new outfitters store in Gatlinburg, tapping into the hub of one of the…
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Macon, Rabun leaders eye future of water
Would a water-starved Atlanta ever come after the Little Tennessee River? While it may be a long shot, the prospect…
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Ghost Town seeks ride inspections
A team of state inspectors will arrive at Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park on Monday, May 18, in…
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Local farmers markets
Haywood Waynesville Tailgate Market 8 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Saturdays at American Legion parking lot near downtown Waynesville. Haywood…
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Erosion laws put to the test
Haywood County’s sediment and erosion control policies are the subject of a bitter legal battle poised to set statewide precedent.…
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Street vendors, store owners reach compromise
A potential clash between downtown Franklin merchants and street vendors was headed off the pass this week. For years, street…
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Haywood County nixes old Wal-Mart purchase
It looks like the Department of Social Services in Haywood County won’t be getting a new home after all. Haywood…
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Kephart proved to be a key figure in shepherding idea of a national park
With massive logging operations running full tilt in the Smokies in the 1920s, the sanctity of what once seemed like…
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Carden’s views on Kephart have softened
As a struggling albeit brilliant writer, Gary Carden never turns down money. So when an out-of-town man in a rental…
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Ellison came to WNC as a ‘Kephart pilgrim’
While George and Elizabeth Ellison are fixtures in Bryson City today — Elizabeth as a renowned artist and George as…
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Ghost Town files financial statements with bankruptcy court
Ghost Town in the Sky owners paid themselves nearly $25,000 over two weeks in March despite the company being in…
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Jackson reluctant to turn over Duke dredging permits
An attorney for Duke Energy gave Jackson County commissioners a “friendly reminder” this week to stop dragging their feet on…
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New bypass alone can’t fix N.C. 107 traffic
A fix for impending traffic congestion on N.C. 107 in Sylva doesn’t lie solely with a new bypass but will…
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Library bids come in well under budget
The bad economy has finally reaped some dividends for Jackson County taxpayers. Construction of the new Jackson County library and…
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Ghost Town and alderman at loggerheads
Ghost Town CEO Steve Shiver threatened to sue Maggie Valley Alderman Colin Edwards during a town meeting this week. Edwards…
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Judging Kephart: Legacy of author, outdoorsman still debated
George Ellison never knows when a Horace Kephart pilgrim will come calling. But invariably, they will come — creaking up…
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A chat with Carolinas Healthcare president
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer The Smoky Mountain News caught up with Carolinas Healthcare System Chief Operating Officer and…
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