Pooches pose problem in Sylva
A debate has erupted in Sylva over whether dogs should be allowed in the town’s new Bridge Park, a small…
Read More
Cell company dashes hopes new tower will mimic pine tree
A new cell phone tower has been proposed on the south-facing side of Utah Mountain above Lake Junaluska. It would…
Read More
Woman claims officers denied her medication during DWI incident
An epileptic woman in Macon County is alleging that she did not receive proper medical attention after being arrested for…
Read More
Old timers recall Roosevelt’s trip to the Smokies
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park staged a reenactment this week of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s dedication of the newly…
Read More
Junaluska deals with same dog issue
Sylva isn’t the first place to wrestle with the not-so-pleasant by-product of dogs in public areas. The wildly popular two-mile…
Read More
Library supporters close to $1.6 million fundraising goal
Fundraising for the new Jackson County library may have entered the home stretch, but is far from home free. Friends…
Read More
Graham, Swain still squabbling over emergency coverage in isolated area
Swain and Graham county commissioners agreed Monday to let their respective county managers look at solid numbers before deciding on…
Read More
Land sales challenge basis for vested rights, some argue
When the 3,500-acre Legasus development won exemptions from Jackson County’s development regulations two years ago, it raised the hackles of…
Read More
WCU welcomes freshman class
Probably very little about freshmen move-in day at Western Carolina University has changed over the years: the “nervous but excited”…
Read More
A popular road reveals a dark side
An inspiration for songs, poems, and pilgrimages by motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world, the challengingly curvy stretch of U.S.…
Read More
Coalition builds momentum for Nikwasi park
A proposed park at the site of the Nikwasi mound in Franklin would provide a quiet place for residents to…
Read More
Big decisions ahead in debate over land-use plan
A steering committee tasked with examining and recommending possible changes to Waynesville’s land-use plan is finally getting down to brass…
Read More
Ghost Town still in the red despite $1.53 million in revenue
Ghost Town in the Sky did not bring in enough revenue from its amusement park operations during the months of…
Read More
Jackson EDC says new direction key to future
A comprehensive economic development strategy would go a long way toward solving the quagmire that is holding back progress on…
Read More
Forest Hills mayor misses deadline, will run write-in campaign
Jackson County poll workers will contend with write-in ballots from at least two towns on election night this fall. One…
Read More
WCU ranks highly among master’s degree universities
The latest U.S. News & World Report guide to “America’s Best Colleges” ranks Western Carolina University 10th among public universities…
Read More
Bulb crusher helps recycling efforts
The state will ban plastic bottles, motor oil filters, and wooden pallets from landfills starting this October. The ban aims…
Read More
Maggie board OKs assisted living facility in town limits
The Maggie Valley Zoning Board of Adjustments approved a special zoning exception to make way for a 114-bed assisted living…
Read More
Q&A with Congressman Shuler
SMN: What did you learn from the teletown meeting? Anything new? Heath Shuler: “The meeting reinforced my belief that most…
Read More
Healthcare debate civil at tele-town meeting
Against the backdrop of a nation embroiled in an emotional, high-stakes debate on health care reform, the voices of Western…
Read More
Proposed apartments denied tax breaks
Neighbors of a proposed 64-unit apartment building to serve low-income seniors in Waynesville have renewed hope that their fight to…
Read More
The long fight: Road debate nears final chapter
Since its creation, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has loomed over Swain County. Its massive peaks flank life itself:…
Read More
Queen gets early challenger for state Senate seat
A competitive state Senate race appears to be on the horizon once again for Sen. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville. Andy…
Read More
Town helps HVO seek state grant
The Town of Waynesville plans to step in for Haywood Vocational Opportunities in procuring state money to help with an…
Read More
Cash settlement amount proves a sticking point
Negotiations over a cash settlement for Swain County have been stalled for more than a year as opposing sides argue…
Read More
Jackson EDC still taking old board’s heat
Old records of the Jackson County Economic Development Commission are likely too spotty to complete missing audits from the years…
Read More
9-12 group is voice for those dissatisfied with government
Haywood County commissioners have seen their share of hot-button issues this year. First came the proposed nuisance ordinance, with angry…
Read More
Macon group finishes study of living history farm
A Macon County group is one step closer to its dream of establishing a Living History Farm, a working replica…
Read More
Waynesville looks at ways to cut energy use
Energy efficiency dominated the agenda at Waynesville’s last town meeting, with the passage of a strategic energy management plan and…
Read More
The road to a cash settlement
1920s Forney Creek Township wants a road leading from Bryson City to Deals Gap on the Tennessee state line. It…
Read More
McLean and Mathis part of Richland project
The Richland Hills low-income senior housing development was touted publicly as being under the auspice of the Asheville-based nonprofit Mountain…
Read More
Prison to remain open, but future not rosy
By Julia Merchant • Correspondent The minimum-security Hazelwood Prison in Waynesville is the only correctional facility of its kind to…
Read More
Pointing kids toward a love of the park
Eric Sink, a teacher at Summit Charter School in Cashiers, N.C., looks forward to loading his fifth-graders up on a…
Read More
More than a number With teacher layoffs, impact of school budget cuts hits home
It’s not an uncommon scene: people rattling a tin can outside Wal-Mart to raise money, whether it’s a cheerleading squad…
Read More
Lake island dwellers lobby for fire protection
Homeowners on Buck Knob Island in the middle of Lake Glenville say they are owed fire protection by local volunteer…
Read More
Megow-Dowling announces resignation
Jackson County’s economic development director Dorothea Megow-Dowling had been on the job for less than a year when she announced…
Read More
Cherokee school bridges tradition and the future
While some students dread returning to the classroom this time of year, children in Cherokee have been asking for weeks…
Read More
Land swap integral to Cherokee school
The Cherokee faced a long, uphill battle spanning decades to secure the idyllic tract of land now housing a brand…
Read More
A dollar here, a paintbrush there: Community rallies to save teachers, support schools
They came. They saw. And this past Saturday, they — nearly 1,000 volunteers from almost 50 churches — painted, scraped,…
Read More
Homeschooled students on the rise
More parents in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties opted to teach their children at home this year, concurring with…
Read More
Departing director recommends dissolving Jackson EDC board
Jackson County’s Economic Development Commission has again been thrust into turmoil, a near constant state of affairs for the entity…
Read More
New economic development coordinator learns the ropes
Trevor Dalton, Macon County’s first paid economic development coordinator, is back on his home turf. Dalton, 24, grew up in…
Read More
County ensnared in lawsuit over historic courthouse renovations
Haywood County is being sued for $2 million by the contractor in charge of renovations to the newly restored historic…
Read More
Scenic beauty, yes, but what about things to do?
By Andre A. Rodriguez • Special to the Smoky Mountain News A new travel study revealed potential visitors lack awareness…
Read More
Jackson County offers incentives to land new manufacturing jobs
Jackson County leaders are considering an economic development incentive that will provide property tax credits to Stonewall Packaging in exchange…
Read More
Cherokee leaders to PETA: back off our bear zoos
Despite public pressure from animal rights activists, including a visit from legendary game show host Bob Barker, Cherokee leaders do…
Read More
State budget cuts target after school program for teens
Proposed cuts to the state budget have threatened after school care for middle school students, with programs in Canton, Franklin,…
Read More
Haywood celebrates completion of historic courthouse renovations
Haywood County leaders held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday on the steps of the newly renovated historic courthouse. The $8.2…
Read More
Macon hires point man in new push for economic development
Macon County has hired a full-time economic development coordinator, finally joining the ranks of most counties who employ paid directors…
Read More
Fundraising ramps up for Waynesville skate park
By Andre A. Rodriguez • Special to the Smoky Mountain News It’s been at least a dozen years since Waynesville’s…
Read More
