Duke convinces Dillsboro to ‘retract’ letter
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Dillsboro Mayor Jean Hartbarger has retracted a letter that could have led to a…
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Taylor vs. Shuler: In the hot seat
By Michael Beadle Editor’s note: From today until the election on Nov. 7, The Smoky Mountain News will run a…
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The war in Iraq: local residents speak out
By Michael Beadle When it comes to the war in Iraq, Americans are divided on what should be done, but…
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Slate of events focuses on Hispanic Heritage
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer The third annual Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties…
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Haywood School Board voices support for flood rebuilding decisions
Controversy over the handling of flood repairs by Haywood County Schools two years ago have been the subject of media…
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Town quells Allens Creek ‘jake’ brake problem
Residents along Allens Creek in Waynesville are cheering a long-sought ban on the use of “jake” brakes by gravel trucks…
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Camp’s name officially attached to WCU building
A Western Carolina University building now bears the name of a beloved community leader in public education as the WCU…
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Residents warned to limit contact with contaminated soil
Recent soil and water testing in the former Francis Orchard in Haywood County have not revealed levels of contamination high…
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A flood of accusations: Former maintenance director claims his career was cut short because he criticized school system’s flood-related spending practices
Ted Norman, former maintenance director of Haywood County Schools, claims he was the target of whistle-blower retaliation by the school…
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Kudzu players to build theater
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer On a conference table covered with blueprints perches a small paper model of a…
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Quarry opponents urge state to deny permit
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer About 200 concerned citizens packed into a Jackson County courtroom to show their opposition…
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Reclaiming a piece of history: Dillsboro leaders work toward making renovations to the historic Monteith farmstead, building a new park and community theater
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Shoes stained with red clay mud and covered with sweat and bits of hay…
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Scams targeting elderly a growing problem
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Assistant Attorney General David Kirkman hits the play button on a small stereo and…
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Study credits park for tourist spending
According to a recently-released National Park Service study, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not only the nation’s most visited…
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Former employee questions school spending in the aftermath of ‘04 floods
Haywood County schools must pay back more than $300,000 in state flood repair grants after double-billing both the state and…
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Franklin VA clinic to open in April 2007
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer A new outpatient clinic designed to serve 3,200 area veterans will open in Franklin…
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Quarry opponents speak out at public hearing
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer About two hundred concerned citizens packed into a Jackson County courtroom Tuesday night…
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SCC students help with Parkway film
When Bentley Robison enrolled in the Surveying Technology program at Southwestern Community College, he never imagined he would become an…
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Sylva set to extend planning jurisdiction to Allen’s Branch
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Town aldermen are moving ahead with plans to vote the Allen’s Branch community into…
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Rutherford Trace: Local historians examine the legacy of a shock-and-awe Revolutionary War campaign against the Cherokee
By Michael Beadle To some, it was a crucial military campaign early in the Revolutionary War, an unprecedented patriot force…
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Reunion emotional for many former Ghost Town workers
When Todd Berrong, a former gun fighter at Ghost Town amusement park, walked through the gate of his old stomping…
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Quarry opponents get county support
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer The grassroots group United Neighbors of Tuckasegee celebrated another victory in the battle to…
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From military campaign to political campaign
If politics makes strange bedfellows, then surely Rutherford Trace offers some curious pillow talk in the legislative halls of Raleigh…
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Grant allows Sylva to conserve Fisher Creek
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer The Town of Sylva has been awarded a $3.5 million grant from the Clean…
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Cotton selected as Haywood manager
David B. Cotton of Seven Lakes has been named Haywood County manager
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$5 million upgrade planned prior to May 2007 opening
As the new owners of Ghost Town in the Sky pondered whether the dated mountaintop amusement park was a good…
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Sylva set to expand planning district
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Sylva Town Board members are expected to move forward with plans to make the…
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New neighbors: Change is moving into Jackson County’s Tuckasegee community
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer About half way between Sylva and Cashiers on N.C. 107, between Jackson County’s Caney…
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Loan obtained for Waynesville fire station
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., has helped Waynesville obtain a loan of $2 million to construct its new fire station.
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Ghost Town comes to life
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Once more, for the last time — Ghost Town has sold. The announcement came…
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Community appeals to Jackson commissioners
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Members of a grassroots citizens group rallying against a proposal to build a rock…
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Blue Ridge shows profit
By Michael Beadle Profits are up for Blue Ridge Paper Products nearly two years after devastating floods washed through the…
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Documentary to look at past century of Canton’s history
Canton’s 100th Labor Day Celebration will feature three showings of a 30-minute documentary about the town’s history at 7:30 p.m.…
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Sylva mulls over creating ETJ
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Residents from Jackson County’s Allen’s Branch community said they didn’t know exactly what Sylva…
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Maggie Valley Country Club’s transformation moves along
As part of its transformation to an upscale club and resort, the new Maggie Valley Club is in the midst…
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Keeping downtown alive: Revitalization organizations debate how to best improve downtown communities, as Sylva refocuses following a major spending cut
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer With a quick trip on Main Street in downtown Sylva, it’s easy enough to…
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Haywood Extension receives Pigeon River Fund grant
The Haywood County center of the NC Cooperative Extension Service has received a $15,000 grant from the Pigeon River Fund.…
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Appearance commission holds its own
“You can do better.” That was the message last week from Waynesville town leaders to developers of a Super Wal-Mart,…
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Pathways gives awards to mark signing of ADA
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Pathways for the Future Center for Independent Living and the Jackson County Department on…
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Neighbors surprised by Dayco development
Brenda Fowler’s customers usually keep her posted of the latest news and gossip when they stop in at her produce…
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Champion and Blue Ridge Paper timeline
1893 — The town of Pigeon River is reincorporated by the N.C. General Assembly as Canton, N.C.
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Franklin OK’s alcohol sales
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer The Franklin Board of Elections went to work Tuesday morning (Aug. 1) to certify…
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Election official concerned about voters being unduly influenced
The Swain County Board of Commissioners heard concerns from a county election board member last week over the adequacy of…
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Canton celebrates 100 years as a town that works
Labor Day festivities start early this year in Canton. In commemoration of its 100th Labor Day celebration — believed to…
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The birth of a Haywood County institution: Negotiations for the Champion Fibre Mill and Peter G. Thomson’s Labor Day Legacy
By Patrick Willis • Guest Writer Just more than 100 years ago, Canton welcomed a man from Ohio who would…
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150 show up to oppose Tuckasegee quarry
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Opposition to a proposed rock quarry near the intersection of N.C. 107 and N.C.…
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Cooper wraps up first year as Folkmoot director
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer The 2006 Folkmoot USA international dance festival marks an important first for new executive…
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Tuckasegee residents join forces against proposed quarry
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer A group of Jackson County residents has banded together in protest of a proposed…
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Sylva proposal includes performance area, market space
By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer In an effort to heal wounded relationships in the downtown Sylva community, local residents…
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EDC director confident project is of ‘high quality’
A proposed big box development featuring a Home Depot and Super Wal-Mart as anchor stores would bring a $45 million…
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