Filing period closes for 2021 municipal elections
While there aren’t any state or federal elections being held this year, there are a number of municipal governing board…
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Jam on: Hillbilly Jam returns to Maggie Valley
If you think it’s hard to sum up what, exactly, Hillbilly Jam is, you’re not alone.
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Cherokee approves $275 million expansion plan for Murphy casino
After a 45-minute off-air discussion July 8, the Cherokee Tribal Council approved a $275 million master plan to expand the…
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Folkmoot USA: Celebrating diversity of the United States
Folkmoot USA, North Carolina’s Official International Festival, returns with Folkmoot Summerfest July 22-25. The theme of this year’s festival is…
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Opioid settlement could result in drug treatment facility
Millions in opioid settlement money is coming to the state, to most counties and even to some municipalities.
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Maggie Valley residents concerned for safety
Last week’s Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen meeting was riddled with complaints from residents of a development on Jonathan Creek…
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COVID cases surge: Haywood reports two nursing home outbreaks
New coronavirus cases were down to nearly nothing in Western North Carolina by the close of June, but in the…
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Jackson approves $7 million for school security
Jackson County will spend $7 million to convert four public school campuses to a single-point-of-entry system after commissioners voted unanimously…
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Karl Rove talks Trump, Cawthorn, NC11
Known mostly to the current generation as a political pundit and frequent television/radio/newspaper commentator, Karl Rove has roots in Republican…
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Parents oppose Pride Month display at Macon library
The Macon County Public Library provides a number of diverse educational opportunities for youth, but a book display promoting Pride…
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Three arrested on meth trafficking charges
Two Canton man and one Asheville man are being held on six-figure bonds after the Jackson County deputies arrested them…
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Gas leak at Hazelwood Elementary
Before noon on Monday, July 19, school employees smelled propane. Summer school students, summer childcare students, and staff were evacuated…
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Back to the blue: Wounded Haywood deputy returns to work
UPDATE: Shortly after this story was published, Batchelor declared his intent to enter the NCGOP NC11 Primary Election field. He’d…
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General Assembly names new WCU trustees
A former state representative from Matthews and a retired charitable trust director from Winston-Salem will replace former Principal Chief Joyce…
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SCC offering free tuition
Through a one-time program, Southwestern Community College will not charge tuition or fees to students for the 2021-22 academic year.
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HCC holds ‘Peak Week’
Haywood Community College is holding Peak Week July 12 through July 16.
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SCC’s Health Science Center ready this fall
As workers apply the last few coats of paint and other finishing touches this summer, Southwestern Community College officials are…
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Harrah’s chips away at job vacancies
Now carrying double the vacancies it had in the summer of 2019, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos is feeling the effects of…
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Developers tee off on Waynesville Inn rehab
With some demolition work currently underway and a membership drive event held on July 12, the new owners of The…
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Alcohol referenda to appear on Cherokee’s September ballot
Cherokee voters will decide whether to loosen alcohol regulations on the Qualla Boundary this September by answering three referendum questions…
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After uproar, DOT relents on bridge replacement project
A controversial bridge replacement project that would have snarled Haywood County traffic for up to four years will likely get…
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Task force issues draft recommendations on homelessness
More than 18 months after its creation and just over 12 months since its first meeting, Waynesville’s Task Force on…
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Haywood among top school districts nationwide
Haywood County Schools has made the list of National Board Accomplished Districts recognized by the National Board for Professional Teaching…
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Nursing homes face essential worker shortage
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities were among the hardest hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, they are facing another…
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Tribal Council again refuses to consider same-sex marriage ordinance
For the second month in a row , the first item on Tribal Council’s agenda was an ordinance to legalize…
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Labor shortage a lesser challenge for many outdoor industry businesses
While prominently displayed “now hiring” signs and sign-on bonuses attest to the difficulty many employers now face in staffing their…
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In Western North Carolina, memories of old-time baseball endure
For much of the 20th Century, small-town life in Western North Carolina revolved around the large-scale industrial enterprises that had…
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Haywood courts back in full swing
Haywood County courts are back in full swing following safety-related case delays during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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New fly shop opening in Waynesville
Tuckaseegee Fly Shop will expand into Haywood County starting Aug. 1, with plans to open a retail shop and guide…
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Maggie Valley discusses RV park rules
A draft text amendment to a Maggie Valley ordinance concerning campgrounds and RV parks has sparked a larger conversation about…
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UNC system president visits Cullowhee
University of North Carolina System President Peter Hans toured institutional improvements at Western Carolina University July 1, marking his first…
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Housing crunch exacerbates WCU’s stagnant salaries
With the state’s biennial budget process now nearing its conclusion, Western Carolina University employees are hopeful that they could soon…
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City Lights owner to lead Sylva’s Main Street program
Bernadette Peters, owner of City Lights Café, has been hired to lead economic development efforts in downtown Sylva.
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One step closer to affordable housing
Southwestern NC HOME Consortium is one step closer to receiving annual allocation to bring more affordable housing to the region.
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Drake Software expands to Waynesville
An economic development venture previously referred to as “Project Duck Call” has been revealed to be a new call center…
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Man takes plea in fatal DWI case
District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said a Haywood County man will serve the maximum sentence possible in prison after entering…
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Candidates file for municipal seats
The filing period for candidates seeking municipal governing board seats in November began at noon on Friday, July 2, with…
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Franklin Mayor Bob Scott won’t seek fifth term
Editor’s note: Bob Scott, longtime mayor of Franklin, announced today that he wouldn’t seek a fifth term in November. What…
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Labor shortage challenges employers
With help wanted signs popping up everywhere, The Smoky Mountain News investigates reasons for the labor shortage in the region…
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Lake Junaluska Women meet
On Flag Day at Lake Junaluska, about 50 of Junaluska Woman’s Club’s 75 members gathered for a luncheon at Lakeside…
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Downtown Waynesville director on leave, property likely to be removed from MSD
With a proposed contract renewal going nowhere fast, a slew of unfulfilled public records requests and the strong likelihood of…
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Waynesville budget passed over opposition
Citing their continuing support of a revenue-neutral budget, Waynesville Aldermen Chuck Dickson and Jon Feichter voted against the adoption of…
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Post-COVID employment rebounds, but where are the workers?
You’ve seen the signs, on marquees and placards, up and down streets in towns across Western North Carolina — Now…
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Help wanted in the service industry
The signs are everywhere. Now hiring, help wanted, excuse the wait times we’re short staffed and doing the best we…
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COVID cases, deaths hit new lows
Since Gov. Roy Cooper lifted the mask mandate on May 14, indoor gatherings have returned and face coverings have nearly…
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Highway project threatens havoc in Haywood
As Haywood County looks to put the Coronavirus Pandemic squarely in its rear-view mirror, a North Carolina Department of Transportation…
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Sylva asks DOT to help with Allen Street
Facing an estimated price tag of $1.5 million to fix persistent landslide issues on Allen Street, the Town of Sylva…
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Sylva resolution opposes county’s ‘Sylva Sam’ plans
Just shy of a year after it passed a resolution demanding the relocation of Sylva’s Confederate statue, the Sylva Town…
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Compensation, compassion go a long way at Sonoco Plastics
Some employers are having trouble attracting or retaining qualified employees, but those businesses could likely learn a thing or two…
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Labor shortage hits WNC
“Were there any cars in the parking lot when you got here?” Lisa Morris asked.
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