Debris removal from flood to cease until Nov. 29
This week marks the 90-day post-flood milestone after Tropical Storm Fred impacted Haywood County. As that date nears, the second…
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Jackson to pay $725,000 in jail death settlement
Nearly three years after a Sylva woman was found dead in the Jackson County Detention Center, the county has agreed…
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Meth trafficker busted in Haywood
Haywood County Sheriff’s Office deputies seized 4.1 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop resulting in one arrest and trafficking…
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Cawthorn Accepts AMAC American PATRIOT Award
Washington, D.C. — On Nov. 2 on Capitol Hill, Congressman Madison Cawthorn accepted The Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC)…
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Haywood reports more COVID-19 related deaths
In the last week, Haywood County has mourned the loss of two more people to COVID-19. Both were in their…
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Going rogue: Cawthorn’s move has widespread implications
Western North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorn has become known for saying some surprising things to further his political agenda, but…
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Planning Board Chairman removed from post in Maggie
David Williamson was removed from his position as Planning Board Chairman for the Town of Maggie Valley following a 3-2…
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New electoral maps approved
The North Carolina General Assembly passed new House, Senate and congressional maps last week, but if the lawsuits — some…
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HCC awarded $1 million construction grant
Haywood Community College was selected by the Department of Labor, in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission, to receive a…
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Movement to memorialize lynching victim in Franklin gains momentum
Exactly 123 years to the day after a Black man was dragged from his cell in Franklin and hung from…
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King, Augustine elected to Bryson City board
Only 10% of Bryson City residents cast a ballot in this year’s municipal election, which is not unusual for the…
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Franklin elects incumbent, two newcomers
The Town of Franklin elected one incumbent and two newcomers to the town council board during the Nov. 2 municipal…
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Newman, Gelbaugh triumph in Sylva elections
Beating out two incumbent board members, Natalie Newman took the top spot in last week’s Sylva Board of Commissioners election…
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Newcomers sweep Maggie Valley election
Municipal elections in Maggie Valley drew a record number of voters in a contest that boiled down to growth and…
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Haywood County Schools modifies quarantine policy
Haywood County Public Schools has implemented a new COVID-19 quarantine policy change. In certain cases, students will be required to…
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Traffic delays expected for I-40 in Pigeon River Gorge
HARMON DEN – A winding drive on Interstate 40 through the Pigeon River Gorge will soon take a little longer than…
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Haywood Alerts implements new, streamlined alert messages
In the next few weeks, Haywood County Alerts will switch over to a new, streamlined message format for emergency text…
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Cherokee announces record casino profits, plans for expansion
In the space of two days last week, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians announced its biggest per capita distribution…
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No pun not intended: Dave Waldrop, small-town sage
It’s said that the pun is the lowest form of humor — unless it’s yours.
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For veterans, service doesn’t stop when uniform comes off
On Veterans Day, we commemorate the service of members of the armed forces of the United States, past and present.…
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Popular tool retailer coming to Waynesville
The vacancy on Waynesville’s Russ Avenue left by big-box retailer Kmart in late 2019 is about to be filled with…
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Cawthorn won’t run for re-election in current district
During his brief political career, Western North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorn has become known for saying some surprising things to…
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Incumbents carry Canton
The mountain mill town known for its downtown rejuvenation as well as its “ grit and grace ” in the…
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Haywood man wins $668,202 Cash 5 jackpot
Jason Clark of Canton tried his luck on a Cash 5 ticket and won a $668,202 jackpot.
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Haywood reports seven COVID-19 deaths
In the last week, Haywood County has mourned the loss of seven more people to COVID-19. They ranged in age…
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Suspicious Buncombe fires draw attention in Haywood
A series of suspected arsons in Buncombe County has drawn the attention of multiple law enforcement agencies, and due to…
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Between the lines: new districts, new dynamics
After more than a dozen public hearings and substantial study by the North Carolina General Assembly, the decennial redistricting process…
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Masks optional in Macon schools
During an Oct. 25 meeting, Macon County Board of Education unanimously approved to allow students and staff to have the…
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Haywood Chamber celebrates 50 years of development, engagement
It’s not the first thing people usually think of when they try to recount the relative prosperity of a community…
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Following devastating August flood, BearWaters Brewing reopens
Sitting at a picnic table on the banks of the Pigeon River in downtown Canton, Kevin Sandefur turns around and…
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As Delta wave recedes, hospitals see consequences of deferred care
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are continuing to fall to the lowest levels seen in months, but hospitals say that staffing…
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Macon votes for optional masking, universal testing in schools
The Macon County School Board decided last week to make masks optional for all K-12 students. The decision came on…
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Pandemic is financial bonanza for HCA
By Peter H. Lewis • Asheville Watchdog | Nashville-based HCA Healthcare, which operates Asheville’s Mission Hospital and five other hospitals in Western…
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Cherokee aims to reduce carbon emissions
In a unanimous vote Oct. 11, Tribal Council approved a resolution that aims to drastically reduce the tribe’s carbon emissions…
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Dogwood Health invests in Native Health
Dogwood Health Trust recently awarded more than $1 million over three years to the Center for Native Health to further…
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N.C. 107 footprint expands
July 15 was a busy Thursday night at Bogart’s Restaurant in Sylva. The dining room was full of people and…
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Maggie Valley elects Hinton, Owens with record turnout
John Hinton and Jim Owens have secured seats on the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen beating out incumbent Alderwoman Twinkle…
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Newman, Gelbaugh win Sylva election
The 2021-2025 Sylva Board of Commissioners will feature one new face, according to unofficial results from today’s municipal election.
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Crazy for the Connells
When I was a young man growing up in Rhode Island and Massachusetts back in the 1980s, I had a…
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Lynching commemoration in Franklin could ignite monumental debate
Plans are underway for a Nov. 6 event in Franklin to commemorate the lynching of a Black man more than…
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Coercion or comedy? Maggie Valley candidate prompts investigation
John Hinton, a candidate for Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen, prompted an investigation by the North Carolina State Board of…
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News in brief
HCC Foundation accepting calendar submissions The Haywood Community College campus is known for its iconic mill pond and natural beauty.…
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COVID treatment offered in Macon
Monoclonal Antibody Treatment (mAb treatment) is available to Macon County residents through local hospitals (Angel Medical Center and Highlands-Cashiers Hospital).
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Barbara Bates Smith returns to HART Theatre
When you portray strong and influential women onstage for more than 30 years, chances are some of that strength and…
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WNC African American conference to focus on reparations
The eighth annual African Americans in Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia Conference will be held virtually from 10 a.m.…
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Cawthorn refutes bombshell Rolling Stone allegations
An Oct. 26 report in Rolling Stone based on the claims of two anonymous sources places Western North Carolina freshman…
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Sylva, Jackson to discuss opportunities for housing
The housing crisis gripping the entire region hasn’t spared Sylva, and the town board hopes to partner with Jackson County…
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Macon to spend millions on new pay plan
After spending the last several years discussing the need for an updated pay scale, Macon County commissioners recently approved spending…
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Ghost Town developers make major hire
Developers associated with the rejuvenation of Maggie Valley’s Ghost Town in the Sky are moving forward with plans to resurrect…
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Zoning decisions unearth deeper issues in Maggie Valley
A slew of zoning decisions in the Town of Maggie Valley have revealed deeper concerns about development and the future…
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