Sizing the force: Sylva debates police staffing needs
Sarah Dearmon was the only person who spoke during the May 27 public hearing for a proposed Sylva town budget…
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Jackson names new economic development director
Tiffany Henry will be Jackson County’s next director of economic development following a unanimous vote from county commissioners May 18.…
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June per capita payments exceed pre-pandemic levels
Despite a raging pandemic, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos’ revenues for October 2020 through March 2021 delivered a larger per capita payment…
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Swain sets public hearing for proposed budget
Swain County will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. June 10 to give residents an opportunity to comment on…
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Staffing a hurdle for Haywood summer school
Students in Haywood County will not be provided normal bus transportation for the robust summer school program intended to address…
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Cullowhee Valley School chooses new mascot
Henceforth, Cullowhee Valley School in Jackson County will be represented as the Cullowhee Valley Wolves.
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Jackson considers $79 million proposed budget
Note: The initial story published May 26 was based on incorrect budget documents from Jackson County that reflected a total…
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Cawthorn’s internal poll measures job performance, approval
After almost five months in office, Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-Hendersonville, has his first look into the major political questions that…
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Canton preschool closed due to COVID-19
The Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency has identified a symptomatic COVID-19 case at Silverbluff Early Education & Preschool…
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Swain Middle gets ‘GO’ Grant
The North Carolina Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council announced that Swain County Middle School was awarded a NC Schools Go Outside…
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HCC offers free tuition for Haywood grads
Haywood Community College Foundation’s Tuition Free Guarantee Scholarship is sometimes the deciding factor for Haywood County seniors when deciding where…
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Coming together again: what's next for community events?
Though Oct. 17 was just seven months ago chronologically, it feels like seven years emotionally with all of the social,…
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Folkmoot returns: After a year off, a revamped festival
Folkmoot USA will return with its annual festival for summer 2021.
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Inaugural Juneteenth celebration planned
On June 19, the Smoky Mountain District of the United Methodist Church will host a Juneteenth Freedom Celebration at Lake…
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Ghost Town: a new start for an old favorite
A weekend-long reunion event brought dozens of former Ghost Town in the Sky performers together to share some old memories,…
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Divisive sign catalyzes Back the Blue rally
Maggie Valley Town Hall Pavilion and the surrounding grassy area were ablaze with the black and blue flags of a…
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Tribal Council candidates make their case
During the Primary Election next week, Cherokee voters will decide which candidates vying for seats on Tribal Council and the…
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Bridge cleanup fiasco could result in legal action
A group of concerned citizens conducting a local cleanup effort intended to address the problem of homelessness in Waynesville inadvertently exacerbated…
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Funding approved for Sylva statue changes
The pedestal of the Confederate soldier statue in Sylva will get a $14,000 makeover following a 4-1 vote from the…
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Cherokee appeals Catawba casino decision
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is appealing an April 16 decision from District Court Judge James A. Boasberg that…
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Elevated Mountain to host Ghost Town reunion
Meet, greet and eat with some of your favorite former Ghost Town in the Sky performers on Friday, May 21,…
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Jackson names new economic development director
Tiffany Henry will be Jackson County’s next director of economic development following a unanimous vote from county commissioners May 18.…
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Summer Camp Guide
While summer camps were on hiatus during the height of the pandemic in 2020, many camps in Western North Carolina…
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The Joy of Discovery: Foreign students, host families relish cultural exchange
It’s easy to imagine the ways in which a foreign exchange student’s world is broadened by an experience studying abroad,…
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Jackson considers five additional firefighting positions
During a May 11 work session, Jackson County commissioners discussed a plan to use $400,000 from the general fund —…
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Macon mulls $80 million new high school
Plans to construct a new Franklin High School are back on the table as Macon County commissioners weigh the costs…
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Community shows support for arts education
A packed room of Macon County residents pleaded with county commissioners during a May 13 meeting to provide the school…
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Mask mandates lifted amid plummeting COVID-19 numbers
New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are falling toward the lowest levels seen since the pandemic took root.
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Tribal Council candidates make their case
Early voting is underway for the June 3 Primary Election in Cherokee, which will determine the final slate of candidates…
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AG takes over sex abuse case
District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch announced the state Attorney General’s Office would take over the criminal investigation and potential prosecution…
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Waynesville man charged with insurance fraud
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey today announced the arrest of Keith Brody Parks, 36, Waynesville. Parks was charged with…
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Swain asks for 6 percent room tax
After passing a resolution at its May 13 meeting, Swain County will be asking its state representatives to introduce legislation…
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Independent auditor will evaluate Waynesville electric bills
Despite being the result of a confluence of factors, the true reasons behind some abnormally high electric bills for Town…
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Cawthorn tries to succeed where state broadband bills failed
The Coronavirus Pandemic has lain bare the massive digital divide between those with reliable high-speed internet access and those without,…
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Campaign against new Haywood jail continues
Citing limited drug rehabilitation options, a lack of mental health treatment facilities, an inefficient justice system and overwhelming public opposition,…
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Strong start for SHARE Project
If the newly-formed SHARE Project’s May 16 drug awareness march was any indication, the group can look forward to strong…
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Cherokee scholar awarded honorary WCU doctorate
Cherokee scholar Thomas Belt received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Western Carolina University last week during commencement on…
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Canton town manager resigns
Jason Burrell, an integral part of the town of Canton’s administration for the past 12 years and town manager for…
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Haywood schools lift outside mask mandate
Students in Haywood County Schools will no longer be required to wear masks outside, where social distancing is possible. Administration…
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Tribe loosens marijuana laws
In a pair of actions taken during Tribal Council on Thursday, May 6, Tribal Council voted to decriminalize possession of…
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Newby begins 100 county courthouse tour
Chief Justice Paul Newby launched a courthouse tour during which he will visit courthouses in all of North Carolina's 100…
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Harrah's offers enticing sign-on bonus
As one of the largest employers in Western North Carolina, Harrah's Cherokee Casinos is taking a strong approach to market…
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Vaccine opportunities for youth and adults
Clinic for 16-18- year-olds planned Haywood County Health and Human Services is partnering with Haywood Community College to host a…
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Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Last summer, the tiny Haywood County tourist town of Maggie Valley was rocked by not one but two peaceful “Black…
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Tribal Council candidates make their case
Early voting is underway for the June 3 Primary Election in Cherokee, which will determine the final slate of candidates…
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Town of Canton joins municipal TDA bill
A week after Haywood County Republican Rep. Mark Pless’ municipal TDA bill came out of committee wholly rewritten to include…
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Investment continues flowing into Haywood County
There’s not yet a lot of information about the latest economic development announcement made by Haywood County commissioners — the…
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Funding coming for telepsychiatry in schools — if N.C. budget passes
A conversation between Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, D-Rocky Mount, seems to indicate that Cooper will…
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‘The lady behind the scenes’: Carmaleta Monteith named Beloved Woman
Carmaleta Littlejohn Monteith has worn an impressive number of titles over the course of her life.
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Macon requests more funds for the arts
Last year, Macon County Schools requested a nearly $2 million budget increase to fund additional staff positions. When the pandemic…
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