Haywood reports 6 more COVID-related deaths
Haywood County Health and Human Services are reporting six additional COVID-19 associated deaths. The individuals died within the last week,…
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Fifth COVID-19 death announced in Jackson
A fifth COVID-19 death has been confirmed in Jackson County.
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Cherokee will delay budget hearings, adopt baseline budget
In a resolution passed last month, Tribal Council decided that it will not hold budget hearings this year but will…
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Tribe engages firm to pursue expanded casino holdings
As states throughout the Southeast consider allowing or expanding commercial gaming in their jurisdictions, Tribal Council has voted to enter…
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Turning towards woodturning: Mike McKinney’s path to discovering his craft
By Andrew Dundas • Contributing Writer | Bowls in various stages of production scattered the workshop around Mike McKinney, piled onto tables…
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Haywood schools to adopt new complaint policy
Haywood County Schools Title IX Coordinator Jason Heinz recently discussed policy changes that must go into effect by Aug. 14…
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Harris urges community to wear masks
Harris Regional Hospital is urging community members to wear face masks or cloth face coverings in public areas where social…
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More COVID-19 outbreaks reported in WNC
According to the Haywood County Health Department, a significant number of the close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases recently identified…
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School board, community work to garner internet access
At a July 30 special called meeting, Dr. Trevor Putnam presented the Haywood County School Board with a contract in…
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New COVID-19 outbreak identified in Macon
Macon County Public Health has identified a COVID-19 outbreak in staff and residents at Drake Cottage, a congregate living facility.…
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COVID-19 death reported in Jackson
A new COVID-19 death has been confirmed in Jackson County, bringing the county’s total death toll to four.
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Complete United Way COVID-19 impact survey
United Way of North Carolina launches a statewide survey today to assess how COVID-19 has impacted community members across the…
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Haywood reports two more COVID-19 related deaths
Haywood County Health and Human Services is reporting two additional COVID-19 associated deaths. Both individuals died on July 28 at…
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Slide closes U.S. 19/74 in Nantahala Gorge
BRYSON CITY – A band of heavy rains late Friday night started a mudslide that closed U.S. 19/74 in the Nantahala…
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Jackson to discuss Confederate monument
An agenda for the Jackson County Commission meeting slated for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, shows that the board will…
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Morgan serving second round as Sylva’s interim manager
Sylva Town Manager Paige Dowling is currently out on maternity leave, but Sylva will be in experienced hands until her…
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Haywood has 74 new COVID-19 cases
Haywood County Public Health received notice of 74 new cases of COVID-19 since the last press release on July 24.…
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With an eye on safety, Maggie Valley passes protest ordinance
Some new rules will be in place for all future protest activity in Maggie Valley after the town’s board unanimously…
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Third COVID-19 related death in Macon County
A Macon County resident diagnosed with COVID-19 has died. The person was over the age of 65 and had underlying…
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Sylva asks county to remove Confederate monument
A final decision is likely on the fate of the Confederate statue looking out over downtown Sylva after the town…
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Back to school plans for Swain County
Swain County will be operating this fall under a hybrid of in-person and remote learning. Parents can choose Plan B,…
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Macon schools offer virtual option
Parents of Macon County students will have to choose their child’s learning plan for fall semester by July 31.
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Haywood chooses hybrid plan for school reopenings
As the Coronavirus Pandemic continues to grow in both size and scope, educators across the country and the state have…
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Teachers concerned for school safety
The start of this school year has been a topic fraught with debate about student needs, logistical hurdles and funding…
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Colleges, universities announce plans for fall 2020
In less than three weeks, classes will resume at Western North Carolina’s institutions of higher learning, and while instruction won’t…
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‘We’ve got your back’: Large Franklin gathering shows support for law enforcement
A rally hosted by Macon County Sheriff Robert Holland in downtown Franklin July 25 drew hundreds of law enforcement officers…
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Public records laws complicate law enforcement transparency
Despite the complexity of discussions surrounding reform and accountability in American law enforcement, it’s likely that many issues would disappear…
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‘Zoom bomb’ shows shortcomings of virtual meetings
Since the Coronavirus Pandemic began, Zoom meetings have become a commonplace replacement for government meetings that would otherwise take place…
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Nursing home outbreak: ‘What we really feared’
Despite seemingly doing everything right, a long-term care facility in Haywood County is now reporting 36 cases of COVID-19, spread…
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Haywood superintendent reinstated after investigation into controversial post
After being temporarily relieved of his day-to-day duties on July 13 following a controversial July 10 Facebook post, Haywood County…
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Cawthorn: Davis, Democrats are ‘racist’
Two congressional candidates vying to represent a district where one municipality has already passed a resolution exploring reparations for its…
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Special meeting called in Maggie Valley for protest ordinance
In response to an adversarial demonstration that took place on July 18 and in anticipation of a repeat on Aug.…
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COVID-19 cluster found in Waynesville
A COVID-19 cluster at Waynesville Pharmacy has been identified after five current or former employees there tested positive for the…
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Officer-involved shooting occurs in Canton
A Haywood County deputy is recovering from surgery and a suspect is dead following an incident July 28 in which…
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COVID-19 cluster identified at Cashiers church
The Jackson County Department of Public Health has identified a COVID-19 cluster in a local church. Eight individuals who attended…
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Haywood County reports two COVID-19 related deaths
Haywood County Health and Human Services is reporting the first two COVID-19 associated deaths in Haywood County. Both individuals died…
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Congress passes legislation to fund parks, conservation
The environmental community has been celebrating since the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoors Act July 22,…
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Zoom bombers halt Sylva town meeting
A Town of Sylva meeting in which commissioners intended to discuss a resolution regarding the Confederate monument ended abruptly this…
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Respected WNC journalist, advocate dies at 92
Alfred Douglas “Doug” Reed, one of Western North Carolina’s most respected journalists and community advocates and a key leader through…
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A tale of two rallies: Americans on all sides want change, but don’t want to change
Black lives matter. All lives matter. Defund the police. Back the badge. Take it down. Leave it up. Heritage. Hate.…
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Backing the badge
The death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers less than two months ago has added new…
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Ground breaks on Catawba casino
Four months after the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians filed suit against the U.S. Department of the Interior’s decision to…
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Coronavirus cluster found at Cherokee casino
Five employees at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee have tested positive for COVID-19, and the investigation is ongoing, according…
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COVID-19: County cases continue to increase
Jackson County has seen a steady growth in active COVID-19 cases in the last week as an outbreak was reported…
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Haywood redirects economic development funding
After more than two years of funding an economic development partnership between the Haywood and Asheville chambers of commerce that’s…
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Candidates file for Haywood school board race
Up until last week, the nonpartisan races for four school board seats — plus the chairman’s position — looked to…
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WNC real estate rebounding quickly
According to the Beverly-Hanks Q2 2020 Real Estate Market Report, Western North Carolina’s real estate markets have undergone rapid and…
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Law enforcement training — a constant job interview
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | In light of the recent national uproar over police brutality, law enforcement training…
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The conversation to defund the police
Innocent people murdered in their own homes, police departments equipped with military-grade weapons, students with school resource officers but not…
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Defund the police or back the badge — either way, prepare to pay
Competing theories as to the nature of proposed police reform have emerged, with one being that law enforcement budgets should…
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