Dangerous material; celebrating banned books
By Boyd Allsbrook • SMN Contributor | What do To Kill A Mockingbird, Harry Potter, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s…
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Jackson commissioners terminate billboard lease
During a Sept. 15 meeting, Jackson County commissioners voted unanimously to terminate a pair of billboard leases the county holds…
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Waynesville Homelessness Task Force says need exists for shelter
The work groups tasked with assessing different aspects of the Waynesville homelessness situation gave their reports on possible practical solutions…
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Census deadline fast approaching
The census deadline is Sept. 30, and response rates are low in WNC counties, meaning that the region could miss…
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County will assume Clyde PD duties
A request by the Town of Clyde to disband its police force and contract with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office…
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Sen. Tillis wants Ginsburg’s seat filled now
Shortly before Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away on Sept. 18 after serving on…
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Haywood County Schools will return to in-person learning
Students in Haywood County will return to in-person learning Monday, Sept. 28, after being fully remote since the beginning of…
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Maggie Valley joins regional affordable housing effort
Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen voted Tuesday, Sept. 8, to join the Southwestern NC Home Consortium after previously opting not…
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Jackson County nears end of 2021 revaluation process
Tax values for Jackson County properties are set to rise next year as the county enters the final stages of…
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Another new Ingles planned for Franklin
Developers are planning another new Ingles project that will include a complete upgrade to the Holly Springs Plaza off U.S.…
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Beaverdam project will move forward
Continuing what has thus far been an aggressive push toward economic development, Haywood County and the Town of Canton have…
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Drowning victim found in Big Creek area
Emergency responders have found the body of a 25-year-old man reported missing at 7:36 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14, after falling…
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Despite COVID concerns, Waynesville’s apple fest still a go
A three-decade tradition, Waynesville’s Apple Harvest Festival, will indeed take place this year but as with all things coronavirus-related it…
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Demonstrators greet Cawthorn before debate
Around 30 demonstrators affiliated with a group called Sunrise North Carolina showed up to a congressional forum held by Southwestern…
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Town places moratorium on Franklin gazebo events
The gazebo in Downtown Franklin has long been a popular gathering spot for live music during Pickin’ on the Square,…
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Rolf Kaufman reflects on Folkmoot USA
“Dr. Border was a neighbor of mine. He called me one day in 1983 and asked me to come to…
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Tribe purchases casino-adjacent property
Tribal Council unanimously approved a $3.4 million land purchase in the Painttown Community during its meeting on Thursday, Sept. 3.
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Tribe asks for new BIA superintendent
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is asking the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs to give it a new agency…
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CDC issues temporary moratorium on renter evictions
As a means to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a…
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Tuscola grad serves aboard USS Ronald Reagan
Waynesville native and Tuscola High School graduate Samuel Lalemand is serving aboard USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which is continuing…
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Low-interest loans available for businesses impacted by COVID
The Southwestern Commission Council of Governments is pleased to announce the availability of low interest loans for small businesses and entrepreneurs…
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Demolition of WCU residence halls to begin Sept. 16
The exterior walls of Western Carolina University’s Scott and Walker residence halls — a pair of nine-story, no-frills, 1960s-era, dormitory-style…
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Drive-in music series rolls into Maggie Valley
A few months ago, Russ Keith was cruising down U.S. 19 through the heart of Maggie Valley. Soon, he noticed…
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Missing teen reported in Jackson County
UPDATE Sept. 9: Lafon has been found safe and unharmed. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance locating missing…
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WNC moves into new phase of COVID
As the number of new cases begins to stabilize in Western North Carolina, medical directors urge people to keep doing…
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Why not grow? Mike Coble’s hope for downtown Waynesville
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | It’s 10 O’Clock on a Monday morning. I stroll into J. Gabriel Home…
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Cherokee man dies in Swain jail
Joseph William Lomas, 25, of Cherokee, died while being detained at the Swain County Detention Center on Aug. 28.
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Foundation awards $18,700 to area nonprofits
When Haywood-area Realtors merged with their Charlotte counterparts earlier this year to create the Canopy Realtors Association, one big reason…
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Flag burning suspect taken into custody
Quick police work coupled with private surveillance footage landed a Haywood County woman behind bars on several counts related to…
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Cherokee passes COVID-adapted budget
In a narrow vote Sept. 3, the Cherokee Tribal Council approved a Fiscal Year 2021 budget that reflects the economic…
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Tribe to develop themed destination on Sevier County land
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has announced its intention to develop a 200-acre mixed-use development envisioned as an “experiential…
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Jackson approves plan to return students to classroom
The Jackson County Board of Education voted to proceed with Phase 2 of the district’s reentry plan at their work…
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Haywood woman wins $1 million lotto
On Thursday, the new Carolina Black Millionaire Edition game delivered its first $1 million prize to Caterra Ponton of Clyde.
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Early morning Parkway shooting under investigation
Law enforcement is investigating an early morning shooting that occurred just before 3 a.m. this morning near milepost 364 on…
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WCU professor shares annual fall color predictions
Autumn leaves and the natural beauty of fall colors across Western North Carolina are a seasonal sensation that draw thousands…
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HRMC fitness center plans phased reopening
Following Governor Cooper’s press conference Tuesday, Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center will begin a phased reopening plan to best…
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Jackson County manager receives four-year contract extension
Jackson County Commissioners voted unanimously to offer County Manager Don Adams a four-year contract extension following a closed-session discussion on…
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New players join affordable housing fight
The affordable housing crisis in Western North Carolina isn’t anything new, but it is entering a dangerous new phase due…
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WCU manages pandemic as first cluster is reported
The third week of classes is now underway at Western Carolina University, and the Jackson County Department of Public Health…
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Sylva expands outdoor seating downtown
Pandemic-induced public health rules are severely impacting bottom lines for restaurants nationwide, but members of the Sylva Town Board hope…
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‘Whee want change’: WCU students call for policy changes following racially charged videos
Five Western Carolina University students are no longer enrolled at the school after appearing in a pair of videos that…
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Holy Cow! Haywood Pathways to launch food truck
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | Since its opening in 2014, the Haywood Pathways Center has become a life-changing place for…
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Cherokee seeks to amend election ordinances
The Cherokee Tribal Council is likely to vote this week on proposed changes to several sections of the tribe’s election…
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Haywood Arts Council to request COVID relief funds
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | During the Haywood County Arts Council’s annual meeting, Executive Director Leigh Forrester recently outlined the…
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Former NYPD detective provides crisis training for cops
Det. Sgt. Ron Martin often uses a popular Star Trek anecdote to make a point about making difficult changes when…
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Gov. Cooper eases some COVID restrictions
Trends in several key coronavirus metrics are stabilizing or declining, leading North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper to let up on…
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Snow pleads guilty to killing mother and sister
Paul Snow pleaded guilty Tuesday in a Macon County courtroom to the Nov. 6, 2016, shooting deaths of his mother…
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Macon man charged with harboring a fugitive
District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said a key figure in Operation Jawbreaker, a sweep two years ago of suspected local…
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First coronavirus cluster found at WCU
A COVID-19 cluster including 17 residents of Harrill Hall has been identified at Western Carolina University.
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Remote learning resumes Monday in Haywood
Haywood County Schools is scheduled to reopen for remote instruction on Monday, Aug. 31 after a significant cyber attack last…
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