Cherokee lifts border closure; casino announces gradual reopening
Almost 60 days after closing their doors to help slow the spread of COVID-19, Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos will begin a gradual…
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Dealing with addiction during pandemic
Addiction is a disease of isolation. This is a common truth in the culture of recovery. So it is understandable…
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Mental health agencies still providing resources
While some medical professionals warn of a second wave of COVID-19 cases across the nation, behavioral health experts say communities…
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Haywood businesses, leaders react to reopening
The debate across the state still simmers — too soon, too late, or, like Goldilocks’ porridge, just right?
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Rod Harkleroad to step down as leader of HRMC
Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) today announced that Rod Harkleroad, CEO of HRMC, will step down from his role, effective…
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Blood Connection offers free COVID-19 testing for donors
The Blood Connection, a local nonprofit, community blood center is offering COVID-19 antibody testing to all donors at no cost.…
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Macon County Sheriff releases Smartphone app
The Macon County Sheriff’s Office has released a free mobile smartphone app allowing the public access to a multitude of…
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Three more COVID-19 cases in Haywood
Haywood County Public Health received notice May 11 that three more Haywood County residents have tested positive for COVID-19. The…
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Food donation chain in near gridlock, Manna chief says
By Nick Peters AVL Watchdog The main floor of Manna FoodBank’s warehouse in Asheville is a beehive of activity as…
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License, registration expiration dates extended 5 months
To assist N.C. Division of Motor Vehicle customers and partners in dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, a provision…
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Haywood County Cares — Adam Perry
Adam Perry has worked for Haywood County Schools since 1996. Currently, he is the Job Coach at Tuscola High School…
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Franklin business manufacturing health care equipment
“We will be closing until further notice. God bless us all.” This is but one of many messages posted to…
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WCU to hold postponed graduation in December
It will be May in December for members of Western Carolina University’s spring graduating class of 2020 who were originally…
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Jackson to lift lodging restrictions
Jackson County will update its Declaration of a State of Emergency this week to lift the ban currently in place…
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Lynda Bennett calls for reopening state’s economy
By Tom Fielder, AVL Watchdog Republican congressional-candidate Lynda Bennett, who hopes to win the District 11 seat recently vacated by…
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One additional COVID-19 case in Jackson
One additional COVID-19 case has been confirmed in Jackson County today.
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19 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Haywood
Haywood County Public Health received notice May 6 that a 19th Haywood County resident has tested positive for the novel…
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City Lights alters business model to weather dine-in closure
City Lights Café has been a fixture in Sylva since first opening its doors in 2011. Those doors are now…
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Body recovered from Whitewater Falls
Two people are dead following an emergency situation at Whitewater Falls in Jackson County this week — a 24-year-old man…
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Haywood County Cares — Gene Williamson
After a 30-year career with the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Sgt. Gene Williamson retired in 2014, but he didn’t stay…
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Jackson's coronavirus count holds steady
For the second day in a row, there has been no increase in the tally of COVID-19 cases in Jackson…
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Rescue crew member dies during Whitewater Falls search
Eldon Jamison, longtime member of the Glenville-Cashiers Rescue Squad died in the line of duty on Tuesday, May 5, while…
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Hard-hit small businesses grapple with ‘new normal’
The nation’s annual Small Business Appreciation Week is held around this time each year and, coincidentally, couldn’t have come at…
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Cosmetologists ready to get back to work
Melissa Walker opened her salon in Sylva in 2006, which means she’s been able to build a thriving business in…
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Hope remains at Lake Junaluska amid pandemic challenges
The cross situated over Lake Junaluska has been lit at night for years to give railroad workers some guiding light…
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Rebuilding, brick by brick: MGC of WNC
Though most of us have acclimated to the idea and implementation of silence in this era of the Coronavirus Pandemic,…
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Galleries adapt to the struggle of pandemic shutdown
Like much of the economy in Western North Carolina, art galleries in the region depend on tourism for survival. Just…
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Keeping the wheels in motion: Waynesville Tire
Though the front door is locked, the large garage and repair bays of Waynesville Tire are wide open and ready…
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Haywood commissioners push to reopen after terminating ‘stay home’ order
Less than five weeks after issuing a “stay home” order and barely three weeks after extending it, Haywood County commissioners…
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Haywood TDA will be ready to call tourists back
Over the past year Haywood County’s tourism industry had been cruising along well above historical averages — until the Coronavirus…
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Haywood County Schools administration finds new home
A decision has finally been made on where to put Haywood County Schools’ central administration office before their lease at…
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NC legislators pass $1.6 billion in COVID-19 relief measures
Workers, businesses, schools and local governments impacted by the Coronavirus Pandemic will benefit from a comprehensive, bi-partisan relief plan that…
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Jackson reports first coronavirus death
Jackson County reported its first coronavirus death on Monday, May 4.
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Play trivia with The Smoky Mountain News
Bar trivia is a cherished tradition for many in Western North Carolina, but such quiz nights are one of the…
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Cherokee plans for budget shortfall; no casino reopening date yet announced
As Harrah’s Cherokee Casino marks its seventh week of closure due to the Coronavirus Pandemic, leadership for the Eastern Band…
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Swain County’s COVID-19 restrictions terminated
Following a two-and-a-half hour meeting on Monday, Swain County commissioners voted to lift their countywide COVID-19 restrictions with the understanding…
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Grocery workers step up to meet high demand
People stocking shelves and working behind a register never thought they’d find themselves on the frontlines of a global pandemic…
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Forest plan comment period extended, virtual open houses scheduled
Originally slated to end May 14, the public comment period for the Nantahala and Pisgah forest plan will now extend…
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Haywood ‘stay home’ order terminated, phased reopening urged
Less than five weeks after issuing a “stay home” order and barely three weeks after extending it, Haywood County commissioners…
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Man fatally shot overnight in Waynesville
The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at 12:06 a.m. Monday, May 4, regarding suspicious activity at the…
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Haywood COVID-19 cases up to 17
Haywood County Public Health received notice May 1 that a 17th Haywood County resident has tested positive for the novel…
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Haywood County confirms 16th case of COVID-19
Despite being mostly spared from large numbers of COVID-19 diagnoses, Haywood County's totals have continued to grow slowly in recent…
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Haywood County Cares — Erica Bass
Trooper Erica Bass has been with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol since 2008; 10 of those years have been…
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Haywood’s COVID-19 test results released
Results from large-scale testing designed to gauge the level of asymptomatic coronavirus carriers among front-line workers at essential businesses conducted…
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May 1: COVID-19 counts increase in Jackson County
Additional COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Jackson County today.
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Haywood County Cares — Sherry Green & Jamie Hawkins
Sherry Green and Jamie Hawkins have worked for A Better Clean as contractors cleaning the campuses of Haywood Community College…
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Jackson's COVID-19 count now includes 19 residents, 13 non-residents
Two more COVID-19 cases were announced in Jackson County today, bringing the total to 19.
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Nantahala Health Foundation launches COVID-19 fund
Nantahala Health Foundation has launched a COVID-19 Impact Recovery Fund to match charitable donations dollar for dollar up to $100,000…
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Blue Ridge Health offers access, virtual care
With hundreds of thousands of newly unemployed residents in the state, people are facing the loss of benefits usually provided…
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CVS MinuteClinic offering e-visits
As the nation continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, CVS Health announced that MinuteClinic, the company's retail medical clinic, is…
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