Engineering and athletics team up with Penn State on head impact research at WCU
Clayton Bardall, a graduate student in Western Carolina University’s Engineering Technology program and tight end for WCU’s football team, recently…
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Conviction overturned in cyberattack case
The Cherokee Supreme Court has vacated the conviction of a man who was prosecuted for his alleged role in a…
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Athletics upgrades on the way at WCU: University to ask legislature for help with $130 million to-do list
Western Carolina University is gearing up to take its first bite out of an estimated $130 million in needed upgrades…
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Consider becoming a Big Brother
January is National Mentoring Month, a great start to 2024 and an opportunity to give a young person a great…
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Deitz leaves behind a legacy in WNC
Boyce Deitz’s influence on Swain County athletics was rich and storied, but the program to which he dedicated two decades…
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Mountain Projects helps local family during increasingly common struggle
Donna Milsaps, of Jackson County, has encountered struggles that are hard to comprehend for some, but all too familiar for…
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Motley named CFO of Haywood Regional Medical Center
Haywood Regional Medical Center has named Amanda Pruitt Motley as its new chief financial officer, effective Jan. 8, 2024. With…
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A courageous tale comes to an end: Baby with rare genetic disorder passes away close to Christmas
Most people don’t contribute to the world over a lifetime what Charlotte Joy Norris did in just two short years.…
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Swain Genealogical and Historical Society to explore Chambers family history
At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, in Bryson City, Frank March and Henry Chambers will present “The Lamon Chambers Map”…
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Jackson to move school board race to November
The race for Board of Education in Jackson County is one step closer to being moved to November elections after…
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New Parks and Rec Director for Jackson
There is a new director at the head of the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department, after commissioners made their…
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The courageous tale of Charlotte Joy: Rare genetic disease can’t stop one Haywood family and their daughter from helping other children
Charlotte Joy is a hero; she just doesn’t know it yet.
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2023 A Look Back: Grinch Award
The Grinch who Stole Christmas and Pactiv Evergreen have a lot more in common than just a shared color scheme…
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2023 A Look Back: Not on my Watch Award
Newly elected Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke stepped into some big shoes following the retirement of longtime Sheriff Greg Christopher,…
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2023 A Look Back: Homer Simpson Award
We can’t say for certain whether Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith backed into a literal bush as the events of…
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2023 A Look Back: Hometown heroes award
When Pactiv Evergreen announced it would close its 115-year-old paper mill in Canton earlier this year, local leaders had to…
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2023 A Look Back: ‘That’s so Metal’ Award
This one goes to the Pigeon River, due both to the actual metals found in a sampling site along its…
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2023 A Look Back: Micromanager(s) of the Year Award
Sometimes there are awards that call for two winners, like back in the day before the College Football Playoffs system…
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2023 A Look Back: Meter Maid Award
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has earned this one for its decision to begin charging for parking, effective March…
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2023 A Look Back: Nobody puts baby in a corner award
The classic 1980s dance film Dirty Dancing taught all of us that “nobody puts Baby in a corner.” And if…
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2023 A Look Back: You Wanted It, You Got It Award
Congrats to Macon County GOP’s newest slate of officers. A dedicated bunch who fought hard, and allegedly dirty, to secure…
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2023 A Look Back: Keeper of the Flame award
This little award may not mean all that much to him — after all, he’s one of Southern Appalachia’s most…
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2023 A Look Back: Marty McFly Award
This one goes to Cherokee voters, who decided in this year’s election to look back to build their future.
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2023 A Look Back: Hard Joint to Pass Award
Sharing smokes has proven more difficult than anticipated for the winners of this award, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’…
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2023 A Look Back: Chumbawamba Award
This award goes to Cherokee’s Sgadugi Constitution Committee, which, as the namesake band sang in its 1997 classic “Tubthumping,” keeps…
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2023 A Look Back: Odd Man in award
Maggie Valley is gonna Maggie Valley. It comes with the territory. To win a seat on that town’s board of…
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2023 A Look Back: Community Care Award
This year, the Sylva Police Department received a grant from the Dogwood Health Foundation to continue the Community Care Program with…
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2023 A Look Back: Honey, the Internet’s Out Again Award
O Zito, O Zito, wherefore art thou, Zito? In case you didn’t know, the phrase “wherefore art thou” is fancy Shakespeare…
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2023 A Look Back: Persistence as Resistance Award
This year was filled with slights and attacks on the LGBTQ+ community by local elected officials. But despite the environment,…
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2023 A Look Back: Survivor Award
This award goes out to the Fontana Regional Library, which, despite consistent attacks throughout 2023, is still standing, and continues…
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2023 A Look Back: Didn’t Read the Fine Print Award
Congressman Chuck Edwards apparently doesn’t read The Smoky Mountain News, but if he did, it may have saved him some…
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2023 A Look Back: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Award
The Macon County Board of Education has put in countless hours this year working to provide the best education possible…
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2023 A Look Back: The Hero You Never Knew You Needed Award
Not all heroes wear capes. At least not Amanda Seay. She seems more the utility pants and boots type.
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2023 A Look Back: Comeback Player(s) of the Year Award
Raise your hand if you’ve been paying attention to Western Carolina University athletics this academic year.
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2023 A Look Back: Throwback Award
Million-dollar mountaintop vacation homes, phony moonshine from corporate mega-distilleries, dime-a-dozen seedy strip malls — none of these things are Appalachian…
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Fake News Freakout! Episode 8
Welcome to the eighth installment of The Smoky Mountain News’ annual Fake News Freakout. I feel like I say this…
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The endless war: How drugs come into WNC and what, if anything, can be done about it
It’s the inevitable result of human nature. Addiction has impacted almost every American — even those who’ve never suffered from…
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Hipps steps down as Haywood Chamber president
At the Dec. 20 Haywood Chamber of Commerce board meeting, CeCe Hipps announced that she would be stepping down next…
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Cherokee police investigating teen suicide pact
At least one Cherokee teenager is believed to have died as the result of a local teen suicide pact under…
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Tribe continues recovery from cyber attack
Update: In a Dec. 14, 2023, opinion, the Cherokee Supreme Court vacated a lower court's conviction of Benjamin Cody Long…
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Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office answers police shooting lawsuit
In a 65-page answer to an extensive lawsuit filed in response to the December 2022 police shooting of Jason Harley…
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Near to where her soul is: Missing hiker Melissa McDevitt is coming home
Almost exactly a year after a hiker vanished in the backcountry of British Columbia the night before a trip home…
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Haywood sheriff to release footage of alleged constitutional violation
The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office has been ordered by a judge to provide dash and body cam footage to a…
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New leadership sees new direction for Macon
Macon County will see a change of leadership for the coming year after the county commission unanimously voted to appoint…
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Reduction in federal funding for crime victims hits home
The holidays are often viewed as an opportunity for families to gather together and share seasonal cheer, but when there’s…
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Changes for FRL: Jackson looks at Macon’s recommendations for library system
After Macon County proposed several changes to the Fontana Regional Library system agreement, Jackson County commissioners are taking a look at…
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Partisan races for 2024 election set
North Carolina’s candidate filing period for the 2024 General Election ended last week, and after a slow start, a flurry…
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Macon BOE to remain non-partisan
Despite the intention by some commissioners to make the school board race partisan in Macon County, it will remain non-partisan,…
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Cherokee adopts budget reflecting lower casino revenues
After more than two months of operating under a continuing resolution, Tribal Council has approved a new budget for the…
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Jackson considers moving school board race to General Election
The race for Jackson County Board of Education is unique in that it is decided during the Primary Election, despite…
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