Unexpected father of five looks for help
When Chris Slagle’s partner of 26 years died unexpectedly four years ago, he bought a fixer-upper house in Maggie Valley…
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Water system possible for Cashiers
As the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority prepares for a $9.5 million sewer expansion project in Cashiers, another big change…
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Cherokee election filing continues
With the deadline to register getting nearer, the list of people running for tribal office in this year’s elections is…
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WCU trustees approve chancellor candidates
The second go-around in the search for the next chancellor of Western Carolina University is nearing completion with the Board…
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Wayfaring strangers lack wayfinding signage
In the ever more competitive battle to lure motoring tourists to Haywood County — and to keep them in the…
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Maggie Valley’s financial position strong
Municipal budget season is well underway, and in at least one Haywood County town, the discussion isn’t about rising costs…
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Constituents of color: Meadows defense of Trump angers many
Michael Cohen’s recent testimony to the House Oversight and Reform Committee took an unexpected dive deep into America’s racial divide,…
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Election season begins in Cherokee
With nearly than a week left to go in the filing period for this year’s tribal elections, five people have…
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New director hired at Summit Charter
Summit Charter School in Cashiers has chosen a new director to take over from interim director Billy Leonard, who has…
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Lane closed on U.S. 441 South
One lane of U.S. 441 South has been closed between Sylva and Franklin out of precaution due to a recurring…
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Pilgrimage to Montgomery
Haywood County NAACP is making a pilgrimage to Montgomery to see the new Legacy Museum: Enslavement to Mass Incarceration and…
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The right path: Beloved Woman Ella Bird reflects on life marked by family, tradition
For the past 79 years, Ella Wachacha Bird has lived a life defined by seasons and relationships rather than months…
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Melrose claims fellow lawyer defamed him on Facebook
Waynesville defense lawyer Mark Melrose filed a civil lawsuit against fellow defense lawyer and Clyde Mayor Pro Tem Frank Lay…
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Committee works to establish guidelines for Beloved titles
Traditionally, the title of Beloved Man or Beloved Woman was reserved for Cherokee people who had proven themselves valiant warriors…
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Funding available for Macon nonprofits
Macon County nonprofit organizations have until March 29 to apply for county funds allocated in the county’s current fiscal year…
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Overdose prevention training offered
The North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition (NCHRC) is a statewide grassroots organization dedicated to implementing harm reduction interventions, public health…
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Cashiers starts leadership program
The inaugural Leadership Cashiers class recently launched its seven-month program with an opening retreat at Mountaintop Golf & Lake Club.…
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Trying to get most out of North Shore funds
Now that Swain County has finally received the entire $52 million from the federal government for the North Shore Road…
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‘Opportunity zone’ could bring business to poor areas
When President Donald Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act into law on Dec. 22, 2017, proponents hailed it…
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Pigeon Center vandalized by intruders
A broken window, classrooms in shambles, irreplaceable items destroyed, kitchen coolers left open and perishable food thrown all over the…
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‘Maggie on Ice’ falls flat
What was hoped to be a slick new attraction designed to bring more visitors to Maggie Valley during wintertime has…
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Nikwasi Initiative wants deed to Cherokee mound
In a historic decision, the town of Franklin voted Monday to move forward with the process of deeding the Nikwasi…
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Haywood County bond rating inches up
Thanks to the hard work and prudent fiscal decision making of both elected officials and administration, Haywood County’s been rewarded…
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Letts reverses retirement decision
Two days after announcing a midterm retirement from the bench, Superior Court Judge Bradley Letts reversed his decision in a…
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Ten years gone: Waynesville board weighs progress, prospects
On Friday, Jan. 29 at the Lake Logan Conference Center, Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown convened a board retreat where he…
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Shaeffer recognized for service to Sylva
The Sylva Board of Commissioners recognized longtime public works director Dan Shaeffer for his nearly 20 years of service to…
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Hometown hate: Haywood Republicans welcome anti-Muslim speaker
Aided by the left and abetted by the media, violent jihadists are slowly but surely infiltrating our government, our schools…
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Meningitis outbreak confirmed in Macon
Macon County Public Health has confirmed an outbreak of meningitis.
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Public records requests shed light on closed sessions
In its role as government watchdog, The Smoky Mountain News submitted public record requests to county and municipal governments in…
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Behind closed doors: Public records laws have exceptions
Woe to those public bodies that fail to comply with North Carolina’s sunshine laws; transparency underpins American democracy to the…
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Closed sessions easily accessible in Jackson
Of all the local governments in The Smoky Mountain News’ coverage area, Jackson County has some of the most complete…
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Detail varies in Sylva minutes
Of the nine closed-session discussions Sylva commissioners held last year, only three — all attorney-client privilege conversations related to an…
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Bryson City tackles personnel issues in closed meetings
Personnel issues have been the only reason why Bryson City Aldermen have held closed meetings in 2018.
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Swain uses closed meetings for contract talks
Swain County commissioners typically hold two meetings per month, and it’s not unusual for them to have a closed session…
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Franklin business rarely out of public view
Of all the town and county governments in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area, the Franklin Town Council had the…
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Closed meetings the norm in Macon
A vast majority of Macon County Board of Commissioners meetings end with a closed session. In fact, commissioners spent more…
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Development, personnel drive Haywood closed sessions
As the largest local government unit in The Smoky Mountain News’ four-county coverage area, Haywood County sees more action —…
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Waynesville closed sessions boring, but by the book
The Town of Waynesville Board of Aldermen meets every two weeks, or about 24 times a year, depending on the…
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Small-town closed sessions few, far between
Haywood County’s five local governments more or less fall into two tiers — there’s the county and there’s Waynesville, and…
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Judge Letts to retire: Superior Court will see vacancy four months after Election Day
Amid widespread speculation about plans to run for principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Superior Court Judge…
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Slide shifts traffic on U.S. 74
A slide on the westbound side of U.S. 74 on Sunday morning in Jackson County temporarily diverted traffic just west…
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I-40 slide cleanup causes closure
Cleaning a rockslide on Interstate 40 near the Tennessee State lane will require the N.C. Department of Transportation to keep…
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Animal shelter planning to start in Jackson County
Jackson County is facing a plethora of capital projects over the next several years, and a new animal shelter will…
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Shining Rock head of school fired
Barely a year after he was hired, Nathan Duncan is out at Shining Rock Classical Academy.
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Citizens Police Academy still seeking applicants
Not long after retired U.S. Air Force officer and former teacher Mary Ford moved to Waynesville with her husband, she…
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Congress votes to reauthorize Land and Water Conservation Fund
Congress has voted to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund following a 363-62 vote of the U.S. House…
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Smokies records highest-ever visitation in 2018
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park set a new visitation record for 2018, welcoming 11.4 million visitors to its 816…
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Jackson County chews on $12 million Green Energy Park campus proposal
Last week Jackson County commissioners got their first look at what a re-imagined Green Energy Park campus might cost, with…
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Hospital foundations find new mission
Following HCA Healthcare’s purchase of the Mission Health System, the nonprofit foundations that have supported Mission’s hospitals for so long…
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Macon, Franklin work on greenway connection
Macon County and the town of Franklin are working on a collaborative project to create a new greenway connection on…
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