Estridge in, Guiney out for Sylva Town Council
After canvassing, the vote count is official, with Brad Waldrop, Mark Jones and Blitz Estridge winning seats on the Sylva…
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Arrest made in Big Cove cold case murder
Nearly a decade after 26-year-old Marie Walkingstick Pheasant’s body was found in a burned-out vehicle in Cherokee’s Big Cove community,…
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Wildfires burn across the region as drought continues
For the first time since 2016, Western North Carolina is in the midst of a severe drought coupled with an…
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LGBTQ+ candidates earn historic victories nationally, locally
Tuesday, Nov. 7 was an important night for out LGBTQ+ candidates across the country, the state and Haywood County, with…
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Pactiv Evergreen blamed for milk carton shortages in schools
There’s no use crying over spilt milk, but a shocking report suggests that Pactiv Evergreen failed in its analysis of…
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WNC swears in a new judge
After several months of filling gaps in court calendars with visiting judges, Western North Carolina will finally fill its District…
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Incumbents roll, 'Team Waynesville' falls flat
They ran a noisy campaign, filled with distortions, misinformation and outright fabrication, but in the end, that’s all it was…
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Sylva elects new mayor, council members
The Sylva Town Council could have three new members, including a new mayor after vote totals become official later this…
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Maggie Valley winners pledge to work together
Maggie Valley will retain two of its incumbents, including its mayor, for the next four years.
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Haywood sees high turnout, no voter ID issues
Fears that North Carolina’s new voter ID implementation would disenfranchise legitimate voters have proven unfounded — at least in Haywood…
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Canton reveals plan for waste water treatment plant
While there are still plenty of unknowns regarding Canton’s new waste water treatment plant, including where it will go and…
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Longtime Canton board members reelected
The Town of Canton’s governing board has been through a lot in the last four years — with the 2021…
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Bridge Park set for upgrades
After delays due to funding and insufficient bids, Sylva is set to begin work on the Bridge Park Green Infrastructure…
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New principal at Waynesville Middle School
The Haywood County School Board moved quickly to approve a new principal for Waynesville Middle School after the sudden departure…
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Russell, Jesse prevail in Clyde
Incumbent Alderman Dann Jesse will return to the Town of Clyde Board of Aldermen, along with a new face, Amy…
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Work beginning on WNC portion of I-40
Work will start soon to add an acceleration lane from Interstate 40 East to U.S. 74A for $1.3 million.
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An unexpected adventure: Macon County couple recalls evacuation from Israel
When Hamas hit Israel with a massive terrorist attack on Oct. 7, there were an estimated 600,000 Americans in the…
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Siren warning system will alert Haywood residents to flooding
More than two years after deadly flooding killed six people and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to…
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Local expert weighs in on potential Hamas war crimes
As the war between Israel and Hamas continues, folks around the world have become more divided in their support for…
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SBI report on police shooting heads to special prosecutor
Nearly 11 months after a Cherokee County man was shot by police officers in the doorway of his own home, a…
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WCU prof awarded prestigious Fullbright fellowship
A Western Carolina University professor has been awarded one of the most respected fellowships in the world, which she hopes will…
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WCU basketball facilities enjoy new improvements
A long-range list of upgrades to Western Carolina University athletics facilities tipped off this fall with a project in support of…
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Jackson schools institutes salary decompression
In order to fairly compensate non-certified employees with several years of service to the school system, Jackson County Public Schools…
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Canton mill receives new water quality violation
Evergreen Packaging is no longer making paper in Canton, but it’s still receiving environmental violations. A new notice issued Thursday,…
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Tribal Council approves short-term funding for Qualla Enterprises: Long-term plan still in process
Tribal Council has again delayed approving long-term funding for its cannabis enterprise but voted overwhelmingly Thursday, Nov. 2, to loan…
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Sylva moves forward on public restrooms
To save money after bids for the downtown public restroom project came in over budget, Sylva will move forward without…
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Man convicted of brutal domestic abuse
A Haywood County jury found a former jailer-turned-security guard guilty of strangling, raping and assaulting his then-wife.
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Bartender charged after underage driver crashes
A bartender has been criminally charged following a single-vehicle collision in Macon County.
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Incumbents roll, ‘Team Waynesville’ falls flat
They ran a noisy campaign, filled with distortions, misinformation and outright fabrication, but in the end, that’s all it was…
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Russell, Jesse prevail in Clyde
Incumbent Alderman Dann Jesse will return to the Town of Clyde Board of Aldermen, along with a new face, Amy…
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Weller joins Highlands Board of Commissioners
With unofficial results in, Highlands has elected one newcomer, Jeff Weller, to its Board of Commissioners.
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Longtime Canton board members reelected
The Town of Canton’s governing board has been through a lot in the last four years — with the 2021…
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Maggie Valley incumbents win; one newcomer joins board
Maggie Valley will retain two of its incumbents, including its mayor, for the next two years.
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New mayor, council members for Sylva
Unofficial votes are in, and Sylva voters have selected not only a new mayor, but two new council members as…
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Sewage plant claims heat up Waynesville election
Despite largely refusing to show up for forums or interviews, a slate of far-right candidates has tried multiple times to…
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New ‘innovation hub’ headquartered at WCU
Western Carolina University has been chosen as one of four universities leading an effort to bolster research innovation in North…
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Police shooting case could test limits of sovereign immunity
As police shooting victim Jason Harley Kloepfer’s sprawling federal lawsuit makes its way through court, where he’s seeking millions of…
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Women’s History Trail takes steps to complete sculpture project
The Folk Heritage Association of Macon County (FHAMC) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 27 after completing a five-year grassroots…
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Jackson will grant Summit loan request
The Jackson County Board of Commissioners decided it intends to grant the loan request from Summit Charter School in the…
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Jackson County manager steps down
After more than seven years as county manager, Don Adams will leave the post by the end of the year.
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Team Waynesville supporter appears to violate federal law
With early voting underway and municipal election races heating up, a supporter of the far-right nativist faction running for various…
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Cannabis funding decision expected soon
Cherokee issues first medical ID cards; tribe continues to work on product transport plan
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Woman arrested after allegedly abducting her children in Haywood
A former Haywood Country resident who now lives in Virginia was arrested after she allegedly kidnapped three of her children…
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Trusting the numbers: Stats show drop in WNC crime, but can the figures be trusted?
There’s an old mantra in law enforcement: don’t take credit for the good times unless you’re willing to take equal…
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For Canton, challenges are opportunities
Despite all the important elections taking place in Western North Carolina this fall, there’s probably no other town with more…
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Honor flight brings hope, healing to veterans
For nearly two decades, a unique nonprofit with roots in Western North Carolina has helped to recognize veterans for their…
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Private school to open in Sylva
A new independent private school is set to open in Sylva by fall of 2025, with a focus on serving gifted…
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Huge grant for affordable housing coming to Haywood
Haywood County Commissioners got some great news Oct. 16 that will help the community ameliorate the effects of a red-hot…
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Whittier man charged with attempted kidnapping
A Whittier man could spend the rest of his life in prison after he allegedly threatened a woman at gunpoint in…
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Tribal Council approves first Constitution Convention delegates
Tribal Council has unanimously approved a resolution naming the first designated delegates to a planned Constitution Convention and expanding the…
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