Somebody, do something!: WNC leaders plead for fixes to broken justice system
It was supposed to be a routine public safety forum, and in a way, it was — the faces were…
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Fundraising picks up in NC-11 congressional race
With third-quarter fundraising reports now filed, campaign finance records show sharp contrasts in both fundraising totals and donor bases among…
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Early voting continues through Nov. 1
In-person early voting continues through Saturday, Nov. 1. Voters can vote in-person at their county board of elections and are…
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Jackson commissioner skips key board meetings
Minutes from the Dec. 3, 2024, meeting of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners show that newly elected Commissioner Jenny…
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Jackson County park system review shows strength, needs
Jackson County’s parks and recreation system is in solid condition overall but faces notable shortfalls in land, staffing and key…
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Clyde loses out on debris deal
It’s not a lot of money, but it’s the principle — the hurricane-ravaged Town of Clyde is out more than…
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WCU Cherokee Center to hold 50th anniversary celebration
Western Carolina University’s Cherokee Center will celebrate five decades of outreach and partnership with the Cherokee community on Tuesday, Nov.…
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Camp Hope rebuild moves forward under new design proposal
After Brevard-based Domokur + Associates outlined a plan to complete design and construction management services for rebuilding and renovating several…
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Governor encourages eligible residents to apply for housing recovery assistance before deadline
Gov. Josh Stein is highlighting Renew NC’s work to repair and rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Helene. Western North Carolinians…
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Play ball: Waynesville little league field opens up over a year after Helene
Last September, when Hurricane Helene brought flooding to much of the region, the little league baseball field behind the Waynesville…
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Waynesville incumbents look to steady recovery
Waynesville isn’t just another mountain town still recovering from Hurricane Helene — it’s Haywood County’s economic, cultural and governmental hub.…
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Canton candidates confront years of crisis
This cycle, Canton’s ballot carries the weight of five hard years. A global pandemic. Tropical Storm Fred in 2021. A…
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Clyde candidates consider plans for smart growth
Clyde is a small town surrounded by bigger ambitions. Tucked between Canton and Waynesville, hemmed in by interstate lanes and…
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Gift from alumna will help provide support to WCU students in their mental health journey
Universities and colleges across the United States are finding that an ever-increasing number of students are dealing with a variety…
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Scholar, author Imani Perry headlines Pisgah Legal’s justice forum
Nonprofit Pisgah Legal Services will welcome Imani Perry as its 14th Annual Justice Forum keynote speaker on Oct. 23 in Asheville with a free watch…
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Amazon to close Franklin warehouse, open new site in Hayesville
When Amazon drivers in Franklin showed up for work Oct. 8, they were met not with their usual routine but…
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Shutdown halts federal government, WNC braces again
On Oct. 1, Republican-controlled Congress shut down the federal government, bringing a renewed round of confusion, finger-pointing and uncertainty to…
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Franklin candidates weigh in on local issues
Like many municipalities this year, Franklin will have competitive races on its ballot, as five people are running for three…
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Newcomer, incumbents vie for Bryson City Board of Aldermen
Three candidates — incumbents Tim Hines and Ben King, and newcomer W. Kent Maxey — are vying for two open…
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Local housing initiatives impacted by shutdown
Last week, Mountain Projects’ Amanda Singletary was convinced she’d be calling all 250 Section 8 landlords with bad news: they…
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White Oak landfill report highlights record tonnage, long-term capacity
An update on the White Oak Landfill presented to Haywood County commissioners by landfill operator Republic Services Oct. 6 shows…
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Voter registration deadline nears
Municipal elections will soon take place across North Carolina, so now is a great time to check your voter registration…
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Forest Hills election offers voters clear choice
The Village of Forest Hills, home to about 350 residents, faces an election that will decide who leads the small…
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Federal shutdown brings patchwork closures across WNC
As the federal government shutdown continues, North Carolina residents may be left with a patchwork of closures, service limitations and…
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FEMA says operations will continue as normal during shutdown
As Western North Carolina settles in for what could become a protracted federal government shutdown, a Federal Emergency Management Agency…
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Whatley backs away from Helene role during first WNC visit
Michael Whatley’s first trip to Western North Carolina as President Donald Trump’s hand-picked Hurricane Helene “recovery czar” was not the…
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‘A flip of the switch’: Library switches sparks confusion and concern
Seeking guidance, Jackson County Public Library board members met with County Manager Kevin King last week hoping to learn more…
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Sylva faces tight budgets, deep division
The small Jackson County town of Sylva faces challenges similar to other Western North Carolina communities — balancing quality of…
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Rumors swirl, but Waynesville Tower not for sale
Rumors of an impending sale of the Waynesville Tower apartment building have circulated in recent weeks, but according to Waynesville…
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After 50 years, Franklin synagogue gets first rabbi
On Sept. 23, Mountain Synagogue welcomed a new year — and a new rabbi. The Franklin-based congregation gathered for…
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Wreaths Across America returns to Greenhill Cemetery
Greenhill Cemetery will once again take part in the annual Wreaths Across America ceremony, a national observance that began in…
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Listen up: Dogwood Health Trust uses local ties to assess Helene's aftermath
Five days isn’t enough time to process a disaster like Hurricane Helene, yet as uncertainty swirled and rescue operations still…
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Frontline philanthropy: Nonprofit aid stepped up in Helene's wake
In the wake of two devastating floods just three years apart, Western North Carolina’s resiliency didn’t come from government agencies.…
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Beyond bureaucracy: When Helene exposed government failures, nonprofits stepped in
As on any other rainy late summer morning in Southern Appalachia, the sun rose over densely wooded, knobby green peaks…
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Pushing through troubled waters: Mountain Projects saves lives after Helene, but sustainability questions remain
Michelle Parker hadn’t finished unpacking the last of her belongings that had survived Tropical Storm Fred in August 2021 when…
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Haywood County looks back at Helene, Fred to plan for the next disaster
Hurricane Helene may not have been so devastating for Western North Carolina were it not for the half foot of…
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One year later, towns still wait for Helene relief
Nearly a year after Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, the federal government still hasn’t delivered on the money it…
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With Marshall slowly reopening, where to from here?
The first time I saw Josh Copus post-Hurricane Helene was when I was allowed, as a journalist, to mosey on…
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Webster election draws record interest
For most of its history, Webster’s elections have been sleepy affairs. At times, there weren’t even enough people willing to…
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A look back: Haywood County Fair
When it comes to the rich, vibrant history of Haywood County Fair, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone as passionate…
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Post-Helene, Clyde church still serving free meals
Accessorized with purple-rimmed glasses, dangly beaded earrings and a well-worn Café Du Monde apron, Denise Teague brings the humility and…
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Haywood commemorates Helene this week
Haywood County will mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Helene this week with a series of commemorations beginning during the…
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$50 million grant program to help Helene recovery
NC Governor Josh Stein announced the launch of a new $50 million state-funded grant program to support local governments in…
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Former Green Beret Adam Smith to challenge Edwards in NC-11 Primary
Adam Smith says it’s time for a change and that he’s ready to stand up for Western North Carolina in…
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Pigeon Center hosts ‘Farm 2 Table’ fundraiser
The Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center will host its annual “Farm 2 Table” Fundraiser from 5 to 10 p.m. on…
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Marianna Black Library celebrates expansion after more than a decade of false starts
Marianna Black Library in Bryson City was an outdated facility by 2010, so staff commissioned a feasibility study. On Sept.…
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Haywood Community College celebrates 60 years of progress, looks to many more
As Haywood Community College celebrates its 60-year anniversary Thursday, Sept. 18, administrators are reflecting on more than a half-century of…
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Flying Blind: Fontana library board navigates turbulent times without legal counsel
As tension develops among Fontana Regional Library trustees and a seismic shift lies ahead in about nine months, the board…
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Haywood schools lead region in achievement scores: Early colleges dominate WNC rankings, but gaps persist
Another year, another set of numbers, and once again the mountains tell a complicated story of educational achievement. As in…
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Haywood still waiting on millions in FEMA reimbursements
It’s beginning to sound like a broken record — nearly a year after Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina,…
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