Newly issued alcohol permits cause backlash against off-casino sales
Five years ago, Cherokee voters gave a decisive response on a referendum question asking whether they’d like to see the…
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WNC Municipal Elections
Municipal Election season is upon us in Western North Carolina, and six towns have candidates running for a chance to…
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Development a priority in Canton race
Canton Alderman Zeb Smathers isn’t quite mayor yet, but that didn’t stop one local brewery from releasing a “Mayor Smathers…
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Maggie Valley candidates ask for votes
Unlike Haywood County’s other contested municipal election — in Maggie Valley — two incumbents are running for reelection and seek…
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Bryson City election: Five fight for future of their hometown
The five candidates running for Bryson City Board of Aldermen all hold their hometown near and dear to their hearts,…
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Seven run for Dillsboro town board
The years ahead are likely to be lively ones for the tiny town of Dillsboro, with a new river park…
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Contested race on tap for Forest Hills
The Village of Forest Hills could have a new member on the town council depending on the outcome of this…
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Franklin Election: Candidates excited about Franklin’s future
Every election year there are a few hot button issues that entice candidates to throw their hats into the ring…
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Franklin mayor runs unopposed
Bob Scott is seeking his third term as mayor of Franklin, and it’s his second time running unopposed for the…
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Electric rate increase coming for Waynesville
An electric rate study Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown called “sobering” was presented to the Waynesville Board of Aldermen Oct. 10…
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EBCI and Smokies work toward agreement for plant gathering in park boundaries
Cherokee tribal members could be gathering sochan plants from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as early as next spring…
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Boom or bust? New index charts Haywood’s economy
Earlier this year, a series of stories in The Smoky Mountain News focusing on Haywood County’s economy explored its various…
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Shining Rock school director resigns
The Shining Rock Classical Academy Board of Directors accepted the resignation of School Director Ben Butler during a Sunday night…
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Jack Ewing to retire as leader of Lake Junaluska
Lake Junaluska Executive Director Jack Ewing announced today that he will retire on Dec. 31, 2017.
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Early voting underway across NC
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Until then, residents of North Carolina can vote on various days and at various…
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Details emerge surrounding Jacob Ray’s death
Charges against two Charlotte teens arrested following the shooting of 21-year-old Jacob Alexander Ray, of Hendersonville, have been upgraded from…
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Shining Rock’s scores below most others
When Shining Rock Classical Academy opened in 2015, the public charter school was hailed as a victory for local proponents…
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Sylva’s mayoral race nears the finish line: Sossamon and Allen to rematch for mayor’s seat
Sylva voters might feel a bit of déjà vu when they enter the polling place this year, with both names…
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Swain County schools apply for $7 million grant
Swain County Schools will apply for a multi-million dollar grant through the new Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund that can…
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Showdown looming over Canton brunch ordinance
A highly anticipated public hearing that drew double the usual crowd to a Canton Town Board meeting wasn’t as contentious…
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Brunch Bill stalls in Jackson
A planned vote on whether to approve Sunday morning alcohol sales was delayed Oct. 16 when the Jackson County Commissioners…
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Comprehensive plan update coming for Waynesville
Inasmuch as any document can be truly hallowed on a local government level, that document is the comprehensive plan.
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Haywood hires interim county manager
Haywood County native Joel R. Mashburn has been selected to serve as interim county manager following the recent and unexpected…
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Women in Business 2017
Women owning their own businesses is nothing new, and in fact North Carolina is among the nation’s leaders in this…
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Apply for open seat on Haywood school board
Following the resignation of Beaverdam school board member Scott Smith, Haywood County School Board Chairman Chuck Francis revealed the procedure…
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Swain parents want more from recreation center
Several parents made it clear during a recent Swain County commissioners meeting they want to have more recreational opportunities for…
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Spate of county resignations raises questions
Several well-known Haywood County employees in high-ranking positions have terminated their own employment over the past few months, leading to…
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Haywood manager Dove was valued public servant
Although Ira Dove’s tenure as Haywood County manager was relatively short, his long service to the county and the contributions…
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Court upholds runoff in Cherokee
A lawsuit seeking to overturn a Board of Elections decision to hold an Oct. 10 runoff election for Birdtown Tribal…
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Skyland Drive to get sidewalks
Sidewalks are coming to Skyland Drive in Sylva along a 0.7-mile section stretching from the Old Asheville Highway to its…
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WCU student dies in shooting; Two teens arrested in connection
A late-night shooting near the Western Carolina University campus Friday, Oct. 6, has left a student dead.
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Staying in the game: New policies could define Waynesville economic development for decades
After realizing small but consistent gains in local business development over the past few years, the town of Waynesville has…
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Candidate forums next week in Canton, Maggie Valley
To mark the start of early voting, The Smoky Mountain News will host a pair of free candidate forums in…
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Developer takes Jackson to court over permit denial
Denial of a permit to build a 388-bed student housing complex in Cullowhee will land Jackson County in court after…
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Bryson Senior Living close to completion
When Bryson Senior Living, an assisted living facility in Swain County, opens in January, a major void in the community…
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Bryson City secures new maintenance property
After months of negotiations, the town of Bryson City has finally closed on a piece of property that will allow…
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Business dedicated to saving bees
Spriggly’s Beescaping is a new small business located in Waynesville that offers workshops, products, and services to create environments that…
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Haywood County manager resigns
Haywood County Manager Ira Dove has resigned; a resignation letter was sent out the morning of Oct. 4 from Candace Way,…
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Déjà vu: candidates walk familiar path
A spate of early announcements by local candidates hoping to gain seats in the North Carolina General Assembly may have…
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Jackson restricts some referendums to high-turnout elections
The Jackson County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution Sept. 18 that will limit referendum votes on sales tax increases and…
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Swain installs Charters of Freedom
Swain County officials came together last week to dedicate the Charters of Freedom monument that can now be seen just…
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Swain elections director to sue county
Swain County Elections Director Joan Weeks recently informed the board of elections that she hired a lawyer and planned to…
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Waynesville inclusive playground approved
Play, it is said, is the work of children. But a substantial population of disabled kids who’ve up until now…
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Election Board orders runoff race in Birdtown; candidate files suit in Tribal Court
Uproar over the results of an election recount in the race to represent Cherokee’s Birdtown community on Tribal Council has…
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Cherokee’s attorney general resigns
The attorney general of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians appointed during the administration of Principal Chief Patrick Lambert has…
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Cherokee outlaws backpay with Council pay hikes
During its last days before swearing in newly elected members, the Cherokee Tribal Council unanimously passed an ordinance amendment that…
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Riverbend named Blue Ribbon School
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools, which included Riverbend Elementary School in Haywood…
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Canton continues pondering pigs as pets
Giggles, snickers, snorts and outright laughter echoed through the Town of Canton’s Sept. 28 board meeting as an ordinance regarding…
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Waynesville aldermen throw dogs a bone
Although Waynesville aldermen continue to seek a definitive answer on whether or not to rescind the town’s 15 year-old policy…
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