Hicks testifies before U.S. Senate committee on positive impact of tribal gaming
Michell Hicks, Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, told a U.S. Senate committee in testimony on July…
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Canton gets new fire chief
The Town of Canton has selected J. Derek Littlejohn as its next fire chief. Littlejohn has been employed with the…
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Swain passes fracking resolution
Swain County recently passed a resolution in opposition to fracking. “Are you familiar with what fracking is?” asked Swain County Commissioner…
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After initially being overlooked, WNC gets fracking hearing
The North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission has scheduled a public hearing on fracking for Western North Carolina. The hearing…
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Prison protest: Hazelwood residents voice concerns about prison conversion
With the lease drawn up and fundraising underway, most people attending the Haywood County Commissioner meeting last week figured that…
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A bright idea: Skaters say park needs lighting
Austin Fore calls it “a blessing.” “If I’m not there every other day I’m bummed,” the Clyde skateboarder said.
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Sylva comes out against fracking
The town of Sylva is now the second Jackson County locale to formally oppose hydraulic fracturing for natural gas within…
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On track to grow: Macon TRACs’ in-school horse therapy program moves beyond pilot stage
A summer school horse therapy offering at South Macon Elementary School in Franklin will be sticking around once the school…
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Road to Nowhere bill advances
Swain County is one step closer to getting $4 million in “Road to Nowhere” funds after a bill introduced by…
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Swain murder suspects have August court date
Eight defendants charged with the 2013 murder of Calup Joe Caston in Swain County are slated for an Aug. 11…
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WCU launching new program for retirees this fall
Western Carolina University is launching a new lifelong learning institute aimed at people age 50 and older across Western North…
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HCC gets donated fire truck, ambulance
Haywood Community College’s Workforce Continuing Education Department recently added an ambulance and a fire truck to help train students in…
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Prison makeover project closes in on $50K prize
Haywood Pathways Center is almost to the finish line in an online voting contest that would provide $50,000 — plus…
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Sylva considers expanding territorial jurisdiction
Property owners along the fringes of Sylva may soon have to adhere to town zoning regulations. The town board is…
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Canton nixes street parking near Blackbear Automotive
A section of Johnson Street in Canton has been closed following complaints that parked vehicles — repair jobs from Blackbear…
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Growing the neighborhood: Claiborne preaches unity, community to Junaluska youth
Shane Claiborne was a couple minutes late for his interview with The Smoky Mountain News, but for good reason. Claiborne…
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Ballot shapes up for Jackson sheriff’s race
Jackson County voters will finally be able to see the shape of the November ballot with the close of a…
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The slow leak: Junaluska Sanitary District rocked by embezzlement
No one knows for sure what motivated Scarlette Heatherly the first time she skimmed a little cash off the top…
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Canton wins Camp Hope appeal
A two-year court battle over the ownership of Camp Hope concluded last week when the N.C. Court of Appeals ruled…
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Macon County revisits Parker Meadows plans
Discovery of a Cherokee gravesite on the soon-to-be ballfield complex at Macon County’s Parker Meadows property will likely mean that…
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Haywood dogs go bulletproof: Group donates Kevlar vests for local police dogs
The four-legged officers of Haywood County are now bulletproof, thanks to a donation from the Western North Carolina Dog Fanciers…
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Suite of school leadership changes announced in Haywood
The summer ritual of naming new principals and assistant principals before the start of the next school year wrapped up…
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WestCare to open primary care clinic
WestCare Health will launch a new full-time primary care clinic in the Health and Human Sciences Building at Western Carolina…
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Canton business, neighbors in parking dispute
A Canton business has recently found itself in the midst of a heated parking debate. Blackbear Automotive & Transmission, located…
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Macon commissioners pass resolution opposing additional wilderness
Macon County commissioners voted unanimously last week to endorse a resolution stating that no new wilderness areas in Macon County…
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Franklin aldermen vote no to hospice grant
Hospice House of WNC suffered a setback last week when the Franklin Board of Aldermen made a split decision not…
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Fracking presentation draws a crowd in Jackson
A question-and-answer session concerning fracking drew a full crowd to a recent Jackson County Planning Board meeting. Western Carolina University…
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Jackson still mulling landslide mapping
Landslide hazard maps for the Wayehutta Creek watershed in the Cullowhee area of Jackson County were unveiled recently. The mapping…
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Construction turns up Cherokee grave in Franklin
Macon County’s project to turn the 48-acre Parker Meadows project into a tournament-level softball and baseball complex met some complications…
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With food allergies on the rise, schools grapple with how to keep students safe
In light of the growing number of children with food allergies, a new policy has been adopted by Haywood County…
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Hospital back online following fire
Three weeks after a fire in the power room knocked out electricity at Haywood Regional Medical Center, the hospital is…
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Expanding the Circle: Circles of Hope program to attack poverty in Jackson County
Monty Williams didn’t know a whole lot about the Circles of Hope program when he sat down to his first…
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Jackson takes another step toward controlling Cullowhee growth
The latest development to throw down a stake in Cullowhee intends to build a 488-bed student housing complex on a…
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The road ahead: Opt-In study concludes, Corridor K debate continues
After a year-long study capping off years of debate, the verdict is in on what’s next for the controversial Corridor…
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Franklin hires town manager
After a closed session Monday, the Franklin Board of Aldermen voted unanimously to give Interim Town Manager Summer Woodard a…
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Snafu at Cherokee wastewater plant causes cloudy discharge in the Luftee
One month after low oxygen levels killed the bacteria needed to process sewage at the Cherokee Wastewater Treatment Plant, discharge…
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Jackson sheriff contenders gear up for second primary
The general election ballot for Jackson County Sheriff will finally be final next week when polls close on a second…
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Fracking opposition organizes in WNC
Candice Caldwell Day and her husband Shayne recently went to Andrews Airport in Cherokee County. “To hold up a really…
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Macon schools get $100,000 more from county
Macon County Schools got a little extra to fix up their buildings when some bids for the Parker Meadows recreational…
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Haywood hospital continues with fire recovery
The Emergency Department at MedWest Haywood is fully online, having treated 180 patients during the Fourth of July weekend. The…
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Two Haywood graders cited for wetland violations
In two separate incidents, graders in Haywood County bulldozed over wetlands, violating state and federal regulations that protect the environmentally-sensitive…
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Lead contamination found in soil near SCC shooting range
Results are back from the first round of testing for lead at Southwestern Community College’s shooting range, and the conclusion…
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Ghost Town opens for season, draws a crowd
After passing state inspections, Ghost Town in the Sky opened for the season on the Fourth of the July. The…
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Evergreen union negotiations ‘haven’t got there yet’
Negotiations between Evergreen Packaging and its union employees at the company’s Canton and Waynesville facilities are still ongoing. The talks…
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Corridor K: Dueling studies
A stalemate in the debate over Corridor K boils down to a central issue: can upgrades to the existing two-lane…
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Corridor K: Beyond the road
Though the Corridor K debate was the impetus for the Opportunity Initiative Study, Opt-In wasn’t all about transportation. The results…
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Forest Hills shies away from garbage collection
Officials in the town of Forest Hills in Jackson County recently explored the possibility of providing trash and recycling collection…
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No movement, ‘no surprises’ on Canton’s proposed firing range
After a firestorm of public outcry over the prospect of a firing range being built in an African-American neighborhood in…
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Jackson plays hardball with Verizon over Cashiers cell tower
Public concerns over the visual blight of a proposed cell tower in the Cashiers area have prompted Verizon Wireless to…
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Secret filming site in Waynesville to star in a major movie production
A major motion picture starring Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig and others will be partly filmed at a Waynesville…
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