Going rogue to fight obesity: Undercover video project stalks overweight people in Macon
One man’s mission to bring to light an obesity epidemic in Macon County has offended many in the community, prompted…
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New law to allow concealed weapons in cars on campus
Back to school essentials have always been a familiar list of pens, pencils, fresh notebooks, new sneakers and a calculator,…
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Gridiron Gals: WCU program teaches women football tactics
Female fans of Western Carolina University athletics know three things — which player the quarterback is, when a touchdown is scored…
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Public hearing on future of Haywood hospital is next week
A public hearing on the future of Haywood Regional Medical Center will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22,…
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Regional DOT chief demoted to new position
The regional head of the N.C. Depart-ment of Transportation has been demoted after nine years at the helm of road…
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Eagle Scout project leads to better future for forgotten cemeteries
Abandoned, dilapidated and sometimes forgotten burial places are likely to get better care now that Macon County commissioners have decided…
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Jackson wants to do background checks on volunteers
To lend a helping hand in Jackson County, a willingness to volunteer may not be enough.
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Waynesville VFW post reopens following alcohol, gambling charges
Following a nine-month undercover investigation, six people were charged with conducting illegal activities, including selling moonshine and gambling, at the…
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Donated clothes help kids fit in
Sylvia Russell remembers how crucial it was to wear the “right” clothes to school, how the “right” outfit could win…
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Patrol car laptops should aid Jackson deputies
It’s not quite Robocop, but the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is getting a law enforcement boost thanks to technology.
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Duke ready to officially turn Dillsboro Dam site over to local officials
A decade-long saga in deciding the fate of Duke Energy’s former dam near Dillsboro is drawing to a close as…
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Bryson City readies itself for kayaking worlds
Batten down the hatches, the 2013 ICF Canoe Freestyle World Championships are coming. “This event shows how this tiny town…
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WCU campus master planners to seek community input
Representatives from the firms assisting Western Carolina University in drafting a comprehensive master plan that will guide campus development and…
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State budget includes funding for WCU engineering program
The $20.6 billion biennial budget recently approved by the N.C. General Assembly includes more than $1.4 million for expansion of…
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Sylva sticks to zoning guns, keeps church out of downtown
Town board members said no to expanding Sylva’s zoning laws to be more inclusive for churches downtown, citing a desire…
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Fumes kill one, hospitalize a dozen in Macon
An incident at a farm facility in Macon County last week left one worker dead and caused the hospitalization of…
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Canton reopens application process in town manager search
The Canton Board of Aldermen is still accepting applications for the open town manager position. “We’ve interviewed some that we…
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Rural Center cut may negatively affect WNC
A recent government audit of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center has divided much of the state.
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WNC leaders worry that region will be left behind economically
Western North Carolina business and political leaders are wondering who will go to the mat for them to attract new…
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Man’s quest to flee town limits ends in charges
A candidate for Maggie Valley alderman was indicted this month on eight felony charges, including forgery. The July 19 indictment…
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Injured Ghost Town gunfighter gets hope in worker’s comp claim
A Ghost Town in the Sky gunfighter wounded during a staged fight has new hope of being compensated for his…
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Specialty license plates rescued
Colorful specialty license plates have been spared the gallows thanks to a bill passed in the final hours of the…
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Law enforcement excited about new WNC crime lab
The recently signed state budget bill will fund the hiring of 19 toxicology analysts for a new western crime lab,…
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Vandalism prompts Sylva to mount security cameras in parks
Persistent vandals have pushed Sylva decision-makers to ramp up the town’s surveillance program. Coming soon to two Sylva parks…
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Forest Hills mayor race down to the wire, but not in the way you might think
The clock was ticking. There were just two days to go for mayor candidates to step up to the plate…
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Swain library dreams of new digs despite funding realities
Bryson City’s library has storied yet humble beginnings — born from a suitcase of books toted around town by a…
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Wells Funeral Home brings multi-purpose event center to downtown Waynesville
A new event center in Waynesville could be just the beginning of the vitalization of Wall Street, said Wells Greeley,…
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Diagonal parking a conundrum for downtown Sylva
Business owner Marion Jones claims to sit on Sylva’s Main Street watching traffic more than any other person in town.
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Macon board plows into floodplain rules
The Macon County planning board signaled its intent this month to loosen rules on development in floodplains.
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Cullowhee: meet your makers
Jackson County Commissioners have begun naming a task force that will shepherd Cullowhee along the way to becoming a bonafide …
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Handpicked appointments fill Jackson boards
It’s not the strength of your resume — it’s who your friends are.
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Volunteers glean picked-over fields to feed the hungry
At the end of every crop’s season, farmers pick the fruits or vegetables that are pretty enough to sell in…
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Macon Schools may cut teacher bonuses to save positions
To deal with a gaping budget shortfall, Macon County Schools might raid the local salary bonus it historically awards its…
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Women in Business to host ‘Your Performance on Stage’ luncheon
The Haywood Chamber of Commerce Women in Business group will host “Your Performance On Stage … Flourish, Engage, Inspire” from…
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School supply and clothing drives abound
Keller Williams Realty of Waynesville is holding its annual children’s clothes swap next weekend. Drop off new or gently used…
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‘Jono’ Bryant blends his taste for adventure and medical skills toward a greater good
It was a rather strange place to have a life-changing epiphany, but there he was, on the set of a…
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WCU weighs merits of majors in light of funding challenges
Western Carolina University will erase 10 degree programs, including women’s studies and the graduate music courses, from its books during…
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WCU hires regional expert to lead hospitality, tourism program
Well-known regional tourism expert Steve Morse has been hired by Western Carolina University to head its hospitality and tourism program.
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Town election ballots shake out
Towns across the mountains will hold elections for their mayors and town board leaders this fall. Some town races are…
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Tie match called in Jackson visitor center firestorm
After a tumultuous start to hashing out a blueprint for this year’s finances, the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority reached…
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Lake Junaluska navigates choppy political waters
Ron Clauser never saw himself as a lobbyist. He’s an accountant by trade, a world where logic and rationale rule…
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Concerns voiced over proposed Cashiers ABC store site
Jackson County got a green light from the state to move forward with plans to build a liquor store in…
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Harrah’s Casino one of the few big games in town for job seekers
Since Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort added table games with live dealers last year they’ve had to round up hundreds…
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Higher cost for new restrooms at Waynesville playground could nix project
Renovating the antiquated, shuttered restrooms at the Waynesville Recreation Park will cost more than town officials anticipated, leaving them to…
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To busk or not? Waynesville ponders street performer ordinance
Street musicians are becoming a common sight in downtown Waynesville, despite a town policy that bans sidewalk performers from playing…
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Big trucks take heed: no more Jake brakes in Waynesville
Waynesville has outlawed the use of noisy engine-compression brakes by big trucks.
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Drug testing par for the course in WNC high schools
The number of high school students failing random drug tests in Haywood County has remained constant since the school system…
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Police help push new laws through legislature
The Waynesville Police Department helped craft and then usher four bills, or some version of them, through the N.C. General…
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Behind the wheel of an ice cream truck
I scream, you scream, Western North Carolina screams for ice cream.
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Bears from shut-down zoo find new, friendlier habitat
Eleven bears once confined to concrete pits at Chief Saunooke Bear Park in Cherokee have found greener pastures in Texas…
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