Redrawn flood maps render Jackson’s industrial park suddenly worthless
The redrawing of flood maps for North Carolina has made one of Jackson County’s million-dollar properties a tough sell. The…
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How about a misdemeanor with that code violation?
Jackson County officials are mulling over several ways to improve compliance with the county’s ordinances, especially those which are enforced…
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Where state candidates stand on preschool for low-income children
The fate of state-subsidized preschool for at-risk, low-income 4-year-olds rests in the hands of the next General Assembly. The state…
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Sit-in at sheriff’s office prompts Jackson to consider protest policy
If you want to protest, you have to protest by the rules — that’s the message the Jackson County commissioners…
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Political roundup
John Tedesco, Republican candidate for superintendent of the North Carolina Department of Pubic Instruction, will be in town for two…
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Preventing falls imperative for seniors
Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries for those 65 and older, and the chances of…
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New school buildings get green light in Jackson
Jackson County commissioners voted last week to take out a $10 million loan for the construction of a gymnasium and…
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Exploding waterfowl population prompts feeding ban at Lake Junaluska
As the first chunk of bread was tossed in the air, a swarm of ducks and geese at Lake Junaluska…
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Low-income apartments to make a dent in affordable housing shortage in Macon
What was once a construction scene characterized by luxury, mountainside housing and second-home developments has a newcomer at the table.…
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High-end apartment complex caters to shortage of WCU student housing
Housing developer Scott Austin did a little simple math before deciding to pursue an $8 million dollar project to build…
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WCU treads cautiously in light of record enrollment
Western Carolina University will target transfer, graduate and distance learning students to help grow its enrollment without creating greater strain…
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WCU could benefit from more equitable state funding formula
Western Carolina University leaders hope to benefit from a philosophical switch in state funding for higher education — one that…
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Macon Aero modelers show planes for a cause
The Macon Aero Modelers Club is hosting a charity Fly-In at 9 a.m. Sept. 22 and 10 a.m. Sept. 23…
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No mountain country for old men
Raymond Fairchild is a man of few words. But, it only takes those few words to truly grasp a man…
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As schools rapidly phase out cursive, its certain demise is met with mixed opinions
Gone are the days of students hunched over wide-ruled paper, forming endless strings of perfectly manicured cursive letters, painstakingly matching…
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Haywood turns a profit converting landfill methane into power
Haywood County is making a few hundred dollars a month converting methane gas emanating from the old county landfill on…
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Refinancing past debt could net Haywood big savings
Low interest rates have prompted Haywood County to consider refinancing its outstanding debt dating back to various building projects over…
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Daily library late fee go up in Haywood County
Late fees for overdue books and CDs have increased at libraries in Haywood County. Habitually late bibliophiles previously paid 10…
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Sonoco Plastics expansion underway
An $11.7 million expansion by Sonoco Plastics in Waynesville is now underway, landed in part thanks to $828,000 worth of…
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Cherokee plans massive family adventure park
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is planning a $92-million adventure park, which is expected to attract families to Cherokee…
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Tribal council delves into ABC salary dispute
Some Cherokee leaders are questioning if compensation for members of its various commissions should face the chopping block next fiscal…
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Sustainability at HCC
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer If Dr. Rose Johnson has her way, the future campus of Haywood Community College…
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Southwestern Community College to dedicate new building Sept. 14
Southwestern Community College will hold a dedication ceremony for the newly constructed Conrad G. Burrell building at 2 p.m. Sept.…
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McCrory goes to WNC
Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory stopped in Sylva Thursday, Aug. 30, to meet with area supporters and planned to attend…
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Political roundup
Rogers receives key endorsements Hayden Rogers, the Democratic candidate in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, was endorsed by the bipartisan Sportsmen’s…
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Maggie aldermen stumble over best practices for filling vacant seat
The simple task of replacing an empty seat on the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen has turned into a process…
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WCU opens its doors to prospective student
Western Carolina University will open its doors to prospective college students, their families and friends for its first open house…
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Meet new local physicians
MedWest Health System is hosting two receptions, one at MedWest-Harris and another on the campus of MedWest-Haywood, to allow members…
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Clinic to benefit from unique fundraiser
Smoky Mountain Knitting Guild is sponsoring an “Afternoon Extravaganza” at 2 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theater…
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HCC to offer sneak peek at regional schools
Area high school students and residents will have a chance to talk with college representatives from more than 55 Southeastern…
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Latinos on protest circuit ‘sit-in’ at sheriff’s office
Undocumented workers staged a sit-in at the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office last week to protest the sheriff’s alleged targeting of…
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Satellite land dispute throws wrench in plans for smaller casino
A Cherokee judge ruled last week in a case that could affect a long-range plan of the Eastern Band of…
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Blowgun, knives and traditional items stolen from Cherokee historical village
The Oconaluftee Indian Village in Cherokee was broken into recently. Sacred and traditional items used by re-enactors who portray early…
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Forgotten African-American cemetery finds an unlikely hero
The dead lay in indiscernible rows beneath the earth, their resting places marked by a jumble of faded and often…
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WestCare decision on partnership could be decided soon
The board of directors for MedWest-Harris and Med-West Swain hospitals met Tuesday, Sept. 4, to discuss whether to dissolve its…
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Chamber to host meet-and-greet for young professionals
Young professionals can network and learn more about the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce at a special event from 5-7…
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‘Out of the Darkness’ walk draws attention to suicide
Western North Carolina’s “Out of the Darkness” community walk will be held from 3-6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, at…
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Jackson County goes on offense with new tax collection tactics
Delinquent property tax payers beware — Jackson County is coming for you. For more than a year, county tax collectors,…
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As campaign season hits full stride, party loyals double down to turn out the vote
Sporting a red Obama hat, a matching “Change Rocks” t-shirt and a “Barack Obama 2012” button, Ron Frendreis approached the…
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WCU police practice a different brand of law enforcement
You probably won’t see them on television with the “Bad Boys” theme song playing in the background, jumping chain link…
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Safety, maintenance headaches put an end to student hang out spot
A row of four stately evergreens that anchored the front of Waynesville Middle School — providing both shade and a…
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Duke funding not guaranteed forever
While the Pigeon River Trust Fund isn’t threatened in the short term, the lucrative water quality funding stream isn’t a…
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Pigeon River Fund will survive transition from Progress to Duke
A trust fund backed by Progress Energy that has funneled more than $2 million and counting to water quality projects…
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Upgrades on tap for mother-baby floor at MedWest-Harris
When Dr. Janine Keever hit the online shoe stores last month to hunt for the optimal pair of white knee-high…
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Macon as a case study of the exurban population shift
Exurbanites are invading Macon County, and the rest of Appalachia for that matter. Don’t be alarmed, they’re generally docile, but…
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Cherokee ABC board claims their generous salary is warranted
The high salaries collected by the five members of the Alcoholic Beverage and Control Commission for the Eastern Band of…
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Jackson hopes to brand county with flag
When it comes to Southerners, there are a few topics that get their blood pressure elevated — and one of…
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Get cooking for a good cause: New recipe book to raise money for downtown Waynesville art piece
The Waynesville Public Art Commission has put together a 150-recipe cookbook to benefit future public art pieces. The Taste of…
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Don’t fear the beard
Though Aaron Stone has always had a love of mayonnaise, lately the condiment has become a real nuisance in his…
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Business boost from paddling World Cup hasn’t materialized yet
Economic development and tourism leaders in Swain County are treating the Freestyle Kayaking World Cup two weeks away as a…
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