Macon steep-slope supporters pushing back
A new group has formed to counteract a recent landslide of opposition to steep-slope regulations in Macon County. “We realized…
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Macon to drop back and punt on slope rules
“Finishing the conversation” has become something of a catchphrase lately in Macon County. It’s a really diplomatic way of saying…
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Swain wants a new library, but where and how big a long way off
First Macon County, and then Jackson, built big, beautiful, new libraries over the past five years. Now, it seems, Swain…
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SBI won’t investigate Haywood jail death
The state will not investigate the death of Jessica Martin, who died last week after collapsing in a holding cell…
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Haywood wants to know: where are the landslide risks?
The state might have pulled the plug on a long-range project to map landslide prone areas in the mountains, but…
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A tale of two streets
Waynesville and Sylva are at a crossroads, ones that will irrevocably shape the character of their communities. Both towns are…
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A look in the rearview at N.C. 107
With its fast-food restaurants, box stores, gas stations and occasional backups of traffic, there’s not much that can be described…
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The advent of the boulevard, the death of the five-lane
Nearly every town has one — a five-lane road lined with fast-food stores, gas stations and grocery stores — and…
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Forgot milk? Small grocer to fill void in Maggie
There’s a new term coined by the federal government for places with low income and little access to quality food.…
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Best in the West berry recipe contest
With berries ripe and ready for picking, it’s time to plan your entry in the Best in the West Recipe…
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Young professionals group launched in Haywood
The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce is starting an After Hours Networking Event for the Young Professional of Haywood County,…
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Xtreme Networking conference coming to Franklin
A networking conference will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, in Franklin, offering business coaching…
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Haywood Chamber to help businesses go green
Haywood County businesses and organizations interested in “greening” their business practices should sign up for the Green Initiative Program with…
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Tribal council kicks controversial land ownership to courts
A family whose land was seized last month by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will now have their day…
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Help for small businesses available through SCC
The Small Business Center at Southwestern Community College is partnering with several organizations to offer workshops for small businesses. The…
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WCU chancellor to meet community
Western Carolina University Chancellor David O. Belcher will meet members of the Macon County community on from 6 to 7:30…
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Motorcycle ride to remember Trail of Tears
A motorcycle ride honoring the Trail of Tears, the Remembrance Removal Tour, will leave the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds in Cherokee…
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Workshop to look at domestic violence issues
From 911 to prosecution, a training session for service providers, law enforcement, criminal justice and legal aid, will be held…
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Engaging and energized, new SCC president pledges to work for the community
Donald Tomas, the new president of Southwestern Community College since July 1, believes local institutions such as SCC will rely…
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Protests erupt for those living in the shadow of Duke’s new transmission lines
The bell has just rung on the next round in the fight between Duke Energy and the Swain County residents…
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Dairymen struggle for footing, but milk regulations limit their options
Farming is not an easy life — the hours start early, the labor is pretty backbreaking and success often depends…
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HCC to offer Basic Law Enforcement Training
Haywood Community College will offer a night Basic Law Enforcement Training class meeting from 6 to 11 p.m., Monday through…
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Former senator Carpenter dies
Robert C. Carpenter, a towering figure in Republican politics in Western North Carolina who served as state senator for eight…
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Lake Emory headed toward oblivion one grain at a time
There’s a story, perhaps apocryphal, about how a bunch of drunks overturned their boat one night in Lake Emory just…
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To Duke’s chagrin, dredging may be in the cards for Emory
State and federal environmental agencies say Duke Energy might have to scoop out silt-filled Lake Emory as part of its…
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As Jackson heads toward alcohol vote, bar owners lament their loss of monopoly
When Dale McElroy plunked down $100,000 to expand Mica’s Restaurant & Pub in southern Jackson County last year, he was…
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A dry county? Hardly. Booze abounds in Jackson thanks to creative state laws
It’s midday on a weekday, and the bar is hopping at Sapphire Brewing Company near Cashiers. Jackson County, technically, is…
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Steep-slope ordinance slides out of reach
The likelihood of Macon County imposing development guidelines for houses and roads on steep mountainsides grew increasingly remote after the…
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Traffic delays ahead: Canton bridge work could clog up downtown
Anyone headed to Canton will need to book a little more drive time starting this fall, when a key downtown…
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Grandparent parenting program offered
A new program called Parenting the Second Time Around is being offered for grandparents who are raising grandchildren. The program…
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Bridge work in Haywood County set to go
The bridge over the Pigeon River on U.S. 19/23 in downtown Canton will be replaced over the coming year, with…
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Haywood schools, HCC form credit partnership
Haywood Community College and Haywood County Schools recently signed an agreement to provide high school students with a seamless transition…
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Harrah’s brings career fair to Haywood
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino recruiters will be at Haywood Community College’s West Waynesville Campus from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on…
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Cherokee descendents lose land over technicality in will
A family is protesting after they say the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians seized land they claim is rightfully theirs.…
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Caregiver information on dementia offered
MemoryCare, a program to assess memory and cognitive functioning, will present its Professional Caregiver Education Program curriculum in a three-part…
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Need a hand recovering from storm damage?
If you are a private forest landowner and suffered severe damage from the tornado or high winds earlier this year,…
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No taxes this weekend on back-to-school items
Time to go shopping — this weekend, Aug. 5 through Aug. 7, is the annual back-to-school tax free weekend. Retailers…
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Swain Visitor Guide kickoff scheduled
The Swain County Chamber of Commerce and The Smoky Mountain News will host a meet-and-greet at the chamber office from…
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New urgent care center to open in Sylva
MedWest Health System will open a new Urgent Care Center on Aug. 15 in Sylva. It will be located at…
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Back-to-school date lands Macon in court
If this were a race, Macon County Schools would win for being the first in Western North Carolina — maybe…
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Natural gas in Maggie may be a long shot, but worth a try
Maggie Valley’s business community hopes to bring natural gas lines to the valley, but it will hinge on drumming up…
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Fontana Dam post office targeted for closure
The U.S. Postal Service wants to close Fontana Dam’s tiny post office to save money, a downsizing move critics say…
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Being the middleman for bulk liquor sales at Harrah’s not as lucrative as it seems
Harrah’s Cherokee casino bought nearly half a million dollars of liquor over the past year, netting almost $50,000 in profits…
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Cherokee election politics fixed on looming casino debt
In the current political debate, the word ‘debt’ has become ubiquitous. Cherokee is no exception, where discussion of the debt…
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Jackson manager wants more say in hiring, firing
Chuck Wooten’s wings are still clipped as Jackson County’s manager, at least for now, but it looks like he’ll get…
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Scattered county offices could find new home in old lumber yard in Jackson
Jackson County commissioners are considering whether to renovate the former Southern Lumber Co. building to get the county out of…
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Haywood prison gets death sentence: Community laments loss of inmate work crews
Western North Carolina is losing one of its strongest municipal work forces. And a quick look at their record of…
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A new life in the cards for Haywood’s prison?
The oft-threatened closure of the state prison in Haywood County has finally come to pass, but by now, it hardly…
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State prisons, county jails play musical chairs with inmates
Counties with jail beds to spare will soon be able to make a little cash housing state prison inmates. Under…
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WCU students have mixed emotions about countywide alcohol vote
Western Carolina University and the Cullowhee area could prove the decisive battleground in the coming debate about whether alcohol sales…
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