It’s all about the journey
It’s called Blue Ridge Motorcycling Magazine, and it’s become part of our family. Let me explain. At almost 60 years…
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A winding plot to a published children’s book
Tattoos often follow times of darkness or transition. When my mom’s cancer got to a point of no return, I…
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Budget vote was for my district
To the Editor: In response to Kevin Brock’s letter to the editor regarding my vote on the North Carolina budget…
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Learning to relish the meaningful moments
As fall draws to a close, and the leaves turn brown to pile up on the sidewalk instead of in…
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Grocery store is stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey
Mushrooms. I needed mushrooms, and mushrooms were all I needed. It was my night to cook, and I wanted to…
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Trump echoes Joseph McCarthy
To the Editor: In the 1930s FDR’s administration passed the New Deal. The centerpiece of this legislation was Social Security.…
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Words matter, and this is extortion
To the Editor: We need to be clear that the impeachment inquiry is about extortion and not quid pro quo.…
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Why Corbin should not be our senator
To the Editor: In the stifling summer humidity of Philadelphia a couple of centuries ago, a group of men put…
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Can you put a value on what we provide?
Does the information we provide each week — information that we have been producing free for the last 20 years…
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A sweet reminder of fate
My two boys are children of divorce. That’s a phrase I never thought I’d say. But then again, life never…
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Compassion needed for homelessness
By Jesse-lee Dunlap • Guest Columnist After last Tuesday’s town hall forum at Frog Level Brewing, I found myself shocked and…
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Moving Open Door won’t solve anything
To the Editor: I keep trying to grasp how a brewery can be the voice for a community battling addiction.
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You don’t turn your back on friends
By Hannah McLeod • Guest Columnist The raid that led to the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was…
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The drive-in brings back memories
I’m as nostalgic as the next guy. I mean, I don’t get choked up over the thought of bell bottoms…
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Thanks for offering diverse perspectives
To the Editor: Even though I do not agree with everything Franklin Graham said in the interview that appeared two…
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GOP grandstanding is an embarrassment
To the Editor: On Wednesday, Oct. 23 — the day after William Taylor gave damning testimony about the Trump Administration’s quid…
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Good Samaritans in Dillsboro
To the Editor: My husband and I were traveling through Jackson County headed home to Florida when we had a…
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Who wins from U.S. betrayal?
To the Editor: With the whirlwind of horrors in Syria, perhaps we should remind ourselves of basics: • The Kurds…
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Voter ID required in 2020 elections
To the Editor: North Carolina law now requires that everyone voting in 2020 must have an approved form of voter…
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Wide-ranging coverage, spirited opinions
These days, too many Americans refuse to concede that a point-of-view other than their own has any validity. I’m afraid…
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So this is 40
I turn 40 years old this week. The idea has not been settling well, and I’m not sure why. I’m…
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Franklin Graham is too partisan
To the Editor: The Rev. Franklin Graham (whose father, Billy Graham, my family and I saw in The Boston Gardens…
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Ban assault-style weapons
To the Editor: U.S. taxpayers buy rapid-fire weapons for qualified military personnel, which is a vital part of the “common…
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Gavin Brown is best bet for mayor
To the Editor: I’m writing to acknowledge my support for the re-election of Gavin Brown as mayor of Waynesville. I…
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The facts are known, the outcome is not
People can disagree on whether or not Donald Trump should be removed from office. That is our right. But there…
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Next season, I’ve got some new mojo in mind
I am supposed to be watching a Dodgers game tonight. At this very moment, I should be pushing one of…
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GOP should stand up to Trump
To the Editor: Last week, the White House Counsel sent a letter to the House leadership that claims Trump is…
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Here’s the truth about immigration
By Paul Strop • Guest Columnist I read with interest a recent letter expressing concerns about immigration, truly one of the…
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Trump: a quintessentially American president
To the Editor: Think about it! Donald Trump didn’t need to be President. He much prefers business to government and…
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There is no there there!
To the Editor: There is no there there! The “there” is the latest accusation from the Democrats that President Donald…
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When life comes full circle
When I was 7 years old, my dad spent hours assembling my Strawberry Shortcake dollhouse, taking time to ensure every…
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Cultivating visibility for WNC farmworkers
Fall is upon us and so are the beautiful colors and seasonal customs of our region. Just thinking of tomato…
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We must be honest about adolescent addiction
By Beth Young • Guest Columnist “It’s just a phase.” “They are just being teenagers.” “I drank when I was their…
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Surprisingly, we were able to pull it off
Before we go any further, let me be clear: I am not the guy you want to put in charge…
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Price tag for new central office is mighty high
Is it a Taj Mahal or a wise use of tax dollars? I’m talking about the proposal to spend around…
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What living well means to me
This is our annual Living Well issue where we offer suggestions and advice on topics related to fitness, nutrition and…
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More than medicine needed to address opioid epidemic
By Kae Livsey • Guest Columnist In the U.S., there is a common perception that there is a pill to…
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Wall a monument to damaged democracy
To the Editor: I am sickened by the thought of diverting yet another $18.4 billion for a border wall. That’s…
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America, get your C.R.A.P. together
To the Editor: My grandmother Evelyn was a stickler for just a couple of things. She was fortunate that her…
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Corporate socialism rewards the rich
To the Editor: A Republican acquaintance who won’t vote for her party’s candidate for president recently said, “But I don’t…
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SMN buried an important story
To the Editor: In the September 4 issue of The Smoky Mountain News I was happy to see that WCU,…
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Swain Democrats support animal control ordinance
To the Editor: Swain County Democrats recently passed a resolution in support of the county’s proposed animal control ordinance and…
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To reduce overdose deaths, start in the local jail
By Albert M. Kopak • Guest Columnist You may have a story about Peter, while someone down the road has…
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That urge just won’t go away
Every so often, she gets that feeling again. When she does, she scoots a little closer and begins tracing invisible…
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‘Blessed be the critics of newspapers’
To the Editor: Western North Carolina’s answer to Jim Acosta — Smoky Mountain News Editor Scott McLeod in his last…
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