N.C. 107 safety issues ignored
To the Editor: The stated reason for the N.C. 107 project in Sylva is to reduce traffic problems and increase…
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Trump is for a better America
To the Editor: It always amazes me that folks don’t seem to get it. Economic growth is at 4.1 percent,…
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There’s magic in these evening Edisto walks
EDISTO ISLAND, SC – For us, the magic of Steamboat Landing Road begins where the pavement ends, where the asphalt…
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Mission should not control money
To the Editor: The Mission Health board and CEO Ron Paulus clearly don’t get it: the system’s billions in assets…
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Even conservatives can’t take Trump
To the Editor: A number of letters in The Smoky Mountain News have rightly pointed out that liberals are not…
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President’s ties to Putin are dangerous
To the Editor: It is time for the U.S. Congress to act as a co-equal branch of government and rein…
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They don’t care; we have to
To the Editor: Recently I spoke with N.C. Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, about the…
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My eyes and heart open after Mexico trip
Though my parents were both teachers and worked second jobs to give my sister and me all we needed, they…
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Don’t traffic in fake news
To the Editor: In reference to the letter from Lowell Crisp titled, “The whole truth about Red Hen incident,” I…
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DACA immigrants should leave U.S.
To the Editor: Here is the news … but it is not new — there is a legal way to…
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Folkmoot wins friends around the world
To the Editor: I would like to express my enthusiastic support for the thoughts expressed in Scott McLeod great article…
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The final call to save red wolves
To the Editor: Some of you may have read my red wolf letter to the editor published in early May.…
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Watershed may not meet standards
To the Editor: The Waynesville Watershed has a Water Supply 1 (WS-1) classification, which is the most strict in North…
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Festival’s intangible value is immeasurable
Lori and I have always loved to travel, to go to new places or to get better acquainted with places…
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It’s a broken record, that’s for sure
Quite a few people have contacted me this week seeking an English translation of President Donald Trump’s recent reflections on…
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President Trump doesn’t understand volunteerism
To the Editor: It is not hard to find a lot of things to detest about what President Donald Trump…
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The whole truth about Red Hen incident
To the Editor: Just a note to let you know that I did not like your Opinion editorial about the…
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Hold off on vote for new justice
To the Editor: I am appalled that Sens. Thom Tillis and Richard Burr want to rush through any nominee for…
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Small-town papers help knit communities together
I’m dedicating my July 4 to the courageous journalists who were murdered last week at the Capital Gazette in Maryland.…
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Thoughts on water and traditions during the holiday
Are you a lake person or a beach person? I always thought I was a beach person, but now I’m…
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Leaders need to act like adults
To the Editor: Thank you so much for so eloquently stating your opinion in this article about “not much room…
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We are a nation in crisis
To the Editor: Children are being shipped around the nation with no records and officials are either lying about their whereabouts or…
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Troubling times for this country
To the Editor: Troubling times? Very troubling times! Is America the beacon of liberty we claim to be? Is America…
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There’s not much room left in the gutter
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders got asked to leave a restaurant because the owner can’t stand her boss’…
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After the shock, and the pain, life goes on
It has been about eight months since my stepfather died. My mother has been talking about getting her house in…
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We are fractured as a nation
To the Editor: All of us who rely upon the local news as a monitor on morality have heard and…
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Environmentalism needs a new leader
To the Editor: One question that keeps going over and over in my mind is, will there be an environmental…
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Anti-Trump vitriol just too much
To the Editor: Oh my goodness! What an amazing bunch of nonsense from anti-Trump letter writers in the June 20…
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No harm in striving to understand each person
By Hannah McLeod • Guest Columnist Do not decry this generation for pushing the boundaries of respect/understanding/acceptance. People today like…
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Living in The Valley
During a divorce, one person is required to move out of the family home. After months of rigmarole and this…
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Such a sad people we have become
To the Editor: Based on available evidence, how would we describe the American population? The answer would seem to be…
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False reporting in sheriff story
To the Editor: In a news article (Swain sheriff suspends mutual aid to town, opponent claims the move is purely…
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Most body cam videos should be public
To the Editor: As the Mayor of Franklin, I agree with the efforts of the three Buncombe County legislators who…
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The perfect name for Trump’s problem
To the Editor: In response to Dennis Ford’s letter, “The standard today is a double standard,” which appeared in the…
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Surely we can do better
To the Editor: Sunday morning in America (Father’s Day). Politicians eat steak, plump and happy, while playing political games. Immigrant…
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SB 99: Who will teach NC’s children?
This is about money. But it is also about the North Carolina Legislature’s Conference Report on Senate Bill 99, especially…
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Bourdain’s death puts depression in spotlight
I was only vaguely aware of who Anthony Bourdain was when news of his suicide swept the internet last week.…
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Trails are just good for communities
Trails are good and we could have more here. — The board of the Nantahala Area Southern Off-Road Bicycling Association Our…
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Be courteous to cyclists
To the Editor: My wife and I are avid recreational bicyclists, having ridden for 30 and 15 years respectively. You…
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The standard today is a double standard
To the Editor: After reading all three letters to the editor in the latest Smoky Mountain News, I’m wondering how…
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A sound decision and a wise investment
Town and counties never have enough money to provide all the services and amenities that their citizens — in a…
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Students and teachers are on my mind
It’s high stakes testing week for students and educators in Haywood County. This is my 9-year old’s first year taking…
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WLOS propaganda is sickening
To the Editor: I am extremely uncomfortable knowing that our local television station, WLOS, continues to advance political content under…
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EPA’s Pruitt is doing a bad job
To the Editor: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt is in violation of his oath of office. Our members of Congress are…
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Do we want another Andrew Jackson?
To the Editor: By the year 1808, the eastern Cherokee had adopted a written legal code. In 1820, they established…
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Something is wrong with this picture
I’ve been covering local governments in North Carolina for 30 years, and a small item in Macon County’s budget for…
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