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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The party’s in there, and we’re out here
My wife and I are introverts who pretend to be extroverts, both personally and professionally, which means that we are…
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Gun rights advocates ignore amendment’s words
To the Editor: A gun rights rally was held on the historic courthouse lawn in Waynesville on May 19. Jeremy…
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Town board failed Plott Creek residents
To the Editor: In a recent Smoky Mountain News article, the writer confirmed the Waynesville Town Board overwhelmingly reached a…
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The truth no longer matters
To the Editor: “A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes,”…
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If you have opinions on growth, it’s time to speak up
Fifteen or so years ago, meetings like those Monday and Tuesday night in Waynesville were all too common: private citizens…
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Summer break is coming into view
Watching my two little boys get excited about summer vacation makes me reflect upon my own childhood summers. Both my…
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Cancer support group values patients
To the Editor: The Cherokee Cancer Support Group is in its 20th year. We couldn’t have progressed without donations from…
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Large corporations get boost under bill
To the Editor: Thank you Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., for your public service, and thank you for your response to…
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Presidents are not above the law
To the Editor: Draw a Venn diagram. Circle one is morality. Circle two is ethics. Number three is law. As…
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Air B&B destroying my peace of mind
To the Editor: It would seem that Haywood County has a new growing pain, at least for my small neighborhood.…
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Tribal Council media ban a mistake
Symbolism is often just as important as reality. The decision by the Cherokee Tribal Council to ban all media from…
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It’s prom, and my daughter is trying on adulthood
My daughter has become the person she hoped she would be at age seven. We should all be so lucky.…
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Tax cut got me a measly $60 a year
To the Editor: In response to an opinion letter published recently, I would like to share how the GOP tax…
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Our economic, political systems are not working
To the Editor: It is encouraging to see more and more letters to the editor noting that our economic and…
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Trump really cares about the people
To the Editor: The liberals want Trump out of office because they have someone in there who cares about the…
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Living in the moment with ALS
We rode in silence. I glanced at the clock as we came to another stoplight. Already five minutes late, I…
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Moms, remember to breathe it all in
Last week, I went to a conference in L.A. with 800 other moms who tell their stories through creative outlets,…
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Now or never for the red wolf
To the Editor: The red wolf, which once ranged from Pennsylvania to Texas, is now battling extinction in the wild…
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Plott Creek no place for apartment complex
To the Editor: As with most newly proposed developments everywhere, all the standard comments come out in newspapers and town…
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State, local GOP need to re-think their role
To the Editor: I am a 59-year-old disabled veteran and lifelong Christian conservative. And I am appalled at what I…
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Yes, we are in danger with a wall
To the Editor: Yes, we do need a wall to protect ourselves. A couple weeks ago a contingent of Guatemalan…
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Rep. Meadows needs history lesson
To the Editor: In 1804 a Republican-dominated House of Representatives voted impeachment charges against a sitting Supreme Court judge. The…
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Owen Gibby calls roll for the last time
The first time I met Owen Gibby, he immediately reminded me of my favorite television character of all time, Deputy…
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Tourism now the top industry in the region
By Nick Breedlove • Guest Columnist On May 6-12 we celebrate National Tourism Week, and this year’s theme from the…
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Zen and the art of trash removal
By Evan Boyer • Guest Columnist A few months ago, some legal trouble loomed over me, and I was told…
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A game of adult dodge-a-ball
At Dillsboro Elementary School (1950) we played dodge-a-ball during recess. The game was set up kind of like this: a…
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Meadows undermines rule of law
To the Editor: Last week, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Asheville, took center stage with several others to interfere with the work…
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Rule of law is under attack
To the Editor: Are we a nation governed by the rule of law or by Trump’s fantasy lies? Rep. Mark…
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As Nicaragua smolders, our lives go on
We Americans are spoiled. Too often we take our way of life for granted, both the freedoms we have and…
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Media
Finding inspiration in the backwoods of WNC
Certain memories or events in life stand out as paramount, like a utopian experience that seems more like a movie…
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Too many take the low road
To the Editor: In this week that we celebrate Earth Day, I’d like to make a few observations. In her…
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NAACP supports keeping schools safe
To the Editor: The Haywood County NAACP supports gun safety and freedom. Today, fear and terror exist in our children’s…
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Despite worries, no recession in sight
To the Editor: I happened to come across a column written by Martin Dyckman in an old edition of the…
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