This certainly is not politics as usual
To the Editor: I have been a political junkie since the Kennedy-Nixon race, but this letter is not about partisan…
Read More
We need real change in this country
To the Editor: Are you an emotional voter letting the media and others tell you how to vote? Or an…
Read More
Let’s ask Rep. Presnell to step down
To the Editor: As we face a drought, Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville, not only vigorously supports fracking (hydraulic fracturing) in…
Read More
Sorting out my aversion to Donald Trump
Cruel. That was it, that’s the word that defines why I think Donald Trump is unfit to be president. Obviously,…
Read More
Sen. Jim Davis, corporate lapdog
To the Editor: From my mailbox recently I pulled a large political mailer from State Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, attacking…
Read More
Negative flyers are a waste of money
To the Editor: With the advent of the election season, my mailbox and my sensitivities are being assailed by political…
Read More
Tax facts instead of Sen. Jim Davis’ spin
To the Editor: Your income went down, but your N.C. income tax went up. Is this possible? You bet. If…
Read More
Volunteer for school science laboratory
To the Editor: Have you ever seen the light in a student’s eyes when they learn a new concept? I…
Read More
Local dogs need our help, not Korean dogs
To the Editor I was astonished by your recent article about the HSUS bringing dogs from Korea to Western North…
Read More
‘And you may ask yourself, how did I get here?’
There were left hooks and right uppercuts. The crowd couldn’t look away as they cringed with each blast and low…
Read More
It’s called The Open Door, so come on in
Lately I’ve been hanging out at The Open Door in Frog Level and I have to admit, it’s my new…
Read More
WCU’s handling of Koch gift a model for others
Western Carolina University’s faculty has wrestled through months of both tedium and spirited debate in devising how best to manage…
Read More
Remember talking ‘to’ people, not ‘at’ them
We are still near the dawn of the Internet age. We can get just about any information we desire in…
Read More
Vote for Luker and Mau in Jackson County
To the Editor: I attended the debate on Sept. 29 at Southwestern Community College between the four candidates running for…
Read More
Sen. Davis was big fracking supporter
To the Editor: The rivers are low, and so are the springs. As we face a drought, Sen. Jim Davis,…
Read More
Pound your chest and punch your neighbor
There were two primetime spectacles Monday evening. One was the first presidential debate between candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.…
Read More
Pockets of happiness have become lifelines
For a week I’ve been thinking about what to write in this week’s column, and very little clarity came until…
Read More
Sen. Davis and reverse Robin Hood tactics
To the Editor: The N.C. Republican Party sent out a flyer stating Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, voted for a middle-class…
Read More
Sen. Jim Davis’ mailers make false claims
To the Editor: Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and his surrogates in Raleigh recently sent out a series of expensive glossy…
Read More
Sen. Jim Davis raised taxes on farm families
To the Editor: If you are like many residents of Western North Carolina, you probably cut hay, raise a few…
Read More
Yes, there are some bikers for Clinton
To the Editor: I am a female motorcyclist who actually rides my motorcycle across the country, not one who hauls…
Read More
We need a senator who is for the people
To the Editor: Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, has unleashed a series of negative flyers against his opponent, Jane Hipps. His…
Read More
N.C. leaders remain – indignantly – on wrong side of HB2
When it comes to HB2, our state’s Republican leadership will eventually prove to be on the wrong side of history.…
Read More
Remember when you were ‘16 going on 17?’
When I was 16 years old — going on 17 — I had a poster of Stevie Nicks, the mystical,…
Read More
There are plenty of good reasons to vote for Hillary
By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump both have their liabilities, but his are so much more…
Read More
True patriotism comes in many colors
We drove through the small town of Clyde on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 11, right in the midst of the commemoration…
Read More
Finding my way in this season of change
Not long ago my front porch was a barren, pathetic place with a few pieces of hard, wooden furniture, zero…
Read More
I remember John Snow, and what GOP did to him
To the Editor: I remember John Snow. For those that don’t, he was the three-term state senator from this district who…
Read More
Hillary does not deserve support of women
To the Editor: In the August 31 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, guest columnist Hannah McLeod asked “Where are…
Read More
Rep. Meadows should open up discussions
To the Editor: I was one of the people who was turned away from Rep. Mark Meadows’ meeting at the…
Read More
A hint of autumn, a sense of pride
When we got out of the car on Sunday at the parking area in Jackson County at the end of…
Read More
So this is what hell feels like
Beware, gentle readers. This story is not for the faint of heart. It is a story of betrayal, corruption, and…
Read More
We should welcome political refugees
To the Editor: Widespread reports of Muslim terrorist activity in the media of late, and the incessant drumbeat of political…
Read More
I love living in a small town
To the Editor: I have said many times that I love living in a small town; yesterday, something happened that…
Read More
We must deal with affordable housing problems
If you don’t think there is an affordable housing problem in the mountain region, you’re just not paying attention. In…
Read More
The before and the after — living with grief
There are only a handful of life experiences that result in a definitive before and after. I now know that…
Read More
Where are all the women?
As my siblings and I became more interested and engrossed in politics growing up, my father always tried to impress…
Read More
Democrats need to learn their history
To the Editor: A recent letter-writer states, “most Republican politicians will continue to tell you that tax cuts are the…
Read More
A little perspective is in order, please
To the Editor: There are those who would have us fear going about our daily lives due to possible terrorist…
Read More
Supporting transparency is never a bad move
Let’s be completely honest: the Haywood County School Board’s long-time practice of recording its work sessions makes it one of…
Read More
Summer’s fading, and it’s all happening much too fast
On my Sunday afternoon jog around Lake Junaluska, I can actually feel for the first time that summer is slipping…
Read More
Thoughts on diversity from a white guy
By David Teague • Guest Columnist More than 20 years ago, I attended a diversity training in Raleigh. A component…
Read More
Mark Meadows: A flashback to Nixon?
To the Editor: Oh, boy. It’s like 1974 all over again. A high-profile elected official is doing his best to…
Read More
Wilderness is an asset, not a museum
To the Editor: Mr. Jim Gray’s letter concerning wilderness conservation in last week’s SMN, while well written, is based on…
Read More
HB2 and Voter ID controversies boost Cooper’s campaign
North Carolinians can debate whether a few of the controversial laws enacted by the Republican-led North Carolina General Assembly and…
Read More
Trickle-down economics just doesn’t work
To the Editor You may have noticed that we have an election coming up. With that, one hot topic will…
Read More
Trip to Trump Tower teaches powerful lesson
To the Editor: Glittering gold and gleaming glass Dominating the miserable humans Huddled in the shadows Of the Trump Tower.…
Read More
More wilderness areas not a good idea
To the Editor: I want to commend the U.S. Forest Service and district ranger staffs for an excellent job in…
Read More
Build greenway bridge, and they will come
To the Editor: I was very happy to read the article, “Greenway use rising in Jackson County” in The Smoky…
Read More
Bashing teachers does nothing to help public education
When the back-to-back national political conventions finally ended, it was like a benevolent deity had provided a merciful pardon, finally…
Read More
