Women make decisions for themselves
To the Editor: This is intended for all men: political office-holders, the religious of all faiths, and just plain “guys.” I…
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Voter ID laws should have bipartisan support
To the Editor: Election reform is needed in North Carolina. Nearly eight out of 10 North Carolina voters support Voter…
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Romney’s plan will benefit wealthy
To the Editor: Mitt Romney is saying his experience in the private sector means he can do a better job…
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No good reason for such a colorful plate debate
State senators from the mountain region — and we’re especially talking about those representing the southwest, Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin,…
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Things are as they just should be — just ask Booger
I found Booger at the Coffee Shop some 15 years ago – a tiny kitten with only one eye open,…
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Teachers get sympathy from readers, peers
You never know what subject in a column will incite readers and friends to open up and express their feelings.…
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Fight back against Alzheimer’s
To the Editor: Ask yourself, for just one day, can I match the passion and dedication of Alzheimer’s caregivers and…
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End of school year teaches some bad lessons
Each spring as the school year winds down, I can’t decide whether to laugh or cry. As preparations for end-of-year,…
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Corporations are not people
To the Editor: This letter is in direct response to Ginny Jahrmarkt’s May 30 letter titled, “Jones made wrong vote…
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Commissioner’s actions were disappointing
To the Editor: It was disappointing to read that Commissioner Mark Jones representing District 4 voted to support a resolution…
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Arrogant is the word for Sheriff Ashe
To the Editor: When I think of the word arrogant, I usually think of someone who is so intelligent or…
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Both sides scratching their own backs
To the Editor: The word austerity seems to have saturated world and national news of late, sometimes used in a…
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Time to take out the long knives
Suppose this was your household budget: • Annual family income………………....$23,400 • Money family spends annually….....$35,900 • New debt added to…
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Jones made wrong vote at last Jackson meeting
To the Editor: At the most recent Jackson County commissioner meeting at the Balsam-Willets-Ochre Hill Volunteer Fire Department, Commissioner Mark…
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Left changes it’s tune when it loses
To the Editor: According to recent letters to the editor, Christians, or anyone else, should not be allowed to vote…
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Planting is an inexact science, but here you go
Some time back I wrote that at a future date I’d print seed-starting dates for the remainder of the growing…
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Misunderstanding should not nix resolution
To the Editor: Sometimes misunderstandings can get completely out of hand. Such was the case at the last meeting of…
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North Shore Road money should not be held up
To the Editor: I commend Becky Johnson and The Smoky Mountain News for providing the facts to its readers regarding…
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Holding on to memories of our beloved Bubbie Thomas
I’ll admit that I have never been much of a cat person. It’s because I am a little selfish, I…
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Test farm helps WNC growers stay ‘ahead of the game’
You’d be hard pressed to name a state-run entity more closely aligned with the region it serves than the Mountain…
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Redefining marriage is always defeated
To the Editor: According to recent letters to the editor, Christians, or anyone else, should not be allowed to vote…
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Recognizing the enemies within
By Martin Dyckman • Guest columnist In July of 1861, Major Sullivan Ballou of Rhode Island composed a letter to…
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Welfare state has destroyed California
To the Editor: California is back in the news. Two Saturdays ago, Gov. Jerry Brown announced that the state’s budget deficit…
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A majority did not support Amendment One
To the Editor: Three letters in the May 16-22 edition of the Smoky Mountain News reflect differing views about what…
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A festival for the unassuming goat
Every small town needs a street festival, and what better excuse for one could there be than goats? This past…
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Swain residents don’t deserve another broken promise
“It’s like déjà vu all over again,” quipped the legendary Yogi Berra after watching Yankee greats Mickey Mantle and Roger…
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A GOP perspective on leadership
To the Editor: The recent letter authored by the new chairman of the Macon County Democratic Party seemed to be…
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Someone is having problems with memory
“No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar.” – Abraham Lincoln To the Editor: I am…
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Thanks for taking a strong stand
To the Editor: I live in Albuquerque currently, but I grew up in North Carolina and spent summers at Lake…
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Romney will sacrifice all to blind ambition
To the Editor: No president serves for more than eight years but his influence on the Supreme Court lasts far…
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Don’t tell me about hurt feelings
To the Editor: Oh I am so distraught; and Chief Hicks is “appalled.” The Franklin maintenance crew has killed the…
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My other family just lost one of its own
Here in the South, if you are of a certain age, you have two families at least. The first is…
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Tell legislators to keep a good thing going
The specialty license plates that have provided millions of dollars for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue…
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A few lessons on getting the garden started
With our average last frost date of May 10 or so it’s time to start planting the main garden. Corn…
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Vote “No” on marriage amendment proposal
To the Editor: Please go to the poles on May 8 and vote “No” to amend the N.C. Constitution, an…
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Davis ready to defend, clarify his positions
To the Editor: In his April 25 letter to the editor, “Let me tell you why I'm a Democrat,” Ed…
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Staying put and doing my best for WestCare
To the Editor: I am writing to clarify my position on the recent events that have occurred within the Med-West…
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Tuckaseigee Baptists oppose Jackson alcohol
To the Editor: Considering the tremendous harm that alcohol continues to cause our society, the churches of the Tuckaseigee Baptist…
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Is this really what this state wants?
To the Editor: Amendment One sounds innocent enough. The wording is very precise and is carefully phrased to make approval…
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Voters should defeat bigotry and Amendment One
If Amendment One is defeated on May 8, North Carolinians will have made the right decision by refusing to support…
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Full-color plates still not a sure thing
By Holly Demuth What does your car believe in? Here in Western North Carolina, many people choose to express their…
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This stranger snuck in quietly, and just won’t leave me alone
This being a Sunday, the day on which I generally take care of household chores that have gone unheeded during…
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Sweepstakes cafeterias good for tourism
To the Editor: I agree with the opinion expressed by several of those interviewed for a recent article that the…
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Does Bothwell realize Shuler is not running?
To The Editor: I find Cecil Bothwell’s preoccupation with Heath Shuler odd and slightly disturbing. Although Shuler announced months ago…
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Hanging chads and voter suppression
To the Editor: Do you remember “hanging-chads? Those were the tiny little punch-out holes on Florida ballots that gave George Bush…
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Let me tell you why I’m a Democrat
To the Editor: I want to share with you three times in my life that made me appreciate how important…
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Working at C.J. Harris is an honor
To the Editor: In 1993, I knew I wanted to be a registered nurse (RN) and my health occupations teacher,…
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Those staying believe in this hospital
To the Editor: To us, this is more than just a hospital because it is part of our community, and…
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It is time to look ahead, not behind
To the Editor: The Physician Leadership Council, the governing body of the employed physicians of MedWest Health System, is saddened…
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Hospital system wants dialogue with community
By Steve Heatherly At the April 16 Jackson County Commissioners’ meeting, a physician stated his concerns about the future of…
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