Dora May featured in OICA Gallery
The gallery at the Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts will feature an exhibition of work by artist Dora May during…
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Edible book contest at Waynesville library
Craft an edible creation inspired by a book. Whether your favorite recent read is The Lorax or Lord of the…
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Theatre presents the musical, Lamb of God
The Overlook Theatre Company will present the musical, "Lamb of God," March 22-25, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the…
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Groovy Movie Club presents “The Double”
The Groovy Movie Club will show the film "The Double" on Friday, March 16. The event will begin with a…
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Balsam Mountain Roller Girls host retro Prom-O-Rama fundraiser
Haywood County's first female flat track roller derby team, Balsam Mountain Roller Girls, is hosting a retro prom at the…
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Stellar Chapman to lead Songwriters event
Stellar "Tall Girl" Marshall Chapman will head the next Songwriters-in-the-Round event on March 17 at Balsam Mountain Inn. Chapman is…
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Renowned Christian artists to perform
Four legendary artists — Steve Green, Twila Paris, Wayne Watson and Michael Card — will unite together for their Christian…
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Singers earn places in honor choir
Four members of Voices in the Laurel were selected to sing in the American Choral Directors Association Southern Division Children's…
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Story of dramatic mountain rescue to be centerpiece of Liars Bench show
The Liars Bench will perform the first in a series of stories called "Balsam Chronicles" at 7 p.m. on March…
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Another broken promise about national park
To the Editor The National Park Service says we need to charge for backcountry camping. After hundreds of letters and…
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State GOP leaders did cut education
To the Editor: The Republican state legislators have repeatedly said that the $428 million in cuts to the public education…
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Support of bike rallies not a good idea
To the Editor: I was amused to read recently that Scott Cochran, the promoter for the town's upcoming Rumble in…
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Police presence should be a blessing
To the Editor: Complaints about the significant police presence in Maggie Valley, I think, are highly exaggerated. In the 10-plus…
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Pressley deserves everyone's support
To the Editor: All of Haywood County — and especially Maggie Valley —should be standing on their heads in support…
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Maggie Valley police presence appreciated
To the Editor: With regard to your news story "Are cops making a pest of themselves in Maggie Valley?" (Feb. 29…
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Letter a sad example of misinformation
To the Editor: Since Obama took office Jan. 20, 2009, the DOW has risen 48 percent, the S&P 500 is…
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Hitting the trail not so easy in Jackson – at least not yet
Thanks to work obligations that have put me in Franklin several days at a time these last few weeks, I've…
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Celebrating a society built on open government
We — this country, its leaders and all of us — are imperfect. We're human, and that means we get…
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WCU’s literary festival promises raft of talented wordsmiths
From written word to silver screen, Western Carolina University's Spring Literary Festival will celebrate its 10th year by featuring two…
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The gorilla on the state’s back is getting heavy
Government at all levels needs to spend money judiciously. It is, after all, our money. I’m not convinced either major…
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Pleasantly unearthing a few long-dormant memories
I unpacked my *euphonium recently — my first love was music; writing was a fallback position — and started fooling…
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Lottery funds are a boost for Haywood schools
To the Editor: A headline on a Feb. 29 article in The Smoky Mountain News creates a misleading impression of…
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Brigman story needed a second opinion
To the Editor: It is interesting that The Smoky Mountain News in its reporting on superintendent of Macon County Schools…
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Headline showed SMN’s political bias
To the Editor: Somewhere during my school years I was taught about slanted journalism. One of the best examples of…
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Time to send Barack down the road
To the Editor: Over the weekend we heard from our 44-year-old niece. She was fretting over her 401k. She is…
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Critics off mark in planning board attacks
To the Editor: Back in the 1990s, I was privileged to serve several years on the Macon County Planning Board,…
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We should provide health care to all
To the Editor: As of 2010, 50 million people in the U.S. had no health insurance (no doubt more now).…
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Lest we forget: Whitney was a criminal
Pardon my insensitivity. Whitney Houston was a great singing talent, indeed. That was a gift of nature. She was also…
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Ordinance revisions deserve public scrutiny
To the Editor: The Jackson County Planning Department is methodically revising sections of the subdivision ordinance. In the fall, the…
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Justice delayed is justice denied
To the Editor: For centuries, the citizens of our state have extolled the virtues of a fair and judicious court…
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Racial Justice Act should remain intact
To the Editor: It is painful and, frankly, disgusting to witness North Carolina’s prosecutors and their allies in the General…
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When it’s all about the writing, I’m all in
Even after laboring for some two decades at various news publications I can’t say that I ever particularly considered myself…
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The secret life of Quintin Ellison
In a time-wasting exercise, I was giving thought recently about my earliest memory, which is of getting my knee stuck…
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Taxpayers deserve easier access to voting
To the Editor: My name is John Herrin and I am a registered voter in Swain County, and I wrote…
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Swain needs to keep one-stop voting site
To the Editor: Ms. Sallie Smith Bradley will celebrate her 98th birthday on Saturday, March 3, at her residence in…
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My go-to source for a shot of inspiration
Do you have a muse? At different times in my life that role has been filled by different entities. As…
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Safer, smarter and nostalgic about a more reckless past
In the 1960s and 70s, everybody smoked, everybody but my mother, who didn’t smoke, drink, or do anything that Ann…
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Alzheimer’s letter draws needed attention
To the Editor: My heartfelt gratitude to John Corkran of Black Mountain for his letter (Asheville Citizen-Times, Feb. 6) titled…
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LTLT strives to be non-partisan, helpful
To the Editor: A letter appearing in The Smoky Mountain News two weeks ago incorrectly characterized the mission, work, and…
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Cherokee bear zoos need to be shut down
To the Editor: How many times do the roadside zoos in Cherokee have to be cited for violations of federal…
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Planning board needs to be controlled
To the Editor: One of the most memorable days of my life was Jan. 19, 2001. Macon County had tried…
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Can Macon County make a decision?
To the Editor: At times when difficult decisions are being considered, leaders may seek the counsel of community-minded, experienced individuals…
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Earning the right to indulge myself
I was recently among a group of friends who were discussing habits — what they are and why we have…
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Shuler’s ‘no’ ends successful run in politics
No. It’s the biggest word in politics, often setting off a firestorm when delivered at a crucial moment. Gov. Beverly…
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Newspaper criticism was just off the mark
To the Editor: I had to read “Shame on you, SMN, for poking fun” (Smoky Mountain News, Feb. 1 edition)…
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An old friend comes for what I hope is a short visit
A good friend of old came to stay last week. A great respecter of proper etiquette, she provided ample warning…
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A citizens’ scroll should replace library plaque
To the Editor: In a recent article in The Smoky Mountain News, Jackson County Commissioner Jack Debnam was quoted as…
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Who does Sen. Jim Davis really represent?
To the Editor: State Sen. Jim Davis had an excellent idea. He suggested that anyone who wondered about contributions to…
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Counties don’t need to be in the banking business
In this country built on capitalism, it’s a constant source of antagonism among politicians and citizens. I’m talking about the…
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We need to stop the Great Outdoor Giveaway
Over 100 years ago, Republican President Theodore Roosevelt said to the American people: Of all the questions which can come…
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