Tribe, county DSS agencies have complex relationship
By Quintin Ellison and Colby Dunn • Staff writers The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is forced to rely on…
Read More
The tragic life of Aubrey Littlejohn: Family members feared for child’s safety
Relatives say they warned social workers repeatedly over the course of several months that Aubrey Littlejohn was being neglected and…
Read More
Child’s death hits Cherokee hard
The mood is grim. Few people in this tight community want to talk to an outsider about the death of…
Read More
Swain DSS investigated for cover-up in child’s death
The Swain County Department of Social Services falsified records relating to the abuse and neglect of a 15-month-old baby who…
Read More
Suspicious death of 15-month-old prompts SBI to seize Swain DSS computers
The State Bureau of Investigation raided Swain County Department of Social Services Tuesday, hauling off computers and records in an…
Read More
Poll shows Shuler curries support from right as well as left
While national pundits predict Republican challengers will steal seats from Democrats in Washington come November, Congressman Heath Shuler likely has…
Read More
WCU poll is first attempt of its caliber to measure political opinions on solely local scale
A new polling project developed by Western Carolina University’s Public Policy Institute and The Smoky Mountain News aims to get…
Read More
Jackson County Poll Results
1. Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Jackson County government? Favorable 33% Unfavorable 46% Not Sure 20%…
Read More
Poll shows little confidence in government
Government approval ratings are low all over the country. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’re also low in…
Read More
Strong on momentum, but shy of real power, TEA Party’s political weight remains to be seen
A year ago, Scott Cummings would never have pictured himself standing on the sidewalk pumping a homemade sign in the…
Read More
Poll shows majority in Jackson tired of trekking to town for beer
Though many Jackson County residents shy away from publicly airing their views on alcohol, a recent poll shows that a…
Read More
Local government doesn’t fare well in poll
By Christopher Cooper and Gibbs Knotts Confidence in politics, politicians and government is low. President Obama’s approval rating hovers around…
Read More
Majority supports alcohol sales, and its many benefits
By Michael Morris • Guest ColumnistThe sale of alcohol has become a hot topic in Western North Carolina. In 2010,…
Read More
Conservative Democrats, endangered species and Rep. Heath Shuler
By Christopher A. Cooper and H. Gibbs Knotts A creature once roamed the American South that many now presume to…
Read More
TEA Party catches on, but impact on election still hard to gauge
By Christopher A. Cooper and H. Gibbs Knotts Beginning in 2009 with a series of protests focusing on what participants…
Read More
