To the Editor:

The “Pisgah Legal’s bind” article in the December 17 issue of your paper was very informative. Once again we can thank the Republicans in office for harming their constituents. Our representatives in Raleigh (and Washington) seem to be ignorant and insensitive. 

To the Editor:

Partisan actions to create electoral advantages have likely always been rampant for both factions in the U.S. The fact that social media permits virtually instant communication to huge populations has added to the perception that such manipulations are much worse now than in the past. 

To the Editor:

I’m disappointed  with the Jackson County Board of Elections’ decision to eliminate the convenient and accessible WCU University Center polling location for the primaries next spring. WCU provides the site and parking for free; the county pays the poll workers. The volunteers there have always created a welcoming environment and encouraged young people who are voting for the first time. 

To the Editor:

The elections last November ushered in a new wave in American politics with speeches and assurances of lower food and housing prices, the elimination of inflation, dramatically reducing the federal deficit, real government transparency and efficiency, a better healthcare system and a safer, wealthier America. Heck yeah! Who’s not in favor of helping all working people get ahead and keeping family safe? 

To the Editor:

My wife and I are part-time residents of Western North Carolina, and regardless of where we are we rely on The Smoky Mountain News to keep up with what is happening locally. We make a (very) nominal monthly contribution to the newspaper, recognizing that it is the best source of local and hyper-local news in the region.

To the Editor:

For nearly 100 years, the Fontana Regional Library System has reflected the traditional mountain values of literacy, truth and community responsibility. These values guided our grandparents who built the first libraries in these mountains. They guided our parents who supported them. And they guide many of us today. Yet these long-held values are now at risk. 

To the Editor:

I write as a concerned citizen of Western North Carolina to draw attention to the growing encroachment on press freedom under the current Trump administration, and the implications this has for our local democracy.

A robust and independent press is a cornerstone of accountability in a free society. The First Amendment guarantees that “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”

To the Editor:

Donald Trump has exerted power as no previous president has in our history. His actions raise a chilling question. Is Peggy Noonan right? She recently wrote in the Wall Street Journal that our republic is in jeopardy because of the actions of our president.

To the Editor:

I just finished reading The Smoky Mountain News article about the proposed amendments to the FRL agreement. In the article quotes Todd Bryson: “the [FRL] Board of Trustees, they have more authority than what they realize to make some of these changes that need to be made.” 

To the Editor:

The decision facing Jackson County’s leaders is more than an administrative matter. It is a test of values. Will our commissioners uphold the long tradition of education, cooperation and integrity that has defined our community, or will they yield to a small, insistent minority determined to restrict access to educational information under the false banner of protecting children?