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Jackson commissioner drops lawsuit
Recently elected Jackson County Commissioner Mickey Luker has dropped a lawsuit he filed in June contesting a permit denial handed…
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Timeline for Mill Street lane reduction will depend on town budget
Mill Street in Sylva will go from two lanes to one when a 2016 decision from the Sylva Board of…
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Downtown vacancies prompt concern
An unusual number of “for rent” signs have been cropping up in downtown Sylva lately, and the vacancies have town…
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Lost hikers rescued from Shining Rock Wilderness Area
Two hikers lost in the Shining Rock Wilderness area in Haywood County were rescued Saturday evening thanks to the efforts…
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It’s 2017, let’s talk about something else
Now that it’s 2017, I can’t bear the thought of continuing to fixate on politics and its atmosphere of pomposity…
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A heavy but hopeful heart for the new year
Throughout my entire life, I’ve awoken on New Year’s Day energized to be more, do more, see more. This year…
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Another side of the Cuban revolution
To the Editor: I very much appreciated your comments about Castro and Cuba, particularly your childhood experience at Guantanamo. I…
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Cattle working equipment available for community use
New cattle working equipment will soon be available for community use in Swain and Jackson counties.
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Red wolf killed in wildlife refuge
A reward of $5,000 is being offered in the case of a red wolf that was shot and killed around…
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Three dead in Smokies plane crash
Three people have died in a plane crash that occurred Monday, Dec. 26, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.…
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Trout restoration project coming to Cataloochee
A Smokies biologist will give a glimpse of plans for a brook trout restoration project in the Great Smoky Mountains…
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Resolve to be active in 2017: WNC runs and rides offer ample options for fitness goals
January is universally recognized as the time to make a fresh start, throw away last year’s used-up calendar and dream…
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Book about artist is itself a work of art
In mid-October I attended the second lecture of three at my local library on the Italian artist Caravaggio (1571-1610). A…
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One more for the good times: The Dirty Soul Revival to rock Sylva
It ain’t dead. Rock-n-roll. In an era when sugar-coated pop stars and polished country acts are atop the charts, one…
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This must be the place: Sydney to Seattle to the South
Through the strewn lights I could see the Empire State Building.
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Quilting group donates to sheriff’s office
Members of the Blue Ridge Mountain Quilt Guild in Canton stopped by the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office recently to drop…
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Bryson City Bicycles receives small business grant
Bryson City Bicycles will use a $20,000 grant to expand its online presence and to provide a fleet of bicycles…
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Interim director of Lake Junaluska Singers hired
Lake Junaluska has announced new leadership of the Lake Junaluska Singers, a choral group that has been part of Lake…
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WCU to form school for primary grades
Western Carolina University will soon be opening a school serving primary grades — likely in Jackson County — after a state mandate…
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Sylva appoints public art committee
Sylva’s town leaders were so excited to see the number of applications they received from prospective members of a public…
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Community Health Center to open in Sylva
Health services emanating from the Good Samaritan building in Sylva are set to expand this year as Good Sam moves…
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TWSA reviews water shortage plan following drought
As the drought of 2016 progressed, flows of streams and rivers dwindled region-wide — and the Tuckasegee River, water source for…
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Haywood water systems join forces to aid each other in times of need
From the control room of Canton’s water plant, a steady barrage of numbers flash across the computer monitors.
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In the wake of the drought, Haywood towns besieged by water shortage search for answers
As days slid by without rain last fall, and the days stacked into weeks, Neil Carpenter watched the water gauge…
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Showdown looms over Russ Avenue project
News of a historic portion of Walnut Street’s inclusion in the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s plan for the widening…
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Mountain legislator to be sworn in
It took Bryson City Republican Mike Clampitt three tries over six years to finally become a member of the North…
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Worth it at every turn: WNC native joins N.C. Court of Appeals
As voters cast their ballots each Election Day, judicial races are often overlooked — they’re the least publicized, least funded…
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A look back at 2016: Backcountry adventures, birthday celebrations and a wildfire season to remember
For those who love the outdoors, it’s not hard to list the reasons why Western North Carolina is a spectacular…
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Smokies trails reopen after fire
Seven trails and one road that have been closed since the Chimney Tops 2 Fire are now open in the…
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Campfire ban lifted in the Smokies
Campfires are now legal in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the first time since Nov. 15.
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Smokies benefit from license plate sales
License plate sales raised nearly $815,000 to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this year, with the grand total…
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Former plant site now part of state forest
More than 30 years after the first piece of property was donated toward the creation of DuPont State Recreational Forest,…
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Fish conservation and water quality to benefit from Duke grants
Environmental quality projects in Western North Carolina will get a boost thanks to grants from the Duke Energy Foundation, whose…
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Delving into the origin of Native American words
Editor’s note: This article was first published in The Smoky Mountain News in December 2003. Tuckaseigee, Oconaluftee, Heintooga, Wayah, Cullasaja,…
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From cradle to grave: books for growth and health
Visit any bookshop or library and you will find loads of books telling you how to live a better life,…
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Music classes at HCC
Haywood Community College Continuing Education Creative Arts is expanding its selection of music classes spearheaded by local musicians Julie and…
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2016 in A&E
Each year, we here at The Smoky Mountain News showcase our “Spoof Awards.” Sometimes they’re meant in good tongue-and-cheek fun,…
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This must be the place
Home. For me, it’s Plattsburgh, New York. Just down the road from the Canadian border, in the heart of the…
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The fight over what it means to be an American
I turned 18 three weeks too late to vote for Ronald Wilson Reagan for president of the United States, but…
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State budget hurts Swain’s needy children
“The smartest countries tend to be those that have acted to make teaching more prestigious and selective; directed more resources…
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2016: A Year.
The tidal wave of negative political news in 2016 was staggering in its magnitude and emotionally overwhelming. Thankfully all that…
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FAKE NEWS FREAKOUT!
In keeping with the theme of The Smoky Mountain News spoof awards in this week’s edition, I thought now might…
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The very first Christmas (in space)
While perusing the vast litany of uplifting Christmas stories, one might not think to probe the mission archives of the…
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Missing aircraft found in national park
A reconnaissance flight by the Tennessee Army National Guard was able to locate the missing single engine airplane within Great…
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To save a life: Global village rallies for high-altitude rescue in the mountains of Nepal
Judy Seago almost left the United States without packing a stethoscope. Seago, a pediatrician, was headed to Nepal on a…
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Improvements coming to Massey Branch Access
Major reconstruction is underway at the Massey Branch Boat Access Area on Santeetlah Reservoir, meaning the area will be closed…
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Fire damage closes Whitewater Falls
The Whitewater Falls area of the Nantahala National Forest, near Cashiers, will remain closed indefinitely due to severe wildfire damage.
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Electric vehicle stations coming to Jackson
Jackson County will be getting three new electric vehicle charging stations thanks to a grant from Duke Energy.
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A fresh look at the life of Evelyn Waugh
Fifty years ago this past spring, on Easter Sunday, Evelyn Waugh died of a heart attack in his home in…
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