Annual soil and water poster contest open
 

Annual soil and water poster contest open

Jackson County students in third through ninth grade will get a chance to share their messages on the importance of…
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WCU nabs green school listing
 

WCU nabs green school listing

For the sixth year running, Western North Carolina has been recognized as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in…
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New region-wide map focuses on recreation
 

New region-wide map focuses on recreation

A new map is available detailing more than 2 million acres of public forests, parks and scenic byways throughout Western…
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Fly-fishing museum gets statewide recognition
 

Fly-fishing museum gets statewide recognition

The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians is just over a year old, but it’s already being recognized as…
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Conservation easement finalized near Marion
 

Conservation easement finalized near Marion

One of the largest conservation easements to ever be donated by an individual in North Carolina history has been finalized…
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This is historical fiction well worth a read
 

This is historical fiction well worth a read

Nearly 20 years ago, while browsing the shelves of the Haywood Country Public Library, I came across a collection of…
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‘In the Soundless Awe’: Play co-written by Western Carolina University professor
 

‘In the Soundless Awe’: Play co-written by Western Carolina University professor

The haunting final moments of the man at the helm of the worse naval disaster in U.S. history will be…
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The GOP has the ball, so let’s see what they do
 

The GOP has the ball, so let’s see what they do

I needed nearly a full day after the election before I could formulate a response to the election of Donald…
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Haywood needs a voice at the table
 

Haywood needs a voice at the table

To the Editor: On a personal level, I am quite unhappy with last Tuesday’s election results. As a “community leader,”…
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Once again, Electoral College plays controversial role
 

Once again, Electoral College plays controversial role

We are a democratic republic, not a pure democracy. I was reminded of that in a most unusual way at…
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Firefighters battle 50-plus square miles of WNC wildfires
 

Firefighters battle 50-plus square miles of WNC wildfires

Western North Carolina is ablaze with 22 wildfires currently burning through more than 50 square miles in the seven most…
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Canton robbery suspect arrested
 

Canton robbery suspect arrested

A man the Clyde Police Department and Haywood County Sheriff’s Office mentioned as “wanted” in connection to an armed robbery…
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NPR to migrate  Waynesville broadcast
 

NPR to migrate Waynesville broadcast

Haywood County listeners accustomed to tuning into 95.3 FM for their National Public Radio fix will have to look elsewhere…
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Haywood completes animal rescue operation
 

Haywood completes animal rescue operation

After serving as an ad-hoc temporary animal shelter, the old Lea Industries building on Lea Plant Road in Hazelwood is…
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The after-action report: 50 fast facts from the Haywood election results
 

The after-action report: 50 fast facts from the Haywood election results

Another layer of tint has been added to Haywood County’s changing political canvas. Election Day results paint a picture of…
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Voters go right, Democrats wonder what went wrong
 

Voters go right, Democrats wonder what went wrong

Even though both parties appeared confident about their candidates moving into Election Day, there were a lot of white knuckles…
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Life Challenge receives $9,000 grant
 

Life Challenge receives $9,000 grant

Life Challenge of Western North Carolina has been awarded a $9,000 grant from the Evergreen Foundation to help make essential…
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Witch hunt in tribal government? Investigations elicit charges of backroom meetings and illegally obtained records
 

Witch hunt in tribal government? Investigations elicit charges of backroom meetings and illegally obtained records

Tempers flared in Cherokee Tribal Council this month as some councilmembers alleged that a subset of their colleagues had gone…
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Dangerous smoke hazard persists throughout WNC
 

Dangerous smoke hazard persists throughout WNC

Two dozen or so forest fires in Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Western North Carolina have forced mandatory evacuations in…
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Wildfires torment residents, tourism
 

Wildfires torment residents, tourism

Our backyard is on fire. From Knoxville to Asheville, a large cloud of smoke is currently hovering over this corner…
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Local water supplies drying up: Paper mill may have to suspend production
 

Local water supplies drying up: Paper mill may have to suspend production

The severe drought plaguing Western North Carolina has taken its toll on the local water supply, and residents are being…
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Swain family faces evacuation as fire encroaches
 

Swain family faces evacuation as fire encroaches

Home to the Hancock family for generations, the hills and hollows along Silvermine Road are an ingrained identity for siblings…
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Burn bans still in effect
 

Burn bans still in effect

With dry conditions reigning and wildfires raging, it’s currently both dangerous and illegal to start a fire nearly anywhere in…
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Arson suspected in WNC fires; Smoke and fear hang over Franklin Veterans Day celebration
 

Arson suspected in WNC fires; Smoke and fear hang over Franklin Veterans Day celebration

While marked by all the usual trappings of red-white-and-blue-infused color guards, antique cars and patriotic speeches, last week’s Veterans Day…
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Despite fire growth, wildfire containment improving; rain desperately needed
 

Despite fire growth, wildfire containment improving; rain desperately needed

As of press time Nov. 15, Western North Carolina was ablaze with 22 wildfires burning through more than 50 square…
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This must be the place: An Ode to Election 2016
 

This must be the place: An Ode to Election 2016

Hate didn't get us to this point. It also didn’t win the election. A stagnant Congress for the last 16…
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Choose physical therapy over painkillers
 

Choose physical therapy over painkillers

By Shannon Icenhour • Guest Columnist Fall is almost over, but October was not just for trick-or-treating; it also represented…
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Sorry, but Bob Dylan did deserve the Nobel
 

Sorry, but Bob Dylan did deserve the Nobel

I’d like to take a few minutes to say a few words about the column by Jeff Minick two weeks…
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Wildfire Response in Western NC
 

Wildfire Response in Western NC

To the Editor: I live by Standing Indian Campground on West Old Murphy Road. Last Wednesday I watched the helicopters…
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Together we can create something
 

Together we can create something

To the Editor: As someone who is regarded as white, why am I a member of the Jackson County NAACP?…
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Coming to grips with her own image
 

Coming to grips with her own image

Among Americans the two most egregious social stigma are smoking and obesity. We relegate smokers to sidewalks and rooftops when…
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Western NC struggles with historic drought
 

Western NC struggles with historic drought

Western North Carolina continues to be in a severe drought as wildfires rage through the mountains. The lack of rain has…
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Welcome home
 

Welcome home

The lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens, once ranged across North America from the Great Lakes and Hudson Bay drainages down the…
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Wildlife students recognized with scholarship
 

Wildlife students recognized with scholarship

Two Haywood Community College students have been recognized for their leadership, scholarship and dedication to the wildlife management profession with…
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N.C. ozone levels measuring up against new federal standard
 

N.C. ozone levels measuring up against new federal standard

With a new, more stringent ozone standard now in effect, North Carolina’s numbers are looking good.
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Widespread burn bans now in effect
 

Widespread burn bans now in effect

The North Carolina Forest Service has issued a burn ban for 25 Western North Carolina Counties, effective immediately and until…
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Campfire restrictions enacted in the Smokies
 

Campfire restrictions enacted in the Smokies

Campfires in the backcountry of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are a no-go following the park’s decision to issue…
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Wildlife rides out the drought
 

Wildlife rides out the drought

From his vantage point on the banks of the Tuckasegee River, it’s not that hard for fly fishing guide Alex…
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Low water levels cut the season short
 

Low water levels cut the season short

Fontana Lake looks more like a narrow river running through a canyon right now as drought conditions persist across the…
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Data-driven analysis drives modern weather forecasting
 

Data-driven analysis drives modern weather forecasting

Some things change, and some things stay the same.  Thousands of years ago, humans developed visual and spoken languages to…
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Sales tax increase fails in Swain County
 

Sales tax increase fails in Swain County

About 58 percent of voters in Swain County voted against increasing the sales tax from 6.75 percent to 7 percent.
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Davis hangs tight to N.C. Senate seat
 

Davis hangs tight to N.C. Senate seat

Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, will keep his seat in the N.C. Senate after an easy victory over Jane Hipps, D-Waynesville,…
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Rep. Presnell survives challenge
 

Rep. Presnell survives challenge

Rhonda Cole Schandevel, D-Canton, ran a surprisingly good campaign that was well financed, but in the end, it wasn’t quite…
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Haywood County voters choose booze
 

Haywood County voters choose booze

For the first time since 1952, Haywood County voters were allowed to make a decision on whether or not to…
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Haywood County schools: Francis to keep school board chairman seat
 

Haywood County schools: Francis to keep school board chairman seat

Chuck Francis will again return to chair a Haywood County School Board that has set high marks for achievement, climbing…
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Rogers, Ensley win Haywood seats
 

Rogers, Ensley win Haywood seats

It had been said about newcomer Brandon Rogers that if signs could vote, he would win. 
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Republicans claim both seats in Macon
 

Republicans claim both seats in Macon

Republican incumbent Paul Higdon will keep his District 3 seat on the Macon County Commission while Republican Karl Gillespie claimed…
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Republicans capture majority on Jackson commissioners
 

Republicans capture majority on Jackson commissioners

Jackson County government will flip to the Republican side once again following successful campaigns from Ron Mau and Mickey Luker,…
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Republican unseats Democratic incumbent in Swain: David Monteith reclaims seat
 

Republican unseats Democratic incumbent in Swain: David Monteith reclaims seat

Republican challenger Kenneth Parton was the top vote-getter in the Swain County Commissioners’ race and was able to unseat longtime…
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Corbin captures easy N.C. House win
 

Corbin captures easy N.C. House win

Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin, will trade in his seat on the Macon County Board of Commissioners for a place in the…
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