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Asheville Regional Airport improvements continue
Geography and population conspire to make much of Western North Carolina a terrible place for an airport; west of Asheville,…
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Choose Booze? Haywood County appears poised to end dry spell
This November, voters will have another choice to make at the polls — whether to allow beer and or wine…
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A hint of autumn, a sense of pride
When we got out of the car on Sunday at the parking area in Jackson County at the end of…
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So this is what hell feels like
Beware, gentle readers. This story is not for the faint of heart. It is a story of betrayal, corruption, and…
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We should welcome political refugees
To the Editor: Widespread reports of Muslim terrorist activity in the media of late, and the incessant drumbeat of political…
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I love living in a small town
To the Editor: I have said many times that I love living in a small town; yesterday, something happened that…
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Homebuilding company wants to sell Plott Balsam tract for conservation
High in the Plott Balsams, there’s a swath of property riddled with panoramic views, sparking waterfalls and high-elevation solitude that…
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Carbon offsets program starts
A relaunched carbon offsets program will give business, organizations and individuals in Western North Carolina a way to turn their…
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Park, tribe work to institute plant gathering privileges for tribal members
A meeting between leaders of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians brought tribal…
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Buckeyes both a good luck charm and a poison
A large buckeye tree overhangs and supports the swinging gate leading into and out of our pasture. Since we are…
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HCC Shine & Dine Gala
The Haywood Community College Foundation will hold a Shine & Dine Gala from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16,…
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The Face in the Mirror: Ron Rash releases latest novel
Can you find redemption within your own consequences? In The Risen, the latest work from famed Southern Appalachian writer Ron…
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Sociologist got it wrong; religion is on the uptick
In 1968, Peter Berger, a Boston University sociologist, told the New York Times that by “the 21st century, religious believers…
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Maggie Chamber elects new board, awards volunteers
Maggie Valley Area Chamber of Commerce recently elected three new members to the board of directors: Dave Angel, owner of…
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Tourism economic impact growing in WNC counties
Allen Alsbrooks serves on the Maggie Valley Zoning Board, and used to serve on the town’s planning board; he’s also…
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Anticipated Trout Capital designation likely to spur fly fishing tourism
If all goes according to plan, by this time next year Jackson County will have been declared the trout capital…
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Great outdoors rakes in tourism dough for Macon
As outdoor recreation tourism continues to climb upward in Macon County, community stakeholders are trying to do a better job…
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Charters of Freedom dedication delayed
Dedication of a new Charters of Freedom monument in Sylva originally planned for Sept. 17 — Constitution Day — is…
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Work to begin soon on new Bryson City assisted living facility
It’s been almost a year since Cornerstone Assisted Living in Bryson City was closed down and more than 30 senior…
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Western breaks enrollment records
Western Carolina University saw its previous high-water mark for enrollment blasted away this year as final student counts for 2016…
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Maggie Valley to regulate outdoor sales
Although the closure of Ghost Town in the Sky several years back has left many Maggie Valley businesses struggling just…
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Open houses for forest plan
National forest users who want to share their thoughts on issues and projects, including the forest plan revision, will have…
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Wilderness advocates criticize congressman
A meeting to talk about wilderness started off with a bang last week when a group of pro-wilderness folks who…
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Swain sheriff proposes gun range at Alarka School
Swain County commissioners are considering possible locations for a law enforcement gun range after Sheriff Curtis Cochran explained the inconvenience…
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Haywood County to build animal shelter
Dr. Kristen Hammett had just left the current Haywood County Animal Shelter when she appeared before the Haywood County Board…
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Charter schools a mixed bag, statewide and locally
Charter schools have long been touted by proponents as an innovative and enticing option for parents of children in low-performing…
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Haywood schools improve in state rankings
School performance indicators issued last week paint a picture of a very good Haywood County School System that continues to…
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Libertarian Party gaining momentum
It’s a great time to be a Libertarian, according to Brian Irving, the party’s North Carolina chairman.
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Supreme Court denies McCrory’s request to reinstate voter ID
A request by Gov. Pat McCrory to reinstate North Carolina’s 2013 voter identification requirement and shortened early voting period was…
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Safety construction concluding in Pigeon River Gorge
Orange barrels have been flying out of the Pigeon River Gorge on Interstate 40 near the North-Carolina Tennessee border. On…
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Democrats need to learn their history
To the Editor: A recent letter-writer states, “most Republican politicians will continue to tell you that tax cuts are the…
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A little perspective is in order, please
To the Editor: There are those who would have us fear going about our daily lives due to possible terrorist…
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We must deal with affordable housing problems
If you don’t think there is an affordable housing problem in the mountain region, you’re just not paying attention. In…
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The before and the after — living with grief
There are only a handful of life experiences that result in a definitive before and after. I now know that…
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Where are all the women?
As my siblings and I became more interested and engrossed in politics growing up, my father always tried to impress…
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The best way to learn to write is simple – write
This one’s for students, especially those of you in secondary school and college. Let’s get right to the point. Reading,…
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Can’t see the forest for the webs
From what I gather from Facebook and overhear in the checkout line, the view I encounter every morning on my…
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The value of a view: Thousands of acres added to the Parkway for Park Service centennial
It’s not unusual for Waterrock Knob, which boasts some of the best views on the Blue Ridge Parkway, to see…
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Fall color forecast a waiting game
September temperatures will make or break fall color quality this year, according to Western Carolina University’s new fall foliage forecaster…
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Emerald ash borer found in the Pisgah
An infestation of destructive emerald ash borers has been confirmed in the Appalachian Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest…
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Telethon for the Smokies
Friends of the Smokies raised $205,562 at its 22nd annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon last week, with the hundreds…
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National treasure: National Park Service celebrates 100 years
When President Woodrow Wilson scrawled the signature that brought the National Park Service into being — 100 years ago, on Aug.…
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Drug use in Cherokee to come with a price
Possessing drugs on the Qualla Boundary will get a lot more expensive following a decision this month to ratchet up…
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Group plans Second Amendment protest
Haywood County political activists hope to hold a gun rights rally on the grounds of the Historic Haywood County Courthouse…
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Sylva endorses one-lane Mill Street
Mill Street in Sylva will likely become a one-lane road in the future following a vote from the town board…
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Houseboat owners raising legal funds to challenge sunset provision
While the Tennessee Valley Authority seems unwilling to reconsider its decision to sunset all lake houseboats within 30 years, houseboat…
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Harris provides new scoreboard
Harris Regional Hospital has provided a new scoreboard for the Carr Hooper Stadium and Babe Howell Field at Smoky Mountain…
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Chamber director earns certified status
CeCe Hipps, president of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, was designated by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives…
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Swain County buys property to create fairgrounds
With the purchase of 8 acres in Bryson City, Swain County will now have an outdoor event area to host…
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