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Council discusses the court system’s place in government
Last week wasn’t the first time since the new tribal leadership took office that the issue of separation of powers…
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Tribal council votes to create legislative office separate from executive oversight
When the Cherokee Tribal Council voted to create the Office of Legislative Support last week, it was doing more than…
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Motion to dismiss filed in lawsuit contesting Cherokee council raises
Defendants in a lawsuit stemming from raises and backpay the Cherokee Tribal Council voted itself in October 2014 are hoping…
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Jackson County manager announces retirement
For Jackson County Manager Chuck Wooten, the time has come to shift his professional focus from managing a county to…
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Cashiers cell tower approved
A proposal to build a new cell tower outside Cashiers got the OK from Jackson County Commissioners last week, a…
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Howell Mill Road projects nears completion | Gallery
Barring any unexpected circumstances, Howell Mill Road should be open to vehicle traffic in a couple of weeks. The $11.7…
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Wilderness for all, all ways, always
To the Editor: Two happenings in the past 12 months led me to some end-of-the-year musings. The happenings were related,…
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And the 2015 award winners are ...
The idea to start handing out annual spoof awards instead of the traditional year-in-review that most newspapers do was the…
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A man addicted to reading and writing
My name is Joe Ecclesia. On a recent December Saturday, when I interviewed Jeff Minick about his new novel, Dust…
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Folkmoot reflects on 2015, celebrates the New Year
Dear Friends: It’s New Years Eve and I wanted to take a moment to thank you for all that you contribute…
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Waka Flocka Flame to play WCU
Acclaimed rapper Waka Flocka Flame will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, in the Ramsey Regional Activity…
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This must be the place
Throwing my father’s old Dodge Dakota into park, I stepped out of the truck and felt the crunch of snow…
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Keep On Getting Lost — Scott Low
It is quite the conundrum, ain’t it? In an era where mainstream radio hits are shellacked in “sugar and spice…
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New Mountains-to-Sea guide available
A new trail guide covering the Balsams section of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is out, meaning that the trail’s route through…
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Program to prepare preschoolers for sports leagues
A sports development league aiming to teach preschoolers the skills they’ll need to succeed in the world of athletics is…
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Emissions from new vehicles decreasing, report says
Vehicles are getting greener, according to a pair of reports recently released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In model…
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Plateau land trust conserves record number of acres
With more than 400 acres of land conserved through purchase and conservation easements in 2015, the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust is…
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CBC double-dipping
They say great minds think alike, and who am I to argue with “They?” The Franklin Bird Club and Carolina…
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Charting the future: Wildlife Commission proposes hunting season on elk
Fifteen years ago, a herd of 52 elk set foot in their new home — the Great Smoky Mountains National…
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Cattle-loading facility, intended for Jackson County, could come to Swain
Rob Hawk’s been trying since spring to find a landing place for the grant he’d helped get for a cattle…
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Franklin approves plans for new subdivision
Plans for a brand new residential subdivision in Franklin will move forward after the town board of aldermen approved a…
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Franklin cops to begin using body cameras
As allegations of police brutality continue to dominate the news all across the country, many law enforcement agencies have turned…
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Three candidates run for U.S. Representative
Incumbent Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, will face a challenger in next year’s election to represent the 11th District of North Carolina…
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Female suspect sought in stabbing incident
Two Haywood County men have been apprehended while one woman is still at large in connection with the stabbing of…
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Emergency animal clinic to open this spring in Waynesville
Pet owners in the western counties will soon have a shorter drive to tackle when their furry charges are in…
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Election snapshot: A primer on who’s running for state seats
Voters in Western North Carolina have barely taken down the Christmas tree but will soon find themself in the throes…
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Jackson schools consider artificial turf field
School officials in Jackson County will be crossing their fingers over the next few weeks, hoping to get a low…
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Macon County Health takes over animal services
As of Nov. 1, 2015, Macon County Public Health took on the additional responsibility of overseeing animal services in Macon…
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Swain animal control ordinance takes shape
After conducting research and gathering public input for several months, an ad hoc committee finally has a working draft for…
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Neighbors worry about impact of indoor firing range
Members of a tranquil farming community with deep roots in Haywood County fear their way of life will be ruined…
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Haywood commissioners take a pass on shooting range controversy
Haywood County commissioners aren’t likely to intervene in the controversy over a proposed indoor firing range and gun store coming…
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Turning Haywood’s shuttered hospital into apartments hinges on tax credits
The plan to convert the old hospital in Haywood County into low-income apartments isn’t a done deal. It’s contingent on…
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Abandoned hospital to find new purpose
A new plan is the works to convert the abandoned old hospital in Haywood County into an affordable housing apartment…
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Weather doesn’t trip up traditions
When we wake up on Christmas Eve, it is nearly 70 degrees and raining so hard that when our miniature…
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Haywood just not prepared for growth
If there was ever a time in recent memory when Haywood County leaders and its citizens need reminding that they…
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People of Franklin in good hands
To the Editor: Kudos to Bob Scott, mayor of Franklin, for his decision to take his oath of office on…
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Plants and animals who choose to hunker down
The evergreen plants and birds that overwinter here in the Southern Appalachians have made fundamental “choices” in how their lives…
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Funds for open spaces cut by half
A federal fund that supports parks and open spaces across the nation has been spared, but was reduced to half…
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N.C. national forests get new supervisor
North Carolina has a new U.S. Forest Service forest supervisor in Allen Nicholas, who currently works as forest supervisor for…
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Smokies plates raise $800K in 2015
Sales of license plates supporting the Friends of the Smokies were strong in 2015, with sales in North Carolina and…
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Appalachian Trail use breaks records in 2015
The number of Appalachian Trail hikers passing through the trail’s “psychological midpoint” in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, hit an all-time…
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Students learn about chemistry, fish and water quality through trout raising project
When the holidays wind down and schools go back in session, kids in some Western North Carolina classrooms will have…
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E.M. Forster 1907 novel relevant today
When I was in graduate school at Western Carolina University back in 1970, I encountered a remarkable teacher, Dr. Louise…
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New direction for ‘Stories of Mountain Folk’
In 2008, Catch the Spirit of Appalachia (CSA), a Western North Carolina not-for-profit 501c3 organization, began recording “Stories of Mountain…
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New Year’s Eve at The Imperial
A New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party will be held from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 31, at The…
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Open call for vendors
An open call is currently underway for artists, crafters, environmental groups and food vendors for the 19th annual Greening Up…
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Balsam Range Winter Concert Series returns to the Colonial
Renowned bluegrass/gospel group Balsam Range will kick off the sixth annual “Winter Concert Series” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2,…
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This must be the place
I cracked the foamy Sam Adams Boston Lager and relaxed into my seat. Christmas Eve. Red-eye flight. Charlotte to Burlington, Vermont.…
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Beer, Bluegrass, and Bloodshed: The Best of Arts & Entertainment 2015
With each impending New Year, we tend to take a look back and reflect on just what made the last…
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Former Jackson commissioner booted from TWSA board
Doug Cody was quite clear in his request to the Jackson County Commissioners when he showed up at their meeting…
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