Four short reviews to help clear the desk
 

Four short reviews to help clear the desk

In the last month, my reading of books has outstripped my reviews. Consequently, stacks of books surround the desk at…
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Jicha art exhibit opening
 

Jicha art exhibit opening

The Jackson County Arts Council will be hosting an art exhibit opening for Jon Jicha from 7 to 8 p.m.…
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TerKeurst to bring message of faith to Franklin
 

TerKeurst to bring message of faith to Franklin

Acclaimed faith speaker Lysa TerKeurst will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at the Smoky Mountain Center…
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Whitters to perform at The Strand
 

Whitters to perform at The Strand

Pop/space country singer-songwriter Hailey Whitters will perform at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at The Strand at 38 Main in…
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‘David Holt’s State of Music’ at WCU
 

‘David Holt’s State of Music’ at WCU

“David Holt’s State of Music — Live” will take to the stage from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22,…
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This must be the place
 

This must be the place

It’s the most important job outside of the home. Teachers. Those folks in front of the classroom trying to make sense…
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Cruisin’ the road of creativity
 

Cruisin’ the road of creativity

The 14th annual “Stecoah Arts & Crafts Drive About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 27-28…
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In the end, Haywood leaders make the right call
 

In the end, Haywood leaders make the right call

Hindsight is indeed 20-20, and this time Haywood County commissioners very likely saw things exactly as they should have. The…
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Honoring our finest: Veteran stories, war artifacts a reminder of sacrifices
 

Honoring our finest: Veteran stories, war artifacts a reminder of sacrifices

Veterans Day is a time set aside each year to honor the people who have put their lives on the…
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Veterans’ groups struggle for relevancy with younger generation of servicemen
 

Veterans’ groups struggle for relevancy with younger generation of servicemen

When Bobby Rathbone came home from Vietnam over 40 years ago, joining a veterans group was the last thing on…
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Military icons in our midst
 

Military icons in our midst

Three military relics on display in the mountains honor the nation’s long and fabled history of duty and service to…
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‘Beloved’ Cherokee storyteller shares WWII experiences
 

‘Beloved’ Cherokee storyteller shares WWII experiences

Jerry Wolfe is a storyteller. Whether he’s telling a story of his people at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian…
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More than just a flag: A female WWII vet reflects on the war and its impact on her family
 

More than just a flag: A female WWII vet reflects on the war and its impact on her family

When 91-year-old Gertrude Mashburn tells strangers she’s a World War II veteran — a topic she usually brings up early…
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County OKs fee waiver for apartment complex
 

County OKs fee waiver for apartment complex

River Walk Apartments, an eight-building complex in Cullowhee, will get a waiver on the $16,500 it paid in solid waste…
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Macon bus driver showered with honors
 

Macon bus driver showered with honors

Alice Bradley says she’s just an old country girl who isn’t used to the applause and compliments that come with…
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Jackson moving forward with changes to code enforcement, planning departments
 

Jackson moving forward with changes to code enforcement, planning departments

With a report looking at the ins and outs of work in its planning and permitting/code enforcement departments now finished,…
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After years of debate, Jackson passes revised steep slope ordinance
 

After years of debate, Jackson passes revised steep slope ordinance

After years of debate and meetings and public input, Jackson County’s steep slope ordinance is complete.
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Sylva election comes down to flip of a coin
 

Sylva election comes down to flip of a coin

The Sylva Board of Commissioners election came down to the flip of a coin — literally.
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Bryson City mayor keeps his seat; board of aldermen welcomes one new member
 

Bryson City mayor keeps his seat; board of aldermen welcomes one new member

As the municipal elections were coming to a close last Tuesday night, it became clear that the race in Bryson…
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New initiative to provide winter assistance
 

New initiative to provide winter assistance

Macon New Beginnings, a new nonprofit in Macon County working to address homelessness, has been hard at work trying to…
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Franklin homeless ministry seeks new home
 

Franklin homeless ministry seeks new home

Lowell Monteith is tired of hearing “No.” It seems like everywhere he turns for help, the answer is always the…
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Jackson looks to future government space needs
 

Jackson looks to future government space needs

Jackson County is moving ahead with an effort to free up more space in its Health Department.
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Three compete for House seat
 

Three compete for House seat

Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville, has announced her intentions to run for a third term, but two Democrats have stepped up…
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Recycling clearinghouse nixed in Haywood
 

Recycling clearinghouse nixed in Haywood

A controversial proposal to sell a 55-acre tract in a county-owned industrial park near Canton to a private recycling sorting…
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Write-in votes counted for Webster and Forest Hills
 

Write-in votes counted for Webster and Forest Hills

Neither Webster nor Forest Hills will have vacancies when the new town government terms begin in December, according to official…
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Information sought in national forest vandalism
 

Information sought in national forest vandalism

Vandalism in the Nantahala National Forest has prompted the U.S. Forest Service to offer a monetary reward for information about…
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Pisgah High Millennials ready to voice their opinions
 

Pisgah High Millennials ready to voice their opinions

Somewhere at this very moment, a political science major is writing a dissertation on why young people these days are…
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Some capitalism not so admirable
 

Some capitalism not so admirable

To the Editor: In 2008, the CEO of BBT, John Allison, gave $1 million to Western Carolina University. Some have…
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Don’t succumb to fears in Beaverdam
 

Don’t succumb to fears in Beaverdam

To the Editor: I would like to elaborate on the comments I made at the hearing on Oct. 19 on…
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Duke profits take precedence over state’s public interest
 

Duke profits take precedence over state’s public interest

By Avram Friedman • Guest Columnist By proposing to replace its Lake Julian coal plant in Asheville with a new…
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A post-apocalyptic world fuels sci-fi novel
 

A post-apocalyptic world fuels sci-fi novel

Back in the ‘60s, I went on a science fiction bender that lasted a decade.
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Ferns stand out this time of year
 

Ferns stand out this time of year

One of my favorite times to observe ferns is in winter when they stand out in the brown leaf-litter. Of…
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Aiming for adventure: Competition encourages families to get exploring outside
 

Aiming for adventure: Competition encourages families to get exploring outside

For Tim Petrea, it was a truck and a red box that launched a lifetime affinity for the outdoors. Growing…
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Haywood students to get creative with trash
 

Haywood students to get creative with trash

A competition challenging students to take their best stab at trash sculpture aims to get Haywood County teens thinking about…
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Take a guided hike to Chimney Tops with its trail engineer
 

Take a guided hike to Chimney Tops with its trail engineer

A strenuous hike to one of the most unique peaks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will also include…
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Tuck accesses to close for construction
 

Tuck accesses to close for construction

The Barkers Creek and Locust Creek River access points in Jackson County will close over for construction over the coming…
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WNC’s biggest bear
 

WNC’s biggest bear

One of the most unique leaf-looking experiences in the country — the Shadow of the Bear — is now visible…
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Game land management plans available online
 

Game land management plans available online

Final versions of management plans for seven North Carolina game lands, including Sandy Mush Game Lands in Madison and Buncombe…
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New Bryson City fishing pier finds easy popularity
 

New Bryson City fishing pier finds easy popularity

A handicapped-accessible fishing pier along the Tuckasegee River in downtown Bryson City was dedicated this fall. It is located beside…
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Bryson City election may be too close to call
 

Bryson City election may be too close to call

Bryson City’s town election may be too close to call given that there were eight provisionary ballots left to count…
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Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown thumps Cure at the polls
 

Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown thumps Cure at the polls

Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown pulled off a resounding victory against his challenger Jonnie Cure — a landslide of 1,394 to…
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Write-in votes plentiful in Webster and Forest Hills
 

Write-in votes plentiful in Webster and Forest Hills

It looks like a shortage of candidates for town board in Webster and Forest Hills won’t mean empty seats in…
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Franklin incumbents replaced with new faces
 

Franklin incumbents replaced with new faces

The Franklin Board of Aldermen will soon have some new blood leading the town into the future.
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Sylva election tight to the end: Provisional ballots will determine mayor and one of three board seats
 

Sylva election tight to the end: Provisional ballots will determine mayor and one of three board seats

The race for Sylva town board has been crowded since filing began, and the election remained close all the way…
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Clyde leadership remains steady
 

Clyde leadership remains steady

Clyde voters gave Mayor Jerry Walker the thumbs-up to add four more years to the 35 he’s served on the…
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Canton incumbents to carry on
 

Canton incumbents to carry on

After a long day at the polls, Ralph Hamlett and Gail Mull were heading to The Imperial on election night…
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Price wins write-in for Maggie Valley mayor; Aldermen incumbents re-elected for four years
 

Price wins write-in for Maggie Valley mayor; Aldermen incumbents re-elected for four years

Maggie Valley had the opportunity to select new leadership in this election, but residents voted for incumbents to continue the…
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Lake Junaluska Peace Conference begins Nov. 12
 

Lake Junaluska Peace Conference begins Nov. 12

World Music artist, composer and peace activist Yuval Ron will appear in concert with his international ensemble of musicians at…
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WCU ‘haunted walking tours’
 

WCU ‘haunted walking tours’

Halloween might be over, but the scariness continues at Western Carolina University with a series of “haunted walking tours” on…
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Mountain Faith to play WCU
 

Mountain Faith to play WCU

Jackson County-based bluegrass/gospel act Mountain Faith will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in the John W. Bardo Fine…
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