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N.C. loses by not expanding Medicaid
To the Editor: An earlier letter requires concrete proof of the success of the Affordable Care Act. Those truly interested…
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Jackson votes supports real free speech
To the Editor: Thank you, Jackson County Commissioners for your courage in passing a resolution calling on the North Carolina…
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N.C. GOP leadership likes to bully opposition
By Martin Dyckman • Guest Columnist Whether they strut across schoolyards or along the polished halls of a state capital, all…
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Time for universal, free pre-K is long overdue
“… the long-term benefits of a high-quality pre-K program can be substantial. These include higher high school graduation rates, lower…
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Franklin plans for water and sewer improvements
Engineers for the town of Franklin are recommending the town spend $15.1 million over the next 10 years to make…
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Haywood discusses background checks for appointees
Haywood County commissioners debated this week whether to make volunteers who serve on appointed boards and committees undergo a background…
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Burned at auctions, Haywood retools how it recoups back taxes
When Haywood County gets stiffed on property taxes, it carries a big stick of last resort: the foreclosure. But since…
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Opinions sought on redevelopment plan for abandoned factory
A draft plan to revamp the old Drexel furniture factory property in Whittier into an agricultural center will be presented…
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Lawyers involved in Sylva’s bar noise dispute
Attorneys for the Town of Sylva and No Name Sports Pub are busy trying to hash out the legal road…
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University says county development ordinance shouldn’t apply
County and university officials had a sit-down last week over the question of whether Western Carolina University should fall under…
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Canton moves forward with expanded Labor Day
Canton has decided not to spend upwards of $60,000 to bring in a nationally known headlining music act for Labor…
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Hydropower plant proposed in Highlands
The town of Highlands may not be interested in investing millions to rebuild a hydropower plant along the Cullasaja River,…
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Haywood tourism authority to hire new position
The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority plans to grow its staff to five as it dives into reviewing applications for…
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Tribal Council approves $10 million for new tech, organizational overhaul
Scanty wireless networks, outdated computer equipment, slow servers — technological woes have been a centerpiece of discussion at Cherokee Tribal…
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Higher ed a solid investment, study shows
Higher education in North Carolina got some good news with the release of an economic impact study last week, which…
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Folkmoot center renovation plans finalized
Folkmoot USA has finalized its capital improvements and business plan for the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Hazelwood. Since taking over…
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Babcock resigns from Folkmoot
After being at the helm of Folkmoot USA for six years, Karen Babcock has resigned as executive director and is…
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Words, language and grammar do matter
“In a time of universal deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” — George Orwell We live in an…
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Adaptation helps plants weather the cold
As I write this on Tuesday morning there are five or so inches of snow covering the ground outside my…
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Weigh in on Cold Mountain Game Land management plans
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is working on a plan to guide management at the Cold Mountain Game Land in…
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Buy Haywood guide seeks new listings
An agritourism guide for Haywood County is looking for new listings to help visitors and locals alike explore everything from…
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Volunteers sought to adopt tree plot
Smokies rangers are looking for tree-lovers who want to try their hand at science to adopt a tree monitoring plot…
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WCU launches outdoor speaker series
A speaker series featuring outdoor adventurers at Western Carolina University will kick off at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, with…
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Hike explores Smokemont
The season’s first hike in Friends of the Smokies’ “Classic Hikes of the Smokies” series will explore Smokemont Loop Trail…
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Behind the wheel with Paul Carlson: a two-hour tour of the Little Tennessee
As Paul Carlson tooled out of downtown Franklin, houses faded into rolling hayfields, and the Little Tennessee River soon took…
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Changing attitudes: Carlson reshaped ideas about conservation
History will no doubt remember Paul Carlson as one of the great visionaries of our time in Western North Carolina.…
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WCU history faculty members oversee project for Trail of Tears Association
Western Carolina University history department faculty members Sue Abram and Andrew Denson are overseeing a public history project that recently…
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WCU to host tourism conference
The impact of successful festivals and events on the economy of the 26 westernmost counties of North Carolina will be…
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Catch the Spirit holds mural fundraiser
“Golden Threads,” a dramatic 24-foot art mural created by Doreyl Ammons Cain for the Shindig on the Green in Asheville,…
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Hayes brings country hits to Franklin
Country star Wade Hayes will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing…
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This must be the place
I was a weird kid growing up. And, in many ways, I’m even weirder as an adult. Since day one,…
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Winter Concert Series welcomes Snyder Family Band
Acclaimed bluegrass act Balsam Range will welcome the Snyder Family Band as part of their Winter Concert Series at 7:30…
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Colonial Theatre enters third act
When he thinks of the Colonial Theatre, Zeb Smathers sees untapped potential. “There are so many things it can used…
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Elections embezzlement case lands on DA’s desk
It could be just a matter of months before District Attorney Ashley Welch decides whether to press charges in a…
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Beware the company you keep
To the Editor: Jackson County Commissioners, I want to congratulate you on the entertaining meeting on Jan. 29 and your…
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In my world, estimates are different from facts
To the Editor: Ed Morris’s recent letter to this newspaper criticized a letter I had written to The Franklin Press…
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Use Lent to try a meat-free diet
To the Editor: This Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter, when many Christians abstain from…
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Appreciate community support for 5K run
To the Editor: On behalf of Dryman’s Chapel United Methodist Church please allow me to express thanks and grateful appreciation…
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Let’s re-think attitudes toward wood
To the Editor: Have you ever heard the expression “waiting for the other shoe to drop”? I thought of it…
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Does Maggie Valley need 200-foot cross?
To the Editor: At first blush the idea of a 200-foot cross seemed kind of cool. It could make Maggie…
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The sweet dreams of snow days
“Dad, do you think we’ll get out of school tomorrow?” My son, Jack, is standing in the doorway of our…
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For some, facts just don’t matter
“It is an Internet Age paradox: We have more information than ever before and yet, seem to know less. Indeed,…
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Countin’ in the cold
I had originally intended to spend today (Monday, Feb. 16) doing a couple of short surveys for the annual Great…
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State bill seeks to strike down fracking rules
Bills to get rid of the oil and gas extraction rules developed by the N.C. Mining and Energy Commission have…
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N.C. Wildlife Federation wins $30K grant
A $30,000 grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation will help the N.C. Wildlife Federation further its mission of conserving…
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New Satulah trail in the works
Learn about the Highland Plateau Greenway’s vision to build a public trail to the top of Satulah Mountain at a…
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Game on (the table) at fundraising dinner
An annual Wild Game Dinner hosted by the Wildlife Club at Haywood Community College will serve up a meal of…
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Mark your calendar for Spring
The weather is wintry, but spring is just around the corner. Mark your calendar for some of these upcoming springtime…
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Database to showcase purveyors wood and forestry products
A “buy local” directory for wood-related products from Western North Carolina is looking for more businesses, artisans and organizations to…
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Mountain thunder: Maggie musher takes up snowless dog sledding
Stepping into Kirk Wall’s custom-carpentered, immaculately decorated mountaintop home, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d knocked on the wrong…
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