Jackson tourism board considers possibility of executive director
 

Jackson tourism board considers possibility of executive director

The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority may be ready to start thinking about hiring an executive director. Board members of…
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Mountain Merry Makers spread ‘a little touch of happiness’
 

Mountain Merry Makers spread ‘a little touch of happiness’

By Jake Flannick • Correspondent If wardrobes are a form of self-expression, then Gloria Stockton has a whimsical flair. She would…
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Wrestling the ‘sleeping giant’: Local GOP deals with divide
 

Wrestling the ‘sleeping giant’: Local GOP deals with divide

A leadership upheaval within the Haywood County GOP is far from settled, but some members are calling for a reconciliation…
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Purple Heart petition: Swain veterans push for Dockie Brendle bridge
 

Purple Heart petition: Swain veterans push for Dockie Brendle bridge

The breakfast crowd in Bryson City’s Bojangles’ seems to know Dockie Brendle.  “Hello, Doc,” says a man at a nearby…
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Get out: Waynesville and Jackson county look to the mountains for parks programming
 

Get out: Waynesville and Jackson county look to the mountains for parks programming

Mountains and rivers shape the landscape of Western North Carolina, but when it comes to recreation programming, counties and municipalities…
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Alice in Chains comes to Harrah’s
 

Alice in Chains comes to Harrah’s

Grunge rockers Alice in Chains will perform at 9 p.m. Friday, May 2, at Harrah’s Cherokee.
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WCU to launch 125th anniversary celebration game
 

WCU to launch 125th anniversary celebration game

As part of Western Carolina University’s yearlong observance of the 125th anniversary of the founding of the institution, a game…
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This must be the place
 

This must be the place

Mary Harper was quite possibly the first real friend I made when I moved to Western North Carolina. With my…
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Refill your creative well with writer retreat at Lake Logan
 

Refill your creative well with writer retreat at Lake Logan

A retreat for writers and artists will be held at Lake Logan Retreat Center May 18-23 by Cullowhee Mountain ARTS,…
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Sticking to the competition
 

Sticking to the competition

Gregg Fuller can sum up barbeque. “It’s a southern tradition,” he confidently stated. Owner of No Name Sports Pub in…
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Jackson sheriff's race: meet the candidates
 

Jackson sheriff's race: meet the candidates

The May 6 primary will narrow down the contenders for the Jackson County sheriff. The field of six Democrats and…
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Haywood commissioner race: meet the candidates
 

Haywood commissioner race: meet the candidates

Three of the five seats on the Haywood County board of commissioners are up for election this year. A field…
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Legislative races, a primer- what seats are up, who’s running, and what district do I vote in?
 

Legislative races, a primer- what seats are up, who’s running, and what district do I vote in?

N.C. House of Representatives, seat 118 Is this my state rep? Yes, if you live in Madison and Yancey counties…
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Macon commissioners: a meet-and-greet with Republican primary candidates
 

Macon commissioners: a meet-and-greet with Republican primary candidates

Meet the candidates, pick one Three seats are up for grabs on the Macon County Board of Commissioners this year,…
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Snap shot of US House race in WNC
 

Snap shot of US House race in WNC

About the race: This used to be a toss-up district, but clever redrawing of voting boundaries by the Republican-led legislature…
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Growing season yields new farmers market
 

Growing season yields new farmers market

The Franklin area will be getting a new farmer’s market this year, held on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 7 p.m.…
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Disc golfers to descend on Cullowhee
 

Disc golfers to descend on Cullowhee

Disc golfers will have a chance to show their stuff at the Inaugural Disc Golf Tournament at 5:30 p.m., Friday,…
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WNC home to most popular National Park
 

WNC home to most popular National Park

Western North Carolina can lay claim to two of 2013’s top three most visited places in the National Park System.…
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History and watershed hike in the Smokies
 

History and watershed hike in the Smokies

A guided hike along Big Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be held at noon April 26…
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Anonymous donation rocks the national park
 

Anonymous donation rocks the national park

An anonymous donor gifted $2.2 million to Great Smoky Mountains Association last week, one of the largest cash donations ever…
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Haywood agritourism guide available
 

Haywood agritourism guide available

From farmers markets to roadside stands to U Pick farms to plant nurseries to historic preservation sites, Haywood County’s agricultural…
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Graveyard Fields closing for upgrades
 

Graveyard Fields closing for upgrades

One the Blue Ridge Parkway’s most popular recreation areas will soon be closing for construction. The Graveyard Fields parking area…
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Bring in the army: Initiative will link allies in fight against hemlock wooly adelgid
 

Bring in the army: Initiative will link allies in fight against hemlock wooly adelgid

As stand after stand of towering hemlocks falls to the appetite of an insect smaller than a grain of rice,…
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Blood moon grand slam
 

Blood moon grand slam

Somewhere beyond the rain and clouds, in the wee hours yesterday morning (April 15), there was a striking blood moon…
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Bleak story has far-reaching implications
 

Bleak story has far-reaching implications

Russell Banks knows how to hook the reader’s interest. In the opening pages of Lost Memory of Skin, the book’s…
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Southern Fried Chicks bring laughs to Franklin
 

Southern Fried Chicks bring laughs to Franklin

The Southern Fried Chicks Cage-Free Comedy Tour will hit is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at the Smoky…
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Easter events
 

Easter events

Lake Junaluska offers Easter weekend activities, services The Easter weekend celebration at Lake Junaluska will be held April 19-20. On…
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‘The Fantasticks’ hits the stage at WCU
 

‘The Fantasticks’ hits the stage at WCU

“The Fantasticks,” the world’s longest-running musical, will bring a steampunk-styled allegory about deceit, disillusionment and devotion to the stage at…
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Students place high at culinary competition
 

Students place high at culinary competition

Southwestern Community College culinary students C.J. Reum and Scott Dolbee recently placed fourth at the Wake Tech Culinary Arts Showcase…
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Film to celebrate National Poetry Month
 

Film to celebrate National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month, and the occasion will be celebrated with a special film presentation at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday,…
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In search of White Oak String Band members
 

In search of White Oak String Band members

With a second album of historic mountain music on the horizon, the producers of the Grammy-nominated “Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music”…
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This must be the place
 

This must be the place

Monday is the new Saturday. Heading down Frazier Street in Waynesville to BearWaters Brewing Company, one can barely find a place…
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Through his eyes
 

Through his eyes

Pulling into his steep, gravel driveway, the first thing you notice about Gary Montanari are his numerous pets. “I hope…
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GOP’s simple truths just aren’t true
 

GOP’s simple truths just aren’t true

To the Editor: Bob Wilson’s most recent published letter (www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/12729-kids-can-endure-a-little-stress) typifies the callous oversimplification and blanket insults typical of today’s…
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Jackson commissioners doing some good
 

Jackson commissioners doing some good

To the Editor: There are several people running in Jackson County for public office this year and many are claiming…
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Don’t penalize prosperous industry
 

Don’t penalize prosperous industry

To the Editor: As the economy sputters along, members of Congress and the Obama Administration are singling out one of…
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Haywood GOP is out of control
 

Haywood GOP is out of control

To the Editor: Wow, I’ve seen a lot of small-town politics in this area but the Haywood County Republicans are…
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Emergency management plan helps when disaster hits
 

Emergency management plan helps when disaster hits

By Mark Swanger • Guest Columnist Regardless of their magnitude, all disasters — natural or man-made — are local events and…
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HCC leaders talk vision
 

HCC leaders talk vision

Haywood Community College is entering phase two of a process it started last spring when trustees decided it was time…
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Flying high: Cherokee fly-fishing museum gets the green light
 

Flying high: Cherokee fly-fishing museum gets the green light

The path to a new fly fishing museum in Cherokee has been cleared of a final hurdle after the Cherokee…
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KARE helps children who are victims of abuse
 

KARE helps children who are victims of abuse

The nice, open room in the KARE house in Waynesville is a welcoming space. There’s books and toys and a…
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Big booms outside Clyde upsets neighbors
 

Big booms outside Clyde upsets neighbors

There have been reports of explosions in the Clyde area. People have written to Haywood County officials out of concern.…
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Franklin manager resigns
 

Franklin manager resigns

The search for a new town manager is on in Franklin after Warren Cabe submitted his resignation at the town…
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Clyde house of prostitution was fronted by pet store
 

Clyde house of prostitution was fronted by pet store

Clyde’s new police chief has only been on the job a few weeks. But Terry Troutman already had his hands…
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The bar vote is in, the appointment is nigh
 

The bar vote is in, the appointment is nigh

The legal community in the seven western counties has thrown its support behind Attorney Tessa Sellers, from Murphy, to fill…
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WCU takes on tourism with inaugural conference
 

WCU takes on tourism with inaugural conference

The takeaway from Western Carolina University’s inaugural Tourism Works conference was pretty straightforward.  “I don’t think tourism gets enough credit…
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Macon board of elections petitions state to fire director
 

Macon board of elections petitions state to fire director

It’s been three months since Macon County officials unearthed $50,000 worth of embezzlement, but a return to normalcy is just…
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Swain commissioner candidates weigh in on the issues
 

Swain commissioner candidates weigh in on the issues

The Swain County commissioners race has attracted a deep bench of Democratic candidates — nine contenders vying for the four…
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Macon commissioner race spending pits conservative and moderate Republicans
 

Macon commissioner race spending pits conservative and moderate Republicans

There’s only one primary in the Macon County commissioners’ races, but it’s a good one to watch. It might well…
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Navigating the political stripes of the Haywood commissioners’ race
 

Navigating the political stripes of the Haywood commissioners’ race

Three Haywood County commissioners running for re-election this year are standing on their track record of balanced leadership from the…
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