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April activities on tap at Heinzelmännchen
 

April activities on tap at Heinzelmännchen

April is the first-ever “North Carolina Beer Month” and Heinzelmännchen Brewery in Sylva taps into the fun with four initiatives…
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Trout and ramp festival in Cherokee March 30
 

Trout and ramp festival in Cherokee March 30

Mountain trout and wild ramps take center stage at the annual Rainbow and Ramps Festival from 10 a.m. to 2:30…
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'The Medium' comes to HART
 

'The Medium' comes to HART

Western Carolina University’s School of Music, in collaboration with the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre, will present Gian Carlo Menotti’s opera…
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Vince Gill comes to Franklin
 

Vince Gill comes to Franklin

Country music star Vince Gill will be performing at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 5, at The Smoky Mountain Center for…
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Mountain Heritage Center jam series continues
 

Mountain Heritage Center jam series continues

The 2012-13 First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Jam Series will conclude with Phil and Gaye Johnson at 7 p.m. Thursday,…
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Woodcarving demo held in Clyde
 

Woodcarving demo held in Clyde

Artisan in the Mountains will host a woodcarving demonstration featuring the Pigeon River Woodcarvers Club from 1 to 4 p.m.…
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Taking matters into his own hands
 

Taking matters into his own hands

When he didn’t have the money to purchase a banjo, Joshua Grant took matters into his own hands. “I couldn’t…
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I once was lost, but now I’m found
 

I once was lost, but now I’m found

The directions said turn left, so naturally I turned right. I was still an hour drive from Sugarland Visitors Center…
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Cubs on the Run 5K kicks off spring
 

Cubs on the Run 5K kicks off spring

The family-friendly Cubs on the Run 5K will be held on Saturday, March 23, at Meadowbrook Elementary School in Canton,…
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Friends of the Lake 5K to celebrate Junaluska lakeshore recreation
 

Friends of the Lake 5K to celebrate Junaluska lakeshore recreation

Lake Junaluska will host the Friends of the Lake 5K, Family Walk, and Children’s Fun Run at 9 a.m. Saturday,…
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Smokies backcountry fee taken to court
 

Smokies backcountry fee taken to court

A lawsuit has been filed over a new backcountry camping fee imposed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.Southern Forest…
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A.T. hiking season kicks off in Franklin
 

A.T. hiking season kicks off in Franklin

Franklin will celebrate its love for Appalachian Trail hikers with the annual April Fools Trail Days festival on Saturday, March…
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Graveyard Fields overlook to get makeover
 

Graveyard Fields overlook to get makeover

The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation will provide $740,000 for projects and programs on the Parkway this year, including children’s education,…
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I have seen the light
 

I have seen the light

I have seen the light, and I don’t like it. I have seen the light emanating from strip malls; from…
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Paddling springs eternal
 

Paddling springs eternal

Whitewater fanatics wait in line for their chance to do tricks, flips, spins and somersaults with their play boats on…
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An insightful look at guerilla warfare
 

An insightful look at guerilla warfare

Since the Second World War, Americans have lived by the old dictum that only the dead have seen the end…
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My wife knows good morels when she sees them
 

My wife knows good morels when she sees them

It’s just about morel time. By early April (if not sooner), the succulent spring-fruiting fungi that are the most sought…
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Chavez did some real good in Venezuela
 

Chavez did some real good in Venezuela

 To the Editor: With the recent death of Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, there has been much speculation in the…
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Voter ID law a waste of time, money
 

Voter ID law a waste of time, money

To the Editor: The voter suppression monster has reared its ugly head again in Raleigh. Although details are not known…
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My journey to the center of the Earth, and back
 

My journey to the center of the Earth, and back

By Stephanie Wampler • Columnist Our Saturday morning cave adventure started out innocently enough. We would need flashlights. Check. I had…
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Cullowhee River Club gets green light in exchange for greenway
 

Cullowhee River Club gets green light in exchange for greenway

The Jackson County Planning Board last week approved a preliminary plan for the Cullowhee River Club housing development proposed along…
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Sweepstakes parlors could be banned near Cherokee
 

Sweepstakes parlors could be banned near Cherokee

Sweepstakes establishments in Jackson County may be getting the boot from the U.S. 441 Corridor leading to Cherokee. Although sweepstakes-style…
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Rep. Mark Meadows opening offices in 11th District
 

Rep. Mark Meadows opening offices in 11th District

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-Cashiers) has opened 18 offices throughout the 11th Congressional District. “Constituents can set up meetings at any…
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“Full Disclosure” workshop shines light on public information, open data
 

“Full Disclosure” workshop shines light on public information, open data

In honor of Sunshine Week in North Carolina, Carolina Public Press will hold a “Full Disclosure” workshop in the Cardinal…
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Cost-benefit of school safety weighs on Haywood
 

Cost-benefit of school safety weighs on Haywood

Law enforcement officials in Haywood County are stepping up to keep a watchful eye on schools as leaders plot their…
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Jackson planning board wants to toss out  part of steep slope rule
 

Jackson planning board wants to toss out part of steep slope rule

The Jackson County Planning Board voted last Thursday to eliminate a pivotal component of the county’s steep slope building rules.…
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No recourse for trout farmer in wake of menacing landslides
 

No recourse for trout farmer in wake of menacing landslides

Howard Brown doesn’t sleep well when there’s rain in the forecast. His trout farm in Nantahala — teaming with $400,000…
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Swain school leaders set bar low on budget
 

Swain school leaders set bar low on budget

Despite a big wish list, Swain County school leaders won’t be asking the county for more money next year. Swain…
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Cherokee bear zoo debate roars on
 

Cherokee bear zoo debate roars on

As the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ leaders mull the fate of bear zoos on the reservation, representatives from two…
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SCC wants money for building plan
 

SCC wants money for building plan

A contingent of administrators from Southwestern Community College made a pitch to Jackson County commissioners Monday to help pay for…
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New tourism pitches unveiled in time for spring
 

New tourism pitches unveiled in time for spring

The mountains are an undeniable tourist magnet, but with so many WNC destinations to chose from, the crusade to stand…
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Friends of the Lake launched to support walking path
 

Friends of the Lake launched to support walking path

Ed Green has plenty of time for contemplation during his 15 mile runs on the paths circling Lake Junaluska. One…
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New MedWest-Haywood  CEO comfortable in challenging situation
 

New MedWest-Haywood CEO comfortable in challenging situation

Janie Sinacore-Jaberg has run a lot of hospitals — small hospitals, financially precarious hospitals, turf-war embattled hospitals, hospitals in the…
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Will Jackson ante up to bring tourist train back to Dillsboro?
 

Will Jackson ante up to bring tourist train back to Dillsboro?

Jackson County is one step closer to giving money to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad to outfit the scenic rail…
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Service with a smile
 

Service with a smile

If you want a seat at one of Bobby Harracks’ tables, you better get to Clyde’s Restaurant early. A steady…
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Haywood fundraiser showcases lineup of mountain music, dance
 

Haywood fundraiser showcases lineup of mountain music, dance

A seemingly endless array of mountain music and dance will be showcased at the Dr. Ann R. Wilke Memorial Scholarship…
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Celebrate Easter in WNC
 

Celebrate Easter in WNC

Communities across the mountains are rolling out the green carpet for the Easter bunny over the next two weekends. Check…
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Alicia Keys hits Harrah’s
 

Alicia Keys hits Harrah’s

With her unmistakable blend of soul, hip-hop, jazz and classical music, superstar Alicia Keys will be performing at 8 p.m.…
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Liars Bench to host Sheila Kay Adams
 

Liars Bench to host Sheila Kay Adams

The Liars Bench will present storyteller/musician Sheila Kay Adams at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 28, in the Mountain Heritage Center…
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The road to success: Blue Ridge Music Trails of Western North Carolina
 

The road to success: Blue Ridge Music Trails of Western North Carolina

It was a decade in the making, but its origins are hundreds of years old. Partnering with the Blue Ridge…
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Lorca, Neruda and the beautiful game
 

Lorca, Neruda and the beautiful game

By Ted Olson • Contributing writer New Native Press, a small independent book publisher based in Tuckasegee in Jackson County, recently…
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Magic in a bottle
 

Magic in a bottle

If you build it, they will come.  If you brew it, they will come and party. Celebrating the fourth release…
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My cousin the Keynesian and his mistaken ideas
 

My cousin the Keynesian and his mistaken ideas

By Kenn Jacobine I have this cousin, let’s call him Giovanni. He is a great guy – industrious, hospitable, great…
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Don’t forget First Amendment as we debate the Second
 

Don’t forget First Amendment as we debate the Second

“The pen is mightier than the sword.” For years I had ascribed those words to Thomas Paine, the fiery British-American…
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Booth display class for the farmers market
 

Booth display class for the farmers market

Farmers market vendors can get tips on how to set up their booths at a free seminar called “Booth Display…
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In the land of water and rock
 

In the land of water and rock

Like Old Esdras in the Bible, some live in a land of milk and honey. Here in the Blue Ridge,…
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And now for something completely different
 

And now for something completely different

So what’s in the news nowadays? Any bad news for the environment? Let’s see. Wednesday, February 13, 2013, in the…
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Mountain anglers gain toehold in national fly fishing scene
 

Mountain anglers gain toehold in national fly fishing scene

Like New York is known for its basketball legends, and Texas is known for its football stars, Western North Carolina…
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Walmart to Sylva: No scrimping on our sign size
 

Walmart to Sylva: No scrimping on our sign size

Walmart has asked Sylva leaders for a pass on local sign regulations as it prepares to replace its older signs…
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Riverside development proposed in Cullowhee
 

Riverside development proposed in Cullowhee

A large residential development proposed near Western Carolina University could boost Cullowhee’s revitalization movement and cater to the region’s professional…
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