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Franklin studies upgrades to 1950s zoning laws
Unlike most town and county governments in Western North Carolina, Franklin’s elected leaders had the foresight more than five decades…
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Gauging the fallout: Opinions vary on effect of Jackson’s proposed development rules
As Chuck Bennett rang up a sale at his electrical supply store in Cashiers, he showed no fear of the…
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Ghost Town’s economic ripple has hopes high
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer It appears that the re-opening of Ghost Town in the Sky on Memorial Day…
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A great look, but too expensive
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Architects last week unveiled plans for a new three-level building that will house the…
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Parking downtown: Tickets cause controversy in Waynesville
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Parking for free Public parking for as long as you want in downtown Waynesville:
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Rash of private dams altering WNC landscape
The damming of creeks and streams by private developments is on the rise in Western North Carolina — so much…
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Beware the leaves of three
If you like native Appalachian plants that are variable and adaptive, have interesting natural histories with abundant associations in both…
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Some gifts are always keepers
Kayden is doing her very best not to tell me about the preparations she and mom and Jack have made…
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Shuler shows that he will vote his conscience
Those who supported Heath Shuler’s bid to represent this region in Congress probably did not believe the detractors who spent…
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Donors honored for conservation easements
The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust honored those that donated land and conservation agreements in 2006 at a recent celebration.
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Electric vehicles
Most people tend to think of electric (EVs) and hybrid (HEVs) vehicles in the same sphere, but the two are…
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How ‘bout the trout?
By Michael Beadle Fishing for something fun to do this weekend? Head downstream to the Maggie Valley Fairgrounds for the…
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The rhythm method weekend
By Chris Cooper It’s been a year at least since I did a live show review, and it’s likely that…
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Recommended diversions
Traveling Wilburys Re-release On June 12 the Traveling Wilburys re-released the supergroup’s two albums along with (depending on whether you…
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Literature deprived
Certain genres of literature fare better when critically judged by the standards of that particular genre rather than by any…
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Women to watch
By Chris Cooper In the mid 90’s it would’ve been nearly impossible to write about “new to the scene” female…
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Recommended diversions
A Man, A Can, A Plan My youngest son and I have gotten a kick out of using this cookbook…
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A clean miss
Gun Show Nation: Gun Culture and American Democracy by Joan Burbick. New Press, 2007. 288 pages. While teaching Latin at…
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Bryson City touted as third best ‘Outdoor Town’ in America
Bryson City’s tourism leaders have long touted this Swain County town as the Outdoor Adventure Capital of the Great Smoky…
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Unrealized dreams: Much heralded 1999 agreement fails to deliver for workers
When Howard Taylor heard what workers at Blue Ridge Paper Products were being offered as part of a pending buyout…
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Rise in dog bites sparks concerns
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Walking his dog in a Waynesville neighborhood one summer evening several weeks ago, fear…
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The mysterious art of dowsing
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer Searching for the term “dowsing” on the Internet will bring up all kinds of…
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New life for an old Sylva graveyard
By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer After decades of neglect, an overgrown hill in Jackson County holding the remains of…
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Whittier golf course to re-open
Following months of course reconstruction, Smoky Mountain Country Club in Whittier will re-open 9 holes of golf this weekend.
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The elusive hellbender
Have you ever noticed that once you start thinking about something or someone you haven’t seen in awhile, it’s not…
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Bar fight in the Blue Ridge – the battle for the 11th District
By John Armour You’d think that what happens in Western North Carolina, in the 11th Congressional District, isn’t very important…
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Waynesville building fits well with downtown
A government building for a mountain town that looks like it belongs in the mountains? Funny how that is going…
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Bush goes south of the border for popularity
By Kirkwood Callahan • Guest Columnist Concerned Americans await the concluding acts of the political drama the president and his…
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We can’t stop the changes
Some have charged that the true, underlying sentiment among those who support stringent development regulations in Jackson County — and…
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Life too often revolves around the minutiae
By Stephanie Wampler Stuff. Life is all about the stuff, isn’t it? We have stuff to amuse us, educate us,…
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Working triple time in Jackson County
By Nancy Geiger • Guest Columnist My daughter, Brittany, is staying at Western Caroina Univesity this summer. The hotel she…
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Chattooga at the crossroads
A recurring debate between camps in the Chattooga River controversy is how many paddlers would actually come to the river.…
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The hype on hybrids
Editor’s note: Naturalist Don Hendershot is writing a series of columns exploring the use of alternative energy and fuels. …
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The hardest tree in North America
I wrote a tribute to the black locust tree some time back. It’s time to take another look. This time…
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Hiking club rolls out two new trail challenges
To celebrate its 90th anniversary, the Carolina Mountain Club Challenge committee has added two new hiking challenges this year to…
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Sign-up for behind-the-scenes look at the Smokies
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is beginning a new program that allows nearby residents, business people, teachers and community…
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Conservancy adds on to protected Roan Mountain lands
A 601-acre tract in Avery County near Roan Mountain has been purchased and conserved by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.…
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Arrrggghh – a wintry mix
Limeade, tequila and cointreau is not a wintry mix — that is a margarita; something you may resort to when…
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National A.T. gathering making the trek to Cullowhee this summer
A large Appalachian Trail gathering is coming to Western Carolina University this summer, and local trail clubs hosting the week-long…
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150 and counting: WCU grad student research helps get a handle on impacts of mounting numbers of elk
By Jill Ingram • Guest writer, WCU public affairs office Covering long distances in and around Cataloochee Valley, a Western…
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Kerouac still matters, though the perspective has shifted
Of all the Beat writers of the 1940s and 1950s — Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, John Clellon Holmes, Gary Snyder,…
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We need to keep track of all firearms
To the Editor: I miss Martin Luther King. His enlightened reason and fervent advocating for equal rights is sorely missed.…
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Timber harvest at Devil’s Courthouse a good idea
To the Editor: Nature abhors a vacuum. Mother Nature assures change. Organisms are constantly adapting, changing, improving, evolving. Understand-ing life…
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Last issue of SMN painted a vivid picture
To the Editor: How incredibly serendipitous that your newspaper of Jan. 23 should headline the flooding and landslides that occurred…
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More than ever, schools need forest service money
By Brent Martin • Guest Columnist When the 1911 Weeks Act was passed, allowing the federal government to purchase land…
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Upcoming improvement projects on I-40
Tunnel projects to delay work on I-40 The N.C. Department of Transportation will perform work on three tunnels in the…
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Medical foundation appoints new chairman
The Haywood Regional Medical Center Foundation Board of Trustees recently appointed Laura Leatherwood as the new chairman of the board.…
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Hope on the horizon: Hung up by park service, Swain’s cash settlement has been in limbo
A long overdue $4 million payment may finally make its way to Swain County after languishing for the past year…
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The biggest little show in Haywood
Editor’s Note: Given the national debate over gun legislation and controversy swirling around gun shows in particular, The Smoky Mountain…
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Wait for it…a tourism tagline coming soon for Jackson County
The newly formed Jackson County Tourism Development Authority is taking on the task of “branding,” an important first step for…
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