A look in the rearview at N.C. 107
 

A look in the rearview at N.C. 107

With its fast-food restaurants, box stores, gas stations and occasional backups of traffic, there’s not much that can be described…
Read More

Comment

The advent of the boulevard, the death of the five-lane
 

The advent of the boulevard, the death of the five-lane

Nearly every town has one — a five-lane road lined with fast-food stores, gas stations and grocery stores — and…
Read More

Comment

Fast for cars or pleasing for people? Tug of war rages over 107
 

Fast for cars or pleasing for people? Tug of war rages over 107

There’s a novel solution afoot for traffic woes on Sylva’s commercial thoroughfare: widen the road so much it obliterates most…
Read More

Comment

Waynesville primed for makeover of South Main
 

Waynesville primed for makeover of South Main

Waynesville has one chance to get South Main Street right, or live with the consequences for decades to come. And…
Read More

Comment

A tale of two streets
 

A tale of two streets

Waynesville and Sylva are at a crossroads, ones that will irrevocably shape the character of their communities. Both towns are…
Read More

Comment

Forgot milk? Small grocer to fill void in Maggie
 

Forgot milk? Small grocer to fill void in Maggie

There’s a new term coined by the federal government for places with low income and little access to quality food.…
Read More

Comment

Swain football team tackles summer reading list
 

Swain football team tackles summer reading list

There are a lot of things associated with the words “high school football.” Three-a-days. Pep rallies. Weight rooms. The quarterback…
Read More

Comment

Late summer is an awesome time to botanize
 

Late summer is an awesome time to botanize

Spring is the appointed time for the various wildflower pilgrimages and outings that attract thousands of visitors to the mountains…
Read More

Comment

Haywood Fair to host farm fresh dinner and mini-market
 

Haywood Fair to host farm fresh dinner and mini-market

The Haywood County Fair this year will feature a Farm Fresh meal to celebrate agriculture in Western North Carolina at…
Read More

Comment

All about the local food movement in Macon
 

All about the local food movement in Macon

A talk on the local food movement will be held at noon on Thursday, August 11, in Franklin hosted by…
Read More

Comment

Foundation to hold banquet for 10th anniversary of reintroduction
 

Foundation to hold banquet for 10th anniversary of reintroduction

An annual banquet and auction to benefit this region’s chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is set for Saturday,…
Read More

Comment

Tour nursery that caters to wildlife
 

Tour nursery that caters to wildlife

Learn about plants that attract birds, butterflies and other wild critters on a field trip to Spring Valley Nursery in…
Read More

Comment

Wild gardener comes to Sylva
 

Wild gardener comes to Sylva

Peter Loewer, a.k.a. the “Wild Gardener”, will present a program about native plants at 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 30 at…
Read More

Comment

Backpackers in the Smokies may soon pay for permits
 

Backpackers in the Smokies may soon pay for permits

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park boasts the largest backcountry in the Eastern United States, yet for backpackers hoping to…
Read More

Comment

Learn drift boat how-to’s from retired WCU engineering prof
 

Learn drift boat how-to’s from retired WCU engineering prof

Want to know how to use a drift boat? There’s an opportunity to learn from an actual designer, builder and…
Read More

Comment

Walk to highlight Highlands fertile birding ground
 

Walk to highlight Highlands fertile birding ground

A “Treasure Highlands” Bird Hike will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on August 18 by the Highlands Biological…
Read More

Comment

Cyclists breeze into Haywood with Blue Ridge Breakaway
 

Cyclists breeze into Haywood with Blue Ridge Breakaway

A few hundred cyclers will test their endurance with the annual Blue Ridge Breakaway coming up August 20. A spectrum…
Read More

Comment

Moonshadow, moonshadow
 

Moonshadow, moonshadow

I was all set to write about the annual summer fireworks displayed every August on that really big screen above…
Read More

Comment

Stand-off over the Chattooga nears finale
 

Stand-off over the Chattooga nears finale

Paddlers are ever-so-slightly winning a tug-of-war over the Upper Chattooga River, a Wild and Scenic River that plunges off the…
Read More

Comment

Influential Shook family history chronicled in historical fiction
 

Influential Shook family history chronicled in historical fiction

Franklin resident Robert Shook will read from his novel, A Journey in Courage, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 13,…
Read More

Comment

Test your wizarding skills with a Harry Potter party
 

Test your wizarding skills with a Harry Potter party

Get your wands ready for a Harry Potter back-to-school party at 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 20, at Blue Ridge…
Read More

Comment

McCullough makes 19th century Paris come alive
 

McCullough makes 19th century Paris come alive

“At last I have come into a dreamland.” So wrote Harriet Beecher Stowe shortly after her arrival in Paris in…
Read More

Comment

Learn to cross stitch with plastic canvas
 

Learn to cross stitch with plastic canvas

A workshop about plastic canvas cross-stitch will be taught at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 18, at the Jackson County…
Read More

Comment

Indulge in chocolate and wine Aug. 18
 

Indulge in chocolate and wine Aug. 18

The Haywood County Arts Council will hold a Wine for the Arts party, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday,…
Read More

Comment

Best in the West berry recipe contest
 

Best in the West berry recipe contest

With berries ripe and ready for picking, it’s time to plan your entry in the Best in the West Recipe…
Read More

Comment

Wildflowers as artistic inspiration
 

Wildflowers as artistic inspiration

Artist Kathie Blozan will lead painting workshops from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on August 11 and 13 at the…
Read More

Comment

Kids to join in dances from around the world
 

Kids to join in dances from around the world

Elementary school-aged children and their families are invited to a free ARTSaturday workshop from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on…
Read More

Comment

Mountain Music Jamboree offers unadulterated bluegrass
 

Mountain Music Jamboree offers unadulterated bluegrass

The Haywood Fairgrounds will host its third annual Mountain Music Jamboree on Aug. 13. Featured performers include White Water Bluegrass,…
Read More

Comment

Get ready for the holidays with Gingerbread 101
 

Get ready for the holidays with Gingerbread 101

A free Gingerbread 101 workshop will be taught by Grove Park Inn chefs from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on…
Read More

Comment

Basket classes offered by Dogwood Crafters
 

Basket classes offered by Dogwood Crafters

Basket classes will be taught by Dogwood Craft members at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, at Applegate Inn in…
Read More

Comment

Porsches rev into Waynesville Inn
 

Porsches rev into Waynesville Inn

The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort & Spa will once again be hosting the Porsche Concours “In Den Bergen” on Saturday,…
Read More

Comment

‘Always … Patsy Cline’ stages in Highlands
 

‘Always … Patsy Cline’ stages in Highlands

The hit musical “Always … Patsy Cline” opened July 28 at the Highlands Playhouse and will continue at 8 p.m.…
Read More

Comment

Elvis does gospel at the Smoky Mountain Jubilee
 

Elvis does gospel at the Smoky Mountain Jubilee

The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin will welcome three sensational Gospel groups at the Smoky Mountain…
Read More

Comment

Americana band echoes Appalachian roots
 

Americana band echoes Appalachian roots

Dehlia Low will perform at An Appalachian Evening at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 13, at Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center in…
Read More

Comment

Fashion show fundraiser for Republican women
 

Fashion show fundraiser for Republican women

The Mountain High Republican Women’s Club will hold a luncheon and fashion show at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, August 19,…
Read More

Comment

WNC Woodturners to meet in Glenville
 

WNC Woodturners to meet in Glenville

The August meeting of The Western North Carolina Woodturners Club will meet at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 14, at…
Read More

Comment

Kriya yoga workshop comes to Creative Thought Center
 

Kriya yoga workshop comes to Creative Thought Center

Steve Dean, a teacher of the Kriya yoga tradition, will speak at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, August 12, at the…
Read More

Comment

Big House Radio to rock Bridge Park in Sylva
 

Big House Radio to rock Bridge Park in Sylva

Big House Radio returns to Sylva’s Concerts on the Creek from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 12. The Bryson…
Read More

Comment

Nashville's finest to light up Fontana
 

Nashville's finest to light up Fontana

Shinefest, a two-day showcase held at Fontana Village Resort, will bring together acts from across the country world, veterans to…
Read More

Comment

Restoring earth before the end of the world
 

Restoring earth before the end of the world

I have some good news. But first the bad news. The world is ending. Evangelist Harold Camping has predicted it.…
Read More

Comment

One Katahdin ram, two sheep and three really good lessons
 

One Katahdin ram, two sheep and three really good lessons

Turkeys, I’ve learned, are curious animals. That curiosity was on full display for company this past weekend when Kirk Hardin…
Read More

Comment

Free Press in Cherokee? Not now anyway
 

Free Press in Cherokee? Not now anyway

To the editor: In this recent atmosphere of mudslinging, it’s all too easy to lose focus on what’s important. What…
Read More

Comment

New state abortion rules seek to coerce women
 

New state abortion rules seek to coerce women

To the editor: I am writing to thank NC Representative Phil Haire for his courage and integrity in voting against…
Read More

Comment

Life seems so good that nostalgia sets in
 

Life seems so good that nostalgia sets in

“It’s like floating on a cloud,” that’s what the man in the booth said about his nifty adjustable hammocks. We…
Read More

Comment

Young professionals group launched in Haywood
 

Young professionals group launched in Haywood

The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce is starting an After Hours Networking Event for the Young Professional of Haywood County,…
Read More

Comment

Xtreme Networking conference coming to Franklin
 

Xtreme Networking conference coming to Franklin

A networking conference will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, in Franklin, offering business coaching…
Read More

Comment

Haywood Chamber to help businesses go green
 

Haywood Chamber to help businesses go green

Haywood County businesses and organizations interested in “greening” their business practices should sign up for the Green Initiative Program with…
Read More

Comment

Tribal council kicks controversial land ownership to courts
 

Tribal council kicks controversial land ownership to courts

A family whose land was seized last month by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will now have their day…
Read More

Comment

Help for small businesses available through SCC
 

Help for small businesses available through SCC

The Small Business Center at Southwestern Community College is partnering with several organizations to offer workshops for small businesses. The…
Read More

Comment

WCU chancellor to meet community
 

WCU chancellor to meet community

Western Carolina University Chancellor David O. Belcher will meet members of the Macon County community on from 6 to 7:30…
Read More

Comment

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.