TDA picks bad time to open visitor center
 

TDA picks bad time to open visitor center

To the Editor: Regarding the monument to the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, these two headlines are just too much…
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Don’t jump on the nuclear bandwagon
 

Don’t jump on the nuclear bandwagon

To the editor: With the recent rapid rise in gas prices, the hype about nuclear as an alternative source of…
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Comment

Waste in education lies with many bureaucrats
 

Waste in education lies with many bureaucrats

To the editor: Oh yeah, then there are the children. How many bureaucrats does it take to educate a child?…
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Comment

Winnowing through the homesteading sites for the cream of the crop
 

Winnowing through the homesteading sites for the cream of the crop

Some years ago, confined to an office through work obligations but dreaming of farming, I spent more time than I…
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Comment

Classrooms, like the rest of us, forced to make do
 

Classrooms, like the rest of us, forced to make do

For both teachers in the classroom and local administrators, this is shaping up to be the most challenging budget year…
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Comment

Veterans sought for Memorial Day parade
 

Veterans sought for Memorial Day parade

The Haywood County Veterans Office and the Haywood County Veterans Council are calling for veterans to participate in the Memorial…
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Comment

Constitutional workshop set for Franklin
 

Constitutional workshop set for Franklin

A Citizen’s Constitutional Workshop will be held in Franklin Friday, May 20, at The Fun Factory on U.S. 441 South.…
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Comment

After a decade of debate, Duke’s dams on the Tuck get federal approval
 

After a decade of debate, Duke’s dams on the Tuck get federal approval

Duke Energy has received a new 30-year permit to operate its five hydroelectric dams in Jackson County, which could pave…
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Comment

WCU faculty reject plan to set Honors students free from general curriculum
 

WCU faculty reject plan to set Honors students free from general curriculum

A proposal to set up a special track for Western Carolina University’s crème de la crème — the honor students…
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Comment

Bothwell to run in Democratic primary
 

Bothwell to run in Democratic primary

Cecil Bothwell, who announced his congressional bid in March, will not run as an Independent but instead run in the…
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Comment

Donate food for Haywood kids
 

Donate food for Haywood kids

Donate food to the Manna Food Bank Summer Sack program from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 12 and…
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Comment

Waynesville leaders compromise on parking in front of businesses
 

Waynesville leaders compromise on parking in front of businesses

Developers in Waynesville rejoice: your customers may now park in front of your buildings. Sometimes. In some places. The new…
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Comment

Democrats ‘struck speechless’ by state budget cuts
 

Democrats ‘struck speechless’ by state budget cuts

Under the newly verdant trees shading the lawn of the historic Haywood County Courthouse, 29 people silently lined the sidewalk…
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Comment

Thai food spices up Waynesville’s culinary scene
 

Thai food spices up Waynesville’s culinary scene

Americans love pad thai. This one fact, Nonglak Pafuang is sure of. After moving to the U.S. from Thailand five…
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Comment

Angel close to merger with Mission if state bill stays at bay
 

Angel close to merger with Mission if state bill stays at bay

The pending merger of Angel Medical Center with Mission Health System could be sidelined, at least temporarily, by a state…
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Mission in the crosshairs: Hospital turf war in WNC heats up
 

Mission in the crosshairs: Hospital turf war in WNC heats up

A state bill aimed at ensuring a balance of power between Mission Health System and smaller hospitals has placed lawmakers…
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Comment

Sylva leaders support DSA with more funding
 

Sylva leaders support DSA with more funding

The future of the Downtown Sylva Association remains unclear despite a move by town leaders to increase public funding for…
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Comment

Politics, Cherokee style, are in high gear leading up to primary
 

Politics, Cherokee style, are in high gear leading up to primary

The July 7 primary is drawing closer in Cherokee, when the field for principal chief will narrow from five to…
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Comment

History comes alive at the Blackberry Jam
 

History comes alive at the Blackberry Jam

For a taste of fun and history, visit The Blackberry Jam from 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, at the…
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Comment

Ballroom contest dances into Haywood
 

Ballroom contest dances into Haywood

This year’s Dancing With the Mountain Stars event is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 20,…
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Comment

Gospel group takes the stage for charity
 

Gospel group takes the stage for charity

Southern Gospel group Archie Watkins & Smoky Mountain Reunion will play two shows at 6 and 8 p.m. on May…
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Comment

Dillsboro seeks artists and entertainers
 

Dillsboro seeks artists and entertainers

The Town of Dillsboro is seeking vendor applications for the upcoming Arts and Music festival, which will take place the…
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Comment

Dance into fitness this summer
 

Dance into fitness this summer

Have fun while staying active this summer through a ballroom dance class, held from 6:30 until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday…
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Comment

Free music workshop for kids in Macon
 

Free music workshop for kids in Macon

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

Concert pianist performs in Waynesville
 

Concert pianist performs in Waynesville

Pianist Thomas Uchtmann will perform a concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 at the Performing Arts Center in…
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Comment

Writing program offers summer workshops
 

Writing program offers summer workshops

Local writers can hone their skills with summer workshops in poetry and prose at UNC Asheville’s Great Smokies Writing Programs.…
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Comment

Poet returns for reading
 

Poet returns for reading

Former Cullowhee resident Marly Youmans, novelist, short-story writer and poet, will return to Sylva at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May…
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Comment

Catch the Christmas spirit early this year
 

Catch the Christmas spirit early this year

Get started on Christmas gift-giving early by attending a Christmas napkin-making workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, May…
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Comment

Late Bloomer: Local bassist in full flower
 

Late Bloomer: Local bassist in full flower

“This song was written before the USDA got their hands on organic standards,” announces the booming voice from the stage.…
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Comment

Murray selected as Jackson schools superintendent
 

Murray selected as Jackson schools superintendent

The Jackson County Board of Education is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Michael L. Murray as the new…
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Comment

Native cougars no longer grace these mountains
 

Native cougars no longer grace these mountains

Have you ever seen a mountain lion here in the Smokies region? I haven’t. In fact, the only one I’ve…
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Comment

Landowners protect 13 acres in Haywood
 

Landowners protect 13 acres in Haywood

A conservation agreement with landowners has preserved 13 acres in the Bethel community of Haywood County. The property is largely…
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Comment

Lake Junaluska foot bridge under repair
 

Lake Junaluska foot bridge under repair

Until May 23, walkers and runners at Lake Junaluska won’t be able to make their usual circuit. The Turbeville Footbridge,…
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Comment

Ruby Ride and Run showcases best Macon County scenery
 

Ruby Ride and Run showcases best Macon County scenery

The  annual Ruby Ride & Run will be held Saturday, May 21, in Franklin. There will be a 5K and 10K…
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Comment

If you teach a child to fish …
 

If you teach a child to fish …

Two free fishing clinics for ages 6 to 15 will be offered at the 21st Annual Great Smoky Mountain Trout…
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Comment

Chunky Gal campout and hike this weekend
 

Chunky Gal campout and hike this weekend

A hike and campout at Tusquitee Bald, the highest point in Clay County, will be held Friday, May 6, by…
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Comment

Buzzin’ right along
 

Buzzin’ right along

I spoke with Blair Ogburn, senior naturalist at Balsam Mountain Trust, the other day and she related a perplexing incident.…
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Comment

Cradle of Forestry to hold songbird celebration
 

Cradle of Forestry to hold songbird celebration

A Songbird Celebration will be held at the Cradle of Forestry in America Saturday, May 7, to honor the annual…
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Comment

Naturalists host day of birding at Balsam Mountain Preserve
 

Naturalists host day of birding at Balsam Mountain Preserve

In a combination celebration of migratory birds and Balsam Mountain Trust’s 10 year anniversary, hikes and classes are scheduled at…
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Comment

The great Wasilik poplar’s time at the top may be numbered
 

The great Wasilik poplar’s time at the top may be numbered

The U.S. Forest Service is warning hikers to stay back a good 50 feet or so from a towering poplar…
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Comment

Romance novelist to speak in Waynesville
 

Romance novelist to speak in Waynesville

Jacquelyn Frank, a the New York Times best selling author, will speak at the Mountain Writers meeting at 1 p.m.…
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Comment

Never fear, summer reading program a go
 

Never fear, summer reading program a go

Even with the old library closing, Jackson County kids can’t get out of their parents enrolling them in Jackson County’s…
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Comment

Davis at the top of his game as a storyteller
 

Davis at the top of his game as a storyteller

Storytellers draw inspiration from sources as varied as Shakespeare, the Brothers Grimm and the Bible; however, the tales that immediately…
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Comment

Weedeaters teach lesson in overkill
 

Weedeaters teach lesson in overkill

Just a few minutes into weedeating and I feel lobotomized. Perhaps the heady roar of the little engine that can…
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Comment

Revaluation now was just a bad idea
 

Revaluation now was just a bad idea

To the Editor: Now that you have received the re-evaluations of your Haywood County property, are you pleased county commissioners…
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Comment

Where are the GOP-promised jobs?
 

Where are the GOP-promised jobs?

To the Editor: Where are the real jobs? During the 2010 election season, an organization named Real Jobs NC targeted…
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Comment

Make Haywood whole in redistricting
 

Make Haywood whole in redistricting

To the Editor: On Saturday, April 30, the Republican Party of Haywood County submitted a resolution to the Redistricting Committee…
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Comment

Is Great Smoky Mountain Railroad serious?
 

Is Great Smoky Mountain Railroad serious?

To the Editor: At first the shakedown to the county was over $817,000 in grants and loans. Then, seeing that…
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Comment

Downtown Sylva deserves the support of the town board
 

Downtown Sylva deserves the support of the town board

We’ve written before about how important the downtown business districts in our mountain towns are to their communities, but it…
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Comment

New visitor center opens in Waynesville
 

New visitor center opens in Waynesville

The public is invited to a celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week on Friday, May 6, at Haywood County…
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