Archived (27692)
Children categories
The allegations
The House of Representatives Committee on Standards and Official Conduct –– commonly known as the House Ethics Committee –– recently…
Read More
Surge in last minute write-ins makes Webster election a popular affair
In July only two candidates signed up to get on the ballot for the five spots up for grabs in…
Read More
You may hear a Blue Dog howl
By Kirkwood Callahan • Guest Columnist Conservative victories and liberal angst – often repressed — characterized last week’s elections in…
Read More
A gift from the grave on Veteran’s Day
By Karen Dill • Guest Columnist “Mom,” my daughter Anna began on her phone call from Washington, D.C., “wasn’t Grandpa…
Read More
Typical Zombie fare
If you are a fan of the apocalypse movies that are currently common fare in American theaters, you will immediately…
Read More
Coweeta leads research on watershed dynamics
Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, an experimental research station for the U.S. Forest Service outside Franklin, celebrated its 75th anniversary this month.…
Read More
Back to nature
Burt Kornegay is a one-match man. As the owner of Slickrock Expeditions and the longest running independent outdoor guide in…
Read More
The beetles' fall tour
No, not the Fab Four — more like the Fab Gazillion. Swarms of thousands to perhaps hundreds of thousands of…
Read More
Satulah has long been a WNC favorite
One can still see why flatlanders started pouring into the Cashiers-Highlands region after the Civil War. The scenic ridge, valley…
Read More
Swain fails to make headway in cash settlement talks
The National Park Service and Swain County appear locked in a stalemate over how much the federal government should pay…
Read More
21 write-ins get votes in Webster
In an unusual election storyline, voters in Webster cast ballots for a total of 21 write-in candidates because too few…
Read More
Enamored with stacked stone and timber, planners push mountain look
Western North Carolina has so embraced mountain vernacular architecture that local planning boards across the area are prodding developers into…
Read More
New leaders to forge future for Dillsboro with or without railroad
Faced with a collapsing tourism marketplace caused by a national recession and the pullout of its featured attraction — the…
Read More
Fee charged to overseas visitors would fund tourism marketing abroad
A bill is moving through Congress that could help boost the local economy and create jobs by drawing international tourists…
Read More
Residents value rural heritage and environment in highway debate
An overwhelming majority of citizens who showed up at a public hearing in Robbinsville spoke out against the Corridor K…
Read More
Third party steps in to run Balsam Mountain Preserve
Balsam Mountain Preserve has been stripped of control and custody of its development as lenders continue their march toward foreclosure.…
Read More
Fresh faces will lead Canton
As with the election two years ago, Canton will once again see three new faces on the board. Voters had…
Read More
Franklin voters stick with familiar faces
Not one face is changing in Franklin’s local government despite close contests for mayor and aldermen. In a neck-and-neck race,…
Read More
Regional election results
Clyde Town boardSeats up for election: 2Total seats on board: 4Carroll Mease (I) 103Jim Trantham (I) 95Alan Trantham 42Registered voters: …
Read More
Price and Pauley ride easily into office in quiet Maggie race
After a feel-good race lacking much controversy, Maggie Valley voters have re-elected Saralyn Price to her second term on the…
Read More
WNC juggles perceptions and realities of rockslide blockade
The main message that local and state authorities are frenetically broadcasting to the world is that Western North Carolina is…
Read More
Tracing the roots of WNC’s signature style
Love it or hate it, mountain vernacular architecture has stubbornly planted its roots in Western North Carolina and shows no…
Read More
Allen joins Knotts on Sylva board
Danny Allen, a former Sylva town commissioner who has been off the board for two years, will reclaim his seat…
Read More
Ugly public discourse and the future of truth
More and more these days, it seems those who follow the news have strong opinions on the tone of public…
Read More
Pride of the Mountains band and receives marching’s highest honor
Western Carolina University’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band has been awarded the prestigious Sudler Trophy, the nation’s highest and…
Read More
Ivey’s ‘Up River’ offers valuable lessons
Up River: A Novel of Attempted Restoration by George Ivey. Dog Year, 2009. 304 Pages. George Ivey’s Up River: A…
Read More
Blue Ridge Parkway kicks off 75th anniversary
The Blue Ridge Parkway will kick off its 75th anniversary celebrations this month with several historical, symbolic and entertaining events,…
Read More
The Naturalist's Corner
It’s 11 p.m. – do you know where your wood thrush is? “Hello, Ms. Stutchbury, this is OnStar. Your wood…
Read More
HCC offers green building certificate for construction students
A model home under construction on the Haywood Community College campus is giving construction majors hands-on training in green building…
Read More
HCC trains tomorrow’s developers in sustainable methods
When Candace Stimson lost her job last winter due to the recession, she seized the opportunity to go back to…
Read More
The grand finale
We tend to hone in on the showy flowering phase of a plant’s life for observation, identification, and enjoyment. But…
Read More
Lessie Williams performance to benefit library fund
Lessie Williams, a well-known and nationally recognized gospel singer, will give a concert of inspirational music at 7 p.m. Oct.…
Read More
NOC expedition gains attention
An outdoor expedition to Bolivia that puts paddlers to work delivering medical supplies to remote villages organized by Nantahala Outdoor…
Read More
Old houses, spirits and comfort food
By Karen Dill • Special to Smoky Mountain News October is a glorious month. Brilliant colors dot the mountains against…
Read More
Hospital denies county commissioners a seat at the table
Despite their requests, Haywood County commissioners will not be guaranteed a spot on the new joint operating board of Haywood…
Read More
Canton’s future pivots on heated board race
When voters head to the polls in Canton next week, they will face a daunting and even unwieldy list to…
Read More
Balsam Mountain Preserve property owners pull off grassroots fundraising on a colossal scale
Affluent property owners in Balsam Mountain Preserve have raised commitments of $16.3 million in an effort to stave off foreclosure…
Read More
Cullowhee a good sports town for athletes and spectators
By Gibbs Knotts • Guest Columnist Some local sportswriters have expressed bewilderment at a recent ranking by a nationally circulated…
Read More
Meet the candidates
Two of the five seats on the Sylva town board are up for election. Both incumbents are running for re-election…
Read More
A page from the past: Smokies’ artifacts tender rare glimpse into life before the park
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to one of the most intact and comprehensive collections of early Americana,…
Read More
Withstanding winter’s cold
Editor’s note: George Ellison is on sabbatical this week and will return next week. This is a previously published column.…
Read More
Irritating public comment must be tolerated
Haywood County elected officials may sometimes get fed up dealing with the incessant public record requests and the three-hour meetings…
Read More
Haywood-WestCare Joint Operating Agreement Frequently Asked Questions
Is it true that Haywood and WestCare have merged? No. The boards of Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) and WestCare…
Read More
Waynesville Rec Center struck by vandals
The Waynesville Recreation Center was vandalized late sometime late Monday night or early Tuesday morning. The vandals entered the building…
Read More
HRMC, WestCare affiliation creates MedWest
A long-awaited affiliation of the hospitals in Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties will become official in January 2010. That’s when…
Read More
A peculiar angst
Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book by Walker Percy. Picador, 2000. 272 pages. Walker Percy not only wrote…
Read More
Sylva candidates split on funding for downtown projects
The election for Sylva town board next week will determine the philosophical direction for the town. The board has been…
Read More
No quick fix for rock slide that closes I-40
Western North Carolina is bracing itself for the impact of a massive rockslide that will shut down a major chunk…
Read More
Meet the candidates
There are 10 candidates running for four seats on the Canton town board. Only two sitting aldermen are running for…
Read More
The Naturalist's Corner
The rush to be green is making me blue Let’s see, automakers can get CAFÉ (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) credits…
Read More
