HART leads the pack with “Chicago” production
 

HART leads the pack with “Chicago” production

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre is pulling the stops out for its production of the smash hit “Chicago,” which opened…
Read More

Comment

American Craft Today seeks submissions for juried show
 

American Craft Today seeks submissions for juried show

Craft artists are invited to submit digital images of their work by July 19 to be considered for inclusion in…
Read More

Comment

Piano sensations Mark and Clark to perform at Eaglenest
 

Piano sensations Mark and Clark to perform at Eaglenest

The Original Twin Piano Twins, Mark and Clark, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 16, and Saturday, July 17,…
Read More

Comment

Help feed Folkmoot’s dancers
 

Help feed Folkmoot’s dancers

More than 350 dancers and musicians from across the globe will arrive in Waynesville on July 19 to participate in…
Read More

Comment

Moonshiner’s Daughter Memoir Book launch
 

Moonshiner’s Daughter Memoir Book launch

Mary J. Messer, author of the Haywood County based memoir, Moonshiner’s Daughter, will hold the kick-off launch for her newly…
Read More

Comment

Piecing together a picture of home
 

Piecing together a picture of home

Although Americans are known for their wandering ways, traveling to California in Conestoga wagons, taking the train to find a…
Read More

Comment

Blue Ridge Breakaway to bring cyclists to Haywood County
 

Blue Ridge Breakaway to bring cyclists to Haywood County

The mountains of Western North Carolina are rapidly becoming the top destination for serious cyclists east of the Mississippi. The…
Read More

Comment

New toilets in Cataloochee Valley
 

New toilets in Cataloochee Valley

Cataloochee Valley, a popular section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Haywood County, finally has restrooms. Cataloochee Valley…
Read More

Comment

Bee balm
 

Bee balm

The girls love to surprise Mom with bouquets of wildflowers. The other day they came in with a handful of…
Read More

Comment

Grants encourage creative use of forest resources
 

Grants encourage creative use of forest resources

From bark shingles to edible mushrooms, entrepreneurs across Western North Carolina are being encouraged to tap the resources of the…
Read More

Comment

WATR holds meeting and annual Walk ‘n Talk
 

WATR holds meeting and annual Walk ‘n Talk

The Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River members and all who are interested in clean mountain streams are invited to…
Read More

Comment

Hosta, hosta, hosta
 

Hosta, hosta, hosta

The Dixie Region Hosta Convention will be in Waynesville Friday and Saturday, July 16 and 17, at Rux Gardens. Lovers…
Read More

Comment

“America’s Great Outdoors” comes to WNC
 

“America’s Great Outdoors” comes to WNC

Whether you’re a birder or mountain biker, paddler or hiker, photographer or hunter, now is your chance to bend the…
Read More

Comment

It’s hot, and the lizards are in heaven
 

It’s hot, and the lizards are in heaven

The sweltering heat this summer is restricting some outdoor activities, but it’s a prime time for lizard watching. Lizards don’t…
Read More

Comment

County health rankings yield mixed results
 

County health rankings yield mixed results

Measuring the overall health of a population at the local level is an elusive and cumbersome task. As a result,…
Read More

Comment

Yates named Kimmel Professor of Construction Management
 

Yates named Kimmel Professor of Construction Management

The only woman to head a college or university construction management department in the United States has joined the faculty…
Read More

Comment

SCC recognized for performance
 

SCC recognized for performance

Southwestern Community College was one of only 11 colleges to earn an exceptional rating in the annual performance measures report…
Read More

Comment

Martial arts master leads small-town team to unlikely victory on the mat
 

Martial arts master leads small-town team to unlikely victory on the mat

Armando Basulto had his opponent’s arm sandwiched between his legs. He leaned forward, putting pressure on the man’s shoulder. The…
Read More

Comment

Builders fear slope rules aimed at safety could drive up costs
 

Builders fear slope rules aimed at safety could drive up costs

As Macon County closes in on a steep slope ordinance, some members of the building and real estate industry fear…
Read More

Comment

Rekindling memories of High Rocks
 

Rekindling memories of High Rocks

This is about a place, High Rocks, a lookout situated at just over 5,000 feet on Welch Ridge in the…
Read More

Comment

Jackson farmers roll out the welcome mat
 

Jackson farmers roll out the welcome mat

A staggering 15 farms and gardens will open their fields and greenhouses to the public during the Jackson County Farm…
Read More

Comment

Parkway’s glories honored by Congress
 

Parkway’s glories honored by Congress

A resolution commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway is slated for passage by Congress. “The Blue Ridge…
Read More

Comment

Kick up your heels for Folkmoot 5K
 

Kick up your heels for Folkmoot 5K

A race with an international flare, the annual Folkmoot 5K, will be held on Saturday, July 31, in Waynesville. The…
Read More

Comment

Into the wild at Mountain Wildlife Days
 

Into the wild at Mountain Wildlife Days

Mountain Wildlife Days will bring a line-up of nature talks, wildlife programs and guided hikes to the Cashiers area on…
Read More

Comment

Bear country tutorial uses new medium to reach hikers
 

Bear country tutorial uses new medium to reach hikers

A new video podcast called “Day Hiking and Wildlife” has been created to educate hikers in the Great Smoky Mountains…
Read More

Comment

Smokies gala a success
 

Smokies gala a success

Smokies gala a successFriends of the Smokies raised $20,000 to support special projects in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park…
Read More

Comment

Green spaces — good places
 

Green spaces — good places

We were in Rock Hill, S.C., this past weekend enjoying our annual Fourth of July ritual of visiting my little…
Read More

Comment

Ornithologist unravels mysteries behind song sparrow personalities
 

Ornithologist unravels mysteries behind song sparrow personalities

Last Thursday morning was atypical for song sparrow IR-IF. While defending his territory from the song of an intruding male,…
Read More

Comment

McCrumb, Jim Casada, and Gary Carden stop by City Lights
 

McCrumb, Jim Casada, and Gary Carden stop by City Lights

A national bestselling author, a local icon, and a well-known regional outdoor writer and photographer will all make their way…
Read More

Comment

Shakespeare still valuable in space
 

Shakespeare still valuable in space

Muse of Fire by Dan Simmons. Subterranean Press, 2008. 105 page In recent years, it has become fashionable for writers…
Read More

Comment

Public Art Commission appreciates support
 

Public Art Commission appreciates support

The Waynesville Public Art Commission members would like to express their gratitude to all of the artists and all of…
Read More

Comment

Tourism industry has to market a moving target
 

Tourism industry has to market a moving target

Tourism leaders in the mountains agree they’ve got to re-invent their marketing tactics over the next decade to stay competitive.…
Read More

Comment

Full Spectrum Farms seeks auction items
 

Full Spectrum Farms seeks auction items

Full Spectrum Farms is accepting silent auction donations for its annual Starlight Night fundraiser, Oct. 2. The local non-profit helps…
Read More

Comment

Shuler announces WNC job fairs
 

Shuler announces WNC job fairs

Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., has announced a series of job fairs throughout the summer month. Workforce training and employer training…
Read More

Comment

Information offered to small businesses
 

Information offered to small businesses

Two informational sessions will be available for Western North Carolina’s small businesses. “Ask the Experts: What’s new for small businesses…
Read More

Comment

Haywood Habitat for Humanity celebrates 20 years
 

Haywood Habitat for Humanity celebrates 20 years

Haywood Habitat for Humanity marked its 20th anniversary at the organization’s Annual Meeting. To celebrate, Habitat Executive Director Marnette Colborne…
Read More

Comment

County, HCC still at loggerheads over craft building price
 

County, HCC still at loggerheads over craft building price

An ongoing debate over the cost of a new building on the Haywood Community College campus lacks a clear resolution,…
Read More

Comment

Replacement to Sylva town board sets stage for new voting majority
 

Replacement to Sylva town board sets stage for new voting majority

The make-up of Sylva’s town board shifted this week when board members voted 3-1 to replace outgoing board member Sarah…
Read More

Comment

Poll shows majority in Jackson tired of trekking to town for beer
 

Poll shows majority in Jackson tired of trekking to town for beer

Though many Jackson County residents shy away from publicly airing their views on alcohol, a recent poll shows that a…
Read More
Strong on momentum, but shy of real power, TEA Party’s political weight remains to be seen
 

Strong on momentum, but shy of real power, TEA Party’s political weight remains to be seen

A year ago, Scott Cummings would never have pictured himself standing on the sidewalk pumping a homemade sign in the…
Read More
Poll shows little confidence in government
 

Poll shows little confidence in government

Government approval ratings are low all over the country. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’re also low in…
Read More
Jackson County Poll Results
 

Jackson County Poll Results

1. Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Jackson County government? Favorable 33% Unfavorable 46% Not Sure 20%…
Read More
WCU poll is first attempt of its caliber to measure political opinions on solely local scale
 

WCU poll is first attempt of its caliber to measure political opinions on solely local scale

A new polling project developed by Western Carolina University’s Public Policy Institute and The Smoky Mountain News aims to get…
Read More
Senate clamps down on sweepstakes
 

Senate clamps down on sweepstakes

If Rep. Ray Rapp has his way, the state House will crush video sweepstakes as fervently as the state Senate…
Read More

Comment

Maggie Valley first in region to pursue food and beverage tax
 

Maggie Valley first in region to pursue food and beverage tax

Restaurant and bar patrons in Maggie Valley may see an extra tax on their bills to support tourism promotion and…
Read More

Comment

With cash settlement rolling in, ideas fly on how to spend it
 

With cash settlement rolling in, ideas fly on how to spend it

After decades of bitter division among Swain County residents concerning the North Shore Road controversy, people on both sides have…
Read More

Comment

Josh Fields Band on tap for Concert on the Creek
 

Josh Fields Band on tap for Concert on the Creek

The rich, downhome sound of the Josh Fields Band will be showcased from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 2,…
Read More

Comment

Karen ‘Sugar’ Barnes brings blues to Bryson
 

Karen ‘Sugar’ Barnes brings blues to Bryson

What do you get when you mix the pristine vocals of Ella Fitzgerald with the guitar licks of Robert Johnson?…
Read More

Comment

Lonesome River Band to play in Stecoah
 

Lonesome River Band to play in Stecoah

The Lonesome River Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 10, on the Grand Old Stage at Stecoah Valley…
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.