Twain impersonator comes to Franklin
 

Twain impersonator comes to Franklin

Marvin Cole, a Western Carolina University graduate famous for his impersonations of Mark Twain, will entertain at 7 p.m. on…
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Mountain Heritage Center camp to focus on Cherokee heritage
 

Mountain Heritage Center camp to focus on Cherokee heritage

Middle school students in the area will have an opportunity to learn about Cherokee heritage during a “Mini-Camp for Middle…
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American Craft Today seeks submissions
 

American Craft Today seeks submissions

Craft artists are invited to submit digital images of their work by July 19 to be considered for inclusion in…
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Native tribes across North America  converge in Cherokee for  Festival of Native Peoples
 

Native tribes across North America converge in Cherokee for Festival of Native Peoples

Witness the arresting culture of Apache, Totonac, Aztec, Crow, Navajo and Cherokee through ancient wisdom, song, dance, legend, arts and…
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Skyships over Cashiers? Local women track extraterrestrial activity
 

Skyships over Cashiers? Local women track extraterrestrial activity

Eight-year-old Devon Heenan stood with her arm extended in the parking lot of the Ingles in Cashiers. With her cell…
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A unique old time reporter
 

A unique old time reporter

Many characters surface in stories related to Horace Kephart, regional author and one of the founders of the Great Smoky…
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What is Buy Haywood?
 

What is Buy Haywood?

Supported by the Golden LEAF Foundation since 2007, Buy Haywood has enjoyed success promoting the county’s farms. Its first project…
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Bringing poetry back to life
 

Bringing poetry back to life

Once upon a time the queen of literature, poetry finds itself nowadays, like the tale of Cinderella run in reverse,…
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Ridge law questions renew development debate in Jackson
 

Ridge law questions renew development debate in Jackson

Tony Elders didn’t realize quite how much on-the-job exercise he was in for when he was hired to oversee Jackson…
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New Jackson library built as regional showpiece
 

New Jackson library built as regional showpiece

The Jackson County Courthouse, Sylva’s most distinctive building, was built in a rush. C.J. Harris, a prominent industrialist and wealthy…
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Haywood sheriff faces lone but experienced challenger in primary
 

Haywood sheriff faces lone but experienced challenger in primary

Voters in the Democratic Primary in Haywood County must choose which of the two candidates profiled here will advance to…
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Ashe squares off against three opponents
 

Ashe squares off against three opponents

Voters in the Democratic Primary in Jackson County must choose which of the four candidates profiled below should advance to…
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Disobedience charges dismissed in protests of new coal plant
 

Disobedience charges dismissed in protests of new coal plant

A group of activists arrested for civil disobedience during protests of Duke Energy’s new coal plant last year have been…
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Caring for Creation bridges faith and environment
 

Caring for Creation bridges faith and environment

A conference that connects faith and the environment will be held at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center April 8…
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Candidate profiles
 

Candidate profiles

Democrat candidates Steve Buchanan, 50, Bryson City resident, owner of a construction company “Most of the thefts relate back to…
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The elected sheriff: Medieval tradition shows flaws in modern times
 

The elected sheriff: Medieval tradition shows flaws in modern times

“It’s the oldest constitutional office in the state,” said Eddie Caldwell, executive vice president of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association.…
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Landslide count keeps climbing
 

Landslide count keeps climbing

In a record year for landslides, yet another one struck this week, this time along U.S. 441 in Great Smoky…
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Arson case thickens plot in sheriff’s race
 

Arson case thickens plot in sheriff’s race

A fire at the business of a Jackson County sheriff candidate last week has cast a shadow over the race.…
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Swain sheriff under fire from deep bench of challengers
 

Swain sheriff under fire from deep bench of challengers

There is, perhaps, no sheriff’s race as hotly contested as the one currently taking place in Swain County. Sheriff Curtis…
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Auto dealer reinvents to stay alive
 

Auto dealer reinvents to stay alive

When Daniel Allison III learned last May that General Motors wouldn’t renew his franchise agreement, he couldn’t believe it. “Shock,”…
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Blackrock brings Sylva its own distinctive BBQ
 

Blackrock brings Sylva its own distinctive BBQ

“Barbecue is all about slow and low,” said Blackrock BBQ owner and pit master James Aust. “The secret’s in the…
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Politicians would be wise to read the Tea leaves
 

Politicians would be wise to read the Tea leaves

By Bruce Gardner • Guest Columnist The Tea Party movement is sweeping the nation and has found its way through…
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Ricky Skaggs to perform at Lake Junaluska’s Appalachian Christmas
 

Ricky Skaggs to perform at Lake Junaluska’s Appalachian Christmas

Ricky Skaggs, the legendary, fourteen-time Grammy-award winning country and bluegrass artist, will be featured at Lake Junaluska’s 10th Annual Appalachian…
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Literary journal honors contemporary literature from the Cherokee community
 

Literary journal honors contemporary literature from the Cherokee community

Readers will be in for a surprise when thumbing through the pages of the all-Cherokee issue of Appalachian Heritage literary…
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Hill recreates horror that dad Stephen King perfected
 

Hill recreates horror that dad Stephen King perfected

Horns by Joe Hill. William Morrow Publishers, 2010. 370 pages. Ignatius William Perrish (“Iggy” to his friends) awoke one morning…
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Franklin enjoys symbiotic relationship with AT hikers
 

Franklin enjoys symbiotic relationship with AT hikers

For years, Appalachian Trail thru-hikers have been stopping in Franklin for supplies, rest, and Internet access, but last week the…
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Meet the thru-hikers
 

Meet the thru-hikers

It’s a sure sign of spring for Southern Appalachian communities along the Appalachian Trail: hikers loaded down with backpacks hitchhiking…
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The Naturalist's Corner
 

The Naturalist's Corner

Pug catcher Early last week, we were inundated with small gray moths. You couldn’t open a door without two or…
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The art of choosing the next book
 

The art of choosing the next book

Of late, we’ve been considering books. The feedback (mostly email) from readers to recent columns regarding books in general, book…
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Maggie debates how steep is too steep for cyber sweepstakes fees
 

Maggie debates how steep is too steep for cyber sweepstakes fees

Business owners with cyber sweepstakes machines in Maggie Valley received both good and bad news last week. Luckily for them,…
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Sylva market changes local foodscape
 

Sylva market changes local foodscape

Armed with an e-newsletter and an indefatigable entrepreneurial spirit, Eric Hendrix is determined to bring the fruits of the ocean…
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Rare confluence of events sets the stage for courtroom shake up
 

Rare confluence of events sets the stage for courtroom shake up

It’s a watershed year for the legal community in Western North Carolina as attorneys gear up for a hotly contested…
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County and architect cross wires on library fee
 

County and architect cross wires on library fee

Last week a confused set of Jackson County commissioners learned their new library may cost more money than they thought,…
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Trash down, recycling up
 

Trash down, recycling up

The recession has been good news for landfills. Due to the economic downturn, less trash was thrown in landfills in…
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Landfills hustle to catch tainted rain water before it seeps away
 

Landfills hustle to catch tainted rain water before it seeps away

When it comes to landfills, rain isn’t just inconvenient — it’s dangerous. In 2009, the White Oak landfill in Haywood…
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Duke, Cherokee meeting opens dialogue over Kituwah site
 

Duke, Cherokee meeting opens dialogue over Kituwah site

After a day of discussions between the leadership of Duke Energy and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the dispute…
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Report shows Duke considered impact on Kituwah
 

Report shows Duke considered impact on Kituwah

In the wake of the controversy surrounding the company’s proposed substation, Duke Energy representatives claimed they were unaware of the…
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Landslide damages financially-strapped Jackson development
 

Landslide damages financially-strapped Jackson development

A landslide at the Waterdance development in the Tuckasegee area of Jackson County washed out a road and dumped a…
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Macon slope committee hands off proposed building regulations
 

Macon slope committee hands off proposed building regulations

After months of hard work, Macon County’s steep slope committee shared its recommendations with the county’s planning board last week.Now…
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Swain starts to budge on Deal’s Gap debate
 

Swain starts to budge on Deal’s Gap debate

Despite Graham County pledging to end all emergency services to Deal’s Gap starting Jan. 1, its EMS director has already…
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The nuts and bolts of the bench
 

The nuts and bolts of the bench

The starting salary for a judge is $109,000, but can climb much higher for judges with a long tenure thanks…
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Judicial candidates
 

Judicial candidates

There are three district court judge seats up for election this year. Candidates must designate which seat they are running…
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Bench holds tradition of balanced temperament
 

Bench holds tradition of balanced temperament

Steve Bryant was fresh out of law school and just learning his way around the courtroom when the judge hearing…
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Free wireless in downtown Waynesville a hit or miss affair
 

Free wireless in downtown Waynesville a hit or miss affair

There’s free wireless up for grabs to anyone ambling down Main Street in Waynesville, but it’s so obscure that even…
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‘Judge not,’ or so my mom always taught me
 

‘Judge not,’ or so my mom always taught me

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and…
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Angela Faye martin delivers another kind of Mountain Music
 

Angela Faye martin delivers another kind of Mountain Music

Forget Asheville. Forget cities altogether. Angela Faye Martin’s impressive first full-length album “Pictures from Home” could only have materialized deep…
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One fateful night
 

One fateful night

The Turnaround by George Pelecanos. Little, Brown and Company, 2009. 320 pages On a sweltering summer night in 1972, three…
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Federal bill aims to save Parkway views at risk from development
 

Federal bill aims to save Parkway views at risk from development

A bill before Congress could help save views along the Blue Ridge Parkway by setting aside $75 million over five…
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The Naturalist's Corner
 

The Naturalist's Corner

Bird’s the word North Carolina’s state parks and Audubon North Carolina have joined together to celebrate the “Year of the…
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Gun ban in national parks lifted
 

Gun ban in national parks lifted

Loaded guns are now legal in national parks. The new rule is two years in the making. Previously, guns had…
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