Archived (30267)
Children categories
Duke faces yet another hurdle on substation
A coalition of Cherokee and Swain County residents have stepped up the pressure on a proposed Duke Energy substation in…
Read More
Quintessential quilts
In 1980, Gov. Jim Hunt signed a proclamation declaring Franklin as the “Quilting Capital of the World.” That tradition has…
Read More
Iconic drugstore to interesting bookstore
We’re been considering books and related matters like shelving, bookplates, home libraries, favorite books, and (last week’s topic) — “How…
Read More
Haire seeks re-election in N.C. 119 race
N.C. House District 119 represents Jackson, Swain and portions of Haywood and Macon counties. In the Democratic primary, incumbent Phil…
Read More
The case for ball and bat
Like many of the stakeholders in the argument, county commission chairman Kirk Kirkpatrick wishes the county could build enough fields…
Read More
Obsessing over grammar
Twelve years ago, while teaching Latin at a local high school, I was discussing a point of grammar — I…
Read More
Life and death aboard a tin can
By Dr. Robert H. Spiro Jr. • Guest Columnist Friday, April 6, 1945, is a day emblazoned in my memory.…
Read More
Debate over Duke power lines shifts to second front
Imagine buying an idyllic piece of land in the mountains only to learn you’ll be living under a giant, humming…
Read More
Haywood challenger emerges as top vote-getter
With the county budget on everyone’s mind, two Haywood commissioners received a vote of confidence on the job they’ve done…
Read More
Shelton beats Brown in Jackson primary
Incumbent William Shelton beat challenger James Bo Brown by almost a two-to-one margin to win the Democratic spot on the…
Read More
Crowded judge field narrowed
District Court judge candidates who made it past the primary hope the race will become more digestible to voters now…
Read More
Neighbors draw the line over latest rock quarry expansion
A grassroots effort to halt a mine expansion in west Waynesville jumped its first hurdle last week. Citizens have convinced…
Read More
A package from home opens portal to a treasured past
When I took my morning walk with our miniature dachshund to the mailbox to get the mail last Friday, I…
Read More
Queen to face new challenger
After three straight match-ups with the same Republican challenger, Sen. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, will face a new opponent on…
Read More
Peace for the World’s Children: 2010 Lake Junaluska Peace Conference
Join children’s advocates from across the United States at the third annual Lake Junaluska Peace Conference September 18-21, 2010, as…
Read More
In Next, life changes in a day
Next by James Hynes. Reagan Arthur Books, 2010. 320 pages. In The Lecturer’s Tale, previously reviewed in The Smoky Mountain…
Read More
Lake Logan dredging could reduce flood danger
Removing sediment from Lake Logan would not only benefit its owner, Evergreen Packaging, it could potentially save homes and businesses…
Read More
No Wal-Mart for Cherokee
Wal-Mart will not build a new Supercenter in Cherokee. After months of speculation that the deal between the tribe and…
Read More
HART director Steve Lloyd honored for theater outreach
Steve Lloyd, executive director of Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville, has been honored with The Herman Middleton Distinguished Service…
Read More
An engaged – and very angry – electorate
The primary election is over now, but even before the vote tallies made winners and losers out of so many…
Read More
Ashe holds on in Democratic primary
Jackson County Sheriff Jimmy Ashe proved he could survive a tough race during the Democratic primary, defeating challenger Robin Gunnels…
Read More
The Naturalist's Corner
Why we do it “You’re getting up when?” “You’re going out in this weather?” People who have a passion for…
Read More
Celebrating Kephart, and his teacup
This past weekend marked the second annual Horace Kephart celebration in Bryson City. There was a terrific presentation of newly…
Read More
Sylva cleans up town one property at a time
For the past year or so, Sylva Mayor Maurice Moody has been focused on cleaning up his town. “We’ve been…
Read More
Cochran hammers Dover in sheriff race
Despite widespread criticism of the job he’s done, Swain Sheriff Curtis Cochran proved unstoppable in this year’s Republican primary. Cochran…
Read More
Republicans suit up for race against Shuler
Republicans faced a major decision in the primary election: who is the best man to go head to head with…
Read More
Farm preservation tour a lesson in community conservation
North Carolina’s farmland is rapidly disappearing. The state has lost more than a million acres of it since 2007, and…
Read More
Macon primary shows strength of incumbents
Going into the primary elections in Macon County, every candidate stressed the need for a fiscally conservative mindset as the…
Read More
Low voter turnout in primary elections
Mid-term election primaries are normally characterized by poor voter turnout, and that held true this year as only 14 percent…
Read More
$7 million investment rescues Ghost Town from bankruptcy
Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley will emerge from bankruptcy under a new corporate structure. One…
Read More
Ghost Town liability insurance lapsed prior to Feb. 5 mudslide
Ghost Town in the Sky failed to make timely payments on its liability insurance policy, and as a result it…
Read More
Friedman fails to give Haire a green scare
Phil Haire is a fortress as a state candidate. The seven-time incumbent is head of the General Assembly’s appropriations committee,…
Read More
Retired superintendent, former commissioner join Democratic incumbents in Swain
Though both commissioner candidates running for re-election in Swain County have safely landed a spot in November’s election, a newcomer…
Read More
President and First Lady Obama get a taste of WNC’s locally-grown food scene
Just a month ago, no one here would believe that the President and First Lady of the United States would…
Read More
Flying saucers hit the links
On a sunny Friday afternoon, I shanked my flick Hyzer into Copperhead Row in the company of the Doctor, Yoda,…
Read More
Haywood arts council to exhibit ‘Haywood Heritage Trail: Quilts of Bygone Years’
Haywood Heritage Trail: Quilts of Bygone Years opening Wednesday, May 12, will feature traditional quilt squares for sale by area…
Read More
Joel Queen draws on many sources for artistic inspiration
Many who walk into Joel Queen’s gallery mistakenly assume the artwork there solely represents Cherokee tradition. After all, Queen comes…
Read More
The Naturalist's Corner
Murky waters – Louisiana in limbo The giant oil slick (reported to be the size of Puerto Rico) sliding around…
Read More
Welsh TV crew visits Cherokee
Iolo Williams is one of the Wales’ most recognized TV personalities. “Wildlife” Williams, as he is known by some fans,…
Read More
Quest for cost savings leads Haywood to outsource trash and recycling
Faced with a tall and growing stack of bills in the solid waste department, Haywood County commissioners are seriously considering…
Read More
Cecil Groves leaves SCC with a legacy of regional growth
In 1970, Cecil Groves was the 30-year-old provost of Delgado College. The city of New Orleans was on fire, rent…
Read More
Ghost Town saga reaches deeper into WNC
Western North Carolina is a patchwork of small communities, close-knit groups operating independently to make their own town or area…
Read More
WNC’s economic stimulus lies in tourism
By David Huskins • Guest Columnist Much of the talk nationally, as well as locally, has been centered on how…
Read More
Learning to play the Angel’s Game
The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Doubleday, 2009. 470 pages.A few days after completing The Shadow of the Wind,…
Read More
Ghost Town owner Harper daunted but not deterred
As Al Harper watched the national recession undermine ticket sales at Ghost Town amusement park over the past two years,…
Read More
Maggie slide victims still living in limbo
More than three months have come and gone since a major mudslide crashed through Maggie Valley’s Rich Cove community, and…
Read More
Plan for family fun at 10th Annual Strawberry Jam
Enjoy plow demonstrations, food tasting, sack races, live music and more at the 10th Annual Strawberry Jam starting 10 a.m.…
Read More
The cuckoo, both elusive and beautiful
This past weekend marked the 26th annual Great Smokies Birding Expedition, a gathering of onrnithologically-inclined friends. On Saturdays, to get…
Read More
Tribe plans to expand gambling reach
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians plans to build a Class II gaming facility in Cherokee County, but the project…
Read More
HCC building feud persists unresolved
Haywood Community College leaders have chipped away more than $430,000 worth of features from its proposed creative arts building, but…
Read More