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A force of lyrical storytelling
Tender Graces by Kathryn Magendie. Bell Bridge Books, 2009. 315 pages Some of the most poignant passages in literature are…
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WCU welcomes freshman class
Probably very little about freshmen move-in day at Western Carolina University has changed over the years: the “nervous but excited”…
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Abbey’s tenure at ‘Redneck U’
Radical ecologist and writer Edward Abbey (1927-1989) was born in Home, Penn., the son of a hardscrabble farmer and a…
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A popular road reveals a dark side
An inspiration for songs, poems, and pilgrimages by motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world, the challengingly curvy stretch of U.S.…
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Coalition builds momentum for Nikwasi park
A proposed park at the site of the Nikwasi mound in Franklin would provide a quiet place for residents to…
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Big decisions ahead in debate over land-use plan
A steering committee tasked with examining and recommending possible changes to Waynesville’s land-use plan is finally getting down to brass…
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The Naturalist's Corner
More in the wind than megawatts The chorus of katydids clamoring in the night air announces the impending fall. And…
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The Bottle Rockets fly into WNC
By Joe Hooten • Guest Writer Americana-roots music has seen its fair share of imitators since its revival in the…
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Ghost Town still in the red despite $1.53 million in revenue
Ghost Town in the Sky did not bring in enough revenue from its amusement park operations during the months of…
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Jackson EDC says new direction key to future
A comprehensive economic development strategy would go a long way toward solving the quagmire that is holding back progress on…
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Forest Hills mayor misses deadline, will run write-in campaign
Jackson County poll workers will contend with write-in ballots from at least two towns on election night this fall. One…
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WCU ranks highly among master’s degree universities
The latest U.S. News & World Report guide to “America’s Best Colleges” ranks Western Carolina University 10th among public universities…
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Bulb crusher helps recycling efforts
The state will ban plastic bottles, motor oil filters, and wooden pallets from landfills starting this October. The ban aims…
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Maggie board OKs assisted living facility in town limits
The Maggie Valley Zoning Board of Adjustments approved a special zoning exception to make way for a 114-bed assisted living…
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Schools vs. prisons is an easy choice
Haywood County’s 1930’s-era minimum-security prison was kept open for another year by our ever-diligent legislative delegation in Raleigh. They saved…
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Q&A with Congressman Shuler
SMN: What did you learn from the teletown meeting? Anything new? Heath Shuler: “The meeting reinforced my belief that most…
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Healthcare debate civil at tele-town meeting
Against the backdrop of a nation embroiled in an emotional, high-stakes debate on health care reform, the voices of Western…
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Proposed apartments denied tax breaks
Neighbors of a proposed 64-unit apartment building to serve low-income seniors in Waynesville have renewed hope that their fight to…
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The long fight: Road debate nears final chapter
Since its creation, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has loomed over Swain County. Its massive peaks flank life itself:…
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Queen gets early challenger for state Senate seat
A competitive state Senate race appears to be on the horizon once again for Sen. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville. Andy…
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Preserving Cherokee tradition
Anthropologist James Mooney (1861-1921) devoted his life to detailing various aspects of the history, material culture, oral tradition, language, arts,…
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Town helps HVO seek state grant
The Town of Waynesville plans to step in for Haywood Vocational Opportunities in procuring state money to help with an…
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Cash settlement amount proves a sticking point
Negotiations over a cash settlement for Swain County have been stalled for more than a year as opposing sides argue…
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Jackson EDC still taking old board’s heat
Old records of the Jackson County Economic Development Commission are likely too spotty to complete missing audits from the years…
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9-12 group is voice for those dissatisfied with government
Haywood County commissioners have seen their share of hot-button issues this year. First came the proposed nuisance ordinance, with angry…
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Macon group finishes study of living history farm
A Macon County group is one step closer to its dream of establishing a Living History Farm, a working replica…
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Lawsuit filed to seize Dillsboro dam
Jackson County has formally filed a lawsuit against Duke Energy to seize the Dillsboro Dam and surrounding river shore, using…
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Conservation fund donates land to HCC
Haywood Community College recently acquired a 328-acre tract of land located at Balsam Gap through a generous gift from The…
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Duke lobbies for rate hike amidst protest
Swain County commissioners expressed their disapproval of an 18 percent hike in electric bills being sought by Duke Energy to…
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The Naturalist's Corner
They’re back Actually they’ve been back for a while and now their bags are packed and they’re ready to go.…
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Waynesville looks at ways to cut energy use
Energy efficiency dominated the agenda at Waynesville’s last town meeting, with the passage of a strategic energy management plan and…
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Goodman’s second ‘classics’ story
The Night Villa by Carol Goodman. Ballantine Books, 2008. 413 pages. Over the last decade, Carol Goodman has rightly earned…
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The road to a cash settlement
1920s Forney Creek Township wants a road leading from Bryson City to Deals Gap on the Tennessee state line. It…
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New boating ramp opens on Cheoah Lake
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has opened a boating access Area and Public Fishing Area on the bank of the…
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McLean and Mathis part of Richland project
The Richland Hills low-income senior housing development was touted publicly as being under the auspice of the Asheville-based nonprofit Mountain…
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Students recreate modern Lewis and Clark expedition
Western North Carolina high school students bicycled 300 miles to the nation’s capital on one trip and canoed along the…
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The Naturalist's Corner
Bats make good just in time to salvage outing “Oh lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.” That refrain from…
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Prison to remain open, but future not rosy
By Julia Merchant • Correspondent The minimum-security Hazelwood Prison in Waynesville is the only correctional facility of its kind to…
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If not wind, then what?
To the Editor: Well, I am at a disadvantage in this discussion on wind energy development in North Carolina. My…
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Pointing kids toward a love of the park
Eric Sink, a teacher at Summit Charter School in Cashiers, N.C., looks forward to loading his fifth-graders up on a…
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More than a number With teacher layoffs, impact of school budget cuts hits home
It’s not an uncommon scene: people rattling a tin can outside Wal-Mart to raise money, whether it’s a cheerleading squad…
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Oxford American: The best magazine ever
There aren’t many things that cause my weary heart to quicken. The local bookstore, Netflix, rain crows and, yes, the…
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Methane-powered foundry opens at JCGEP
The Jackson County Green Energy Park recently opened the first landfill methane-fueled art foundry in the world. “Because of the…
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Lake island dwellers lobby for fire protection
Homeowners on Buck Knob Island in the middle of Lake Glenville say they are owed fire protection by local volunteer…
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Megow-Dowling announces resignation
Jackson County’s economic development director Dorothea Megow-Dowling had been on the job for less than a year when she announced…
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Cherokee school bridges tradition and the future
While some students dread returning to the classroom this time of year, children in Cherokee have been asking for weeks…
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When the Park becomes a classroom: From real life science to a trip back in time, the Smokies provides fertile ground for learning
While most national parks serve as conduits for science, the Smokies is a window on history as well. Churches, schools,…
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Land swap integral to Cherokee school
The Cherokee faced a long, uphill battle spanning decades to secure the idyllic tract of land now housing a brand…
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A dollar here, a paintbrush there: Community rallies to save teachers, support schools
They came. They saw. And this past Saturday, they — nearly 1,000 volunteers from almost 50 churches — painted, scraped,…
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Touch-me-nots and poison ivy
Jewelweed, or “touch-me-not,” is one of the most appealing wildflowers commonly encountered throughout Western North Carolina. Many recognize the plant…
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