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The story of one family among thousands
In response to the news of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) proposing fees for parking, now is an…
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Democracy in danger
You don’t need an invading army to destroy a democracy, as Russia is attempting to do to Ukraine.
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Elections must remain open and honest
To the Editor: Martin Luther King Jr. always believed “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends…
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No one is above the law
To the Editor: The late great singer Kenny Rogers recorded many songs written by other artists. Yet, he wrote one…
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Bridge to clean energy: Leaders mull WNC’s energy future
When the first transmission lines began popping up in the mountains 100 years ago, only one type of power provided…
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Legislators, governor usher in new age of clean energy
As more states have pledged their commitment to reducing carbon emissions over the last decade, North Carolina has begun to…
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Waynesville hopes to spark residential solar generation
Unlike most North Carolina municipalities, the Town of Waynesville operates its own electric service, giving it greater local control over…
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Mold halts construction at Cherokee schools
Cherokee Central School was in the home stretch of a $22 million construction and renovation project on the 13-year-old campus…
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Bear sanctuary hunting rule now up to legislators
Following an April 21 vote from the N.C. Rules Review Commission, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission might not be allowed…
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Taxes, fees may go up in new Waynesville budget
Declining revenues and a growing list of capital improvements are both putting the squeeze on Waynesville’s finances, but a proposed…
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Waynesville approves housing development
A 59-unit townhome development on 7.7 acres just off East Street in Waynesville has been approved over opposition from neighbors, several…
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The race is on for Macon clerk of court
The clerk of court is a humble albeit crucial office, an elected position filled by someone willing to ensure the…
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Haywood budget shows staffing needs, rising costs
As the completion of Haywood County’s 2022-23 budget draws near, it’s becoming apparent that inflation, the tight labor market and…
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Waynesville takes a look at board meeting procedures
Governing a small municipality is work enough, but add in unprecedented amounts of federal recovery funds that need to be…
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Jackson faces safety funding requests
The Jackson County Commission is faced with several requests to fund safety operations throughout the county, totaling over $1.5 million.…
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Allen street repairs will likely begin this summer
Funding for Allen Street repairs in Sylva has seen several boosts over the last several months. These funding opportunities have…
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Macon commissioner candidates discuss education, broadband
Several problems and opportunities await Macon County’s next board of commissioners.
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Bear sanctuary hunting rule now up to legislators
A new rule allowing bear hunting in three Western North Carolina sanctuary areas currently off-limits to the practice might not…
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Historian, local author to talk history of ginseng in Sylva
Join City Lights Bookstore for a conversation between authors, Luke Manget and Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, at 3 p.m. this Saturday,…
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Major improvements coming to Catawba Falls
The popular Catawba Falls Trail on the Grandfather Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest will close Monday, May 2,…
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Launching a legacy: Canton’s Chestnut Mountain Park officially open
As Earth Day bloomed under one of spring’s sunniest skies yet, more than 150 people gathered on a concrete bridge…
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Around the Smokies
It’s a busy time in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as visitation ramps up while the park works to…
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Parkway prepares for major maintenance projects
The Great American Outdoors Act will give the Blue Ridge Parkway $127 million for projects to address its deferred maintenance…
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Summer’s coming, and it’s time for some fun!
“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy….” So begins one of the George Gershwin’s greatest songs, an aria in “Porgy and Bess”…
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Can’t believe what’s happening to my hometown
Change is difficult for most people. Watching my humble hometown turn into an unrecognizable place is a hard pill to…
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Family relationships are the ties that bind
All of my childhood memories include my older sister, Savannah. She and I did some pretty weird and funny things…
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Nothing more than political hyperbole
To the Editor: Pam McAloon's letter “The woke family is bad for U.S.” in last week’s paper is a clear…
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Letter writer wrong about Ukraine, Russia
To the Editor: The recent letter from a Sylva reader critical of support for Ukraine could have been written by…
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In-person early voting begins April 28
Primary Elections in Western North Carolina will be held on Tuesday, May 17, but in-person early voting will get underway…
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Sheriffs in Western North Carolina face challenges, change
The job of the county sheriff is important even though the county sheriff’s job is widely misunderstood.
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UNC adopts new funding model
The decades-old model used to determine state funding requests for University of North Carolina System schools is set to change…
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Christopher’s shadow looms large over Haywood sheriff’s race
As Greg Christopher enters his 43rd and likely final year in law enforcement, he goes out with his reputation intact…
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Five compete in Jackson Sheriff primaries
Residents of Jackson County are tasked with selecting a new sheriff during the midterm elections this year. But first, voters…
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Five Republicans vie to become Macon’s next sheriff
Among the sheriffs retiring in Western North Carolina who will leave big shoes to fill is Macon County’s Robert Holland,…
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Social media rumors fuel false child trafficking concerns
As increasing child abuse rates continue to plague many homes in Haywood County, a recent red herring took hold on…
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The race for Jackson Commission begins
Three of five seats on the Jackson County Commission are up for grabs this year — district one, district two…
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Swain commissioners oppose Smokies parking fee
A parking fee proposed for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has earned support from organizations ranging from the National…
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Plateau Pickup sees record volunteer turnout
Breaking previous records, approximately 130 volunteers helped spruce up Highlands and surrounding highways this past Saturday, April 23, as part…
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A few stars apart: Lukas Nelson to headline Bear Shadow festival
At age 33, singer-songwriter Lukas Nelson is already building a sturdy, bountiful existence as a beloved troubadour, one whose onstage…
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This must be the place: Every piece to the puzzle snaps tight in the groove
It was somewhere towards the end of Set One of Night Two of The String Cheese Incident’s gig at the…
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New Folkmoot executive director
Folkmoot USA, home to North Carolina’s Official International Folk Festival, welcomes Evan Hatch as the new executive director to lead…
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Sylva starts social district test period
The Sylva social district opened for business, just in time for last weekend’s Greening Up the Mountains festival.
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Connect to the spirit of the Smokies
The “Spirit of the Smokies” certificate program is starting up again, offered by the University of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountain Field…
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At a crossroads: Parking fee would signal a new era in Smokies history
Since its official opening in 1934, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has been free to enter, to park, to…
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New state natural area now totals 6,000 acres
The Bobs Creek State Natural Area in McDowell County now totals more than 6,000 acres following completion of the third…
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Rules aim to prevent deer disease spread
The executive director of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has invoked emergency powers to prevent spread of Chronic Wasting Disease…
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Waynesville greenway section closed
A section of the Waynesville greenway next to Richland Creek at Vance Street Park is now closed for a construction…
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Chestnut Mountain opens this weekend
The long-awaited Chestnut Mountain Nature Park just outside Canton will open to the public Saturday, April 23, with a family-friendly…
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Frederick Law Olmstead turns 200
Celebrate the 200th birthday of famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, at the…
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