Conservatives must save our country
 

Conservatives must save our country

To the Editor: Three hundred Spartans. The battle of Thermopylae, fought between the Greeks and the Persians in 480 B.C.,…
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Relax with cats at an Airbnb in Clyde
 

Relax with cats at an Airbnb in Clyde

Sometimes, the trip isn’t  about the journey — it’s about the destination. 
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Trantham (right) speaks to demonstrators before a Black Lives Matter march in Waynesville on June 1, 2020. Cory Vaillancourt photo
 

A new calling: Respected Waynesville PD lieutenant leaves law enforcement in his prime

Amid a tough time for law enforcement when stories about good officers leaving the profession dominate headlines, the Waynesville Police…
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Violations issued by DEQ for Waynesville Golf project
 

Violations issued by DEQ for Waynesville Golf project

Complaints by a neighbor about sediment in a creek have resulted in two notices of violation being issued to the…
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Rep. Clampitt has generated some ire from Swain County and Bryson City officials in his attempt to unify county and city emergency services. Cory Vaillancourt photo
 

Swain bristles at perceived 
encroachment by Rep. Clampitt

A feud brewing between Rep. Mike Clampitt (R-Swain) and the governments of Swain County and Bryson City reached a new level…
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Clingmans Dome. NPS photo
 

Cherokee wants name change for Clingmans Dome

Following a unanimous vote from the Cherokee Tribal Council July 14 , the tribe is expected to petition the federal…
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Master plan approved for Cherokee Fair Grounds
 

Master plan approved for Cherokee Fair Grounds

The Cherokee Fair Grounds is in for a complete overhaul over the next couple of years after Tribal Council during…
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The new domestic violence shelter will be built on a piece of property donated by Mountain Projects. Donated photo
 

Jackson domestic violence shelter moves forward

Jackson County has approved an architectural contract and laid out a timeline for the construction of its domestic violence shelter,…
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Support personnel get pay raises in Macon schools
 

Support personnel get pay raises in Macon schools

Substitute teachers in Macon County can expect a raise in the coming school year after a vote by the Macon…
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Inflation outpaces state budget raises for WCU employees
 

Inflation outpaces state budget raises for WCU employees

The state budget  Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law July 11 wasn’t the historic slam dunk for Western Carolina University…
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Franklin welcomes new ‘softwash’ business
 

Franklin welcomes new ‘softwash’ business

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting celebration to welcome H & H Softwash to the Franklin…
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Clifton Metcalf (right) with his wife, Marie, receives the inaugural lifetime achievement award from the North Carolina Retired Governmental Employees’ Association, presented by the group’s president, Van Langston (left).
 

Retired vice chancellor receives lifetime achievement award

A former Western Carolina University vice chancellor for advancement and external affairs who enjoyed successful careers as a community journalist…
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New disaster declaration offers help for Haywood, Swain
 

New disaster declaration offers help for Haywood, Swain

Businesses and residents affected by severe weather, wildfires and winds from March 30 through April 6 of this year are…
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Clayton wins school board runoff
 

Clayton wins school board runoff

Abigail Clayton won the runoff for Jackson County School Boards of Education and will remain in her seat representing district…
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Additional flooding causes full Greenbrier closure
 

Additional flooding causes full Greenbrier closure

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have closed the Greenbrier area to all use due to additional road damage caused…
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Christianity is not partisan
 

Christianity is not partisan

To the Editor: During the past several weeks, a seemingly coordinated series of increasingly vitriolic letters to the editor have…
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Muddying the waters school board election
 

Muddying the waters school board election

To the Editor:  Over the past few weeks, a series of letters has appeared in local papers which seems to…
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The birders… they are a’changing: A new generation of birders rises up
 

The birders… they are a’changing: A new generation of birders rises up

I’ve been birding in Western North Carolina since I got here in the late 1980s, in my mid-thirties (yes, I’m…
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Duke carbon plan headed for public hearing
 

Duke carbon plan headed for public hearing

The North Carolina Utilities Commission is hosting a series of hearings this summer to take public input on the draft…
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Updated Greenbrier temporary closures
 

Updated Greenbrier temporary closures

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have closed the Greenbrier area to all use due to additional road damage caused…
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Students with the participants of the Full Spectrum Farms kid’s camp are, back row from left: Kristen Sawyer, Elisabeth Trantham, Western Carolina University student Pierce Muth, Erin Hyde, Haley Hamrick, Amanda Canzone, Leah Cody and Ashley Mull.
 

Occupational therapy students visit Full Spectrum Farms

In June, Southwestern Community College’s Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program teamed up with Full Spectrum Farms to allow SCC students…
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Pride, ignorance and high tech equal disaster
 

Pride, ignorance and high tech equal disaster

About halfway through “Blue Fire” (Kensington Publishing Corp., 2022, 326 pages,) John Gilstrap’s apocalyptic novel about a worldwide nuclear war,…
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Breaking down walls and sharing some magic
 

Breaking down walls and sharing some magic

“… I hear Mariachi static on my radio / And the tubes they glow in the dark / And I’m there with her…
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Lessons learned from superheroes
 

Lessons learned from superheroes

In a previous column, I talked of my personal challenge to undergo “The Great Susanna Reset” this summer. One of my…
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School board race has important choices
 

School board race has important choices

To the Editor: On Tuesday, July 26, there will be a runoff election for school board in Jackson County. Early…
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School of Nursing combines experiential learning with community service
 

School of Nursing combines experiential learning with community service

A makeshift clinic of folding chairs and tables, separated in clusters by curtains and canvas tents, has been set up…
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Haywood Pathways Center receives donation from Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation
 

Haywood Pathways Center receives donation from Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation

Haywood Pathways Center has received $2,500 from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to help feed neighbors in their time…
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Police reform inches forward in WNC
 

Police reform inches forward in WNC

The conversation around police reform has cooled down slightly over the last year, but that doesn’t mean law enforcement agencies…
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The idea that “self-sufficiency is resistance” is at the core of Julie Jones' new store. Hannah McLeod photo
 

‘Self-sufficiency is resistance’

Julie Fox Jones’ family has been in Cullowhee for at least 100 years, probably even longer. Naturally, as a kid…
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Co-owners of Blue Ridge Books, Allison Lee (left) and Jo Gilley (right) are celebrating 15 years in business. Hannah McLeod photo
 

Blue Ridge Books celebrates 15 years

In this day and age of Amazon, Kindles, big box bookstores, streaming services and social media that fight for more…
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Tina Okenfuss brings a wealth of experience to the Waynesville Housing Authority. Cory Vaillancourt photo
 

Waynesville Housing Authority’s new director searches for solutions

She’s only been here for three months, but Missouri native Tina Okenfuss is already looking to make a big impact…
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Waynesville Inn construction muddies waters
 

Waynesville Inn construction muddies waters

Workers performing construction activities at the Waynesville Inn and Golf Club are in hot water this week after a complaint…
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At least 35 businesses will have to relocate due to the N.C. 107 expansion project. Holly Kays photo
 

Grant helps businesses relocating for NC 107 expansion

Jackson County Economic Development and Chamber of Commerce have created the N.C. 107 Business Relocation Grant program for businesses that…
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Maggie Valley recently purchased a tract of land adjacent to the Festival Grounds. HCTDA photo
 

Maggie Valley purchases land 
for Festival Grounds

The Maggie Valley Festival Grounds are continuing to grow after the town purchased a tract of land connected to the…
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Maggie receives grant for wastewater treatment repair
 

Maggie receives grant for wastewater treatment repair

On Tuesday night, the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen accepted a grant from North Carolina Emergency Management to repair the…
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A map shows potential locations for new rain gauges (in red) and river gauges (purple) across southeastern portions of the county. Haywood County photo
 

Nearly one year on, Haywood strengthens flood response capabilities

Eleven months to the day after Haywood County awoke to unprecedented flood damage along the Pigeon River resulting from torrential…
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School board races set
 

School board races set

Candidates have filed and the races are set for school board elections this November.
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Trends are becoming more apparent in the greater Asheville regional housing market
 

Trends are becoming more apparent in the greater Asheville regional housing market

Starved for supply, realtors in the Asheville region are listing fewer homes than at this time last year as pricing…
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Alan and Hannah Edwards.
 

Obstacles are opportunities: Franklin community market bridges food, music

With a hot mid-July sun falling behind the mountains last Thursday evening, rock legend Tommy Stinson strapped on his Gibson…
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Trailhead of Fork Ridge Overlook. (photo: Garret K. Woodward)
 

This must be the place: It's all I got to get, it's really all there is

It’s 9:58 a.m. Tuesday. Downtown Waynesville. Back at the office, this week’s newspaper is being edited and proofed before it…
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Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling
 

Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling

The Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays through Oct.…
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Former Sylva Police officer charged with misdemeanor assault
 

Former Sylva Police officer charged with misdemeanor assault

On Feb. 15, 2021, the Sylva Police Department became aware of an allegation of excessive force by then SPD Officer…
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Recent flooding damaged roadways in GSMNP, including this one at Porters Creek.
 

Greenbrier roads, trails and picnic area temporarily closed due to flooding

Great Smoky Mountains National Park temporarily closed roads, trails and facilities in the Greenbrier area of the park to all…
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The Tuckasegee River runs wild under heavy rain May 26. Kelly Donaldson/Jackson County photo
 

Up the creek: Where the heck is Moses Creek? Up Caney Fork!

On Friday, May 27, the day after a big storm dumped inches of rain on Western North Carolina, the air…
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The Big Creek trail is again open following a rehabilitation project. Donated photo
 

Big Creek Trail reopens

Great Smoky Mountains National Park reopened Big Creek Trail following an eight-week closure for a trail rehabilitation project. The park…
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The hellbender is one of only three giant salamanders found in the world. Lori Williams photo
 

Learn about hellbenders

The series “Where We Live: History, Nature, and Culture” will present a program on the Hellbender, a giant salamander found…
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Notes from a plant nerd: A little beauty on an early spring day
 

Notes from a plant nerd: A little beauty on an early spring day

One of my favorite things in the world to do is walk people into a field of wildflowers that they…
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Shipwreck, survival and faith all in one novel
 

Shipwreck, survival and faith all in one novel

Novels that touch on faith and God have long intrigued me.
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