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WCU to waive undergrad application fee
Western Carolina University is among the institutions of higher education that will be participating in “North Carolina Countdown to College,”…
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Macon volleyball game attendees could have been exposed
Macon County Public Health has identified possible exposure to COVID-19 among those who attended a volleyball game at Franklin High…
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Haywood schools rolls out COVID-19 dashboard
Haywood County Schools Administration announced the creation of the COVID-19 dashboard, intended to keep the public up to date on…
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Grants available for Dillsboro businesses
The Town of Dillsboro is launching a grant program to help struggling businesses using $200,000 it received as part of…
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Harris staff tests positive for COVID-19
Statement by Biden for President Campaign Manager Jen O'Malley Dillon:
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Separating news and facts from opinions
A message came back to me from an advertiser via one of our ad reps. He said we needed to…
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Socialist America has done pretty well
To the Editor: Recent letters have railed against a Democratic plan to make America into a “socialist country.” History shows…
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Do you really want Biden?
To the Editor: On a full-page ad in the October 7 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, Joe Biden supporters…
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I will be voting for Cal Cunningham
To the Editor: I received several campaign ads for Thom Tillis over the past several weeks. The ads say “I’ve…
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With Biden, we’re headed for a Black Hole
To the Editor: Recently we have read about the discovery of the universe black hole by astronomers. The United States…
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How the GOP will steal the election
To the Editor: If you’re a Republican planning to steal the election, here’s how you do it.
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Vote for indoor pool for Jackson County
To the Editor: As a Jackson County resident, I am excited to vote for the indoor pool at the Jackson…
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Kephart’s writings compiled in new book
Several years of research, compilation and collaboration by two writers from Western Carolina University have resulted in a scholarly book…
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Haywood water among state’s cleanest
Haywood County water treatment plants received top honors among the 55 plants honored statewide with the N.C. Area Wide Optimization…
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National parks visitation explodes in WNC
For Western North Carolinians who see the outdoors as a safe haven when life gets hard, perhaps the most distressing…
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Two new lifeguard instructors certified in Waynesville
Two lifeguards at the Waynesville Recreation Center have been officially certified as American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructors.
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Clay shooting tourney raises money for the Smokies
Friends of the Smokies raised $53,000 to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the second annual Smokies Cup,…
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Vegetable Beef Soup at the 828 Market
By Carrie Griffin We opened 828 Market 15 months ago. We’ve really enjoyed making soups for the market. We’ve just…
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Good reads: romance, cupcakes, and the Constitution
So why would a guy approaching 70 select for review a “Contemporary Romance” about the owner of a cupcake and…
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Turn up the radio: Canton station remains a cherished community gem
Not far from Main Street in Canton and the bright lights of the nearby football stadium is an unassuming one-story…
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This must be the place: Winter’s cold, spring erases, and the calm away by the storm is chasing
Awakening in the hotel room in downtown Pineville, Kentucky, it took me a moment to realize where I was this…
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WNC tourism numbers show quick recovery
When North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper gave the order to close bars and restaurants back on March 17, that was…
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Rural allure, strong hospitality sector set Jackson County up for success amid pandemic
Things were looking bleak for the tourism industry — for all industries, really — as coronavirus shutdowns and stay-at-home orders…
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Swain summer tourism dollars up 37 percent
The Coronavirus Pandemic hasn’t stopped the Swain County Tourism Development Authority from having another record-setting year in occupancy tax revenue.
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Haywood tourism emerges from pandemic nearly unscathed
During the summer and fall of 2019, room occupancy tax data collected by Haywood County’s Tourism Development Authority suggested that…
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Pandemic impacts Franklin’s tourism revenue
The Town of Franklin is one of the many local governments that saw a decrease in its occupancy tax revenue…
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Election could remake Haywood County Board of Commissioners
Longtime commissioner and current Chairman of the Haywood County Board of Commissioners Kevin Ensley is seeking re-election to his seat,…
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Reconnecting on the Road
A 10-day road trip covering thousands of miles was either going to save us or kill us.
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Full slate of candidates in Beaverdam school board race
This year’s race for the Haywood County School Board has had a lot of interest with 12 candidates running for…
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Early voting starts Oct. 15
Early voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 15 through Oct. 31. Early voting sites in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area…
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Tribal government modifies operations amid COVID-19 surge
Many tribal offices are closed or operating at reduced levels this week following what Principal Chief Richard Sneed called an…
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Jackson to vote on animal shelter contract
Jackson County commissioners plan to vote next week on a construction contract to build a new animal rescue center as…
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Kamala Harris to appear in Asheville, Charlotte
Less than three weeks from Election Day, California senator and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris will visit the North…
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Haywood reports four COVID-19 deaths
Haywood County Health and Human Services is reporting four COVID-19 deaths. The individuals died within the last few weeks either…
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Two cases of La Crosse Encephalitis confirmed in Haywood
Haywood County Health Director, Patrick Johnson, recently confirmed that two residents of Haywood County has been diagnosed with La Crosse…
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New detour opens for Scotts Creek bridge project
A new detour for local traffic and passenger vehicles is now available to bypass the road closure caused by the…
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Sylva cancels Christmas parade
The Sylva Town Board has voted unanimously this evening to cancel this year’s Christmas Parade, citing coronavirus concerns.
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Whittier man faces charges in wife’s death
Whittier resident Billy Hicks, 48, is being held without bond in the Jackson County Detention Center after his wife Danielle…
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COVID-19 cluster identified at Macon Sheriff's Office
Macon County Public Health has identified a cluster of employees at the Macon County Sheriff’s Office who have tested positive for…
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Free medications offered to Swain residents in need
NC MedAssist is partnering with Swain County Health Department to host a Mobile Free Pharmacy event, providing residents in need with…
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Program to use therapy dogs to aid domestic violence victims
An initiative by Cyndy Caravelis, associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at Western Carolina University, will include a pilot…
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Pumpkin spice simple syrup
Last Tuesday was a cold and rainy early autumn day in the mountains. The kind that made you want to…
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Releasing through writing
Life in quarantine is hard. 2020 is hard. And if you’re feeling the stress and pain and heartache of this…
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Remove the stigma, own your story
None of us like to talk about mental health. Even as a reporter who has been covering the issue for…
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Pless’ behavior should worry voters
By Heather Hyatt Packer • Guest Columnist | When our government leaders deliberately mislead or lie to us, there is…
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Trump’s re-election important for U.S.
To the Editor: “I hope they both die” are words expressed by some lefty Trump haters when they heard that…
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Trump just doesn’t care
To the Editor: I recently received a mailer from the Trump campaign purportedly to tell the truth about what Trump…
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Democrats want to take away rights
To the Editor: I noticed in your Sept. 30 edition that all your letters to the editor are nothing but…
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Sign stealers should be denounced
To the Editor: Trump tends to project onto others what he is planning to do or has done. When he…
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Sign drove me away from Waynesville
To the Editor: Simply put, I’m a Texas tourist (airline pilot on leave of absence) who was on my first…
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