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2023 A Look Back: Hometown heroes award
When Pactiv Evergreen announced it would close its 115-year-old paper mill in Canton earlier this year, local leaders had to…
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2023 A Look Back: ‘That’s so Metal’ Award
This one goes to the Pigeon River, due both to the actual metals found in a sampling site along its…
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2023 A Look Back: Micromanager(s) of the Year Award
Sometimes there are awards that call for two winners, like back in the day before the College Football Playoffs system…
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2023 A Look Back: Meter Maid Award
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has earned this one for its decision to begin charging for parking, effective March…
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2023 A Look Back: Not on my Watch Award
Newly elected Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke stepped into some big shoes following the retirement of longtime Sheriff Greg Christopher,…
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2023 A Look Back: Nobody puts baby in a corner award
The classic 1980s dance film Dirty Dancing taught all of us that “nobody puts Baby in a corner.” And if…
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2023 A Look Back: You Wanted It, You Got It Award
Congrats to Macon County GOP’s newest slate of officers. A dedicated bunch who fought hard, and allegedly dirty, to secure…
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2023 A Look Back: Keeper of the Flame award
This little award may not mean all that much to him — after all, he’s one of Southern Appalachia’s most…
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2023 A Look Back: Marty McFly Award
This one goes to Cherokee voters, who decided in this year’s election to look back to build their future.
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2023 A Look Back: Hard Joint to Pass Award
Sharing smokes has proven more difficult than anticipated for the winners of this award, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’…
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2023 A Look Back: Homer Simpson Award
We can’t say for certain whether Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith backed into a literal bush as the events of…
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2023 A Look Back: Chumbawamba Award
This award goes to Cherokee’s Sgadugi Constitution Committee, which, as the namesake band sang in its 1997 classic “Tubthumping,” keeps…
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2023 A Look Back: Odd Man in award
Maggie Valley is gonna Maggie Valley. It comes with the territory. To win a seat on that town’s board of…
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2023 A Look Back: Community Care Award
This year, the Sylva Police Department received a grant from the Dogwood Health Foundation to continue the Community Care Program with…
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2023 A Look Back: Honey, the Internet’s Out Again Award
O Zito, O Zito, wherefore art thou, Zito? In case you didn’t know, the phrase “wherefore art thou” is fancy Shakespeare…
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2023 A Look Back: Persistence as Resistance Award
This year was filled with slights and attacks on the LGBTQ+ community by local elected officials. But despite the environment,…
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2023 A Look Back: Survivor Award
This award goes out to the Fontana Regional Library, which, despite consistent attacks throughout 2023, is still standing, and continues…
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2023 A Look Back: Didn’t Read the Fine Print Award
Congressman Chuck Edwards apparently doesn’t read The Smoky Mountain News, but if he did, it may have saved him some…
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2023 A Look Back: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Award
The Macon County Board of Education has put in countless hours this year working to provide the best education possible…
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2023 A Look Back: The Hero You Never Knew You Needed Award
Not all heroes wear capes. At least not Amanda Seay. She seems more the utility pants and boots type.
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2023 A Look Back: Comeback Player(s) of the Year Award
Raise your hand if you’ve been paying attention to Western Carolina University athletics this academic year.
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2023 A Look Back: Throwback Award
Million-dollar mountaintop vacation homes, phony moonshine from corporate mega-distilleries, dime-a-dozen seedy strip malls — none of these things are Appalachian…
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Fake News Freakout! Episode 8
Welcome to the eighth installment of The Smoky Mountain News’ annual Fake News Freakout. I feel like I say this…
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Ringing out the Year of the Trail: A highlight reel of trail news in 2023
Declared to be the Year of the Trail more than a year before it even began, 2023 had a lot to…
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Set your race calendar
With a new year approaching, it’s the perfect time to start setting fitness goals — and to plan for participating…
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Hike into the 2024
The standing tradition of starting the New Year off on the trail will continue at N.C. State Parks Monday, Jan.…
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The Winter Hiking Challenge
Registration is open for the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s fourth annual Winter Hiking Challenge, asking participants to complete 60 miles…
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Forest Service enhances 128 plans with old growth protections
The U.S. Forest Service has issued a proposal that would amend all 128 forest land management plans in its jurisdiction…
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Celebrate biodiversity
Delve into the amazing biodiversity of the Southern Appalachians with a program offered at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, at…
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N.C. sees uptick in hunting accidents
Across the state, there has been an increase in firearm-related hunting incidents involving serious injury and fatalities.
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Year-in-review tool breaks down weather trends
The N.C. State Climate Office has launched a year-in-review tool that gives a review of trends and records at weather…
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Hipps steps down as Haywood Chamber president
At the Dec. 20 Haywood Chamber of Commerce board meeting, CeCe Hipps announced that she would be stepping down next…
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Cherokee police investigating teen suicide pact
At least one Cherokee teenager is believed to have died as the result of a local teen suicide pact under…
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Over the hills and far away: Warren Haynes' Christmas Jam returns to Asheville
It’s been some 43 years since John Bonham, iconic drummer for rock gods Led Zeppelin, tragically passed away at age…
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The true story of a teacher who defied Hitler
In 1933 Germany, headmistress Anna Essinger was ordered by the newly-elected Nazi party to fly a Nazi flag above her…
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We of the pale blue dot never learn
My Christmas wish is that every artificial light on earth gets turned off for 24 hours between Christmas Eve and…
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Christmas – finding beauty in the mess
It’s hard to believe Christmas is less than a week away. With more gifts to buy, a Christmas puzzle partially…
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A sickness in the soul of America
To the Editor: The Eagles rock band has interpreted life in America over the last five decades. Yet, the lines…
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Acts of kindness are always welcome
To the Editor: Believe it or not, there was a time within my life – and I’m 87 years old…
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Near to where her soul is: Missing hiker Melissa McDevitt is coming home
Almost exactly a year after a hiker vanished in the backcountry of British Columbia the night before a trip home…
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Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office answers police shooting lawsuit
In a 65-page answer to an extensive lawsuit filed in response to the December 2022 police shooting of Jason Harley…
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Haywood sheriff to release footage of alleged constitutional violation
The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office has been ordered by a judge to provide dash and body cam footage to a…
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New leadership sees new direction for Macon
Macon County will see a change of leadership for the coming year after the county commission unanimously voted to appoint…
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Reduction in federal funding for crime victims hits home
The holidays are often viewed as an opportunity for families to gather together and share seasonal cheer, but when there’s…
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Changes for FRL: Jackson looks at Macon’s recommendations for library system
After Macon County proposed several changes to the Fontana Regional Library system agreement, Jackson County commissioners are taking a look at…
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Partisan races for 2024 election set
North Carolina’s candidate filing period for the 2024 General Election ended last week, and after a slow start, a flurry…
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Macon BOE to remain non-partisan
Despite the intention by some commissioners to make the school board race partisan in Macon County, it will remain non-partisan,…
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Cherokee adopts budget reflecting lower casino revenues
After more than two months of operating under a continuing resolution, Tribal Council has approved a new budget for the…
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Jackson considers moving school board race to General Election
The race for Jackson County Board of Education is unique in that it is decided during the Primary Election, despite…
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Haywood gets financial reporting award
Haywood County has been recognized with the prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance…
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