Archived (29788)
Children categories
After the shock, and the pain, life goes on
It has been about eight months since my stepfather died. My mother has been talking about getting her house in…
Read More
We are fractured as a nation
To the Editor: All of us who rely upon the local news as a monitor on morality have heard and…
Read More
Environmentalism needs a new leader
To the Editor: One question that keeps going over and over in my mind is, will there be an environmental…
Read More
Anti-Trump vitriol just too much
To the Editor: Oh my goodness! What an amazing bunch of nonsense from anti-Trump letter writers in the June 20…
Read More
Whitner named Alumni of the Year
Bryan Whitner, 1998 Haywood Community College criminal justice graduate, was named Outstanding Alumni of the Year Award recipient for 2018.
Read More
SCC student starts recovery podcast
A student in the Substance Abuse Treatment program at Southwestern Community College, Stephen Steen recently paired his passion for helping…
Read More
A life stranger than fiction: Local author releases novel of true-life confessions
As Royal Phillips packs up her belongings that signify the last 20 years she’s spent in Waynesville and prepares for…
Read More
New mental health crisis center to open in WNC
A new mental health facility in Asheville is set to open this summer to serve children and teens in Western…
Read More
WNC celebrates life of David Belcher
For the son of a small-town Baptist preacher who studied to become a classically trained pianist — only to find…
Read More
Waynesville workshop reveals vision, goals
Although the philosophical basis of the Waynesville comprehensive plan is rooted in academic concepts and professional standards related to long-term…
Read More
Jackson committee to tackle affordable housing woes
A committee focused on increasing affordable housing options in Jackson County has been created following a unanimous vote of the…
Read More
Meadows floats immigration fix
As House Republicans scramble to address the ongoing family separation issue on the nation’s southern border, several competing bills have…
Read More
Cherokee tribes condemn family separations
The three Cherokee tribes joined voices last week to decry the recent surge of family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Read More
Rate increase for Duke Energy customers denied
When residents gave testimony back in January adamantly opposing Duke Energy Carolinas’ rate increase request to the North Carolina Utilities…
Read More
Macon passes $51 million budget
Following plenty of public input, Macon County commissioners approved a final budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year that includes more…
Read More
County could take over Canton sports complex
Taxpayers in the Town of Canton are about to again test political will, as the town has of late entered…
Read More
Pay to play: recreation spending a burden for some small towns
Among the various spending categories in many municipal budgets — general government, public safety and the like — one can…
Read More
TWSA closes the lid on 2018-19 budget
Hookup fees are set to plummet for water and sewer customers in Jackson County following adoption of the Tuckaseigee Water…
Read More
DA: Trooper not at fault in deadly crash
District Attorney Ashley Welch has completed the review of the SBI investigation into the events of July 25, 2017, involving…
Read More
Backyard trails: Local mountain bike trails surge to popularity
In 2013, Western Carolina University cut the ribbon on 7-mile trail system zig-zagging an otherwise unbuildable piece of university property. …
Read More
Sharing the craft: Jo Ridge Kelley Fine Art
With the traffic and noise of a busy Main Street in downtown Waynesville zooming by outside her window, Jo Ridge…
Read More
Blue Collar Dreams: A decade in, Balsam Range looks ahead
Ten years into his tenure with Balsam Range, Tim Surrett can only shake his head. “The most amazing factor is…
Read More
Aw, shucks: Haywood County crafter keeps heritage craft alive, vibrant
You’ve probably driven by the Red Barn Greenhouse & Garden Center on Dellwood Road between Maggie Valley and Waynesville. But,…
Read More
A closer look at WNC festivals
The proud communities that make up Western North Carolina were once mountain towns that played host to several successful blue-collar…
Read More
Brewing success: Two WNC craft breweries win national medals
With sunshine spilling into the taproom of Currahee Brewing Company in Franklin one recent afternoon, brewmaster Taylor Yates is all…
Read More
On your plate, on the plateau: Chef Ken Naron of Canyon Kitchen
Though the culinary and agricultural history of Southern Appalachia is as vast and robust as the tall and rigorous mountains…
Read More
Grant will fund waterways in Macon
Cartoogechaye Creek will become a little healthier thanks to a $100,000 grant that Mainspring Conservation Trust landed from Duke Energy’s…
Read More
The wildest show: Synchronous fireflies display untamed beauty in the Smokies
I entered the lottery on a whim, figuring that, like 90 percent of my fellow entrants, I’d end up with…
Read More
Playground opens for kids with special needs
A new playground designed for kids with mental and physical disabilities is now open in Waynesville.
Read More
Recycling on the uptick
Recycling is on the rise in North Carolina according to a recently released report showing numbers for all 100 counties…
Read More
The Naturalist's Corner: Musings from count year 2018
This past spring was one of the more trying ones with regard to my annual U.S. Forest Service bird point…
Read More
Book examines ‘meanness’ in Christianity
The author of this book is a speech language psychologist and university educator. Now in his sixties, Billy has extensive experience…
Read More
Such a sad people we have become
To the Editor: Based on available evidence, how would we describe the American population? The answer would seem to be…
Read More
False reporting in sheriff story
To the Editor: In a news article (Swain sheriff suspends mutual aid to town, opponent claims the move is purely…
Read More
Most body cam videos should be public
To the Editor: As the Mayor of Franklin, I agree with the efforts of the three Buncombe County legislators who…
Read More
The perfect name for Trump’s problem
To the Editor: In response to Dennis Ford’s letter, “The standard today is a double standard,” which appeared in the…
Read More
Surely we can do better
To the Editor: Sunday morning in America (Father’s Day). Politicians eat steak, plump and happy, while playing political games. Immigrant…
Read More
Living in The Valley
During a divorce, one person is required to move out of the family home. After months of rigmarole and this…
Read More
No harm in striving to understand each person
By Hannah McLeod • Guest Columnist Do not decry this generation for pushing the boundaries of respect/understanding/acceptance. People today like…
Read More
A life that changed lives: WNC mourns death of WCU Chancellor David Belcher
From the moment Western Carolina University Chancellor David O. Belcher announced he’d been diagnosed with brain cancer — more than…
Read More
‘Forever in our purple-and-gold hearts’
Outpourings of support and sadness were in ample supply once news of Western Carolina University Chancellor David Belcher’s death reached…
Read More
Answers still wanted in Bryson City K9 death
It’s been several months since a young police K9, Kanon, died while in the possession of a Bryson City Police…
Read More
Sidewalk seating could come to Waynesville’s Main Street
Customers of downtown Waynesville’s restaurants and bars may soon be told to “hit the bricks” — but in a good…
Read More
Capacity use fees proposed for Waynesville
Infrastructure in municipal sewer and water systems isn’t cheap, but a debate recently settled in the General Assembly clarified what…
Read More
Bumpy road for vehicle tax proposals
With municipal budget season coming down to the wire and those municipal budgets coming down to the penny, two Haywood…
Read More
Input sought for Waynesville comprehensive plan
For months, town officials have been hard at work creating the framework and the process for updating the Town of…
Read More
Central Haywood gym will come down
An engineering report issued to Haywood County Schools June 11 resulted in unanimous approval of a resolution by the board…
Read More
Penalty for trespassing on Cherokee land to increase
Enforcing banishments could become easier for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians depending on the fate of a bill that…
Read More
Laying down the law: Officers, DA explain challenges within the system
If you don’t have much experience within the criminal justice system, trying to navigate the system can be frustrating.
Read More
TWSA to set new fee levels: Upfront fees will be less than current levels
Hookup fees are set to fall for water and sewer customers in Jackson County, but how much will depend on…
Read More
