Military retiree decries Trump’s actions
To the Editor:
This will be the shortest letter to the editor I have ever written because a retired U.S. Army paratrooper major says it better than I ever could.
So I challenge anyone reading this who still thinks that Donald Trump is a decent, honorable man who deserves to be president to watch this video.
This must be the place: Ode to lacing up the running shoes, ode to ‘The Streak’
It finally happened. Exactly 10 years in the making, my daily running streak officially celebrated one decade of continuation on Dec. 31, 2025. End-to-end, that span of time is 3,654 straight days. The mile I’ve run? Countless. I can’t even fathom the total distance jogged throughout that time period, although I have kept a running log since “The Streak” started. Someday I’ll calculate it.
SAHC hosts sixth-annual Winter Hiking Challenge
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) will host its sixth-annual Winter Hiking Challenge in the first two months of 2026, which aims to inspire people to experience outdoor recreation during the winter months.
The 2026 SAHC Winter Hiking Challenge sets a goal of 60 miles in 60 days, from Jan. 1 to March 1, to be completed in your own time and at your own speed.
Waynesville incumbents look to steady recovery
Waynesville isn’t just another mountain town still recovering from Hurricane Helene — it’s Haywood County’s economic, cultural and governmental hub. Nearly everything that happens in the largest municipality in the state’s western seven counties has ripple effects beyond its borders, from disaster recovery and infrastructure planning to affordable housing and fiscal stability.
We have to fix Social Security
To the Editor:
AARP recently sent out an email with this message:
“Social Security will continue to give people the full amount of money they’ve earned in the next several years. However, payments may be reduced by about 20% if Congress doesn’t act by 2034, according to the Social Security Board of Trustees’ latest report.
WCU Greek Challenge nets $1.5 million for Catamount Club; winners announced
Members of Western Carolina University fraternities and sororities contributed more than $1.5 million to the Catamount Club during the 2024-2025 edition of the Greek Challenge, an annual competition to see which organizations can raise the most money in support of the university’s athletics program.
