Like every other graduate at Southwestern Community College’s High School Equivalency commencement ceremony, Calbert Christian navigated a unique road on his way to receiving his diploma earlier this month.

To the Editor: Thank you, Jane Harrison, for setting me straight about my being in the minority of Americans because I think the unborn have rights. It feels good to be a minority for a change.

To the Editor: 

I’ve been a casual visitor to Highlands for years, becoming more of a seasonal visitor and now contemplating becoming a full-time resident.

To the Editor:

One of the most revealing, declarative statements ever uttered by a politician in the last 50 years was that voiced by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) shortly after Barack Obama’s election to the presidency in 2008 when he expressed, in no uncertain terms; “My aim in life is to make Barack Obama a one-term president.” Please allow those words to sink in.

Friends of the Smokies raised $85,000 to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at its Smokies Stomp event held July 23 at Cataloochee Ranch in Haywood County. 

North Carolina is now officially free of High Path Avian Influenza, meaning that the state can resume export and international trade of poultry products. 

The Bardo Arts Center (BAC) at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee is excited to welcome patrons into its spaces for a dynamic series of events and exhibitions this fall. 

To the Editor:

Oh, good grief! The often-repeated exasperation by the cartoon character Charlie Brown came to mind upon reading the letter from a Waynesville reader on July 27. The writer seems to have everything backwards.

To the Editor:

Until 2018, judges in North Carolina had been non-partisan, after which the Republican legislature changed the law to require candidates for judges to declare party affiliation. Even though judges and justices are now partisan candidates, impartiality is still the cornerstone of their job.  

Waynesville’s Laurel Ridge Country Club has changed ownership, with a new era beginning. 

All seven lake sites on the Hiwassee, Nottely and Chatuge rivers, as well as Fires Creek, have passed MountainTrue’s weekly E. coli testing with flying colors so far this summer. 

The N.C. Wildlife Federation has announced the winners of its 58th annual Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards, and Western North Carolina residents will take home two of them. 

The first North Carolinian to ever be elected as leader of the National Wildlife Federation’s Board of Directors hails from Asheville. 

The U.S. Forest Service, Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy and Southeast Conservation Corps are expanding their partnership to offer a natural resources career development program this fall for ages 18-30, or up to 35 for veterans. 

Sylva resident Cole Burch is among the 15 new wildlife law enforcement officers sworn in during the 58th Basic School graduation ceremony July 20. 

The N.C. Forest Service is now accepting tree seedling orders for its annual sale. 

To the Editor: 

The only thing I learned from a letter in a recent edition is that the letter writer doesn’t have a clue as to what socialism actually is. 

To the Editor: 

I read with interest Mr. Crider’s “Another view on Abortion”  opinion piece in the Aug. 3 edition of the Smoky Mountain News. Mr. Crider makes several correct points about who is anti-abortion and who is pro- abortion rights, and I appreciate that he admits that he has been hypocritical in his pro-life beliefs. He is not alone.

The Town of Franklin partnered with Duke Energy to install a level 3 fast-charging station in the town hall parking lot. Town Planner/IT Director Justin Setser worked closely with Duke to have the installation done without cost to taxpayers. 

A recent federal grant award for the Preventing School Violence initiative was awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice to the Thirtieth Judicial District Domestic Violence Sexual Assault Alliance in partnership with Haywood County Schools and the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office. 

N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced that farmers in 11 additional counties are eligible for the Western N.C. Agricultural Crop Loss Program for damages and losses due to flooding and excessive rain from Tropical Storm Fred and an April 2021 freeze and frost. The deadline to apply is Aug. 31. A total of $10 million is available.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) has issued a land use permit allowing the Museum of the Cherokee Indian  to operate an offsite facility housing Museum collections, archives, and Tribal artifacts. The permit follows a February resolution that designated a piece of land in Swain County, near Bryson City, for the future building.

Long-time Lake Junaluska supporters Steve Berwager and husband-and-wife Bernie and Snookie Brown are the 2022 recipients of the Junaluska Leadership Award, an honor bestowed annually during Associates Celebration Weekend at Lake Junaluska. 

Dr. Bill Nolte announced his retirement earlier today in meetings with principals and Central Office staff. His retirement is effective Nov. 1, 2022. The Board of Education will immediately begin the process of hiring a new Superintendent.

In many ways, high school graduates are mature young adults ready to live on their own and begin an exciting college career, but are they prepared to manage their own finances?

Hazelwood Family Medicine and the Salon & Skin Spa of Hazelwood Village is now offering two state-of-the-art treatments, Emsella and EMSCULPT NEO. 

Declining ginseng populations have prompted the Cherokee National Forest in Tennessee to halt harvesting permits for the prized plant, following in the footsteps of the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest, which halted harvest in 2021. 

Peter Holderness Ledford has been appointed as North Carolina’s new clean energy director, Gov. Roy Cooper announced July 27.

Julie Mayfield is stepping down as co-director of MountainTrue after serving alongside co-director Bob Wagner since 2013. Prior to that, she had worked as executive director of the organization then known as the Western North Carolina Alliance since 2008. 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is reopening the public comment period and extending the decision deadline on its proposal to de-list the ivory-billed woodpecker after disagreement among experts as to whether the species, long thought to be extinct, may still persist. 

The high-water warning system at the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Tennessee is working once more after incurring damage in the April 26 fire that destroyed the building. 

Last weekend, one man died and another was seriously injured following incidents at waterfalls in the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest, leading the U.S. Forest Service to issue a strong warning for those planning to venture out to one of Western North Carolina’s signature cascades. 

An instrumental program for educating future K-12 teachers while more accurately reflecting real world demographics began its second year at Western Carolina University.

The Maggie Valley Club & Resort, a semi-private club and resort located in the mountains of Western North Carolina, is pleased to welcome Craig Sparks as director of golf. Sparks will oversee all golf operations and golf sales for the scenic resort property.

The Giles division of Premier Magnesia announced that it is now almost done with construction on its new expansion in the Hazelwood area.

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce recently welcomed Brain Freeze Fun Frozen Custard.

The  WNC: MADE X MTNS Partnership  is launching a new outdoor-driven community economic development initiative, Building Outdoor Communities, spanning 25 Western North Carolina counties and the Qualla Boundary.

Folkmoot, North Carolina’s Official International Folk Festival, returns to hosting programs and events beginning with its “Summerfest” scheduled from Thursday, July 28, to Sunday, July 31. 

To the Editor:

Three hundred Spartans. The battle of Thermopylae, fought between the Greeks and the Persians in 480 B.C., has gone down in history as one of the most significant last stands of all time. 

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon cutting celebration to welcome H & H Softwash to the Franklin business community.  

A former Western Carolina University vice chancellor for advancement and external affairs who enjoyed successful careers as a community journalist and as an administrator in the University of North Carolina system is the inaugural recipient of a lifetime achievement award presented by the North Carolina Retired Governmental Employees’ Association.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials have closed the Greenbrier area to all use due to additional road damage caused by an estimated three inches of rain occurring during the early morning hours on Thursday, July 21. Roads were further damaged by floodwaters that rose above riverbanks and also from overland waterflow from above the roadways.  

To the Editor:

During the past several weeks, a seemingly coordinated series of increasingly vitriolic letters to the editor have appeared in The Smoky Mountain News. One specific letter, titled “Religion doesn’t belong in schools” by Ms. Cory was shocking to me, as well as to many other readers of The Smoky Mountain News. Though many of the points seemed gratuitously inflammatory, the anti-Christian remarks specifically stood out to me. 

To the Editor: 

Over the past few weeks, a series of letters has appeared in local papers which seems to be part of a continued campaign both locally and nationally to drive Americans apart. One writer stated, “Those who do not look or believe the same have all too often seen the predictably toxic and venomous response from the evangelical right.” That is a highly partisan and frankly slanderous statement with no basis in reality.