Despite flooding, Jackson escapes worst of Hurricane Helene impact

Jackson County was largely spared the damning effects of Hurricane Helene from which its neighbors to the east are still…
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Ravaged by floodwaters, Frog Level Brewing remains resilient

After floodwaters from Hurricane Helene overtook the Historic Frog Level District in downtown Waynesville this past weekend, several business owners…
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HELENE: How to help

Since Tropical Storm Helene hit Western North Carolina, there has been an outpouring of people looking for ways to support…
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PHOTO GALLERY: Tropical Storm Helene hits Western North Carolina

Tropical Storm Helene was predicted to bring significant flooding to Western North Carolina, but it's hard to fathom how much…
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School cancellations following Hurricane Helene impact

Schools around the region will be closed beginning Sept. 29 following flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.
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Gov. Cooper offers update on Helene rescue, recovery efforts

Gov. Roy Cooper provided an update on the emergency response and recovery from Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina. He…
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Tropical Storm Helene hits Western North Carolina

Editor's note: Hurricane Helene has already produced flash flooding and dangerous winds across the region, and it has come on…
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Mountain Heritage Day canceled

Western Carolina University announced Thursday, Sept. 26 that the 50th Anniversary of Mountain Heritage Day daytime festival, scheduled for Saturday,…
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On the right path: Pathways celebrates a decade of service to the community

What started off as a clever idea to address recidivism has grown into something more — a community-driven response to…
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Blame game: Vance, Walz trade barbs in dueling NC appearances

In a series of pointed comments, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance took aim at their respective…
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Former Maggie Valley Police Chief sues town: Suit alleges wrongful termination, coverup of criminal activity

Former Maggie Valley Police Chief Russ Gilliland is suing the town for wrongful termination following what he alleges was the…
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Testing data is in, HCS reaches sixth in the state

This month the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released performance and growth data for the 2023-24 school year, and…
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Man describes what led him to Pathways and what led him out

It’s tough for a person to get back up on their feet, no matter how well they may have done…
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Smoky Mountain News brings home numerous NCPA awards

The staff of the Smoky Mountain News won 20 combined advertising and editorial awards, including a combined 13 first-place honors,…
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Endowment for Cherokee Hospital Foundation Established

The Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the well-being of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians by strengthening…
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Dangerous storm bears down on WNC

A growing tropical storm that’s expected to become a major hurricane is tracking through the Gulf of Mexico and appears…
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Swain man convicted in drug trafficking case

District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch today said a Haywood County jury recently convicted a Bryson City man on seven criminal…
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Man sentenced for sexual contact with minor

Rogelia Vega Evans, 26, of Lexington, North Carolina was sentenced to 180 months in prison for engaging in sexual contact…
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HRMC announces walk-in mammography

Haywood Regional Medical Center announced the launch of a convenient walk-in mammography clinic at the HRMC Breast Center, located on…
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‘Biggest election we’ve ever had’: Macon gets ahead of illegal signs, voter intimidation, misinformation

Macon County officials held a press conference last week to address illegal political signs and get ahead of some misinformation…
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RFK ballot fight leaves voters in limbo

He fought to get on the ballot, and then fought to get off the ballot.  Now, after a favorable ruling…
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Pioneer Heritage Festival offers tour of historic Shook-Smathers House

The historic Shook-Smathers House in Clyde has seen significant improvements in recent years, and this weekend folks will have a…
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General Assembly approve private school vouchers

Last week the North Carolina General Assembly passed a conference report, also referred to as a mini budget that includes…
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Changes to Sylva panhandling ordinance fail

After multiple rounds of public opposition to proposed changes to Sylva’s panhandling ordinance, the board decided to dismiss the changes…
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Superior Court judge nearing EBCI Supreme Court confirmation

Superior Court Judge Bradley B. Letts has confirmed he has the intention of vacating his seat on the bench to…
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Macon County manager announces resignation

After more than a decade of leadership in Macon County, Derek Roland announced last week that he intends to resign…
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Lake Junaluska names leadership award winners

Judy and Ed LaFountaine, wife and husband, are the 2024 recipients of the Junaluska Leadership Award, an honor bestowed annually…
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Wreaths Across America returns to Waynesville

Started in 1992 by Morrill Worcester with the donation and placement of 5,000 wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery during the…
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Documents indicate shuttered Canton paper mill will soon be sold

The old paper mill in the heart of Canton will have a new owner by the end of the month…
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Here’s what’s keeping America’s elections experts up at night

A  bipartisan panel of election law experts is largely satisfied with the integrity of the American election system, but they’re…
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Cherokee celebrates first day of adult recreational cannabis use

It’s been almost a decade in the making, but anyone over 21 with a valid ID can purchase THC products…
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Another school shooting, another call for assault rifle bans

Remarks given by Tennessee State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, stumping for the Democratic presidential ticket during a visit to Western…
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Jackson aims for traditional middle school

Jackson County Schools is taking a stab at a traditional middle school and applying for a state grant to fund…
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Pigeon Center hosts farm-to-table dinner

Celebrate the change of seasons with your friends and neighbors at a farm-to-table dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21,…
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Bus drivers wanted: Local schools face non-certified staffing shortages

Finding enough bus drivers to operate all necessary routes has become a common issue for school systems across North Carolina…
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Rachel Hunt seeks to build on her own legacy in Lt. Gov. race

It’s a name familiar to older North Carolina voters largely due to her father’s two separate eight-year terms as the…
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Bryson City residents decry water rate increase

It’s been a long time coming, in a sense, but frustrations have finally reached a boiling point as Bryson City…
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Waynesville police chief to appeal certification suspension

Waynesville Police Chief David Adams had all of his law enforcement instructor certifications suspended by the North Carolina Criminal Justice…
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Parkway visitation, spending grows

Visitors to one of the country’s most unique national park units pumped nearly $1.4 billion into local economies in 2023,…
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Cherokee adult recreational cannabis sales begin Saturday

Beginning this Saturday, Sept. 7, anyone over the age of 21 will be able to purchase and use marijuana on…
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Blue Ridge School families demand action

Members of the Blue Ridge School community showed up to the Jackson County Board of Education’s August meeting to express…
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WCU hosts 14th annual ‘Rooted in the Mountains’ symposium

Western Carolina University is set to host the 14th Annual Rooted in the Mountains Symposium, a two-day event aimed at…
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SCC’s founding Dental Assisting class celebrates at pinning ceremony

Less than a year after starting their studies, the very first Dental Assisting students in Southwestern Community College history earned…
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Jackson TDA announces quarterly cycle for Tourism Capital Project Fund

The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority (JCTDA) has announced a new quarterly cycle for the Tourism Capital Project Fund (TCPF),…
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Preorder Chris Cooper's latest book with discount promo code

Noted expert on southern politics and North Carolina politics Chris Cooper’s newest book will ship later this fall, and with…
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Sept. 11 commemoration invites first responders

A free event for all emergency responders and veterans will be held in Bryson City on Sunday, Sept. 8 at…
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Closure shorten schedule on White Oak Road

A contractor for the N.C. Department of Transportation will finish paving a section of White Oak Road in two weeks…
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Four days: Kamala Harris' unlikely journey, via Chicago, plays a huge role in Biden's legacy

Editor’s note: This story is a compilation of Smoky Mountain News Politics Editor Cory Vaillancourt’s pop-up daily dispatches, “Via Chicago,”…
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Bearers of the Tar Heel torch: North Carolina’s youngest DNC delegates reaffirm commitment to party in Chicago

Torches were passed at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago last week, even more so than most people might have…
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Harris ticket energizes rural NC voters, but will it be enough?

The long and winding road to the White House passes through North Carolina, but in this swing state of nearly…
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