To the Editor:

Like the writer of last week’s letter “Same Story, Different Wording,” I too, look forward to the day when The Smoky Mountain News stops printing letters from David Snell. 

Unlike that writer, however, my reason is very different: I look forward to the day when such letters no longer need to be written. That will be the day when Donald Trump and his cronies stop taking a wrecking ball to the American democratic institutions that our ancestors fought to create and preserve. 

Editor’s note

As Tony Dillard notes in this guest column, we’ve printed two other opinion pieces over the last two weeks by Waynesville aldermen Chuck Dickson and Jon Feichter regarding this annexation and the issue of whether these housing developments fit into the character of Waynesville. It’s unusual for The Smoky Mountain News to then give this much space to a third opinion piece, but given the importance of this issue — how will we grow — we decided to give Mr. Dillard the opportunity to voice his concerns. To note, Dillard is a private citizen in Waynesville.

— Scott McLeod, SMN Editor 

To the Editor:

With deference to David Crane’s credentials (“The 7th Crusade — U.S. folly in Iran,” March 18 SMN) and respect for his opinions, I would offer a contrarian view.

If the Treaty of Versailles had been enforced as de Gaulle and many others vigorously advocated, then perhaps WWII could have been avoided. What would it have taken to enforce that? Could it have been accomplished? We’ll never know. 

Following the arrest of former executive director Gretta Worley, HERE of Jackson County is reassuring residents that it will continue to pursue its mission. 

On March 31, Worley was indicted on 10  felony counts of obtaining property by false pretenses. According to the indictment, Worley used her position as director of the nonprofit to “obtain and use multiple credit cards” that were used by her and her family for “person expenditures not authorized by her position.”

Failures in the federal response to Hurricane Helene are still rippling into Haywood County’s bottom line, forcing the county — like most of its municipalities — to build a budget around uncertainty and delay rather than recovery. 

County Manager Bryant Morehead’s March 16 presentation made clear that millions in storm-related costs remain unreimbursed, leaving the county to carry the financial burden 18 months after the disaster. 

To the Editor:

In response to guest columnist Walter Cook’s recent article, “Don’t expect better results with the same choices,” (Dec. 31 edition of SMN) Mr. Cook accurately describes a political reality in Western North Carolina: for far too long, many voters have cast ballots strictly along party lines — then wondered why so little changes, or why things get worse. 

To the Editor:

An MD recently expressed opinion regarding Trump wanting DEI to die.

All his remarks are accurate and no one would disagree with them if in fact employers followed them. The doctor doesn’t seem to recognize that there are many racists in this country.

A Prince George’s County, Maryland, man whose viral video of a confrontation with a group at a dump in Haywood County drew outrage and polarized viewers has said he will file a federal civil rights lawsuit against several parties, including Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke.

To the Editor:

Last week’s letter by L. E. Cossette: “Democratic Party is in disarray,” is a delusional insult to Democrats and a vacuous flattery job to Trump’s Republican Party. Democrats are as committed and vocal about the values that they support as they always have been. 

To the Editor:

I write to correct misinformation in a letter to the editor written by David Lawson. He made two statements which are false.

His first mistake accuses the Social Security Administration of issuing benefits to more people over age 100 that are alive.