Queen gets early challenger for state Senate seat
A competitive state Senate race appears to be on the horizon once again for Sen. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville. Andy…
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Town helps HVO seek state grant
The Town of Waynesville plans to step in for Haywood Vocational Opportunities in procuring state money to help with an…
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Cash settlement amount proves a sticking point
Negotiations over a cash settlement for Swain County have been stalled for more than a year as opposing sides argue…
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Jackson EDC still taking old board’s heat
Old records of the Jackson County Economic Development Commission are likely too spotty to complete missing audits from the years…
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9-12 group is voice for those dissatisfied with government
Haywood County commissioners have seen their share of hot-button issues this year. First came the proposed nuisance ordinance, with angry…
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Macon group finishes study of living history farm
A Macon County group is one step closer to its dream of establishing a Living History Farm, a working replica…
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Waynesville looks at ways to cut energy use
Energy efficiency dominated the agenda at Waynesville’s last town meeting, with the passage of a strategic energy management plan and…
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The road to a cash settlement
1920s Forney Creek Township wants a road leading from Bryson City to Deals Gap on the Tennessee state line. It…
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McLean and Mathis part of Richland project
The Richland Hills low-income senior housing development was touted publicly as being under the auspice of the Asheville-based nonprofit Mountain…
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Prison to remain open, but future not rosy
By Julia Merchant • Correspondent The minimum-security Hazelwood Prison in Waynesville is the only correctional facility of its kind to…
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Pointing kids toward a love of the park
Eric Sink, a teacher at Summit Charter School in Cashiers, N.C., looks forward to loading his fifth-graders up on a…
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More than a number With teacher layoffs, impact of school budget cuts hits home
It’s not an uncommon scene: people rattling a tin can outside Wal-Mart to raise money, whether it’s a cheerleading squad…
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Lake island dwellers lobby for fire protection
Homeowners on Buck Knob Island in the middle of Lake Glenville say they are owed fire protection by local volunteer…
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Megow-Dowling announces resignation
Jackson County’s economic development director Dorothea Megow-Dowling had been on the job for less than a year when she announced…
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Cherokee school bridges tradition and the future
While some students dread returning to the classroom this time of year, children in Cherokee have been asking for weeks…
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Land swap integral to Cherokee school
The Cherokee faced a long, uphill battle spanning decades to secure the idyllic tract of land now housing a brand…
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A dollar here, a paintbrush there: Community rallies to save teachers, support schools
They came. They saw. And this past Saturday, they — nearly 1,000 volunteers from almost 50 churches — painted, scraped,…
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Homeschooled students on the rise
More parents in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties opted to teach their children at home this year, concurring with…
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Departing director recommends dissolving Jackson EDC board
Jackson County’s Economic Development Commission has again been thrust into turmoil, a near constant state of affairs for the entity…
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New economic development coordinator learns the ropes
Trevor Dalton, Macon County’s first paid economic development coordinator, is back on his home turf. Dalton, 24, grew up in…
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County ensnared in lawsuit over historic courthouse renovations
Haywood County is being sued for $2 million by the contractor in charge of renovations to the newly restored historic…
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Scenic beauty, yes, but what about things to do?
By Andre A. Rodriguez • Special to the Smoky Mountain News A new travel study revealed potential visitors lack awareness…
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Jackson County offers incentives to land new manufacturing jobs
Jackson County leaders are considering an economic development incentive that will provide property tax credits to Stonewall Packaging in exchange…
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Cherokee leaders to PETA: back off our bear zoos
Despite public pressure from animal rights activists, including a visit from legendary game show host Bob Barker, Cherokee leaders do…
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State budget cuts target after school program for teens
Proposed cuts to the state budget have threatened after school care for middle school students, with programs in Canton, Franklin,…
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Haywood celebrates completion of historic courthouse renovations
Haywood County leaders held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday on the steps of the newly renovated historic courthouse. The $8.2…
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Macon hires point man in new push for economic development
Macon County has hired a full-time economic development coordinator, finally joining the ranks of most counties who employ paid directors…
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Fundraising ramps up for Waynesville skate park
By Andre A. Rodriguez • Special to the Smoky Mountain News It’s been at least a dozen years since Waynesville’s…
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Macon mulls workforce challenges
While it doesn’t seem like much of a news flash, it has emerged as one of the top concerns in…
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Investor in Jonathan Creek project claims he was wronged
A Tennessee man claims he was defrauded of $328,000 by the players behind Cataloochee Wilderness Resorts, a planned mega development…
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Townhomes one of few additions to Sylva housing in a decade
When Art Pohl moved to Jackson County from Florida 10 years ago, he imagined a golden retirement filled with lazy…
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Graham proposes takeover of Swain land
Swain and Graham counties are at odds over who should provide rescue service to the isolated Deals Gap territory, a…
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Europe’s unrest lead to creation of Wellco
When Heinz Rollman left behind the unrest of Europe and struck out for America in 1939, the fate of his…
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Ghost Town still honing bankruptcy comeback plan
Ghost Town in the Sky wants more time to prepare its bankruptcy reorganization plan and is seeking an extension. The…
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New Swain jail fails to rake in overflow inmates
When Swain County opened a new $10 million jail last fall with 109 beds — four times bigger than necessary…
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Cataloochee Resort developer says retail component viable
Jimmy and Keith Leatherwood were always glad to see the developers of Cataloochee Wilderness Resorts walk in to their local…
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Empty jail beds fuel feud between Swain sheriff, county
The new Swain jail costs the county $610,000 a year more than the old jail: $450,000 in debt payments and…
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Loss of Hazelwood manufacturer marks the end of an era
When Mary Ann Enloe was growing up in the blue-collar hub of Hazelwood, she didn’t know anyone with an alarm…
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HVO to purchase Wellco site
Although Wellco shoe plant in Waynesville is closing, the community will be spared the blight of another vacant industrial site.…
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‘Skeleton’ of a plan
Derek Roland’s presentation about the effort to create a comprehensive planning document for Macon County suggested that a progressive document…
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Big developer in foreclosure as lenders call their loans
A mega developer in Jackson County has landed in foreclosure due to sluggish lot sales in the down real estate…
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New medical office building coming to Harris Regional
Construction will soon begin on a medical office building on the Harris Regional Hospital campus in Sylva. The new 45,000-square-foot,…
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Harrah’s Cherokee Casino builds the future
The Cherokee Nation and Harrah’s pulled out all the stops to mark start of construction on a third hotel tower…
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Developer’s plight mixed blessing for community
Legasus developers have been attracting attention from Jackson County residents for almost two years. When news of the plans got…
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Folkmoot expands into three new counties
Last year Cindy Gilbert took her Polk County band students to China to perform. This year she is bringing the…
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Public split on South Main’s future
In the heyday of curbside service, Jim Caldwell had a special talent for dressing hot dogs. He could balance 10…
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Public art showcases Folkmoot USA
Folkmoot will be the subject of a public art piece commissioned by the Waynesville Public Art Commission (WPAC).Artist Wayne Trapp…
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South Main redesign could ‘raze’ the bar
South Main Street in Waynesville is headed for a major roadway redesign, one that could take out rows of long-time…
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Duke starts dredging above Dillsboro Dam
Duke Energy has begun work preparing a site along the Tuckasegee River upstream of the Dillsboro Dam in order to…
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Ghost Town coaster an open-and-shut case
The much-anticipated roller coaster at Ghost Town opened amid fanfare last week, then was promptly shut down again. The coaster…
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