Deal brokered for take over of defunct Sylva fiber lines
A pending sale of 19 miles of fiber lines capable of delivering high-speed internet in the greater Sylva area could…
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Get involved in the food conversation
The Public Policy Institute at Western Carolina University will host a meeting to determine community needs and support for a…
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WRGC 540 AM back on the air and lovin’ it
Jackson County commissioners may have taken a leap of faith to help WRGC radio get back on the air, but…
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Fundraiser to benefit abuse shelter
R.E.A.C.H. of Macon County will host a fundraiser starting at 6 p.m. July 29 at the home of prominent Highlands…
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New book recounts priest’s journey to freedom
Persuading Father Tien Duong to tell his story was a hard sell. It had all the right ingredients: a Catholic…
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Fallout from Jackson alcohol vote isn’t over yet
When Jason Cutler moved to Jackson County from Michigan eight months ago, he was shocked to discover he couldn’t buy…
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New state law stops predatory audits-for-hire against businesses
Swain County is considering hiring a firm to ferret out businesses that are evading property taxes on equipment — but it…
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GOP congressional candidates square off for a shot at the ballot
Elections are upon us again. Although the primary has come and gone and the general election is still months away,…
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State sticks counties with surprise election tab
Counties in North Carolina are being forced to shoulder the burden of electronic voting machines alone after the General Assembly…
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DOT work underway in Western North Carolina
The N.C. Department of Transportation has started work on three projects in Western North Carolina. In Haywood County, the DOT…
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Jackson employees take wellness tests
MedWest-Harris and MedWest-Swain laboratory employees recently partnered for the first time with Jackson County Department of Public Health workers to…
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Blood drive to be held at MedWest-Harris
MedWest-Harris in Sylva will hold an American Red Cross blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, July 12…
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Help fight hunger by donating via red barrels
The businesses in Haywood County are collecting non-perishable food donations through July 15 for Hunger Free Haywood, an initiative with…
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Haywood County library adds literacy station
The Haywood County Public Library has acquired the Early Literacy Station, a computer loaded with 50 educational software titles for…
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Grants awarded by Cherokee Preservation Foundation
The Cherokee Preservation Foundation has awarded 24 new grants totaling $1.8 million that support cultural preservation, economic development, job creation…
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Jackson County animal lover wages campaign against puppy mills
Chandra Spaulding, an animal rights activist and vet’s assistant in Sylva, has jumped onboard a statewide campaign to crack down…
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49-year-old murder continues to raise questions, speculation
Seventy-year old Ronnie Evans, a retired engineer with UNC-TV who lives in Franklin, seems an unlikely homicide investigator.
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Dynamite rotunda comes to life at Harrah’s Cherokee casino
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel never had an entrance that made visitors stop and say wow — until now.
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Ghost Town’s limited opening offers a taste of historic amusement park’s new era
Ghost Town in the Sky opened last Wednesday — sort of. The once-popular amusement park in Maggie Valley opened its…
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Red Cross sponsoring blood drives in WNC
The American Red Cross will hold blood drives in the area as the agency has reached emergency levels after receiving…
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Dental clinic to be held at WCU
A free dental clinic will be held July 13-14 at the Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University. The N.C. Missions…
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Bakers hope for sweet success in Bryson City
Gianna Carson stood behind the bakery register helping two young women decide which of her treats they wanted to taste.…
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Tired of being the odd woman out, Haywood tourism member resigns
A Haywood County Tourism Development Authority board member has resigned from her seat after disagreeing with the rest of the…
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Tribe goes solar at visitors centers
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has installed a series of metal trees baring solar panels on the branches near…
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Maggie asked to loosen its strict cap on video sweepstake machines
Maggie Valley’s planning board voted by a narrow margin last week to keep strict regulations on video sweepstakes machines in…
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Cherokee Preservation Foundation to host regional photo contest
Cherokee Preservation Foundation is sponsoring a community photo contest in connection with its 10th anniversary celebration. The contest is open…
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Franklin lacked proper license to douse mound with weed killer
Franklin could face a state penalty for spraying weed killer on an ancient Cherokee mound site because the town workers…
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Mayor censured for acting alone in apology to tribe
The Franklin Board of Aldermen censured Mayor Joe Collins this week for making a personal apology to the Eastern Band…
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WNC vitality index provides data-driven look at region
A one-of-a-kind database that encompasses virtually every aspect of life in Western North Carolina, from ecology to economics, is now…
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WNC cries foul over air pollution payments going down East
Western North Carolina for now has dodged concerns that it was getting short shrift in a legal settlement intended to…
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Waynesville’s revered town manager receives top N.C. honor
Longtime Waynesville Town Manager Lee Galloway was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, one of the most prestigious…
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Slope rules come to Maggie Valley: A lesson to learn from
After four major landslides, one death, several destroyed and damaged homes, washed out roads, and a $50,000 clean-up bill, steep…
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State pledges to clamp down on improper activity at Haywood DOT
Waste, favoritism and possible fraud and corruption by state highway workers in Haywood County enriched a local contractor and cost…
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Waynesville also contemplates Super Walmart ABC store
Waynesville’s ABC Board has not yet officially decided to build a second liquor store near the new Super Walmart, but…
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ABC store plan draws criticism in Franklin
A split decision by Franklin aldermen to build a new $1.25 million ABC store at the site of a Super…
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Case of three slain elk in Haywood County remains a mystery
Three elk were shot dead last month just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the Mount Sterling area…
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Fontana Dam clings to its tiny yet vital post office
The tiny town of Fontana Dam is getting to keep its post office, but what’s not clear yet is whether…
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Lawsuit blames Cherokee for investment losses in children’s trust fund
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has denied any wrongdoing in a lawsuit related to investment losses in a trust…
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Haywood businesses catch the solar bug
Two technology-related businesses in Haywood County are looking to save some green by going green.
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Lush yard waste policy costing Waynesville big bucks
Lee Galloway never goes anywhere without a spare copy of Waynesville’s yard waste ordinance. Even a simple evening jaunt to…
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Influential DOT board member from Jackson steps down
Western mountain counties will have a new representative on the N.C. Department of Transportation board with the departure of long-time…
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Sylva town leaders must pick new member to join them
The Sylva town board has lost what was arguably its most progressive member with the resignation of Stacy Knotts, who…
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Maggie cuts employee benefits, lowers its tax rate
Maggie Valley’s mayor and Board of Alderman voted quickly Monday to cut the tax rate by three cents and approve…
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Maggie police under the gun in budget talks
The Maggie Valley Police Department will see minimal cuts to its new budget despite multiple discussions about whether the small…
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Cashiers chamber to step up its game under new director
Don’t expect business as usual at the Cashiers Chamber of Commerce as a new director takes over for the first…
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Start-up costs hinder possible remedy for Macon child care shortage
A couple in Macon County is trying to raise $2 million to open a childcare center that would serve 120…
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Roller Girls competition set for Haywood
Swain County’s Smoky Mountain Roller Girls will travel to Haywood County to take on the Thunder Road Roller Girls…
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Richard Twiss to preach at Lake Junaluska
Richard Twiss will preach Sunday, July 1, at Lake Junaluska as part of the Native American Summer Conference. Twiss…
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Opportunities to serve in Waynesville
The Town of Waynesville is seeking citizens willing to serve on its boards and commissions, including its ABC Board,…
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Haywood tourism agency rolls out new approach for visitor centers
The Internet and smartphones are turning brick-and-mortar visitor centers into an antiquated resource for travelers and are part of the…
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