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Widespread burn bans now in effect
The North Carolina Forest Service has issued a burn ban for 25 Western North Carolina Counties, effective immediately and until…
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Campfire restrictions enacted in the Smokies
Campfires in the backcountry of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are a no-go following the park’s decision to issue…
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Wildlife rides out the drought
From his vantage point on the banks of the Tuckasegee River, it’s not that hard for fly fishing guide Alex…
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Low water levels cut the season short
Fontana Lake looks more like a narrow river running through a canyon right now as drought conditions persist across the…
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Data-driven analysis drives modern weather forecasting
Some things change, and some things stay the same. Thousands of years ago, humans developed visual and spoken languages to…
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Sales tax increase fails in Swain County
About 58 percent of voters in Swain County voted against increasing the sales tax from 6.75 percent to 7 percent.
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Davis hangs tight to N.C. Senate seat
Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, will keep his seat in the N.C. Senate after an easy victory over Jane Hipps, D-Waynesville,…
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Rep. Presnell survives challenge
Rhonda Cole Schandevel, D-Canton, ran a surprisingly good campaign that was well financed, but in the end, it wasn’t quite…
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Haywood County voters choose booze
For the first time since 1952, Haywood County voters were allowed to make a decision on whether or not to…
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Haywood County schools: Francis to keep school board chairman seat
Chuck Francis will again return to chair a Haywood County School Board that has set high marks for achievement, climbing…
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Rogers, Ensley win Haywood seats
It had been said about newcomer Brandon Rogers that if signs could vote, he would win.
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Republicans claim both seats in Macon
Republican incumbent Paul Higdon will keep his District 3 seat on the Macon County Commission while Republican Karl Gillespie claimed…
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Republicans capture majority on Jackson commissioners
Jackson County government will flip to the Republican side once again following successful campaigns from Ron Mau and Mickey Luker,…
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Republican unseats Democratic incumbent in Swain: David Monteith reclaims seat
Republican challenger Kenneth Parton was the top vote-getter in the Swain County Commissioners’ race and was able to unseat longtime…
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Corbin captures easy N.C. House win
Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin, will trade in his seat on the Macon County Board of Commissioners for a place in the…
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Meadows re-elected for third term in Congress
Incumbent Congressman Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, will continue to represent the 11th District of North Carolina after defeating Democratic challenger Rick…
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Clampitt upsets Queen for N.C. House
Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, thought the third time would be a charm.
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HCC student wins entrepreneur award
Haywood Community College Career & College Promise student Ezekiel MacMillan was recently awarded the third place National Association for Community…
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Library looks for input on strategic plan
The Haywood County Public Library has roots dating back more than a hundred years, but today’s library has its sights…
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Rash of car break-ins in Haywood
Haywood County Deputies responded to the Haywood Regional Medical Fitness Center around 6:15 a.m. Nov. 2 in reference to nine…
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Legislation to keep Fontana houseboats makes its way through Congress
Houseboat owners on Fontana Lake may get to keep their floating homes after all if legislation passes to exempt Fontana…
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Local nonprofit selected to manage hospital funds
Barring an unforeseen breakdown in contract negotiations, the Haywood Healthcare Foundation will manage the estimated $20 million in funds that…
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HCC seeks damages from architect, construction company
Haywood Community College’s new Creative Arts Building was supposed to be a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly facility.
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Planning council membership, trailer park rules to change in Cullowhee
Mere months after the much-debated Cullowhee Community Planning Standards became county ordinance, commissioners are set to consider a pair of…
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Volunteers, donations needed in dog rescue effort
Haywood County officials and volunteers continue to minister to the needs of 140 — and counting — dogs removed from…
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Contamination persists at SCC shooting range, testing shows
The first round of soil removal at Southwestern Community College’s lead-contaminated shooting range has substantially reduced the concentration of metal…
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Up in smoke: Wildfires rage across a bone-dry WNC
Billowing smoke and inundations of suited-up firefighters have become the norm for many areas in Western North Carolina over the…
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Per capita loan program approved in Cherokee
Twice each year, every Cherokee tribal member gets a payout of thousands of dollars — called a per capita payment…
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Midwest Heart, Southern Blues: Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters roll into WNC
Taking a seat on the old couch, my foot began to tap immediately. The living room full of friends and…
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This must be the place
The most important band in America My ears are still ringing. After catching two nights of the Drive-By Truckers this…
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Haywood art grants given
The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC), serving as a Designated County Partner of the North Carolina Arts Council, is pleased…
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Haywood County continues animal rescue
Haywood County officials and volunteers continue to minister to the needs of 140 – and counting – dogs removed from…
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‘Large scale’ animal evacuation underway by Haywood County
According to a press release issued earlier this morning, Haywood County officials are currently involved in the rescue of more…
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Witch-hazel has adapted as a late flowering plant
Editor’s note: this article first appeared in a November 2003 edition of The Smoky Mountain News. If you take a…
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Drought disaster declared in WNC
Jackson County has joined five other Western North Carolina counties in receiving designation as a primary natural disaster area due…
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Competition raises $220,000 to support military members
A weekend of outdoor competition raised $220,000 in support of military members and their families at Mountain Falls Luxury Motorcoach…
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Volunteers remove a ton of garbage from Haywood creeks
More than a ton of trash vanished from Richland and Allens creeks following a volunteer cleanup effort this fall.
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New district ranger named for Pisgah
The Pisgah Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest has a new district ranger following the arrival of Dave Casey,…
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Five fires burn the Nantahala
Fire season is just beginning, but already five fires are lighting up the Nantahala National Forest. About 130 people are…
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Forest fires ignite the Nantahala as drought worsens
Nantahala District Ranger Mike Wilkins was headed to church Sunday morning, Oct. 23, when he got the call. A forest…
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When the dust settles, we’ll keep moving forward
I feel strongly about politics. I hope — with all the hope I can muster — that Donald Trump loses…
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Comey’s threat to democracy is unprecedented
Editor’s note: This is a letter former FBI agent Mark Swanger Jr. sent to current FBI Director James Comey. Swanger…
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My Halloween failings follow me into adulthood
I am old enough and comfortable enough with my shortcomings to just admit it: I am not very good at…
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Searching for the meaning in a grueling trek
Recently, I attended “Coffee With the Poets” at City Lights Bookstore and heard the poet, Newton Smith, read and discuss…
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JCAC receives grant funding
The Jackson County Arts Council has received four grants from the North Carolina Arts Council to fund various programs for…
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This must be the place
Why don’t you go get your crazy pills? I remember that being said to me by other students when I…
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If you lived here, you’d be home by now: A conversation with Chris Robinson
Life is good. That’s the vibe one gets when chatting with Chris Robinson these days. Former lead singer for legendary…
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Agreement reached in Harris Hospital value dispute
After months of back-and-forth, Harris Regional Hospital and Jackson County have reached an agreement on the hospital’s tax value.
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Which ridge? Steep slope ordinance returns to planning board
Jackson County may have thought it was finished talking about its steep slope ordinance for a while when a much-debated…
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Swain applies to obtain federal building
Several Swain County administrative offices could be relocating to the federal building in downtown Bryson City if the county is…
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