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Jake brakes are a needed safety measure
 

Jake brakes are a needed safety measure

To the Editor: I absolutely object to the conclusions in your article about Jake brakes in last week’s edition of…
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GOP-led legislature has wrong priorities
 

GOP-led legislature has wrong priorities

To the Editor: The Republicans in Raleigh have approved their “tax reform” and budget, and we will suffer for both. …
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Being in the right place at the right time
 

Being in the right place at the right time

Ever know you are in a good place at the right time? Every now and then that sentiment — about…
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Women in Business to host ‘Your Performance on Stage’ luncheon
 

Women in Business to host ‘Your Performance on Stage’ luncheon

The Haywood Chamber of Commerce Women in Business group will host “Your Performance On Stage … Flourish, Engage, Inspire” from…
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School supply and clothing drives abound
 

School supply and clothing drives abound

Keller Williams Realty of Waynesville is holding its annual children’s clothes swap next weekend. Drop off new or gently used…
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Macon Schools may cut teacher bonuses to save positions
 

Macon Schools may cut teacher bonuses to save positions

To deal with a gaping budget shortfall, Macon County Schools might raid the local salary bonus it historically awards its…
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Volunteers glean picked-over fields to feed the hungry
 

Volunteers glean picked-over fields to feed the hungry

At the end of every crop’s season, farmers pick the fruits or vegetables that are pretty enough to sell in…
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Handpicked appointments fill Jackson boards
 

Handpicked appointments fill Jackson boards

It’s not the strength of your resume — it’s who your friends are. 
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Cullowhee: meet your makers
 

Cullowhee: meet your makers

Jackson County Commissioners have begun naming a task force that will shepherd Cullowhee along the way to becoming a bonafide …
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Macon board plows into floodplain rules
 

Macon board plows into floodplain rules

The Macon County planning board signaled its intent this month to loosen rules on development in floodplains. 
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Diagonal parking a conundrum for downtown Sylva
 

Diagonal parking a conundrum for downtown Sylva

Business owner Marion Jones claims to sit on Sylva’s Main Street watching traffic more than any other person in town. 
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Wells Funeral Home brings multi-purpose event center to downtown Waynesville
 

Wells Funeral Home brings multi-purpose event center to downtown Waynesville

A new event center in Waynesville could be just the beginning of the vitalization of Wall Street, said Wells Greeley,…
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Swain library dreams of new digs despite funding realities
 

Swain library dreams of new digs despite funding realities

Bryson City’s library has storied yet humble beginnings — born from a suitcase of books toted around town by a…
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Forest Hills mayor race down to the wire, but not in the way you might think
 

Forest Hills mayor race down to the wire, but not in the way you might think

The clock was ticking. There were just two days to go for mayor candidates to step up to the plate…
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Vandalism prompts Sylva to mount security cameras in parks
 

Vandalism prompts Sylva to mount security cameras in parks

Persistent vandals have pushed Sylva decision-makers to ramp up the town’s surveillance program.   Coming soon to two Sylva parks…
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Law enforcement excited about new WNC crime lab
 

Law enforcement excited about new WNC crime lab

The recently signed state budget bill will fund the hiring of 19 toxicology analysts for a new western crime lab,…
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Specialty license plates rescued
 

Specialty license plates rescued

Colorful specialty license plates have been spared the gallows thanks to a bill passed in the final hours of the…
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Injured Ghost Town gunfighter gets hope in worker’s comp claim
 

Injured Ghost Town gunfighter gets hope in worker’s comp claim

A Ghost Town in the Sky gunfighter wounded during a staged fight has new hope of being compensated for his…
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Man’s quest to flee town limits ends in charges
 

Man’s quest to flee town limits ends in charges

A candidate for Maggie Valley alderman was indicted this month on eight felony charges, including forgery.  The July 19 indictment…
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In the driver’s seat: ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ hits the Bryson City stage
 

In the driver’s seat: ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ hits the Bryson City stage

By Michael Beadle Miss Daisy Werthan is an elderly Jewish widow who has gotten too old to drive herself, so…
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Art all day: 4th annual Bryson City Art Walk is Oct. 14
 

Art all day: 4th annual Bryson City Art Walk is Oct. 14

By Michael Beadle With the blaze of leaf season in full swing, inspiration is all around — especially for local…
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Southern Cross set to test its metal
 

Southern Cross set to test its metal

By Chris Cooper If you can imagine an even more ticked-off Phil Anselmo fronting a hybrid of COC and Black…
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Recommended diversions
 

Recommended diversions

Sports I’m sorry, I am an unabashed sports fan. Not one of those people who paints themselves in their team’s…
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Evolution in Europe
 

Evolution in Europe

While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West From Within by Bruce Bawer. Doubleday, 2006. 256 pages —…
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Cherokee marketing efforts get $500,000 from foundation
 

Cherokee marketing efforts get $500,000 from foundation

The Cherokee Preservation Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Travel and Promotion program of the Eastern Band of…
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Debate plan could die due to demands
 

Debate plan could die due to demands

Voters who got excited at early reports that Congresman Charles Taylor and challenger Heath Shuler had agreed to a debate…
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Haire, Carpenter a contrast in philosophies
 

Haire, Carpenter a contrast in philosophies

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer In the race for the 119th District seat, candidates Marge Carpenter and Rep. Phil…
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Haire, Caprenter are familiar foes
 

Haire, Caprenter are familiar foes

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer In some elections an incumbent candidate may face a political newcomer, like the congressional…
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Haywood seeks bids on historic courthouse renovation
 

Haywood seeks bids on historic courthouse renovation

The Haywood County commissioners are soliciting construction bids for the long-awaited renovation of the historic courthouse in downtown Waynesville.
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How high on the totem pole? Each with two years of experience under their belts, Presnell and Queen vie for NC Senate
 

How high on the totem pole? Each with two years of experience under their belts, Presnell and Queen vie for NC Senate

When Joe Sam Queen arrived at a reception hosted by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce earlier this year, the…
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Jackson County celebrates opening of  Green Energy Park
 

Jackson County celebrates opening of Green Energy Park

A small spot on the side of a valley overlooking the Tuckasegee River outside Dillsboro may not seem the obvious…
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Jackson race outcome may depend on party turnout
 

Jackson race outcome may depend on party turnout

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer • Mark Jones, 47, a Democrat, has been the general manager of High Hampton…
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Ken McKim says choice is clear in 50th District
 

Ken McKim says choice is clear in 50th District

Thirty-six year-old Ken McKim has lots of ideas about the issues he would tackle if he can wrest the 50th…
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Scorecards
 

Scorecards

Several groups compile score cards for state legislators based on their voting record. Queen and Presnell were both ranked by…
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Sen. John Snow earns high marks during first term
 

Sen. John Snow earns high marks during first term

When Sen. John Snow talks about being a senator for the far western counties that he calls home, he becomes…
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Despite community pleas, Swain shelves planning board
 

Despite community pleas, Swain shelves planning board

It appears Swain County commissioners were out of sync with public consensus two months ago when they decided to postpone…
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Taylor, Shuler share similar views on gay marriage
 

Taylor, Shuler share similar views on gay marriage

Gibbs Knotts, a political science professor at Western Carolina University, took time to address the gay marriage issue and how…
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Do you support a Constitutional Ammendment to define marriage as between a man and woman? Why or why not?
 

Do you support a Constitutional Ammendment to define marriage as between a man and woman? Why or why not?

Taylor: My position is, and has always been, that marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman.
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A beech for winter
 

A beech for winter

“... the mellowing year marks its periods of decline with a pageantry
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Change of a good kind is in the air
 

Change of a good kind is in the air

I’m not sure when the characteristics of being frugal and not wasting became derisive traits, why it became wimpy to…
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Lawsuit thrown out, paddlers pledge appeal
 

Lawsuit thrown out, paddlers pledge appeal

Hikers, fishermen and environmentalists won a small victory last week in an on-going tug-of-war with paddlers over the upper Chattooga…
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Ivory-billed hiatus
 

Ivory-billed hiatus

Ornithologists Geoff Hill of Auburn University and Dan Mennill from University of Windsor presented a program at this year’s American…
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Scientists look at ways to stop invasive species
 

Scientists look at ways to stop invasive species

Resource managers and plant specialists with the Blue Ridge Parkway are calling on neighboring landowners to help rein in the…
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Marge Carpenter
 

Marge Carpenter

1. What specific legislation or policies are at the top of your list?
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Phil Haire
 

Phil Haire

1. What specific legislation or policies are at the top of your list?
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Ken McKim
 

Ken McKim

1. What specific legislation or policies are at the top of your list?
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John Snow
 

John Snow

1. What specific legislation or policies are at the top of your list?
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Playing with the numbers: School board accused of arbitrarily deflating cost estimates
 

Playing with the numbers: School board accused of arbitrarily deflating cost estimates

Bond numbers Haywood County voters approved a $25 million school bond in May 2005 intended to pay for a host…
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Safe haven: Domestic violence hits home
 

Safe haven: Domestic violence hits home

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer Editor’s note: The names of domestic violence victims Linda and Anne, who were interviewed…
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Slope proposal supported at hearing: Concerns raised, but most agree it’s time for steep slope laws
 

Slope proposal supported at hearing: Concerns raised, but most agree it’s time for steep slope laws

Slope ordinance Haywood County commissioners are considering a slope development ordinance with the following restrictions:
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