Jack Stern demos his oil painting techniques
 

Jack Stern demos his oil painting techniques

Landscape painter Jack Stern will demonstrate oil painting techniques at 6:15 p.m. on Jan. 5 at the Swain County Center…
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Sylva library offers monthly music performances
 

Sylva library offers monthly music performances

The Jackson County Public Library in downtown Sylva hosts a daytime music program on the first Friday of every month…
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‘Memories’ with Barbara Bates Smith
 

‘Memories’ with Barbara Bates Smith

Actress Barbara Bates Smith will perform her adaptation of the Lee Smith short story, “The Happy Memories Club,” at 2…
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Fiber artist to give rug hooking demo in Jackson
 

Fiber artist to give rug hooking demo in Jackson

The Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will host fiber artist Jerry Spears for a demonstration of traditional rug hooking…
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Bryson City library to show family classic
 

Bryson City library to show family classic

The Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will show another family classic at 3:30 p.m., Jan. 3. The 2011 movie…
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Mountain Heritage Center series to feature Ric Ledford and Reems Creek Incident
 

Mountain Heritage Center series to feature Ric Ledford and Reems Creek Incident

The First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Jam Series will continue at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center on Jan. 5…
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Gateway Club to host New Year party
 

Gateway Club to host New Year party

The Gateway Club in Waynesville will hold a New Year’s Eve party on Dec. 31 in its dining room. The…
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N.C. Humanities Council invests in cultural projects statewide
 

N.C. Humanities Council invests in cultural projects statewide

The North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, has awarded $57,486…
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Fireworks in the mountains on New Year’s Eve
 

Fireworks in the mountains on New Year’s Eve

Fontana Village Resort is planning its annual New Year’s Eve celebration in the Smokies. The 2011 New Year’s Eve Bash…
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HCC goes high-tech for the holidays
 

HCC goes high-tech for the holidays

At Haywood Community College’s Regional High Technology Center, students created a Christmas tree like no other — a high-tech tree. All…
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Learning the craft
 

Learning the craft

In a classic case of the student becoming the teacher, Brock Martin signed up for his first blacksmithing class at…
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Navigating the waterways of WNC
 

Navigating the waterways of WNC

When one thinks about navigation in regard to the rivers here in the Smokies region, it’s old-time ferries and modern-day…
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Gov. Purdue recognizes Save the Frogs Day
 

Gov. Purdue recognizes Save the Frogs Day

Gov. Beverly Purdue of North Carolina recently issued a proclamation officially declaring April 28 “Save the Frogs Day” in the…
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Group negotiates compromise to save old-growth stands
 

Group negotiates compromise to save old-growth stands

Conservation groups are hailing an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service that they say will protect an area of rare…
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Friends save tract bordering the park
 

Friends save tract bordering the park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park got an early Holiday gift on Dec. 14 when the Friends of the Smokies officially…
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National Park road updates hit Twitter
 

National Park road updates hit Twitter

If you want to know which roads are closed because of weather conditions in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,…
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New NC bird habitat map online via Audubon
 

New NC bird habitat map online via Audubon

Audubon North Carolina has put out a new edition of Important Bird Areas of North Carolina, a full-color publication with…
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Start the New Year with a hike at Gorges Park
 

Start the New Year with a hike at Gorges Park

Gorges State Park is sponsoring a free, guided hike on New Year’s Day. This is a part of First Day…
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Frosty Foot trail races coming to Tsali
 

Frosty Foot trail races coming to Tsali

Feeling sprightly in the New Year? Then hit the trails in the Tsali National Forest Recreation Area Jan. 7 with…
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Walking trail at Lake Junaluska lengthened
 

Walking trail at Lake Junaluska lengthened

The walking trail at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center is getting longer thanks to a new one-half mile extension…
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Become a Master Gardener
 

Become a Master Gardener

If you are in Jackson and Swain counties, it’s time to sign up for the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service’s Master…
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A wonderful Christmas gift
 

A wonderful Christmas gift

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), Wild South, the Western North Carolina Alliance (WNCA) and the Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition…
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Surf’s up on the Nanty: Paddler feedback integral to honing the new ‘Wave’
 

Surf’s up on the Nanty: Paddler feedback integral to honing the new ‘Wave’

The common phrase heard among kayakers daring the Nantahala’s new wave: “It’s getting there.” The Wave in the Nantahala Gorge…
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Nicholson returns to City Lights with a trio of new horror novels
 

Nicholson returns to City Lights with a trio of new horror novels

Scott Nicholson will visit City Lights Bookstore to present and sign his three latest horror novels: Chronic Fear, Liquid Fear…
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A season to reconnect with familiar stories
 

A season to reconnect with familiar stories

That time of year has arrived when ritual and custom weave their magical threads into our lives. We sip Uncle…
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Art classes offered at Old Armory Recreation Center
 

Art classes offered at Old Armory Recreation Center

The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will offer art classes at the Old Armory Recreation Center beginning in January. There…
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Casino to host New Year’s Eve gala
 

Casino to host New Year’s Eve gala

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel will celebrate the New Year with a burlesque show. The evening will feature live entertainment at…
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HCC names winners in first-ever photo contest
 

HCC names winners in first-ever photo contest

Haywood Community College recently announced the winners of the school’s first photo contest. HCC student Samantha Faust’s “Learning to Swim”…
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Great Smoky Mountains Railroad hosts New Year’s Eve bash
 

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad hosts New Year’s Eve bash

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad will ring in the New Year with a dinner and dance Dec. 31. As the…
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The Moody Blues to perform at Harrah’s in March
 

The Moody Blues to perform at Harrah’s in March

The Moody Blues will perform at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel on March 31 as part of their 32-city U.S.…
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Freight Hoppers to appear at Jack of the Wood
 

Freight Hoppers to appear at Jack of the Wood

The Freight Hoppers, a nationally known string band, will play at Jack of the Wood in Asheville at 11 p.m.,…
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Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir comes to Asheville
 

Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir comes to Asheville

The Soweto Gospel Choir will fill the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium with music at 4 p.m. on Jan. 29. Part of…
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Sylva resident to teach art of bookbinding
 

Sylva resident to teach art of bookbinding

Phyllis Jarvinen of Sylva will demonstrate and teach a mini-workshop on book arts and book binding at the Art League…
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WCU to offer stained glass course beginning Jan. 12
 

WCU to offer stained glass course beginning Jan. 12

Western Carolina University will hold a stained glass course every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. from Jan. 12 through…
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Over the top and proud of it: Hazelwood neighbors light up a neighborhood to celebrate the season
 

Over the top and proud of it: Hazelwood neighbors light up a neighborhood to celebrate the season

Want to see, for free, one of the best examples of folk art to be found in Western North Carolina?…
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Navel oranges bring back memories of Dad, Christmas
 

Navel oranges bring back memories of Dad, Christmas

On Christmas Eve, my dad would always bring home a huge box of navel oranges and bags of pecans, walnuts,…
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The story of the Christmas tree and the wife
 

The story of the Christmas tree and the wife

Another Christmas tragedy appeared on the horizon with the arrival of our Christmas tree. I have often thought the holiday…
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Swain courthouse slated for civic revival
 

Swain courthouse slated for civic revival

After years of talk and little action, Swain County is moving forward with a long-held dream to turn its iconic,…
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Barely legal: reincarnation of video gambling continues on borrowed time pending court challenge
 

Barely legal: reincarnation of video gambling continues on borrowed time pending court challenge

It’s early on a workday, and there’s a single player seated at one of the 18 machines in the two-room…
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Tug-of-war heats up over highway sign pointing to Cherokee
 

Tug-of-war heats up over highway sign pointing to Cherokee

Counties and towns in the region are sparring over a highway sign that points the way to Cherokee, each hoping…
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Haywood to cash in on landfill methane
 

Haywood to cash in on landfill methane

An alternative energy project to convert methane landfill gas into electricity will cost Haywood County a little extra after a…
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North Carolina wins federal award for education
 

North Carolina wins federal award for education

North Carolina will receive a $69.9 million grant award from the federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge fund…
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Learn to swim, or learn to swim better
 

Learn to swim, or learn to swim better

The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will offer swim lessons in January, February and March. The lessons will take place…
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Jackson County Schools leading the way  on farm-to-school path
 

Jackson County Schools leading the way on farm-to-school path

When it comes to connecting farmers with students and substituting common cafeteria fare with fresh, local produce grown here in…
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Ringing it up: Strained finances pose a hurdle to healthier school lunches
 

Ringing it up: Strained finances pose a hurdle to healthier school lunches

Few restaurants could afford to lose $1 on every meal they serve, but in Haywood County school cafeterias, that’s the…
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Out with the fryer,  in with baked sweet potatoes: Schools balance healthier lunches with what kids will eat
 

Out with the fryer, in with baked sweet potatoes: Schools balance healthier lunches with what kids will eat

It was only 11 a.m., and already 60 fidgeting children had streamed down the lunch line at Jonathan Valley Elementary…
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Lockdown, quick arrest follow bank robbery near WCU
 

Lockdown, quick arrest follow bank robbery near WCU

A bank robbery at the N.C. State Employees Credit Union last week in Cullowhee saw a series of recent safety…
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WCU students hope new athletic director will turn the tide
 

WCU students hope new athletic director will turn the tide

Randy Eaton has been selected Western Carolina University’s new athletics director and the man designated with rescuing the school’s floundering…
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From purple ties to Liz Claiborne handbags, purple apparel all the rage at WCU
 

From purple ties to Liz Claiborne handbags, purple apparel all the rage at WCU

Just one day after being named Western Carolina University’s athletics director, Randy Eaton was shopping for purple-colored clothing at the…
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WCU announces new athletic director
 

WCU announces new athletic director

After a five-week search, Western Carolina University has found its new director of athletics. Randy Eaton, former senior associate director…
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