WCU students collect winter wear for youth
 

WCU students collect winter wear for youth

The Nurses Christian Fellowship student organization at Western Carolina University is seeking donations of gloves, scarves, hats and mittens to…
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Capitol’s Christmas tree stops in Cherokee
 

Capitol’s Christmas tree stops in Cherokee

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree will make a stop in Cherokee during this year’s national tour. The Eastern Band of…
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Maggie awarded funds for law enforcement
 

Maggie awarded funds for law enforcement

The Town of Maggie Valley was awarded a $184,786 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Community…
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Hooper House gets historic designation
 

Hooper House gets historic designation

The Hooper House on West Main Street in Sylva has received Jackson County’s first designation as a Local Historic Landmark.…
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Old hand in economic development comes on board as new Macon director
 

Old hand in economic development comes on board as new Macon director

Macon County has turned to veteran lawmaker and businessman Tommy Jenkins of Franklin to head local economic development efforts. Jenkins,…
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Sonoco Plastics expansion to add 35 jobs in Waynesville
 

Sonoco Plastics expansion to add 35 jobs in Waynesville

When many businesses are still cutting back or maintaining their current workforce, Sonoco Plastics announced last week that it will…
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Haywood construction industry fell 34 percent in recession
 

Haywood construction industry fell 34 percent in recession

During the past decade, Haywood County’s economy has seen some ups — but mostly downs. A presentation given at the…
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Election protest by Waynesville mayor candidate gets denied
 

Election protest by Waynesville mayor candidate gets denied

A challenger for the mayor’s seat in Waynesville protested the election results this week, claiming residents of a new apartment…
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Jackson commissioner regrets public airing of discord on board
 

Jackson commissioner regrets public airing of discord on board

A brouhaha among Jackson County commissioners at a meeting last week prompted a follow-up public apology from Chairman Jack Debnam.…
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Are dog-barking complainers simply howling at the moon?
 

Are dog-barking complainers simply howling at the moon?

The yippy-yappy cries of barking dogs have left Jackson County commissioners in a quandary as they face a rising tide…
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Traditional Sylva feed and seed store seizes chance to fill modern organic niche
 

Traditional Sylva feed and seed store seizes chance to fill modern organic niche

It’s not everyday that you can shop at the local feed and seed store for organic foods and produce, but…
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A poetic tribute from a son of the Smokies
 

A poetic tribute from a son of the Smokies

The second volume of an anthology of nature writing from Western North Carolina and the Great Smokies that I edited…
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Open for skiing
 

Open for skiing

Thanks to cold temperatures, Cataloochee Ski Area began cranking out the snow last Thursday night and by Saturday, the first…
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Generating Christmas cheer for our troops
 

Generating Christmas cheer for our troops

Christmas tree growers from across Western North Carolina are donating Christmas trees as part of the nationwide Trees for Troops…
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American chestnut makes a return
 

American chestnut makes a return

A ceremonial planting of a potentially blight-resistant chestnut took place earlier this week on the grounds of the North Carolina…
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Horticulture and landscaping classes with Master Gardener
 

Horticulture and landscaping classes with Master Gardener

The Haywood County Cooperative Extension Center is now accepting applications for the popular Master Gardener program. The Master Gardener training…
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Mingus Mill hike and visitor center tour
 

Mingus Mill hike and visitor center tour

Hiking enthusiast and author Danny Bernstein will lead a four-mile hike along the Mingus Creek Trail in the Great Smoky…
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Conference to focus on socioeconomic uses of Appalachian Forests
 

Conference to focus on socioeconomic uses of Appalachian Forests

The Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere conference will be held November 15 to 17 in Asheville, bringing together the…
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Conservation award goes to benefactor
 

Conservation award goes to benefactor

Grant wizard Bruz Clark was honored at the Land Conservationist of the year by The Land Trust for the Little…
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Trot off that turkey before the big meal
 

Trot off that turkey before the big meal

The Rotary Club of Sylva will hold the United Community Bank 5k Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day beginning at 9…
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The 500-pound gorilla
 

The 500-pound gorilla

I don’t remember exactly what I was doing when he came into the room. It was cool, so I had…
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Head over heels: New wave shaper comes to the Nantahala River
 

Head over heels: New wave shaper comes to the Nantahala River

When Phil Watford traded in his paddle for a tool belt, giving up his far-cooler job as a kayak instructor…
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City Lights celebrates the new edition of ‘Camping and Woodcraft’
 

City Lights celebrates the new edition of ‘Camping and Woodcraft’

City Lights Bookstore will celebrate the release of the new edition of Horace Kephart’s classic, Camping and Woodcraft, at 2…
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A hunt for a murderer and some peace
 

A hunt for a murderer and some peace

I am a major Dan Simmons fan, but I had some reservations about signing on for this multi-layered, post-apocalyptic novel…
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Words bring us together and open pathways
 

Words bring us together and open pathways

Editor’s note: Dawn Gilchrist-Young teaches English at Swain County High School and was the 2011 winner of the Norman Mailer…
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To dream the impossible garden dream
 

To dream the impossible garden dream

As I have written previously, in my dreams I am a tidy gardener. One of those saints who uses a…
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Reducing stray cat population is goal
 

Reducing stray cat population is goal

To the Editor: “Population shrinking and growing older,” a headline from a recent newspaper article, is exactly Haywood Animal Welfare…
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Newspaper policy bad for Bryson City
 

Newspaper policy bad for Bryson City

To the Editor: I found it curious that The Smoky Mountain Times in Bryson City had not run any articles…
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Awful timing for Duke’s rate hike request
 

Awful timing for Duke’s rate hike request

I don’t know Duke Energy CEO James Rogers and don’t have anything against him. But it’s not very hard not…
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Christian bookstore celebrates 10 years
 

Christian bookstore celebrates 10 years

Dalton’s Christian Bookstore in Waynesville is putting 10 candles on its birthday cake this year. A decade ago, Waynesville had…
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New business opens in Haywood County
 

New business opens in Haywood County

A new business, Mountain View Appliance, opened its doors Oct. 3. The owners, Mark Atkinson and Elva Woody, said they…
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Students get “REAL” with entrepreneurship
 

Students get “REAL” with entrepreneurship

Throughout the month of October, second through fifth grade students at the Roots in Education After School Homework House got…
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WCU students seeking book donations
 

WCU students seeking book donations

Those calling Reynolds Hall home on the Western Carolina University campus are shy of meeting a book-drive goal for Smokey…
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Grove Park CEO to keynote regional tourism meeting
 

Grove Park CEO to keynote regional tourism meeting

Craig Madison, the president and CEO of the Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa, will be the featured speaker at…
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Input sought for new Waynesville manager
 

Input sought for new Waynesville manager

Everyone is invited to a “relaxed meeting” Nov. 17 at 5:30 p.m. in the Town Hall to have their voices…
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Peace conference to highlight speakers on poverty issues
 

Peace conference to highlight speakers on poverty issues

The fourth annual Lake Junaluska Peace Conference, “Poverty, Abundance, and Peace:  Seeking Economic Justice for All God’s Children” through Nov.…
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Waynesville explores fix for run-down restrooms at park
 

Waynesville explores fix for run-down restrooms at park

A discussion regarding the fate of old restrooms at the Waynesville Recreation Park has prompted town officials to take another…
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Bryson weighs regulations to protect character
 

Bryson weighs regulations to protect character

Bryson City leaders will turn to residents to help solve their own disagreements over the severity of proposed appearance standards…
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Imperial Hotel caught in civil suit over unpaid building materials
 

Imperial Hotel caught in civil suit over unpaid building materials

The Imperial Hotel in Canton has become entangled in a legal battle as a result of unpaid bills by a…
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Twenty years and counting: Imperial renovations, perhaps, finally coming to a close
 

Twenty years and counting: Imperial renovations, perhaps, finally coming to a close

It’s anybody’s guess when the Imperial Hotel in Canton will open. The deadline for finishing renovations to the hotel, owned…
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Cherokee bands combat claims of native ancestry by “faux” tribes
 

Cherokee bands combat claims of native ancestry by “faux” tribes

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma have officially banded together against “fabricated” tribes accused…
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Lake Junaluska stares down uncertain future with bold vision
 

Lake Junaluska stares down uncertain future with bold vision

Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center has reached a critical crossroads on the eve of its 100-year mark. It’s headed…
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County commissioners demand answers from Cashiers tourism leader
 

County commissioners demand answers from Cashiers tourism leader

A failure by the Cashiers Chamber of Commerce and the Cashiers Travel and Tourism Authority to provide county leaders reports…
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Commissioner complains he’s been relegated to benchwarmer status
 

Commissioner complains he’s been relegated to benchwarmer status

A work session this week on Jackson County’s room tax appears to mark the beginning of open warfare and the…
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Whitman’s closing leaves downtown Waynesville ‘hungry for a bakery’
 

Whitman’s closing leaves downtown Waynesville ‘hungry for a bakery’

A donut or cannoli will no longer be a hop, skip and a jump away for people in downtown Waynesville.…
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Sylva mainstay, Annie’s Naturally Bakery, to close this week
 

Sylva mainstay, Annie’s Naturally Bakery, to close this week

Annie’s Naturally Bakery, the beloved coffee, bakery and gathering place in Sylva that helped launch a Main Street renaissance of…
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Police wrestle bear cub into custody
 

Police wrestle bear cub into custody

A baby bear went on a romp through downtown Waynesville last week before finally being cornered and captured by police…
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WCU chorus, symphony combine talents for Nov. 20 performance
 

WCU chorus, symphony combine talents for Nov. 20 performance

The Western Carolina University Concert Choir will team up with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and Asheville Symphony Chorus for a…
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Singer Charley Pride coming to Harrah’s
 

Singer Charley Pride coming to Harrah’s

Tickets go on sale Nov. 18 for a Jan. 14 concert by country music star Charley Pride at Harrah’s Cherokee…
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Penrod, Randle to perform in Franklin
 

Penrod, Randle to perform in Franklin

Guy Penrod and Lynda Randle will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 19 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the…
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