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Caliber of student could rise as admissions get more selective
A surge in students applying to Western Carolina University has allowed the college to be more selective. Despite a rise…
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Shuler caught short of truth
While Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, was cleared two weeks ago by the House Ethics Committee of any wrongdoing related to…
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Hope of paper mill job attracts hundreds to ESC
More than 300 people waited in line at the N.C. Employment Security Commission in Waynesville on Monday to submit job…
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Symbolic torch passing honors national park anniversaries
A Cherokee elder presided over a ceremonial torch passing from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the Blue Ridge…
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Swain braces for loss of jail revenue
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians recently got a big push forward in building its own jail after receiving an…
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Creeks form character across WNC
Flowing water is as central to life here in Western North Carolina as the mountains themselves. You can’t have ancient…
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New generation of doctors prefer stability over autonomy
In an effort to boost recruitment of doctors to the region, hospitals across Western North Carolina are following in the…
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New company part of a long local legacy
The merger of Osondu Booksellers and Blue Ridge Books and Café will eventually bring under one roof the long legacy…
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Lawsuit alleging poor treatment in Macon jail hits dead end
A federal judge has dismissed a civil lawsuit by Maureen Lackey, a 45-year old Franklin resident who alleged discrimination by…
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State passes off child support enforcement to counties
Several western counties have been scrambling to create an in-house child support enforcement program after the state announced it would…
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Angling for Sam’s Club discount, Swain jailer uses credit card to buy TV
Misuse of county credit cards by a Swain jailer has prompted tighter controls on charge card use across all departments.…
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House clears Shuler on ethics rap
After months of high-profile scrutiny, U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, has been cleared in an ethics inquiry that examined whether…
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Dueling downtown bookstores to join forces in Waynesville
Waynesville’s two independent bookstores — Osondu Booksellers and Blue Ridge Books & Cafe — have merged. The economics of independent…
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Furlough translates to pay cut for most WCU professors
Western Carolina University professors who haven’t already done so are running out of time to take a mandatory 10-hour furlough…
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The allegations
The House of Representatives Committee on Standards and Official Conduct –– commonly known as the House Ethics Committee –– recently…
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Surge in last minute write-ins makes Webster election a popular affair
In July only two candidates signed up to get on the ballot for the five spots up for grabs in…
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You may hear a Blue Dog howl
By Kirkwood Callahan • Guest Columnist Conservative victories and liberal angst – often repressed — characterized last week’s elections in…
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A gift from the grave on Veteran’s Day
By Karen Dill • Guest Columnist “Mom,” my daughter Anna began on her phone call from Washington, D.C., “wasn’t Grandpa…
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Typical Zombie fare
If you are a fan of the apocalypse movies that are currently common fare in American theaters, you will immediately…
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Coweeta leads research on watershed dynamics
Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, an experimental research station for the U.S. Forest Service outside Franklin, celebrated its 75th anniversary this month.…
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Back to nature
Burt Kornegay is a one-match man. As the owner of Slickrock Expeditions and the longest running independent outdoor guide in…
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The beetles' fall tour
No, not the Fab Four — more like the Fab Gazillion. Swarms of thousands to perhaps hundreds of thousands of…
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Satulah has long been a WNC favorite
One can still see why flatlanders started pouring into the Cashiers-Highlands region after the Civil War. The scenic ridge, valley…
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Swain fails to make headway in cash settlement talks
The National Park Service and Swain County appear locked in a stalemate over how much the federal government should pay…
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21 write-ins get votes in Webster
In an unusual election storyline, voters in Webster cast ballots for a total of 21 write-in candidates because too few…
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Enamored with stacked stone and timber, planners push mountain look
Western North Carolina has so embraced mountain vernacular architecture that local planning boards across the area are prodding developers into…
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New leaders to forge future for Dillsboro with or without railroad
Faced with a collapsing tourism marketplace caused by a national recession and the pullout of its featured attraction — the…
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Fee charged to overseas visitors would fund tourism marketing abroad
A bill is moving through Congress that could help boost the local economy and create jobs by drawing international tourists…
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Residents value rural heritage and environment in highway debate
An overwhelming majority of citizens who showed up at a public hearing in Robbinsville spoke out against the Corridor K…
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Third party steps in to run Balsam Mountain Preserve
Balsam Mountain Preserve has been stripped of control and custody of its development as lenders continue their march toward foreclosure.…
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Fresh faces will lead Canton
As with the election two years ago, Canton will once again see three new faces on the board. Voters had…
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Franklin voters stick with familiar faces
Not one face is changing in Franklin’s local government despite close contests for mayor and aldermen. In a neck-and-neck race,…
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Regional election results
Clyde Town boardSeats up for election: 2Total seats on board: 4Carroll Mease (I) 103Jim Trantham (I) 95Alan Trantham 42Registered voters: …
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Price and Pauley ride easily into office in quiet Maggie race
After a feel-good race lacking much controversy, Maggie Valley voters have re-elected Saralyn Price to her second term on the…
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WNC juggles perceptions and realities of rockslide blockade
The main message that local and state authorities are frenetically broadcasting to the world is that Western North Carolina is…
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Tracing the roots of WNC’s signature style
Love it or hate it, mountain vernacular architecture has stubbornly planted its roots in Western North Carolina and shows no…
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Allen joins Knotts on Sylva board
Danny Allen, a former Sylva town commissioner who has been off the board for two years, will reclaim his seat…
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Ugly public discourse and the future of truth
More and more these days, it seems those who follow the news have strong opinions on the tone of public…
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Pride of the Mountains band and receives marching’s highest honor
Western Carolina University’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band has been awarded the prestigious Sudler Trophy, the nation’s highest and…
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Ivey’s ‘Up River’ offers valuable lessons
Up River: A Novel of Attempted Restoration by George Ivey. Dog Year, 2009. 304 Pages. George Ivey’s Up River: A…
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Blue Ridge Parkway kicks off 75th anniversary
The Blue Ridge Parkway will kick off its 75th anniversary celebrations this month with several historical, symbolic and entertaining events,…
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The Naturalist's Corner
It’s 11 p.m. – do you know where your wood thrush is? “Hello, Ms. Stutchbury, this is OnStar. Your wood…
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HCC offers green building certificate for construction students
A model home under construction on the Haywood Community College campus is giving construction majors hands-on training in green building…
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HCC trains tomorrow’s developers in sustainable methods
When Candace Stimson lost her job last winter due to the recession, she seized the opportunity to go back to…
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The grand finale
We tend to hone in on the showy flowering phase of a plant’s life for observation, identification, and enjoyment. But…
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Lessie Williams performance to benefit library fund
Lessie Williams, a well-known and nationally recognized gospel singer, will give a concert of inspirational music at 7 p.m. Oct.…
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NOC expedition gains attention
An outdoor expedition to Bolivia that puts paddlers to work delivering medical supplies to remote villages organized by Nantahala Outdoor…
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Old houses, spirits and comfort food
By Karen Dill • Special to Smoky Mountain News October is a glorious month. Brilliant colors dot the mountains against…
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Hospital denies county commissioners a seat at the table
Despite their requests, Haywood County commissioners will not be guaranteed a spot on the new joint operating board of Haywood…
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Canton’s future pivots on heated board race
When voters head to the polls in Canton next week, they will face a daunting and even unwieldy list to…
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