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NC’s tourist trails
An Internet search for tourism trails spawns a list of results including biking in Texas, rail travel in England, a…
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Casada releases premier fly-fishing book of the Smokies
Award-winning outdoor writer Jim Casada has just published what he describes as “my book of a lifetime.” Fly Fishing in…
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If not now, then health care reform may never pass
This country must pass health care reform that accomplishes two major objectives: providing coverage for everyone and controlling skyrocketing costs.…
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Zahner’s special affection for Highlands
Biologist and ecologist Robert Zahner (1923-2007) was born in Summerville, S.C., and grew up in Atlanta. But his adopted “spiritual…
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State workers group chastises Shuler for health care opposition
Health insurance reform has garnered a seemingly incongruous ally: the already well-insured workers of the State Employees Association of North…
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Vivid descriptions fail to save flawed book
South of Broad by Pat Conroy. Nan A. Talese, 2009. 528 pages. In his latest novel, South of Broad (ISBN…
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Free clinics feel recession’s pinch
Amy Street thought she could finally afford health insurance this year. But that was before Street’s employer slashed 25 hours…
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Florida’s loss likely means our gain – and challenge
It’s always a little embarrassing to look on another’s misfortune and discover that you may be the beneficiary of their…
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Spinning tales, weaving dreams: Storyteller hopes to preserve craft and WNC history under one roof
By Julia Merchant • Contributing writer As a professional storyteller, Tim Hall is no stranger to spinning yarns — but…
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Graham jerks the rug out from Swain County in Deal’s Gap
Graham County has thrown a curve ball in an ongoing debate with Swain County over ambulance service in Deal’s Gap,…
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Niche tourism strategy debuts ‘micro’ Web sites
Haywood County Tourism Development Authority is employing an ambitious new marketing strategy to lure tourists, and their dollars, to the…
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Methane collection system at landfill in the works
Haywood County officials are racing against the clock to get a methane collection system built at two landfills before the…
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Paddlers get restricted access to Chattooga
A long-standing ban on paddling on the Upper Chattooga River will be lifted this winter, but not without a host…
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Panthertown trail plan designates use
A new trail management plan designed to rein in heavy use by competing forms of recreation in Panthertown Valley will…
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Acclaimed fiber artist to exhibit, teach at The Bascom
An exhibition by critically acclaimed fiber artist Cat Chow opens with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept.…
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Pooches pose problem in Sylva
A debate has erupted in Sylva over whether dogs should be allowed in the town’s new Bridge Park, a small…
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A natural passion for history
Naturalist, photographer and writer Edwin Way Teale (1899-1980) was born in Joliet, Ill. American nature writing in descriptive prose inevitably…
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Cell company dashes hopes new tower will mimic pine tree
A new cell phone tower has been proposed on the south-facing side of Utah Mountain above Lake Junaluska. It would…
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Woman claims officers denied her medication during DWI incident
An epileptic woman in Macon County is alleging that she did not receive proper medical attention after being arrested for…
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Hiker airlifted from remote region of Smokies
A five-day search for a lost hiker in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park had a happy ending last week.…
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Settling on North Shore dollar figure just isn’t going to be easy
To the Editor: We’ll start with the 1943 North Shore Road Agreement since that’s what is supposedly being settled. A…
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Old timers recall Roosevelt’s trip to the Smokies
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park staged a reenactment this week of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s dedication of the newly…
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‘Let Them Know’ delves into ‘70s underground punk scene
The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers returns to Western Carolina University at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, with “Let…
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The Naturalist's Corner
What’s good for the goose In his latest letter to the editor in Smoky Mountain News (8/19/09) the Canary Coalition’s…
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Junaluska deals with same dog issue
Sylva isn’t the first place to wrestle with the not-so-pleasant by-product of dogs in public areas. The wildly popular two-mile…
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Library supporters close to $1.6 million fundraising goal
Fundraising for the new Jackson County library may have entered the home stretch, but is far from home free. Friends…
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Ripe tomatoes and other simple pleasures
By Karen Dill • Special to The Smoky Mountain News August in the Appalachian Mountains is a time to enjoy…
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The art of storytelling (in the style of an 8-year-old)
My daughter is 8 years old, which is one of the greatest ages a person will ever be. She has…
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Graham, Swain still squabbling over emergency coverage in isolated area
Swain and Graham county commissioners agreed Monday to let their respective county managers look at solid numbers before deciding on…
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Recipes, 8/26/09
Tomato Pie 1 deep dish pie shell (found in the frozen foods section) 6 medium ripe tomatoes Fresh basil leaves…
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Land sales challenge basis for vested rights, some argue
When the 3,500-acre Legasus development won exemptions from Jackson County’s development regulations two years ago, it raised the hackles of…
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A force of lyrical storytelling
Tender Graces by Kathryn Magendie. Bell Bridge Books, 2009. 315 pages Some of the most poignant passages in literature are…
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WCU welcomes freshman class
Probably very little about freshmen move-in day at Western Carolina University has changed over the years: the “nervous but excited”…
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Abbey’s tenure at ‘Redneck U’
Radical ecologist and writer Edward Abbey (1927-1989) was born in Home, Penn., the son of a hardscrabble farmer and a…
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A popular road reveals a dark side
An inspiration for songs, poems, and pilgrimages by motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world, the challengingly curvy stretch of U.S.…
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Coalition builds momentum for Nikwasi park
A proposed park at the site of the Nikwasi mound in Franklin would provide a quiet place for residents to…
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Big decisions ahead in debate over land-use plan
A steering committee tasked with examining and recommending possible changes to Waynesville’s land-use plan is finally getting down to brass…
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The Naturalist's Corner
More in the wind than megawatts The chorus of katydids clamoring in the night air announces the impending fall. And…
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The Bottle Rockets fly into WNC
By Joe Hooten • Guest Writer Americana-roots music has seen its fair share of imitators since its revival in the…
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Ghost Town still in the red despite $1.53 million in revenue
Ghost Town in the Sky did not bring in enough revenue from its amusement park operations during the months of…
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Jackson EDC says new direction key to future
A comprehensive economic development strategy would go a long way toward solving the quagmire that is holding back progress on…
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Forest Hills mayor misses deadline, will run write-in campaign
Jackson County poll workers will contend with write-in ballots from at least two towns on election night this fall. One…
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WCU ranks highly among master’s degree universities
The latest U.S. News & World Report guide to “America’s Best Colleges” ranks Western Carolina University 10th among public universities…
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Bulb crusher helps recycling efforts
The state will ban plastic bottles, motor oil filters, and wooden pallets from landfills starting this October. The ban aims…
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Maggie board OKs assisted living facility in town limits
The Maggie Valley Zoning Board of Adjustments approved a special zoning exception to make way for a 114-bed assisted living…
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Schools vs. prisons is an easy choice
Haywood County’s 1930’s-era minimum-security prison was kept open for another year by our ever-diligent legislative delegation in Raleigh. They saved…
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Q&A with Congressman Shuler
SMN: What did you learn from the teletown meeting? Anything new? Heath Shuler: “The meeting reinforced my belief that most…
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Healthcare debate civil at tele-town meeting
Against the backdrop of a nation embroiled in an emotional, high-stakes debate on health care reform, the voices of Western…
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Proposed apartments denied tax breaks
Neighbors of a proposed 64-unit apartment building to serve low-income seniors in Waynesville have renewed hope that their fight to…
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The long fight: Road debate nears final chapter
Since its creation, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has loomed over Swain County. Its massive peaks flank life itself:…
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