Area Agency on Aging staff hold up this year’s banner for Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Donated photo
 

Walk in their shoes: Event raises awareness for elder abuse

For the tenth year in a row, people will gather in towns across Western North Carolina on the evening of…
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Unity Healing Center in Cherokee is a rehabilitation center for Native American youth run by the Indian Health Service. Holly Kays photo
 

Report highlights bungled aftermath of sexual abuse claims at teen rehab center

Leadership at Unity Healing Center in Cherokee failed to properly investigate or report allegations that an employee of the federally…
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One man’s vision of the Southern Appalachians
 

One man’s vision of the Southern Appalachians

In my recent passion and ongoing interest in reviewing books by local and regional authors, I am offering here, yet…
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Warren Bielenberg photo
 

Bear injures campers at Elkmont

A bear has been euthanized after it broke into a tent occupied by a family of five and their dog,…
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A series of voter registration challenges could mean big trouble in little Lake Santeetlah.
 

Substantial voter fraud alleged in Lake Santeetlah

It may look like any other rustic vacation community, but beneath the placid surface of Lake Santeetlah, division runs deep. 
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Taking the leap: Food truck celebrates lineage, the independent spirit
 

Taking the leap: Food truck celebrates lineage, the independent spirit

It was just about four years ago when Jeremiah Chatham decided to put down the hammer and pick up a…
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Our beloved Steph.
 

This must be the place: Ode to the girl from the North Country, the one who loved horses

I first got word about Steph Wilkins while sitting in the kitchen at an old flame’s parents’ house in the…
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Energy efficiency speaker series kicks off
 

Energy efficiency speaker series kicks off

A series of three workshops looking at energy efficiency and cost reduction techniques for homes and businesses will kick off…
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Rains banish dry conditions
 

Rains banish dry conditions

The return of dry conditions in Western North Carolina appears to have been temporary after massive rains last week erased…
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Though they’ve been removed from the federal list, peregrine falcons are still listed as endangered in North Carolina. Mitch Urban/NPS photo
 

Protecting the nest: Volunteer program aims to restore falcons at Devils Courthouse

For years, Blue Ridge Parkway staff have been concerned that visitor behavior at Devils Courthouse, a popular overlook on the…
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Preston Jacobsen holds the new remote weather station he plans to install soon near Pinnacle Peak in Sylva. Holly Kays photo
 

Jacobsen chosen as Haywood Waterways leader

Preston Jacobsen has been selected as the next executive director of Haywood Waterways Association following the departure of longtime leader…
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An autumn view extends from Lookout Rock on the Benton MacKaye Trail. BMTA photo
 

Bill seeks National Scenic Trail designation for Benton MacKaye Trail

A bipartisan bill seeking to designate the Benton MacKaye Trail as a National Scenic Trail has been introduced to the…
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Comment

John Redmond (left) and Steve Wheeler take a break at the state line. Donated photo
 

Fundraising bike ride ends at Lake Junaluska

Johnson City residents Steve Wheeler and John Redmond spent the weekend biking from Johnson City to Lake Junaluska in hopes…
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Notes from the National Park Service
 

Notes from the National Park Service

With 423 units covering more than 85 million acres, there’s much more to the National Park Service than the Great…
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A drone captures an aerial view of Bobs Creek State Natural Area. FCNC photo
 

New natural area opens to the public

Bobs Creek State Natural Area is officially open following a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, June 2, attended by Gov. Roy Cooper…
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A quick review and a word of gratitude
 

A quick review and a word of gratitude

Recently in this space I reviewed “The Broken Spine” by Dorothy St. James, a murder mystery set in a small…
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Paul McCartney in Knoxville. (photo: Jeffrey Delannoy)
 

This must be the place: Ode to Paul McCartney, ode to being together again

Amid a brisk walk down Phillip Fulmer Way towards the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee, last Tuesday evening, I found…
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A painting by Molly Herold, founder of ‘Pour Darling.’
 

‘Living with Pride’

For the first time in its 45-year history, the Haywood County Arts Council is celebrating Pride month with its ‘Living…
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It’s hard not to love where we live 
 

It’s hard not to love where we live 

When I travel and tell someone I’m from Waynesville, a small town nestled in the Smoky Mountains, the comment is…
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Will Chuck Edwards condemn attempt to steal election?
 

Will Chuck Edwards condemn attempt to steal election?

Chuck Edwards defeated Rep. Madison Cawthorn in the District 11 Republican congressional primary because of the incumbent’s bizarre and immature…
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Remembering the sailors 
aboard the USS Liberty
 

Remembering the sailors 
aboard the USS Liberty

To the Editor:  A reporter for Al Jazeera (Shireen Abu Akleh) was killed by Israeli military personnel as she covered…
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GOP has lost its moral compass
 

GOP has lost its moral compass

To the Editor:  The Republican Party is not the party of life. 
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NOC marks 50 years in business
 

NOC marks 50 years in business

In 1971, Payson and Aurelia Kennedy were living a successful, stable life in Atlanta. Payson was a librarian at Georgia…
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Lake Junaluska Executive Director Ken Howle got his start at the NOC. Donated photo
 

Ken Howle reflects on finding his path through NOC

In retrospect, it’s no surprise Ken Howle ended up at a place where lives are transformed through renewal of soul,…
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Olympian Wayne Dickert has been paddling most of his life. Donated photo
 

Wayne Dickert’s river life born at NOC

Wayne “Wayner” Dickert may not have started paddling until he was 18 years old, but that didn’t stop him from…
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Wet Your Whiskers fundraiser
 

Wet Your Whiskers fundraiser

FUR’s fifth-annual Wet Your Whiskers fundraiser will be held Saturday, June 25, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the Wells…
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The Sylva Board of Commissioners has seen preliminary plans for a bathroom at the old railroad depot. Donated photo
 

Sylva settles on railroad depot restroom

Sylva residents and visitors to the town can expect to see a new public restroom at the old railroad depot…
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The French Broad River MPO is seeking input on potential routes and destinations for a county-wide greenway. Cory Vaillancourt photo
 

Greenway planning begins in Haywood

Haywood County is taking the first steps to establish a comprehensive greenway plan that could end up linking all the…
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Maggie distillery in foreclosure as bidders come forward
 

Maggie distillery in foreclosure as bidders come forward

The building housing Elevated Mountain Distilling Company, a fixture in Maggie Valley for over five years, is facing foreclosure and…
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Comment

At last, a UDO for Maggie Valley
 

At last, a UDO for Maggie Valley

After years of effort and several failed attempts by multiple town boards, Maggie Valley has successfully passed its Unified Development…
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Small groups of residents worked together to determine what they saw as the best approach to helping the unsheltered in Jackson County. Hannah McLeod photo
 

Jackson gathers to discuss homelessness

Last Thursday evening, June 2, residents of Jackson County gathered at Sylva First United Methodist Church to discuss the issue…
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Ela Dam was built in 1925 to power the tiny logging town of Bryson City. Holly Kays photo
 

Tribe votes no on Ela Dam removal

In a narrow vote June 2, the Cherokee Tribal Council voted against a resolution to pursue purchase and removal of…
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The parcel is a large, open area on the west side of Jonathan Creek Road.
 

Finally, Haywood gets an offer on a troublesome parcel

Haywood County may have found a buyer for a county-owned 22-acre plot off Jonathan Creek, as long as everything goes…
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Runoff declared for Jackson School Board
 

Runoff declared for Jackson School Board

Voters in Jackson County will return to the polls July 26 to determine the winner of a runoff election for…
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Town ETJs, shown here in grey, would revert to county control if S170 passes.
 

Rep. Pless wants to strip Haywood municipalities of some regulatory powers

A COVID-era sports seating bill has now morphed into a pro-development bill that would hobble the ability of Haywood County’s municipalities…
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Pigeon River grants announced
 

Pigeon River grants announced

The latest round of Pigeon River Fund awards provide 10 grants totaling $234,241 to fund water quality projects in Haywood,…
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New trail climbs Sassafras Mountain
 

New trail climbs Sassafras Mountain

A new 2-mile hiking trail is now open in Headwaters State Forest in North Carolina, crossing the state line to…
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Comment

Male black bears weigh 130-500 pounds, while females are smaller, 90-350 pounds. Bill Lea photo
 

Wildlife in the legislature: Bill seeks to halt expanded bear sanctuary hunting

A  bill  seeking to strike down an N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission rule  that would allow limited bear hunting in three…
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Campers splash in at Highlands Biological Station. HBS photo
 

Summer hours start at Highlands Nature Center

Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer hours at the Highlands Nature Center. 
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The sun peaks through the dense canopy along Parson Branch Road. NPS photo
 

Parson Branch Road reopens

For the first time in six years, Parson Branch Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open to…
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The Ocoee Whitewater Center building was destroyed in an April 26 fire. USFS photo
 

Ocoee rec amenities reopen

Recreation areas at the Ocoee Whitewater Center in Polk County, Tennessee, are now open for the first time since a…
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Comment

‘The Broken Spine’ and ‘The Dead Beat’
 

‘The Broken Spine’ and ‘The Dead Beat’

Cypress, South Carolina is a moderately-sized town surrounded by farms where neighbors know one another and the pace of life…
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Comment

There’s still a market for good journalism
 

There’s still a market for good journalism

The mantra since starting this newspaper has been straightforward: put out a high-quality newspaper and work like hell to make…
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Comment

Time for a little less gun loving
 

Time for a little less gun loving

“Hollywood and video games glorify violence while those with mental illnesses remain untreated.“  Those are the words of Chuck Edwards,…
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Comment

Partisan local election bill a mistake
 

Partisan local election bill a mistake

To the Editor: Municipal elections in Haywood County, which are currently nonpartisan, could soon be conducted on a partisan basis…
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Comment

Highlands’ ordinance perplexing and illogical
 

Highlands’ ordinance perplexing and illogical

To the Editor: The ordinance recently passed by Highlands’ Town Council, on its face, clearly violates the law of the…
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Comment

WNC JeepFest returns bigger and better
 

WNC JeepFest returns bigger and better

The third annual WNC JeepFest returns from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, June 10 and Saturday, June 11, to…
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Comment

Pearl Psychedelic Institute receives MDMA PTSD treatment authorization
 

Pearl Psychedelic Institute receives MDMA PTSD treatment authorization

The Pearl Psychedelic Institute, a non-profit organization based in Waynesville, is the first of 10 clinics to receive authorization from…
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