Cawthorn tries to succeed where state broadband bills failed
 

Cawthorn tries to succeed where state broadband bills failed

The Coronavirus Pandemic has lain bare the massive digital divide between those with reliable high-speed internet access and those without,…
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Campaign against new Haywood jail continues
 

Campaign against new Haywood jail continues

Citing limited drug rehabilitation options, a lack of mental health treatment facilities, an inefficient justice system and overwhelming public opposition,…
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Nearly 200 people took part in a May 16 march in Waynesville, hoping to end the stigma surrounding drug abuse.
 

Strong start for SHARE Project

If the newly-formed SHARE Project’s May 16 drug awareness march was any indication, the group can look forward to strong…
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Kelsey Waldon. (photo: Garret K. Woodward)
 

This must be the place: Ode to Albino Skunk, ode to the spirit of ‘Fes-Taa-Vul’

It was just about 8:30 a.m. when I awoke in my pickup truck last Saturday. 
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(From left) moe. is Chuck Garvey, Rob Derhak, Al Schnier, Jim Loughlin and Vinnie Amico. (photo: Paul Citone)
 

Meet me where the music calls: Chuck Garvey of moe.

For over three decades, moe. has remained a pillar of the ongoing and ever-evolving jam-band scene — this melodic entity…
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Photo credit: Appalachian Mural Trail.
 

Snowbird mural brings community together

Snowbird Cherokee artists and community members in Robbinsville recently gathered to launch the outdoor installation of a long-awaited 400-square-foot mural…
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Cherokee scholar awarded honorary WCU doctorate
 

Cherokee scholar awarded honorary WCU doctorate

Cherokee scholar Thomas Belt received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Western Carolina University last week during commencement on…
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Canton town manager resigns
 

Canton town manager resigns

Jason Burrell, an integral part of the town of Canton’s administration for the past 12 years and town manager for…
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Haywood schools lift outside mask mandate
 

Haywood schools lift outside mask mandate

Students in Haywood County Schools will no longer be required to wear masks outside, where social distancing is possible. Administration…
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How Is The Pandemic Impacting Mental Health?
 

How Is The Pandemic Impacting Mental Health?

Because it’s Mental Health Awareness Month, Rumble reached out to someone who deals with behavioral health issues in Western North…
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Best and Worst Foods For Your Gut
 

Best and Worst Foods For Your Gut

The gut and the mind are more connected than one might think. There is a reason we use expressions like…
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Harriet Tubman Statue Coming To Sylva
 

Harriet Tubman Statue Coming To Sylva

The “Harriet Tubman — Journey to Freedom” sculpture will be on public display in Sylva, North Carolina from Sept. 20…
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Mental Health Resources in WNC
 

Mental Health Resources in WNC

If you are uninsured or underinsured, there are still available resources so you can get the help you need. Here…
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How to make meditation work for you
 

How to make meditation work for you

Meditation looks different for everyone and that’s OK. There’s no right way or wrong way to meditate — if you do…
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A country coming to grips with real problems
 

A country coming to grips with real problems

By Mary Jane Curry • Guest Columnist | This a reply to a letter by David Parker that appeared in…
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Kelli R. Brown.
 

Our public colleges make N.C. the envy of others

By Kelli R. Brown • Guest Columnist | There are more than 242,000 students attending the 17 institutions of the…
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Greg Caples.
 

Honoring our healthcare heroes

By Greg Caples • Guest Columnist | What is a hero? Maya Angelou famously said, “I think a hero is…
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How about the Second Amendment?
 

How about the Second Amendment?

To the Editor: In a recent letter to The Smoky Mountain News a retired military man stated, “Among all the…
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Temporary changes proposed for N.C. hunting rule
 

Temporary changes proposed for N.C. hunting rule

In an online public hearing at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 13, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will take public comment…
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NOC welcomes new president
 

NOC welcomes new president

Nantahala Outdoor Center has named a new company president, welcoming former Grand Canyon Resort Corporation CEO Colin McBeath to the…
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Man dead following Smokies car accident
 

Man dead following Smokies car accident

A Venezuelan man who had been living in Sevier County is dead following a traffic accident May 2 in the…
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A participant in the four-part fly fishing series practices his cast. Holly Kays photo
 

Hooked on Haywood: County’s expanded outdoor programming offers new ways to explore

“My name is Tommy Thomas. I’ve been fly fishing 30, maybe closer to 40 years now,” says the man wearing…
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The chestnut blight erased mature American chestnut trees from U.S. forests, but sprouts can survive for short periods of time. File photo
 

Cherokee enter partnership to save the chestnut tree

In a mountaintop signing ceremony on Wednesday, April 21, The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and The American Chestnut Foundation…
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Insight into the power of listening
 

Insight into the power of listening

Have you ever engaged in a political argument where instead of listening to your opponent your mind is furiously creating…
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Charley Crockett. (photo: Ryan Vestil)
 

Sweet heaven in my view: A conversation with Charley Crockett

Standing in a hotel room last week, Charley Crockett peered out the window onto the quiet morning streets of Amarillo,…
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‘Lucinda’ up in the North Country. (photo: Garret K. Woodward)
 

This must be the place: Ode to ‘Lucinda,’ ode to busted front bumpers

Sitting in the waiting room of my hometown mechanic last week, I knew it wasn’t good when he called for…
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Diamond Rio to play Canton Labor Day
 

Diamond Rio to play Canton Labor Day

The CMA, Grammy winning, and six-time Vocal Group of the Year Diamond Rio will be headlining the 114th Canton Labor…
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Newby begins 100 county courthouse tour
 

Newby begins 100 county courthouse tour

Chief Justice Paul Newby launched a courthouse tour during which he will visit courthouses in all of North Carolina's 100…
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Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
 

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Last summer, the tiny Haywood County tourist town of Maggie Valley was rocked by not one but two  peaceful “Black…
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Tribal Council candidates make their case
 

Tribal Council candidates make their case

Early voting is underway for the June 3 Primary Election in Cherokee, which will determine the final slate of candidates…
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Tourism is an important industry in Canton, as well as throughout Western North Carolina. File photos
 

Town of Canton joins municipal TDA bill

A week after Haywood County Republican Rep. Mark Pless’ municipal TDA bill came out of committee wholly rewritten to include…
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Investment continues flowing into Haywood County
 

Investment continues flowing into Haywood County

There’s not yet a lot of information about the latest economic development announcement made by Haywood County commissioners — the…
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Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin (right), stands with Sen. Don Davis, D-Greene, in Raleigh. Donated photo
 

Funding coming for telepsychiatry in schools — if N.C. budget passes

A conversation between Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, D-Rocky Mount, seems to indicate that Cooper will…
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Tribe loosens marijuana laws
 

Tribe loosens marijuana laws

In a pair of actions taken during Tribal Council on Thursday, May 6, Tribal Council voted to decriminalize possession of…
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Carmaleta Monteith. Donated photo
 

‘The lady behind the scenes’: Carmaleta Monteith named Beloved Woman

Carmaleta Littlejohn Monteith has worn an impressive number of titles over the course of her life. 
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Macon requests more funds for the arts
 

Macon requests more funds for the arts

Last year, Macon County Schools requested a nearly $2 million budget increase to fund additional staff positions. When the pandemic…
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Graduate photos cover the hill outside Tuscola High School. Graduation ceremonies took unrecognizable forms in 2020. File photo
 

Spectators allowed at Haywood graduations

Graduation ceremonies will be allowed as many spectators as school sporting events this spring, after the Haywood County Schools Board…
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Cherokee to pursue new casino project
 

Cherokee to pursue new casino project

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will pursue a new casino project in partnership with a publicly traded gaming company,…
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Franklin manager delivers last budget proposal
 

Franklin manager delivers last budget proposal

Longtime Franklin Manager Summer Woodard will be leaving for a new job in June, but before she goes, she presented…
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Waynesville skatepark.
 

Skaters make case for Franklin skatepark

The Franklin Town Council board room was standing room only last week as several local teenagers expressed their desire for…
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Vaccination still slow as Pfizer shot approved for teens
 

Vaccination still slow as Pfizer shot approved for teens

For the fourth straight week, the rate of vaccinations has decreased in the four-county area, with just 0.5 percent of…
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ATC resumes thru-hiker recognition
 

ATC resumes thru-hiker recognition

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has lifted a recommendation against long-distance hikes on the A.T. for the first time since the…
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CVS offer free health screenings for women
 

CVS offer free health screenings for women

CVS Health recently announced new initiatives to support women’s health and wellness in May, including offering no-cost heart health screenings from…
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Urgent Pipe Replacement Coming to U.S. 19/23
 

Urgent Pipe Replacement Coming to U.S. 19/23

CLYDE – A deep pipe failure under the eastbound lanes of U.S. 19/23 between Clyde and Canton near Crawford Memorial Gardens…
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Harrah's offers enticing sign-on bonus
 

Harrah's offers enticing sign-on bonus

As one of the largest employers in Western North Carolina, Harrah's Cherokee Casinos is taking a strong approach to market…
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Vaccine opportunities for youth and adults
 

Vaccine opportunities for youth and adults

Clinic for 16-18- year-olds planned Haywood County Health and Human Services is partnering with Haywood Community College to host a…
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Be a Good Mom, Not a Perfect One
 

Be a Good Mom, Not a Perfect One

Something has shifted in the world of motherhood. It’s different than ever before, and it's not that previous generations of…
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Everything is Fine
 

Everything is Fine

The sun was shining dry, white hot heat the day my mother and I found ourselves out of money, tired…
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Check In On Your Emotional Wellbeing
 

Check In On Your Emotional Wellbeing

Vaya Health is encouraging Western North Carolinians to check up on their own emotional wellbeing in May as the nation…
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Celebrate Mother's Day with brunch at the Lakeside Bistro at Lake Junaluska.
 

Ideas For Celebrating Mother's Day in WNC

There are so many ways to celebrate Mother's Day in Western North Carolina, whether you take her out for a…
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