Archived (29806)
Children categories
Businesses adapt to survive pandemic
Despite the setbacks and challenges the COVID-19 Pandemic brought about in March, a surprising number of businesses in different industries…
Read More
Haywood businesses become COVID-resilient
By Boyd Allsbrook • Contributing writer | When the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns hit Haywood County in March, business owners braced for…
Read More
Jackson businesses find their place in the post-pandemic world
Lured by the promise of drivable, socially distanced adventure, visitors from across the region have flocked to Jackson County in…
Read More
Macon merchants adapt during pandemic to stay open
During the initial pandemic panic back in March, many merchants in Macon County closed up shop while they tried to…
Read More
Swain businesses survive, thrive during pandemic
Swain County’s economy relies heavily on the tourism industry from outdoor recreation businesses to downtown retailers, restaurants and the railroad.
Read More
Cherokee businesses feel pandemic impact
With the economic powerhouse that is Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort surfacing as one of the pandemic era’s most-impacted local businesses,…
Read More
Haywood property revaluation to be presented Nov. 2
After more than a year of work, Haywood County’s property revaluation process is nearly complete and will be presented during…
Read More
Vandalism, campaign sign thefts show deep division in Haywood
As the tumultuous 2020 election season draws to a close, partisans on both sides of the aisle are expressing anger…
Read More
School systems seeing more COVID-19 cases, clusters
Since public school systems have returned to in-person instruction, more COVID-19 cases are being reported in Western North Carolina.
Read More
Fierce campaign divides Mark Meadows’ old district
Those who hadn’t learned through backchannels a day or two beforehand found out early on a cold mountain morning late…
Read More
Swain commission incumbents face challengers
Two Republicans and two Democrats are vying for two open seats on the Swain County Board of Commissioners this year.
Read More
Wallace, Young seek open seat on Macon commission
After being the top vote-getters during the primary election, Democrat Betty Cloer Wallace and Republican Josh Young are seeking the…
Read More
Jackson approves $4 million for animal shelter project
Jackson County commissioners voted 4-1 Oct. 20 to approve a $4.33 million contract to build a new animal rescue center…
Read More
Kamala Harris to visit Asheville after COVID cancellation
Less than a week after cancelling travel to Asheville and Charlotte, Democratic vice presidential nominee and California Sen. Kamala Harris…
Read More
Order wreaths for deceased veterans by Nov. 15
Wreath laying on the graves of veterans buried at Greenhill Cemetery in Waynesville will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday,…
Read More
Body of lost hiker recovered in Shining Rock Wilderness
At approximately 3 p.m. Tuesday search teams located the body of missing hiker Chad Seger. He was found in an…
Read More
COVID-19 cluster identified at Franklin church
Macon County Public Health has identified a COVID-19 cluster of positive cases in an area church located in Franklin.
Read More
Waynesville hires new assistant manager
Town Manager Robert Hites announced that he has appointed Jesse D. Fowler as Waynesville’s Assistant Town Manager. Fowler is currently…
Read More
WCU to waive undergrad application fee
Western Carolina University is among the institutions of higher education that will be participating in “North Carolina Countdown to College,”…
Read More
Macon volleyball game attendees could have been exposed
Macon County Public Health has identified possible exposure to COVID-19 among those who attended a volleyball game at Franklin High…
Read More
Haywood schools rolls out COVID-19 dashboard
Haywood County Schools Administration announced the creation of the COVID-19 dashboard, intended to keep the public up to date on…
Read More
Grants available for Dillsboro businesses
The Town of Dillsboro is launching a grant program to help struggling businesses using $200,000 it received as part of…
Read More
Harris staff tests positive for COVID-19
Statement by Biden for President Campaign Manager Jen O'Malley Dillon:
Read More
Separating news and facts from opinions
A message came back to me from an advertiser via one of our ad reps. He said we needed to…
Read More
Socialist America has done pretty well
To the Editor: Recent letters have railed against a Democratic plan to make America into a “socialist country.” History shows…
Read More
Do you really want Biden?
To the Editor: On a full-page ad in the October 7 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, Joe Biden supporters…
Read More
I will be voting for Cal Cunningham
To the Editor: I received several campaign ads for Thom Tillis over the past several weeks. The ads say “I’ve…
Read More
With Biden, we’re headed for a Black Hole
To the Editor: Recently we have read about the discovery of the universe black hole by astronomers. The United States…
Read More
How the GOP will steal the election
To the Editor: If you’re a Republican planning to steal the election, here’s how you do it.
Read More
Vote for indoor pool for Jackson County
To the Editor: As a Jackson County resident, I am excited to vote for the indoor pool at the Jackson…
Read More
Kephart’s writings compiled in new book
Several years of research, compilation and collaboration by two writers from Western Carolina University have resulted in a scholarly book…
Read More
Haywood water among state’s cleanest
Haywood County water treatment plants received top honors among the 55 plants honored statewide with the N.C. Area Wide Optimization…
Read More
National parks visitation explodes in WNC
For Western North Carolinians who see the outdoors as a safe haven when life gets hard, perhaps the most distressing…
Read More
Two new lifeguard instructors certified in Waynesville
Two lifeguards at the Waynesville Recreation Center have been officially certified as American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructors.
Read More
Clay shooting tourney raises money for the Smokies
Friends of the Smokies raised $53,000 to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the second annual Smokies Cup,…
Read More
Vegetable Beef Soup at the 828 Market
By Carrie Griffin We opened 828 Market 15 months ago. We’ve really enjoyed making soups for the market. We’ve just…
Read More
Good reads: romance, cupcakes, and the Constitution
So why would a guy approaching 70 select for review a “Contemporary Romance” about the owner of a cupcake and…
Read More
Turn up the radio: Canton station remains a cherished community gem
Not far from Main Street in Canton and the bright lights of the nearby football stadium is an unassuming one-story…
Read More
This must be the place: Winter’s cold, spring erases, and the calm away by the storm is chasing
Awakening in the hotel room in downtown Pineville, Kentucky, it took me a moment to realize where I was this…
Read More
WNC tourism numbers show quick recovery
When North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper gave the order to close bars and restaurants back on March 17, that was…
Read More
Rural allure, strong hospitality sector set Jackson County up for success amid pandemic
Things were looking bleak for the tourism industry — for all industries, really — as coronavirus shutdowns and stay-at-home orders…
Read More
Swain summer tourism dollars up 37 percent
The Coronavirus Pandemic hasn’t stopped the Swain County Tourism Development Authority from having another record-setting year in occupancy tax revenue.
Read More
Haywood tourism emerges from pandemic nearly unscathed
During the summer and fall of 2019, room occupancy tax data collected by Haywood County’s Tourism Development Authority suggested that…
Read More
Pandemic impacts Franklin’s tourism revenue
The Town of Franklin is one of the many local governments that saw a decrease in its occupancy tax revenue…
Read More
Election could remake Haywood County Board of Commissioners
Longtime commissioner and current Chairman of the Haywood County Board of Commissioners Kevin Ensley is seeking re-election to his seat,…
Read More
Reconnecting on the Road
A 10-day road trip covering thousands of miles was either going to save us or kill us.
Read More
Full slate of candidates in Beaverdam school board race
This year’s race for the Haywood County School Board has had a lot of interest with 12 candidates running for…
Read More
Early voting starts Oct. 15
Early voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 15 through Oct. 31. Early voting sites in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area…
Read More
Tribal government modifies operations amid COVID-19 surge
Many tribal offices are closed or operating at reduced levels this week following what Principal Chief Richard Sneed called an…
Read More
Jackson to vote on animal shelter contract
Jackson County commissioners plan to vote next week on a construction contract to build a new animal rescue center as…
Read More
