Kamala Harris to appear in Asheville, Charlotte
 

Kamala Harris to appear in Asheville, Charlotte

Less than three weeks from Election Day, California senator and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris will visit the North…
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Haywood reports four COVID-19 deaths
 

Haywood reports four COVID-19 deaths

Haywood County Health and Human Services is reporting four COVID-19 deaths. The individuals died within the last few weeks either…
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Two cases of La Crosse Encephalitis confirmed in Haywood
 

Two cases of La Crosse Encephalitis confirmed in Haywood

Haywood County Health Director, Patrick Johnson, recently confirmed that two residents of Haywood County has been diagnosed with La Crosse…
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The new detour route will go right past the Appalachian Women's Museum.
 

New detour opens for Scotts Creek bridge project

A new detour for local traffic and passenger vehicles is now available to bypass the road closure caused by the…
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Sylva cancels Christmas parade
 

Sylva cancels Christmas parade

The Sylva Town Board has voted unanimously this evening to cancel this year’s Christmas Parade, citing coronavirus concerns.
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Billy Jack Hicks Sr.
 

Whittier man faces charges in wife’s death

Whittier resident Billy Hicks, 48, is being held without bond in the Jackson County Detention Center after his wife Danielle…
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COVID-19 cluster identified at Macon Sheriff's Office
 

COVID-19 cluster identified at Macon Sheriff's Office

Macon County Public Health has identified  a cluster of employees at the Macon County Sheriff’s Office who have tested positive for…
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Free medications offered to Swain residents in need
 

Free medications offered to Swain residents in need

NC MedAssist is partnering with Swain County Health Department to host a Mobile Free Pharmacy event, providing residents in need with…
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Program to use therapy dogs to aid domestic violence victims
 

Program to use therapy dogs to aid domestic violence victims

An initiative by Cyndy Caravelis, associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at Western Carolina University, will include a pilot…
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Pumpkin spice simple syrup
 

Pumpkin spice simple syrup

Last Tuesday was a cold and rainy early autumn day in the mountains. The kind that made you want to…
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Releasing through writing
 

Releasing through writing

Life in quarantine is hard. 2020 is hard. And if you’re feeling the stress and pain and heartache of this…
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Remove the stigma, own your story
 

Remove the stigma, own your story

None of us like to talk about mental health. Even as a reporter who has been covering the issue for…
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Pless’ behavior should worry voters
 

Pless’ behavior should worry voters

By Heather Hyatt Packer • Guest Columnist | When our government leaders deliberately mislead or lie to us, there is…
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Trump’s re-election important for U.S.
 

Trump’s re-election important for U.S.

To the Editor: “I hope they both die” are words expressed by some lefty Trump haters when they heard that…
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Trump just doesn’t care
 

Trump just doesn’t care

To the Editor: I recently received a mailer from the Trump campaign purportedly to tell the truth about what Trump…
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Democrats want to take away rights
 

Democrats want to take away rights

To the Editor: I noticed in your Sept. 30 edition that all your letters to the editor are nothing but…
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Sign stealers should be denounced
 

Sign stealers should be denounced

To the Editor: Trump tends to project onto others what he is planning to do or has done. When he…
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Sign drove me away from Waynesville
 

Sign drove me away from Waynesville

To the Editor: Simply put, I’m a Texas tourist (airline pilot on leave of absence) who was on my first…
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Woman dies in Cades Cove due to cardiac distress
 

Woman dies in Cades Cove due to cardiac distress

A visitor to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park died Tuesday, Sept. 29, following a cardiac event in Cades Cove. 
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Retired Wildlife Resources director wins lifetime achievement award
 

Retired Wildlife Resources director wins lifetime achievement award

Gordon Meyers, retired executive director of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, has received the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’…
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Walter and Joanne Meyers display a bounty of plants for sale during a pre-COVID farmers market. Donated photo
 

Jackson County Farmers Market celebrates 20 years

Back in the 1990s, Karen and Johnny White were in a nomadic phase of life, spending several months traveling the…
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GSMA releases butterfly-centric 2021 calendar
 

GSMA releases butterfly-centric 2021 calendar

The official 2021 Great Smoky Mountains Association wall calendar, featuring stunning macro photography of butterflies and moths found in the…
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Sign up for nature-based learning
 

Sign up for nature-based learning

A new subscription-based program from the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont aims to connect families through nature-based activities and…
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Digging into history: a visit to Jamestown
 

Digging into history: a visit to Jamestown

Right after Labor Day, my friend John and I traveled to Virginia’s Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. A paper…
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Cecelia White and Don Panicko, co-owners of Dark Moon, a speakeasy now open within the White Moon café. Caitlin Penna photo
 

The dark side of Mill Street

Crossing the threshold of the White Moon café in downtown Sylva, one is immediately drawn in by the scent of…
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Upslope Brewing in Boulder, Colorado. (photos: Andrew Wyatt)
 

This must be the place: You’ve got to get up to get down

Approaching the backside parking lot of Upslope Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado one recent evening, I was immediately greeted by…
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Ongoing 2020 election coverage
 

Ongoing 2020 election coverage

As the 2020 election draws near, The Smoky Mountain News will continue to interview all willing candidates at the local,…
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Macon community center reopens
 

Macon community center reopens

Macon County’s Robert C. Carpenter Community Building will begin to open under limited capacity.
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Charlotte man arrested for soliciting minor
 

Charlotte man arrested for soliciting minor

William Ray Hartsell, 27, of Charlotte, was arrested in Haywood County on Sept. 23 by the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office…
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SCC to host state debate
 

SCC to host state debate

In September, students in Dr. Bucky Dann’s Social Problems class hosted debates featuring candidates for national and local office.
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Moratorium on Waynesville utility disconnections to end
 

Moratorium on Waynesville utility disconnections to end

A policy adopted by the Town of Waynesville that was designed to alleviate financial hardship during the early stages of…
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Foundation provides COVID-19 testing for schools
 

Foundation provides COVID-19 testing for schools

On Aug. 21 the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation announced it would fund a weekly COVID-19 testing program for Highlands School,…
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Yvonne Holley and Mark Robinson.
 

Holley, Robinson vie for Lt. Gov. post

Even though it’s largely a ceremonial post, North Carolina’s lieutenant governor has an important role in state government — especially…
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Sen. Thom Tillis.
 

Sen. Tillis fights to retain seat

There are few races in North Carolina this cycle that hold more consequence than that for the United States Senate…
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The aquatic center would include a competition pool as well as a leisure pool (pictured) complete with splash pad, therapy pool and nets for both basketball and volleyball. ClarkNexsen rendering
 

Jackson voters to speak on indoor pool issue

Like voters across the country, Jackson County residents are electing representatives for offices ranging from congressman to commissioner, but this…
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Tom Stribling and Susan Bogardus.
 

Political newcomers run for Jackson’s District 3 seat

As in the District 4 race, the ballot for the District 3 county commission seat in Jackson County is devoid…
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From left: Jim Francis, Andy Hall and Danya Vanhook.
 

Haywood school board race draws 12 candidates

A dozen candidates are running to fill five open seats on the Haywood County School Board. Among them, four are…
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Cory Coleman of O’Malley’s Pub and Grill speaks against the road plan during an Aug. 8, 2019, Sylva town meeting. Holly Kays photo
 

Two-year delay expected for N.C. 107 project

After years of planning, public meetings and emotionally charged back-and-forth, right-of-way acquisition for the N.C. 107 project in Sylva was…
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Ask Us Anything - being jealous doesn't make you a bad person
 

Ask Us Anything - being jealous doesn't make you a bad person

Part of our goal here at Rumble is to start and continue conversations among women. We want to know what’s…
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Haywood fitness center reopens Oct. 5
 

Haywood fitness center reopens Oct. 5

Following a phased reopening plan, the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center is pleased to announce it will reopen (some…
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Dogwood Health Trust CEO steps down
 

Dogwood Health Trust CEO steps down

The Dogwood Health Trust Board of Directors announced today that Antony Chiang is stepping down from his role as Chief…
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Jim Moore rejoins the DA's office
 

Jim Moore rejoins the DA's office

District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch announced Thursday that Jim Moore has joined the 43rd Prosecutorial District as an assistant district…
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Libby Kyles
 

Equity advocates resign amid racial reckoning

City director quits, cites resistance, lack of support By Sally Kestin AVL Watchdog The CEO of the YWCA of Asheville…
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WCU announces spring semester schedule
 

WCU announces spring semester schedule

Western Carolina University has announced changes to the spring 2021 schedule related to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Jackson County man will go to prison following traffic accident
 

Jackson County man will go to prison following traffic accident

A Jackson County man who crashed into an Ohio couple’s car last year along U.S. 23/441, seriously injuring both, must…
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Check your breasts
 

Check your breasts

By Jonathan Austin Susan Austin was 56 when she saw an ad on television about how women should be doing…
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Gov. Cooper brings NC into Phase 3
 

Gov. Cooper brings NC into Phase 3

Continuing what he called the state’s “dimmer switch” approach to reopening, Gov. Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina will…
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DIY Fall Scented Candles
 

DIY Fall Scented Candles

Supplies Small Mason jars or another type of glass/porcelain dish Flaked soy wax (can purchase on Amazon) Pencil Glass bowl…
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Local youth show strong at livestock expo
 

Local youth show strong at livestock expo

Several local youth have been named winners at the WNC Youth Livestock Expo, which took place at the WNC Ag…
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Man dies following cardiac distress in the Smokies
 

Man dies following cardiac distress in the Smokies

A man was pronounced dead after suffering a cardiac event on Friday, Sept. 25, along Laurel Creek Road in the…
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