News Headlines
Tropical Storm Helene hits Western North Carolina
Editor's note: Hurricane Helene has already produced flash flooding and dangerous winds across the region, and it has come on the heels of heavy rains, downed trees, sporadic tornadoes and some minor flooding due to a separate system that entered the region from the west. Smoky Mountain News Staff will be out gathering photos and firsthand reports throughout Friday and beyond. This page will be updated with those pictures and stories as they come in from across our coverage area, but you can always find more on our Facebook, Instagram and X accounts.
Mountain Heritage Day canceled
Western Carolina University announced Thursday, Sept. 26 that the 50th Anniversary of Mountain Heritage Day daytime festival, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, is cancelled due to hazardous weather from Hurricane Helene.
On the right path: Pathways celebrates a decade of service to the community
What started off as a clever idea to address recidivism has grown into something more — a community-driven response to concerning and costly social ills like homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse disorder.
Blame game: Vance, Walz trade barbs in dueling NC appearances
In a series of pointed comments, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Sen. JD Vance took aim at their respective opponents during separate visits to the Tarheel state last week, with Walz largely blaming former President Donald Trump for the country’s woes, while Vance continues to target unauthorized migrants.
Former Maggie Valley Police Chief sues town: Suit alleges wrongful termination, coverup of criminal activity
Former Maggie Valley Police Chief Russ Gilliland is suing the town for wrongful termination following what he alleges was the unlawful “cover-up of criminal activity.”
Testing data is in, HCS reaches sixth in the state
This month the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released performance and growth data for the 2023-24 school year, and for another year in a row, Haywood County dominated regional rankings with the top two high schools in the western region.
Man describes what led him to Pathways and what led him out
It’s tough for a person to get back up on their feet, no matter how well they may have done in the past. Such was the case for Jeremiah Moynihan, a Florida man who after living in Western North Carolina for the last several years found himself sick and homeless with nowhere to turn.
Smoky Mountain News brings home numerous NCPA awards
The staff of the Smoky Mountain News won 20 combined advertising and editorial awards, including a combined 13 first-place honors, at the 2024 North Carolina Press Association annual awards banquet. Awards were won in Division C, the largest division for nondaily publications.
Endowment for Cherokee Hospital Foundation Established
The Cherokee Indian Hospital Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the well-being of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians by strengthening the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority and the clinics that comprise it, has a new endowment at the North Carolina Community Foundation that will provide ongoing support for hospital employees.
