Now, all lines are blurred

To the Editor:

I was judged rather harshly for a letter, by no less than six people in three newspapers, for doubting the average American voter's capacity to distinguish fact from fiction, truth from falsehoods.

Democracy’s guardrails are coming off

To the Editor:

Democracy thrives on rules that balance power and protect freedom. But recent actions by this new administration are tearing down those "guardrails," putting our democracy in real danger.

Of truth and trust: Lack of accountability haunts charitable hurricane relief efforts

After Hurricane Helene completed its devastating march from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Smoky Mountains, the struggles of disaster survivors — from environmental devastation and bureaucratic hurdles to inadequate recovery support — have exposed a broken cycle of aid and accountability, where truth and trust become enveloped in a murky ethical mist that consists, at least partially, of exploitative promises made worse by false premises and finger-pointing.

Edwards silent, but his record speaks for itself

The legacies of Western North Carolina’s two previous Republican congressmen, Mark Meadows and Madison Cawthorn, haven’t exactly aged well. 

Time to cancel ‘cancel culture’

To the Editor:

The rise of cancel culture has sparked controversies and raised concerns over the impact of digital condemnation. 

Pactiv doesn’t want to pay back grant

Since unceremoniously announcing its exit from Canton early in 2023, Pactiv Evergreen, owner of the now-shuttered 115-year-old paper mill, has had very little to say — except which bills it refuses to pay. On July 29, the $6 billion multinational company did it again. 

Trump’s espionage demands action

To the Editor:

In early March, Jack Teixeira, the former Massachusetts Air National Guardsman who posted classified intelligence reports online, switched his plea to guilty in exchange for a sentence of 16 years in prison, avoiding espionage charges and a possible 60-year term. 

Data shows improvements for local charter schools

With accountability data released from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, all charter schools in the Smoky Mountain News’ four-county coverage area showed an increase in the percentage of students passing state exams during the 2022-23 school year compared to 2021-22 school year. 

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