Mockingbirds and cardinals, fireflies and dogwoods, opossums and passionflowers have all found a place of honor in state statutes over the years, as have raccoons, tulip poplars, zebra swallowtail ...

The annual Front Street Arts & Crafts Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 19, in downtown Dillsboro. Dozens of booths lining Front Street will display handmade items from regional ...

Ralph Ellis will host a special reading for his new work, “The Accident Report,” at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 12, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.  The book is a small town comedy set in 1974 ...

Rebecca Fitzgibbon hasn’t breathed easy since her 11-year-old son was put in the back of a police car by his school principal in the parking lot of Shining Rock Classical Academy. Since then, as she’s ...

The electric lawnmower the Town of Waynesville bought in 2024 is paying off, according to Outdoor Maintenance Supervisor Michael Noland. At the time, the purchase kicked up some dust, with some ...

In Western North Carolina, where aging populations and rural poverty place extraordinary pressure on the social safety net, few programs matter more than Medicaid and Medicare. Congressman Chuck ...

In the wake of numerous criminal charges from both the state and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians tied to two alleged sexual assaults, Curtis Cochran has retired from his position as the Swain ...

In a move that evokes imagery from the biblical battle between David and Goliath, the tiny Jackson County municipality of Forest Hills is fighting back against county commissioners for their vote to ...

A cherished gathering of locals and visitors alike, “Art After Dark” will launch its 2025 season from 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 4, in downtown Waynesville.  Each first Friday of the month ...

In a move more than a half-century in the making, the Town of Canton has announced the pending purchase of a key parcel of land where it plans to construct a new, state-of-the-art flood-proof ...

Republican Mike Clampitt, currently serving his fourth term as District 119 House Rep., tells The Smoky Mountain News he plans to run for reelection in 2026 despite recent health concerns. In April, ...

When Hurricane Helene slammed into Western North Carolina in late 2024, public attention focused on damaged homes, washed-out roads and the rigid bureaucracy meant to help with recovery, but the ...