Entegra to purchase Wayneville’s Oldtown Bank
Entegra Financial Corp., the parent holding company of Entegra Bank, and Oldtown Bank have a definitive agreement where Entegra will purchase Oldtown in an all cash transaction valued at about $13.5 million. Oldtown currently operates one branch in Waynesville and will add about $113 million in assets,...
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Drone Safety This Holiday Season
This holiday season, one of the most popular gifts might actually fly off the shelves. Whether they’re called quadcopters, radio controlled planes, or any of the high tech brand names, drones are expected to be big sellers this year, with some estimating as many as 700,000 will make their way into Ameri...
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Swain student in Upward Bound program is finalist for national scholarship
Swain County High School senior Heather Whitt, who participates in Southwestern Community College’s Upward Bound program, is a QuestBridge CollegeMatch Finalist. The QuestBridge program connects high-achieving, deserving students with full scholarships at select colleges and universities. Out of 13,264...
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Heavy Travel Expected This Holiday; Low Gas Prices
Travel experts believe nearly 47 million Americans will be traveling for Thanksgiving making this the busiest holiday season in 7 years. According to Gas Buddy, the national average is at $2.07 — $0.75 cheaper than this time last year. In North Carolina, there’s an average of $2.04 a gallon....
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NC Tourism Economy Could Dry Up with Climate Change
North Carolina’s tourism industry generated $20 billion last year alone, and a new report predicts natural disasters, largely brought on by extreme weather, would threaten that revenue. The report, States at Risk: America’s Preparedness Report Card, gives the state a grade of “B+...
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NC Hunters Support Land Conservation
Deer hunting season is in full swing across the state, and while it may surprise some, conservationists point out that folks involved with the sport are supporting land conservation in their hearts and with their wallets. Walter Clark, executive director of the Blue Ridge Conservancy, says hunting buck...
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STDs On the Rise Nationally; Jackson County Sees Increase
The statistics from the CDC have concluded that sexually transmitted diseases have made a dramatic incline in 2015. Gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis, the three most common Sexually Transmitted Diseases in this country, have been on the rise for the past few years. Gonorrhea and chlamydia cases have ris...
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Forever Families: NC Takes Steps to Improve Foster, Adoption System
There are more than 10,000 children in North Carolina’s foster care system, and more than 2,000 of them are awaiting permanent, adoptive families. This year two bills were signed into law that help normalize childhood for foster children by making sure they can participate in school activities and...
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SHERIFF CHIP HALL OFFERS TIPS FOR A SAFE HOLIDAY
“With the holiday season upon us and winter’s low temperatures, the chances of a fire occurring in your home dramatically increase,” said Sheriff Chip Hall of Jackson County. “Decorations, candles and Christmas trees are the leading cause of house fires during the holidays.” The Sheriff reminds all Jac...
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LOCAL SHERIFF OFFERS TIPS FOR SAFE SHOPPING DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON
“The holiday season is right around the corner and shoppers are crowding malls and discount stores to buy the latest gadgets and find the best deals,” said Sheriff Greg Christopher of Haywood County. But what shoppers are neglecting is their safety. According to Sheriff Christopher, “This time o...
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