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Another view on childhood poverty

Another view on childhood poverty
To the Editor:
In last week’s edition of The Smoky Mountain News the editor gave us his thoughts of the bill in Congress to address childhood poverty by giving middle-income and low-income families $300 or $250 per child per month (until the child reaches 18 years of age in the original plan).
Since then Congress passed the bill with a modified plan that will increase the child tax credit from what it is currently but the plan will terminate after one year. The editor is a supporter of the increased child tax credit plan and the continuation of it indefinitely.

United-states , American , Scott-mcleod , John-johnson , Income-home-energy-assistance-program , American-enterprise-institute , Supplemental-poverty-measure , Earned-income-tax-credits , Pell-grants , Child-nutrition , Low-income-home-energy-assistance-program , Online-newspapers

Group reservation system takes effect at Whiteoak Sink

Group reservation system takes effect at Whiteoak Sink
A photographer frames a close-up shot in Whiteoak Sink. NPS photo
A trial reservation system for group access to the Whiteoak Sink area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will go into effect for the 2021 wildflower season, April 12-30.
Group leaders can make reservations at www.recreation.gov for a special park use permit to access the area with groups of eight to 12 people. Leaders can reserve a morning permit for access from 7 to 10 a.m. or an afternoon permit with access from 2 to 5 p.m. A fee of $50 is required for each permit, along with a $6 reservation fee, and these payments can be made online at the time of the reservation. Group leaders may reserve two permits per season.

Jamie-sanders , Whiteoak-sink , Schoolhouse-gap-trail , White-nose , Blowhole-cave , Online-newspapers , Classified , Jobs , Employment-opportunities , Tourism , Real-estate

Let's do away with Electoral College

Let’s do away with Electoral College
To the Editor:
In the recent election Joe Biden received a majority of 7.1 million popular votes and 74 Electoral College votes. With this overwhelming number of votes, he could have lost the election if his opponent had received 270 of the 538 total electoral votes. With only a 65,000-vote swing from the 7.1 million majority this could have happened. Five times in history presidential candidates have won the popular vote and lost the Electoral College.
With the four-year period between presidential elections and the absence of printed matter people have limited knowledge of the Electoral College. Very few people are aware there was a strong affiliation between the Electoral College and slavery.

Waynesville , Pennsylvania , United-states , Philadelphia , Charles-miller , Constitutional-convention , Civil-war-the-electoral-college , Electoral-college , Civil-war , Online-newspapers , Classified , Jobs

Winter member's show

Debit/Credit Card options available.
At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.
The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.

Jerrym-stuart , Haywood-county-arts-council-winter-member-show , Haywood-county-arts-council , Winter-member , Knee-deep , Online-newspapers , Classified , Jobs , Employment-opportunities , Tourism , Real-estate

Invasive mussels found in aquarium products

Invasive mussels found in aquarium products
While the products may be packaged in different ways, this brand was found to contain the invasive mussels. Donated photo
Invasive zebra mussels have been found in commercially available aquatic moss balls in North Carolina, and consumers who have purchased any such balls in the past month are urged to properly destroy them and clean their aquariums.
Art Bogan, research curator of mollusks with the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, identified the mussels in packaging labeled “Marimo Moss Ball Plant Grab & Go” and “Mini Marimo Moss Balls” as zebra mussels. N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission biologists had purchased the moss balls from a PetSmart in Burlington. PetSmart is removing the product from their shelves but has not shared plans for disposal, while Petco confirmed that it will take the appropriate steps to remove and destroy the moss balls at all N.C. locations.

Nc-museum-of-natural-sciences , Wildlife-commission , C-wildlife-resources-commission , Art-bogan , Natural-sciences , Moss-ball-plant-grab , Marimo-moss , Resources-commission , Online-newspapers , Classified , Jobs

Haywood vaccine clinic moves to Lambeth Inn

Haywood vaccine clinic moves to Lambuth Inn
Key Updates: Haywood County’s Mass Vaccination clinic will move this week to a new temporary location at the Lambuth Inn at Lake Junaluska due to a scheduling conflict at the Smoky Mountain Event Center. A separate press release on this change will be forthcoming. As always, this clinic is only for those with an appointment.
Where to find COVID-19 vaccine information:
For vaccine appointment or registration questions call: 828-356-2019
Please do not call the health department’s main number for COVID-19 vaccination questions, use the hotline number instead.
Vaccinations by the numbers:

China , Canton , Garron-bradish , Walgreens , Haywood-county-health , Blue-ridge-community-health , Mission-hospital , Human-services , Emergency-services , Pfizer , Health-department , Haywood-regional-medical-center

Trump is a threat

Trump is a threat
To the Editor:
The other day a friend of mine made this remark: “I never want to hear Trump supporters mention morality (as in the Moral Majority) again. They have bowed down to his steady stream of lies as though the rest of us merely have to accept lying as a way of life in America.”
Another said, ”Do people not see the blatant hypocrisy in chanting ‘Lock her up!’ about Hillary Clinton’s peripheral role in the tragic deaths in Benghazi while they tolerate Donald Trump’s central role in inciting an insurrection that resulted in a violent break-in and multiple deaths in the Capitol of the United States of America?”

United-states , America , Dave-waldrop , Donald-trump , Hillary-clinton , Online-newspapers , Classified , Jobs , Employment-opportunities , Tourism , Real-estate

HCA/Mission monitor to hold webinar

HCA/Mission monitor to hold webinar
Gibbins Advisors is scheduling an informational online meeting open to all communities in Western North Carolina served by Mission Health. The webinar will take place at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 7.
Gibbins Advisors is the Independent Monitor (IM) hired to monitor HCA Healthcare’s compliance with the obligations it agreed to when it purchased Mission Health System.
This is a “refresher” from last year’s seven in-person community meetings. In the webinar, the IM team will discuss its role, provide an update on its work, and present the opportunity to ask questions.
Those interested in participating can register at the following link: https://www.independentmonitormhs.com/register

Mission-health-system , Gibbins-advisors , Independent-monitor , Mission-health , Online-newspapers , Classified , Jobs , Employment-opportunities , Tourism , Real-estate , Accommodation

Reggae, soul rolls into WNC

The Natti Love Joys will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 20, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin. A roots-rock-reggae band that has been playing live...

Sonia-marla-allen , Sonia-abel , Anthony-jatti-allen , Lloyd-barnes-bullwackie , Love-joys , Lloyd-barnes , Online-newspapers , Classified , Jobs , Employment-opportunities , Tourism

Franklin art classes

There will be a wide array of new and ongoing art classes offered in the coming weeks and months at the Uptown Gallery in downtown Franklin.  To...

Online-newspapers , Classified , Jobs , Employment-opportunities , Tourism , Real-estate , Accommodation , Great-smoky-mountains , Smokey , Blue-ridge-parkway , Biltmore-house