Cory Vaillancourt

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.

Tourism remains a critically important component of Western North Carolina’s economy. To ensure it remains strong well into the future, the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority is fine-tuning a forthcoming destination master plan that focuses on underutilized assets and what visitors seem to really want — authenticity.

Flying in the face of stats from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that say veterans continue to commit suicide at higher rates than non-veterans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week declined to approve MDMA, a psychedelic compound, as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority voted unanimously today to rescind a $10,000 grant it had previously approved, citing its own failure to properly vet the grant application. “We take full responsibility for missing this,” said Jim Owens, chair of the TDA board. “I personally feel I s...

Democratic Rep. Eric Ager (left) and state party Chair Anderson Clayton (right) look on as Rep. Caleb Rudow speaks during an Aug. 14 press conference. Cory Vaillancourt photo

At his Aug. 14 rally in Asheville — billed as an opportunity to deliver remarks on the economy — former President Donald Trump didn’t have much in the way of specifics, but he may have finally found his voice on the candidacy of Vice President Kamala Harris. For weeks, Trump has struggled to m...

Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted her party’s nomination for president on Aug. 23.

Buncombe County Democratic Party Chair Kathie Kline, seen here at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, says she’s optimistic about her party’s fortunes in the upcoming General Election. Cory Vaillancourt photo.

A bipartisan panel of election law experts is largely satisfied with the integrity of the American election system, but they’re also warning about evolving threats from artificial intelligence, foreign governments and home-grown malfeasants spreading rumors and lies about the process and the outcome of the 2024 General Election.

Pactiv Evergreen’s paper mill, which sits on a 185-acre parcel straddling the Pigeon River in Canton, has been closed for more than a year. Max Cooper photo