Archive for January, 2012

Sylva Police officers confer Tuesday (Jan. 31) after an incident at Wells Fargo bank around noon. According to Detective Aimee Watson, Sylva Police got a call about a possible kidnapping/hostage situation that had originated in Swain County after a vehicle and two people came to Sylva. “We located both women at Wells Fargo, and it… »

Smoky Mountain’s men’s basketball team avenged its only Western North Carolina Athletic Conference loss of the season with a 55-48 win Friday at Franklin. Will Carpenter scored 14 points for the Mustangs (14-3, 9-1). Jalen Rosbor and Mark Thompson both added 10. Franklin pulled away down the stretch to win the women’s game 67-51. Sarah… »

Former owners of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home, Ronnie and Thomasine Riddle Tuesday (Jan. 24) waived their preliminary hearing related to fraud charges. Those fraud charges stem from their alleged mishandling of pre-need contract premiums totaling some $50,000. Judge Rick Walker presided in court when they waived that hearing and the Riddles were be bound over to a Feb…. »

Smoky Mountain’s men’s and women’s basketball teams defeated West Henderson on Tuesday in Western North Carolina Athletic Conference action at the SM gym. The Mustang men (13-3, 8-1) remained in first place with a 63-38 victory. Will Carpenter scored 22 points, and Micah Carter added 11. The Lady Mustangs (10-6, 5-4) won 66-42 as Maris… »

Smoky Mountain’s men’s basketball team moved into first place in the Western North Carolina Athletic Conference with a 66-62 win over Tuscola on Friday at the SM gym. Nathan Neesam scored 17 points for the Mustangs (12-3, 7-1), and Tanner Cogdill added 13. Tuscola averted SM’s upset bid and took control in the fourth quarter… »

The former owners of Melton-Riddle Funeral Home have been charged with a number of counts of obtaining property by false pretense. Melton-Riddle changed names to Melton Funeral Home when it was sold in 2009, and the charges do not relate to the current funeral home or its present director. According to court documents, Ronnie Austin… »

An updated report from the N.C. Highway Patrol lists alcohol as a factor in the October single-vehicle accident that claimed the life of a Western Carolina University employee and Cullowhee firefighter. Baxter Leroy Nicholson, 51, of Little Savannah Road was driving a state vehicle north (toward Sylva) on N.C. 107 and was travelling an estimated… »

Smoky Mountain High School health sciences teacher Edith Callahan is the Region 8 Teacher of the Year and will now compete for the title of North Carolina Teacher of the Year. Callahan, who was named Jackson County’s Teacher of the Year in July, learned of the district honor during an assembly this morning in the… »

MedWest Health System has received all the necessary approvals to secure a $10 million line of credit from Carolinas HealthCare System, CEO Mike Poore said Monday. The final step was approval from the two boards that affiliated to form MedWest –  Haywood Regional Medical Center and WestCare Health System – and both boards gave the… »

Smoky Mountain’s men’s and women’s basketball teams swept North Henderson in Western North Carolina Athletic Conference action Friday at the SM gym. The Mustang men (11-3, 6-1) won 74-56. Micah Carter scored 18 points followed by Will Carpenter with 17, Tanner Cogdill with 13 and Mark Thompson and C.J. Woodard with 10 apiece. Sarah Henson… »