Smoky Mountain News

Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley will unveil free, public Wi-Fi when the winter season opens as part of a mountain-wide technology upgrade. Cataloochee Ski Area usually opens near Thanksgiving.

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The Foundation of MedWest-Harris and MedWest-Swain hospitals raised more than $40,000 recently during its annual gala to build a new emergency room at MedWest-Harris in Sylva and to provide free mammograms for uninsured and needy women in Jackson and Swain counties. Approximately 325 people attended the “Here’s to Hollywood” event held Aug. 13 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel Event Center.

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Leslie Norris, nurse practitioner at Riverview Medical Associates in Franklin and assistant professor at WCU, was a presenter at the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants at Hilton Head last month. The five-day conference, attended by more than 700 people from 50 states, offered peer-to-peer training and hands on workshops for Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners.

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Angel Medical Center in Franklin has received a donation of $30,000 from the Angel Medical Center Auxiliary.

The funds were used for two vital signs monitors for the medical and surgical unit, a Billi blanket for newborns with signs of jaundice; and a surgical tray for ear/nose/throat surgery. Additional funds will be utilized for the new Breast Health Center, and for the Outpatient Medicine Expansion. 828.349.6869.

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Angel Medical Center received a $900 grant from the Macon County Community Foundation for the Medication Assistance Voucher program to help low income Macon County residents get medications. 828.349.6717.

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Jason Lambert, director of the tribal planning office for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was recognized as an emerging leader by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development in its annual Native American 40 Under 40 awards.

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The Blue Ridge Entrepreneurial Council’s Breakthrough Business Challenge is accepting applications from those looking to start a company or grow an existing small business.

Free mentoring and coaching sessions will help companies sharpen their business model and prepare for the next growth stage of the business. There is also a business plan competition for the top businesses to win cash and in-kind prizes. Deadline is Sept. 16. www.brecnc.com or 828.687.7234.

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Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel made a $3,000 gift to Western Carolina University to help sponsor a public lecture series on Native American health issues offered through the university’s Culturally Based Native Health Program.

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Full-time nursing students at Haywood Community College are eligible for $1,000 in financial aid through the recently established Gerald and Meilia Cox Family Foundation Scholarship.

The Cox family owns Autumn Corporation, based in Rocky Mount, which operates 20 nursing home facilities, including Autumn Care in Waynesville. 828.565.4170.

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MedWest Health System patients who need MRIs can now have a more comfortable experience during their scans, thanks to a new state-of-the art imaging system with an extra-wide opening that is more accommodating, especially to larger individuals and those prone to claustrophobia.

The new wide-bore MRI system went online last weekend at the MedWest-Harris hospital in Sylva and is the only one west of Asheville.

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A nine-week business planning course for Native American entrepreneurs called Indianpreneurship will be held Tuesday evenings starting Sept. 13 in Cherokee. 828.497.1666 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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The N.C. Lottery ticket sales for the 2010-2011 fiscal year were up 2.8 percent, for a total of $1.4 billion, resulting in $447 million in revenue for education in the state. The rest of the money went to: $864 million in prizes, $102 million in sales commissions to retailers, $7.8 million in state income taxes from prize winnings.

The number of retailers carrying lottery tickets in the state is 6,611 as of June 30, up 6 percent over last year.

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The Cherokee Home Center, a new store carrying home appliances, tools and building supplies, opened last weekend at 1623 Acquoni Road in Cherokee across the street from the Great Smokies Inn at the entrance to Big Cove Road. 828.497.8980.

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Here Wee Grow, a resale clothing shop with sizes from maternity to teen and everything in between, has opened at 3263 Georgia Road in Franklin.

Owner Julia Abrams, a parent herself, will offer quality, affordable, name-brand clothing. 828.524.0500.  

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Deborah Grant, the Finance Officer for the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, recently graduated from the Leadership North Carolina program’s Class XVIII.

The program takes community leaders on an eye-opening tour of the state over several months, allowing them to develop a network of colleagues, decision makers and leaders in other places.      

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Within REACH, a thrift store in Waynesville that benefits the Haywood County domestic violence advocacy group, is now open on Mondays as well as Tuesday through Saturday. Located on Hazelwood Avenue. 828.454.5998.

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Haywood Community College will offer a four-week business planning course Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning on Monday and Thursday evenings Sept. 26 through Oct. 20.

This hands-on course is also open to those who need general business planning, from new start-ups to established businesses. Walk through the steps of running a business, creating a business plan, or expanding your operation. $65. 828.627.4512.

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Roger E. Hartley, director of Western Carolina University’s master’s degree program in public affairs, was selected for a three-year term on the executive council of the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration.

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A new cardiologist, Dr. Laura Verde, is coming to Jackson County. She will be affiliated with Sylva Cardiology, which is the Sylva location of Asheville Cardiology Associates, along with MedWest Health Systems and Mission Health Systems. She completed internal medicine residencies at Pitt County Memorial Hospital. 828.586.7451.

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Western Carolina University’s undergraduate degree program in recreational therapy is the first in the nation to earn accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

The organization added recreational therapy to the list of health science professions that it accredits last year. WCU became the first to earn the new accreditation.

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Southwestern Community College’s Emergency Medical Science program just received national accreditation, making it one of only two nationally accredited community colleges in the state from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

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A workshop that combines business management, marketing, entrepreneurial activity and economic strategies with the art of storytelling will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Western Carolina University.

Participants will learn how storytelling is one of the most important tools that entrepreneurs and nonprofit managers have at their disposal.

$89 includes lunch. 828.227.7397 or learn.wcu.edu.

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Haywood Community College’s Continuing Education Department will offer two new online courses:  Introduction to QuickBooks 2011 and Performing Payroll in QuickBooks 2011. New sessions of each course run every month. The course lasts six weeks with two new lessons each week.

828.565.4241 or www.haywood.edu/continuing_education.

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Mountain BizWorks is offering its five-week Financial Tools for Small Business course on Thursday nights starting Sept. 15 in Sylva, covering the basics of bookkeeping and QuickBooks for more advanced financial management. 828.631.0292 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .