At first blush, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is competing with itself by opening a new casino in Murphy just 55 miles from its main casino and resort in Cherokee. But those 55 miles make a huge difference.

Question: I have been hearing a lot about hemp lately. Do you sell products with hemp at Ingles? Will I fail a drug test if I eat products with hemp? 

Answer: 1.Hemp is not a drug - First and foremost, hemp is NOT marijuana. While they are in the same plant family (cannabis), to be classified as hemp there must be a THC (tetrahydrocannabinol - a psychotropic substance) of .3% or less.

Featuring local food, music and children’s activities, the sixth annual Taste of Sylva culinary tour will run from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, in downtown Sylva restaurants and in the pavilion at McGuire Gardens on West Main Street.

By Craig Pendergrast • Guest Columnist

I am writing to applaud the Jackson County commissioners for recently completing a difficult re-write of the county’s cell tower code. Along with other interested property owners, I was an active participant in that process, having gained much experience and information about the way cell tower companies and their contractors operate.

When National Park Service officials increased Seasonal Law Enforcement Training from 400 hours to 650, they decided to use Southwestern Community College’s Public Safety Training Center in Franklin as the pilot program for the new regimen.

“SCC-PSTC consistently demonstrates a high standard and delivers a high quality of instruction,” said Mark Cutler, Branch Chief of Seasonal Law Enforcement Training for the National Park Service. 

SCC first offered the SLETP program in 1978. Only six other schools across the country are accredited to offer the program, which makes successful graduates eligible for a Type II commission in the NPS. The program includes seven critical areas: legal, behavioral science, enforcement operations, patrol procedures/scenarios, firearms (pistols, rifles, shotguns), driving and physical techniques for subject control.

www.southwesterncc.edu/pstc or 828.306.7041.

The results of a plan to install signs demystifying Haywood’s disjointed collection of greenway paths will be unveiled at a gathering 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Canton Recreation Park, upstream from the baseball field. 

The project, spearheaded by a group under the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, came about as the result of a $25,000 grant the group landed from the N.C. Rural Center earlier this year. The aim is to make it easier for people seeking green space to see the big picture of greenway opportunities around the county. 

Free, with RSVP requested. 828.456.3021.

A family-friendly event celebrating fishing, hunting and wildlife conservation will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Transylvania County. 

In observance of National Hunting and Fishing Day, the event will feature activities and exhibits in archery, fishing, outdoor cooking, air rifle marksmanship and safety, fly-casting and fly-tying. Kids will also get to taste different kinds of wild game and play hunting- and fishing-themed games. The event is one of seven the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is hosting statewide.

Free. The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education is located just off U.S. 276 in Pisgah Forest, 32 miles south of Waynesville. 828.877.4423.

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee was named the Tennessee River Champion of the year by the Tennessee Valley Authority.

“The work LTLT does embodies all the components of this award — partnership, restoration, education and innovation,” said Evan Crews, head of TVA’s Natural Resource Management team. “They have a long and far-reaching impact, and they are a standout organization.”

While the Tennessee Valley watershed covers nearly 41,000 square miles spanning four states, LTLT’s project area involves less than 7 percent of that area, which makes the organization’s selection all the more meaningful, LTLT Executive Director Sharon Taylor said. 

The award comes with a $5,000 prize, which LTLT will use for education programs to teach youth about the importance of clean, healthy rivers. 

A documentary telling the story of Dr. Carl Schenck, the German forester who managed the Biltmore Estate’s forests and helped lay the foundation of the nation’s first environmental movement, will premier at a screening event 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Biltmore Estate. 

First in Forestry: Carl Schenck and the Biltmore Forest School, was produced for the Forest History Society by Bonesteel Films and discusses the influence of George Vanderbilt, Frederick Law Olmsted, Gifford Pinchot and Carl Schenck on the American conservation movement.

Tickets include a reception at 4 p.m. including wine, cheese, hors d’oeuvres and mingling with actors. The film will start at 5:15 p.m.

$30. Proceeds will go toward promoting the film’s debut on UNC-TV and at the Cradle of Forestry historic site in 2016. www.firstinforestry.org. 

Nominations are open to recognize the people and businesses most instrumental in promoting conservation this year for MountainTrue’s annual awards. 

The organization — formed from a merger of the Western North Carolina Alliance, Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance and the Environmental Conservation Organization — will accept nominations through Sept. 30.

Categories include:

• The Green Business Award for a business that’s led in green practices, environmental advocacy and encouraging sustainability in other businesses. 
• WNC Elected Official for an elected official who’s demonstrated a strong commitment to conservation over time or completed a conservation action of singular importance.
• Volunteer of the Year Award for someone who’s volunteered extensively with MountainTrue.
• The Esther Cunningham Award for a MountainTrue member who has demonstrated outstanding service in conserving Western North Carolina’s natural resources.
• Partner of the Year Award for a group partnering with MountainTrue. 

Send nominations to Bob Wagner, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. www.mountaintrue.org

It’s time to get ready for a relay, race and walking event raising money for breast cancer detection, coming up Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center. 

The annual Power of Pink Event from the Haywood Healthcare Foundation aims to provide mammograms and follow-up procedures for underserved women in Haywood. It will include a 9 a.m. relay race with categories for male, female and mixed teams; a 5K walk/run at 10:30 a.m.; and a walk honoring victims and survivors at 11:30 a.m. Participants are welcome to bring their dogs along for the races, and Halloween costumes are encouraged. 

Food trucks, coffee, live music, games, guided stretching and chair massages liven up the event, and the awards ceremony will include a medal for the first dog over the finish line. Awards will also go to the hospital department and school with the highest participation and to the most creative costume. 

Since 2007, the event has raised money to serve more than 750 women in need through 1,182 mammograms and procedures. 

$100 four-person relay team. $24 5K, $10 walk; $10 dog walk. Group rates available. Register at www.HaywoodHealthcareFoundation.org. 828.452.8343.

On Nov. 19, North Carolina tobacco growers will get to choose whether to continue paying 10 cents per 100 pounds of flue-cured and burley tobacco sold in order to support tobacco research and education. 

Since 1991, the Tobacco Research Check-off has allocated $300,000 per year for tobacco-related projects at N.C. State University. The most recent referendum in 2009 passed with 92 percent support. 

“This referendum is extremely important for the future of tobacco production in North Carolina,” says Keith Oakley, president of the North Carolina Tobacco Foundation and state check-off coordinator. Federal funding for tobacco research is no more, he said, and state support has declined, making this “self-help” program vital. 

A two-thirds vote is needed to continue collecting the money. 

Farmers have benefited from the check-off in many ways, including annual training sessions, support for Good Agricultural Practices certification and development of new tobacco varieties, according to Dr. Richard Linton, dean of N.C. State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Contact your local Cooperative Extension office for polling locations. Keith Oakley, 919.515.9262 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Blue Ridge Parkway are always free to enter, but fourth grade students have an opportunity to enjoy all national parks at no charge over the coming year thanks to the White House’s Every Kid in a Park Program. 

Fourth-graders can visit www.everykidinapark.gov and complete an activity to get a free one-year entry pass to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including national parks. The passes cover students and their families and are good from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31, 2016. 

Fourth grade educators, youth group leaders and students across the country will also participate in the program through field trips and other learning experiences. Teachers can learn about such opportunities in the Smokies at www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/education/index.htm. 

The goal of the program is to connect kids with the outdoors, inspiring them to become the next generation of environmental stewards. It’s part of the Find Your Park theme of the National Park Service’s 2016 centennial celebration. President Obama launched Every Kid in a Park with support from federal agencies. 

People wanting to get wet while volunteering to keep an eye on water quality in local streams have a chance to get trained through the one-day Stream Monitoring Information Exchange program, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at University of North Carolina Asheville.

The annual symposium “Rooted in the Mountains: Valuing our Common Ground” at Western Carolina University will be held on Thursday, Sept. 24, and Friday, Sept. 25, this year themed “Plants for Food and Medicine.”

With the fall season coming, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is gearing up to guard against graffiti — lasting marks that not only detract from the park’s natural beauty but can permanently damage irreplaceable resources.

The search for an overdue Tennessee hiker in the Shining Rock wilderness area continues for a second day after Sunday’s search yielded no sightings.

Question: What do you think of trying to “eat the way my great-grandmother ate”?

Answer: I call brief messages about food or nutrition that sound good or look good in print “soundbite nutrition”.

From Georgia to Maine, outings celebrating Family Hiking Day will provide opportunities to explore the Appalachian Trail the weekend of Saturday, Sept. 26. 

• A 4.4-mile hike starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, along the Max Patch Loop in Haywood County will give participants a chance to hike the Appalachian Trail through open meadows and forest. RSVP to Jan Onan, 828.606.5188. Organized by the Carolina Mountain Club. 

• Beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, a three-hour event at Standing Indian Picnic Shelter near Franklin will give families a chance to partake of hikes of varied lengths and difficulties, with refreshments and nature-themed fun activities thrown in. Pre-registration required with Paul Dyer, 828.347.6752. Organized by the Nantahala Hiking Club. 

• A full schedule of events will celebrate Family Hiking Day at Fontana Village Resort Saturday, Sept. 26. The day will begin at 9 a.m. with a guided hike and scavenger hunt on the A.T., with nature activities and crafts running concurrently through 2:30 p.m. The afternoon will include a lunch cookout starting at 11:30 a.m.; a presentation by the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club on Leave No Trace and trail maintenance at 12:30 p.m.; a birds of prey program with Balsam Mountain Trust’s Michael Skinner at 1 p.m.; a guided hike on the Llewellyn Cove Nature Loop Trail at 2:30 p.m. and a pair of “what did you learn today?” sessions at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.

Free, with pre-registration required. 828.498.2103. Organized by SMHC, Fontana Village Resort and the town of Fontana Dam.

Family Hiking Day is part of National Public Lands Day. All participants will receive a pass good for one free entry to a participating public land any time over the next year. 

www.appalachiantrail.org/familyhike. 

It’s once more fall in the Smokies, and that means a reboot of ranger programs to reflect the season. The new schedule will start up Sunday, Sept. 20. 

Daily

• A demonstration of the historic Mingus Mill in action will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Located on U.S. 441 near Cherokee. 
• The Mountain Farm Museum at Oconaluftee Visitor Center is open dawn to dusk, showcasing what daily life used to look like. 

Sunday

• A ranger will lead a 45-minute walk around the Mountain Farm Museum at 11 a.m. exploring what life might have been like on an Appalachian mountain farm in the “ol’ days.” 
• The Cherokee Friends — ambassadors from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians — will lead two hours of demonstration and storytelling about Cherokee culture beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. 
• Kids will have a chance to learn about the history of elk — and witness them firsthand — in a 45-minute Junior Ranger program beginning 5:30 p.m. at the Palmer House in Cataloochee Valley. 

Monday

• A 30-minute program about how black bears prepare for winter will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Oconaluftee Visitor Center. 

Tuesday

• A ranger will lead a 45-minute walk around the Mountain Farm Museum at 11 a.m. exploring what life might have been like on an Appalachian mountain farm in the “ol’ days.” 

Wednesday

Park staff will aim to predict the winter weather ahead using the folkloric methods people in the past deployed in a half-hour program starting at 11 a.m. at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. 

Thursday

• The story of the elk’s return to the Great Smoky Mountains after a century of absence will be recounted in a half-hour program beginning at 11 a.m. at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. 
• The Cherokee Friends — ambassadors from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians — will lead two hours of demonstration and storytelling about Cherokee culture beginning at 1:30 p.m. at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. 

Saturday

• Visitors will learn the best places in the park to see elk, learn how they stay warm and get to touch some bonafide antlers in a half-hour program beginning at 11 a.m. at Oconaluftee Visitor Center. 

An excursion to witness the peak of the elk rut in Cataloochee Valley will set out Wednesday, Sept. 23, part of the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust’s Eco Tours series.

This great horned owl is among the stunning wildlife photography of Ed and Cindy Boos on display this month at the Macon County Library in Franklin.

A weekend featuring games, music, rafting, bike competitions and plenty more will comprise Nantahala Outdoor Center’s annual Guest Appreciation Festival Sept. 25-27.

The Smoky Mountain Rollergirls will take on the Middle Georgia Derby Demons on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Swain County Rec Park in Bryson City.

This double header will also feature the SMRG junior team, the Lil' Nemesisters. Doors open at 4 p.m. Juniors take the track at 4:30 p.m. and adults at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 pre-sale and $7 at the door and are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com, at Bryson City Bicycles, or from SMRG skaters. Children under 7 get in free. 

Portions of the proceeds will benefit The Good Samaritan Clinic and skaters will be collecting Clorox wipes, bottled water, Latex-free gloves, alcohol wipes at the door as well. A 50/50 raffle benefiting the local chapter of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library will also be held.  

Halftime entertainment will include a round of “Human Hungry Hippo.”

Meet and greet with both teams at the after party right down the road at Nantahala Brewing Company.

Western Carolina University student musicians will join members of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra for a performance of orchestral masterworks at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, at the John W. Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.

The event is part of a series that brings professional string musicians from the orchestra to perform with WCU woodwind, brass and percussion students. Asheville Symphony Conductor Daniel Meyer will lead the concert, featuring Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 (“The Romantic Symphony”), selections from Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances, and the overture to Verdi’s opera, Nabucco.

The program has brought audiences two decades of musical collaboration between Asheville Symphony string musicians and WCU music students and faculty, presenting live radio shows, an array of orchestral and choral concerts, as well as operas and chamber music concerts.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students and children, and can be purchased at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or by calling the box office at 828.227.2479. Proceeds from the performance series are used to support the Artist-in-Residence Program, an ongoing partnership between the School of Music and the Asheville Symphony Orchestra.

The 41st annual Mountain Heritage Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. The event will be preceded by a 5K foot race at 8 a.m.

Award-winning actor and director Frank Ferrante will perform his acclaimed portrayal of legendary comedian Groucho Marx at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

The Three Tenors and a Diva Gala will be held at 5 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.

The inaugural Mountain Disco Music Festival will be held from 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at Soul Infusion in Sylva.

To the Editor:

This past weekend I had the privilege of working beside my fellow students and colleagues in an effort to clean Richland Creek in Waynesville. I came into this project with expectations of environmental stewardship towards my local community but quickly realized that I would learn much more about the place I call home.  

My “crew” was given the direction to clean up the Frog Level portion of Richland Creek. I knew this would be a monumental task considering Frog Level is a very busy part of town. I, however, could have never anticipated the objects that we would find in this section of the creek. We found your average trash that you would expect: tires, old wood, plastic candy wrappers, etc. We also found many, many liquor bottles, beer cans, and hypodermic needles. One of the members in our crew actually found an entire orange juice container filled with syringes. This was found in the river adjacent to a little league baseball field were youngsters were playing ball as we cleaned. 

We encountered people living beside the river in makeshift camps, who when approached were quite cordial. 

I write these things not to start a witch hunt but to give my perspective of a town where people are hurting every day yet others are oblivious. Over the past few years, Waynesville has become a vacation destination for the privileged. How many of these people who visit, live here year-round or part of the year, know the things that go on literally a quarter mile from art galleries and salons in this tourist district? 

There are many doing work to help these people in need. Local churches, Haywood Pathways, the Open Door, Haywood Gleaners, etc., are doing their part to give needy people in Haywood County medical attention, shelter, and proper nutrition. However, there is still work to be done as was very evident from what my eyes saw this past weekend.

I encourage all who live in this community to do whatever they are able to help those in need in this county. Whether you are a full-time resident, part-time resident, local or non-local, our community needs your help. Please, be an active member of the community in the place you so dearly adore. A very wise man once said “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.”

Tyler Beamer

Maggie Valley

To the Editor:

In Rowan County, Kentucky, Kim Davis has been ordered to jail for contempt of court.  Her confinement is based on the fact that on more than one occasion she refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.

“What tangled webs we weave…” is part of a famous line written by Walter Scott in his poem “Marmion.” Kim Davis may actually feel like she is caught in a tight web comprised from alternating strands of faith and the need to earn income by carrying out the legal duties she took a solemn oath to perform. The popular singer/songwriter Jackson Browne expressed a similar view in his song “The Pretender.” He sang, “Caught between the longing for love and the struggle for the legal tender…. ” I suppose most poor and middle-income people know what Browne means by those lines.

As we look at the Kim Davis situation it is necessary to remember one historical fact. Most oaths of office in America are administered with one hand on a Bible. What religious denomination is espoused in these Bibles? Are they Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, Seventh Day Adventist or Catholic? Are they a “conservative” or “liberal version” of the text? 

I suppose the person taking an oath of office merely imagines the words are those by which he/she chooses to live. Could we, then, just as well use the Torah or the Koran if we simply swear the oath with one hand held on the book? After all, we have never, to my knowledge, asked an elected official to uphold the teachings within the Bible. What the ceremony asks is something like, “Do you swear to uphold the laws of the United States?”

If we are a “Christian nation,” as some contend we are, wouldn’t the oath require that the person vow to uphold the teachings of a Christian Bible? That has never happened. Let’s hope it never does. There has been way, way too much bloodshed over religion in human history. Too many times an individual or group has tried to force someone else to adhere to a particular set of beliefs against their own wishes and will. The evening news is full of stories of people being killed or exiled because of a religious belief. Our United States government has been set up to prevent that kind of maltreatment based on religion.

With that said, I don’t know how the Davis/Rowan County situation will be resolved. She is in the spotlight with her situation and may have to decide which way she wants to go — with her strong religious conviction or with her need to earn an income by fulfilling her duties. It may not be possible for her to have both in the capacity she is sworn to at the present time. 

If it turns out that she is allowed to hold her religious principle above legal principles, we may be headed toward “Burger King” government. Government employees would be told happily, “Have it your way.” Under that system each employee would get to choose the parts that he/she will be willing to abide by while ignoring those undesirable to him/her. It seems like things could get somewhat confusing under this setup. 

I personally hope and pray (to the God of my choice) that America remains a nation of laws rather than one ruled by religious dogma that results in continual fighting and killing of people with differing views. Our legal foundation, which inarguably contains ideas from various religions and philosophies, has served this country fairly well since 1776. Our challenge is to make it work for another 239 years.

Dave Waldrop

Webster

Christopher Harold McMahan was recently convicted of felony death by vehicle and felony serious injury by vehicle in Macon County Superior Court.

McMahan will spend more than two years in prison. The crimes were committed on July 31, 2012, as he was driving impaired on U.S. 441 near Franklin. McMahan’s vehicle went left of center into oncoming traffic, violently colliding with a Dodge pick-up occupied by Sylvia and Ellard Bolick.  

Sylvia Bolick was killed from the collision and Ellard Bolick sustained serious injuries. A blood sample was taken from McMahan shortly after the crash.  A state expert found McMahan’s blood to contain high levels of alprazolam (generic Xanax), an impairing prescription medication, as well as a metabolite of THC, the impairing substance in marijuana.

Michael Lee White, 38, of the Stecoah community, was recently found guilty by a jury in Robbinsville of sexual offense on a child.  

He was sentenced by Superior Court Judge J. Thomas Davis to no less than 300 months nor more than 369 months in the custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Correction. When White is released from prison, he will be required to register as a sex offender and to wear a satellite-based monitor for the rest of his life.

“Today’s conviction and minimum 25 year sentence sends a strong message that taking those who prey on our children off the streets is a top priority for my office and demonstrates the results that can be achieved when the District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement and child advocates work together effectively as a team,” said District Attorney Ashley Welch.

The state budget was 78 days overdue last Tuesday night when a group of more than 20 public education supporters packed the Macon County commissioners meeting in support of more state funding.

Instability in the rocky roadside caused by blasting along Interstate 40 in Haywood County has caused the second road closure in three days between mile markers 6 and 8. 

On Saturday (Sept. 12), following blasting contractors noted an “unstable rock mass,” said N.C. Department of Transportation spokesperson Ken Ulmer, so they opted to close the road in order to remove any unstable rock.

Question: When is the new Enka/Candler store opening?

Answer: Our newest Ingles Markets is slated to open on Thursday, September 17th. Our Grand Opening Day will be a fun-filled day with loads of samples and special deals to introduce customers to this new Ingles store. Many of our local farmers and vendors will be there throughout the day.

The annual Mountain Life Festival in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Mountain Farm Museum near Cherokee.

The Cherokee Heritage Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Cherokee Homestead Exhibit in downtown Hayesville.

The Youth Arts Festival will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro.

There will be a “Welcome Home Parade” for acclaimed bluegrass act Mountain Faith at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, in downtown Sylva.

By John Beckman • Guest Columnist

Forty-two years ago a very interesting man moved into the broken, haunted brick mansion two doors up from my parents’ house. 

Dave had just retired from 33 years in the U.S. Army as a machinist, welder, mechanic, builder, inventor and general problem-solver in charge of keeping America’s troops and machinery moving. He had set his new sights on restoring the old place singlehandedly as a retirement project. His personal passions and areas of expertise included photography, systems design, the arts, public service, governance and sharing his skills and knowledge with many.

To the Editor:

Such a nice man, this Bernie Sanders, we just love him, he just wants to help everyone! There he is on TV with all these hollering young people cheering him after he told them that everyone in America should go to college for free. He would establish free tuition in all private and public colleges. The inexperienced young people failed to ask the question: “How much will this cost, who will pay for it, and how?” Bernie will also give everyone free health insurance. How wonderful! 

The ignorance of American voters is already on display every day at the White House. With just these two actions Bernie will bankrupt the United States.  

Bernie has a long history of being a socialist. In college, he was a 1960s peacenik who applied for conscientious objector status. How can he be made “Commander in Chief “ of the military? He will eliminate all ammunition from the military so nobody will get hurt. In the Senate, he voted against all the military actions. He even voted against going into Kuwait after Saddam Hussein invaded it. He thought we could “talk” them out of Kuiwait.  

Bernie just loves the socialist Scandinavian countries like Finland who gives free day care to all children, and Norway which gives 42 weeks of maternity leave at full pay. He voted against going into Iraq, voted against the use of force on terrorists and against the Patriot Act legislation. 

And, of course, he wants to tax the rich!  That’s always popular today, even though the highest quintile of income earners pay almost 70 percent of federal taxes. Lately, I am convinced that the only people in the United States who really need a union are the rich.  

Now, Social Security is broke. All those many years we had Social Security taken out of our paychecks, and social security had billions in reserve. Our elected politicians stole all the money out of the social security funds and spent it on other projects. If they left that money alone, Social Security would be solvent today.  

When our founding fathers created a federal government they were really worried that they were creating a monster which would go beyond their intentions. If they could now see our tax statements, and the amount of federal taxes we pay versus state taxes, they would turn over in their graves and scream 

After years of borrowing 50 percent of what they spend, the national debt is outrageous. Americans seem oblivious to it all. As long as they can buy gas, get their groceries and cash their checks, everything is good. Prominent economists are telling us that our system can collapse!   Bernie Sanders will be part of the problem, not at all a solution. Read the articles on the Internet about his false notions, why Bernie Sanders is wrong about everything, and the five dumbest quotes from Bernie Sanders.  Nothing is free! Wake up folks!

Jim Sottile

Franklin

People on food assistance can make their money go further when buying produce at the Historic Haywood Farmers Market in Waynesville. 

This year, the market launched the WiseBucks program, which gives people enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program  vouchers that double the value of their food stamps on fruits and veggies, up to $10 extra per visit. 

The program is funded through $14,000 in grants from the Haywood Healthcare Foundation and Appalachian Foodshed Project. There’s still funding left for the year. 

“Although we are pretty satisfied with the turnout to date, we still have grant funding available,” said Carol James, chair of the market’s management team. 

As the growing season winds down, offerings at the market will become more limited, so James is encouraging people enrolled in SNAP to visit soon to get the benefit. 

www.waynesvillefarmersmarket.com.

Fears of introducing the bird flu to North Carolina farms prompted the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project to cancel its annual Farm Tour this year, an event that was to feature more than 30 Western North Carolina farms Sept. 19-20. 

“It is with great regret that that we must cancel the Farm Tour, as it offers life-changing farm experiences for locals and visitors alike and brings much-needed revenue and support to area farmers,” said ASAP’s executive director Charlie Jackson. “But the risk of inviting thousands of visitors to multiple farms during this time is too much of a threat to ignore. The potential spread of this disease could be devastating for commercial and backyard poultry flocks throughout the region.”

The bird flu is not yet present in North Carolina but has been confirmed in nearly half of the 50 states, causing about 50 million birds to die this year — the mortality rate is almost 100 percent. State officials say there’s a high likelihood the virus will reach the state this fall, as it is spread by migrating waterfowl. Once here, it’s easily spread by humans, carried on shoes, clothing and even car tires. 

ASAP is offering a full refund for any passes already purchased, or the money can be converted into a donation to support local farms. Scott Bunn, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.236.1282. 

A showcase of restored vintage camping trailers will raise money for Haywood Waterways Association’s youth education programs, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at Stonebridge Campground in Maggie Valley.

Throughout the United States, monarch butterflies are an iconic sight. Their striking orange-and-black pattern, their annual 3,000-mile flight south to Mexican wintering grounds and their absolute dependence on the unassuming milkweed plant all make this butterfly a beloved ambassador for insect-kind.

A pair of young archers recently earned bragging rights at the 4-H West District Shooting Sports Tournament.

Inspiration Point — a garden on the grounds of Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center tucked away near the Lambuth Inn — will be the subject of the upcoming meeting of the Tuscola Garden Club, 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.