Admin

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation anticipates the re-opening of Interstate 40's westbound lanes by Monday Feb. 6.

TDOT has awarded an emergency contract to remove debris and unstable rock near the North Carolina border. Currently, the westbound lanes of the interstate are closed at Exit 20 in North Carolina due to a rockslide in Tennessee.

Phillips and Jordan, Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn. was awarded the $59,350 contract. The contractor will begin work at the rockslide site Thursday afternoon.

The N.C. Department of Transportation reminds motorists that Western North Carolina destinations such as Asheville, Cherokee, Waynesville, Maggie Valley and North Carolina sections of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are still accessible via I-40 West without taking a detour. Only interstate travel into Tennessee is affected by the closure of I-40 West near the state line.

The primary detour route for all vehicles is I-240 West in Asheville to I-26 West to I-81 South in Tennessee back to I-40. In addition to the primary signed detour route for all vehicles, non-commercial vehicles can also bypass the I-40 West closure by following U.S. 74 West (via Exit 27) or U.S. 19 South (via Exit 20/U.S. 276 South) to U.S. 441 North, which travels through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park into Tennessee and connects back with I-40.

Motorists are advised to expect increased traffic in the Asheville area. Message boards with traffic and detour information have been activated.

Updated information is available through the Tennessee Department of Transportation website and on the TDOT SmartWay travel information map.

NCDOT reminds motorists to watch signs for construction information, stay alert and obey the posted speed limit.

For real-time travel information at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT on Twitter at www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter. Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website. To access it, type "m.ncdot.gov" into the browser of your smartphone. Then, bookmark it to save for future reference. NCDOT Mobile is compatible with the iPhone, Android and some newer Blackberry phones.

Comment

A three-year, $225,000 grant from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation will help the Conservation Trust for North Carolina accelerate land and water protection by aiding the state’s network of land trusts.

CTNC supports local land trusts by providing grants and loans for land acquisition, advocating for government funding and policy support for conservation, and building public awareness of the benefits of land conservation. The Conservation Trust also works directly with landowners to protect properties along the Blue Ridge Parkway’s natural and scenic corridor, which the grant will help bolster.

North Carolina’s land trusts have protected more than 340,000 acres in nearly 2,000 places statewide. The grant will allow CTNC to leverage partnerships, develop relationships, lift up model projects, and establish incentive programs to enable the local land trusts to take innovative steps to meet today’s conservation challenges.

Comment

Hunters, anglers and wildlife enthusiasts can now receive the most up-to-date information about the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission via social media.

“Like” the state agency on Facebook and follow it on Twitter to see the latest news releases, view photos, get updates on fishing and boating and learn of new regulations.

The commission in December started a blog and made plans to expand its videos on its YouTube channel later this year.

“And we’re supplementing Facebook by providing mirror information on Google+,” Rickard said. “It’s not as big as Facebook now, but we anticipate Google+ growing as a social networking option because it’s tied in to Google’s search engine and maps, which businesses and schools need every day.”

Links to the Wildlife Commission’s social media options will be posted on the bottom, right corner of the agency’s newly redesigned website, www.ncwildlife.org.

The public also can go online to receive N.C. Wildlife Update, a periodic newsletter featuring season dates, bag limits, legislative updates and more.

Comment

The Benton MacKaye Trail Association elected Ernest Engman, of Maryville, Tenn., as a board member and maintenance coordinator for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A member of the group since 2005, Engman hiked the entire trail in 2008. He later wrote a publication Benton MacKaye Trail Thru-Hikers’ Guide aimed at the long distance Benton MacKaye hiker. www.bmta.org.

Comment

The Highlands Biological Foundation has received a $25,000 grant from the Eckerd Family Foundation to create “Backyard Naturalists,” an after-school program designed to inspire a lifelong appreciation of the natural world through science, art and technology.

It is intended as a model program that could be replicated other places.

Backyard Naturalists participants will learn the essentials of how to be an amateur naturalist. The program will include eight weeks of lessons, one afternoon per week, structured to promote a better appreciation and understanding of the natural world by nurturing creativity and independent observation skills.  

Study topics will include learning about plants and animals, community interactions between species, nature journaling, illustration and a nature photography workshop. Using this knowledge, the students will work together to develop a wiki, a website that is collaboratively developed by a community of users, which allows them to freely add content, edit and become active participants of the website rather than just visitors

The program is created in partnership with Meet Your Neighbors, an international photographic initiative designed to reveal wildlife living amongst us. The program will draw upon the educational resources of the Highlands Nature Center.   

The pilot program starts March 19. After the initial pilot program is launched in Highlands, images produced by other Meet Your Neighbours photographers around the world will be added into the wiki to encourage the development of similar Backyard Naturalists programs in other communities.

backyardnaturalists.com, meetyourneighbours.net or 828.526.2221.

Comment

A new program called experience Your Smokies is a different method now in place to get to know the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and its employees.

“If you have ever wanted to be a park ranger or get a behind the scenes look at what goes on in Park, this is your opportunity,” Superintendent Dale Ditmanson said of the program put together by the park in conjunction with Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountains Association. “This program gives us a chance to make more meaningful connections with our neighbors and for them to do the same with us.”

Experience Your Smokies is designed for local business, civic and educational leaders to get a behind-the-scenes look into the national park while networking with others from Western North Carolina.

“Western North Carolina and the people of this region have such a deep and long connection with the Park,” said Waynesville Town Manager Lee Galloway, who is participating in the program. “This program is intended to give participants an inside look at the day-to-day operation of the Park and a better understanding of this wonderful asset we have in our region.”

Participants will attend two half-day and three full-day sessions at a variety of locations in the Park, accompanying park employees in activities that may include radio-tracking elk, excavating archeological sites and monitoring salamander populations. They will venture to places like Cataloochee Valley, Deep Creek, Oconaluftee, Clingmans Dome, and Purchase Knob.

Representatives of Smoky Mountain Hosts, the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, the Swain County Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Waynesville and others are helping with the program.

Experience Your Smokies is seeking applicants from the surrounding communities for a program this spring. Program dates are March 13, March 27, April 17, May 1 and May 19. Class size is limited to 25 participants; those attending will be asked to commit to attending all class days. Applications accepted between now and Feb. 15. www.friendsofthesmokies.org/events.html or 828.452.0720.

Comment

A program on Straw Bale Gardening will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Sylva.

The program is being put on at the February meeting of The Sylva Garden Club. Refreshments will be served at 9:30 a.m.

The gardening club meets the first Tuesday of  every month (September – May) and is open to the public.

Comment

Wild South’s Roosevelt-Ashe Society is seeking nominations for its annual conservation awards, with winners recognized next month in Asheville. Nominations are being accepted through Feb. 10.

Awards are presented in seven categories: outstanding journalist, outstanding youth, outstanding educator, outstanding business, outstanding philanthropist, outstanding conservationist and outstanding volunteer.

Wild South is a regional nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire people to enjoy, value and protect the wild character and natural legacy of the South.

Online applications are at www.wildsouth.org

Comment

MedWest Health & Fitness Center in Haywood County will hold a Fitness Expo from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 18 to help New Year goal-setters reinvigorate their fitness wishes.

“Spring into Fitness” is free and includes a variety of group fitness classes with certified instructors. Classes will be in 20-minute sessions. Formats include cycle, water, cardio, strength, mind/body and youth fitness.

“This expo is an opportunity for members and non-members to sample the wide variety of classes we offer at MedWest Health & Fitness Center,” said Douglas Gregory, Fitness Coordinator.

During the expo, non-members will be invited to join the facility without paying an initiation fee (upon signing up for a six-month membership). Members and nonmembers are also invited to take advantage of two personal training packages, a single 30-minute session for $15 or six, 30-minute sessions for $95.

Additionally, Youth Escape will be offered at 10:30 a.m. and Youth Cycle will begin at 11 a.m. Youth classes are appropriate for children ages 8 to 13. Childcare will be available at no charge during the expo for children ages 3 months to 8 years in a onsite nursery. www.medwesthealth.org or 828.452.8099.

Comment

Meet at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 3, to take part in a winter walk along the Little Tennessee River at Needmore to the old Brush Creek Farm.

The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee will host the walk, and staff member Dennis Desmond will lead the two-mile walk to this secluded cove.

Meet at Queens Branch to carpool. To get to Queens Branch, go north on N.C. 28 from Franklin for 10 miles. The gravel parking lot is on the left side; look for a Land Trust sign. Free, but registration is required.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.524.2711 ext. 209.

Comment

The annual Environmental Scorecard is now out that ranks how friendly or unfriendly state legislators are to the environment, and the results aren’t pretty.

A record 55 representatives and 24 senators failed to cast a single vote in favor of the environment last year among votes that were used to measure ranking.

“Let’s face it, from drastic cuts to land conservation, to the promotion of drilling and fracking, to overturning protections for our waters, it was a bad year for the environment. This scorecard helps explain why,” said Elizabeth Ouzts, Environment North Carolina’s state director.

The scorecard tracks 10 contested votes in the House and 10 in the Senate.

Legislators scoring 100 percent were all Democrats, including Rep. Phil Haire, D-Sylva, and Rep. Ray Rapp, D-Mars Hill.

On the other side of the aisle, all Republican Senators, including Jim Davis of Franklin and Ralph Hise from Spruce Pine, got a score of 0.

Because the scorecard only tracked contested floor votes, the organization noted that it did not reflect “the few acts of the body that were kind” to the environment.

For example, the legislature unanimously enacted new standards to make new homes and businesses more energy-efficient. And the House leadership rejected “gutting” the state’s air toxics protection program, removing protections for the Neuse and Tar Pamlico Rivers and eliminating the state’s renewable energy standard altogether.

Comment

Researchers need organic farmers to help them test-grow broccoli to determine the best varieties for the mountains.

The majority of broccoli varieties currently available were developed for California and not East Coast growing conditions. N.C. State University wants to screen varieties for Western North Carolina.

Researchers promise getting involved will not take much time or effort, two commodities in short supply on most organic farms. A meeting is set for Feb. 9 in Mills River to determine varieties and factors to measure — farmers wanting to participate should plan to attend.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.684.3562.

Comment

Nantahala Outdoor Center is celebrating the company’s 40th anniversary by giving its flagship outfitter’s store in the Nantahala Gorge an environmentally friendly facelift: the store is en route to the coveted LEED Gold certification.

The Outfitter’s Store will be NOC’s third LEED-certified retail store.

“We hold ourselves to a high environmental and professional standard. It is vitally important that our industry move forward, and our goal is to lead the way with a positive example,” NOC President and CEO Sutton Bacon said.

The overhaul of NOC’s Outfitter’s Store will improve the environmental impact of NOC’s business and reduce the company’s carbon footprint. The project of transforming the store includes replacing the HVAC system with a high efficiency system, replacing existing lights with reduced-wattage ones and recycling most of the leftover construction materials.

NOC has applied for LEED certification with the U.S. Green Building Council, the top third-party designation for green building.

LEED Gold certification involves adhering to extensive measures in construction and interior design, and requires close to a “perfect score” when measuring the overall environmental efficacy of a building.

A grand reopening of the building is planned for April 2012.

Comment

City Lights Bookstore will host two writers this weekend.

Anne Clinard Barnhill will be at the bookstore at 7 p.m., Feb. 3, to read from her new novel, At the Mercy of the Queen.

A tale of sexual seduction and intrigue at the court of Henry VIII, At the Mercy of the Queen is a dramatic debut historical about Madge Shelton, cousin and lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn.

The following afternoon on Feb. 4, poet doris davenport will read from her latest poetry collection. During the reading, which starts at 2 p.m., she’ll focus on her latest collection of poems (with a dash of prose), titled ascent. Previous works include Madness Like Morning Glories and Hunger for Moonlight.

828.586.9499.

Comment

Southwestern Community College will once again offer the popular Fight Like A Girl course from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 11.

This module is especially effective for dealing with attacks in parking lots and garages where victims could be transported to a secondary location. Students learn to escape the dreaded and deadly “blitz” attack from behind as well as how to defend their space.

It is centered on the “Stay with People” principle and covers the most common sexual assault scenarios.  

The course will be held on the Jackson Campus and cost $30. 828.339.4497.

Comment

REACH of Haywood will hold its annual Volunteer Training Day on Saturday, Feb. 4, in Waynesville.

Anyone who would like to offer volunteer services for the nonprofit agency, especially in the area of Helpline phone volunteers, shelter helpers and office assistants, are invited to sign up. The multi-media, interactive training will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until around 5 p.m. with snacks and lunch provided for all attendees.

REACH of Haywood provides services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse. The services include a 24-hour crisis helpline, emergency shelter for adults and their children who have been displaced from their homes, legal and court assistance, counseling, support groups, housing assistance and community education and prevention programs in the schools (Safe Dates).

To request more information or to sign-up for the volunteer training day, call REACH of Haywood at 828.456.7898 and ask for Buffy.

Comment

An Asheville Democrat going up against Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, in the May primary held his first town hall meeting in Waynesville at the library last Thursday.

Hoping to gather more name recognition and answer voter questions, Cecil Bothwell led an almost 90-minute-long meeting in which he addressed a variety of topics ranging from his electability to education. The mostly liberal-leaning audience also asked about subjects such as alternative energy, limiting the power of lobbyists and a tax on stock trading.

One attendee asked for Bothwell’s response to comments that he has no chance of beating Shuler.

“The first thing I say is: Obama never had a shot at being elected,” Bothwell said. “The election sometimes brings surprises.”

In past interviews, Shuler said he is confident that he will receive the Democratic nomination and is focusing all his efforts on defeating the Republican candidate.

Rick Bohleher, of Waynesville, said it is Congress that must change, not the president. Congressional leaders, whether Republican or Democrat, have caused problems in the U.S. for decades and are easily swayed by lobbyist contributions, he said.

“I would have a baseball bat over my door saying ‘This is for lobbyists,’” Bohleher said.

Democrats need to stick to their convictions, Bothwell said, adding that current congressional Democrats have caved too quickly amid pressure from Republicans.

A popular subject following state budget cuts, education has been a key topic of discussion among politicians from both sides of the aisle and voters.

Local leaders should be allowed more control over education, Bothwell said, and the government must look for ways to make higher education more affordable.

“Kids shouldn’t be getting out of college with $60,000 in debt,” he said. In some countries, college is, or is very nearly, free for residents.

Vanessa Ezekowitz, of Waynesville, suggested a similar solution to N.C. Gov. Bev Perdue. Perdue is advocating to raise the state sales tax three-quarters of a cent to help offset the education cuts. Ezekowitz proposed raising the tax a full cent.

 

Meet the candidate

Congressional Candidate Cecil Bothwell to hold Town Hall Meeting in Sylva at Lulu’s on Main from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on Feb. 11.

Comment

To the Editor:

I wish to address the controversy surrounding the Macon County Planning Board. Maybe, just maybe you’ll understand our fight against you and your quest to control our property and lives. The word “you” applies to all who want to add more government and regulations. The word “we” applies to all of us who stand in opposition. The residents of Macon County are known for being fiercely independent. We love these mountains. We will give you the shirt off our back, but start messing with our “stuff” (land, family, property rights, etc.) and you’ll have a fight!  

You say, “We must protect OUR mountains.”  

We say these are not “your mountains” other than the 50 percent US Forest Service land in Macon County. The remaining 50 percent is owned by individuals who pay the taxes and whose name is on the deed. If you wish to make them “your (our) mountains,” kindly get out your checkbook.

You strive to further regulate us yet you can’t cite a truly valid reason why.  

We say show us the problem, one that you could really fix. There isn’t one! You can’t protect us from the hazards of everyday life.  

You know full well additional regulations will slow growth through increased construction costs.

We say construction and real estate are all we have left to make a living with.  

You say we have big problems and use the environment to try to impose your will upon us through regulation.

We say there has been substantially more injury, loss of life and property damage resulting from kitchen and heating unit fires in recent years than from anything you are trying to regulate! What’s next? No fireplaces, annual cooking and training classes, licensing, certifications, home inspectors?

You have a sympathetic press to support your efforts and a planning board that for years has been dominated by outspoken activists pushing your agenda. Facts have been distorted. The deck has been stacked. At the August 2010 Planning Board meeting, Chairman Penland even went so far as to prohibit anyone who had spoken out on steep slope at previous meetings from speaking again – even in public session!

We have Commissioner Ron Haven (top vote-getter in 2010) who we elected to fight for us. He is now following through on the promises he made. How refreshing!

Our property values have been slashed, retirements decimated, our children forced to move away looking for work, our taxes increase daily and you want to regulate us even further than the myriad of regulations already on the books, thereby making it even harder for us to make a living?   

Commissioner Haven stated “either fix it or shut the Planning Board down.” Commissioner Corbin also recognized there is a problem. We agree. Thank you Ron Haven for having the guts to take on the fight. We encourage all commissioners (especially Republicans Corbin and Tate) to stand with Haven.  Stand tall … we, the silent majority, the working folks, stand with you!  

Bill Vernon

Macon County

Comment

To the Editor:

Macon County Commissioner Ron Haven is a man of character, courage and conviction. He is knowledgeable of and responsive to the beliefs, feelings and opinions of the people he represents.

He is keen on liberty, individual rights and the individual’s property rights and attempts to safeguard those rights for his constituents. Deception and manipulation are foreign to him.

He is to be admired for encouraging the board of commissioners to address the changes he has proposed for the planning board, regardless of the outcome.

Gail Chapman        

Otto

Comment

To the Editor:

Macon County should be proud to have a politician who makes promises to voters and then works to try to keep them. I’m referring to Commissioner Ron Haven. He received significantly more votes than his opponents in the 2010 election by promising to work to prevent a steep slope ordinance from being passed and to make changes to the county’s planning board. Those promises apparently resonated with many voters.

He has been working for more than a year to keep those promises.

With the resignations of two commissioners over the past year, Commissioner Haven’s progress has been slowed. I believe Commissioner Haven’s recent public e-mail, sent to his fellow commissioners, county manager, media, and others, was a display of his frustration with the slow progress. He has met one delay after another

Commissioner Haven’s e-mail removes the facade that the board of commissioners is one big happy family. Politics is, and has been, alive and well in Macon County. Many issues can be handled amicably between partisans. The planning board is apparently not one of those issues.

Environmental groups like the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee and the Western North Carolina Alliance would like to severely limit the development of private property in Macon County and elsewhere. They diligently work to get overly restrictive land use and development ordinances established — thus their strong support for a steep slope ordinance and its advocates on the planning board.

Expect environmental groups, Democrats, and local newspapers to attack Haven. It has already started. Commission-ers Kevin Corbin and James Tate can expect the same treatment if they support Commissioner Haven. They both will have to run for election this year, and once again the planning board will be an election issue.

Keep up your efforts Commissioner Haven, and know that many Macon County citizens support you on this issue. I expect Republican Commissioners Corbin and Tate to do the same.

Vic Drummond

Franklin

Comment

To the Editor:

My wife and I were richly blessed at a recent presentation of a unique ministry called “Let Heaven and Nature Sing” before a packed auditorium at the Music Road Hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. This one-of-a-kind ministry is designed and intended for Christians (along with others) in hopes of sharing the “Glory of God” in a special way using biblical references, inspiring comments, outstanding professional quality music, and world class nature photography.

The fantastic music included a wide variety of well-known Christian songs carefully selected and beautifully arranged by Judy Felts. Lee Porter thrilled the audience with his smooth tenor voice and his skill playing the acoustical guitar. Judy, an accomplished keyboardist, joined in as a vocalist. The heart of the program centered around Ken Jenkins who provided his acclaimed photographic images on the big screens, coordinated with the music. Prior to each song, Ken shared God’s word, inspiring quotes, and his own well-chosen comments pertaining to the Glory of God’s Creation.

We are inspired and motivated to continue helping develop a similar ministry, “Creation Calls,” that will afford an opportunity for others in WNC to experience “God of Wonders” in a special way.

John and Phyllis Edwards

Cashiers

Comment

To the Editor:

There are two ways to look at the Supreme Court decision that enables corporations to spend what they wish to influence elections to public office. It will come to be known either as the death knell of our democracy or as the fire alarm that aroused the people to save it. It is up to us which future prevails.

The decision two years ago in Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission was a predictable corollary to the tragic mistake the court made in 1976 when it held in Buckley v. Valeo that limits on spending by candidates and their supporters violate freedom of speech. Our democracy has been dying by degrees ever since. But too few people seemed to notice until the outrageous central premise in Citizens — that corporations are no different from natural persons — jolted everyone awake.

The majority in Buckley recognized the corrupting potential of large contributions given directly to candidates. It pretended, however, that large sums spent by others would not have the same effect. Such a sophistry makes sense only to amoral politicians and their black-robed enablers. When Art Pope and the Koch billionaires invest millions of dollars through political action committees and other fronts, the legislators they elect can be left in no doubt as to whom there is a debt to be paid.   But however wrong the Supreme Court may be, the Constitution is still what the court says it is. Our present crisis calls for amending the Constitution to say that corporations are not people and that Congress and the states may enact reasonable regulations on campaign spending whatever the source.

Amending the Constitution is difficult, as it should be. Two-thirds of each house of Congress must propose an amendment; it takes 38 states to ratify. Corporate power will resist at every step. For the people to do nothing is to sign democracy’s death warrant.

Our task begins with signing the petitions, being circulated by many organizations, that respond to Citizens United. It means refusing to vote for any candidate for Congress or the General Assembly who does not pledge to support an amendment. If ever there was a time for single-issue voting and an issue that merited it, this is the issue and this is the time.

Martin Dyckman

Waynesville

Comment

To the Editor:

Last year I watched news coverage of the Occupy movement as it took root in cities around the globe, but I didn’t imagine it would reach Main Street in Bryson City. But there we were — about 60 of us holding up signs around the Federal Building on a damp January morning. Our message: corporations are not people, and they should not be granted our right of free speech.

In this case, free speech allows powerful corporations to make unregulated donations to any political group that serves their interests. Does Exxon-Mobil really need government assistance? These sorts of ideas were written on our signs, one of which read “Due to corporate tax cuts, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.”

Countless people expressed support as they drove by, but the most poignant case against corporate personhood came from a heckler who drove past and yelled, “Get a job!” He appeared to be about 70, driving an old truck loaded with construction equipment. Ironically, the majority of demonstrators he berated were also of retirement age. Indeed, as corporate juggernauts exercise their personal right to free speech, it’s likely that ever more people in their 70s will need to compete for jobs. History repeats itself: the ruling class can stay in power by pitting one set of have-nots against another.

Jonathan Bentley

Bryson City

Comment

Shame on you, Smoky Mountain News, for making fun of my attempts at public service and, in so doing, potentially deterring other qualified individuals from running for public office.

We need more interested young people to run for elected office, not less. Your “joke” was hurtful and mean-spirited to me, personally. More importantly, however, it very well may serve to discourage others from putting themselves out there and running for office for fear that they will be ridiculed if they should lose.

When you run for office, you make yourself vulnerable because there is always a chance you could lose. (Even if you are uncontested, there are always the write-in candidates.) I knew this when I put my name out there for Maggie Valley Alderman a mere four months after losing an election for District Court Judge. I knew people would say, “Oh, she can get appointed, but not elected,” should I lose the Maggie Valley Town Board election.

Nonetheless, I sought the appointment and subsequently placed my name on the ballot out of a sense of duty and loyalty. I strongly felt that my talents were needed on the board at that time. Obviously, the board agreed, because I was appointed; however, I lost by a mere 28 votes because, as a novice to the Maggie Valley political scene, I failed to get out the vote.  

Getting out the vote is extremely difficult any time, but particularly in non-presidential election years and in municipal races. To say that 2010 was a rough year for Democrats and incumbents would be an understatement.  When I began campaigning for District Court judge shortly after President Barack Obama and Gov. Bev. Perdue were each inaugurated in January 2009, no one could have predicted how far our economy would fall and how fast. (By the way, I had my first child that January, as well.)  

When I was appointed a District Court judge by the governor in June 2009, there seemed like there was hope to be elected to the same position when I came up for election in November 2010.  

By then, however, there was little or no hope for a young, incumbent judge with little or no political experience who was so closely associated with the Democrats.  (Oh, and I gave birth to my second child a mere two weeks before the election.) In a seven-county district, I proudly received over 22,000 votes.  

Turn the page to 2011. I had two small children, a husband, and a law practice on which I was focusing. That was a quick and easy recipe for not enough time to campaign properly to get those necessary 28 votes. If you think that is laughable, go right ahead. But do not publicly ridicule a hard-working wife, mother and young professional for desiring to give more of herself to her community. It may seem like a harmless joke, but it could have the undesirable effect of deterring other interested, qualified individuals from seeking public office for fear of failure and ridicule.

Running for public office is a noble and honorable action, and I encourage others to run. Even if you don’t win, you learn a tremendous amount and meet wonderful people in the process.

My heart was, and still is, in the right place. I am not ashamed of losing two elections in two years; in fact, I am immensely proud of my accomplishments and have been enriched by my political experiences. I am in a good place with my family, my business, and my career. You can’t laugh at that.        

(And I’m still proud to be a Democrat!)

— By Danya VanHook

 

Editor’s note

In the newspaper that is published on the last week of the year, The Smoky Mountain News gives out what we call our “Annual Newsmaker Awards.” It is our attempt to look back at the stories from the past year with a different slant than the typical newspaper tradition of doing a “Year in Review.” The awards are marked by sarcasm, humor and, hopefully, a small dose of wit.

Danya VanHook was given the “Public Service Award” in this year’s edition. Here’s what we printed, in its entirety, about VanHook:

Danya VanHook of Maggie Valley gets an “A” for effort when it comes to her desire to serve in office. Twice in two years, VanHook put her name in the ring to serve in a public capacity when elected seats were vacated mid-term: once as a District Court judge and later as a Maggie Valley alderman. Both times she secured an appointment to the seat, but when it came time to officially run with her name on the ballot, she lost the election.

Comment

Mountain BizWorks will host a free, women only three-part series on increasing your financial independence. The series is sponsored by OnTrack Women’s Financial Empowerment Center, and starts Thursday, Feb. 9 from 5:30-7 p.m. at City Lights Cafe located in downtown Sylva.

Here is the three-week agenda:

Part 1: 10 Rules of Money Management — Learn the rules governing smart money management and change your personal finances.

Part 2: Budgeting 101 — Learn how income, expenses, and debt all affect a successful budget and gain tools to help you create a realistic budget.

Part 3: Dealing with Debt — This class addresses the financial and emotional impact of being in debt and discusses the options for managing your debt.    

The series continues on March 8 and April 12 at the same time and place. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

828.631.0292 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Comment

Angel Medical Center and Macon County Public Health will kick-of Lighten Up 4 Life, a community wide weight loss challenge, at 9 a.m., Feb. 4 at Franklin High School’s Fine Arts Center

The purpose of the challenge is to help people throughout the region increase their overall health and fitness through sustainable weight loss strategies.

The program is free and open to the public. Individuals can form their own four-person teams or can participate through your employer, church or other community organization.

Weigh-ins are on an “honor system” and can be input individually or by a team captain weekly. The program will last twelve weeks.

www.lightenup4life.com.

Comment

Students from across Western North Carolina will participate in the 2012 Western Regional Science Fair at Western Carolina University’s Ramsey Regional Activity Center on Tuesday, Feb. 7, and Wednesday, Feb. 8.

More than 600 students attend the fair each year, with about 200 students from 16 counties competing at the annual two-day event. Students who have competed in and sufficiently placed at their local elementary, middle and high school fairs are eligible to enter at no cost.

First- and second-place finishers in the junior and senior divisions, as well as the first- and second-place finishers and honorable mentions in the elementary division, will have the chance to compete in the 25th annual North Carolina Science and Engineering Fair in Raleigh in March.

The science projects and science-related exhibits will be open to the public for viewing from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. both days free of charge.

sciencefair.wcu.edu.

Comment

Winners of “Community Pride” awards through Haywood County’s Commission for a Clean County will gather at noon, Feb. 15, at the Waynesville Inn.

The award winners demonstrated exceptional environmental stewardship in the county during the past year.

Being recognized are the Haywood Correctional Center (now closed), Waynesville’s Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Silver Bluff Village, the Maggie Valley Civic Association, Clayton Davis, the North Hominy Community Beautification Make-over Team, the Maggie Valley United Methodist Church, Meadowbrook Elementary School Recycling Club and the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Club at Tuscola High School.

RSVP by Monday, Feb. 6.

Bill Skelton at 828.456.3575 or JoAnna Swanson at 828.452.1550.

Comment

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville) on Tuesday ended speculation that he was considering a run for governor.

“I will not be running for governor of North Carolina in 2012,” Shuler announced in a statement distributed to media outlets. “It is an honor to even be discussed as a potential candidate for such an esteemed office, but now is not my time.”

Last week’s announcement by Gov. Beverly Perdue, a Democrat, that she would not seek re-election has led to wide speculation about who the eventual nominee will be. Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton and state Rep. Bill Faison of Orange County have announced they are running.

Many state Democratic leaders are trying to convince Erskine Bowles to run. He has held many posts, including co-chair of the presidents’ deficit reduction committee, president of the University of North Carolina system, and was a chief of staff for President Bill Clinton.

Former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, who lost a close race to Perdue in 2008, is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination.

Comment

Western Carolina University’s Department of Intercultural Affairs will host “The Vagina Monologues” at 7 p.m. on Feb. 10-11 in the A.K. Hinds University Center Grandroom.

“The Vagina Monologues” is a series of 18 monologues written by Eve Ensler with one singular message: to end violence against women and girls all over the world.

Female students and staff of WCU stage the play annually in recognition of V-day, which is a global movement to bring awareness to people about female sexuality, relationship and violence against women.

Proceeds from “The Vagina Monologues” will go to local beneficiaries such as REACH of Jackson County, Clean Slate Coalition and the WCU Sexual Violence Awareness Fund.

Tickets can be purchased in advanced in A.K Hinds University Center in room 334 for $5. Tickets will be sold for $7 at the door.

828.227.2617 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Comment

Four local women who hiked in Nepal will give a talk at 2 p.m. on Feb. 8. The event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and the Waynesville Book Club.

Elizabeth Allen, Wendy Bowen, Jane Cole and Marilyn Sullivan joined Cole’s brother, John Vavruska, and seven others on a trek from Kathmandu to Helambu, a region about 60 miles to the north.

The women walked six days to Chupar, staying in teahouses along the way and eating mostly dal bhat, a lentil stew served over rice, with the locals.

The event is free and open to anyone.

828.456.5311 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Comment

The Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley is celebrating its first special weekend opening of 2012.

The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 3-5, and will hold demonstrations and exhibitions of various new machines on display.

The museum closed for the 2011 season in November. Since then the staff has been enhancing the overall museum experience for its visitors with new and expanded displays. The museum has also added to its interpretational signage, and in mid-April a new Smartphone component is being introduced. The phone app features a QR (quick response) code that links visitors to the museums vast library of video content on hundreds of the rare and historic machines housed within the facility.  

Wheels Through Time in Maggie Valley features one of the largest collections of vintage American motorcycles in the world, and most or the motorcycles still run. The museum’s collection also includes many classic automobiles.

The museum officially opens for the 2012 season on March 29.

828.926.6266 or www.WheelsThroughTime.com.

Comment

Two Jackson County Extension and Community Association members won first place in the State ECA Cultural Arts Competition in New Bern recently.

Ruth Bryson’s needle tatting took top honors in the hand needlework category. Bryson is a member of Cane Creek ECA and active in the Knitting and Crocheting Group, which meets at the Community Services Center in Sylva on Monday mornings.

Jane McClure was first place winner in the fine arts (oils) category for her painting of a barn in the snow. McClure is a member of the Lunch and Learn ECA Group.

The ECA Craft Club hosts workshops the third Thursday of each month in the conference room of the Community Services Center in Sylva. All workshops are open to the public.  This month’s event will focus on embroidery on cards.

828.586.4009 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Comment

Colorfest, Art & Taste of Appalachia, plans to change Dillsboro into a Paris-like setting with artists painting at easels under colorful umbrellas along the main streets.

Although the festival is not until October, only 40 artists will be chosen following an application process.

Organizers are looking for little known names in the Western North Carolina art scene, which includes any form of art — painting, sculpture, glass art, clay, fiber art, canning, jewelry, fine pottery, ceramics and wood working. The event will also feature music from local musicians, North Carolina produced foods for tasting and book signings by local authors.

ColorFest is open to both professional and emerging artists.

828.293.2239 or spiritofappalachia.org.

Comment

The Arts and Cultural Events Series at Western Carolina University will present “La Pasion Flamenca” at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 13, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center.  

Presented by the Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana dance company, the program of Spanish dance and music features solos, duets and company dances. Dance Magazine has called Carlota Santana, the company’s artistic director, the “keeper of the flamenco.”

Tickets for “La Pasion Flamenca” cost $10 ($5 for students).

828.227.2479 or bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

Comment

The Overlook Theatre Company will present “Where the Wild Things Are” at 7 p.m. on Feb. 7 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts.

The Overlook Theatre Company’s performance of “Where the Wild Things Are” is based on the children’s book of the same name. It follows a character named Max who makes mischief at home while playing in a wolf costume and is sent to bed without supper as punishment. His imagination runs rampant in his room as a wild forest and sea grows. In the land of Wild Things, he meets fearsome-looking monsters but proves to be the fiercest of all.

The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts is located in Franklin and tickets are $10.

866.273.4615 or www.GreatMountainMusic.com.

Comment

The Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will begin offering a new children’s story and craft time at 2 p.m. every Saturday afternoon, beginning Feb. 4.

Hosted by library staffer Sally Salyards, the story time will include an activity and will last until 3 p.m. All children from infants to age 10 may attend.

Each week, the event will focus on a different book or theme. The schedule is as follows:

Feb. 4: “A Snowy Day,” by Ezra Jack Keats; Feb. 11: Valentine’s Day; Feb. 18th: Happy Birthday to George Washington; Feb. 25th: What is leap year and what does it mean?

828.586.2016.

Comment

The gallery at the Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts will feature an exhibition of paintings by artist TJ Holland during the month of February.

Holland’s work explores Cherokee myths and legends. He is enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and a member of the Snowbird community.

“TJ’s work harkens back to that of the masters, such as Caravaggio or Rembrandt,” state OICA program coordinator Jeff Marley. “It gives us a new perspective on Cherokee legends.”

The exhibition runs from Feb. 2-29 and is free and open to the public. A reception will be held 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 9.

The Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts is located on Highway 19 North, behind Tribal Bingo at 70 Bingo Loop in Cherokee.

828.497.3945 or southwesterncc.edu/finearts.

Comment

The Old-Time and Bluegrass Jam series will feature the Chompin’ at the Bit String Band from Asheville at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center on Feb. 2.

The band’s 7 p.m. performance will be followed by an 8 p.m. jam session, in which local musicians are invited to participate.

Performing “rowdy old-time string band music,” Chompin’ at the Bit includes Lindsey Liden, fiddle; Kevin Scanlon, banjo; WCU alumnus Christopher Farmer, guitar; and J. Grey Nelson, bass.

The events are free and open to everyone. Pickers and singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part in the jam sessions.

The Mountain Heritage Center is located on the ground floor of WCU’s H.F. Robinson Administration Building.

828.227.7129.

Comment

The Fines Creek Community Association will host a broom dance from 7 to 10 p.m. on Feb. 4 in the gym of the old Fines Creek School.

During a traditional broom dance, the men scramble to find a new partner to dance with or face getting stuck with the broom. The dance features live music and snacks. The association also plans to sell hot dogs.

Tickets are $5 per person. All students accompanied by an adult get in free.  The Fines Creek gym is off Exit 15 on Interstate 40. Turn north onto Fines Creek Road, and go three miles to the old school on the left.

828.627.1912.

Comment

Balsam Range will perform with special guest The Harris Brothers on Feb. 4 at the Colonial Theater in Canton.

The all-ages show will begin at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $15.

Balsam Range is a five-member band named after a stretch of mountains through their native Haywood County. The Harris Brothers — comprised of Reggie and Ryan Harris — are an Americana band that takes its influences from traditional blues and Appalachian mountain music, jazz, country, and rock n’ roll.

The historic theater is located on Park Street.

828.235.2760.

Comment

Western Carolina University will present a concert version of “Music Is” by George Abbott at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 4, and 3 p.m., Feb. 5, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center.

“Music Is” is based on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and focuses on mistaken identity. The play features music by Richard Adler with lyrics by Will Holt and has never been revived since it left Broadway. Catherine Cox, who played Viola in the original production, will guest direct the first performance since the closing in 1976.

“When I discovered that there was another musical by the great Richard Adler, composer of ‘Pajama Game’ and ‘Damn Yankees,’ I just had to investigate further,” said Bradley Martin, associate professor of piano at WCU and musical director for the production. “After much research, we were able to piece the show back together like a jigsaw.”

Both showings will be in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for faculty, staff and seniors. Student tickets are $10 at the door or $7 in advance.

828.227.2479 or bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

Comment

A 4.4-mile hike on the Wallhalla Trail at Cataloochee Ranch in Haywood County will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4,

Cataloochee Ranch is a private, family-owned, eco-tourism destination. The guided hike with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy offers a rare chance for the general public to hike the preserve’s high elevation trails. It is adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Maggie Valley and is an important buffer to the park’s estimated 187,000 acres of old growth forest.

Hike leaders are Judy Coker, Cataloochee Ranch co-owner; Rich Preyer, the Ranch’s public relations and outreach associate; and Holly Demuth, Friends of the Smokies N.C. director. Hikers are urged to bring water, comfortable shoes, warm clothes and a camera; the hike is free for members and $10 for non-members. Well-behaved dogs are welcome to hike, too.

RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.253.0095 ext. 205.

Comment

The Icycle Mountain Bike Racing Classic will return to Fontana Village Resort on January 28. The race is packed with four different classes of daytime racing and the always exciting Nighttime Downhill Race. The seven-mile course serves up some of the finest single-track racing in Western North Carolina, consisting of varied terrain with rocks, roots, creeks and wide open passing lanes. www.icyclerace.com.

Comment

Learn about the U.S. National Forests’ Trail Strategy initiative at a Thursday, Jan. 26, workshop in Franklin, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Macon County Community Facilities Building south of town on U.S. 441.

Any hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders are encouraged to participate by offering their thoughts and views about the trails. The forest service wants to know what trails are in good shape, which ones are in bad shape, which ones need fixing, which should be kicked to the curb — and anything else the public wants to spout off about the future of trails in the region.

The forest service also wants to engage trail clubs and trail users in new partnership to help be trail stewards.

www.fs.usda.gov/goto/nctrailstrategy

Comment

Overall visitation to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the nation, was down overall last year, but visitors flocked there during the last month of the year.

The Cherokee entrance to the Smokies — North Carolina’s main entrance — was up 75.1 percent in December. Smokies experts said the strong December count was a result of a combination of unusually warm winter weather in 2011 and especially harsh winter weather in December 2010 that had kept traffic low that year.

The overall visitation in the park jumped by 37.7 percent last month when compared with December 2010. The strong showing drove the year’s visitation to just more than nine million. There was a 4.8 percent decline from the previous year.

Comment

The specialty Appalachian Trail license plates have raised money to help backpackers safeguard their food from roving black bears along the AT in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy recently granted $2,000 from its specialty license plate funds to the Friends of the Smokies group for the installation of poles and cables that backpackers can use to store food out of the reach of black bears.

“With more than 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail running along the high ridges of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it’s only natural for our groups to work together,” said Holly Demuth, North Carolina director of Friends of the Smokies.

Work was done at two popular shelters on the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies, Spence Field and Peck’s Corner.

www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

Comment

Get ready to play indoor soccer through the Haywood County Recreation and Parks Department, which starts the winter playing-season this week.

Pick-up style games are held at the Old Hazelwood Gym (216 Virginia Avenue) every Wednesday through March 28, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  

Pickup games run continuously for the two-hour time slot. Teams switch out on a pre-determined scheduled. Cost is $3 per session or $20 for a season pass. Beginners are welcome.

828.452.6789.

Comment

It’s truly never too late to learn how to swim, and the MedWest Health & Fitness Center in Haywood County is offering a special program for young adults and adults who want to be able to paddle about the water.

There will be three, 30-minute lessons with a certified American Red Cross swim instructor. Lessons are private, and can be tailored to fit individual needs.

Cost is $30; lessons are available to Fitness Center members and nonmembers, ages 14 and older. The lessons are available through Feb. 29.

828.452.8056.

Comment

A grant from Healthy Haywood has helped launch an Outdoor Mission Camp for court-involved kids.

Positive Community Connections is designed to help keep kids of the streets and out of the courtrooms.

The directors are Ruffin and Jamie Shackelford, who operate Outdoor Mission Camp based in Maggie Valley.

The program began this past summer, with court-involved kids given the option to attend camp at OMC. Those who agreed spent a week climbing a challenge course, backpacking the Smoky Mountains, whitewater rafting the Nantahala, and discovering God’s love through relationship.

The goal is to connect youth with adult mentors who will help involve them in a local youth group and give them a positive community connection to help them towards adulthood. They will also meet as a larger group on a monthly basis for encouragement, adventure and to learn from Dr. Patricia Gorman Berry’s book BrainWise, a tool for learning how to manage emotions, control impulsive behavior, and curb destructive behaviors.

OMC is looking for adult mentors in local church communities.

828.926.3253 or 828.456.7265.

Comment

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

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.