Acclaimed gospel group The Inspirations will host the ‘Singing in the Smokies’ fall color festival at 11 a.m. Oct. 15-17 at Inspiration Park in Bryson City.

Thursday performances will include The Inspirations and The Kingsmen. Friday will showcase the Old Fashioned Singing Chuck Wagon Gang, Troy Burns Family, and The Inspirations. Saturday will present the Family & Friends Tour, Archie Watkins, The McKameys and The Inspirations.

Tickets are $20 per night, with children 12 and under admitted free.

www.theinspirations.com. 

A Little Taste of Local will offer samples from locally owned restaurants and markets on Oct. 13 at Champion Credit Union in Canton.

Some of the local favorites participating include Waynesville Soda Jerks, Black Bear Café, Fat Belly’s, The Imperial, Nettie’s Bakery and Papertown Grill. They will also be joined by KT’s Orchard and Apiary, Shady Brook Farms and Duckett’s Produce as market vendors.

“We are blessed with so many locally-owned restaurants and fresh local vendors in the area,” says Noralynn Gudger, Marketing and Communications Manager with Champion Credit Union. “We wanted to find a way to help them gain exposure and give our members and the community a chance to try what they have to offer.” 

The local food showcase is a part of the CU Lunch Local initiative. Understanding how each and every dollar spent locally can impact the entire community, they wanted to find a way to encourage that spending. 

“Champion Credit Union believes wholeheartedly in supporting the communities that support us,” says Jake Robinson, President of Champion Credit Union. “This market is a great way for us to show that support.”

www.championcu.com. 

A regional breast cancer charity truck show, “Beards for Boobs,” will be held from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Cherokee Expo Center. 

In an effort to raise breast cancer awareness and funds for local charities. Southern Charm Traditional Wear, located in Cherokee, will host the event. 

“Western North Carolina has been so great to our business and this event is just one way we can give back to our community,” said Scott Jacobs, owner of Southern Charm. “Breast Cancer impacts the lives of so many people we know and love. Just about everyone knows someone, whether it be a family member, a friend, or a neighbor, who has been impacted by this disease and this event is just our way of helping reduce that impact here in Western North Carolina.”

About 1 in 8 U.S. women, about 12 percent, will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. This year alone, an estimated 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 60,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer. Women aren’t the only ones at risk. About 2,350 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2015. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.

The cost to attend “Beards for Boobs” is free. To enter a vehicle in the truck show, the cost is $15 in advance and $25 at the gate. All proceeds from the event will go directly to the Pretty in Pink Foundation. 

www.southerncharmwear.com or 828.497.7981.

The Masters of Illusion “Believe The Impossible” professional magic Halloween showcase will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, at Harrah’s Cherokee.

Grand illusions, levitating women, appearances and vanishes, escapes, comedy magic, sleight of hand and beautiful dancers are just some of the events during the performance.

Masters of Illusion is a huge stage phenomenon born from the multi-award winning television series Masters of Illusion and from the World Magic Awards, which is recognized as the International Academy Awards of Magic. 

One of the exciting features of this magical experience is that the entire audience participates in a mind-boggling illusion and some lucky individuals even get picked to assist with illusions onstage. The award-winning cast has been brought together to perform live to its Masters of Illusion’s huge worldwide television audience. 

Tickets start at $7.50.

www.harrahscherokee.com.

The production of “Over the River and Through the Woods” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22-24 and at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 18 and 25 at the Highlands Performing Arts Center.

The 26th Annual Leaf Lookers Gemboree will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 16-17 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Macon County Community Building in Franklin.

The 32nd annual Church Street Art & Craft Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, on Main Street in downtown Waynesville.

To the Editor:

October is the last month for donations to the 2015 Coats for Kids of Jackson County Coat and Warm Clothing Drive. In addition to donating, you can help by participating in two fundraising events this week to benefit the nonprofit, now in its seventh year of helping Jackson County children stay warm.

The first event will be from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, at Two Chicks Boutique, 1336 East Main Street, Sylva. As part of Two Chicks Boutique’s grand opening, 10 percent of the proceeds of sales that day, as well as a silent auction inside the store, will go to help Coats for Kids. 

The second event is from 8 a.m. until noon this Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Jackson County Farmer’s Market in Sylva, when folks may bring new and gently used children’s warm clothing items to donate.

If you have new or gently used children’s items to donate such as coats, warm clothing, hats, gloves, shoes, and scarves, you can also drop off items through Oct. 31 at Sylva Wal-Mart (inside store, on household side), Cullowhee United Methodist Church, or Sylva Habitat for Humanity Re-Sale Store. Also needed are donations of unopened packages of diapers, wipes and new socks and underwear. Monetary donations may be sent to the nonprofit at Coats for Kids of Jackson County, P.O. Box 164, Cullowhee, N.C., 28723. All donations help to ensure local children stay warm this winter. 

Distribution Day will be held from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Sylva First United Methodist Church. Items will be available free of charge for any parent/guardian who needs warm winter items for their children. Children must be present to receive items and distribution is a first come-first serve event. While supplies last, families will also receive a gift card for food. 

For more information about Coats for Kids of Jackson County, contact Director Christy Rowe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the Coats for Kids office at 828.293.3678.

Rose Garret

Sylva

To the Editor:

This week we’ve heard from the BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism at Western Carolina University, hyping the corporate dog and pony show at WCU on Oct. 5, preaching the morality of the free market.

According to Wikipedia: “The BB&T Corporation (Branch Banking & Trust) is the 10th largest commercial bank in the United States, based in Winston-Salem, with around $200 billion in assets.

“In late 2008 the bank accepted $3.1 billion in bailout money through the sale of its preferred shares to the U.S. Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

“In May 2008, the BB&T Charitable Foundation had given 25 U.S. colleges and universities ‘several million dollars’ to fund programs promoting Ayn Rand’s work and economic philosophy.”

My question is, why would a business, whose goal is to maximize profit, give away several million dollars to 25 universities, especially right before receiving federal bailout money?

That money is hard at work at WCU and around the country, funding corporate propaganda, trying to convince us that behemoth corporations are looking out for our best interests. 

Since the recession (caused by the big banks, resulting in millions of Americans losing their jobs and/or homes), almost all of the U.S. economic growth has gone to the top 10 percent. Wages/buying power are stagnant, actually at early 1970s levels counting inflation, while corporate upper management bonuses rocket skyward. The only way working families survive is to go further into debt, and the big banks profit from that with their credit cards. It’s a vicious cycle for us, a profitable one for them.

To be clear, I am all for small c capitalism, mom-and-pop shops, honest competition and entrepreneurs. But when a company amasses billions of dollars, buys lobbyists and gives untold millions to buy politicians and installs propagandists at our universities, we have a fundamental problem that undermines our democratic republic.  

This is why I’m voting for Bernie Sanders for president, and other candidates who are willing to take on the big banks, big corporations and corruption in general. Our founding fathers did not envision us living in a corporate oligarchy. 

Dan Kowal

Franklin

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will celebrate the completion of the new $80 million, 150,000-square-foot Cherokee Indian Hospital building in Cherokee with a ribbon cutting and tour 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. 

“We believe the new building will help us foster an environment of wellness so our patients don’t just come to us when they are sick, they come to us as friends and partners in wellness,” said Casey Cooper, a tribal member who has led the hospital as CEO for the past 10 years.

The new pharmacy department will open for service Monday, Oct. 19, with the rest of the hospital seeing patients beginning Nov. 16. 

The project has been nearly two years in the making through a partnership between the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority, Design Strategies and Robins and Morton Construction Company. 

Candidates for the Waynesville town board faced off in a forum last week before a packed crowd in the Haywood County historic courtroom.

Women climbing the corporate ladder or owning their own businesses is nothing new, and in fact North Carolina is among the nation’s leaders in this area. Still, those we interviewed for a series of stories on women in business say they sometimes face unique challenges as they move toward an era where the playing field is more level than ever before.

Weather Hazard: An Upper Low moving across our WNC Mountains, coupled with Hurricane Joaquin will produce heavy rain and wind gusts in Haywood County.  From now through Monday morning communities south of Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Clyde and Canton can expect about 10” of rain, while the municipalities and northern communities can expect about 7” of rain.  Wind gusts of 20-30mph are possible, with the highest gusts over our mountain tops.

Expected Vulnerabilities

• Trees down
• Power Outages 
• Intermittent flash flooding in low lying areas along rivers and streams
• Possible debris flows in drainages and particularly in areas with disturbed and exposed soils where rainfall may accumulate.

Recommended Actions

• Everyone should maintain close contact with ever changing weather conditions.
• Be aware of potential hazards around your home, work place and travel paths.
• Stay away from flooding water and wear a personal flotation device when operating nearby.
• Be prepared for extended periods of power outages.  Do not call 911 for power outages, call the appropriate power company.
• The majority of fatalities associated with flash flooding are due to attempting to drive through standing water.  Even shallow moving water can make tires a flotation device!  2 feet of water can float a 3000lb car.
• Rapidly moving water and debris can lead to trauma.
• Broken electrical, water, gas and sewer lines can result in severe injuries.
• Look for tilted trees, poles, fences, walls and holes on hillsides.
• Be extra cautious at night when it is harder to see flood dangers.
• Emergency Agencies- Travel around your communities, make a list of potentially hazardous areas and/or vulnerable citizens.  Provide them with good preparedness advice.
• Extra staffing of all agencies will be helpful.
• All swift-water rescue teams on standby, once the team leaders have an inventory and roster, share your numbers with the 911 Communications Center.
• Emergency Management staff will be on duty throughout the weekend.  Call the non-emergency line to 911 Communications to speak with them.
• Ensure shelter teams are on standby and prepared.  IF activated, the location is our HHS facility (Old Walmart) on Paragon Parkway.
• NCDOT and municipalities should continue ensuring all culverts; ditches and storm water systems are clear of debris and open.  Maintain emergency access of all highways, streets and roads for emergency egress and ingress.

QUESTION: Does your Ingles brand milk contain "rBST" ?

ANSWER:  NO! rBST ( Bovine Somatotropin) and rBGH ( Bovine Growth Hormone) are artificial growth hormones that can be administered to dairy cows to increase their milk supply.

With whirling disease confirmed in North Carolina, the Tuckaseigee River Chapter of Trout Unlimited is planning an informational session on how anglers can stop its spread at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the United Community Bank in Sylva. 

Shannon Messer of Blackrock Outdoors will give the talk.

Caused by a parasite, the disease damages the cartilage and skeletal tissue of fish in the trout and salmon family, causing them to swim in circles. Whirling disease is often fatal to juvenile fish and can severely impact adult fish’s chance of competitive success in the environment, but it does not affect people or pets. The disease was confirmed in trout in the Watauga River near Foscoe this July. 

Dinner is $5, with the talk followed by a chance to win a fly rod from Whittier craftsman Jim Mills. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A program aimed at making it easier for farmers to upgrade their storage facilities — from barns to cold-storage to grain sheds — is expanding. 

The Farm Storage Facility Loan Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, has approved more than 35,000 low-interest loans for new or upgraded storage facilities since 2000, totaling $2 billion. 

Now, eligibility has expanded to include hops, dairy products, meat, unprocessed poultry, eggs, floriculture and aquaculture. Commodities such as corn, wheat, renewable biomass and cold-stored fruits and vegetables were already eligible.

www.fsa.usda.gov/pricesupport.  

A new map from Appalachian State University’s Michael Denslow gives a visual prediction of fall color’s schedule in the mountains, based on elevation and latitude — one of the first maps to consider both factors.

The fastest runners at the Zombie 5K Race Chase Saturday, Oct. 31, will have survival of the zombie apocalypse to name as their reward.

Elite slalom paddlers from across the U.S. will converge at Nantahala Outdoor Center this month for the 2015 USA Canoe and Kayak Slalom Nationals Oct. 9-10, an event hosted by NOC and the Nantahala Racing Club.

The Whiteoak Sink area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closed through March 31 to protect the bats living there from white-nose syndrome.

The Hemlock Restoration Initiative is hoping that the $50,000 worth of grants it recently awarded will help restore North Carolina’s hemlock trees to long-term health.

Seasonal restrictions on trout harvesting will go into effect in the western counties on Thursday, Oct. 1, meaning that anglers can’t keep any trout they catch from delayed-harvest trout waters until a half hour after sunset June 3, 2016. 

According to the rules, anglers can’t possess natural bait when fishing these waters — only artificial lures and one single hook. 

From fall to spring each year, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission stocks delayed-harvest trout waters with high densities of trout to increase anglers’ chances. By instituting the seasonal regulations — delayed-harvest trout waters are posted with diamond-shaped black-and-white signs — anglers who enjoy catch-and-release trout fishing get a chance to do so without competition from anglers looking for a trout dinner. 

www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/Species/Fish/Trout/TroutFishing.aspx.

Emerald ash borers have been found in more North Carolina counties, prompting Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler to place the entire state under quarantine. 

North Carolina is the 15th state to issue a statewide quarantine for emerald ash borer. Adjacent Virginia also has a quarantine in effect, and the insect has been found in Tennessee.

Generally speaking, the quarantine allows hardwood firewood and plant parts to move within the state, but movement to non-quarantined areas outside North Carolina is prohibited unless the firewood has been treated, certified and labeled in accordance with federal regulations.

However, individual land management agencies may have more restrictive regulations. In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, for instance, all firewood originating from outside park borders must be heat treated. 

The emerald ash borer lays its eggs underneath the bark of ash trees, where the larvae then hatch and create tunnels in the living part of the tree before emerging as adults. Affected ash trees display a loss of leaves, increased woodpecker activity and clumps of shoots emerging from their trunks. The beetles have caused the decline and death of tens of millions of trees across the country since arriving. 

A festival celebrating all things fly fishing will liven up Bryson City Saturday, Oct. 10, just as the mountains come into their peak of fall beauty. The inaugural Smoky Mountain Fly Fishing Festival will involve everything from casting demonstrations to displays from local fly tyers.

Numerous Western North Carolina residents and organizations received awards by the North Carolina Folklore Society, which will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at the N.C. Center for the Advancement of Teaching in Cullowhee.

The High Country Quilters 25th annual show “High Country Lilies” will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8-10 at the Maggie Valley Town Hall.

Acclaimed banjoist Raymond Fairchild was recently elected into Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Hall of Fame in Bean Blossom, Indiana.

To the Editor:

If Congress fails to reach a federal budget resolution by midnight, September 30, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and hundreds of other National Park Service sites in America will close to the public indefinitely 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosts over 35,000 visitors on average each day in October. Nationally, more than 715,000 visitors a day frequent the National Park System.

Nationwide, the National Park Service stands to lose approximately $500,000 per day in revenue from fees collected at entry stations and fees paid for in-park activities, such as cave tours, boat rides and camping.

Park gateway communities like Gatlinburg, Cherokee, and Townsend; Jackson, Wyoming; West Yellowstone, Montana and others across the country collect about $76 million per day in total sales from visitor spending. This much-needed revenue is lost during a government shutdown. 

In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, an estimated 350 federal employees would be furloughed because of a shutdown, along with 60 concessions employees and 45 Great Smoky Mountains Association employees. About 47 NPS employees would remain on duty, providing security and emergency services.  

In the national park and the surrounding gateway communities, October is the most important month for both visitation to the region and business activity. There’s no making it back later on. Fall colors only happen once a year; once they’re gone, it’s all over. October business activity often provides the critical financial resources for businesses and residents to make it through until the next season.

Nationwide a shutdown would force the furloughs of more than 20,000 National Park Service employees; approximately 3,000 employees would remain on duty to ensure essential health, safety, and security functions at parks and facilities.

About 12,000 park concessions employees — the workers who staff the hotels, restaurants, and riding stables in the parks — would also be adversely affected. Nonprofit park partner organizations, including Friends groups and cooperating associations like Great Smoky Mountains Association, would lay off an estimated 600 to 1,000 employees, depending on the length of the shutdown. A closure would impact visitor centers and field institutes like Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, as well.

America’s public lands drive billions of tourism dollars into local economies, and in return these lands rely on dedicated nonprofit partners to provide educational programs, operate interpretive sales outlets, manage volunteers and cultivate private funding. A government shutdown would strip hundreds of private sector nonprofit employees of their paychecks as citizens are turned away from the special places they rightfully own.

I urge everyone who wishes our national parks to remain open to the public, please contact your state and federal elected officials and let them know how you feel about the potential for our national parks to close.

Terry Maddox

Executive Director

Great Smoky Mountains Association

To the Editor:

I am not much of a religious scholar, but I did have 16 years of excellent Catholic education. I did very well in my college Logic course. The Dominicans Fathers were gifted teachers. As a result I am having a tough time understanding why conservative Christians are so enamored with today’s Republican party.

Biblical doctrine exhorts us to contribute to the ministry and the common good according to our financial ability. The richer you are, the more is expected from you. But when it comes to this society in which we all live, and with the Social Security in particular, the tax burden falls on the poor and the middle class while the wealthy get a pass.  

Republicans want to solve the Social Security solvency problem by cutting benefits to the people who need it most, instead of requiring the wealthy to pay the same percentage of their income as you and me.

Helping those in need is one of the major themes of the Bible and of Jesus’ ministry. These commandments were not limited to those in your church or your family. But Republicans in all levels of government pride themselves in how much they can cut benefits to those most in need. Food stamps, workman’s comp, veterans benefits, Medicare and Medicaid, you name it and they are on the chopping block. And just the mention of increasing the minimum wage makes most Republicans cringe.

In the Old Testament and throughout Jesus’ ministry, there is warning against the worship of worldly things. Biblical principals make it clear that accumulation of wealth was not the way to eternal salvation. Yet today’s Republican party idolizes the rich and in every way promotes their causes and protects their interests.

Just recently a drug company raised the price of a 67-year-old drug 5,000 percent, and not a single Republican spoke up for the thousands who will be hurt and may die as a result. For them, it is just free market doing what is does to make someone rich.

There is no way today’s Republican Party can logically be called a political party based on Christian principles. They may not be worshiping a golden calf, but they seem to be idolizing a golden head of hair.

Louis Vitale

Franklin

To the Editor:

Tried to take a nap but couldn’t get my mind off of some of the enormous problems we face. Not the least of which is where we find ourselves in terms of foreign affairs and foreign aid. 

We have managed to alienate any and all allies we ever had (seems like we did it on purpose). We are no longer the superpower that has helped keep peace through strength for decades. Foreign aid continues to flow to many countries that have resources to sustain their economies if the trade dollars they receive weren’t stolen by their politicians. The only foreign aid that should leave this country must be agricultural products or medical supplies.

I used to write to Sen. Jesse Helms and suggest (tongue in cheek) that instead of giving foreign aid we teach the other countries how to go into debt like we do. Why give arms to the oil rich countries that have held us hostage for their oil. Let them buy arms if they want them.

Then there is the president we elected without knowing anything about him. He will not only continue to act around Congress, but he will accelerate his efforts for the next 17 months. The Republican-led states should form a compact and agree to act together by appointing a single strong individual to represent the compact to the president. 

That individual should inform the president that the states he represents are willing and capable of seceding from the country and forming a new country based on the original Constitution. The Congressional States of America would not allow any more tax dollars flow to Washington, and all federal facilities would be closed at once and the employees put on unpaid leave.

A president would be elected for the new country and a legislature as described by the founders. The new country should demand to be paid the base funding value of the social security annuity for all residents of the states involved plus the base value of the funding to sustain Medicare for the citizens of these states. 

Bruce Gardner

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Recent letters have presented opposing views on the future funding for Planned Parenthood. Some are based on factual information concerning the function and operations of that organization and others are based on a fabricated narrative created with a highly edited video.

Planned Parenthood provides a variety of needed services to lower income women, ranging from cancer and sexually transmitted disease (STD) screenings to birth control and pregnancy support. Without these services we would undoubtedly see increases in premature deaths, increases in STD incidence and increases in unplanned/illegitimate births. 

They also provide abortion services. However, by federal law, no tax dollars are used to support these activities. Repeat, NO tax dollars are used for abortion services! By law, abortions are legal in this country whether you agree with the procedure or not.

Planned Parenthood also provides fetal tissue for research. That is also allowed by U.S. law. The basis for the current outrage over this practice has been debunked as a highly edited version of ‘gotcha’ interview embellished with video that includes segments having nothing to do with Planned Parenthood. While GOP presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina has used this to enflame her troops, the accusations are fraudulent.

Rep. “Shutdown” Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, and his co-conspirators apparently wish to shutdown the government over federal funding to Planned Parenthood. If they wish to shutdown the government, I suggest that they select a real issue. Practicing this bit of political theater will have grave consequences for millions of citizens. Remember the last time they pulled this stunt?

If Rep. Meadows is serious about these issues, there are responsible actions that he could take. First, he could sponsor a constitutional amendment to ban all abortions in the U.S. That way, those who can afford to fly to another country could have safe, legal abortions while those of lesser means would go back to the back-street abortions. Additionally, he could sponsor legislation to ban fetal tissue research.

If he wants the debate, let’s have it and skip the theatrics, regardless of how much his base enjoys it.

John Gladden

Franklin

Representatives of more than 40 different vendors from throughout the area – as well as all 15 of SCC’s Health Sciences programs – will be in the Burrell Building on Southwestern Community College’s Jackson Campus from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, in Sylva, for SCC’s annual Health Fair.

There is no charge for admission to the event.

An American Red Cross blood drive (10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) will coincide with the Health Fair, which will also feature a “Delete Blood Cancer” bone marrow donor registry.

Flu shots are free for SCC employees; insurance will be filed for – and payments will be accepted from – all others. Door prizes will include massage gift certificates and gym passes.

Community vendors include hospitals, fitness centers, food banks and more. The SCC bookstore will offer 20 percent off one qualifying item.

Plus, Mad Batter of Sylva will bring a food truck.

 828.339.4305 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Good Samaritan Clinic of Jackson County is the recipient of an $80,000 grant from the Sisters of Mercy of North Carolina Foundation that will help fund the clinic’s Nurse Case Management Program over the next two years.  

This funding has enabled the clinic to hire an additional nurse to join its healthcare team in serving Jackson County and beyond. This two-year program, being funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation, is a collaborative initiative by WCU, Good Samaritan Clinic, and Harris Regional Hospital to create additional access to care for our community. 

A public walking tour of Green Hill Cemetery in Waynesville with living history talks will be held at 4 p.m. Oct. 10.

The walking tour will feature re-enactments of famous or storied people buried in the cemetery with graveside tales about their life. Various town leaders will assume the role of the late historical figures.

Mayor Gavin Brown will be William Holland Thomas; Alderman Wells Greeley will be Robert Love; Alderwoman Julia Freeman will be Carolyn Miller (the Pulitzer Prize Winner); Alderman Leroy Robinson will be N. Barber; Police Chief Bill Hollingshead will be Gig Young (a movie star who killed his wife and then himself); and Fire Chief Joey Webb will be William Greer (a driver for five presidents and who was driving the car when John F. Kennedy was shot.)

The goal of the tour is to raise awareness about the historical treasure of Green Hill, said Ann Melton, a Waynesville historian and author who is releasing a book this fall chronicling many of the cemetery’s interred residents.

Haywood County School Board member Rhonda Cole Schandevel, 51, of Canton announced her 2016 candidacy for the North Carolina House of Representatives.

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.”