A cliff face might not seem like a hospitable place to forge a life, but for a good-sized group of endangered species, the craggy ledges and rock faces re home. Programs Aug. 14-15 at the Highlands Biological Station will highlight these important habitats. 

A 64-year-old Michigan man is recovering after a fall while hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last Sunday afternoon (July 27), an accident that kept him and his rescuers holed up in the backcountry for 24 hours while waiting out a tremendous thunderstorm.

Faith-inspired environmental advocacy is the focus of Western North Carolina Alliance’s newest program, Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina. The program started in two years ago as WNC Green Congregations and is now looking for donations to hire a director and further its effectiveness. The goal is to raise $29,500 by the end of August. 

“We are so happy that the Creation Care Alliance has chosen to be part of WNCA,” said Julie Mayfield, WNCA co-director. “We have worked closely with them for more than two years and have effectively supported each other’s efforts. Creation Care Alliance brings a vital and unique voice to environmental advocacy and education, and we help inform and focus their voice to be as strategic as possible.”

The network of people of faith and congregations will work to bring practical and hopeful solutions to their congregations and to broader secular communities by engaging hearts and minds through education, service and advocacy. Its primary focus areas are “food and faith” and “just energy/climate change.”

Among the group’s plans for the next year are clergy gatherings, educational panels and a local foods potluck. 

WNCA Campaign Coordinator Anna Jane Joyner, 828.258.8737, ext. 210. www.creationcarealliance.org.

Western Carolina University ranked as the No.1 college for outdoor adventures in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic in a recent online poll by outdoors magazine Blue Ridge Outdoors. 

Landmark Learning, an outdoor training institute in Cullowhee, has released its fall lineup of outdoor safety training courses. With everything from how to doctor a snakebite in the backcountry to how to warm a hypothermic person fast, the courses provide the knowledge base outdoors professionals and recreaters need to stay safe. Fees vary. To register for any course, contact 828.293.5384 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. All courses offered on the Cullowhee campus. 

Bluegrass/gospel legends Dailey & Vincent will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

The inaugural Haywood County Fall Sports Tailgate Kickoff Party will be from noon until 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, at Smathers Square on Main Street in Canton.

Some of the most riveting and moving student-created films from Western Carolina University’s Controlled Chaos Film Festivals in recent years will be shared at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at The Country Club of Sapphire Valley.

In anticipation of the growing popularity of the Youth Arts Festival, the Jackson County Green Energy Park is seeking both new participants and returning alumni artists to assist with this year’s event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, September 20, in Dillsboro.

A public hearing over a controversial cell tower in the scenic Whiteside Cove area of Cashiers will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 14, at the Cashiers Glenville Recreation Center.

The proposed Verizon tower has riled up nearby residents, who have expressed concern over the impacts to the scenic landscape. Others have acknowledged the lack of decent cell coverage in the area and are willing to live with the blight of a tower, albeit begrudgingly.

Verizon made some  concessions to its tower design at the behest of Jackson County Planning Director Gerald Green — most notably making the tower look like a pine tree.

Since the Whiteside tower was first proposed, property owners have been writing to the Jackson planning board to express their concerns. 

“While I recognize the importance of improving cell phone service to Cashiers and nearby communities, I understand there are better solutions and alternatives to this site which Verizon could consider that would have less negative impact on property values of nearby owners and on the scenic landscape,” Ann McKee Austin, a Realtor in Cashiers, wrote this week.

More than three dozen comments have come in in advance of the public hearing.

Craig Pendergrast, whose property neighbors the proposed tower site, has urged the county to reject the 120-foot tower.

“Think of it as the equivalent of a 12-story building to consider just how out of place and intrusive the proposed tower would be,” he wrote.

Following the public hearing next week, the planning board will make its recommendation to the county commissioners, who hold the ultimate decision. Commissioners may attach conditions to the permit, or even disallow it. They’ll take information gathered during the public hearing into account when making a decision. 

— Jeremy Morrison, News Editor

The Swain Farmers Market is enjoying its new location near the Tuckasegee River in downtown Bryson City on Island Street. Initially, there was some concern that the move to a new spot could hurt the market.

“The first Friday was probably the most people we ever had,” said market president Mike Glover. “It’s gonna work out fine. It’s gonna work out great.”

The new site is more scenic and offers considerably more space than the market’s former parking lot digs. Vendors spread out across a grassy expanse as musicians entertain near a barn and the river flows in the distance.

“It’s more like a family affair,” Glover said, taking in the scene.

The Swain farmers market made its move in mid-July. The market is scheduled to run each Friday morning through October.

To the Editor:

“I not only voted for the law, I was one of the co-sponsors,” Davis said. “I’m really comfortable with what they’ve done.”

“Overwhelmingly, they’re against fracking,” he said. “I think those people are concerned. My background is in science and I’m concerned as well. But as long as we can do this safely, I think it’s a good thing.”

Listed above are two quotes from Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, in the article “ Fracking opposition organizes in WNC” from The Smoky Mountain News (July 9 issue). 

After reading this article I was outraged by the disregard for public safety and public opinion when it comes to fracking in North Carolina. 

I would like to remind all “representatives” in the N.C. House and Senate that they are elected to those positions to represent the constituents in their districts. If the overwhelming majority of your constituents are against fracking, for very good reasons, then why vote to fast track it. One huge problem in politics today is that legislators vote for themselves and their party first and not for the citizens that elected them. 

I also do not think that Sen. Davis’ background as an orthodontist in no way, shape or more classifies him as an expert in fracking for natural gas. The Republicans in the legislature are ruining this great state that I was born and raised for future generations to come. I hope they all get what they deserve come election time. 

Tyler Beamer

Maggie Valley

To the Editor:

Paige Roberson, Sylva’s town manager, says she would be surprised if anyone opposes Sylva’s plans to extend its ETJ expanding territorial jurisdiction). That may be a perfect example of confirmation bias at work. Ms. Roberson may not see why anyone would object to her statement that “We just want it to look nice,” but the implication is that the folks who live in the proposed ETJ don’t have their own ideas about what would look nice.

ETJ is a fundamentally undemocratic law and its current use has made that even worse. When originally proposed in the 1950s for the areas around Raleigh, ETJ might have made some sense. Back then the idea was that the larger cities would eventually annex outlying areas while providing additional services like water, sewer, and police and fire protection. It seemed like a reasonable proposition that municipalities that might be on the hook for expensive infrastructure ought to have a say in development patterns.

Unfortunately that’s not how ETJ came to be used. Some smaller municipalities — Webster is an example — used ETJ to create a zoning buffer between itself and other areas of the county. When annexation or the extension of expensive infrastructure isn’t at play, then ETJ becomes a takeover and little else. The statutes granting ETJ powers require proportional representation for residents of the ETJ on planning boards and boards of adjustment. This allows some participation in the process, but the fact is that ETJ residents don’t get to vote for the boards of commissioners that ultimately have say over the terms of the zoning ordinances or are the seat of appeal on variances and adjustments.

And the sad fact is that many municipalities simply ignore the requirement for proportional representation. Webster’s ETJ, even after a recent adjustment, is as big or bigger than the town itself in both area and population yet its planning board does not reflect that.

ETJ may not be a good deal for town residents either as their taxes go to fund administration of the town’s ordinances in the ETJ and may end up funding lawsuits or court actions arising from variance or adjustment requests. ETJ residents pay no town taxes.

Sylva proposes its ETJ extension as a slam-dunk, but the statute requires that they get permission and agreement from the town of Webster. Where the ETJs of two towns overlap, the standard is to draw a line in the middle. Ms. Roberson suggests that Sylva could draw its line up to Webster’s borders. It can’t without permission, and the Webster town board would be foolish to grant such permission.

Ms. Roberson is right about one thing — the area around the intersection of N.C. 107 and N.C. 116 cries out for development standards and appropriate planning. There is a much better way to accomplish that goal. I have suggested for years that the area in question would be ideal for a community based zoning district. A CBZD (central business zoning district) similar to the ones in Cashiers and along the U.S. 441 corridor and the proposed one for the Cullowhee area could be a joint effort including the county, the municipalities, and the large institutions in the area like SCC and Jackson County schools.

Cooperation and participation should be the watchwords and that can be better accomplished by a joint effort rather than by a land grab by a single municipality. The statute permits municipalities to participate in CBZDs so there aren’t any legal hurdles to a joint effort, an effort that is inclusive and gives the residents and businesses in the area a greater say in their future.

Mark Jamison

Webster

By Ed Kelley

When I think of the mountains of Western North Carolina, I like to believe I know a lot about them. I was raised in Haywood County and have lived here over half a century. I think of myself as “young,” but I look at old pictures and see how the face of these mountains has changed since I was a kid, not only from a physical standpoint with all the development that is going on, but from a cultural angle as well. I may not have the depth of knowledge of more scientific folks, and I may not be as objective as a good reporter should be, but I think I have something to say.

More than 700 acres outside Cashiers has been placed in a conservation easement by the Albert Carlton family, protecting the tract from development in the future.

Eating healthy can also mean eating safe. In North Carolina, three food borne diseases are at the top of health inspectors’ list of things to prevent — norovirus, salmonella and listeria.

• Norovirus, commonly known as the winter vomiting disease, is a short-lived but intestinally violent disease that results in diarrhea and vomiting. It can be mistaken for a stomach bug or flu-like sickness. Development of the disease generally takes 48 hours.

• Salmonella is characterized by the sudden onset of nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea with mucous. Salmonella is not typically a serious disease. There is no cure, but symptoms may be treated. Dehydration is the primary concern. Onset is usually 6 to 72 hours after ingesting bacteria.

• Listeria is a rare, but serious disease.

“Almost everyone that acquires a listeria infection is hospitalized, and about 20 percent die,” said Susan Grayson, head of the Dairy and Food Protection Branch of the Department of Environmental Health in the N.C. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.

There are about 2,500 cases of listeria reported in the U.S. each year. Those who have weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing chemotherapy or those on immunosuppressants, are more susceptible to the disease.

While health inspections and restaurant ratings help arm customers with the information to make smart decisions about where they choose to eat out, it is up to the customer to note those ratings and pay attention to their environment.

“The best thing they can do is to probably pay attention to the grades that are posted,” Grayson said.

However, a grade does not necessarily reflect a restaurant’s day-to-day operations.

“Recognize that the grades are a snapshot in time,” Grayson said.

Donna Stephens — a certified food manager and former attorney who routinely scores more than 100 on inspections of her bed-and-breakfast inn, The Yellow House in Waynesville — recommends that diners take it a step further.

“Ask to have a peek in the kitchen,” Stephens said.

While the tactic may seem intrusive to some, diners can make it less so by casually asking for a look on the way to or from the bathroom, which is often located near the kitchen doors. Such is the case at WildFire restaurant on Main Street in Waynesville — one of few local restaurants Stephens said meets her criteria.

“I look everywhere I go,” Stephen said, referring to health inspection ratings. “Below a 95, there’s no excuse for that.”

Inspection score sheets allow for full or half deductions for problems, and a score may not reflect the full spectrum of reported problems. For example, having live pests or animals in the kitchen may be a two or four point deduction. However, having a pest breeding ground is only one to one-half a point off. Food being improperly stored, cooked, handled, etc, can be from a five to a two and a half point deduction.

Aside from ratings, look to see how servers handle food and utensils. Do they put their fingers on the rim of drinking glasses? If you ask for an extra fork or knife, do they touch the prongs or blade rather than the handle? A sense of professionalism and care goes a long way in helping to determine what’s going on behind the scenes.

— By Sarah Kucharski

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer

Donna Stephens, owner and operator of The Yellow House bed and breakfast in Waynesville, is a stickler for cleanliness.

A former professional chef for a catering company in Washington, D.C., and attorney for 16 years prior to that, Stephens understands the potential ramifications of poor sanitation, from making a patron sick to a restaurant earning a bad reputation and thereby losing business.

By Lee Shelton

I found Scott McLeod’s column, “Living in Fear....” , in theJan. 18 issue of the Smoky Mountain News very thought provoking. Following are some other thoughts on the subject from a contra-view point.

We live — and have lived — in a dangerous world, but we take much, including our safety, for granted. Civil wars are waged, diseases inflict, and anarchy grows across the globe, but these events are somewhere else. There are millions of people living in refugee camps, where they have been for years. Ethnic cleansing has taken place recently, and arguably continues.

A 15-year-old from Waynesville hopes to be part of the women’s USA BMX bike team at the 2008 Olympics after a successful run in the national BMX circuit last year.

Michele Curtis, a sophomore at Tuscola High School, ranked 10th in the nation and first in the Southeast in her age division and class. Curtis, who started racing just a year ago, has already competed in 79 races in 13 states.

The 2008 Olympics will be the first to feature competition in BMX, a sport where bike riders make laps around a dirt course with dips and jumps. BMX was an exhibition sport in the last Olympics, meaning riders would show off their riding but not compete with official teams or vie for medals. The USA BMX team will have 16 women and 32 men.

“As long as I stay in the top 10, I have a very good chance,” Curtis said of the Olympics.

Curtis will face tougher competition this year as she moves up to the next category. Last year, she competed in the 14-year-old girls category. This year, she moved up to the junior women’s division as an elite rider instead of novice.

Curtis has made a good showing in the new division. She’s already raced twice this year and has held her placement among the top 10 in the nation.

Curtis will be racing back-to-back every month through the first of July to begin qualifying for the US Olympic team. She must compete in six races in the elite category by July and rank in the top 10 riders in the Grand National Championship to qualify for the 2007 World Championships to be held in Canada.

“The Worlds will be like practice for the Olympics because all the same people will be there,” Curtis said.

Curtis learned how to ride from her boyfriend, Chris Beasley, who has been racing for years. Beasley recently moved to Florida, but the two have kept up a long-distance relationship and get to see each other at races in the Southeast regional circuit.

Curtis is on the Schanewolf Racing team. She is sponsored by Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley, Fly Racing, and Schanewolf Cycle Sports in Shelby.

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer

Deep in the mountains that surround Jackson County’s Tuckasegee community, the sound of metal on metal rings out with a sharp ping as blacksmith David Brewin begins to shape a steel rod.

The rod, heated in a propane power forge, glows red, its tip approximately 2,000 degrees. Brewin deftly raises and fells his hammer, steel bending around the anvil’s curved edge and forming a graceful curl.

By Chris Cooper

It’s harder than you would think to write a song. As a musician, it is tempting to reject anything that sounds traditional or just throws together a bunch of fancy chords. And melody — that which makes a song what it is, moves a tune the way it needs to, and feel like it should — often falls subject to sacrifice.

By Michael Beadle

The Duke of Milan and his daughter have been shipwrecked on a strange island far from civilization. Then, along comes a violent tempest that shipwrecks some of the very people who once put them there — and others who now want to marry off the daughter and kill the duke. It seems life couldn’t get any worse — but wait! It’s a William Shakespeare play.

Most Secret

I was given this book over Christmas and finally got around to reading it. It’s a fascinating tale about World War II from British writer Nevil Shute. Shute was born before World War I and was an engineer who had a passion for all things mechanical, whether they were boats, airplanes, cars and the weaponry of the time. Most fascinating are his descriptions of the skirmishes in the Brittany area of France during the war. The Germans controlled the mainland of France, but the Brits did all they could with a kind of guerilla warfare to give the French hope. Shute wrote about two dozen books, and he spins a great yarn that, 60 years after its initial publication in 1945, also provides great historical insights.

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper issued the following question and answer column on the state’s air pollution law suit against Tennessee Valley Authority.

Some jokes are really, really funny. Some even get better with age, as if their repeated telling somehow increases the comic potency. Then again, some jokes just get beaten into the ground, weren’t that funny to begin with, or suffer in the hands of incompetent would-be comedians.

Runny Babbit by Shel Silverstein

If you love the goofy wordplay of Spoonerisms — switching the beginning sounds of words like “dishes and plates” to “plishes and dates” — then Runny Babbit is your bind of kook. It’s full of punny foems about adventures with Runny and his friends. There’s “Runny and the Sea Poup” and “The Kungle Jing” and “Killy the Bid.” According to the jook backet, Shel Silverstein borked on this wook for more than 20 years until his death in 1999. Silverstein, who penned and illustrated such children’s books as Where the Sidewalk Ends and The Giving Tree, also is the author of the Johnny Cash hit song “A Boy Named Sue.”

“Unto These Hills” first opened on July 1, 1950, as an outdoor drama to celebrate the history and honor the sacrifices made by the Cherokee tribe.

The play features dances and music as it tells the story of early encounters with European explorers, the later betrayal by the U.S. government, the tragedy of the Trail of Tears, and the death of Tsali.

By Michael Beadle

For 56 years, the outdoor historical drama known as “Unto These Hills” has been a fixture for summer tourists coming to the region looking for entertainment and a chance to learn about Cherokee history.

But in recent years, theatre attendance for the show steadily declined, and critics panned the drama as outdated, lacking Cherokee actors, and in need of a fresh marketing plan.

Working with four heritage partners, Western Carolina University’s Hunter Library is creating a virtual collection of objects, documents, letters, photos and oral histories that tell the story of an effort to revive mountain crafts during the late 1800s and early 1900s.That movement generated widespread interest in mountain culture and continues to influence Western North Carolina tourism and economic development more than 100 years after the revival began.

Haywood County Manager Jack Horton was dismissed from his post in early January by a 3 to 2 vote of county commissioners.

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer

The Stop I-3 Coalition received a major boost in its efforts to prevent construction of a new highway that would connect Savannah, Ga., to Knoxville, Tenn., by way of Western North Carolina when Macon County Commissioners on Monday night (Feb. 6) became the first WNC government to pass a resolution against the highway.

Those who want the government to build the road it flooded when Fontana Lake was created say the issue boils down to one premise: a promise is a promise.

“If the government’s word’s not worth the paper it’s wrote on, I don’t know what kind of government we got,” said Robert Jones. “If I signed a contract with them and walked off and left it, where would I be at? I’m getting real fed up with it.”

Environmental groups and outdoors lovers packed the public hearing in Bryson City last week to decry the idea of building a road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a national treasure and is part of the shared natural and cultural heritage that belongs to every American,” said Greg Kidd, associate southeast director for the National Parks Conservation Association.

There’s more than one way for the federal government to make up its promise to Swain County to rebuild the road it flooded 62 years ago — and that’s a $52 million payoff, an option with broad public support.

This contingency doesn’t oppose the road on environmental grounds necessarily. They just think the money would benefit the county more than a road through the park.

Opinions on whether to build a 34-mile road through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park seem to be falling into three camps: those who want the road; those who don’t want the road on environmental grounds; and those who think a cash settlement in lieu of the road sounds like a better deal.

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer

In the meat aisle of the Reservation Foodliner IGA a customer picks up a large pack of bacon, and calls out to a store employee.

“How much do you think this’d be at Wal-Mart?” the customer asks sarcastically.

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer

In what outgoing Jackson County commissioner Eddie Madden has called an “unusually quiet” election season, things are finally starting to heat up as the Feb. 13 start to the filing period approaches.

Madden, Cashiers’ representative, has already announced that he would not seek re-election for the coming term.

Editor’s note: Last week The Smoky Mountain News cover story was about cleanliness at restaurants and what health department inspectors look for when they grade them. As we found out by interviewing several people, most do look to see what grade a restaurant gets.

When a high school biology teacher in Macon County asked students to compare evolution and creation from a scientific perspective, he was treading too close to the Supreme Court’s long-held directive that mandates the separation of church and state. It’s an assignment the teacher, the school system and anyone who follows this issue needs to take a close look at.

Western Carolina University is launching a new lifelong learning institute aimed at people age 50 and older across Western North Carolina who are interested in enriching their lives through the pursuit of knowledge.

The institute, based on the idea that “learning is for everyone” and titled LIFE@WesternCarolina, will feature weekly interactive seminars in Cullowhee and Asheville. Sessions will focus on a wide variety of topics spanning business, history, science, literature, politics and personal development.

LIFE@WesternCarolina is designed to extend to residents of the greater WNC community the wide array of academic resources available at the university and in the community, said Alison Morrison-Shetlar, WCU provost.

“The LIFE program is for retirees, alumni and community members seeking to engage in lifelong learning. It is for those seeking networking, community and engagement in the learning process,” Morrison-Shetlar said. “The program topics will nourish the mind, spirit and body.”

The provost described the program’s mission as “intended to enrich the quality of life for seasoned adults as they learn new things, meet new people and exchange ideas.”

The institute will include educational lectures, social opportunities and field trips as presenters, including university faculty, share expertise from a variety of backgrounds, she said.

Sessions are weekly for 12 weeks during the fall and spring semesters. Fall semester programs are tentatively scheduled to get underway Sept. 9 in Cullowhee and Sept. 10 in Asheville. 

Among the proposed topics for this fall are Operations of the Biltmore House; Useful Legal Matters; Cherokee and the Seven Clans; How the Civil War Affected WNC; Native Plants; Local Scenic Hikes; Making the Theory of Evolution Clear to People Like You and Me; Storytelling in Appalachia; Seeing, Imagining and Recording: The Process of Creative Writing; Theater and Design; The Major Differences between the Core Beliefs of Conservatives and Liberals; State and Federal Politics and Trends: Impact on the Economy and Education; Terrorism and Global Threats; Being and Doing Good; and Living While Dying.

The final lineup of program topics will be announced soon. 

Cost of membership in the institute is $125 per year, including 24 engaged learning experiences with opportunities to take part in additional activities related to some of the topics. Participants may attend all or as many sessions as they like.

“For example, participants might hear from the director of a play about how to develop and put on a performance, and then go and see the play,” Morrison-Shetlar said. “Or participants might hear about the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, and then go visit the town of Cherokee and see it with different eyes.”

For more information or to register for the LIFE@WesternCarolina institute, contact the Division of Educational Outreach at 828.227.7397, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit life.wcu.edu.

The Cullowhee Community Planning Advisory Committee will meet July 31 to review proposed development standards for the area. The proposed standards are an attempt to better define and regulate the growth occurring around Western Carolina University. 

For the past year, the Cullowhee advisory committee — appointed by Jackson County commissioners — has worked to realize a vision for the currently unregulated college area. The process has included multiple public input sessions and resulted in a set of proposed development standards that lists separate zoning designations, such as commercial or varying density levels of residential, and defines what is and isn’t allowed within each area.

Following this week’s review of the draft proposals, committee members will schedule a time to trek around Cullowhee and determine which designation might be assigned to which areas. 

Jackson County Planning Director Gerald Green has previously said that the committee will likely wrap up its work by the end of summer. After that, county commissioners will decide if they want to adopt development standards or zoning regulations for Cullowhee — an area identified by the 2010 census as being the fastest-growing portion of Jackson County.

The next Cullowhee advisory committee meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. July 31 in room 209 of the Burrell Building on the Southwestern Community College campus.

Michell Hicks, Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, told a U.S. Senate committee in testimony on July 23 that gaming on the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina has had a “dramatic impact” on the lives of Cherokee families and especially children in ways “we never dreamed possible.”

The Town of Canton has selected J. Derek Littlejohn as its next fire chief.  Littlejohn has been employed with the Canton Fire Department for the past 28 years and has served in numerous capacities including firefighter, shift lieutenant and captain.  He was appointed interim fire chief in January 2014 after the retirement of Chief Jimmy Campbell.

Littlejohn is a seasoned professional with a wealth of credentials. In addition, he holds certifications in Code Enforcement, Fire Inspection, Fire Law and Administration, and Hazmat Response. As interim chief, Littlejohn oversaw the execution of an automatic aid agreement between Canton and its neighboring fire departments, which drastically increased the level of service for Canton residents by adding additional forces for emergency calls.  

“By strengthening interlocal cooperation, building regional partnerships, and planning for the future, Chief Littlejohn has already begun to usher in significant changes to the department and I am confident he will carry on Canton’s legacy as an effective, highly accountable agency,” says Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss. “He also has a superb team of passionate professionals working alongside him and together they will build a safer, more secure community.”  

Littlejohn will oversee 8 full-time employees, a small group of volunteers, and a budget of $701,000.  

“I look forward to bringing our agency to new heights and making our community the best it can be,” Littlejohn said.  

In addition to his numerous responsibilities as fire chief, Littlejohn will oversee Canton’s code enforcement program.  

“Setting a new standard for building safety and aesthetics so that the quality of our built environment matches that of our beautiful natural environment is a top priority for Canton,” said Hendler-Voss. 

Better public access and trail improvements for Graveyard Fields, one of the most popular spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway, will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Aug. 4, with representatives of The National Park Service, U.S Forest Service and Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation on hand for the area’s official re-opening.

Native plants are getting a boost in Cherokee with the opening of a 2,200-square-foot greenhouse designed to produce and propagate native plants. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians designed the building to propagate black willow, silky dogwood, Carolina rhododendron, Catawba rhododendron and mountain laurel, to be used in habitat restoration projects on tribal lands. 

The Nantahala Racing Club and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation came out on top in an online voting contest from The North Face, winning $25,000 for special initiatives aimed at connecting youth with the outdoors.

The organizations were two of 10 nationwide selected to participate in the contest, which granted $25,000 to the top five vote-getters and $10,000 to the bottom five. 

Nantahala Racing Club will use its money to fund the Young Rhinos Whitewater Discovery Project.

“Our project is very community-oriented, and it was rewarding to see the community rally around our cause,” said Zuzana Montagne, NRC executive director. “This money, which will be spent on youth equipment and transportation to local rivers, will make a huge impact on the quality of our programming and the number of kids we will be able to engage in the coming year.”

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation, meanwhile, will use its money to jumpstart its Great Outdoors University program. GoU works to reduce nature deficit in children and restore their bonds to nature. The initiative began in 2012, and since then more than 1,800 have participated. Kids are fishing, exploring streams and taking woods walks and boat rides. Some have pulled a bow, and others have simply eaten a sandwich in a field. 

“Great Outdoors University makes possible a much needed chance for our youth to experience the wonders of the natural world in ways that can have a profound effect for years to come,” said Mary Bures, manager of the program for the Federation. “It offers a unique opportunity to learn ‘outdoors’ using an interesting experiential approach for teaching many valuable lessons.” For more on the Wildlife Federation project, go to www.ncwf.org/programs/gou/news-updates.

The Young Rhinos will launch Aug. 9 with the Whitewater Junior Olympics at Nantahala Outdoor Center. www.nantahalaracingclub.com/youth-programs/young-rhinos-whitewater-discovery.

More than 1,200 outdoor atheletes will converge on Lake Logan in Haywood County this weekend for the annual Lake Logan Multisport Festival.

Sam Fowlkes, who teaches paddlesports and rescue at Western Carolina University, has received prestigious recognition in the field of technical swiftwater rescue for an American Canoe Association conference he helped coordinate.

The 6th Annual Mountain High BBQ Festival and Car Show will be held Aug. 8-9 at the Wayne Proffitt Agricultural Center in Franklin. Gates will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

The event is a Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS) sanctioned competition. The event also has partnered with the KCBS in their coordination of a national barbecue donation effort to cook and distribute more than 100,000 meals throughout America over the next year. Everyone is invited to bring a non-perishable food item.

Alongside food vendors and competitors, there will also be Franklin’s own Tastin’ Tent. The Cruise-In will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, with the car show all day Saturday. All makes and models are welcome. Registration forms are available at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. The Buchanan Boys are set to perform onstage at 7 p.m. Friday.

Festival admission will be $5 adults, with children ages 12 and under free. Your festival admission will enter you into the drawing for a Holland Grill valued at $1,200, sponsored by Holland Grills and Macon Appliance.

www.mountainhighbbqfestival.com or 828.524.3161.

“A Songcatcher’s Notebook: Traditional Music and Storytelling” with singer-songwriter/storyteller Lee Knight will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 31, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.