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James, a.k.a. “Doodle,” and Karin Lyle will perform at 3 p.m. on April 15 at the Canton library as part of the Haywood County Arts Council’s Sunday Concert Series.

The concert blends the musical talents of Doodle and Karin and a “Chalk Talk” component by Doodle of his cartoon creation, Muggzy the Penguin.

Karin married James, moved to North Carolina and became a music teacher. She plays more than 22 instruments. She is also the author of a number of music instruction books and has performed on many music recordings.

James grew up in Western North Carolina, spending his childhood emulating various comic book characters and musical groups. Besides playing music, James is a professional cartoonist and artist. His work has been published in comic books and magazines in the U.S. and abroad.

www.haywoodarts.org.

Comment

Both the Franklin and Bryson City libraries will host meetings of its anime clubs this month.

The Franklin library in will hold the inaugural meeting of its new anime club from 3-5 p.m., April 20.

The group will watch anime movies and eat popcorn. They will also make plans for future events candy sushi making, cosplay and other Japanese-themed activities.

The Bryson City library’s anime club will show a sci-fi mystery movie and several popular Japanese TV programs starting at 11 a.m., April 14.

Both events are free and open to the public.

828.524.3600.

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Haywood Community College is a finalist in the Second Nature 2012 Climate Leadership Awards, a national competition among colleges and universities to earn the title of “Most Innovative Climate Leader.”

HCC is the only college in North Carolina that was named as a finalist and one of 20 nationwide.

“It is an honor for HCC to be recognized as a finalist for this prestigious award and for its community-based approach to teaching, practicing, and modeling sustainability,” HCC President Rose Johnson said. “Plus, it is wonderful that the community has a chance to view and vote for HCC’s sustainability video, which is part of this competition.”

HCC and other finalists have produced and posted a sustainability video that can be viewed at www.planetforward.org/climate-leadership-awards. The public is urged to vote for HCC through April 14. The finalists with the most votes will be profiled by Planet Forward’s “Move the Planet” conference the week of April 16.

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A workshop focused on life science research being conducted in the mountain region will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in Western Carolina University’s A.K. Hinds University Center.

WCU and the western office of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center are co-hosting  the workshop. It is part of the biotechnology center’s “Science in the Mountains” series, will feature a couple of keynote addresses in the University Center theater.

Laura Georgi, a pathologist and research scientist for the American Chestnut Foundation, will speak at 9:15 a.m. on “New Tools for a Monumental Task: Application of Biotechnology to Restoration of the American Chestnut.”

Bruce Budowle, executive director of the Institute of Investigative Genetics at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, will deliver a 1:30 p.m. address focusing on “Forensic Genetics and Molecular Methods for Assessing Biodiversity: A Look at the Past, Present and Future.”

A series of eight talks will be delivered throughout the day by faculty members and researchers from WCU and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Poster presentations will be given by students and faculty members from WCU, Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

The workshop is open to everyone and registration is free. Lunch and refreshments also will be provided for free. The deadline for registering is Thursday, April 5. For more information or to register, go to the website http://events.signup4.net/molecules.

Comment

A hike into the usually closed 8,600-acre Waynesville Watershed is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, April 21.

Twice a year guided hikes are offered to allow residents and interested citizens an opportunity to view the property first-hand. This first hike of the year will conclude by 2 p.m. Naturalist Don Hendershot, Peter Bates of Western Carolina University and Blair Ogburn, senior naturalist with Balsam Mountain Trust, will lead the hike, which is a three- to five-mile trek in moderately strenuous terrain.

Hikers should bring their own lunch, water, appropriate clothing, hat, rain gear and wear sturdy shoes. Birders should also bring their binoculars. The group will leave from the Waynesville Water Plant, and directions will be sent upon registration. No pets allowed.   828.452.2491 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Learn how the Boogerman Loop got its unique name, walk along old stone walls that once protected gardens and home sites, and visit towering hemlock and tulip trees on the next guided hike with Friends of the Smokies at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 19.

Hiking enthusiast and author Danny Bernstein will lead this 8.6-mile hike along the Boogerman Loop, interpreting the cultural history of the area. The hike is moderate in difficulty, and has a total elevation gain of 1,800 feet.

Participants will gather to depart from Waynesville. The meeting location will be specified upon registration. Hikers should come prepared with food, water and appropriate hiking gear for the all-day excursion.

A donation of $35 to go to the Friends’ Smokies Trails Forever program is requested and includes a complimentary membership to Friends of the Smokies. A donation of $10 is requested from current Friends of the Smokies members. Members who bring a friend hike for free.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.452.0720.

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New volunteers to help form a national network of home-based and amateur rain spotters are needed.

This is part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, which came about as a result of a devastating flash flood that hit Fort Collins, Colo. in July 1997.

CoCoRaHS was born the next year with the intent of doing a better job of mapping and reporting intense storms. As more volunteers participated, rain, hail, and snow maps were produced for every storm showing fascinating local patterns that were of great interest to scientists and the public.

Through CoCoRaHS, thousands of volunteers, young and old, document the size, intensity, duration and patterns of rain, hail and snow by taking simple measurements in their own backyards.

Volunteers may obtain an official rain gauge through the CoCoRaHS website (http://www.cocorahs.org) for about $27 plus shipping. Besides the need for an official 4-inch plastic rain gauge, volunteers are required to take a simple training module online and use the CoCoRaHS website to submit their reports. Observations are immediately available on maps and reports for the public to view. The process takes only five minutes a day, but the impact to the community is tenfold: By providing high quality, accurate measurements, the observers are able to supplement existing networks and provide useful results to scientists, resource managers, decision makers and other users.

Go to the CoCoRaHS website above and click on the “Join CoCoRaHS” emblem on the upper right side of the main website.

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White-nose syndrome, a deadly disease responsible for the deaths of millions of bats in eastern North America, has been discovered in Haywood County.

The disease was confirmed this month by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in bats collected from an abandoned mine. It was previously discovered in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in a retired Avery County mine, a cave at Grandfather Mountain State Park, a McDowell County cave, an abandoned mine in Yancey County, and near the Commission’s Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Transylvania County.

“We and our conservation partners are focusing resources on collaborative efforts, including monitoring the spread of the disease, monitoring North Carolina bat populations, and finding ways to address the effects of the disease on bat populations,” said Chris McGrath, wildlife diversity program coordinator with the commission.

The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome has been detected on nine species of bats so far in North America. In North Carolina, 17 species of bats are known to occur, and eight of those are species on which the fungus has been detected nationwide. Three species in North Carolina have been documented with the disease.

Comment

Registration is now open for a bunny run, 5K and 10K at Lake Junaluska starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 7, at Weldon Gym at the Methodist conference and retreat center.

The race is part of the center’s Saturday Easter celebration that includes an Easter egg hunt for all ages. Race day entry is $25 and is open until 8 a.m.. Kids ages 12 and under compete for free.

Overall awards will be presented to the top three male and female runners and the top three masters (40 and older) male and female in each race. Age group awards will be awarded to the top three male and female in the various age groups.

Proceeds from the race will go to The Junaluskans for maintenance of the trail surrounding Lake Junaluska.

www.lakejunaluska.com/easter.

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Beginning April 24, kids in Haywood County will have an opportunity to be a part of a national running program that focuses on character-development and physical training for a local distance race.

Registration will be held on April 7 from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at the Lake Junaluska Bunny Run registration site.  

Haywood County Recreation and Parks will begin offering a youth running program called Ready, Set, Run! This is a character-building running program that trains kids ages 8-13 to participate in a distance run. This curriculum-based program is designed to equip kids with the physical training and goal-setting mentality needed to accomplish their running goals. Issues such as enhancing confidence and self-esteem, respecting authority, dealing with peer pressure and fueling their bodies through proper nutrition are covered during the 12-week session.  

Kids enrolled will meet twice a week from 4-5:30 p.m. at various parks and running areas such as Allens Creek Park and Canton Recreation Park. The program will culminate with the running of the Folkmoot Race on July 14.

The program fee is $30. This provides each participant a T-shirt and entry in the Folkmoot 5K.  

828.452.6789 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Robert Satterwhite will offer an introduction to Western North Carolina flyfishing at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in the community room of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

The free program will help attendees identify the three types of trout found here and explain the basic rules for fishing streams in the national forests, national parks, and streams regulated by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Other topics will include the basic flies for trout fishing, basic knots and casting techniques. A question and answer session will follow Satterwhite’s remarks.

Satterwhite has been fishing trout streams in WNC all of his adult life. A retired English instructor at Southwestern Community College, he is a former outdoor columnist for the Asheville Citizen-Times and currently writes a monthly column on trout fishing for North Carolina Sportsman magazine. This program is co-sponored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

828.586.2016.

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The eighth-annual Nantahala Open will take place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at Nantahala Falls. Nantahala Open is for all boaters no matter their experience or ability.

The event is being put together by Endless River Adventures and Team Wave Sport.

This is not a “sponsored” event; the participants are typically Nantahala boaters and those who just enjoy a great day of fun on the river.

The Endless River team will be joined by Nantahala Open veteran and team wave sport leader Bryan Kirk and others. The group will coordinate the event from the launching pad at Nantahala Falls, with video cameras arranged to film open participants. Categories include such events as best freestyle through the falls, best top hole move and much more.

828.488.6199.

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Ron Rash, bestselling author of Serena, will read from his newest novel at local bookstores April 14-15.

Rash will be at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 14. He will read at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 15.

His newest novel, The Cove, will be released in stores on April 10.

Rash, an American poet, short storywriter and novelist, is the Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University. He has published three collections of poetry, three short story collections and four novels.

828.456.6000.

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Getting books from the doctor will soon be a routine part of regular pediatric checkups.

Haywood Pediatrics recently joined the Reach Out and Read program, in which primary care providers advising parents about the importance of reading aloud and giving new developmentally appropriate books to children. The program begins at the six-month checkup and continues to age 5. It will be available for all patients at the Clyde and new Canton location at 55 Buckeye Road.  

Research shows that children who participate in the program enter kindergarten with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills and have a six-month developmental edge making them better prepared to achieve their potential.

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Families interested in hosting a foreign exchange student can be matched with students from more than 60 countries through the company Ayusa.

All high school foreign exchange students are fully insured, bring their own spending money and are proficient in English – and all high school exchange programs are regulated by the U.S. Department of State.

Volunteer host families provide foreign exchange students a nurturing environment, three meals a day and a bedroom (either private or shared with a host sibling of the same gender).  Each host family and student is supported by a professionally trained community representative who works with the family and student for the entire program.  All interested host families must pass a criminal background check and a home visit by an exchange organization.

Interested host families are required to fill out an application, pass a background check and interview with a local exchange program representative in their homes. Once accepted to a program, host families can view profiles of students to find the right match for their family.

Ayusa is currently accepting applications for families to host an exchange student for the 2012-2013 school year.

1.888.552.9872 or www.ayusa.org

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The North Carolina Division of Tourism and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership will host two TRAC Sessions in Western North Carolina.

Sessions will be held from 2 – 5:30 p.m. on April 18 in Bryson City at the Fryemont Inn and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 19 in Morganton at the Morganton Community House.

TRAC program was developed to assist businesses of all sizes in business development and marketing of their tourism products and services.

At each TRAC session, representatives from the Division will be on hand to discuss services they can provide businesses including strategic planning, assistance with identifying funding sources, and serving as liaisons with other local, state and federal agencies.

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership and other regional partners will also be on hand to answer questions and share resources.

There is no charge to attend, but an RSVP is appreciated.

919.733.7502 or 919.733.0869.

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To the Editor:

We may criticize someone not attending our church or not believing what we believe. Many of us have experienced members breaking from our church to form another church.

Cecil is Unitarian and believes churches play an important role in our communities. Each church acts on its values to benefit its community. He regularly attends church, knows the importance of practicing religion as we see fit and is committed to government non-interference in our spiritual lives.

Some say Cecil is too liberal. Very few people in Western North Carolina are liberal. We are mostly conservative and progressive conservative people. Conservative Republicans and Blue Dogs tend to focus on social issues.

Democrats represent our progressive conservatives. Cecil is a true Democrat. Voting for Bothwell for Congress is a vote for jobs, education, our people, our churches and our mountain communities.

Ron Robinson

Sylva

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To the Editor:

This is an open letter to Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin.

Let me be perfectly clear. Obama Care is the reason I am finally able to get good health insurance after 15 years of not having any. I thank God for it.

I am a retired special education teacher, a home and property owner, a voter, and have a post-graduate education. I also have type 2 diabetes.

No one would insure me for any amount until Obama stepped in. Now I have a great plan which I pay $412 per month for. I have finally been able to have the tests needed when someone goes through menopause. I can have bone screenings, blood work, medications to manage my diabetes, and much, much more.

It must be nice for you to have great insurance, which we taxpayers have provided. Do you have any idea how few people here in Western North Carolin can not even afford my plan? I do not know what rich people you represent, but most of us were middle class until the banks and the 1 percent pushed us all into poverty.

I am being nice and Southern here when I tell you that anyone messing with my insurance and that of others who are finally protected will not be popular with any of us, the press, the church, God and anyone else I can inspire to tar and feather you and your types right out of this wonderful state.

How dare you frighten us and stress us this way? You sir are a sorry human being. Shame on you. Get some backbone and stand up for what is right, not what is being espoused by Fox News. You should remember while we don’t individually have the huge sums a few of your supporters may have, as a group we will be mighty and we will not forget.

Hope you will reconsider this ill step.

Madeleine Watt

Cashiers

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To the Editor:

A recent letter by a firearms instructor made the assertion that no one at the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gifford had a pistol to stop the shooter. Several news reports stated that there was at least one person who was carrying a firearm at that event. He either was too slow to react or showed the good judgment to not draw and fire as others moved in to disarm the shooter.

The problem with thinking that relatively untrained individuals would be drawing and firing in such a chaotic situation is even more frightening than the “psycho” that the letter writer refers to. The most likely outcome from the person carrying at that event firing his handgun would have been to hit one of the other bystanders. With several such individuals, it is likely that some would mistake one of the others as being in league with the “psycho,” and we would have a shootout with them shooting at each other.

I am sure that anyone who has been in a close quarter firefight will tell you that things can get quite confusing in the heat of battle. The situation calls for reflexive responses, and if you are not highly trained, you are likely to make fatal mistakes. Even highly trained soldiers have been known to err. Eight hours of instruction to get a NC permit would be grossly inadequate in such a situation.

As to gun permit holders always acting responsibly, we have the incident in Florida where man with a gun permit followed a teenager who was minding his own business and shot him dead. The kid was talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone at the time saying he was worried about some guy following him. The evidence shows he was not doing anything to warrant the gun tooter to follow and accost him. So much for the assertion that, “Only a responsible citizen can get a permit to carry.”

Norman Hoffman

Waynesville

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The Thunder Road Rollergirls of Waynesville will hold its spring open recruitment from April 5-24.

There are plenty of available positions on the team for anyone interested. The women are also working closely with Smoky Mountain Rollergirls in Bryson City to establish a connection with the two leagues, including training sessions and other events.  

The group practices at the Haywood County Fairgrounds and plans to start hosting public events in May. On May 12, the Thunder Road Rollergirls will hold an all-day boot camp and scrimmage. The morning boot camp will include private training led by coaches and trainers from all over the southeast.  At 1:30, the doors will open to the public, and the team will participate in an afternoon of coached scrimmages. Tickets are $5, kids 12 and under free. 

thunderroadrollergirls.com.

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The future Waynesville Skate Park has been awarded a grant in the amount of $1,260 from the North Carolina Community Foundation.

The park also recently received a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation in the amount of $5,000.

The planned 8,000-square-foot skate plaza will be located at the site of the old horse ring on Vance Street in Waynesville. Construction is expected to begin this summer. The estimated time to completion is 60 to 90 days.

828.456.2030 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Andy Shaw Ford of Sylva will bring Ford Motor Company’s “Drive One 4UR School” Program to Jackson County from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. April 12 in the SCC Balsam Center parking lot.

Proceeds will be shared evenly by Jackson County Early College (JCEC) and the JCEC Parent Teacher Organization. For each of the first 300 test drives of a new Ford vehicle a $20 donation will be made by Andy Shaw Ford and Ford Motor Company

828.586.0900 or visit www.andyshawford.com.

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A self-defense class for women will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11 at MedWest-Haywood Health and Fitness Center.

The instructor will be Marshall Hale, a Tae Kwon Do instructor with Blue Dragon. Cost for the workshop is $10. Participants will learn various escape and evasion techniques, basic personal combat and striking techniques and more.

828.452.8080

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A food drive is under way in Maggie Valley, with a food drop-off container located in town hall for nonperishable items.

The drive has the support of town aldermen and was started at the request of resident Don Massey. The food will be transported to Duckett’s Produce where it will be made available for to pickup. This project will continue as long as people continue to donate.

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As a part of National Library Week from April 8-14, people are asked to donate new or gently used books to their local library branch.

Books not added to the library’s collection will be given to the Friends of the Library for the annual book sale. The book sale in Haywood County is scheduled for July 26-28.

All donations are tax deductible. Arrangements can be made to pick up large donations or if someone is physically unable to bring them to the library front desk.

828.627.2370.

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The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a free seminar on business lending through the NC Rural Center Microenterprise program from 6-8 p.m. on April 10 on campus in the first floor of the student center. The program is for people ages 18-30.

The North Carolina Rural Center’s Microenterprise Loan program is designed to promote self-employment, encourage business creation and boost economic independence.

Three micro-loans are offered and can be partially processed by HCC’s Small Business Center:

• Traditional Microenterprise Loan - Loans up to $25,000.

• Express Loan - Loans $5000 and less.

• “Green” Micro Loan - Loans up to $25,000.

“This program was designed to meet the needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs in the 85 rural counties of NC,” said Mary Cox, program coordinator for the Microenterprise Loan Program. “In this challenging economy, we are reaching out to those who may not qualify for a traditional bank loan.”

828.627.4512.

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A read-through of the new play “A Cherokee Family Reunion” will take place from 4-6 p.m. on April 13 at the Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee.

The Los Angeles writer and choreographer Larissa Fasthorse, an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, wrote the play. Fasthorse grew up in South Dakota and began her career as a professional ballet dancer, however she always loved to write.

A published and produced playwright, Larissa is currently working on new plays for the Cherokee Historical Association, the Tony Award winning Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Cornerstone Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center, and the Arizona Theatre Company.

Opening night for the new play “A Cherokee Family Reunion” will be on July 16.

828.497.1126.

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A cookbook, titled RAMPS: Cooking with the Best Kept Secret of the Appalachian Trail, features a collection of ramp recipes from chefs, food writers and home cooks, celebrating every part of the vegetable – from root to leaf.

“A cookbook devoted solely to ramp recipes is long overdue. We are delighted that this talented group of chefs and writers has come together to offer a wide selection of their best for your pleasure,” said Todd C. Gray, chef at Equinox and Watershed restaurants in Washington, D.C.

RAMPS presents the full gamut of dishes from traditional Appalachian recipes to “big-city” recipes from creative food writers and chefs coast-to-coast such as Mario Batali.

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Well-known Western North Carolinian Gary Carden will present the first showing of his new monologue “Mother Jones” at 6 p.m., April 7, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Franklin.

Lara Chew will perform in the one-woman show about Mother Jones, once considered to be “the most dangerous woman in America.”

In the late 19th century, to the chagrin of governments and robber barons, Mother Jones rallied coal miners, dock workers, endangered citizens, mill workers and disabused members of societies to protest against unfair wages, underage workers, poor working conditions, unhealthy living sites, poor government protection and unwarranted control of civil liberties.

Tickets are $15, and proceeds from the performance will benefit the UUFF Scholarship Fund. A reception celebrating Mother Jones’ 100th Birthday will follow the performance.

828.524.3161 or 828.524.6777.

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Poet, author and educator, Allan Wolf will return to City Lights Bookstore at 7 p.m. on April 6 to discuss his newest book, The Watch That Ends the Night.

April will mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, and Wolf’s new book is a lyrical retelling of that story. His unique performance style makes for readings that are always lively and entertaining.

828.586.9499.

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Award-winning author Scott Huler will lecture April 13 at Western Carolina University and the Jackson County Public Library in recognition of National Library Week.

Huler will discuss the importance of research and libraries at 10:30 a.m. in the A.K. Hinds University Center theater on the WCU campus. He will deliver another lecture at 7 p.m. at the public library in Sylva. Following the evening presentation, Friends of the Jackson County Public Library will host a punch and cookies reception, and Huler will be available to autograph books.

An author who has reported on everything from the death penalty to bikini waxing, Huler writes for newspapers, magazines and radio programs, and his works have appeared The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Los Angeles Times. He is the 2011 Piedmont Laureate Winner.

828.227.3398 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Saxophonist Joel Frahm will perform at Western Carolina University’s annual Jazz Festival from April 14-15.

The New York Times praised Frahm, calling him a “saxophonist with a deft and assertive command.”

All April 14 events will take place at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Rehearsals, free and open to the public, will begin at 1:30 p.m. with Frahm and the WCU Jazz Ensemble, a group of 20 student musicians. Frahm will rehearse with the Pavel Wlosok Trio beginning at 3 p.m.

Tickets for April 14 evening performances are $10 for the general public and $5 for WCU faculty, staff and students. The music will get under way at 7:30 p.m. Frahm and the WCU Jazz Ensemble will take the stage at 7:55 p.m., and Frahm and the Pavel Wlosok Trio will perform together starting at 8:55 p.m.

The festival will conclude April 15 with a jazz improvisation master class with Frahm from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the band hall of WCU’s Coulter Building. The class is free and open to the public.

828.227.2479 or 828.227.3261 or fapac.wcu.edu or events.wcu.edu.

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All hats on deck for Easter Hat Parade

The town of Dillsboro will host its 24th annual Easter Hat Parade on April 7.

The parade, a Dillsboro tradition, begins at 2 p.m. and showcases a variety of interesting hats atop participants of all ages, including pets.

Judges select the best hats in more than 20 categories, including: biggest, smallest, funniest, best smelling, “poofy-est,” most creative, most spring-like and most outrageous. Last year, there were nearly 250 entrants in the contest.

In addition to an array of colorful hats, the parade features vintage cars provided by the Old Timers Model A Club and the Mountaineer Antique Auto Club.

Folks are encouraged to arrive early and spend the day. Easter egg hunts for children begin at 10:30 a.m., along with hat-making sessions at Dogwood Crafters.

Dogwood Crafters will also present an English tea at the famous Jarrett House Inn. There will be two seatings — 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. — and cost for the tea is $12 per person.

800.962.1911 or www.visitdillsboro.org.

 

Easter At Lake J to feature 5K/10K races, egg hunts and worship

Lake Junaluska will host a full weekend of events, including fun runs, egg hunts, a buffet and sunrise service, to celebrate Easter April 7-8.

Saturday, April 7

• 5K and 10K Bunny Run and Walk at 8:30 a.m., starting at the Nanci Weldon open-air gym. Registration for the runs is available online.

• Children’s Fun run (children age 10 and younger) at 10 a.m., starting at Nanci Weldon open-air gym

• Egg hunts for children ages 1 to 12 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on the lawn of Stuart Auditorium

• Egg decorating contest from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Harrell Center Auditorium

• Lake Junaluska Day Camp Open House from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Wilson Children’s Complex

Sunday, April 8

• Easter Sunrise Service at 7 a.m. in the amphitheatre at the cross

• Easter breakfast buffet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Lambuth Inn

• Easter Service at 10:30 a.m. in Stuart Auditorium

• Easter lunch buffet from 11:30 to 3 p.m. at the Terrace Hotel.

For buffet reservations, call 828.454.662, purchase tickets online at www.shop.lakejunaluska.com, or purchase tickets at the Bethea Welcome Center between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. Weekend lodging packages are available.  

800.222.4930 or lakejunaluska.com/easter.

 

Easter events pepper weekend in Fontana

Fontana Village Resort will host several Easter events, including egg dying, a campfire and marshmallow roast, scavenger hunt and a holiday meal, April 7-8.

Saturday, April 7

• Easter Eggstravaganza with sidewalk chalking, an egg and water balloon toss, scavenger hunt and egg coloring from 3-4:30 p.m.

• Campfire and marshmallow roast at 8 p.m.

Sunday, April 8

• Outdoor sunrise church service at 7 a.m. on the knoll above Fontana Dam.

• A non-denominational church service at 10:30 a.m. at the Fontana Community Church.

• Traditional Easter meal featuring salad, shrimp, ham, green beans and homemade desserts, among other foods from noon to 3 p.m. at the Mountview Restaurant. The cost is $21.95 for adults and $10.95 for children, ages 6-11. Make reservations at 828.498.2115.

• Easter egg hunt at 2:30 p.m. at the Gunter family cabin.

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The award-winning Assembly Saxophone Quartet will present a free concert at 6 p.m., April 16, in the theater of A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University.

The program will feature a wide variety of styles, including historical works by Jean-Baptiste Singelée and Gabriel Pierné, as well as newer works by John Fitz Rogers and Martin Bresnick.

The quartet, which formed in 2003, features WCU School of Music faculty member Ian Jeffress on alto saxophone. Members include Lauren Meccia on soprano, Adam Estes on baritone and Matt Younglove on tenor.

826.227.7242.

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Country legend Ronnie Dunn will perform at 9 p.m., April 27, at Harrah’s Casino and Hotel in Cherokee.

Dunn is now touring as a solo artist after 20 years of singing with the group Brooks & Dunn. The duo is best known for hits “Bleed Red,” “Cost of Livin,” “My Maria,” “Red Dirt Road” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.”

Tickets are on-sale now. Attendees must be 21 or older.

800.745.3000 or www.ticketmaster.com.

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The Southern Circuit film tour at Western Carolina University ends its 2011-12 season with a free screening of “Sahkanaga” at 7:30 p.m. on April 17 in the theater of A.K. Hinds University Center.

In 2002, more than 300 bodies were discovered on the property of the Tri-State Crematory in the Appalachian foothills of northwest Georgia, thrusting an unassuming, tight-knit community into the international spotlight. While much of the plot and storyline are based on that discovery, “Sahkanaga” (pronounced “sock-uh-nogga”) imagines this event from the perspective of Paul, a teenager who stumbles upon the first body.

Director John Henry Summerour shot the film in Walker County, Ga., and used a cast of local, nonprofessional actors – many of whom knew the real-life victims and perpetrators from 2002.

“I want the film to reflect the beauty, mystery and subtle terror that pervade Southern culture, specifically as experienced by its teenagers,” Summerour said. Summerour will be on campus for the event and will participate in a question-and-answer session following the screening of his film.

828.227.3622 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The Concerts on the Creek summer music series returns for its fourth season in May featuring live bands each Friday evening from Memorial Day weekend through the end of July.

The free outdoor performances take place from 7:30-9:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Bridge Park Pavilion beside Scotts Creek in downtown Sylva. All shows are family-friendly.

Kicking off the series May 25 is the Sundown Band from Blairsville, Ga. Sundown plays rock-and-roll from the 60s and 70s, along with blues and country.

Critically acclaimed bluegrass band Balsam Range takes the stage June 15 and will perform the hit “Trains I Missed,” which was named the 2011 Song of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association.

The complete 10-week schedule is as follows: Sundown (May 25), Vinyl Brothers Big Band (June 1), Rafe Hollister (June 8), Balsam Range (June 15), Mountain Faith (June 22), Buchanan Boys (June 29), Johnny Webb Band (July 6), Empty Pockets (July 13), The Elderly Brothers (July 20) and Dashboard Blue (July 27).

800.962.1911 or www.mountainlovers.com.

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Two artists were selected to paint various versions of the historic Bethel Presbyterian Church.

Nick DePaolo, owner of Long Grove Art School in Waynesville, will create an oil painting of the exterior of the church when the structure retained its traditional white clapboard appearance. DePaolo has been a freelance artist, instructor and muralist for more than 40 years.

Gary Woolard is commissioned to portray the interior of Bethel Presbyterian Church. With its chestnut bead-board panels alternating at various junctures, the 1885 interior is striking and beautiful. Woolard received a grant from the North Carolina Arts Foundation to paint the 12 oldest churches in the state’s first 12 counties.  

Bethel Rural Community Organization’s Historic Preservation Committee is initiating a several year art project that will include various artists who will portray scenes of Bethel’s historic sites.

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Western Carolina University will celebrate the artwork of local students with the 2012 Jackson County Youth Art Month exhibit from April 9-27 in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center.

The college will hold a reception from 2-3 p.m. on April 15 in the north hallway of the center. The event is free and the public is invited.

The exhibition will include the artwork of more than 400 Jackson County students from kindergarten through the 12th grade.

“Jackson County is fortunate to have an art teacher in each of its public schools who educates students in the history and aesthetics of art-making and gives them opportunities to critically analyze the meaning of art in their daily lives,” said Erin Tapley, event coordinator and associate professor of art education.

Participating schools will include Cullowhee Valley School, Blue Ridge School, Fairview Elementary School, Summit Charter School, Smokey Mountain High School, Scotts Creek School, Smokey Mountain Elementary School and Sylva Alternative School.

The Bardo Arts Center is open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. every weekday.

828.227.3598 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The Lonebackpacker Gallery of World Photography, owned by artist Adam Malis, opened last week on Depot Street in Waynesville.

The gallery showcases fine art photography taken on all seven continents from the perspective of the solo traveler.  

Malis, a self-taught photographer, spent the majority of his time between 1994 and 2005 traveling the world with not much more than a backpack, guidebook, pen, paper and point and shoot camera in his possession. Among his destinations were North Korea, China, Africa and Bhutan.

“I am humbled by the response the exhibit has received so far. We are thrilled to be a new addition to Western North Carolina’s art scene.  We look forward to becoming a permanent fixture in town and a ‘must see’ on people’s list when visiting the area!” Malis said.

The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday, except Wednesdays and Sundays. All of the artwork on display is available for purchase at an affordable price.

828.550.8105 or www.lbpgallery.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Western Carolina University will host more than 700 professional geologists and geology students during the 61st annual meeting of the Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America, which will be held Saturday, March 31, through Monday, April 2, in Asheville.

This marks the first time the Geological Society of America has met in Western North Carolina. WCU’s Department of Geosciences and Natural Resources is playing host for the event held at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel.

There will be lectures, discussions, workshops, exhibits and field trips.

The keynote address will be delivered by Richard M. Wooten, senior geologist with the North Carolina Geological Survey, who will speak on “Landslide Hazard Mapping 2005-2011: Findings and Lessons Learned.”

www.geosociety.org/Sections/se/2012mtg or 828.227.7367.

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Bartering Day is on tap for the old T.M. Rickman Store in Macon County’s historic Cowee Valley from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Sunday, March 31.

This event is being held to honor the 87th anniversary of this store and is sponsored by Friends of the Rickman Store. Trade your treasures, your baked goods, tools, plants and more. Plus enjoy a special program on Cherokee agriculture and heirloom seeds at 11 a.m. There will also be local musicians performing in a jam session from 1 to 4 p.m.

Seven miles north of Franklin on N.C. 28 at 259 Cowee Creek Road. 828.369.5595.

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A storied Appalachian Trail event is on tap April 6 and 7 at Nantahala Outdoor Center with the AT Founder’s Bridge Festival.

Day hikers, long distance warriors and outdoor enthusiasts alike are welcome to share their passion with like-minded folks, enjoying trail-steeped speakers sharing their experiences, a vendor village staffed by outdoor industry representatives, skills clinics, guided hikes and trail work sessions.

The festival is timed to coincide with the peak thru-hiker season, when dozens of Appalachian Trail hikers

At the Bridge Festival hikers will get the down and dirty on new gear, enjoy demos, and register for raffle prizes. Groups attending the event are the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Nantahala Hiking Club, Friends of the Smokies and the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club.

Keep in shape on Saturday morning by giving the AT a hand with some trail maintenance work trip hosted by the Smoky Mountain Hiking Club. Long pants, closed-toe shoes and work gloves are recommended. Bring water and snacks. Participants will be entered to win a Silky arborists’ saw.

The Bridge Festival welcomes back Jennifer Pharr Davis as she shares a presentation about a lifetime on the trail, including her most recent AT speed record hike and signed copies of her book Becoming Odyssa.

Here’s a rundown:

• Friday, 6-7 p.m. at the event tent: Jennifer Pharr Davis: “Adventures on the Appalachian Trail.”

• Friday, 7 p.m. until:  Charlotte Crittenden and “Swinging on a Gate” host contra dancing at the Pourover & Bonfire by the river.     

• Saturday, 8 a.m.: trail maintenance workday.

• Saturday, 11 a.m. until noon, Lightweight Backpacking Clinic at the event tent.

• Saturday, noon until 1 p.m.: survival skills demo at the event tent.

• Saturday, noon until 3 p.m.: Alpacka Raft Demo on the Nantahala River.

• Saturday, 2-3 p.m.: Edible plants hike with Stephan Hart.    

• Saturday, 3-4 p.m.: Alpacka Raft Race on the Nantahala River.

• Saturday, 4-5 p.m.: Lightweight cooking demo and stove expo, event tent.

• Saturday, 6-7 p.m.: Backcountry presentation and slideshow with Yosemite guide Patrick Warren, event tent.

• Saturday, 7:30 p.m. until …: Live Music with Sam Cooper, The Pourover Pub.

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Biologists in the Smokies have confirmed that two different kinds of bats found in a park cave have white-nose syndrome, a life-threatening fungus.

White-nose syndrome has been responsible for the deaths of millions of bats in Eastern North America. It is named for a white fungus that forms on the faces of many infected bats. The disease causes bats to become restless during hibernation, moving about the cave and burning up fat reserves or losing body water they need to survive the winter. Expending the calories while they are supposed to be hibernating causes them to become emaciated, unable to make it through until spring when insects return. There is no known cure for the disease.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to 11 bat species and the largest hibernating population of the endangered Indiana bat in the state of Tennessee. Of the species that reside in the park, at least six of them that hibernate in park caves and mines are susceptible to the fungus.

In 2009 all 16 park caves and two mining complexes were closed to any public entry to delay the importation of the pathogen on visitors’ clothing or gear. Park caves will continue to remain closed to human access to minimize the chances of spreading the disease to other areas.

Park visitors should not handle dead bats or bats found to be acting abnormally. If you see a dead, sick or injured bat, call 865.436.1230.

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The Great Smoky Mountains National Park plans to collect fees next year from backpackers despite the proposal receiving opposition from backcountry users and locals who enjoyed camping in the Smokies without the hassle of a fee system.

The money collected from the backcountry camping fees will fund a backcountry information desk, which previously has been understaffed. Dedicated backcountry rangers at the new information desk will be able to help backpackers and horse packers with trip-planning and reservation services. The fees will also increase ranger patrol I the backcountry.

About 230 written comments and two petitions were received during a public comment period last summer. Swain County commissioners passed a resolution opposing the new fees.

The park said it decided to focus its plans around the lowest and simplest of the fees under study: $4 per night per person, adding that 100 percent of the revenue will be invested in improving back-country services through extended hours of the back-country office, trip-planning assistance, on-line reservations, and protection of park resources through increased ranger staff.

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More than 300 Macon County students and others interested in the natural landscape will attend Invasive Species Awareness Day from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Monday, April 2, on the Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin.

Learn about how exotic species are a scourge on the native mountain ecosystem and what can be done to combat them.

This educational get-together is part of  N.C. Invasive Plant Awareness Week, an opportunity to teach identification, control and prevention of exotic invasive plants and animals in natural areas. The event is hosted by the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee and Friends of the Greenway.  

Experts from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River, Western North Carolina Alliance and others will host educational displays, give brief presentations and answer questions about exotic invasive plants, insects, mammals, fish and aquatic invertebrates. Weed-eating goats will also be on the greenway to demonstrate a natural method for removing exotic invasive plants. Additional topics to be covered include the importance of streamside buffers for water quality, methods of native habitat restoration and the benefits of healthy forest soils.

A rain date is set for Wednesday, April 4.

828.507.1188 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Approximately 1,100 miles of hatchery-supported trout waters in 25 western counties will open at 7 a.m. on April 7. The season will run until March 1 of next year.

When fishing on hatchery-supported trout waters, anglers can harvest a maximum of seven trout per day, with no minimum size limits or bait restrictions.

Hatchery-supported trout waters are marked by green-and-white signs and are stocked from March until August every year, depending on the individual stream.

Regionwide, nearly 877,000 trout — with 96 percent of the stocked fish averaging 10 inches in length and the other fish exceeding 14 inches — will be put into the stream waters.

For a detailed list of all hatchery-supported trout waters and regulation information, as well as trout maps and weekly stocking summaries on hatchery-supported trout waters, visit www.ncwildlife.org/fishing.

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Hundreds of anglers will line the 30 miles of streams on the Cherokee Indian Reservation Saturday, March 31, with the opening of trout season here. Also scheduled is an opening day fishing tournament.

The opening day tournament cost $5. Hundreds of specially tagged fish will be stocked in the streams. These tagged fish can be redeemed for cash prizes ranging from $20 to $500 based on the color of the tag, with $10,000 total in tagged fish being released.

Catching something is pretty much ensured since the Cherokee Fish and Game Management each year adds nearly 400,000 trout to the existing population of fish. These supplemental stockings include rainbow, brook and brown trout of various sizes ranging up to trophy size.

A $10 tribal permit for each person 12 years of age and over is required to fish in Cherokee streams and ponds. Children under age 12 are allowed to fish with a permitted adult. Two, three and five-day permits are available at a reduced rate and a season’s permit costs $250. No other type of fishing license is required nor accepted on the reservation. Throughout the season, fishing is allowed from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Creek limit is 10 trout per day per permit holder.

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Experienced growers Ron and Kathy Arps will lead a panel discussion about home gardening at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 3, in the community room of the Jackson County Library in Sylva. The Arps three-quarter-acre garden just outside of Sylva is totally muscle-powered. Other panel members include Lynn Jones, who lives in Cashiers where gardening at 3,700 feet in elevation presents a host of challenges. The panel might also include some other area gardeners, all ready to share their experiences and answer questions. Co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. 828.586.2016.

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The views in the Smokies might get a little easier to see after a contractor cuts back encroaching trees from 34 of the most-popular roadside vistas along the main roads of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Park officials say that this will be the first major vista-clearing initiative in decades.

“In each case we will have a park staff person assigned to guide the contractor in determining which trees should be removed entirely and which will be trimmed or thinned,” acting park facility manager Charlie Sellars said.

The park plans to start maintenance on a seven-year cycle.

Motorists can expect to see this initial vista management under way from April 1 through Aug. 1 along Newfound Gap Road, Clingmans Dome Road, Lakeview Drive and Cataloochee Road. No roads are expected to be closed to complete the work, but the overlooks being cleared will be closed as needed to accomplish the work safely.

When park roads were first constructed, the forests had been extensively logged and often burned in pre-park days, leaving unobstructed views in every direction, but 75 years of forest recovery has resulted in many of the scenic overlooks becoming obscured by maturing trees.

To keep trees from growing back, herbicides will be applied to the stumps of the taller-growing tree species to prevent their re-sprouting. Lower-growing shrubby species, like rhododendron and mountain laurel, will not be cut so that eventually these low-growing native species will shade out and discourage the re-growth of the taller trees with less work by park crews.

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