I normally buy plain yogurt and sometimes there's a slightly yellow liquid floating on top. What is that and is it still safe to eat the yogurt?

To the Editor:

I would like to thank you for your excellent opinion piece in the Nov. 22 issue of the The Smoky Mountain News.  

Prior to the election I had a conversation with a friend of mine, a young college student. She expressed some positive feelings toward Hillary Clinton but said she was voting for Trump because Clinton was not a Christian. I asked her why she believed that. She seemed to have concluded this from listening to her boyfriend and social media. 

I presented her with what I felt were concrete examples to contradict her assumption. In response, she dismissed my examples in favor of her own set of “facts.” 

This example reinforced my concern that we have raised a generation of young Americans seriously lacking critical thinking skills. Karl Marx wrote that “Religion is the opium of the masses.” I am beginning to think that social media is the new opiate.

Margery Abel

Franklin

To the Editor:

While I agree with many of the concerns you have with fake news (www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/18865), it didn’t start with social media or the internet. The “people [who] are too lazy to search out the truth or they just don’t really care” have existed since before Gutenberg, not just with the advent of social media. Your so-called “legitimate” media have been in free-fall for decades. Yellow Journalism started with newspapers, not social media. The only difference is one of magnitude.

You ask, “What happens to democracy in a post-factual age? We have no idea because it hasn’t happened before.”

You couldn’t possibly be serious. The old media have no equal when it comes to distorting facts or simply making them up. Contrary to your assertion, they have been doing it for years. And, I won’t even count the network quiz show scandals.

Charles Hammond, in an editorial in the Cincinnati Gazette, wrote, “General [Andrew] Jackson’s mother was a Common Prostitute brought to this country by British soldiers. She afterwards married a Mulatto Man, with whom she had several children, of which General Jackson is one!!!”

Who knew at the time that FDR was a cripple or that JFK was a drug and sex addict? It was only with the conspiratorial aid of a complicit media that it was covered up. But, only those favored by the media received, and continue to receive, partiality.

Using a quote from Thomas Jefferson to “re-emphasize civic education in our public schools” is rather peculiar when you consider that while he served as Secretary of State, he was the impetus to founding the National Gazette to counter the influence of the Gazette of the United States, a Federalist newspaper. He subsidized the paper with grants from the State Department. Back then, as now, it was all about politics. Fake news has been with us for generations.

Then there is Dan Rather’s Killian documents controversy. The New York Times with the plagiarism of Jayson Blair and Rick Bragg. NYT’s John F. Burns and Newsday’s Roy Gutman’s reportage of the Balkans wars. Jack Kelley at USA Today. Brian Williams. Stephen Glass. Janet Cooke. George Stephanopoulos.

Don’t forget that Newsweek had to retract a story claiming the Quran had been flushed down the toilet at Guantanamo Bay by U.S. prison guards.

Last, but by no means least, is Walter Cronkite. Despite his sobriquet of  “The most trusted man in America,” his political slanting was so egregious that CBS replaced him as anchor at the 1964 political conventions with Robert Trout and Roger Mudd. He also led the media lies about the Tet Offensive. Cronkite lied. Young men died.

In a rare, candid essay Will Rahn, managing director of politics for CBS News Digital, confessed that the White House Press Corps “were all tacitly or explicitly  #WithHer.” “Journalists, at our worst, see ourselves as a priestly caste. We believe we not only have access to the indisputable facts, but also a greater truth, a system of beliefs divined from an advanced understanding of justice…. We must become more impartial, not less so. We have to abandon our easy culture of tantrums and recrimination. We have to ... admit that, as a class, journalists have a shamefully limited understanding of the country we cover.”

I’m certain a good many of your readers are not surprised by the content of his essay, but are surprised at the admission.

We realize the media haven’t changed much from the days of the New York Times’ Walter (“you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs”) Duranty and his ill-gotten Pulitzer Prize despite lying about the Holomodor. That’s why, when Donald Trump points to the media at his rallies and calls them liars, the response is overwhelmingly in agreement.

Timothy Van Eck

Whittier

Haywood County has been declared a primary disaster area due to drought, making family farms eligible for federal assistance such as Farm Service Agency emergency loans.

Each of the Waynesville Judo Club’s six members came home with a medal from their Oct. 29 competition at University of Tennessee Knoxville.

North Carolina is working to establish rules for a pilot program allowing industrial hemp production, with the newly formed N.C. Industrial Hemp Commission holding its first meeting this month.

When the wildfires burning across Western North Carolina are extinguished, Western Carolina University faculty will likely be eying their footprints for outdoor classrooms.

After disease wiped out Haywood Community College’s famed dahlia garden this year, the Carolinas Dahlia Society stepped up with a donation to restore the garden to its former glory.

The elk viewing experience in the Cataloochee Valley area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will get a boost thanks to a $3,500 grant that Friends of the Smokies received from the Haywood County Tourism and Development Authority.

Ingles warmly welcomes one of our newest LOCAL vendors, Smiling Hara Tempeh. 

Arboretum collecting firefighting donations 

Due to heightened fire danger throughout the region, the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville will not have fire pits as part of its Winter Lights event — instead, the arboretum is asking ticketholders to swap out s’mores purchases for donations of supplies.

A collection bin to hold donations for firefighters and first responders battling North Carolina wildfires will be available inside the Baker Exhibit Center lobby. Requested items include bottled water, Gatorade, lip balm, saline eye drops, pre-packaged food and protein bars. 

Supplies can be dropped off during regular arboretum hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or during the Winter Lights event that is now held nightly 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1. 

Purchase tickets at www.ncarboretum.org/exhibits-events/winter-lights. 

Game lands closed due to wildfires

Game lands managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are facing temporary closure as a result of the wildfires spreading across Western North Carolina. 

The Toxaway Game Land and South Mountains Game Land have been closed, and portions of game lands in the Nantahala National Forest are closed as well. 

Depending on how quickly the fires spread and how long they last, officials may close additional roads or access to other game lands, if needed. Officials are keeping a close eye on the Chestnut Knob fire, which continues to spread, bringing it closer to South Mountains Game Land.

Updated closure information is available at www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/Where-to-Hunt/Public-Places.

National Forest areas closed due to wildfire

Spreading wildfires have forced additional closures of trails, areas and roads in the Nantahala National Forest.

These newer closures cover the Chunky Gal area on the Tusquittee Ranger District, the Southern Nantahala Wilderness area on the Nantahala Ranger District and the Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness Area on the Cheoah Ranger District. 

Many other closures are also in effect, including the Appalachian Trail from the Georgia line to the Nantahala Outdoor Center near Bryson City. 

For a full list of closures, visit http://bit.ly/2g3nCAp.

Swain and Jackson counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas due to losses from the ongoing drought.

Drought conditions are taking their toll on livestock operations in the area, according to Jackson County Cooperative Extension, causing a shortage of hay and increased risk of bovine pulmonary edema and emphysema, or ABPE.

A new website highlighting land protection projects along the North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway is up and running, touting 76 properties totaling 63,948 acres that had been protected as of Dec. 31, 2015.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians was honored for its use of positive-impact forestry on the Qualla Boundary when the EBCI Office of Natural Resources won the 2016 EcoForester Award in a ceremony celebrating local forest products industry and sustainable forestry. 

To the Editor:

Thank you for publishing The Smoky Mountain News. We enjoy reading it every week. I would like to raise a few points regarding your opinion column in the Nov. 16 edition (www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/18818). 

First, remember the Electoral College issue only affects the presidential election. The branch of government the founding fathers intended to be the most crucial was the Congress, and of course we have large state/small state balance in the two-house structure. The executive branch was designed primarily to simply execute the laws passed by Congress. 

If the president’s power was limited to the level spelled out in the Constitution, the presidential elections would be far less criticaI. I believe it is fair to say all of the founding fathers were very worried about the presidency becoming too powerful. 

I refer you to the book recently reviewed by one of your book reviewers: Nine Presidents Who Screwed Up America: and Four Who Tried to Save Her. All Americans should support measures to reduce presidential power.

Second, my thoughts regarding the recent election results were similar to those in your piece until I listened to Rush Limbaugh’s programs over the past few days (sorry to refer to him. I’m sure you are not a proponent of his views but I believe these are valid points). He correctly pointed out that if the presidential race was based on popular vote both candidates would have campaigned much differently. Trump did not campaign in very blue states and Clinton did not campaign in red states. 

What would the outcome be if they did? We know that in states where they did both campaign Trump was more successful. And if the popular vote was the basis of the election, it would certainly result in more blue state Republicans and red state Democrats going to the polls. So the popular vote might have favored Trump if that was the format. 

I support the Electoral College format for the presidential elections and am certainly glad we live in a republic, not a democracy. Thanks for the opportunity to respond to your editorial.

John Johnson

Lake Junaluska

Two local authors and the Bethel Rural Community Organization’s Historic Preservation Committee were among award winners at the annual meeting of the North Carolina Society of Historians (NCSH) in Wilkesboro.

During his tenure on the Haywood County Commission, retiring Chairman Mark Swanger has certainly shaped what the future of the county will look like for decades to come.

Sunshine Sammies ice cream sandwiches are available in our FROZEN FOOD section.

Jackson County students in third through ninth grade will get a chance to share their messages on the importance of soil and water with this year’s annual contest through the Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation District. 

For the sixth year running, Western North Carolina has been recognized as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in North America by The Princeton Review. 

A new map is available detailing more than 2 million acres of public forests, parks and scenic byways throughout Western North Carolina and East Tennessee.

The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians is just over a year old, but it’s already being recognized as a standout.

One of the largest conservation easements to ever be donated by an individual in North Carolina history has been finalized in Rutherford and McDowell counties.

I needed nearly a full day after the election before I could formulate a response to the election of Donald J. Trump as President of the United States. 

Just before 10 p.m. on election night, as Florida and North Carolina broke for Trump and it began to dawn on everyone that all the pollsters and pundits had had it all wrong, I must have read two dozen posts on Facebook ranging in tone from delirious celebration to abject misery to complete disbelief, but I contributed nothing because I just could not believe what was unfolding.

To the Editor:

On a personal level, I am quite unhappy with last Tuesday’s election results. As a “community leader,” what concerns me more is that Haywood County no longer has any representative in Raleigh. In the last legislative map drawing, Haywood County was a sacrificial lamb. I have no recriminations for those people that held that political brush.  

However, as the canvas is now painted, I see nothing good for the county for generations to come. This isn’t about Democrats and Republicans. It is a serious political issue when the largest electorate in a governmental district has no voice. And that’s what Haywood is — the largest county by population in both the 118th and the 119th state House districts and in the 50th Senate District.  

I challenge the citizens of Haywood County, the political parties, businesses and other affected entities to rectify this civic injustice. We don’t have the liberty to point fingers, but we have the obligation to rightfully take our seat at the table.

In politics, “pigs get fed and hogs get slaughtered.” I for one, don’t relish my county on the political menu as an hors d’oeurve.   

Mayor Gavin A. Brown

Waynesville 

A man the Clyde Police Department and Haywood County Sheriff’s Office mentioned as “wanted” in connection to an armed robbery that happened at the Single Stop on Carolina Boulevard in Clyde on Oct. 15 has been arrested.

Life Challenge of Western North Carolina has been awarded a $9,000 grant from the Evergreen Foundation to help make essential improvements and renovations to its residential shelter and therapeutic treatment facility for women who are suffering from substance abuse problems and other life challenges.

With dry conditions reigning and wildfires raging, it’s currently both dangerous and illegal to start a fire nearly anywhere in Western North Carolina.

What is ERYTHRITOL? I noticed this ingredient on some stevia sweetener I bought at Ingles. 

To the Editor:

I live by Standing Indian Campground on West Old Murphy Road. Last Wednesday I watched the helicopters going to the Boteler Peak fire from my home. That afternoon, however, a U.S. Forest Service truck drove past my house, going the wrong direction from Boteler Peak. A first responder and West Macon Fire Truck came next, followed soon after by the smell of smoke, confirming that there was indeed another wildfire: The Buck Knob Fire. What ensued was an impressive procession of Forest Service vehicles, wildland fire trucks, local fire trucks, first responders, a dozer, and then of course the helicopters. I was awestruck.

Right now, professional women and men from across the country are here supporting local crews. Together with the staff of our Nantahala-Pisgah National Forests, local first responders and county fire departments, they are working to manage numerous wildfires on our national forest. With limited resources, these crews are tasked with balancing public safety (and their own) with the health of the forest (because fire under the right conditions can have long-term benefits for some types of forest).

 Unfortunately, unlike the dedicated funding that exists for many other natural disasters, wildfire response activities are funded through the Forest Service and Department of the Interior budgets. This means that the Forest Service must often transfer money from other funds in its budget to respond to wildfires. It is imperative that the Forest Service has a stable budget that provides the resources needed for its other work, such as managing roads and water quality to conserve fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and more.

Despite working under uncomfortable and unpredictable conditions, the personnel that I encountered last week handled my questions with grace. And while I was at the district office, a local man called to offer the pond on his property for helicopters to use for water.

This man understands the spirit of public lands management. That is, when it comes to our shared public lands, we must take care of them together. We must give the professionals and agencies the tools and information that they need to do their job, and avoid adding to their workload. Be diligent about any sources of ignition on your property. Don’t throw cigarette butts out of your car window. Respect signs indicating that a road is closed for fire management, and if you see personnel and volunteers, thank them. 

Finally, speak up in support of the men and women who work for the Forest Service. Write to your representatives in Congress and ask them to seek dedicated funding for wildfire response, so that the Forest Service may take care of our national forests for the benefit of us all.

Michelle Ruigrok

Franklin

To the Editor:

As someone who is regarded as white, why am I a member of the Jackson County NAACP? This is what I know: the policies that hurt black children in schools also hurt white children. The conditions that create hungry black children also create hungry white children. The policies that keep black families from getting health care keep many white families from getting health care. Laws that hurt black workers also hurt white workers. Therefore, what is good for black people is good for everyone. When we unite over our common needs, solutions can be found.

From a Christian point of view, Jesus was quite clear. He stated (Mark:31) that the second of two commandments is to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

If you think your neighbors are only those who look like you or agree with you, Jesus also said (Matthew 5:44) “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Later (Matthew 25:40), Jesus said “as you did to one of the least of these my brothers, you do to me.”

Jesus is again quoted (John 13:34) as saying “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

Clearly, Jesus is for brotherly love, not hatred.  In addition, hatred doesn’t just hurt the recipient, it hurts the souls of those who hate even more.

As for Jesus himself, was he not born a Middle Eastern Jew, with dark skin? The whole notion of black versus white is superficial, if not artificial, as we are all human beings whose ancestors originated in Africa. If you don’t believe me, have your DNA tested and find out for yourself.

To hate others for their humanity is to hate oneself. That is no way to live. Ultimately, this is about justice, and not for ‘just us.’  As the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Until all are free, none are free.” Now that is the way to live.

When we all come together, we can create something positive for everyone.

Dan Kowal

Franklin

Two Haywood Community College students have been recognized for their leadership, scholarship and dedication to the wildlife management profession with the 2016 Dave Dudek Wildlife Award.

With a new, more stringent ozone standard now in effect, North Carolina’s numbers are looking good.

The North Carolina Forest Service has issued a burn ban for 25 Western North Carolina Counties, effective immediately and until further notice.

Campfires in the backcountry of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are a no-go following the park’s decision to issue a fire ban due to extremely dry conditions — in fact, many backcountry sites are currently without water. 

Chuck Francis will again return to chair a Haywood County School Board that has set high marks for achievement, climbing into the top 10 percent of all districts in the state.

Haywood Community College Career & College Promise student Ezekiel MacMillan was recently awarded the third place National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) Student Entrepreneur Award. 

Haywood County Deputies responded to the Haywood Regional Medical Fitness Center around 6:15 a.m. Nov. 2 in reference to nine cars being broken into.

The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC), serving as a Designated County Partner of the North Carolina Arts Council, is pleased to announce the 2016-17 subgrantees for the Grassroots Arts Program. These awards are for organizations producing high quality arts programming. The subgrantees for this grant period are:

 Jackson County has joined five other Western North Carolina counties in receiving designation as a primary natural disaster area due to agricultural losses from drought.

A weekend of outdoor competition raised $220,000 in support of military members and their families at Mountain Falls Luxury Motorcoach Resort and Burlingame Country Club Lake Toxaway last month.

More than a ton of trash vanished from Richland and Allens creeks following a volunteer cleanup effort this fall.