Laura Boosinger will perform at 4 p.m. on July 22 at the Cradle of Forestry amphitheater as part of the 2012 Songcatchers Music Series.

Boosinger’s primary focus is the interpretation of traditional music from the southern mountains. She plays old-time banjo, guitar, dulcimer and finger-style autoharp. Local old-time music quartet, the East Fork Gals, will welcome attendees to the July 22 concert with a performance of fiddle tunes and songs.

The series, now in its ninth year, features performances of traditional mountain music every Sunday in July beginning at 4 p.m. Attendees are invited to bring picnics, chairs and blankets.

$6 for ages 16 and older, $3 for youth 15 and under. 828.877.3130 or www.cradleofforestry.org.

The next session of the Inspired Art Ministry (Iam) classes begins the week of July 23 with drawing classes on Mondays from 1-4 p.m. and painting classes on Tuesdays from 1-4 p.m. at the Waynesville First Baptist Church.

Sessions run for six weeks but attendees may come to one class at a time. Beginners through advanced and artists looking for open studio space in which to work are welcome. Classes are taught by Char Avrunin, who also offers private lessons.

Iam includes an art library of how-to books to check out; makes field trips to museums and art shows of note; has an annual art shows; participates in local shows and offers discounts at local art stores and frame shops. Iam is a non-profit corporation that tithes on all income to the First Baptist Church for the privilege of using the spaces.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.456.9197.

“Mentalist” Erik Dobel, who uses psychology and trickery to create the illusion of psychic ability, will be the featured guest at a special program for teens ages 12 and up at 6:30 p.m. on July 25 in the Community Room of The Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

He can’t really read minds, but it sure seems like he can.

 This event is part of the Summer Reading Program for teens, called Own the Night. Dobell’s performance is aimed at children over the age of 12.

Attendees are advised that the library itself closes at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays and will not be open during the program.

The Friends of the Jackson County Public Library is co-sponsor of this program. For more information or questions call the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva at 828.586.2016.

The Waynesville Lions Club will hold its 60th annual horse show at 3 p.m. on July 21 at the Haywood County Fairgrounds.  

The Smoky Mountain Community Theatre will present its summer production, “Greater Tuna,” with special arrangements with Samuel French.

Susan Morgan Leveille, a professional weaver and teacher in Dillsboro for more than 35 years, has day and evening classes for beginners, intermediate and advanced students at her studio.

The studio has ongoing classes for adults and is offering “stand-alone” classes for adults and children July 24 through Aug. 19. Stand-alone classes feature instruction for making pot holders, mug rugs, introduction to tapestry weaving, amulet purses and backstrap weaving.

The studio is planning an open house from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, July 21, for prospective students to learn more about the classes.

828.586.6542 for details.

Western Carolina University’s Department of Intercultural Affairs will offer a free belly dancing workshop from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, on the lawn of A.K. Hinds University Center.

The workshop will be led by performer, choreographer and instructor Lisa Zahiya, who earned the title “2008 Tribal Fusion Belly Dancer of the Universe.”

The event is open to the WCU community and the general public. For more information contact Sarah Carter at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A Waynesville Contra Dance will be held from 2-4:30 p.m. on July 22 at the Gateway Club ballroom at 37 Church St.

AnneMarie Walter will call the dance and the band is Out of the Woodwork. All dances done to live music, no previous experience with contra dancing necessary, all dances taught and walked through, no partner required.

$5.

The Liars Bench, a troupe of award-winning storytellers and musicians, bring “Tall Tales, Mountain Myths, & Flat-Out Lies” to the Franklin Folk Festival from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 21.

The Liars Bench is a traditional Southern Appalachian storytelling, music, poetry, dramatic, and folk arts variety show.

The July 21 performers include storyteller and author Gary Carden, Cherokee storyteller and historian Lloyd Arneach, mountain musicians Paul Agrussi and William Ritter, and storyteller Bob Plott.

The Liars Bench artists will perform in the spacious second floor hall of Peoples on the Square, Main Street at Iotla Street in downtown Franklin.

www.artscouncilofmacon.org or 828.524.7683.

More than 40 historic photographs of Canton are on display at the Canton library from now through Aug. 31, and a public reception of the exhibit will be held at the library from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9.

The “Images of Historic Canton” exhibition, which features black and white photographs from the 1890s through the 1950s, celebrates schools, churches, industry, culture and the people of Canton. From early images of the Champion paper mill to group photos of state and national champion sports teams to landmark buildings associated with Canton, this exhibit represents months of research and sorting through thousands of old photographs at the Canton Historical Museum.

Each photograph selected for the exhibit was digitally scanned and edited, enlarged, and printed by Roland Osborne. Nineteen of the photos were framed at Earthworks Gallery in Waynesville. Each photo represents a unique facet of Canton’s history and is accompanied by a brief caption.

The exhibit is part of an on-going program known as the Haywood Snapshot Project, an outreach effort of the Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society. 828.648.2924.

The Glenville Historical Society’s second annual Historical Tour featuring sites in the Norton Community will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 28.

The tour begins at the Norton Community Center where tour-goers will be given an overview of the community’s historic sites. From there the tour is self-guided, and participants will be provided brochures and maps.

Tour sites include historic homes, farms, points of interest and a toy museum. The Mountain Top property is at the end of the tour. Esther King Martin Metz, an Ashville native, designed the two-story cottage as a summer retreat just northwest of Cashiers in Jackson County circa 1923. This architectural pioneer is believed to be the first female to receive an architectural degree in North Carolina. She shared this place with her husband Charles, who designed the dam and lake on the property.

The Raggedy Anne and Andy Museum, now under the guidance of Kim Gruelle — a descendant of the beloved doll’s creator — is a relatively unknown attraction. Gruelle will host the museum visit and has donated a Raggedy Ann and Andy doll for a fundraising raffle. Raffle tickets, $5 each or 5 for $20, are available now from any GHS member and of course will be sold during the tour.

The proceeds from the tour and raffle fundraiser will be used as seed money needed to publish the Glenville Area Historical Record, the book of families, sites, life and culture from the past to the present.

The cost for the tour is $10. Tour and raffle tickets can be purchased by calling Marietta and Don Domkowki at 828.743.3004 or any GHS Board member. For additional information about the Glenville Historical Society and the 2012 Historical Tour call Carol Adams at 828.743.1658 or Pearl Krepps at 828.743.6744 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The second quilt square hanging — part of the Quilt Trail Project — will be held at Island Park in Bryson City at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 20. 

The double wedding ring design chosen by Tee Angel of Angel Cabins for her quilt square is one well known throughout the mountains of Western North Carolina. Tee chose not to place it at her place of business, but rather at Island Park where everyone can enjoy its charm while taking in the beauty and solitude of Island Park.

“ I just love Island Park — what a treasure to have in downtown Bryson City — and I wanted my quilt square to bring another element of beauty to the Island for all to enjoy,” said Angel.

The brightly-colored, wooden quilt block will join its sister square, “Appalachian Dream,” located at the Bryson City/Swain County Chamber of Commerce.

The next block is slated for the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Depot and the Bryson Pride committee is putting together a quilt trail map and brochure that will be distributed at the Swain County Visitor Center and available online at www.greatsmokies.com. Individuals interested in purchasing a quilt block for their property should contact Rota Krape at 828.421.0948.

The Haywood County Arts Council will dedicated “Four Little Birds,” the first quilt block at a Haywood County bed and breakfast, at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 25, at The Windover Inn.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is searching for volunteers to help maintain sections along the fabled footpath. No previous trail experience is necessary — just a desire to work hard, live in the backcountry and have a great time among new friends. Food is provided during the volunteer trail work week.

Four workshops for private forest landowners in Western North Carolina will be held on Wednesdays and Thursdays between mid-July and mid-August.

The workshops, titled “Woodland Steward Series: Mountains Program,” are held at various locations including the N.C. Arboretum, Cradle of Forestry and Bent Creek Experimental Forest. Landowners can pick one or all of the workshop to attend. Topics include:

• Discovering Your Land: Basic Land Management Skills

• Native Landscaping & Water Management

• Woodscaping Your Woodlands & Firewise Management

• Stewardship, Recreation & Liability

The workshops give landowners the knowledge and resources necessary to enrich their experience as woodland owners and managers. Each workshop consists of a one-and-a-half day meeting led by natural resource and land management specialists, including both hands-on activities in the field and instruction in the classroom.

The event is sponsored by the North Carolina State University’s Forestry & Environmental Outreach Program, Cradle of Forestry Interpretive Association, North Carolina Forest Service, N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, U.S. Forest Service, the Cradle of Forestry in America, The N.C. Arboretum and Bent Creek Experimental Forest.

www.ncsu-feop.org/woodlandstewards or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 919.515.9563.

Foxes sighted in daylight, or in urban and suburban settings are not necessarily rabid or dangerous, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

Residents should still take action to avoid conflict with these common animals. Simply seeing a fox is not typically a cause for alarm. In most cases, people who merely see a fox do not need to take action.

However, nobody should approach a fox or fox den, even if they see harmless. Do not approach, touch or feed the fox or its pups. Feeding them will habituate them to people and may lead to aggression.

Action might be necessary in situations where foxes have become habituated to people. In those cases, people can and should take steps, such as yelling, banging pots and pans and setting off legal fireworks, to chase foxes from yards and neighborhoods. Be aggressive and repeat these actions if the foxes do not leave.

To prevent problems with any type of wildlife:

• Don’t feed wild animals — they can lose their fear of people.  

• Make sure you are not indirectly feeding wildlife by cleaning up pet food, securing trash in an animal-proof container, keeping barbecue grills clean and removing bird feeders.

• Establish protective barriers to keep wildlife from entering basements, crawl spaces, attics and beneath decks, where they might build nests or dens.

• Secure pets or keep them indoors. Dogs can disturb dens, prompting aggressive behavior from the foxes.

• Clear overhanging tree limbs or other means of access that wildlife can use to enter a structure.

• Clear fallen fruit from around trees.

• Annually inspect property to identify food problems and other areas that need to be fixed before an issue begins.

• Encourage neighbors to use these same methods.

www.ncwildlife.org

The N.C. Wildlife Federation is offering $5,000 for information about the recent elk killings that directly leads to an arrest or other official action.

The three elk were killed around May 18 in the Mount Sterling area of Haywood County just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“A $5,000 reward will hopefully entice anyone with information to come forth,” said Tim Gestwicki, executive director of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. “We are providing these resources to underscore the seriousness we place on the poaching of this iconic species.”

The poached elk were part of a reintroduction program by the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that began in 2002. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission wildlife violations number at 800.662.7137.

Hikers who want to travel smarter on trails in the Southern mountains now have access to a mobile app called “Great Hikes of the Southern Appalachians.” The app allows adventurers to carry all the maps, directions and other hiking information they need with them on their iPhone.

Friends of the Smokies and The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation are among a select group of organizations featured as part of the National Parks Traveler’s special edition magazine — Essential Friends, Celebrating Friends Groups In The National Parks.

Essential Friends tells the stories of the national park partner organizations that play an important supporting role in the health and welfare of national parks.

The magazine features eight national parks and the people who passionately step up to help “their parks” on the public’s behalf, plus provides insider tips for enjoying the parks themselves.

“Friends of the Smokies is thrilled that National Park’s Traveler chose to raise awareness that park partners like us really are essential,” said Holly Demuth of Friends of the Smokies. “We hope that many people and businesses will be inspired to give to their parks.”

Essential Friends is available for free download at the National Park Traveler’s website www.nationalparkstraveler.com.

Seven projects received $116,300 in grants from the Pigeon River Fund of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

Grant recipients include:

• The Haywood County Schools Foundation, where a curriculum-based program provides classroom and field activities for students in the fifth, eighth and ninth grades.

• The Land of the Sky Regional Council, which developed a land conservation action plan for Haywood County.

• The Southwestern N.C. Resource Conservation and Development Council, which uses technical field support in the use of GIS mapping information for water quality projects in the Pigeon River Watershed.

• The Western North Carolina Alliance, which supports the WNC Stream monitoring Information Exchange led by the Environmental Quality Institute. Volunteers are educated about their role in protecting water resources and providing high quality stream data to partner organizations to improve water quality in Buncombe, Madison and Haywood counties.

The fund was created in 1996 to improve surface water quality, enhance fish and wildlife management habitats, expand public use and access to waterways and increase awareness to protect resources. Since 1996 the Pigeon River Fund has invested $3.8 million to support grant projects addressing water quality in Haywood, Buncombe and Madison counties.

828.254.4960 or www.cfwnc.org.

Students can join a park ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park this summer in a hands-on work project.

The Summer Student Volunteer Days is for high school and college students.

Here’s what’s available in North Carolina:

• From July 10 through Aug. 14, service projects for students include helping with historic preservation, seed collection, graffiti removal, pulling invasive plants and more. 865.436.1265.

• From July 19 through Aug. 9, students will get involved in “Citizen Science” projects such as salamander monitoring, tree mapping and water quality assessments. 828.497.1907.

• From July 24 through Aug. 23, students can help do trail maintenance alongside park trail staff to contribute to the public’s enjoyment and safety of the Smokies’ trail system. Students will work on drainage surfaces, build staircases and remove vegetation. 828.497.1949.

Kids will explore local agriculture in the 4-H Farm to Fork Day Camp in Haywood County held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 31 to Aug. 2.

The Farm Bureau is sponsoring the camp for children ages six to 12. The theme this year is “Heritage Farming in Appalachia.”

Day campers will complete hands-on activities to learn about their food and will explore local farms in the area, including the historical farm near Cherokee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There also will be activities such as making ice cream, Appalachian storytelling and traditional Appalachian crafts.

The cost for the camp is $35, which includes all materials and snacks.

828.456.3575.

Western Carolina University has gotten more kudos for lowering energy use and costs and promoting utility savings.

The ninth-annual Mountain Wildlife Days will be held Friday, July 20, and Saturday, July 21, at Sapphire Valley Resort near Cashiers, featuring a smorgasbord of wildlife-related events and programs.

International birder and Highlands-Cashiers resident Romney Bathurst will present “Around the World in 80 Birds” at 7:30 p.m. July 23 at the Highlands Civic Center.

Bathurst will present photos to accompany her talk, which will be about birding trips to more than 50 countries and all the continents.

The evening at the Highlands Civic Center will begin with light refreshments at 7 p.m., with the talk beginning at 7:30 p.m. Free, though donations in support of the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society’s educational and community programs are appreciated.

828.526.1939.

Local poet and artist Terry Michelsen will visit City Lights Bookstore in Sylva to read from her collection of poetry Soaring on Wings of Word at 6:30 p.m. July 13.

Soaring on Wings of Word is a compilation of six previously published chapbooks. “Terry Michelsen knows that to write a poem, she must take her gloves off ‘... because bare hands do a better job.’ She brings a lively wit, as well as a keen attentiveness to every encounter. Light and shadow live here, and she brings the reader to both,” said poet Kathryn Byer.

A discussion and book signing will follow the reading.

828.586.9499.

The Highlands Biological Station has released Highlands Botanical Garden: A Naturalist’s Guide, a guide to the garden, with maps, historical overview and profiles of a generous selection of its hundreds of native plants.

Established in 1962, the garden is a refuge and demonstration garden for the diverse flora of the southern Appalachians.

Copies of Highlands Botanical Garden: A Naturalist’s Guide are available for sale at the biological station for $25, and arrangements can be made for shipping books to other locations. Book sales support the Highlands Biological Station and Foundation.

828.526.2602.

City Lights Bookstore and the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will celebrate of the release of the book edition of Gary Carden’s new play, Outlander, at 6:30 p.m. July 14.

Outlander is a full-length play about Horace Kephart and the creation of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The book launch will take place in the community room of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva and will feature a presentation on Kephart and his relationship with friend and aid, Granville Calhoun.

828.586.9499.

The Friends of the Haywood County Library is hosting a discussion the last book in the Jane Austen “Let’s Talk About It” series, Persuasion, from 4-6 p.m. on July 19 at the Waynesville branch auditorium.

Books are available at the library. See Teresa Glance during office hours Monday through Friday. Call or email Linda Arnold for additional information at 828.456.5311 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Children ages 8 and older can get muddy and learn about pottery in two workshops from 9 a.m. to noon July 14 and July 21 at Macon County Art Association’s Uptown Gallery in Franklin.

The Asheville Gallery of Art is accepting membership applications from area artists.

Applications must be submitted by July 31. Interested artists should obtain a copy of prospective member guidelines and an application, both of which are available at the gallery or may be downloaded from the gallery’s website (www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com).

Applicants must deliver five finished original pieces ready for hanging, six copies of a current resume, and six copies of the completed membership application to the gallery between noon and 5:30 p.m. on July 31. All work must then be picked up between 2-5:30 p.m. on Aug. 1. The gallery will endeavor to preserve and protect submitted work but cannot assume responsibility for loss or damage.

The Asheville Gallery of Art is an artists’ cooperative, which exhibits original two-dimensional works by twenty-eight member artists. The gallery is located on College Street across from Pritchard Park in downtown Asheville. It offers works ranging from representational to abstract in a wide choice of subject matter, styles and media. Photographs, computer art, and sculpture are not accepted at this time.

828.251.5796 or e-mail questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is piloting an artist-in-residence program, which will provide artists with uninterrupted time to pursue their body of artwork as well as the opportunity to engage and inspire the public through outreach programs. The program is a part of the National Park Service Volunteer program.

Each artist selected will have the adventure of living in and creating their art within the park for four to six weeks. The resident artist will have an opportunity to create works and experiences that promote an understanding of the need to preserve and care for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The park has selected the following seven artists for the remainder of 2012:

• Tom Virgin from Miami, Fla.; woodcuts.

• Kelly Adams from Greenville; painting and drawing.

• Michael Burke from South Bend, Ind.; filmmaker.

• Rob Wilson from Orlando, Fla.; photography and writing.

• Leigh Ann Carter from Monterey Bay, Calif; scientific illustration.

• Michal Truelsen from Lowell, Mass.; paper relief images.

In addition to resident artists, the park has also selected Tagan Crowe, a local student artist from Cherokee High School, to participate in the program. Crowe works primarily in oils and paints on large canvases and currently has an original painting on display at the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.

Each artist will contribute a piece of original artwork, which characterizes Great Smoky Mountains National Park and present two public programs. The programs will be announced by the park as they are scheduled.

The program is possible due to support from Friends of Great Smoky Mountain National Parks and collaboration with Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts.

865.436.1265.

Waldo is hiding in local downtown Sylva businesses. Can you find him?

When you spot him collect a card from that business and take them to City Lights Bookstore. Collect eight cards and get a Waldo button. Collect 16 and be entered into a drawing for a six-book deluxe set of Waldo books and a growler for a free soda refill from Heinzelmannchen Brewery.

City Lights Bookstore will host the grand celebration and prize drawing at 6 p.m., July 31.

Participating business are: City Lights Bookstore, City Lights Cafe, Eric’s Fresh Fish Market, Friends of the JCP Library, Heinzelmannchen Brewery, Hollifield Jewelers, Hooker’s Fly Shop, In Your Ear Music, It’s By Nature, Jackson Co. Chamber of Commerce, Jackson Co. Pub. Library, Jackson’s General Store, Jake’s Mountain House, Livingston’s Photo, Main Street Bakery & Cafe, Motion Makers Bicycle, Nichols House and Survival Pride Clothing.

The event is a nationwide program to celebrate Waldo’s 25th birthday. Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in 1987, and held the record for the fastest selling children’s book of all-time until Harry Potter. There are more 56 million Waldo books in print worldwide and they’ve been translated into eighteen languages.

The first StreetFest of 2012 will be held from 6-9 p.m. July 13 in historic downtown Franklin.

Venture Local Franklin has teamed with local merchants to host the fest.

The schedule of events includes: local bands and music on the streets and a family friendly movie on a 26-foot screen. The film “Ghostbusters” will be shown in the Town Hall parking lot at dark.

There will also be plenty of great shopping and food from local businesses as well as some fun prizes.

828.421.0535 or visit www.facebook.com/venturelocalfranklin.

REACH of Haywood will celebrate its resale store’s 10th anniversary with a fashion show and luncheon at noon July 16 at the Bourbon Barrel Beef & Ale Restaurant on Hazelwood Avenue in Waynesville.

Dancers and musicians in colorful traditional costumes from the countries of New Zealand, France, Belgium, Indonesia, Peru, Philippines, Serbia, Puerto Rico, Ukraine and Hawaii are expected to appear in more than 70 performances during the 29th Folkmoot Festival, July 18-29.

The second Sylva Art Stroll, sponsored by the Jackson County Visual Arts Association (JCVAA), is scheduled for 5 p.m. July 13 in downtown Sylva.

Most businesses will stay open later than 5 p.m. to welcome visitors, shoppers and diners before the Bridge Park Concert at 7:30 p.m. JCVAA hosts Sylva Art Strolls on the second Fridays of the month.

Several artist receptions will occur in conjunction with the Sylva Art Stroll:

• Gallery 1 will hold a reception for JCVAA’s summer show “Some Like It Hot,” featuring new artist Gabe McNair’s wood sculptures in addition to photography, paintings and other visual art. McNair began his art career by teaching art in public schools in Georgia. It was while teaching in Jackson County, however, that he began furniture design. He and his business partner, Roger Turner, were selected to membership in the prestigious Southern Highlands Craft Guild.

Other artists exhibiting include Joe Meigs, Tim Lewis, Carol Payton, Clint Hardin, Audrey Hayes and James Smythe.

Refreshments will be served and a free “make-and-take art project” will be offered. The gallery will be open until 9 p.m.

• It’s By Nature will welcome potter Linda Jennings of Bryson City with her Japanese Kimonos. Jennings uses various firing techniques of Raku and Sagger to help capture the rich silk brocades. She holds a fine arts degree from the University of Houston and has 35 years of pottery experience.

Also featured at It’s By Nature are Fiber Art Dolls by Sylva native Zan Barnes and new works by returning potter Marie Hriber. The store will be open until 8 p.m., and wine and cheese will be served.

• Signature Brew Coffee Roasting Company will host a reception for Krystal Sharrett and her new works featuring auric emenations and elemental renderings. Light refreshments will be served, and live music will follow the reception.

Other venues displaying art include Penumbra Gallery with Matthew Turlington’s photography, City Lights Cafe with art by Rachel Griffin, and Survival Pride Clothing Store and Art Gallery. Visitors can look for balloons designating the 30 participating merchants and see a map at any of the locations.

JCVAA is dedicated to enriching the arts community and presenting visual arts. Membership is open to the public, and new members are always welcome.

828.337.3468.

The 9th annual Franklin Folk Festival celebrating Appalachian Heritage will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 21, in downtown Franklin.

The eclectic band The Boxcars will take the stage at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. July 14.

The Boxcars, which includes members Adam Steffy, Ron Stewart, John Bowman, Keith Garrett and Harold Nixon, have deep bluegrass roots. The members, separately, have performed with bluegrass and country notables such as Alison Krauss, Lynn Morris, Curly Seckler, Lester Flatt, Quicksilver, Lonesome River Band, and JD Crowe and the New South.

Two dinner seatings, served family style in the Stecoah Kitchen, will precede the concert. Dinner seatings are at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; reservations are required.

Lighter fare will also be available in the Schoolhouse Café. Ten people will also have the privilege of enjoying a private 5 p.m. dinner with the band. The private dinner tickets must be purchased online three days in advance of show date.

Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center is located at 121 Schoolhouse Road in the Stecoah community off N.C. 28 between Bryson City and Fontana Dam.

Concert tickets can be purchased in-person at the Stecoah Gallery by calling 828.479.3364 or at www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.

The Gibson Brothers, a traditional bluegrass band, will perform at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. July 20.

The Gibson Brothers are widely recognized as among the finest brother duet in bluegrass music today. Eric and Leigh Gibson are accompanied by Mark Barber on bass, Clayton Campbell on fiddle, and Joe Walsh on mandolin. At the 2011 IBMA Awards, the Gibson Brothers were recognized as Vocal Group of the Year, and their album, Help My Brother, was named Album of the Year. Help My Brother was also named the 2012 SPGMA Album of the year, with the title track awarded Song of the Year.

The concert is sponsored in part by the Tourism and Development Committee of Franklin and Nantahala.

Tickets are $15 each. To purchase tickets, stop by the theatre’s box office at 1028 Georgia Road, Franklin or visit the center’s website.

www.GreatMountainMusic.com or 866.273.4615.

Gospel quartet Gold City will perform at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 14.

The Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will host a performance by Ubuntu Dillsboro, an a capella community chorus, at 7 p.m. July 17.

“Ubuntu Dillsboro is a group of people who love to sing in harmony,” said Tom Tyre, the group’s leader. “We sing because it allows us to be a part of something much bigger than the sum of us.”

The African word Ubuntu refers to the interconnectedness of humanity and means, loosely, “I am who I am because of the people around me and our relationship with each other.”

Ubuntu Dillsboro is a member of the Ubuntu International Network of community choirs. The group performs publicly on occasion but meets regularly simply to sing for the joy of it.

The program is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

828.586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org.

The Macon County Arts Council is holding its free monthly ARTSaturday workshop for elementary school-aged children and their families from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 14, in the Macon County Public Library children’s area.

Activities include harmony and round singing, an American History lesson in song, and some musical sign language. Ice cream treats will be served.

There’s no pre-registration; children should wear play clothes and can come for any part of the session. Adults are encouraged to stay and participate.

The library is off Siler Road in Franklin, adjacent to Southwestern Community College.

The monthly ARTSaturday series is produced by the Arts Council of Macon County and is supported by the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council.

828.524.7683 or www.artscouncilofmacon.org.

To the Editor:

Maggie Valley must love the guns, badges and handcuffs. In fact, with Maggie Valley being only about 4.5 miles long, we have a little more than three fine local officers per mile. Maggie Valley has a population of 1,150 residents according to the 2010 census and confirmed by the director of planning, Nathan Clark. This is one police officer per every 82.14 people.

According to the N.C. League of Municipalities, a town of approximately 1,000 residents needs 2.4 police officers. Maggie Valley has 10 full-time police and 4 part-time. Each of Maggie Valley’s full-time officers has a patrol car for his use to travel to and from work, and none of these 10 lives in Maggie Valley. Is there any advantage to having patrol cars leaving town or being parked anywhere but in Maggie Valley? The more the cars are driven the more gas and maintenance is required and the more money is taken from taxpayers. Should taxpayers be paying for use of the patrol cars while the officer is off duty?

Having limits on where a patrol car is may also control any temptations an officer of the law would have to harass or abuse his authority while off duty or within another township?

At just about any time during the week, you can find our fine local peacekeepers parked in their usual spots making sure none of the people here in Maggie Valley are driving their vehicles (or scooters) over 35 miles an hour. Perhaps if you really did need one of our officers you may find them gathered together eating at their usual restaurant, perhaps discussing our local crime.

The article in The Smoky Mountain News stated: “While full-time residents only number about 1,000, Maggie’s population increases greatly as seasonal residents and tourists come to town. Maggie also has a high number of bars for a town of its size.”

I can think of only two things: (1) Seasonal residents are usually retired, laid back, good folks who would never cause any reason to increase the police force; (2) as for the number of bars in Maggie Valley, I know there are restaurants that serve alcohol. Maybe our peacekeepers need to thank these restaurant/bars for keeping them in a job. Without them there would be no need for any local police, in fact, Maggie Valley would be a “Ghost Town.”

Bonnie Hanson

Maggie Valley

To the Editor:

It’s election trash talking time again, and one of the things that will come up will be the Republicans reminding everyone of the old saying that Democrats are the “party of tax-and-spend.” Then the next thing they bring up is that we need to be conservative with the public money, implying that Democrats are not.

Recent history says that this is not true. From Historical Tables, The Budget of the United States Government, comes the following quote: “… deficits averaging $206 billion were incurred between 1983 and 1992. These unprecedented peacetime deficits increased debt held by the public from $789 billion in 1981 to $3.0 trillion (48.1 percent of GDP) in 1992.” And this is from a government publication.

So, what was the party in charge during those years? Not the tax-and-spend Democrats. It was guys like President Reagan and Bush running up the deficits. Let’s break it down. Reagan increased the debt 189 percent, George Bush (the elder) 55 percent, and George Bush (the younger), 86 percent.

How did the Democrats do? During Clinton’s presidency, the debt increased 37 percent and in the first two years of the Obama administration, the debt increased 35 percent … much to the screams of irresponsibility from the other side.

As to fiscal responsibility, what recent president was the first to post a balanced budget since 1957? Clinton. And who gave away the Clinton-era surplus and plunged the U.S. back into deficit spending? Bush.

So, which party has the better track record of being financially responsible?

Ginger Gaither

Bryson City

To the Editor:

As our government officials keep putting off a long-term solution to the debt ceiling problem, perhaps these limericks by Michael Silverstein will provide some guidance:

Solution 1: Keep on letting things slide. “A country much burdened by debt / its policies not firmly set / its people debated / each other berated / then opted to do nothing yet.”

Solution 2: Resolve it on the backs of the poor: “With everyone deploring / huge debt they’re long ignoring / some folks are a’buying / a plan by Rep. Ryan / that solves the whole thing with poor goring.”

Solution 3: Try balanced common sense (which is pretty uncommon up there in Washington): “Approaching the debt ceiling wall / there came a sane, sensible call / much spending we axe / but the rich also tax / sacrifice is then shared by us all.”

Doug Wingeier

Waynesville

The N.C. Department of Transportation has started work on three projects in Western North Carolina.

In Haywood County, the DOT awarded a $1 million contract to resurface 12.7 miles of U.S. 276 from Forest Service Road 256 to Looking Glass Creek in Transylvania County. Work should be completed by Aug. 24.

In Macon County, the DOT awarded a $3.6 million contract for road resurfacing. The project involved 14.4 miles of U.S. 64 in the Cullasaja Gorge and 3.8 miles of Horse Cove Road. The work should be completed by Oct. 19.

In Graham County, the DOT awarded a $1.6 million contract for preservation work on the bridge on N.C. 28 spanning the Little Tennessee River below Fontana Dam in Graham County.

The preservation work will involve hydro-demolition, or the application of intense water pressure, to remove old concrete from the bridge deck. Then a new concrete overlay will be applied to the deck, and the bridge will be repainted.

MedWest-Harris and MedWest-Swain laboratory employees recently partnered for the first time with Jackson County Department of Public Health workers to conduct wellness tests for county employees.

As part of the county’s open enrollment period for benefits, all Jackson County employees participating in the county’s voluntary wellness plan were recently screened at the health department with the assistance of MedWest-Harris and MedWest-Swain lab workers.

“This is a good partnership utilizing local resources for providing lab tests that we collect,” said Jackson County Manager Chuck Wooten.

Jackson County has about 375 employees, and about 95 percent of the employees voluntarily participated in the county’s wellness program.

MedWest-Harris in Sylva will hold an American Red Cross blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, July 12 to help with the decline in blood donations typically seen in summer months.

The American Red Cross sees a drop in blood donations during the summer months because regular donors are often busy with seasonal activities and may overlook scheduling appointments. Blood donations from high school and college students, which account for as much as 20 percent of donations during the academic year, also are not available when school is out of session.

Nationwide, American Red Cross blood donations are down by 10 percent, with 50,000 fewer pints of blood than expected. The American Red Cross currently has half the amount of readily available blood than they had at this time last year. Blood and platelet donors are needed.

Donors through MedWest-Harris should check in at the West entrance in the main lobby.

828.586.7130.