To the Editor:

In my business, I deal with many people who are at the bottom of the economic ladder. For them, one car breakdown or one illness can mean financial disaster. Often it means the loss of a job, and any hope of climbing out of poverty. When Rep. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and Gov. Pat McCrory denied over half a million North Carolina citizens 100 percent federally paid for Medicaid coverage, they guaranteed that many of those 500,000 citizens would never climb out of poverty and that some of them would die.

When asked to justify this callous and spiteful act, they argued that it was necessary because of the terrible state of the existing Medicaid program in the state. As proof of this, they cited a state audit of the North Carolina Medicaid program. The governor claimed that the audit showed high administrative cost, management problems and serious budget overruns in past years. As a result, the governor said that the state was in no position to accept any more Medicaid recipients.

Nine months later, we now know that the governor lied about all of this. On taking office, McCrory appointed his own people to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services. They made strategic edits to the audit to produce the document that showed a department in crisis. None of the claims about mismanagement, high costs and budget overruns were true.

In fact, an innovative program to manage Medicaid costs started by Democratic Gov. Beverly Purdue, called “Community Care of North Carolina” had been studied by two national groups as a model for cost savings and care management. This program has been replicated in a number of states as a model of Medicaid delivery. All positive references to this program were edited out the report by McCrory’s appointees.

Republicans really don’t believe in any form of public assistance. They have long opposed Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment benefits and now the Affordable Care Act. They have a right to that belief, and they have a right to act on that belief when they are in power. They do not have a right to lie about facts to justify their actions. It is clear they wish to hide their real beliefs from the voters.

The denial of Medicaid to over 500,000 low-income and uninsured North Carolina citizens will go down as one of the most fiscally irresponsible and deplorable acts of this legislature. Our federal tax dollars already paid for this Medicaid expansion which will now go to other states. Every emergency room visit by one of those 500,000 people will cost each of us more money in higher health insurance premiums. The cost in human suffering cannot be calculated.

Louis Vitale

Franklin  

To the Editor:

In most of the Western Carolina newspapers’ letters to the editor section, we can count on one main topic — Gov. Pat McCrory and the Republicans are bad for North Carolina! But did you notice that last month in August the State of North Carolina moved from having the 49th highest unemployment rate in the U.S. to number 44, tied with Georgia and the District of Columbia. 

While many are complaining, condemning and criticizing Gov. McCrory, he is out every day promoting our state and looking for new businesses to open up in our state. Ninety-eight out of 100 counties lowered their unemployment rates last month. That is amazing and a positive sign for our unemployed. 

Reducing North Carolina’s taxes is beginning to bring new businesses to our state. Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes in North Carolina in the last five years because of a lack of jobs. North Carolina now has a governor who is committed to improving our economy and helping people keep their homes and helping the unemployed find work. Gov. Pat McCrory is working his butt off to do that. His efforts are beginning to pay off for North Carolina.

Jim Mueller

Glenville

To the Editor:

I attended the Maggie Valley aldermen candidate forum and read with interest your coverage of this event. First, I would like to commend the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring a well-moderated forum for the community to hear the candidates express their views on the issues. Second, I was very surprised that your article included quotes from Charlie Meadows and Joe Maniscalco as answers to the exact questions asked at the forum since, as you state in the beginning of your article, they did not attend. 

By including their answers along with the candidates that did attend the Forum, you are misleading the public into thinking that they also participated, when in fact they didn’t. This was not fair to the six candidates who made the effort and had the fortitude to attend the forum. 

The people of Maggie Valley deserve to know who is willing to come before them and answer tough questions about their issues and concerns. Your paper needs to report facts and not attempt to manipulate coverage of an event to appear as if all the candidates participated, when, in truth, they did not.

William Banks,

Maggie Valley

To the Editor:

My name is David Monteith and I oppose the government shutdown.

We Americans have given enough. When our federal government, including the president, House and Senate members, can not agree and dictate to us the U.S. citizen what is best for all with out our input, we need to stand up and say “Enough is enough.” What is this federal shutdown costing our citizens? 

Our three largest employers in Swain County have and will continue to be affected:

• Con-Met — The products they build, if they are not sold what happens in Swain County? Layoffs will come.

• Tourism – The Great Smoky Mountains National Park shutdown means tourists quit coming to Bryson City and Swain County. Businesses shutdown and lay off workers.

• The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad is one of the largest employers, as are restaurants, motels, rafting companies, Fontana Lake businesses, tubers, cabin rentals, stores — all these affected when tourists cut back. 

There is a freeze on child subsidy funds and also WIC with a possibility of more. Federally funded programs are in danger of being cut within 30 days. Swain County cannot stand this. If federal grants stop, what about food for the elderly and needy, jobs for the county workers will be affected, and Health Department aides and DSS emergency services could be affected.

Citizens, we do not need this federal shutdown. Citizens please pray for help and understanding. 

David Monteith

Bryson City

A new artisan café and restaurant has opened to fanfare in Bethel, only a short drive from downtown Waynesville and Canton.

Rather than using meats from a deli, Breaking Bread Café cooks their own ham, turkey and roast beef to use in their hoagies, meaning they don’t contain any preservatives, additives, or nitrates. Fresh is the key word, from the baked-daily hoagie rolls to the fresh lettuce, tomato, onion, and banana peppers. There are fresh muffins, cinnamon buns and croissants along with a breakfast menu.

Breaking Bread Café opens for breakfast around 8 a.m. Monday through Saturday and is open until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and until 3 p.m. Saturday. 828.648.3838.

Tyler McKinnish, a Haywood County student on his way to being a doctor, credits Haywood Early College with giving him a good start on the road to higher education.

McKinnish only graduated from high school in 2010, but is already in the UNC School of Medicine at Chapel Hill on his way to becoming a doctor. As a Haywood Early College student, he had two years of college courses under his belt by his senior of high school.

“I found that the Early College program really motivated me,” he explained.

Haywood Early College is a high school that enrolls students in grades 9 through 13. Students complete a high school diploma and a college transfer degree in five years. It’s free of charge. 

Haywood Early College holds an open house each spring. Tours are also available. Applications are available through Haywood County Schools Central Office and through the Haywood Early College Principal’s Office located on the campus of HCC. 828.565.4226.

Southwestern Community College Foundation has launched a “Student Success Campaign” that aims to raise more than $1 million for scholarships by fall 2014.

“Last year, 225 students filled out applications and were deserving of financial assistance,” said SCC President Don Tomas. “But we only had enough money to award scholarships to 43 of those applicants. We want to do more, and we need your help.”

At a kickoff for the fundraising campaign held in Macon Bank earlier this month, students who have benefited from SCC scholarships — who would not have been able to go to college without financial support — offered testimonials.

At the event, the largest single donation to the campaign so far — a check for $33,333.33 — was presented on behalf of Macon Bank by Chief Operating Officer Ryan Scaggs.

Jackson County businessman Charles Wolfe, who’s chairman of the Student Success Campaign, told potential donors to consider the fundraising effort as an investment in their communities since 90 percent of SCC’s graduates remain in the college’s service area of Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Qualla Boundary after completing their education.

“For me, this is a no-brainer because these students we help become productive members of our community,” Wolfe said. “If you went out to get a haircut or had your car worked on or went to a doctor’s office today, chances are the person who provided you that service graduated from SCC.”

www.southwesterncc.edu/content/scc-foundation or 828.339.4241.

When Brittany Maney was 14, her fall from a Hayesville Middle School cheerleading pyramid caused a lot of pain, fear and a rushed trip to the hospital in Murphy. That medical emergency had a far more positive outcome, though.

A Computed Tomography (CT) scan, which discovered some minor muscle damage, ignited an interest in the field of medical imaging that eventually consumed Maney’s entire family.

“When Brittany got hurt, everyone at the hospital was so kind and let me watch while they did the CT scan. Getting to see that really sparked my interest in radiography all over again,” recalled Brittany’s mother, Danielle. 

She soon enrolled in Southwestern Community College’s radiography program and graduated in 2008. Her enthusiasm for the program was so infectious that her husband, Justin earned his radiography degree from Southwestern this spring. Then earlier this month, Brittany entered the radiography program at SCC.

“That day at the hospital in Murphy, the people there were just great to my family and I,” Brittany said. “Afterward, I took a big interest in the field of medicine. That’s what got me into it.”

A four-year-old child found injured and abused in Qualla Motel in Whittier last week has died.

Deputies arrived at the Qualla Motel just after 7 a.m. Oct. 11 after first responders and EMS arrived on scene and noted the injuries to the child. The child was transported to the Harris Regional then onto Mission Hospital, where it later died.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has charged Eric Lorenzo Davis, 23, with intentional child abuse and inflicting serious bodily harm, a felony. His bond was set at $1 million. 

The investigation surrounding the circumstances in this case is still ongoing. Further charges will be considered, pending the results of the autopsy.

A Cherokee Indian Police Department officer hit two pedestrians, killing one, while on patrol Wednesday night.

The incident occurred on the U.S. 441 bypass at about 8:40 p.m. While on patrol, Officer Cody McKinney turned on a vehicle with only one working headlight, and two pedestrians were hit.

Randall Driver, 44, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other pedestrian was transported by ambulance to the Cherokee Indian Hospital where he was treated and released.

“Because one of our employees was involved we have turned the investigation over to the North Carolina Highway Patrol,” said Cherokee Police Chief Ben Reed. “We want to assure the Driver family, our officer, our department, and our community, that we will do everything we can to resolve this tragic incident.”  

The North Carolina Highway Patrol will conduct a full investigation, which will include interviews, accident reconstruction and forensics on the patrol vehicle. The officer will remain on administrative leave until the investigation is complete.

Swain High School’s Marching Maroon Devils have officially been accepted to march in the National Independence Day Parade on July 4, 2014 in Washington D.C

Marching bands that attend must be nominated and go through an application process once the nomination is received. Parade organizers want representation from all across the country and from schools of all sizes.

“It is an incredible honor for our band, from a small rural town in Western North Carolina,” said Swain High School Principal Mark Sale. “This is a testimony to the amazing things that are happening at Swain County High School under the direction of our amazing staff.”

The Lake Junaluska Singers’ “Songs by the Lakeshore” concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 18-19 in Stuart Auditorium. 

Song selections include “Battle of Jericho,” “It is Well,” “On Broadway,” “Old Man River,” “Empty Chairs, Empty Tables,” and much more.

Since 1954, the Lake Junaluska Singers have served as musical ambassadors for Lake Junaluska and The United Methodist Church. With concert repertoire including classical choral music, hymn arrangements, spirituals, and musical comedy, this 16-voice professional ensemble presents seasonal concerts at Lake Junaluska. In addition, the group tours across the country and around the world, sharing God’s love through inspiring music.

Reserved seating is $20 per person and general admission is $17.50.  Children 18 and under are free in general admission seating only. Purchase tickets online at www.lakejunaluska.com/concert-tickets or at the Bethea Welcome Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Tickets are currently on sale for upcoming performances by comedian Ron White, funk group Kool & The Gang and rock band ZZ Top at Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center.

The inaugural Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit will be Oct. 25-27 in downtown Asheville. 

The Jackson County Arts Council announced its 2013-14 grant recipients.

The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts announced its new general manager, Paul Garner.  

The 25th annual Haywood Apple Harvest Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, in downtown Waynesville.

The festival features arts, crafts, live music, dance groups, food vendors and children’s activities. Key events include the Southern Appalachian Cloggers at 11:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m., Simple Folk at 1 p.m. and Lorraine Conard Band at 3:30 p.m.

Free.

www.haywoodapplefest.com. 

Homecoming Weekend will be Oct. 24-27 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. This year’s theme is “Whee Are Catamounts!”

Public activities will begin with the “Last Lecture” by Professor Burton Ogle at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 24, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building, followed by a Spirit Night Pep Rally at 7:30 p.m. at WCU’s Central Plaza. 

The annual Alumni Scholarship Homecoming Golf Tournament will tee off at noon Oct. 25, at the Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. The cost of $85 per person includes fees, cart and a buffet dinner. RSVPs are requested by Oct. 18. 877.440.9990 or 828.227.7335 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Also that day, the Homecoming Parade will begin at 6:15 p.m. in downtown Sylva.  

The inaugural Catamount Chaos Homecoming 5K will start at 9 a.m. Oct. 26, at WCU’s Central Plaza. Preregistration is available online at www.imathlete.com. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.227.8804. Events on Oct. 26 will continue with the Chancellor’s Brunch and Alumni Awards Ceremony from 10 a.m. until noon in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center. $15 per person. Football tailgating will begin at noon, with the game — the Catamounts vs. the Elon Phoenix — at 3:30 p.m. Tickets to the game are available from the WCU athletics ticket office at 800.344.6928. Postgame activities will include the WCU African-American Alumni Reception from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in Illusions at A.K. Hinds University Center. Stompfest, the annual stepping competition sponsored by WCU’s Organization of Ebony Students and Department of Intercultural Affairs, will begin at 8 p.m. at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. www.fapac.wcu.edu or 828.227.2479. Rising country music star Kacey Musgraves will perform at 9 p.m. at the Ramsey Regional Activity Center. www.ramsey.wcu.edu or 828.227.7677.

Homecoming 2013 activities will conclude Oct. 27 with a concert by WCU’s Inspirational Choir at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 27, in the University Center Grandroom.

homecoming.wcu.edu.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy will show the film “Appalachian Impressions,” Friday, Oct. 18, at Drake Educational Center in Franklin. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with refreshments, followed by the film, trail information, a meet-and-greet with hikers, expert speakers and a raffle. 

The film features stories from hikers who have hiked the Appalachian Trail, and about the changing seasons and different trail towns along the route from Georgia to Maine. The film is on a 15-city nationwide tour and is part of a push by the conservancy to sign up 2,180 new members this year, one new member for each mile of the Appalachian Trail.

Registration for the event includes a membership to the conservancy. Tickets are $30 per adult and are available online.

www.appalachiantrail.org.

An ongoing, multi-state investigation to disrupt illegal animal trafficking online has netted 62 arrests.

Dubbed “Operation Wild Web,” the investigation involves the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and law enforcement in Arkansas and Florida, as well as federal agents. The effort disrupted Internet-based trafficking of wildlife species in violation of state, federal and international laws.

Cases involved the unlawful sale of protected species, businesses operating without licenses and illegal fishing and hunting violations. In North Carolina, the Special Investigations Unit of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission made seven arrests for illegal activities. 

The public can report wildlife violations in North Carolina by calling 800.662.7137. Callers can remain anonymous.

In the lead-up to the football game between rivals Western Carolina University and Appalachian State University, a group of students and faculty from WCU will run from Cullowhee to Boone to raise money for research and scholarships.

The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville will host the Carolina Bonsai Expo, Oct. 12-13.

The oldest man to hike to the top of Mount Whitney in a day will give a talk about his training and his journey at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Macon County Library.

Public submissions are being accepted for a statewide outdoor photography contest.

To the Editor:

The Republicans, including our own Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, who have repeatedly stated dislike for the federal government, have closed much of the U.S. government. What is particularly obnoxious about this is that they are blaming Democrats for something that the Republicans have been wanting to do, again, for many years.

Shutting down government services in order to nullify a law (Obamacare) that has already been debated, compromised, passed and even approved by the Supreme Court is far from the Republicans’ stated tactic of principled action. The Republican shutdown is more like spoiled children throwing a tantrum when they don’t get their way.

As for the Republicans’ solution of re-funding bits and pieces of the government that they like, that goes against their Constitutional obligation to fund the government. They have already debated and voted on the priorities. The Democrats have already compromised the current budget down to the amount that the Republicans demanded. 

That the Republicans are willing to shut down much of the government, and possibly even default on our debt to get their way, is the opposite of principled. In all honesty, it is stupid and harmful to the economy, government, and people of this nation.

Real people are being hurt by this shutdown. Real businesses and real families are taking the hit because of the Republicans’ rigid political agenda. Here in Macon County we have scores of federal employees who are now laid off at Coweeta Research Lab and the U.S. Forest Service. Of course the closure of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is hurting hundreds of employers and employees across the region.

Who will pay their mortgages? Who will buy their food? Who will pay their doctor bills, their car payments, their utilities? They won’t be patronizing many restaurants or stores without an income during the shutdown. The Republicans care more about their power, ideological purity and their big ideas than they do about real people.

The wealthy politicians don’t know what it is to live paycheck to paycheck. Besides, their paychecks aren’t stopped by the shutdown. They are playing with our livelihoods. They are playing with our lives to score points in their political game. They are gambling with our lives, and we are losing. We are not amused or impressed.

The Republican Party of so-called family values is hurting families directly, without apology, without insight. Republicans often talk about the dignity of work, yet they carelessly throw tens of thousands out of work with their shutdown.

The Republicans created this disaster. They have cornered themselves into this mess. They need to find some real principles and do the job that we are paying them for — open the government to serve We the People!

Dan Kowal

Franklin

To the Editor:

I do so hope that Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, read the Oct. 2 issue of The Smoky Mountain News. The lead story details how much this government shutdown is damaging his own home district economically.

I am one of Meadows’ constituents, and even though I am approaching the age of 70, I am still working part-time, self-employed in my profession as a craftsperson. I am grateful that I am old enough to be covered by Medicare, but were I younger I would be quite excited about the possibilities of The Affordable Care Act as I always had to fund my own health insurance.

I hope Rep. Meadows would please be so kind as to give me a clear and concise explanation as to why the ACA is such a bad law. I have never heard an explanation that I have been able to understand. Why can’t the richest country in the world assist its citizens to have decent health coverage?

I am deeply distressed by the actions of the current Congress. We elect people to represent us and to go to Washington to sit down, discuss and compromise, not to shut down the government.

Please compromise, Rep. Meadows.

Kaaren Stoner

Haywood County

To the editor:

In a Sept. 27 CNN article, Congressman Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, was identified as “the architect of the brink” and a member of the “suicide caucus.” Although he’s claiming that the CNN reporter was “sensationalizing” his role in the government shutdown, the letter Meadows wrote to the House leadership “encouraging them to defund Obamacare through the appropriations process” is prominently displayed on his website (www.meadows.house.gov).

He also boasted about the letter during the pseudo town hall meetings he conducted in August and gleefully proclaimed that he had persuaded 79 of his colleagues to co-sign it.

Additional information in the CNN article ties Rep. Meadows directly to the Tea Party agenda; for example, the leader of the Asheville Tea Party, Jane Bilello, indicated they are so pleased with Meadows’ job performance that “he’s turning out to be their poster boy” and a “conduit for their agenda.” Ms. Bilello also disclosed that Meadows hosts regular conference calls with her group “to explain what’s happening in Congress, including the challenges that he faces promoting their agenda.” 

I contend Rep. Meadows is sensationalizing when he claims he’s “doing what the majority of his constituents want in shutting down the government over Obamacare.” Redistricting may have made the state’s 11th District the reddest district in the state, but the Tea Party is not the dominate force within the 17-county area. I believe the majority of WNC Republicans, and certainly most Democrats, share Sen. Richard Burr’s sentiment that risking a government shutdown to defund Obamacare is the “dumbest idea” he ever heard.  

Contact Meadows to express your concern about his poster boy status and tell him to add something to his diet besides tea!

Myrna Campbell

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Regarding a recent op-ed piece by Doug Wingeier on Congressman Meadows, R-Cashiers, and his feigned interest in alleviating hunger in the U.S.: I also have noted a certain disingenuousness about Rep. Meadows in his latest series of town hall meetings, two of which I attended. The meetings are controlled by asking people to submit their questions in writing, which are screened and read by his staff. I prefer a more open meeting where people stand and ask their questions, as in the voice of the people. I suppose my written questions were never asked because they may have posed certain challenges to the Congressman on Obamacare and the federal Voting Rights Act.

Rep. Meadows was quite clear and proud about his leadership role in defunding Obamacare as a condition for keeping the government open. This played well to his Tea Party constituents in Franklin, but was somewhat more subdued in Cherokee. When I asked one of his staff “why the Congressman wanted to shut down the government,” she replied that was not true. A few days later, I noted the Asheville Citizen-Times headline: “Meadows OK with shutting down DC.” 

You can also note a comparable disingenuousness in the N.C. State Republican Party in defending its 2013 voting laws: “… If you need a photo ID to purchase Sudafed, what’s the big deal about using a photo ID to vote ….” Somehow the most fundamental right of American citizens has been reduced to the “right” to purchase a controlled substance.

The federal government is rightfully challenging N.C.’s voting laws as a violation of the Voting Rights Act. Our state has made significant progress in expanding the franchise: in 1991, N.C. was number 47 in the nation in voter turnout; by 2012, we were number 11.

Yet the N.C. legislature in 2013 sought to “restore confidence” in the electoral process, as if creating more access to voting was a problem. College IDs will not be allowed at polling stations. Even states with strict photo ID laws like Georgia and Indiana allow college IDs. What is so suspect about using a college ID, or is it more about preserving political power by creating hoops for younger voters — a group that tends to vote Democratic.

Roger Turner

Sylva

To the Editor:

The federal government shutdown is probably the most counter-productive action that Congress could have taken during this recession. Not only will it cost money, but it is harming our economy in so many ways … not to mention that it is making America the laughing stock of the world. 

There’s been much in the national news about the poor tourists who have lost out on their vacations, but in WNC our local economy is tied to national park and parkway visitation. And this, during leaf season, will have an accelerated effect.

The newest of shenanigans is to exempt national parks, monuments, and museums from the shutdown. I have worked in museums, directed one, spent a year at the Smithsonian, and taught museum studies. An advocate to be sure, still, I do not support a piecemeal solution to a national problem. 

Is there no logic in those hallowed halls of Congress? I cannot understand how people who are in government can so be so hateful of government. You would think they would want a different job. As voters, we can help them out during the next election cycle.

Anna Fariello

Cullowhee

To the Editor:

If we hadn’t figured it out by 2008, we should have at least gotten a clue. The congressional and White House phones and emails were jammed with unprecedented pleas from We the People. Not only were the lines jammed; the polls strongly indicated that We the People oppose the banker bailout. Regardless, the banks got bailed out and We the People got sold out.

Corporate privilege continued into the next administration. We see now that the health care reform effort had little to do with the care of our health but a lot to do with the care of healthy profits for private insurance conglomerates. Elizabeth Fowler, Wellpoint VP in charge of government lobbying, was invited as chief advisor and principal drafter of Obamacare. In contrast, advocates for the health of We the People, such as physician Margaret Flowers, were barred – even imprisoned for the impudence of insisting that the People’s voice be heard.

Whether one supports or opposes Obamacare and the coming mandate, the shameless advancement of corporate privilege throughout its passage and implementation is impossible to deny. In 2010, after helping with initial implementation as a special assistant to the president, Wellpoint’s Fowler left the administration to lobby for Johnson & Johnson. The pharmaceutical industry, one of the biggest backers of ObamaCare, will be one of its greatest benefactors. Fowler is one of many jumping the ship of “public service” for the conglomerate plunder to come. 

These are only two examples of the egregious privilege our government grants at our expense to corporate conglomerates. The list is endless.  

We are not helpless. As Obamacare open enrollment begins this month, remember that we are not sheeple; we have the power to make a difference. A People’s movement is underway to reclaim the vision of the Founding Fathers and amend the Constitution, to put the freedom of We the People above the privilege of the mega conglomerates that have taken control of our government. 

The system isn’t broken. It’s fixed!

Allen Lomax

Sylva

To the Editor:

Neither of the logos considered by the Jackson County TDA convey the proper message for tourism development. Both, per the logo display in a recent edition of The Smoky Mountain News, are lackluster, lack excitement (one being almost a kindergarten level piece of art) and should be shelved.

How many logo designs did the two advertising agencies submit for the TDA group to consider? Each should have presented no less than five each. If these two were the best, I question the creative ability of the agency.

Having represented Cherokee and the region at several dozen consumer travel shows over almost 15 years, I don’t recall one person out of thousands ever saying “Oh, I love Jackson County.” Travelers don’t recognize counties but they associate with communities within a county. Mention Maggie Valley, Sylva, Bryson City, etc. and there’s an immediate visitor association.

Mention Haywood, Swain, Macon or Jackson county and there’s a look of “duh” on their face.

“Play On” is as equally unimpressive as the logo itself. Ms. Teasley is quoted as saying “The mountains with ‘Jackson County’ and the simplicity of the design is going to make it easily recognizable.” Recognizable and meaningful are two different things.   

The discussion regarding the use of the logo by others? Just copyright it and that gives the TDA legal right to go after those who misuse it. The trademarking would protect words, color, design. Simple answer to that dilemma.

If the TDA is so promotionally oriented and thinking about bumper stickers, etc, where is the website name so folks can get information?  

The Outer Banks of North Carolina, cited in the article, has a unique OBX identification. It says something: “Outer Banks.”  “Smoky Mountains” says something. “Play On” says let’s go to the casino.

Well, Jackson County TDA, good luck. You’re playing around with many businesses in our county. Time will tell whether this “branding” is a success or failure.    

Dave Redman

Jackson County

To the Editor:

Does John Boehner like what he’s seeing in the mirror these days?

Maybe not, but the problem for the nation is that he is too fond of what he sees on his office door: “Speaker of the House.”

Boehner could lose that by acting like a statesman instead of an extortionist. What has been called the "suicide caucus" among House Republicans, led by Mark Meadows, would try to dump him as speaker the instant he called for a vote on a clean budget resolution or on raising the debt ceiling.

It’s the Democrats who could save him and the country too. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi should offer him Democratic votes to keep the speakership if his own party turns on him for doing the right thing. It’s the whole House, after all, not just the majority caucus, that elects the Speaker.

It would take only 17 Republican votes to keep Boehner in the speakership if all 201 Democrats had his back.

Presently, the Democrats are trying to get that many to sign a discharge petition that, under House rules, would preempt the Speaker’s obstructionism. But it might be a lot harder for 17 moderate Republicans to buck Boehner directly than to vote to reward him for doing the right thing.

What I suggest would require historic statesmanship on the part of the Democrats, and there may not be much of that virtue left on Capitol Hill. Still, it’s worth a try.

In practical terms, the Democrats would be offering Boehner a temporary coalition to keep the government solvent. He could continue to try to repeal Obamacare, but not at the point of a gun.

Coalition politics is how governments abroad function when no party holds a majority and some American legislatures have had to resort to them too.

In effect, there are now three parties in the House — the Democrats, traditional Republicans, and the Tea Party. Unable to win elections on its own, the Tea Party has taken over gerrymandered House districts like a virus infecting a host.

Many good citizens identify with the Tea Party out of a frustration with government. Liberals share that too.

But the difference is that the Tea Party is being played like a violin by other ultraconservative groups, including the billionaire Koch Brothers who financed its establishment.

The New York Times reported Sunday that the strategy to destroy Obamacare by threatening to defund the government was hatched more than a year ago by some three dozen conservative groups under the leadership of former Attorney General Edwin Meese III.

They had lost the elections for the presidency and the House despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars to misrepresent and demonize Obamacare. The spending continues.

One of its most tawdry tactics is to try to persuade young people against signing up for insurance coverage. That’s playing politics with their lives.

It is sinful.

But it’s no more so than what their puppets in Congress are threatening to do if they can’t destroy Obamacare.

A deficit default would be the worst economic tragedy to befall this nation since the Great Depression.

No foreign enemy could hope to do us so much harm.

But as Pogo the possum used to say, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”    

Martin A. Dyckman

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Governor Pat McCrory’s approval rating stands at 35 percent. Given the way he’s stuck it to the people of North Carolina, that seems high.

Robert Michael Jones

Sylva

Haywood County will pay more than it anticipated on state-mandated renovations to its jail annex.

The county will pay $91,314 to the Monroe-based State Building Group for upgrades to the jail annex. Renovations include setting up a secure fence to separate the jail annex from the main jail building, installing a secure door between the inmates and deputies, adding another secure door leading out to the inmate recreation area and laying concrete sidewalk in the recreation area.

Originally, the county set aside $75,000 for the jail annex improvements but will move another $26,000 out of its general fund to pay the difference.

A state inspection had mandated the county improve security at the annex — which houses female inmates — after finding flaws in the aging building. Either the sheriff’s department needed to permanently increase the number of on-duty deputies at the annex or pay for structural security improvements.

The county informally bid out the project in August and received three bids, which all came in way over budget. The lowest bid was $138,360.

Rather than allocate an additional $63,000 to the project, Haywood County officials consulted the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Division of Jail Construction to see if anything could be cut from the plans to decrease the construction price.

A redesign of the renovations left off about 80 percent of the fencing surrounding the inmate recreation area. The enclosed space will remain the same size; however, there will not be a second fence surrounding the recreation area.

Dale Burris, director of Facilities and Maintenance, emphasized that the change would not decrease the security of the building.

Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties all reported an increase in lodging tax revenue last fiscal year, compared to the prior year, though in some cases the hike is due to tax increases rather than an increase in travelers.

Acclaimed gospel group The Inspirations will host the Singing in the Smokies fall color festival at 6 p.m. Oct. 17-18 and 1 p.m. Oct. 19 at Inspiration Park in Bryson City.

On Thursday, performances include Martin, Squire & Ray Dean, The Inspirations, Squire Parson Trio and Kingsmen. Friday will showcase the Old Fashioned Singing Chuck Wagon Gang, Walkin By Faith, and The Inspirations. Saturday will present the Family & Friends Tour, Josh Jordan Family, The McKameys and The Inspirations.

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

www.theinspirations.com. 

Actress Barbara Bates Smith and musician Jeff Sebens will showcase the works of author Ron Rash during “A Rash of Stories” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Waynesville Public Library.

The program of varied selections in an informal format encourages audience feedback. The selections have been adapted by Smith from the collections Nothing Gold Can Stay, Burning Bright, Chemistry and Other Stories, and The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Free.

828.356.2507.

“The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD” will be shown at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center in Highlands.

MET opera stars serve as hosts for the HD series, conducting live interviews with cast, crew, and production teams, and introducing the popular behind-the-scenes features. Altogether the worldwide HD audience is given an unprecedented look at what goes into the staging of an opera at one of the world’s great houses.

“The Met: Live in HD” series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor, The Neubauer Family Foundation. Global corporate sponsorship of “The MET: Live in HD” is provided by Bloomberg. HD broadcasts are supported by Toll Brothers. 

For tickets, visit www.highlandspac.org.

828.526.9047.

Catman2 will host “The Cat’s Meow Auction” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

The largest no-kill, cats-only shelter and adoption center in Western North Carolina, Catman2 seeks donations from local businesses and individuals to help raise money for the ever-rising cost of caring for nearly 100 homeless cats. All donations are tax-deductible. A list of items for auction and advertisements are at www.catman2.org.

828.293.0892.

Acclaimed clay artist and University of Georgia emeritus faculty member Ron Myers will give demonstrations and talks on the subject of ceramics Oct. 16-17 at Western Carolina University.

The Alash ensemble will hold a special performance featuring the ancient tradition of throat singing at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Twenty-five top high school marching bands from six states will compete at Western Carolina University’s 13th annual Tournament of Champions invitational at 8:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee.

The comedic play “The Dixie Swim Club” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11-12, 18-19 and 21 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 13 and 20 at the Smoky Mountain Community Theatre in Bryson City.

Beginning Oct. 1, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will implement delayed harvest regulations on 33 trout waters in 18 counties in Western North Carolina.

With funding from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, WNC AgOptions will give $153,000 to farmers in the western part of the state next year.

Farmers looking to expand and diversify their operations have until Dec. 13 to submit an application for a $3,000 or $6,000 grant. In its 10th year, the grant program was created to help tobacco farmers branch out into other sectors of agriculture.

WNC AgOptions provides grants to a 22-county region of Western North Carolina. Since 2004, more than 350 grants, amounting to about $1.6 million, have been awarded. The grants have been used to buy greenhouses, refrigeration units and other equipment.

WNC AgOptions grants are awarded by WNC Communities, a nonprofit organization. Applications for next year’s grant cycle are available online and at local cooperative extension centers. Applicants should contact their local extension agents by Nov. 1 for assistance and support.

www.wncagoptions.org.

Research at Western Carolina University on DNA sequencing used in crime labs has gotten a $718,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice.

Mark Wilson, director of the Forensic Science Program at WCU, has been evaluating new DNA sequencing instrumentation for use in crime laboratories. 

The grant will not only support the research but also provides scholarships for three graduate students working on related projects to help with the work, which builds on previous DNA sequencing done at WCU.

The work is of particular interest to faculty and scientists who are involved with the global Illumina Forensic Genomics Consortium, which is led by Wilson and top scientists specializing in the area of forensic DNA analysis.

“The research we perform is discussed by the consortium and has the potential to impact forensic crime labs across the country when this technology is incorporated into casework,” said Brittania Bintz, a forensic research scientist at WCU.

828.227.3680 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Great Smoky Mountains National Park has established its first sister park arrangement with Khao Yai National Park in Thailand.

Smokies Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson and Khao Yai National Park Superintendent Krissada Homsud signed the arrangement today at a ceremony in September.

The two parks share a number of similar resources, such as biodiversity, and concerns. Both parks are the most visited National Parks within their country and face challenges brought by visitor use and nearby development, poaching and pollution. Both parks are popular for wildlife viewing, streams and waterfalls, and lush mountain forests. 

“We are honored to form this unique partnership with Khao Yai National Park, which shares so many similarities with the Smokies,” said Park Superintendent Ditmanson. “There has already been an incredible exchange of information.”

Currently, Homsud is traveling in the United States with a group of nine park managers from Thailand through a U.S. Department of State professional exchange program. The participants have met this week with park managers, biologists, entomologists, educators and historians. 

“Great Smoky Mountains National Park shares many similarities with Khao Yai, but the Smokies are one step ahead in public involvement in caring for the park and we look forward to learning from their staff,” said Homsud. “In Khao Yai, we still have problems with encroachment and poaching.”

www.nps.gov/oia/topics/sisterparks/sisterparks.htm. 

The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the recipient of the 2013 Exceptional Environmental Education Program award.