World Music artist, composer and peace activist Yuval Ron will appear in concert with his international ensemble of musicians at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center’s Stuart Auditorium.

Halloween might be over, but the scariness continues at Western Carolina University with a series of “haunted walking tours” on Monday, Nov. 9 and Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Mountain Heritage Center in Cullowhee.

Jackson County-based bluegrass/gospel act Mountain Faith will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Jews, Muslims and Christians will gather at Lake Junaluska next week to promote peace.

The Lake Junaluska Peace Conference is four days of workshops, yoga, prayer, lectures, worship, meditation and music, with the goal of advancing the work of reconciliation and peace in the world. Registration is still open for the conference, which will take place Nov. 12-15 at Lake Junaluska. 

The event is led by notable peacemakers from all three Abrahamic faith traditions, including Rabbi Or Rose, Rabia Terri Harris and Rev. Sam Wells. The theme of this year’s conference is “Longing for Peace/Exploring the Heart of God.”

www.lakejunaluska.com/peace, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 828.454.6682.

With guidance from the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, Southwestern Community College has instructed ECS Carolinas, LLP, to develop an action plan to address elevated lead levels downhill from the firing range that the college operates off River Road in Sylva.

In an Oct. 29 meeting, college officials met with representatives from NCDEQ, ECS Carolinas and Tuckasegee Wastewater Treatment Authority, which has a facility that neighbors the firing range, as well as Chuck Wooten, Jackson County manager, to discuss results of the most-recent round of testing that detected lead levels above what NCDEQ considers safe.

ECS will produce an action plan by Nov. 20 as requested by Robin Proctor, western area environmental chemist for NCDEQ.  While the plan is being assembled, SCC will take immediate steps to prevent further runoff from the site by installing a new sediment trap as erosion control.

The plan ECS is developing will include a strategy for completely eliminating all future runoff from the site as well as removal of lead currently on the site. 

Proctor emphasized that once preventative measures are taken, lead levels downhill from the range will immediately decrease.

“As long as SCC takes these steps to eliminate the spread, I see no reason to close the site,” Proctor said. “It’s a great site for a range … They need to stop the source of the problem and remove lead from the edge of the range and below.”

Macon County

• Macon County Art Association will hold a reception and portrait presentation event for the Annual Veterans Portrait Project at noon, Nov. 11, at the Uptown Gallery, 30 E. Main St., Franklin. The public is invited to watch family members and vets receive portraits painted by local artists. 

• The town of Franklin will hold its annual Veteran’s Day parade and celebration from 10:15 a.m. to noon Nov. 11 at the Franklin town gazebo. All Macon County veterans are invited to participate. The parade will leave the lower level of Franklin Town Hall at 10:15 a.m. and travel to the gazebo on the square. The Franklin High School Band will perform this year and the featured guest speaker will be Col. Gary Dills, USAF (retired) along with special music, a wreath laying ceremony and the playing of “Taps.” 828.524.2516.

Jackson County

• U.S. Congressman Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, will be the keynote speaker at Southwestern Community College’s Veteran’s Day event, which will be held from noon-1 p.m. Nov. 11 in Myers Auditorium on the Jackson campus. The event will also include a presentation from the William E. Dillard American Legion Post 104 Color Guard, comments from the chairmen of the Jackson, Macon and Swain County commissioners and a video/slideshow of SCC employees and students who served in the U.S. armed forces. Dr. Don Tomas, president of SCC, and Daniel Sewell, president of the SCC Veterans Club, will also speak at the event.

• Webster will hold a Veterans Day Celebration and Monument Rededication ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at Webster’s Old Rock School, 1528 Webster Road. The half-hour program will include a posting of colors by Boy Scout Troop 210, a musical performance by the Smokey Mountain High School Choir, including the national anthem, and remarks from guest speakers.  

Haywood County

• Waynesville’s VFW Post 5202 will hold a Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 at the “big gun” in downtown Clyde. The guest speaker will be Lt. Col. Kevin Sutton, the Air Force Junior ROTC commander at Tuscola High School. 828.456.9346.

Swain/Cherokee

• A free Veterans appreciation spaghetti dinner is being provided by VFW Cherokee Memorial Post 8013 to all veterans and their families on Nov. 7 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Yellowhill Community Center. ID required for veterans, all others $5/adult and $2/under 12. Steve Brown at 828.497.2515 or Steve Lusk 828.497.5273.

To the Editor:

I am writing to express my support for Ralph Hamlett and Gail Mull for Canton aldermen.  

Although I live outside the city limits of Canton, I have attended board meetings since May 2013 when I became an active volunteer with Camp Hope. I am impressed with the positive direction, initiatives, programs, ordinances, policies and plans that Ralph and Gail, working together with the other aldermen, mayor, town manager and town staff, have adopted. They have accomplished so much not just for Canton but for all of us in Haywood County and beyond.  

Plans are moving forward for a new outdoor swimming pool. An aggressive economic development plan is being implemented. An ordinance is in place to improve the safety and market appeal of downtown buildings along with grant money to assist property owners. Improvements are constantly being made to an aging water infrastructure. Salary adjustments have been made to bring town employees closer to the market average. A balanced budget that does not raise taxes has been adopted.   

These are just a few of their accomplishments. One of their best decisions was to hire Seth Hendler-Voss as town manager. Seth brings talent, skill, knowledge, energy and enthusiasm to his position.  

Ralph and Gail share this passion for Canton. They listen to the residents, research the issues, ask questions and then ultimately make decisions that are in the best interests of the citizens. They strive to build on Canton’s rich heritage, preserve Canton’s beloved traditions, and embrace new ideas that will enhance Canton’s future. They are constantly seeking to do what is best both short- and long-term.  

I strongly encourage the voters of Canton to re-elect Ralph Hamlett and Gail Mull. Allow them to continue to move Canton forward. With them, the future of “Western North Carolina’s Hometown” is extremely bright!

Pam Kearse

Haywood County

Nearly 200 people gathered at Blue Ridge School this month to hear a parting presentation from Doris Mager, known around the country as “The Eagle Lady.”

Absent for more than half a century, lake sturgeon returned to North Carolina waters as more than 3,000 fish were released into the French Broad river near Hot Springs last week. 

“It’s not every day you’re able to help bring back such a magnificent creature,” remarked Steve Fraley, aquatic biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “This is a proud day for North Carolina as part of our natural heritage is being restored.”

Growing to 200 pounds and 9 feet long, and living up to 150 years, lake sturgeon are impressive fish. 

They’re native to central North America with a historical range sweeping the deep south well into Canada, but in the 1900s lake sturgeon declined due to overfishing, habitat loss, dams and pollution. The last one recorded in North Carolina was taken from Hot Springs in 1946. The species is not on the federal endangered species list but is considered threatened or endangered in 19 of the 20 states in its range. 

The campaign to bring them back to the Southern Appalachians began when 3,500 were stocked in the upper Clinch River in 1992 and continued when annual stocking of rivers in East Tennessee began in 2000. 

The fish stocked at Hot Springs are tagged, allowing biologists to know the fish’s origin when it is caught or sampled. Anglers who catch a lake sturgeon will be asked to report the find to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

A new committee focused on revisiting recreation fees in national forests in 13 southern states and Puerto Rico is seeking nominations to fill its 11 seats. 

The Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee will work under the U.S. Forest Service. Nominees must represent a range of forest-related interests, including recreational use, environment, outfitters, tourism, Native Americans and local government. 

Appointees will serve two- or three-year terms. There is no pay, but members will receive travel and per diem expenses to attend meetings. 

The committee's jurisdiction will cover the national forests in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Puerto Rico.

Nomination forms are due by Dec. 31. Mail to Recreation RAC Nomination, P.O. Box 1270, Hot Springs, Arkansas, 79102.

Carolina Mitchell, 501.321.5318 or r8­This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

www.fs.usda.gov/main/r8/ recreatio/racs.

A pair of public meetings outlining the next steps of the plan revision process for the Nantahala and Pisgah national forests will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 9 and Nov. 16 in Franklin and Asheville, respectively. 

Currently, the U.S. Forest Service is working to identify lands to be recommended for inclusion in the National Wilderness Preservation System and to identify rivers that should be included in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. 

Information about how the Forest Service proposes to evaluate wilderness and wild and scenic rivers is now online, with feedback from the public requested on these draft evaluation questions, as well as on information about the specific lands and rivers that might inform the evaluations. 

The purpose of the meetings is to go over the evaluation information, provide a general update about the forest plan evaluation process, give the public a chance to talk with Forest Service employees and discuss how best to provide feedback. The content of the two meetings will be the same. 

• 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, at Tartan Hall on 26 Church Street in Franklin

• 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in the Mountain View Room of Kimmel Arena at University of North Carolina Asheville

Once completed, the forest management plan will guide land use and management decisions in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests for the next two decades, impacting everything from recreation to habitat restoration to logging restrictions. The last management plan was completed in 1987, with major amendments added in 1994. 

The Forest Service is expected to release information about its proposed alternatives for how to manage the forests in early 2016, with public input requested leading up the release of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in spring 2016. The Draft EIS will go through a 90-day formal comment period before being revisited to develop a final version, to be issued in fall 2017.

Information regarding this next step is online at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ nfsnc/nprevision.

It’s a scarce year for the fall foods such as acorns and grapes that bears depend on to prepare for hibernation, and that means that people using the outdoors should be extra careful to avoid conflicts with the large mammals.

It’s bat week in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and park rangers are celebrating by setting up bat information stations and activities 2-4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

Warren Wilson College professor Phil Jamison will present his new book Hoedowns, Reels, and Frolics: Roots and Branches of Southern Appalachian Dance and demonstrate a step or two at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University.

The Bryson City Cork & Bean, one of the town's favorite eateries, has added luxury lodging to its menu of hospitality services. 

The restaurant's owners recently completed renovation of the top two floors of the 1908 Bryson City Bank building, transforming the historic structure into The Everett Boutique Hotel & Bistro with nine luxury suites, a restaurant and bar.

Hotel suites with memory foam mattresses and upscale baths, and a rooftop terrace with open fireplace and beautiful city and mountain views are the hallmark amenities for the new hotel. Guests enjoy a complimentary breakfast/brunch in the Cork & Bean Bistro each day of their stay. 

The hotel is located next to the historic Swain County Courthouse Visitor Center / Heritage Museum, and within walking distance of shops, galleries, restaurants, brewery, bookstores and the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Hotel parking is free.

Call 828.488.1976.

The Little Tennessee River Basin got national attention last week when it was named the first Native Fish Conservation Area in the United States. 

The designation identifies basins where a focus on conservation of aquatic life is paired with recreation and commercial use, the end goal being to ensure longterm survival of native species. 

Home to more than 100 species of fish and 41 aquatic species considered rare at the federal or state level, the Little Tennessee is a hotbed of diversity. A handful of its species are found nowhere else in the world, including the Citico darter, smoky madtom and Little Tennessee crayfish. The river basin stretches from North Georgia, across North Carolina and into Tennessee, including the Little Tennessee, Tuckasegee, Oconaluftee, Nantahala, Tellico and Cheoah rivers.

Anglers at Max Patch Pond have better fishing opportunities now that the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the U.S. Forest Service have completed renovations to the 1.5-acre pond, located in the Pisgah National Forest in on the Haywood-Madison countyline.

Renovations included installing a floating fishing pier, a concrete sidewalk connecting the pier to a new van-accessible parking pad, a refurbished fishing platform, a stabilized section of eroding trail on the Max Patch loop directly above a spring drainage feeding the pond and cross-pipe culverts to divert runoff. Trees, shrubs and other plants were also planted along the road and pond to protect water quality, with participation from Trout Unlimited volunteers.

“These improvements will safeguard the pond for the next generation of anglers,” said Scott Loftis, an aquatic habitat coordinator with the Commission.

North Carolina is on track to meet the new ozone compliance standard, with the entire state currently meeting the new, more stringent standard the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency adopted Oct. 1.

“This is the first time that North Carolina has been in full compliance with a new ozone standard at the time it was adopted by the EPA,” Department of Environmental Quality Director Sheila Holman said.  

The new standard is that areas not have an eight-hour period averaging an ozone reading over 70 parts per billion, compared to the 2008 standard of 75 ppb. For the past three years, all air quality monitors in North Carolina have already been in compliance with the new tougher standard, according to the state’s preliminary analysis. 

Compare that to the early 2000s, when about one-third of North Carolina counties were classified as non-attainment for ozone, and Code Red and Orange ozone alerts were a frequent occurrence during summer months. Ozone during the past three years has been the lowest since the state began monitoring the air in the early 1970s, due to declining emissions from vehicles, power plants and industry. The improvement is also a result of EPA regulations and the state’s Clean Smokestacks Act of 2002, which required coal-fired power plants to reduce their emissions by about three-fourths. 

A pair of new guides to the outdoors in Haywood County, produced by the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, will help visitors get the most out of two sought-after local experiences — elk viewing and road biking. 

A 600-acre prescribed burn near Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will start soon, perhaps as early as next week, and continue intermittently through early November.

Hunting season is underway in Western North Carolina, with bear season opening Oct. 12.

Bear season opened last week and will run through Nov. 21, with a second bear season from Dec. 14 to Jan. 1. Deer season is sandwiched between the two bear seasons, with deer hunting with firearms allowed from Nov. 23 to Dec. 12. Archery season for whitetail deer is already underway.

Hunters should take care to have the proper licenses and permits, while non-hunters should take precautions while enjoying the woods. 

• Wear bright clothing, such as orange hats and vests. This goes for pets too. 
• Make noise to let hunters know you’re there, especially if you hear shooting. 
• Once the hunter knows you’re there don’t make noise that will disturb wildlife. If you do hear shooting, raise your voice and let hunters know that you are in the vicinity.
• Know when and where hunting seasons are taking palce before going on a hike.
• Hunting is not allowed in national and state parks, or in national forests on Sundays. 

www.ncwildlife.org/hunting.aspx. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, 919.707.0010.

Doris Mager, known as “The Eagle Lady,” will celebrate her 90th birthday by giving a birds of prey program at 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Haywood Art Studio Tour will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 23-24.

A celebration of all things Halloween will be held Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in the Hazelwood community of Waynesville.

• Friday, Oct. 30 — Kid’s Carnival from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Come in costume. $5 per person, free for children age two years and under. This is a family festival and includes games, a haunted hallway, baked Halloween treats, a photo booth, classic Halloween films and pizza and hotdogs for purchase. Preview pumpkin catapults at this event. Spookmoot is promised not to be too gruesome or scary and is generously sponsored by Haywood Regional Medical Center.

• Saturday, Oct. 31 — Halloween Fling & Costume Party from 8 p.m. to midnight. $50 per person (age 18 and over). With Waynesville’s Halloween Folklore at heart, the Friendship Center will be transformed into a spooky forest party. Partygoers will traverse the haunted hall to enter the event and will enjoy delicious and fun foods, special Halloween beverages, a photo booth, costume party and a dance party featuring DJ Music Explosion Sound. This event is generously sponsored by the Mountaineer and a graveyard full of local sponsors.

• Sunday, Nov. 1 — Catapults with Catamounts punkin’ chunkin’ competition from 1 to 4 p.m. Located on Main Street at Miller Street in Downtown Waynesville, this event is a spectacle brought to you by the handi-work of Western Carolina University’s Construction Management Department. Catapult events are sponsored by the Downtown Waynesville Association, LN Davis Insurance and Beverly Hanks & Associates. Prizes will be awarded for the most effective catapult designs, to be judged by Mayor Gavin Brown, N.C. General Assembly Representative Joe Sam Queen.

Tickets are limited and can be purchased by calling 828.452.2997 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

“Purple on the Prowl!” will be the theme as the Western Carolina University community comes together to celebrate Homecoming 2015 Oct. 21-25 in Cullowhee.

Michael Kors, Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Nine West, Anne Klein, The Sak and Fossil will be featured during “Designer Bag Bingo” at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Cat Creek Lodge in Franklin.

Bluegrass/Americana act The Darren Nicholson Band will perform during the “Family Fun Night” fundraiser on Friday, Oct. 30, at the American Legion Post #47 in Waynesville.

Acclaimed bluegrass act The Gibson Brothers will perform at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Cataloochee Guest Ranch in Maggie Valley.

To the Editor:

Politics is often described as the art of the possible. The recent resignation of Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, and the events surrounding electing a replacement for him demonstrate the fact that the group of Republican Party insurgents who misleadingly bill themselves as the Freedom Caucus do not understand some of the basic tenets of American politics. While the members of this group often describe themselves as strict constitutionalists, their behavior demonstrates an almost complete lack of understanding of one of the fundamental principles embedded in the Constitution — the essential need for compromise.

Our Congressman, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, is one of the leaders of this reactionary insurgent group. Meadows authored a letter that undermined Boehner’s already minimal ability to make the House function as a useful instrument of government. Rep. Meadows has continually and repeatedly demonstrated that he is an ideologue and egotist who would sacrifice functioning government for so-called principle. Like a petulant child, he has insisted that shutting down the government is an acceptable, even a preferred tactic; even if his ends are the futile pursuit of a radical agenda that has no chance of enactment and only limited public support.

Rep. Meadows and his misguided colleagues have abandoned their primary responsibility to govern. They eschew representation of their constituents in favor of hostage taking. They pursue partisan motivated investigations that spend endless amounts of money while wasting time instead of engaging in the basic business of legislating. This country is faced with innumerable serious challenges from mass incarceration that costs billions while creating a permanent under-culture to an economy that works for the few to climate change. Meanwhile, Meadows and his cohorts throw temper tantrums.

Now Poltico and other outlets report that Meadows is under an ethics investigation for what appears to be improper severance payments to Meadows’ former Chief of Staff Ken West. This is on top of inquiries related to other questionable payments to West, a man burdened by a series of sexual harassment complaints. Some of these complaints were known even before Meadows appointed West, which raises questions about Meadows’ judgment.

As we watch the House Republican caucus dissolve into disarray, as we watch the nation’s business grind to a halt because of the actions of a few intemperate members like Meadows, we should ask ourselves if this is the kind of representation the voters of Western North Carolina’s11th District deserves. The answer is clearly no.

Mark Jamison

Webster

To the Editor:

Letters to the editor in a newspaper illustrate the highest tradition of a free press. Letters represent an opportunity for individuals to express their own opinions. By signing their letters writers take responsibility for their ideas. 

Paid political ads for candidates are often are paid for by third parties. In this way candidates can deny responsibility for their content. These ads work, and often make the difference in a candidate winning an election.

There is so much money in politics today that often outside groups spend more on a candidate than he or she does on their own campaign. If elected to public office, will the candidate truly represent the interests of the people who voted for him or the people who bought his election and sold him to the voters? Who pays the piper calls the tune. 

Maybe candidates should be allowed to write a letter to the editor. 

Margery Abel

Franklin

To the Editor:

A recent letter writer has gone over the top with the surreal allegation that the Republican Party is without Christian principles. This letter writer’s M.O. is to point out some problem in society, quote some remote facts, and then try to transfer blame to the Republican Party or Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin. Instead of paying for legitimate political ads, these Democrats flood the “Letters to the Editor” every week.

The usual ploy is to claim that the Republicans will take away your government benefits. Fortunately, most people understand the ploy, and they re-elected Sen. Davis, one of the finest men I have met in this area. This is the first time I have heard this particular person stoop to use religious principles against a political party. He is correct in his assumption that “Christians are enamored with the Republican Party” as most of us are unhappy with the on-the-job training in the presidency, poorly negotiated trade deals, and the dangerous treaty with Iran. We want change in Washington. 

The rich are already paying almost all of the taxes, and that fact is easy to research.

Jim Sottile

Franklin

To the Editor:

Seventeen pages of your Oct. 7 issue (including the cover) were dedicated to “Women in Business,” more than 25 percent (one quarter) of your newspaper.

Congratulations. You have confirmed that America has accomplished what Abraham Lincoln is credited with having said could not be done: we have strengthened the weak by weakening the strong. Lincoln’s implied reasoning was, of course, you cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong and expect acceptable or beneficial results.

Be that as it may, the war on women is officially over, the war on men is in full progress and gaining momentum across the nation.

For those of us who have sons, grandsons and great grandsons, that’s not good news. I have 10 great grandsons, the oldest of which has (or soon will) enter the workforce. These young men have some well-placed cow chips in their paths of which they have no knowledge and that I will not have the chance to teach them (from my own experience of having stepped in most of them) how to avoid.

David L. Snell

Franklin

To the Editor:

The BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism at WCU has responded to my letter regarding BB&T bank’s practice of funding pro-corporate professors on college campuses across the country. I did not name the professor, as it was not my intention to denigrate his reputation, as I am sure he is a well-qualified professional or he would not have gotten the position.

The fundamental problem, however, is the system in which giant corporations can install those who agree with their political viewpoint into our public educational institutions. By definition, this act makes our universities less public and more controlled by private forces and motivations.

Further, why should those with an overabundance of money be able to get their views over-represented in a public university? This is the same issue as that of the US Supreme Court ruling of Citizens United: that in an under-regulated market, the wealthy and powerful have disproportionate influence on our government and society. This ruling reverses a great American tradition of one person, one vote.

As our media is corporate-owned, the information they present on their news shows reflect their corporate bottom line. This is why, in spite of his success in fundraising from millions of small donors, in the huge crowds at his events, his performance in the debate, and his soaring poll numbers, Bernie Sanders is either attacked or ignored by the corporate media news. 

In his letter, the professor suggested that censorship is the appropriate way to deal with criticism (such as mine), and in an under-regulated market, BB&T could buy up all the local newspapers and make this a reality.  

We The People stand no chance against the whims mega-corporations unless we elect representatives to stand up against that power, just like the checks and balances designed into our government. Corporate power, unchecked, is more dangerous than political power, as the corporations now control our government against our interests.

Those corporations don’t want Bernie Sanders for President, as he would work to restore the balance of private and public power, as he has done throughout his career.

Corporate tyranny is tyranny nonetheless.

Dan Kowal

Franklin

To the Editor:

I am writing to express my support for the re-election of Gavin Brown as mayor for Waynesville. I don’t reside in the Waynesville voting district but I have known Mayor Brown for many years and have witnessed his leadership during my professional career. He encourages open dialogue and new ideas, inspires harmony in working with colleagues, and provides direction in areas of economic development.

I believe he will continue to uphold the integrity of all Waynesville’s commercial districts while promoting growth and preserving the unique character of each.

Mayor Brown brings a lifelong passion for his hometown and with that a sincere desire to do his best in serving the people of Waynesville.

Sharron Donnahoe

Maggie Valley

To the Editor:

Congratulations to legendary banjo player Raymond Fairchild for his induction into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, and congratulations to his dedicated wife, Shirley. Also, and thanks to The Smoky Mountain News for writing a long overdue story on a local legend.

In 1986 or ‘87, the Haywood County Arts Council held “Raymond Fairchild Day” with the county commissioners doing a proclamation and the Arts Council hosting a well-remembered event. I was the Arts Council’s first full-time executive director and everyone associated with the council was pleased to be able to honor one of our own, as well as bring in unique programs. The performance and presentation was held at the old Strand Theatre site and Raymond filled the house with appreciative fans.

Gene and I have been to the Opry House in Maggie, too  I agree with writer Garret K. Woodward that not many people are usually present, but for those who go, it’s great music. Raymond isn’t easy to read — never has been, probably never will be. But when I was in his home planning the Arts Council event or sitting at the Opry House, I found him to be a most gracious host as well as an entertaining one.   

Haywood County has some outstanding talent. Join in letting them know we are grateful for their sharing of these beautiful gifts,

Jackie Bolden

Clyde 

Leaders of Western Carolina University, Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital announced the expansion and formalization of a partnership focused on ensuring access to quality health care in North Carolina’s westernmost counties.

Jonnie Cure, a challenger in the Waynesville mayor’s race, has a history of liens, unpaid property taxes, foreclosures, small claims and personal bankruptcy over a 20-year span.

Saturday, October 31st – 8am-3pm (registration 7am) 

Doubletree Hotel Asheville – 115 Hendersonville Road, Asheville

A celebration of all things fall will be held noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Nantahala Outdoor Center. 

North Carolina came in fifth nationwide in a recent ranking of states that added jobs in clean energy and clean transportation in the second quarter of 2015. North Carolina added 700 jobs tied to the sector.

According to the national nonpartisan business group Environmental Entrepreneurs, nearly 10,500 clean energy and clean transportation jobs were announced nationwide during the second quarter of 2015.

The full report is available at bit.ly/1LE0QNr. www.cleanenergyworksforus.org. 

The N.C. Department of Environment Quality, formally known as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, now has a blog dedicated to the agency’s news and views on environmental issues in the state and nation. 

Accessible from DEQ’s home page, the Environmentally Speaking blog aims to keep readers informed about topics such as energy, air quality, coal ash and more. 

portal.ncdenr.org/web/guest/denr-blog.

After receiving more than three months’ worth of rainfall in the course of one week, North Carolina is not experiencing any drought conditions for the first time since May 12. 

As of Sept. 29, more than two-thirds of the state was experiencing drought or abnormally dry conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Portions of Haywood, Jackson, Swain and Macon were classified as “abnormally dry,” with some parts of Haywood and Jackson experiencing moderate drought. 

The Oct. 6 map, however, shows a state completely devoid of drought and dry conditions. Between those two dates, some areas of the mountains received more than 10 inches of rain, prompting fears of widespread flooding and mudslides, which, fortunately, proved unfounded. 

A serious boxwood disease known as boxwood blight, Calonec­tria pseudonaviculata, has been confirmed on the Highlands Plateau in Macon and Jackson counties, and homeowners are being encouraged to remove diseased plants.

The disease causes leaf loss and decline of boxwoods, and once introduced it’s difficult and costly to control. Spores can be spread through contaminated plant material, garden tools or clothing. The telltale signs of infection include brown leaf spots, black streaks on green twigs and leaf drop starting at the bottom of the plant. 

Because the disease can’t be effectively controlled once underway, removal of diseased plants is recommended. However, the pathogen will survive in the soil for five to six years after plant removal. 

For comprehensive recommendations, visit www.ext.vt.edu/topics/agriculture/commercial-horticulture/boxwood-blight/ or your local Cooperative Extension Center. 

The North Carolina Legislature did not renew the state’s solar tax credit, which will now expire on Dec. 31. 

Thanks to an Eagle Scout project from 14-year-old Talbryn Porter, the Lake Junaluska walking path is now sporting new mile markers.

Kids who want to lend a hand toward feeding the hungry can help harvest the season’s left-over apples from a Waynesville orchard during a special picking day on Saturday, Oct. 17, organized by the Haywood Gleaners

A nocturnal, kid-friendly Halloween event will give visitors a rare glimpse of Chimney Rock State Park at night, 7:30 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24.

To the Editor:

When I moved to Waynesville in 1987 the library was the pride of the mountains. It was even better than Raleigh’s, where I had lived three decades. Forty-five percent of the county population is over 39, so more reading material is needed for an older population. After I returned from living in Texas the past seven years, I was dismayed to see the library down at the heels. 

The computers especially were a problem. They are very heavily used, usually by unemployed 20-somethings applying for jobs online, students who cannot afford their own computer, by seniors, and by visitors who are traveling and won’t tote a printer to a motel room. They are old, say 20 years. In fact, the operating system is no longer supported by Windows.

The staff is always kind, patient and helpful, so I asked what was going on. It seems that attempts to upgrade or supervise the computers are lacking. Software to upgrade has been on the shelf for a while, maybe even as long as a year. I offered, since I taught it at SCC, to install it myself. No, no one can touch it. Maybe they could get an intern from WCU? No, the intern came from HCC and didn’t do it.

I checked with a state legislator and learned that libraries just received substantial upgrades of funding, but clearly funds are only part of the problem. I plan to see the county commissioners about this. But thank you for printing my letter and letting others know.

Cornelia S. Cree

Waynesville