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The Haywood County Department of Social Services is hosting an informational recruitment rally Nov. 5 from 1-4 p.m.
Haywood County Department of Social Services is collaborating with other foster home agencies to hold the event, which aims to teach to people more about being a foster parent and the county’s need for available foster homes.
828.356.2367 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Lori Hall has been selected as the new Finance Director for Macon County. Hall replaces Evelyn Southard, a long time county finance director who retired at the end of October.
Hall began Oct. 31. Hall was selected from among two-dozen applicants for the job.
Before accepting the position with Macon County, Hall had served as finance director for the City of Kings Mountain since 1996. Prior to that appointment, she worked as a clerk in accounting and collections for the city.
A community event to help people deal with feelings of grief and loss during the upcoming holidays will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. and from 6:30-8 p.m. Nov. 8 at First Baptist Church of Waynesville.
Palliative Care and Hospice Services of MedWest Health System is hosting the “Hope for the Holidays.” The sessions are free, and refreshments will be provided.
828.452.8811 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Three challengers in the Waynesville town election have staked out clear positions against the town’s commercial development standards. They say they would institute a review of the town’s ordinances if elected and want to loosen the standards.
Current town leaders running for re-election believe the standards protect the unique character of the town.
Others say the standards aren’t perfect but are satisfied that an overhaul of the standards this past year — a process driven by a town-appointed committee of mostly business leaders — addressed the majority of concerns and the ordinances are fine for now.
Supports standards
Mayor Gavin Brown
Brown doesn’t buy claims that Waynesville’s development standards have killed plans by chain stores to come here.
“I would like to see a statement signed by the development companies saying the land design standards are the reason they didn’t come here,” Brown said.
Waynesville’s track record on attracting new businesses, even chain stores, isn’t too shabby, he said.
Over the past four years, the town has seen a Super Walmart, Best Buy, Staples and two new Verizon Wireless stores. Ingle’s has been approved for a major expansion, including a gas station. A new Belks department store, PetSmart and Michael’s craft store have broken ground. Even a manufacturing industry, HVO, met the town’s standards when undergoing a major expansion of its plant.
Brown said efforts to recruit new business are more likely to run afoul over the town’s demographics. Its population, at least on paper, doesn’t look big enough to support the stores, as “the census data doesn’t reflect second homes.”
Alderman Leroy Roberson
Roberson thinks it is important to preserve Waynesville’s character, support small business and protect the charm of its neighborhoods. The town’s land-use plan does that by upholding appearance standards for new commercial development, he said.
The town is one of the most desirable places in the region to live thanks to its progressive vision, and that in turn makes businesses want to locate here, he said, pointing to several chain stores that have done just that.
“You don’t have these large box stores coming to Waynesville because it is a depressed area. They see it as a vibrant area,” Roberson said.
Roberson said smart businesses recognize the value in appearance.
“Why doesn’t Cracker Barrel just put up a tin-sided building with metal posts? Why do they put rocking chairs out there? Because it looks attractive,” Roberson said.
Roberson said his passion lies with helping the local businesses, pointing to new restaurants like Frog’s Leap, Bourbon Barrel and Tipping Point.
“Cracker Barrel is not my main concern. We are getting lots of good restaurants without Cracker Barrel,” Roberson said. “I want to create a climate that provides for small business. The big chains can take care of themselves. They have millions of dollars they can invest.”
Roberson said it is appropriate to ask chain stores to respect the towns they come in to.
“They should at least try to become a part of the community, in terms of ‘OK, this is the appearance you have, how can I fit into this?’ Not ‘This is the way we do it everywhere else and if you don’t like, we are not coming,’” Roberson said.
Roberson said the revised land-use plan is not as rigid as it was and can accommodate specific issues a business might have. “Flexibility is built in without throwing out everything with the bathwater,” Roberson said.
Alderman Wells Greeley
Greeley said the town responded to complaints from development interests that the town’s standards were too strict. The town appointed a committee comprised mostly of business leaders who spent a year revising the standards. Town leaders agreed to most of the recommended changes, loosening them in several areas.
“Now that we have reviewed those, I feel very comfortable; we are poised to really promote business and encourage business,” Greeley said. “This board has not been business unfriendly.”
As for the Cracker Barrel claims?
“I would need to see more evidence,” Greeley said.
Middle of the road
Mary Ann Enloe, challenger
Enloe said Waynesville has lovely neighborhoods that should be protected.
“We don’t need to lose sight of our neighborhoods because we have quite a few really nice ones around in town. By the same token, I am going to tell you what I am hearing everywhere I go, this comes up. People want new businesses here. They just do,” Enloe said.
Enloe said she does not have enough facts to wade into the fray over Cracker Barrel. Enloe said the town should put the facts out there.
“The people I talk to want to know why. They want to know why these corporate entities walked away,” she said.
Enloe said she doesn’t know if the claims are legitimate. If they aren’t, the town “should let folks know that,” Enloe said.
Enloe agrees with revisions made to the ordinance this year and does not see the need to make more changes to it right now. She does believe it should be periodically reviewed at least every five years going forward.
“We have to be business friendly in an appropriate way,” Enloe said.
Alderman Gary Caldwell
Caldwell has had one primary bone to pick with the commercial development standards: where should the parking lots go.
The town’s development standards initially required parking lots to go on the side or rear of the building. That way, building façades and landscaping would define the streetscape rather than parking lot scenes. But, Caldwell said businesses should be allowed to put parking lots in front of their buildings. He supports a change to the ordinance allowing a limited number of parking spaces in front of the building.
“Now we have kind of come to a mutual agreement where we have allowed a row of parking in front,” Caldwell said. “I feel like we have come to a good compromise all the way around.”
Although he personally voted to allow even more parking in front, he can live with it and doesn’t see the need to undergo another revision process right now.
Standards too tough
Julia Boyd-Freeman
Freeman believes the town’s development standards are too strict, and the ordinance wasn’t loosened enough in the recent review process.
“There was some progress made but in my opinion not enough,” Freeman said. “That’s why I think it is a priority to start that review process again.”
Freeman said the ordinance puts “undue burdens” on new commercial developments and should be made more “pro-business.”
She thinks new businesses should have to plant some trees in their parking lot but not as many as the town calls for now. She doesn’t think new commercial developments should have to bear the expense of building sidewalks.
“We need to be a pedestrian community but not at the expense of our small business owners,” Freeman said.
Freeman also doesn’t think chain stores should have to alter their templates to fit the town’s appearance guidelines.
“I truly believe these businesses should be able to submit plans depending on what is their brand. They have their own look. It is a corporate thing,” Freeman said. “They should be able to submit those.”
Sam Edwards, challenger
Edwards is a leading critic of the development standards and accused the town of “chasing businesses off.”
“This is one of the principle things that are a deterrent to businesses opening up here,” Edwards said.
Edwards said there are numerous examples. He cited Cracker Barrel as the poster child. He said Cracker Barrel “canceled the decision to come” after the town wouldn’t allow its tall highway sign. He also cited Annie’s Bakery and Walgreen’s.
Edwards said he had no first hand knowledge nor details of the alleged deals that fell through. He said he got his information from the Waynesville-Haywood Concerned Citizens Group.
Edwards said market forces, not the government, should dictate the appearance of new buildings.
“That is a decision they would have to make corporately,” Edwards said.
Hugh Phillips, mayoral candidate
Phillips said he heard that a Cracker Barrel had pulled out because they couldn’t put up a tall sign. He said he did not know specifics.
“I didn’t get all the details on it but it all boiled down to the land use ordinances,” Phillips said.
When asked for other examples, Phillips said “Chick-fil-A maybe.”
As for where it was allegedly going to go?
“I thought close to Walmart,” Phillips said.
Phillips said he wants to redo the town’s standards.
“We need to go over it page by page, line by line,” Phillips said.
The town actually appointed a committee of business leaders last year to do just that. The team met weekly for the better part of a year, went over every line of the ordinance and recommended dozens of changes to loosen the ordinance. The town board adopted all but one of the recommendations in the spring.
Phillips said he was only vaguely familiar that the town had undergone a review of the ordinance. He said he did not know that the town board had weakened the standards already.
“I heard a little bit about it. I don’t know what the results were. I knew they were going to do that, but I never heard what the results were,” Phillips said. “I didn’t know about it.”
Haywood Community College will offer a new community education certificate in Media Arts: Photography.
The course begins Nov. 11 and run through March, 14, 2012. It will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. The program requires basic knowledge of cameras and computers.
Does your camera have buttons and menus that you wish you knew how to use? Do you have a memory card full of images and you don’t know what to do next? The Media Arts Certificate in Photography offers hands-on instruction in basic camera operation, lighting, printing, editing, promotion, presentation and networking.
Cost of the class is $240. 828.565.4242.
A new film festival that will be held from Thursday through Sunday (Nov. 3-6) in Asheville will feature 39 films from more than 20 filmmakers and includes a number of panels and workshops.
The first Asheville Cinema Festival’s executive director is Wyman Tannehill, who grew up in Haywood County.
“The festival is designed for everyone. The goal is to bring more independent film to Western North Carolina,” Tannehill told the Asheville Citizen-Times. “There are a lot of great films out there that might not otherwise play here.”
Films include features, documentaries, shorts, foreign and student films from around the world, as well as WNC films.
Tickets are $5 online and $6 at the door for each of the films. A package of five tickets for $20 is also available online. Venues include the Asheville Community Theater, the Masonic Temple at 80 Broadway St., the Regal Biltmore Grande 15, Biltmore Park, Town Square and the Lexington Avenue Brewery.
The First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Jam Series for 2011-12 will get under way at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center on Thursday, Nov. 3, with a concert by the band Blue Eyed Girl.
The group’s 7 p.m. performance of old-time music will be followed by an 8 p.m. jam session in which local musicians are invited to participate.
The concerts and jam sessions will continue at the Mountain Heritage Center through the winter, with programs from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. Other performers scheduled to present concerts are Whimzik, Ric Ledford and the Reems Creek Incident, and the New Southern Ramblers.
The events are free and open to everyone. Pickers and singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part in the jam sessions, and the events also are open to those who just want to listen. The Mountain Heritage Center is located on the ground floor of WCU’s H.F. Robinson Administration Building.
828.227.7129.
Voices in the Laurel will perform at 3 p.m. on Nov. 6 at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.
The children’s choir “America, Of Thee I Sing Concert” is free and is intended to promote patriotism and honor veterans and those who serve to protect in local communities.
Choir Director Brown designed the concert to celebrate through music the fact that America is a melting pot, a refuge, and champions the oppressed.
The Concert Choir will also perform a recent addition to the folk song genre with text written by elementary students from Haywood County.
Three years ago, North Carolina composer Tom Shelton was commissioned by Haywood County Schools to take the poetry of elementary school students and write a piece for the Sing Haywood event sponsored by Haywood County Schools. Thus, “The Mountains Are Calling Me” was written, and has since been published.
www.voicesinthelaurel.org or 828.734.8413.
Western Carolina University’s Division of Educational Outreach will sponsor the seventh annual Dulcimer Winter Weekend beginning Thursday, Jan. 5, and continuing through Sunday, Jan. 8, at the Methodist Assembly’s Terrace Hotel at Lake Junaluska.
Participants can select from more than 50 classes offered for the mountain dulcimer and hammered dulcimer, and new for this year, the guitar. Mountain dulcimer instructors will include Anne Lough of Waynesville, Joe Collins of Shelby, and Larry Conger. Collins and Conger are both former national champions on the dulcimer.
The early registration fee of $149 is available until Tuesday, Nov. 15, and the fee will increase to $199 after that day. A non-participant fee of $40 allows accompanying guests to attend jam sessions, nightly events and a Sunday morning singing.
Reservations for accommodations should be made directly with the Terrace Hotel. The cost of a single occupancy room for three nights is $207 per person and the cost of a double occupancy room for three nights is $258 per person. A meal package that includes eight meals is available for $82. To book a room or meal package, call 800.222.4930.
Complete class descriptions, a full schedule and online registration are available at dulcimer.wcu.edu.
828.227.7397 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Bluegrass group Balsam Range will feature award-winning Nashville musician and songwriter John Wiggins in the first show of its Winter Concert Series at the Colonial Theatre in Canton at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 3.
Wiggins is a Haywood County native who co-wrote a recent No. 1 country hit for Blake Shelton “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking?” and record breaking seller “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” recorded by Joe Nichols. Balsam Range is a Haywood County-based band that recently won the International Bluegrass Music Award’s song of the year for “Trains I Missed.”
The performances is part of a fundraising “Donation Challenge” event to benefit the Haywood County Meals on Wheels program. The artists have each made a donation to start the support. Higher donation levels include business promotion and a “Meet and Greet” with the artists backstage.
General public tickets are now available for $25 through the Balsam Range website: www.balsamrange.com. For higher donation level information, contact Jeanne Naber, Meals on Wheels Program Coordinator, at 828.356.2442 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
St. David’s Episcopal Church in Cullowhee will host a “Day of Mindfulness: Practices to Support a Global Spirituality and Ethic” from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Nov. 5
The day-long session will be led by Trish Thompson, a Dharma teacher in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hahn.
The Day of Mindfulness will include meditation instructions, sitting practice, walking meditation, teaching and relaxation instructions. There are openings for only 25 people on a first come basis. Lunch will be provided. A donation of $25 will be welcomed. All proceeds will go to Clean Slate, a home for women released from jail in Jackson County.
Participants should bring a cushion or a blanket and comfortable clothing. Chairs are available.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.354.0166.
Tickets for the 2011 Madrigal Dinner at Western Carolina University went on sale Tuesday, Nov. 1.
The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, and Saturday, Dec. 3, in the Grandroom of the A.K. Hinds University Center.
Held annually since 1970, the Madrigal Dinner features entertainment, costumes, pageantry and food authentic of 16th-century England. During each dinner, the Early Music Ensemble, directed by Michael Lancaster — the newly appointed director of choral activities — will perform alongside a trio of herald trumpets and a trio of period instruments played by WCU music faculty Will Peebles and Bruce Frazier and WCU alumna Diana Fisher. Performers include a jester, the lord and lady of the feast and others.
The menu will include a choice of three entrees (grilled pork loin chop with bourbon-apple glaze, honey-citrus glazed Cornish game hen, or a vegetarian plate featuring a shepherd’s pie) and will be served with wassail, salad, roasted garlic mashed new potatoes, glazed carrots, plum pudding, rolls, tea, water and coffee. Tables seat eight apiece.
Tickets are $35 ($20. for WCU students) and may be purchased in the University Center administrative offices (on the second floor) or by calling 828.227.7206 for credit card orders.
The Community Table’s fourth annual Fall Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the 127 Bartlett Street location in Sylva.
The menu includes barbecue with baked beans and cole slaw, a yard sale, activities for the kids, live music and more.
The Community Table is also accepting donations for its yard sale (anything except clothing). Donations are also being accepted for a bake sale and a food drive.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.586.6782.
A performance of Gary Carden’s play “Nance Dude” at the Rickman Store in Macon County will serve as a fundraiser for the Friends of the Rickman Store.
The play is at 6 p.m. on Nov. 4. Tickets are $15 and are on sale at the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce.
This is the fourth play by Sylva playwright Carden that has been presented by the Friends of the Rickman Store. The first was “Birdell,” then “Prince of Dark Corners,” then “Bright Forever” and now “Nance Dude.”
Carden’s relatives are from Macon County and the Cowee area.
Elizabeth Westall has performed the character of Nance Dude many times and has won critical acclaim for doing the monologue. Each time she says it will be her last performance, but she continues to do the play, says Carden.
828.369.5595.
The Jackson County Public Library will host a daytime music program on the first Friday of every month from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. beginning Friday, Nov. 4.
The Nov. 4 show will feature “The Lady and the Old Timers Band.”
The monthly performance by the band enables people who might not want to venture out at night to hear live music from local musicians. The Lady and the Old Timers Band is made up of one lady and seven self-described old timers, five of whom are over the age of 80. They play gospel and traditional country tunes.
828.586.2016.
Haywood Arts Regional Theater will close the 2011 season with Eugene O’Neill’s comedy “Ah, Wilderness!” on its main stage.
The play will run at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 11-12, 18-19 and at 3 p.m. on Nov. 20. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, $8 for students with special $5 student tickets for Thursday and Sunday.
“Ah, Wilderness!” is the only comedy by the Pulitzer Prize winning O’Neill, who is considered by many to be America’s best playwright. The play is described as “a wistful fantasy of the family (O’Neill) wished was his. He would later write his masterpiece, “Long Day’s Journey Into Night,” telling the story of the family he actually had.
The HART box office opens to season ticket holders Wednesday, Nov. 2, and to the general public on Saturday, Nov. 5. Box office hours are Monday-Saturday 1-5 p.m. Call 828.456.6322 for reservations. Tickets available online at www.harttheater.com.
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” a story of revenge and greed and how they can crush the human spirit, will stage Thursday, Nov. 10, through Sunday, Nov. 13, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University.
“Sweeney Todd,” a University Theatre Mainstage production, will show at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.
Written by Hugh Wheeler with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, the play won eight Tony Awards and two Golden Globe Awards and is acknowledged as one of the most acclaimed theatrical works of the 20th century. The play tells the story of Sweeney Todd, formerly exiled and recently returned to the seedy underworld of 19th-century London. A barber, he exercises revenge for past wrongs on his unsuspecting customers, finding a willing accomplice in Mrs. Lovett, the owner of a pie shop.
WCU musical theater majors Tierney Cody, a sophomore from Asheville, and Peter O’Neal, a junior from Raleigh, will star in the production. Terrence Mann, WCU’s Plemmons Distinguished Professor of Musical Theatre, will direct.
Tickets are $20 for adults; $15 for faculty, staff and seniors; and $10 for students. To order tickets, or for more information about the season, call the Bardo Arts Center box office at 828.227.2479 or go online at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.
The Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University will host a holiday sale of handmade items and a Fall Family Day in November.
Both events are free and the public is invited.
The second-annual Handmade Holiday Sale will be held from 3-7 p.m. (with wine and appetizers beginning at 5 p.m.) Thursday, Nov. 10, in the Star Lobby, adjacent to the museum. The sale is an opportunity to buy directly from artists including WCU students and staff and community members. All items are priced at less than $100 and include silk scarves, ceramics, jewelry, knitted wear, soaps, note cards and more.
The Fine Art Museum will host a Fall Family Day from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 19. In addition to exhibits currently on display at the museum, activities including a scavenger hunt and opportunities to create works of art, as well as music, stories, snacks and prizes.
The Fine Art Museum’s hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. The museum also is open one hour before Fine and Performing Arts Center Galaxy of Stars performances.
828.227.2553 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Visit the museum online at fineartmuseum.wcu.edu.
It’s by Nature will host well known Cullowhee painter, Susan Ling this Friday, Nov. 4, during Sylva’s After Dark.
Ling will do a demonstration combining the rhythm of both buildings and landscapes into one movement.
“It is not so much what building or barn we see, but how we feel while looking at it or our reactions to the whole surrounding area,” she said. Ling’s watercolor demonstration will be in the bright primary colors of fall.
Jazz guitarist Chad Hallyburton will perform. Wine and cheese reception from 6-9 p.m. 828.631.3020.
The Waynesville Gallery Association will hold its monthly Art After Dark from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4.
Art After Dark takes place the first Friday of each month, May through December.
Studios and galleries on Main Street, Depot Street and in Historic Frog Lev will be open with working artists, specials sales and artist receptions. Art After Dark flags denote participating galleries. Musician Chris Minick will provide music on the street.
Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86 is hosting an artist’s reception during Art After Dark for its newest show featuring the artists of Signature Studio. Signature Day Program and Signature Studio are an alternative to the traditional Day Program option, offering creative expression and learning opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
For more information visit the Arts Council’s website at www.haywoodarts.org, call 828.452.0593, like the Arts Council on Facebook, and follow it on Twitter.
A collection of Catherine Stinson Yellowroot’s paintings titled “Return to the Wild” will be on display during the month of November at The Wilderness Society’s southeastern regional office in Sylva.
An opening reception for the exhibit will take place from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 4, at 563 West Main Street, Sylva. This reception coincides with Sylva After Dark, a first Friday celebration where the public is invited to stroll through downtown Sylva for an evening of arts, dining, music, shopping, and more.
Yellowroot’s artwork reflects her intimate relationship with nature. Roaming the woods and waterways of the Appalachian mountains, piedmont, and coastal islands of the Southeast, she communes with the subjects of her paintings.
To the Editor:
Just prior to the opening of the “Bear Smart” program, on Tuesday night at the Sapphire Valley Resort Community Center, a very large black bear showed up to protest the theme of the meeting by walking down the ski slope to a nearby dumpster and having an evening snack. Even though it was a fascinating experience for early arrivals to see a “live” bear up close, it was a prime example of how black bears respond to available human food sources and the primary objective of Bear Smart: Do Not Feed the Bears.
Although it provided an excellent jump start for the “Understanding Our Black Bears” presentation, it revealed the importance for across the board cooperation and support regarding denying bears access to human food sources. The actions of this bear, seen by many, indicates it is acclimated to human contact and subject to being killed or destroyed.
It is hoped that the full house of black bear enthusiasts attending this event, sponsored by Wild South and the Sapphire Valley Resort, were later moved to fully understand the importance of denying black bears all human food sources during an evening of informative, entertaining and educational presentations. These were all designed to develop awareness and pursue actions designed to preserve a healthy image of black bears, our iconic symbol of mountain living.
Kate Marshall, using her nationally acclaimed video along with insightful comments, provided exceptional glimpses of black bears and stories with emphasis on the importance of bears to our society. Her five point outline, showing reasons black bears are so valued by many wildlife enthusiasts, was a highlight of the evening.
In an exciting climax to a meaningful evening of discussions, Wendy Howe wowed the audience with her knowledge of black bears and everyone's role in keeping bears wild and wonderful. As a long time resident of the area, her comments were well received and further emphasized the need for major cooperative community action and support as we strive to co-exist with our black bear neighbors.
John Edwards
Director of Mountain Wildlife Days
Cashiers
To the Editor:
In the Oct. 19 Smoky Mountain News, a photo and story feature covered the Oct. 15 Occupy Sylva event. However, what the article did not report was that our Rep. Phil Haire, D-Sylva, chose the Occupy Sylva event to denounce Roses, a North Carolina business, and in fact encouraged the Occupy group not to shop at this store. He even told them where the store was located.
These outrageous remarks were stated by Haire in the midst of a disastrous economy and skyrocketing unemployment with shops and store closing all around us. Roses is the much-needed anchor of Jackson Plaza, a shopping center in Sylva. It is disgraceful that an elected official suggested a boycott that if followed could mean more job losses and even another closing of a business in Jackson County.
Rep. Haire coupled his remarks with high praise for a New Yorker Magazine article “State for Sale.” The New Yorker article, written by an ultra left winger for a ultra left wing magazine, to be read by big-city liberals, spent 10 pages slamming Republican spending in the 2010 elections and specifically the Jim Davis/John Snow race. The article focused on, well actually smeared, Raleigh multi-millionaire Republican funder Art Pope whose business is Rose’s Department Stores … .hmmm now we understand Rep. Haire’s motive.
You can see and hear Rep. Haire’s remarks on a video taken at the Occupy Sylva event. Go to Youtube at http:/youtu.be/LMNSl1yaC-0 or on Franklin videographer Bobby Coggin’s Thunder Pig blog at http://bit.ly/pKIlO4 . Rep. Haire also offered to provide the New Yorker article for anyone who wished to read it … that is if you want to read unbalanced and slanted reporting.
Just for the record, not of course covered by the New Yorker magazine, North Carolina Democrats spent $16 million to the Republican’s $14 million in the 2010 elections. Records also show that Democrats have, with few exceptions, consistently outspent Republicans on legislative races. The New Yorker article would have you to believe otherwise. That kind of money does not come from the coins and $5 checks from ordinary voters. Do we think there might be a Democrat “Art Pope?” How about Democrat funder millionaire Jim Goodmon, owner of WRAL-TV, who follows the Pope patterns of election contributions as well as funding liberal policy groups? Again, no mention of Goodmon in “State for Sale” but then the objective of the NewYorker article was not balanced journalism.
Yes, it is an exorbitant expense to be a candidate for any elected office. So, candidates and political parties must solicit funds from wealthy citizens as well as the general public. TV is extremely expensive and radio spots and effective print media programs are not far behind in cost. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, whose TV ads were shown over and over again, spent $2 million in his campaign against Republican Jeff Miller’s $1 million in 2010.
Is running for political office too expensive by ordinary standards? Probably. Do we want government to dictate to the media, graphics companies, mail houses and other candidate services how much they can charge candidates for their services and products? I don’t think so, unless we intend to allow government to move us farther along a path that is attempting to do away with our free enterprise system.
We see the government encroachment on free enterprise as more and more businesses and industries — healthcare, banking and finance, energy to name a few — are regulated and price controlled. Next thing you know government will be controlling what we are allowed to eat and even how we run our homes, like what light bulbs we can use. Oh, sorry, bad example, the light bulb restriction is already in place.
Carol Adams
Glenville
To the Editor:
In the election article for Maggie Valley, I read three candidates — the mayoral candidate Ron DeSimone and two of candidates for aldermen, Phil Aldridge and Phillip Wight — are quoted as being in lockstep for their agenda, which seems mystical. I question their unspoken agendas and their personal experiences in town government. I have read of Aldridge’s attacks on those he disagrees with. I wonder if this trio has positive approaches to deal with current economic times.
My personal experience began with Ron DeSimone at a public hearing over the sanction of the Maggie Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Home in July 2009. He was chair of the Zoning Board of Adjustment for the Town of Maggie Valley (a position he held from April 2005 until 2010, when he was not re-appointed). A second hearing at the Town Hall was held in July 2009, and in an official capacity I attended to support senior citizens and their needs. I waited until the end of the hearing, listening to both sides, and was recognized to speak.
Mr. DeSimone asked me what right did I have to speak and I answered. I told him I was born in the town in 1937, had lived here all my life, that we needed the facility and the employment and revenues, that I was an aging advocate with the N.C. Tarheel Legislature and a county representative to the Region A Area on Aging, and I believe I may have embarrassed him.
Shortly after, a letter to the editor was published under a false name attacking me and my brothers, who also live in the valley and are business and professional men. The source has been undetermined, but we know it was not a woman and that the writer was at that hearing.
Maggie Valley Nursing and Rehabilitation Center opened in August and is a credit to the leadership of the Town of Maggie Valley. DeSimone was clearly opposed to this just two years ago. Aldridge has been in office for the last eight years; he has aligned himself with the opposition at each election and then falls out of favor with those he supported. Aldridge facilitated the “no charge” for the Festival Grounds for the Popcorn Jam II in July and yet allowed a private restaurant to sell food and beverages and admission, sell tee shirts and make a profit without allowing other local businesses to partake of the Popcorn Spoils. Wight uses scare tactics of increased taxation yet he is unaware of the recent town audit that does not support his fear-mongering. Maggie Valley voters have a heavy responsibility to look beyond the signboards and rumors to truly understand which candidates are best.
I want my community of Maggie Valley to grow and continue to be a hospitable village where the business people, the residents and the visitors can live and share in harmony of the wonders of our mountains and our streams and our way of life. Bitterness and name-calling do not project a friendly place to live or visit. We all have the responsibility of promoting friendliness and unity. No elected board can bring that about.
Ernestine E. Upchurch
Maggie Valley
To the Editor:
In reply to Shirley Slaughter’s letter of Oct. 19 in The Smoky Mountain News (www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/5374), I don’t think the N.C. Republicans need any help from The New Yorker to discredit themselves because they’ve accomplished that objective pretty well on their own.
Sometimes it’s difficult, Ms. Slaughter, to examine ourselves as others see us. The article by Jane Mayer, “State for Sale,” was unflattering to say the least. But it offered a fair interpretation of North Carolina’s political modus operandi (Republican style).
Obviously The New Yorker writer did her homework. If my understanding of the word “smear” is close to accurate, the campaign Jim Davis waged to unseat John Snow epitomized the performance. The flyers sent by the N.C. Republican Party (which Sen. Jim Davis unbelievably denied responsibility for) were in extremely poor taste, outrageously offensive and framed a picture of John Snow that was blatantly untrue.
Whether it’s Art Pope’s money buying influence for Republicans or George Soros’ buying it for the Democrats or multinational corporations buying it for both, Americans are well aware of the enormous and destructive impact money has on our electoral system.
Subsequently, the editor of the SMN was precisely correct that voters should make every effort to stay informed, and knowing who is pulling the financial strings is very much a part of that responsibility.
David L. Snell
Dillsboro
Vicki Lane returns to City Lights to read from her newest novel, Under The Skin, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.
In this haunting tale from the heart of Appalachia, Lane draws together past and present, good and evil, folklore and secrets, mesmerizing readers with the mysterious bond of true sisterhood — richer than blood, stronger than the passage of time.
Elizabeth Goodweather and her city-girl sister, Gloria, couldn’t be more different. Elizabeth lives on a farm in the Great Smoky Mountains. Gloria lives in Florida off an ex-husband’s fortune. Gloria is a beauty; Elizabeth isn’t.
For more information call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.
Author George Ellison will be conducting a book signing at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Wednesday, Oct. 26, and Saturday, Nov. 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Ellison is the co-author of the introduction to the new edition of Camping and Woodcraft just published by Great Smoky Mountains Association. The 80-page introduction contains considerable new material about Horace Kephart’s unusual life and the importance of one of the most popular outdoors books ever published. Kephart lived in the wilderness of the Smoky Mountains in the early 1900s and was a famed conservationist, writer and anthropologist of Southern Appalachian lifeways.
Ellison will also do a reading at 2 p.m. Nov. 19 at City Lights book store in Sylva.
828.497.1919.
Hattie Best Polk of Lake Junaluska won the prestigious Robert Bruce Cooke Family History Book of the Year Award for her manuscript, Out of My Life and Reflections, at the North Carolina Society of Historians annual awards banquet.
Polk’s story, much like her recently published family history, is vibrant, colorful and unique in the close-knit community of Lake Junaluska. She is an 85-year-old who lives in the home that she and her husband, Charles, built mostly with their own hands.
The books in the competition are judged by professionals in their field. One judge says this about Polk’s book: “It was an honor to judge this entry, to ‘relive Hattie’s life.” Another says, “It was so refreshing to read the stories that fashioned the life of this beautiful Southern Belle.”
The Jackson County Public Library will host WCU Psychology Professor Hal Herzog for a talk about his book, Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
The discussion will address the range of questions and moral issues linked to their relationships with animals. Is it OK to kill animals just because they taste good? Why is it OK to feed a mouse but not a kitten to your pet boa constrictor? Why do Koreans eat dogs but Americans don’t? Are pit bulls inherently dangerous? Do most children who abuse animals become violent adults?
Herzog will discuss his book and the research behind it. A question-and-answer session will follow his remarks. For more information contact the library at 828.586.2016.
Students and staff of the Oconaluftee Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center helped with a trail restoration project on the popular Forney Ridge Trail recently in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
After hiking in to the work site, students, National Park Service staff, Friends of the Smokies, and other volunteers from across the Southeast got to work digging water bars, breaking and setting rock, stabilizing banks and moving soil.
Naturalization, restoration and recreation maintenance are vital to the Civilian Conservation Center’s special conservation mission. Hands-on projects in natural resources are integral to fostering these ideals in the nation’s youth.
“It is great to see public land management agencies supporting one another in a unique partnership for the good of the land and America’s young people. National Public Lands Day 2011 was a huge success both for the trail and for the mind,” said Holly Krake, Oconaluftee’s liaison specialist.
There’s no costumed ghouls or pre-recorded shrieks on the Friends of the Smokies’ November hike, but you will trek along a trail with a “road to nowhere,” visit a secluded cemetery and explore a dark, 365-foot tunnel.
On Tuesday, Nov. 1, hiking enthusiast and author Danny Bernstein (Hiking North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Heritage) will lead this 9.4-mile hike along the Lakeshore Trail, often called “The Road to Nowhere.” The hike is moderate in difficulty and has a total elevation gain/descent of 1,350 feet.
Participants will depart from Waynesville at 9:15 a.m. and Bryson City at 10 a.m. Exact meeting locations specified upon registration. A donation of $25 is requested, and includes a complimentary membership to Friends of the Smokies. Donations will benefit Trails Forever, a program dedicated to trail improvement projects in the Smokies. There is no cost to current Friends of the Smokies members.
Space is limited. Contact Friends of the Smokies to register for the Road to Nowhere Hike at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.452.0720
Nantahala Outdoor Center has opened a retail concept shop from The North Face located inside NOC’s outfitters and retail store in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
Covering 1,000 square feet of space within NOC’s Great Outpost, the specialty shop designed and merchandised by The North Face showcases products from The North Face’s full line. Featuring gear, footwear, outerwear and apparel for hiking, camping, running, snow sports and casual, customers can shop for unique and top selling items from the popular brand.
“We are thrilled to open our doors to The North Face. They are a premium outdoor lifestyle brand in line with our mission and values. This reinforces a very dynamic retail partnership,” says NOC President and CEO Sutton Bacon.
The first Smoky Mountain Paddling Club outing will be Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. on Bear Lake in Jackson County, weather permitting. Paddlers of all ability levels are welcome. Bring appropriate clothing, craft of choice, food, water and a personal flotation device. A group will be meeting at the United Community Bank in Sylva (1640 E. Main Street) at 9 a.m. to carpool or give you someone to follow.
252.558.5122 or e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The fifth-annual Power of Pink race will be held Oct. 29 at MedWest Health and Fitness Center on the campus of MedWest-Haywood in Clyde, with a 20-mile relay, 4-mile run and fun run/walk.
The event helps raise breast cancer awareness and funds to provide breast cancer detection services and treatment for underserved women in the MedWest-Haywood hospital service area.
Power of the Pink includes The Pink Relay, an all-women relay covering 20 miles between five team members; the Pink 4-Miler Run/Walk open to male and female runners or walkers; and the Bubble Gum Fun Run/Walk, a non-competitive event.
The HRMC Foundation, Haywood County Health Department and MedWest Health System sponsor the annual event. Since 2007, Power of Pink has provided more than 530 procedures for 373 women. Last year, the event raised more than $20,000.
The goal this year is to raise $25,000 and to attract 40 teams for The Pink Relay.
Cost to enter a relay team is $200, the four-mile run for men and women is $25, and the Bubble Gum Fun Run/Walk is $10 for adults and $5 for youth 12 and under. To register, visit www.medwesthealth.org and click on the Power of Pink tab. Or 828.452-8343
As clay is to the potter and stone is to the sculptor, river cane is the vital raw material to the Cherokee basketmaker. But it’s in short supply.
The Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River has received a grant from a Cherokee artisans group for $9,500 to locate cane stands along the river to provide a local supply source for basketmakers.
Roger Clapp, WATR director, has issued a call for volunteers to help with the river cane hunt, which will run through September 2012.
With a revival of basketmaking in Cherokee, artisans are having to travel farther and farther from home to find cane suitable for their use, said David Cozzo, director of Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources, which provided the grant.
It wasn’t long ago, said Cozzo, that the art of basketmaking had gone into decline to the point that there were only two Cherokee artisans making double-weave baskets. Supply of cane wasn’t a problem.
Then the Cherokee Preservation Foundation stepped in and started basketweaving classes. A revival ensued. Now, the craft is even taught in the Cherokee High School.
“With the cultural revival, the need for river cane has increased,” said Cozzo. His group is planning a trip soon to Kentucky to harvest cane from a “really nice stand” there. And the group is working with Sumter National Forest in South Carolina to find cane there for harvesting.
Cozzo is convinced that there is river cane enough in Jackson and Swain counties to provide an adequate local source — it just needs to be located and the owners persuaded to allow the harvesting.
Volunteers or owners of rivercane stands should contact the WATR office in Bryson City at 828.488.8418.
WATR meets Nov. 7
The fall meeting of Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, in the atrium of the new Jackson County Library. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. Dan Perlmutter, a retired Western Carolina University professor, will discuss the proposed Watershed Activity and Discovery Science Center.
Regional water quality experts will give a state of local forests and streams report in a public forum held by the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27, in Highlands. Information will be presented by Jonathan McCall, registered forester with the N.C. Forest Service; Ed Williams, basinwide planner with the N.C. Division of Water Quality; and Mike Wilkins, district ranger with the Nantahala Ranger District, U.S. Forest Service.
They will discuss the challenges they face in protecting these resources along with the current and potential threats to our natural resources. They will also offer solutions to help protect these valuable natural resources for the common good. There will be time for questions and answers, and audience participation in determining solutions to address these threats and challenges.
Held at the Highlands Community Building next to the Baseball field on Fourth Street. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.526.0890, ext. 256.
The leaders of the two primary Great Smoky Mountains National Park partners were recently presented with the Department of Interior Citizen’s Award for Exceptional Service.
Terry Maddox, executive director, Great Smoky Mountains Association and Jim Hart, president of the Friends of the Smokies, were recognized for their outstanding support to the Smokies and the National Park Service.
Maddox has led the GSMA since 1990. The nonprofit corporation runs bookstores in the park and markets Smokies’ interpretive products outside the park as well. Under his leadership, the Association has grown from a small book retailer to a major author and publisher of award-winning educational products including books for adults and children, field guides, maps, videos, podcasts and web-based material.
“For years our bookstores offered mostly generic guidebooks, but our publications are now tailored to tell visitors specifically when and where they can expect to find a particular wild flower, bird, or tree. We also offer vivid stories on the Park’s history and prehistory,” said Smokies superintendent Dale Ditmanson.
Hart has served as president of Friends since 2002. Under his guidance, the Friends has substantially increased the public’s awareness of the value of the park and its various threats. They have placed a strong emphasis on providing educational programs for young people who will be the stewards of the Park in coming years by funding fieldtrips and ranger programs for area schools, as well as internships for high school and college students.
Over the nine years of Hart’s tenure, Friends donations have swelled from about $1.8 million a year to over $3.5 million, supporting everything from the restoration of historic buildings to black bear preservation. The Friends have also created a new “Trails Forever” endowment which is approaching $4 million.
The two groups also worked together to fund the construction of the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center at the North Carolina entrance to the Smokies.
“The outstanding leadership provided by Terry Maddox and Jim Hart is a tremendous asset to the Park’s preservation and to the service we provide to over 9 million visitors,” Ditmanson said. “Their service stands as a vivid reminder that the public support and individual stewardship which set aside created and developed this priceless national treasure is still alive and well 75 years after the Park’s creation.”
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is looking for great photos of people enjoying the Appalachian Trail in 2011. The conservancy is looking for images that illustrate your idea of a perfect day on the trail. Creative and unique shots are encouraged.
All entries must be submitted by email by Nov. 10. Submissions should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. A panel of judges will select the top 20 photos. Prizes will be awarded to the top three contestants.
For more information, including rules, or questions regarding the photo contest, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 304.535.6331 ext. 134.
In recognition of National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month, Western Carolina University will offer free confidential memory screenings on Nov. 15 at the Haywood County Office Building on Elmwood Way in Waynesville.
The purpose of the 15-minute memory screenings is to promote early detection of memory loss and to provide participants with suggestions, strategies and information about brain health.
Leigh Odom, a professor in WCU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, will conduct screenings. Because of this program, Odom was recruited to be involved in the development of the Brain Gym, a new program co-sponsored by Haywood Community Connections & Haywood County Recreation Dept.
Reservation necessary. Call 828.452.6789.
An HIV/AIDS Awareness Walk will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. in Asheville.
Walkers will gather at The Grove House Complex at 11 Grove Street, and then move uptown to rally at Pack Square.
The mission of the free awareness walk is to bring attention to the ongoing issue of HIV/AIDS infection in Western North Carolina and to inform the public about the current funding crisis of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides life-saving medications to low-income North Carolinians living with HIV/AIDS in this state.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will build a youth center facility on approximately 20 acres of national forest land near Robbinsville.
The youth center, affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club of America, will offer a variety of programs including Cherokee Language classes, social skills development, cultural craft classes, computer labs, and physical fitness programs. The center will serve the outlying portion of the Cherokee reservation in the remote Snowbird area of Graham County.
The 15,000 square-foot building will meet LEED green building certification and will including a multi-purpose field and an interpretive hiking trail. The youth center will be constructed directly across from the N.C. Forest Service Graham County Office on Massey Branch Road.
The state’s oldest metal truss bridge will be replaced with a new, $1.7-million bridge built beside the old one.
The truss bridge, which was constructed in 1891, is located over the Pigeon River on Chambers Farm Lane near the intersection of U.S. 276 and N.C. 215 in Haywood County.
A new bridge will be built adjacent to the existing bridge. The existing bridge will be rehabilitated and will remain in service as a bicycle and pedestrian-only bridge.
The rehabilitation work will include sandblasting and repainting the truss structure and replacing components. The bridge will additionally be fitted with taller railings to safely accommodate bicycles and pedestrians. The State Historic Preservation Office and NCDOT’s Historic Architecture Group will be consulted to ensure the original style of the bridge is maintained.
The contract was awarded to R.E. Burns & Sons Co. of Statesville. Work can begin as early as Oct. 31 and is scheduled for completion by Aug. 15, 2013.
More than 300 people packed a public hearing last week to debate whether Mission Hospital in Asheville is an overbearing monopoly and is unfairly squeezing out smaller hospitals in the region.
Doctors, hospital leaders and patients from across Western North Carolina gave passionate speeches in hopes of swaying a state committee investigating the issue.
At issue: whether anti-trust regulations limiting Mission’s influence should be tighter, or done away with.
“Mission must have the freedom to serve. It must have the freedom to compete for patients,” said Ron Paulus, the CEO of Mission. “It means letting patients and physicians choose where they go, who to align with, and letting performance on quality determine the winners and losers, not government regulation.”
But opponents portrayed Mission as a predator and bully, gobbling up smaller hospitals and buying doctors’ practices to funnel more and more patients to its mothership in Asheville, weakening the availability of health care in people’s home communities around the mountains.
“Mission success is inversely proportional to the success of the region’s smaller hospitals,” said Jason Wells, vice president of Park Ridge hospital in Hendersonville.
“When Mission gains market share, someone else has to lose market share.”
An HIV/AIDS Awareness Walk will be held Saturday, Nov. 5 at 11 a.m. in Asheville.
Walkers will gather at The Grove House Complex at 11 Grove Street, and then move uptown to rally at Pack Square.
County Commissioner David Gantt, local writer and poet Dennis Tillman and longtime HIV/AIDS activist Michael Harney are slated to speak.
The mission of the free awareness walk is to bring attention to the ongoing issue of HIV/AIDS infection in Western North Carolina and to inform the public about the current funding crisis of the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, which provides life-saving medications to low-income North Carolinians living with HIV/AIDS in this state.
Palliative Care and Hospice Services of MedWest Health System will hold a series of training classes for new volunteers Oct. 31 through Nov. 3 in Sylva.
The 12-hour series will acquaint volunteers with the Hospice philosophy and program. Sessions run from 9 a.m. to noon daily, at the Jackson County Public Library. Pre-registration is required.
Volunteer opportunities include: patient and family support, companionship visits, respite care for caregivers, errand running, bereavement support, chaplain-related and other professional services, office assistance, fundraising and community events planning.
828.452.8578 to pre-register.
The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will build a youth center facility on approximately 20 acres of national forest land near Robbinsville.
The youth center, affiliated with the Boys and Girls Club of America, will offer a variety of programs including Cherokee Language classes, social skills development, cultural craft classes, computer labs, and physical fitness programs. The center will serve the outlying portion of the Cherokee reservation in the remote Snowbird area of Graham County.
The 15,000 square-foot building will meet LEED green building certification and will including a multi-purpose field and an interpretive hiking trail. The youth center will be constructed directly across from the N.C. Forest Service Graham County Office on Massey Branch Road.
Carolina Readiness Supply will have a Customer Appreciation Day at their new location, 72 Montgomery Street in Waynesville, just below the Main Street Sun Trust Bank on Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
There will be book signings by three local authors: Larry Porter, True Globalization; Mike McCarthy, The Noah Option; and Patrick McConnell, Government of Deceit.
Fire-starting without matches classes will be taught by Doug Knight. Other topics include water pumps that will work if your electricity goes out and sanitation and waste disposal in a disaster.
828.456.5310.
Inspired by a Global Poverty Project presentation on campus, the president of Western Carolina University’s Student Government Association and the wife of Chancellor David O. Belcher will eat on just $1.50 per day for five days.
To help raise awareness of global poverty, student TJ Eaves and Susan Brummell Belcher will participate in the Live Below the Line campaign beginning Monday, Oct. 24. Belcher and Eaves acknowledge the challenges ahead.
“It will be a pretty interesting week because I am a fairly picky eater,” Eaves said. Belcher said she’d have to explore whether coffee with cream will fit in her budget.
“If not, I’ll struggle with that one,” she said.
Participating in the challenge is a natural fit for Belcher, who after her husband’s appointment as new WCU chancellor designated herself a “WCU friend-raiser” and pledged to “wholeheartedly engage with students, faculty, staff, donors, alumni, community members and other constituent parties to create broad support for the WCU mission.”
For WCU students who wish to participate in the challenge, Aramark, WCU’s food service provider, will host a station in the upper level of the Courtyard Dining Hall with foods and portions that comply with the Live Below the Line initiative for breakfast, lunch and dinner on Thursday, Oct. 27.
While Belcher and Eaves have initiated the project primarily to raise awareness, Belcher does have a goal to raise money for CARE, a humanitarian organization fighting poverty in more than 70 countries around the world. Anyone interested in sponsoring them or joining their effort, including community members, can visit WCU’s Live Below the Line page online (http://my.e2rm.com/TeamPage.aspx?teamID=262576). Updates on the effort will be available on the WCU Poverty Project Facebook page.
Western Carolina University Chancellor David O. Belcher this week fired C. Joseph “Chip” Smith, the director of intercollegiate athletics.
Belcher announced that Fredrick Q. Cantler, WCU’s longtime senior associate athletic director for internal operations, has agreed to come out of retirement to serve as interim director of athletics.
Cantler, who retired in March after 33 years in athletics administration at WCU, will serve as interim director of athletics as the university conducts a national search for a permanent athletics director, Belcher said.
“With Fred’s wealth of experience, including a previous stint as interim AD, I have the greatest confidence in his ability to keep the athletics program moving forward during this time of transition,” he said. “Fred brings extensive knowledge of athletics budgeting and NCAA compliance issues to this assignment, and I am grateful to him for his willingness to assume this responsibility.”
During his career as a sports administrator, Cantler helped develop the Catamount women’s soccer program from scratch in 1999. Two years later in 2001, the program captured the first of its three Southern Conference tournament championships. Also, the Catamount baseball team won both the regular season and tournament titles in 2003 and won the regular season in 2007, advancing to the NCAA regional tournaments.
There’s a move afoot in Sylva to designate some of the downtown area as a national historic district.
A study, expected to take about six months to complete, will help determine whether and which parts of town have enough historic aspects to qualify. First Citizens Bank is bankrolling the study.
Paige Roberson, executive director of the Downtown Sylva Association and the town’s economic planner, said the information gathered in the study would be shared with business owners. If 51 percent want to move forward and form a historic district, the issue would then come before Sylva town commissioners for a formal vote.
Individual homeowners can opt to have their houses included if historic standards are met.
“Sylva should be a pretty good candidate for a historic district,” Roberson said.
There are benefits to receiving such a designation, said Paul Benson, planning director for the town of Waynesville. Waynesville has three districts on the National Register: Frog Level, approved in 2002; Main Street, approved in 2009; and an expansion of the Main Street district to include nearby residential streets in 2010.
Benson said simply documenting historic buildings in town as part of the application process has proved valuable in and of itself.
“The Waynesville Historic Preservation Commission used this information in their walking tour publication,” Benson said. Property in the historic districts also have special protection from road widening, for example.
Benson said the primary benefit will “hopefully be the long term preservation of historic buildings and the character and quality of life they bring to the community.”
Canton also has an approved National Historic District.
Business owners with buildings included in a district can get a 40 percent tax credit to help pay for renovations, Roberson said. The designation does not limit what they can do with their buildings.
“Building owners can do anything they want,” she said, emphasizing the tax credit given for following historic standards is optional.
— By Quintin Ellison
