Bob Barker?!

The involvement of famed television host Bob Barker in the fight to end the Cherokee bear exhibits took many by surprise.

During a phone interview with The Smoky Mountain News, Barker explained that he first became aware of the bears through his long-time friend, Florida Congressman Bill Young. Young stopped through Cherokee with his family on a trip from Florida to Washington, D.C., and visited the bear exhibits. The Youngs weren’t impressed, to say the least — Young’s wife was practically in tears when the family left.

“He and his family were aghast at the condition of the bears. When he got home, he promptly called me,” Barker says.

Barker has long been an advocate of animal rights, ending each episode of The Price is Right with a reminder to “spay and neuter your pets.” Barker is well acquainted with PETA President Ingrid Newkirk, and informed her of what Young had seen.

“She promptly sent a couple people down there and they reported that some of the conditions were worse than had been reported,” says Barker.

Barker agreed to put his name to the cause.

“Mr. Barker has been a longtime animal rights advocate and we’re glad he’s taken an interest in this. It’s something that has been the source of a high number of complaints to PETA,” said Debbie Leahy, head of PETA’s Captive Animals Division.

When PETA released a nationally circulated statement June 8 calling for an end to the bear exhibits, it was accompanied by a letter from Bob Barker requesting a meeting with Eastern Band Chief Michell Hicks. The statement made note of Barker’s letter.

What happened next is a bit hard to decipher. Hicks says that the supposed letter mentioned in PETA’s statement was never actually sent to him.

“That was a big lie on their part,” Hicks says of PETA.

Hicks says he had to call PETA to obtain the letter, at which point they sent him a faxed copy that wasn’t signed. He then requested a stamped, signed letter, which he finally received.

“That was a big farce, was all it was,” says Hicks.

Barker disagrees, maintaining that the press release with the letter followed an earlier press release PETA had put out on the issue.

By last week, on Wednesday, June 24, PETA had still not heard back from Hicks’ office about setting up the requested meeting, though they continued to hope a call would come.

“We think the solution is going to require an opportunity to sit down with the chief and other members of the tribal council and discuss improvements that can be made for these bears,” Leahy said.

When The Smoky Mountain News spoke with Hicks on June 25, he told the paper he had still not responded to Barker’s request. Asked if he would indeed agree to it, Hicks said, “I will absolutely honor a meeting. I have no reason not to do that.”

Later that day, Barker confirmed that he had not heard back from Hicks. The SMN informed Barker of Hicks’ willingness to meet.

“Maybe we can get together then,” said Barker. He added, “I’d come down and meet with them. I’ll call PETA and arrange a trip to Cherokee.”

Barker said he looks forward to meeting with the chief in an effort to find some common ground on the issue of bear exhibits.

“I want to smoke the peace pipe with him,” Barker said.

— Julia Merchant

The Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tour will debut this month with a half-mile series of forest-enveloped ziplines, where people hang from a harness and slide along an overhead cable strung between platforms and trees. The course zigzags over 20 acres and takes about three hours to traverse. There are 11 zip line sections and various sky bridges to get from platform to platform.

Canopy Rangers accompany each group on a tour, coaching them on the techniques of the zip line as well as teaching them about the multiple ecosystems they pass through and the cultural history of the area.

The canopy tour is on the property of Wildwater LTD Rafting. The outfitter also has yurt lodging on the property called Falling Waters Adventure. Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours is a stand-alone company but is a partner with Wildwater LTD Rafting.

Canopy tours are a popular tourist destination in South and Latin America, but this will be the first one to crop up on the WNC side of the Smokies. It will launch on July 10.

The canopy tour could mean a tourism boost for the Gorge, giving people a new reason to visit aside from the long-standing draw of whitewater rafting. The addition of mountain biking trails by Nantahala Outdoor Center has also expanded adventure offerings in the Gorge, along with the standard mountain fare of hiking, fishing and exploring.

The canopy tour should appeal to an variety of audiences. It combines the sheer rush of a zip line with ecosystem education — a genuine eco-tourism attraction.

Each tour-goer is equipped with a helmet, full body harness, trolley, gloves, and a tether safety line.

Wildwater Ltd. started its operations in 1971 on the Chattooga River. Since then the company expanded its whitewater rafting to four other rivers in the southeast and offer several outdoor adventure firsts: the first on the Chattooga River, the first to offer the Raft & Rail Excursion with the Great Smoky Mountains

Railroad and the first Yurt-specific lodging in the southeast.

Canopy Tour specs

To go on the Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tour you have to be 10 years old or 70 pounds. Maximum weight is 250 pounds.

Participants will move through the canopy tour in groups of up to 12 accompanied by two canopy rangers. Trip times are scheduled 45 minutes apart to allow for separation between groups.

Cost is $69 a person, with discounts for groups. 877.247.5535 or www.nantahalagorgecanopytours.com.

Farmers and gardeners in Jackson County are inviting the public to traipse through their garden rows during the third annual Jackson County Farm Tour and Garden Walk July 11 and 12.

Tour-goers get a brochure of the 16 participating farms and can make rounds at their leisure between 1 and 5 p.m. each day. The tour is put on by the Jackson County Farmers Market.

“The tour provides an opportunity for people who shop at the Farmers Market to actually see how the food they buy is grown,” said Susannah Patty, farmers market manager. “They will be able to walk through the fields, to see and touch the plants.”

The connection between the grower and producer is an important part of the local food movement, and “we want our customers to see our farms and know how we grow the food they buy,” said Cathy Arps of Vegenui Garden, one of the stops on the tour.

Those thinking of starting their own gardens will pick up tips and ideas. Between rising food costs and a bad economy, home gardens have seen a surge in popularity. Seed sales have increased 40 percent this year. Even President Obama and his family started up their own garden at the White House.

Several stops on the tour are backyard gardens where the hosts are willing to impart tricks of the trade, such as trellising techniques that maximize space.

The farm tour will not be without its share of animals, sometimes pressed into double duty. In addition to laying eggs, chickens help eat insects and weeds, fertilize and aerate the soil. Goats produce milk used in soap and lotion, or help keep hillsides cleared of brush.

Tour goers get their money’s worth at the Community Garden in Sylva, where 18 plots gardened by different people employ numerous techniques, from double digging to French Intensive to conventional row gardening.

“It’s like a one-stop, living garden encyclopedia,” said Ellen Boyd, director of the garden.

Other gardens are relatively new, and prospective gardeners can find out about the trials and tribulations of starting from scratch. Six gardens have been added to the growing tour this year.

Cost of the tour is $30 per vehicle for the weekend, $20 for one day, or $5 to a single farm. Proceeds benefit the farmers market.

Buy a ticket and get a brochure with directions to each stop at the Jackson County Farmers Market, Annie’s Naturally, Tuckasegee Trading Company, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, City Lights, Green Energy Park, Guadalupe Cafe, Mad Batter Bakery, Spring Street Cafe, WNC Internet Cafe, and Bubacz’s Underground.

Saturday Farms

• Union Acres Community Garden • Whittier

• Caroline Carr et al • Whittier

• The Community Garden • Sylva

• Steve Beltram and Becca Nestler • Balsam

• Brenda Bumgarner • Sylva

• Avant Garden • Cullowhee

• George Rector and Joan Byrd • Tilley Creek

• Pomme de Terre Farm • Tilley Creek

• Appalachian Homestead • Tilley Creek

• Registered Nursery • E. LaPorte

• The Great Outdoors • Tuckasegee

Sunday farms

• Shelton Family Farms • Whittier

• Vegenui Garden • Sylva

• Baldwin Sanders • Little Savannah

• Pomme de Terre Farm • Tilley Creek

• Shared Blessings Farm • E. LaPorte

• Dawson Green • Tuckasegee

• The Great Outdoors • Tuckasegee

The director of Haywood Regional Medical Center’s Foundation and Corporate Communications Department for the past 20 years, Robin Tindall-Taylor, has resigned her position at HRMC to take the position of the new executive director of the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation.

“Over the past 20 years, HRMC has been my professional home away from home, providing career fulfillment and heartfelt rewards. There were many occasions of rising to achievements and overcoming challenges, and these were made possible only through the great work of HRMC employees, physicians, board members and volunteers,” Tindall-Taylor said.

Tindall-Taylor, who has been with Haywood Regional since 1989, married Walker Taylor, the manager of Cedar Creek Racquet Club, in 2007 and the two have a home in Cashiers. She continued to maintain a second home near Haywood Regional Medical Center.

“I have been living in a dual community situation. For that reason, I was hoping to improve the balance in my life by working within my new neighborhood. The position at Highlands-Cashiers opened and I applied,” Tindall-Taylor said.

While at Haywood Regional, Tindall-Taylor planned and directed capital campaigns for the health and fitness center and expansion of the emergency department. She also established a named endowment scholarship fund for current and prospective nurses and allied health care employees.

Since the mid 1990s more than $10 million has been raised for the Foundation under her leadership.

“It is with great sadness that I have accepted Robin’s resignation from HRMC. She will be greatly missed as a part of my leadership team. Conversely, I am so excited for Robin, because in the end the most important thing in life is your loved ones,” said Mike Poore, president and chief executive officer for Haywood Regional Medical Center.

“We are very fortunate to be able to bring someone of Robin’s experience and skills to the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation,” said Earle Mauldin, chairman of the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation Board. In addition to her proven abilities in the field of healthcare philanthropy, it’s an added benefit that she is already familiar with our area.”

Tindall-Taylor will assume her duties at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital July 13.

The plaza at the entrance to the new Waynesville Police Station is nearing completion. Workers are placing the final touches to the brick paver design that captures the heritage of the town of Waynesville.

Courtney Boessel, a rising senior at Tuscola High School, submitted the winning design for the plaza pavers, titled “Patchwork Community.” Boessel said her concept pays homage to quilting, which is a popular craft in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

“My art teacher, Donna Rhodes, was showing me some books about quilt patterns and I thought that would make a great design because of the geometric shapes in quilts,” Boessel said.

The focal point of the walkway in her design is a large log cabin square, a popular quilting pattern in the Appalachia region.

The Waynesville Public Art Commission sponsored the design competition for Tuscola High School Students. Given the theme “A Heritage of Service and Friendship,” the students were asked to submit sketches for a brick paver design to be installed at the outdoor plaza area in front of Waynesville’s new police station.

Boessel’s sketch was among three chosen as finalists.

The Waynesville Public Art Commission also has commissioned celebrated sculptor Wayne Trapp to create the “Celebrating Folkmoot” artwork, which will be installed in November in the landscaped area between the two retaining walls at the Waynesville Police Station. Trapp’s interpretation of “Celebrating Folkmoot” will be a bold and lasting reminder of the friendships created between Haywood County residents and performers from around the world.

To learn more about the Waynesville Public Art Commission and their projects, contact the Downtown Waynesville Association at 828.456.3517, or visit the Town of Waynesville Web site www.townofwaynesville.org and click on the public art tab.

“An Evening on the Farm” will be held at the Mountain Farm Museum on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Old-timey demonstrations at the restored Appalachian farmstead will include hearth cooking and broom making. The Davis/Queen farmhouse will also be open for visitors to walk through the century-old building and get a glimpse of life in the past. 828.497.1904.

A team of a dozen people will spend the next three years scouring the Cheoah River corridor in Graham County annihilating invasive plant species that are threatening the forest ecosystem.

The work will cost $366,000 and is being funded with federal stimulus money. It has created 12 jobs — 10 jobs were awarded to Cherokee tribal members in the depressed Snowbird area and two were created through the environmental organization WNC Alliance, which has been a leader in tackling invasive plants over the past decade.

“The WNC Alliance is excited to be a part of this win, win, win project employing Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian members, protecting federally listed species, and restoring native habitat,” said Bob Gale, ecologist for the Western N.C. Alliance.

A three-day workshop called “Inspiring Ourselves to Save the Planet: Courage in the Face of Melting Glaciers” will be held Oct. 21-24 led by Janisse Ray, environmental activist and author, at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center in Highlands.

Both veterans and novices of the environmental movement will come together for inspiration to continue, broaden, and deepen their work in defense of the planet. There will be a dynamic blend of writing, dialogue, creative thinking and deep listening.  “We hope that many people take advantage of the chance to spend three interactive days with this extraordinary leader,” said Alisa Pykett, Program Director. The three-day workshop is sponsored by The Mountain Institute for Social Change.

www.mountaincenters.org or 828.526.5838.

A poetry reading accompanied by local wines and foods will be held as a fundraiser for the Little Tennessee Watershed Association at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, in Macon County.

Environmental activist Janisse Ray will read from her recently released book of poetry about nature & spirit, A House of Branches. Ray is the author of three books of literary nonfiction, including the acclaimed Ecology of a Cracker Childhood, a memoir about growing up on a junkyard in the ruined longleaf pine ecosystem of the Southeast.

Ray lectures widely on nature, community, agriculture, wildness, sustainability and the politics of wholeness.

The event will be held at Bloemsma Barn in Patton Valley. Cost is $25. www.ltwa.org or 828.369.6402.

Author Bob Plott, an expert on the cultural heritage of the Smokies, will share stories of life during the past centuries at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

Plott, also an accomplished wood-carver and historical re-enactor, traces his family roots in the Old North State back to 1750, when his great-great-great-grandfather Johannes Plott arrived here with five of the family hunting dogs. These dogs would later become renowned as the premier big game hunting dog breed in America: the Plott bear hound.

Plott has three books: Strike and Stay – The Story of the Plott Hound, A History of Hunting in the Great Smoky Mountains, and Legendary Hunters of the Southern Highlands: A Century of Sport and Survival in the Great Smoky Mountains.

“I have known Bob for several years now and I’ve enjoyed hearing him read from his books,” said Blue Ridge Books co-owner Allison Best-Teague. “But I’ve loved hearing him talk about life in the Smokies and I respect the historical research he has done on our area. I think people who call the Smokies home as well as the many visitors to our area will enjoy hearing Bob’s stories and learning the history of the mountains.”

Blue Ridge Books is located at 152 S. Main Street. 828.456.6000.

Naturalist Doris Mager, also known as the Eagle Lady, will introduce the public to some of her favorite birds of prey during a program at the Mountain Farm Museum from 11 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, Oct. 13, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park outside Cherokee.

Mager will also do a program at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22, at the Highlands Civic Center sponsored by the Highlands Audubon Society.

Mager has been working with raptors for over 35 years. At age 84, Mager still travels the Eastern United States giving educational programs. She has cared for more than 80 injured eagles and hundreds of other raptors, and has housed up to 36 birds of prey in her backyard at one time.

She will have four birds with her, including an American Kestrel, a Screech Owl, and a Great Horned Owl. The public will have an opportunity to “get up close and personal” with these fascinating creatures.

Located on U.S. 441 north of Cherokee at the main N.C. entrance to the park.

A new exhibit on the early natural history explorer William Bartram is on display at the Macon County library.

The exhibit, “The 1775 Journey of William Bartram to Western North Carolina,” traces Bartram’s life and his keen observation of not only plant life, but of the people and places he encountered throughout his travels.

Bartram’s observations were published in 1791 as Bartram’s Travels, considered a classic of early American travel writing, influencing numerous naturalists as well as Romantic thinkers of the 19th century such as Henry David Thoreau, William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

The exhibit was created as part of a three-way collaboration between the WCU Mountain Heritage Center, the Highland Biological Station and the Cashiers Historical Society.

The exhibit will be up through Nov. 20.

828.526.3600 or www.fontanalib.org/franklin.

Mountain farmers are encouraged to tap into two different grants to expand and diversify what they grow, as well as create better in-roads into the marketplace.

Funding for both comes from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund, helping farmers in regions that were once tobacco dependent make forays into new areas of agriculture.

• WNC AgOptions gives small grants of $3,000 to $9,000 for farm diversification projects to help farmers offset the risk of trying new ventures. There will be around 40 grants given out.

Projects this year have included a propagation house for food and medicinal plants, hops production, a maple syrup finishing cooker, no-till production of specialty winter squash, and a screened greenhouse for commercial disease-free strawberry plants.

The program is also getting additional funding this grant cycle through the new Family Farm Innovation Fund.

Deadline Nov. 1. www.wncagoptions.org.

• Grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded for projects undertaken by groups of farmers to improve the local agricultural system, solving processing, marketing, packaging and other distribution issues.

Past grants include farmer’s market renovations, alternative crop research, agricultural marketing campaigns and developing markets for value-added food producers.

www.tobaccotrustfund.or 919.733.2160.

Blue Ridge Forever, a coalition of nine land trusts in the mountains, will exceed its five-year goal of protecting 50,000 acres in Western North Carolina. The land trusts expect to surpass the target by as much as 8,000 acres by year’s end.

“The land trusts had to overcome untold obstacles to reach this goal, working quickly to protect the places we all love in Western North Carolina before they were lost to development,” said Phyllis Stiles, campaign director for Blue Ridge Forever. “But, whenever the goal seemed too lofty, our treasured mountains, forests, farmland and streams inspired us to press on.”

When the campaign was launched, the national recession wasn’t on the horizon.

“That was unexpected and made it a lot harder. A lot of money that would have been used for land conservation disappeared,” said Gary Wein, director of the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust.

Meanwhile, when real estate developments faltered, landowners and developers facing foreclosures offered up their property for conservation at reduced prices. Opportunity was abundant, but the funding wasn’t there to take advantage of it, Wein said.

“Money has been hard to come by,” he said.

Plus, what grants and donations were available were earmarked for projects themselves, leaving little for daily operations and overhead of running the land trusts.

The land trusts collectively saved 350 tracts of land from development over the past five years, sometimes by outright purchase of the tracts and other times by securing a voluntary conservation agreement from the landowner.

Some of the saved tracts are wild, while others are farmlands, which will continue being farmed without threat of development.

“Once a farm becomes a housing development it will likely never again be worked. The protection of good agricultural lands is vital to the future of farming in our mountains and in our state,” said Bill Yarborough, special assistant to N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture.

While the campaign’s success is a critical milestone, Stiles said the work is far from over. Many important places in the Blue Ridge Mountains are still at risk of development.

Public funding from state and federal sources came to $110 million, and private donations totaled $32.5 million. Landowners contributed $196 million by donating property outright or at a reduced market value.

“Without all those land owners donating conservation easements, we never would have done it. It takes a village to conserve land,” Wein said.

The children of workers who constructed the Fontana Dam in the 1940s are holding their annual reunion this week, returning to the place they were raised to reminisce of about life growing up in Fontana Village, a town built from scratch to house some 5,000 workers and their families.

Fontana Village, which is now a resort, was originally created by the Tennessee Valley Authority as a way of keeping workers and their families content so they would stay with the grueling construction project. The village was complete with 15 dormitories, countless homes, two churches, a hospital, schools, a general store and barber shop, a recreation hall, swimming pools and a ball field.

For the children of the dam workers, the village was a brave, new world in the Appalachian wilderness. Between 1942 and 1946, there were more than 600 students from 46 states who attended school at Fontana Village. History was made in November 1944 when the lake began to fill, and power generation became a reality the following spring.  Once the dam was completed, home as they knew it was no longer necessary. Most all of the children and their families scattered back across the country to the states from which they came.

Today these “Dam Kids” still stay in touch by returning to Fontana Village. www.FontanaVillage.com.

A program on wolves, featuring a couple of live wolves, will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 19, at the Maggie Valley Pavilion.

“Wolf Tales” will feature Rob Gudger, a wildlife biologist who lives in Maggie Valley, and animal handler Robert Edwards accompanied by Wayah, Amaroc and Mohican. Learn about the life of a wolf and witness the gentleness between man and wolf. The program is hosted by the Great Smoky Mountains chapter of the Audubon Society.

828.926.4628 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Western North Carolina students captured most of the prizes in the Student Laureate Awards sponsored by the North Carolina English Teachers Association this year.  

The annual awards, begun by the family of former Laureate Kathryn Byre, are established to recognize excellent writing by middle and high school students around the state.

In the high school category, judge Cathy Smith Bowers, the state’s current Poet Laureate, chose Edward Madill’s poem “You Mom.”

Wow, this young poet is amazing,” said Bowers. Madill is a graduate of Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva and now attends UNC Asheville. Honorable mentions went to Mandi Dean, Smoky Mountain High School’s Macon County Middle school in Franklin swept the awards, with two students sharing first prize, Caitlin Parris for “Cathy” and Lindsey Dodge for “Everything.” Second-place winner is Abrianna Berry for “Squirrel Hunting with my Dad.”

David Watkins of Cullowhee will offer a free personal budgeting workshop at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16. The program is based on his book, Little is Much: Learn How to Live Within Your Means — Seven Steps to Financial Freedom.

The workshop is free and open to the public. Copies of Little is Much will be available and can be autographed by the author.

•••

Poet John Thomas York will be at City Lights at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16, to read from his new collection, Naming the Constellations, which was published by Sylva’s Spring Street Editions in collaboration with Ash Creek Press in Portland, Ore.

The event will also serve as a celebration of Spring Street Editions, which has published several works of poetry by local and national writers.

The title poem in the collection has won the Poet Laureate Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society in 2008. Other of York’s poems have appeared in the Greensboro Review, which awarded him its Literary Award for Poetry in 1985.

A career public school teacher, York was named the 2003 Teacher of the Year by the North Carolina English Teachers Association. He lives in Greensboro.

•••

Poetry continues on Sunday afternoon when Nancy Simpson will be at City Lights for a special reception and reading at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 17, to read from her new collection, Living Above the Frost Line.

The book is the inaugural title in the new Carolina Wren Press Laureate Series, supported by the North Carolina Arts Council.

For more information about any of these events call 828.586.9499.

To the Editor:

In a few days, Jackson County voters will be choosing the leadership of the county for the next four years. As a U.S. Army veteran (1961-64, Ft. Bragg and West Germany), I commend the current board of county commissioners for their combined and individual support of military veterans and their causes, and for making it a priority to address the needs of veterans at the local level.  

The commissioners have often supported specific programs of the county’s veteran organizations, and have personally participated in programs that honor veterans, such as those on Veterans Day in November and Memorial Day each May.

Several years back, they took the initiative to fix the fountain area at the foot of the courthouse steps in Sylva, transforming it from an embarrassing eyesore into a fitting and well-maintained tribute to the sacrifices made by Jackson County veterans who served in our country’s wars.

More recently, the commissioners provided crucial major support to the Rotary Club’s Honor Air project.  Over the last couple of years that project has transported numerous Jackson County WW2 veterans on carefully planned, day-long roundtrips to Washington, D.C. There these men and women had the opportunity to make unforgettable and often emotional first visits to the great new World War Two Memorial, plus other area monuments that honor the service of America’s veterans.

The commissioners have also ensured that the county’s Veterans Service Officer continues to be a highly-qualified, dedicated, and pro-active individual who works hard to make sure that veterans and their dependents get all federal and state mandated health and other support due to them from the Veterans Administration, the Department of Defense, and additional federal and state agencies.

For these and their other efforts on behalf of veterans, I salute the current commissioners and urge their re-election.

Jim Nicholl

Cullowhee

To the Editor:

Over the course of the past year or so our Jackson County commissioner have been faced with a number of difficult decisions including salary raises for county employees, the Dillsboro dam and new mountain ordinances while keeping our taxes third lowest in the state. Those reasonable, responsive and thoughtful commissioners are Brian McMahan running for re-election as Jackson County commission chairman, Tom Massie, commission vice chairman and William Shelton, commissioner.

The Tea Party is supporting candidates (according to yard signs they appear to be Jack Debnam and Cody Elders) this year. At the Home Builders Association meeting in Cashiers not long ago their only solutions were to audit county programs, evidentially unaware the county conducts an annual audit. They also advocated spending $1 million to conduct an off-year revaluation of property and spending $4 million to complete the community center while advocating a rollback in property tax revenues and county services.

As one candidate put it “county employees are a drag on our economy.” They were critical of the purchase of sparkling new vehicles by the county only to be reminded by our commissioners the vehicles had not been purchased as part of the 10 percent reduction in county expenditures enacted over the past year. They were critical of not using local contractors for a building project at Southwestern Community College only to be reminded the project is a community college project not a county project.

I am sure these folks supported by the Tea Party crowd mean well and care as much for our county as we all do. However, they tend to offer misleading messages and simple solutions to complex county problems. Their solutions include cutting taxes, reducing the size of government, eliminating county services and turning stewardship of our mountains and rivers over to private enterprises, many of whom would treat our mountains like coal mine operators treat the mountains of West Virginia.

We can elect these well-meaning conservatives who appear dedicated to reducing services and personnel or we can return Brian McMahan, Tom Massie and William Shelton for reasonable, responsive and thoughtful stewardship of our tax dollars and county resources.

Ron Robinson

Sylva

Sign-up for teams is now under way for Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center’s Night of Fright Dodgeball Tournament, to be held from 6 to 9 p.m, Oct. 28.

Teams for the tournament may consist of four to seven participants, sporting their best Halloween costume.

Last year’s event attracted 16 teams and more than 150 participants, and this year may be even bigger and even more ghoulish.

“Will last year’s champs the “Nuts-n-Hunnies” be able to retain their title for another year?  Or will runners-up, the “Young Gunz,” be out for vengeance?” Aquatics and Recreation Coordinator Shawn Smathers asks.

Registration is $50 per team. Register by Thursday, Oct. 21. 828.452.8056

The Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a seminar entitled “The Power of Email Marketing” from 3-5 p.m. on Oct. 20 at Center for New Mountain Business located at 673 Siler Road in Franklin. The 1.5 hour seminar is free to chamber members and $10 per person for non-chamber members.

Attendees will learn how to get their message heard in a world of increasing e-mail communications, along with tips, strategies and techniques.

Anissa Starnes, Regional Development Director of the Carolinas, will lead the event. Starnes brings 19 years of experience in small business and nonprofit management, including Vice President of the Charlotte Chamber, Senior Vice President of the York County Regional Chamber and most recently President and CEO of the Burke County Chamber of Commerce. 828.524.3161 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Cecil Groves, former president of Southwestern Community College, is the new CEO of BalsamWest FiberNet.

Groves, who had moved to Texas to be near family, replaces David Hubbs, who announced he was leaving to pursue personal

Davis Woodard, a veteran law enforcement officer in Jackson County, has been selected as Sylva’s new police chief.

A new state bill aims to encourage children to put down the sugary juices and frolic on the playground outside.

The Swain County Sheriff’s Office has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice under the 2010 COPS Hiring Program.

The grant, in the amount of $125,811.00, will cover one officer position for a three-year period. The grant will be used to pay the wages and related benefits for the officer during that time. As part of the grant, Swain County will be required to retain the officer for one additional year after the completion of the grant period.

Commissioners will have to act to accept the grant before it can become effective.

The job training and life skills program, sponsored by REACH of Jackson County, has moved from its original location at the Client Service Center to Mariposa Boutique, the REACH thrift shop on Skyland Drive in Sylva.

New Choices is a program for any displaced homemaker starting over in the job market, desiring to be more self-sufficient or wanting to make a positive change in life. The program is available through REACH and funded by the N.C. Council for Women.

828.586.8778 or 828.506.0844

A golf tournament will be held Monday, Oct. 18, at Highlands Falls Country Club in Highlands.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. The “Playing for a Purpose” tournament will benefit REACH of Macon County, a nonprofit agency serving victims of family violence and sexual assault.

Mary Cathey, LPGA teaching professional, will conduct a golf clinic at 9:30 a.m., before the tournament.

The tournament will be four-person teams, shotgun start at 10 a.m. Registration is $125 per person, due with entry. Lunch, salad buffet, drinks and dessert will follow play.

828-369-5544.

Training for hospice is scheduled for the end of this month at Lake Junaluska First Baptist Church.

Haywood Regional Medical Center Hospice & Palliative Care will hold the volunteer training series on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 25, 26, 27 and 28.

The 12-hour program will orient volunteers to the hospice philosophy and program, and help them to find their niche in hospice volunteerism.

Volunteer opportunities include: patient and family support; companionship visits; respite care for caregivers; errands; bereavement support; delivering a single rose to the family after death; office assistance; chaplaincy and other professional services; fundraising and community events planning.

828.452.8578.



A forum for Macon County Commissioner candidates will be hosted by the League of Women Voters of Macon County at 12:15 p.m. on Oct. 14 at Tartan Hall, First Presbyterian Church of Franklin.

Incumbents Ronnie Beale (D) and Bob Simpson (D) will face Charlie Leatherman (R), Ron Haven (R), and Vic Drummond (I) for the two District 2 seats. Incumbent Brian McClellan (R) will face Allan “Ricky” Bryson (D) for Highlands District 1 seat.

A radio tower that caused an outcry in Franklin because of its height — 471 feet — and its location — on the outskirts of town, in a residential area — won’t be built there after all.

Instead, following a meeting of town, Macon County representatives and the state Highway Patrol, the tower will be placed near the Welcome Center several miles south of town on U.S. 441, Town Manager Sam Greenwood said.

It also will be shorter than originally proposed, just around 300 feet, he said, because the new location south of town is a better all-around site.

The state Highway Patrol had proposed erecting the tower just off U.S. 28 on Ivar Street.

A conference at Lake Janaluska Dec. 2-4 will be, “Embracing Christ’s Multi-Ethnic Body: Breaking Down Barriers and Building Bridges.”

This represents Lake Junaluska’s second multicultural conference.

During this event, people will experience life-changing times of listening and learning as participants share stories of challenges, disappointments, hopes and triumphs along the pilgrimage to make churches the inclusive communities of love and respect.

“The Lake Junaluska Multicultural Conference will be a place for embracing diversity,” said The Rev. Jimmy L. Carr, executive director of Lake Junaluska. “Persons will come together in a safe, life-affirming and life-transforming environment to explore the common bond of God’s love for all.”

Leaders include: The Rev. Eric Law of Kaleidoscope Institute (via Skype); Bishop Gregory Palmer of the Illinois Area; Bishop Will Willimon of the North Alabama Conference; Kristina Gonzales, associate director of Connectional Ministries for the Pacific Northwest Conference; Anne Marshall, a community activist who speaks on Indigenous issues, racism, and human rights violations around the world; Tim Tyson, award-winning author of Blood Done Sign My Name, and Senior Scholar at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University; The Rev. Mary John Dye, who began her ministry as the first cross-racial appointment in the Mississippi Conference; and Bishop William Morris (retired), who provides leadership for the Design Team of the Multicultural Conference.

Early registration ends Oct. 16. One CEU credit available. Call 828-454-6656 or visit www.lakejunaluska.com/multicultural to register or for more information.

The famous Inspirations Gospel group will welcome fall at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin on Oct. 15-16.

The Fall Colors Festival will feature The Family and Friends Tour, The McKameys, and The Inspirations on Friday, Oct. 15, beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $9 to $18. Saturday, Oct. 16, features The Dove Brothers Quartet, Tim Surrett and Balsam Range, The Perrys, Marshall Henson and Gem City, The Punches Family and The Inspirations.

The show begins at 1 p.m. and tickets range from $10 to $20.

The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, located in Franklin, is a modern 1,500 seat facility featuring a state-of-the-art, concert-grade sound system.  The center showcases artists from Western North Carolina and the surrounding areas and seeks to nurture the development, understanding and appreciation of the arts throughout the community and the region. To purchase tickets to any performance at The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, to get more information, or to see a schedule of coming events, go to GreatMountainMusic.com or call 866.273.4615.

The Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet will perform a free concert at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building on the campus of Western Carolina University.

Pieces include Contrapunctus IX by J.S. Bach, “Laudes” by Jan Bach, a tuba concerto by Christer Danielsson, Music Hall Suite by Joseph Horovitz, “Killer Tango” by Sonny Kompanek and “Guantanamera” by Jean-Francois Michel.

For information about the Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet, call Ulrich at 828.227.3274 or go online to www.smbq.org.

Approximately 3,500 students from 23 high schools will compete for top marching band honors during a daylong competition Saturday, Oct. 16, at Western Carolina University. The 10th annual Tournament of Champions, a showcase for elite high school marching bands, will begin with a preliminary session at 9 a.m. at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. The top 10 advancing bands will be announced at 4:30 p.m., and the evening session will begin at 7 p.m., with finalists competing for the grand champion Chancellor’s Trophy. For more information call 828.227.2259 or go online to www.prideofthemountains.com.

The Fourth Annual Mountain Music Jamboree at Eaglenest Entertainment in Maggie Valley is Oct. 15-16 and will feature several well-known performers.

Featured entertainers include:

Bill Yates and Friends “A Tribute to the Country Gentlemen” is the result of the love of the “Real” Country Gentlemen music and an impromptu jam session. Bill Yates was a member of The Country Gentlemen from 1969-1989, recording 17 projects with the group and traveling the world over.

Bobby and Blue Ridge Tradition is a five-piece bluegrass band from Asheville that plays a unique mix of traditional and not-so-traditional bluegrass music. The band’s style is clearly not your standard run-of-the-mill bluegrass.

Cody Shuler and Pine Mountain Railroad, an award-winning national touring band and Rural Rhythm Records recording artists have been busy entertaining at festivals, concerts, and other performance venues in the United States and abroad. Now into their eleventh year, this five-piece bluegrass band is led by Cody Shuler, the nine-year veteran performer.  

Lost & Found became quite popular in the early 1970’s, with Allen Mill’s exceptional songwriting contributing much to the group’s fame. “Love of the Mountains” was recorded then and has become a contemporary bluegrass standard.

Balsam Range is a band based in Haywood County that entertains all ages with bluegrass, gospel and country music. Their songs, many written by band members, reflect the musical heritage and traditions from the Southern Mountains, The Grand Ole Opry, and influences of the Appalachian settlers.

Barachah Valley was formed five years ago when friends wanting to play, and sing, traditional bluegrass and gospel music decided to get together to play their favorites and put a traditional spin on modern renditions.

The Fourth Annual Mountain Music Jamboree kicks off Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. and continues Saturday, Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m. For information and tickets call 828.926.9658 or visit our web site at www.eaglenestnc.com.

The 21st Annual Leaf Lookers Gemboree will be held Oct. 15-17 at the Macon County Community Building just south of Franklin off U.S. 441. Gem and mineral dealers from across the country will be on hand displaying and selling fine jewelry, gems, minerals and more.

The Leaf Lookers Gemboree will feature a wide variety of items including fine finished jewelry, rough and cut gems, lapidary equipment, minerals, fossils and collectibles. Dealers will also be available to custom make that special piece of jewelry you’ve always dreamed of or for the upcoming holiday season.

“All dealers who attend our Gemborees return year after year because the Franklin shows are among the best in the country,” said Linda Harbuck, executive director of the Franklin Chamber of Commerce.

Admission price is $2 for those 12 and older, free for those under 12. 10 a.m. to 6 pm. Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. 828.524.3161 or toll free at 800.336.7829.

The Smoky Mountain Community Theatre’s fall production will be “Twelve Angry Jurors – The Encore.”

The play was performed in July, but now it is back by popular demand.

A 19-year-old man has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. It looks like an open-and-shut case — until one of the jurors begins opening the others’ eyes to the facts. It becomes personal at times, with each juror revealing his or her own character as the various testimonies are re-examined, the murder is re-enacted and a new murder threat is born before their eyes.

The show will run at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14-18. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for students ages 6 to 18. Children under 6 are free.  

The theatre is on Main Street in downtown Bryson City. For information or reservations call Director Toby Allman at 828.488.8103 or 828.508.6645.

Haywood County writer Michael Beadle will give a program on Haywood County history at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Haywood County Public Library in Waynesville.

The program includes a slide show of rare photographs from Haywood County’s past, interactive discussion, and a question-and-answer session on Haywood County’s history. The program includes information on the coming of the railroad and industry to the heyday of hotels and resorts, to the families and events that have shaped its mountain communities and towns.

The presentation will be held in the downstairs auditorium of the library. Refreshments will be served. The program is part of the Sunday Concert Series, a year-long, once-a-month series of free concerts and lectures available to the public, co-sponsored by the Haywood County Arts Council and the Friends of the Haywood County Library.

Beadle is the co-author of Haywood County: Portrait of a Mountain Community as well as the author of two recently published Images of America books: Haywood County and Waynesville (the latter written with Peter Yurko). After spending the past several years researching, gathering materials, and writing about Haywood County as part of the bicentennial celebrations for Haywood County and Waynesville, Beadle has been helping to organize the Haywood Snapshot Project, which seeks to save, share, and sustain Haywood County’s historic photo collections for future generations.

828.400.6374.

The 5th Annual Big Rigs and Antique Trucks Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 15 and 16 at the Acquoni Expo Center in Cherokee.

The event is sponsored by the Western NC Truck Chapter of the American Truck Historical Society. Last year more than 2,200 spectators and participants attended, and this year organizers expect more than 150 trucks to be on display. Models range from the antique to the working class, including pickup trucks, semis, dump trucks, and more.

Anyone with an antique truck may register. Parts and swap meet vendors and food displays will also be available at the show. For all trucks approved for display, the registrant and a guest will receive free admission.

Admission is $5; children 12 and under are free. 828.421.9399.

The 22nd annual Haywood County Apple Harvest Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 16, in downtown Waynesville.

The annual festival, which celebrates the beauty of the harvest season in Haywood County, features handmade arts and crafts, locally grown apples and apple products for sale. In addition, the festival will feature food vendors of all types, educational and information booths, authentic mountain music, dance groups, and a children’s fun area.

Scheduled performers for this year’s festival include Gray Wolf, the Hominy Valley Boys, Simple Folk, Frog Level Philharmonic and the Josh Fields Band. Adult and youth clogging groups will also perform throughout the day providing non-stop entertainment from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. With more than 25,000 people attending last year’s festival, Haywood County looks forward to a great vendor turnout and a great day for visitors, local merchants and local residents.  

New for the 2010 festival is the Miss and Master Apple Harvest Festival Natural Beauty Pageant. The pageant will be held in the children’s fun area next in the United Community Bank Parking area. Applications may be picked up at Fun Things Etc. prior to festival day.

The Haywood County Apple Harvest Festival is presented by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Waynesville Association, the Haywood County Extension Service and the Haywood County Apple Growers.

Festival sponsors include Progress Energy, BluePrints for Business, New Meridian Technology, Clear Channel Communications, O.C.’s BBQ, The Smoky Mountain News, Fun Things Etc. and The Mountaineer.

For information contact the Greater Haywood County Chamber of Commerce at 828.456.3021.

Bryson City

The 20th annual Bryson City Chili Cook-off will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad Depot.

The contest includes awards for both professional and amateurs and a people’s choice winter. The festival — which includes arts, crafts and entertainment —annually attracts about 3,000 to the downtown area.

For more information contact the Swain County Chamber of Commerce at 828.488.3681 or visit www.greatsmokies.com.

Sylva

The Downtown Sylva Association’s 3rd annual Chilly Fest is set to begin at 12 p.m. on Nov. 6, at the Bridge Park and Poteet Park in Sylva.

The event is in need of both professional and amateur Chili Cook-off contestants as well as crafters. For an event application visit www.downtownsylva.org, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 828.586.1577.

Live music from Ian Moore’s Mountain Music Miscellany and The Vinyl Brothers Big Band, children’s activities and host crafters will provide entertainment during the cook-off.

An after party will be held from 5 p.m. to 11p.m. at The Village at Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company featuring beer from Heinzelmannchen Brewery, live music and food and drink specials. Chilly Fest crafters are invited to move their booths to The Village at Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company during the after party.

Artist James Smythe has opened a new upstairs art studio in the Downtowner Building at 563 West Main Street in downtown Sylva.

Smythe has created a salon style hallway gallery to display and sell paintings. For the past 40 years he has been a painter of oils, acrylics and pastels using various styles.

Smythe was a full professor in the art department at Western Carolina University for 31 years. He and his wife Sylvia have moved their residence from Webster to his family home in Sylva.

The Green Energy Park in Jackson County will hold a two-part mold making workshop Oct. 18 and Oct. 22.

Experienced artists may skip the mold making workshop and bring their own molds on the day of the pour.

• Mold making, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 18. $5 plus materials fee of $5 to 20 depending on size of finished mold. No experience necessary, beginners are welcome.

• Aluminum pour, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 22. $5 plus $1.50 per pound for aluminum use. Experienced artists may bring their own leathers and safety gear, and potentially participate in the metal pour. Wear closed-toe leather boots, long pants and clothing made of natural fibers.

Space is limited. Advanced registration required for both. 828.631.0271.

The Haywood County Arts Council will host the Appalachian Pastel Society’s second National Juried Exhibition beginning Wednesday, Oct. 20, through Saturday, Nov.13.

Grand prize for Best of Show is $1,000. Many other prizes will be awarded including pastel sets, other art supplies and product certificates. In conjunction with the show, artist and exhibition juror Ann Templeton will be teaching a workshop on “Abstracting the Landscape in Pastels” Oct. 14-18. Templeton is a nationally known oil/pastel-conceptual impressionist. For more information on the workshop visit: www.appalachian-pastel-society.org

The National Juried Exhibition finalists include more than 30 artists. Those from Western North Carolina include Peggy Duncan of Bryson City; Joyce Kay Gordon of Marshall; Nancy Clausen of Swannanoa; Susan Sinyai of Asheville; Carol Branton Morrow of Swannanoa; and Fran Greenberg of Asheville.

For more information about the Appalachian Pastel Society visit the web site at www.appalachian-pastel-society.org.

See the show

WHAT: “Appalachian Pastel Society National Juried Show,” an exhibition of  pastel works by thirty-nine US artists

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 22 through Saturday, Nov. 13. Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Artist’s reception on Friday, Oct. 22, from 6 o 9 p.m.

WHERE: Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86 located at 86 N. Main Street, Waynesville.

ADMISSION: Free and open to the public

The Gallery at Southwestern Community College’s Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts will feature two Cherokee artists in October as part of a new series of shows.

Horizons: Dean Reed & Henrietta Lambert opened on Oct. 1 and will run through Nov. 21. A reception for the artists will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.

“Opportunities to showcase local artists give our students a chance to network and derive inspiration from the community,” said Jeff Marley, program coordinator for OICA. “It is a natural fit to our program at OICA that we promote local artist.”

Reed has been working in clay for over 37 years, following a traditional Cherokee style of stamped pottery. He was a founding member of the Cherokee Potters Guild and a member of the Qualla Arts and Craft Mutual in Cherokee.

Lambert focuses primarily two-dimensional work, such as painting and drawing. She is the first graduate from OICA and is currently perusing her bachelors at Western Carolina University.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, along with the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and the North Carolina chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, has unveiled a green-growth initiative that encourages wildlife-friendly practices for new and existing residential developments.

The Wildlife Friendly Development Certification program recognizes residential land developers who promote the conservation of wildlife habitat and use environmentally sound construction practices in their developments.

To acquire certification, developers work closely with the staffs from the Commission and Federation to determine what wildlife friendly features will be incorporated into the development to earn certification. Developers must include a certain number of wildlife friendly features throughout all phases of the development’s planning and construction, and must maintain these features once the development is completed.

“North Carolina is experiencing unprecedented growth. Through sustainable development practices outlined in this program, we can contribute to the conservation of wildlife habitats alongside new developments,” said David Cox, the Commission’s Technical Guidance supervisor. “This voluntary program allows for growth but, at the same time, conserves wildlife resources and improves the quality of life for homeowners.”

Visit www.ncwildcertify.org

Raccoons across WNC may stumble upon unexpected tasty treats this week: fish-flavored morsels containing an oral rabies vaccine.

More than 700,000 baits will be scattered over the mountains of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia by fixed-wing aircraft this week, and another 120,000 by hand.

The oral rabies vaccinations are coated with a fishmeal flavoring and come in one-inch square cubes or two-inch plastic sachets. Humans and pets cannot get rabies from contact with the baits, but are asked to leave them undisturbed should they encounter them. 

The mountains are part of a vaccination zone to prevent the westward and northward spread of rabies. Geographic features such as large lakes and rivers as well as the Appalachian Mountains act as natural barriers to rabies’ spread.

The oral vaccine has been shown to be safe in more than 60 different species of animals, including domestic dogs and cats. Dogs that consume large numbers of baits may experience an upset stomach, but there are no long-term health risks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is in charge of the effort.

Raccoon rabies is found in virtually every county in North Carolina, and raccoon-variant rabies is responsible for the majority of rabies cases in domestic and wild animals throughout North Carolina. There have been 164 confirmed cases so far this year.

A put-in on the Nantahala River that had seen better days has gotten a stunning new makeover.

The put-in at Ferebee Memorial Park on the Nantahala River, along U.S. 19 in the Nantahala Gorge, now features rock retaining walls along the river bank, new sidewalks leading down to the river and a new launch ramp.

The new ramp can accommodate larger rafts and groups. The put-in is now also handicapped accessible. In addition, the stream bank has been stabilized with new vegetation, benefiting the health of the stream.

Ferebee is used as a put-in by individual paddlers rather than commercial rafters, and also offers a wayside stop for those paddling the length of the Nantahala or touring the Gorge by car. It has picnic tables, grills and restrooms.

The project cost $200,000 and was funded with federal stimulus money. The work employed five people locally. 828.525.6441.