If a bill recently introduced to Congress passes, a federal fund used to support parks and open spaces across the nation could be dismantled. 

The Land and Water Conservation Fund lapsed on Sept. 30 when Congress failed to reauthorize it. The program had set aside $2.46 million per day to fund projects such as trails, playgrounds and recreation centers in nearly every U.S. county. 

Some Republicans opposing reauthorization argue that the law needs overhauling. A significant portion of the funds should go to state and local projects, they say, and the money should be used mainly to maintain existing park infrastructure rather than to purchase more land, which they argue takes away from the local tax base. 

U.S. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, has introduce a bill that would extensively rework the program, angering many environmental groups. 

“Americans in virtually every county of the United States enjoy trails, playgrounds and recreation centers paid for by the Land and Water Conservation Fund and overwhelmingly support the continuation of the program as is,” said a statement from The Wilderness Society. 

A map of projects funded by the Land and and Water Conservation Fund — including many in Western North Carolina is available at www.wilderness.org/mapping-land-and-water-conservation-fund-lwcf.

Former Congressman and Brevard resident Charles H. Taylor was recently named 2015 North Carolina Tree Farmer of the Year by the N.C. Forestry Association in recognition for a long career in forestry.

Cataloochee Ski Area opened for the winter last weekend, kicking off the first run of the season at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 15.

The rare green salamander had never been documented in the Highlands area before, but a September excursion to the Overflow Wilderness Study Area in the Nantahala National Forest resulted in an exciting discovery.

The 14th annual “Stecoah Arts & Crafts Drive About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 27-28 in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville.

The performance of “Tuscola Loves Broadway, 50 Years of Celebration!” will be held at 7 p.m. Nov. 21 and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 22 at the Tuscola High School auditorium in Clyde.

Presented by the Tuscola High School Choral Department, the will feature romantic Broadway hits. They will perform several group numbers including "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from Lion King and "Seasons Of Love" from Rent. There will be individual performances from many Broadway shows including Phantom of the Opera, Annie Get Your Gun, Les Miserables and Wicked.

Tickets are $10 and include a dessert and drink at intermission. They are available at the door, through any Summit member or by calling the school at 828.456.2408. 

When purchasing tickets, you can name your favorite Summit student and they will receive a portion of the ticket sale to be used for their trip to Disney in December where they will sing at Epcot's Candlelight Procession with 200 other voices from around the country.

828.456.2408.

Country singers Kaitlyn Baker and Reagan Boggs will host a viewing party for the Baker/Boggs episode of “Song of the Mountains” at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at the Tap Room Sports Bar & Grill in the Waynesville Country Club.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in commercial and backyard poultry flocks, wild birds, or captive wild birds in 21 States. With the last case of the spring outbreak identified in June 2015, a total of 211 commercial and 21 backyard poultry premises had been affected. 

This resulted in the depopulation of 7.5 million turkeys and 42.1 million egg-layer and pullet chickens, with devastating effects on these businesses, and a cost to Federal taxpayers of over $950 million.

Raising backyard poultry is a growing trend across the United States and Macon County in particular. It is very important for all backyard poultry owners to know the signs of Avian Influenza, as well as the basic “biosecurity” steps you can take to protect your birds. Signs/symptoms to look for in birds include:

• Lack of energy and appetite;

• Decreased egg production or soft/misshapen eggs

• Swelling of the head, eyelids, and comb;

• Purple discoloration of the wattles, combs and legs;

• Stumbling, falling down, diarrhea;

• Sudden death.

By following good biosecurity practices, you can reduce the chances of a disease being carried to your farm, your backyard, your flock, or your pet birds, by people and animals. The six basic steps for protecting your birds include:

• Isolate your birds from visitors and other birds;

• Prevent germs from spreading by cleaning shoes, tools and equipment; clean vehicles and cages;

• Avoid sharing tools and equipment with neighbors;

• Watch for early signs to prevent the spread of disease;

• Report unusual signs of disease or unexpected deaths.

919.733.7601.

Station manager Robert Lowe hopes to have Swain County’s first FM radio station up and running by next week.

A group of Whittier farmers hoping to turn the vacant Drexel factory into an agricultural resource got a nod of support from Jackson County commissioners this week.

What’s the difference between organic and non-gmo (not genetically engineered)? 

I frequently hear from people who believe that there are various health attributes associated  with products that are labeled “organic” or “non-gmo”  but this is not the case nor is it the intent of those labels.  Let’s look at some facts:

A celebration for friends of Outdoor Mission Camp, based in Maggie Valley, will be held 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, at the camp’s base on 3190 Fie Top Road.

More than 200,000 LED lights will illuminate the gardens of the N.C. Arboretum starting Nov. 20 for the second annual Winter Lights showcase.

The Jackson County Arts Council will be hosting an art exhibit opening for Jon Jicha from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, in the Rotunda Gallery at the Historic Jackson County Courthouse in Sylva.

Jicha is a Professor of Art in the School of Art and Design at Western Carolina University where he teaches Design and Media Art. His work has been featured in Metropolis Magazine, Print Magazine, Art Direction Magazine and National Geographic Magazine. He has curated and organized major exhibitions including Tibor Kalman: Process; April Greiman: Large Scale Posters; Rudolph DeHarak: A Thirty year Retrospective; Chew on It: New Genre Hybrid Language; We Are Happy to Serve You; Thinking Design: An Appetite for Meaningful Design; Drawing: Points of View; Cleveland Rocks: The Birthplace of Rock and Roll / Photographs of George Shuba.

Jicha's work is included in private and public collections including the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.; Coburg Museum, Bavaria, Germany; Littleton Collection, Spruce Pine; South Carolina Arts Commission Collection, Columbia, South Carolina.

www.jonjicha.com

Acclaimed faith speaker Lysa TerKeurst will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at the Smoky Mountain Center of the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Pop/space country singer-songwriter Hailey Whitters will perform at 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville.

“David Holt’s State of Music — Live” will take to the stage from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

The Sylva Board of Commissioners election came down to the flip of a coin — literally.

Macon New Beginnings, a new nonprofit in Macon County working to address homelessness, has been hard at work trying to come up with a plan to shelter people in need through the winter.

Vandalism in the Nantahala National Forest has prompted the U.S. Forest Service to offer a monetary reward for information about the incident. 

Vandals destroyed doors and damaged fixtures inside the restrooms at the Nantahala River launch site on N.C. 1310 in Macon County last week, causing damage estimated at $4,500. 

The Forest Service is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. 

The vandalism occurred between the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 2, and the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 3. 

The facilities had been closed for the winter with signs directing people to a nearby vault toilet. 

"It is sad that a few spoiled and selfish individuals think that it is acceptable to destroy the public's property, because they have to walk 50 feet and use another toilet," said Mike Wilkins, district ranger for the Nantahala Ranger District. 

Conviction for the crime of Damage to Government Property could result in a fine of up to $100,000 and as much as 10 years in prison. 

Special Agent Brian Southard, 828.200.4049.

When you’ve operated a successful restaurant in Asbury Park, New Jersey patronized by the famous, including Bruce Springsteen, and then decide to sell it, what’s your next business move?

To the Editor:

In 2008, the CEO of BBT, John Allison, gave $1 million to Western Carolina University. Some have called the bequest a gift, others, a bribe. The purpose of the money was to endow a professorship in the university’s school of economics to teach “Objectivism.” Objectivism, more a philosophy of life than a true economic theory, is contained in the writings of the novelist, Ayn Rand. “Randism” can be boiled down to the phrase, “me first.” John Allison is a disciple of Ayn Rand. He gave a similar contribution to other colleges in North Carolina. Several had the integrity to decline.

A website devoted to Objectivism states that man is an end in himself. Happiness is not found in serving others, but in fulfilling one’s own self-interest. In other words, forget “do unto others.” As Ayn Rand states, “the source of man’s right is not divine law or congressional law, but the law of {self} identity.” So much for “one nation under God.”  This philosophy is carried over, somewhat shakily, to economics, which advocates a completely free market, with no government influence whatsoever, except as a policeman to enforce free market capitalism. The removal of government oversight for corporations, banks and Wall Street was a goal of the last Bush administration. We saw what ensued in the fall of 2008 when such safeguards were removed and the economy tanked. (A website devoted to Rand and Objectivism: www.aynrand.org).

Those who find Objectivism repugnant as a form of capitalism are not necessarily socialists, although they are often labeled as such by Rand disciples, such as the “BBT Distinguished Professor of Capitalism and Professor of Economics at Western Carolina’s College of Business,”  (Whew), Professor Lopez. Many people are strongly supportive of capitalism, but opposed to “predatory capitalism” as inherent in Objectivism, and find it abhorrent that such a philosophy should be taught at a state university. The goal of Objectivism, as it relates to economics, is “survival of the fittest,” to be the “the last man standing.” The trouble is, he’s the last man.

R. Michael Jones

Sylva

To the Editor:

I would like to elaborate on the comments I made at the hearing on Oct. 19 on the proposed recycling racility in Beaverdam. Leaving aside the NIMBY (not in my backyard) concerns, this is just a bad deal for all the people of Haywood County.

The development of this property as an industrial site was a good investment decision made by the county. Unfortunately, it happened to be ready for marketing just as a severe nationwide economic downturn occurred. It’s discouraging to see this property sit idle for years as the nation climbs out of the recession, but I think this property will soon be worth much more than Haywood County has spent purchasing and developing the site.  

The benefits of this recovery should accrue to Haywood County, not to a speculator who can craft a deal to pick up the property on the cheap. As Warren Buffett has said, “Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.” It seems as though the Haywood County commissioners are fearful that this property will never be disposed of at a good price, and Ken Allison is stepping in to take advantage of your fear.  

With a little patience and a better marketing effort, I am confident that this property will attract one or more higher quality businesses that can provide much better and higher-paying jobs for citizens of Haywood County. Perhaps we could look for businesses in the fields where Haywood Community College is already training students. I’m not aware that “garbage sorting” is one of the fields they train for at Haywood Community College.

I have other concerns about this proposal as well. At the hearing on Oct. 19, the county manager’s presentation alluded to property tax benefits of this transaction. I have had legal experts look into this, and they confirmed that state law exempts the land and equipment at a recycling facility from the property tax base. 

I find it hard to believe that Ken Allison did not know this, and he certainly witnessed the presentation at the hearing and the speaker who raised the issue near the end of the hearing. Knowing this, it is clear that Ken Allison has not been acting in good faith even if he never made representations about the property tax benefits himself. This causes me to have much less confidence in any of the other assertions he has made.

I am sure that other residents will raise many other legitimate issues about this scheme, but to me the property tax issue alone is a sufficient deal breaker. The loss of tax revenue for this exempted “recycling facility” is significant, and Ken Allison’s disingenuous actions are even more significant. As one of your constituents, I am asking you not to fall for it.

Brad Stanback

Beaverdam

By Avram Friedman • Guest Columnist

By proposing to replace its Lake Julian coal plant in Asheville with a new natural gas/fracking-fired mega power plant in Western North Carolina, Duke Energy is moving in an anachronistic direction that inhibits the transformation to energy efficiency and renewable energy needed to address rising energy costs and climate change.

A competition challenging students to take their best stab at trash sculpture aims to get Haywood County teens thinking about how to make recycling a priority. 

Organized by the Commission for a Clean County, the “Recycle Your Art Out” program is open to middle and high school students. Four schools have signed up so far — Bethel Middle, Canton Middle, Pisgah High and Tuscola High. 

In each school, the art class will build a sculpture made from recyclable materials, with the CCC providing $50 for materials to each class participating and the town of Canton covering the cost of bases for the sculptures to sit on. 

Sculptures will be completed by Dec. 1 for display at the Haywood County Library in Waynesville. The CCC will hand out awards, including a “Best in Show” prize, in February. 

The sculpture contest, spearheaded by Seth Hendler-Voss, CCC board member and Canton town manager, fills out the environmental cleanliness message the CCC has sought to bring to schools over the past three years with its “Litter Troll” interactive program for kindergarten and first graders. 828.452.1550.

A strenuous hike to one of the most unique peaks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will also include a story of restoration and rebuilding Tuesday, Nov. 11.

The Barkers Creek and Locust Creek River access points in Jackson County will close over for construction over the coming weeks, remaining off-limits until January 2016. 

Duke Energy, which created the put-ins as part of its relicensing agreement to harvest hydroelectric power from the Tuckasegee River, plans to extend the two ramps about 20 feet each to reach the riverbed.

Construction at Barkers Creek started Monday, Nov. 2, requiring closure of the boat ramp and a portion of the parking area, though amenities such as picnic tables and the volleyball court will remain open. Construction at Locust Creek will start Monday, Nov. 9, requiring closure of the entire access and parking area. 

Alternative river access points include the Webster River and C.J. Harris sites. 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.293.3053.

One of the most unique leaf-looking experiences in the country — the Shadow of the Bear — is now visible from U.S. 64 near Cashiers.

Final versions of management plans for seven North Carolina game lands, including Sandy Mush Game Lands in Madison and Buncombe counties, are now available online. 

The plans will provide management framework for these lands in the coming years, aiming to balance science-based conservation with public access. Input from public meetings and online comment opportunities were used to arrive at the final product. 

The seven plans are the first of many that the Commission has been developing since 2013.

www.ncwildlife.org/Hunting/WheretoHunt/PublicPlaces/GameLandPlans.aspx

A handicapped-accessible fishing pier along the Tuckasegee River in downtown Bryson City was dedicated this fall. It is located beside a newly constructed gazebo at the end of Island Street, which is home to the Swain County Farmers Market.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Macon County

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

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

Jackson County

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

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

Haywood County

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

Swain/Cherokee

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

To the Editor:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pam Kearse

Haywood County

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Call 828.488.1976.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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