North Carolina will receive a $69.9 million grant award from the federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge fund to support early childhood education throughout the state.  

“This award is outstanding news for our children, families and educators across North Carolina,” said U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville. “Investing in high-quality early education is one of the most important steps we can take to put our children on the path to success in school and in life.

Thirty-five states developed plans to increase access to high-quality early education programs. North Carolina was one of nine states to be selected for an award.

In November, Rep. Shuler and five other members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation sent a letter to the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Health and Human Services in strong support of North Carolina’s grant application for the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge.

MedWest Health System is offering smoking cessation classes starting this month at three of its hospital campuses.

During the seven-week Freedom From Smoking program, participants will learn in small group settings how to overcome tobacco addiction. Classes will be held at:

• MedWest Health & Fitness Center in Clyde from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekly, beginning Wednesday, Jan. 18.

• MedWest-Harris Annex in Sylva from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. weekly, beginning Thursday, Jan. 19.

• MedWest-Swain Dining Room in Bryson City from noon to 1 p.m. weekly, beginning Thursday, Jan. 19.

Cost is $25 to participate. 828.452.8089 for more information or to register.

Republicans aren’t the only ones who will have a reason to head to the polls in the May primary.

While Republican voters sort out who their presidential nominee will be, Democrats have a race of their own to narrow down, although with a much-more homegrown flare.

Two well-known Waynesville men are vying for the seat soon to be vacated by long-time N.C. Rep. Phil Haire, D-Sylva. Joe Sam Queen, an architect by trade, and Danny Davis, a former District Court judge, both formally announced their candidacies this week.

The 119th House district includes all of Jackson and Swain counties, as well as Waynesville, Lake Junaluska and part of Maggie Valley in Haywood County.

The political rumor mill has been churning in the two weeks since Haire announced he would retire. But so far, only Davis and Queen have committed. No other candidates have emerged.

When it comes to politicking, Queen has plenty of experience. He served six years in the state Senate and has five elections under his belt, each of them hard-fought races. He is looking forward to what he calls “on-the-ground retail politics,” which puts him in touch with the people of the mountains.

“I like to give stump speeches and shake people’s hands and ask them for their vote,” Queen said. “I like to have some barbeques and square dances and the whole nine yards.”

Queen’s former sprawling Senate district extended as far north as Mitchell County and as far east as McDowell, making a horseshoe around Buncombe County. He became a seasoned road warrior in such a vast district. He also had to raise lots of money to campaign across so many counties, spending around $600,000 or $700,000 each race.

Queen estimates spending only a fraction of that in the House race.

“I don’t think this will be a high-dollar campaign,” Queen said.

While Davis is new to politics, he says there is no better experience than his 27 years as a District Court judge in the seven western counties.

“It is like a front row seat to the picture window of society,” Davis said of his judgeship. “I see how drugs affect families. I see what happens when they lose their job, and they start drinking, and we have to take their kids. I see what happens when they don’t have enough money to pay their bills or child support even though they are working two or three jobs.”

As a judge, Davis couldn’t make position statements or voice concerns over the issues that he felt affected the people of Western North Carolina. Now, he will finally be able to speak out, and his ideas for improving the lives of people and fixing the inner workings of government are voluminous enough for a dissertation, he said.

“I can finally say this is what we need to do and how we need to help these folks,” Davis said.

Davis said he had already been thinking about running when Haire retired.

Davis contends that he is better known in the district than Queen, since he served not only in Haywood but also Jackson and Swain as a judge for so many years.

Queen disagrees, saying he is equally well known outside Haywood.

“I am a homegrown mountain fellow,” Queen said. “I have as strong a name recognition as any politician in the west. I have the polling data to show it.”

Besides, the district is his “own backyard,” compared to the sprawling Senate district he had to work.

Queen, 61, and Davis, 58, both played up their ties to the region. Both men come from a long Haywood County lineage. The Davis and Queen names are both established and prominent Haywood families

Any other takers?

For now, Davis and Queen seem to have the primary race to themselves. Many initially looked to Troy Burns from Bryson City as a possible candidate, as he ran against Haire 10 years ago. But, Burns said this week he has decided not to run. Burns said both Davis and Queen called him over the past few days to find out where he stood on a possible candidacy.

“It is a mutual thing out of respect,” Burns said of his decision not to run.

From Jackson County, the chairman of the county Democratic Party Brian McMahan was also bandied about as a possible candidate, but McMahan said he won’t be running. He has a one-year-old and doesn’t want to spend the time away from home.

The primary between Queen and Davis could prove a tougher battle than the general election in November.

Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly 2 to 1 in the district. So on paper at least, whoever wins the Democratic primary could have an advantage over their Republican opponent in November.

“It is a solid Democratic seat,” Queen said.

Davis, however, isn’t so sure.

“I don’t think they are going to concede this seat,” Davis said of Republicans. “In this day in time, I don’t think it can be politics as usual. I think you are going to have to work very hard to retain the Democratic votes you have.”

Only one Republican has formerly announced his candidacy. Mike Clampitt of Bryson City stepped up to run within hours of Haire’s announcement.

Maybe it’s pie in the sky, but the right ingredients could transform South Main Street into a thriving commercial district. A consultant with LaQuatra Bonci has mapped out a new look for the corridor. The plan banks on new-found aesthetic appeal to create a sense of place, which in turn will make South Main a destination drawing both stores and shoppers.

Problem: Dilapidated buildings, shuttered storeffronts.

Challenge: The prospect of new commercial development is hindered by the ugly appearance and asphalt overload.

Solution: “Green the corridor” with street trees and a planted median.

Problem: How many lanes?

Challenge: The wider the road, the more land that gets lopped off the front of adjacent properties. The resulting lot could be too small to fit anything on. But too few lanes may not support future traffic should it increase substantially.

Solution: Two lanes, except the 0.4-mile stretch in front of Super Walmart between Allens Creek and Hyatt Creek.

Problem: Unfriendly for pedestrians

Challenge: Pedestrian activity can be a magnet for commercial revitalization.

Solution: Create a pedestrian boulevard by installing cross walks, sidewalks and bike lanes.

Problem: Traffic passes through without stopping on its way from point A to point B.

Challenge: South Main lacks a sense of place, giving motorists no reason to slow down or to see South Main as a destination.

Solution: An entrance feature, such as public art piece, to set the stage, along with pedestrian scale lighting and benches.

Problem: Intersections

Challenge: Stoplights require extra turning lanes for cars to queue up in while waiting for the light to change, but the extra turn lanes mean more asphalt and run counter to the street’s new character.

Solution: Use roundabouts instead, which do double duty as a convenient U-turn spot, since the street would have medians preventing left turns in and out of businesses.

The fourth-annual Group Seed Order will take place at St. John’s Episcopal Church on Jackson Street in Sylva on Saturday, Jan. 14, between 9 a.m. and noon.

The Jackson County Farmers Market sponsors this seed-ordering event. The volume from collectively ordering as a group helps reduce costs.

Seeds will be ordered from Fedco Seeds and Johnny’s Selected Seeds, two of the leading seed companies specializing in vegetables that have been chosen for taste. Flower, herb and cover crop seeds, as well as onion transplants and sweet potato slips can be ordered.

Catalogs for Fedco and Johnny’s Seeds with descriptions and prices will be on hand at the ordering event. Catalogs are also available on-line at www.fedcoseeds.com and www.johnnyseeds.com.

Each order needs to be submitted on an order form and be paid for by cash or check on Jan. 14. The seeds will arrive in about three weeks. Those who placed an order will be notified about the date and time to pick up their orders.

“By ordering as a group we can qualified for a 24 percent discount with Fedco and save a lot by ordering in larger quantities,” said Ron Arps, an organizer for the event. “We can also get varieties that are not available locally.”

People who want to start a new garden this year are encouraged to place an order. Many experienced gardeners will be there to give help and advice.

828.586.5478.

Volunteers are needed at Gorges State Park in Sapphire to help build and maintain trails, with work parties scheduled weekly on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., weather permitting.

The new state park is located on the Jackson-Transylvania county line. A master plan for Gorges is currently being developed, including a new visitor center, two picnic facilities and a maintenance complex under construction. Volunteers are needed to help build a new trail connecting two picnic shelters between Upper Bearwallow Falls and Gorges Overlook. Existing trails need volunteer hands for maintenance, too.

Volunteers should bring their own gloves. Drinking water and hand tools will be provided. Volunteers will meet at the Gorges State Park office, located at 17762 Rosman Highway (U.S. 64) in Sapphire. Participants must be at least 16 years old, in good health, and capable of performing physical labor on mountainous terrain. Pre-registration is not required.

828.966.9099.

Volunteer organizations have donated labor and money to improve cooking and sleeping quarters for campers, while also reducing potential problems with black bears in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The groups involved were the Friends of the Smokies, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. They have been working over the past decade to rebuild every backpacker trail shelter in the park. This shelter marked the last one. Twelve of the park’s 15 backcountry shelters are located on the Appalachian Trail.

Reconstruction at the Laurel Gap trail shelter began in September, but weather prevented delivery of roofing materials by helicopter — the remote location makes packing all the supplies and building materials impossible. The volunteer crew returned the first week of December to finish roofing the shelter under the threat of winter snows.

Laurel Gap is located in North Carolina, near the intersection of the Sterling Ridge and Balsam Mountain Trails. 

“As with all of the shelter projects over the years, this one required a real team effort,” said Jim Hart, President of Friends of the Smokies. “We are very grateful to all the partners and donors.”

Architect Philip Royer of Knoxville, a member of the Appalachian Trail Maintainers Committee, drew a basic blueprint for every shelter rehab project, incorporating improved natural lighting, a cooking area to separate food odors from the sleeping space, improved bunk access, new roofs and masonry repair, and drainage improvements.

Old trail shelters used to have chain link fences around them to keep bears out of backpackers’ food. The renovations have removed the unattractive fencing from all the shelters, and instead installed bear cables, which are actually more effective at keeping bears out of food by hoisting it out of reach.

Learn topnotch, competitive-level fly-fishing techniques via a filmed fly-fishing competition that took place last year here in Western North Carolina.

Local angler Paul Bourcq captured the fishermen in action and filmed interviews with them during the competition.

The 2011 U.S. National Fly Fishing Championship was held this past spring in Cherokee. In addition to fishing in tribal waters, about 60 of the nation’s top fly-fishing experts tested their angling skills along nearby stretches of water, including the Tuckasegee River below Western Carolina University and the upper and lower sections of the Nantahala River.

This marked the first time the championship was held in the Southeast.

“I worked really hard on this and am excited to show off something that to date has never been filmed,” Bourcq said of the DVD.

Go to www.ncflyfishingteam.com or www.connectthesmokies.com to pre-order. A trailer featuring his work can be found at

youtu.be/NbcTbxWeSZ8.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission now allows hunting of feral swine and wild hogs at night — but hunters need a special permit. The permit is free and is available at www.ncwildlife.org. The permits are valid through March 31.

The permit does not grant access to any property. Landholders must grant permission to enter private or public property lawfully. The permit does not grant access to take feral swine on state game land.

In an effort to reduce the nuisance and invasive wild hog population, the state has made hunting laws for wild boar as liberal as possible, hoping to solicit the help of hunters to eliminate the invasive beasts. There is now no limit on the number of wild hogs, classified as feral swine, that a hunter can shoot and they can be hunted year-round.

The non-native animals compete with native wildlife and pose significant threats to the environment and agricultural operations.

As for the new night hunting rule, archery and firearm may hunt feral swine after normal shooting hours (an hour before sunrise until an hour past sunset) where local law allows; except by firearms on Sundays.

A local fly-fishing guide and recreational therapy students at Western Carolina University teamed up recently to provide a fly-fishing outing for children with autism.

Jennifer Hinton, WCU associate professor of recreational therapy, organized the event. Alex Bell, retired principal of Smoky Mountain High School and the owner of AB’s Fly Fishing Guide Service, served as “coach” on the project, working with the class throughout the semester.

Through the Adaptive Fly Fishing Institute, Bell teaches adaptive fly fishing and also teaches fellow instructors in the practice. There is limited research on adaptive fly fishing, Hinton said, but the WCU students theorized it would benefit children on the autism spectrum physically, psychologically and socially.

The fly fishing was adapted to the children’s abilities. For instance, when teaching the children to cast, the instructors asked them to aim for hula hoops on the ground rather than the more typical method of using numbers on an imaginary clock face.

“It was amazing the difference once we put down a visual cue. It improved their focus so much,” Bell said.

Autism affects the normal development of the brain in the areas of social interaction, communication skills and cognitive function, according to the National Autism Association. Individuals with autism can show marked differences — thus, they are on the “autism spectrum” — but typically they have difficulties in verbal and nonverbal communication, social interactions and leisure or play activities. The NAA reports that the disorder affects one in 150 people in the U.S. and is diagnosed four times more often in boys than girls.  

In honor of the event, staff of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission stocked a section of Cullowhee Creek with about 40 brook trout from the Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery in Brevard.

“We’re here to provide angling opportunities for various people, and we were proud to step up and make that happen,” said David Deaton, a WRC fish production supervisor.

A week later, Kathy Ralston said her son Isaac was still talking about it.

“He’s looked forward to fly fishing since we moved here,” said Ralston, who with her husband, Bill, an orthopedic surgeon at MedWest Harris, and their four children relocated to Jackson County from Kansas City, Mo., in August 2010. Though it’s unusual for children on the autism spectrum, the Ralstons have always had Isaac, their oldest child, participate in group activities such as organized soccer.

But participation has gotten more difficult as Isaac has grown older and the physical and emotional disparities between Isaac and his peers have become more pronounced. Ralston and other parents expressed a desire for more recreational opportunities for their children with autism spectrum disorder, such as the fly-fishing event.

The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy transferred 35 acres to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service to protect adjacent land along the famous footpath.

Wesser Bald in Macon County was at risk of development when the Southern Appalachian conservancy trust initially purchased it in 2007. The intent was to sell the land to the Forest Service once the Forest Service attained needed funds.

“We are proud to be working with these partners to add an important sight along the AT that’s visible to a lot of people,” said SAHC’s Executive Director Carl Silverstein.

The addition of this tract, along with an adjoining 42 acres on which the land trust holds a conservation easement, closes a wide gap in a swath of contiguous Forest Service lands that were vulnerable.

In addition to providing extraordinary views, this protected land will contribute a multitude of other benefits to the ecosystems of the Little Tennessee River watershed, the Nantahala National Forest, and the Appalachian Trail corridor, group leaders said. The land will serve as a catalyst for the protection of significant watersheds, providing a contiguous wildlife corridor that will provide high quality wildlife habitats and ecosystems for rare plants and will assure that the land will stay pristine for generations to come.

The North Carolina Writers’ Network is now accepting submissions for its 2012 Doris Betts Fiction Prize.

The competition is named in honor of author and North Carolina native Doris Betts, a three-time winner of the Sir Walter Raleigh Award and recipient of the North Carolina Award for Literature, among many other honors.

The Doris Betts Fiction Prize awards the first-prize winner $250 and publication in the North Carolina Literary Review. Finalists will also be considered for publication.

The competition is open to any writer who is a legal resident of the state or a member of the North Carolina Writers’ Network. Submissions must be short stories that are 6,000 words or less, and only one entry is accepted per writer. The authors name should not appear on the manuscript.

Deadline for submissions is Feb. 15.

www.nclr.ecu.edu/submissions/submit-online.html.

The Mountain Writers of North Carolina will meet at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan.10, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

David Madden, an expert in the art of the revision process, is the guest speaker. Madden earned an M.A. at San Francisco State and attended Yale Drama School on a John Golden Fellowship.

He was Writer-in-residence at LSU from 1968 to 1992, director of the Creative Writing Program from 1992-1994, founding director of the United States Civil War Center from 1992-1999, and is now LSU Robert Penn Warren Professor of Creative Writing, Emeritus.

His best-known novel, The Suicide’s Wife, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and made into a CBS movie. The public is welcome to attend this free event. Blue Ridge Books is located at 152 South Main Street in Waynesville.

828.456.6000.

The Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will host several youth events in the coming weeks.

The library will resume its pre-school program on Jan. 11. The program begins at 10:30 a.m. in the auditorium.

The pre-literacy skill focus for the winter story time session will be learning about compound words. Learning how compound words are created will help increase the variety of words spoken and understood thus increasing vocabulary.

There will also be a home-school meeting at 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 18 in the auditorium. Parents and children are invited to attend.

Topics of discussion will include basic research skills and a book talk.

The next community music jam at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Jan. 5, in the library auditorium.

Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer — anything acoustic — is invited to join.  Singers are also welcomed to join.

Larry Barnett of Grampa’s Music will facilitate the jam. Normally, Barnett starts by calling out a tune and its key signature, and the group plays it together. Then, everyone in the circle gets a chance to choose a song for the group to play.

The community jams is offered for musicians of all ages and levels of ability.

The music jams are offered to the public each first and third Thursday of the month, year-round. 828.488.3030.

The Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will play the live-action adaptation of Richard and Florence Atwater’s children’s book, “Mr. Popper’s Penguins,” at 3:30 p.m. on Jan. 10.

Jim Carrey plays a businessman who inherits a small flock of penguins and must transform his Manhattan apartment into an arctic habitat.

The library shows family movies each Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. The movies are free to the public and projected onto an 8-by-10 foot screen with a theater sound system.

The library also gives away one free movie check out voucher to each patron who attends the movie.

Popcorn, provided by the Friends of the Marianna Black Library, will be served in the library auditorium starting at 3:20 p.m.

828.488.3030.

Tickets for two Chippendales shows at Harrah’s Casino will go on sale Jan. 6.

The shirtless, bowtie-wearing performers will be at Harrah’s in Cherokee on Feb. 11 for two shows — one at 6 p.m. and another at 9 p.m.

The Chippendales dancers are part of an all-male revue. Attendees must be 21 years of age or older.

www.ticketmaster.com or 800.745.3000.

The next Second Sunday Contra Dance will be on Jan. 8. on the second floor of the old courthouse in the library in Sylva. Contra dancing will begin at 2:30 p.m. and go until 5 p.m.

Anne Marie Walters from Asheville will call the dances to the music of Out of the Woodwork.

All dances are done to live music and local musicians are invited to sit in with the band, to jam and learn how to play music for dancing.

There will also be a potluck dinner following the contra dance, starting at 5:30 p.m. Please bring a covered dish, plate, cup and cutlery and a water bottle.

No previous experience with contra dancing is necessary, and all dances will be taught and walked through before dancing. No partner is required.

Contra dancing is a form of English country dancing and uses many of the same figures as square dancing such as circles, stars and swings.

828.586.5478 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Kindermusik International, a publisher of music and movement programs, has named Lori Richards a Maestro Producer for 2011-12.

Richards is an early childhood specialist at The Music Village and teaches Kindermusik in Cullowhee and Waynesville. The Maestro Producer award recognizes excellence for a fast-growing program.

“The Kindermusik Maestro has a mission: helping children become better learners and helping parents understand how to help them reach their highest potential,” said Michael Dougherty, CEO at Kindermusik International.

She will offer classes in Cashiers beginning the week of Feb.7 for newborns to age 7, and enrollment is now open.

Richards joins the company of Maestros identified as the top 5 percent of the 5,000 licensed educators in the world who teach Kindermusik’s music and movement program.

“It is such a blessing to share the gift of music with children and to see the joy it brings them,” Richards said.

828.293.5600 or www.themusicvillage-nc.com.

B.B. King will make a pit stop at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville on Jan.14.

All tickets must be reserved and cost $75, $49.50 and $39.50. Tickets are already on sale and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, via phone at 800.745.3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show will begin at 8 p.m.

King has one of the most identifiable guitar styles and most identifiable guitars — Lucille. He mixes traditional blues, jazz, swing and mainstream pop.

His songs include “Payin’ The Cost To Be The Boss,” “The Thrill Is Gone,” “How Blue Can You Get,” “Everyday I Have The Blues,” and “Why I Sing The Blues.”

King has had two No. 1 R&B hits and four No. 2 R&B hits. His crossover hit, 1970’s “The Thrill Is Gone,” went to No. 15 on the pop charts.

The Moody Blues will perform at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel on March 31 as part of their 32-city U.S. tour in 2012.

The tour will celebrate the 45th anniversary of their album “Days of Future Passed,” and will kick off next March 11 at Hard Rock Hotel in Hollywood, Fla., and continue through April 21, ending in Niagara Falls.

The band’s history spans four decades, during which they sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and received 14 platinum and gold discs. Their set list includes: “Nights In White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon,” “Isn’t Life Strange,” “I’m Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band),” and “I Know You’re Out There Somewhere.”

“The rockers played a set that reminded the sold-out Music Hall why (The Moody Blues are) one of the most important rock acts to ever come out of the U.K.,” wrote the New York Times.

Tickets are currently on sale at ticketmaster.com, and prices range from $45 to $75.

800.745.3000.

Eve Haslam and Satin Steel Jazz will perform at Cafe 50 restaurant on Main Street in Waynesville at 7 p.m., Jan. 19.

Haslam is a native of New York City and began singing at the age of 7. In 2007, she moved to Asheville where she joined jazz musicians Zack Page (bass), Brian Felix (piano) and Justin Watts (drums) to form the group known as Eve Haslam and Satin Steel Jazz.

The band currently appears at various locations in Asheville every Friday night.   

Among Eve’s recordings are “Simply Me,” “Sunday’s Garden,” and “Book of Changes.”

“Jazz is here to stay in the mountains and I intend to be a part of it for a long time down the road,” Haslam said.

Cafe 50 is hosting this one-time event sponsored by the Haywood County Arts Council and local dentist John Highsmith and his wife.

“Although we’ve presented live music at our other venues, this’ll be the first time we’ve ever tried it here,” said Cafe 50 co-owner Vinnie Schudde. “Our room is both cozy and intimate — just like eating in your own, private dining room. Our acoustics have proven excellent, and we’re most excited to showcase this fine band as part of our dinner offering.”

The entire cost for the dinner and entertainment is $50 per person — half of which can be treated as a tax deduction.

828.452.0593.

Photographer Rachael Bliss will showcase photos at Rosetta’s on Broadway in Asheville.

The photos tell the story of a small bio-dynamic farm with a little more than three acres that helps support a milk cow, nearly 100 chickens, three goats, three cats, a dog and two adults. 

Bliss, who has dabbled in photography since her college years at the University of Iowa, started taking her hobby seriously about two years ago and has since shown her work at First Congregational United Church of Christ and at Old Europe Cafe in Asheville. She also coordinated the photo contest for the Asheville Mushroom Club last year.

The show will be on display from Jan. 3 through Jan. 28. The photos will be available for purchase.

An open house will be held Jan. 8 at Rosetta’s from 7 to 8:30 p.m., and Bliss will be on hand to answer questions.

The Groovy Movie Club will host its first screening of the new year at 7 p.m. on Jan. 6. The Haywood County group will show the Sundance Film Festival’s 2011 Audience Award Winner for Documentary “Buck.”

Buck, directed by Cindy Meehl, is about the power of non-violence and horse trainer Buck Brannaman, who uses principles of respect and trust to tame horses. Robert Redford consulted Brannaman while shooting his feature film The Horse Whisperer. Audience members at Sundance remarked that it was the best movie they had seen there in 10 years.

The Groovy Movie Club meets once a month at 6:15 p.m. to share a mostly organic pot-luck dinner, and the film begins at 7 p.m., with a discussion following. It meets at Buffy Queen’s home in Dellwood.

The Groovy Movie Club is beginning its sixth year of presenting films, both documentary and feature, with a message.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.454.5949.

Voices in the Laurel auditions for the 2012 winter season continue at the First Baptist Church, 100 S. Main St., in Waynesville.

Singers in grades one through 12 are welcome to audition.

Voices in the Laurel is a youth choral group that has weekly rehearsals in Waynesville and numerous performances throughout the season.

The choir includes singers from four area counties and has sung around the world, including The National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.; St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan; Westminster Abbey, London; Chartres Cathedral, France; and with Ronnie Milsap at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.  

Treble Makers is for first- and second-grade singers. Concert Choir includes singers in third through fifth grades, and Chamber Choir is for students in grades six through 12.

Call 828.734.8413 or 828.734.9163 for an audition. www.voicesinthelaurel.org.

Hank Shuler has opened a new clay studio in Oak Grove.

Having retired from Southwestern Community College two years ago, Shuler and her husband, Bruce, decided to design and build the studio.

“It’s been great fun working with Bruce again. Our individual careers took us in different directions so much of the time,” Shuler said.

Shuler’s clay creations range from functional to decorative.

“I guess I really have a short attention span. I enjoy using the wheel and turning more functional pieces, pieces for the kitchen and dining room table,” Shuler said. “But, I also enjoy creating sculpture and the fun of firing in the Japanese raku tradition.”

Shuler’s last five years with the college were spent in SCC’s Swain Center creating a Heritage Arts Program that featured a ceramic component. Her other activities since retirement include the creation of the Smoky Mountain Clay Guild.

“There are a lot of wonderful potters in the region and more and more are coming out of SCC, WCU, and Haywood Community College all the time,” she said. “North Carolina is the pottery capital of the USA and a number of us feel that this region can benefit from the potters joining together to attract marketing attention.

The studio and gallery are open to visitors by appointment.

828.369.7186 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To the Editor:

Are you sickened by the millions of dollars spent to elect politicians at a time when too many of our citizens are hungry? Did you get disgusted by the incessant TV ads during the 2008 election season? Well, it’s already started again, and it’s going to get much worse. In 2008, we saw ads from candidates ending with, “I’m Joe Good Guy, and I approved this message.” We’ll still have those, but this year will bring increasingly more and nastier ads bashing the candidates’ opponents using out-of-context quotes, misleading statements, and downright lies. They will end with “Noble Sounding Organization is responsible for the content of this message.” These Noble Sounding Organizations are deep-pocketed special interest groups, corporations, and filthy rich people. They could even be foreign corporations or governments, since the law does not require the organizations to disclose their donors.

The reason for this barrage is the 2010 decision by five ultra-conservative activist members of the Supreme Court who ruled that corporations are people and money is speech, overturning a century-old ban on corporate campaign contributions. This brought on the rise of super Political Action Committees which can raise unlimited amounts of money from undisclosed donors and funnel it into our political process. These super PACs are “supposed” to be independent from the candidates, allowing the candidates to deny personal responsibility for the nastiness. In actuality, they are run by relatives or close associates of the candidates.  

We got a bitter taste of this right here during the 2010 election. It has been reported that PACs spent $1 million to defeat incumbent State Sen. John Snow, D-Murphy. Remember the ad portraying Sen. Snow as a spendthrift for voting to build a pier with an aquarium on the coast? What the ad didn’t tell you is that every other member of the North Carolina legislature — Republicans and Democrats — voted for the pier.  This is just one example of the many misleading PAC ads from the 2010 election.

Bills have been introduced in the U.S. Senate and House proposing a constitutional amendment to make it clear that corporations are not entitled to the same constitutional rights as people and allow Congress and state legislatures to regulate the role of corporations in the election process.

There will be actions supporting the call for a constitutional amendment all over the country on Jan. 21, the second anniversary of the Supreme Court decision. Look for one near you. And during this election season, be aware that the PACs producing misleading ads and mailers don’t care about our welfare, just about manipulating us.  They think we are stupid.  Don’t let our democracy be bought out from under us.

Carole Larivee

Waynesville

By Kate Queen • Guest Columnist

At the beginning of December, Mountain Medical Associates, an established, multi-specialty internal medicine practice in Clyde, joined the MedWest Physician Network. Our new affiliation with MedWest is a continuation of Mountain Medical Associates’ longstanding commitment to provide high-quality healthcare in this community.

Mountain Medical Associates grew out of a practice founded in 1964 by Dr. Ralph Feichter, a Haywood County native whose medical training included work at the Mayo Clinic. That experience inspired him to develop a clinic here where physicians could collaborate to meet the needs of patients with complex medical problems, a model we believe has enhanced care as well as physician satisfaction.

Over the past nearly 50 years, Mountain Medical Associates has supported community healthcare initiatives throughout Haywood County. Dr. Feichter led the effort to relocate the hospital to its current central location in Clyde. The members of Mountain Medical Associates also played key roles in the development of the hospital Health and Fitness Center and the Osteoporosis Center, and continue to strive to build innovative programs on the hospital campus.

Mountain Medical Associates has 12 providers who specialize in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, rheumatology and neurology. The current environment for recruiting new physicians with the level of knowledge and training we believe our patients deserve is challenging. Most recently trained physicians want the benefits of a formal affiliation with a health care system.

Becoming part of the MedWest Physician Network will help to attract high-quality health practitioners to serve this region and secure the presence of a multispecialty practice like ours in this community.

One of the other benefits to becoming part of the MedWest Physician Network will be the opportunity to use a unified electronic medical record system which will enhance our ability to offer seamless care and avoid the fragmented transfer of information and at times unnecessary duplication of testing that unfortunately has been part of usual care in this country

We want to assure our patients that our commitment to them will not change and that we will all continue to provide care in our current long-term location. We are welcoming patients seeking internal medicine providers and will continue to embrace our commitment to securing excellent health care for all of Haywood County.

(Dr. Kate T. Queen, M.D. has practiced rheumatology at Mountain Medical Associates for 25 years. She  received her M.D. from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill where she also did her residency in the Department of Medicine. Call 828.452.0331 or visit www.mountainmedicalassociates.com for more about the practice.)

A benefit to assist Western North Carolina resident Donna Smith, recently diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, is set for Jan. 14 at the Bird Town Recreation Center in Cherokee beginning at 7 p.m.

The Palaestra Combat Sports Club, a mixed martial arts gym in Sylva, is sponsoring the event. Fighters from Sylva, Cherokee, Franklin and Asheville will participate in nine fights, with proceeds going to help Smith and husband Ron, who is a fighter and promoter of local mixed martial arts events.

Donna Smith’s disease is rapidly progressing; she is now using a wheelchair for outings.

706.614.2608

David Key, longtime assistant director of Macon County Emergency Services, will take over as the agency’s director.

Key has held the position on an interim basis since mid-August. He has been with emergency services in that county for more than 19 years.

In other changes, Jimmy Teems has been designated Macon County’s fire marshal. Todd Seagle will move from lead telecommunicator to 911 communications supervisor; Angie Kingsland’s title will change from office manager to 911 addressing coordinator.

Haywood County residents needing aid from social services will continue to receive it as the department shifts physical locations.

Employees will relocate to new offices on Friday, Jan. 6, and Monday, Jan. 9. The new building is the newly renovated, former Walmart at 157 Paragon Parkway. Other county departments will also relocate there: Environmental Services, which includes Environmental Health, Erosion and Sediment Control, and Inspections and Planning will follow on Wednesday, Jan. 11, and on Thursday, Jan. 12. The Haywood County Health Department will relocate on Friday, Jan. 20, through Monday, Jan. 23.

The current DSS location at 486 East Marshall Street will be closed beginning at 5 p.m. on Jan. 5. DSS will be fully operational in its new location beginning at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 10.

828.452.6620.

Learn how to better manage diabetes at a two-day workshop at Angel Medical Center.

The event will be held Tuesday, Jan. 17, and Tuesday, Jan. 31, in the third floor videoconference room from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Information on meal planning medication, sick-day care, stress management and more will be provided. Certified diabetes educators will lead the workshop.

Pre-registration is required.

828.369.4166.

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority will hold two mandatory workshops this month for any organization or event organizer applying for a tourism grant.

The meetings will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 10 and at 2 p.m. on Jan. 12 at the Bethea Welcome Center in Lake Junaluska. Organizations and event organizers are required to attend one of the two workshops if they want to be eligible for funding for the 2012-13 year. During the meeting, TDA leaders will review all the grant procedures and the rules as well as any changes that have been made since the previous year.

“That’s why we make it mandatory,” said Becky Harper, the tourism authority’s office manager.

There will also be time for questions and discussion during the meeting.

People who are unable to attend must call Lynn Collins, executive director of the tourism agency, at 828.452.0152 to make other arrangements.

Festivals and other tourism initiatives in Haywood County are eligible for a portion of the money collected from the county’s 4-percent tax on overnight lodging.

— By Caitlin Bowling

Critics of Bryson City’s land use regulations will get another opportunity to sandblast the ordinance.

The town of Bryson City is inviting the public to a working meeting with the town planning board to discuss their concerns and issues with the ordinance. The planning board spent more than three years working on the ordinance, which would stipulate aesthetic standards such as architecture, building materials and landscaping for new development.

Although a date has not been set for the planning board meeting, the town board plans to discuss the future of the guidelines and likely changes at its meeting at 6 p.m. on Jan. 9.

In Bryson City, there are currently no regulations for new commercial or residential buildings — anything goes. But, the town began looking at adopting some standards after a building that clashed with the town’s quaint appearance was erected near its main downtown fairway.

Despite general agreement among residents that the town must have standards, attendees of a public forum in November disagreed on how strict the measure should be. Some lauded the town planning board’s efforts, while other denounced the proposed regulations.

If you have 10 acres or more of agricultural land or five acres of horticultural land and make a gross production amount of $1,000 for three proceeding years, you might be eligible for a property tax break. Landowners with 20 acres of forestland may also be eligible.

A workshop to explain the program will be held at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 5 in the meeting room at the USDA Service Center on Raccoon Road. There is a discounted property tax rate

828.452.2741, Ext. 3.

Farmers are eligible for grant money to help with projects to make their operations more environmentally-friendly through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The Conservation Stewardship Program is a voluntary program that encourages farmers to put conservation practices into use on their farms. Farmers can get both financial assistance and technical support to do the work on their land.

Farmers can submit applications anytime throughout the year. Simply submitting an application is not binding (farmers can change their mind if they don’t want to go through with the project after all). The federal agency will begin ranking applications for available funding on Jan. 13.

Eligible lands include cropland, improved pastureland and private forest lands. Two types of payments are available, annual payment and supplemental.

www.nc.nrcs.usda.gov or call your local Farm Service Agency.

If the holidays resulted in a few extra inches to your waistline and you’re determined to get fit, a free half-marathon training program will kick-off in Jackson County in January.

The program culminates in Western Carolina University’s Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon & 5-K to be held March 25.

Group training runs for the half marathon will be held on campus at 6 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and at 8 a.m. on Saturdays, beginning Monday, Jan. 9.

In addition, all runners signed up for the half-marathon will get a free copy of a training plan developed by WCU’s athletic training faculty, with plans for both beginner and experienced runners. Experts in injury prevention, nutrition and health will provide information sessions and assistance to runners over the three-month training program as well.

The race:

The course will follow a scenic 13.1-mile journey through the WCU campus and along the Tuckasegee River. For runners looking for a shorter and faster option, race organizers have added a 5-K (3.1-mile) race and walk to this year’s activities.

Online registration for the half marathon and 5-K is available at active.com. Registration fees are $40 for the half marathon and $20 for the 5-K through Wednesday, Feb. 29. Beginning Thursday, March 1, the fees increase to $60 for the half marathon and $25 for the 5-K. No registration will be accepted after Wednesday, March 21, including on race day. halfmarathon.wcu.edu.

A program called “Land Ethics: Reconnecting with the Natural World” will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12 at the Macon Library in Franklin.

The free program includes a short film that is based on conservationist Aldo Leopold’s visionary work and book, A Sand County Almanac. The book set the stage for the modern conservation movement when published in 1949.  

Robert Hawk of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service will lead the workshop.

Leopold believed in observation of the natural world through scientific inquiry and by engaging in purposeful work on the land — and by reflecting on that experience. “Together these activities can bring people to a new understanding and respect for the landscape around them,” Hawk said.

The program attempts to address  ecological problems by giving participants a chance to “...see the land, to understand what he sees, and enjoy what he understands,” and to deepen their commitment to conservation and their communities.

828.586.4009.

Haywood Community College’s hard work to build a sustainable campus is featured on a campus sustainability case study database.

The National Wildlife Federation built the database, the only catalog of its kind, at ww.nwf.org/campuscasestudies. Work by other American colleges and universities also is available for review, with close to 100 new case studies added this year. The features include efforts to reduce pollution, waste and costs; including recycling, energy efficiency improvements, alternative transportation systems and green jobs training programs.

For 2011, Haywood Community College submitted a case study featuring a Sustainable Dining Experience. HCC uses compostable utensils, cups, napkins, and plates in the dining area.

Students, faculty and staff place compostable materials along with food waste into a designated composting bin within the dining area. The grounds team takes the compost to the school’s composting facility, where it is then composted to produce useable soil and associated compost material. The soil and compostable material is then brought to a horticulture organic garden plot to grow organic produce, which is then consumed in the dining area. All food that cannot be consumed is brought to Helping Hands in Haywood County to feed the needy.

In addition to the 2011 submissions, the database includes more than 600 case studies from campuses across the U.S. spanning more than a decade.

Bryan Wilder, a veteran state park ranger, has been promoted to superintendent of Mount Mitchell State Park.

Wilder takes over from Jack Bradley, who retired as superintendent earlier this year.

As superintendent, Wilder will function as the chief of operations and administration with responsibilities for staffing, training, law enforcement, visitor services, natural resource protection and environmental education.

“Bryan is well-versed in the unique challenges presented at Mount Mitchell, the oldest state park in our system and one of the oldest in the nation. His range of experience will help ensure the park’s leadership in conservation and tourism development,” said Lewis Ledford, state parks director.

A native of Kentucky, Wilder is a 1996 graduate of Morehead State University with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and geography. Wilder worked with the soil conservation district in Clintwood, Va., with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and as a math and science teacher in Dickenson County, Va., before joining North Carolina’s state parks system in 2005 as a ranger at Mount Mitchell State Park.

Suzanne Raether will read from and sign her novel, Judaculla, Friday, at 7 p.m. on Jan.13 at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Set in Jackson County, Judaculla tells the story of Timothy Fletcher, a 19-year-old WCU student athlete who discovers that he is actually the manifestation of an ancient mountain god.

“In her debut novel, Judaculla, Raether weaves story and poetry, myth and reality, the sacred and the profane, to create a spellbinding exploration of the fragile intersections between people and worlds. Fresh and original, compelling and utterly beguiling, Raether’s voice and talent are magic,” said Western North Carolina novelist Pam Duncan.

Michael Revere will present his poetry for the January “Coffee with the Poet” series at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 19 at City Lights Bookstore.

He has written several books, including, War, Madness and Love, What Co$t Freedom, and an audio collection titled, Lizard Man.

The Coffee with the Poet series is a monthly gathering and meets every third Thursday.

828.586.9499.

Honor the troops who have fought in the war in Iraq by participating in a candlelight vigil on Friday, Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m., below the steps to the Jackson County Public Library at the Veterans Memorial Fountain. The event will be postponed only if there is a serious snowstorm. This is a nonpartisan, single-issue event, commemorating the end of the long and deadly war in Iraq and showing gratitude for those who served, their families and those who are bringing the war to a close. If you have a candle in a votive holder, please bring it This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

MedWest Health System is sponsoring “Man to Man” support group meetings for prostate cancer patients and survivors. The meetings are from 7-8 p.m. the second Monday of the month in the Annex Conference Room on the MedWest-Harris campus in Sylva. “Man to Man” is an American Cancer Society support group.

Meetings are free.  828.631.8100.

Beginner judo classes in Waynesville start Jan. 3 through the Waynesville Kodokan Judo Club. The club practices at the Waynesville Recreation Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. Children participate from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and adults participate from 5:30 to 7 p.m. This is open to boys and girls of all ages.

The Waynesville Kodokan Judo Club has competed in several tournaments this year, winning more than 100 medals and trophies.

828.506.0327.

Smokey Mountain Elementary seventh-grade students will help the Tye Blanton Foundation through their “Service to Others” project.

Tye, who died after a four-and-a-half month battle in Neo-natal ICU, was the son of slain Highway Patrol Trooper Shawn Blanton and his wife, Michaela.

Smokey Mountain students and their families collected clothing and other items that would be used for premature babies and their families at Mission Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care. The school is also planning a blood drive in memory of Trooper Blanton, who was a student there. www.tyeblanton.com.

While reading the article “Getting ready: Growing number of preppers work to ensure survival in case of societal collapse” (Dec. 7 edition, www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/5738) in a recent edition of The Smoky Mountain News, I paused often to really think about what the growth of this industry says about our cohesion as a local, national and global community. After working as a farmer progressing towards sustainability, and participating in many grassroots political endeavors, I have learned first-hand about preparing for a loss of state and corporate provided resources.

Being physically prepared for this potential crisis is smart, not paranoid, and I support it. However, I feel that often another — and the most important — aspect of sustainability, a strong community, is completely overlooked.

I know a part of the article did focus on Troy Leatherwood’s approach to this industry via working “to form a community of like-minded individuals,” and I champion thoughtfully planned small neighborhoods. This is not what I am speaking, for this is a business concept.

What I endeavor to promote in my own day-to-day living and what I believe to be a real solution is greater connection with the people I inhabit this area with. If the proverbial “Armageddon” comes, weeks or months’ worth of potable water and freeze-dried food will not save you, or your society. It will only prolong the inevitable clash of “haves and have nots” and the possible unraveling of humanity.

We can subvert this possible future if we work here, now, to create a greater awareness of our environment, of our surroundings, by building bridges with our neighbors, whoever they are. Then I believe we provide a real infrastructure to replace the illusion of the one we have now, one that can collapse by forces outside our control and/or our ability to effect. By reaching out to know each other more we replace fear with understanding; difference with commonality.  And, we match skills and resources too. For example, I can grow some food to trade you for your ability to fix my car, and so on.

I believe community to be a core ingredient in humanity. I also believe that the forces which control the resource flow work in tandem with the ones which coerce the culture flow. For a long time now they have both been providing a less-than-sustainable community and country. The reality of them though is that they are not absolute, and just as easily as you can buy evaporated milk for when the milk trucks stop running, you probably can make a friend or acquaintance who has goats or cows.

Curt Collins

Avant Garden Farm and Venue

Cullowhee

To the Editor:

To all 99 percenters. You had better be paying attention to what Newt Gingrich and his cronies are proposing for the future of your country. Get informed about what is being thrown out there. Then, get involved! You matter and your vote matters come next November.

Don’t think it’s too early. The Republicans and Tea Partiers are not waiting to take control of your lives. They already have a good foothold. You may not agree with all that your President has done, but don’t forget what has been accomplished.  

If the Republicans were selling the President they would say that he is: the guy who stopped 400,000 jobs from leaving the country; the guy who saved the auto industry; the guy who got rid of ‘Don’t ask. Don’t tell and … Osama Bin Laden. And he had to fight every step of the way to get anything done. They would be selling a successful three years.

Get up, get involved and let your voice be heard. You all know constituents who believe as you do. Find out where the meetings are, volunteer, make phone calls. Believe that your president is leading us forward. This is your New Year’s resolution.

Joan Palmroos

Otto

To the Editor:

We find ourselves during the holidays celebrating the birth of a man whose teaching greatly affected our present-day social contract. He taught us to be tolerant towards each and every one and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. He taught us to care for the poor in spirit, the meek, and the hungry and thirsty. He taught us to show mercy. He taught that blessed are the peace makers and the pure in heart. He taught us to not bear false witness. He taught us that it will be harder for a rich man to enter heaven.  

When it will win votes for the conservative economic and political agenda, the conservative members of Congress, media sources, blogs, the Tea Party, large banks and corporations, and extremely wealthy men such as the Koch brothers and Mr. Art Pope (of North Carolina) claim that “we are a Christian nation.” But what teachings of this celebrated man are actually practiced by their actions?   

It seems like the Republicans in Congress pledge allegiance to the rich man’s desire for no new taxes above their pledge of allegiance to United States of America. While Democrats strive for compromise, the Republicans have vowed to make our President fail even as it means that our government “by and for the people” shall fail. They are hell bent on destroying the United States government as we know it. These same intentions prevail on the state and county level with even more devastating effect.

The right’s tremendous wealth will again finance an extreme agenda. Capitalism is now on steroids. Because of the conservative Supreme Court justices, not only are corporations defined as “people” but they can also give vast sums of unaccountable money to spread lies and distortions. Their very generous tax breaks for more than 10 years have allowed them to accumulate tremendous wealth that does not create jobs but sits in financial growth instruments such as derivatives, the rich man’s version of a casino. Even one of the top Republican candidates for President is a lobbyist in everything but legal terminology. If they win, everything will be for sale in America. It is obvious that the wealthiest among us and the right-wing extremists are not interested in the living conditions of their fellow citizens — unless they can make a buck.  

It is time for Haywood Democrats to mobilize. We may not have their wealth, their media, their propensity for half-truths and lies, but we do have our numbers, the truth and our organizational skills. The 2012 election is extremely important if we wish to save our country from corporate greed and maintain social contracts that help the elderly, young, women, unemployed, the sick, and the retired.  

As a Democrat, make your first New Year’s resolution to support the efforts of Haywood Democratic Party with your time, money, your community connections, and volunteering. As an independent, make your first New Year’s resolution to get to the facts and ignore their attempts to spin the truth. The very essence of our government of “we the people” and the social contracts that bind us together at the federal, state and county level, hangs in the balance.

John S. Geers

Haywood County