Sally Salyards will lead a discussion of The Secret Life of Bees at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4 in the Jackson County library as part of the library discussion group Bookends.  

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is set in South Carolina in 1964 and tells the story of 14-year-old Lily Owens, who lives in a house with a neglectful father, T.Ray, and a black maid, Rosaleen.

The novel, which is considered historical fiction, has received much critical acclaim and was on the New York Times Bestseller List. There will be extra copies of The Secret Life of Bees available at the library for patrons to read prior to the discussion on Nov. 4.

Are you in a book group? Do you want to be in one? Is your book group looking for good suggestions of books that bring out lively discussion?

Come to City Lights in Sylva from 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7, and meet others in book groups in the area and get inspired reads for the new year.

Bring a favorite snack, appetizer or drink to share with the group and get insights from City Lights staff on strategies for picking good discussion books in all genres and some staff picks to beef up your reading list for 2011.

For more information call 828.586.9499.

To the Editor:

In my conversations with responsible hunters, wildlife advocates, employees of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and organizations who value wild lives and wild places, it is generally agreed there is a need to build bridges and work together in addressing a host of issues facing our mutually owned wildlife.       

A growing population in Western North Carolina, shrinking wildlife habitat and wild places, poaching and other crimes against wildlife —along with some insensitive hunting practices — create an urgent need for cooperative efforts to help identify pressing concerns and seek workable solutions to complex challenges we all face in WNC. A commitment to “do the right thing” is a worthy goal for those who deeply value wildlife and our unique natural resources.

There is a need for creative thinking and a willingness to seek compromises that have the  support of responsible hunters, the general public and wildlife friendly organizations; for the expressed purpose of getting the attention of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and the General Assembly.

An encouraging step in the right direction is an article in the fall issue of the “North Carolina Wildlife Federation Journal” called “Resolving to Fight for Wildlife.”

Of particular interest was one of the resolutions passed by the NCWF Board of Directors called a “Sportsman Responsibility Doctrine.” It states, “the NCWF pledges to work in cooperation with hunting and fishing groups, the general public, the NCWRC and NC General Assembly to develop a slate of amendments to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Law and implementing rules to be known as the ‘Sportsman Responsibility Doctrine.’” It goes on the say, “this is designed to help end conflicts among hunters and anglers, landowners and the general public.”

In addition, during a recent meeting in Waynesville, an effort was set in motion to build and share common interests regarding wildlife and public concerns in WNC. A diverse group of hunters, wildlife advocates, NCWRC employees, a representative from the NC General Assembly, representatives from the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance and Highlands Plateau Audubon Society met in a gathering sponsored by Wild South.

Some success emerged in this attempt to create compromise along with better understanding and awareness regarding our “commonly valued wildlife” and other related issues. This WNC Wildlife Advocate Group feels more discussion is needed and plans involve meeting again, in the near future, with additional organizations and individuals  invited to participate.  

Most of those who value property rights, sportsmanship and the passion of the outdoor experience share some of these specific concerns: hunters and dogs trespassing on private property, finding ways to add NCWRC enforcement officers in a strapped economy, firm prosecution and sentencing of those who commit crimes involving “our wildlife” and insensitive hunting practices that diminish the sporting image of hunting. Efforts to address any of these will entail public support, cooperation and the courage needed to make changes beneficial to the majority of residents in WNC.  

John Edwards

Wild South Wildlife Outreach Coordinator

Cashiers

To the Editor:

If ever there was a need for common sense and independent thinking among our nation’s leaders, that time is now.

One can hardly blame voters for being angry with both political parties (indeed, annoyed at just about everyone at all levels of government). It can be said perhaps, if you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention. And doubly infuriating, the political class is seemingly oblivious of their responsibility to dispel some of the anxieties so many Americans feel.

With the economy pretty much in shreds, jobs permanently lost, unendurable (and even less definable) wars draining our resources and costing the lives of our youth, the politicians seem unrestrained from playing the “blame game.”

Aside from the fact our government(s) are nearly paralyzed and awash in special interest money and influence, I had hoped for a little less partisan bickering and a little more transparency and (dare I say it?) honesty in this election cycle.

There’s no way to disentangle the hyperbole and hubris and the sometimes outrageous accusation (mud) being exchanged in order that voters might form an intelligent decision as to whom to support. This only serves to escalate voter’s wrath, discouragement and frustration. It prompts the poet to exclaim ... my kingdom for one honest statesman.

Every President in modern times has promised to pursue a bipartisan venture based on cooperation and civility. Barack Obama was no exception and our hopes and expectations were high, perhaps too high. No President can succeed when the party out of power acts only to ensure the party in power fails. That’s the inherent drawback to our two-party system and why I am so incessantly adamant that we desperately need independent-minded, honest candidates who will stand up for the fundamental guiding principles and convictions that made this great nation the envy of the world.

David L. Snell

Dillsboro

The Haywood County Health Department is offering flu vaccines on a walk-in basis, with no appointment necessary, to persons ages 19 and older.

The walk-in vaccines are available from 9 a.m. to Noon Monday-Thursday and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Nov. 30 at the Health Department, located at 2177 Asheville Highway. Persons who are ages 18 and younger, or who can’t come during walk-in hours, may schedule an appointment to get the vaccine by calling the Health Department at 828.452.6675.

The cost will be $28 for flu vaccine and $35 for flu mist. The Health Department will accept full payment in cash, check and from the following insurances: Medicare, Medicaid, Unicare, Humana, NC Health Choice, Today’s Option Pyramids, Medicare PPO insurances, Railroad Medicare, Aetna, BCBC of NC insurances, BCBS NC state Health Plan – if the policies covers vaccines. The Health Department will not be able to bill any other insurances including Tricare. Clients are asked to please bring their insurance cards with them. Pneumonia vaccines are not currently available.

This year’s seasonal flu vaccine, available in injectable and nasal spray formulas, includes protection against the H1N1 strain of the virus as well as two other anticipated flu strains, according to the N.C. Division of Public Health. For most people, that means only one flu immunization is necessary. However, children under 9 years of age who haven’t been vaccinated against the flu in the past will need two doses of flu vaccine.

Seasonal flu is most deadly for very young children and senior citizens. However, the 2009 H1N1 flu disproportionately affected middle-aged adults and young people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that more than 12,000 people died from H1N1 last year, including more than 10,000 who were under 65 years old.

For more information, call the Haywood County Health Department Flu Hot Line 24 hours a day at 828.356.1111 or the health department at 828.452.6675 and pressing Option 5.

Find out what it takes to produce a bankable loan proposal in a free class at Southwestern Community College on Thursday, Nov. 4.

Small Business Loans: Fundamentals & Options will be held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. in the Bradford Conference Center on the Jackson Campus.

Led by Mike Arriola, Small Business Administration regional director, the class is geared for small business owners or those who want to start a business.   

Participants will learn about the Five Cs of Credit and how a lender views these elements of a business credit application. They will discover the importance of business plans and financials and how they fit into a lender’s credit decision-making process.

Find out what financial assistance is available through the U.S. Small Business Administration and its lending partners, including the highly popular SBA Community Express Program which offers small business loans to startups and existing businesses - up to $25,000, with no collateral in most cases.

For more information, contact Sonja Haynes, SCC Foundation and Small Business/ Industry coordinator, at 828.339.4218 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

How do you feel about the death penalty? Two upcoming events at Western Carolina University by the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice will explore the public’s opinions about this controversial issue.

The first event is a presentation titled “Issues in the Death Penalty: Wrongful Convictions,” scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 8, in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center on the WCU campus.

The program will feature Edward Chapman, who spent 14 years on North Carolina’s death row before his convictions on two murder charges were overturned in 2008 and who now travels the state discussing his case. Chapman will be joined by Pam Laughon, a faculty member at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and a mitigation specialist who found evidence to support his release.

A panel discussion on the topic “The Death Penalty under Debate: Experts Weigh In” is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, also in the Grandroom of WCU’s University Center. The panel will feature Ken Rose, former executive director of the Center for Death Penalty Litigation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to representing capital defendants and to assisting attorneys representing persons charged or convicted in capital cases; Bob Clark, who spent 14 years as a prosecutor and another 14 years as a defense attorney and handled numerous capital cases; and Megan Smith, a member of Murder Victims’ Families for Reconciliation, whose father and step-mother were killed.

“The application of the death penalty in North Carolina has received a great deal of scrutiny in recent years,” said Cyndy Caravelis Hughes, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at WCU. “We invite the public to join us in hearing a panel of experts weigh in on the pros and cons of keeping the death penalty as a punishment and the effect that decision may have on the criminal justice system.”

For more information about the events, call Hughes at 828.227.2165.

If you’ve got a young reader who has difficulty reading to parents or teachers, the Haywood County Public Library may have a new approach to consider – reading to a friendly, non-judgemental canine.

Puppy Tales, a program designed to encourage children to read by providing a certified therapy dog who will lie next to them and listen while they read, is now available by appointment on Tuesday afternoons and on Saturday mornings at the Waynesville library branch.

Assistant Library Director Sharon Woodrow, said she is excited to be offering the program to Haywood County children. Puppy Tales currently has three certified therapy dogs – Myles, an Australian Shepard trained by Kristen Walker; Bodie, a Shelty trained by Joy Newton; and Lily, a Shih Tzu, trained by Susan Hale.

“Around the country, programs similar to this one have been very successful in helping children improve their reading skills, sometimes by as much as 16 percent,” Woodrow said. “The children like being with the dog, so they begin to view reading in a more positive way. Over time, their confidence improves because they are practicing their skills.”

Puppy Tales kicked off with a reception on Wednesday, Oct. 14th, and the library is now taking appointments, Woodrow said. The program is aimed at children in grades 1-5. Appointments are available by contacting Donna Surles at 828-356-2519. Each session is for 20 to 30 minutes per person.

All dogs that participate in the program are certified. Woodrow said the library welcomes the opportunity to work with other certified therapy dogs. If you have a dog that could join the Puppy Tales team, please contact Donna Surles, Librarian, at 828-356-2519; Carole Dennis, Youth Librarian at 828-356-2511; or Woodrow, at 828-356-2504.

Michelle Wilson Price has been named the new executive director of the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance.

Price grew up in the Glenville area and graduated from Blue Ridge School and has worked in the Plateau Region with the Upper Cullasaja Watershed Association.

She is a water quality specialist and has worked at the state, regional and local level more than 18 years in the environmental field. She earned a bachelor of science in public health with a major in environmental science and engineering at UNC-Chapel Hill, including a summer studying urban planning at Oxford University. After graduation, she was employed in the state Department of Environmental Science and Natural Resources as an environmental modeler and subsequently as the District Programs Section Chief.

She has also held positions with the Buncombe County Soil and Water Conservation District as a Soil Conservationist and the Watershed Resource Coordinator. She then became the Water Quality Coordinator with RiverLink, Inc., the nonprofit working to restore the French Broad River.

In her last position, she was the Water Quality Advisor to the Land of Sky Regional Council. Highlighting some of her responsibilities there included developing stormwater and urban watershed initiatives, identifying project funding sources and developing proposals for implementing Best Management Practices projects, educating community leaders and landowners about water quality issues, public outreach, and working with stakeholders to ensure success.

She has developed throughout her career an extraordinary level of expertise and an extensive network of collaborators and colleagues all of whom are involved in supporting sustainable growth and development in Western North Carolina. She understands the perspectives of personnel throughout the local, regional and state systems and organizations.

“In our nonprofit role, we seek to identify areas where our efforts can combine with all other governmental and associational entities to produce sustainable practices as we live, work and grow in this beautiful and sensitive area” said Robert E. Smith, J-MCA Board Chair. “We found in Ms. Price a person with a unique set of skills, knowledge and enthusiasm and we look forward to working with her as J-MCA moves forward on initiatives focused on sustainability issues concerning our communities. Her previous work demonstrates her capacity to bring know-how and persistence to each project to achieve results. As we celebrate 10 years of work in our area, we look forward to being even more effective.”

The Haywood County Register of Deeds Office took a big step toward going paperless with the debut of a new technology that electronically records land record documents submitted by attorneys, real estate agents and title companies.

The process, known as e-filing, allows documents such as deeds, deeds of trust, mortgage satisfactions and other legal documents to be accepted electronically by the register of deeds. Sherri Rogers, Haywood County register of deeds, said it will cut the time it takes to record documents from days to minutes.

“With e-filing, you’ll know exactly when a document was sent, acknowledged and recorded,” Rogers said. “If the document is rejected, you’ll receive a reason for the rejection electronically. Once a revision is made, the document can be filed immediately.”

While e-filing won’t eliminate paper transactions with the register of deeds, Rogers said she expected it to greatly reduce the amount of documents that come into the office daily.

E-filing works by allowing those sending documents to navigate through a series of web browser-based screens that gather the required index information, such as document type, grantor/grantee, taxable amounts, number of pages and other types of information. The document is uploaded over a secure connection, and is instantly sent to be recorded. After the document is recorded, it is electronically routed back to the office of the sender.

In order to use e-filing, an account must be established through the register of deeds office. Minimum requirements to use e-filing include a scanner and a web browser with internet access, but there is no software to install. Recording fees are collected through an Automated Clearing House transaction, or through a prepaid escrow account.

The Region A Partnership for Children  will kick off its annual fundraising campaign this month with a new emphasis on gaining community support for early literacy and early reading preparation. 

Local contributions to this year’s Smart Start fundraising campaign will be used to support programs such as Raising a Reader, which promotes shared reading with families in the home, library outreach programs to reach children in their every day settings, and other early literacy programs.

Haywood County Recreation & Parks Department is now accepting registration for the Kids Recreation Basketball League.

Intended for ages 5-15, the recreation basketball league guarantees that each child will get the opportunity to play at least half of every game. The program focuses on learning the game where each age group has adapted rules to ensure the development of skills, such as 8-foot goals for ages 5-8.  

Registration fee includes a NBA replica jersey for each child to keep, practice one night a week, one practice game on Dec. 4, eight official games and a completion certificate. Practice begins the week of Nov. 15 and the last scheduled game is Feb. 12.  

Early registration of $40 for first child and $75 for two children ends Sept. 24.  Regular registration of $50 for first child and $95 for two children will be from Sept. 27 – Oct. 8. Registration forms are available online through the Recreation Department link at www.haywoodnc.net or at the Haywood County Recreation & Parks Dept. office at 81 Elmwood Way (former MARC Building). Scholarships are also available upon special request.  

828.452.6789 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Cholesterol, glucose and vision screening, sonography ultrasound demonstrations, body fat checks, flexibility assessments, door prizes and a wide variety of demonstrations and display tables will highlight Southwestern Community College’s Health Fair Wednesday, Nov. 3.

Sponsored by SCC medical assisting and nursing students, the event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Balsam Lobby on the Jackson Campus. It is open to the public.

Organizations providing information and materials include: American Cancer Society, Caplinger Chiropractic, Cardio Pulmonary rehabilitation, Curves, Department on Aging, Dogwood Women’s Health, HIT Club, Jackson County Department of Health, March of Dimes, Medical Assisting Club, Medical Sonography, Medwest/Haywood Regional Health and Fitness, Mountain Sleep and Respiratory Medicine, Mountain Trace Nursing Center, REACH, Smoky Mountain OB/GYN, Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Center, Sylva Chiropractic Center, Sylva Orthopedics, Carolina West Sports Medicine, Tobacco Free Colleges, United Christian Ministries, Wellspring Family Practice, Western Carolina Digestive Consultants, WNC Internal Medicine, Your Herbalist and SCC medical programs.

Drawings for door prizes will be held throughout the event, and include gift certificates to Navitat  Canopy Tours, Wheels Through Time, Rivers Edge Outfitters, Oaks Gallery, Santa’s Land, Smoky Mountain Gem Mining, Jackson County Recreation and Parks Department, Lake Junaluska Golf Course, Asheville Historic Trolley Tours, City Lights Bookstore, Well House, Cullowhee Café, Dillsboro Smokehouse, Nick & Nate’s and the Jarrett House.

Haywood Builders Supply has recently been certified by the Smartwood Program of the Rainforest Alliance for the “Forest Stewardship Council” (FSC) as a duly licensed “Chain-of-Custody provider of FSC wood products.

Haywood Builders Supply is one of a small number of independent full-service building supply retailers in North Carolina to have achieved this certification. FSC Chain-of-Custody certification helps customers choose products that contribute to global conservation, community well-being and economic stability.

Obtaining this FSC certification continues and increases the efforts of Haywood Builders Supply Company toward being a “green” leader in both the industry and the community.  The company was one of the early participants in the LBM Journal sponsored program to become a “Certified Green Dealer” by having 100 percent of its sales personnel complete that training. More recently, several of Haywood’s sales representatives attained recognition from NHBA as “Certified Green Professionals” upon training sponsored by the National Home Builders Association.

A workshop regarding the legalities and liabilities of employee use of social networking websites will be held from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, in Room 143 of the Cordelia Camp Building on the campus of Western Carolina University.

Jon Yarbrough, an employment attorney with the national labor and employment law firm Constangy, Brooks & Smith, will lead the three-hour workshop.

Many employees use social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook — the latter claims 500 million active users — for personal use, such as connecting with family and friends. According to Yarbrough, the sites can lead to unwanted liability for employers based on employee misuse.

Registration, which includes lunch, is $99. Call 828.227.3688 or visit www.wcu.edu/26755.asp

Haywood Community College’s Sherri Myers was recently honored by the North Carolina Council of Officers for Resource Development with its Harriette McKinnon Crump Award.  

The award is given annually to recognize the potential of members who are pursuing education in community college resource development.

Myers received the award at the group’s annual conference in Southern Pines. With the award, comes a $750 scholarship to attend the Council of Resource Development Specialist Training Program, a two-week training is an intensive introduction to all facets of resource development in the community college. Many of the nation’s most successful community college development and alumni professionals have participated in this program.

Myers works with the HCC Foundation as its director of Institutional Advancement.   

“I know each day that what I do impacts our students, their future, our community and our world,” said Myers in accepting the award. “It is also really special to be back where I started my education and to help others as I was helped.”

Andrew Sanderbeck will speak briefly on “Identifying your Inner Circle of Support for Your Business and Career” at the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Issues and Eggs at 8 a.m. on Nov. 1 at the Gateway Club in Waynesville.

Sanderbeck is the founder of The People Connect Institute, an organization that offers consulting and coaching services. Directly following Issues and Eggs, from 9 to 10 a.m., Sanderbeck will lead a more in-depth discussion on the same topic. The presentation guides audience members in the how-to’s and benefits of building an inner circle of support in their work, including easy-to-learn techniques to apply when connecting with people anywhere.

Cost is $10 for chamber members and $15 for non-chamber members. Pre-registration is required. Call 828.456.3021 or visit www.haywood-nc.com.

The Smoky Mountain Sk8way, located next to the Waynesville Cycle Center on the Great Smoky Expressway, is scheduled to open in November.

The skating rink and family entertainment center will offer public skating, birthday parties, a video arcade, ticket redemption counter, a pro shop sponsored by the WNC Sk8 Shop, concession area and a soft play area. The Sk8way will also be host to school, church and daycare center field trips, as well as private events, fitness classes and skating lessons.

www.SmokyMountainSk8way.com or call 828.550.0122.

Everyone will be a winner at an evening of gaming, dining and dancing hosted by the Haywood Regional Medical Center Foundation, Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Maggie Valley Club.

Casino Royale Night is a fundraising evening to help the foundation provide micro-grants for departments at Haywood Regional such as new toys for the pediatric department.

A professional gaming company will offer traditional games of Black Jack, roulette, craps and poker and will provide dealers and tables. Guests will receive a $10,000 poker chip with their $100 entrance fee. Prizes, not cash money, will be given to the highest chip winners. Door prizes will be given out throughout the evening.

In addition to the gaming tables, the event will feature a live auction and a Chinese Raffle, which allows participants to purchase raffle tickets for $10 each or three for $20 and place their tickets on whichever prize or prizes they are hoping to win. There is no limit of the number of tickets that may be purchased.

Chinese Raffle items include a choice of private cooking lessons or dinner for eight served in the winner’s home by Haywood Regional’s Executive Chef Chris Hall, and a selection of theme baskets. The winners of these raffle prizes need not be present at the drawing.

A live auction will include three items: a weekend stay for two couples in a fabulous deluxe apartment on the upper East Side of New York City, with views of the Empire State Building and Central Park over either Thanksgiving or New Year’s weekend or a weekend in the spring; a custom made heirloom piece of gold jewelry designed especially for the winner of this item by a jeweler from John Laughter Jewelry (formerly Shelley’s); and a framed piece of art by Teresa Pennington.

Music will be provided for dancing by disc jockey Dave Tomlin. An Italian buffet will feature a bruschetta bar and include several Italian entrees and assorted desserts, including dessert provided by Hall.

As a special attraction, John Laughter Jewelry on Main Street, Waynesville, will accept, appraise and value unwanted or broken gold jewelry from individuals who wish to make a donation, but will be unable to attend the event, or those individuals who do not want to carry their jewelry for donation to the event on Nov. 13.

Laughter staff will provide a receipt with a description of the jewelry, and the HRMC Foundation will provide the donors with a written letter listing the tax donation value.  An appraiser from Laughter Jewelry will be at the Casino Royale Night to value gold that is donated that evening. Laughter Jewelry will purchase the gold from the foundation for the appraised market value. Laughter’s designer will work with the highest bidder of this auction item to create a custom, one-of-a kind, heirloom piece.

Sponsorships are available in four categories:

Royal Flush, $2,000, which includes 12 entry tickets to Casino Royal Night, a reserved table for 12 the evening, 12 Chinese Raffle tickets, 12 $10,000 gaming chips & two extra $5,000 chips; Straight Flush, $1,500, which includes eight entry tickets, a reserved table for eight for the evening, eight Chinese Raffle tickets, eight $10,000 gaming chips & two extra $5,000 chips; Four of a Kind, $1,000, which includes four entry tickets, four reserved seats for the evening, four Chinese Raffle tickets, four $10,000 gaming chips and two extra $5,000 chips; Full House, $500, which includes two entry tickets, two reserved seats for the evening, two Chinese Raffle tickets, and two $5,000 gaming chips.

Tickets for Casino Royale Night may be purchased by calling the HRMC Foundation office at 828.452.8343.

Haywood Regional Medical Center Hospice and Palliative Care has submitted a quilt square to be included on the Haywood County Arts Council’s Quilt Trails project.

The Haywood County Arts Council has joined other existing quilt trails in Ashe, Avery, Madison, Yancey, Mitchell and Watauga counties. The concept is based on similar projects in neighboring states, where quilt squares are painted on wooden squares from 2 to 8 feet in size and installed on barns, public buildings, shops and other appropriate buildings around the community.

The quilt squares represent a much-loved symbol of comfort, family, heritage, and community, and will provide new splashes of color alongside major roads and in the rural countryside for a free driving trail, according to Kay Miller, executive director of the Haywood County Arts Council.

Miller was joined by Sylva Mayor Maurice Moody and Dave Riggs, executive director of the Community Development Clubs of Haywood County, as judges for six quilt designs entered by HRMC Hospice and Palliative Care staff and volunteers Oct. 7.

Life’s Path, created by Hospice Team Assistant Mary Anne Yurko, was chosen as the design to represent HRMC Hospice and Palliative Care. The design features a sun illustrating the beginning of life, a flowing river with the ups and downs of life, and hospice providing the end of life comfort and care.

Second place went to the Rally Round design created by Hospice Volunteer Coordinator Linda Nichols. Rally Round is what folks in Western North Carolina do when a family member, friend or loved one is ill, Nichols explained.

Third place went to the Mountain Star design created by Linda Clark, noting that hospice staff and volunteers are true stars in helping patients and families deal with end of life situations. The other entries were Country Roads, Right Hand of Friendship and Kaleidoscope. The designs were submitted by hospice staff and volunteers.

Western North Carolina has the highest concentration of quilt trails in the state, Miller said.

Anyone interested in helping with the project should contact Linda Nichols at 828.452.8578, or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Tickets go on sale at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2, for the annual Madrigal Christmas Dinners at Western Carolina University.

Tickets for the 2010 Madrigal Christmas Dinners at Western Carolina University will go on sale at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 2.

The dinners are re-creations of the pageantry, music and food of 16th-century England, with authentic madrigal entertainment and costumes. An annual event at WCU, they will be held this year at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4, in the Grandroom of the A.K. Hinds University Center. The menu will include a choice of three entrees (including a vegetarian option), side dishes and beverages; tables seat eight apiece.

This will be the final year that Robert Holquist of the School of Music will take a lead role in organizing the dinners. Holquist, who has been active in the madrigal dinners since he joined the WCU faculty in 1979, conducts the Early Music Ensemble, a chorus that performs at the dinners. This year marks the introduction of a new lord and lady, Boyd and Lynda Sossamon, owners of Radio Shack in Sylva and both alumni of WCU.

Tickets for the dinners can be purchased in the University Center administrative offices (on the second floor of the U.C.) or by calling 828.227.7206 for credit card orders.

• Downtown Trick or Treat in Bryson City. Oct. 29. All of downtown is tricked out in Halloween finery to welcome the crowds for the evening as they scurry from business to business trick or treating. 800.867.9246, 488.3681.

• Trick or Treat on “Treat Street” in downtown Sylva, Oct. 30. The Downtown Sylva Association and downtown merchants will celebrate Halloween from 2 to 5 p.m. with trick or treating and other fun activities in downtown Sylva. www.downtownsylva.org.

• Treats on the Street in downtown Waynesville. Oct. 30. Merchants will open their doors for trick-or-treaters from 5 to 7 p.m. for a safe and fun adventure for costumed children and their parents.

• Halloween festivities in Downtown Highlands, Oct. 30. 6 to 8 p.m.

• Dillsboro Halloween Costume Parade, Oct. 30. A family-oriented costume parade and contest, trick or treating around downtown Dillsboro, haunted house and more. The parade starts at 6 p.m. at town hall on Front Street. 800.962.1911.

• Smoky Mountain Sk8way’s HallowScream party from 7 to 11 p.m. on Oct. 30. All ages dancing with DJ/MC, costume contest, jack-o-lantern contest, door prizes/ $10. 19025 Great Smoky Mountain Expressway. 828.550.0122.

• American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 47, in Waynesville, will have a Halloween Party Oct. 30 with games, refreshment and costume judging. 2 to 4 p.m. at 47 Legion Dr., Waynesville, for children ages 1-10. For more information call 456-8691.

• The Sylva First United Methodist Church will hold their annual Trunk or Treat on Oct. 31 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Includes supper, inflatable, costume contest and much more. A free event for the whole family.

“The Little Foxes” will conclude Haywood Arts Regional Theater’s 2010 season and will be one of the theatre’s most elaborate productions.  

“The Little Foxes” tells the tale of an aristocratic Southern family struggling for wealth and power among one another. Regina Hubbard Giddens is the most ambitious, for she is most dependant on her invalid husband Horace to maintain her standing while his brothers all have amassed their own fortunes but want more.

Playwright Lillian Hellman based the characters on her own Demopolis, Ala., relatives: Regina was based on her grandmother Sophie and Birdie, Regina’s alcoholic sister-in-law, was inspired by her mother Julia.

There are few playwrights as colorful as Hellman. Born in 1905 to a Jewish family that had converted to Christianity, she doggedly observed both religions. She never married, but was a lover to the mystery writer Dashiell Hammett (“The Maltese Falcon”) in the 1940’s, and was a life long communist who was black listed in the 1950’s. Her 1973 memoir “Pentimento” was turned into the Academy Award nominated film “Julia,” with Vanessa Redgrave and Jane Fonda in 1978, and presents Hellman in a somewhat heroic light. The facts of her life are shadier. She had a long time feud with writer Mary McCarthy, another blacklisted writer from the communist period, which erupted when McCarthy famously said on the Dick Cavett show: “every word she writes is a lie, including ‘and’ and ‘the.’” Hellman brought a $2.5 million slander suit against McCarthy, Cavett and PBS which was fought out until her death in 1984.  

“The Little Foxes” opened on Broadway in 1939 and starred Tallulah Bankhead. The play then became a major film in 1940 with Bette Davis in the lead. Hellman is also known for a number of other plays including “The Children’s Hour,” “Toys in the Attic” and “Watch on the Rhine.”

HART’s production of “The Little Foxes” is being directed by Wanda Taylor and stars Susanne Tinsley, Charles Mills, Any Reed, Steve Turner, Kay Edwards, Strother Stingley, Kathleen Cordon, Caroline Lathrop, Josh Merrell and John Winfield.

What: “The Little Foxes” by Lillian Hellman, Directed by Wanda Taylor

When: Nov. 5, 6, 12, and 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 14, at 3 p.m.  

How much: Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, student/child $8 with special $5 discount tickets for students for Thursday and Sunday performances.

What else: Box Office hours are Monday-Saturday 1-5 p.m. Call 828 456 6322 for reservations. Tickets available on line at www.harttheatre.com

The Original Twin Piano Twins Mark and Clark return to the Eanglenest Entertainment in Maggie Valley for 7:30 p.m. show on Oct 30.

Mark and Clark Seymour have been playing the piano since they were 4 years old. At first, the family only had one piano and the boys would practice separately every day. When the boys turned 16 their parents bought a second piano and the twins decided to put the two musical instruments together. It was then that they became an act.

The late columnist Forrest Duke described them as having “the flash of Liberace, a lot of Jerry Lee Lewis, and the piano artistry of Ferrante and Teicher.”

Their first album, first “Doubletake” on Columbia Records, went gold in five countries in Europe

Tickets are available at the venue box office, Monday – Friday, noon until 5 p.m. and by phone at 828.926.9658.  Tickets are reserved seating. For more information and a seating chart, visit the website at www.eaglenestnc.com.

The First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Jam Session Series for 2010-11 will get under way at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center on Thursday, Nov. 4, with a concert by traditional music ensemble Dehlia Low and a jam session in which local musicians are invited to participate.

Featuring an early country sound with a strong bluegrass flavor, Dehlia Low will get the music started at 7 p.m. in the museum auditorium. Performers of old-time and bluegrass music are invited to bring their instruments and take part in the jam session that will follow the group’s performance.

After its formation in Asheville in 2008, Dehlia Low quickly developed a loyal fan base with its first recording, “Dehlia Low,” and its 2009 release, “Tellico.” The group has performed across the United States on the festival circuit, with shows at MerleFest 2010, the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival and the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. Dehlia Low will release a new album, featuring live performances at the Grey Eagle in Asheville and the Down Home in Johnson City, Tenn., in November.

Band members include fiddler Anya Hinkle, dobro player Aaron Balance, guitarist Stacy Claude, mandolin player Bryan Clendenin and bass player Greg Stiglets.

The concerts and jam sessions will continue at the Mountain Heritage Center through the winter, with programs from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. Other performers scheduled to present concerts are David Holt, the Freight Hoppers, Mountain Faith and Wayne Martin.

The events are free and open to everyone. Pickers and singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part in the jam sessions, and the events also are open to those who just want to listen.

The Mountain Heritage Center is located on the ground floor of WCU’s H.F. Robinson Administration Building. For more information, call the museum at 828-227-7129.

The Isaacs, an award-winning family group from Tennessee, will perform at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 6.

The Isaacs began singing 30 years ago and are based out of LaFollette, Tenn. The vocalists are Lily Isaacs, Ben Isaacs, Sonya Isaacs and Rebecca Isaacs Bowman. Playing their own acoustic instruments and joined by other band members, the Isaacs have a unique style that blends tight, family harmony with contemporary acoustic instrumentation that appeals to a variety of audiences. 

Their musical influences emerge from all genres of music including bluegrass, rhythm and blues, folk, country, contemporary, acoustic and southern Gospel. They perform frequently at the Grand Ole Opry, are active members on the Gaither Homecoming Videos and Concert Series and travel throughout the year performing internationally.

The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, located in Franklin, is a modern 1,500 seat facility featuring a state-of-the-art, concert-grade sound system. 

To purchase tickets to any performance at The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, to get more information, or to see a schedule of coming events, go to GreatMountainMusic.com or call 866.273.4615.

The “Cruise the Smokies” Rod Run car show will be held Nov. 5-7 at the Acquoni Event Center in Cherokee.

The event features hundreds of classic and customized pre-1972 cars and trucks. All cars, either for show or sale, will be parked on the grounds.

Gates open at 8 a.m. for both cars and spectators. Daily spectator fee is $5. Children 10 and under are free. Registration is $40 per car and provides unlimited entrance to the show for two people (children 10 and under are free); a dash plaque and button; BBQ dinner on Friday night; poker walk; poker cruise; the first 200 pre-registered vehicles receive complementary tickets to “Larry the Cable Guy” at Harrah’s and a chance to win door prizes, cash drawings and trophies. Event shirts will be available for purchase.

The popular show is organized by the Cherokee Rodders and sponsored by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Travel & Promotion Department and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

Visit the Cherokee Rodders website at www.cherokeerodders.com  for a registration form or call 828.497.2603.

The sixth annual Western North Carolina Pottery Festival is set for Saturday, Nov. 6, in Dillsboro.

This juried festival showcases more than 40 master potters demonstrating a variety of techniques.

The WNC Pottery Festival was established in 2005 by Travis Berning and Joe Frank McKee of Tree House Pottery and Brant Barnes of Riverwood Pottery. The show’s concept is for potters to interact with the public through demonstrations and sharing their general knowledge of clay. It also gives pottery collectors a chance to meet and take home a piece of pottery from their favorite artists.  

This year, potters from as far away as Texas, Florida, Michigan and New Jersey are exhibiting their wares.

Steven Hill, this year’s featured potter, has been a professional studio potter since 1974. He started working out of a backyard studio and selling his work, mostly at art festivals. By the mid 1990’s he was looking for a way to expand his studio, to begin a resident artist program for aspiring potters, and to provide space for other ceramic artists to work.

Red Star Studios became the home of Steven Hill Pottery from 1998 to 2006. Hill now lives in Sandwich, lll., and has founded Center Street Clay with his partner Kim Miner. This is a studio and residential workshop facility.

Hill has been single-firing his functional stoneware since 1972. Although at times it is frustrating to glaze raw pots, he finds it encourages directness and spontaneity in his work.

Hill received his BFA from Kansas State University in 1973. His work is featured in nationally juried shows and in many ceramics books. He has taught more than 200 workshops throughout the United States and Canada and has been published multiple times. For more information about Steven Hill, Center Street Clay and his workshops visit www.centerstreetclay.com.

A Clay Olympics will be held on Friday, Nov. 5, from 1-3 p.m. at Treehouse Pottery. Prizes will be awarded to the winners in this throwing contest.

Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. rain or shine. Admission is $3 per person and includes a ticket for a day-long raffle. Kids under 12 get in free.

For festival information call Tree House Pottery at 828.631.5100.

The Most Unusual Litter Contest is currently open to all who participate in the N.C. Department of Transportation’s fall Litter Sweep or a similar litter cleanup event. All entry forms are due by Oct. 31.

The contest is sponsored by NCDOT, Keep NC Beautiful and the North Carolina Beverage Association, and is held each year during fall and spring Litter Sweeps.

Winning entries are awarded cash prizes of $250 (first place), $100 (second place) and $50 (third place). To enter the contest, take a photo of the unusual litter found during a litter pickup and complete the entry form available at www.keepncbeautiful.org

Contest entries must be found on North Carolina roadways and animals are excluded.

For information call 919.783.6993 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A Deep Creek litter cleanup will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23, in conjunction with Make A Difference Day. Volunteers should meet at the Swain County Recreation Park on West Deep Creek Road at 9 a.m.

Volunteers should wear long pants and boots and should bring work gloves, although extra gloves will be available.  In addition, safety vests will be provided. The goal is to clean up West Deep Creek Road from Depot Street downtown to the National Park entrance.

The cleanup is sponsored locally by Love Bryson, the Oconaluftee Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center (JCCCC) and Bryson City Bicycles.

Make A Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October. In 2009, more than 3 million people volunteered on that day, accomplishing thousands of projects in hundreds of towns.

For more information about the cleanup call Bryson City Bicycles at 828.488.1988 or visit www.brysoncitybicycles.com; Love Bryson at 828.488.6164; or Holly Krake, OJCCCC, at 828.497.8062.

Volunteers with the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River removed old car parts, iron pipes and other trash from Savannah Creek at the confluence with the Tuckasegee River this month.

Upstream, two old bridge beams were pulled out of the river using heavy equipment provided by landscapers Tim and Tony Henson.

“The beams had sharp bolts and spikes that posed a real bodily threat to rafters and kayakers. Hazards like this are rare, and it is always good to get rid of them,” said Roger Clapp, WATR executive director.

Landowner Tom Blankenship provided access to the creek and river that allowed the cleaning to happen.

For information about WATR call 828.488.8414 or visit www.watrnc.org.

The Haywood Community College Woodsmen’s Team took first in the 2010 John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet and Forest Festival Day recently held at the Cradle of Forestry. The team competed against Montgomery Community College, North Carolina State University, Penn State Mont Alto, and Virginia Tech.

Following is a list of all HCC finishes:

• Quiz Bowl, 3rd Place Team – Shane Baker, Johnny Manuel, Chris Steely, Bill Sweeney

• Dendrology, 1st Place Team – Shane Baker, Bill Sweeney; 2nd Place Team – Johnny Manuel, Laura Strother

• Archery, 1st Place Team – Trevor Lauber, Craig Oliver

• Team Log Roll, 4th Place Team – Heather Franklin, Vance Hagan, Zach Ritter, Kirby Shipman

• Orienteering, 4th Place – Dillon Michael

• Standing Block Chop/Male, 1st Place – Daniel Jones

• Pulp Toss for Accuracy, 3rd Place Team – Caleb Ferrell, Heather Franklin, Vance Hagan, Josh Justice, Dillon Michael, Kirby Shipman; 4th Place Team – Andy Fitzsimmons, James Judge, Kendall Judge, Justin Kearse, Joseph Lineberger, Laura Strother

• Axe Throw/Female, 3rd Place – Heather Franklin

• Axe Throw/Male, 3rd Place – Josh Justice

• Pole Fell, 4th Place Team – Miles Arnette, Kyle Childers

• Pole Climb/Female, 1st Place – Danielle Crocker

• Pole Climb/Male, 1st Place – Hunter Edmundson; 3rd Place – Zach Ritter

• Cross Cut/Male, 3rd Place – Joseph Lineberger, Kirby Shipman; 4th Place – Andy Fitzsimmons, Kendall Judge

• Cross Cut/Female, 2nd Place – Erin Kearse, Laura Strother

• Cross Cut/Jack and Jill, 2nd Place – Andy Fitzsimmons, Laura Strother

• Single Buck/Male, 1st Place – Daniel Jones; 2nd Place – James Judge

• Bolt Split/Female, 1st Place – Laura Strother; 4th Place – Chize Love

• Bolt Split/Male, 1st Place – Kirby Shipman; 4th Place – Preston Winters

• Chain Saw/Female, 2nd Place – Erin Kearse; 4th Place – Heather Franklin

• Chain Saw/Male, 2nd Place – James Judge

• Horizontal Speed Chop/Male, 1st Place – Daniel Jones

Approximately 20 volunteers and staff will converge at Suli Marsh on the Little Tennessee River Greenway from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23, to eradicate exotic invasive plants smothering and crowding out native plants in natural areas.  

Some volunteers will work in the standing water of the marsh (in waders) while others will work around the edges of the marsh.   

Western Carolina University’s Service Learning Center hosts several days of service throughout the year to engage students in organized activities designed to enhance their understanding of course content, meet community needs, develop career-related skills, and become responsible citizens.

The Friends of Panthertown will hold its monthly Trail Work Day on Oct. 23.

Volunteers should meet at the Salt Rock parking area at 9:30 a.m. Tools will be provided and no experience is necessary.

The trail group will hike less than 5 miles and will be finished before 3 p.m. Visit the volunteer homepage at www.panthertown.wordpress.com/volunteer/ for more information on what to bring, how to prepare and what to expect. You can also sign up to receive an e-newsletter and get on the Friends of Panthertown mailing list by updating your e-mail subscription in the menu box on the right side column of the website.

Clayton Jordan is the new Chief Ranger for Resource and Visitor Protection at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

“I am honored and excited for the opportunity to join the team at the Smokies,” said newly appointed Chief Ranger Jordan. “The park has an incredible staff with a great reputation for accomplishing so much every year to protect this world class park and to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for the millions of visitors who come to experience it.”

Jordan comes to this position most recently from Gulf Islands National Seashore, Fla.-Miss., where he served as the chief ranger since November 2006. He also played a vital role in the unified command of the recent Mississippi Canyon oil spill response along the Mississippi-Alabama-Florida coast. He was the U.S. Department of Interior’s second-in-command to the joint federal, state and private effort, as well as being a point person to NPS Director Jon Jarvis during this effort.

Former Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Merrill D. (Dave) Beal, 84, died on Sept. 21, at his home in Eugene, Ore.

Beal’s final National Park Service (NPS) assignment was as Smokies superintendent from December 1978 to 1983. He also served as assistant superintendent from 1969-1972.

“One of Dave’s major accomplishments during his tenure at the Smokies was his involvement in completing the park’s General Management Plan, a core planning document that continues to guide park managers in balancing visitor use and facility development with preservation,” said park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson. The document described the future operations of the park after the major work was done in completing construction of park’s facilities, i.e., roads, trails, picnic areas, campgrounds, for visitor use. A draft of the document was released to the public one year after Beal took the park’s top job.   

“Dave will be remembered for his effective leadership skills and his positive approach in dealing with park neighbors and stakeholders,” said Ditmanson.

The Haywood Heroes 5K Road Race and 1-mile Fun Run honoring emergency service personnel who gave their lives in the line of duty will be held Saturday, Nov. 6, in Canton.

The race is sponsored by the Canton Lions Club and the Development Association. It will begin at the Canton Armory at 9 a.m. and follow a route through Canton’s historic neighborhoods and downtown district. The 1-mile Fun Run for children will begin at 10 a.m.

A monument will be erected to memorialize those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice to help individuals in need and to keep our county safe.

Cost is $20 in advance, or $25 day-of for the 5K and includes a T-shirt. The fun run is free. Day-of registration will begin at 7 a.m.

www.gloryhoundevents.com or 828.508.9608.

Authors Michael Beadle and Peter Yurko will discuss and sign copies of their new pictorial history book, Waynesville, from noon to 2 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Cackleberry Mountain Gift Shop.

This is Beadle’s second Images of America book and Yurko’s first. Beadle is a poet, journalist and touring writer-in-residence living in Canton. Yurko has a passion for history and lives in Waynesville with his wife, Nicole.

Waynesville is available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at 888.313.2665 or www.arcadiapublishing.com.

If you’ve got a young reader who has difficulty reading to parents or teachers, the Haywood County Public Library may have a new approach to consider — reading to a friendly, non-judgmental canine.

Puppy Tales, a program designed to encourage children to read by providing a certified therapy dog who will lie next to them and listen while they read, is now available by appointment on Tuesday afternoons and on Saturday mornings at the Waynesville library branch.

Assistant Library Director Sharon Woodrow said she is excited to be offering the program to Haywood County children. Puppy Tales currently has three certified therapy dogs — Myles, an Australian shepherd trained by Kristen Walker; Bodie, a Shelty trained by Joy Newton; and Lily, a Shih Tzu trained by Susan Hale.

“Around the country, programs similar to this one have been very successful in helping children improve their reading skills, sometimes by as much as 16 percent,” Woodrow said. “The children like being with the dog, so they begin to view reading in a more positive way. Over time, their confidence improves because they are practicing their skills.”

The program is aimed at children in grades 1-5. Appointments are available by contacting Donna Surles at 828.356.2519. Each session is for 20 to 30 minutes per person.

All dogs that participate in the program are certified.

Author Barbara Dumas Ballew will be signing copies of her novel, George’s Creek to Georgia, on Oct. 23 at PumpkinFest in Franklin.

Ballew, an accomplished genealogist and storyteller from Franklin, takes readers back to a simpler time in her novel, a time when a young illiterate pioneer purchased land for his first farm, met the woman of his dreams, and started a family. Ballew’s great-grandmother Lurana, one of Elijah’s children, took on the strong nature of her father, persevering even when her parents died and she and her husband were left homeless expecting their first child.

To the Editor:

Some of us may be confused about the many judicial contests. However, the name of one candidate is important to remember — Steve Ellis is running for the Davis seat in the 30th Judicial District, which comprises Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.

Steve Ellis has the most experience of any candidate — 25 years of courtroom experience in a wide range of cases, including three years as assistant district attorney and more than six years representing the Haywood County Department of Social Services in its court cases for abused and neglected children. For an appointment to an open judicial seat last year, Steve received the most votes from the attorneys of our seven-county district, more than twice as many as the next candidate. This shows that attorneys in the district, including prosecutors and defense attorneys, know Steve would be a fair and impartial judge.

Steve is a Lay Leader for the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville. He is a member of the board of directors of Wilderness Trail, a backpacking ministry and is a former youth sports coach in his community. He is not associated with any special interest group. 

Please remember Steve Ellis when you go to vote.

Carole Larivee

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Here are some disturbing trends.

The top 20 percent of the wealthiest individuals own 93 percent of America’s private wealth.

The top 1 percent own 43 percent of the money.

The bottom 40 percent own less than 1 percent.

Over 42,400 American factories have either moved overseas or closed between 2001 and 2009.

Over 32 percent of our manufacturing jobs went overseas. Millions more were lost in mega mergers of companies.

Yet Former President Bush and Vice President Cheney along with the Republican Party leadership decided that it would be good to give the richest people a huge tax reduction which is supposed to end this year but the Republicans running for office want to extend it or make it permanent while the Democrats do not.

The most devastating economic recession in America’s history began with the Bush Republican administration which, along with the super rich/super smart people of Wall Street, now wants you to believe that their Republican Party will save America and bring back jobs?

Folks, this is not the America I fought for or believe in. It is time we check into Freedom Works, the Tea Party movement and Republican candidates to see how much money is being given to them by these super rich people who only represent 1 percent of the vote but control 43 percent of the money.

This election, ask yourself if you want to give the keys back to the Republican Party so they can drive the country into another economic ditch. This election should be about cleaning up the Republican Party so it does not worship on the altar of mega capitalism, which is destroying this country.

Your vote can change America and get your job back, but not if we put the Republicans back into control. It will take years to clean up the hypocrites and bring fresh new untainted candidates into the Republican Party. The Democrat Party should also begin house cleaning, but they did not create the mess we are in today — they just have to deal with it.

Larry Stenger

Franklin

To the Editor:

Who is Ron Robinson? He must be someone who has powers beyond those of the mortals he wants to “educate.” He has never been to a meet the candidate’s event, forum, or any other event where he could really be informed about which he speaks, yet magically he knows all about what is in the minds and hearts of the opposition commissioner candidates.

He even knows that Cody Elders is one person instead of two (wrong). He knows that Cody, Debnam and Elders said they supported an early revaluation of property (a flat-out lie) even when they were all opposed to that because it was a waste of the taxpayer’s money. He knows that they want to turn over our beautiful mountains over to evil private enterprise that “would treat our mountains like coal mine operators treat the mountains of West Virginia,” (a lie) even though all of them supported sensible controls. 

Most sensible people would think it was wrong for government to make 25 to 30 percent of anyone’s land worthless. How much of grandpa’s land do you want big brother to manage for you Ron? How much green space and steeper land do you want to donate to the county but continue to pay the taxes? Just how much of these mountains do you actually own — 1,000 acres, 500 acres, 50 acres, 10 acres (am I getting closer)? How much do you claim? Are the owners of that property aware that it is really yours? Maybe you should just claim what land the state, federal, and local governments own in Jackson County, which is around 50 percent.

Mr. Robinson also must be an economics guru as is our current commissioner’s chairman, Brian McMahan. They seem to think that government salaries or any government expenditure does not “drain” county revenue. They seem to think there is a pool of money that is not depleted if you take some out of it.

Or they could just slap a 1 percent land transfer tax on us so they can have more to spend.

My friends, when it takes the average property tax bill of over 100 Jackson County citizens to pay the salary (not counting perks and benefits) of County Manager Ken Westmoreland, that is a drain by any definition.  The ignorance of simple economics by these two would be amusing if one of them was not holding our purse strings. 

Ron “knows” that the county expenditures have been reduced by 10 percent over the last year when in reality it is less than 5 percent. Could the $2 million (25 percent) fall in sales tax revenue have anything to do with that? That fall in sales tax revenue makes up over 3 percent of the total budget. He “knows” that Jackson County owns shiny vehicles.   Apparently he does not know we own around 200 of them — many of which are driven for personal use, even though they are non-emergency vehicles. How much does gas, tires, oil, insurance, depreciation, etc. cost each taxpayer? Ask Ron, he must know.

He “knows” that the county can’t break up massive building projects into smaller ones, allowing our local contractors to obtain bonding to bid on the jobs. He “knows” that no contractor west of Charlotte was found to be qualified to build the building at SCC. He “knows” that Jackson County had to contribute no money toward the construction of the building at SCC even though it is listed as a line item on the 2010-2011 budget.

Ralph Slaughter

Jackson County

Haywood Regional Medical Center, Harris Regional Hospital and Swain County Hospital have taken the next step in the affiliation that joined the three hospitals under the MedWest umbrella. The hospitals will now be known as MedWest-Haywood, MedWest-Harris and MedWest-Swain. MedWest is an affiliate of Carolinas HealthCare, the largest healthcare system in North and South Carolina.

“As we continue to work through our affiliation agreement, it became important to unite the medical staff and employees at each of our hospitals with a single name, while at the same time allowing each campus to retain its individual identity,” said Mike Poore, MedWest CEO.

MedWest is beginning to undergo signage changes to reflect the new name, although the process will take time. MedWest recently unveiled its new logo to employees and physicians, after undergoing an extensive market research study that involved a large-scale consumer perception survey and focus groups among staff and physicians.

Together, MedWest-Haywood (170 beds), MedWest-Harris (86 beds), MedWest-Swain (48 beds) and an outpatient clinic in Franklin employ 2,100. There are 230 physicians on the medical staff.

The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a free seminar entitled “Turning your Hobby into a Business” on Tuesday, Oct. 26, from 6-8 p.m. It will be held on campus in the Student Center Building, first floor.

In this two-hour interactive seminar, Gregory Paolini will address some of the most common concerns about making the transition from hobby to business, plus he’ll share some of the benefits you can enjoy by entering the business arena.  

Paolini designs and creates handmade wood furniture at his home in Haywood County. His work has been featured in numerous books, magazines, and newspapers, including the preeminent Fine Woodworking Magazine.

In addition, Paolini has authored freelance articles and advice columns for several publications, including Woodwork, Fine Woodworking, and Cabinetmaker magazines. Taunton Publishing will release his woodworking book and video in the spring.

828.627.4512.

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

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

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

Haywood Animal Welfare Association is holding a Microchip Clinic, Saturday, Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Vance Street Park behind Bi-Lo in Waynesville.  For the cost of $15 the pet will be registered for life with HomeAgain. Pet owners should sign up for time slot ahead of time by calling 828.452.1329.

Haywood County Recreation & Parks Department is now accepting registration for the 2010-11 Kids Recreation Basketball League.

Designed for ages 5-15, the recreation basketball league guarantees that each child will get the opportunity to play at least half of every game. The program focuses on learning the game where each age group has adapted rules to ensure the development of skills, such as 8-foot goals for ages 5-8.  

Registration fee includes a NBA replica jersey for each child to keep, practice one night a week, one practice game on Dec. 4, eight official games and a completion certificate. Practice begins the week of Nov. 15 and the last scheduled game is Feb. 12.  

Early registration of $40 for first child and $75 for two children ends Sept. 24.  Regular registration of $50 for first child and $95 for two children will be from Sept. 27 – Oct. 8. Registration forms are available online through the Recreation Department link at www.haywoodnc.net or at the Haywood County Recreation & Parks Dept. office at 81 Elmwood Way (former MARC Building). Scholarships are also available upon special request.  

828.452.6789 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..