To the Editor:

I am writing to clarify my position on the recent events that have occurred within the Med-West Health System. First, I want to begin by giving everyone some background information. The career and wonderful life that I have been blessed with began at Harris Regional Hospital. I grew up in this community observing and mentoring with the pillars of our medical community (you know who you are). They taught me about medicine but also about loving patients and families, building strong relationships in the community, and about leadership.

I spent countless afternoons in elementary and high school at Dr. Haddock’s office (where my mom worked) learning from him and watching his every move all the while becoming more convinced I wanted to be just like him one day. In order to gain further knowledge about the breadth of medicine, I did rotations at our hospital in high school. After high school, I worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant on 2 North and 2 West. I worked with some of the best nurses and aides I have encountered in my career (many are still with us).

I remember spending hours studying for the MCAT (the test you must take to enter medical school). At that time, Dr. Wolf and Dr. Mahar were new in town. They would come by and offer helpful advice and guidance. The nurses and other staff members I worked with served as counselors, study partners, and, best of all, friends that provided much needed support at a time when the journey I had ahead of me seemed so daunting.

After I graduated from WCU, I spent seven years in training, hoping and praying for the day when I could come back home and join the medical staff at Harris Regional Hospital. During medical school, I did several rotations with Dr. Ramsey. I was fascinated by his knowledge and the love he had for his patients. I came to appreciate the breadth and complexity of family medicine therefore decided I wanted to become a family practice physician.

Finally, in August 2011, I got my chance to return home. Thanks to Dr. Adams’s determination, I joined the WNC Hospitalist Service. I was welcomed with open arms by the hospital staff and my colleagues in the hospital and outpatient practices. I was more excited than I had ever been in my life to work with these wonderful people, take care of the community I love and to be at home with my family and friends.

The past nine months have been filled with ups and downs, as you have recently heard. A couple of months ago, I found myself asking “Where do I go from here” and “What do I do with the information I have been given.”

Ultimately, I decided I am not going anywhere. I love my job and the people I work with. I love taking care of the members of this community and don’t want to be anywhere else on earth. I have chosen to stay and support our hospital. I don’t know what the future will bring, but I hope we are able to build this hospital back to what it once was. I hope that the community understands and believes that we can take better care of their needs than any other hospital because we have a vested interest in them as a person and community member.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but what I do know is that I am going to work my very hardest to be as knowledgeable as possible, to take care of every patient to the best of my abilities and treat everyone here, both patients and fellow staff, as family because that is what they are. We have an excellent medical staff, hospital staff and administration, and if we all work together for the common goal of making this hospital better, I honestly believe that we will be successful.

Laci Jamison, MD

WNC Hospitalist Service

To the Editor:

Considering the tremendous harm that alcohol continues to cause our society, the churches of the Tuckaseigee Baptist Association would like to make known their complete and total opposition to the May referendum allowing alcohol sales throughout Jackson County.

In the Bible, we are warned that alcohol is deceitful (Proverbs 20:1), clouds judgment (Proverbs 31:4, 5), and causes shameful behavior (Habakkuk 2:15, 16). In 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, Paul tells us, “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.”

Therefore it is our hope and prayer that this referendum be defeated and the sale of alcoholic beverages not spread any further in Jackson County.

The churches of the Tuckasiegee Baptist Association:

Buff Creek Baptist, Calvary Baptist, Cashiers Baptist, Cullowhee Valley Baptist, Dicks Creek Baptist, East Fork Baptist, Faith Baptist, Greens Creek Baptist, Hamburg Baptist, Hyatts Chapel Baptist, Jarrett Memorial Baptist, La Primera Iglesia Bautista de Amor, Little Savannah Baptist, Locust Field Baptist, Long Branch Baptist, Lovedale Baptist, Moses Creek Baptist, Mt. Pleasant Baptist, New Hope Baptist, New Savannah Baptist, Ochre Hill Baptist, Old Savannah Baptist, Pine Creek Baptist, Promised Land Baptist, Rockdale Baptist, Scotts Creek Baptist, Sols Creek Baptist, Speedwell Baptist, Unity Baptist, and Wilkesdale Baptist.

To the Editor:

Amendment One sounds innocent enough. The wording is very precise and is carefully phrased to make approval seem to be a good thing. A lot of good people will vote for it for that reason. It accomplishes nothing, as far as gay marriage is concerned; that is already illegal in North Carolina. However, there are many bad repercussions in passing the amendment, and I’ve got to believe the NC General Assembly was unaware of these problems when they passed it. Because otherwise I would have to believe it was political pandering of the worst kind that brought this to a vote, and that couldn’t happen in Raleigh, right?

In Ohio where a similar measure was passed, there are cases where women seeking shelter from a physically abusive relationship have been turned away, sent straight back home to take more punishment because the amendment says “Marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State,” which was interpreted by law enforcement and courts as meaning “no domestic union, therefore no restraining order, no emergency funds, no shelter.” In other words, if your daughter were living with her boyfriend, and he beat her, the police would have no recourse to protect her. Is this what you want?

This measure will drive potential businesses away. In a statement made against the amendment, Sen. Kay Hagan said, “North Carolina is one of the most business-friendly states in the nation, and this amendment would harm our state’s ability to recruit the innovators and businesses that are driving our economic recovery.” Is this what you want?

Many old folk live together out-of-wedlock due to the economic reality that marriage would hurt them financially. If the amendment passes, they could be barred from visiting one another in the hospital, making decisions when their partner is incapacitated, picking up prescriptions, and all the other benefits of a stable relationship. Is this what you want?

Amendment One is in conflict with the U.S. Constitution, and this will guarantee a long and expensive court battle in the future. Restricting one group’s rights in favor of another would seem to be the kind of thing conservatives and liberals both would oppose. Millions of your tax dollars will be spent defending this bad law in court. Is that what you want?

The unvarnished truth is that this measure is a blatant ploy by politicians seeking to out-family-values the other party and energize their base for the upcoming elections. The measure will accomplish good for no one and ill for many. Haven’t we had enough of bad politics and bad politicians? Is this what you want?

Russell Breedlove

Bryson City

Registration is under way for the inaugural Bob Buckner Endowment Golf Tournament, an event to help raise financial support for a newly created fund in honor of the recently retired longtime director of Western Carolina University’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band.

The tournament will be held Friday, June 8, at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville. The entry fee for the four-person, captain’s-choice format event is $100 per player. Cost includes golf, breakfast, buffet lunch, two mulligans and a gift bag.

Prizes will be awarded for first- through third-place teams, and the winning team will receive a traveling trophy to keep for the year.

The endowment will be used to provide the Pride of the Mountains with funds to help with program support and scholarships for student musicians.

Buckner, a 1967 graduate of Western Carolina, became director of WCU’s marching band in 1991, helping grow membership in the marching musical ensemble now known as the Pride of the Mountains from fewer than 90 to nearly 400.

To register for the tournament, visit the website prideofthemountains.com and click on the Buckner Endowment Golf Tournament link.

Kids can learn more about LEGO building projects from 9:15-11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 12, at Western Carolina University.

The LEGO Clubs at Cullowhee Valley and Fairview Schools are holding this free community event for children from kindergarten through eighth grade to learn more about LEGO education.

Parents are asked to stay for the entire session.

legosummitwcu.eventbrite.com

A program titled “Two Sides of the Leadership Coin, a Male and Female Perspective” will be held from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on May 15 at the Gateway Club in Waynesville, sponsored by the Greater Haywood County Chamber of Commerce as part of its Women in Business luncheon series.

Panelists will include: Scott McLeod, publisher of The Smoky Mountain News; David Belcher, chancellor of Western Carolina University; Jack Ewing, CEO of Lake Junaluska; and Rose Johnson, president of Haywood Community College.

Cost is $25 for chamber members and $30 for non-members.

Ben Steere will discuss Cherokee pre-history and archaeology at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, in the community room of the Jackson County Public Library.

Steere is the principal investigator for the Western North Carolina Mounds and Towns Project, which is a collaborative effort by the Coweeta Long Term Ecological Research Program at the University of Georgia, the Tribal Historic Preservation Office of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, and the Duke Energy Foundation.

Western North Carolina has been continuously occupied for at least 10,000 years and once contained many prehistoric Indian mounds and historic Cherokee town sites. Many of these sites have been damaged by development, and their locations have been lost or forgotten. The goal of the project is to locate these archaeological sites for the purposes of preservation, research, and public outreach.

Steere’s presentation will focus on the archaeology of WNC and specifically how Jackson County fits in to a story of change and continuity in human settlement.

828.586.2016.

Haywood County leads the state in electronics recycling, based on a new survey released in March by the N.C. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.

The survey, which was presented during the recent Carolina Recycling Association annual conference, indicated that Haywood County recycled 279 tons of electronics in fiscal year 2010-11, for a per capita recovery average of 8.37 pounds per person. The next closest local government was Kill Devil Hills, at 7.67 pounds per person. Macon County ranked fourth with 5.95 pounds per person.

Haywood County Solid Waste began collecting household electronics, such as computers, televisions and other devices for recycling at the Materials Recovery Facility in Clyde in May 2007, well ahead of a state law that banned these items from landfills that Solid Waste Director Stephen King credited to the leadership of the commissioners, and the efforts of the solid waste staff for making Haywood County’s electronics recycling program a success.

In another survey recently released by NCDENR, Haywood County increased its overall recycling tonnage from 180.3 tons per person in fiscal year 2009-10 to 182.15 in fiscal year 2010-11, which ranks as the 14th highest per capita rate in the state.

828.627.8042.

A public workshop on a proposed truck turn-around and information station on U.S. 64 in Franklin will be held from 4-7 p.m. at the Franklin Town Hall boardroom.

The turn-around and station would be located between U.S. 23/441 in Franklin and N.C. 106 in Highlands. The transportation department is proposing the project be specifically be built between Rogers Road and Hiland Park Lane east of Franklin on the south side of U.S. 64/N.C. 28.

This will be an informal, open house-style meeting. The goal is to provide a place where truckers can obtain alternate route information and safely turn around along the U.S. 64/N.C. 28 corridor between Franklin and Highlands. Although large trucks are currently prohibited on this segment of U.S. 64/N.C. 28 in Macon County, some continue to use the road anyway despite warning signs.

The project schedule calls for right-of-way acquisition to begin in November 2013 and for the project contract to be let in July 2014. These dates are tentative and subject to change.  

919.707.6012 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A sports physical clinic for school athletic programs will be held from 4:30-7 p.m. Friday, May 11, at the Macon County Public Health Center.

The clinics are open to rising seventh grade to 12th grade students who plan to participate in school athletics this school year. There is a $15 charge. A parent or guardian must attend with the student. Sports physical packets can be picked up from the front office of Franklin High School or Macon Middle School.

Appointments are required.

828.371.8933.

A retracing of the northern route of the Trail of Tears will be held May 18-26 in a collaboration of the Eastern Band and the United Keetoowah Band and Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma.

Members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will travel to Oklahoma to join with the United Keetowah Band and the Cherokee Nation in a coming together to celebrate a communal healing time. Eastern Band members will stop at significant locations along the way where the Cherokees camped, and thousands died, to offer up prayers and healing ceremonies.

A homecoming will be held Friday, May 25, at the Kituwah Mound near Cherokee. On Saturday, May 26, there will be a Universal Gathering on the sacred grounds of Kituwah to honor and celebrate the Cherokees who undertook the Journey to Forgiveness and Healing.

www.cherokeehealing.com or 828.631.3903.

The state has not recommended any changes be made to how Mission hospital does business under its Certificate of Public Advantage, or anti-trust regulations that govern this regional healthcare leader.

The regulations date to Mission’s merger with St. Joseph’s 15 years ago.

“This was music to our ears,” said Ronald A. Paulus, Mission Health’s president and CEO. “The committee acknowledged the complicated and important nature of the COPA and noted that it warranted further study.”

Mission noted that more than 10,100 letters had been sent electronically as part of a letter-writing campaign on the issue to political leaders.

The library in Bryson City will show Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel at 3:30 p.m., May 8.

The movies are a free weekly program. Popcorn will be served in the library auditorium starting at 3:20 p.m. The library will also be giving away one free movie check out voucher to each patron who attends the movie.

The next community music jam at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City will be from 6-7 p.m., May 3, in the library auditorium or, weather permitting, on the library’s front lawn.

The community jams offer a chance for musicians of all ages and levels of ability to share music they have learned over the years and to learn old-time mountain songs. Anyone with an acoustic instrument is invited to join. Singers are also welcome. The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of Grampa’s Music in Bryson City. Normally, Larry 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 together.

The music jams are offered to the public the first and third Thursday of each month.

828.488.3030.

Nine-time Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter Natalie Cole will take the stage at 9 p.m., May 25, at Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel and Casino.

Cole rocketed to stardom in 1975 with her debut album “Inseparable,” earning her a #1 single, “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” and two Grammy awards for Best New Artist. More hit singles followed, including 1976’s “Sophisticated Lady (She’s A Different Lady),” 1977’s “I’ve Got Love on My Mind,” 1978’s “Our Love” and 1980’s “Someone That I Used to Love.” In 1987, she released “Dangerous,” which sold over two million copies in the U.S. and garnered her three hit singles: “Jump Start,” “I Live For Your Love” and a remake of Bruce Springsteen’s “Pink Cadillac.”

Tickets are already on sale.

800.745.3000 or www.ticketmaster.com.

Women of Waynesville will host a Mom’s Music Festival this Sunday afternoon.

The festival will take place from noon to 6 p.m. in the backyard of the Herren House, located at 94 East St. in Waynesville. Moms and children under age 10 get in for free. Admission for dads and kids age 10 years and up is $5.

The event will feature local bands such as The Lorraine Conard Band, David Turner, Josh Pierce and Todd Dionne from 105.9 The Mountain. There will be a special section just for kids with clowns, face painting, fire trucks and lots of fun things to do for them. Women of Waynesville will be hosting a bake off sale as well as a 50/50 raffle.

The festival will also have a variety of local vendors selling jewelry, pottery, homemade soaps, sweet, books and more.

The money raised at this event will go to support Haywood Counties KARE House, which is dedicated to preventing child abuse and advocating for children who have been physically or sexually abused.

Women of Waynesville is a fund raising organization that was established earlier this year with the mission of providing an outlet for women in the community to join forces with one purpose and with the collective passion of supporting the needs of Waynesville.

The Stecoah Artisans Guild will host an exposition and fund-raising dinner at 5 p.m. on May 8 at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center.

The event will showcase local handcrafts and how people can show financial support that can translate to growth in the local creative economy. People can also receive information on joining the guild. Annual membership dues are $20 and will support the guild’s efforts to market and promote the far western counties as a shopping destination for quality locally made fine art and handcrafted goods.

RSVP by May 4.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 828.498.2452.

Macon County will celebrate its quilting heritage with Airing of the Quilts on May 12.

Centered in downtown Franklin, Airing of the Quilts will feature hundreds of quilts along with an antique quilt show, quilt appraisals, quilting related merchandise, live music and more.

The historic West’s Mill District of Cowee will also feature quilts and tours of Rickman’s Store, Snow Hill Inn and Pleasant Hill Church, which will include quilting demonstrations from the Cowee Quilters.

Visitors can tour the Macon County Quilt Trail with more than 20 quilt blocks that have been installed on barns, homes and businesses throughout the county.

In addition, the United Daughters of the Confederacy along with Civil War Re-enactors will hold a special ceremony at 11:30 a.m. to observe N.C. Confederate Memorial Day.  The ceremony will be held at the Confederate monument at Rankin Square.

Also that weekend, the Mother’s Day Gemboree will be taking place at the Macon County Community Building. The three-day gem, mineral and jewelry show is now in its 11th year.

828.524.2516.

Four Haywood Community College students and one faculty member will represent the college at the 2012 NC Community Colleges Art Exhibition.

Christopher Cagle, a crafts fiber student; Nathaniel Chambers, a crafts wood student; Kira Farrington, a business administration student; Lillian Parks, a continuing education faculty member; and Cory Plott, a crafts clay student all have work in the show.

Chamber’s work is titled “A Bowl with a Hole is Not a Piece of Firewood.” Farrington’s photography is the winner of the People’s Choice Award for HCC’s first Photo Contest and is called “Dead End.” Parks’ watercolor is titled “Melons.” Plott’s ceramic piece is called “The Chicken of Creation.”

The Visual Art Exchange, the oldest non-profit visual arts organization in Raleigh, awarded Cagle’s piece, an untitled wall hanging, second place for an art excellence prize. The art exhibition is open to each of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina. Artwork from all media is represented in the show, and the pieces remain on display for the entire year.

www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/pr/artexhibit.

A reception will be held the evening of May 4 to mark the opening of a new photography exhibit at Gallery 86 in Waynesville.

“Through the Lens: WNC Photographers” includes work by four Western North Carolina photographers — Anna Fariello, Lori Davis, Tim Lewis and Rachel Pierce — at various stages of their careers. The reception will be held from 6-9 p.m.

In the exhibit, the photographers demonstrate a variety of techniques in capturing images and observations. Although photography has undergone major technological shifts from darkroom to digital, it remains a means of telling visual stories.

The exhibit will remain open until May 28.

www.haywoodarts.org.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre will hold auditions for its July production of the hit Broadway musical “La Cage Aux Folles” at 6:30 p.m., May 7 and 8 at the HART Theater in Waynesville.

The production is being directed by Steve Lloyd and opens on July 6 for a four-week run. It features a large cast with acting, singing and dancing roles for men and women in leading roles and the chorus.

The show is based on a French film of the same name, which was later remade in America as “The Bird Cage” staring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as a mature gay couple who run a nightclub. The son they have raised has become engaged to the daughter of a conservative politician and the comedy develops from there.

Actors auditioning as professionals should come with a headshot and resume, as well as a prepared audition piece, sheet music and a prepared song. Community theater actors should come with sheet music and a prepared song but that is not required. All actors will be given the opportunity to read from the script. Anyone interested in working backstage on the production is also encouraged to come by during auditions to sign up.

Headwaters Brewery will host “Lend a Hand for The Strand” starting at 4 p.m., May 6.

The event is to held raise money for the renovation of the historic theater.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and include a free pint of craft-brewed beer paired with a chocolate from Chocolate MD. They are available for purchase at Headwaters Brewing Co., Coffee Cup Cafe, The Classic Wineseller, Mainstreet Perks Cafe or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Red June, an acoustic Americana trio from Asheville, will perform at 5:15 p.m.

The brewery is located at 130 Frazier St. The fund-raiser will be held in its tap room, which is now open from 4-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturday.

The brewing company plans to host its own grand opening event later this month.

The Bascom visual arts center in the Highlands will hold its largest annual fund-raiser, Collective Spirits, May 17-19.

On Friday evening, there will be a mountain casual walk-around Wine Tasting & Market from 5-7 p.m. The Sensational Sounds of Motown will take center stage at 7 p.m. on the Terrace at The Bascom for a night of dancing with a buffet supper.

The three-day long festival will culminate in a live auction and gala dinner at 6:30 p.m. on the Terrace at The Bascom. The auction will feature about 20 lots. Highlights include rare and special French and American wines; a trip for up to seven to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, with accommodations, airfare and a guide for a day; a wine and art trip for four to France and the Champagne region; and a cocktail party for 20 on the Bridge at The Bascom with a nine liter bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne.

Collective Spirits raises essential operating funds to maintain quality exhibitions, enrichment activities and studio art instruction for learners of all ages.

During Collective Spirits 2012, The Bascom will showcase a number of exhibitions including “Chicks: It’s All Gone to the Birds” – a plethora of art works that portray an avian theme; Youth Art K thru 12; Green Art – celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Studio Glass Movement; and Alex Matisse: Ceramics – this installation of large ceramic vessels will be the signature outdoor exhibition.

www.thebascom.org/collectivespirits or 828.787.2896.

The Waynesville Gallery Association will host its first Art After Dark of the year from 6-9 p.m., May 4. The event will also feature a new Saturday Stroll from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 5.

The Art After Dark and Saturday Stroll events take place the first Friday and Saturday of each month, May through December. Working studios and galleries on Main Street, Depot Street and in Historic Frog Level will be open late. On Saturday, the galleries will continue the artistic experience with artist demonstrations and special activities. Festive Art After Dark and Saturday Stroll flags denote participating galleries like Burr Studio and Gallery, Earthworks Frame Shop, Earthworks Gallery, Gallery Two Six Two, Grace Cathey Sculpture Garden and Gallery, Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86, the Jeweler’s Workbench, Lone Backpacker Gallery of World Photography, TPennington Art Gallery, and Twigs and Leaves Gallery.

• Lone Backpacker Gallery of World Photography is the newest addition to Waynesville’s growing art scene. Journey thru a diverse collection of photography from all seven continents and hear the tales of adventure from the traveler himself, Adam Malise. Lone Backpacker Gallery is located at 94 Depot Street and open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Wednesday and Sunday.

• Visit TPennington Art Gallery to meet colored pencil artist, Teresa Pennington. She will demonstrate Friday evening and all day Saturday at the gallery. Refreshments will be served.

• Twigs and Leaves Gallery will feature local watercolor collage artist Margaret Roberts. Roberts will demonstrate her talent of creatively constructing bright, colorful watercolor paper pieces into beautiful works of art. It will be a hands-on activity for visitors to the gallery, and children are encouraged to participate. The gallery will also serve hors d’oeuvres and have live music.

The Waynesville Gallery Association’s 2012 Art After Dark and Saturday Stroll season takes place the first Friday and Saturday each month May through December. For more information about Art After Dark and the Saturday Stroll, visit the web site at www.waynesvillegalleryassociation.com or 828.452.9284.

A day of events to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 12, at the Cradle of Forestry.

Activities for the day include:

• 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Family birding walks offer beginning and intermediate birders an in-depth look at local and migratory songbird species. After learning about binocular use, bird characteristics and habitat preferences, the group will look and listen for birds by the Forest Discovery Center and along paved trails to identify species present.

• 1:30 p.m.: A live raptor program with Wild for Life Wildlife Rehabilitation Center staff. Meet the center’s rescued birds and learn their stories.

• 2:30 p.m.: During the Backyard Birding program, get tips on observing and conserving birds that live around our homes.

• 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Ongoing activities at the Forest Discovery Center show the wonder of birds and teach how we can all do our part for their conservation.

828.877.3130.

Children and their families can help the Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrate National Junior Ranger Day from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28.

There will be a variety of free, hands-on activities at Oconaluftee Visitor Center, located at the entrance to the park on U.S. 441 near Cherokee.

Activities will range from ranger-guided nature walks and ecological programs to cultural heritage activities like making dinner bells at a blacksmith shop.

This year’s focus will be based around the theme, “Picture Yourself in a National Park.” Oconaluftee will have a special program planned for Junior Rangers to display their artistic talents, using the park as their inspiration.

Children can earn their Junior Ranger badge by completing three of the specially planned activities.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 865.436.1263.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is currently searching for volunteers to help maintain the Appalachian Trail through the Smokies Wilderness Elite Appalachian Trail Crew program. No previous trail experience is required — just a desire to work hard, live in the backcountry and have a great time among new friends. All food, tools and equipment will be provided at no cost.

This is a mobile crew, carrying all food, tools and camping gear into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The crew focuses on the difficult trail problems that occur in the backcountry with the tools they carry in and the materials that they find. Each crew works six days in the field repairing the trail, building steps, and clearing the trail.  

Both of these all-volunteer trail crews are led by paid trail crew professionals who teach volunteers trail stewardship and Leave No Trace skills during the multi-day adventure.

www.appalachiantrail.org/crews.

Weekly Saturday bird walks will be held by the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society starting in May.

The first Saturday of every month will be geared to beginners, with guidance on the use of binoculars and field guides and an introduction to bird watching generally on the Highlands-Cashiers plateau.  Binoculars will be available on loan. Here’s a list of walks and programs:  

• May 5: Kick-off walk at The Bascom in Highlands, led by Russ Regnery. Meet in The Bascom parking lot at 7:30 a.m.  

• May 8: Birding outing at Southern Highlands Reserve Gardens. Participants need to register in advance by calling 828.743.9670. Meet to carpool at 8 a.m. in Cashiers behind Wendy’s/community center or in Highlands at 7:30 a.m. in The Bascom parking lot.

• May 12: Bird walk at Lonesome Valley in Cashiers with guest leader Curtis Smalling from Audubon N.C.  Meet at 8 a.m. near the gate in Lonesome Valley. To carpool, meet at 7:30 a.m. in Highlands in The Bascom parking lot. At 4 p.m. the same day, Smalling will present a program entitled “The Birds of the Highlands Plateau: Amazing Stories from a Remarkable Place” at The Bascom in Highlands.

• May 19: Nature walk to Jones Gap with The Highlands Cashiers Land Trust. Sign up by calling 828.526.9938. Bring $5 for lunch. Meet in The Bascom parking lot at 7:30 a.m. to carpool.

• May 26: Bird walk along Turtle Pond Road in Highlands. Meet in The Bascom parking lot at 7:30 a.m. to carpool.

• May 27: The Bird Barn In Highlands will have guest, Michael Skinner, present a program to the public about Eagles. The program will begin at 1 p.m.

Two birding events in the region, sponsored by the Great Smoky Mountains Audubon Society, are on the horizon.

The first is birdwatching for beginners from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, April 28, at the Balsam Mountain Inn. Larry Thompson will be the instructor. This introductory workshop will acquaint participants with the basics of birdwatching, including how to find and identify birds, how to select and use binoculars and field guides, what homeowners can do to attract birds to their yard and which birds are found in different habitats. The workshop is open to anyone over the age of 10, and family participation is encouraged. The cost is $25. 828.452.5414 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The other workshop is a birding by ear workshop from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday, May 11, at the Balsam Community Center with a field trip at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 12. There are no easy tricks to learning bird songs, but there are magical methods, aids and practice that enable a new birder to conquer those troubling warbles, squeaks and chips.

Georgann Schmalz will be the instructor. The cost is $35.

828.550.5449 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Tour de Cashiers, one of the region’s most well-known bike races, will take place beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, starting at the Village Green in Cashiers.

There are three races, a 25 mile, 62 mile and 100 mile. The routes take in spectacular vistas of springtime in the mountains along quiet mountain back roads. With rides ranging from moderate to strenuous climbs,  beginners to experienced bicyclists are welcome. The event for some is a lifetime challenge and for the hardcore, a great training ride.

Early registration fee is $40, the cost is $45 the day of the race. The entry fee includes a t-shirt, light breakfast and a hearty post-ride lunch, as well as on-road support and well-stocked rest stops.

The Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation is sponsoring the event, now in its 20th year.

As in previous years, the Tour will be partnering in the Blue Ridge Double with a similar ride in Walhalla, S.C., “Issaqueena’s Last Ride.” The events will be on consecutive weekends. Riders receive a $10 discount on the combined registration fees.  

828.526.1313 or www.TourdeCashiers.com.

The Ruby Ride and Run will take place in Franklin on May 12, offering various distance options to both bikers and runners.

The rides and the runs start and end at Franklin High School. A 5k and 10k run begin at 8:30 a.m. For those looking to test their bike legs after winter, there will be a 24-mile, 40-mile and 63-mile bike rides starting at 9 a.m.

• The 24-mile bike ride will traverse the Burningtown Community with 2,200 feet of climbing.   

• The 40-mile option includes roughly 3,500 feet of climbing and partially follows the 63-mile route.  

• The 63-mile option offers 4,000 feet of climbing through the Cowee Community following the Little Tennessee River into the Burningtown area.

The ride and run is sponsored by the Franklin Daybreak Rotary with benefits supporting several local charities, including CareNet and the Community Care Clinic.

Cost of the bicycle ride is $30 before May 1 and $40 after. The cost of the run is $20 for the 5k and $25 for the 10k until May 1 and $5 more after that date.   

www.therubyride.com or call Smoky Mountain Bicycles at 828.369.2881 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The popular annual Ducks on the Tuck, with little yellow rubber ducks racing down the Tuckasegee River, will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 29. The ducks will be dropped into Scotts Creek at the train depot bridge in Dillsboro.  

A racing duck can be “adopted” at the Greening Up the Mountains festival this Saturday or at the race for $5. This year’s grand prize is a 40-inch flat screen television. Ducks will also be racing for more than 70 other prizes, which will be awarded at the finish line.  

The money raised goes to support New Century Scholars, a community initiative to provide programming and opportunities for youth. Students who successfully complete the program have the opportunity to attend Southwestern Community College for five semesters without the cost of tuition and fees. After earning a degree at SCC, Western Carolina University has partnered with the program to provide an additional two years with this same guarantee.

828.339.4477 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Haywood Community College has been recognized for its cutting-edge work in promoting environmental sustainability by the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

“Haywood Community College has a robust history, dating back to 2006, of demonstrating sustainable technologies in the classroom, college operations, and community initiatives — and these relationships elevate sustainable practices on campus and in the greater community,” said Rose Johnson, president of Haywood Community College.

Haywood earned the distinction in large part through its public/private-sector and community partnerships — and for allowing those partnerships to influence students’ coursework.

The college’s partnership with private developers, for instance, led to the creation of an associate’s degree in low-impact environmental development. Another partnership with U.S. Forest Service Wood Products Laboratory researchers allowed the college to construct the area’s first Habitat for Humanity green home. The construction of a sustainably-built home by construction students on campus underscored Haywood’s commitment to green construction practices and technologies.

Other examples include: wetlands and native grass reclamation projects on campus and in the community; biofuel production using recycled oil from the local public schools; installation of solar panels on campus and in the community; and training workers from a community action agency to retrofit homes of low-income residents to make them more energy efficient.

“The way that Haywood puts its students to work on projects that will both improve the community and augment their classroom education should serve as a model for every other institution of higher learning in the country,” said Anthony D. Cortese, president of Second Nature, the lead supporting organization of the group. “One central goal of the ACUPCC is to get everyone to think systemically about the relationship between sustainability and education. Haywood is doing a remarkable job.”

A Mothers Day Celebration 5K walk and run in Cherokee that also functions as a dialysis patient fundraiser will be held on Saturday, May 12, at Acquoni Expo Center, or the old Cherokee High School.

Registration starts at 11 a.m., the walk and run is at noon. There will be a silent auction from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Registration is $10 for adults and $5 for elders and children ages 12 and under. The money raised goes directly to the Dialysis Support Group in Cherokee.

828. 497.1976.

City Lights Bookstore will celebrate the launch of Harvey K. Littleton’s A Life in Glass with Western Carolina University’s ceramics instructor Joan Byrd at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 27.

Byrd was a member of Littleton’s first glassblowing class at the University of Wisconsin.  Benefiting from close access to the artist and his personal archives, the book is illuminated by many unpublished archival photographs and a detailed chronology.

828.586.9499.

Merritt Moseley, a professor at University of Carolina-Asheville, will lead a series of discussions surrounding the works of beloved author Jane Austen at the Waynesville library.

A novelist whose reputation has never declined, critic Brooke Allen called Austen “a woman …for every decade.  Though her books are almost two hundred years old, they gleam with an immediate freshness.”

The series will cover three Austen favorites: Sense and Sensibility on May 17; Pride and Prejudice on June 14; and Persuasion on July 19. The discussions will be held from 4-6 p.m.

The books are free and will be available April 30 at the Waynesville branch. Contact the library office to sign out a book. There is no charge for a book, but the three book series can be purchased for $10. Refreshments will be served.

“Let’s Talk About It” is made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in partnership with the North Carolina Center for the Book, a program of the State Library of North Carolina.

828.456.5311 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thomas Thibeault will be at City Lights Bookstore to read from his historical thriller, Balto’s Nose, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.

Glenn Carnehan, a WWII veteran, spent the war tracking down treasures looted by the Nazis and in a deadly race across Europe discovered the masterpieces of a ruined civilization. Now he must take his grandson, Michael on the same journey.

“This historical novel examines the themes of character and courage, and like the dog Balto, affirms endurance, fidelity and intelligence,” said Thibeault. “George Stout, Robert Posey, Walter Farmer, Edith Standen, Rose Valland, and Balto the Dog show us that manliness is not restricted to one sex or even to one species.”

The Teen Advisory Group will meet at 3:30 p.m. on April 30 at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Teens are invited to come share their ideas about materials of interest to them, including what sort of programming they’d like to see at the library. There will be food, crafts, games and more at the meeting.

Teen volunteers are also needed for the upcoming summer reading program, “Dream Big — Read.” Teens can earn community service hours for school by volunteering at the library. The teen theme for summer reading program is called, “Own the Night.”

To the Editor:

I agree with the opinion expressed by several of those interviewed for a recent article that the increase in gambling cafes is good for business and is a welcomed option for increasing city revenues.

Each person who shows up to use an Internet gambling café is there because she or he has elected to be there. I believe this is a significantly improved choice when compared to floating casinos. I think the winnings and chance to return home with money in my pocket is higher with North Carolina’s “sweepstakes cafeterias.”

That means I hope to spend more time in North Carolina than I have in the past. Thank you for your coverage on this story.

Robert Karhutt

Charleston, S.C.

To The Editor:

I find Cecil Bothwell’s preoccupation with Heath Shuler odd and slightly disturbing. Although Shuler announced months ago that he would not be running for re-election, Bothwell has continued to attack him online and in public forums across the 11th Congressional District. Bothwell’s website still features a page entitled “Vs. Shuler” where he contrasts his views against what he claims to be Shuler’s views. Nearly all of Bothwell’s information on Shuler’s record is false or misleading.

Heath Shuler isn’t running for Congress. His name won’t be on the ticket in May or November. While Bothwell focuses his campaign on attacking someone who isn’t in the race, Hayden Rogers has been getting his positive message out to voters across Western North Carolina. I have been impressed by Rogers’ work ethic and his extensive knowledge of the issues facing our area. He is down-to-earth, relatable, thoughtful, sharp, and focused. There’s a lot to like about Rogers. Unlike Bothwell, he is focused on making positive changes in Western North Carolina, not tearing down other congressional candidates.  Rogers has a promising future in public service and I look forward to voting for him on May 8.

David Wijewickrama

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Do you remember “hanging-chads? Those were the tiny little punch-out holes on Florida ballots that gave George Bush the presidency in 2001 and made Florida the land of bad elections. As a direct result of that fiasco, Congress passed the “Help America Vote Act” or HAVA, which gave money to the states to improve their election systems. Over $4 million of that money is still in North Carolina banks ready to be spent on the 2012 election process.

In cash-strapped counties across the state, election boards are trying to find the money to conduct fair and efficient elections come November. That $4 million would go a long way to expand early voting, to ease access for the disabled, and ensure that everybody who wants to vote can vote. It would also expand computerized voter registration and record systems, and would greatly reduce the possibility of voter fraud.

But there is a problem.The Republican legislature is blocking the release of this money to the counties and state boards of elections. For the $4 million to be released, the legislature must provide about $660,000 to the state election boards. And, if they don’t, the money goes back to Washington. It is clear to many knowledgeable observers that the Republican legislature has purposely under-funded the State Board of Elections to prevent the release of the $4 million.

A letter signed by 85 members of local boards of elections, including 40 Republicans, was just sent to the legislature pleading for the release of the money. Many are concerned that chaos will ensue in the November General Election unless those funds are released.

Here is what I don’t understand: This is the same Republican legislature that has just passed a $500 million dollar tax relief bill for corporations. So, apparently it is easy to find $500 million for corporations but $660,000 to insure a fair vote is out of the question.

Talk to any Republican legislator about voting and he will cite the potential for rampant voter fraud. Therefore, they argue, there stands a crying need for voter ID bills and all sorts of restrictions on voters. Yet, the money to help solve this alleged problem sits unused.

It appears the Republicans have taken voter suppression to a new level.    

Louis Vitale

Franklin

To the Editor:

I want to share with you three times in my life that made me appreciate how important our Democratic vision is to the people of this state and this country.

First, it is clear to me the Republican Party sees women as second-class citizens. I attended a public meeting last year where our state senator said poor women have no business having children. I was appalled that he had the audacity to tell women who should and should not have children. If this outrageous Republican view had prevailed at the time and my mother had been influenced by it, I would never have been born. Democrats, as opposed to Republicans, believe all people whether rich or poor, male or female, black or white have the right to be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings.

Second, my parents started out with little money, but they worked hard started a business and were doing well. But when I was just 9 years old my father died suddenly from a heart attack. Thank goodness for Democrats who believe our government should be concerned with the welfare of all citizens and had provided a safety net. The Social Security program the Democrats had passed and funded helped my mother provide for me and my brothers and sisters at this crucial time in my life.  

Third, thanks to the strong public education system that Democrats have supported for decades in North Carolina, I was able to get an outstanding education through the public school system that allowed me to get into and succeed in college. My college and medical school education was made affordable through publicly funded scholarships and loan money. Emphasis by Democrats on public education for all our citizens has made a real difference in the quality of my life.  

The Republicans in our state legislature have made drastic cuts in every single level of public education. Huge cuts in funding for pre-school education for disadvantaged children, to K-12 education, to the community college system, and to our N.C. public universities. Republican Sen. Jim Davis falsely wrote that teaching jobs had been fully funded, when in fact as a result of budget cuts by the Republicans thousand of teaching jobs and teaching assistants jobs have been eliminated in North Carolina. These cuts may not affect you and me too much, but will play havoc in the lives of our children and grandchildren.

We Democrats stand for women’s rights, we stand for increased opportunities for poor and middle class citizens, we stand for a strong public education system that serves all of our citizens, we stand for affordable health care for everyone whether rich or poor, we stand to support Medicare and Social Security that has been so valuable in the lives of our citizens. Democrats’ vision of the future will give our children and grandchildren a better life in Macon County, in the state of North Carolina, and in these United States of America.  

Ed Morris

Chairman Macon County Democratic Party

To the Editor:

In 1993, I knew I wanted to be a registered nurse (RN) and my health occupations teacher, Mrs. Hess, encouraged me to go to C.J. Harris Hospital and become a junior volunteer. That is where my story begins. I volunteered until I left for college. Since the junior volunteer days, I have worked here, for the federal government and Vanderbilt Medical Center. Harris has always been my home. I have been honored to serve my community as a junior volunteer, nurse aid 1, nurse extern, nurse aid 2, LPN, RN, clinical coordinator, house supervisor, and currently as the director of the Intensive Care Unit and Medical-Surgical Unit.

I speak for my staff and myself when I say to you that you can trust me with your life. I care for every single patient with every ounce of my being. I truly believe that you do not become a nurse, you are called to be a nurse. There is no greater honor than to serve your church, family, extended family and neighbors in their time of need. My family receives its medical care at Harris. I prefer to have care delivered to my family by people that live in my community and understand who we are. I stand by the care that we deliver to every single patient at Harris. I plan to raise my family in this community, send my kids to school in this community, receive our healthcare here, and I plan to work at Harris until I retire in many years to come.

Thank you to every patient I have had the honor and privilege of caring for. Without you there would be a hole in my soul. It warms my soul to hold your hand, give you a hug and manage your electrolytes. Thank you, Jackson County.

Heather Sheppard, RN

Director, ICU and Medical-Surgical Unit

MedWest-Harris

To the Editor:

To us, this is more than just a hospital because it is part of our community, and it’s where our friends, relatives and neighbors work and so many people’s livelihoods depend on the hospital being here. We need to look out for each other and support each other and support our hospital so that it’s still here down the road when it’s inevitable that each of us will need it.

I’ve only been here for a few years, and already this is the hospital that I’ve chosen to have my baby in, and where my two nieces have been born, where my nephew has had surgery, and my baby niece was hospitalized. It is where I chose to bring my brother when he was critically ill and was hospitalized for over a week, and then came back for two different surgeries. That’s how much I believe in this place.

This isn’t just a hospital, but part of our community. When you come to us, you won’t be treated as just another faceless patient or another number. You will be treated with that extra special touch that only your own community hospital can give you.

None of us know what’s going to happen a year, two years, or five or more years from now. But I do know that if people don’t support the hospital now, what we’re afraid of happening will happen. But it doesn’t have to be like that, because there’s a great hospital right here in our community that wants to take care of its people and will provide the best care possible, just like a family provides for its own. We just need to stick together and support each other.

This hospital is an important part of the community and the local economy. If we don’t support it, it will hurt the entire community. It is unfortunate that we’re losing some great doctors, but at the same time physicians, nurses, and other staff are staying because we truly want to be here and because we believe in this place and how important it is to have a local hospital. The hard decision is the one to stay here and fight for this place to succeed.

Now, more than ever, we all need to support each other. We believe in our hospital and our community and it is our privilege to take care of you. Thanks for your support.

Casey Prenger, MD

Medical Director

WNC Hospitalist Service

MedWest-Harris

To the Editor:

The Physician Leadership Council, the governing body of the employed physicians of MedWest Health System, is saddened to see the recent media coverage surrounding MedWest-Harris. We understand the concerns that have been voiced by several doctors, as well as the community in recent months, but feel that this is the time to look into our future instead of dwelling on the issues of the past. In recent months the administration of MedWest has changed dramatically; so that we the physicians can better serve all of our communities. We work closely with all three of the hospitals that make up MedWest and are committed to giving the best medical care possible. Our council strives to create avenues of communication for the patients, for the providers and for the communities as a whole. We welcome input from our patients, so that we can serve each and every patient in the best possible way.

All of the members of the Physician Leadership Council have worked with the physicians who are leaving and hold them in high regard. Their expertise and caring will be missed. However, we must not forget that we still have an extremely skilled and dedicated medical staff of nearly 230 physicians who are choosing to stay in our communities and work in our hospitals to take care of our patients. And that number is growing! Ten new doctors in a variety of specialties are joining the medical staff this summer.

We realize that our system faces many challenges, as reflected in the healthcare industry as a whole. Yet as we look to the future, the Physician Leadership Council supports the administration of MedWest and the affiliation with Carolinas HealthCare System. With the relationships that we are nurturing between the MedWest campuses, we are working to build an even better healthcare system so that we can help you and your family when you need to call on us. We thank you for your past, present and future support.

Robin Matthews, MD

Chairpeson, Physician Leadership Council

Haywood Women’s Medical Center

Charles Toledo, MD

Vice Chair, Physician Leadership Council

WNC Pediatric and Adolescent Care

MedWest-Haywood will hold an open house from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2, at the newly constructed MedWest Urgent Care Center in Canton.

The community can get a preview of the new facility during the open house. MedWest Urgent Care Center-Canton is expanding services provided at MedWest-Haywood with an additional location for the MedWest Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine clinic.

Haywood Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine also will have space in the MedWest Urgent Care Center-Canton facility and will provide car seat checks and children’s activities such as face-painting, inflatables and balloon twisters at the open house.

Staff and physicians at the facility will begin seeing patients     May 3.

MedWest Urgent Care Center-Canton will provide walk-in examinations seven days a week to people with non-emergency illnesses or injuries. The new facility is replacing the Urgent Care Center on the MedWest-Haywood campus.

Once open, MedWest Urgent Care Center-Canton will be open from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every day.

828.648.0282.

Residents and business owners of Cullowhee and Jackson County are invited to attend a community meeting from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, at the Cullowhee Valley School library. This is a follow-up to the March 13 meeting when community members discussed Cullowhee’s future.

Participants will be asked to take part in developing project ideas to contribute to the revitalization and improvement of Cullowhee. The Jackson County Planning Department and the Cullowhee Revitalization Endeavor (CuRvE) will facilitated the meeting.

A $3.4-million contract to replace the T. Walter Middleton Bridge on N.C. 107 over the Tuckasegee River in Jackson County has been awarded to a Whittier company.

Owle Construction Co. will build a new bridge that will be widened from 20 feet to 50 feet with three lanes, shoulders and a sidewalk to reduce costs, improve safety and cut down congestion.

Work will begin as early as April 30, with final completion scheduled for no later than Jan. 11, 2015. An on-site detour will be in place during the project.

Last March, the state department of transportation decided to postpone the replacement of the bridge to allow for more time to consult with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians to study and document Native American archaeological findings uncovered at the project site.

Children’s choir, Voices in the Laurel, will perform in its 16th annual spring concert at 2:30 p.m., May 6, at Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Voices in the Laurel is a Haywood County-based non-profit choir for young people in grades 1-12 from Haywood, Buncombe, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.

Voices in the Laurel provides choristers the opportunity to participate in performance tours all over the world. Voices in the Laurel has performed with the Asheville Lyric Opera, opened for Dolly Parton in her Christmas show at Dollywood, with Ronnie Milsap at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Westminster Abbey in London, Chartres Cathedral in France and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Voices in the Laurel is planning for a summer 2012 performance tour in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain.

Tickets are $10 each.

www.greatmountainmusic.com/buy-tickets.asp or 828.524.1598.