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Classical guitarist Gregory Guay will perform at WCU’s Coulter Recital Hall at 8 p.m., March 9. Guay is a classically trained guitarist who learned and teaches in the Suzuki method. He is currently a master’s candidate at Appalachian State University and will perform works by Bach, Regondi and Dyens.
A certification in the building industry for Cherokee craft artists is open free-of-charge to artists, artisans and college-level students from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 9, 16 and 30, at Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts (OICA).
The program is presented by partners HandMade in America, Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR), Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual and OICA.
Participants must attend all three sessions to receive a certificate.
Jeff Marley at 828.497.3945 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts, Southwestern Community College’s fine arts program, this spring welcomes Brian Kane as the new program instructor.
Kane completed his BFA in spatial arts at Youngstown University in Youngstown, Ohio. He went on to get his MFA in sculpture at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Kane has taught at USC and most recently at the College of Charleston.
Kane also brings business experience in the arts. He has worked with the South Carolina Arts Commission, the Gibbes Museum of Art and the Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art at the College of Charleston.
828.497.3945 or visit southwesterncc.edu/finearts/.
To celebrate the 86th anniversary of Cowee’s Rickman Store, the Friends of the Rickman Store are inviting neighbors and visitors to share an evening of poetry and music at the store at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 4. Cowee poet Brent Martin will be leading the night sharing poems from his latest book A Shout in the Woods. Storyteller Gary Carden will join Martin, and Angela Faye Martin will play some of her songs and other artists will join.
Elena Carlson at 828.369.5595.
Multimedia artist Mark Menendez of Andrews will do a demonstration of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting techniques for Art League of the Smokies at 6:15 p.m. on Monday, March 7, at Swain County Center for the Arts in Bryson City.
He’ll show the process from initial sketch to under-paintings to the finished painting of his copy of da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.”
Jenny Johnson at 828.488.7843 or visit www.swain.k12.nc.us.cfta.
The Main Street Artists Co-op on Main Street in Waynesville is scheduled to open for its third season May 1, and is accepting applications from artists wishing to be considered for membership.
The Co- Op is a group of local area artists, specializing in painting, photography, and three-dimensional art that presents original fine art to the community, for sale by the artists themselves.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Kathrine Cays, Artist in Residence at the Rickman Store in Macon County’s Cowee Valey, will offer an art class for children and parents from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 5.
The focus will be on birds of this region and about the Great Backyard Bird Count that the Audubon Society is organizing nationwide. There is a fee of $10 per student, with a maximum cost of $20 per family, parents participate for free, and there will be a discount for groups of five children or more.
Contact Cays at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 919.413.8303.
The feature film, “The Living Matrix — The New Science of Healing,” will be shown at Waynesville’s Creative Thought Center at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 4.
Discussion will follow the film, which features scientists, psychologists, doctors, bio-energetic researchers and holistic practitioners sharing their knowledge, experiences and insights into wellness.
828.246.2794 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Sharon Woodrow has been appointed the new director of the Haywood County Public Library, after serving as interim director since December 2010 and as assistant director since 2007.
Woodrow is a Haywood County native and went to work for the library in 2001 after two years in the Haywood County Finance Office. Prior to joining the County, she opened the first medical uniform shop in Waynesville.
The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre will hold auditions for its May production of the off-Broadway musical “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 6 and 7, in the Feitcher Studio of Waynesville’s HART Theater. The production is being directed by Mark Jones and opens on April 29.
The age of the actors is flexible, and anyone interested in being in the show should come prepared to sing. An accompanist will be provided.
Actors will be given scenes to read from the script. Those looking to work backstage are encouraged to come by during auditions to sign up.
“Church Basement Ladies,” a touching musical comedy, will grace the stage of the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 11.
Set in a rural Minnesota church in turbulent 1965, the show goes behind the scenes to celebrate the church basement kitchen and the women who work there cooking meals for church functions.
It is based on the novel Growing Up Lutheran by Janet Letnes Martin and Suzann Nelson.
By DeeAnna Haney • SMN Intern
Donning their best flannel and cowboy boots and armed with harmonies and dance moves, Tuscola High School’s Summit is ready to serve up another toe-tapping, knee-slapping Country/Western Show.
Aptly titled, “Country Through and Through,” the 39th annual production will be slightly different from years past. The performers are ditching the typical emcee style introductions and turning the auditorium into a Grand Ole Opry theme with a contemporary twist.
Before each number, a Summit member will explain the song’s history and what happened the year of its original release. Although the show features current country hits as well as classics, all the students agreed they enjoyed learning the older songs that they might not have been exposed to otherwise.
Some choir members, like senior Makayla White, even discovered connections with family members through many of the songs.
“Some of the songs we’re singing my mom said she used to sing in elementary school, like the songs in our medleys, ‘Old Joe Clark’ and ‘Cripple Creek’ and ‘Happy Trails,’” White said.
Included in the medley of songs, Summit will perform tunes such as “The Old Chisolm Trail,” “Mule Train,” “Riders in the Sky” and “Buffalo Gals.”
Aside from the group numbers, each choir member has chosen their own solos to perform, a process that allows the students to individually showcase their talents and tell a story through song.
Watching the students choose their solos and add their own personal touch to the show is one of Tuscola Choral Director Fritzie Wise’s favorite aspects of the concert, she said.
Just as varied as the group songs, the solo performances range from upbeat to ballads, some songs from as early as the 1930s.
White plans to sing a LeAnn Rimes cover version of John Anderson’s “Swingin,” an energetic, youthful song about swinging on a front porch with a new love.
Senior Heather Hoyle, who joined Summit this year, will perform an original song dedicated to a very close family member who has watched her grow up and helped her through difficult times in her life.
The senior members chose Lady Antebellum’s “Stars Tonight” as their senior song. For the older choir members, this marks the most meaningful song in the show.
“We really want to go out with a bang,” White said excitedly. “This is our last year to leave our mark, so we want to do it right.”
But the students know the perfect show doesn’t come without sacrifice. During the weeks leading up to opening night, Summit can be found rehearsing dance steps and voice parts from as early as 7 a.m. to as late as 11 p.m. on weekends.
“I don’t think a lot of people know exactly what goes into what we do,” said senior Samantha Gibson. “People look at us and say ‘Oh, they do country/western, they dress up redneck for a week and sing country songs,’ but they don’t realize the effort that we have to put into it.”
From the long hours and hard work always comes a successful sell-out show, with sometimes more than 600 audience members in one night.
For Wise, the main goal of the country/western show is to provide Haywood County with an escape from day-to-day problems and showcase young people in a positive role.
“Country Through and Through” runs from Thursday, March 10 through Sunday, March 13. Tickets are $8. If interested in purchasing tickets, contact the Tuscola Choral Department at 828.456.2408.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership has awarded a new round of grants to preserve and promote Western North Carolina’s heritage.
There were 20 grants totaling nearly $245,000.
The grants will focus on craft, music, natural heritage, Cherokee traditions and the region’s legacy in agriculture. These five facets of the region’s heritage earned the 25 western counties Congressional designation as the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in 2003.
The grants this year include:
• $1,500 to the Bethel Rural Community Foundation to support the nomination of the Francis Mill in Waynesville to the National Register of Historic Places.
• $3,500 to the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design for an interpretive brochure highlighting the Jackson County Energy Park and EnergyXchange in Yancey County, both of which use methane released from old landfills to fuel pottery, glassblowing and blacksmith studios and greenhouses.
• $12,500 to the Great Smoky Mountains Association for the production of videos highlighting points of interest within the North Carolina portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• $15,000 to Junior Appalachian Musicians, Inc., which teaches kids to play traditional mountain instruments and music.
• $24,998 to the Western Carolina University Hunter Library for the research and documentation of mountain potteries and Cherokee pottery.
• $22,000 to the Stecoah Valley Arts, Crafts & Educational Center in Graham County for classes and workshops on craft, music dance, and culinary arts.
• $3,525 to the Clay County Communities Revitalization Association, to support curriculum materials and events associated with the Nelson Heritage Park Cherokee exhibit in Hayesville.
• $17,850 to the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project for an initiative to link new farmers to available farmland and to stimulate farm and food tourism.
• $5,000 to the Asheville Art Museum for an exhibition of Appalachian, Cherokee and low-country baskets.
Since its inception in 2003, the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership has awarded 90 grants totaling nearly $1.5 million and leveraged another $2.7 million in matching contributions from local governments and the private sector. These grants have funded projects in all 25 counties of Western North Carolina.
The WNC Agricultural Options program recently awarded $326,000 in grants to help farmers diversify and for joint marketing and distribution efforts.
“These farmers have a wide variety of innovative ideas and we expect successful outcomes from which other farmers can learn,” said Bill Teague, acting chairman of the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, which funds WNC Ag Options.
Individual grants included: Traditional Cherokee Delicacies in Cherokee, truffles in Jackson County, poultry processing in Haywood, beekeeping in Macon County, production of heritage variety of peppers in Macon County, refrigeration transport in Haywood, raspberry propagation in Haywood, heritage bird production in Jackson, and more.
WNC AgOptions has given 300 individual grants to farmers since 2004 to protect mountain farmland by assisting the longevity of farm enterprises.
This year grants have been extended to collective groups of farmers to solve logistical challenges in the local agricultural system, which have been identified as the main barrier in boosting farm income. This year, that included marketing grants for the Jackson County Christmas Tree Association and Mountain Cattle Alliance in the far western counties.
For a full list of 2011 recipients go to www.wncagoptions.org.
Interested in being part of a native pond society? Carol and Bob Grytten of Haywood County are gauging interest in Western North Carolina.
“Our purpose is to help others who wish to learn more about having and maintaining ponds, water gardens, bog gardens, rain gardens and other related things,” Bob Grytten said, who has been involved with water gardens, landscape ponds and native flora for more than three decades.
Grytten said the cost of membership probably would run about $30 a year, with the first 100 people receiving a 50-percent discount.
Grytten hopes to include a couple complimentary native aquatic plants as part of the membership plus additional plants at wholesale prices.
“Activities will probably include area pond tours, workshops on water feature designs and construction, general who’s doing what and how, get togethers, native plant and seed swaps, and other things to help each other,” Grytten said.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Franklin Bird Club will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, at the Macon County Public Library. Artist, illustrator and bird expert John Sill will present a video and talk about warblers. This will also be an organizing meeting to plan activities for the rest of the year. Anyone with an interest in birds is invited to attend.
Haywood County wants to create the county’s first-ever comprehensive bicycle plan.
The county is now accepting proposals from consultants interested in steering the process.
The selected firm will be responsible for:
• The collection of relevant background data and other information.
• Coordinating public input.
• The creation of a realistic — and doable — bicycle plan that can be shared in both print and electronic formats with government agencies, interested groups, businesses, individuals and others.
Expertise in developing bicycle plans for both urban and rural environments, including mountainous terrain, is required.
Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Friday, March 4. Go to BicycleHaywoodNC.org.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 828.648.2710, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 828.452.6789.
The fourth annual Pisgah Fly Masters fly-fishing tournament, sponsored by the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education and Davidson River Outfitters, is scheduled for March 19 and 20 in Transylvania County.
A casting competition on March 19 will test anglers skills in accuracy and distance. Winners will go on to the catch-and-release trout fishing finals, to be held March 20 on the Davidson River.
Anglers compete in one of three categories: fisherman, professional and youth under 16.
All money raised will go toward programming at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, a N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission site with exhibits and programs on mountain ecology located on U.S. 276 between Waynesville and Brevard.
Entry fees are $30 for youth (ages 10 to 15); $50 for anglers 16 and older; and $50 for the professional level. Entrants registered by March 3 will receive a 2011 tournament T-shirt. For rules, a prize list and entry forms, go to www.ncwildlife.org/pisgahflymasters. 828.877.4423.
Highlands Biological Station in April has received a partnership award in science, mathematics and technology education from the N.C. Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Center, based in Research Triangle Park.
Founded in 1927, the Highlands Biological Station is a year-round biological field station and inter-institutional facility of the University of North Carolina system. The station has worked closely with Western Carolina University since becoming a part of the UNC system in 1976, and is directed by Jim Costa, WCU professor of biology.
Last year, the station offered 11 academic summer courses and workshops and hosted more than 360 students, faculty and researchers-in-residence. In addition, the associated Highlands Nature Center served more than 18,000 people in science-based outreach programming.
The award will be presented and a video shown April 16 at the Cary center’s annual celebration. Nightlight Productions of Chapel Hill produced the video about Highlands Biological Station’s efforts to support science education.
A restoration project to improve fish passage on streams feeding into the Little Tennessee watershed finished last month on Bradley Creek in Macon County.
Like with most creeks, Bradley Creek had been squeezed into culverts so roads could pass over it. But two of the culverts were too small and were damaged, causing flooding and were at risk of failing. The culverts were taken out and free-spanning bridges put in their place. Stream-bank restoration also was done.
The project was paid for with a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and employed local contractors. This is the second restoration by the Little Tennessee Watershed Association using the grant fund. The first project was finished in December 2009 on Watauga Creek in Macon County.
Old, collapsing culverts hinder migration of fish and other aquatic species.
The lower reaches of Bradley Creek is near a bed of endangered Appalachian elktoe mussels in the Little Tennessee River. Sediment was being dumped in the river via the creek.
If you are looking for a trail race — with the emphasis on “race” — the Assault on Black Rock Trail Race might not be for you.
But, if you are willing to walk, crawl or yes, run, your way to the top of a very tall mountain for fun and in the name of a really good cause — supporting Jackson County’s Community Table soup kitchen — this is the event for you, so mark March 19 as a day to spend in the woods.
The Assault on Black Rock is the brainchild of Brian Barwatt, a climber who loves to hike up Pinnacle Park, a 1,100-acre tract of land owned by the town of Sylva and previously used as a watershed. The pinnacle is 5,008 feet in elevation, and Barwatt said the estimated 8.3-mile race (he believes the distance might actually be just over 7 miles in reality, signs to the contrary) gains 2,700 feet on the way to the top.
“It is a really hard trail run,” Barwatt said. “It would take a topnotch trail runner to actually run it all.”
But, don’t despair: Barwatt has asked Jackson County Emergency Medical Service personnel to stay for up to eight hours that day — plenty of time for even the slowest of the slow to get to the top and back down again. Even sliding down on your rear end if you must.
Barwatt said he wants to support the Community Table, which feeds the hungry in Jackson County, and introduce people to the beauties of Pinnacle Park. Prizes will be awarded to top finishers. Pre-registration is $25 (www.active.com, there is a $3.25 fee); race-day registration is $30. The race is at 9 a.m. March 19, starting at Fisher Creek parking lot in Sylva.
828.506.2802 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Visit www.communitytable.org for registration forms.
— By Quintin Ellison
As part of the celebration of Read Across America, Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville is hosting two events that emphasize the importance of reading to young children.
Parents of preschoolers are welcome to come to a free workshop from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on March 1, that will address strategies for engaging kids in reading.
Kids from preschool to elementary are invite to a birthday party for Dr. Seuss at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 5.
Dr. Seuss on the Loose will include games, crafts, fun learning activities, Dr. Seuss books and or course, birthday cake.
828.456.6000
The WNC Historical Association and the Thomas Wolfe Memorial will host Western North Carolina author Wayne Caldwell from 2-4 p.m. on March 6.
The winner of the 2010 Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award, Wayne Caldwell, will appear in tandem with Stephen Woody, whose grandfather served as a model for Silas Wright, a main character in Caldwell’s recent novel, Requiem by Fire.
Caldwell’s novels are set in Cataloochee Valley, a community in the Smoky Mountains that residents were forced to abandon after the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
For further information contact the WNC Historical Association, at 828.253.9231 or The Thomas Wolfe Memorial at 828.253.8304.
Gary Carden has announced the first meeting of a book discussion group which will begin with a meeting at 5 p.m. on Feb. 24 at the Sylva Senior Citizen Center in Room 129.
The first meeting will be devoted to establishing the time and date of future meetings and the selection of books to be discussed.
“Now is your chance,” said Carden. “If you have been wanting to talk about the historic background of Ron Rash’s Serena, or the similarities between To Kill a Mockingbird and Tom Franklin’s new novel, Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter, now is your chance.” A portion of the first meeting will be devoted to possible selections, including (but not limited to) Daniel Woodrell’s Winter’s Bone, William Gay’s short story collection, I Hate to See That Evening Soon Go Down, Harriette Arnow’s The Dollmaker and Margaret Miller’s Lamb in His Bosom.”
Carden emphasized that the group’s purpose is to discuss books in a casual, non-threatening atmosphere. Refreshments are encouraged and there will be free coffee.
For additional information, contact Gary Carden at 109-D Mountain Oaks Lane, Sylva, N.C., 28779 or mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To the Editor:
I thought the new Republican majority in the North Carolina legislature was elected because voters felt they could do more to generate jobs and improve the economy in North Carolina than the Democrats. Yet some of the first legislation from this body does nothing to generate jobs or improve the economy. Instead, this legislation would waste North Carolina taxpayer dollars on purely partisan issues.
The bill requiring voter picture identification at the polls, co-sponsored by Sen. Ralph Hise (Avery, Haywood, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, and Yancy counties), is estimated to cost North Carolina taxpayers $20 million.
My research tells me that improper voting in North Carolina is hardly a problem. Less than 5 votes in 1 million in North Carolina involve fraud that a photo ID would stop. You are more likely to be struck by lightning in North Carolina than have somebody steal your vote. This bill would discriminate against those who do not own cars — students, the elderly, people with disabilities, and low-income people, folks who tend to vote for the Democrats.
One of the other pieces of legislation is the bill to force Attorney General Roy Cooper to join legal action to block the federal law which requires residents to carry health insurance. Why should North Carolina waste taxpayer money on this effort when other states have already filed suit? This federal issue is already working its way through the court system, without the need to waste North Carolina taxpayer money.
The news is full of stories about draconian cuts to necessities — education, medical care, safety nets for low income folks, incentives to create jobs. Why waste taxpayer money on partisan politics when we need jobs?
Carole Larivee
Waynesville
To the Editor:
As soon as the federal budget was delivered to Congress, members like Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders trotted out the age-old whine that conservatives want to harm women and children. The fact is that without deep spending cuts all of us, but especially our children and grandchildren, will be saddled for years to come with high taxes and a lowered quality of life to pay for the our generation’s government debt. The federal government and many states are bankrupt thanks to irresponsible spending by Congress and legislatures.
Now all sides are weighing in with ideas to rein in the debt and future spending. In almost every case citizens will be asked to sacrifice with higher taxes and a myriad of taxes on numerous products and services. How about beginning with the sacrifice of those who brought us to this point – our elected officials. Let’s cut deeply into their perks, staffs and expenses, including the cadillac healthcare and pension programs enjoyed by members of Congress and the executive branch of the federal government.
Other suggestions on where to cherry pick for cuts – defense, entitlements, agencies and government supported organizations. But, the response is “ oh no, not me” as in the case of Wisconsin teachers who demonstrated in mass at their state capital.
Instead of singling out any one area, let’s cut 20 percent across the board. That would be cuts to all in the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government as well as every agency and department and special interest groups.
Private businesses create an annual budget every year and if the budget is lower than the previous year, department heads are told “here is your operating fund; you make the cuts needed to meet the current budget.” That makes sense to me. Do we need czars who are a duplication of bureaucrats already in place reporting only to the White House and paid thousands of dollars a year? Why do we continue to have troops and bases in countries like Germany?
Regardless of what side of the aisle you are on, all taxpayers should be demanding that elected officials get our fiscal houses in order immediately before these government bankruptcies truly collapse not only our way of life but also the ability to maintain our position in the world.
Carol Adams
Glenville
The National Alliance on Mental Illness Family-to-Family Education Program offers new spring classes for caregivers of individuals living with mental illness. Family-to-Family is a free, 12-week course led by John and Suzanne Gernandt, who are experienced in caring for a loved one with serious mental illness.
Participants receive current information on serious mental illness, learn about proven treatments, develop problem-solving skills and communication techniques and explore local community supports.
The class is scheduled to begin March 15 and will run for 12 weeks.
828.452.0058 or 828.400.1040.
A pancake breakfast will be held from 7:30 to 10 a.m. on Friday, March 4, at the First United Methodist Church in downtown Sylva, hosted by The Rotary Club of Sylva.
On offer will be hot and cold beverages, all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, and all the fixings, and proceeds go to the Stop Hunger Now project for world hunger relief.
Tickets are not needed and a $5 suggested donation is payable at the door.
Jackson County has decided to postpone its revaluation of property values from next year until 2015. A resolution to that effect is being prepared for adoption during the March meeting.
Tax Assessor Bobby McMahan this week recommended the delay, citing the extreme downturn of the real-estate market and the difficulty of accurately determining market value.
“Typical qualified sales used to establish a legitimate valuation are very scarce, and in some areas of the county nonexistent,” he told commissioners.
McMahan said more than 20 North Carolina counties have elected to postpone revaluation, including neighboring Macon County.
“With this postponement would come the hope of a revived real estate market and an overall improvement in the economy,” the tax assessor said. “Most importantly, a delay will provide the tax administration staff ample time to improve the current tax data by allowing time for field reviews to be performed on each existing parcel of property.”
The purpose of a revaluation is to determine fair market value for tax reasons.
Reach of Haywood needs volunteers for the nonprofit’s helpline.
Helpline volunteers can assist from home — or away from home — if they have a cell phone.
Other opportunities for volunteering are available, including helping at the REACH office on court days, and in the Safe Dates teen-education program. Volunteer training will be held Feb. 19 from 9:30 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. in Waynesville.
Lunch and snacks will be provided by REACH. 828.456.7898 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Free flu vaccines are available at the Haywood County Health Department while supplies last.
The flu vaccine is recommended for anyone over six months old and it is especially important for people at high risk of complications, including pregnant women, people with chronic diseases, very young children and the elderly.
The Health Department has approximately 2,000 doses of the vaccine.
Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins will be accepted from 9 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
828.452.6675 or 828.356.1111.
Four seats on the MedWest-Haywood hospital governing board will open up in April, with a deadline to apply of Feb. 28.
Applications can be accessed on the county’s web page at www.haywoodnc.net or at the county administrative building. Completed applications can be e-mailed to Rebecca Morgan, administrative assistant to the Haywood County Board of Commissioners, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or faxed to 452-6715.
The seats are currently held by Pam Kearney, Roy Patton, Suzanne Supola and Cliff Stovall.
The MedWest-Haywood board’s nominating committee will review the applications and make recommendations to the Haywood County Board of Commissioners for appointment.
Board appointments are for three-year terms.
Delays are expected on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park beginning March 1, due to road rehabilitation.
In addition to repaving the road, thousands of feet of stone masonry retaining walls and several drainage culverts will be repaired, and one lane will be partially closed.
From June 11 until August 15, there will only be overnight lane closures, running from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m.
The project is scheduled for completion in October 2012 and is the first of three phases to repair all 15 miles of the road from Newfound Gap to the Park boundary at Gatlinburg, Tenn.
The full project will be finished in 2016.
A new community band called Mountain Winds is forming in Jackson County, led by Bob Buckner, outgoing director of athletic bands at Western Carolina University and Jon Henson, assistant director of the school’s Pride of the Mountains Marching Band.
Musicians who played in high school or college bands are invited to join.
Henson said he decided to organize the band in response to interest from community members who share a love of music, want to develop their musical skills, and enjoy the camaraderie and experience of performing as a group.
828.227.2711 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Jackson County’s Children of Zion Singers will be perform a free concert at 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 27, at First Baptist Church of Clyde. The show is part of the Sunday’s On Main concert series. The Children of Zion have been singing together since 2004 and their musical selections vary from Southern Gospel to contemporary to Appalachian ballads
828.627.2201.
The Share the Warmth benefit concert featuring Balsam Range and Hominy Valley Boys is coming to Haywood Community College from 2 to 5 p.m. on Feb. 27.
The event is sponsored by HCC and Champion Credit Union and all donations collected will go to Mountain Projects to help area residents with heating costs. Donations are tax deductible and checks should be made payable to Mountain Projects.
Admission is a minimum donation of $10. Seating is limited with tickets available at Champion Credit Union and the HCC Foundation.
Brenda Fannon at 828.627.4522.
Legendary country star Kenny Rogers will make his way to The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing arts at 7:30 p.m. on March 5, for performances of some of his greatest hits.
Rogers will entertain audiences with favorites from his vast catalogue of songs ranging from his heyday in the 70s to his recent resurgence in popularity on the country charts. The singer left the performance circuit to start his own label, but returned with the hits The Greatest and Buy Me A Rose.
The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre continues its Studio Theater season with The Oxymorons, an improvisational comedy troupe made up of many HART veterans.
The group has been in existence for a number of years and has become quite well known in Asheville. This will be their first appearance at HART. Original members Graham and Forest Livengood are joined by Strother Stingley, Sarah Felmet and a few new faces. For those not familiar with improvisational comedy, the group takes titles, words and ideas from the audience then builds a comic sketch on the spot. It requires actors with quick minds and a great sense of humor. Every performance is different.
“The Oxymorons” will perform Fridays and Saturdays March 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday March 6 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $8 for all adults and $5 for students, general admission. To make reservations call the HART Box Office at 828.456.6322. All performances are in the Feichter Studio Theatre, 250 Pigeon Street, Waynesville.
Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss is coming to the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin at 7:30 p.m. on March 1 and 3, in a production by The Overlook Theater Company the Macon County Public Library.
Celebrate all things Dr. Seuss as Horton the Elephant, the Cat In the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, the Sour Kangaroo, and more sing and dance their way off the pages of some of his best-loved stories.
828.524.3600
The anime club returns to Marianna Black Library 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26.
Bryson City has an anime group of its own, and for fans, this is a chance to watch anime on a big screen with a theater-style sound system. Admission is free and so are the snacks.
The anime club meets at the library on the second and fourth Saturday of each month.
A free children’s art class is being offered on March 5 at the Uptown Gallery in Franklin.
Students must be at least 8 years old and preregistration is required.
828.369.0356.
A motorcycle ride aimed at raising funds for the heating bills of the elderly is coming to Waynesville at 12 p.m. on Feb. 26 in the ICMC Clubhouse.
Attire is boxer shorts (over briefs) vest, gloves and boots. Women can wear a bathing suit top or t-shirt.
The entry fee is $20 single or $30 for two or more. The route will be around Waynesville and participants can change into their riding attire at the club house. Refreshments will be available before and after the ride.
The Overlook Theatre Company will host a Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Party on at 6 p.m. on March 2 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. The event is sponsored by Party Zone and will include games, stories, visits by favorite Dr. Seuss characters and a special birthday cake.
Adults and children can learn the joys of handweaving from classes offered by Susan Morgan Leveille, professional weaver and teacher for more than 35 years. Day and evening classes for students of all levels are being held at her Dillsboro studio.
828.586.6542
The Wildlife Club at Haywood Community College will hold a fundraiser at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25.
The dinner/potluck will be at the Haywood County Fairgrounds off N.C. 209. A $10 donation is requested; $5 if you bring a potluck dish. There will be live music, a drawing, a silent and live auction and a grand prize of a lifetime N.C. hunting/fishing license.
828.627.4560
Two soil erosion-control trainings are available to contractors in Western North Carolina in early March. One is classroom-based and free, the other is in the field and has an admission fee.
A Mountain Soil Erosion Control training will be held from 8:05 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 2, at the Almond Campus of Southwestern Community Center in Swain County. Richard McLaughlin, a lead soil scientist with N.C. State University and director of sediment and erosion control research, will be the presenter. He will cover erosion control, sediment control and turbidity control. Admission is free but registration is required.
The second training led by McLaughlin will be on installation of construction site erosion and sediment-control devices, and will be held twice: Thursday, March 3, and Friday, April 15, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Highlands Crops Research and Extension Center in Mills River. The cost is $30.
Both training sessions fulfill Swain County requirement for annual erosion-control training. Register at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.488.8418.
Order forms for edible bushes and other plants are now available from the Haywood County Master Gardener Association.
Plants available include: red, black and golden raspberries, blackberries, asparagus, blueberries, strawberries and various shrubs.
Money raised by the plant sale goes to the Haywood County Master Gardener Association grant program, which funds horticultural projects and scholarships for horticultural students from Haywood County.
Orders due by March 16. Order forms are available at the N.C. Cooperative Extension on Raccoon Road in Waynesville or call 828.456.3575 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or go to www.masteryourgarden.blogspot.com, or ask any member of the Master Gardener Association.
Plants will be available for pick up on April 9 at the cooperative extension.
Volunteers are needed to help transplant rivercane from near Western Carolina University to a site near Cherokee as part of a rivercane restoration project.
Rivercane is a mainstay of Cherokee culture, and traditionally has been used in making baskets, blowguns and mats. It once was plentiful along stream banks and floodplains in Western North Carolina, but the species has been heavily impacted by development. WCU and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians are working together to restore the native bamboo. Not much rivercane still grows in Cherokee, so WCU students and faculty members started working with Cherokee tribal members last fall to move plants from Cullowhee Valley to the site near the Cherokee school.
“Over the course of four days in October, volunteers dug up rivercane behind the baseball stadium on campus, wrapped the roots in plastic, loaded them onto a truck and replanted them in Cherokee,” said Adam Griffith, a staff member in WCU’s Program for the study of developed shorelines. “The dense network of tough underground stems and roots made the digging difficult, but the result was the planting of more than 50 feet of underground stems and 30 above-ground stems.”
A much larger rivercane transplantation effort is planned for March and April to a site at the new Cherokee Central School.
“The long-term goal of the project is to establish a patch of rivercane on Cherokee tribal land that can be used for educational purposes and even harvesting by Cherokee artisans,” Griffith said.
The transplanting work is scheduled for March 11 and 19, and April 1, 2, 8 and 9.
Visit rivercane.wcu.edu or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Area landowners who have rivercane on their properties they’d like to donate are asked to contact Griffith.
There’s a new handicapped-accessible fishing pier in Western North Carolina, located at the Charles D. Owen Park in Buncombe County.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recently partnered with the Buncombe County Parks, Greenyard and Recreation Department to construct the pier. This is a six-section, floating fishing pier on the larger of the two lakes in the 29-acre park. The pier is 59-feet long with a 48-foot wide T-section at the end. It has low, angled handrail sections allowing easy access for children and anglers confined to wheelchairs.
A handicapped-accessible approach sidewalk and associated parking will be added, too, ensuring the park’s pier fully complies with Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.
There are plans to install a solar-powered fish feeder within casting distance of the new pier.
“Trout fishing in the Swannanoa River requires skills that not everyone has – particularly children,” said Jay Nelson, athletic coordinator for Buncombe County Parks, Greenways and Recreation Department. “This new universally accessible fishing pier and fish feeder will be an ideal place to take the family fishing.”
Nantahala Outdoor Center is donating nearly $5,000 worth of paddling equipment for the recovery of injured military veterans.
The donation will benefit the Johnson City, Tenn., chapter of Team River Runner, a nonprofit organization established to help military personnel wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. NOC is donating an Ultimate Propel Kayak (pedal powered boat), an Ultimate Volt Kayak (battery powered boat), personal flotation devices and other miscellaneous paddling items.
Established in 2004 by kayakers in Washington, D.C., Team River provides military personnel an opportunity to heal from profound psychological and physical wounds by exploring the challenges of kayaking.
The Johnson City chapter has led 40 military veterans through its paddling program, teaching them kayaking skills as an avenue to aid in their physical and emotional recovery after being wounded.
