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The 2014-15 First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Concert and Jam Series will get underway with a performance by the Boys from Tuckasegee at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University
The group includes members of an earlier music group that was popular around Jackson County, the Sweet Tater Band. The band has been strongly influenced by two performers, the late folk music legend Mary Jane Queen of Jackson County’s Caney Fork community and bluegrass banjo master Raymond Fairchild of Maggie Valley.
The First Thursday concerts and jam sessions will continue at the Mountain Heritage Center through next spring, with programs from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month. Featured performers at the December program will be the Deitz Family. Pickers and singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part in the jam sessions that follow the show, which also are open to those who just want to listen.
This year’s First Thursday programs align with WCU’s interdisciplinary learning theme for the academic year, “North Carolina: Our State, Our Time.” Programs and initiatives across campus are exploring the state’s history, culture and impact.
Free.
828.227.7129.
To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, there will be two special events Nov. 8-9 at The Museum of the Cherokee Indian.
The musical production of “42nd Street” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13-15 and at 3 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University.
On Oct. 30, Sen. Jim Davis and challenger Jane Hipps squared off in a debate at Southwestern Community College. It was the Senate 50 candidates’ third and final debate prior to the Nov. election.
The first winter weather closures of the season will be in effect on the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend.
A small section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, between Milepost 420 (near Black Balsam Road) and Milepost 423 (at Hwy. 215), will be closed from Nov. 3 through May 2015.
The 8th annual Highlands Culinary Weekend will be Nov. 6-9 at participating restaurants and businesses.
The four-day destination event, created by the Highlands Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center, is one of the highlights of the fall season, which combines Highlands’ majestic mountain location with boundless activities, appealing accommodations, unique retail shops and extraordinary cuisine.
The weekend kicks off with the Opening Night Celebration at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Highlands Country Clubhouse. The evening includes live music, a variety of wine tasting tables and the delectable cuisine of Highlands’ local chefs. Throughout the weekend, there will also be an array of activities, cooking demonstrations, tastings and dinners hosted by area restaurants, merchants and accommodations. Experience the wares of Highlands’ fine shops by attending the annual Sip & Stroll held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 7-8 in downtown. It’s impressive to see the creativity that goes into Highlands Culinary Weekend.
For ticket sales, a complete schedule of events and list of participating businesses, click on www.highlandsculinaryweekend.com.
Acclaimed rock act Daughtry will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, at Harrah’s Cherokee.
Bethel
• The Cold Mountain Corn Maze. Open 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. $8 for ages 4 and older, ages 3 and younger free.
Renowned storyteller Donald Davis will be performing “Our Stories Take Us Home” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
The Live in HD Series will continue with “Carmen and The Legend of Love” at the ML Performing Arts Center in Highlands.
The North Carolina Literary and Historical Association will present Broadway star Terrence Mann, Western Carolina University’s Phillips Distinguished Professor of Musical Theatre, with the Hardee-Rives Award for the Dramatic Arts on Friday, Nov. 7. The annual award honors notable contributions to the dramatic arts in North Carolina and will be bestowed during an association meeting in New Bern.
The Beautiful Offerings Tour featuring Big Daddy Weave, with special guests Chris August, Dara Maclean and Group 1 Crew will perform an evening of contemporary Christian music at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.
To the Editor:
Recently I have heard folks say things like, “My daddy” or “Momma” would “roll over in their grave if I don’t vote for all the Republicans like we always have, but I’m sure not happy with some of them this year.”
To those folks, I say, give yourself permission to vote for a Democrat or two if you agree more with their record, or their stance on the issues, or their personal character.”
It would not mean you are no longer Republican, or no longer conservative; it just means for this election, for specific offices, you are supporting an individual ... a neighbor ... whom you believe will best serve the needs of our county, our schools, our region or our state.
Sherry Miller
Otto
To the Editor:
Don’t we all desire what’s best for our kids? The best schools. The best teachers. The best extracurricular options. The best friends. But how often do we consider an even broader picture — like the best school board? Or the best school board members?
Wende Goode is running for the Haywood County School Board. Why? It is a lot of hard work and very little tangible reward, perhaps. It’s because she loves kids!
A wife and mother of two, Wende loves people. She serves people. She helps people. And the world is a better place because of this.
Each year, Wende spearheads a local church’s outreach event to children at Central Elementary. And she’s done so for years. The Vine of the Mountains hosts each August, just prior to school beginning, the “Vineival” — a carnival-style event where children receive so much more than just prizes and sweet treats. They receive backpacks filled with school supplies. And they receive love.
Wende, as the mother of two sons, has spent many hours volunteering in schools. She knows many students. Many teachers. And the system. And she knows all of these well.
That’s why I believe wholeheartedly that she would make a wonderful addition to our Haywood County school board.
I want the best for my kids. Don’t you?
Vote for the best. Vote for Wende Goode on Nov. 4.
Maureen Miller
Haywood County
To the Editor:
I would like to applaud The Smoky Mountain News for the articles on the Haywood County Commission candidates. It was fair and impartial and all six candidates had a chance to qualify their answers. Naturally, those who are in the trenches have more insight into certain issues, but we must remember as Kirk said that the first time or beginning as a commissioner is new to all.
While serving on the school board is government experience, it is not the same as being a commissioner where the day never ends. Calls can come at any time and involve any issue. The question is not that one is better than another, as I am impressed with the quality of the incumbents but I feel that perhaps governmental service should not be a career. However, the voters in their wisdom can retire any one they want.
One item not mentioned in this campaign as far as I noticed is any refinancing of bond issues to benefit from the much lower interest rates. I’m sure that this was done and that’s the reason for its absence from the discussion.
I have observed that this campaign has been very clean and sign disappearance has been little. That speaks well for all.
Some opine that elections are too costly, but they don’t suggest alternatives. We have many offices that could and should be nonpartisan, and why we continue with the archaic is unexplainable.
We should applaud the candidates for the county commission for offering their services that consume so much of their time. A clean election should be the 11th commandment as we’ve all seen the other. Thanks Smoky Mountain News for these articles.
KG Watson
Maggie Valley
To the Editor:
In the campaign financial reports from 2012, Rep. Michelle Presnell, R-Yancey, spent $107,039 with $3,611 from individuals and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, spent $920,258 with $62,666 from individuals. (Contrast Joe Sam Queen spending $128,871 with $88,632 from individuals.) Given who paid for our politicians’ campaigns, it is not surprising that in the last two years of legislation big business got everything they wanted.
So it is important to ask: What kind of people are these masters of our elected representatives? They dumped more pollutants into the nation’s waterways than General Electric and International Paper combined. They generated 24 million metric tons of greenhouse gases a year. They developed chemicals and helped craft the legislation that protects the fracking cocktails, which are exempt from the Safe Drinking Water Act. They promote the burning of a denser, dirtier and cheaper coal. They used thousands of miles of unsafe pipelines causing millions of gallons of spills, resulting in at least two deaths.
Not to be caught, they used the churn of a tugboat’s engine to break up waterborne spills, or on land just buried them. They drove the prices of oil above $147 a barrel in July 2008, battering a global economy about to enter a free fall. They’ve taken large amounts of materials (oil, pine) off the market, betting on price disruptions the company itself creates.
Is water next? They profited from trade with the state sponsor of terror and reckless would-be nuclear power, supplying Iran with the largest methanol plant in the world.
They trade in unregulated derivatives, dubbed “financial weapons of mass destruction,” that banks are banned from. Their very essence is to exploit breakdowns in the free market.
They get richer as the costs of what they destroy are foisted on the rest of us — ill health, foul water and a climate crisis. To voters they hide by selling fear of abortion, gun control, entitlements and government. What voters should fear is big business becoming our government through the election of their puppet politicians.
John Geers
Haywood County
To the Editor:
Eleven years ago, I came home from work to find my wife — Wende Goode — holding our newborn son Tristin on our sofa. Tears poured from her eyes as she explained she could not go back to work; she needed to devote her life to our young family.
Before our children came along (we added a second child, Westin John, five years ago), Wende was a social worker who worked with young families.
Going from two incomes to one hasn’t been easy, but I’m daily blown away by how she pours her heart into volunteering at our boys’ schools (Tristin’s at Canton Middle; Westin’s at Clyde Elementary) and rushing the boys to Kindermusic, science clubs and youth sports leagues.
Through all her volunteering, she listens carefully to the amazing teachers who dedicate their lives to the development of all our children. She spends hours in conversation with parents of other children. She knows what issues matter to all of them, and she wants to make a difference on their behalf.
That’s why Wende is running for Haywood County’s school board this fall. As her husband of 18 years, I can tell you Wende has more integrity, honor and backbone than any woman I’ve met. You can rest assured she will stand up for our teachers, for parents and for all our children.
So please take a few moments on Nov. 4 and make sure there’s a fresh voice on the school board: Vote for Wende Goode.
Tyler Norris Goode
Clyde
To the Editor:
Most of the talk regarding education has been about teacher pay, which is critical such that we can continue to recruit and maintain highly qualified teachers. Certainly, North Carolina teachers deserve better pay; it is also important to consider all of the support that contributes to teacher effectiveness and student learning at the local level.
Classroom teachers in Haywood County schools could not do the work they do without the assistance of the educational support staff. The Transportation Department maintains our buses and the bus drivers safely transport our students as they travel to and from school each day. The child nutrition program provides breakfast and lunch for students and staff on a daily basis. The custodians clean our schools and take care of the school grounds. The maintenance department works to keep schools running and safe. Instructional assistants work directly with our students and teachers to provide a quality education for our students. Central office and school-based administrators along with administrative assistants work diligently to ensure schools have the support they need.
I have not named all the educational support staff, but my point is they also play a critical role in educating our students. These dedicated employees continue to do a great job even with the budget cuts.
While the budget did provide raises for many North Carolina teachers, keep in mind that the state’s budget also provided pay raises for other public school educational support staff. However, whereas most state employees received $1,000 and five bonus days for the 2014/2015 school year, our non-certified public school employees and central office staff received a $500 pay raise for the 2014/2015 school year and no bonus days. This equates to $41 a month for a 12-month employee. I have a difficult time rationalizing how our legislators think it is OK to do this to our educational support staff. How do you explain to a school custodian that he/she will receive $500 while a custodian cleaning the executive mansion receives $1,000 and 5 bonus days?
I say thanks to educators and educational support staff for their dedication. Please keep our educators, educational support staff, and most importantly our students in mind as you vote on Nov. 4.
Candie Sellers
Candidate for Haywood School Board
To the Editor:
The Senate race in North Carolina is the most important election in our state this year. Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C., has been and will continue to be a rubber stamp senator for President Obama and Sen. Harry Reid 96 percent of the time if she is elected. More than $20 million has been poured into our state from outside to get her elected. We have a senator who represents an unpopular president more often than she does the people in her state? The senator we elect is suppose to represent us, not the president.
N.C. Rep. Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, has helped Gov. Pat McCrory get North Carolina’s unemployment rate down to 6.9 percent. Our state’s tax rates were among the highest in the South. Tillis and McCrory changed that. Without the Reid/Obama campaign money this Senate race would not be close.
Any person who is unemployed should vote for Tillis. He has played a big part in reducing the unemployment rate in North Carolina from 9.8 percent to 6.9 percent. We need two senators who will represent the people in North Carolina, not just one. It should not be a tough choice to decide who the other senator should be.
Jim Mueller
Glenville
To the Editor:
I’m really impressed with Tom Hill, candidate for District 11 of the U.S. Congress, hoping to unseat the incumbent, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers. I have seen both of these candidates speak. Rep. Meadows is a slick public speaker who dances well when trying to avoid answering difficult questions. He must be a very successful salesman, but I keep looking around for the snake oil.
Tom Hill is authentic, genuine, believable and trustworthy. What you see is what you get. Born and raised in Henderson County, he studied hard, earned a Ph.D. in physics and worked in the aerospace industry. Learn more about him at tomhillforcongress.com.
Rep. Meadows has many hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend on his re-election. According to opensecrets.org, his money comes from large corporations and partisan political action committees who keep donor names secret. Tom Hill accepts only small donations from private citizens. Rep. Meadows promotes legislation for special interests while Tom Hill will look out for the rest of us.
Rep. Meadows has done irreparable harm to this district and wants to do more. Remember around this time last year when our national parks were shut down during leaf season? Not only did Rep. Meadows instigate the shutdown, he voted against last year’s government funding bill that ended it. And he even voted for another shutdown this year by voting against the government funding bill passed in September. If it were up to Rep. Meadows the government would stay shut down forever. Is he an anarchist?
I’m voting for Tom Hill for Congress in District 11. We need a mountain native to look after the interests of a mountain district. With the problems facing this country, I sure would rather have a scientist looking out for me than a snake oil salesman.
Carole Larivee
Waynesville
To the Editor:
Are you better off now than you were, say, a year ago? For most of us that depends on whether the bank account is larger and we have more money in our wallets. In North Carolina, that depends on how much money you make.
This year, we all got a cut in our income taxes. Near the bottom of the income scale, your taxes went down about 0.2 percent, so you may not have noticed. In the middle of the scale the decrease was about 1.2 percent, and the top earners saved almost 2 percent on income taxes. However, if you’re among the working poor and used the Earned Income Tax Credit in the past, forget it because the GOP legislature repealed it.
Have you noticed that you’re spending more on your kid’s school supplies? It got worse this year when the tax holiday for school supplies was repealed. If your child is in college, their meal plan is now taxed for the first time. You also lost the deduction for your college savings plan.
You also now pay sales taxes on your electric and natural gas bills for the first time. Same for movie tickets, concerts and shopping at a farmers market.
Retired on a pension? You lost that deduction. Own a farm? You lost a bunch of deductions this year, and even more if your farm income is less than $10,000.
Trying to get ahead with a small business outside of your usual work? The $50,000 exclusion for that income is gone.
Planning on buying a modular or mobile home? You’ll now pay the full sales tax rate and the $300 cap on that tax is gone.
With the “tax reform” that our Republican legislators gave us, the break-even point is about $80,000. If you make less than that, you pay more taxes; if you make more than that, you pay less. That $80,000 is more than twice what half of households in Cherokee, Clay, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties bring home in a year.
And they thought you wouldn’t notice!
John Gladden
Franklin
To the Editor:
I would like to take this opportunity to recommend Mr. Hunter Murphy for election to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. I have known Mr. Murphy and his family since they moved to Waynesville in 1995. I would like to consider myself as Hunter’s mentor in that I played a large role in his entry into the legal field. In addition I consider Hunter a friend.
Mr. Murphy’s stature in the legal community goes without parallel. He is considered a worthy and trusted advocate. Mr. Murphy has practiced both in the Superior and District Court divisions of the trial courts of North Carolina. His primary practice is in the District Court, which is truly the place where humans are most affected by the legal system. All disciplines of the law must be understood. Hunter’s knowledge of the law and appreciation of this dynamic is unequalled. Most importantly, a practitioner in the District Court judge setting must display humility and an understanding of the human condition. Hunter continuously demonstrates those characteristics, and it is these qualities that would serve him well as a judge on the Court of Appeals.
In his community, Mr. Murphy is known as a good father, a husband and is quite active in his church setting. I have practiced law for over 42 years in Waynesville. It would be an asset to this community and the state of North Carolina for Mr. Murphy to be elected to the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the upcoming election.
Gavin Brown
Waynesville
To the Editor:
The actions taken in the last few years under Republican leadership have awakened a sleeping giant of economic development. Not only have you opened the door for industry and jobs to discover North Carolina, but you have put in place future changes that will enhance the attraction for additional economic progress. While some disagree with these changes, the end results will be indisputable and show their selfish priorities.
Having said all that, I would like to propose action that I believe would create an all but immediate flood of capital, industry and jobs to our state.
Every week there are 10,000 people retiring. For the most part, a great number of those people would like to retire in North Carolina. We have everything retirees are looking for. Beaches, mountains and metropolitan cities. Many choose to pass up those advantages and choose Tennessee, Florida and Texas because of the personal income tax.
I realize your plans are to eliminate that tax, but I believe an action that could be taken immediately would trigger an immediate flood of not only retirees, but their assets would come with them and create thousands of jobs in the construction, real estate, medical, home furnishings, restaurants, insurance, grocery and untold other businesses. The increased revenue from this growth would more than offset any lost tax revenue. My proposal would be to immediately eliminate the state personal income tax for residents over the age of 65. The gradual reduction for other taxpayers could continue along your proposed schedule. An action like this would certainly prove to be the catalyst for a huge economic engine that would dwarf the growth of other states.
Remember, this demographic has little or no impact on infrastructure. They do not impact the school system except to generate more property tax to support education and they have virtually no impact on law enforcement or needed facilities for incarceration, nor do they have a large impact on HHS.
This proposal could be quantified by Art Pope’s department and I believe it would be a positive impact on our state budget. I urge you to also consider the thousands of people who are part-time residents and return to Florida to pay their property and vehicle taxes and vote. Many of these part-timers would leave Florida and make North Carolina their primary residence.
Bruce Gardner,
Waynesville
To the Editor:
I truly believe Tom Hill will stand up for us, the common person. If you haven’t seen many television ads for him, or seen too many signs, it is because he has not accepted money from corporations or big money interests. Tom Hill wants to go Washington because he is as fed up with the direction this country is going as are most of us!
Tom Hill will work to close offshore and other tax loopholes that are robbing our country of just revenue so that large corporations and the very rich pay their fair share. Tom Hill believes in ending the wars on foreign soil and putting that money back into this country where we need it, rebuilding our infrastructure and putting people to work at jobs that pay a living wage.
Support Hill over Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, in this congressional election.
Connie J. Conklin
Dillsboro
To the Editor:
What have the incumbent county commissioners brought to Haywood County?
I am a 55-year resident of Haywood County. The current Haywood County Board of Commissioners has given us a massive debt of well over $69 million, with almost $9 million a year going just to debt payments, this in a county of just 59,000 residents.
I think about the countless job losses in the name of tourism. According to the Haywood Employment Security Commission, three out of every four workers in Haywood work outside the county. Yes, 75 percent can’t find work in Haywood. What had you rather have, a ballfield on J Creek or jobs for your family? Thirty-three percent of Haywood residents do not even own their home.
Everywhere you look you see great increases in unreasonable government regulations, building permits, massive unconstitutional ordinances. Every aspect of our lives has been touched. Our inalienable rights — guaranteed by God himself — have been trashed by the Haywood County Emergency Management Ordinance, written and implemented without your vote by the commissioners themselves.
I say it is high time for a change in leadership.
I support replacing the three incumbent commissioners with three honest, liberty-loving defenders of the Constitution who each believe in a balanced budget, lower taxes and less intrusions into your personal lives. This year I will vote for Denny King, Phillip Wight and Dr. Windy McKinney for Haywood County Commissioners.
Eddie Cabe
Haywood County Taxpayer
Editor’s note: We reserve Eddie Cabe’s right to support whomever he wants in the upcoming election, but for accuracy’s sake a few points of fact need clarification. According to the Haywood County Finance Office, Haywood County’s total debt is $57.6 million, not $69 million. According to the Haywood Economic Development Commission, Haywood County has a workforce of 28,000, of which 11,000 leave Haywood to find work. That’s 39 percent who leave to find jobs.
My weekdays begin at 5 a.m. I have time to drink coffee with my husband, thank him for making my lunch, make myself presentable and read, pray, and meditate. I also clean out the cat’s litter box, which is perhaps as important as anything in preparing me for the harsh truths of my students’ lives. I am three months into my 16th year of teaching public high school.
Duke Energy Progress customers may see some changes in their communities as the utility embarks on a new initiative to modernize outdoor lighting across its service area. Duke will replace more than 100,000 mercury vapor street and area lights with advanced LED fixtures.
The project is part of Duke’s Lighting Modernization Program, which seeks to replace mercury vapor fixtures in its North Carolina service area by October 2016. Plans call for about 9,000 lights to be upgraded each month.
“We’ve heard from our customers that they want more energy-efficient outdoor lighting options and we want to be responsive,” said Emily Henson, Duke Energy’s director of outdoor lighting.
The utility has also committed to investigate and consider new, more efficient lighting options as they become available in the market, and to share those options as part of the utility’s ongoing commitment to serve outdoor lighting customers.
A partnership between the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project and the Rural Advancement Foundation International is aimed at increasing farmer direct sales and expanding access to local foods.
The project, called Connect2Direct, aims to increase farm-to-consumer direct sales and food stamp use at North Carolina farmers markets by 100 percent over the next two years. To do that, the organizations will give training and technical assistance to markets and their vendors, work on marketing and outreach, work on the technical aspects of using food stamp payments and build capacity and efficiency statewide.
Though demand for local food is growing in North Carolina — the state is home to almost 250 farmers markets — sales grew only slightly from 2007 to 2012, increasing by $31.8 million. But from 2010 to 2013, the number of N.C. farmers markets able to accept food stamps increased by 175 percent, growing from 24 to 66.
“We’ve just scratched the surface of potential for North Carolina farms and communities. Efforts to expand access through outreach and food assistance programs are good for our farms, our health, and our local economies,” said Charlie Jackson, executive director of ASAP.
Upcoming workshops and announcements are listed at www.connect2direct.org.
The National Park Service has awarded a $436,000 grant to the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University to help produce strategies for the future preservation of infrastructure and resources at all U.S. coastal parks threatened by rising sea levels.
WCU’s program will be responsible for assessing the vulnerability of everything from the Statue of Liberty in New York to small roads in places such as Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida and Mississippi, and then helping the National Park Service decide how to deal with threats that may be presented by coastal flooding.
“To no small degree, the protection of our nation’s coastal heritage is being guided from Cullowhee,” said Rob Young, director of PSDS.
The award is the latest in an ongoing partnership between the Program for the Study of Developed Shoreline and the NPS. The current project is funded by the agency’s Facilities Management Division in Washington, D.C.
Trout Unlimited is looking for fishy photos to contend for gear prizes in its 2014 photo contest.
The contest is open through Oct. 31 and will award prizes to first- through third-place category winners as well as one grand prize winner. Categories are best fish, best angler and best scenic. The grand prize consists of an Orvis Helios 2 five-weight rod, Fishpond Pawnee gear bag and Orvis double-sided fly box packed with 16 flies.
To enter, “like” TU’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/TroutUnlimited and choose the contest menu item under “more.” Winners will be based on online voting Nov. 3-10.
Geocaching will be the main topic on the agenda Saturday, Nov. 1, at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville. This high-tech treasure hunt involves downloading GPS coordinates for hidden loot and then adventuring around to find it.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials are offering a reward for information after artifacts were stolen from a locked display case in the Palmer House, located in the Cataloochee Valley area.
A workshop on winter gardening and spring garden prep to teach gardeners how to avoid putting growing season to bed in the winter months will be held from 12:30-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Cullowhee Community Garden.
Leaders from government, business and nonprofits across Western North Carolina will gather with economic development experts and others to discuss solutions leading to sustainable economic and community development at LEAD:WNC, a one-day summit set for Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Western Carolina University.
With the theme “Connecting Leaders: Building Regional Success,” the summit also will include the participation of economic forecasters, business development specialists and entrepreneurs.
“This event is a call to those who look to be a part of the sustainable growth and economic strengthening of Western North Carolina,” said Tony Johnson, executive director of Millennial Initiatives at WCU. “Those who gather at LEAD:WNC will be asked to be part of setting the agenda for future events as we work together to meet the region’s potential.”
Summit activities are set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Ramsey Regional Activity Center. Although summit activities will begin at 10 a.m., a pre-summit session has been set for 9 a.m. at the Ramsey Center for a discussion titled “Working Together to Expand Broadband.” Leaders from the N.C. departments of Commerce, Public Safety and Public Instruction will be on hand to discuss that topic.
Registration, including lunch, is $59 per person through Friday, Oct. 31, and $99 per person after that date. For more information or to register, go online to leadwnc.wcu.edu, call 828.227.3014 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Planning for the event has been ongoing for the past year, and it is an outgrowth of a regional engagement retreat that brought together about 100 university and community leaders in October 2013 to examine strategies for strengthening partnerships between the university and region. Launching an annual conference of regional leaders and thinkers to work collaboratively on solving regional issues was among the pledges made by WCU Chancellor David O. Belcher in his March 2012 installation address.
“Western North Carolina is not a homogenous whole,” Belcher said. “It is a region defined by the haves and the have-nots – some areas where people are struggling to survive economically and other areas that are thriving with commerce and investment. We hope this summit and future events on WCU’s campus will ultimately lead to a regionally focused strategy for economic and community development that will enhance the quality of life for all of the region’s citizens.”
The summit keynote speaker will be Michael L. Walden, the William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at North Carolina State University. Walden will speak at 11 a.m. on the state’s most pressing economic challenges and opportunities, with a focus on the role WNC will play in future development.
A panel discussion and question-and-answer session on the Ebola crises and the risk it poses will take place 4-5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, at the Forsyth Building at Western Carolina University.
Four WCU faculty members, including an environmental health professor who has spent more than 20 years studying the spread and control of disease like Ebola, will be on the panel.
Burton Ogle, director of WCU’s environmental health program, will discuss the risk of exposure and transmission of Ebola and prevention strategies. Ogle has been researching the virus since he was consulted 25 years ago when a strain of Ebola was detected in monkeys in Virginia.
Jen Schiff, assistant professor of political science and public affairs, will talk about humanitarian efforts to stop the disease’s spread and discuss why shutting down the borders won’t necessarily solve the problem. Rebecca Dobbs, geography instructor, will talk about spatial patterns of the Ebola outbreak and the role of environmental changes in affecting that. Saheed Aderinto, assistant professor of history and Nigeria native, will talk about Ebola in the context of Africa’s underdevelopment, something he traces to the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Free. For more information contact Niall Michelsen, 828.227.3336.
Early voting turnout is outpacing the last statewide, non-presidential election year of 2010.
And in the seven western counties, early voting is happening at one of the highest rates in the state. Early voting turn out per capita for the seven western counties was in the top five statewide as of Tuesday.
Five days into early voting, around 500,000 voters statewide had cast ballots. Five days into early voting four years ago, only 160,000 had cast ballots.
The early voting window is shorter this year, however, making an apples-to-apples comparison difficult. Considering early voting is already at the halfway mark, voting this year is about on par with where early voting was at the halfway mark four years ago.
In the 2010 election, more than 900,000 people hit the polls during early voting, accounting for one-third of all those who cast ballots in the election.
Interest in this year’s election is heightened due to a closely contested U.S. Senate seat, and several high-profile races for the N.C. House and Senate.
The last day for early voting is Saturday. Election Day is Nov. 4. Check out full coverage on state, regional and local races at the online voting guide at www.smokymountainnews.com
Data for this early voting round-up was compiled from ncvotetracker.com a project of the Civitas Institute.
The Town of Webster invites the public to attend its Oct. 27 Community Stroll to help identify ways to improves the community's health, walkability and social interactions. Starting time is 6 p.m. for this one-hour interactive walk starting at the Southwestern Child Development Center and ending at Town Hall where participants can provide further input on ways to improve Webster. Food and drinks will be provided!
By Bob Hall
As an independent watchdog group, Democracy North Carolina receives all kinds of reports on our hotline at 888-OUR-VOTE. We encourage voters to review the candidates at www.ncvotered.org and call the hotline if you have any problems as you vote.
Registered voters who can't wait until Election Day to vote now have the opportunity to vote in person across North Carolina.
Nantahala Outdoor Center’s annual NOCtoberfest event will celebrate leaf season in the Smokies from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, at NOC.
The event features contests, pumpkin painting, live music and prizes for all ages — as well as the much-anticipated NOC Great Pumpkin Pursuit. The Pumpkin Pursuit is a free-for-all dash through Nantahala Falls in which more than 400 numbered pumpkins are tossed throughout the river’s grand finale rapid as 75-plus paddlers frantically dash to collect as many of the bobbing pumpkins as possible.
Registration for the event is noon to 2 p.m. at NOC’s Big Wesser BBQ, and paddlers start going through the falls at 2:30 p.m. But the event takes only minutes to play out, so spectators should get there early.
NOCtoberfest has plenty more to it, though. NOC will supply pumpkins and materials to decorate and carve them, and every child will win a prize after presenting the finished product to a judging panel. A costume contest will include prizes for kids and couples categories, as well as for Most in Character and Scariest. Games such as a cornhole tournament and egg race will be part of the event, and live music at Big Wesser BBQ — as well as a bonfire with s’mores included — will keep NOCtoberfest festive.
Free. A complete schedule is online at noc.com/events/noctoberfest.
An environmental analysis released by the U.S. Forest Service is proposing five boater access trails in national forests in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, and the plans are open for comment through Oct. 29.
The proposal is linked to a 2012 decision by the Forest Service to allow boating on the upper segment of the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River. According to the proposal, hiking trails and boater access sites should be constructed in the following areas.
• Greens Creek Trail, where 0.28 miles of trail would be constructed at the Greens Creek Trail and Chattooga intersection.
• County Line Trail, with 1.2 miles of an old roadbed used for access just downstream of Norton Mill Creek.
• Bullpen Bridge.
• Burrells Ford Bridge.
• Lick Log Creek (take-out only).
Other non-motorized recreationists would also be able to use these trails and access locations. Written comments must be mailed to: Chattooga Planning Team, 4931 Broad River Road, Columbia, South Carolina 29212 or emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Photographer and author Tim Barnwell will present his new book, Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
In the book, Barnwell identifies the mountain peaks visible from each overlook, marking the compass heading, distance and elevation. Major roads, rivers, lakes and towns are also identified. Designed as a driving guide, Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas is also a companion for hikers who wish to identify the names of the peaks viewed from favorite trails.
A noted photographer with more than 30 years of experience, Barnwell’s photography has appeared in numerous publications, including Time and Newsweek. The Asheville resident’s fine art photography can be found in the permanent collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Orleans Museum of Art and other museums across the country.
City Lights Bookstore, 828.586.9499.
When George and Heather Ferrell, of Louisiana, began to hike up Mount LeConte Oct. 18 with their four children, they didn’t expect to become the subject of a search and rescue. The family, whose children are aged 4, 5, 10, and 12, had planned to hike up on Rainbow Falls Trail and return on Bull Head Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
A kayaking program from 9:30-11:30 a.m. on Oct. 23 at Lake Junaluska will give paddlers of all skill levels a chance to practice their strokes.
The annual Fall Plow Day at Darnell Farms in Bryson City Saturday, Oct. 25, will feature a full day of plowing demonstrations with teams of horses and mules as well as music, contests and food and crafts for sale.
Prescribed burns will light up the Canadian Top Knob, Mathews Branch and Noland Mountain areas adjacent to Cataloochee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park later this week or early next week. Exact dates are dependent on weather.
The Cowee Pottery School at the Macon Heritage Center in Franklin has announced the nonprofit’s receipt of a grant from the Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR).
Funded by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, the RTCAR initiative is committed to preserving, protecting, and teaching the Cherokee artisan heritage. At the core of this heritage is the balance between maintaining and preserving the natural resources such as river cane, white oak and clay, which are abundant in the Cowee Valley. The Cherokees’ history in the Cowee Valley is significant for many cultural and historical reasons including the significant clay trade activities in the early 1800s.
According to the National Registry of Historic Places (March, 1992), “North of Nikwasi where Cowee creek flows into the Little Tennessee River stood another Cherokee town, Kawiyi (Cowee), which is believed to mean, The Place of the Deer Clan. In 1767, Thomas Griffiths, an agent for the English potter Josiah Wedgewood, traveled to Cowee in order to secure white clay for making porcelain from a nearby pit.”
The Cowee Pottery School just recently received approval from the IRS to operate as a nonprofit. Relying on the generosity of contributors, the in-kind support of Macon County, grants such as RTCAR, volunteer instructors, and registration fees are allowing the founders to put together a regular schedule of workshops.
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The 18th annual PumpkinFest will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, in downtown Franklin.
During this event you can take part in some traditional and some very non-traditional fall festivities. Bring your pumpkin or purchase one downtown (limited supply) and sign up early for the World Famous Pumpkin Roll. The “roll” takes place from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with signup running from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The winner receives $100 cash. Other highlights of the day include a screaming contest, costume parade/contest, pumpkin pie eating contest, along with arts and crafts, fabulous food, and great entertainment for all ages.
Attendees will be treated to a magic show at 11 a.m. featuring Mark Irish. The star performer of the show is Einstein: The World’s Largest Mind Reading Rabbit. Irish will also being performing street magic throughout the day. Todd Key will also be amazing folks with his skills during a great show at noon, which features balance, juggling and fire. Live music will be provided by Frogtown, John Hawk and the musical duo of Dave Stewart & Gary Zimmerman.
PumpkinFest is made possible by the Franklin Main Street Program, Town of Franklin, Franklin TDA and Macon County TDC.
www.pumpinfestfranklin.com or 828.524.2516.
The inaugural Hiker Jam will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at The Village Green in Cashiers.
Two music stages featuring Porch 40, The Corbitt Brothers, Hurricane Creek, Mangus Colorado, SmokeRise, and many more. Over a dozen craft beer vendors will be onsite, with retail and food vendors and children’s activities also provided.
Proceeds benefit the Greater Cashiers Area Merchants Association.
General admission is $25, with VIP tickets for $100. Rain or shine.
828.526.8232 or www.hikerjam.com.
