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Mike Clampitt, Republican candidate for the 119th House District, will hold a “Meet and Greet” from 4-7 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Herren House in Waynesville. This is an informal gathering and serves as an opportunity for voters to meet Clampitt and other candidates. District 119 is made up of Jackson County, Swain County and 11 precincts in Haywood County.
828.736.6222
Cherokee Preservation Foundation has awarded 24 new grants totaling $1.8 million that support cultural preservation, economic development, job creation and environmental preservation.
They include:
• A grant to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Emissaries of Peace, host the Southeast Tribes Festival and continue the Snowbird Cherokee language camp.
• A grant to help the EBCI Tribal Government achieve greater energy, fuel and water efficiency and lead efforts to create a more sustainable environment. This includes the purchase of a pilot group of five highly fuel efficient vehicles for tribal departments; the retrofit of 10 buildings and completion of the solar thermal installation on the Ginger Lynn Welch facility; and the purchase of two rainwater cisterns.
• A grant that will enable the new Cherokee Children’s Home to include a number of green components that will pay for themselves over time, including geothermal heating and cooling.
• A grant that will enable Swain County Schools to develop a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum plan that is entrepreneurial-based.
• Grants to continue to support the Cherokee Youth Council as it promotes leadership development opportunities and to establish new youth councils in Clay and Cherokee counties that are modeled after the Cherokee Youth Council.
• A grant that will enable the Oconaluftee Institute of Cultural Arts (OICA) to offer a summer art program for high schools students.
The second kick-off in Macon County for Lighten Up for Life will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Franklin High School Gymnasium.
The LU4L program is a free weight loss challenge that is entirely web-based. The program is sponsored by Angel Medical Center and Macon County Public Health.
Four-person teams compete with others to lose the largest percentage of weight when compared with their competitors. At the conclusion of the challenge, the top three teams who have lost the highest percentage of weight receive prizes. The team who was the top winner during the first challenge all received Kindle Fires and a three-month free membership to Franklin Fitness for their families.
828.349.2426 or 828.349.6639.
A golf tournament will be held starting at 9 a.m. on May 12 at Smoky Mountain Country Club in Whittier to support hospital chaplaincy programs and spiritual care.
The tournament is sponsored by MedWest Health System and is a four-man captain’s choice.
Registration is from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. with a shotgun start. A barbecue lunch will be served at 1:30 p.m. The tournament includes hole-in-one prizes, goody bags and a putting contest for a golf membership. Individual player tickets are $100 each. Sponsorships include corporate sponsor for $600, team sponsor for $400, a hole sponsor for $150 and a tee sponsor for $100.
828.631.8924 or www.medwesthealth.org.
The famed Pisgah-Tuscola rivalry will renew itself six months sooner than usual as alumni from both schools take to the field again in support of the Canton Lions Club at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 5, at Pisgah Memorial Stadium.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-17, $5 for men and women in uniform and free for children under 5. Preceding the game will be children’s activities, including a “Pass and Dash” competition sponsored by Carolina Pawn and Gun. Signups begin at 3:30 p.m. outside of the stadium. The gates will open at 4 p.m. and the “Pass and Dash” will begin at 4:30 p.m. As part of the fundraiser, the Canton Lions Club will operate the concession stand and offer sandwiches, hotdogs, snacks and drinks before the game.
The Canton Lions Club is looking for sponsors for this event.
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On April 19th, the next installment of the Appalachian variety show The Liars Bench will focus on the hanging of Jack Lambert in Bryson City on July 9, 1884.
The hanging made The New York Times after many became suspicious that the accused murderer did not die during the hanging.
The performance is the second installment of the “Balsam Chronicles,” featuring stories from the counties that make up the Balsams — Jackson, Swain and Haywood. This installment is called “Hangman, Hangman Slack Your Rope” and is set for 7 p.m. on April 19 at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center.
To read an article written by Gary Carden about the Lambert hanging, visit: www.smokymountainnews.com/issues/10_01/10_31_01/mountain_voices_carden.shtml.
Public art classes in both glassblowing and metalworking are being offered at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro this spring.
April 14-15:
• Glass Landscape Paperweight, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in 30-minute slots. Cost is $25.
• Introduction to Chainmaille Jewelry, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost is $85 for both days.
• Chainmaille Armor: Coif Construction, 2-6 p.m. Cost is $85 for both days.
April 21:
• Glass Ruffle Bowl, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in one-hour slots. Cost is $50.
828.631.0271 or www.JCGEP.org.
The Overlook Theatre Company will present “How Sweet It Is,” a musical dessert theater, at 7 p.m. on April 21 and April 26 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $20.
The show will include a five-course dessert menu prepared by Chef Connie Grubermann of Oak Hill Country Inn and Faith Drake at The Boiler Room and a cast of characters singing songs from the past 100 years. The menu will feature fruit soup, strawberry/pretzel salad, bread pudding with vanilla sauce, cheesecake with fresh fruit and chocolate mousse.
The Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce, Snow Hill Inn and Cat Creek Lodge are co-sponsoring the event.
Tickets are available at Dalton’s Bookstore, the center’s box office or online at www.greatmountainmusic.com.
The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a free seminar entitled “Marketing for the Craftsperson & Artist,” from 6-9 p.m. on April 17 in the Student Center, first floor.
The hands-on seminar will aid the craftsperson or artist in developing a marketing plan aimed at increasing sales and profit. The workshop will focus on: how to let the world know about you and your craft; how to keep track of expenses to ensure your profitability; pricing to ensure survival and what to do if your product isn’t selling; and how to approach independent shops and galleries.
The presenter is Linda Rozelle of Greensboro. Rozelle has a diverse background in commercial art, has designed hundreds of corporate identity programs nationwide and has been nationally recognized for excellence in advertising.
Pre-register. 828.627.4512.
The Second Sunday Contra Dance will take place from 2:30-5 p.m. on April 15. The dance will be held at the Bridge Park Pavilion on Railroad Avenue in Sylva and will be followed by a potluck dinner at 5:30. Bring a covered dish, plate, cup and cutlery and a water bottle.
Ron Arps will call the dance to the music of Out of the Woodwork. All dances are done to live music, and local musicians are invited to sit in with the band to jam and learn how to play music for dancing.
No previous experience with contra dancing is necessary, and all dances will be taught and walked through before dancing. No partner is required.
Contra dancing is a form of English country dancing and uses many of the same figures as square dancing such as circles, stars and swings.
Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Jeff Foxworthy will take the stage at 7:30 p.m., April 14, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts as part of a benefit for Compassion International, a Christian-based organization that advocates for children in more than 26 countries. The benefit will raise money for the children in Africa.
Foxworthy has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards, is a best-selling author of 11 books, a TV and radio host, and an actor. His comedy act explores the humor of everyday family interactions and human nature.
All proceeds from Foxworthy’s performance will go to Compassion’s WASH Initiative, which aims to reduce waterborne diseases that kill more young children than AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Tickets start at $39 each.
866.273.4615 or GreatMountainMusic.com.
The youth choir, Voices in the Laurel, will hold its second annual Great Car and Truck Give Away from now until May 26.
The ticket price is $100 per ticket with a maximum of 1,000 available tickets. The selected winner can win a 2012 Ford F-150 Truck or a 2012 Ford Fiesta plus $15,000 for gas or $30,000. Both vehicles are being provided by Taylor Motor Company in Waynesville.
Entrants must be 18 years old or older to order a ticket.
The fundraiser will provide the necessary funds to operate, give scholarships and begin an endowment fund for future generations of Voices members, as well as contribute to the chorister’s tour accounts.
The grand prize drawing will take place at 8 p.m. on June 2.
www.voicesinthelaurel.org or 828.335.2849.
The Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center will host a festival celebrating ramps from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 28.
Craft vendors will cover the Stecoah grounds, and from 1-3 p.m., visitors will have the opportunity to learn traditional Cherokee finger weaving from Shirley Welch. Paula Nelson will present traditional Cherokee songs and stories from 6:15-7:15 p.m. outside on the pavilion. All of these events are free to the public.
The event will conclude with the annual ramp dinner and concert. There will be two dinner seatings, one at 5:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. The menu includes roasted pork loin, ramp/potato home fries, sautéed fresh greens, baked apples and corn bread. Dinner price is for $15.95 adults, $9.95 for children 12 and under. Dessert is an additional $2.50. Reservations are required.
At 7:30 p.m., listen to My Highway in concert in the Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Tickets are $10 adults; $5 students (K-12); Children under 5 are free.
Festival vendor applications are available in the Stecoah Gallery. The center is located on Schoolhouse Road off N.C. 28 between Bryson City and Fontana Dam.
828.479.3364 or stecoahvalleycenter.com.
The Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center will host a festival celebrating ramps from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., April 28.
Craft vendors will cover the Stecoah grounds, and from 1-3 p.m., visitors will have the opportunity to learn traditional Cherokee finger weaving from Shirley Welch. Paula Nelson will present traditional Cherokee songs and stories from 6:15-7:15 p.m. outside on the pavilion. All of these events are free to the public.
The event will conclude with the annual ramp dinner and concert. There will be two dinner seatings, one at 5:30 p.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. The menu includes roasted pork loin, ramp/potato home fries, sautéed fresh greens, baked apples and corn bread. Dinner price is for $15.95 adults, $9.95 for children 12 and under. Dessert is an additional $2.50. Reservations are required.
At 7:30 p.m., listen to My Highway in concert in the Lynn L. Shields Auditorium. Tickets are $10 adults; $5 students (K-12); Children under 5 are free.
Festival vendor applications are available in the Stecoah Gallery. The center is located on Schoolhouse Road off N.C. 28 between Bryson City and Fontana Dam.
828.479.3364 or stecoahvalleycenter.com.
The reality show “Auction Kings” will be at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino on April 28.
Auction Kings is one of Discovery Channel’s favorite reality shows and showcases one of the country’s most storied auction houses, Gallery 63, and its owner Paul Brown. Guests have the chance to get their items appraised by Paul Brown or one of his team members. Bring in your item for appraisal at 2 p.m. and receive a drawing ticket as you enter the Event Center. If your number is drawn then you are one of the lucky people to have your item appraised. The free live auction begins at 7:30 p.m.
You must be 21 years or older to attend.
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds will host a combination of the Great Smoky Mountain Trout & Heritage Festival and PlottFest this year from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., April 21.
The festival will showcase the Plott hound, trout fishing, food, local crafts and clogging. The event, which will benefit Head Start Mountain Projects, will also feature a dog show, book signing by author Bob Plott and music from Balsam Range.
Other activities include:
• Youth fishing clinics from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. Pre-registration is required
• A trout race, where wooden replicas are tossed into a creek, and the first five fish to cross the finish line get a prize, will start at 5 p.m.
Lady and the Old Timers will perform from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., April 19, at the Macon County Library in Franklin.
The band plays at the Macon County Library in Franklin every first and third Thursday. The Lady and the Old Timers Band is composed of one lady and seven self-described old timers. They play gospel and traditional country tunes. Members include vocalist Delia Sears along with Fred Kirkland, Jim Hite, and Jim Brown on guitar; Carl Sears on bass; “Wild Bill” Jackson on harmonica; Robert Bradley on mandolin; and Roy Ramsey on dobro.
828.524.3600.
The nine undergraduate percussion students who make up the Western Carolina University Percussion Ensemble will present a free concert at 7:30 p.m., April 17, in the recital hall of WCU’s Coulter Building.
The group will perform under the direction of Mario Gaetano, professor of percussion in WCU’s School of Music.
The ensemble presents music composed or arranged for percussion instruments such as drums, cymbals, timpani, xylophones and marimbas. Works to be featured at the concert include compositions by Gaetano, Scott Meister, Nathan Daughtrey, Robert Keagle, Phil Faini and Steve Riley.
828.227.7242.
The Smoky Mountain Brass Band, an authentic British style brass band, will perform at 6 p.m., April 22, at Hazelwood Baptist Church in Waynesville.
The 30-member band and conductor John Entzi will perform a wide variety of musical styles, from marches to classical and classic British brass band repertoire — to jazz, pops and hymn tunes. The concert is free to the public.
The program will also feature Jason Bullock, one of the band’s fine euphonium soloists, in a classic band piece titled “Song of the Brother” as well as a beautiful brass band arrangement of Gabriel’s Oboe from the movie “The Mission.”
The next show in the Songwriters-in-the-Round series is scheduled for April 14 and will features Shawn Camp, Shannon Whitworth and Phillip Lammonds.
Tickets are $45 each and include a delicious buffet dinner.
Visit The Balsam Inn’s website for more information about their current menus. The inn will soon add select local cheeses to its roster of locally grown ingredients.
855.456.9498 or balsammountaininn.net.
The Western Carolina Chorus will perform its spring concert at 4 p.m., April 15, in the Coulter Recital Hall at Western Carolina University.
The eclectic program, directed by Robert Holquist, includes works by Pergolesi, Faure, Telemann, Vaughan Williams, Rollo Dilworth and Henry Mollicone. Barbara Dooley will accompanied the chorus, and a chamber orchestra will accompany the baroque compositions. The program is free to the public.
The Groovy Movie Club will show the film “The Iron Lady” at 7 p.m. on April 13.
A mostly organic potluck dinner will precede the screening at 6:15 p.m.
This event is free and open to the public, and it meets the second or third Friday of every month. The mission of the Groovy Movie Club is to show excellent films, both feature and documentary, with a message. A discussion will follow for all who wish to participate.
The screening will take place at Buffy Queen’s green, solar-powered home in Dellwood.
828.926.3508 or 828.454.5949 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Artwork created by students at East Franklin and Cartoogechay Elementary schools is on display until April 20 in the lobby of the Macon County Public Library.
The show entitled “Nature Inspired and Student Created Art Work” has 53 entries from students, under the direction of art teacher Naomi Albee, and includes the colorful selection of landscapes, autumn trees, leaf prints and cheery sunflowers.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy Community of Franklin, Nantahala Hiking Club, Macon County Public Schools and Macon County Public Library sponsored the show and hosted a reception for the students on March 26.
828.396.9971
James, a.k.a. “Doodle,” and Karin Lyle will perform at 3 p.m. on April 15 at the Canton library as part of the Haywood County Arts Council’s Sunday Concert Series.
The concert blends the musical talents of Doodle and Karin and a “Chalk Talk” component by Doodle of his cartoon creation, Muggzy the Penguin.
Karin married James, moved to North Carolina and became a music teacher. She plays more than 22 instruments. She is also the author of a number of music instruction books and has performed on many music recordings.
James grew up in Western North Carolina, spending his childhood emulating various comic book characters and musical groups. Besides playing music, James is a professional cartoonist and artist. His work has been published in comic books and magazines in the U.S. and abroad.
Both the Franklin and Bryson City libraries will host meetings of its anime clubs this month.
The Franklin library in will hold the inaugural meeting of its new anime club from 3-5 p.m., April 20.
The group will watch anime movies and eat popcorn. They will also make plans for future events candy sushi making, cosplay and other Japanese-themed activities.
The Bryson City library’s anime club will show a sci-fi mystery movie and several popular Japanese TV programs starting at 11 a.m., April 14.
Both events are free and open to the public.
828.524.3600.
Haywood Community College is a finalist in the Second Nature 2012 Climate Leadership Awards, a national competition among colleges and universities to earn the title of “Most Innovative Climate Leader.”
HCC is the only college in North Carolina that was named as a finalist and one of 20 nationwide.
“It is an honor for HCC to be recognized as a finalist for this prestigious award and for its community-based approach to teaching, practicing, and modeling sustainability,” HCC President Rose Johnson said. “Plus, it is wonderful that the community has a chance to view and vote for HCC’s sustainability video, which is part of this competition.”
HCC and other finalists have produced and posted a sustainability video that can be viewed at www.planetforward.org/climate-leadership-awards. The public is urged to vote for HCC through April 14. The finalists with the most votes will be profiled by Planet Forward’s “Move the Planet” conference the week of April 16.
A workshop focused on life science research being conducted in the mountain region will be offered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in Western Carolina University’s A.K. Hinds University Center.
WCU and the western office of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center are co-hosting the workshop. It is part of the biotechnology center’s “Science in the Mountains” series, will feature a couple of keynote addresses in the University Center theater.
Laura Georgi, a pathologist and research scientist for the American Chestnut Foundation, will speak at 9:15 a.m. on “New Tools for a Monumental Task: Application of Biotechnology to Restoration of the American Chestnut.”
Bruce Budowle, executive director of the Institute of Investigative Genetics at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, will deliver a 1:30 p.m. address focusing on “Forensic Genetics and Molecular Methods for Assessing Biodiversity: A Look at the Past, Present and Future.”
A series of eight talks will be delivered throughout the day by faculty members and researchers from WCU and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Poster presentations will be given by students and faculty members from WCU, Appalachian State University and the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
The workshop is open to everyone and registration is free. Lunch and refreshments also will be provided for free. The deadline for registering is Thursday, April 5. For more information or to register, go to the website http://events.signup4.net/molecules.
A hike into the usually closed 8,600-acre Waynesville Watershed is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, April 21.
Twice a year guided hikes are offered to allow residents and interested citizens an opportunity to view the property first-hand. This first hike of the year will conclude by 2 p.m. Naturalist Don Hendershot, Peter Bates of Western Carolina University and Blair Ogburn, senior naturalist with Balsam Mountain Trust, will lead the hike, which is a three- to five-mile trek in moderately strenuous terrain.
Hikers should bring their own lunch, water, appropriate clothing, hat, rain gear and wear sturdy shoes. Birders should also bring their binoculars. The group will leave from the Waynesville Water Plant, and directions will be sent upon registration. No pets allowed. 828.452.2491 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Learn how the Boogerman Loop got its unique name, walk along old stone walls that once protected gardens and home sites, and visit towering hemlock and tulip trees on the next guided hike with Friends of the Smokies at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 19.
Hiking enthusiast and author Danny Bernstein will lead this 8.6-mile hike along the Boogerman Loop, interpreting the cultural history of the area. The hike is moderate in difficulty, and has a total elevation gain of 1,800 feet.
Participants will gather to depart from Waynesville. The meeting location will be specified upon registration. Hikers should come prepared with food, water and appropriate hiking gear for the all-day excursion.
A donation of $35 to go to the Friends’ Smokies Trails Forever program is requested and includes a complimentary membership to Friends of the Smokies. A donation of $10 is requested from current Friends of the Smokies members. Members who bring a friend hike for free.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.452.0720.
New volunteers to help form a national network of home-based and amateur rain spotters are needed.
This is part of the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network, or CoCoRaHS, which came about as a result of a devastating flash flood that hit Fort Collins, Colo. in July 1997.
CoCoRaHS was born the next year with the intent of doing a better job of mapping and reporting intense storms. As more volunteers participated, rain, hail, and snow maps were produced for every storm showing fascinating local patterns that were of great interest to scientists and the public.
Through CoCoRaHS, thousands of volunteers, young and old, document the size, intensity, duration and patterns of rain, hail and snow by taking simple measurements in their own backyards.
Volunteers may obtain an official rain gauge through the CoCoRaHS website (http://www.cocorahs.org) for about $27 plus shipping. Besides the need for an official 4-inch plastic rain gauge, volunteers are required to take a simple training module online and use the CoCoRaHS website to submit their reports. Observations are immediately available on maps and reports for the public to view. The process takes only five minutes a day, but the impact to the community is tenfold: By providing high quality, accurate measurements, the observers are able to supplement existing networks and provide useful results to scientists, resource managers, decision makers and other users.
Go to the CoCoRaHS website above and click on the “Join CoCoRaHS” emblem on the upper right side of the main website.
White-nose syndrome, a deadly disease responsible for the deaths of millions of bats in eastern North America, has been discovered in Haywood County.
The disease was confirmed this month by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in bats collected from an abandoned mine. It was previously discovered in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in a retired Avery County mine, a cave at Grandfather Mountain State Park, a McDowell County cave, an abandoned mine in Yancey County, and near the Commission’s Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Transylvania County.
“We and our conservation partners are focusing resources on collaborative efforts, including monitoring the spread of the disease, monitoring North Carolina bat populations, and finding ways to address the effects of the disease on bat populations,” said Chris McGrath, wildlife diversity program coordinator with the commission.
The fungus that causes white-nose syndrome has been detected on nine species of bats so far in North America. In North Carolina, 17 species of bats are known to occur, and eight of those are species on which the fungus has been detected nationwide. Three species in North Carolina have been documented with the disease.
Registration is now open for a bunny run, 5K and 10K at Lake Junaluska starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 7, at Weldon Gym at the Methodist conference and retreat center.
The race is part of the center’s Saturday Easter celebration that includes an Easter egg hunt for all ages. Race day entry is $25 and is open until 8 a.m.. Kids ages 12 and under compete for free.
Overall awards will be presented to the top three male and female runners and the top three masters (40 and older) male and female in each race. Age group awards will be awarded to the top three male and female in the various age groups.
Proceeds from the race will go to The Junaluskans for maintenance of the trail surrounding Lake Junaluska.
Beginning April 24, kids in Haywood County will have an opportunity to be a part of a national running program that focuses on character-development and physical training for a local distance race.
Registration will be held on April 7 from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at the Lake Junaluska Bunny Run registration site.
Haywood County Recreation and Parks will begin offering a youth running program called Ready, Set, Run! This is a character-building running program that trains kids ages 8-13 to participate in a distance run. This curriculum-based program is designed to equip kids with the physical training and goal-setting mentality needed to accomplish their running goals. Issues such as enhancing confidence and self-esteem, respecting authority, dealing with peer pressure and fueling their bodies through proper nutrition are covered during the 12-week session.
Kids enrolled will meet twice a week from 4-5:30 p.m. at various parks and running areas such as Allens Creek Park and Canton Recreation Park. The program will culminate with the running of the Folkmoot Race on July 14.
The program fee is $30. This provides each participant a T-shirt and entry in the Folkmoot 5K.
828.452.6789 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Robert Satterwhite will offer an introduction to Western North Carolina flyfishing at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 12, in the community room of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.
The free program will help attendees identify the three types of trout found here and explain the basic rules for fishing streams in the national forests, national parks, and streams regulated by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Other topics will include the basic flies for trout fishing, basic knots and casting techniques. A question and answer session will follow Satterwhite’s remarks.
Satterwhite has been fishing trout streams in WNC all of his adult life. A retired English instructor at Southwestern Community College, he is a former outdoor columnist for the Asheville Citizen-Times and currently writes a monthly column on trout fishing for North Carolina Sportsman magazine. This program is co-sponored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.
828.586.2016.
The eighth-annual Nantahala Open will take place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at Nantahala Falls. Nantahala Open is for all boaters no matter their experience or ability.
The event is being put together by Endless River Adventures and Team Wave Sport.
This is not a “sponsored” event; the participants are typically Nantahala boaters and those who just enjoy a great day of fun on the river.
The Endless River team will be joined by Nantahala Open veteran and team wave sport leader Bryan Kirk and others. The group will coordinate the event from the launching pad at Nantahala Falls, with video cameras arranged to film open participants. Categories include such events as best freestyle through the falls, best top hole move and much more.
828.488.6199.
Ron Rash, bestselling author of Serena, will read from his newest novel at local bookstores April 14-15.
Rash will be at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 14. He will read at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 15.
His newest novel, The Cove, will be released in stores on April 10.
Rash, an American poet, short storywriter and novelist, is the Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University. He has published three collections of poetry, three short story collections and four novels.
828.456.6000.
Getting books from the doctor will soon be a routine part of regular pediatric checkups.
Haywood Pediatrics recently joined the Reach Out and Read program, in which primary care providers advising parents about the importance of reading aloud and giving new developmentally appropriate books to children. The program begins at the six-month checkup and continues to age 5. It will be available for all patients at the Clyde and new Canton location at 55 Buckeye Road.
Research shows that children who participate in the program enter kindergarten with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills and have a six-month developmental edge making them better prepared to achieve their potential.
Families interested in hosting a foreign exchange student can be matched with students from more than 60 countries through the company Ayusa.
All high school foreign exchange students are fully insured, bring their own spending money and are proficient in English – and all high school exchange programs are regulated by the U.S. Department of State.
Volunteer host families provide foreign exchange students a nurturing environment, three meals a day and a bedroom (either private or shared with a host sibling of the same gender). Each host family and student is supported by a professionally trained community representative who works with the family and student for the entire program. All interested host families must pass a criminal background check and a home visit by an exchange organization.
Interested host families are required to fill out an application, pass a background check and interview with a local exchange program representative in their homes. Once accepted to a program, host families can view profiles of students to find the right match for their family.
Ayusa is currently accepting applications for families to host an exchange student for the 2012-2013 school year.
1.888.552.9872 or www.ayusa.org
The North Carolina Division of Tourism and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership will host two TRAC Sessions in Western North Carolina.
Sessions will be held from 2 – 5:30 p.m. on April 18 in Bryson City at the Fryemont Inn and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 19 in Morganton at the Morganton Community House.
TRAC program was developed to assist businesses of all sizes in business development and marketing of their tourism products and services.
At each TRAC session, representatives from the Division will be on hand to discuss services they can provide businesses including strategic planning, assistance with identifying funding sources, and serving as liaisons with other local, state and federal agencies.
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership and other regional partners will also be on hand to answer questions and share resources.
There is no charge to attend, but an RSVP is appreciated.
919.733.7502 or 919.733.0869.
To the Editor:
We may criticize someone not attending our church or not believing what we believe. Many of us have experienced members breaking from our church to form another church.
Cecil is Unitarian and believes churches play an important role in our communities. Each church acts on its values to benefit its community. He regularly attends church, knows the importance of practicing religion as we see fit and is committed to government non-interference in our spiritual lives.
Some say Cecil is too liberal. Very few people in Western North Carolina are liberal. We are mostly conservative and progressive conservative people. Conservative Republicans and Blue Dogs tend to focus on social issues.
Democrats represent our progressive conservatives. Cecil is a true Democrat. Voting for Bothwell for Congress is a vote for jobs, education, our people, our churches and our mountain communities.
Ron Robinson
Sylva
To the Editor:
This is an open letter to Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin.
Let me be perfectly clear. Obama Care is the reason I am finally able to get good health insurance after 15 years of not having any. I thank God for it.
I am a retired special education teacher, a home and property owner, a voter, and have a post-graduate education. I also have type 2 diabetes.
No one would insure me for any amount until Obama stepped in. Now I have a great plan which I pay $412 per month for. I have finally been able to have the tests needed when someone goes through menopause. I can have bone screenings, blood work, medications to manage my diabetes, and much, much more.
It must be nice for you to have great insurance, which we taxpayers have provided. Do you have any idea how few people here in Western North Carolin can not even afford my plan? I do not know what rich people you represent, but most of us were middle class until the banks and the 1 percent pushed us all into poverty.
I am being nice and Southern here when I tell you that anyone messing with my insurance and that of others who are finally protected will not be popular with any of us, the press, the church, God and anyone else I can inspire to tar and feather you and your types right out of this wonderful state.
How dare you frighten us and stress us this way? You sir are a sorry human being. Shame on you. Get some backbone and stand up for what is right, not what is being espoused by Fox News. You should remember while we don’t individually have the huge sums a few of your supporters may have, as a group we will be mighty and we will not forget.
Hope you will reconsider this ill step.
Madeleine Watt
Cashiers
To the Editor:
A recent letter by a firearms instructor made the assertion that no one at the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gifford had a pistol to stop the shooter. Several news reports stated that there was at least one person who was carrying a firearm at that event. He either was too slow to react or showed the good judgment to not draw and fire as others moved in to disarm the shooter.
The problem with thinking that relatively untrained individuals would be drawing and firing in such a chaotic situation is even more frightening than the “psycho” that the letter writer refers to. The most likely outcome from the person carrying at that event firing his handgun would have been to hit one of the other bystanders. With several such individuals, it is likely that some would mistake one of the others as being in league with the “psycho,” and we would have a shootout with them shooting at each other.
I am sure that anyone who has been in a close quarter firefight will tell you that things can get quite confusing in the heat of battle. The situation calls for reflexive responses, and if you are not highly trained, you are likely to make fatal mistakes. Even highly trained soldiers have been known to err. Eight hours of instruction to get a NC permit would be grossly inadequate in such a situation.
As to gun permit holders always acting responsibly, we have the incident in Florida where man with a gun permit followed a teenager who was minding his own business and shot him dead. The kid was talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone at the time saying he was worried about some guy following him. The evidence shows he was not doing anything to warrant the gun tooter to follow and accost him. So much for the assertion that, “Only a responsible citizen can get a permit to carry.”
Norman Hoffman
Waynesville
The Thunder Road Rollergirls of Waynesville will hold its spring open recruitment from April 5-24.
There are plenty of available positions on the team for anyone interested. The women are also working closely with Smoky Mountain Rollergirls in Bryson City to establish a connection with the two leagues, including training sessions and other events.
The group practices at the Haywood County Fairgrounds and plans to start hosting public events in May. On May 12, the Thunder Road Rollergirls will hold an all-day boot camp and scrimmage. The morning boot camp will include private training led by coaches and trainers from all over the southeast. At 1:30, the doors will open to the public, and the team will participate in an afternoon of coached scrimmages. Tickets are $5, kids 12 and under free.
The future Waynesville Skate Park has been awarded a grant in the amount of $1,260 from the North Carolina Community Foundation.
The park also recently received a grant from the Tony Hawk Foundation in the amount of $5,000.
The planned 8,000-square-foot skate plaza will be located at the site of the old horse ring on Vance Street in Waynesville. Construction is expected to begin this summer. The estimated time to completion is 60 to 90 days.
828.456.2030 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Andy Shaw Ford of Sylva will bring Ford Motor Company’s “Drive One 4UR School” Program to Jackson County from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. April 12 in the SCC Balsam Center parking lot.
Proceeds will be shared evenly by Jackson County Early College (JCEC) and the JCEC Parent Teacher Organization. For each of the first 300 test drives of a new Ford vehicle a $20 donation will be made by Andy Shaw Ford and Ford Motor Company
828.586.0900 or visit www.andyshawford.com.
A self-defense class for women will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 11 at MedWest-Haywood Health and Fitness Center.
The instructor will be Marshall Hale, a Tae Kwon Do instructor with Blue Dragon. Cost for the workshop is $10. Participants will learn various escape and evasion techniques, basic personal combat and striking techniques and more.
828.452.8080
A food drive is under way in Maggie Valley, with a food drop-off container located in town hall for nonperishable items.
The drive has the support of town aldermen and was started at the request of resident Don Massey. The food will be transported to Duckett’s Produce where it will be made available for to pickup. This project will continue as long as people continue to donate.
As a part of National Library Week from April 8-14, people are asked to donate new or gently used books to their local library branch.
Books not added to the library’s collection will be given to the Friends of the Library for the annual book sale. The book sale in Haywood County is scheduled for July 26-28.
All donations are tax deductible. Arrangements can be made to pick up large donations or if someone is physically unable to bring them to the library front desk.
828.627.2370.
The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a free seminar on business lending through the NC Rural Center Microenterprise program from 6-8 p.m. on April 10 on campus in the first floor of the student center. The program is for people ages 18-30.
The North Carolina Rural Center’s Microenterprise Loan program is designed to promote self-employment, encourage business creation and boost economic independence.
Three micro-loans are offered and can be partially processed by HCC’s Small Business Center:
• Traditional Microenterprise Loan - Loans up to $25,000.
• Express Loan - Loans $5000 and less.
• “Green” Micro Loan - Loans up to $25,000.
“This program was designed to meet the needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs in the 85 rural counties of NC,” said Mary Cox, program coordinator for the Microenterprise Loan Program. “In this challenging economy, we are reaching out to those who may not qualify for a traditional bank loan.”
828.627.4512.
A read-through of the new play “A Cherokee Family Reunion” will take place from 4-6 p.m. on April 13 at the Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee.
The Los Angeles writer and choreographer Larissa Fasthorse, an enrolled member of the Sicangu Lakota Nation, wrote the play. Fasthorse grew up in South Dakota and began her career as a professional ballet dancer, however she always loved to write.
A published and produced playwright, Larissa is currently working on new plays for the Cherokee Historical Association, the Tony Award winning Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis, Cornerstone Theatre Company, The Kennedy Center, and the Arizona Theatre Company.
Opening night for the new play “A Cherokee Family Reunion” will be on July 16.
828.497.1126.
