Myron L. Coulter, chancellor of Western Carolina University from 1984 until 1994, died Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer.

Coulter, known to friends and colleagues by his nickname of “Barney,” guided WCU for a decade characterized by a renewed emphasis on excellence in teaching, strategic planning and goal-setting, service to the Western North Carolina region, and outreach to the international community.

During his tenure as chancellor, the university established the Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence, later renamed the Coulter Faculty Commons for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in recognition of his support of the center’s efforts both as chancellor and, upon his retirement, as chancellor emeritus.

As part of his emphasis on global outreach, Coulter led delegations to The Netherlands to establish a partnership in business education with Hogeschool West Brabant, to China to set up agreements for educational and cultural exchange with Yunnan University, and to Thailand, Swaziland and Jamaica to create and strengthen agreements for vocational, technical and teacher training.

Coulter served as chairman of the board of directors for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in 1988-89 and was a founding member of the board of directors of the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. Among his other professional appointments were the Commission for a Competitive North Carolina, Inter-American University Council for Economics and Social Development, and Governor’s Task Force on Aquaculture.

The Altrusa Club of Waynesville is collecting one-serving pop-top canned goods for the Haywood County Meals on Wheels program, to coincide with Altrusa’s “Make A Difference Day” on Saturday, Oct. 22.  

Canned goods can be dropped off until Friday, Oct. 21, at the Meals on Wheels kitchen located at 486 East Marshall Street in Waynesville, the Waynesville branch of the Haywood County Public Library and the Economic Development Commission at 144 Industrial Park Drive, next to the Regional High Tech Center.

The specific food items will be used for a box of 10 shelf-stable meals to be distributed to each of the 200 Meals on Wheels recipients. Shelf stable meals are meals that do not require cooking and can be used for winter days when Meals on Wheels cannot be delivered because of bad weather.

The items needed are:

• 8-ounce canned corn, green beans, green peas, carrots.

• Soups – tomato, chicken noodle and vegetable.

• Canned meats – tuna and chicken (regular top).

• 64 ounce juice and individual dry milk packs.                                                                   

After the collection date, the Altrusa Club will pack the items for distribution.

Western North Carolina boasts several clubs for Civil War enthusiasts, from scholarly programs to reliving the experience.

• Western North Carolina Civil War Roundtable: The discussion group meets the second Monday of each month to discuss Civil War history and promote the preservation of Civil War battlefields. They regularly invite guest speakers to meetings and special events during the year. Chuck Beemer, 828.456.4212 www.wnccwrt.org

• The 25th North Carolina Infantry Regiment: The civil war re-enactment group portrays both Confederate and Union troops in about 12 events each year and relives battles across North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Jule Morrow, 828.400.7829 www.25thnctroops.com

• Sons of Confederate Veterans: The SCV is a national organization that works to preserve the history of Confederate heroes. Members must be male descendents of Confederate veterans. Jule Morrow, 828.400.7829 www.scvcamp229.org

• Order of the Confederate Rose: The order is a national organization that helps the Sons of Confederate Veterans with its historical, educational and social functions, including preserving the Confederate symbols and legacy. Laura Stallard, 336.993.8330 www.confederate-rose.org

Jule Morrow isn’t a rebel; Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” isn’t his personal mantra. He doesn’t relive the Civil War, hoping to change the outcome.

“What I honor is the courage,” said Morrow, a Civil War re-enactor whose regiment, the 25th North Carolina Infantry, plays both sides — Union and Confederate. “One thing we all have to remember is the same blood that flowed in those guys flows in us.”

Morrow is named after his ancestor Civil War Capt. Julius Welch and has ties to other prominent Haywood County residents, including the Love, Dillard and Leatherwood families. Although he has never fought in a war, Morrow has re-enacted Civil War battles throughout Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania for the past two decades.

About once a month, Morrow and his men in the 25th North Carolina Infantry travel up to nine hours away to participate in re-enactments, depicting both battlefield combat and camp life of the soldiers.

No matter the weather, the re-enactors sleep in canvas A-frame tents with wool blankets, eat rations of hardtack and salted beef, or if they’re lucky, build small fires to roast a chicken or cook stew. They may even scavenge the surrounding area for wild edibles.

While many battles are re-enacted during the course of a weekend, Morrow said he has slept in the field for up to five days.

In addition to reliving camp life, re-enactments showcase the war tactics of the time. Like the Romans, Civil War fighters lined up, confronting their enemy face-to-face.

Occasionally, re-enactors portray specific soldiers in specific battles — replaying the actual movements of the men on the field in real time — for the more well-known and well-documented battles where such records occur. Re-enactors are given background on the person they are depicting, including how, where and when they died or surrendered.

“I like it when you’re a particular soldier,” said Morrow, who once surrendered to Union troops while playing a member of the color guard.

The original 25th infantry back in real Civil War times was one of only a few regiments from the mountains, comprised of men from Haywood, Jackson and Macon counties, plus Buncombe, Henderson, Cherokee, Clay and Transylvania.

But at least half the time, Morrow and his men find themselves donning Union uniforms, playing the part of Union soldiers — after all, a re-enactment wouldn’t be much good without someone playing the other side.

The re-enactors’ alter ego is the 14th Iowa regiment, a Union troop with soldiers from across the western part of the U.S., making its most celebrated stand at the Battle of Shiloh, one of the bloodiest conflicts of the war.

To play both sides, the re-enactors need two sets of authentic fatigues, both grey and blue. All 25th North Carolina soldiers have in their wardrobe a black felt slouch hat, a 100 percent cotton or wool socks, a U.S. 1854 black leather belt and a U.S. 1858 Smoothside canteen, among other items.

To play the 14th Iowa regiment, men must be suited in an enlisted man’s frock, sky blue wool pants and a forage cap. Specialty haberdashers around the country make entire lines of Civil War-era clothing and accessories for re-enactors.

Twenty-five men currently belong to the regiment, down from 56 in 2002. Morrow and some of his compatriots are putting off retirement from re-enacting until the end of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary, a four-year event that promises additional pomp and circumstance.

Before too many re-enactors lay down their bayonets for the last time, Morrow said he hopes to replenish their ranks with new members, and the regiment has plenty of muskets and uniforms to loan new recruits.

For Morrow, the Civil War and its repercussion are an important part of his family history.

“Everybody’s grandma’s got the story of the Yankee that comes and takes their mule,” he said.

Morrow, who describes himself as a proud Southerner, is glad the North won the war.

“If we hadn’t lost the war, today, we would probably be like Europe; we would be 13 countries,” he said. “South Carolina would be their own little country because they can’t get on with anybody.”

A different outcome to the Civil War could also have affected future wars, he added. A divided U.S. might not have defeated Germany during WWI.

Several books and television programs have explored the world of Civil War re-enacting. But, none of them adequately represent re-enactors and many focus on the extremes, Morrow said.

In 2001, a History Channel program “The Unfinished Civil War” drew fire from re-enactors, who said the show depicted them as racists — a group of people for whom Morrow has zero tolerance.

Once during a re-enactment in Tennessee, the 24th North Carolina regiment was portraying Union troops when some Ku Klux Klan members appeared.

“These guys had the audacity to ‘boo’ me,” Morrow said. “I told one of ‘em, I said, ‘Let me tell you something.’ I said, ‘Son, when your wife sees what you’ve done to her jade satin sheets, she’s going to whoop your ass.’”

For Morrow, the Confederate flag is a symbol of Southern pride and part of his family history, but he said he understands why people find it offensive.

“We have allowed our symbol to be trashed by a bunch of ignorant pinhead klansman,” Morrow said. “What we should have done is when we saw them is go just beat the crap out of them and take their flag from them.”

See the re-enactors in action

Civil War re-enactors will be outfitted in in authentic dress, depicting camp life and battles at two upcoming events.

Appalachian Harvest Festival

When: Oct. 15, starting 11 a.m.

Where: Stecoah Valley Center outside Robbinsville

The Battle at Warm Springs

When: Nov. 4 - 6

Where: Hot Springs Resort and Spa in Hot Springs

Smoky Mountain Community Theatre in Bryson City will stage “Little House: By The Shores of Silver Lake” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14-16 and Oct. 21-24.

The play is based on the book by Laura Ingalls Wilder and shows the struggles and triumphs of the Ingalls family as it deals with the blindness of their eldest daughter, Mary. The main characters include Mr. Boast, played by Scott Wade; Mrs. Boast, played by Teresa Maynard; Big Jerry, played by Mitchell Smith; and Rev. Alden, played by Jack Hunt. Throw in an upset Railroad Man played by Matt Millard and Charles Ingalls’ adventurous older sister, Docia, played by Kathie Morris, and you have an adventure at every turn. 

Special music will be provided by Bronson Lindsay and Push McCann.

828.508-0564, 828.488.8103 or www.smctheatre.com.

Anna Fariello, associate research professor at Hunter Library at Western Carolina University, will speak about the identity of American craft as part of American Craft Week in October.

Fariello will speak on the collective identity of craft at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at Charles Beall Auditorium on the campus of Haywood Community College. The event is free and open to the public.

Fariello directed Hunter Library’s online Craft Revival Project and now oversees the library’s digital collections. The talk, derived from “Objects and Meaning,” a book Fariello co-edited and to which she contributed two chapters, will address how academic disciplines and cultural institutions have assigned meaning to expressive objects over time. Fariello argues that it is not effective to examine craft using the language and system of evaluation for art history and that craft must have its own discipline-specific vocabulary.

“I used to think that it was possible to carry on deeper conversations about craft using the formalized language shared by art history, aesthetics and criticism,” Fariello said. “I no longer believe this. The very term ‘fine art’ negates the egalitarian values of craft and its influence upon the visual arts.”

For more information about WCU’s Craft Revival Project and WCU’s other digital collections, go online to www.wcu.edu/library/digitalcollections or contact Fariello at 828.227.2499 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host a free Halloween-flavored performance of “The Liars Bench” Southern Appalachian variety show at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20.

“The Liars Bench” was founded by Sylva writer and storyteller Gary Carden in June 2010, and the show’s cast presented programs in Sylva during its first year. The ensemble has been staging its monthly productions in the Mountain Heritage Center auditorium since July.

With the theme “Haints, Boogers and Belled Buzzards,” the upcoming show will feature Carden, Cherokee storyteller Lloyd Arneach, musician and poet Barbara Duncan, claw-hammer guitarist Paul Iarussi, guest musician William Ritter and a “mystery guest,” Carden said.

“This is the second Halloween show we’ve done, and I believe it’s going to knock your socks off,” he said. “This ‘Liars Bench’ won’t be a funny-face, jack-o-lantern-type of Halloween show. You need to be ready for Southern Appalachian scary.”

828-227-7129 or www.wcu.edu/mhc/.

‘Raindrop Waltz’ in Franklin

Playwright Gary Carden’s “The Raindrop Waltz” will be performed at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14, at the Unitarian Church in Franklin.

The play will be performed by the Burnsville Theater Troupe.

828.524.6777.

Carden at City Lights Oct. 19

“A Conversation with Gary Carden,” noted storyteller and author, will take place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 19 at City Lights Café in Sylva.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

828.587.2233 or www.citylightsnc.com.

Mountain traditions come alive at the annual Harvest Festival on Oct. 14-16 at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center on the grounds of the historic Stecoah School.

The three-day event begins with a Friday evening campfire and storytelling. Saturday begins with a 5K race and a one-mile fun run. Then from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., the grounds are filled with the sounds of mountain music and dancing feet.

Hit and miss engines, antique tractors and the corn-grinding exhibit provide more excitement. Local artists offer their handmade crafts and foods for sale, often conducting demonstrations of their craft as well. The country fair features competition and exhibits of jams, jellies, pies, cakes, quilts, needlework and much more. There’s even flat foot dance instruction and bed turning of antique quilts. Saturday admission is $3 for adult and free for kids K-12 and younger.

Balsam Range will perform at Saturday night at 7:30 on the grand old stage. Adult tickets are $15 and students (K-12) are $5. Tickets may be purchased by calling or coming into the Stecoah Gallery or on line at stecoahvalleycenter.com  

On Sunday, Oct. 16, there will be free gospel singing in the auditorium from 2:30-5 p.m. featuring local groups Robbinsville Quartet, Shining Pathway, and the Barker Family.  

828.479.3364.

The North Hominy Apple Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the North Hominy Community Center on Newfound Road just outside of Canton.

The festival kicks off with a country breakfast buffet at 7 a.m. and is $7 for adults and $3 for children under 7. The breakfast buffet includes eggs, biscuits and gravy, country ham, sausage, bacon, grits and applesauce with coffee, orange juice and apple juice.

Fried apple pies and apple butter will also be for sell, as are cookbooks. All proceeds benefit the North Hominy Food Pantry.

Festival-goers are invited to watch community residents cook a batch of fresh apple butter or shop for crafts.

828.648.0040.

Big rigs and antique trucks rumble into Cherokee Oct. 14-16 for the sixth Annual Big Rigs and Antique Trucks Show, where truck enthusiasts of all types gather to show off their custom and original truck restorations, trade stories and ideas, compete for prizes and raise money for The Hope Chest for Women, which provides educational resources and limited financial assistance to women in Western North Carolina with breast and gynecologic cancer.

This family friendly event takes place on the Qualla Boundary at the Acquoni Expo Center, which is the old Cherokee High School located at 1501 Acquoni Road Last year more than 2,200 spectators and participants showed up, and this year organizers expect more than 150 trucks to be on display.

Models range from the antique to the working class, including pickup trucks, semis, dump trucks, and more.

Anyone with a real working or antique truck may register. Parts and swap meet vendors and food displays will also be available at the show.

Gates open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. General admission is $5; children 12 and under admitted free.

828.421.9399.

The Marianna Black Library will host an evening of original Southern Gospel music written by the author of the new book Inspirational Lyrics.

Join Sharon Wyatt in the library auditorium at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, as she talks about her new book. She will discuss the songs she’s written and sing a few of them.

Born and raised in Bryson City, Sharon began writing after she moved to Sylva 25 years ago. She has had poetry published in several books, including “National Library of Poetry” and “Poetic Voices.”

828.488.3030 or www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, Blind Faith Productions will present Phil Keaggy, a multi-Dove Award winner, Grammy nominee and world-renowned guitar virtuoso in a fundraising concert for the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center.

This concert will take place at Franklin Covenant Church in Franklin at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 6:30 p.m. In addition to the concert, there will be a silent auction, desserts and drinks as well as Phil Keaggy merchandise and CDs.

Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center is a local Christian non-profit ministry that reaches out to women and men facing possible pregnancies, which might be unplanned or unwanted pregnancies and don’t know which way to turn.

Tickets are available online at iTickets.com and can be purchased locally at the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce, Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Center and Franklin Covenant Church office. For more information contact Blind Faith Productions 828.342.9006

The Haywood Community Band will present its final free concert of the Maggie Valley Concert Series at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the pavilion adjacent to the Maggie Valley Town Hall.

The theme for this concert will be, “Out of This World.” Concert-goers will travel “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” visit “The Planets,” “Moon River,” and travel to see “Star Wars.” Bring a picnic dinner and enjoy a Maggie Valley sunset.

www.haywoodcommunityband.org or 828.456.4880.

The Lake Junaluska Singers will present two concerts at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14 and 15 at historic Stuart Auditorium.

The Singers will perform Shaker tunes, music from Appalachia, and more.

Directed by Melodie Galloway, the Lake Junaluska Singers serve as musical ambassadors for the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church and travel nationally and internationally. This 16-voice ensemble presents concerts throughout the year at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, along with performance tours. Concerts include classical, choral music, spirituals, comedy and musical theatre. Bringing hope to the world through inspiring music is the primary focus of the Singers’ ministry.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for children 8 and under.

800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com. Packages are available.

Tickets go on sale 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14, for a Nov. 10 concert at Western Carolina University’s Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center by country music breakout stars Justin Moore and Thompson Square.

The two hot country acts originally were scheduled to be part of a triple-bill headlined by Darius Rucker, who was forced to postpone the concert because of his involvement in a Country Music Association holiday show taping.

In response to demand from fans, however, campus concert organizers decided that the show must go on, said Bill Clarke, Ramsey Center director. “We received numerous calls from fans who said they were disappointed that Darius Rucker had to reschedule and asking if we could still bring Justin Moore and Thompson Square to town,” Clarke said. “The answer, it turns out, is yes.”

Advance tickets are $18 for WCU students and $25 for non-WCU students, plus applicable convenience fees. All tickets day of show are $25 plus fees. Tickets will be available at the Ramsey Center box office, online at ramseycenter.wcu.edu or by phone at 866.928.3378.

Ubuntu, a group of people who meet to sing world music a cappella, will perform at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18 at City Lights in Sylva.

Ubuntu seldom performs as that is not the purpose of the group. The group’s purpose, according to its leaders, is to experience harmony, sing as a spiritual practice and develop an appreciation for world music traditions.

Ubuntu Dillsboro is a member of the worldwide Ubuntu Community Choir Network based in Victoria, B.C. Tom Tyre directs the local group. The event will provide ample opportunity for audience members to sing along with the Ubuntus just to sit back and listen to harmonies from around the world.

A drumming circle for all ages will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, on the Macon County Courthouse plaza on Main Street in downtown Franklin.  

Mary Eileen Ferrick is the circle leader. People may bring drums and rhythm instruments, or choose from the wide assortment provided, including African djembes, guiros, shakers, and buffalo drums.  Large take-home “can” drums will be provided for the children. Bring a lawn chair. In case of inclement weather the program will be held in the Rathskeller Coffee Haus, 58 Stewart Street, a block from the Courthouse.

This event is sponsored by the Arts Council of Macon County, with funding from the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

828.524.7683, or www.artscouncilofmacon.org.

The decade-old Songwriters in the Round series at the Balsam Mountain Inn continues Thursday, Oct. 13, with crowd favorites Thom Bresh, Lisa Carver and Ladd Smith performing.

The $45 ticket price includes dinner — shrimp and grits, prime rib and chicken marsala are all on the menu — and seating begins at 6:30 p.m., with showtime at around 8.

A world-renowned guitarist and the son of country legend Merle Travis, Bresh is a singer, songwriter, impressionist, and instrumentalist whose instrument of choice is his custom-made two-sided Langejans SuperDualette. He has performed alongside luminaries ranging from Bob Hope and Chet Atkins to Gordon Lightfoot and Les Paul. He has produced the music of Jerry Reed, classical guitarist Valerie DuChateau, and Travis.

Ladd Smith is veteran singer-songwriter, guitar virtuoso and experienced performer who grew up in Hendersonville, Tenn., where many among country music’s royalty call home.

Carver sings dark, deep, and tongue-in-cheek story songs. In addition to her songwriting, she is the author of Dancing Queen: a Lusty Look at the American Dream, in which she expounds upon various relics of pop culture past, including Lawrence Welk, roller rinks and Olivia Newton-John.

855.456.9498 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Fall Colors Art Show will be held this week at the Highlands Recreation Center in Highlands. The popular juried show features national, regional and local artists.

The show is from noon to 6 p.m. on Oct. 14 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 15.

One of the nationally known artists returning this year is Patti Gilley. Gilley grew up in a small town in Ohio and has always enjoyed being outdoors and observing nature. Although she was always interested in art, it wasn’t until her children were out of high school that she began the process of teaching herself how to use them.  

Her work has won numerous awards at art shows across the Southeastern United States and is held in private collections in this country, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy.

There will be events for the children on Saturday with a hands-on creative experience.

The Marianna Black Library in Bryson City is hosting its Third Annual “Life in Swain” amateur photography contest. The past two years have been a huge success with more than 50 photographers submitting more than 100 photos. 

All photographs must be taken in Swain County.  They may be of buildings, landscapes, nature shots, locally known locations, but the winning photos will highlight what makes Swain County unique. The contest is open to all ages and will be divided into two groups: adults 16 years and older and the junior division consists of 15 and under.

Rules for the contest and entry forms are available at the library. Entries may be turned in before Oct. 15. Entry fee is $10 for the first photograph and $5 for each additional one.

828.488.3030.

The Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University — with funding from the Jackson County Arts Council — is hosting a free children’s arts series this fall during the Jackson County Farmers Market.

“Homegrown FAM: Family Art at the Market” will run from 10 a.m. to noon each Saturday through October at Sylva’s Bridge Park. The Jackson County Farmers Market is held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays through October in the adjacent municipal parking lot before moving indoors for the winter.

The arts programming will resume when the farmers market moves back outside for the spring. There is no charge for the program, and children ages 3 through 11 are invited to participate.

The Jackson County Arts Council, with funds originally from the N.C. Arts Council, granted $1,480 to the WCU Fine Arts Museum.

“We’re thrilled to receive this funding from the Jackson County Arts Council, which will help us teach vital life skills such as cooperation and critical thinking to our children through art-making,” said Denise Drury, interim director of the WCU Fine Art Museum. “As a teaching and research-based art museum, our exhibitions often are challenging for younger audiences. This project is a way that we can teach young ones about the museum’s exhibits in an accessible and appropriate way.”

828.227.2553 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Looking for great fall color? Well, gem and mineral dealers from across the country will be in Macon County Oct. 14-16 for the 22nd annual Leaf Lookers Gemboree at the Macon County Community Building just off U.S. 441 south of Franklin.

Dealers will be displaying and selling fine jewelry, gems, minerals, and more against the spectacular backdrop autumn color in the Smokies. The gemboree will feature a wide variety of items including fine finished jewelry, rough and cut gems, lapidary equipment, beads, minerals, fossils and collectibles. Dealers will also be available to custom make special pieces of jewelry.

Every paid admission will be given an entry to the door prizes drawn hourly.  New this year, a grand prize drawing on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. for a 14k white gold vintage ring with a sapphire and diamonds. This ring’s estimated retail value is $795. You do not need to be present to win.

“All dealers who attend our Gemborees return year after year because the Franklin shows are among the best in the country,” said Linda Harbuck, executive director of the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce. “We carefully select the dealers who attend to make sure we have just about anything folks could be looking for.”  

Admission is $2 for adults and those under 12 are free. Watch for $1 off coupon in local papers. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

828.524.3161 or 800.336.7829.

About 3,000 students from high school marching bands in four states will compete for top honors during the 11th annual Tournament of Champions competition Saturday, Oct. 15, at Western Carolina University.

“We are excited and looking forward to hosting one of the largest marching band competitions in the Southeast,” said David Starnes, director of athletic bands. “We invite everyone to attend this year’s event, not only to experience the great entertainment that our participating bands will offer, but also to show appreciation and enthusiasm for all of their hard work.”

The event, a showcase for elite high school marching bands, will begin with a preliminary session at 9:45 a.m. at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. Judged by a nationally recognized adjudication panel that provides educational and constructive feedback, bands selected to advance to finals will be announced at 4:30 p.m. The evening session will begin at 7 p.m., with finalists competing for the grand champion Chancellor’s Trophy.

In addition, WCU’s award-winning Pride of the Mountains Marching Band, which participated in the 2011 Rose Parade and performed this fall at a Carolina Panthers football game, will offer exhibition performances at 4 p.m. and at the end of finals at 9:30 p.m. Also on the schedule is a noon concert by Soul Train, the WCU marching band’s rock group.

Regional participating schools include Pisgah High School from Canton, Smoky Mountain High School from Sylva and Tuscola High School from Waynesville.

Tickets are available for the preliminary session for $10 each, and for the finals session for $8 each if purchased before 4 p.m. on Oct. 15 and $10 if purchased after 4 p.m. Tickets for WCU students are $8 to each session with a valid student identification, and children 12 and younger will be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.

828.227.2259 or www.prideofthemountains.com.

The Nantahala Hiking Club, the Franklin-based Appalachian Trail maintaining club, is building a new Appalachian Trail shelter about half way between Albert Mountain and Rock Gap to replace the existing “Big Spring” shelter which is nearing the end of its life span. The structural components timber frame shelter were donated by Goshen Timber Frame of Franklin in recognition of Franklin being designated an Appalachian Trail Community. Additionally, Goshen’s craftsmen will donate their time to erect the timber frame at Rock Gap.

In the meantime, a volunteer trail maintenance crew has made repairs to the old shelter. The crew “raised the roof” last week using two, six-ton jacks and cribbing raised the corner of the shelter 21 inches and replaced the four-inch diameter locust post, which had sunk into the ground over time, with a new pressure treated timber.

The unique flower and decorative plant arrangements of Ikebana International will be on display during a special exhibit, part of the Carolina Bonsai Expo.

The event will take place at The North Carolina Arboretum on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9, in the second-floor gallery and library of the Education Center.

Terri Ellis Todd, teacher in the Ichiyo School and former president of Ikebana International in Asheville, will demonstrate on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the education building in the first-floor classroom.

Ikebana International in Asheville has almost 60 members, students and teachers in Western North Carolina.

The exhibitions are free. There is a parking fee of $8 per vehicle to visit the Arboretum.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.645.6633 or www.ikebanaasheville.org.

The popular Bethel half marathon and 5K race is set for Saturday, Oct. 8, the 18th version of this event.

Both races will begin simultaneously at Bethel Middle School on Sonoma Road at 8:30 a.m., and the courses will take runners along the rolling farmlands and historic sites in Bethel with the added treat of the fall colors on the trees.  

The Bethel Rural Community Organization uses all the proceeds of the race to help support their farmland and historic preservation efforts, MANNA food distribution, Bethel school activities, volunteer fire departments, as well as benevolence to needy families and other worthy causes in the Bethel community. Post race award ceremonies include refreshments of home-made soups and baked goods.

www.bethelrural.org.

The Western North Carolina environmental community recently lost one of its most credible and visible faces with the death of Esther Cunningham of Macon County.

Cunningham died Sept. 20 at age 93. The Macon County native was a wife, mother and grandmother, and the founder — at age 64 — of the Western North Carolina Alliance, an environmental group with local chapters across the mountains.

“She was motivated by her love of the mountains and forests and was outraged when the Forest Service considered allowing private companies to explore for oil and gas in the national forest,” the WNC Alliance noted in a written memorial about Cunningham following her death. “She pulled together her friends and neighbors, environmentalists and hunters, natives and newcomers in a successful effort to stop that proposal — and eventually to change the way the Forest Service manages its lands.”

Cunningham also fought clear-cutting practices by the forest service and encourage selective timber harvest, which is now largely standard practice.

Today, the Alliance has six staff members and two AmeriCorps volunteers and work on various environmental issues across 23 mountain counties.

Hear this fall’s official leaf forecast, including the why and how of leaf color production, at the Jackson-Swain Master Gardeners’ Association meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12. Kathy Mathews, associate professor of biology at Western Carolina University who specializes in plant systematics, will share her prediction for fall foliage. Held at the Jackson County Community Services Building on Scotts Creek Road in Sylva. 828.586.4009.

A book signing with nature photographer James Valentine, a well-known naturalist, photographer and filmmaker, is set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. His new book is Southern Appalachian Celebration: In Praise of Ancient Mountains, Old-Growth Forest & Wilderness. Some of the book’s proceeds will go to support the library.

The Nantahala Hiking Club offered three hikes (Ranger Falls, Appalachian Trail north of Winding Stair Gap, and Bartram Trail) this past Saturday Sept. 24 to celebrate Family Hiking Day and National Public Lands’ Day. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and its 31 volunteer maintaining clubs are promoting Family Hiking as a way to connect children and families to nature and plant the seeds for the next generation of Public Land stewards. For more information about Family Hiking and to tell your family hiking story visit www.appalachiantrail.org/familyhiking. www.nantahalahikingclub.org.

Pull a chair up to the fire and enjoy listening to America’s famed wilderness adventurer, John Muir, a critical player in the formation of our National Parks.

The one-man performance will be played by acclaimed actor/storyteller Lee Stetson at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Haywood Community College’s Beall Auditorium in Waynesville.

Stetson will relate hair-raising tales of Muir’s adventures riding a snow avalanche, freezing in a blizzard and being caught in a mighty Yosemite earthquake, all liberally laced with Muir’s love of the natural world.

Stetson, known as “the voice of John Muir,” was featured in the recent Ken Burns PBS special “The National Parks – America’s Best Idea,” and performs frequently in Yosemite National Park and across the country.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit Trails Forever and other Great Smoky Mountains National Park projects. Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson will be on hand to greet guests. Attendees will be treated to a dessert reception during intermission.

Tickets for the event are: advance $23, door $27, Friends of the Smokies members $20, and students $15. Tickets may be purchased at Blue Ridge Books, 152 S Main St, Waynesville; by calling 828.452.0720; or www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

Learn about hiking and camping in a year when the bear activity is particularly high, forcing the closures of many campsites in the Smokies.

The B.E.A.R. Taskforce will hold “B.E.A.R. Talk ... Hiking and Camping in Black Bear Country” on Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the library in Cashiers. Tanya Poole of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will be the speaker. Poole has been with the commission for nearly eight years, and is working on a master’s thesis titled: The Effects of Educational Strategies on Black Bear-Human Conflicts.

B.E.A.R.’s mission is to provide educational opportunities and resources to promote peaceful coexistence between humans and bears.

828.526.9227

A juried exhibit of the Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association “Autumn in the Southern Appalachians” is ongoing through Oct. 24 at the Pack Place gallery in Asheville.

An opening reception is set for Friday, Oct. 7, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The exhibit will travel to the Biltmore Estate’s Deerpark Inn for the months of November and December.

The photographers association was founded in 1992 as a nonprofit to promote nature photography in the Carolinas; to help conserve and preserve the diverse natural ecosystems in the Carolinas; and, to educate others interested in nature photography.

Learn all about keeping worms for making compost at two upcoming workshops.

The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and the Jackson/Macon Conservation Alliance will hold free composting, a.k.a. vermicomposting events, on Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Cashiers library. 

This workshop will be repeated on Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 2 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the Swain Extension Center on 60 Almond School Road seven miles west of Bryson City.

Workshops attendees will learn more about acceptable materials for composting, types of structures, preparing and maintaining your compost pile, temperatures, carbon to nitrogen ratios, water requirements, types of worms, bedding, proper food scraps, worm bins, harvesting your compost and worms, and troubleshooting tips.

828.488.3848 or 828.586.4009.

Bicyclists from near and far will take to the road for the eighth-annual Tour de Franklin “Halloween Hunard” charity bicycle ride on Sunday, Oct. 30, starting from Smoky Mountain Bicycles in Franklin at 9 a.m.

With more than 100 cyclists participating in last year’s ride, the Hunard has become a popular fall event for cyclists of every level. Riders will enjoy the beauty of the routes, the festive Halloween atmosphere, and great food that comes with the post-ride meal.

Smoky Mountain Bicycles owners, Dave and Pam Forshee, have mapped out three ride choices, each offering cyclists spectacular mountain scenery when fall colors are at their peak.

This year’s routes include rides of 28, 66 and 103 miles with total climbing elevations ranging from 2,200 to 8,500 feet.

Sponsors are needed to help support the race, as well as volunteers to work at the rest stops.

“Last year, our sponsors and volunteers helped make the ride a great success,” Forshee said.

All proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warriors Project. Cost of the ride is $35 (if registered by Oct. 15) and $45 after that date. The ride fee includes fully stocked rest stops, a commemorative custom T-shirt and a post-ride meal. 828.369.2881 or www.tourdefranklin.com.

Carolyn Sakowski will read from the third edition of her book, Touring the Western North Carolina Backroads, at noon on Friday, Oct. 7, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Scenery, history and folklore intertwine in 21 unique tours that span across the beaten paths of Appalachia. The book serves as a guide for anyone in search of a journey, whether it is a day trip, hike, or cycling adventure. The latest edition includes updated directions, additional sites and photographs and nearby recreational facilities for spur-of-the-moment opportunities.

828.586.9499 email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

MaconSense, a non-partisan organization promoting civic engagement and community service projects, will present a program at 12 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Tartan Hall in Franklin. The program is sponsored by the Macon County League of Women Voters.

The goal is to give everyday people a voice in where the county is heading, free from political posturing and heated rhetoric. Their first campaign is for safe slope development and promotion of commonsense regulation. Group organizers Michael Jackson and Kathy Tinsley will speak.

Lunch is available by reservation. For more information, call 828.371.0527 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Water supply sampling on six wells near the closed Francis Farm Landfill in Haywood County shows that all are safe for drinking and other purposes, according to a report issued by Bunnell-Lammons Engineering (BLE).

In August, Haywood County contracted with BLE to identify property owners and residents near the landfill who have or had water supply wells on their properties. Six property owners within 1,500 feet of the landfill were notified by letter and asked to allow the county to sample the water supply on their properties. On Aug. 16, the county conducted a public meeting to discuss the project and ask the property owners to sign an authorization form.

The water sampling, which was conducted on Aug. 24, tested for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The results showed that VOCs were not detected in any of the wells except for concentrations of bromodicloromethane and chloroform in two wells. However, the concentrations of chemicals in these two wells were not from the landfill, according to BLE.

Kenneth Rudo, state toxicologist with the N.C. Division of Public Health, also examined the test results and said the samples looked good.

“All of the wells are OK for all water uses,” Rudo stated.

County Manager Marty Stamey has notified the six property owners by letter and thanked them for their cooperation.

“The county sampled your well in a pro-active measure to ensure the safety of your well water,” Stamey stated in the letter. “We appreciate your patience and cooperation.”

Haywood County continues to maintain and monitor the Francis Farm Landfill, which closed in 1993.

The Cherokee Preservation Foundation will use a new grant application, beginning with the Spring 2012 grant cycle. The Foundation staff will explain the new grant application process at community meetings in October.   

The new grant application process will allow the Foundation and grantees track project results to know if the grants were successful after completion. The application will also help grantees gauge where they need to be spending the most time during their grant projects.

Cherokee Preservation Foundation is now joining with other Western North Carolina grantmakers to use a common application, which will make the process simpler and more efficient for applicants submitting to more than one regional funder.

The meetings will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on Oct. 11, at United Community Bank in Andrews, from 10 to 11 a.m. on Oct. 14, at the Qualla Arts & Crafts in Cherokee, and from 2 to 3 p.m. on Oct. 17, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

To RSVP, call 828.497.5550.

Coats for Kids is now accepting donations in Jackson County. Donations of gently used or new winter clothing items — coats, warm clothing, hats, gloves, shoes and new undies and socks new in original packaging due to health safety — can be dropped of at Cullowhee United Methodist, Sylva Wal-Mart, Cullowhee Valley Elementary School, Cullowhee and Sylva State Employees Credit Union and Pathways Thrift Store.

Mail monetary donations to Cullowhee United Methodist, PO Box 1267, Cullowhee NC, 28723, with the memo line: “Coats for Kids.”

Coats for Kids distribution day will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Cullowhee United Methodist Church for families who need items for their children.

The Trail of Tears Memorial Walk will begin 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Cherokee Historical Association building, continuing on the Cherokee River Loop Trail on Acquoni Road, back to Tsali Boulevard onto Drama Road, ending at the Oconaluftee Indian Village and including a tour of the village.

The event honors those forced into exile along the infamous and tragic Trail of Tears.

Registration is $10. Walkers 12 and under are free. Parking will be available at the Oconaluftee Indian Village starting at 8 a.m. with Cherokee Transit providing shuttle service to the Cherokee Historical Association parking lot. Light breakfast will be provided.

828.497.2111.

Law enforcement officials are looking for information on a rape which occurred at approximately 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25, in Macon County within the Nantahala National Forest.

Authorities are seeking information in identifying a possible suspect, a white male, 6 feet tall, 200 pounds, between the ages of 30 and 40, with brown wavy short hair, no facial hair, green to blue eyes, a deep voice and a fair complexion.

The suspect was last seen wearing dark blue jeans and a medium blue shirt. The subject is armed and considered dangerous and may be carrying a backpack. No vehicle information is available at this time.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Forest Service Road 711 and the Wayah Road, FSR 1310. A woman driving through the area stopped to help a person lying beside the road she believed was incapacitated. A firearm was then used to subdue the victim and she was raped.

On the same day and approximate location, a motor grader was vandalized and diesel was stolen. Earlier in the day, three people were observed around the motor grader that may have information relevant to the case.

Anyone with information can call the U.S. Forest Service Special Agent at 828.231.0288, the Macon County Sheriff’s Office at 828.524.2811 or the SBI at 800.334.3000.

The Toys for Tots coordinator for Macon, Jackson and Swain counties is beginning the search for volunteers.

Randy Dean Hughes, the TFT Local Coordinator for Macon, Jackson, Swain counties, he says all donations collected from this area will be used for the children in this area. All the monetary donations collected under the Toys for Tots name and logo are sent to the TFT foundation.

Anyone wanting to help out with the collections of toys, or to be a local TFT sponsor, have a toy drive, or maybe help in other ways, can go to the website at www.Smokymt-toysfortots.

Contact Hughes at 828.524.7300 or visit email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Students in Western Carolina University’s Criminal Justice Club will host a shoe donation drive to benefit people in need during the month of October as part of the WCU Poverty Project.

Shoes of all types — athletic, running, dress, sandals, heels, work boots, cleats, flip-flops or others — will be collected for the Nashville-based charity Soles4Souls, which distributes donated shoes in the United States and abroad. 

Shoes can be dropped off in donation boxes in Sylva at Fusions Spa and City Lights Café, and on campus at A.K. Hinds University Center, Campus Recreation Center, Belk 413, Creative Services in H.F. Robinson 401 and the Honors College Office in Balsam Hall 101 during the month of October.

Cyndy Caravelis Hughes, assistant professor of criminal justice, began thinking about hosting a shoe drive on campus while serving on the steering committee for the WCU Poverty Project. The project is a yearlong, multidisciplinary learning initiative at WCU featuring engaged teaching, learning, service and creative and scholarly opportunities centered on poverty, both in local communities and global society.

“I know that money is tight for everyone right now, so I thought that a shoe drive would be perfect because everyone has a spare pair or two lying around,” said Hughes.

She shared the idea with several students, and Tamara Davis Blatt, vice president of the criminal justice club, said members became excited about the possibility of being able to work on an initiative to give back to the community in a domestic and international capacity.

After the donation drive in October, the shoes will be delivered to a Soles4Souls distribution center, said Blatt.

From there, they will be processed and graded, with new and high-grade shoes sent for distribution and lower-grade shoes sent to microenterprise programs in developing countries such as Haiti, Tanzania and Honduras to be cleaned, reconditioned and sold locally, according to information from Soles4Souls. Donated shoes in conditions unfit for the microenterprise programs are sent to recyclers in Pakistan who salvage usable materials from the shoes.

For more information, contact Hughes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.227.2165.

Furry Friends Benefit Bash will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Gateway Club in Waynesville to benefit Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation. This year’s event will be a sit-down dinner with four entrees to choose from: prime rib, butter-poached salmon, herb-crusted chicken breast or a vegetarian main dish.

Jeannie Tracy, owner of the Jewelers Workbench, will again be hand crafting a designer piece of jewelry to be auctioned off during the evening. The rounded shape pendant entitled “Blue Moon Rising” will feature a 3.7 carat blue diamond. The piece will be on display at the Jewelers Workbench about one week prior to the dinner.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at Sarge’s Adoption Headquarters in Waynesville, at the Earthworks Frame Gallery and online at www.sargeandfriends.org. Table sponsorships are also available for $550 which will reserve a table in your name that seats 10 guests.

There will be a presentation on Medicare Low Income Subsidy at 1 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Haywood County Office Building in Waynesville. The program is put on by the Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center/NC SHIIP(Senior Health Insurance Information Program) in conjunction with the Brain Gym.

There will also be information on the new plans available during Medicare’s Open Enrollment for Part D prescription plans as well as Advantage plans.

828.356.2833.

A Blessing of the Animals will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9, at Grace Episcopal Church in the Mountains in Waynesville. The annual event is held in memory of St. Francis of Assissi.  All are welcome to attend with their animal companions, large or small.

In past years, a great variety of pets, and some farm animals have joined the service, including llamas, donkeys, birds, as well as dogs and cats.  Small children may bring their stuffed animals.

The service will be held on the lawn of the church.  Chairs will be provided, and families may also bring blankets for seating on the ground.

828.648.3173.

To the Editor:

While the good folks at Frontier (Everett, Wash., customer service call center) offered as a good faith gesture to lower my monthly landline phone charge by $11, my original request for an update on DSL service was met with lots of vague responses.

I explained that while Verizon gave extremely token acknowledgement to DSL for those of us who are “rural rurals” we are anxious to get high-speed internet service at our homes. The representative assured me that Frontier IS addressing that issue: service to rural America. But how does that affect us in Jackson, Haywood, Swain and other counties?   

Unfortunately, no answer as to the important issue of “when.” Six months? One year?

A decade? “There are a lot of technical matters which have to be resolved by the engineers,” the rep told me. Then I asked the question of why don’t they give customers an updated status as to how progress is being made by the engineers? “We tried to give customers who called that type of information and when they anticipated operational date came and went without the service, there were a lot of irritated customers so we don’t do that anymore,” was the rep’s reply.

“Who can I talk to in this area who can give me an update,” I asked.

The reply was “we do have an office in Sylva.”

“May I please have that number.”

“Sorry, there is no number for that office”.

Wonderful, a communication company that you can’t communicate with locally!

My interest in the subject of DSL at our home came when a contract Frontier workman mentioned that a couple of homes way beyond ours had Frontier DSL and said we should be able to as well. My interest at that point peaked and my wife checked the internet for the Frontier customer service number.

While zip was resolved in my conversation with the gentleman at the customer service call center, I did enjoy the bantering about lack of information available for those hungering for DSL, and of course, the reduction in the monthly Frontier bill.

Frontier should at least have the public relations decency to provide information as to current status of DSL for its “rural rural” customers. Information that gives us a glimmer of hope.

David Redman

Sylva

To the Editor:

I found Rep. Phil Haire’s recent letter outlining and justifying his opposition to SB 514, the Defense of Marriage Bill, very alarming.

Rep. Haire was 100 percent wrong when he said that to put the issue of homosexual marriage on the ballot in the form of a constitutional amendment is a “gross waste of your time and state funds.” Mr. Haire fails to take into account that marriage between one man and one woman is an integral part of the moral foundation that this country and the state of North Carolina is built upon. It is worth fighting for, both from a moral and economic standpoint.

The issue of gay marriage is all about the money, plain and simple. Sure, homosexual couples want to feel that their unions are validated and legitimate, but the bigger issue is to be recognized for the sake of financial reasons (Social Security benefits, state pensions, insurance).

What people do behind closed doors is strictly their own business. However, when that behavior is brought out and forced upon the public and is attempted to be mainstreamed — and paid for by the taxpayers — it must be stopped for the good of our state and our country!

Rep. Haire needs to make clear his stance. He is not against SB514, rather he is for gay/homosexual marriage, plain and simple. Mr. Haire also references several biblical passages which aided his decision making process. Unfortunately, I think he failed to take several verses, which clearly outline what marriage is, into account: “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them all male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Matthew 19:4-5).

This is a very serious issue that effects all of us and our future generations. I hope that Rep. Haire will remember that the next time he casts a vote in Raleigh that he thinks will save the taxpayers time and money.

Scott C. Stump

Waynesville