Art students from Western Carolina University will exhibit their work through Friday, Dec. 14, at the WCU Fine Art Museum. A reception for the exhibit will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6.

To the Editor:

The following letter was sent to firefighters, first responders, and law enforcement personnel for all those who helped with HCC’s recent fire:

The purpose in my letter is to thank all of you who responded to the recent fire at Haywood Community College. We often forget the services of firefighters, first responders, and law enforcement personnel until we are in a time of crisis.

While the circumstances were unfortunate ones, I watched in amazement at the skill that all of you displayed as you worked together in minimizing the loss to Haywood Community College. The competence, proficiency, and expertise that all of you displayed was impressive. Above all, your spirit of cooperation contributed in a positive way to helping reduce the potential for a more loss to the college.

I hope that Haywood Community College can continue to strengthen its partnership with all safety units throughout the county. Working together, we can all assist in making Haywood County the pleasant place for which it has become known.

Again, thank you for your professionalism. The college welcomes the opportunity to serve your needs as well.

William C. Aiken

Interim President

Haywood Community College

To the Editor:

It is apparent that history is still being written and revised by the victors and their descendants. I read this past week a letter that attempted to describe the ancestors of many Haywood County residents as “traitors” and said that honoring them is disgraceful. That is very far from the truth.

Let me first offer some historical context to answer the charge of treason. Treason is defined as “the betrayal of one’s own country by waging war against it or by consciously or purposely acting to aid its enemies.” That definition would certainly include the actions of men like Thomas Jefferson, George Mason and others in their defiance to King George and the reprehensible actions of the Crown against her “citizens” in the forms of unfair taxes and levies. These “patriots” chose to dissolve their ties with England and form their own country.

The sectional crisis that existed between the industrial North and agricultural South came to its eventual head: war. Failing to have their grievances addressed by the federal government, Southern leaders felt no choice but to dissolve the Union. The South and the citizens of the region chose to exercise what they felt was their right. Even Abraham Lincoln, before he became president, stated in 1848 on the floor of Congress: “Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up and shake off the existing government and to form one that suits them better.” This statement holds true for the people of the South.

In 1865, Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Gen. U.S. Grant. He did not surrender the entire Confederate States of America or its resources at that point. Several other Confederate armies surrendered later. The federal government later gave equal veteran status to Confederate soldiers and offered them the same benefits as their Union counterparts (Veteran’s Benefits US Title Code 38) and recognized them as “Civil War” veterans. Why would we do this for traitors?

The state of North Carolina in 1961 (HR Resolution 1058) does allow a flag of the Confederacy to be flown over the State Capitol on certain days as long as a U.S. flag is flown in equal display. Flying a flag of the Confederacy on county property does not violate this policy as long as the U.S. flag is flown in connection with this action. The state constitution does not prohibit the flying of a Confederate flag. And in the context of the State’s Historic Sites flag policy, these flags can be designated as historical in meaning.

This issue is bigger than the symbol of a Confederate flag flying on county property. It is a test of upholding our nation’s founding principles. Do we respect the right of individuals to express themselves regardless of how we view their form of expression, or do we allow censorship to happen? County property should reflect the opinions of all citizens and not just a select few. Censoring the Confederate flag or other displays does just that.

H. Kip Rollins

Waynesville

To the Editor:

BINGO! Most North Carolinians caught on that Barack Obama’s economic failures are not so much ineptness but rather his agenda. The more people collecting unemployment insurance, receiving welfare checks and using food stamps the more dependency on government. This is the Obama administration’s dream — big government, big spending, and higher taxes to pay for it all.

Recently I saw an election bumper sticker that said “Osama Dead; Auto Industry Alive,” and of course, “Vote for Obama.” North Carolinians know that Osama Bin Laden is dead but al-Qaida is not. This was proven when al-Qaida attacked the U.S. in Benghazi, Libya, where four Americans, including a U.S Ambassador, were murdered by al-Qaida militants. For days and weeks Obama and high members of his administration tried to tell us the attack was not a planned al-Qaida attack but was spontaneous because of an anti-Islam video. We now know the truth — al-Qaida is alive and well.

The auto industry is alive? North Carolinians see that the auto union is alive! Obama used taxpayer money to bail out General Motors, leaving the union intact while destroying the investments of pension and bond holders, terminating hundreds of dealerships — thus thousands of jobs — and devastating the business of many auto suppliers.

North Carolinians wisely voted for Romney/Ryan, for Republican Gov. Pat Mc Crory, and for the continuation of a Republican legislature. Now North Carolinians must insist that our state leaders maintain our state sovereignty as the Obama agenda’s big federal government tries to chip away at our states’ ability to govern as constituents wish.

Carol Adams

Glenville

One-time assistance with heating expenses is now available for low-income disabled or senior citizens through county social services departments. The funding provides for a one-time payment for heating assistance for qualified low-income households that include disabled persons or at least one member who is age 60 or older. Call or stop by the social services department in your county for more information.

After more than a year of wrangling, a new Jackson County tourism authority was finally created this week, its board members officially named, and formal marching orders handed down.

The overhaul of tourism operations in Jackson County are intended to bring a new approach to tourism marketing and promotions, and hopefully increase tourism. Past tourism marketing efforts were stymied by turf wars and duplication of efforts by similar agencies.

Tune up your listening ears and wipe down the binoculars: the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society is calling all birders to participate in the Christmas Bird Count on Friday, Dec. 14.

A $50,000 grant will fund improvements to the red wolf exhibit and build a covered pavilion at the Western North Carolina Nature Center in Asheville.

A biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, who hails from Haywood County and has played a leading role in establishing bobwhite quail habitat in the state, has been honored for his work.

A guided hike of the Mingus Creek Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be held Saturday, Dec. 15, followed by a trip to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center for history lessons and holiday shopping at the gift shop.

Friends of the Smokies member and author of two regional hiking guides, Danny Bernstein, will lead this six-mile hike. There will be a 700-foot elevation change. Hikers will see the historic Mingus Mill, the Mingus family cemetery and a slave cemetery. The hike is moderate in difficulty and may be muddy.

At the visitor center afterward will be the Holiday Homecoming event, featuring traditional mountain holiday music and Christmas celebrations.

Participants will gather to depart from Asheville at 8:30 a.m., in Maggie Valley at 9 a.m. or in the Park at 9:30 a.m. 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. Current Friends of the Smokies members hike for $10. Hikers who bring a friend hike for free.

To register for the hike, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.452.0720.

After four endangered red wolves were killed by hunters who possibly mistook them for coyotes while night hunting, a North Carolina judge has temporarily halted spotlight hunting of coyotes in five eastern counties where the world’s only wild population of red wolves is found.

The N.C. Wildlife Commission permitted this year nighttime spotlight hunting of coyotes, hoping to put a dent in the nuisance species. But coyotes look a lot like endangered red wolves, whose wild population numbers only about 100.

Red wolves had once been declared extinct in the wild until reintroduced through captive breeding programs.

Environmental groups vigorously protested nighttime spotlight hunting of coyotes, when the Wildlife Commission first proposed it earlier this year, for its potential harm to red wolves. Red wolves and coyotes are similar in size, fur, and coloring, so red wolves are frequently mistaken for coyotes, even in daylight.

But the state Wildlife Commission moved to allow the practice starting in August anyway.

The Southern Environmental Law Center has now filed a lawsuit to stop the spotlighting hunting on behalf of several conservation groups. It sought a temporary injunction against the rule while the full case is waiting to be heard.

A Wake County Superior Court judge granted the injunction, halting night hunting of coyotes in those five counties for now.

“The court acted to prevent the killing of more endangered red wolves,” said Derb Carter, a senior attorney at the law center.

But the injunction is only a small victory for environmental advocates who hope the spotlighting of coyotes will be prohibited permanently.

But Commission officials claim the spotlight hunting is an effective way of control coyotes, which are non-native to the state, destructive to the landscape and potential disease carriers.

“While we accept the judge’s decision, it is important to note that this is a decision on a preliminary injunction only. It is not a decision on the lawsuit,” said Wildlife Commission Executive Director Gordon Myers. “We remain confident of our position and its merits.”

Coyotes also kill pets and livestock, but the order does not prevent killing wildlife, including coyotes and red wolves, while in the act of depredation.

Once common throughout the Southeast, intensive predator control programs and loss of habitat eliminated wild red wolf populations. Red wolves bred in captivity were reintroduced on a North Carolina peninsula in the late 1980s.

The first backcountry emerald ash borer infestation has been confirmed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, who is stepping down this year after spending six years in D.C., announced his next career move this week: directing the lobbying arm of Duke Energy in Washington.

As senior vice president of federal affairs with Duke Energy, Shuler won’t engage in lobbying himself. Under federal rules, retired Congressman must take a yearlong cooling-off period before actively working as a lobbyist.

Shuler’s retirement came as a surprise last winter, a last minute announcement on the eve of the deadline for candidates to declare their intentions. At the time, he said he wanted to spend more time with family rather than splitting his time between D.C. and his Waynesville home.

Governor-elect to headline holiday dinner

North Carolina Governor-elect Pat McCrory (R) will be the keynote speaker at the 20th annual Charles Taylor Holiday Dinner at 7 p.m. Dec. 8, at Grove Park Inn in Asheville. The event will be McCroy’s first public appearance in Western North Carolina since sweeping the North Carolina Governor’s race earlier this month. Tickets for the dinner are $50 per person. Reservations must be made in advance.

828.243.2187 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Meadows to join breakfast event in Jackson

Congressman-elect Mark Meadows (R-Cashiers) will join Jackson County Republicans at the group’s annual prayer breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at The Jarrett House Inn & Restaurant in Dillsboro.

Meadows recently won election to the U.S. House in North Carolina’s 11th District. He will replace outgoing Congressman Heath Shuler (D-Waynesville), who retired.

Reservations for the breakfast needed.

828.743.6491 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

HCC Foundation accepting calendar submissions 

The Haywood Community College campus is known for its iconic mill pond and natural beauty. Community members frequently use the campus for photographs, walking trails and the disc golf course. 

The HCC Foundation is asking community members to dig out your best photo to use in making a 2022 calendar showcasing the campus in its full glory during each season. Only scenic images will be accepted; no people, pets, etc. Once completed, the calendars will be available for purchase. Proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit HCC students to provide emergency assistance through the HCC Cares Lavender Fund. If your photo is selected for the calendar, you will receive photo credit in the calendar as well as a free calendar. Deadline for photo submissions is 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5. Photos must be horizontal and high resolution of 300 dpi. By submitting a photo, you are agreeing that the image can be used in the 2022 HCC Calendar for reproduction. For more information, visit www.haywood.edu/foundation/hcc-calendar. To submit a photo, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To the Editor:

Doctor Raymond Turpin’s opinion of Michele Presnell, Mike Clampitt and Jim Davis seems based on the premise they “don’t get it” regarding the value of childhood programs (Oct. 24 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, www.smokymountainnews.com/opinion/item/9154)

To be scrupulously honest, these three former Republican candidates for state House and Senate (Davis and Presnell won, Clampitt lost to Rep. Joe Sam Queen) probably “get it” all too well. They recognize, for example, that at some point over the years, parenting (considered native intelligence in my parent’s generation) is somehow akin to rocket science in my children’s.

The transfer of parenting has made possible the creation and nurture of a myriad of early childhood programs and the proliferation of the mental health industry, both at great cost. Dr. Turpin accuses Clampitt and Presnell of viewing pre-schools as “free babysitting,” and all three of “backwards thinking.” It’s conceivable the good doctor is right, because the greater truth is far worse.

Childhood programs, created in collusion between education and the psychological service industry, have conspired to replace parents as primary caregivers, the custodians of our nation’s youth.

What Presnell, Clampitt and Davis were unwittingly pointing out is the difference between “experts” and parents. Experts talk about things parents can’t see while parents see things experts never talk about. Yesterday’s “undisciplined brat” is today’s “hyperactive” or “strong-willed” child. Children haven’t changed at all, but the rhetoric has.

Children have absolutely no idea what is in their own best interest. If they did, they wouldn’t need parents for 18 or more years now would they?

Over the last 40 years or so, the “experts” have done a good job of replacing child-rearing realities with “parenting” theoretical rhetoric. Parenting comes only from mothers and fathers, it is not something you can outsource to early childhood programs and self-styled experts who profit abundantly from tinkering with our culture’s child-rearing traditions. This has destabilized both the family and the culture. For proof of this, look around you.

Good parenting emanates from the heart and from the gut. From the heart springs love; from the gut springs common sense. Many of today’s parents could sure use a healthy dose of the latter.

David L. Snell

Dillsboro

To the Editor:

Democracy is working in Jackson County! This week’s passage of the Tourism Development Authority (TDA) Resolution is a much-welcomed newly sprouting seed in the political landscape in the national drought of our country’s overall political climate. Our compliments to the Jackson County Commissioners and the members of the Occupancy Tax Steering Committee.

The passage of the TDA Resolution was a year-long process, beginning with all the interest groups far apart with very strongly held views. Although it has at times been a heated exchange of ideas, it was always without rancor and always moving forward with some give and take. Because the end goal — increased tourism and an economic boost in Jackson County — was a goal common to all.

Even in the end, rather than having a merely pro forma public comments session, the commissioners seriously considered the public input and made changes that integrated others’ ideas making the final resolution an acceptable compromise.

Recognition should also be given to the County Manager, Chuck Wooten, and the County Attorney, Jay Coward, who both worked quietly and effectively behind the scenes, to ensure a solid piece of legislation.

My only regret — and we have talked privately — is that Mark Jones, the only county commissioner directly involved in the hospitality industry, the Chairman of the Occupancy Tax Steering Committee and a county commissioner, did not take the opportunity to move consensus further forward, to wit, by publicly stating his opposition to the tax raise but voting for the TDA Resolution — recognizing it was the best possible compromise that every one involved had worked so hard on.

It should also be noted that the County Manager has taken action so that any member of the Hospitality Industry in Jackson County who desires to serve on the TDA Board can “throw their name in the hat” — an expansion of the program that Mr. Wooten implemented to increase public participation on all county boards.

Now it is the task of the TDA board that will take over operations from the two Travel & Tourism Associations at the beginning of the year, to develop an integrated and unified program representing all of Jackson County and effectively using the additional tax revenue to increase tourism in Jackson County, thereby enhancing the county’s economic well-being.

George & Hanneke Ware, Chalet Inn

Whittier

Students from the far western counties of North Carolina majoring in music, fine arts or industrial arts at Western Carolina University can tap into a $10,000 scholarship fund set up by Robbinsville native Elaine Howell, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel.

Howell, who earned her bachelor’s degree in music education at WCU in 1968, taught band in the N.C. public school system for more than six years before enlisting in the U.S. Air Force. A 1964 graduate of Robbinsville High School, she currently lives in San Antonio, where she was stationed for a portion of her military career.

Although WCU students majoring in music will be given top priority, students majoring in fine or industrial arts also will be eligible. Howell said she included those areas of study in honor of her parents. 

828.227.7124 or 800.492.8496 or give.wcu.edu.

North Carolina Arts Council has provided initial funding for the research and development of the Scotch-Irish exhibit at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center outside Robbinsville.

The Arts Council is now matching funds for the printing, mounting and placement of the exhibit. This exhibit will be a companion piece to the Cherokee exhibit at Stecoah and will feature the history of the Stecoah Valley after the removal of the Cherokee Indians in 1838. Most of the photographs for the Scotch-Irish Exhibit have never been seen outside of the families that have granted the exhibit the permission to publish them. Funding for this exhibit is being generated by power2give. The Arts Council will match contributions dollar for dollar. 

To make a donation visit www.power2give.org or 828.479.3364.

Choir to perform Christmas story in Canton Dec. 23

The choir of Rockwood United Methodist Church will present a cantata titled “Silent Night, Holy Night” at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, in Canton.

Written by Russell Mauldin and Sue C. Smith, this performance celebrates the miraculous story of Jesus’ birth and is built around one of most beloved and cherished Christmas carols of all time. The cantata will be followed by a time of refreshments and fellowship. The event is free and open to the public.

828.648.6870.

Songs from ‘Polar Express’ to be performed Dec. 8

Voices in the Laurel will perform a special Christmas concert featuring the poetry of Robert Frost, traditional and international Christmas carols and a medley from “The Polar Express” at 2:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at historic Stewart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.

The performance is a preshow to the Lake Junaluska Singers 3 p.m. matinee performance. Both concerts are part of Lake Junaluska’s Appalachian Christmas Celebration Dec. 6-9.

Now in its 17th season, Voices in the Laurel is comprised of 60 children, in grades first through 12th from five counties in Western North Carolina. Included in the Voices in the Laurel’s repertoire will be "El cant des Ocells" (Song of the Birds), a Catalan Christmas carol.

Tickets for the matinee performance of the Lake Junaluska Singers and the Voices in the Laurel preshow are $16.50 for reserved tickets, $15 for general admission, and $8 for children, age 8 and under.

800.222.4930.

Voices in the Laurel to host silent auction

Voices in the Laurel’s “Winter Silent Auction” will be held from noon to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, at the Harrell Center in Lake Junaluska.

Come bid on a variety of local and national items, art, pottery, gift baskets, jewelry, salon and massage services, restaurant gift certificates, golf outings, resort vacations and tickets to various regional theme parks. The auction is on the same day as the Junaluska Christmas Craft Show, which will be held 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Harrell Center. This event is held in conjunction with the Appalachian Christmas pre-concert with the Lake Junaluska Singers that afternoon at 2:15 p.m. in the Stuart Auditorium.

828.564.3638.

Waynesville Christmas parade to be televised

WNC Television will broadcast the Waynesville Christmas Parade held on Monday, Dec. 3, several times during the coming week.

The parade will be aired on Charter cable channel 16. The schedule is 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 21, 22, 24 and 25. It will also be shown from noon to 1 p.m. and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 23.

It will also be available for viewing online at www.wnctelevision.com for the next several weeks.

The Canton Annual Christmas Tour of Homes will take place from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2.

The North Carolina glass community will hold an exhibit from Oct. 28 to Feb. 1, at the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum.

Nationally acclaimed Western North Carolina bluegrass group Balsam Range will be kicking off their winter concert series at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at The Colonial Theatre in Canton.

A free Christmas Concert with award-winning bluegrass and gospel band Mountain Faith will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

An annual Appalachian Christmas Celebration will run from Dec. 6-9 at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.

Dillsboro Festival of Lights & Luminaries will be held on Dec. 7 and 8 and Dec. 14 and 15. The celebration begins each evening at dusk and runs until 9 p.m.

WCU partners with Asheville Symphony 

Western Carolina University’s School of Music has initiated a new artist-in-residence program this semester, formalizing a partnership with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra to bring professional string musicians to campus for performances with WCU’s woodwind, brass and percussion students and choral ensembles.

The artist-in-residence program is an outgrowth of a smaller effort launched in the 1990s to try to provide students with experience performing in an orchestral setting.

Through the program, Asheville Symphony string players will be performing with WCU faculty and students for recitals of a variety of musical types, including chamber, choral and opera performances. In addition to providing talent for public performances, the partnership also provides learning opportunities for WCU students.

828.227.7242 or www.music.wcu.edu.

Jazz musicians to perform free concerts

Music students from Western Carolina University will perform jazz concerts at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 26, and Thursday, Nov. 29, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building. 

The Nov. 26 concert will feature two student jazz combos, each with 30 minutes of repertoire. They plan to perform jazz standards in various styles including blues, swing, ballad, waltz, funk and bossa nova.

The Nov. 29 concert will feature the Jazz Ensemble with guest artist saxophonist Jacob Duncan. The Jazz Ensemble comprises five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets and full rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass and drums). The performers develop knowledge of various jazz big band styles, including the music of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Herbie Hancock and Bob Mintzer, as well as music of modern jazz arrangers of the 1990s.

Admission is free and the concerts are open to the public. 

828.227.7242 or www.music.wcu.edu.

Want to learn to play the dulcimer?

Western Carolina University’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education will offer an introductory class in playing the mountain dulcimer from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, at Biltmore Park Town Square.

The class will be led by Anne Lough, a traditional musician who earned her master’s degree in music education at WCU and has performed and taught for 35 years. Participants will learn how to strum the dulcimer and play basic melodies, including a few holiday tunes. No musical experience is necessary for participation. Loaner instruments will be available. WCU’s new facility is located at 28 Schenck Parkway in Biltmore Park Town Square, just off Interstate 26 at Exit 37. The cost is $39.

828.227.7397 or visit www.learn.wcu.edu.

WCU, Warren Wilson ensembles to perform

Western Carolina University’s Low Tech Ensemble will perform a gamelan degung from Western Java with Warren Wilson College’s Gamelan Ensemble, playing Central Javanese gamelan, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 28, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building on the WCU campus. 

A “Show & Sale” craft fair will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, at the MedWest Health and Fitness Center in Clyde.

Local crafters are invited to purchase a table for a small fee to display and sell crafts to the public. All community members are invited to participate and to bring family and friends to the fair. MedWest Health and Fitness Center members may reserve a table for $15. The cost for non-members is $25.

828.452.8080.

The “Hard Candy Christmas” Craft Art and Show will celebrate 25 years as a “Mountain Christmas Tradition” in Western North Carolina from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Nov. 23-24, in the Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University.

With original work from more than 100 regional artisans, Christmas themed artists will be in attendance with original paintings, clay and glass. New exhibitors are coming in to celebrate with us as well and sell their best art. There will be a variety of heritage crafts like broom making, goat milk soap and hand loomed cotton rugs.

Admission is $4 for a weekend pass for adults, children under 12 free. There is no charge for parking.

www.mountainartisans.net or 828.524.3405 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Blue Ridge Orchestra will present this year’s annual family holiday concert twice, at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 7 at the Colonial Theatre in Canton and at 4 p.m. onn Dec. 9 at the Folk Arts Center in East Asheville.

Music Director Milton Crotts has designed a special program that features selections from Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” and Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel”, among others. “Good Tidings of Great Joy, A Christmas Narrative for Orchestra”, will be narrated by Miguel Cooper of the Asheville School, contrasting with Pizzicato Polka by Johann Strauss - a Viennese New Year’s Tradition. Comprised of nearly 75 volunteers, the Blue Ridge Orchestra has been presenting symphony concerts in Western North Carolina since 1999.

www.blueridgeorchestra.org.

The annual Madrigal Dinner will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1, in the Grandroom of the A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University.

Swain County Schools celebrated Native American heritage on Nov. 8-9 by having Aztec dancers perform for students at the Swain County Center for the Arts. 

To the Editor:

In a recent column, writer Jeff Minick implored holiday shoppers to consider shopping locally and using the Internet only as a last resort so that the money will stay in our local economy. If only life were so simple ….

The author’s primary premise was that local business owners return their income to the community in the form of re-investment in their businesses and by spending it on their living expenses. Unstated was the idea that dollars generated by Internet sales have little or no impact here at home.

In fact, this argument has at least one major flaw: when it comes to the Internet, sometimes those nameless, faceless sellers are actually your neighbors. In the last 15 years, E-tailers like Amazon, eBay and etsy have made it possible for hundreds of thousands of small business people to earn a living. Many of these web sellers don’t have the capital to open a retail outlet; some have physical disabilities that prevent them from running such an enterprise; others cannot afford the childcare costs related to traditional employment. Some just can’t find a job. There are as many reasons to sell on the Internet as there are sellers.

Hundreds of businesses in our local mountains sell products on the Internet. Many — if not most — through a major “E-tailer.” Next time you’re standing in line at the post office, check out the folks who come in with (probably multiple) packages that already have professional postage applied. That’s a dead giveaway for a web seller. This quietly growing group contributes to our local economy too: they pay taxes on the income (a relatively recent development with Amazon and eBay), and the money they make pays their bills, just as it does for a traditional store owner. They buy supplies and materials from local stores, and their reliance on the postal system can’t hurt in these tough times when small post offices may be destined for the chopping block.

So while I agree with most of the “buy local” ideology, I think we must also consider current economic realities and the rapidly changing face of business: there’s not always an easy answer when it comes to making shopping decisions that will benefit our community.

Libby Dunevant

Waynesville

To the Editor:

I’ve been a fan of The Smoky Mountain News for 12 years since you very ably reported on the Needmore Tract conservation story: a locally-led campaign to conserve 27 miles of Little Tennessee River. The then-Macon County Commission, chaired by Harold Corbin, helped to lead that campaign to keep the Needmore in the public trust.

As such, I was disappointed by your story last week about the Cowee School which left the reader believing that Macon County was funneling money through a “special-interest group” called The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (LTLT). LTLT is not receiving funds from Macon County. Quite the opposite, LTLT and the Cowee Community Development Organization are raising funds to support the county-led investment in the school to serve as a heritage arts center, local food facility, and proposed incubator for cottage industry in Macon County.

The county’s investment in Cowee School was made in September by a County Commission chaired by another Corbin who also cares deeply for the county, Kevin Corbin. Your article failed to mention that these funds are being administered by the Macon Economic Development Commission. Given that the exceptionally intact cultural and natural heritage of northern Macon County are amongst the county’s greatest economic development assets, Cowee School as an EDC project makes great sense.

In the article it was also suggested that the Cowee School is nothing more than one more decommissioned community school, as if it had no special merits that would justify county investment. The historic Cowee School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it anchors the largest historic district in Western North Carolina with 27 structures spanning 1,400 years of history. The principal Cherokee town of Cowee was at the geo-political center of the South in the middle 1700s and the first military campaign of the American Revolution in the South was the attack on Cowee two months after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. One reason to invest in Cowee School is to build on the extraordinary history that surrounds the school.

The Cowee School is the largest building, and the only publicly owned building, in the historic district. It was built of local stone by the WPA 70 years ago on the site of a CCC camp. Re-use of Cowee School has much greater economic development potential than any other local decommissioned community school that I know of. The question of county investment in the county’s cultural heritage, one of its greatest assets, is one that the next Macon Commission will undoubtedly grapple with over the next two years. I have faith that under the leadership of Kevin Corbin, the right decisions will be made.

Paul Carlson

LTLT Executive Director

Franklin

To the Editor:

After reading your piece this week, “Speaking too loudly sometimes belittles the message,” my reaction was “let’s err on the side of appreciation.”

One of my most poignant memories came from a Memorial Day visit to Arlington National Cemetery a few years back. A youngish couple, dressed in biker gear got off the front of the tram and walked to the back row to shake the hand of, and thank, a uniformed older man for his service.

Maybe I’m sappy, but they had me in tears.

Off of Russ Avenue, seeing the flags flying on the graves this week reminded me of that incident. Reading about the little boys from New York, Michael and Mario Mazzariello, had me thinking their parents certainly took the correct course of action to raise those little boys with that kind of respect for the military. 

It may be true that the wearing of your patriotism on your sleeve is a backlash from the abuse Vietnam veterans experienced. It may be fashionable now to seem to be appreciative of servicemen and women, but really, so what? 

I seriously don’t think any gesture cheapens the appreciation we should  all show by our actions everyday, not just on Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day.

My husband and I moved from California this year. One attractive feature of North Carolina is that it is the most military-friendly state in the nation. Believe me, it shows in the citizens’ deeds.

On behalf of my husband Alan, I’d like to thank Brandon Wilson, Haywood County Veterans Officer, and Mark Schuler, NC Department of Commerce DWS Veterans Employment Consultant II. Thank you for your service to our country gentlemen; and thank you for your help. Their actions make a difference to our veterans every day.

In closing, yes you are correct Mr. McLeod. Some things (like commercialization) may not be dignified. But in my opinion, any reminder is a good thing. So go ahead, a small gesture like: saying thank you, buying lunch for, or shaking the hand of someone in uniform really isn’t undignified or over-the-top. It is literally the least we can do.

Jo Ann Merriam

Waynesville

By Ken Jacobine • Guest Columnist

The idea of the United States of America was born during the Age of Enlight-enment (17th and 18th centuries). The great philosophers of that time challenged the divine right of kings by enunciating a new theory for the social order. The English philosopher John Locke (1632-1704), who claimed that man originally was born in a state of nature where he had the absolute rights of life, liberty, and property, articulated this new theory.

The domestic, farm-raised turkey most Americans eat on Thanksgiving Day is nothing like the wild turkey feasted on by the Pilgrims and Native Americans. And with that big turkey meal approaching, here are a few facts about the tasty game bird chosen as the main course for the original feast:

Rains cause wastewater spills in Haywood

Beginning Jan. 14, and due to the heavy rains, Waynesville had several wastewater overflows. One took place at a manhole adjacent to Richland Creek at Howell Mill Road. An estimated 600,000 gallons spilled out until Jan. 20 when the flow was stopped. Other such flows happened near the county fairgrounds, where 400,000 gallons spilled out and flowed into Richland Creek, and near the Hazelwood Town Hall where an estimated 100,000 gallons left the sewer system.

828.456.4410.

Smokies to start charging backpackers

 Changes to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park backcountry reservation and permit system will officially take effect on Feb. 13. Backcountry camping was previously free, but will now cost $4 per person, per night.

A new advance reservation system will also be put in place, allowing backcountry campers to make reservations and obtain permits online, up to 30 days in advance. The new site is www.smokiespermits.nps.gov.

Backcountry camping in the Smokies is allowed at designated sites only. While the number of people at a given site on a given night is limited, the former permit system didn’t ensure that. Do-it-yourself permit stations were mounted on posts at remote trailheads, allowing backpackers to self-register by slipping a form in a drop box, which were collected later by rangers.

For sites in high demand, backpackers had to call in and make reservations in advance, but the backcountry desk had limited days and hours of operation.

The park plans to staff an expanded backcountry trip planning desk and increase its backcountry ranger presence.

865.436.1297.

Jump on the 4-H bandwagon in Haywood

Haywood County 4-H will host a kick-off on Monday, Feb. 4, from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Haywood Cooperative Extension Center in Waynesville. The event is geared toward existing and new members, and will serve as a brainstorming session to plan the coming year’s activities and projects.

The evening’s festivities will include teambuilding activities, a teen leadership council meeting, an electrical workshop and a talk about environmental issues pertaining to water, wildlife, forestry, soils and land use. There will also be pizza, drinks and other activities.

828.456.3575.

Learn to be a lifeguard

The aquatics area of the Midwest Health & Fitness Center in Haywood County will hold an American Red Cross Lifeguard Training certification course Feb. 21-24.

Classes will last between five and nine hours each day. Completion earns a two-year lifeguard and CPR certification, suitable for employment at pools across the country. The course costs $235 for MedWest Health and Fitness Center members, and $255 for non-members.

828.452.8056.

HCC offers boating safety course

A boating safety course will be held from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m on Jan. 28 and 29 at Haywood Community College.

The course, put on by the HCC’s Natural Resources Division and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, will result in a boater safety certification. Free, but pre-registration required.

www.ncwildlife.org.

Tuscola High School students placed first among the 13 competing teams at the 2012 Area Land Judging contest hosted earlier this month by the Future Farmers of America.

Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has received a $12,000 grant from Verizon to empower teachers with science and technology. Next spring and summer, the grant will fund two teacher workshops in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park focusing on adapting lesson plans to curriculum changes and new science content, and current technology.

Novice outdoor adventurers can learn the basics of wilderness excursion at a 45-minute workshop beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee.

Participants will learn about how to pack a backpack; proper attire to wear in the wilderness; what food to eat; and water purification systems. The class will also focus on trail and waterfall safety.

The class is free and intended for ages 8 and up. Attendance is limited to the first 10 to register and participants should bring their own gear.

828.293.3053 or www.jacksonnc.org/parks-and-recreation.

The annual Cherokee Choices 5k Run, Walk or Roll will be held at noon on Saturday, Nov. 17, at the Expo Center on Acquoni Road, also known as the old high school.

All ages and moving style are invited to participate in the event, including those rolling strollers and wheelchairs. The event’s purpose is to promote a healthy lifestyle for residents and raise funds for the Cherokee Cancer Support Group.

Registration on race day begins at 11 a.m. and cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. To pre-register call 828.497.1976. Medals and a T-shirt will be given to first 100 registered.

Two environmentalists were honored by the Franklin-based Land Trust for the Little Tennessee at its annual celebration Nov. 3 in Macon County.

The Land-of-Sky Regional Council will host a round of community input meetings Nov. 5 through Dec. 6 to gather input for a regional bicycling plan.

A discussion about the local effects of climate change and development will be held at the historic Rickman Store near Franklin from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 17.