Forty-seven students played and sang their way through the week as Voices in the Laurel Children’s Choir recently completed its third annual summer music camp.

Western Carolina University will host two bands and screen the horror film “Cabin in the Woods” on Saturday, Aug. 18, as part of the university’s annual outdoor Valley Ballyhoo event.

The Marianna Black Library will present an evening of acoustic music with local singer/songwriter team Liz and AJ Nance at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9.

Weather permitting, this program will be presented on the front porch of the library; otherwise, it will be moved to the library auditorium. Snacks and refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Marianna Black Library.

The program is free. 828.488-3030 or visit www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

The Summer Concert series at Fontana Village Resort will feature The Elderly Brothers from 8-11 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11, in the Events Hall at Fontana Village Resort. The Elderly Brothers play classics from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

There will also be music on the deck of the Wildwood Grill Thursday and Friday nights. Randy Flack will play from 8-11 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9. Flack plays everything from country, classic rock, Motown, gospel, blue grass, and his own original songs. On Friday, Aug. 10, from 7:30-10 p.m. enjoy the Logan Murrell, a songwriter and musician from Knoxville. 

Visit fontanavillage.com or call 828.498.2211.

Kellie Pickler, a small-town North Carolina native who competed on NBC’s American Idol, will perform at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18.

The next Second Sunday Contra Dance will be from 2:30-5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12, in the community room on the second floor of the old courthouse in the Jackson County Library Complex in Sylva.

Jennie Wakefield will call the dance to the music of Out of the Woodwork. There will also be a potluck dinner following the contra dance, starting at 5:30 p.m. Bring a covered dish, plate, cup and cutlery and a water bottle.

All dances are done to live music, and local musicians are invited to sit in with the band, to jam and learn how to play music for dancing. No previous experience with contra dancing is necessary, and all dances will be taught and walked through before dancing. No partner is required.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

“Answering the Call: Religion and Chaplains during the Civil War” will be the topic of a lecture by Ronald Vinson at 1 p.m. on Aug. 18 at the Macon County Public Library.

Vinson is a graduate of Georgia Tech and has worked with many museums on historical projects. He is the executive director of the Presbyterian Heritage Center in Montreat near Asheville.

The Center currently features an exhibit, which he helped design and which will be subject of his talk. The 1,100-square-foot display contains diaries, letters, documents, uniforms, buttons, swords, rifles, and rare photos. The exhibit, which runs to October of this year, provides information and photos on many chaplains from a variety of denominations including Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Roman Catholic, and Jewish. Vinson recently spoke at the 15th Annual Salisbury Confederate Prison Symposium.

704.637.6411 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Kiwanis Club of Waynesville is reviving the very popular Spelling Bee fundraising event that was run, for many years, by the Haywood County Literacy Council.

The event is scheduled for Nov. 2 at the First Methodist Church in Waynesville. Members are already seeking sponsors and individuals willing to be a part of this fun and great community experience.  

The sponsorships and funds raised will go directly to assist the children of Haywood County with their educational, medical, nourishment and clothing needs. For more information please call Marti Peithman at 828.926.3678 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call George Dixon at 828.452.3573 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Folk Art Center will host its annual celebration of woodcrafts at Wood Day from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Aug.11 at The Folk Art Center’s auditorium.

Demonstrations include carving, wood-turning, broom-making, and furniture design and construction. Southern Highland Craft Guild members Sandra Rowland and Jan Morris will host activities for children.

Another part of Wood Day is the 12th Annual Carve-Off Competition from 1 to 3 p.m. Participants have two hours to turn a simple block of wood into a work of art. Carvers must sign up by 12:30 p.m. to participate.

Admission is free. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in east Asheville. Headquarters to the Southern Highland Craft Guild, the Center also houses three galleries, a library, Allanstand Craft Shop and a Blue Ridge Parkway bookstore.

828.298.7928 or visit www.craftguild.org.

Elementary school-aged children and their families are invited to a free “Back To School” ARTSaturday workshop from 10 a.m. until noon on Saturday, Aug. 11, in the children’s area of the Macon County Public Library.

Make-and-take projects include personalized book covers, bookmarks and caps. Music will be provided by keyboardist Lionel Caynon and ice cream treats will be served. No pre-registration; children should wear play clothes and come for any part of the session. Adults can work with their younger children at a designated workstation.

The library is off Siler Road in Franklin adjacent to Southwestern Community College. The Arts Council presents ARTSaturday workshops at the Library the second Saturday of the month.

www.artscouncilofmacon.org or 828.524.7683.

Jackson County Visual Arts Association (JVCAA) is sponsoring the Sylva Art Stroll in historic downtown Sylva starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 10.

Metal artist Grace Cathey of Haywood County will display her work and talk about her artistic journey from 7 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 24 in the barn behind the Shelton House in Waynesville.

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer

The problem with trying to interview a ventriloquist is that he — in this case Jeff Dunham — represents not just himself but multiple other personalities — in this case five — and in summoning a cast of half a dozen from the back of his throat said ventriloquists’ voice was shot by the time we were supposed to talk.

Ugly Truths

Has the entertainment industry really crumbled to such a sorry point that rather than attempting to make the best music they possibly can, the current “superstars” are more interested in making bets on whose outrageously hyped, fancily packaged and hopelessly mediocre product will outsell the other’s equally lame-o new disc? Yeehaw — 50 Cent’s going to retire if Kanye wins.

Haywood County commissioners have taken a first step forward — albeit a small one — to protect farmland in the mountains, but they and leaders in other counties need to do more. If they don’t, the region’s agriculture traditions is going to just fade away before our eyes.

By David Curtis

I would like to think Haywood County is still considered a rural county. At least to me, sexing a possum is something I can’t really associate with an urban lifestyle.

Swain County inched a notch closer this month toward seeing a cash settlement in lieu of the long-promised North Shore Road.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

Forget the presidential election — the biggest race to watch in the coming months may be the battle for mayor of Maggie Valley.

By Chris Cooper

The picture you see when you flip open the new Moolah Temple Stringband CD shows singer/guitarist/found-sound alchemist Jonathan Wertheim whacking some hapless little synthesizer to bits with a mallet. That’s almost all that needs to be said if you’re familiar with the kind of sonic de-(re?)construction he and Ian Moore have pursued since the days of Smoky Mountain Drum’n Bass, the project from which Moolah Temple was born.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

With no word yet from former U.S. House Rep. Charles Taylor on his decision to run for re-election, one Republican candidate — Asheville city councilman Dr. Carl Mumpower — has stepped up to announce his bid for the seat.

By Michael Beadle

Several Western North Carolina running teams recently concluded the 208-mile Blue Ridge Relay Race from Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia to downtown Asheville. About 600 runners from 48 teams ran the third annual race from Friday morning, Sept. 7, to Saturday afternoon, Sept. 8.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

A clean water advocacy group is questioning why an accidental discharge of a paper-making byproduct into the Pigeon River by the former Blue Ridge Paper mill hasn’t been the subject of more scrutiny.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

Roger Winge knew a good deal when he spotted one.

Before Super Wal-Mart had announced plans to set foot in Waynesville, Winge, a local realtor, took one look at the 30-acre former industrial site once occupied by the Dayco rubber plant and saw dollar signs.

By Arthur Hancock

Anyone who is among the living has hope — even a live dog is better off than a dead lion.

— Ecclesiastes 9:4

Do you agree with the following sentence? The survival of the human race is more important than anything else on Earth.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Supreme Court ruled Saturday that a new election will not be held on the Qualla Boundary, putting to rest a month-long debate filled with accusations of eligible voters being turned away from the polls.

In a tight race for chief — decided by a mere 14-vote margin — 21 protests had been filed with the Election Board.

By Armando Basulto • Guest Writer

There is something vaguely depressing about watching your nostalgia for your adolescent years transformed into a VH1 “We Love the 70’s-80’s” special. Realizing the years of high school memories you hoped to keep precious in a locked drawer were now paraded for the post-Grunge generation to marvel at like an artifact in a museum diorama was a sobering mortality check.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

The roar of motorcycles is a familiar sound in the mountains of Western North Carolina. And for many business owners, it’s music to their ears.

Bikers mean warm bodies to occupy beds, eat in restaurants, and shop in stores. This means dollars for the local economy. So why aren’t counties doing more to advertise to this fast-growing segment of the population?

By Michael Beadle

If you’re lucky enough to visit the Flying Cat Studio just off U.S. 276 in Jonathan Creek, you might get a glimpse of Spike, the mischievous mixed breed cat who’s been known to paw on the switch that starts the potter’s wheel. Stepping on the spinning wheel, he’ll go flying into the air like a dizzy kid exiting a merry-go-round. Hence, the name of the studio.

By Marsha Crites • Guest Columnist

Much has been written in this paper and others about what is causing our gorgeous hemlock trees to die and what steps one can take to forestall or halt the disease. Rather than belabor these horticultural lessons, I am moved to talk about the emotional response many of us are having to losing these old giants who have guarded and shaded our lives for so long in the mountains.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

Voters can thank the recently formed Haywood County League of Women Voters for the opportunity to hear what each Waynesville mayor candidate had to say about the important issues in the Nov. 6 race.

There’s one fundamental reason the Southern Loop needs more discussion before it is considered a done deal — the simple fact that the citizens whose tax dollars pay for roads should, ultimately, decide the transportation future of the community in which they live. So far, the Southern Loop has not officially been endorsed by the leaders who act as the voice for Jackson County’s citizens. It’s that simple.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

Advertising was the hot topic of discussion at the second meeting of the recently re-organized Swain County Tourism Development Authority on Sept. 26. The board was presented with a range of magazine options, courtesy of Kelso Advertising Agency representative Marilyn Ball, in an attempt to determine what ad placement would give them the most bang for their buck.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

Over 50 people came out to hear Waynesville’s next mayor speak at the this election season’s first mayor’s forum, held by the recently formed chapter of the League of Women Voters.

Raising Sand

Duet albums are about as original as cheeseburgers, but this one has stayed in my car’s disc player for days now. A co-worker left Raising Sand on my desk Friday, and I’ve been listening to the collaboration between contemporary bluegrass diva Alison Krauss and Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant all weekend. I’m a huge fan of both, but could not have imagined them together.

By David Curtis

The 21st Century arrived at the Curtis residence this past Friday.

We have evolved from caveman, cavewoman and cave children into the cellular age. Yes, our foreheads no longer slant and we can now stand erect while we call and text all of our friends and family, who will be now be known as our “contacts.”

Bands just have to stick with it. Whether on the grand scale of being a signed, touring group or one whose “tour” constitutes a weekend long stand at the two or three bars populating the local main drag, giving in to the many pitfalls lying in wait just can’t be an option.

By Stephanie Wampler

With a long flash of silver, the golf club revolved in a wide, smooth arc. The glinting club head cut through the air. Splat! It crashed against the tiny tomato and there was an explosion of juice and seeds. The lifeless remnant of the little fruit spun through the air and deep into the woods. It was gone.

By Kathleen Lamont

There has been a lot of planning, talking and meeting lately regarding the buzzword of the decade: “sustainability.”

A program on the local seed lending library in Jackson County will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 8 at the county extension office.

The program is sponsored by the Jackson/Swain Master Gardner Association and the speaker will be Jenny McPherson. McPherson started the seed lending library in Jackson County.

“A big part of the success of any seed library is for users to learn how to properly save seeds,” says McPherson. “I am still learning a lot about seed saving and hope that the seed library will encourage others to get involved too — either by sharing their knowledge or taking the time to learn proper seed saving methods.”

This event is open to the public and will be followed by a short business meeting with Master Gardener members.

Dr. Dan Pittillo will lead a two-part workshop on plant identification beginning at 10 a.m. on Aug. 6 at the Highlands Biological Station.

The morning session (10 a.m.-noon) will be a review of plant structure, then a picnic lunch (bring your own). At 1 p.m. participants will go to the gardens for identifications with Newcomb’s Guide, which participants should bring. This two-part exercise should put the participants into a comfortable use of identification keys.

Cost for the workshop is $10. RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Pittillo taught plant science at Western Carolina University for more than three decades, directing the WCU Herbarium from 1970 to his retirement in 2005. For many years he served as the fall color prognosticator for many local and regional publications.

The Highlands Botanical Garden will offer a free tour focusing on carnivorous plants of the Southern Appalachians at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 13. The tour is one of the regular free garden tours the Highlands Nature Center offers of its botanical gardens every Monday during the summer. For more information on the kid-friendly tours call 828.526.2221.

Local teachers and students will return to school with a wealth of knowledge and experience gained from a summer working with park rangers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Daniel Boone Scramble 15k Trail Run will take place on Aug. 11 at Camp Daniel Boone in Haywood County.

The Daniel Boone Scramble has a variety of terrain for runners to negotiate.

“Their shoes will hit single track dirt, tarmac, gravel roads, stream crossings, steep climbs, and steep descents,” said Bill Lawrence, a trail runner in Haywood County who designed and course for the trail run. “The views vary from vistas of Cold Mountain and Shining Rock Wilderness, to an intimate vantage point of Camp Daniel Boone Program Areas and isolated backcountry fauna. A lot of effort has gone into making it a scenic experience for the participants, something they would like to just go out and hike one day.”

The night before the race, participants can tent camp or stay the night in one of the bunkhouses at Camp Daniel Boone.

This is also the third and final race of the Brooks-Jus’ Running Trail Triplicity Series. Anyone who ran DuPont, Rock2Rock and the Daniel Boone Scramble has the chance to win prizes, including a coveted entry in to the Shut In Trail Run

$30 cost for pre-registration, $35 on race day. Awards will be given to first, second and third overall in the male and female categories. Age group awards will be given to first and second in each age group. First 100 get a free hat. Race starts at 9 a.m.

Joe Wiegand, regarded as the nation’s premiere Theodore Roosevelt impersonator, will bring the conservation-minded president to life during a fundraising dinner for the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance at 7 p.m. on Aug. 11 at the Cedar Creek Racquet Club.

Wiegand brings Roosevelt to life with an unparalleled grasp of history and an uncanny way of convincing the audience that they are in the company of the great Rough Rider president. All proceeds from the event will benefit the J-MCA. Tickets are $50, which includes dinner, dessert, and an hour long show. VIP tickets can be purchased for $75. Along with the dinner show, VIPs are invited to the pre-show champagne reception starting at 6 p.m. with hors d’ oeuvres and a meet and greet with Teddy himself.

828.526.0890, ext. 320, or www.j-mca.org.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) — to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the completion of the AT — is hosting a video contest to find out what people love most about the A.T.

The contest entitled “Why Do You Love the Appalachian Trail?” is accepting submissions until Sept. 2. The grand prize winner will receive several prizes including the opportunity to have their video screened in theaters during the ATC’s membership drive this fall.

Videos must be no longer than three minutes and must answer the question, “Why do you love the Appalachian Trail?” Each participant can only submit one video and must adhere to the ATC’s Leave No Trace™ principles.

“Everyone has their own reasons for hiking the Appalachian Trail,” said Javier Folgar, marketing and communications manager of the ATC. “This contest provides the opportunity for Appalachian Trail enthusiasts to showcase to the world what the Trail means to them in their lives.”

The ATC’s Facebook fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite videos. For more information or to submit a video visit www.appalachiantrail.org/videocontest.

Visitation to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is on the rise, a good sign for Western North Carolina counties who depend on the park as a key cog in the tourism industry.

June was up 7.2 percent over the same month a year ago as 1,202,056 visitors passed through the entrances to the park. Year-to-date visitation is up 11.5 percent — 410,767 — over the same period in 2011.

The first half of 2012 is also up 3.6 percent above the five-year average of number of visitors during the same time period.

The June increase follows similar increases in May, March and February.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.), the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, measuring roughly 2,180 miles in length from Georgia to Maine.

The Friends of the Smokies next “Classic Hike of the Smokies” will be to the top of Mt. Cammerer, where a historic fire tower affords a stunning panoramic view of the Smoky Mountains.

The third annual Main Street Mile will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 10 in downtown Waynesville.

The event is followed by a post-race party with food, drinks, children’s games and activities, and live music. All proceeds go directly to Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville, S.C.

Prizes will be award to the top finishers in various age groups, as well as to the winning public servant team (police, fire rescue, EMS). Registration and packet pick-up are in front of Badcock Furniture from 5-6 p.m. The race will be run in heats: 6:30 p.m., 18 and under; 6:50 p.m., female 18 and over; 7:10 p.m., male 18 and over; 7:30 p.m., team races for police, fire and emergency service teams.

Businesses sponsors this year include Headwaters Brewing Company, Frog Level Brewing Company, Fun Things Etc, FunShine Faces, Servpro, and singer-songwriter Chris Williams of Empty Slate.

www.waynesvillemainstreetmile.com