To the Editor:

It appears that Bob Wilson, a frequent letter writer, is stuck in a 1950’s time warp. He’s still fighting the Red Menace and the Cold War, and thinks the enemy is still communism and its little brother socialism. His rhetoric is full of old Cold War anti-communist propaganda and group-think.  

In the last 50 years the United States has become more like old fascist Germany than arch-enemy Communist Russia. Yes, there is a ruling political class in our U.S.A. It’s the ultra-rich and the corporations they run! But don’t take my word for it. Facts provide all the proof necessary. 

Will heavier taxation kill industry and push us into debt? Fact: a recent study shows that the effective tax rate for the 500 largest businesses in the U.S. is 13 percent, far lower than the rate you and I pay. If there is a problem with U.S. debt it’s because the lobbyists of corporate America have created a tax code riddled with loop holes, exemptions and tax havens putting the burden of taxes on the middle class, which is slowly going broke.

Is our so-called “socialist” government out to disarm ordinary citizens who may pose a threat? Fact: the United States has more guns per person than any other country. There are probably over 300 million guns in private hands, equaling almost one gun for every man, women and child. Last week armed vigilantes “out-gunned” federal officers trying to collect over a million dollars in grazing fees and penalties legally owed by a wealthy landowner.  

Do “socialists” pass more regulations to “keep a lid on things?” Fact: exactly what regulation on which “things” would we want to do away with? How about less regulation on Duke Power and their coal ash ponds? Less food inspectors? Fewer tests for prescription drugs? Would you want less of these regulations? I know, let’s take the air bags out of cars. Corporate profit margins would greatly benefit from those changes. 

Are lawmakers attempting to pacify citizens with more freebies? Fact: the largest “freebies,” other than those handed to corporations, are Social Security and Medicare. All other “social welfare” programs are tiny by comparison. Any problem with Social Security can be cured by requiring the wealthy pay the same percentage we pay. And, if Medicare is out of control, unlike any other major industrialized country, our medical system is designed to make a profit for big insurance companies and medical providers.  

If President Obama’s goal is to make this into a “socialist” country, he’s a colossal failure. The definition of socialism is to spread the wealth. Exactly the opposite is happening. The wealthy are doing better than any time in the past 100 years. The middle class is shrinking and the poor are getting poorer. Corporate power, especially in the wake of Citizens United and the recent McCutcheon decision, is at the point where they can now buy and sell politicians, just like corporate stock.   

Shirl Ches

Franklin

Western Carolina University will hold a trio of commencement ceremonies over a two-day period – Friday and Saturday, May 9-10 – to recognize the academic achievements of what is expected to be a record-breaking spring class.

Three grants totaling $12,110 were recently awarded by The Fund for Haywood County.  

The grants include:

• $5,000 to Folkmoot USA to support the renovation of the kitchen and cafeteria space in the Folkmoot Friendship Center to create a functional, year-round facility to host international visitors and cultural and community events.

• $5,000 to Hazelwood Elementary School for The Leader in Me Initiative, a school-wide effort to improve student academic achievement and to create a culture in which students are challenged, encouraged and nurtured.

• $2,110 to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation to enhance recreation and natural resources at the Graveyard Fields Overlook.

“Haywood County is rich in culture, education and natural resources, and we’re fortunate to have these organizations in our community,” said John Keith, advisory board member. “The Fund for Haywood County is glad to be able to support them.”

The Fund for Haywood Country, an affiliate of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, is a permanently endowed fund to meet local needs. Tax-deductible gifts are added to the principal, which is preserved and invested. The returns are used to make grants to support nonprofits in Haywood County. Since 1994, The Fund for Haywood County, in partnership with CFWNC, has awarded 79 grants totaling $672,640 to 42 organizations.  

For more information about The Fund for Haywood County, contact Chair George Ivey at 828.648.2710. To make a tax-deductible donation to the Fund for Haywood County, donate online at www.cfwnc.org or by mail to The Fund for Haywood County, P.O. Box 627, Waynesville, NC, 28786. Contributions of any size are welcome and are tax-deductible. 

As part of the Dillsboro Business Plan Competition, roughly a half dozen aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small business owners transformed their ideas into business plans over the past four months while regularly attending free weekly seminars through Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center in Webster.

Annie Burrell claimed the $5,000 grand prize during an awards banquet at SCC, but organizers said the town of Dillsboro will ultimately be the big winner as several viable business ideas emerged from the competition.

“We really hope everyone who participated will follow through and put the business plans they developed into action,” said Sonja Haynes, SCC’s dean of Workforce Innovations who spoke on behalf of the judges. “We feel like every single one of them has the potential to be very successful.”

Burrell, who opened Rabbit Creek Pottery in October with sister Jenny Patton, entered the competition to help formalize a business plan.  

“I’m overwhelmed and overjoyed,” said Burrell, who lives in Franklin. “My sister and I are potters, and we’ve been struggling because we haven’t had a gas-fired kiln. I’ve had a kiln in the backyard covered up by a tarp because we couldn’t afford to get the gas hook-up, and this is going to make it possible.”

For more information about SCC’s Small Business Center, contact Henry at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.339.4211. To learn more about WCU’s Small Business & Technology Development Center, contact Dennison at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The primary election was held Tuesday, May 6, in counties throughout North Carolina. Here are the results from the local races in our coverage area of Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.

Wildflower blaze expected on Highlands hike

A wildflower hike will step off from the Jones Gap parking area near Highlands at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4. Sponsored by the North Carolina Bartram Trail Society, the hike will be led by botanist and former Western Carolina University professor Dan Pittillo. Later trilliums and flaming “yellow-to-orange-to-red” azaleas are expected to make a showing. The route will go from Jones Gap to Whiterock Gap, returning to the parking area at 6 p.m. 828.787.2091

Smokies hike offers venture to Ramsey Cascades

A strenuous hike up to Ramsey Cascades, the tallest waterfall in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, will be the next installment in Friends of the Smokies’ Classic Hikes of the Smokies. Hiking guide and author Danny Bernstein will lead the hike on Tuesday, May 13.

The strenuous 8-mile hike in the park’s Greenbrier area has a total elevation gain of 2,200 feet, passing through coves of old-growth hardwood before arriving at the 100-foot waterfall. 

Participants can carpool from Asheville or Waynesville, or meet at the trailhead. Register at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or 828.452.0720. $10 for Friends of the Smokies members; $35 for nonmembers, with complimentary one-year membership; free to members who bring a friend. 

Plant sale planned for Franklin

The 12th annual plant sale of the Macon County Master Gardener Association will be held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Environmental Resource Center on 1624 Lakeside Drive in Franklin. The selection will include perennials, woody ornamentals, annuals, vegetables and herbs, with proceeds going to benefit the ERC’s demonstration gardens. 828.349.2046.

Plant clinic open in Haywood County

Master gardeners will be on hand through the end of the growing season to answer any garden-related questions plaguing Haywood green thumbs. The gardeners will be available at the Haywood County Extension Center on Raccoon Road via the Haywood County Plant Clinic on business days from 9 a.m. to noon through September 26. 

Gardeners will offer advice concerning issues related to lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees, insects, diseases, soils and frost. If they don’t have an answer, and any other problem, the master gardeners will have the answer they’ll consult the experts and come back with a research-based answer.

828.456.3575.

Cherokee language and culture is the focus of a touring exhibit slated to visit ten sites in the region throughout the month of May. The exhibit “Understanding our Past, Shaping our Future” is based largely on excerpts from conversations originally recorded in Cherokee. 

A Cherokee speakers group, organized in cooperation with the Cherokee Language Program at Western Carolina University, met weekly at the Kituwah Academy where members were shown historic photographs and asked to comment on them. These conversations were transcribed, translated, and included on the fifteen panels that make up the exhibit.

The exhibit will be displayed at Swain County Center for the Arts in Bryson City, Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center in Asheville, Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Cashiers Symposium and Historical Society in Cashiers. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is accepting comments on a proposed temporary rule change that would prohibit using dogs to hunt deer and bear on certain portions of game land. The proposed rule is designed to address trespass and safety concerns of adjacent private landowners.

If approved, the rule would take effect July 1 and remain effective up to 270 days while the commission pursued an identical, permanent rule. 

The proposed rule is online at http://www.ncoah.com/rules/. Comments must be received by May 9. 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Kate Pipkin, 1722 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1722. 

A hike to see the rare pink shell azalea on the slopes of Black Rock Mountain near Panthertown, scheduled for May 5, will give participants a chance to see plenty of blooms while supporting the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust.

Free, weekly bird-watching trips from the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society will start up in Highlands beginning May 3. Walks leave from Highlands Town Hall at 7:30 a.m., with binoculars, field guides and knowledgeable leaders provided. 

A deluge of fly fishermen will soon descend on Western Carolina University. It’s the annual Southeastern Fly Fishing Festival, and for the second year in a row, it’s happening in Cullowhee. 

The Moscow Festival Ballet will perform “Sleeping Beauty” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 9, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Art After Dark continues from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 2, in downtown Waynesville.

“Woofstock — Blues, Brews & BBQ” will be held from 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at McGuire Gardens in Sylva.

Iconic rockers REO Speedwagon will play at 9 p.m. Feb. 14 at Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center.

By Don Livingston • Guest Columnist

Congress is not our most popular branch of government, not by a long shot. Its lowest job approval rating, according to one respectable polling organization, was 9 percent late last year. Earlier this year, this polling firm found that only 13 percent of the respondents in its scientific survey felt that Congress was doing a decent job. Congress’ average job approval rating since pollsters began probing for such feedback in the 1970s is around 33 percent. That’s certainly nothing to brag about.

To the Editor:

I read with interest the article regarding Western Carolina University and the regional tourism conference with hopes of learning something new in the industry. Disappointment set in knowing that the same-old, same-old hadn’t changed over the years.

It was like watching one of the network soap operas, once in 2001 and again in 2010 ... pretty predictable.

• Tourism and its effect on the local economy: a storyline from the 1970s still being played as an ace card.

• The need for regional marketing cooperation: thought that was the responsibility of Smoky Mountain Host.  

• Determining why visitors come to the mountains: fairly obvious, etc., etc.

I think the area tourism industry continues to lay a foundation and once that’s done, move over and lay another foundation without really building much of anything.  

What needs to be done is to play the game smarter and move forward. But what I see is tourism wheels spinning in the same old ruts. While the bed tax concept has been historically good for a local community, it divides a region. 

Too much bickering on the local levels. Monies and energies that could be used to accomplish much-needed goals are being wasted.

We will never be able to compete monetarily with Sevier County (Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville) or the state of Florida; however, finding some “smart, out-of-the box” avenues for promotion just might be the ticket.

David Redman

Sylva

To the Editor:

This may be liberal heresy, but it is true. Republicans are right about many things: “Family Values,” education and jobs. Republicans clearly saw the serious social damage caused by ignoring these issues.

Republicans correctly argue that the breakdown of the family and the increase in single-parent households greatly increases the poverty rate for families. So what is their response? They stop extended unemployment benefits. They cut family planning services and restrict contraceptive availability, thereby increasing out-of-wedlock births. Then they cut food stamps, of which 50 percent or more goes to children. Next they block Medicaid for millions, creating real health and financial hardships for poor and middle class families. This is the single greatest cause of bankruptcy in this country.

School reform has been a rallying cry for Republican for years. Broken school systems and overprotective unions are seen as a problem. To fix these problems they have gone on a crusade to eliminate teacher union, ignoring the fact that the states with the strongest unions consistently have the best schools. The most effective and proven school reform is preschool and assistance to disadvantaged kids. Yet Republicans have fought tooth-and-nail to stop these programs. The most successful universal preschool state is Kentucky; but apparently proven results don't trump politics.

As for jobs creation, Ronald Regan said, “The best social program is a job.” He was right. Most able-bodied citizens on public assistance say they would rather have a job that gives them the dignity that comes with supporting their families. So, how do Republicans go about creating jobs? They give big tax breaks to wealthy, the so-called “job creators,” who invest the extra cash in the stock market. They block attempts to improve our infrastructure. They stop any increase in the minimum wage, which on balance creates many more jobs than it costs. 

The key to a good job in the future is a good education. So what do they propose? They cut back funding for public education at all levels but give public money to religious schools. They charge high interest on collage loans and cut back funding for all forms of higher education. And my favorite: make our students share 15-year-old textbooks.

When it comes to family values, education and job creation; Republicans should be judged on what they do, not what they say.

Louis Vitale

Franklin

To the Editor:

Rumor has it that once again vote buying may be taking place in Swain County and on The Cherokee Reservation. These vote buyers will use cash, liquor or fear to get your vote, because your vote is important to them. It helps insure that the “Old Guard” stays in control.

But your vote is important to you. It’s important that you as an American have the freedom, the right and the honor to vote your own choice.

If you are approached by anyone offering you something in exchange for your vote, contact the Board of Elections. Vote buying is a crime.

Do we really want someone running our county who has to buy votes to win?

Barbara Robinson

Bryson City 

A public input session regarding the future growth in Cullowhee is scheduled for 6 p.m. May 6 at the Cullowhee Valley School Library. 

The session will focus on the Cullowhee Vision Plan, which has been prepared based upon comments provided at previous community meetings. Attendees will have the opportunity to comment on the draft plan, put together by the Cullowhee Community Planning Advisory Committee.

According to the 2010 census, Cullowhee is the fastest-growing area in Jackson County. The growth is evidenced by recent residential and commercial development.

The public input session is being hosted by the Cullowhee Planning Advisory Committee and Jackson County. 

828.531.2255 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

By Jake Flannick • Correspondent

He had gained enough wealth as a young marketing executive to fulfill almost any of his aspirations. But the very trappings of success are perhaps what led Justin Phillips, 33, to turn elsewhere for clarity.

The 17th annual Greening Up the Mountains Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 26, in downtown Sylva.

Named for the way spring’s green gradually progresses up a mountain, the festival is Sylva’s largest annual event and is expected to draw an estimated 10,000 to 12,000 attendees. 

Live raptors, green building and spring flowers will all be part of the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Greening of the Parkway special event, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 26, at the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center. 

In this combined celebration of Earth Day, National Park Week and National Junior Ranger Day, visitors can learn how to landscape with native species, see spring animal babies, see a live raptor demonstration, tour a LEED-certified building, learn about sustainability and green building practices, check out the Parkway’s new green vehicles, learn about the Junior Ranger program and hike on a Kids in Parks TRACK Trail. 

Free, with food from Webo’s BBQ available for purchase. 828.298.5330, ext. 304. 

The Wildflower Whimsy event, May 2-3, at the Highlands Biological Foundation, will feature guided garden tours, a live plant auction and reception — with live music — guided wildflower walks and a lecture. At 6 p.m. on Friday, Peter Loewer will present a lecture titled “Wildflowers and Native Perennials - and Even a Few exotics - for the Southeast.” Loewer is an established writer and botanical artist, writing on topics ranging from ornamental grasses to nocturnal flowers. 

The Wildflower Whimsy event runs from 5 to 8 p.m., May 2, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 3. $40 for Highlands Biological Foundation members, $50 for non-members or $25 for Friday night only. Friday tickets include heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer, garden tours, live music and a seat during the lecture on Friday night. Saturday tickets include lunch and a wildflower walk. 828.526.2221 or www.highlandsbiological.org/wildflower-whimsy.  

Another season is underway for Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market, which starts up again at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 26. The market will run every Wednesday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon until mid-December at the parking lot of HART Theater and Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts, 250 Pigeon St. in Waynesville. 

On any given Saturday, 50 vendors will be there to sell food and craft items. Early season wares are spring greens, meats, eggs and starts for vegetables, herbs, annuals and perennials. Fresh seafood from North Carolina’s coast will be available Saturdays, and fresh-caught trout from Almond will also be sold. 

www.waynesvillefarmersmarket.com or like on www.facebook.com/waynesvillefarmersmarket for weekly updates on what’s being sold. 

Rain barrels made from recycled food-grade containers are available for purchase at the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce and the Haywood County Cooperative Extension Office. They can also be ordered through the Haywood Waterways Association. 

The barrels have bug screen and connections for a garden hose, overflow pipes or to connect multiple barrels together. During drought, the barrels provide a source of irrigation water, reducing strain on rivers and wells, and they capture stormwater to reduce runoff when it rains. The average barrel captures 650 gallons of stormwater annually and has a 30-year lifespan. 

$80.25 each, including tax. Contact Haywood Waterways, 828.476.4667 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Bear management will get a boost in the Smokies with $4,000 in Appalachian Trail license plate sales to go toward repairing damaged cables in the cable-and-pulley systems installed at each backcountry campsite and shelter in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Volunteers are needed to help Haywood Waterways root the invasive plants out of Richland Creek’s banks at Vance Street Park in Waynesville. From 2 to 5 p.m. April 29, the group will remove Japanese knotweed, multiflora rose, oriental bittersweet, Chinese privet and Japanese honeysuckle.

The Waynesville Skate Park will be closed from April 28 to May 2 for repairs. The park will reopen May 3.

National Junior Ranger Day will spur festivities in Great Smoky Mountains National Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 26 at Oconaluftee, Sugarlands and Cades Cove visitor centers.

To the editor:

The election season is here. Several candidates are promising to cut government costs or taxes, but they won’t say what services will be cut. These people either don’t know enough about the job they’re trying to get, or they’re insulting you, the voter. 

If a candidate knows enough about the office to be able to guarantee cuts, they know where those cuts will be. Macon County has already absorbed a lot of cuts from the state, mostly in education. This county already has the lowest property taxes in the state and runs remarkably well in spite of that. More cuts can only eliminate key services. Do you want more cuts in education? Police protection? Emergency and fire protection? 

If the candidate promises cuts, then demand to know where those cuts will be before casting your vote. The cuts might just be someplace very important to you. Your life could depend on it. Don’t vote for a pig in a poke!

Primaries are important. They determine the candidates who will best represent your interests and beliefs in November. Study the candidates, understand their positions, make your decision and vote.

John Gladden

Franklin

To the editor:

Children are our future and as a former educator, I’ve been concerned about the cutbacks in spending for our schools. Teachers need to make a living wage and class size needs to be reduced so students can learn. Job growth and education should be talked about in the same paragraph, as they are inter-dependent. And students who go into debt for a higher education should not pay more interest than banks. Ron Robinson, candidate for N.C. State Senate, agrees.

We need to protect the environment, for without it we have nothing. Clean air and clean water means say no to fracking and yes to solar. And healthcare for all is only possible by accepting money for Medicaid expansion to make it affordable Ron Robinson, candidate for N.C. State Senate, agrees.

 I am so looking forward to the upcoming elections and the opportunity to make some serious changes in our state capitol.  It is time for the people of this state to take control back. We may not have the money, but despite efforts of those who do, we still have the vote. We need to make it count.

I’m planning to provide transportation to elderly and disabled so they can get to the polls. I’m going to help inform people of the changes that affect their voting rights. And I’m campaigning for Ron Robinson for N.C. State Senate District 50.  

Connie Jean Conklin

Dillsboro, NC

When cyclists roll through Jackson County during the Tour de Cashiers May 3, some of them will be sporting new jerseys. 

“This is the official bike jersey,” said Stephanie Edwards, executive director of the Cashiers Chamber of Commerce, Edwards showed off the jersey’s graphics recently to her cohorts on the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority. 

The bike jersey features a lush mountain landscape and the event name. But Edwards and members of the tourism board seemed most excited about a circular logo emblazoned on each sleeve. This logo, employing the slogan “Play On,” is the result of the TDA’s branding efforts. 

“On the day of the event,” Edwards explained, “that will debut on the sleeves of many of our riders.”

In addition to being featured on the Tour de Cashiers jerseys, the logo will also be used in tourism efforts throughout the county and beyond. It will be featured in advertisements and prominently posted in visitor centers. Exuding a sense of recreation and triggering the want for activities such as hiking, biking and golf, the new brand is intended to solidify the area in the minds of tourists. 

By Jake Flannick • Correspondent

If wardrobes are a form of self-expression, then Gloria Stockton has a whimsical flair.

She would say the opposite, of course. But the bright pink, polka dot smock, colorful high-top shoes and green-dyed hair in which she sometimes leaves her home in Sylva suggests otherwise.

Grunge rockers Alice in Chains will perform at 9 p.m. Friday, May 2, at Harrah’s Cherokee.

As part of Western Carolina University’s yearlong observance of the 125th anniversary of the founding of the institution, a game designed especially for local children will be kicking off Saturday, April 26, during the annual Greening Up the Mountains festival in Sylva.

A retreat for writers and artists will be held at Lake Logan Retreat Center May 18-23 by Cullowhee Mountain ARTS, an organization that hosts a gamut of workshops and retreats to connect artists with accomplished instructors in their field.

The May retreat will host North Carolina Poet Laureate Emeritus, Kathryn Stripling Byer, who will conduct the workshop “Singing it Forward.” The music of language, its modulation, its dramatic tension, and its syntactic and rhythmic properties will be the focus of this workshop.

There will be a parallel track for visual artists with two instructors.

Lake Logan Retreat Center sits on 300 preserved acres in Haywood County.

The second artist and writers retreat will be held at Lake Logan in September with different instructors.

www.cullowheemountainarts.org or 828.342.6913.

The May 6 primary will narrow down the contenders for the Jackson County sheriff. The field of six Democrats and three Republicans will be whittled down to one candidate per party for the November ballot.

Glen Biller, D, 50

Qualifications: Deputy at Haywood County Sheriff Department. Twenty-four years in the U.S. Army, including four years active duty; 14 years managing building supply company.

Reason to run: “My goal is to make sure that Jackson County is safe for all of our citizens and to enforce the laws of North Carolina without bias.”

Philosophy: “The Sheriff’s Office will serve the citizens of Jackson County with respect and the courtesy they deserve.” 

Favorite vacation spot: The beach 

Douglas Farmer, D, 50

Qualifications: Police officer at Sylva Police Department. Sixteen years in law enforcement, including stints with the Macon and Jackson county sheriff’s offices, as well as the Highlands Police Department; One year as international police officer in Iraq.

Reason to run: “I’ve got such a wide range of experience that I think it gives me a real even keel on how to deal with people and how to approach difficult situations.”

Philosophy: “I will enforce the law and aggressively pursue the people that put this stuff [drugs] on our streets, put them in jail and keep them there.” 

Favorite music: Bluegrass and gospel, especially Mountain Faith

Michael Gosnell, D, 58

Qualifications: Security guard at Old Edwards Club at Highlands Cove. Thirty-five years in security, including seven as an armed guard and 27 in law enforcement.

Reason to run: “Jackson County is my home and I want to see what I can do to deter and fight crime. It’s not going to be wiped out, but it can be reduced.”

Philosophy: “A sheriff elected is only as good as his word. In other words, make no promises but show results.”

Favorite TV show: “In the Heat of the Night”

Robin Gunnels, D, 49

Qualifications: Owner of Custom Truck Covers. Seventeen years in law enforcement as jailor, patrol officer, sergeant and lieutenant; 12 years as business owner.

Reason to run: “I know what the public talks about. I know what their needs are. I know how to manage a budget. I’m not a one-dimensional person.”

Philosophy: “We have to fix things now. We have to be proactive now, not wait till later. I built my entire life on one principle, and that is integrity.”

Favorite fruit: Mangos

Chip Hall, D, 46

Qualifications: Chief deputy at Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Twenty-five years at Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in a variety of positions.  

Reason to run: “I want to reach out to be active in everything that goes on in our community, to have a relationship with our citizens beyond anything we’ve ever had.”

Philosophy: “Community involvement is the key to a functioning sheriff’s office and a good community response.”

Favorite fruit: apples  

Steven Lillard, D, 43

Qualifications: Assistant police chief at Western Carolina University. Nineteen years in law enforcement as a patrol officer, investigator and division-level administrator

Reason to run: “My experience, training and education have helped prepare me to make good decisions and collaborate with other people and agencies.” 

Philosophy: “I want to be open and honest with the public. Working together, we can solve problems.”

Favorite TV show: “Blue Bloods” 

Jim Hodgins, R, 62

Qualifications: Retired logger. Forty years as a logger, including business ownership.

Reason to run: “I’m hoping we can accomplish getting the drugs out of here, or doing our best to slow them way down.” 

Philosophy: “I think the sheriff ought to be out there looking after his men. I believe he needs to take care of them and stay on them to make sure they do their jobs.” 

Favorite TV show: “Andy Griffith Show” 

Curtis Lambert, R, 44

Qualifications: Former officer at Sylva Police Department. Fourteen years in law enforcement, including service with the Sylva Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office; former vice president of payroll service. 

Reason to run: “I have a combination of law enforcement and business experience, and that’s what it takes nowadays to be an effective sheriff.” 

Philosophy: “An effective leader will be someone that will have an open-door policy and an open-department policy to where they’re not trying to hide things that are going on.”

Favorite vacation: history tour of Charleston, S.C. 

Mary Alice Rock, R, 46

Qualifications: Bail bondsman. Two years of active duty in the U.S. Army; seven years in inactive reserves; basic law enforcement training; 15 years as bail bondsman.

Reason to run: “There appears to be no law in Jackson County, and we need law restored.” 

Philosophy: “Help people who need help. Get back to the basics of why you have a sheriff’s office to begin with. It’s to protect and serve the public, not personal needs or gains.” 

Favorite music: “Keep Ya Head Up” by 2PAC; “God Bless America” 

Three of the five seats on the Haywood County board of commissioners are up for election this year.

A field of five Democratic candidates — the three incumbents and two challengers —  will be narrowed down to three in the primary election.

There are two Republicans and one Libertarian running, but they automatically advance to the general election in November without a primary.

Kirk Kirkpatrick, 45 • Waynesville

Kirkpatrick has a solo law firm in Waynesville and does a mix of criminal and civil cases, as well as real estate law.

Kirkpatrick has been a county commissioner for 12 years and consistently wins re-election as the top vote getter.

Kirkpatrick defended a suite of county building projects over the past decade as necessary and a smart move for the future. They included a new courthouse, a new jail and sheriff’s office, a new office for the department of social services and health department, a senior resource center, a landfill expansion, a new community college building and an adult day care. 

“Basically I feel like I have been a contractor for the past 10 years,” Kirkpatrick lamented. “But it had to be done and somebody had to do it and hopefully we did it at the least expensive point in time.”

PLATFORM: “I really like my county. I like the people in the county. I enjoy doing what I do. I want to have good open government. I want to see our county prosper.”

Mike Sorrells, 57 • Jonathan Creek

Sorrells is the owner of a gas station, community general store, auto repair and tire service and café in his home community of Jonathan Creek.

He served on the school board for six years and has been a county commissioner for four years.

Sorrells touts the county’s economic development record over the past four years. The county extended property tax breaks to two existing manufacturers — Sonoco Plastics and Conmet — as an incentive for expanding their operations and adding jobs.

The county landed a $2.1 million state grant and will put in $700,000 in county money to help Evergreen paper mill with a $50 million coal-to-natural gas conversion in order to meet air pollution standards.

The county played a supporting role for Haywood Regional Medical Center, amid its financial uncertainty. And the county re-envisioned its economic development arm as a joint venture with the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce.

PLATFORM: “I have common sense. You have to look at whether something is a good, wise decision and you move forward.”

Bill Upton, 69 • Canton

Upton spent 35 years in public education, as an assistant principal and principal of Pisgah High School, principal of Meadowbrook Elementary and eventually superintendent.

He’s been a county commissioner for eight years and is proud of the course the county is on.

Upton said he is a supporter of education and children. His career in the school system taught him how to work with people, be it parents, teachers or students.

“You can’t prejudge a kid’s actions, you have to listen to both sides and make a fair decision,” Upton said.

He said the current board has been forward-thinking and balanced.

PLATFORM: “I have managed a large budget with responsibility and integrity, and I haven’t been afraid to make tough decisions. I have worked to find the best solutions to our county’s needs while being open to the will and voice of our citizens.”

Kyle Edwards, 74 • Maggie Valley

Edwards has been a contractor since 1970 and specializes in grading, excavation and heavy equipment jobs. He grew up dirt-poor but went on to become a self-made business man. 

“I started with one backhoe,” he said, a far cry from the expansive machinery yard outside his living room window today.

He is the owner of the Stompin’ Ground, a clogging and entertainment venue in Maggie Valley, which he built to showcase the natural talents of his two children, who were both champion cloggers.

Edwards also runs a 100-site commercial campground in Maggie Valley, which he built in the early 2000s. He was a Maggie Valley alderman in the 1970s and 1980s.

PLATFORM: Lower taxes, smaller government, less regulation, private property rights, gun rights, business friendly, pro-veteran and pro-seniors.

Bob McClure, 67 • Crabtree

McClure prides himself on being in Haywood County’s workforce for 50 years, mostly in manufacturing. He worked at Unagusta Furniture Factory, then Dayco for three decades, and the short-lived Dana Corporation.

Twice, the factory he worked at closed and he was laid off. He soon found a new job with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, where he’s worked as a jailer and now a court bailiff.

“I had to keep going. I have never been a quitter. Even when those plants shut down I was out the next day looking for a job. I feel as a person you are just as strong as you want to be,” McClure said.

McClure said he would put his energy as a commissioner into recruiting industry and jobs, ideally small manufacturing.

“As part of the commissioner team we should be out trying to find jobs,” McClure said.

McClure said he doesn’t know how much the current board does on this front, nor how he would go about it himself or what the prospects of being successful are, but he would try. 

“I just know as commissioner, if I am elected as commissioner, I would be more hands on trying to get jobs,” McClure said. “Don’t set on their laurels and expect something to happen. Try to make something happen in the job force.”

PLATFORM: “I feel like what I am doing is for everybody in Haywood County because I feel like the decisions that is made by the commissioners affect all the people in Haywood County, and they deserve to know what is going on in Haywood County and have a voice in what is going on.”

But some opponents believe the sitting commissioners are agents of the government instead of a voice for the people.

“My main objective is to give people a voice of what they want to happen in Haywood County,” said Bob McClure, a challenger on the Democratic ticket. “We need to get more people involved in the meetings, when they go to the meetings, and get more feedback of what the majority of people want, not just a select few.”

Kirkpatrick said he tries to be cognizant of that.

“I have to take a good look at myself and not think that I have all the answers to things and to continue to listen to people. You have to tell yourself all the time to make sure to listen to people,” Kirkpatrick said.

N.C. House of Representatives, seat 118

Is this my state rep? Yes, if you live in Madison and Yancey counties and part of Haywood — namely Canton, Clyde, Bethel, Cruso, Maggie Valley, Jonathan Creek and Crabtree areas.

Is there a primary? No Democratic or Republican primary.

About the race: This is a slightly Democratic-leaning district and was held by the popular and effective leader Ray Rapp, D-Mars Hill, for more than a decade. But Rapp lost in 2012. It surprised politicos on both sides of the aisle. Rapp’s loss was chalked up to collateral damage in the Republican landslide in North Carolina that year. Despite the Democratic Party begging Rapp to run for his old seat, he didn’t want to reenter politics. 

About the candidates:

• N.C. Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville, is running for reelection after her first term. She is a small business owner. Presnell previously ran on a platform that included lowering taxes, requiring voter I.D., expanding gun rights, restricting abortion, and reducing regulations — and she delivered. 

“I am proud to be able to say that I made promises during my 2012 campaign, and I kept those promises,” Presnell said.

www.presnellforhouse.com

• Dean Hicks, D-Burnsville is challenging Presnell. Hicks, a Yancey native and a retired teacher and coach, served three terms as a Yancey County commissioner. The candidate lists education reform as his top priority. 

“I feel like we’ve lost 50-plus years of progress in the last year,” Hicks said. “That is my main goal, is to try to get education back on the right track.”

N.C. House of Representatives, seat 119

Is this my state rep? Yes, if you live in Jackson and Swain counties and part of Haywood  — namely Waynesville and Lake Junaluska.

Is there a primary? There is a primary for Republicans, but not Democrats.

About the race: The seat in this left-leaning House district has long belonged to a Democrat. In 2012, the seat came up for grabs with the retirement of long-time legislator Phil Haire of Sylva after 14 years. A fellow Democratic statesman picked up the torch — one of the only Democrats elected to the legislature in the mountains two years ago.

Democratic Candidates

• N.C. Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, is running for reelection. Queen, an architect and businessman, is serving his first term in the N.C. House. But Queen has previously served three terms in the N.C. Senate over the past decade. Queen, who is married to a doctor and has two grown children, is a long-time civic leader in Haywood County and has served on many community organizations, including heritage and cultural organizations, as well as being involved in environmental and business initiatives.

www.joesamqueen.com

GOP Candidates:

• Dodie Allen, an auctioneer for the past 30 years, runs Dodie’s Auction in Sylva. The 79-year-old is seeking the House seat because she believes “that we are pulling further and further away from our constitution.”

• Mike Clampitt, a Republican from Bryson City, ran against Queen for the House seat two years ago but lost. Clampitt served 28 years as fire captain with the Charlotte Fire Department and returned to his hometown of Bryson City 10 years ago.

www.mikeclampitt.com

• Aaron Littlefield, 22, is a political science student at WCU and server at Bear Lake Reserve, who is graduating this May. He wants to be “a voice for the struggling business of WNC, support higher standards in education, and fight back against corruption in our government.”

N.C. House of Representatives, seat 120

Is this my state rep? Yes, if you live in Macon, Clay, Graham and Cherokee counties

Is there a primary? No Democratic or Republican Primary

About the race: The indefatigueable and apparently untouchable N.C. Rep. Roger West, R-Murphy, will once again run for this seat unopposed. 

N.C. Senate, seat 50

Is this my state senator? Yes, if you live in anywhere in the seven western counties of Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Graham, Clay and Cherokee.

Is there a primary?

About the race: The district is fairly evenly split, with neither the Republicans or Democrats able to claim a real leg up. The seat has flip-flopped between Republicans and Democrats twice in the past decade.

The race for this state Senate seat from the far western mountains usually is a local affair, but it garnered national media attention in 2010 and 2012 as a poster child for the flood of outside money from right-wing groups to influence regional races — allegedly part of a larger, far-reaching strategy to bankroll local campaigns as a way to amass state conservative majorities.  

N.C. Senator Jim Davis, R- Franklin, won the seat narrowly in 2010 by unseating the Democratic incumbent John Snow. Snow ran to get his seat back in 2012, but didn’t come close.

Nearly $1 million was spent by Davis’ campaign and by outside groups on Davis’ behalf in the 2012 election.

GOP candidate:

•N.C. Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, is an orthodontist and two-term legislator. 

Democratic candidates

• Jane Hipps of Waynesville is a retired public educator with six degrees, including three master’s degrees. Her expertise was in science and math curriculum development and training. She has promised to make education one of her main areas of concern if elected. She is the widow of a former state senator and long-time district attorney in the region.

• Ron Robinson of Cullowhee is a management consultant who says the current GOP leadership in Raleigh does not represent the working people of the district and has called their policies extremist. 

www.robinsonncsenate.com.

Meet the candidates, pick one

Three seats are up for grabs on the Macon County Board of Commissioners this year, but only one has a primary contest: two Republicans vying for one seat in the Highlands district.

Any Republican or unaffiliated voter in the county can vote in this primary race, even though it’s the Highlands district. Candidates must hail from that district, but the election is open to voters countywide.

Two commissioner seats are also up for election in Franklin, but all the candidates in that race — two Republicans, a Democrat, and Libertarian — automatically advance to the general election in the fall. A Democrat will join the mix for the Highlands seat come fall as well.

Here are the two Republicans facing off the primary:

Jim Tate, 42

Owner, Tate Landscaping Services

Tate graduated from the University of Georgia with a landscape architect degree. He lives with his wife and children in Highlands. The candidate has served on the Highlands zoning and planning boards, as well as Macon County’s planning board.

Political philosophy: “I feel like everybody needs to be responsible. [Use] simple, common sense.”

On Macon’s fund balance: “[My opponent] doesn’t like the fact that we have a big piggy bank.”

John Shearl, 45

Owner, J&J Lawn and Landscaping Services and Shearl Produce

Shearl is a retired firefighter. He lives with his wife and children in Highlands. The candidate currently serves on the Macon County Planning Board.

Political philosophy: “Limited growth in government, lower taxes and less regulation.”

On weathering economic uncertainty: “The government as a whole has to tighten their belts and stop this excessive spending. It’s going to take some tough decisions and very conservative-minded people to do this.”

On Macon’s fund balance: “In my opinion, that fund balance belongs to the taxpayers of Macon County.”

About the race: This used to be a toss-up district, but clever redrawing of voting boundaries by the Republican-led legislature in Raleigh two years ago tipped the scales to the right. The liberal stronghold of Asheville was carved out and shunted it into a different Congressional seat.

The Franklin area will be getting a new farmer’s market this year, held on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at the Macon County Heritage Center in Cowee, which was formerly the old Cowee School.

In addition to agricultural products, the market will feature entertainment, food tastings, kids’ activities, music, arts and crafts, classes and educational booths. 

“We want this to be a fun and interesting experience for our visitors, and for people to want to come back week after week,” said Susan Ervin, project coordinator with Friends of Rickman Store, a community-run general store next door to the heritage center. Friends of Rickman Store received a small start-up grant to help develop the new farmers market.

Organizers chose Tuesday for the market in hopes of giving growers who already sell at other markets a new venue on a different day of the week to expand their reach.

Interested vendors are invited to attend an organizational meeting at 6:30 p.m., April 22, at the old Cowee School. Registration, space reservations and information will be available, and producers from adjoining counties are welcome. Vendors can register for a full season at $50 or by the day for $5. 

“We want all to feel welcome — from our small growers, beginners and youth vendors to our local experts and commercial growers. Cowee is a market for everyone, “ said Pamela Jackson, one of the market organizers.

The market will kick off Tuesday, May 13, and run through the end of October. 

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Disc golfers will have a chance to show their stuff at the Inaugural Disc Golf Tournament at 5:30 p.m., Friday, April 25 at the Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee. The doubles-format event is hosted by Jackson County Parks and Recreation and sponsored by Blackrock Outdoor Company. Early registration $20; Day-of registration $30. 828.293.3053 or 828.631.2020. 

Western North Carolina can lay claim to two of 2013’s top three most visited places in the National Park System.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park kept first place among the 59 primary national parks. With 9.4 million visitors, it remained head-and-shoulders above its closest competitor: the Grand Canyon, with 4.6 million visitors.

The Smokies came in third among all units in the National Park System as a whole.

Meanwhile, the Blue Ridge Parkway took second place in visitation among all national park units with 12.9 million visitors. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area was the winner with 14.3 million visitors. 

It was the first year the Parkway was edged out by Golden Gate. Visitation to the Parkway fell by 2.5 million visits, due in large part to storm damage and generally cool, wet conditions. Overall, though, visitation to national park sites nationwide fell by 9.1 million in 2013. 

“The shutdown reduced our visitation for the year by more than 5 million visitors who were turned away during those two weeks,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis. 

A guided hike along Big Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be held at noon April 26 by the Haywood Waterways Association.

An anonymous donor gifted $2.2 million to Great Smoky Mountains Association last week, one of the largest cash donations ever given to support Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The donation will be made in five installments between through 2018.

From farmers markets to roadside stands to U Pick farms to plant nurseries to historic preservation sites, Haywood County’s agricultural heritage is showcased in Buy Haywood’s recently released 2014 Agritourism Guide.