To the Editor:

An elderly widow on a fixed-income already cannot afford a healthy diet and her medications, and now she wonders how she will afford to heat her home this winter. She relies on the food assistance The Community Table of Sylva provides. A family of four and dad is out of work due to a severe back injury after falling off a roof at his construction job. Mom cannot find sufficient work to make ends meet. They depend on The Community Table to help feed their two young children. These are just some of the folks we serve at The Community Table, and the emergency food assistance we provide is threatened.

The Table relies on federal programs such as TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) to provide food to our neighbors experiencing hunger and food insecurity. Last month we again set a new record, distributing 233 food boxes. We also served an additional 1,375 nutritious home-cooked meals through our dinner service program. We continue to see new faces each week, many due to job losses or reduced hours and a lack of living wage work. It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep up with the overwhelming need for our vital programs, and the fact that programs like TEFAP are on the federal budget chopping block scares and angers me.

Please consider sending a message to Congress that budget cuts on the backs of the hungry at a time when emergency food assistance is critical is simply unconscionable.

Amy Grimes

Executive Director

The Community Table

To the Editor:

One of America’s greatest statesmen, Thomas Paine, wrote a book called Common Sense. Unfortunately, this trait is not too prevalent in our government nowadays.

However, Mary Ann Enloe, a candidate for Waynesville alderman, possesses it in great quantity! She also has the heart to thoroughly commit herself to town affairs and — very importantly — the time to do so.

As a past county commissioner, as well as a past mayor of Hazelwood, MaryAnn has the experience to do the job well.  As a commissioner, she was able to obtain a birds-eye view of the entire county and of how government works, both overall and in each of the towns. As a mayor, she was “hands-on” and is well versed in the intricacies of town government.

Another notable plus is that MaryAnn Enloe is very much pro small business! And small business is extremely important to Waynesville.

The election for the Waynesville Town Board is coming up soon. The board has done a good job and deserves re-election. But one seat is now vacant, as Libba Feichter will not be running again. If we elect MaryAnn Enloe to fill it, we will be obtaining another excellent alderman.

JoAnna Swanson

Hazelwood

To the Editor:

It has become evident that the principle guideline being used by Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and the Republican-led General Assembly in governing North Caroline is to cut state expenditures by placing the burden for traditional state services on local administrations.

Most counties this year are being forced to use tax revenues and reserve funds for the retention of magistrates, teachers and support staffs. And now, with the significant reduction of our State Highway Patrol (NCHP), they will have to look seriously at increasing the size and duties of their sheriff’s departments.

The State Highway Patrol is now short 102 troopers from being fully staffed. Because of the General Assembly eliminating the trooper training center, there will be no further troop replacements. Compounding the problem is the loss of seven to nine troopers per month because of retirement and resignation.

With more than six million drivers on the state’s highways, reducing state troopers will mean less enforcement, less highway safety, and longer response time to accidents. Greater stress will be put on troopers, knowing they will be working with no or at best with limited backup and support. Their vehicles will have to be driven further and longer. Along with outmoded equipment and their same workload with fewer resources, trooper safety will certainly become an issue.

Their salaries have already been frozen, and they are seeing an amazing increase in their co-pays and medical insurance. But the scary part of all this is that the Highway Patrol budget will be cut an additional $10.3 million over the next two years, reducing even further the state’s transportation safety.

Only time will tell how all of this will work out. But one thing is certain. With fewer troopers on the road and less eyes and ears to ensure our safety, the county sheriff’s departments will be forced to take on more responsibility and add more deputies, and we will see our county taxes increase to cover the cost.

For years, North Carolina Republicans have extolled the principles of public safety and law enforcement. That mantra has now been deliberately cast aside. And as a former county commissioner, Jim Davis should know better than to pass such burdens on to local administrations.

What in ‘tarnation’ was he thinking?

Ben J. Utley, Chairman

Macon County Democratic Party

Grant helps outfit new Haywood hospice center

With help from two Appalachian Regional Commission grants, Haywood Regional Medical Center plans to expand its existing facilities and add 24 jobs.

The medical center will use two federal grants, totaling $146,592, to buy equipment and furnishing for a new inpatient hospice facility and create a psychiatric evaluation area in the hospital’s emergency room. The hospice center is already under construction, funded to a large extent by private donations. Equipment was a missing piece of the puzzle.

“I am pleased that ARC has recognized the need for Haywood Regional Medical Center to expand in order to meet the growing demand for high-quality health care in the far western counties,” said U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville.

WCU receives accredited electrical engineering program

Seven years after starting its electrical engineering program, Western Carolina University received accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

“It makes the degree that much more valuable and robust,” said James Zhang, the Kimmel School’s interim dean.

The accreditation means the university must follow uniform and measurable standards but also improves job possibilities for students.

Previously a joint program with University of North Carolina in Charlotte, the university has now established an independent program with about 60 students.

Cherokee gets MRI unit for hospital out of Harrah’s contract deal

Cherokee Indian Hospital will get a $1 million MRI unit and $200,000 annually for five years to maintain it under an agreement between the tribe and Caesars Entertainment.

The tribe has granted Harrah’s, a subsidiary of Ceasars, a five-year management agreement to manage, operate and maintain the casino operation.  

The original agreement began in 1996 and has been periodically renewed.

The tribe announced its plan to renew the contract for another five years in May, but the management agreement has now been approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission.

“I know we’ve taken great risks, but we’ve also seen great rewards,” said Honorable Chief Michell Hicks.  “We wanted to make sure we put a product out at that customers would enjoy.  Our decision was to make sure that we kept up with the market.”

Connie Haire, vice president for the Macon Campus Southwestern Community College, has retired after serving 25 years at the college.

Under her leadership, enrollment at the $6 million Macon campus grew 87 percent in four years and a second building to accommodate growth was built.

In fundraising and development positions, she grew foundation assets from $30,000 to more than $2 million, securing $9 million in grants. She has coordinated staff training and development, managed student services and provided leadership and administration of the public information and resource development offices.

“Connie’s strength is that she works well with so many diverse groups of people,” said SCC Board of Trustees Chairman Conrad Burrell. “She’s a visionary who can see what is possible and she also understands how to bring people together to make it happen.”

A luncheon program at noon Thursday, Oct. 13, at Tartan Hall, located in the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin, will give people an opportunity to learn about the new organization, MaconSense.

The group’s initial campaign is for safe slope development regulations. Organizers Mike Jackson and Kathy Tinsley will speak. The event is sponsored by the Macon County League of Women Voters.

MaconSense, according to a self description, is “committed to working for the future of Macon County by promoting civic engagement, being a source of information and developing community service projects. The goal is to give everyday people a voice in where the county is heading, free from political posturing and heated rhetoric.”

The lunch fee is $5, but lunch is not required. The program is free.

828.371.0527 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Jackson County Public Library will host a free business seminar on how to create and maintain successful businesses in this current difficult economic climate.

The program is aimed at owners and employees of businesses of all sizes and types, from one-person kitchen-table operations to major organizations with dozens or even hundreds of employees.  

Ron Robinson of Land of Sky Advisory Group will lead the seminar.

He will outline the core elements for sustaining a business organization of any size: customer service, partnerships, collaboration, problem solving and re-organization.

Robinson has a bachelor of science in industrial relations from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is certified to provide Lean Production, Continuous Improvement, Anger Management, Coaching and Mediation services to businesses and organizations. He has served as a consultant to a variety of business and corporate clients, and he will use a case study from his own experience to demonstrate to attendees how the principles he discusses have been implemented by a real-world business.

Those planning to attend are encouraged to pre-register. The program, co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Library, is free.

828.586.2016.

Help filing claims in the $760 million Keepseagle Native American Farmer and Rancher Settlement is set for Oct. 18-20, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express on Painttown Road in Cherokee. This help is being offered free in the U.S. Department of Agriculture settlement. The claims deadline is Dec. 27.

888.233.5506 or www.indianfarmclass.com.

Haywood Animal Welfare Association Spay/Neuter is offering 100 free vouchers for surgery, rabies vaccination and parasite treatment for cats. Vouchers are available to Haywood County residents at 145 Wall Street Thursday Oct. 13 and Oct. 20, and Monday, Oct. 17.

The Humane Alliance Spay/Neuter Clinic will be in Asheville starting at 10 a.m. Monday through Thursday.

828.400.5981

Know a volunteer who deserves recognition?

The Haywood/Jackson Volunteer Center is now taking nominations for the North Carolina’s Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service.

The Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center will select nominated volunteers in a host of categories to receive the Haywood County Volunteer of the Year. Those nominations will be sent to the North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism to be considered for the North Carolina Volunteer of the Year Medallion Award.  Haywood County will celebrate our volunteers in a ceremony

Forms are available at the Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center at 81 Elmwood Way, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Entries must be submitted by Nov. 14.

With a paper mill that constantly bellows smoke, Canton will not likely be the next Western North Carolina tourism destination.

But, a local development group StepUp Canton does think the old mill town could become a quaint hometown for young families and others who want stay within an easy distance of Ashville without paying big city prices.

StepUp Canton, an eight-member committee, began meeting in June 2010 to about how to create jobs and grow the economy.

“The goal is to create jobs whether directly or indirectly,” said Patrick Willis, who is spearheading the movement. Willis is also running for a seat on the Canton town board this fall.

The committee received a $25,000 planning grant from the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center to develop concrete goals and will receive another $100,000 to implement the projects.

Thus far, the group has outlined 12 projects such as establishing a business association, upgrading the town’s website and offering façade makeover grants to help clean up the downtown area. The next step is to divvy up the money based on their priorities.

“If we get started on some of those projects, hopefully, that might get the ball rolling,” Willis said. One of the main hurdles will be keeping people motivated and participating in StepUp Canton, he said.

In the past, grassroots efforts have emerged to promote growth in Canton, but staying power dwindled and the attempts fell short.

Several long-term goals set by the committee include transforming vacant property downtown into multi-use buildings and construct a multi-million dollar exposition center to draw passersby off of Interstate 40.

“(The expo center) is over our heads here, but it’s something we’re thinking about,” Willis said, adding that the town would consider public-private partnerships to pay for some of the larger redevelopment projects.

StepUp Canton is accepting new members and feedback from area residents and business owners. The committee will hold its next meeting Oct. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre.

Jackson County Early College High School is recruiting for the 2012-2013 school year.

Information sessions are scheduled at 6 p.m. at Southwestern Community College Sylva’s campus, in the lobby of the Early College building. The dates are: Monday, Oct. 24; Tuesday, Nov. 8; Wednesday, Dec. 7; Thursday, Jan. 12.

The high school/college program allows students to earn both a high school diploma and a two-year (associate) college degree free of charge. Interested students and their parents should attend only one of the sessions.

Applications may be obtained at any of the information sessions. The early application deadline is Feb. 1.

828.339.4468.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The items needed are:

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

• Soups – tomato, chicken noodle and vegetable.

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

• 64 ounce juice and individual dry milk packs.                                                                   

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See the re-enactors in action

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

Appalachian Harvest Festival

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

Where: Stecoah Valley Center outside Robbinsville

The Battle at Warm Springs

When: Nov. 4 - 6

Where: Hot Springs Resort and Spa in Hot Springs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Raindrop Waltz’ in Franklin

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

The play will be performed by the Burnsville Theater Troupe.

828.524.6777.

Carden at City Lights Oct. 19

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

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

828.587.2233 or www.citylightsnc.com.

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

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

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

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

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

828.479.3364.

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

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

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

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

828.648.0040.

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

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

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

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

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

828.421.9399.

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

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

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

828.488.3030 or www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.haywoodcommunityband.org or 828.456.4880.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

828.524.7683, or www.artscouncilofmacon.org.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

828.488.3030.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

828.524.3161 or 800.336.7829.

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

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

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

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

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

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

828.227.2259 or www.prideofthemountains.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

www.bethelrural.org.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

828.526.9227

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

828.488.3848 or 828.586.4009.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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