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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To RSVP, call 828.497.5550.

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

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

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

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

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

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

828.497.2111.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

828.356.2833.

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

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

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

828.648.3173.

To the Editor:

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

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

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

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

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

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

“May I please have that number.”

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

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

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

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

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

David Redman

Sylva

To the Editor:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scott C. Stump

Waynesville

To the Editor:

I’d like to address the letter three weeks ago by my representative to the General Assembly, The Honorable Phil Haire.

Short and to the point, I have two issues. First, it is very telling that our elected representative finds it just too much trouble to answer personal contacts of concern about an issue on a one on one basis and then attempts to do it publicly through a letter to the editor while attempting to invoke scripture to justify his position. If it were an election for his position, he would be the first to reach out and take that hand shake, kiss that baby, and chase that vote while all the time looking for a political donation.

This leads to the even bigger problem I have with Mr. Haire’s position against the Constitutional Amendment “To Define Marriage as being between a Man and a Woman.” Mr. Haire basically declared that, “We the people” should not be allowed to vote on this issue of a constitutional amendment. The content of the amendment is not as relevant to me, but his attitude in standing in judgment of his constituents puts him in the position of a political a fool.  

“We the people” are not ignorant and we do not forget those who attempt to limit the power of the vote. I wish him no harm, but then again I have little use for someone who takes such an arrogant stand against the very voters who elected him. I would hope that his replacement will have a better concept of the American way.

John Herrin

Bryson City

To the Editor:

If property revaluation is postponed until 2015, the Macon County Commissioners are again gambling that property values will be comparable to the current valuations in order to maintain the current budget level. Consider that they could be worse than now or even worse than 2013. Using the analogy of a nurse pulling off a band-aid: pull it off quickly and endure the pain for a short period, or pull slowly and endure the pain for a long time.

Also, commissioners cite that if valuations decrease and the millage remains the same, revenues would decrease. This would necessitate a decrease in services. In this economy I have had to decrease the goods and services I purchase. It appears that government spending, healthcare, and inflation are all going up while incomes are going down. That is a good definition of unsustainable. Commissioners should pull the band aid quickly!

Robert Bourke

Franklin

To the Editor:

These questions are directed to progressives, liberals or left-thinking people.

• Why do you think it’s OK for the government to hold a gun to my head and take my money to give to more deserving or “less fortunate” people when, in fact, most of those people simply refuse to take individual responsibility for their own wealth and well-being?

• Why do you think it’s OK for the government to force me to send my kid to a government school that has a failure rate of 75 percent and is allowed to stuff drugs down my kid’s throat simply because some lame teachers don’t know how to teach the gifted, thus turning him into a zombie and drug addict?

• Why do you think it’s OK for the government to steal my property from me, property that has been in my family for over 200 years, and give it to some unnamed, uncaring corporation just because they will pay more taxes on it than I do, then, when they decide not to build on it, the government keeps it and gets zero taxes on it?

• Why do you think it’s OK to let total strangers fondle your 6-year-old daughter or your 80-year-old mother because they just might have a bomb strapped to them, all in the name of security?

• And finally, why do you think it’s OK for the government to continue to trample our Constitution, shredding it every single day in the name of social justice?

Why? Just asking.

Larry Porter

Waynesville

The Oconaluftee Institute for the Cultural Arts is offering evening classes this fall in a variety of disciplines.  

• Intro to Printmaking will be offered from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 and Nov. 14 in Cherokee. Students will get an overview of letterpress printing from Frank Brannon, printmaking instructor. He will demonstrate basic printmaking methods from setting type and inking the press to the actual operation of the press. Participants will have an opportunity to print note cards in the Cherokee Syllabary. Cost is $20 per person.

• Book Arts will happen from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 12, 18 and 19 at the Macon, Swain and Cherokee campuses. Unlock your inner artist through following or altering traditional forms of bookmaking. Learn how to make a simple bound and folded book. Students can bring cutouts from magazines or old books, snippets of ribbon, old letters, buttons or findings from nature such as feathers or pressed flowers. The course is taught by Kathrine Cays and costs $18.

• Intro to Leather Work will teach the art of handmade leather craft from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 11, 13 and 20 in Macon and Swain counties and in Cherokee. Students will learn to work with basic leather working tools to create a change pouch. The class is taught by Kathrine Cays and costs $22.

• Advanced Firing Techniques in Raku ceramics will run from 5 to 10 p.m. from Nov. 8 through Dec. 13 and will focus on raku glazes, applying raku glazes, building a raku kiln, firing, and safety. Taught by Joe Frank McKee, the class costs $120, materials not included.

• Liquid Clay Ceramics will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 17 through Dec. 15.  Students will learn several liquid clays. Taught by Elsie Delfield, course cost is $65, materials not included.

828.497.3945 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Maggie Valley October Leaves Craft Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.

Admission is free and there is plenty of parking for everyone. Artists and crafters will sell their handmade products and some will demonstrate their craft. Festival food will also be available.

828.497.9425 or www.maggievalleycraftshows.com.

The Bryson City Chamber Chili Cook Off will mark its 21st year, on Saturday, Oct. 15, and the Swain County Chamber of Commerce is looking for cookers in all classes: traditional (red), white, and vegetarian.

Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place and average attendance is over 3,000. Held at Frye Street, adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Depot in downtown Bryson City, the day-long event also offers live local music and crafters.

828.488.3681 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Church Street Art and Craft Show will fill the streets of downtown Waynesville from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8. The festival usually attracts more than 20,000 visitors and more than 120 juried artists and crafters and food vendors from throughout the Southeast be on hand.

This year will celebrate the 28th festival, which will will feature craft and quilting demonstrations, a variety of mountain music, dance and international and local foods.

Entertainment includes Whitewater Bluegrass, Balsam Range, Honey Holler, Montreat Pipes and Drums, Southern Appalachian Cloggers, Dixie Darlings, Green Valley Cloggers, Fines Creek Flatfooters, Ashegrove Garland Dancers, Randy Orwig, the Living Statue and Mr. Tom, the Balloon Man.

The show is sponsored by the Downtown Waynesville Association.

The Tuckasegee Terror Tales Tour will run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday in October, starting at 7 p.m. in Whittier.

Boarding of the tour wagon will be at the corner of Whittier School Road and Whittier Depot Street in downtown Whittier and runs every 30 minutes.

The tour is presented by the Storytelling Center Of The Southern Appalachians and proceeds benefit the Preservation of Historical Places in Swain County. The cost is $5.

828.488.5705.

An Oktoberfest will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the National Guard Armory in Franklin.

The festival is put on by the Foundation for Angel Medical Center and will benefit the renovations for the Outpatient Medicine Department at the hospital.

There will be a silent auction, an oompah band, contests, food including marinated roast pork, potato pancakes, and other authentic German food and drink. The raffle is a football package, which includes four club seat tickets to the Bucs and Carolina Panthers on Dec. 4, at Tampa Bay, two rooms for two nights at the Westshore Hilton and $500 cash.  

Tickets are $50 each or four tickets for $100.

828.349.6887.

Tony Award-winning actor Anthony Crivello will direct the hit play, “Heart What’s In the Heart,” which will run Sept. 30 through Oct. 7, at the Highlands Playhouse. This will be the final production of the Playhouse’s 2011 season.

Anthony Crivello received Broadway’s Tony Award, Chicago’s Jefferson Award, a Carbonelle Award and nominations for two Jefferson Awards, two Canadian Dora Mavor Moore Awards, LA’s Ovation, Drama Critics, Robbie, Garland Awards, and Friends of New York Theater Award. He has starred on Broadway in numerous shows as well as on film and televison.

For tickets for“Hear What’s In the Heart,” call 828.526.2695.

Storyteller and playwright Gary Carden will present a program on Appalachian Jack tales and their origins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the Jackson County Public Library.

Jack tales are a particular variety of Appalachian folk tale, but their reach extends far beyond our region and stretches far back in time.

“Jack and the Beanstalk” may be the best-known of the Jack tales, but there are variations on many other familiar tales, including Cinderella and Snow White. As far back as any English-language folktale can be traced, there are stories about Jack, often a trickster or sometimes just a simple, shy boy, or even a mute.

So what makes a story a Jack tale? Carden will explore these questions and the many origins of Jack tales, from the Brother Grimm to Shakespeare, and in the process will tell a few of his favorite tales.

Carden, who lives in Sylva, is an award-winning storyteller, author, screenwriter and playwright. He is the founder of The Liar’s Bench, a popular live variety show featuring storytelling, music, and poetry.

828.586.2016.

The Haywood County bluegrass group Balsam Range won the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Song of the Year award for 2011 for “Trains I Missed.”

The awards were handed out Sept. 29 at the Ryman Theater in Nashville.

“Trains I Missed” is the title track of the album of the same name. According to the groups website, the song — written by Walt Wilkins, Gilles Godard, and Nicole Witt — “is a ballad about things not done in life, that leads you straight to what was supposed to be. ‘Trains I Missed’ is one of those songs that helps define a moment in one’s life, as well as in one’s career.”

To listen to a snippet of the song, log onto the group’s website at http://balsamrange.com/shop/trains-i-missed/.

Band member Darren Nicholson put a post on the group’s website on Oct. 1: “Wow … we can’t believe it! What huge honor. We sure appreciate all the great comments. We always try to respond to everyone but it may take us a while. Thank you. Thanks for all the kind words and support you given this band and our music. Thanks for believing in us and this incredible song. We sure did from the first time we heard it. We feel privileged and so lucky to have snagged such a great song. Thanks to the songwriters. We we’re so happy that two of them (Nicole and Walt) were there with us Thursday to share in the celebration.”

Balsam Range is: Tim Surrett plays bass, occasional resonator guitar, and sings lead and harmony; Buddy Melton sings in a powerful tenor and plays fiddle; Caleb Smith has been called “one of the top young guns of guitar” and is also known for his energetic power singing; Darren Nicholson plays mandolins and sings harmony; and Marc Pruett plays traditional three finger banjo.

Balsam Range will play this Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Church Street Arts Festival in downtown Waynesville.

Also winning an IBMA award for Entertainer of the Year was the Brevard-based Steep Canyon Rangers. The group includes film star Steve Martin on banjo.

Sing for the Fun of It, a songfest featuring old familiar favorites, will start at 7 p.m. on Oct. 11 at The Macon County Public Library.

Included in the repertoire will be songs like “Blue Skies,” “Down In the Valley,” “Home On the Range,” “My Bonnie,” “Oh! Susanna,” “You Are My Sunshine,” and many more, with a song leader and guitar accompanist. Song sheets will be provided and attendees are encouraged to bring a favorite song for the group to enjoy.

828.524.7683.

Grammy-nominated bluegrass musicians the Grascals will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, at Western Carolina University’s John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center.

The show, “Dance Til Your Stockings Are Hot and Ravelin,’” is a musical tribute to 1960s sitcom “The Andy Griffith Show.” Since the band’s formation in 2004, the Grascals have received honors and awards throughout the musical community. The Grascals earned four 2011 International Bluegrass Music Assocation nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and Song of the Year for their single “I Am Strong” with Dolly Parton. They also earned Grammy Award nominations in 2006 and 2007.

Impersonator David Browning will perform his improvisational show “The Mayberry Deputy” as the opening act.

Tickets are $20 for adults and seniors, $15 for WCU faculty and staff, $10 for groups of 20 or more and $5 for students and children.

828.227.2479 or bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

Open Mic nights are returning this fall from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at Blue Ridge Books on Main Street in Waynesville. The October-to-May series is hosted by local musician and songwriter, Chris Minick, and sponsored by The Haywood County Arts Council and the Music and Poetry Lover’s Network. The new season begins Thursday, Oct. 6, and runs through May 3.

Open Mic nights are free and open to the public. Attendees will have the opportunity to make a donation to benefit the Arts Council’s JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) after school program. Participants may begin signing up for sets at 6:45 p.m.

828.452.0593 or 828.456.6000.

Celtic Thunder, a singing group from Ireland, will perform 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at Harrah’s Cherokee Hotel and Casino. The group has five male soloists who perform both independently and collectively. They debuted in August 2007 and have since become a household name, releasing six albums expanding into over 40 countries.

800.745.3000 or www.ticketmaster.com. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Dailey & Vincent, an award-winning bluegrass band, will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 7, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets start at $12.

Jamie Dailey and Darrin Vincent are the front men of the group. Dailey plays guitar and bass and sings lead and harmony vocals. He began his career as a member of the highly acclaimed band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and has recorded with such greats as Dolly Parton and Rhonda Vincent.

Darrin Vincent plays mandolin, bass, and guitar and sings lead and harmony vocals. His career began at a very young age when he started performing with his family band, The Sally Mountain Show, alongside his sister, Rhonda Vincent. He won five Grammy awards as a member of Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder and has received many other awards as well.  

Tickets start at $12.

866.273.4615 or visit www.greatmountainmusic.com.

Jammin’ at the Millpond will be held from 10 a.m. to dusk on Saturday, Oct. 8, on the Haywood Community College campus. This is a free bluegrass event to showcase the college, its programs and alumni, and the Appalachian heritage of Western North Carolina.

The music will be hosted by the Hominy Valley Boys, emceed by Richard Hurley, and feature other local artists and clogging teams. Some of the performers include First Time Out, Merrie Belle Clark & Family, HCC Wildlife Band, Reems Creek Incident, Jonathan Creek Cloggers, Fines Creek Flatfooters and Smoky Mountain Stompers. Jonathan Creek Cloggers will conduct a demonstration workshop at 2 p.m.

The day-long festivities will feature a molasses making demonstration with samples, barbeque meals available for purchase, alumni gathering tent, student club booths, car show, HCC Woodsmen’s Team demonstration at 3 and 5 p.m., corn shelling, corn milling, 1840s reenactment and much more. There will also be Re/Max tethered hot air balloon rides, wind and weather permitting, from about 5:30 p.m. until dark.

828.627.4522 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Watercolor artist Ann Vasilik will present at the next meeting of the Blue Ridge Watermedia Society, from 6:45 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 11, at Haywood Community College Bldg 1400. She will be painting a town scene from Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay.

The tri-venue Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival will run from Oct. 7-9, in the three festival villages: Cashiers, Glenville and Sapphire.

The festival will feature entertainment by bands of several musical genres, artisan crafts, vendor booths, food and kid-attracting activities.

Each of the three villages brings their own character to the festival while businesses and shops throughout the Cashiers Valley welcome festival-goers, visitors and local residents with shop and roadside décor. Many compete in the “Scarecrow Contest” where judges will select the best scarecrow of all prior to the festival.

The main venue, the Cashiers Village Green and Commons, located at the Cashiers crossroads, is festival headquarters. Here music and performance-lovers can enjoy all-day theatrics and diverse music entertainment on two stages. Booths will showcase juried artisans and a variety of vendors. The food court will offer fare from local restaurants and a spot to relax and observe all the goings-on. Merchants throughout the Cashiers Village will also feature sales and specials all weekend in their shops. Kids with excess energy, needing active time, can play at the permanent Village Green playground and for quieter time visit the kids craft tent to create their own tribute to fall.  

Glenville Village, about five miles north of Cashiers Village on the shores of Lake Glenville, will offer more folksy fare in a local artist tent highlighting area crafters and artists ranging from potters to woodworkers. Here, hungry festival goers can sample apples, cider and hot dogs with trimmings while listening to bluegrass, banjo and a bit of gospel entertainment. There will also be the chance to pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin patch, visit a Christmas tree farm for a pancake breakfast or cruise Lake Glenville on a pontoon boat to view Lake Glenville.

Moving east from the Cashiers Crossroads on U.S. 64, attendees will find shops and eateries at Sapphire Village. Sapphire is the home of the Festival’s Big Cup Golf Tournament on October 8. Prizes for tournament winners include beach resort stays and choices from many local merchants and restaurants.

828.743.5858, 828.743.1630, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.cashiersvalleyleaffest.com.

Painter Steve Penley will give a free talk about his art, his life, his faith and experiences at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7, at the Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University. With subjects such as Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Jimmy Hendrix, Ford Trucks, Coca-Cola bottles, Mona Lisa, flower vases, horse races and The 34 Most Memorable Plays in Georgia Football History, Penley has a wide variety of subjects that he captures in a unique and recognizable style.

He will also complete a demonstration painting for onlookers. There is a free reception beforehand at 6:30 p.m. and Penley will be available to talk and sign posters afterward.

847.732.0221.

There will be a free screening of “Mars,” a romantic comedy that follows three astronauts on the first manned mission to Mars, at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, in the theater of the University Center at Western Carolina University.

With a veneer of silliness, the film also is a deeper look into the nature of exploration. Writer and director Geoff Marslett will be on hand immediately after the screening to discuss the film with the audience. Marslett has won several industry awards for “Mars,” his first full-length film.

The screening is part of the Southern Circuit film tour.

828.227.3622, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit ace.wcu.edu.

Angie Toomey and Friends will present a variety show to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at Stuart Auditorium at Lake Junaluska. The show will help grant wishes to children with terminal and long-term illnesses in Central and Western North Carolina.

The cast of entertainers this year includes Arkansas Rose, Betty Natzke, Crimson Road,  Keith Smith, Julia Ann Roberts, Leslie Hipps, Music Works Dancers,  Paul Indelicato, the Rye Holler Boys, Tina Mathis, the West & Central African Drum Group and Angie Toomey. The Fines Creek Flatfooters will also perform.

Tickets are $25. 828.452.2881.

A meeting to organize the Smoky Mountain Paddling Club will be held at the meeting room in United Community Bank at 1640 East Main Street in Sylva at 6:30 pm. on Thursday, Oct. 6.

Paddlers of all ages and levels of experience interested in kayaking, canoeing or stand-up paddle-boarding on flatwater or whitewater are invited to attend.

Pizza and drinks will be provided courtesy of Duke Energy.

Students in a Western Carolina University parks and recreation management course are helping coordinate the event.

252.558.5122 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Celebrate the heritage of Western North Carolina during the annual Forest Festival Day on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is the Cradle of Forestry’s largest event of the year.

This event commemorates the traditions of mountain living and craft in a unique and beautiful setting. More than 30 traditional craftsmen, exhibitors, and musicians will line two paved trails at the Cradle of Forestry to help celebrate. During the event, five colleges will compete for a trophy in the 16th Annual John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet, organized by Haywood Community College. STIHL is the presenting sponsor of the festival.

At the corral along the Biltmore Campus Trail, festival-goers can cheer as college forestry students compete during the Woodsmen’s Meet that has the flavor of an old-time lumberjack competition. Students from Haywood Community College, Penn State Mont Alto, Montgomery Community College, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina State University will test their skills in a number of events including archery, axe throwing, crosscut sawing and pole climbing. If you plan on spending a couple of hours at the Woodsmen’s Meet, you may want to bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

Also along the Biltmore Campus Trail, visitors can see traditional crafts demonstrated including weaving, open hearth cooking, blacksmithing, and creating corn husk dolls. Wash clothes the old way at the wash place. Learn about efforts to restore our native chestnut tree from The American Chestnut Foundation.

Live music in the amphitheatre features QuarterHouse bluegrass band at 11:45 a.m., followed by a music program for all ages, Songs of Forest Folk, until 1:30 p.m. The music continues with roving musicians around the trails. Food will be available for purchase during the event.

The Cradle of Forestry is located four miles south of Parkway Milepost 412 on U.S. 276 in the Pisgah National Forest, six miles north of Looking Glass Falls.

The Summit Charter School’s eighth-grade class tested seven water sources commonly used by hikers along the Appalachian Trail in Macon County.

Testing took place during the group’s annual overnight field trip to the Standing Indian area earlier this month. The collected water data (dissolved oxygen, pH and turbidity) was uploaded to the World Water Monitoring website. Janis Brannon, the science teacher from Summit School and a graduate of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Trail to Every Classroom Program, has planned and executed this field trip for the past five years. The local Nantahala Hiking Club provided hike leaders to lead the students on the hike and to the water sources. The field trip was funded through the state’s AT license plate program.

Delayed-harvest trout water rules on 15 Western North Carolina counties start Oct. 1, replacing a different set of regulations on these streams.

Under delayed-harvest regulations, no trout can be harvested from these waters between Oct. 1 and one half-hour after sunset on June 1. No natural bait is allowed, and anglers can fish only with single-hook, artificial lures. An artificial lure is defined as a fishing lure that neither contains nor has been treated with any substance that attracts fish by the sense of taste or smell.

Both resident and nonresident anglers can fish in designated Mountain Heritage Trout Waters with a three-day, $5 Mountain Heritage Trout Waters license, or with any license that provides trout fishing privileges.

These are the delayed-harvest trout waters in our area:

• Haywood County — West Fork Pigeon River (Queen Creek to the first game land boundary upstream of Lake Logan).

• Henderson County — North Fork Mills River (game land portion below the Hendersonville watershed dam).

• Jackson County — Tuckasegee River (downstream N.C. 107 bridge to the falls located 275 yards upstream of the U.S. 23/441 bridge, marked by a sign on each bank).

• Macon County — Nantahala River (Whiteoak Creek to Nantahala hydropower discharge canal).

• Madison County — Big Laurel Creek (N.C. 208 bridge to the U.S. 25/70 bridge); Shelton Laurel Creek (N.C. 208 bridge at Belva to the confluence with Big Laurel Creek); Spring Creek (N.C. 209 bridge at Hot Springs city limits to iron bridge at end of Andrews Avenue also classified as Mountain Heritage Trout Waters, refer to the commission’s Regulations Digest for additional information).

• Transylvania County — East Fork French Broad River (Glady Fork to French Broad River); Little River (confluence of Lake Dense to 100 yards downstream of Hooker Falls).

www.ncwildlife.org/fishing.

Time to swap those seeds, plants and bulbs at the annual Jackson County Farmers Market exchange scheduled for 9 a.m. until noon Oct. 1 in downtown Sylva. Additionally, starting that same Saturday, an exciting new children’s program starts for the remainder of the season.

First, about the seeds: Bring seed that you have saved from non-hybrid vegetables or flowers, or garlic and bulbs for fall planting, as well as perennial plants that need to be divided and replanted in the fall. Seeds, plants and bulbs should be labeled. In the case of flowers, it is helpful to give the color and height of the parent plant. Plants that come up year after year in our gardens are proving that they are adapted to the local climate and can thrive in spite of insect pests.

Now, about those kids: The Fine Arts Museum at Western Carolina University is providing Homegrown FAM (Family Art at the Market). It is providing, free of charge, hands-on arts activity for children every week. Activities take place under the pavilion from 10 a.m. until noon.

828.631.3033.

A guided bird walk sponsored by the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee is set for Friday, Sept. 30, near Tilley Creek in Cullowhee.

The bird walk will be led by Jeremy Hyman, an assistant professor of biology at Western Carolina University teaching classes in ornithology and animal behaviors. Hyman has been an avid birder since childhood and has several publications on bird behaviors. This walk also should be an excellent time to view the fall leaves.

Meet at the entrance of the Jackson County Recreational Park in Cullowhee at 8:30 a.m., to carpool to the location, which is two miles away. The outing will last approximately two hours. Participants should bring water and binoculars. No dogs allowed. For directions and to RSVP, contact Jill Wiggins at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.524.2711, ext. 209.

For the second year in a row, sixth-grade students from Macon County will find themselves galloping through goldenrod to catch, tag, and release Monarch butterflies as part of “Migration Celebration,” a field trip designed to engage students in real science concerning bird and butterfly migration.   

The event will take place through Oct. 4 at Tessentee Bottomland Preserve, a tract of land owned and managed by the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee. The Coweeta Long Term Ecological Research will coordinate the program as part of their “Schoolyard” outreach and education initiative. Students will also learn about migrating songbirds from the non-profit Southern Appalachian Raptor Research, which uses Tessentee Bottomland Preserve as a long-term research site to better understand the rates of survivorship and productivity in bird populations.

Tessentee Bottomland Preserve is a stop on the N.C. Birding Trail with 125 species of birds located within its 70-acre boundary.  Biologists will use mist nets to catch, band, and release migrating songbirds, giving students an opportunity to see birds up-close.    

Students will wield their own nets to try and catch Monarch butterflies as they fly south to over-winter in the Transvolcanic Mountains of Mexico. Once caught, students will learn to carefully take the butterfly out of the net, determine whether the Monarch is a male or a female based on the wing pattern, and place a small sticker on the hind wing with a phone number and unique identification tag.

Data collected by the students will be sent to MonarchWatch (www.monarchwatch.org), the organization overseeing the project. The butterfly will then be released to continue its journey south. Students will also catch, identify, and release other butterflies to help with an inventory of butterflies at the preserve. To date more than 45 species of butterflies have been found, including several new to mountain and county records.

“Two Special Rocks,” a program on how Looking Glass and John Rock were formed, will be held on Oct. 1 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education.

The program will discuss what the rocks are made of and what plants and wildlife call these special environments home. This program, which is free and open to ages 8 and older, provides an introduction to the geology and associated plants and wildlife in the area. Space is limited; pre-registration is required.

828.877.4423 or www.ncwildlife.org/Education_Workshops/Pisgah_Center.htm.

The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education is located near Brevard on the Davidson River. The center is adjacent to the N.C. Wildlife Commission’s Bobby N. Setzer Fish Hatchery.

A celebration of a new piece of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail will be held at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Hefner Gap Overlook at milepost 326 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Overmountain Trail preserves and commemorates the route used by patriot militia in the 1780 campaign that led to victory over loyalist forces led by Maj. Patrick Ferguson at the key battle of Kings Mountain. Working with a variety of partners, the National Park Service continues to identify trail segments and open them up for public use. The newly opened 1.3-mile section of pathway is actually an original part of the route and is a roadbed that is centuries old.

On Sept. 29, 1780, this section of historic roadway saw the passage of hundreds of patriot militia on horseback heading east through Hefner Gap and toward North Cove. Led by Colonels John Sevier and Issac Shelby, these Overmountain men had come from frontier settlements in present day east Tennessee some days previously. They would play a key role in the victory at Kings Mountain on Oct. 7, 1780.

In 2008, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina was able to purchase the 534-acre Rose Creek tract, preserving land that borders the Blue Ridge Parkway as well as containing the newly certified segment. In April of this year, the land was conveyed to the state Wildlife Resources Commission.

The event is free and open to the public.  Members of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association in period colonial dress will participate.

In the event of inclement weather, the program will be held at the nearby covered pavilion at the Historic Orchard at Altapass, located at Parkway milepost 328.3.

828.765.1228.

The next teen friends of the library meeting will be held at the Marianna Black Library at 3:30 on Thursday, Sept. 29.

Teens are invited to come share their ideas about materials of interest to them, including what sort of programming they’d like to see at the library. There will be snacks, crafts, games and much more at the meeting. Teen volunteers will be needed for the upcoming Christmas Parade float and don’t forget that teens can earn community service hours for school by volunteering at the library.

828.488.3030.

Author and culture historian Julia Taylor Ebel will give a reading and wreath-making demonstration at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Ebel will be reading from her newest book, Mama’s Wreaths.

A series of narrative poems tell the story of Joanie, a young mountain girl who wishes to learn to make wreaths as lovely as Mama’s. Joanie learns not only about the process of wreath making but also of the importance of passing on one’s heritage.

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

To the Editor:

Wildflower is back, and a lot of people are worried, especially here in the northern part of Macon County. From the time the first developer spoke to a crowd of over 200 at Cowee School and said, “You people will need to upgrade your community for my clientele,” and “You people (how could the man think that was an acceptable way to address the people whose community he was moving into?) are going to need affordable housing…” the thing has not set well on our minds. Then came the flood of sediment into streams, trout ponds and the river as the steep roads were gouged out. People were buying lots sight unseen on the internet, because real estate was hot and was only going to get hotter.

Then came the crash — with foreclosures, lawsuits, damage to our local financial institutions — and to the reputation of Macon County. The lots sat empty, the roads began to crumble, big rains brought on the landslides, the weeds grew up.

But a lot of us didn’t forget, and we wanted protection in the future.

We worked hard to get sensible slope development regulation—but it didn’t happen. Now, the lots are back on the sale block. What are the “fire sale” prices going to do to the real estate comps, and the hopes of other landowners and realtors to sell a piece of land at a fair price? What assurance do we have that the development will be done well this time? What control do we have? Do the people looking at lots up there have any idea about the North Carolina Geological Survey Slope Movement Hazard Maps? Do they know there are unstable soils up there?  Down here in the valley, we know it.

But perhaps something a little bit good can come out of this. Perhaps we can put aside the name calling, the politics, the special interest protection, and the shortsightedness and plan for a better situation in the near future. We can put in place slope development regulation that will make sure that the guys who do a good job don’t get undercut by the cheap shortcuts of the careless and uncaring. We can   protect the interests of the home builder, the downslope and upslope neighbors, and our precious mountain environment.

Because this is only phase one of the planned project. There are still hundreds of acres to go up there.

Susan Ervin

Franklin

To the Editor:

In the ongoing debate about job creation, much misinformation is being bandied about in an effort to confuse us and advance a conservative agenda.

Some try to convince us that economic growth will generate jobs. But the fact is that the gross domestic product has grown for seven consecutive quarters since the official end of the recession in the second quarter of 2009. However, there has been no increase in jobs during this period. Economic growth has not generated jobs.

Some say there are plenty of traditional jobs if you just look for them. People are unemployed because they’re too lazy to go out and seek work. But the fact is that in May 2011 there were 4.7 unemployed people for every one job opening. That number has not gone below 4.3 in 29 months, while from 2001 through 2008 it never went above 3. This shows that the jobs just aren’t there to look for.

Some claim that if we cut taxes on big corporations and the wealthy, they’ll use the extra cash to create jobs. But the fact is that corporations are sitting on more than $80 billion, and big banks are holding $2.6 trillion that they’re not lending. They aren’t using the reserves they already have to create jobs, so do we really think that if they had more money from tax breaks they would suddenly have a change of heart?

Some argue that proposed new free trade agreements with Korea, Panama, and Colombia will produce economic growth and create jobs. But the fact is that the effect of NAFTA and other free trade treaties already in force has been to shift thousands of American jobs to Mexico and other developing countries. Why would we believe empty promises of jobs when the actual results have been just the opposite?

The claims are belied by the facts. Which will we believe?

Doug Wingeier

Waynesville

To the Editor:

After recently returning to North Carolina from three years in the Southwest, I am saddened to learn that our state legislature is so focused on creating a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage — yet another piece of divisive legislation that mirrors the current political dysfunction in Washington, D.C.

One could only hope that in these “hard times” our legislators focus on the very real economic issues that many people are dealing with — as if a symbolic defense of traditional marriage will shed light on the current struggle to provide for our families.

I recommend these legislators spend a season in the wilderness, perhaps in the spirit of the desert fathers, to cleanse their souls of such self-serving claptrap.

Roger Turner

Sylva