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Learn about the benefits of raw food diets for cats and dogs at the Western Carolina Dog Fanciers Association’s April meeting held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, at Creature Comforts near Lake Junaluska. Founder of Earth Green Pet Foods, Kristi King, will discuss nutritional information on her experience feeding pets raw food, nutritional information and the effects on the overall health of the animals. Public welcome. www.crecomfortwnc.com or www.dnet.net/wcdfa.
A new class for people who want to learn conversational Spanish is being setup by the Latino Institute for Human Development in Waynesville.
Conversational Spanish can be a resume builder, allowing people to communicate with Spanish-speaking employees or facilitate interaction with the Latino community. The institute will hold an interest meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, April 18, at the Pigeon Community Center. The Reynolds Foundation is making funding available.
This spring the institute will also start Project Delicioso, a multi-dimensional program that strives to provide work training to women while also benefiting donors. With a monthly donation an institute supporter receives weekly home cooked authentic Latino dinners.
828.400.6475.
Children In The Middle, a class for any parent who shares custody of children, will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.April 26 and 27 in Canton. The program was developed to reduce children’s experiences with loyalty conflicts that often develop in shared custody situations. Free, but registration required.
828.586.2345 ext. 24.
Swain County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual banquet from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 21, at the Fryemont Inn in Bryson City featuring an evening of food and entertainment.
Business Citizen of the Year will be announced, as well as recipient and presentation of the Duke Energy Service and Citizenship Award. Cost is $25 per person in advance or $30 the week of.
828.488.3681
Fiscal responsibility and property revaluation in Haywood County will be among the main topics discussed at the annual tax day rally in Waynesville. “Are You Taxed Enough Already?” will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 15, on Main Street in front of the Haywood County Historic Court House. Key note speakers will include Kory Swanson from the John Locke Foundation and Denny King. Bring lawn chairs and family-friendly political signs for the best sign contest. 828.456.3505. www.912wnc.com.
The annual Swain County Wedding Expo will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 16, at the Nantahala Village Resort and Spa. The expo will showcase local bakeries, caterers, florists and more while promoting the area as a destination wedding experience. Free. 828.488.3681 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
A senior expo and health fair in Franklin will provide free seminars, health screenings, entertainment and refreshments from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, April 28, at the Macon County Community Facilities Building.
The event is sponsored by MedWest Health System. There will be information about The Homestead, a new six-bed in-patient facility which will be built adjacent to MedWest-Haywood hospital and will serve patients in the hospice program whose families request a short break from caregiving. 828.452.8696.
A workshop geared toward reaching emotional freedom and full-potential, “7 Keys to Self Empowerment,” will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, at Apple Hill Farms in Waynesville.
The intent of the program is to transform lives through dropping emotional baggage and discovering the tools to empowerment. The cost of $225 includes a catered lunch with 10 percent of proceeds benefiting the American Red Cross. Register online at www.destinationwellnesscoach.com. 828.768.4252.
The Western Carolina Civic Orchestra will end the season with a concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, in the Coulter Building at Western Carolina University.
Featured soloists with the orchestra will be the winners of the 21st annual student solo competition held at WCU in January.
The orchestra will play selections from Bach, Mozart, John Williams and others.
Musicians of the orchestra include WCU students and students and adults from Jackson, Macon, Haywood, Swain, Cherokee and Buncombe counties. The program is free and open to the public.
A free seminar entitled Marketing for the Craftsperson and Artist will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, in Haywood Community College’s Student Center by the school’s Small Business Center.
This workshop is designed to teach artists to market their business image on a low or no-budget plan, Attendees are encouraged to bring samples of their product to the seminar. The workshop will focus on selling through craft and trade shows, designing show booths and creating publicity materials.
Linda Rozelle of Greensboro will lead the seminar. Rozelle has a background in commercial art and has designed hundreds of corporate identity programs.
828.627.4512.
Western Carolina University’s Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Mario Gaetano, will perform at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, in the Coulter Building on the WCU campus.
Included in the program is one of Gaetano’s original compositions, “Scenes from Earth” for piano and large percussion ensemble.
Other works include selections by Lou Harrison, Chick Corea, Nebojsa Zivokvic, Nathan Daughtrey and Lynn Glassock.
The ensemble is composed of undergraduate percussion majors and performs contemporary music composed or arranged for percussion instruments.
The concert is free and open to the public. 828.227.7242.
The comedy “The Cemetery Club” opens April 15 at Haywood Arts Regional Theater’s Studio Theater in Waynesville,with performances at 7:30 p.m. on April 15, 16, 22 and 23 and 3 p.m. on April 17 and 24.
The show tells the story of three Jewish widows who meet once a month for tea before going to visit their husband’s graves and the people they meet along the way.
Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for students.
828.456.6322.
The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre will hold auditions for its June production of “Deathtrap” at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, April 17 and 18 at the HART Theatre in Waynesville. The production is being directed by Charles Mills and opens on June 3.
Deathtrap, a murder-mystery, is one of the longest running plays in Broadway history and features roles for three men and two women.
Actors will be given scenes to read from the script. Anyone interested in working backstage on the production is also encouraged to come by during auditions to sign up.
Barbara Duncan will hold a release party for her new album, Music Says Go, at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 15, at City Lights bookstore in Sylva.
Duncan is education director at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, but is also a songwriter, storyteller and poet. Duncan will perform selections from the album and sign copies.
828.586.9499.
A Peeps Diorama Contest is being held at the Marianna Black Library for teens in grades six through 12.
Entrants must create a diorama depicting their favorite book or scene from literature, with all the characters in the scene portrayed by marshmallow chicks or rabbits. Dioramas are due April 21 and will be displayed in the children’s department of the library. Prizes will be awarded to the top three winners.
828.488.3030 or visit www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.
Learn the art of Coptic bookbinding with artist Katherine Cays from 11 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 16, at Rickman Store in Franklin.
All levels are welcome and each student will complete a Coptic-bound book. Coptic binding has braid like stitches that hold pages and covers together with the spine remaining visible. The book lies flat when open, which is especially nice for journaling or sketching.
The class is $90, which includes tuition and materials. Pre-registration and payment are due by Thursday, April 14.
828.349.7476 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
A Craft Club workshop teaching the art of crystal acetate card making will last from 10 a.m. until noon on Thursday, April 21, in the Community Service Center in Sylva.
Candy Meyers, a card maker and craftsperson, will lead the class and participants will make several butterfly and hummingbird cards. The images are on acetate and colored using a unique method with tissue paper and crystal lacquer.
Cost for the class is only $5.
828.586.4009 to register by April 18.
“I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree” … wait, that’s been done, hasn’t it?
Time to get out the pen and paper and write your own poem to mark the 75th anniversary of the dedication of the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, a living memorial to writer/poet Joyce Kilmer.
Kilmer was killed in action during World War I while serving in France on July 30, 1918. The Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center is sponsoring a poetry contest to honor this anniversary.
The poetry contest is open to school children in grades K-12 and to adults (and professional writers, as well). Poems shoud be submitted about a tree, trees or forests. Entries will be divided by grade levels, K-4, 5-8, High School, and adult/professional.
Authors will be recognized at the 75th anniversary celebration event on July 30. Once the judging has been completed and the winners notified, submissions will be publicly displayed at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center. Complete information about the contest and entry forms can be found at www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.
The celebration will include a 5K and 10K road race, plus one-mile fun run, on July 30 through a portion of the Nantahala National Forest, exhibits highlighting the area’s rich natural and cultural heritage, guided tours of the Joyce Kilmer National Recreation Trail and speakers on both Joyce Kilmer’s life and the U.S. Forest Service’s stewardship of wilderness.
Fishermen took to the creeks and rivers last weekend with the opening of hatchery-supported trout waters.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission began stocking trout in early March and will continue through August. About 1,100 miles of trout waters in WNC will be stocked with 860,000 trout, with 96 percent of the stocked fish averaging 10 inches in length and the other four percent exceeding 14 inches in length. On hatchery-supported trout waters, anglers can harvest a maximum of seven trout per day, with no minimum size limits or bait restrictions.
Stocked trout are raised in one of four mountain region hatcheries.
Which water have been stocked are posted online after the fact on Fridays at www.ncwildlife.org/fishing.
The Western North Carolina Fly-fishing trail is being stocked with 49,400 trout up through June, with the U.S. National Fly Fishing Championship using part of the trail in May.
The WNC Fly-Fishing trail, centered in Jackson County, includes some of the best trout fishing in the Eastern U.S. In addition to stocking on creeks included in the fly-fishing trail, stocking occurs throughout the region as a whole.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is stocking four trail streams — the Tuckasegee River, Scott Creek, Savannah Creek and Greens Creek.
A total of 29,400 brook, rainbow and brown trout will be placed in the delayed harvest section of the Tuckasegee, with the remaining 20,000 spread amongst Scott,
Savannah and Greens creeks, along with other sections of the Tuckasegee.
Brook and rainbow account for 80 percent of the fish, with brown making up 20 percent. Most of the stocking takes place in March and April to provide excellent conditions for the April 2 opening of trout season in North Carolina’s hatchery supported waters.
Many more trout than that are stocked in Western North Carolina, but
In May, some of the nation’s best fly anglers will compete in the 2011 U.S. National Fly Fishing Championship.
This is the first time the championship has been conducted in the Southeast, and the trail’s Tuckasegee River will be one of five sites used in the competition. Co-hosts
for the event are Cherokee and the North Carolina Fly Fishing Team.
The annual Fontana Classic Bass Tournament will be held April 9 and 10, a chance for anglers to compete for prize money in this Smoky Mountain classic.
With water temperatures already rising, local anglers are reporting an increase in the action on the lake.
This year’s purse is $5,000 with first-place garnering $2,000 in prize money. Prize money will be awarded for second through eighth places, and $200 each for the biggest small- and large-mouth bass.
Fontana Village Marina will be hosting the event with food and refreshments, and entertainment both days on the dock. The kids will be competing in their own dockside brim fishing tournament on Saturday, April 9.
828.498.2211 or www.fontanavillage.com/marina/springtournament.pdf.
Local athletes who enjoy the challenging combination of a mountain-terrain duathlon — a 2.2-mile run, followed by a 20-mike bike ride, capped by a repeat of the run — will compete Saturday, April 9, at Lake Junaluska in Haywood County in the third running of this early-season favorite.
The run will take place on the paved path circling Lake Junaluska, while the bike leg will wind through the hills and along the streams of the rural Iron Duff and Crabtree area of Haywood County. The Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center is hosting the race, and Glory Hound Events is putting it on. It is a USA Triathlon-sanctioned event.
Online registration for the race closes April 7; however, race day registration is available until 8:30 a.m. on April 9. Racers will gather for a 9 a.m. start in the Chapel parking lot.
For course maps, entry fees and age groups, visit the “events” section of Glory Hound Events at www.gloryhoundevents.com.
The Lilly of the Valley half-marathon attracted a whopping 164 runners last weekend, triple what organizers expected for the inaugural race.
The top female runner, Jennifer Bell, 37, of Brasstown (shown here) finished the 13.1-mile course along the Tuckasegee River with a time of 1:35:57. The first place male winner was Robert Martinez, 17, of Clayton, with a time of 1:24:31. The male winner in the masters category (40 and older) was Bradley Knops, 43, of Highlands, with a time of 1:33:30. The female winner in the masters category was Julie Richards, 44, of Bryson City, with a time of 1:37:51.
The race raised more than $7,000 for professional development opportunities for WCU students. Full results at halfmarathon.wcu.edu.
Raft loads of volunteers will take to the Tuckaseigee River on Saturday, April 16, for the 27th annual clean-up organized by Western Carolina University’s Base Camp Cullowhee.
The Tuckaseigee River Cleanup is the largest single-day effort to clean up a river in the country. Last year the event drew more than 600 volunteers, who removed about five tons of garbage from 27 miles of the river.
Registration will be on the A.K. Hinds University Center lawn from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. After registering, volunteers will be issued a life jacket and paddle. Base Camp Cullowhee will provide transportation to the river, where participants will listen to a safety talk and receive trash bags. After working to clean up the river, volunteers are invited back to the University Center lawn for a free cookout, live entertainment and the chance to win prizes donated by local businesses.
Volunteers must weight at least 40 pounds to be allowed in a raft. Those who don’t want to raft can work the shoreline from walking trails. The first 600 volunteers to register will receive free T-shirts. Volunteers should wear old clothing and shoes that will not come off in the water. No prior rafting experience is needed. 828.227.3625 or visit basecamp.wcu.edu.
From kayaking to rock climbing, elementary and middle school students can sample outdoor adventure through the Catamount Adventure Camps this summer.
Teaching young people new outdoor skills, as well as the value of teamwork and an appreciation of nature, are among the goals of the program. Each activity will involve small groups of eight to 10 students facing challenges and overcoming obstacles together in safe and encouraging settings.
Western Carolina University’s Base Camp Cullowhee sponsors the camps and provides guides for the activities.
There are three camps depending on age. The camp for rising third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders is July 11-15. Rising sixth- and seventh-graders have camp July 25-29, and rising eighth- and ninth-graders Aug. 1-5. Each program lasts from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Cost is $225 per kid. 828.227.7397 or go to learn.wcu.edu and click on “Camps and Programs for Kids.”
Gorges Gratitude Day will be held Saturday, April 16, featuring special presentations on a variety of topics, live music, food, and hayrides.
Speakers will share programs on falconry, black bears, mountain ecosystems, folklore and geology. Community organizations will provide food and beverages, with BBQ being the main course.
Gorges State Park, located on the border of Jackson/Transylvania counties, is a relatively new state park in the process of being developed with park roads, parking lots, observation platforms and waterfalls. This year construction will begin on a visitor center, two picnic shelters, and a maintenance facility. Plans and models of the buildings will be on display and park staff will be available to answer questions on upcoming development plans.
Volunteer assistance is needed for the event. Free. 828.966.9099.
Tuckasegee poet Thomas Rain Crowe will be at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 8, to read from his newest poetry collection, Crack Light.
The book features photographs by Simone Lipscomb and more than 40 of Crowe’s poems that celebrate the beauty and uniqueness of the Southern Appalachian mountains.
828.586.9499.
To the Editor:
Jackson County Commissioners are ranking road improvement projects in the County’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP) at their meeting April 18. Here are some reasons why I feel commissioners should follow the example set by Sylva to leave the 107 Connector (Sylva bypass) off their priority list.
First, the N.C. 107 feasibility study given to this county by NCDOT did not include any of the congestion management solutions provided by the Transportation Task Force and imbedded in the CTP. Also, the DOT’s own modeling showed that the bypass would not relieve congestion on N.C. 107, and that congestion is caused by land use.
Second, when developing the CTP the Transportation Task Force was only asked to look at traffic counts and traffic projections. We did not consider and discuss any of the economic, environmental or community impacts of our decisions. I recommend that this community’s leadership study and understand these impacts before they endorse the NC107 connector. The Task Force was not asked to look at the economic impact of diverting traffic from one of our main commercial corridors. The Task Force also did not discuss the impact, location or footprint of the cloverleaf overpass required by the bypass.
Also, a final consideration regarding the Transportation Task Force’s decision-making process is that we included the developments at Legasus and Balsam into our traffic forecasts, and those have since slowed down. Another area of growth included in the traffic counts that has also slowed down was the projected growth of WCU.
If you also feel that the N.C. 107 Connector should be left off of the priority list, contact the commissioners before their April 18 meeting. For more information visit Smartroads.org.
Jeannette Evans
Cullowhee
To the Editor:
The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority board has voted to cut funding to the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. This will seriously hinder – if not cripple – tourism events the H.C.C.C. sponsors each year. Any staff cuts to this small but effective non-profit chamber will have a ripple effect to our local economy.
How so? Look at this outdated traffic counting method TDA is using as science to make these critical cuts. The Balsam Visitor Center is located at a rest stop area in a tiny closet-sized kiosk that barely two people can fit in. Staffing it in winter is also difficult, but TDA spends $25,000 a year on what could simply be restocked every week.
On the way to Maggie Valley visitors can stop at the beautiful new welcome center at Lake Junaluska. Even with Maggie‘s visitor center on the main drag, it is almost invisible to any driver, not very inviting and with poor parking. The Canton visitor center is closed and until it can be housed in something other than an old car was building … please! Canton has too many nice historic settings and deserves better anyway!
The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce is finally in a great location in a beautiful setting that we should all be proud of. As southern charm demands, we want our company to feel welcome and at home, especially when they come to spend money. Chamber-sponsored events like the new Blue Ridge Breakaway, which will double this year, and the annual Apple Harvest Festival bring over 40,000 tourists to Haywood County each year. These events require a great deal of planning and cannot rely on volunteers only. So as a former TDA paid employee of this visitor center, I can tell you that this ”traffic” counting method is obsolete because it does not include the thousands of phone calls, emails, letters and various requests that a dedicated staff handles every year.
Since becoming executive director of the chamber, CeCe Hipps has dedicated herself to promoting Haywood County not only as a great place to visit but a place to call home and open a new business. People rely on local chambers for many reasons, but tourism plays a major role in all functions of a chamber.
We are very fortunate to have people like CeCe and TDA Executive Director Lynn Collins working for us. The new TDA visitor guide is the best yet and the website update shows what an excellent job Lynn does marketing our area. But two visitor centers a few blocks apart is a waste of funds in my opinion.
The motels, diners and stores already have tons of the same brochures all over the county anyway. I think the TDA board should reconsider this decision and ask how many visitor centers do we really need? Budget cuts in a recession are understandable, but using outdated techniques to cut critical chamber funds is unwise. As the busy summer and fall traffic start up again, the chamber visitor center will easily have hundreds of guests each week, of which many will – as before at the chamber’s Russ Avenue location – enjoy those rockers on the porch.
Mylan Sessions
Clyde
To the Editor:
The good news is the North Carolina Department of Transportation has received a $461 million federal grant to improve rail service between Raleigh and Charlotte, creating 4,800 jobs during the next two years. Many of the jobs will be permanent since a new maintenance facility will be located in Charlotte. The $461 million comes with no strings attached. No matching state funds are required.
The bad news is that Republican state representatives Ric Killian (R-Mecklenburg), Phillip Frye (R-Spruce Pine), and Phil Shepard (R-Onslow) have introduced House Bill 422, “No High-Speed Rail Money from Federal Government.” If this bill passes, the $461 million will go to other states to create jobs for their citizens and upgrade their transportation infrastructures.
The Employment Security Commission reported that the North Carolina unemployment rate in February was 9.7 percent. There are more than 435,000 people on our state’s unemployment roles. The 4,800 jobs are desperately needed.
Please tell your legislators to oppose H422. What possible reason could the Republicans have for refusing this grant? Disliking President Obama is not a good reason to sacrifice North Carolina jobs.
Carole Larivee
Waynesville
To the Editor:
As an advocate for seniors and senior services, I find I am more and more concerned about the Voter ID bill that was introduced in the state Senate by Sen. Ralph Hise (R-Spruce Pine). I absolutely believe that any case of voter fraud, when discovered, should be prosecuted, but I think more thought should be put into the process before passing a bill that would hinder our seniors from using the one right every American citizen is afforded – the right to vote.
According to facts I have read, votes per million cast in North Carolina from 2004 to 2010 that involved fraud that a Voter ID law would have prevented is five. With a state budget that must be balanced by law, why would our elected representatives want to add so much more to the deficit. My understanding is the potential cost of a comprehensive voter ID program in North Carolina would be around $20 million. I have read that the annual cost to each county in Maryland to hire and train elections’ officials to examine IDs of voters is $95,000.
Our county governments are also strapped to the max. The cost of outreach efforts about Voter ID laws to avoid voter confusion and make sure legitimate voters aren’t turned away at the polls has been estimated at an additional $16.9 million.
At a time when cuts to our senior programs and services may be forthcoming at both the federal and state level, I would think these projected Voter ID funds could be better spent to help our seniors, who are already struggling with escalating costs of everything, and no cost of living adjustment for the past two years. I hope our elected representatives would think long and hard before passing this legislation.
Juanita Dixon
Canton
An indoor yard sale will take over the Ramsey Regional Activity Center at Western Carolina University from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 9.
The sale, now in its 21st year, will feature a broad range of items and proceeds will go to the Jackson County Arts Council.
Learn to make scented soap, bath salts or a hooked mug rug in three new classes from 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, at Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro. Supplies will be provided for a small fee and participants will take home six bars of soap, a jar of bath salts and a hooked mug rug. Children are welcome.
828.586.4686.
Heather Newton, author of Under the Mercy Trees, will be the speaker for the Mountain Writers’ Network at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.
Under the Mercy Trees, a tale of family, love and redemption, is Newton’s debut novel, though her short stories have appeared in regional and national publications. Newton lives in Asheville, where she is an author and mediator.
Mountain Writers of North Carolina meets on the second Tuesday of each month to advance the professional interests of creative writers through networking, advocacy and education.
828.456.6000
The Haywood Arts Regional Theater is gearing up for its next production, “Shipwrecked,” showing at 7:30 p.m. on April 8 and 9, and 3 p.m. on April 10.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $8 for students. Every full-price adult ticket will also get a free student or child ticket.
“Shipwrecked” is a family-friendly comedy about a Victorian gentleman and his storied past as a wandering seafarer.
For tickets call 828.456.6322.
A free contra dance will be held from 2:30 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 10, at the Bridge Park Pavilion in Sylva.
There will also be a potluck dinner following the contra dance, starting at 5:30. Dancers should bring a covered dish, plate, cup and cutlery and a water bottle.
The dance will be called by Asheville caller Diane Silver and accompanied by local musicians.
No partner or previous experience with contra dancing is required and all dances will be taught and walked through before dancing. There will also be a short beginners’ workshop at the start of the dance. No partner is required.
828.586.5478 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Western Carolina University theater students will present the unconventional “The Atrainplays, Vol. 2” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 13, through Saturday, April 16, and at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 17, in the Niggli Theatre.
The production is six short plays, each crafted by a different playwright during a single round-trip on New York City’s A train, along with two additional miniature works that were written on the Staten Island Ferry.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for faculty members and senior citizens and $5 for students. The show is intended for mature audiences.
828.227.2479 or visit fapac.wcu.edu.
Western North Carolina’s renowned youth choir Voices in the Laurel will perform with award winning composer and guest conductor Dr. Rollo Dilworth at 3 p.m. on April 10 at the First Baptist Church in Waynesville.
Voices’ 15th Anniversary Concert will include the premier of two newly written choral compositions, including one written expressly for Voices in the Laurel. In addition, Dr. Dilworth will conduct the mass choir, whose musical selections will include some old favorites like “Shine on Me” and “Walk in Jerusalem.”
Dr. Dilworth recently released a recording titled “Good News”, which features 12 of his choral compositions. He was recently appointed as associate professor of Choral Music Education at Temple University’s Boyer School of Music in Philadelphia, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in choral music education.
Voices in the Laurel is comprised of regional students in grades 1-12. Voices focuses on providing young people quality choral education in fun and innovative ways. Founder and Artistic Director Martha Brown teaches music in the Haywood County Schools, and has coached and guided Voices through 15 years of public performance.
Voices in the Laurel pairs an open-door policy with one of the lowest choir tuition costs in the U.S. Fully one-fourth of choristers receive scholarships to fund tuition financial aid covering costs of sheet music, supplies, and uniforms. Proceeds from ticket sales and donations fund Voices scholarships.
What: “Voices in the Laurel 15th Anniversary Gala Concert” Performance Fundraiser for Voices in the Laurel
When: 3 p.m., Sunday, April 10
Where: First Baptist Church, 100 S. Main, Waynesville
Info: Concert tickets are $10 each, with children 12 and under $6. Tickets are available online @ www.voicesinthelaurel.org or call 828.335.2849.
Franklin’s Overlook Players will perform Rogers and Hammerstein’s “The Sound of Music” April 14 through 17 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts.
The classic musical will be staged by locals and stage veterans alike and will be directed by the Center’s Artistic Director Scotty Corbin.
For tickets and information call 866. 273.4615 or visit greatmountainmusic.com.
By DeeAnna Haney • Smoky Mountain News Intern
Although Curly Hollow might sound like the perfect picnic area down some country road, it’s really more a product of imagination than a destination. In fact, the members of the band Curly Hollow aren’t even sure if such a place truly exists — the name simply resonated with them during their search for a title.
The country-pop band has come a long way since the members first met at a showcase in Nashville in July 2010. Now, less than a year later, members Keil Smith, Zakk Merrill, Charlie Lance, Chris Pruett and Ryan Riddle are celebrating the release of their first extended play record, “Love in Theory.”
Curly Hollow’s sound is mellow and modern at the same time, with a touch of many different musical styles. Each member contributes pieces from varying musical influences such as The Temptations, Jason Aldean, and Miles Davis.
“We try to blend different genres together – jazz, rock, country, blues – and just put our own twist to it and it’s fun that way,” said Zakk Merrill, the band’s bass guitarist.
Lead guitarist Charlie Lance tries to ensure the band’s sound stays original and fresh, not sticking with the same chord progressions in each song. He often incorporates what he learns while practicing for his jazz studies classes into songs for the band.
Most reminiscent of the sounds of Rascal Flatts, Curly Hollow’s songs have attracted traditional country music lovers as well as those who normally steer clear of the genre. The band believes they appeal to a wide variety of musical palettes because of the genre infusions and the passion behind each song.
“It’s one thing when you see a band get on stage but their hearts aren’t really in it,” Lance said. “But there is something cool to be said about seeing somebody do something they’re extremely passionate about and that’s what we try to do.”
Already signed to a Christian label before joining Curly Hollow, lead vocalist Keil Smith said he always harbored a penchant for country music. With an admittedly sappy songwriting style, Smith’s lyrics come directly from the heart.
Each member typically contributes to the songwriting process, although Lance has a difficult time putting his thoughts into words. His preference, he said, is to evoke emotion through his guitar.
“Love in Theory” is a collection of six original songs each exploring love in the best and worst forms, from falling in love to heart break. The EP features a satisfying sample of Curly Hollow’s various sounds such as the rock-and-roll duet with Ami Pruett “Home of Glass,” the simple acoustic guitar accompaniment to “Because,” and the traditionally country twang in “fairytale.”
Spectators attending a Curly Hollow show should expect a high-energy concert, Smith said, because the band is eager to play on stage for the first time. His hope is that the band’s chemistry and camaraderie will radiate through the songs.
“When a band does a good job on stage I feel like I know every member when I leave because they put so much into their performance and that’s what we want,” Lance said.
Visit www.reverbnation.com/curlyhollow or iTunes to preview Curly Hollow’s music.
See Curly Hollow at the Colonial
Curly Hollow will play its debut concert with opening act Rewind Blue at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Colonial Theatre in Canton. A CD release party will follow the concert. Tickets are $7 and can be purchased at the Colonial Theatre or at Simple Taste Grill in Canton.
Men and their families are invited to Take A Walk In Her Shoes, a sexual assault awareness event, will run from 11:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 9 from in front of the Historic Haywood County Court House. The walk will be around the perimeter of the Court House lawn on the sidewalk. Sponsors will provide women’s shoes for the participants who need them, both heels and flats, as well as signs to carry and refreshments. Face painting and toe nail polishing will also be available for those who would like to have that experience.
The Ripples of Hope, artistic expressions from survivors of abuse, will also be on display at the event and then they will be distributed throughout Haywood and Transylvania counties at galleries and other community locations.
828.456.7898 or 828.476.4231.
The Haywood County Red Cross is encouraging boys and girls ages 11 to 15 who would like to start their own babysitting business to enroll in the Babysitters Training Program.
This course is also aimed toward older siblings who care for their brothers and sisters while parents are away.
Red Cross Babysitter’s Training Program teaches skills to be a safe babysitter and smart business owner, including how to tell when there is an emergency.
The class is taught by an authorized Red Cross Babysitter’s Training Program instructor. Other skills taught include supervising children and infants, diapering and feeding and more.
The next class is April 13 and April 14, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Haywood County chapter office. The cost of the course is $45 and includes a guidebook, CD-ROM, first aid kit and a carrying bag.
828.456.8141 or www.haywoodredcross.com.
Jackson County Schools’ dropout rate has decreased by 56.2 percent – from 4.43 in 2008-09 to 1.99 in 2009-10.
Jackson County has been highlighted as one of four counties across the state for achieving the greatest decrease in dropout rates.
Two of Jackson County’s student retention initiatives include the Bridge Program, which targets 9-12 graders and Momentum Victory, which is geared toward 7-9 graders.
A bridge will be replaced over the Cullasaja River on Mirror Lake Road near Highlands in Macon County.
A $577,544 contract was awarded to Dane Construction Inc. of Mooresville. Work can begin as early as April 25 and is scheduled to be completed by Dec. 31.
The bridge, constructed in 1960, needs to be replaced due to its age and condition, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation.
An off-site detour will be in place directing motorists to continue on U.S. 64 through Highlands, turning left on Hicks Road and following back to Mirror Lake Road. The detour is approximately five miles.
The League of Women Voters of Macon County will present a program on affordable health care in North Carolina at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 14, at Tartan Hall in Franklin.
George Six, a volunteer with Healthcare for All North Carolina, will be the speaker. He will discuss how our current health care issues developed, tracing the history of commercial healthcare insurance, an affordable health care act and the situation after passage.
828.371.0527 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The author of “Grown Man Now,” and Western Carolina University professor Jane B. Schulz, will speak at a program geared toward encouraging families with members who have disabilities.
The free program is hosted by Pure in Heart and will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 9, in the Fellowship Hall of Longs Chapel United Methodist Church in Lake Junaluska.
Schulz will be accompanied by her son, Billy, a 55 year-old with Down Syndrome. The two will discuss their experience with a disability through slide shows about Billy’s childhood, school, work, church and personal activities and encourage the audience through the debut performance, “Lessons from Billy.” 423.239.0804.
Paint a bowl to fill a bowl – proceeds from pottery painting at Claymates from April 1 to April 17 will support The Community Table’s annual empty bowl fundraiser.
The Community Table is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving nutritious meals in a welcoming environment for those in need. Visitors to the paint-your-own-pottery studio can pay $10 to paint a bowl to be donated to the empty-bowl event which will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 22. Tickets are $20 and include a handmade bowl donated by local potters, soup, bread and desserts from local restaurants and live music. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.586.6782.
Easter Butterflies: Magical, Mystical, Majestical is the topic of an April program through the Lake Junaluska Live and Learn Committee.
Butterflies are often included as natural and spiritual symbols of the Easter Resurrection story. A program relating to this interesting story will be presented by entomologist John Strayer, retired distinguished service professor at the University of Florida and a resident of Lake Junaluska.
The program will be at 2 p.m., April 21, in the Gaines Auditorium of the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska. Admission is free and visitors are welcome.
800.222.4930.
Ladies Night Out is holding a special follow-up program in Macon County to a March event on overcoming depression and reducing stress.
This program will provide participants with tips and exercises to deal with depression and stress. This special program will be held on Tuesday, April 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Angel Medical Center. The Ladies Night Out speaker will be Sarah Altman, community based clinician with Smoky Mountain Center.
Ladies Night Out is a partnership between Macon County Public Health and Angel Medical Center to provide free monthly programs on a variety of health topics for women with an emphasis on the importance of regular health screenings.
828.349.2439.
Canton’s Evergreen Packaging mill’s is due for major maintenance this spring, bringing more than 1,000 contractors to the area to upgrade the mill.
The work is scheduled for the week of May 2, bringing people, and spending, to the Canton area. The value of work scheduled is around $20 million dollars and the influx of personnel is expected to bring $500,000 to the local economy.
The last large-scale maintenance outage at the Canton Mill was in April 2003.
