To the Editor:

First, I want to thank The Smoky Mountain News for co-sponsoring the political candidate forum held at the Jackson County Public Library on Oct. 15. It was perhaps the most meaningful forum of its type I’ve seen, with relevant questions posed and answered.

But, mostly I’m writing because I’d like to further the public discussion that began at the forum about climate change.  There are a growing number of people who feel an urgency about climate change and who are deeply troubled that this issue is not often part of the dialog in political campaigns or news coverage in general. Legitimate scientists who in the past were skeptical about climate change are rapidly coming to accept the alarming findings of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as the evidence has mounted and become overwhelming.

Climate change is real. It is mostly man-made. And it’s happening faster than we ever thought it would. As I mentioned at the forum, even a comprehensive study funded by the Charles Koch Charitable Foundation that was intended to disprove the reality of human-caused climate change proved the opposite and converted the team of 12 scientists who conducted the study into believers and climate activists (see Dr. Richard Muller, The Conversion of a Climate Skeptic, NY Times, July 28, 2012).

We are already beginning to feel some of the consequences of climate change. The ice caps are receding, glaciers are disappearing, sea levels are rising. There are low-lying islands that are already threatened. Tropical diseases and insects are moving northward. Invasive plants are threatening forests and farms. Extreme weather conditions are bringing drought to some areas, flooding to other areas, tornados to places that have rarely experienced them. But, the scientists who correctly predicted this would happen are now telling us this is just the beginning and it’s going to get worse unless we do something to reverse the buildup of carbon and methane in our atmosphere.

There is a misconception that climate change is only a national and international problem. Even The Smoky Mountain News reporter stated in the article about the forum that this question seemed inappropriate for local candidates to address. I couldn’t disagree more. Whatever happened to “Think Globally, Act Locally?” There are many things local elected officials can do to address climate change. I thought Mark Jones, candidate for commissioner, voiced some good ideas related to choices in transportation and the types of industry we invite into our community, for instance.

In addition, the scale and direction we’ll have to take to confront the climate crisis has the potential to generate a new industrial revolution around clean energy, clean transportation and energy efficiency. This can rejuvenate our economy and create millions of jobs. All levels of government will need to be involved. There couldn’t be anything more important than making climate change a priority issue during this campaign season. We have this responsibility toward ourselves and future generations.

Avram Friedman,

Canary Coalition executive director

Sylva

To the Editor:

As I was engaged in a peace vigil in front of the Haywood County Courthouse recently, a passerby said to me, “No, Obama!” I asked, “Why?” His reply, “He’s not a Christian.” I said, “Oh yes he is,” and started explaining. But he was gone.

It is perplexing why people will oppose one candidate on the fallacious belief that he is not a Christian, while favoring the other who belongs to what a prominent evangelical has called a “cult.” For those who base their vote on a candidate’s religion (I’m not among them), I offer this comparison:

When he lived in Chicago, Barack Obama was an active member of Trinity United Church of Christ, a mainline denomination. At that time it was the largest UCC church in the world. I knew this congregation well because they sent a steady stream of dedicated and able young people to the United Methodist seminary where I taught (and to other seminaries as well) to be trained for the Christian ministry. Here is their mission statement:  

“... called by God to be a congregation that is not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that does not apologize for its African roots. As a congregation of baptized believers, we are called to be agents of liberation not only for the oppressed, but for all of God’s family. We, as a church family, acknowledge, that we will ... call men, women, boys and girls to the liberating love of Jesus Christ, inviting them to become a part of the church universal, responding to Jesus’ command that we go into all the world and make disciples!”

In contrast, a study of Mormonism reveals the following among their beliefs:  

There are two separate “flesh and bone” deities, Jehovah and Jesus, the gods of this universe. There are other gods of other universes, with one supreme “president god” over all. Each god has a harem of goddesses. Jehovah came to earth as Adam with one of his wives, Eve, for the purpose of populating this world. Later, Jehovah-Adam had sex with Mary to father Jesus. Jesus had many wives, including Mary and Martha of Bethany and Mary of Magdala. Jehovah was once a man like all human beings. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared in a cloud over America and preached. In 1827, the son of Mormon, Moroni, appeared to Joseph Smith and showed him a record written on golden plates. The writing was in “reformed Egyptian,” so a set of magic spectacles were provided that converted the inscriptions into English. This was the Book of Mormon, which is God’s last word, superseding (though not displacing) the revelations of the Bible and Jesus Christ.

When my wife and I served as Christian missionaries in Samoa several years ago, the Mormons there tried hard to convert us to their religion. They did not succeed with us, but they have converted thousands of Polynesian Christians to Mormonism over the years.

Mitt Romney is a Mormon. He was missionary in France for three years, trying to convert Christians to Mormonism. Later, he was a bishop for four years. One does not achieve such a high position without subscribing to their beliefs.

 By no means do I advocate voting based on a candidate’s religion. But I do strongly object to spreading misinformation about Obama not being a Christian — when in Washington he now attends the National Cathedral (Episcopal) — while promoting Romney, who is silent about his religious beliefs which include those mentioned above.

A word to the wise ....

Doug Wingeier,

Waynesville

To the Editor:

A candidate forum was held in Sylva on Oct. 15, 2012. The forum was sponsored by the Macon County League of Women Voters, Canary Coalition, Occupy WNC and The Smoky Mountain News.

There were two candidates participating in the forum for Jackson County Commission, two for N.C. House District 119, and two for N.C. Senate District 50. The sponsors of the forum asked questions that were answered, in turn, by each of the candidates. In a nonpartisan fashion, Republicans and Democrats alternated answering first or second, for each of the positions.

The forum was enlightening and it was readily apparent that most of the candidates were well prepared to answer each of the questions and clearly stated their positions on the issues.

Some questions were presented to only the candidates for Senate, incumbent Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and challenger John Snow. Their answers to the questions were informative and revealing. The contrast between these two gentlemen was astounding.

Jim Davis was forceful, erudite and concise. His answers consisted of facts, ideas and specific solutions. Davis was direct, explicit and coherent.

John Snow, on the other hand, was halting, hesitant, and by the end of the evening, appeared to be very weary. Some of his answers consisted of facts, but also much digression and lots of paraphrasing. Snow tended to ramble, rephrase, and simply restate, over and over, the same thought.

Snow needed to have a question repeated, even after it had been answered by others. He admitted that he did not answer the question on climate change. When answering the question on women’s issues he spoke very softly, looking at the moderator, not the audience, the entire time.

Jim Davis gave a two- to three-minute answer to a question regarding genetically modified food. When it was Snow’s turn to answer he simply stated, “I agree with him.” The next question was regarding Amend-ment 10 and it was Snow’s turn to answer first. He declined. Davis answered the question first.

Our state senator needs to have the ability and capability to represent us effectively. The job is demanding and rigorous, requiring robust energy. It’s not just the mental demands that are challenging, but also the physical demands — driving back and forth to Raleigh can sap one’s strength.

Voters have a right to know if a candidate is able to fulfill the duties of the office. Davis certainly appears to be up to par. Was Snow, like our president during the first debate, unprepared, off his game, simply having a bad night? You be the judge. View the Sylva video at http://thunderpigblog.blogspot-.com/2012/10/video-of-sylva-candidate-issue-forum.html#.UIBxnrQuSdI

Gail Chapman

Otto

To the Editor:

Campaign advertising is all around us. Much of it is in the form of attack ads meant to make us vote against particular candidates. These ads are full of misstatements and just plain lies. Behind the attack ads is money, and behind the money is that old devil greed.

When an ad is focused on making one of the candidates look bad, we need to consider some questions.

1. What is this? It’s an attack ad. There may or may not be truth in it, but if there happens to be any, there’s no way you can tell it from the lies.

2. Who paid for it? A super-rich corporation and/or people with special interests involving money to protect. They may be hiding their identities behind patriotic-sounding names chosen to make it seem that they represent ordinary people.

3. What do they want? They want to elect candidates who will help them to get even richer at the expense of the rest of us. They want fewer social services and less effective education. They want more deregulation, tearing down laws that protect ordinary people.

4. Why should we care? Particularly on the local and state levels, we can have a real influence. There are some good candidates here. Your vote is important to help them to get elected, to protect your interests and those of your family.

5. What should we do? When an attack ad reaches you, there are two good choices. One is to ignore it. The other is to vote for a candidate who is the victim of a large number of attacks. With so much money being spent against the candidate by special interests, he or she must be a good person that they are afraid will win.

Sandra A. Lovegrove

Franklin

To the Editor:

Mitt Romney continuously switches positions to appease his audience. I am citing only a few examples. In the January presidential debate, he said the Supreme Court should overturn Roe v. Wade, but now says he was never pro-life and he supports women’s rights (oops, he changed his position again yesterday). He said he did not want to join the military and go to Vietnam, but now wishes he had. Says he does not want to privatize Social Security, but now says it is the easiest place to cut by using vouchers. Says he wants a 20 percent tax rate for everybody and to eliminate taxes on capital gains and that this will not lower taxes on the rich? He firmly believes in “the trickle down” effect.

He absolutely refuses to release any tax returns prior to 2010, but stated he has always paid about a 14 percent tax rate. However he did not claim all his charitable contributions in 2011 because his tax rate would have dropped below 14 percent. He invests much of his fortune overseas to avoid paying taxes. Says he is not concerned about 47 percent of American because they are leeches. Now he says he is concerned about the 100 percent.

Sheldon Adelson will personally donate $100 million to the Republican campaign and expects nothing in return? Romney’s wealth exceeds the combined wealth of all presidents’ wealth combined since Nixon. And he can identify with the middle class?

This is an important election so please exercise your right to vote.

Ron Rokstool

Maggie Valley

To the Editor:

The economy is the largest accident ever designed by man. We think we can’t control it, but we the people do. Unfortunately, it’s human nature that is in control and not our logic. 

Trickle-down Reaganomics is one attempt at control. The idea is to give tax cuts to people that don’t need them.  These people will then invest that money in their businesses, if they have one. They will hire workers, if they need them.  They will buy more and better equipment, if it’s need, etc.  This spending will end the recession. If you are having trouble comprehending the efficiency of this, some might ridicule you for not having an advanced degree in economics.

Taking a look at it from what really controls the economy, human nature, it is easier to understand. Indulge me with just one small example. Let’s pretend we are rich. We own businesses that like most are limping along. Demand for our products is down. We are eking out a profit only because payroll and expenses have been cut. Things are OK, but any dip in the economy would likely mean a loss or even bankruptcy. 

Let’s pretend an income tax break puts $50,000 in our hands. We want to invest it, but how? More inventory? Inventory on hand is barely moving. Another employee?  Too costly. More advertising? Foolish. Purchase more equipment? We are getting by with what we have. Another product line or service? Potential profit could be years away. The competition is not significantly investing big in anything; why should we?

What to do with the $50,000? No problem; we’re rich. We have financial advisors. They are all too happy to invest our money in the market, and they are right. Financial investments are making money. Although it will earn only a few percent, there is little chance of total loss. Even a 30s-style crash would not mean a total loss of investment like bankruptcy. Our bonds and hedge funds have protection from loss anyway. The only jobs created or protected are those of the money managers themselves. Call it, “No stockbroker left behind.”

Think these advisors are only after commissions. Take a look at where top financial experts in the huge banks are putting their banks’ money. Remember the bank bail out money? Remember the money given to banks so that they could refinance folks’ underwater mortgages? Many legislators would not vote for the measures until restrictions were removed, saying that the bankers knew best what to do with the money. They did; the money went right into financial investments. It paid off big. They got big bonuses. Unfortunately, the poor homeowners behind on their mortgages received only pennies of the money intended for them. 

You can risk your $50,000 in your tottering business. As for me, I will follow the smart money. I will invest it, perhaps in financial institutions helping rich people invest tax cut money. When conditions warrant, my $50,000 plus interest will be available for my business.

Still thinking income tax cuts for the rich will restart the economy? Good luck. Don’t spend your pretend $50,000 all in one place.

Warren Riley

Franklin

To the Editor:

Mark Meadows and Romney-Ryan believe business can exist and prosper without government, that business owners build their businesses on their own. Obama’s message is that business owners rely on public funded infrastructure to move goods to market, public education to train workers, and public health programs to protect the community and maintain a healthy workforce. He believes that public and private sectors work together to move this country forward.

On the other hand, Meadows and his Republican colleagues hope to dismantle public institutions: privatize schools, prisons, etc. They wish to deregulate banking and Wall Street by overturning Dodd-Frank and create the same scenario that collapsed the economy in the first place. Romney would allow the too-big-to-fail banks to crash and burn rather than use Dodd-Frank’s systematic approach that is less of a shock to the economy of the U.S. and the world.

Romney’s and Meadows’ economic plan moves us in the wrong direction. They would also defund regulatory agencies that protect the workplace, the food we ingest and the air we breathe. They say they’re going to increase oil drilling and natural gas fracking without environmental safeguards. They say gasoline prices are going to be lower as a result. You know that’s untrue by the mere fact that oil companies are exporting gasoline overseas right now. Unless Meadows and Romney are going to nationalize the oil industry to keep American crude here, the product is going to the highest bidder. 

The Romney-Ryan budget has been declared immoral by the Catholic Church. Mark Meadows proudly claims himself a devout Christian but supports the Republican platform that essentially takes from the poor to give to the rich.

The average CEO of a major corporation makes roughly 300 times his lowest paid employee. In the 1960s it was 30 times and the wealthy paid a tax rate of 60 percent. Since Reagan-Bush the corporate elites have whittled it down to less than 36 percent and the country has been going deeper in debt. Due to offshore accounts, some corporations don’t pay any federal tax.  Romney pays a mere 15 percent federal income tax. The unions, representing the middle class, have been and are being systematically attacked by Republican lawmakers across the nation while our wages remain stagnant and our buying power eroded.  The middle class decline in wages and benefits began with Reagan-Bush and are sure to continue with Meadows and Romney-Ryan if elected. Paul Ryan even wants to do away with the minimum wage and it ain’t because he wants businesses to pay you more.

Bill Hodge

Otto

To the Editor:

It is November, which means it is election time. As we all know election time means campaign time. I believe the front page headline from the Asheville Citizen-Times that read “Local Political Ads Get Uglier and Costlier” did a good job of summing up the feelings of most citizens about campaign signs and advertisements. 

I personally find all of the small signs that are placed on the side of the roads not only visually unattractive but very close to annoying. I find it worse to see four or five signs in a row from the same candidate within 25 feet of one another.

This especially goes towards Marty Jones. On multiple occasions while driving through Jackson County I see this happening with him. He has gone as far as nailing them to multiple trees along the side of the road. Is that even permissible? Now, not only are you forced to see them while driving down the road, some people are forced to see them as they walk out of their house every morning.

I thought those were bad enough, but Marty took that to another level when placing his larger picture signs in the Cashiers Commercial district. Those signs are not only visually polluting this beautiful mountain city, they are just plain illegal. In the Cashiers Commercial District signs are only allowed to be 12 square feet. His signs are well over that size. As someone who is running for commissioner I expect that person to either set an example or minimally abide by the standards set.

I do not think of an aspiring leader as someone who would knowingly break county ordinances to obtain votes. If someone cannot follow ordinances already in place, what would a person do as a commissioner trying to put ordinances in place and run a county that over 40,000 people call home? Marty Jones, who proclaims himself as the right Jones, is simply wrong!  

 Brian Humphreys

Cashiers

To the Editor:

Seldom do I cross party lines in politics. However, there is one Republican candidate I will vote for: Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin. My reason is that during his term in office he has been committed to serving those in this area and statewide who have disabilities, whether those disabilities are mental or physical or a combination. We are seeing a higher number than ever with disabilities and these citizens should not be ignored. A strong advocate is needed within the state legislature to assure their rights are protected and services not diminished. Mr. Davis has proven himself as a strong and very concerned advocate for this segment of our population.

David Redman

Sylva

The presidential debates of the 2012 election are now behind us. Barack Obama, the Democratic incumbent president running for re-election, and Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee and former governor of Massachusetts, made their pitches to the voters who watched them engage one another for almost five hours on three separate occasions.

A Haywood Community College political science class got a good dose of the mechanics of voting by running a voter registration booth on campus.

“These students did this on their own time,” said Greg McLamb, HCC Lead History instructor. “Voting in one of the most important things we can do as American citizens so seeing the registration process firsthand was a great service learning project for them.”

The MedWest Health System Chaplaincy Service, Haywood Community Connections and Mountain Projects are hosting a free Caregivers Unite support group meeting from 1 to 2 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Senior Resource Center of Haywood County in Waynesville.

The Caregivers Unite support group gives caregivers an opportunity to share feelings and lessons learned as caregivers and receive information and tips.

The Caregivers Unite support group meets the last Tuesday of each month at the Senior Resource Center at 81 Elmwood Way off Russ Avenue.

Both short-term and long-term caregivers are welcome, and the group is open to people caring for individuals with all types of medical illnesses.

828.356.2816.

The Golden LEAF Foundation and Swain County are hosting a community forum at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 20 at Room at the Business Training Center at 45 East Ridge Road in Bryson City.

The purpose of the forum is to discuss the Golden LEAF Foundation’s Community Assistance Initiative, which offers funding for economic improvement projects.

The Community Assistance Initiative is a grant-making process targeting economically distressed counties across North Carolina and is currently being launched in Swain County. The forum is an informational session to review the program and the process.

888.684.8404 or www.goldenleaf.org or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The newly formed Haywood Area Wholistic Integrative Practitioners group (known as HAWIP) is hosting a silent auction and reception 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at Where Angels Gather, a holistic retail store and education center on 124 Miller St. in Waynesville.

HAWIP members are actively gathering donated items and gift certificates from local businesses and service providers/practitioners. Donations will be accepted until Nov. 8.

In addition to the auction, the event will include food, door prizes, and entertainment by local musicians.

All funds raised will go to K.A.R.E., a local organization dedicated to relieving the suffering of abused and neglected children through counseling, education and compassion.

Anyone with questions or donations can call 828.558.4139 or 828.246.2682 or 828.550.7685.

•••

The Maggie Valley Area Lodging Association is once again donating turkey dinners to Haywood County residents this year, which will be distributed at the Haywood County Department of Social Services in Clyde starting at 10 a.m. Nov. 20.

“We are very happy to announce that we have 200 dinners to give away this year to those who need them. We also welcome donations from the community to provide even more boxes this year,” said Phillip White, a member of the association.

The dinners are provided to serve those in need who might not have the means to provide a Thanksgiving dinner for themselves or their family.

To receive a turkey dinner box, contact your Social Services representative at 828.452.6620. The Social Services worker will then refer the client’s name to a master list depending on availability.

To donate more turkey dinners, call 828.926.3539.

•••

Western Carolina University will welcome prospective students and their families to campus when the university holds its second open house starting at 8:30 a.m. Nov. 10.

Hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Admission, the open house gives visitors a chance to tour the campus, learn about the university’s academic programs and extracurricular opportunities, and find out important details about topics such as financial aid.

Activities will begin with registration and an academic fair located around the concourse of WCU’s Ramsey Regional Activity Center. Following a 10 a.m. welcome session in the main arena of the Ramsey Center, prospective students will have a chance to engage in in-depth academic sessions led by WCU faculty members.

Tours of campus in late morning will be followed by an information fair, where visitors will be able to find out about activities, organizations and services that are available for WCU students.

Lunch will be available at university dining facilities, and prospective students can redeem their free lunch voucher at Courtyard Dining Hall or the A.K. Hinds University Center food court.

openhouse.wcu.edu or 828.227.7317 or 877.928.4968.

Jazz festival continues in Waynesville

The Classic Wineseller and Satin Steel Jazz continue their month-long jazz series with the Michael Jefry Stevens Duo at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 in downtown Waynesville. Besides music, the evening also includes dinner from Angelino’s Piattino Ristorante, located in The Classic Wineseller. The series culminates with the Steve Davidowski Duo on Nov. 3.

Reservations are $25 per person in advance and $30 at the door.

828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

Community band to do tribute

Haywood Community Band will present a special concert honoring the memory of their founding director Bob Hill at 3 p.m. Nov. 4 at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.

The event will feature several musical pieces that were favorites of Hill’s, which includes “Honor March,” directed by friend Dick Travarthen, a retired professor of music from Western Carolina University. The band’s four directors will each direct a piece of music.

828.456.4880 or www.haywoodcommunityband.org.

Choir to perform nocturnal themes

Voices in the Laurel presents “Music of the Night” at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the First Baptist Church in Waynesville. The entire concert is based on nocturnal themes, with all three Voices in the Laurel choirs performing, as well as some special guests.

A few of the choral numbers will include the Treble Makers singing a song called “Bones”, in which the young singers sing and play instrumental soundscapes. Chamber Choir will sing “Old Abram Brown,” “Dance to the Stars and the Moon” and the Celtic melody “The Voice.” The highlight of the choral presentation will be selections from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Broadway sensation “Phantom of the Opera.”

This is the first concert in the series this year Ticket are $15 per person or $50 for a season pass (includes four concerts).

www.voicesinthelaurel.org or 828.335.2849.

World-class ventriloquist and musician Taylor Mason will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Mario Gaetano, professor in the School of Music at Western Carolina University, will present a percussion recital at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6 in the recital hall of the Coulter Building at WCU.

“Treats on the Street” for Halloween will go from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 31 in downtown Waynesville. The event welcomes trick-or-treaters to local businesses. Many stores will add coupons to their treats for the parents.

www.downtownwaynesville.com.

Jackson County will be rounding out October with a week full of scary and fun activities taking place in Sylva, Cullowhee and Dillsboro.

Halloween Egg Haunt from 7-9 p.m. Oct. 25 at Mark Watson Park in Sylva. Halloween eggs will be hidden throughout the park, and there will also be a costume contest.

Jackson County Recreation and Parks Department will convert the walking trail at Recreation Park in Cullowhee into the Pumpkin Patch Trail from 7-9 p.m. Oct. 26. Trick-or-treating will take place along the trail. A $1 donation is suggested for ages 3 and up.

Main Street in Sylva will be transformed into “Treat Street” from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 27. Businesses will be decorated for Halloween and trick-or-treating will take place.

Pumpkin Fest will be held from 4-7 p.m. Oct. 27 in Dillsboro. There will be pumpkin carving contests, games for children and a musical performance by the award-winning Queen Family Band.

Jackson County Humane Society will host “Howl-ween” from 1-3 p.m. Oct. 28 at Mark Watson Park in Sylva. The event is a dog walk and features a costume contest with prizes in several categories. A $10 donation to the Humane Society is suggested.

Halloween Day festivities will be held from 4-7 p.m. in Dillsboro. There will be trick-or-treating for kids, a costume contest for all ages, plus movies and music. Attendees will get to vote on the spookiest shop and a family-oriented costume parade takes place on Front Street at 6 p.m.

828.586.2155.

A Ghosts & Goblets storytelling event will occur at 7 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Shelton House in Waynesville.

Tavern of Terror at Tipping Point Oct. 31

The 2nd annual Tavern of Terror will occur at 7 p.m. Oct. 31 at Tipping Point Brewing in downtown Waynesville. The event features Halloween trivia, prizes for most creative team costumes, as well as food and drink specials.

828.246.9230 or www.tippingpointtavern.com.

Franklin offers free frankfurters

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce will be giving away free hot dogs “with all the fixings” at the Chamber Member Cookout from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the chamber office on Porter Street in Franklin.

www.franklin-chamber.com.

Final spook film at Bryson City library

The final Halloween film of the month will be shown at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

When Halloween rolls around, adventure-seeking canine buddies set out to investigate mysterious happenings at a mansion that’s reportedly haunted by the Halloween hound. Popcorn will be served in the auditorium starting at 3:20 p.m.

828.488.3030.

Haunted weekend planned at Fontana

Halloween will be celebrated from Oct. 26 to Oct. 28 at Fontana Village Resort in Fontana Dam.

Events will include an evening hike in an old cemetery, marshmallow roast, campfire, pumpkin carving, games, ghost stories and haunted hayride, among other activities. Admission is $3 for age 17 and over and $2 for ages 16 and under, to be paid upon arrival.

The resort will also be doing a Murder Mystery Weekend Nov. 9-11. The all-inclusive package includes two nights lodging, all meals and full participation in solving the “Murder in the Smoky Mountains.”

www.fontanavillage.com or 828.498.2211.

Western Carolina University’s original radio broadcast adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula will hit the Western North Carolina airwaves at 9 p.m. Oct. 31 in a special Halloween night program on WWNC-AM/570.

The 23rd annual Leaf Lookers Gemboree is Oct. 26-28, at the Macon County Community Building in Franklin. The Gemboree will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Gem and mineral dealers from across the country will be on hand displaying and selling their products. The Gemboree will feature a wide variety of items including fine finished jewelry, rough and cut gems, lapidary equipment, minerals, fossils and collectibles.

Included with the gem show entrance, each attendee will receive free entrance into the 20th annual Smoky Mountain Fall Art and Craft Fest next door at the Wayne Proffitt Agricultural Center. This show features 80 of the most unique, quality artisans to be found, as well as 80 handmade door prizes. Admission for the craft show is $2. Those attending the Craft Show will also receive free admission to the gem show.

Admission for the Gemboree is $2. Those under 12 will be admitted free.  

828.524.3161 or 800.336.7829.

The Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University will host the exhibit “North Carolina Glass 2012: In Celebration of 50 Years of Studio Glass in America” from Oct. 28 through Feb. 1.

A reception will be held from 2-5 p.m. Oct. 28. Gallery talks will include “Early Years in Studio Glass” (2:45 p.m.) by Fritz Dreisbach, who spent time at WCU in 1974 as a visiting artist and built a glass furnace on campus and “The North Carolina Glass Exhibit Series” (3:30 p.m.) by Joan Falconer Byrd, a WCU professor of art who curated the show with museum interim director Denise Drury. Dreisbach also will hold glass-blowing demonstrations from 10 a.m.-noon and 4-6 p.m. Oct. 29, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro. All events are free and open to the public.

WCU Fine Art Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday (and until 7 p.m. Thursdays). Admission and parking are free.

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

Long-time Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual manager Betty Dupree has passed away.

Dupree worked for 27 years as the manager at Qualla. She was an advocate for the promotion of Cherokee art and artists and became a recognized expert in Cherokee basketry. She worked tirelessly to improve the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual and the community as a whole. Dupress also was a huge advocate and supporter of the Cancer Support Group in Birdtown.

She retired in 1997 but remained a vital part of the Cherokee art world, the Cherokee Indian Fair, the North American Indian Women’s Association and the community.

Showcasing all the great things fall has to offer, NOCtoberfest will be an all-day event Oct. 27 at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in Nantahala Gorge.

Besides food and a beer garden, there will also be the inaugural Flint Ridge 5-mile trail race, Great Pumpkin Pursuit paddling event and a costume party at Slow Joe’s Café. Live music by Chalwa will be provided at 4 p.m. in Slow Joe’s Café.

The Great Pumpkin Pursuit is free to participate in and kicks off at 2 p.m. Rafts of costumed NOC staff will disperse 400 numbered pumpkins into the Nantahala River. Paddlers will compete to collect as many pumpkins as possible, with each pumpkin number entered into the famous raffle (only one prize per paddler). The event is intended to be a free-for-all and NOC appreciates the ingenuity of the contestants.

NOC stresses “safety first, pumpkins second”. You must sign a waiver to participate and helmets are required for all participants. Stealing of pumpkins is not allowed and courteous behavior is encouraged. Once the first pumpkin in tossed from the lead raft, the race will begin. Contestants will gather as many pumpkins as they can, while also racing to the finish. Bonus pumpkins will be given to the first paddlers across the finish line at the Founder’s Bridge. It is advised that juniors and more conservative paddlers find a position near the bottom of the fall to cherry-pick pumpkins from a relatively safe spot. Note that pumpkin-tossing rafts will be focused on tossing pumpkins, not navigation. Be aware of staff and where they are at all times.

www.noc.com.

The 8th annual Western North Carolina Pottery Festival takes place from 1-5 p.m. Nov. 2 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 3 in Dillsboro.

Lens Luggers of Western North Carolina is hosting an all-day photography outing Oct. 27 to suit even the novice recreationalist.

The group will have photographers to help all levels of skill. Participants will carpool to photo-worthy places and learn how to make eye popping pictures. The group will be led by award winning photographer Bob Grytten and leave from the Tuckaseege RV Resort along U.S. 74 in Whittier.

The price is $50, which includes a guided instructional shoot in the morning, picnic lunch and afternoon review and critiques.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.497.3598.

Highlands Nature Center will host the Halloween “Enchanted Forest” Nature Trail Oct. 30 for a trick-or-treating experience in nature.

Group tours will leave every 15 minutes from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors should bring a flashlight to go trick-or-treating along the Botanical Garden trails, where they will encounter friendly forest creatures (portrayed by students of the UNC Institute for the Environment) and learn interesting nature facts about each one. The event will be fun and educational for all ages. Cost is only $1 per person. 828.526.2623.

Just in time for fall leaf season, a free new mobile app for the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding regions has been launched, called the “Blue Ridge Parkway — Travel Planner.”  

The app includes GPS mapping capabilities for hundreds of points of interest along the Parkway, historical information, lodging and camping options, major hiking trail descriptions, and visitor services on the Parkway and in nearby communities. Dozens of adjacent communities are included in this app.

Parkway Superintendent Phil Francis said this technology was developed to address some feedback received by visitors expressing their desires for real time information for navigating through the region. New mobile technologies provide the perfect solution for meeting these needs.

There is no charge to download the “Blue Ridge Parkway — Travel Planner” and it’s available on both Android and iPhone platforms.

www.blueridgeparkway.org/mobileapp.

A group of Western Carolina University students lent a hand to help restore the open balds on the summit of Yellow Face, a peak off the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Plott Balsams.

A federal judge has upheld the U.S. Forest Service and conservation groups’ efforts to close the Tellico Off-Road Vehicle Area to protect brook trout in the Tellico River watershed.

Farmers are invited to a listening session on regulations that could hamper or help local food production and markets, being held from 4 to 6 p.m., Oct. 22, at Western Carolina University.

The listening session is one of several statewide aimed at creating a list of policies and regulations to address barriers and obstacles to stronger, healthier local food economies.

WNC farmers can meet with experts from North Carolina’s agricultural and regulatory community to share issues, ask questions and advocate for new policies that affect agriculture in the region.

It is sponsored by the Western North Carolina Food Policy Council and the N.C. Sustainable Local Foods Advisory Council.

Held in Blue Ridge Hall conference room A. Space limited, so RSVP is encouraged.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.227.3898.

Six bear encounters have been reported in the Pisgah District of the Pisgah National Forest over the past two weeks.

All the incidents involved bears taking food from campsites. While no injuries were reported, visitors’ tents and packs were damaged.

The U.S. Forest Service is encouraging campers and visitors to the national forests in North Carolina to practice black bear safety while visiting. Black bear attacks on people are rare, but such attacks have resulted in human fatalities.

Visitors are strongly encouraged to prevent bear interactions by practicing the following safety tips: do not store food in tents; properly store food by hanging it in a tree or in hard-sided secure container; clean up food or garbage around fire rings, grills or other areas of your campsite; and do not leave food unattended.

www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc.

The Power of Pink 5K and Memory Walk to raise money for mammograms for underserved women will be held in Haywood County on Saturday, Oct. 27.

The annual race is sponsored by Haywood Regional Medical Center Foundation, in partnership with the Haywood County Health Department and MedWest-Haywood.

The 5K race will start from the MedWest Health and Fitness Center and follow a new route on Jones Cove Road, with the walk being held on hospital grounds. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. on the day of the event, followed by the walk at 8:45 a.m. and the 5K at 9:30 a.m.

Community sponsors, supporters, and volunteers came together each year to raise funds which help underserved women in Haywood County receive breast care. Since 2007, funds from the event have provided 741 mammograms and follow-up procedures for almost 500 women through the Haywood County Health Department.

Power of Pink is also an awareness event, and sponsors encourage women of all ages to have regular mammograms and breast exams for breast cancer prevention and early detection. According to Jennifer Jacobson, HRMC board member and co-chairman of the event, 98 percent of women who suffer from breast cancer survive when the cancer is detected early.

There are five levels of sponsorship for the event.

www.medwesthealth.org or 828.452.8343.

The annual Turkey Shoot-Out Golf tournament will be held November 10 and 11 at the Maggie Valley Club. The tournament is a 36-hole three-player team scramble for people feeling cooped up from the cold weather.

Entries must be submitted no later than Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 5 p.m. The field is limited to the first 30 paid teams. The tournament provides a first come, first serve registration. Telephone entries will not be accepted.

www.maggievalleyclub.com 828.926.6013.

The 13-mile Conquer the Mountain Half Marathon will take place on the Little Tennessee Greenway in Franklin Saturday, Nov. 3. The race is a benefit for the Macon County REACH, a domestic violence and rape crisis center headquartered in Franklin. The acronym REACH stands for resources, assistance, counseling, housing.

The race begins at 9 a.m. with race-day registration starting at 8 a.m. Pre-race registration before October 31 is $30 while race-day registration is $40. Awards will be given to top female and male finishers. The first 100 registered participants will receive a t-shirt.

www.active.com/running/franklin-nc.

Hikers are invited to see the how the changes of time have affected the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during a history-oriented walk at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 20 departing from the Smokemont Campground.

Smokemont was home to a major logging camp and timber operation in the

The area was once the site of a major timber operation, logging camp and company town. Park Volunteer Dick Sellers will talk about how it was transformed from a forested haven to a barren wasteland and back again. The hike will begin at the Smokemont Church at and will last for two hours. Smokemont is located on U.S. 441, 3 miles past the Oconaluftee Visitor Center at the N.C. entrance to the park outside Cherokee.

828.497.1904.

A 5-mile trail run will be held on the single-track trails of Nantahala Outdoor Center Saturday, Oct. 27.

A creative writing group for adults age 18 and over will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

This group is open to any adult who is interested in creative writing of any kind. Genres will include non-fiction as well as fiction, poetry, plays and just about any other type of writing. All levels of writers are encouraged to attend. The group will meet twice monthly, on Tuesdays, through December. Similar groups for children and teens are also sponsored by the library and meet separately.

828.586.2016.

Jackson County writer (author of the heralded travel memoir East Toward Dawn) and translator Nan Watkins will be giving a reading and discussion of Yvan Goll’s Dreamweed as part of the “Coffee with the Poet” series at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 18 at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

This is Goll’s great last work, masterfully translated and brought to life in modern English by Watkins, who will present a conversation on the art of translation and process of translating. Formatted as a roundtable discussion, this reading/discussion gives the audience a special opportunity to delve into the work along with the translator, considering questions and contemplating this collection of poems.  

www.CityLightsNC.com.

Paul Loeb, a writer who has spent more than 30 years researching citizen responsibility and empowerment, will deliver a lecture at 6 p.m. Oct. 24 in the theater of A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University.

Loeb is the author of Soul of a Citizen, The Impossible Will Take a Little While and co-author of the essay “My Vote Doesn’t Matter.” In 2008, he created and coordinated the Campus Election Engagement Project, a nonpartisan effort to encourage college and university students to vote and participate in the election. Loeb is running the project again for 2012.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.227.2643.

To the editor:

The world’s first political consultants were ancient Greeks known as Sophists who taught debating skills and boasted that they could make the weaker argument sound stronger. Sophistry, which the dictionary defines as “subtly deceptive reasoning or argument,” is a sad staple of modern politics as well.

But even the Sophists would be ashamed of much of what goes on now. Both parties have been guilty, but I have seen nothing so vile as the torrent of Republican smears against former State Sen. John Snow, D-Murphy, who is running to reclaim the seat he narrowly lost two years ago. Now they’re cranking up the garbage factory against Rep. Ray Rapp, D-Mars Hill.

These Republican flyers (rhymes with liars) should go straight from the mailbox to the trash can. None of them offers any enlightening explanation of such hyperbole as the charge that Snow “racked up record deficits just like Obama.” A fine print footnote on that one referred to four appropriations bills — each one a tremendously complicated issue — as if Snow had voted for them all. In fact, he voted against one of them — as Snow’s opponent, Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, acknowledged after I called his attention to it. Two subsequent mailings repeated the falsehood. Another flyer, misrepresenting Snow’s remarks on the Planned Parenthood funding dispute, prompted the Macon County News to document how the Republicans had taken a quote out of context from one of its articles.

One of challenger Michele Presnell’s mailings against Rapp bears two of the most execrable lies I’ve seen in one paragraph. It accuses Rapp of opposing traditional marriage and says that “extreme left-wing special interest groups” are “bankrolling his campaign.” She pretends to document the first lie with a footnote to a Sept. 12, 2011, Mountain Xpress article that in fact says nothing about any organizations. There’s no documentation — since none exists — for outside money funding his campaign. (However, voters scrutinizing Rapp’s reports for themselves will find two contributions from me. Speaking of accuracy, one of Presnell’s own flyers misspells her name as Presenell.)

More facts: Ray Rapp voted for the North Carolina law that restricts marriage to a union between a man and a woman. That is still his firm position. He opposed Amendment 1 because it was unnecessary and created a lawyer’s relief act of potential litigation.

Equality NC, which opposed the law, has endorsed other candidates but not Rapp, Snow or former Sen. Joe Sam Queen, who is running for the House.

Conveniently for Presnell, the Mountain Xpress article that supposedly supports her lies is not available on the Internet, but the newspaper kindly e-mailed me a copy. In the article, Rapp explained why he opposed Amendment 1 when it cropped up in the legislature:

“It is an unsubtle effort on the part (of) the GOP to get out the vote in the next election, but the sad truth is that it unleashes another cultural war in the state that is bad for business and disruptive to our communities,” said Rapp in response to an Xpress inquiry about the changing amendment identify (sic). (Republican Rep. Tim Moffitt did not respond to the inquiry.) “This is a sad state of affairs when we have flood victims in Eastern North Carolina, high unemployment and our education system sinking under the weight of budget slashes ... and the issue that we are called to Raleigh to debate is the ban on gay marriage,” Rapp said.

Although the Republicans’ gutter propaganda sheds no light on any genuine issue, it is useful in one way. It tells all that the voters should need to know about the character and fitness for office of those who depend on such tactics.

Martin A. Dyckman

Waynesville

By Gordon Myers • Guest Columnist

A letter was recently circulated regarding the euthanizing of a black bear in the Mountain Aire community in Western North Carolina. That letter apparently spawned a letter to the editor published in The Smoky Mountain News on Oct. 10 under the heading “Giving bears a second chance.”

This correspondence sets the record straight regarding the original letter. The original letter draws attention to several issues related to feeding and habituating bears to humans and human food. The letter also implies that reasonable alternatives existed regarding the disposition of this bear; and further that North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) staff were unresponsive to the community and simply suggested killing the bear as the simplest way to address nuisance situations. The account presented in the letter is not an accurate depiction of events as they actually occurred.

To the Editor:

The first presidential debate underscored one thing — what does Romney intend to do when campaign rhetoric must be turned into policy? He certainly gave us no clues. We all know that the economy has severely suffered since 2008 when the reckless practices of the financial industry drove us to the cliff of another depression. We all know that our health care system is broken. We all know that the tax code needs reform. We all know that tax cuts for the wealthy and the gall of George W. Bush to fight two wars on the national credit card have created unsustainable deficits.

But what we don’t know is what Mr. Romney will do about these problems beyond the heavily rehearsed rhetoric he spun out before the American people.

If Mitt Romney really cares about the middle class, why won’t he tell us how he is going to narrow the gap between the haves and the have nots beyond the fairy tale of “trickle down economics” that proved unsuccessful under both Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush? How is he going to make health care accessible and affordable to most Americans without the mechanism he put in place when he was governor of Massachusetts? What loopholes in the tax code are going to be closed to miraculously create a balanced budget? And do those loopholes include closing some of the more glaring examples of corporate welfare? Is he really going to pursue $2 trillion more money for the Pentagon to maintain an army based on the strategy of the Cold War that ended in 1989?

The list goes on. How is he going to strengthen American education by cutting the teachers, prepare for future energy demands while concentrating solely on fossil fuels? How is he going to create all those promised jobs by giving us nothing more specific than the specious argument that he is a businessman who knows how to manage a business. Mr. Romney, the global economy is a much more complex organism than a business bought out by Bain Capital.

This is a crucial election in American history. As citizens we are going to have to live with the results. We need specifics.

Suzanne Thomas

Franklin

To the Editor:

Bottom line: our economy, our health and quality of life are all dependent on how we treat our environment.

The American people are the least healthy in the developed world. We spend more money per individual than any other country to cure our numerous maladies. But besides jobs and taxes and the sorry state of the economy, what are we crying over day after day? It’s not environmental degradation, it’s medical assistance!

No amount of money spent on drugs, operations, Medicare, Medicaid or various therapies will solve the catastrophic health condition of our nation until we slam the door on environmental pollution.

The political dialogue is getting boring. There is no such thing as clean coal, Mr. Romney. And all jobs are not created equal. Some jobs ruin the health of workers. Many ruin the quality of our water, air, soil and food by adding poisons that cause diseases that never should have occurred and cost millions of dollars to treat. Cut down on the cause and you save money. That’s basic arithmetic and something we simply haven’t heard from Republican candidates.

President Obama is the first executive in my memory to actively make it a priority tosupport clean, renewable energy, green businesses and jobs, demand his cabinet departments and EPA set regulations on poisons, and clean up the past dumping of toxic wastes which end up in the food chain.

Not enough, but President Obama has shown courage and intelligence to tie the environmental dilemma to economic and health policy. Mitt Romney would run the government like a business — efficient, but without long-term solutions to real problems. We need to move fast before the burdens of taking care of sick people start to bankrupt our economy.

Start with the basic problem — our view of the environment. How many people do you know that have an environmental illness? Yes, cancer is one. We’ll pay and pay and find cures for one disease, only to have it come back or come to someone else, or yet another illness surfacing from a new toxin introduced in the environment, unless we eliminate causes.

At least elected representatives use the word “environment” occasionally. They’re on the right track, even economically, although they may not know it.

Debby Boots

Franklin

To the Editor:

This will be the election of my lifetime. I was born before WWII. I have seen my country survive many serious problems. But this year we have a man running for re-election who has had almost four years to prove his mettle. Millions voted for his “hope and change” slogan hoping he was going to revive our economy in some way. He had absolutely no experience that would suggest he had the ability to do that.

We now know he did not. Instead he decided to tackle health care. The best kind of health care insurance I ever had came with the job I had. In January 2009 the worst part of the recession had already passed by. Instead of focusing like a laser on the job market — which would have put people back to work with health care — Obama spent the next two years trying to pass a health care bill. Since then our national debt has gone up almost $5 trillion and millions of Americans are still out of work without healthcare and many have lost their homes.

Last Oct. 3, more than 67 million Americans watched President Obama try to defend his record for the past four years against Gov. Mitt Romney. When confronted by Romney regarding his poor performance as the president, Obama had no answers. He looked down at the lectern doing something.

His supporters were dismayed by his performance. The country has waited almost four years for Obama to help our employed workers. Do we want to wait any longer? Our country cannot afford to keep millions of Americans on food stamps and welfare checks. Gov. Romney has the business experience to get our country moving again. Which of these two men looked like the president? Over 67 percent said it was Romney. That is the man I will vote to elect on Nov. 6.

Jim Mueller

Glenville

To the Editor:

After listening to Mitt Romney’s excuses over the last several months for what he has and is saying, I have a question I hope will resonate with all voters: Are we really ready to have a president who “flip-flops” every time he gets caught by registered non-GOP voters (many of us in the 47 percent that he’s not concerned about). Oh wait, that’s something else he said and got caught on tape.

Is this the person you want in the White House representing you to world leaders and having his finger on the red button for nuclear war? I know I certainly don’t! We have been in enough wars, have lost more than enough of our younger adult generation and reached the brink of bankruptcy due to Republican “leadership.”

Please take this information to heart and make your decision to vote for our current president, who has taken action to help many factions of our country’s population. According to the Department of Health and Human Services Report on Sept. 11, his Affordable Care Act has saved consumers an estimated $2.1 billion on health insurance premiums. That certainly has helped many families in middle- and low-income populations.

I used to be a conservative registered Republican, but after the Bush dynasty I couldn’t in good faith to my country and fellow voters stay on their registered voters list. Now I am registered as an Independent voter.

Think back on the mistakes, poor judgment and actions the last few Republican presidents have made and we will understand why the current candidate is not using either of them to speak for his candidacy. Protect your Social Security and Medicare funds that you worked for your entire life and have earned. Vote the Democratic slate in tNovember, to help yourself and your loved ones.

It’s your choice, so stand up for your future financial benefits, or lose them to a party who is threatening to severely reduce or eliminate many of the entitlements we earned and need.

Valerie Harrison

Dillsboro

To the Editor:

At the county and state government levels budgets are about choices, and those choices have moral implications, not just economic ones. Since he has participated at both government levels, you would think Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, would appreciate that principle, but he doesn’t.

At a time when Sen. Davis and Republican lawmakers were making dramatic cuts in the state’s education budget, they created a tax loophole putting up to $3,500 into the pockets of wealthy business owners.

Though heralded by Republican leaders as a $50,000 tax exemption for small business, no cap was placed on the size of business that could claim this benefit. As a result, this loophole now applies to roughly 480,000 corporations and business owners such as lawyers, doctors, and even orthodontist like Davis.

This means that these business owners will be able to avoid paying taxes on their first $50,000 of income, providing them approximately $3,500 in savings.

As reported by The Raleigh News and Observer, this tax loophole will ultimately cost the state $336 million each year. This would roughly equal the salaries and benefits of the 6,400 employees who lost their jobs last year. Approximately 900 of these employees were teachers — even though state’s student population increased by more than 10,750.

It makes no sense and it is certainly not good government to provide tax breaks to those who don’t need it — while cutting teachers and increasing class sizes.

However, Sen. Davis and Republican lawmakers have once again required school systems across North Carolina to return to the state a significant percentage of their allocated operational resources, better known as discretionary funds. Since 80 percent of education dollars are in people, this means that once again our school systems will have to cut teachers, assistant principals and support staff.

This year, Macon County is required to return $1,064,424 on top of the $1.25 million sent back to Raleigh last year. Jackson County must return $875,734 and Clay County $322,195. These are the very funds that assist in paying for teachers, state/federal mandated programs, supplies, equipment and student transportation.

If it had not been for the Obama stimulus package and the wise judgment of county commissioners and school boards to place funds into reserve last year, the impact of these cuts would have been dramatic. But the stimulus money and the reserve funds have been depleted, and this year even more cuts of classroom teachers will have to be made.

Budgets are about choices, and those choices have moral as well as economic implications. In our selection of who will represent us in the state Senate next year, it is important that we select one who truly understands and acknowledges that principle with every vote they cast. Regretfully, Sen. Jim Davis doesn’t.

Ben J. Utley

Franklin