Learn the ins and outs of the fly fishing rod and reel from 10 a.m. until noon Jan. 29 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education.

Participants will learn to attach backing and line to the reel, discuss the various types of line and how to select the correct reel for a specific rod. The program is free and open to ages 12 and up. Spaces are limited — pre-registration is required. The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education is on U.S. 276 in Transylvania County.

828.877.4423.

A podcast released by Great Smoky Mountains National Park outlines efforts to save bats from White-nose syndrome, a potentially fatal disease sweeping through the Smokies’ bat population.

The park is home to at least 11 species of bats, a primary group of flying mammals that play a critical role in the health of ecosystems by consuming forest and agricultural crop insects — such as moths, beetles and mosquitoes.

In the winter of 2010, two bats in a park cave tested positive for a newly described fungus, Geomyces destructans, which is thought to be the cause of White-nose syndrome.

To help prevent the unintentional spread of the fungus, the park closed all of its 16 caves and two mine complexes to people in 2009.

In addition to the podcast, a new bat exhibit has been installed at the park’s Sugarlands Visitor Center.

“The educational materials provide a wealth of information on bat biology, their roosting and foraging behavior, the potential implications of white-nose syndrome and what researchers and biologists are doing to manage this threat, as well as how the public can help protect bats,” said Bill Stiver, park wildlife biologist.

Produced by Great Smoky Mountains Association, the podcast is posted on the park’s website, www.nps.gov/grsm/photosmultimedia/wns-bat-video.htm.

A book co-authored by Western Carolina University professor Rob Young about the global threat to coastal communities posed by rising sea levels has proven so popular that its publisher is announcing a release in paperback.

Written by Young and Orrin Pilkey, his friend and mentor from Duke University, The Rising Sea was published in hardback format in 2009. The book has won critical acclaim from the popular and scientific press.

In their book, Young and Pilkey warn that rising ocean levels brought about by global warming is not something that might happen in the future, but is happening now. They go on to argue that societies around the world must begin responding to the challenges of sea-level rise “in a planned and rational way, taking the long-term view” before major cities and other coastal development are inundated.

For more information about the book or WCU’s Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, contact Young at 828.227.3822 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit psds.wcu.edu.

In May 2008, Jane SpottedBird was diagnosed with stage IV cancer. Her doctor gave her 6 to 12 months to live with no hope of survival. In October 2009, her doctor was astounded and said, “She is a miracle.” Today she is cancer free.

SpottedBird will share her healing experience with patrons and guests at the Jackson County Public Library at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1. She believes her story might inspire others – those who are well and want to stay well, or those who are fighting a life-threatening condition, or those who need to be spiritually renewed. Spotedbird will talk about her incredible journey and about all the things she learned along the way.

These experiences have inspired her to write a book titled, Still Here: Dancing to the Beat of My own Drum. This book is the story of hope and transformation. Copies of this book will be available for purchase following SpottedBird’s presentation.

Having lived and traveled all over the continental U.S., Jane and her teenage son have made their home in Bryson City. Jane is a former educator. She was teaching at the Job Corps Center in Franklin when her cancer was diagnosed. The program is part of the library’s community outreach series and is free to the public. Please call the library at 828.586.2016 for more information.

To the Editor:

On behalf of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, I would like to thank The Smoky Mountain News management and staff for their incredible support of the 2011 FIRE and Ice Winterfest. Due to the informational articles and, of course, the paid advertising, this event was a tremendous success.

The event was a much-appreciated respite from the snow-induced confinement of the previous weeks and was communicated to the local population by your newspaper. The 2011 Fire and Ice Winterfest has for the first time established Haywood County as not just a summer destination but a winter destination as well. This can have a tremendous positive impact for local businesses.

David Stubbs

The Waynesville Inn

To the Editor:

Clarks Chapel is a delightful and quiet area that in recent years has attracted many people, including retirees, investing in land and homes. They have done so to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of this small part of the mountains.

Mr. Bud Talley is proposing to insert into this lovely area a commercial motocross track, operating it for monetary gain with, in our view, no genuine concern about the effect it would have on his neighbors.

Macon County has no zoning, but like other counties in Western North Carolina it has a high impact ordinance to help reduce the negative effects of intrusive businesses. Mr. Talley needed, and attempted to obtain, a waiver of a key provision of the ordinance so he could proceed with his track, but was refused. So he is now proposing to go ahead with an alternative version, exploiting a loophole in the law that would allow him to operate all day, seven days a week, and which he has openly stated would have greater negative impact on neighbors than his original proposal.  

Talley says that we neighbors “don’t understand,” that motocross racing is not like Hell’s Angels, but is a “family activity.” This is patronizing to us; we know what it is. What he doesn’t mention is that motocross is an extremely noisy and disruptive activity that has huge negative impacts on those living close by. The fact that many such tracks all over the country have attracted lawsuits by neighbors shows clearly that placing motocross in residential areas is in no way positive.

Even the pastor of a nearby church testified in the waiver hearing against his proposal because it would be disruptive to the work of the church.

Talley and others say that he should have the right to do what he wants on his own property. We agree that property rights must be respected. But what does that mean? We have property too. Don’t we have the right to enjoy our properties in peace, to quietly tend to our gardens, sit on our porches on tranquil evenings, and have friends over for dinner and quiet conversation? Talley’s exercising his property right would take away our property rights. Why should his rights take precedence over ours? No one has the right, in exercising his rights, to take away the rights of others. Rights are not absolute. They often conflict, and must always be exercised responsibility.

During the variance hearing Talley magnanimously and publicly offered to place ads in local papers to let us know when races would be held, so we could go somewhere else for the weekend and avoid the noise.  Isn’t that nice!  His idea, apparently, is that it’s OK we neighbors would have to abandon our homes so he can have his races and make money.  This shows to us, as it should to everyone, how out-of-touch he is with understanding the impacts of what he is proposing. We don’t understand what world he is living in, but it’s not a world inhabited by any of us.

Talley has stated that the economic benefits of the track would outweigh the costs. This is patently false. It is an indisputable fact that motocross tracks severely reduce nearby property values. Under real estate sales rules that have been developed by the private sector real estate industry, not any government, the existence of such a track nearby is deemed a negative “material fact,” and must be disclosed to potential buyers. Testimony at the hearing showed that, given the value of property in the vicinity, even a small percentage reduction in value, a very conservative estimate, would diminish surrounding property value by several million dollars. In essence, Tally is trying to make money for himself by robbing us, his neighbors, of our property values that we have invested our own hard-earned money in, and have every right to expect will be protected.

This project will also weigh on the future economy of the county. A highly visible racing facility would send a strong signal that Macon County is unwilling and/or unable to control the development of obnoxious activities, greatly reducing its attractiveness as a place to live and retire. Many persons who have bare land in our area, and planed to build retirement homes, are already on record that they will not do so if this project moves forward. The loss for the county would be enormous.

In sum, this track is a very bad idea. We earnestly hope Mr. Talley will look to the infinity of other ways he can draw income from his property. Given the current lack of protective laws in Macon County, if he goes ahead our only recourse will be the courts, to stop the track or, failing that, seek damages. These strategies have been successful elsewhere, but they only enrich lawyers, who would be happy to take on the ensuing cases that would seek thousands or even millions in damages. We hope not to be forced down that road, but if left with no other choice will have little option but to do so.

John and Janet Binkley

John and Joye Feaster

Lynn Olson

Macon County residents

Editor’s note: Bud Talley, who is planning to build the motocross track, was given the opportunity to respond to this letter but declined.

The Bascom is offering winter art classes for kids from pre-school to high school that will keep them busy and engaged, while developing their creativity at every level. The Bascom is open year round. Winter dates are from January 7 to April 2. For more details, see the calendar section, visit www.thebascom.org or call 828.526.4949.

Juggler Mark Nizer will bring a blend of comedy, juggling, music and technology to Western Carolina University at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28, as part of the Galaxy of Stars Series.

The winner of the International Juggling Championships, Nizer juggles items in  unlikely combinations, like a 16-pound bowling ball, a lit propane torch and a buzzing chain saw, or electric carving knives and lasers at 1,000 revolutions per minute.

Up next in the series at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, is John Davidson, star of music, television, film and stage, followed by the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater, juggling and European-style comedy featuring cats and dogs rescued from animal shelters, at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 1.

The performance will be held at Fine and Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for senior citizens, and $5 for students and children.

828.227.2479 or visit www.wcu.edu/fapac.

A new series of dance classes will be held Monday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. starting Feb. 7 at The Farm in Candler.

The classes will be kick off with East Coast Swing. The cost will be $40 per person for four two-hour classes, and a partner is requested. Register by January 31.

828.667.1870 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The annual Father-Daughter Semi-formal Dance will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, at the First United Methodist Church in Sylva. It is put on by the Downtown Sylva Association.

Fathers and daughters of all ages can enjoy a night out together with music, dancing, and door prizes. Light refreshments will be served.

The cost is $25 per couple, $5 for each additional daughter. Cost at the door will be $30 per couple, $5 for each additional daughter. Corsages can be purchased for $5 each and couples will receive a complimentary photo to remember the evening.

Registration forms are at www.downtownsylva.org and at Town Hall and are due February 1. 828.586.1577 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The 4th-annual Chocolate Cook-Off will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, in Bryson City to raise money for the Marianna Black Library.

The Friends of the Marianna Black Library are looking for the best chocolate dessert in WNC and are calling for contestants to compete for cash prizes and to help raise money. Open to both professionals and amateurs.

Entries are due February 4. Applications available at the Marianna Black Library and online at the library’s website. Call Elise Delfield for more details at 828.488.0580.

The First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Jam Session Series at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will continue Thursday, Feb. 3, with a concert by the Freight Hoppers.

The performance will be followed by a jam session with local musicians invited to participate.

The Freight Hoppers was organized by fiddler David Bass and banjo player Frank Lee in 1992. The band recorded two albums and gained attention after they were featured on National Public Radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion” in 1996. After a five-year hiatus, the Freight Hoppers began performing again in 2007, and the band is now composed of original members Bass and Lee along with guitarist Isaac Deal and bass player Bradley Adams.

Free. 828.227.7129.

Student art is on display by the Haywood County Arts Council at Waynesville’s Gallery 86 through January 29.

The exhibit highlights works by 25 students ranging from elementary school to high school who attend Haywood Christian Academy and the Deep/Young Academy for home-schooled students.

Works are varied, from painted windows that were salvaged and donated to the Haywood Christian Academy art program to pieces created with a crayon resist technique and pointillist trees.

www.haywoodarts.com.

Inspired Art Ministry in Waynesville has opened their doors for the winter term, offering drawing and painting classes for all experience levels. Classes may also be used by professional artists as an open studio space and are held at First Baptist Church on Main Street in Waynesville. In addition to class work, the students have an annual student show, take field trips to places such as Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery and are planning an art trip to Italy in 2011.  

All income from tuition is tithed and a library of books is maintained to help students with drawing and painting techniques. Classes run for 6 weeks and are ongoing throughout the year.

Drawing classes will be held Mondays from 1 to 4 p.m., through Feb. 28. Painting classes will be held Tuesdays from 1 to 4 p.m. through March 1. The cost for each class is $55.

828.456.9197 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Celebrate art and love during the Haywood County Arts Council’s February “SweetheART” Show featuring artist couples from Haywood County. The show will run Wednesday, Feb. 2 through Saturday, Feb. 26.

A Valentine-themed artist reception will be held on Friday, Feb. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Waynesville’s Gallery 86.

The exhibit includes painting, photography, pottery, woodworking, textile art, drawing, and quilting. Alongside the artwork will be photos of each couple and the story of how they met.

Love stories range from chance meetings at college and artist residencies at Penland, to a car accident where destiny intervened. For each couple, their love has grown and endured the test of time — as has their artwork.

www.haywoodarts.org

Culinary talent throughout Western North Carolina gathered to compete in a single-elimination culinary skills recipe and preparation contest during the Fire & Ice Winterfest this past weekend.

Sweet potatoes, pork tenderloin and Chayote squash were among the ingredients given to contestants in the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce’s Star Chef competition.

Area Chefs & restaurants submitted recipes using the star ingredient of sweet potatoes prior to the competition. Recipes were then reviewed by a panel of professional chefs and food critics, and the top four were invited to the Waynesville Inn to prepare and present their culinary masterpiece.

The top two finalists, the Gateway Club & Maggie Valley Club, were selected by a judging panel to compete in a 45-minute star chef cookoff.  Each finalist was given a mystery box of ingredients to prepare their best interpretation of the “Stars of the NC Farms”.

The Gateway Club won the “Top Chef Award” for their braised pork tenderloin with Chayote squash and couscous.

Dr. Robert Holquist will solo with the Western Carolina Civic Orchestra at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29, in the WCU Coulter Recital Hall.

Holquist, a bass-baritone, will sing the arias from “Alexander’s Feast,” an oratorio by Handel and Mozart’s opera Marriage of Figaro, as well as “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein.  

Dr. Holquist has taught voice and choral music at WCU for more than 30 years, along with being a music minister to the community.

The Civic Orchestra will perform selections from Brahms, Haydn, Elgar and John Philips Sousa.

The orchestra, conducted by William Henigbaum, is a regional community orchestra with student and faculty musicians from WCU, and students and adult musicians from Jackson, Macon, Haywood, Swain, Cherokee and Buncombe counties.

The concert is free and open to the public.

Donations of food, coats and blankets are needed for the Warmth in Winter event in Franklin.

Free hot meals, blankets, and other services for those in need will be provided from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in Franklin at Macon County Care Network.

The event is sponsored by Healthy Carolinians of Macon County’s Strengthening Families Committee. 828.369.2642.

A new, 2011-12 state roadmap can be obtained for free by contacting the N.C. Department of Transportation.

The state map includes a detailed represen-tation of highways throughout the state, insets of major metropolitan areas, indexes of cities and towns. Plus, this new map highlights North Carolina’s natural beauty and the efforts under way across the state to preserve and protect its resources.

The State Transportation Map remains NCDOT’s most popular publication,and 2.25 million copies of the new map have been printed. In 2009, the department transitioned from a one-year map to a two-year map, cutting printing costs in half. North Carolina’s first state map was published in 1916.

To request  a free copy of the new map, go to www.ncdot.gov click on “State Travel Map.”

Haywood Habitat for Humanity is holding an open enrollment through January for perspective new-home partner families. Applicants must meet certain criteria for consideration. For general information or to obtain required applications call 828.452.7960 or visit www.haywoodhabitat.org.

Mountain BizWorks will offer “Foundations,” an eight-week business planning course starting Feb. 2 in Waynesville.

Students will learn how to craft a solid business plan, including: developing a mission statement, estimating start-up and overhead costs, setting profit goals, cash flow, marketing, licensing and record keeping. The course also covers managing personal finances and the requirements of entrepreneurship.

The class will meet for eight consecutive Wednesdays from 6 to 9 p.m. Pre-registration is required at 631.0292 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A United Nations expert on women’s human rights is investigating why Native women face the highest rates of sexual and physical assault of any group in the U.S.

Rashida Manjoo, United Nations special rapporteur on Violence Against Women, will visit the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians this month. Manjoo will meet with tribal leaders and advocacy organizations to learn more about the epidemic of violence against Indian women and what the U.S. can do to safeguard the human rights of Indian women.

According to U.S. Department of Justice statistics, one out of three Native women will be raped in her lifetime, and three out of four will be physically assaulted. Indian women are stalked at a rate more than double that of any other population. These statistics are linked to legal barriers that prevent Indian nations from adequately responding to crimes.

Unlike all other local communities, Indian nations and Alaska Native villages are legally prohibited from prosecuting non-Indians and tribal courts have restricted sentencing authority for offenders committing acts of sexual and domestic violence that occurs within their tribal lands and communities.

Those with low and moderate income can get help preparing and filing their taxes every Monday and Friday from Feb. 4 until April 11 at the Jackson County Senior Center in Sylva.  Monday hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Everyone is helped on a first-come, first-served basis and the service is free of charge.

Taxpayers should bring identification, their social security card or a statement from the government that includes their social security number, copies of their 2009 tax returns, any W-2s, 1099s, 1098s, and interest and dividend statements for 2010.

828.293.0074 or 828.586.4944.

If you like to bike, but don’t like how few bike lanes there are in your community, now’s the chance to tell the N.C. Department of Transportation to do a better job of accommodating cyclists.

A 5- to 10-minute survey has been posted on-line by the DOT with the aim of “assessing the public’s needs and concerns regarding bicycle and pedestrian safety.”

The survey asks whether you think cycling is safe in your community, and if not, what could be done about it. Bike lanes, bike paths and greenways, along with traffic calming measures to reduce speeding, are among the options. The survey also asks whether DOT should be required to accommodate bikes and pedestrians when building new roads.

Lastly, the survey asks which poses the biggest threat to bikers: roads that fail to accommodate cyclists versus drivers not paying attention

To take it, go to www.itre.ncsu.edu/Public/Bike-Ped-NCDOT-Survey.html.

A new series of maps designed for motorcycle riders chronicle the side trips and excursions along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The maps identify thousands of miles of classic motorcycle rides that lay beyond the parkway. The routes on the map include mileages and times, scenic spots, points of interest, the best gas stations and motorcycle shops.

The parkway is so long — 469 miles through the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina — that it took seven maps to cover its entire length.

The map series was created by Wayne Busch, who has been riding his bike on the Parkway for 40 years. His maps are the result of years of work — tens of thousands of miles on the motorcycle actually riding, re-riding, exploring, judging and selecting the best of every road in the region.

The complete set is $36.95 or $5.95 for one. Go to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s web site at www.blueridgeparkwaystore.com.

After years of hard work by the mountain bike community, a new system of trails at Jackrabbit Recreation Area on Chatuge Lake near Hayesville is quickly becoming a top single-track destination.

The 14-mile trail system skirts the edge of peninsulas along the lake shore. The layout allows riders to pick from multiple loops with various lengths and difficulties.

Praise overheard on the trail includes “smooth-packed bliss,”  “family friendly fun for all skill levels” and “ best signage and maintained terrain.” Mountain bikers reviewing the trail system in online forums have given it five-out-of-five-stars.

“These fast flowing, hard packed trails are built on a stacked loop design,” said Joanna Atkisson, president of Southern Appalachian Bicycle Association. “All eight trails are connected to a core trail, which gives the option of just traveling 3.1 miles or adding other trails to build more mileage.”

The trail system is open to hikers as well, but not to horses.

Jackrabbit Recreation Area also has a large campground with several loops, a swimming area with a sandy beach and boat put-ins.

Atkisson conceived the idea for the mountain bike trail system while introducing mountain biking to children in Clay County during after school and summer programs.

“When I realized there were no bike trails in the county, that’s what sparked the idea to build a system,” Atkisson said.

It took years of volunteer labor by the mountain bike club, and collaboration with the Forest Service, Clay County Community Revitalization Association and Mike Riter of Trail Design Specialists to make the project a reality.

Runners who need a little inspiration to stay in shape this winter can now look toward a new half marathon to be held at Western Carolina University on Sunday, April 3.

To help runners get ready — including those who have never run a half-marathon before — a 12-week training program will kick off this week, but runners could join anytime. Group training runs will be held on Wednesdays. The training group will get tips and advice from faculty and staff, such as nutrition and injury prevention and care.

Called the Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon, the race will start from the center of campus and travel the scenic countryside of Cullowhee and along the Tuckaseigee River before winding back to campus. The 13-mile course will have numerous aid stations with water and sports drinks, along with mile-markers so runners can chart their progress.

Race organizers hope to encourage new and experienced runners to do a half marathon for the first time, said Ashley Long, committee co-chair and assistant professor for WCU’s athletic training program.

Race sponsors are WCU’s School of Health Sciences and Campus Recreation Center. Proceeds will be used to support student professional travel. Many academic programs on campus will be involved in the race. For example, students in the art program will be making hand-crafted ceramic medals for age-group winners.

Early registration is $40. It goes up to $60 on March 1.

Register at active.com.

For more information about the Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon and the free training program, go to the race website: www.wcu.edu/28180.asp.

Business owners interested in race sponsorships should contact Greg Bauguess in WCU’s development office at 828.227.3045 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Anyone who missed the historical exhibit on the Plott Hound at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center has through April to make a trip over to Headwaters Outfitters in Rosman to check it out.

The only American hound not from English stock and the only recognized dog breed from North Carolina, the ancestors of the Plott hound were five hunting dogs brought to this country from Germany in 1750 by Johannes Plott, whose family settled in Haywood County around 1800. The Plott family bred the dog into what is today a world renowned large game hunter with a legendary ability to chase bears and boars.

Local hound owners and hunters are being encouraged to bring in their own artifacts and photos to share alongside the official exhibit.

On March 12, Bob Plott, a direct descendent of Johannes Plott, as well as an author, Plott Hound breeder, wood-carver, sketch artist, martial artist and historical re-enactor will be on hand for a full day of history, stories and reminiscing, along with his Plott Hound, Nannie.  

828.877.3106 or visit their website at www.headwatersoutfitters.com.

Farmers interesting in tapping the potential of agritourism can attend an all-day workshop on Thursday, Jan. 27, at Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley.

Put on by the N.C. Cooperative Extension, “The Business Side of Agritourism” will explore the myriad ways farmers can boost their income. It can be as simple as setting aside part of the crop for a pick-your-own operation, or as involved as hosting tourists for week-long farmstays.

As the public grows more and more interested in visiting farms and buying directly from growers, farmers are responding accordingly. They are adding hiking trails and campgrounds on their land, turning their homes into a bed and breakfast, or luring people to their farms with hay rides and corn mazes.

The program will feature experts from across the state, as well as local farmers who will share their experiences. Cost is $40 per person and includes lunch and resource materials. 828.255.5522.

A book co-authored by Western Carolina University professor Rob Young about the global threat to coastal communities posed by rising sea levels has proven so popular that its publisher is announcing a release in paperback.

“We’re very pleased with how the book was received and think a paperback edition will allow us to reach an even broader audience,” said Emily Davis, developmental editor at Island Press, publisher of The Rising Sea. Written by Young and Orrin Pilkey, his friend and mentor from Duke University, The Rising Sea was published in hardback format in 2009. The book has won critical acclaim from the popular and scientific press.

The Florida Times-Union praised The Rising Sea as “… a must-read, not only for those of us living on the coast but for everyone concerned about meeting the challenges of the future.” Publishers Weekly said, “Pilkey and Young’s balanced, optimistic perspective on the tough decisions that lie ahead should garner interest from policy makers and real estate developers as well as environmentalists.”

Young is professor of geosciences and director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at WCU, while Pilkey, a pioneer in the study of American shoreline development policy, holds the position of professor emeritus in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke.

For more information about the book or WCU’s Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, contact Young at 828.227.3822 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit psds.wcu.edu.

Kathryn Magendie, an author from Haywood County, will be at City Lights book store in Sylva to read from her new novel Sweetie at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 22.

Sweetie is a wild girl — rough, almost feral, yet brave and endlessly honest. When Melissa, a shy, town girl who speaks with a stutter, befriends her, the two quickly enrich each other’s lonely lives. Indeed, for Melissa, Sweetie is a symbol of pride and strength. But to many townspeople, Sweetie is an outcast, a sinister force, or worse. Magendie calls her work “a Southern novel in the classic tradition.”

Magendie’s acclaimed 2009 novel, Tender Graces, received praise from regional and national reviewers alike. It was a popular staff pick at City Lights.

Magendie will read from Sweetie and take questions and comments from the audience. 828.586.9499.

Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation will soon open its Animal Adoption Center.

The new location will be 256 Industrial Park Drive at the Regional High Tech Center in Waynesville. The facility will include the main office and administrative area, an 1,800-square-foot indoor display and greeting area for year round use and a 14,000-foot fenced area where the dogs and puppies can get exercise and allow for outdoor display in good weather. That area will also provide safety for the animals while being prepared for transport to other rescue groups outside of Haywood County.  Hours of operation will be daily except for Sundays.

Six years ago Sarge’s was formed by a small group of volunteers from the Haywood Animal Welfare Association (HAWA) to help save unwanted pets left at Haywood County Animal Services.

“We call it our headquarters,” said Rosa Allomong, co-founder of the organization. “City ordinances won’t allow us to keep our animals overnight but our location here has allowed the community to find us easier and therefore helped Sarge’s to adopt out more animals.”  According to Jim Ray, Vice President of Sarge’s Board of Directors, “the foster program  is the most cost-efficient way to house the rescued animals. Plus, keeping the pets in homes allows the cat or dog to learn or re-learn socialization skills, work on behavioral problems and prepares them for their new home.”

Sarge’s mission is to help save the adoptable animals at Haywood County Animal Services from euthanasia. It has made steady progress toward that goal, reducing the euthanasia rates for dogs from over 60 percent in 2006, to the low 20 percent range in 2010. The cat percentages have also made very significant gains, to the point that Sarge’s overall saving rate for cats in 2010 was 50 percent for the first time ever.

“This move is exciting and essential to Sarge’s accomplishing its mission of helping Haywood County’s displaced and discarded dogs and cats. We need your generous help financially, and we need volunteer help to continue moving forward,” said Jamie Powell, executive director.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel third hotel tower which has been under construction as part of its three-year, $633 million expansion is now open.

The 532-room Creek Tower broke ground in July 2009 and was completed just before Christmas less than a year and a half later. The 21-story Creek Tower adds 454 new guest rooms and 78 new suites to the property, increasing the total room count from 576 to 1,108, making it the largest hotel in the Carolinas. All floors through 20 are currently open, with the 21st all-suite floor opening this spring.

The two ground floors of Creek Tower feature specialty retail shops and dining, including a golf pro shop and a Paula Deen’s Kitchen and Retail Shop.

The expansion also includes doubling the casino floor,a 3,000-plus seat concert venue, entertainment and VIP Lounges, 18,000-square-foot spa, a digital poker room, Asian gaming room, and myriad new retail outlets and restaurants.  828.497.7777 or visit www.harrahscherokee.com.

The Haywood County Board of Commissioners is accepting applications for the following boards:

• The Board of Equalization and Review — The purpose of this board is to hear appeals to the value placed on real property for the County’s 2011 reappraisal. The board will hear appeals based on a meeting schedule established by commissioners. The board of E&R has three vacancies.

• Haywood County Board of Health — This board is a policy-making, rule-making and adjudicatory body for the Haywood County Health Department. The board adopts rules necessary for the purpose of protecting and promoting public health.The regular meeting for the health board is held at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month. The Health Board has one vacancy, for a pharmacist.

Application forms can be downloaded from the online services section of the county website, www.haywoodnc.net; or picked up from the county manager’s office, Haywood County Courthouse, third floor, 215 North Main Street, Waynesville, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Completed applications may be returned to the county manager’s office or attached to an email to Rebecca Morgan, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The deadline for applications is 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 4. 828.452.6625.

Altrusa Club of Waynesville will host its 13th annual Soup and Cornbread Benefit Scholarship Fundraiser from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Jan. 25.

The lunch or dinner will include homemade soup (vegetable or potato), fresh cornbread, a beverage and your choice of homemade dessert. Advance or at the door tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children 12 and under. The meals are available for take out or eat in at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville. Individuals or businesses may pre-order to-go meals for a scheduled time by faxing in a pre-order form from: http://waynesvillealtrusa.org/projects.aspx .

Bring your friends and co-workers to lunch or take home a hot dinner for your family. Tickets are sold at the door or available from Altrusa members. Advance tickets are available at BB&T Bank  (Linda Plott), Be Well Western Carolina (Forga Plaza – Michelle Sanderbeck), Brock Insurance Agency  (Kathy Sheppard), Champion Credit Union (Waynesville- Karen Cioce-Cagle) , Kitchen Décor / Deeds & Décor (Mary Millar), Forga Rental Properties (Chris Forga), Haywood County EDC, Waynesville (Cheryl Meyers), Haywood County Public Library (Sharon Woodrow or Kathy Olsen), Kim’s Pharmacy, Main Street Realty (Ann Eavenson or Marty Prevost), Old Town Bank (Dana Klinger), Realty World Heritage Realty (Christine Mallette), Tool Shed (Margaret Rathbone), Wenzel & Wenzel Law Firm (Sarah Wenzel).

For more information visit www.waynesvillealtrusa.org.

The Small Business Center of Haywood Community College will offer a free seminar entitled Business Plan Basics on Tuesday, Jan. 25, from 6-9 p.m. on campus in the Student Center, first floor.

Participants of Business Plan Basics will be able to study the steps to actually writing a plan and learn how to cover what is really needed in a short but useable plan. An effective business plan serves at least four goals:

• It helps you focus your ideas.

• It creates a track for you to follow in the early stages of business growth.

• It creates benchmarks against which you can measure your progress.

• It provides a document for attracting equity or debt financing.

The workshop will provide an interactive, hands-on, step-by-step primer to guide participants through the process of creating an effective business plan. Learn what a good plan must include and discover how it can bring together goals, plans, strategies and resources for a business. Examine how a good business plan can minimize risk and save you from significant financial and professional losses resulting from an unprofitable business.

Meghan Bunnell, a business counselor with the Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC) in Asheville, will lead this workshop. To preregister for this free seminar call the Small Business Center at 828.627.4512.

To the Editor:

I recently received the very upsetting news that the parks and recreation office is managing a county project that may result in the cutting down of many very large trees in Mark Watson Park!

I simply do not understand the recent trend in cutting down very large trees in Jackson County. The trees at the new library were removed to make room for a little more parking which altered the original design of the building (and view from Main Street). Then the trees in Centennial Park have been cut down, and now even more trees at Mark Watson Park are at imminent risk! Other than the tree-cutting contractors, who is benefitting from this decimation? Certainly not our community.

With regards to the trees beside the tennis courts in Mark Watson Park, I am told that they are “rotten.” To my eye, these trees still have greenery and life. Do they really pose a danger to anyone? If this is the concern, why not just trim any problematic limbs without cutting the trees! They shade the tennis courts and add beauty to the park!

And with regards to the health old large trees that align the road, these are certainly not dead. They are bustling with life!

I have learned that an engineer is designing a new drainage system in the park that may result in them being cut down very soon!

I feel that this engineer needs to be given the task to solve the drainage problem with the stipulation of saving these historical trees!

I was under the impression that the larger concept for that area was to extend the “greenway” from Dillsboro to downtown Sylva, so cutting these beautiful massive trees totally contradicts that concept!

The beauty and unique character of the area is dwindling rapidly! Please do not allow this to happen in Mark Watson Park.

To those other citizens out there who I know are concerned, please contact your county commissioners, the Parks and Recreation Department, maintenance and grounds department, and the state DOT and let them know your views. Our children and grandchildren have the right to enjoy these wonderful large trees as did our forebears!

Keith DeLancey

Sylva

By John Beckman • Guest Columnist

I had a birthday recently, which seems to happen every year about this time, and I paused to contemplate what this occasion really meant in everyday life to me and to the world I inhabit. By this exercise in reflection I was hoping to glean some insights into something of incredible importance, but what I found was a jumble of numbers and references that left me somewhat more informed but completely exhausted.

With my computer nearby I found out I share my birthday with Charles de Gaulle (think French history), Lady Bird Johnson (think presidents and wildflowers), Billy Jean King (think tennis and chauvinist pigs) and Rick Nielson (think rock guitarist for Cheap Trick), which together made me think I had a nice, diverse group of birthday compatriots. I discovered that on the day that I was born the “Chipmunk Song” made No. 1 on the charts (yes, Alvin and the Gang), and a photo of a flying saucer over Muszyn, U.S.S.R., appeared in the papers.

On the day of my third birthday, the U.S. tested a nuclear device in Nevada, and my next birthday found the Russians testing one of their own in Novaya. It’s amazing what a year and a couple of letters will do when it comes to nuclear arms I thought.  

My 20th birthday was the day Kenny Jones became the new drummer for the Who, and the people of Thailand adopted their constitution. I suspect the former had the greater influence on me that day. And just 12 years later on that special day, Lech Walesa was sworn in as the first president of Poland who came into office by popular election. I was starting to feel better about the day, but wanted to know what had happened in between all of those historic events and where were those many days I’d watch flicker by? I thought it a good time for some reassuring statistics.

With a little math (and a calculator) I discovered that I’ve spent some 19,000 days on planet Earth, and somehow I’ve been filling those days doing something. My armchair analysis uncovered that I had spent over 6,000 of those days sleeping, snoringly unaware of what was going on in the world around me. No wonder some days I’ve felt like I may have missed something. I

’ve used around 700 days sitting in classrooms getting (theoretically) smarter and dreaming of the day I could get out of the classroom, and 850 full days watching television according to the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). I also burned up 800 more days in the bathroom, time those around me would not have wanted me to miss I presume.

I couldn’t help but think of the time I spent as a kid playing baseball, riding bikes, delivering papers and the like, and another 1,100 days vaporized in front of me. About 1,700 days have been spent eating, and another 500 were wisely used vacationing, which I’m sure is where some of the eating comes in.  

I added up the time I’ve spent working a job and watched 5,200 days slip through the cracks, and another 800 or so days lost inside a car or truck going somewhere. I figured I must have racked up 900 days on college campuses, but for some reason I don’t remember a lot of details from then.

I noted that I’ve had a computer and a cell phone for only the past 4,000 days, and it made me wonder what I did with all my time before that. I’ve been with the same gal for 9,000 of those days, and I could say sometimes it feels like more, but I won’t because I know better after that much time. Add in the time spent doing laundry, dishes, paying bills, shopping, cooking meals, cutting grass, hobbies, etc., and pretty soon I started to wonder how I crammed so much into only 19,000 days.  

I opted not to try to calculate how many days I spent looking for my lost keys, procrastinating, fixing my old trucks or drinking beer with my buddies for fear of running out of days before my time.

I got a little fatigued by all these numbers adding up and decided instead to look toward the future and all the days that lie ahead. If statistics can be trusted, then I have around 12,000 days left before returning to dust or something similar, and I planned to make the most of them. I deduced that if I can stop wasting all those days ahead sleeping, I’ll gain another 10 years in time I can spend doing more important things. I could use that time to work for world peace and discovering new cures for diseases. I can invest those newfound hours helping to repair the environment, educating our youth and cleaning-up Wall Street’s woes as well. My days could be well used feeding the hungry and sheltering the unsheltered, building solutions for healthy communities and fixing the world’s dilemmas. This would be a most useful and valuable way to spend the 12,000 days I have left, I solidly concluded. That’s a lot of work to get done and I’ll have to start soon given my ever-shrinking number of days.

Well, maybe right after my nap. After all, it’s my birthday, and we only get so many days like that.

John Beckman is a farmer, builder and part-time day counter from Cullowhee. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Koresh Dance Company, renowned for its powerful stage presence and high-energy style, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, at the Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Koresh was founded in Philadelphia in 1991 by Israeli-born choreographer and artistic director Ronen Koresh. The multicultural troupe of dancers blends dance styles including ballet, modern and jazz into elegant, explosive choreography. The dance company, with a mission of performance, instruction and community outreach, has toured extensively, both nationally and internationally.

Tickets cost $5. 828.227.2479 or fapac.wcu.edu.

The Haywood County Arts Council will unveil its 2011 schedule of performances and gallery shows at its annual meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20, at 2011.

There will be performances by students from the Poetry Out Loud program in the Haywood County Schools and the Junior Appalachian Musicians supported by the Arts Council.

New board members will be elected to the board of directors, highlights of 2010 will be discussed, and the 2011 schedule will be presented. Light refreshments will be served.

The meeting will be held at Gallery 86 on Main Street in Waynesville. The public is invited. www.haywoodarts.org or 828.452.0593.

A program about African Americans in Jackson County will be held at the Jackson County library in Sylva at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26.

Learn about the contribution of local African Americans, such as Ida Jean Bryson, the first Jackson County African American to serve in the Women’s Army Corps in World War II.

The speaker, Victoria Casey McDonald, is a writer, poet, historian and ordained minister. She grew up in Cullowhee, attended WCU and taught in the local school system for 30 years. McDonald authored a book featuring some of the African Americans of Jackson County.

This free program is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Main Library. 828.586.2016.

Frog Level will soon find a new art gallery among its ranks when Gallery 262 opens Friday, Jan. 21.

The gallery will feature artists from around the region, exhibiting in a variety of media, from watercolor and acrylic to mixed media and photography.  

The gallery is the brainchild of Aaron Stone, who is also its owner, who is putting on a grand opening event this Friday to herald the birth of the space.

The opening will feature not only the works on display, but music by Lady C, coffee roasted by the gallery’s Frog Level neighbor Panacea, locally brewed beers, wines’ from Bosu’s and culinary offerings from the Old Stone Inn’s Chef Terry.

Visitors will also get the chance to take home a piece of original art with a drawing to be held at 8:30.

The event runs from 7 to 10 on Friday, Jan. 21, at 262 Depot Street in Waynesville. For more information contact Aaron Stone at 828.452.6100.

Haywood Arts Regional Theater has extended the run of “A Life in the Theatre” for a second weekend, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 21 and 22, and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 23.

The show was scheduled to open the weekend of Jan. 7, but was delayed for a week due to snow and has now added a second run.

It features HART Executive Director Steve Lloyd and Asheville actor Casey Morris in the play’s two roles under the direction of Julie Kinter. The playwright, David Mamet, one of modern theatre’s most celebrated writers and a Pulitzer winner, is known for his salty language.

The comedy is the opener for the 2011 Studio Theater Season. The HART Studio Season features six plays in just 12 weeks in an intimate stage setting and is one of the highlights of the winter arts scene.

Tickets are $8 for all adults and $5 for students. 828.456.6322.

Ronnie McDowell, known for his Elvis-infused style of country music, will wow audiences with his smash hits and new creations at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts on Jan. 29.

McDowell has charted more than 30 Top 40 hits on the Billboard country music charts, with 11 making the Top 10 and two reaching No. 1.

Following the death of Elvis Presley in 1977, McDowell burst onto the music scene with his heartfelt and self-penned tribute song “The King Is Gone.” The record took off immediately, gaining airplay on country and pop stations across the country. To date, “The King Is Gone” has sold more than five-million copies.

McDowell has amassed a string of hit songs since then. His chart toppers include “Older Women,” “You’re Gonna Ruin My Bad Reputation,” “Watchin’ Girls Go By,” “Personally,” “You Made A Wanted Man Of Me,” “All Tied Up” and “In A New York Minute.

McDowell has continued to write and record new music, and has never stopped touring.

Tickets are $20 each. GreatMountainMusic.com or call 866.273.4615.

A master dulcimer player will give a concert at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 21, at Franklin High School Fine Arts Center.

Michael Shull is a National Mountain Dulcimer Champion, a recording artist and teacher who is well-known across the south for his dulcimer music and workshops. His front-porch-style programs cover a wide range of musical eras and styles, with an emphasis on Appalachian-based tunes and mountain gospel.

It’s a pay-what-you-can event, with no admission but donations accepted.

The concert is presented by the Arts Council of Macon County, supported by the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council. 828.524.7683 or visit www.artscouncilofmacon.org.

Dulcimer workshop

A Dulcimer Playing Workshop with Michael Shull will be held all day on Saturday, Jan. 22, at the  First Presbyterian Church in Franklin. It is open to intermediate and advanced musicians. Presented by Nikwasi Dulcimer Players. $35. 828.524.1040 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The first Bascom Winter Barn Dance of the season will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, with music by 4118.

Barn dances are held the last Saturday of the month January through March. In January, educators will be honored, which means all teachers get in free. In February, policemen, firefighters and EMS will be the special honorees, and in March, it’s veterans.

Each barn dance features guest performances by Helen’s Barn Era musicians and dancers.

Tickets are $5 and are available at www.winterinhighlands.com or by calling 828.526.2112.

As I noted in this space a couple of weeks ago, this is the time of year to order seeds and plan your garden. If like me, you are snowbound, thinking about gardening makes for pleasant thoughts.

So, what follows is a list of some of the varieties I’ve had success growing as a market farmer in Western North Carolina. They’ll work wonderfully for the home gardener, too.

Planting dates vary according to elevation. I trialed these at less than 2,000 feet on a southern-facing slope. Keep trying different varieties until discovering those that work best for you.

Beans

• I’m a fan of greasy beans for good, old-fashioned taste, and they’ve been grown for a long time here in the Southern Appalachians. Beg some seed off a neighbor, or visit the Sustainable Mountain Agriculture Center at www.heirlooms.org and order a pack. Greasy beans need trellising, and you also have to string them before they are cooked, but in my book the great taste outweighs any inconvenience.

• Looking for ease of growing and for a prolific return — plus a purplish-red bean that actually retains its beautiful color when cooked? Grow red noodle beans, an Asian yard-long bean. I grow these on a teepee trellis. Be forewarned, like many Asian varieties, red noodle beans are short-day plants. This means they won’t start producing until after mid-summer. I like them raw, stir-fried or sautéed with onion and garlic.

• A good bush haricot vert is Maxibel. I grew these early last year, and enjoyed the taste and abundant production. Pick when skinny and you don’t need to string.

• Soybeans: Easy to grow, and hard to beat in the taste department. I steam them green, unshelled, and scrape the beans out of the pods with my teeth — delicious. The only variety I don’t like is the one most farmers here grow and swear by — butterbean. I like any of the others, though, and there are plenty to choose from.

Beets

• Early Wonder Top. The best beet for early planting — and I do mean early, as in mid to late February. These have been bred for good cold emergence, though they are also fine for later plantings. I seed with no cover or other protection. Every few weeks, I sow again, for spread-out bounties of beets. Cook the leaves like you would any other green.

• Bull’s Blood beets, despite the somewhat off-putting name, produces beautiful purple leaves that are perfect when cut small for salads. Bull’s Blood produces an OK beet, but grow this one primarily for the leaves.

Broccoli

• If you can, start early broccoli inside or in a greenhouse in mid January, transplant to the garden toward the end of February or early March — be prepared to cover against the cold when temperatures threaten to drop below 20 degrees. Early broccoli is worth the effort. Tendergreen works well for this. In the fall, use Arcadia.

Cabbage

• I like mini cabbages, such as Gonzales or Caraflex. Perfect for one or two people, with no waste. I use the same planting schedule and methods as outlined for broccoli. I cover both broccoli and cabbage with insect barrier just before the bug invasion to avoid using spays.

• I grow Chinese cabbage in the fall, using in the place of winter-finicky lettuces. My favorite variety has no name, and is known only by WR-70 Days, Hybrid, available through the Asian vegetable seed specialists, Kitazawa Seed Co., www.kitazawaseedcom. This produces a large, beautiful head from a plant that is forgiving of various soil and weather conditions. I direct seed into the garden in August. You can grow Chinese cabbage in the spring, but be prepared to fight an insect invasion if you do. The same holds true with bok choi (pac choi).

Carrots

• Mokum for early carrots, Nelson for late spring, Sugarsnax for summer and Scarlet Nantes for the fall and winter (buried under mulch or protected by two layers of row cover).

Corn

• When it comes to corn, I like the old standby Silver Queen for my sweet corn, Merit for pickling and Hickory Cane for grits and cornbread. Space issues this year might prevent me from planting corn — it needs to be planted in blocks, not single long rows, to ensure good pollination. I’m not sure there’s anything much more beautiful than the sight of honeybees working corn tassels in the morning sunlight, or any more glorious sound than the contented buzzing roar they make when doing so.

Cucumbers

• I planted Suhyo last year, a burpless Asian type, and liked it. You need good honeybee activity for success at cucumbers. No bees, no cucumbers. Also, a good steady supply of water is required.

Eggplant

• These are transplanted to the garden after it gets warm, so you need to either buy plants or start them inside during early March. I like to pre-germinate the seed by placing them in moist papertowels tucked into an open plastic sandwich bag in a warm place (the top of a refrigerator is good). Then, using tweezers, plant the seed in cups when germinated. I’ve had decent success with the Asian types, but plan to try something more traditional this year.

Greens

• This is an endless subject, and starts by defining what one means by “greens.” In this case, I’m referring to cooked ones. Some people plant greens such as kale and Senposai (a wonderful, hardy and productive Asian green, do try it) in the spring. I prefer to do most of my cooked-green plantings in the fall, however. Then I also plant collards, Georgia Southern or Vates, and mustards (green wave and red giant). Turnips such as seven top, grown for the top and not its root. When it comes to kale, Red Russian grows well in WNC, as does most any other variety.

Greens, salads

• One of my market specialties was a pre-mixed, pre-washed salad. I love growing salad greens by broadcasting the seed thickly on top of a prepared bed, scraping it about using a rake to lightly cover with dirt. Then cut with scissors when the leaves are no larger than the size of your hand. The greens grow back readily if given water and adequate nutrients. Arugula is great if you like it, sorrel, black-seeded Simpson lettuce, Buttercrunch lettuce, claytonia (an interesting and should-be-better-known native North American salad green), golden purslane, tatsoi (a great-tasting Asian green) are a few of the easiest ones to grow. I also like baby mustard leaves in my mix, and add whichever fresh herbs and edible flowers are on hand.

Leeks

• I start leeks in February. Put potting soil in a pot, sprinkle leek seed on top, and grow the plants until they are about the size of a pencil. Transplant into the garden then, by either trenching (the hard way) or sticking into a 6-inch hole made with a stick (the easy way). I’ve grown many varieties, but probably most enjoy the fall- to early winter-harvested ones, such as Tadorna.

Lettuce

• I talked some about leaf lettuce under salad greens, so here I’ll touch on head lettuces. I enjoy growing butterheads such as Tom Thumb and Buttercrunch. I start them inside during February and transplant in early March. Cover when temperatures drop below 20 degrees.

Melons

• I don’t like them. Not one bit, not at all. I don’t even like looking at them. You’ll have to get advice on this elsewhere, I’m afraid.

Onions

• I’ve grown from seeds and grown from sets (buttons) and grown from plants. Sets, for me, are easiest. Push into the ground and stand back. The varieties available at local feed and seed stores work fine for this purpose.

Peas

These have always been a struggle for me, but I know other gardeners and farmers in WNC produce beautiful crops. Sugar Ann is a standard snap pea. I’ve yet to grow a decent stand of English (shelling) peas.

Peppers

• Because of our individual tolerance for heat, each person has to pick their own favorites when it comes to peppers. I will say this. You get a stronger, faster-producing plant if you start them inside in February, not the six-weeks-before-planting as most books suggest. Do not, however, plant them outside until mid to late May. These can’t take cold, not even a little bit.

Potatoes

• I like early potatoes best. Kennebec potatoes were traditionally grown in this region, and do well most years. Available in feed and seed stores locally, which saves shipping costs.

Radishes

• I love them, so I plant them frequently in odd spaces left in the garden. Any of them are good, but Shunkyo deserves particular praise for having just the right combination of hot and sweet. In the fall, there are a number of winter radishes to plant, such as the Asian beauty hearts (who could resist with a name like that?), daikons and Black Spanish types. I’m still harvesting and eating some that were protected by row cover even now.

Spinach

• A pain in the rear-end because the harvest window in WNC is often limited, but if you must have it try Space — this variety doesn’t bolt as quickly as some. How do you know when spinach is bolting? The leaves start getting pointy. Keep it harvested and well watered to prevent even more premature bolting. You folks at the higher elevations have the advantage in the spinach department — the cooler temperatures spell success when it comes to spinach.

Squash

• Traditional yellow and zucchini squash are prone to squash-vine borer decimation. Try tromboncino instead — it must be trellised, but the solid stems resist borers. In late May, direct seed winter squash such as spaghetti and butternut (also resistant to squash-vine borers). You won’t harvest these until September or so.

Sweet Potatoes

• In certain years they do terrific, other years growing them is just a waste of space. I like the old mainstay, Beauregard.

Tomatoes

• Individual tastes make selecting varieties difficult. I’m partial to Brandywine, but you might not like it at all. The battle in WNC is blight. Spray, or grow under plastic, or just hope for the best (which usually doesn’t turn out all that well, to tell the truth).

Turnips

• Grow in spring and fall. Purple top does great here, but Hakurei have a more refined taste.

To the Editor:

I have been reading letters in the Franklin Press from several angry people in recent days. I can no longer restrain myself from adding my two cents worth.

In 1972 I had a letter in the newspaper stating my views to the effect that Macon County needed land use planning. This topic is still being kicked around 38 years later, with little accomplished in the way of preservation of this mountain land we all profess to hold so dear.

There are a few perks to living a long time besides white hair and wrinkles. One of these advantages is first-hand memory of events occurring in the county.

In 1942 there was a landslide just above what is now U.S. 441 on Cowee Mountain. During the night, a huge slide of rock came down the mountain, almost blocking the road to Sylva, just where Gold City is now located. That slide was due to an abandoned mica mine which had been a vertical shaft with a lateral tunnel. A case, obviously, of the soil having been disturbed by human activities.

During the l950s, when U.S. 441 was built across Cowee Mountain, my father, a lifelong builder of roads, said, “That road won’t be up there 20 years, they are not taking care of the water coming out of that mountain.” Nineteen years later, a huge chunk of the road slid off into the valley, narrowly missing a vehicle that had just passed over that area.

I am aware that many slides originate on their own and without the help of human interference with the land, but this in itself should point up the fragility of these mountains that appear to be so solid and indestructible.

When the developers of Wildflower first appeared in this county, one of the first places they stopped was at a commissioners’ meeting where I, as the then Chairman of the Planning Board, had presented a recommendation for the consideration of the Commissioners. The two men protested at length how very much they would be adding to the value of Macon County. They protested any and every restriction on their proposed activities, saying it was archaic and counter-productive to put any restrictions on real estate development. 

If you have not been to see the devastation that was Wildflower, take time to see it. This slide was definitely caused by human meddling. In Jackson County, the Balsam Preserve slide is an example of just such tinkering by persons with, apparently, no knowledge at all of the habits and behavior of mountain land. On 441 South, just out of Franklin, the Blossom Town slide is the most visible, most glaring example of man-made destruction.

Several slides have occurred in Haywood County, Ghost Town, the motel in Hazelwood that had to be propped up with a massive concrete wall, and numerous other slides that have been featured in newspapers and television news for the past many months, including I-40 west to the Tennessee line. The other side of the river would have been the better choice for that road, but political persuasion resulted in the road being built where it is. Perhaps some steep slope requirements, had they been in place at that time, could have prevented the months of inconvenience to travelers which resulted from that slide.

When I was chairman of the Planning Board we had been working on a subdivision ordinance that would require paving and special care when building on a slope as steep as 25 percent. One local realtor sent a letter to a newspaper stating “Mrs. Waldroop just

doesn’t understand slope percentages, a 25 percent slope is about as steep as the back parking lot at the Courthouse.” Coming down Cowee Mountain you see signs saying “ 8 percent slope.” Stands to reason a 25 percent slope would be three times that steep. I don’t think he understood slope percentages as well as I did. 

And for those who want to argue with me, I do understand the difference in percent of grade and degree of grade.

Several times, in letters and in verbal arguments at Commissioners’ meetings, it has been argued that none of these slides have killed anybody. I think it safe to say, given that so far no one has been killed, we have a very vivid proof in Peak’s Creek that slides can and do destroy people and property; even though that one happened without human land disturbance. Had those houses not been built too close to the creek, the slide might not have been so devastating. Are these objectors recommending that we wait until someone is killed by a man-made slide to try to do something to prevent that happening?

Scientists tell us that the Appalachians are the oldest mountains in the world. How much proof must there be that when we stick bulldozer blades into these fragile, old, beautiful mountains, they bleed red dirt. Just as we need red blood to stay alive, the mountains need to keep their rocky red dirt to exist. Though it is late in the day, a steep slope ordinance could do much to preserve the remainder of mountains left to us.

Sue Waldroop

Franklin

A February program at the Cradle of Forestry will explore how frogs come out of their hiding places to find mates and lay eggs in woodland waters.

The program — whimsically named “Frog Love in the Pink Beds”  in honor of Valentine’s Day — will be held at 1 p.m. on Feb. 12.

The program begins in the Forest Discovery Center with an introduction to Pink Beds history and amphibians through song. Then a naturalist will interpret the natural history of the Carolina wood frogs that breed nearby and give us the hope of spring. Included will be a discussion of vernal pools and how people can help conserve frogs and other amphibians. While all are welcome, the one-hour indoor portion of the program will be oriented to adults.   

One frog breeding pool is directly behind the Forest Discovery Center. If the timing is not right for seeing and hearing frogs, it may be right for seeing eggs. Either way, participants will see an example of how frogs take advantage of a small water feature, even manmade. Comparisons will be made to the previous three years the frogs have been monitored this same weekend.

If the weather is inviting, those who would like to walk can join a guided ramble looking for frog habitats and other features of the February woods, returning by 4 p.m. The program will take place rain or shine, and will be cancelled if winter weather makes travel to the Cradle difficult. Call 828.877-.3130 if in doubt.

The fee for this program is $5 per adult. Admission is free for youth under age 16 and America the Beautiful and Golden Age Passport holders.  

The Cradle of Forestry is located in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, N.C., on U.S. 276, 11 miles from the intersection of Highways 280, 64, and U.S. 276 and four miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway.