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Western Carolina University’s 14th annual jazz festival will feature an afternoon and evening of music, special guests and celebration from 1 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building.
Drawing thousands of visitors each year, the 19th annual Greening Up The Mountains Spring Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 23, in downtown Sylva.
The daylong event is a celebration of renewal, of revitalization, and a time of reconnecting with friends, relatives and neighbors. Browse the more than 190 vendors, representing arts, crafts, demonstrators, culinary delights, local schools, business, community, environmental, health, safety, children’s activities, and more.
To the Editor:
I won’t be voting for Michele Presnell, but it seems silly for this newspaper and local elected officials to blame her for the failure of local initiatives like the proposed room tax increase, school funding issues that influenced the closing of Central Elementary and the failure of the proposed Lake Junaluska/Waynesville merger to get on the ballot. Maybe part of the problem is we’re not doing enough to engage our citizens in information exchange or dialogue.
Back in 1954, when I was a freshman at Western Carolina Teachers College (now WCU), the college’s drama department launched a production of The Crucible by Arthur Miller.
By Jim Parham • Contributing writer
People have all kinds of preconceived notions of what it’s like to write a trail guidebook. How many times have I heard, “That must be really cool, you just get to go out and ride your bike or hike all day!” Yes, that is what I do all day — sometimes.
The outdoors have been a powerful force in the lives of Jim Parham and MaryEllen Hammond.
The Nantahala River was what first drew them in, Hammond in 1978 for a job with Nantahala Outdoor Center and Parham later, in 1990, when NOC bought the rafting company he’d been working for previously.
Bug-loving photographers will get the inside scoop on photographing insects through a presentation from Kefyn Catley, a biology professor at Western Carolina University, at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at the Cullowhee Methodist Church.
In the past five years, the 10 land trusts of Western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Forever coalition have collectively completed 280 new conservation projects, protecting more than 31,000 acres and surpassing their 30,000-acre, five-year goal.
The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) recently solidified partnerships with Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (HART) and The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville to show work in the lobby of each facility.
Western Carolina University has a new free outreach program called WCU Road Works that will present theatrical, music, film and visual arts events to organizations and communities throughout the region.
Artist John Kenneth Melvin will break ground on a new site-specific sculpture at the entrance of The Bascom art center’s campus on Friday, April 15, in Highlands.
After long awaited anticipation Great Smoky Mountains Railroad (GSMR) is excited to announce that the historic #1702 Steam Engine will return for the 2016 excursion season.
Going to the Mother Earth News (MEN) Fair – April 9th &10th at the NC Ag Center? Stop by the Ingles booths (2421 and 2422) to meet some of our local farmers and vendors, and sample! www.motherearthnewsfair.com
Spring is here, and facilities closed for the winter are opening up accordingly in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Clingmans Dome Visitor Information Center will open April 1.
• Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road will open April 1.
• The backcountry office at Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlinburg will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with reservations also available online at www.smokiespermits.nps.gov or 865.436.1297.
• Cataloochee Campground will open March 25; Big Creek and Deep Creek campgrounds will open April 8; and Balsam Mountain Campground will open May 27. Smokemont Campground is open year-round.
• LeConte Lodge, accessible by trail only, opened March 21.
• Cataloochee Horse Camp will open March 25, Round Bottom Horse Camp will open April 1 and Big Creek Horse Camp will open April 8.
Blue Ridge Parkway sets opening schedule
Facilities and visitor services along the Blue Ridge Parkway will soon be opening for 2016, a year that marks the 100th anniversary for the National Park Service.
• Pisgah Inn and Restaurant will open April 1.
• Mount Pisgah Picnic Area will open April 15.
• Waterrock Knob Visitor Center will open April 29.
• Mount Pisgah Campground will open May 6.
• The Folk Art Center and Asheville Visitor Center are open year-round.
Some sections of the southern end of the Parkway are still closed due to winter weather. For real-time updates on Parkway closures, visit www.nps.gov/maps/blri/road-closures.
Clingmans Dome Road opens early
The road to the highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park opened a tad early this year due to last week’s warm weather.
Clingmans Dome Road opened Saturday, March 26, a few days ahead of its usual March 31 opening. The 7-mile road typically closes Dec. 1 of each year.
At 6,643 feet, the dome is the park’s highest point and the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi, offering a 360-degree view at the top.
Current road closure information is posted at @SmokiesRoadsNPS on Twitter.
A proposed rule change allowing hunters to bait black bears with unprocessed food throughout the entire hunting season will be the focus of a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 5, at the Haywood Community College auditorium in Clyde.
Cataloochee Ski Area is a finalist for the I AM a Snowmaker Award, given annually by SAM Magazine and HKD Snowmakers — but it needs votes from the public to win.
Spring ranger programs have begun in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, giving visitors a chance to explore the Smokies with help from the park rangers.
A slate of challenging long-distance races will be coming to the Smokies this spring, meaning it’s time to get back on that training regimen and sign up to run.
Hatchery-Supported Trout Waters throughout Western North Carolina will open at 7 a.m. Saturday, April 2.
This Easter marked an important milestone for Jerry Parker, an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker who completed the 2,160-mile trail before it was cool.
By Dave Waldrop • Guest Columnist
The North Carolina legislature has abandoned its responsibilities to public education under the guise of school choice. The state Supreme Court has ruled once that the legislature’s ill-conceived voucher program is unconstitutional. Unfortunately that ruling was reversed on appeal.
By Chris Cooper • Guest Columnist
If I had to use one word to describe the North Carolina primary, it would be predictable. Boring, even. The very same pollsters who blew the Michigan Democratic primary hit the nail on the head in North Carolina. It’s almost impossible to find a pollster who did not predict that the top of the ticket would feature wins by Trump, Clinton, Burr, Ross, McCrory and Cooper. Even the turnout was, well, average for a presidential year (virtually identical to statewide voter turnout in 2008 and 2012).
There will be Catamount paw prints on the next edition of a calendar highlighting North Carolina’s African-American heritage as Western Carolina University joins The Heritage Calendar project.
From the beginning Cullowhee Mountain Arts (CMA) has been committed to hosting high-quality workshops taught by instructors with national and international reputations.
Whether you enjoy sipping a smooth golden ale, something hoppy or a dark IPA, Jackson County’s craft breweries have you covered for NC Beer Month this April.
Stomach bugs, possibly norovirus, have been reported among Appalachian Trail thru-hikers in Georgia and the Great Smoky Mountains this season.
Saturday dawned chilly and foggy at Pinnacle Park in Sylva, but that didn’t stop 73 people from completing the strenuous Assault on BlackRock, an annual race that covers 7 miles and more than 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
Friends of the Smokies has a new North Carolina director after Anna Lee Zanetti took the reins this week.
Every year, trail towns and businesses in Western North Carolina anticipate the influx of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers that stream through the area between late March and late April. Take a look at what’s planned to celebrate this year’s crop of thru-hikers.
By Brent Martin • Guest Columnist
Setting aside a modest portion of the Nantahala-Pisgah National Forest as Wilderness and National Recreation Areas (NRAs) would deliver huge benefits for a wide variety of user groups and for our local economy. So it is baffling to witness county after county in western North Carolina passing resolutions opposing the idea.
To the editor:
I wonder:
• Why do people in the so-called “Bible belt” seem to trust guns more than God?
• Why does the “right to life” that protects babies in the womb disappear when these babies enter a classroom?
• Why does my freedom to carry a gun “trump” my brother’s freedom from the fear of gun violence?
• When did the playground ethic I learned as a child — that I had the right to swing my fist freely around in the air so long as it did not collide with another person’s nose — get “trumped” by the Second Amendment?
• Why were the citizens of Australia — where church attendance is among the lowest in the world — able to pass a National Firearms Agreement that banned the importation, sale and possession of automatic rifles, shotguns, and handguns, and to enact a compulsory gun buy-back scheme, while last year alone, here in the U.S. — where church attendance is high — mass shootings occurred 372 times, killing 475 and wounding 1,870?
• Why do “Bible-believing” churches put up signs, “Guns Welcome Here” and have pastors who carry guns into the pulpit, seemingly rejecting admonitions like “they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Mt.26:52); “the war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save” (Ps .33:17); and “thou shalt not kill” (Ex.20::13)?
• Why are politicians who preach hate and fear able to amass a following among people who believe in a Bible that proclaims: “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1Jn.4:18) and “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind” (2 Tim.1:7)? Will wonders never cease?
Doug Wingeier,
Waynesville
In the spirit of celebrating Sunshine Week, the Macon County Commissioners announced a decision to support and encourage transparency and open government.
Jamie Lynn Swartz, 36, formerly of Sylva, will serve 70 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug conspiracy charges.
Now that the North Carolina Department of Insurance issued the Canton Fire Department a Class 4 rating this week, Canton homeowners should see a little savings on their fire insurance premiums.
An interesting anomaly played out in the mountains in the Presidential primary last week.
The sticky wicket of food trucks and food carts have taken center stage in Waynesville, with a public debate in full swing on where food trucks should be allowed to set up shop and for how long.
If you have ever wondered what those giant, colorful blocks are on the sides of buildings and other structures throughout Haywood County, now is the perfect time to learn.
An open call for entries to the 17th annual Taste of Chocolate Plus is currently underway. The event will take place Saturday, April 23, at the Maggie Valley Country Club.
Thursday, Mar. 24th • Ingles Markets — Hendersonville, NC
Howard Gap Road — 3 to 6 p.m.
Complaints about overcrowding on the Nantahala River have led the U.S. Forest Service to consider limiting fishing permits for outfitters and guides.
Duke Energy Progress’s plan to replace its coal-fired power plant in Asheville with natural gas has garnered partial approval from the N.C. Utilities Commission.
As the green season inches closer and visitation ramps up, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is looking for volunteers to engage with visitors and show off the park’s assets.
It was a year-and-a-half ago that Western Carolina University’s director of athletic bands, David Starnes, was asked by United Sound founder Julie Duty to help put together a board for her nonprofit organization, which provides musical performance experiences for students with special needs.
A public meeting will gauge support for a plan to give Jackson County’s Savannah community its first public park at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, at the Savannah Community Building.
Preliminary results are current as of March 15. Look for more in-depth coverage of the local and state races online Wednesday, March 16.
CULLOWHEE – The Western Carolina University Police Department is asking for assistance in an ongoing investigation into recent property damage around the soccer field and track at the Catamount Athletic Complex on campus.
Eggs are one of the least expensive and most versatile sources of protein that you can find in the supermarket. Think about it, you can cook or bake with eggs. You can eat eggs for breakfast, lunch or dinner or use them in a dessert. You can scramble, fry, poach, soft or hard boil eggs!
The forest floor surrounding Jackson County comes alive as wildflower season dawns — and a six-week course on spring wildflowers will give participants the knowledge to put names to flowery faces.
Defenders of Wildlife has walked off the Red Wolf Recovery Team, claiming it’s headed for a “dead end,” meeting only once in the past five months.
The Shelton House, which houses the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts in Waynesville, is in need of people interested in a number of rewarding volunteer opportunities including docents, gardening assistants, helpers for special events, and individuals interested in perpetuating the craft collection.
