To the Editor:

I am delighted that EPA has finally moved to abate the disastrous impacts of climate change by regulating carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. But, given the adverse reaction from the coal industry, the EPA should have issued parallel regulations on emissions from meat industry operations. Each state could than determine its own strategy for curbing greenhouse gases.

A 2006 U.N. report estimated that meat production accounts for 18 percent of man-made greenhouse gases. A 2009 article in the respected World Watch magazine suggested that the figure may be closer to 50 percent.

The meat industry generates carbon dioxide by burning forests to create animal pastures and by combustion of fossil fuels to confine, feed, transport, and slaughter animals. The much more damaging methane and nitrous oxide are discharged from digestive tracts of cattle and from animal waste cesspools, respectively.

In the meantime, each of us can reduce the devastating effects of climate change every time we eat. Our local supermarket offers a rich variety of plant-based lunch meats, hotdogs, veggie burgers and dairy product alternatives, as well as ample selection of vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts. Product lists, easy recipes, and transition tips are readily available online.

Wade Moore

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Look past the claims and misleading “facts” that the Republicans are putting out to see the reality. The net result from four years of Republican rule is a weaker middle class and a starved education system.

There is absolutely no evidence that a single job has been created in N.C. by the tax breaks to the rich. In fact there is no evidence that any of the Bush tax breaks of the past created any jobs.

The fact is that middle-class incomes are flat and we now will be paying more taxes than before. The so-called tax reform shifted taxes from income tax to new sales taxes. For example, now we have to pay sales tax on the labor charges to service our cars. What the Republicans have done is to shift and hide taxes for the middle class. Only the rich get real tax breaks.

Much has been made of the raises for teachers, but 1,500 teachers will not get raises under the last Gov. Pat McCrory proposal. The facts are that the total funding for education has been cut drastically. About 7,000 teaching positions have been cut, and the state university system has had cuts of more than 25 percent. 

The Republicans claim they have appropriated more money for education, but that does not come close to equaling the funding from the previous sales tax that they cut or the federal funds they lost. The bottom line is that our standing on teacher pay and funding per student have dropped to the bottom of funding in the U.S.

Don’t be fooled by the claims. Look at the facts.

 Norman G. Hoffmann

Waynesville

To the Editor:

With the business of making a living that each of us has to address in any given day, we would expect those who represent us in the North Carolina Legislature — whose salaries are paid by our tax dollars — to be concerned  with our overall health and safety without our having to worry about the issue. Well, take a closer look.

Senate Bill 786, which opens the door to fracking — oil and natural gas extraction by hydraulic fracturing methods — in North Carolina, recently went through the N.C. Senate like a greased pig. It is titled Energy Modernization Act (2014), simply a smokescreen for eliminating or weakening the health and safety regulations associated with this intrusive mining process. Our senator, Jim Davis (R-Franklin), is one of the original sponsors of this legislation (as SB-76). Among other changes, this legislation would:

• Shroud in secrecy the chemicals used in the fracking operation, making it a crime to disclose their identity (§113-391A), greatly hampering medical or remedial action in case of groundwater contamination, which has been a recurring problem with fracking operations in other states.

• It is presumed that groundwater contamination can only occur within 2,640 ft of a fracking well-head (§113-421), yet by its very nature, tunneling and fracturing — involving the proprietary chemicals used — move significant distances from the well-head in a horizontal direction.

• Ordinances prohibiting fracking made by any county, city or other political subdivision would become invalid under this new law (§113-415A), overriding the will of the people who originally enacted them.

• Oil and gas prospectors may not be held liable for trespass on your property as long as they collect exploratory data by seismic undershooting from an off-site location (§113-395D).

• Any tax on the extraction of oil and gas by fracking shall go to the state of North Carolina, and not to the benefit of the county, city or political subdivision where the resource was extracted (§105-187).

• The Department of Commerce, in conjunction with other state agencies, is authorized to study the feasibility of constructing a liquid natural gas export terminal in North Carolina (Section 22.a). Foreign exporting?

This bill, shortly to be voted on by the North Carolina House, is based largely on the model of the oil and gas industry itself, failing to address proper disposal of the secret fracking chemicals (supplied by energy behemoth Halliburton), protection of land and water after active fracking has ceased, or safe methods of transporting the resources after extraction.

Our mountain area has been mentioned as one of the “most promising” (industry term) areas of North Carolina for oil and gas shale extraction. As we are all aware, the quality of our mountain water is superb and the rest of the Southeast depends on us as their source of such, not to mention our own needs.

If you are tired of seeing our elected representatives concentrate on profit rather than the health and safety of the folks they represent, let them know that fracking has no place in North Carolina. They expect to start issuing fracking permits in July. Call today, while they are still in Raleigh for the short session, and tell them to vote no on SB 786. 

Doug Woodward 

Franklin

To the Editor:

We live in a country where we are free to pray wherever, whenever and within whatever religion we prefer. We are also free to not pray. If one wants a religious blessing on local governmental business decisions, one could do so at home, in the car or wherever they wanted before going to the public business meeting because we are free to do so.  

One could also ask for that blessing during their church service in the church they choose to go to. Why, then, would an elected official feel it necessary to have their personal religious-based prayer during a public meeting? 

Unlike the higher governments, local governments require citizens of all faiths or no faith to go before the board for business like zoning, permitting, business licenses, variance permission and the like. And so it makes sense that the meetings provide a respectful environment that considers the differences in belief systems within the public that the elected officials serve. Engaging the public in a mayor’s personal religion or even a display of various secular prayers at a public business meeting sets quite an uncomfortable precedent for any mayor or future boards who may have a wildly different belief system (or even a self-declared religion) they “proclaim” as the norm. If deemed necessary, a moment of silence would serve a better solution for all.

Kolleen Begley

Cullowhee

A Civil War reenactment will be June 13-14 at The Shelton House in Waynesville.

Enjoy lectures, Civil War reenactments, displays of period clothing, replicas of the Southern Cross of Honor, museum tours, barbecue and Contra-dancing.

At 7 p.m. Friday, June 13, there will a lecture by Jule Morrow, Captain of the 25th N.C. State Troops, titled, “The Civil War in Haywood County in 1864.” All day Saturday, June 14, there will be a Living History Camp, filled with military and civilian re-enactors, camp music by Anita and Zach Pruett, and Butts on the Creek BBQ available. Museum tours will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, there will be Civil War Infantry Drill & Musket Firing, followed by a lecture and public demonstration by Jule Morrow titled Civil War Weapons, as well as a Civil War fashion show. The day will be capped off by a performance from 7 to 10 p.m. featuring Whitewater Bluegrass Company, with contra and square dancing to be showcased

The reenactment is free and open to the public.

www.sheltonhouse.org or 828.452.1551.

The 4th annual Appalachian Lifestyle Celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 14, in downtown Waynesville.

Acclaimed comedian Jim Gaffigan will perform at 7:30 p.m. June 14 at Harrah’s Cherokee.

Gaffigan has proven to be a major talent beloved to a wide range of audiences, achieving accolades and awards for his stand-up comedy, acting and writing. His clever, quiet style has made him one of the top-five most successful touring comedians in the country.

He has had breakout guest appearances on comedies and dramas ranging from Portlandia, Flight of the Concords and Bored to Death to dramatic roles in all three versions of Law & Order. In recent years, Gaffigan has also become a mainstay on the big screen.

Tickets are $34.50, $44.50 and $54.50.

www.harrahscherokee.com.

Western Carolina University is accepting nominations for the 2014 Mountain Heritage Awards, honors bestowed annually on one individual and one organization that have played a prominent role in the preservation or interpretation of Southern Appalachian history and culture. Nominations for the awards will be accepted through Monday, June 30.

The awards are presented at Mountain Heritage Day, the university’s celebration of traditional Appalachian culture that takes place on the last Saturday each September. The festival will be held on Sept. 27 and celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, which also is the 125th anniversary of WCU’s founding.

Letters of nomination should not exceed five pages and should include the full name of the individual or organization being nominated, with a website address if applicable; the mailing address of the nominee; the nominee’s birth date or founding date; a list of the nominee’s accomplishments; a list of the awards and other recognitions received by the nominee; information about the nominee’s influence in the relevant field of expertise (such as crafts, music or organizational cause); and information about the nominee’s role as a teacher, advocate, leader or preserver of mountain culture.

Nomination letters may be hand-delivered to the Mountain Heritage Center, located on the ground floor of WCU’s H.F. Robinson Administration Building; mailed to this address: Scott Philyaw, 151 H.F. Robinson Administration Building, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, N.C. 28723; or emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will open two new exhibits highlighting the 125th anniversary of the university’s founding and the 40th anniversary of Mountain Heritage Day. An opening reception for the exhibits will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 12. Both exhibits will be on display through Dec. 12.

The Cullowhee Mountain ARTS summer series will commence June 15-20 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. 

The five-week series includes art and creative writing workshops, youth art camps and the FAM-CMA invitational art exhibit. CMA brings a distinguished faculty, with national and international reputations, to teach five-day workshops offered in book arts, ceramics, creative writing, mixed media, painting and printmaking. The workshop environment provides an immersion experience in a specific area, supplemented with lectures, demonstrations, portfolio talks, readings and presentations. Instruction and sharing among attendees takes place within the WCU Bardo Arts Center and the School of Art and Design. Workshops are offered for all levels of artists and writers, including beginners.

Youth programs include two, four and five-day art camps for ages 5-12. This year, artist Kjeltsy Hanson will lead two special camps that combine mask making, puppet making and performance. Two-day workshops will let young artists create themselves as super-heroes with super powers. 

In concert with the Summer ARTS Series, The Fine Art Museum at WCU is hosting the 2nd annual FAM-CMA Invitational Exhibit, June 16 – July 25. The exhibit features the work of Cullowhee Mountain ARTS summer faculty, contemporary artists from all points in the United States. Expect an invigorating compilation of art in a multitude of mediums.

Enrollment is open for most workshops and youth programs. Details are available at www.cullowheemountainarts.org or by calling 828.342.6913.

Cullowhee Mountain ARTS receives sponsorship from the College of Fine and Performing Arts at Western Carolina University.

Classic rockers 38 Special will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 13, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Photographers are invited to submit their best Parkway photos to be featured in a 2015 Blue Ridge Parkway calendar, a project sponsored by RaysWeather.com for the past 10 years. The contest solicits photos from the entire length of the parkway, capturing the essence of the parkway in all seasons. A portion of calendar sales will go to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. 

Submissions will be accepted through June 8. www.raysweather.com/Photo+Contest

A new web app gives hikers, bikers, equestrians and other forest users the ability to search trail stats for the Tsali Recreation Area, the Jackrabbit Recreation Area and two sections of the Appalachian Trail that pass through Nantahala National Forest. 

Forest Trail Explorer, provides details such as trail type, length, difficulty and elevation, as well as downloadable trail files that users can view on mobile devices using Google Earth. The app was developed by the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station, National Forests in North Carolina and the University of North Carolina Asheville National Environmental Modeling Analysis Center.

The app also includes a section called Learn About Nature, giving users information about ecosystems, forest products, climate and more. This information comes from a regional assessment called the Western North Carolina Vitality Index, which uses metrics to report on the unique aspects of the region’s natural and socioeconomic environment.

In addition, Forest Trails Explorer connects visitors to forest safety alerts and includes camping information.

The Forest Service designed Forest Trail Explorer for planning purposes only. Forest visitors should always carry a map and compass when in a national forest.

The new web app is available at www.nctrails.org.

A moth party at 9 p.m. June 5 at the Highlands Biological Station will capitalize on the dark sky to allow photographers to capture each species that comes to the bright lights that will be set up.

White-nose syndrome, a fungal disease that has killed millions of bats in the eastern United States, is advancing in North Carolina.

The North Carolina Senate voted to lift the state’s fracking moratorium last week in a party-line vote. Democrats voted unanimously against the bill, which could come up in the House for consideration this week. 

The bill would also prevent counties from passing their own regulations or bans against fracking.

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a method of fossil fuel extraction that involves drilling a wellbore thousands of feet into the ground and causing explosions at its maximum depth to open the surrounding rock. Fracking fluid is then injected to hold the rock open so fossil fuels can flow out. The practice has revolutionized the fossil fuel industry in the United States, but its adversaries contend that it brings dire environmental consequences. 

As written, the legislation would allow the North Carolina Mining and Energy Commission to start issuing permits on March 1, 2015, and start fracking in the summer of 2016. 

Anglers are getting the tackle ready for the 2014 Fontana Marina Classic Bass Tournament June 7 and 8. With 238 miles of shoreline, Fontana Lake provides ample opportunity for stellar bass fishing.

The musical comedy “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” will be extended with showings at 7:30 p.m. May 30, 31, June 6, 7, 13, 14 and at 3 p.m. June 1, 8 and 15 at the HART Theatre in Waynesville.

The New Haywood Art Studio Tour — scheduled for Oct. 25-26 — is open to all artists who either reside in Haywood County or have a working studio in Haywood County. 

For artists who have access issues, limited parking or too small a studio, the tour will include “cluster studios” — a working studio hosting other artists. Artists may arrange for their own “cluster” or the steering committee will assist in pairing hosts with artists. Each artist should apply individually and pay the fee. 

Each artist must be present at his/her studio or exhibit on both days of the tour: from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25 and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26.

All work displayed and/or sold on the tour must be original and made by the artist.

A reception and exhibition for all artists will be held at Frog Level Brewing Company on Oct. 23 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information and application procedures.

Smokey Mountain Elementary School sixth- and seventh-grade art students were part of a recent Artists-in-Education project that resulted in a metal sculpture now permanently installed at their school. Students invited parents and friends to view their work, meet the artist-teacher and learn repousse, a technique of hammering copper.

Country icon Loretta Lynn will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 6, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

To the Editor:

Thank you for your recent very informative article about the status of Medicaid expansion In North Carolina. I would like to make a case for Medicaid expansion.

As you stated, the Affordable Care Act provides for the expansion of Medicaid in states and pays 100 percent for the first three years, and, thereafter, gradually tapers down to 90 percent by 2020. At no time would a state have to pay more than 10 percent of Medicaid expenses for the new people covered. Since Medicaid in North Carolina only covers children, the elderly, disabled and some parents of children, the expansion would cover around 500,000 additional North Carolina citizens who now do not have affordable access to health care.

The goal of the Affordable Care Act is to provide health care coverage for as many people as possible. As does most legislation, it contains multiple sections, each one dependent on the others. The poorest people were to be covered by the Medicaid expansion, and those without insurance who made more than 100 percent of the federal poverty level ($11,490 for singles, $23,550 for a family of four) would receive subsidies to buy health insurance from private companies in the new health care marketplace. Since those making less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level were to have been covered by Medicaid, the law does not provide subsidies in the marketplace for them.

When the Supreme Court declared the Affordable Care Act constitutional, it made the Medicaid expansion portion optional for states. This created a coverage gap for those making less than 100 percent of the federal poverty level in states which did not expand Medicaid.

The losers in states that did not expand Medicaid are the people who would have been covered by Medicaid expansion (who pay with their lives), the hospitals, anyone paying for health care, job seekers, the state economy, and federal taxpayers.

A recent Harvard/CCNY study estimates that opting out of Medicaid expansion will cost between 455 and 1,145 lives each year in North Carolina. These are preventable deaths. Those who do not have health insurance and cannot pay for health care cannot afford preventative care, which would monitor and treat chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. They are forced to emergency rooms when a crisis occurs.

The federal government has traditionally helped hospitals, required by federal law to treat all who come to the emergency room, with funds to mitigate emergency care for the indigent. The Affordable Care Act cut this funding because most of the indigent were supposed to be covered by Medicaid. The refusal to expand Medicaid is causing a crisis in hospitals. Rural hospitals in Georgia and Alabama have closed because of the refusal to expand Medicaid in those states.

Because of the uncompensated emergency care that hospitals must provide, hospitals must raise their rates. This causes everyone paying for health care and/or health insurance to pay more to cover the increased hospital rates. The American Academy of Actuaries estimates that premiums for private insurance will be at least 2 percent higher in states that do not expand Medicaid. If Medicaid had been expanded, the incidence of uncompensated serious emergencies, along with hospital rates, would decrease. Emergency care is much more expensive than preventative care. Control of blood sugar levels reduces the need for amputations in diabetics. Medication can reduce the incidence of heart attacks and strokes. Arkansas, a conservative state that did expand Medicaid, reports a decline in the number of emergency room visits and in the number of uninsured patients. 

The North Carolina Institute of Medicine estimated that the expansion of Medicaid in North Carolina would create 23,000 jobs over the next 10 years and add $5 million per day to the economy. An analysis by Regional Economic Models Inc. (REMI) estimated expansion would add $1.4 billion in annual GDP growth. Expansion would bring in $15 billion in federal funds to the state, flowing to health care providers and local economies. Medicaid expansion would pay for itself.

Funds to pay for Medicaid expansion come from the federal government. All those paying federal taxes are paying for Medicaid expansion in other states but not reaping any of the benefits in North Carolina.

Expanding Medicaid should be a no-brainer. I cannot think of one valid argument against it that would trump saving lives, hospitals and jobs. This makes me concerned about the brains of the North Carolina legislators who voted against Medicaid expansion.

In this election year, voters should know how the candidates stand on this issue. State Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, voted against Medicaid expansion; his opponent, Jane Hipps, supports expansion. State Reps. Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville, and Roger West, R-Marble, voted against it. Rep. Presnell’s opponent, Dean Hicks, supports it. Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, voted for Medicaid expansion, but his opponent would repeal the entire Affordable Care Act, subjecting citizens to being denied health insurance because of pre-existing conditions and taking away health insurance for the more than 350,000 in North Carolina who signed up for it in the marketplace.

Many conservative states have expanded Medicaid, including Arizona, Arkansas and Kentucky. Their politicians put the well-being of their citizens before knee-jerk ideology and dislike of our country’s president. In November, please consider the hearts and brains of our Western North Carolina candidates when you cast your votes.   

Carole Larivee   

Waynesville

To the Editor:

“A date which will live in infamy.” 

I was just 6 years old and vividly recall the day, puzzling at my parents’ reactions to these words as they were broadcast nationwide. I don’t recall understanding the words, but days later sat between my parents in a theatre seeing President Roosevelt say them. There was no television, no Internet and certainly no cell phones. We relied on radio and movie-theatre news.  

The impact of that day on every American of all ages was enormous. Most Americans had no idea this was about to happen. From historians we have learned that there were indications of coming conflagration, not just in Europe but here for our homeland.  

We didn’t see it coming!  

Since that day we’ve suffered so many other dates which will live in infamy – war, natural catastrophe, and certainly 9-11 — but endless 24-7 news has anesthetized our infamy quotient! There truly are so many earth-shaking events piling one atop another. We do notice, but they quickly pass from our collective consciousness due to yet another incoming infamous event. Nothing seems to get done for any of them, no matter how tragic their impact here or abroad.

But note, we also have the infamy that is seldom talked about, not publicized, not at the top of the 24-7 talking head news and little mentioned by our leaders. We do hear from those who blare their usual naysaying of critically important issues that impact life as we know it.

Some pursue the plutocrat’s worldview, then noisily and hypocritically fret over potential expense that may be left to those who follow. Forward thinkers, instead, fret about what will be left to those who follow. What will become of the air, water, soil and necessary life-supporting components we leave the world for future generations? Money won’t matter if there’s nothing left to sustain life.

On this Memorial Day, I can only wonder if my two little great-grandsons will say in their future desolated world, “They who came before us, didn’t they see it coming?” 

Shirl Ches

Franklin

To the Editor:

It’s probably always been that way. People tend to forget lessons of the past and focus only on the present leaving out anything that may disagree with their views.

Politics has always been about money and is nothing new. The one who spends the most money usually wins a political office.

The Supreme Court in its Citizens United decision allowed not only large companies to donate to candidates but allowed unions and trial lawyer groups to also donate large sums.

One might say that companies that donate money at least put people to work and give them jobs, but unions do nothing of the sort. To be honest, unions did serve a purpose at one time in the past and there are many examples of the good things they accomplished, but now they are a way for union leaders to get rich off the backs of the union workers who pay them their dues, sometimes unwillingly having their dues deducted from their paychecks. 

When unions cause prices to go up, the end result is a net loss of jobs, as we saw in the automobile industry, and forcing jobs overseas to places like China or more automation to replace workers in America. 

There is a cure for all this, and it is to have all campaign money paid for by taxpayers. Each candidate would be allocated a certain amount of money, depending on what political office they were running for. In order to qualify for that money, they would have to prove they have a percentage of public support for their campaign, otherwise you might have 500 people running for the same office. It’s not clear how we could force the newspaper and television industries to allow space and time for political campaigns but perhaps the taxpayers could absorb some of that cost as well. We should be able to work that out.

OK, so now we have a bunch of newly elected people who have not been bought out in advance by some rich individual, company, union or trial lawyer group. Whoever wins can start with a totally clean slate, free of pressure from any special interest group and ready to do what’s best for America. 

Yes, we would still need lobbyists simply because someone needs to represent the groups that dumb laws can make or break. More than 100,000 jobs were lost when our lawmakers passed a 10 percent tax on luxury items because no lobbyist was there to tell them about the consequences of their actions. But no bribes, free vacations or free lunches would be allowed.

Only when the public can break away from control by special interests, demanding some revolutionary new laws, can we break this weak link in our democracy.

Bob Wilson

Franklin

The first grants from the Mib and Phil Medford Endowment Fund, established by their family last July, have been announced by The Fund for Haywood County. The Medford endowment supports beautification, streetscape improvements and other public amenities in Waynesville.  

The Town of Waynesville Public Art Commission received $4,000 to help relocate Chasing Tadpoles, a sculpture by Bill Eleazer, a former teacher at Tuscola High School.  The sculpture, consisting of three bronze figures of children playing, was donated by the Biltmore Square Mall and will be installed in the historic Frog Level district.  

The Town of Waynesville received $1,910 to extend the Downtown Waynesville Association’s Millennium Street Lamp Project by installing a new lamppost on Church Street, an area of growing pedestrian traffic during the evenings. Mib Medford was a founding member of the Downtown Waynesville Association.

“Growing up with my mom and dad, we were taught that if you see holes that need plugging, you plug them,” said daughter Philan Medford. “My brother and I are pleased that the first grants have been awarded from the endowment. Dr. Phil grew up near Frog Level, which makes support of Chasing Tadpoles very appropriate. I can imagine him playing with tadpoles in the still waters next to nearby Richland Creek. The funds awarded to the Downtown Association’s decorative light poles honors our mother’s many years of service. Both grants celebrate Waynesville’s ‘sense of place’ and provide a leg-up to folks raising funds to realize their goals for the town.”

To make a tax-deductible donation to help grow the Mib and Phil Medford Endowment Fund, donate online at www.cfwnc.org or by mail to The Fund for Haywood County, P.O. Box 627, Waynesville, N.C., 28786. Please note “Mib and Phil Medford Endowment Fund” in the memo. Contributions of any size are welcome and are tax-deductible. 

www.cfwnc.org.

Thirty campus leaders from Western Carolina University crisscrossed the mountains of Western North Carolina for a weeklong tour May 12-16 to learn more about the region that the university serves and to help strengthen relationships between WCU and its surrounding communities.

The Wilderness Act’s 50th birthday will get some recognition at “An Evening of Wilderness Champions — Celebrating 50 Years of Wilderness” from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Pack’s Tavern in Asheville.

Regular weekday programs will begin at Highlands Nature Center next week. The programs include guided plant walks, children’s activities, storybook-based nature lessons and animal programs. 

• Monday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.: Guided, themed walks along the Highlands Botanical Garden trails to learn more about the native flowers and plants of the southern Appalachians, including plant names, wildflowers and their pollinators, historically significant plants, carnivorous plants, deadly plants, and how to use native plants in your home garden. Free.

• Tuesdays from 3 to 4 p.m.: Family nature activities for ages 4 and older, including critter searches, discovery walks, nature studies and games, or crafts. $1 per person.

• Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3 p.m.: Storybook Science features a kids’ nature lesson based around a children’s storybook. Free.

• Fridays from 11 to 11:30 a.m.: Observe what each of the Nature Center’s animals eat and learn how they feed. Free.

• Saturdays from 11:30 a.m. to noon: Learn more about one of the Nature Center’s live animals up close through our Featured Creature program. Free.

www.highlandsbiological.org or 828.526.2623.  

A federal court issued a preliminary injunction against coyote hunting — which includes spotlight hunting — in the five eastern North Carolina counties, which comprise the world’s only wild population of red wolves, totaling about 100. 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will get a new acting superintendent June 1, replacing the currect acting superintendent who has been there since January.

The Smokies has been without a permanent leader since last September, when former Superintendent Dale Ditmanson was replaced. A permanent superintendent is still being selected, but in the meantime another acting superintendent is being brought in.

Cindy MacLeod, currently superintendent of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, will replace the currect acting superintendent Pedro Ramos, who will return to his position as superintendant of Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. 

“I think this is a dream job, especially for the summer,” MacLeod said. “I look forward to working with the park staff, volunteers and partners to continue to meet the mission of taking care of and learning about the wondrous diversity of life, and providing for its enjoyment in a safe, sustainable way.”

MacLeod has worked for the National Park Service since 1980, when she started out as an architectural historian in Michigan. She is a Duke University undergrad, has a master’s in architectural history from the University of Virginia and completed management programs at Harvard University. 

To the Editor:

It’s that time of year again when the cool mountain air can rise rapidly by noon. I would like to remind others that it is very dangerous to take your dog anywhere that you have to leave them in the hot vehicle, even for a few minutes. Visitors to the area are prone to this, especially at grocery stores and restaurants. I have witnessed time and time again pets barking in a vehicle only to find windows barely open parked in the sun. The temperature inside the car will kill your pet or cause brain damage in minutes! 

If you encounter this, please try to assist in any way possible. I will run inside to have the owner paged and have no problem getting the negative feedback from the thoughtless owner. Many businesses here are pet-friendly. If you must leave a pet in the car, at least find a shady spot, leave the windows down enough for their head to be outside the vehicle. The best scenario is to leave them at home or in the motel room.  

Mylan Sessions

Clyde

To the Editor:

Asheville is a town full of smart, aggressive people and a town with a lot more winners than losers. Anytime a city has an unemployment rate below 5 percent, it is obviously doing something right. 

However, there are a few people around Asheville who seem to ignore simple economics. They assume that taxing the rich will bring in more money to our state. If that were true Gov. Beverly Perdue would still be in office. Under her we probably had the highest tax rate in the South along with the 49th highest unemployment rate in America. 

In Western North Carolina we have thousands of second-home owners. In Jackson County, 47 percent of our home owners don’t live in the state. Gov. Pat McCory’s goal has been to lure some of these people back to North Carolina with our lower taxes. In a year and a half our state’s economy has improved and employment has been substantially increased. As a result, next school year our teachers’ salaries will be increased and there will be more money for education. Some people will never understand that lower taxes will actually bring in more money to the state.

Jim Mueller

Glenville

Both the Haywood and Jackson county chapters of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People have elected officers. 

Haywood’s NAACP chapter elected officers in March. Chuck Dickson, a local attorney, was elected as president. The chapter also elected three vice presidents: Rev. William Staley, Rev. Reginald Eldridge and Phillip Gibbs. Rev. Walter Bryson will serve as treasurer, with John Vanderstar serving as assistant treasurer. The group elected Mary McGlauflin as secretary and Katherine Bartel as assistant secretary. The Haywood executive committee is comprised of Lin Forney, Mary Elizabeth Staiger, and Gail Mull. 

The Jackson Chapter elected its officers during a May 17 event at Liberty Baptist Church in Sylva. The Reverend Charles Lee, who serves at Liberty Baptist, was elected as president of the recently formed branch. Avram Friedman was elected first vice president, Enrique Gomez was elected second vice president, Mary Sue Casey was elected secretary, Joyce Stratton was elected treasurer, Marion Pryce-White was elected assistant secretary and Lorna Barnett was elected as assistant treasurer. Curtis Wood, Tracy Fitzmaurice, Stanley Rogers, Stella Moore, Lucy Christopher, Myrtle Schrader, Marie Cochran and Gene Keldon Austin were all elected to the executive committee.

Both chapters plan to continue being active participants in the Moral Mondays demonstrations aimed at legislative actions in Raleigh, as well as working locally to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of all persons.

Brewmaster Clark Williams, owner of Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville, will teach a beer-making class from June 3 to July 1 at Southwestern Community College in Sylva.

The Jackson County Arts Council is currently accepting applications for the North Carolina Grassroots Grant and the Jackson County Grant. The deadline for applications is June 30.

The “Unto These Hills” outdoor drama will run at 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday May 31-Aug. 16 at the Mountainside Theater in Cherokee.

The Liar’s Bench will hold its final performance of Appalachian storytelling and music at 7 p.m. May 29 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University.

Volunteers are needed for a cleanup day along the walking trail and stream bank of the Pigeon River at Canton Recreation Park from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 24.

Haywood Waterways Association, which is organizing the event, will provide gloves, trash bags, trash grabbers and refreshment, though volunteers should wear close-toed shoes, long pants and old clothes. 

The cleanup will be a drop-in event, with volunteers encouraged to come for any portion of time they are able to spare. Trash like plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose. It harms wildlife and can cause flooding by clogging pipes and storm drains. Meet at the main pavilion near the park’s restrooms. 

Christine O’Brien, 828.550.4869.

A 12-hour bike race in Nantahala National Forest near Bryson City will test the mettle and stamina of participating peddlers.

The race, called 12 Hours of Tsali, will last from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 17, with individual and team categories available. The teams or individuals with the most laps during the 12-hour race span win, with prizes as high as $175 for the first place solo racer in male and female categories. 

goneriding.com/index.php/events/2014-events/ccs/12tsali.

Duckett’s Produce has reopened for a tenth season at three locations in Haywood County, including Maggie Valley, Crabtree and Canton, headed up by fifth-generation Haywood County farmer Dibe Duckett.

“Farming is an important industry and tradition in our community, and we are proud to support other Haywood County farm families,” said Duckett, whose farm is a certified Century Farm.

Current offerings include locally grown strawberries from Shelton Farms and Crabtree Blossoms’ flowers, bed plants and vegetable plants. Duckett’s is located along the main commercial district of Soco Road in Maggie Valley, between Canton and Clyde on Carolina Boulevard or Radio Hill and in Crabtree on N.C. 209 3 miles north of the Interstate 40 interchange. 

The Southern Appalachians have the world’s highest diversity of salamanders, and Salamander Saturday will introduce some of the key players, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 24 at the Cradle of Forestry in America, 25 miles south of Waynesville on U.S. 276. Salamander hunts throughout the day will give participants a chance to see the amphibious inhabitants of North Carolina’s forests and waters first-hand. At 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., John Groves, curator of amphibians and reptiles at North Carolina Zoological Park, will present his program, “Biology and Conservation of the Eastern Hellbender.” Rocky the hellbender will make an appearance, and a question-and-answer session will follow. Meanwhile, children will create their own salamander pictures to take home. 

$5 for ages 16 and up; youth free. 

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A raptor demonstration at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at Sapphire Valley Community Center will give participants a chance to see birds of prey up close and personal, including flying demonstrations.

The tale of the once-common Cullowhee lily will take center stage at the next meeting of the Tuscola Garden Club, 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 20, at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.

The Merrell Adventure Dash, held at 4:30 p.m. May 24 in the Nantahala Gorge, will give participants of all ages a chance to negotiate a series of obstacles while racing to the finish at Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Ducks — of the rubber variety — will take to the Tuckaseegee River 1 p.m. Saturday, May 24, in an annual race to raise money for Southwestern Community College’s New Century Scholars program, which provides last-dollar tuition scholarships for deserving students who lack financial means.

More than $700,000 in funds raised from license plates, gifts and grants will go toward projects and programs on the Blue Ridge Parkway this year in a list recently approved by the Parkway Foundation Board of Trustees. According to a recent National Park Service report, the Parkway generates over $900 million in tourist revenue and supports more than 12,000 jobs annually. This year’s projects include: 

• Graveyard Fields Enhancement Project, mile 418: The Foundation plans to expand the parking lot, build a comfort station, improve the trails and install new interpretive signs through a Scenic Byways grant it is seeking. The Foundation plans to leverage private donations and support from the NPS and U.S. Forest Service to secure the grant. 

• Stone Water Fountain reconstruction, parkwide: The Foundation will rebuild and replumb two of the Parkway’s historic stone water fountains. 

• Preventing the spread of white-nose bat syndrome, parkwide: The Foundation will fund preventative measures to help keep the fungus causing this disease out of Parkway lands. 

• Emergency Medical Services/First Responder classes for staff: Allowing NPS staff to maintain certifications and skills will improve medical response and pre-hospital care. 

• Ecological restoration of high-priority wetlands, parkwide: Protecting several high-elevation wetlands along the parkway will maintain habitat for bog turtles and rare plants. 

• Visitor Maps and Guide, parkwide: Each year, the Foundation prints 100,000 copies of the official park map. 

• Parks as Classrooms, parkwide: The program, taught to more than 250,000 children last year, instills values of protection and preservation while satisfying national learning standards. 

• Kids in Parks, parkwide: The program uses partnerships with Parkway and other local, state and federal trails to get kids and families active outdoors while building a generation of future park stewards. 

www.brpfoundation.org or 866.308.2773.

Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts department 2014 Graduate Show will run from May 17 through Sept. 14 at the Southern Highland Craft Guild Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville. A reception will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 31.

The Blues, Brew and BBQ festival will be from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, May 24, at the Village Commons in Cashiers.

The event mixes local barbecue, craft beers and two of the most popular blues bands in the southeast. Mac Arnold and Plate Full O’ Blues will headline the festival from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Arnold was a nominee for best traditional blues artist at the 2012 Blues Music Awards. He has performed with Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Otis Redding, James Brown and B.B. King. Opening for Arnold will be The Rick Fowler Band from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

There will be barbecue, beer, wine and other food and beverages available. The festival is general admission and donations are appreciated and will be held rain or shine. Personal coolers, food and pets are not permitted. Attendees are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket.

VIP tickets are available and will include seating with bistro tables and chairs, including a meal and bottled water. VIP tickets are $65 for one or $120 for two. There will be reserved parking and a private bar and meal station for VIPs to purchase adult beverages. The special VIP tickets can be purchased at Landmark Realty.

The festival is presented by the Greater Cashiers Area Merchants Association 

828.743.8428 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..