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To the Editor:
Regarding a recent op-ed piece by Doug Wingeier on Congressman Meadows, R-Cashiers, and his feigned interest in alleviating hunger in the U.S.: I also have noted a certain disingenuousness about Rep. Meadows in his latest series of town hall meetings, two of which I attended. The meetings are controlled by asking people to submit their questions in writing, which are screened and read by his staff. I prefer a more open meeting where people stand and ask their questions, as in the voice of the people. I suppose my written questions were never asked because they may have posed certain challenges to the Congressman on Obamacare and the federal Voting Rights Act.
Rep. Meadows was quite clear and proud about his leadership role in defunding Obamacare as a condition for keeping the government open. This played well to his Tea Party constituents in Franklin, but was somewhat more subdued in Cherokee. When I asked one of his staff “why the Congressman wanted to shut down the government,” she replied that was not true. A few days later, I noted the Asheville Citizen-Times headline: “Meadows OK with shutting down DC.”
You can also note a comparable disingenuousness in the N.C. State Republican Party in defending its 2013 voting laws: “… If you need a photo ID to purchase Sudafed, what’s the big deal about using a photo ID to vote ….” Somehow the most fundamental right of American citizens has been reduced to the “right” to purchase a controlled substance.
The federal government is rightfully challenging N.C.’s voting laws as a violation of the Voting Rights Act. Our state has made significant progress in expanding the franchise: in 1991, N.C. was number 47 in the nation in voter turnout; by 2012, we were number 11.
Yet the N.C. legislature in 2013 sought to “restore confidence” in the electoral process, as if creating more access to voting was a problem. College IDs will not be allowed at polling stations. Even states with strict photo ID laws like Georgia and Indiana allow college IDs. What is so suspect about using a college ID, or is it more about preserving political power by creating hoops for younger voters — a group that tends to vote Democratic.
Roger Turner
Sylva
To the Editor:
The federal government shutdown is probably the most counter-productive action that Congress could have taken during this recession. Not only will it cost money, but it is harming our economy in so many ways … not to mention that it is making America the laughing stock of the world.
There’s been much in the national news about the poor tourists who have lost out on their vacations, but in WNC our local economy is tied to national park and parkway visitation. And this, during leaf season, will have an accelerated effect.
The newest of shenanigans is to exempt national parks, monuments, and museums from the shutdown. I have worked in museums, directed one, spent a year at the Smithsonian, and taught museum studies. An advocate to be sure, still, I do not support a piecemeal solution to a national problem.
Is there no logic in those hallowed halls of Congress? I cannot understand how people who are in government can so be so hateful of government. You would think they would want a different job. As voters, we can help them out during the next election cycle.
Anna Fariello
Cullowhee
To the Editor:
If we hadn’t figured it out by 2008, we should have at least gotten a clue. The congressional and White House phones and emails were jammed with unprecedented pleas from We the People. Not only were the lines jammed; the polls strongly indicated that We the People oppose the banker bailout. Regardless, the banks got bailed out and We the People got sold out.
Corporate privilege continued into the next administration. We see now that the health care reform effort had little to do with the care of our health but a lot to do with the care of healthy profits for private insurance conglomerates. Elizabeth Fowler, Wellpoint VP in charge of government lobbying, was invited as chief advisor and principal drafter of Obamacare. In contrast, advocates for the health of We the People, such as physician Margaret Flowers, were barred – even imprisoned for the impudence of insisting that the People’s voice be heard.
Whether one supports or opposes Obamacare and the coming mandate, the shameless advancement of corporate privilege throughout its passage and implementation is impossible to deny. In 2010, after helping with initial implementation as a special assistant to the president, Wellpoint’s Fowler left the administration to lobby for Johnson & Johnson. The pharmaceutical industry, one of the biggest backers of ObamaCare, will be one of its greatest benefactors. Fowler is one of many jumping the ship of “public service” for the conglomerate plunder to come.
These are only two examples of the egregious privilege our government grants at our expense to corporate conglomerates. The list is endless.
We are not helpless. As Obamacare open enrollment begins this month, remember that we are not sheeple; we have the power to make a difference. A People’s movement is underway to reclaim the vision of the Founding Fathers and amend the Constitution, to put the freedom of We the People above the privilege of the mega conglomerates that have taken control of our government.
The system isn’t broken. It’s fixed!
Allen Lomax
Sylva
To the Editor:
Neither of the logos considered by the Jackson County TDA convey the proper message for tourism development. Both, per the logo display in a recent edition of The Smoky Mountain News, are lackluster, lack excitement (one being almost a kindergarten level piece of art) and should be shelved.
How many logo designs did the two advertising agencies submit for the TDA group to consider? Each should have presented no less than five each. If these two were the best, I question the creative ability of the agency.
Having represented Cherokee and the region at several dozen consumer travel shows over almost 15 years, I don’t recall one person out of thousands ever saying “Oh, I love Jackson County.” Travelers don’t recognize counties but they associate with communities within a county. Mention Maggie Valley, Sylva, Bryson City, etc. and there’s an immediate visitor association.
Mention Haywood, Swain, Macon or Jackson county and there’s a look of “duh” on their face.
“Play On” is as equally unimpressive as the logo itself. Ms. Teasley is quoted as saying “The mountains with ‘Jackson County’ and the simplicity of the design is going to make it easily recognizable.” Recognizable and meaningful are two different things.
The discussion regarding the use of the logo by others? Just copyright it and that gives the TDA legal right to go after those who misuse it. The trademarking would protect words, color, design. Simple answer to that dilemma.
If the TDA is so promotionally oriented and thinking about bumper stickers, etc, where is the website name so folks can get information?
The Outer Banks of North Carolina, cited in the article, has a unique OBX identification. It says something: “Outer Banks.” “Smoky Mountains” says something. “Play On” says let’s go to the casino.
Well, Jackson County TDA, good luck. You’re playing around with many businesses in our county. Time will tell whether this “branding” is a success or failure.
Dave Redman
Jackson County
To the Editor:
Does John Boehner like what he’s seeing in the mirror these days?
Maybe not, but the problem for the nation is that he is too fond of what he sees on his office door: “Speaker of the House.”
Boehner could lose that by acting like a statesman instead of an extortionist. What has been called the "suicide caucus" among House Republicans, led by Mark Meadows, would try to dump him as speaker the instant he called for a vote on a clean budget resolution or on raising the debt ceiling.
It’s the Democrats who could save him and the country too. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi should offer him Democratic votes to keep the speakership if his own party turns on him for doing the right thing. It’s the whole House, after all, not just the majority caucus, that elects the Speaker.
It would take only 17 Republican votes to keep Boehner in the speakership if all 201 Democrats had his back.
Presently, the Democrats are trying to get that many to sign a discharge petition that, under House rules, would preempt the Speaker’s obstructionism. But it might be a lot harder for 17 moderate Republicans to buck Boehner directly than to vote to reward him for doing the right thing.
What I suggest would require historic statesmanship on the part of the Democrats, and there may not be much of that virtue left on Capitol Hill. Still, it’s worth a try.
In practical terms, the Democrats would be offering Boehner a temporary coalition to keep the government solvent. He could continue to try to repeal Obamacare, but not at the point of a gun.
Coalition politics is how governments abroad function when no party holds a majority and some American legislatures have had to resort to them too.
In effect, there are now three parties in the House — the Democrats, traditional Republicans, and the Tea Party. Unable to win elections on its own, the Tea Party has taken over gerrymandered House districts like a virus infecting a host.
Many good citizens identify with the Tea Party out of a frustration with government. Liberals share that too.
But the difference is that the Tea Party is being played like a violin by other ultraconservative groups, including the billionaire Koch Brothers who financed its establishment.
The New York Times reported Sunday that the strategy to destroy Obamacare by threatening to defund the government was hatched more than a year ago by some three dozen conservative groups under the leadership of former Attorney General Edwin Meese III.
They had lost the elections for the presidency and the House despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars to misrepresent and demonize Obamacare. The spending continues.
One of its most tawdry tactics is to try to persuade young people against signing up for insurance coverage. That’s playing politics with their lives.
It is sinful.
But it’s no more so than what their puppets in Congress are threatening to do if they can’t destroy Obamacare.
A deficit default would be the worst economic tragedy to befall this nation since the Great Depression.
No foreign enemy could hope to do us so much harm.
But as Pogo the possum used to say, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
Martin A. Dyckman
Waynesville
To the Editor:
Governor Pat McCrory’s approval rating stands at 35 percent. Given the way he’s stuck it to the people of North Carolina, that seems high.
Robert Michael Jones
Sylva
By Dawn Gilchrist-Young
Of the 120 or so 12th-graders I teach each year, about two-thirds have jobs outside of school. Of those two-thirds, there is a large number who work 30 to 40 hours a week. Their jobs range from bagging groceries and stocking shelves, to cleaning motel rooms, to chopping, splitting, and delivering firewood. As I included in my first column about the teaching I do at Swain County High School, the per capita income in 2011 was $19,506. For 2012, the projected income was $19,089. Of the county’s 14,000 residents, 3,000 live below the poverty level, and of those, almost 1,000 are children, including my students. For most readers, these are merely numbers, but for me, as a teacher, they are numbers that have faces.
Haywood County will pay more than it anticipated on state-mandated renovations to its jail annex.
The county will pay $91,314 to the Monroe-based State Building Group for upgrades to the jail annex. Renovations include setting up a secure fence to separate the jail annex from the main jail building, installing a secure door between the inmates and deputies, adding another secure door leading out to the inmate recreation area and laying concrete sidewalk in the recreation area.
Originally, the county set aside $75,000 for the jail annex improvements but will move another $26,000 out of its general fund to pay the difference.
A state inspection had mandated the county improve security at the annex — which houses female inmates — after finding flaws in the aging building. Either the sheriff’s department needed to permanently increase the number of on-duty deputies at the annex or pay for structural security improvements.
The county informally bid out the project in August and received three bids, which all came in way over budget. The lowest bid was $138,360.
Rather than allocate an additional $63,000 to the project, Haywood County officials consulted the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Division of Jail Construction to see if anything could be cut from the plans to decrease the construction price.
A redesign of the renovations left off about 80 percent of the fencing surrounding the inmate recreation area. The enclosed space will remain the same size; however, there will not be a second fence surrounding the recreation area.
Dale Burris, director of Facilities and Maintenance, emphasized that the change would not decrease the security of the building.
Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties all reported an increase in lodging tax revenue last fiscal year, compared to the prior year, though in some cases the hike is due to tax increases rather than an increase in travelers.
Acclaimed gospel group The Inspirations will host the Singing in the Smokies fall color festival at 6 p.m. Oct. 17-18 and 1 p.m. Oct. 19 at Inspiration Park in Bryson City.
On Thursday, performances include Martin, Squire & Ray Dean, The Inspirations, Squire Parson Trio and Kingsmen. Friday will showcase the Old Fashioned Singing Chuck Wagon Gang, Walkin By Faith, and The Inspirations. Saturday will present the Family & Friends Tour, Josh Jordan Family, The McKameys and The Inspirations.
Tickets are $20 per night, with children 12 and under admitted free.
Actress Barbara Bates Smith and musician Jeff Sebens will showcase the works of author Ron Rash during “A Rash of Stories” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Waynesville Public Library.
The program of varied selections in an informal format encourages audience feedback. The selections have been adapted by Smith from the collections Nothing Gold Can Stay, Burning Bright, Chemistry and Other Stories, and The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Free.
828.356.2507.
“The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD” will be shown at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center in Highlands.
MET opera stars serve as hosts for the HD series, conducting live interviews with cast, crew, and production teams, and introducing the popular behind-the-scenes features. Altogether the worldwide HD audience is given an unprecedented look at what goes into the staging of an opera at one of the world’s great houses.
“The Met: Live in HD” series is made possible by a generous grant from its founding sponsor, The Neubauer Family Foundation. Global corporate sponsorship of “The MET: Live in HD” is provided by Bloomberg. HD broadcasts are supported by Toll Brothers.
For tickets, visit www.highlandspac.org.
828.526.9047.
Catman2 will host “The Cat’s Meow Auction” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.
The largest no-kill, cats-only shelter and adoption center in Western North Carolina, Catman2 seeks donations from local businesses and individuals to help raise money for the ever-rising cost of caring for nearly 100 homeless cats. All donations are tax-deductible. A list of items for auction and advertisements are at www.catman2.org.
828.293.0892.
Acclaimed clay artist and University of Georgia emeritus faculty member Ron Myers will give demonstrations and talks on the subject of ceramics Oct. 16-17 at Western Carolina University.
The Alash ensemble will hold a special performance featuring the ancient tradition of throat singing at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.
Twenty-five top high school marching bands from six states will compete at Western Carolina University’s 13th annual Tournament of Champions invitational at 8:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee.
The comedic play “The Dixie Swim Club” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11-12, 18-19 and 21 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 13 and 20 at the Smoky Mountain Community Theatre in Bryson City.
Beginning Oct. 1, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will implement delayed harvest regulations on 33 trout waters in 18 counties in Western North Carolina.
With funding from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, WNC AgOptions will give $153,000 to farmers in the western part of the state next year.
Farmers looking to expand and diversify their operations have until Dec. 13 to submit an application for a $3,000 or $6,000 grant. In its 10th year, the grant program was created to help tobacco farmers branch out into other sectors of agriculture.
WNC AgOptions provides grants to a 22-county region of Western North Carolina. Since 2004, more than 350 grants, amounting to about $1.6 million, have been awarded. The grants have been used to buy greenhouses, refrigeration units and other equipment.
WNC AgOptions grants are awarded by WNC Communities, a nonprofit organization. Applications for next year’s grant cycle are available online and at local cooperative extension centers. Applicants should contact their local extension agents by Nov. 1 for assistance and support.
Research at Western Carolina University on DNA sequencing used in crime labs has gotten a $718,000 grant from the National Institute of Justice.
Mark Wilson, director of the Forensic Science Program at WCU, has been evaluating new DNA sequencing instrumentation for use in crime laboratories.
The grant will not only support the research but also provides scholarships for three graduate students working on related projects to help with the work, which builds on previous DNA sequencing done at WCU.
The work is of particular interest to faculty and scientists who are involved with the global Illumina Forensic Genomics Consortium, which is led by Wilson and top scientists specializing in the area of forensic DNA analysis.
“The research we perform is discussed by the consortium and has the potential to impact forensic crime labs across the country when this technology is incorporated into casework,” said Brittania Bintz, a forensic research scientist at WCU.
828.227.3680 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Great Smoky Mountains National Park has established its first sister park arrangement with Khao Yai National Park in Thailand.
Smokies Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson and Khao Yai National Park Superintendent Krissada Homsud signed the arrangement today at a ceremony in September.
The two parks share a number of similar resources, such as biodiversity, and concerns. Both parks are the most visited National Parks within their country and face challenges brought by visitor use and nearby development, poaching and pollution. Both parks are popular for wildlife viewing, streams and waterfalls, and lush mountain forests.
“We are honored to form this unique partnership with Khao Yai National Park, which shares so many similarities with the Smokies,” said Park Superintendent Ditmanson. “There has already been an incredible exchange of information.”
Currently, Homsud is traveling in the United States with a group of nine park managers from Thailand through a U.S. Department of State professional exchange program. The participants have met this week with park managers, biologists, entomologists, educators and historians.
“Great Smoky Mountains National Park shares many similarities with Khao Yai, but the Smokies are one step ahead in public involvement in caring for the park and we look forward to learning from their staff,” said Homsud. “In Khao Yai, we still have problems with encroachment and poaching.”
The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the recipient of the 2013 Exceptional Environmental Education Program award.
This month, the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the dedication of NASA’s Rosman Satellite Tracking and Data Acquisition Facility.
The River Rescue Rodeo held on the Tuckasegee River in Dillsboro last weekend attracted a host of paddling teams to test their river rescue skills, including swift-water rescues, throw rope competitions and a knot-tying rodeo.
More than 60 volunteers removed 3,740 pounds of trash from Richland Creek in Haywood County Saturday, Sept. 21, during this year’s Big Sweep stream clean up.
Slam poetry champion, teacher and coach Matthew Cuban will present a spoken-word workshop at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, in the Hunter Library at Western Carolina University followed by a reception and performances by Cuban and the WCU Truthwriters at 4:30 p.m.
Cuban is a three-time grand champion of the Southern Fried Poetry Slam, one of the largest poetry slams in the nation. The workshop and performance is co-sponsored by WCU’s Hunter Library and Office of Intercultural Affairs.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.227.3423.
Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation’s 5th annual Furry Friends Benefit Bash will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, at the Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville.
The evening will feature food and live music. A silent auction will include vacation packages, special dinners and an art workshop. In addition, the auction offers golf, dining, spa packages and unique items for people and their pets. The event will be a sit-down dinner, plus a cash bar.
Tickets may be purchased for $50 per person at Sarge’s Adoption Center in Waynesville. Table sponsorships are available for $450, for a reserved table for eight.
828.246.9050 or www.sargeandfriends.org.
The new printing/binding studios of SpeakEasy Press will hold an open house from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11, at Riverwood Studios in Dillsboro.
Haywood County’s own Balsam Range won album of the year for “Papertown” at the 2013 International Bluegrass Music Awards this past weekend in Raleigh.
Jammin’ at the Millpond will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Haywood Community College in Clyde.
Weaver Susan Morgan Leveille, owner of the Oaks Gallery in Dillsboro, was named one of the recipients of the North Carolina Heritage Award.
First United Methodist Church in Sylva will celebrate its 125th anniversary with a Homecoming on Sunday, Oct. 6. Bishop Larry Goodpaster will deliver a sermon at a 10:30 a.m. church service in the sanctuary, followed by a luncheon in the Christian Life Center. All are invited, whether church members or not.
To the Editor:
The enthusiasm was very evident!
The Waynesville Public Art Commission would like to thank everyone who came to the Friday, Sept. 6, dedication celebration for the art created by Grace Cathey for the downtown mini-park’s final piece “Wildflowers of the Smokies.” Cathey was very happy that so many were there to enjoy the unveiling of her beautiful wall panels. We would also like to note that Bee Balm and Butterfly Weed, two of the three plants depicted in the metal art, are growing in the mini-park as well as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The commission would also like to thank everyone who contributed financial support, as well as all the artists who helped our fundraising efforts to bring this striking addition to our downtown collection.
The mission of the Waynesville Public Art Commission is to engage the community and enrich public spaces through original public art that celebrates Waynesville’s unique, historic, cultural, natural and human resources. The mission statement has two words in particular — original and unique — that are the guiding force behind our decisions on the subject matter for each of our calls for artists. Without a doubt, with your help we have fulfilled our mission and look forward to future art endeavors with you.
All of our public art is entirely funded by public donations, so they truly do belong to you, the people of Waynesville. With this artwork we have wonderful visual images of the values we wish to celebrate and cherish. If you are interested in donating, volunteering or learning more about the WPAC, call the town at 828.452.2491.
Jan Griffin
former chairman,
Waynesville Public Art Commission
To the Editor:
The North Carolina Legislature has passed, and Gov. McCrory has signed, a bill requiring a photo ID in order to vote. This bill will disenfranchise a large number of voters in our state, especially the elderly (which includes the greatest generation, who saved our country for democracy) and the first-time voters. In addition, the bill eliminates one week of early voting, which has been extremely popular with older folks.
Some real examples: a friend is 94 years old. She served as a nurse in WWll, has always been very active in her church and community, her husband was a state senator for several terms. She has voted in every election since she was old enough, but now she can’t vote because she has no “valid” ID. Another friend is 87, has never driven because she is blind, she and her family have worked tirelessly for their church and community, but now she can’t vote.
The newspapers assure us that “free IDs” can be obtained at any driver’s license office. How does a 94-year-old woman or a blind woman locate an office and get there? What about the many older folks who do not see a newspaper or who missed the announcement on the news? What about those who were not born in North Carolina, and don’t have a birth certificate?
There will be thousands who make the effort to get to the polls, only to be told they are not eligible. Few people will go through the process of casting a provisional ballot, which may, or may not, be ruled eligible by the officials. Many restrictions on absentee voting have been lifted, creating more opportunities for fraud.
Recent redistricting, with changed boundary lines and split precincts, increases the likelihood that folks will go to the wrong precinct to vote. For years, they could fill out a conditional ballot, which, after verification, would be counted.
Under the new law, these votes will be thrown out. The elderly and minorities are most likely to be in this group.
With all the distractions today, many young people are turned away by politics, not realizing that politics affect every phase of our lives, or that voting is a precious right and a responsibility.
Currently, high school civics classes provide an opportunity to get them involved, and even provide pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds. In many cases, this will be the last opportunity to reach these kids. The new legislation totally eliminates this registration.
Things get even more complicated when a college student tries to vote!
Incidentally, these free IDs are estimated to cost North Carolina $823,200 in each of the first two years, and over $24,000 annually. All of this to fix a problem that all surveys indicate does not exist.
Is it a coincidence that the elderly, the young, and minorities tend to vote Democratic?
Margaret S. Ramsey
Franklin
By Doug Wingeier • Guest Columnist
Back in March, my wife and I, together with a couple from Brevard, paid a visit to Congressman Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, in his Washington office. We were part of an event called Ecumenical Advocacy Days, in which some 750 members of faith communities from across the country spent a long weekend learning about issues of poverty and hunger, then fanned out across Capitol Hill visiting our legislators to urge passage of a Farm Bill that would:
Celebrate National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 28 by volunteering at DuPont State Forest to help clear a section of trail on Hickory Mountain Loop.
The service project will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and focus on an off-road mountain bike route. The work is of moderate difficulty and the hike to the project location is less than half a mile. The number of volunteers is limited to 50 and participants must be at least 12 years old. All volunteers will receive an REI T-shirt, while sizes and supplies last.
Workers are encouraged to bring water, snacks, work gloves, sun block, bug spray, tools, if possible, and wear closed-toe shoes. A light trailside breakfast and grilled lunch will be provided. Volunteers will meet at the Guion Farm access area before the workday begins.
Registration is required.
Haywood Community College has honored two Fish and Wildlife Management program students for their achievements in the field.
Jacob Longworth and Alex Wilson were recently awarded the 2013 Dave Dudek Wildlife Award. They are the first recipients of this award and its accompanying $250 scholarship.
The award is named for retired instructor and founding adviser of the HCC student chapter of The Wildlife Society, Dave Dudek.
The award, presented to two Fish and Wildlife students who are on track to graduate in the spring, recognizes leadership, scholarship, and dedication to the field.
Longworth plans to work as a wildlife biologist or wildlife officer after graduation and Wilson hopes to work to conserve and protect avian species.
828.627.4592.
Chimney Rock State Park has become North Carolina’s 70th tourist destination to earn recognition for its environmentally friendly practices, according to officials with the N.C. GreenTravel Initiative.
Chimney Rock Management LLC, which operates Chimney Rock, earned its place among N.C. GreenTravel locations by installing public recycling containers, using locally-produced food in the park restaurant, reducing water usage, installing energy-efficient lighting and appliances, removing invasive plants and increasing public environmental awareness.
NC GreenTravel, a N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources program launched in October 2011, recognizes tourism-oriented businesses for their accomplishments in environmental stewardship. In addition to lessening environmental impacts, research has shown that environmentally friendly businesses reduce operating costs and are more profitable without sacrificing the comfort of guests.
While several other states have created programs to certify “green” hotels, the N.C. GreenTravel Initiative gives recognition to hotels, restaurants, museums, parks, attractions and other tourism-related businesses.
The French Broad Rifles club will host a Primitive Black Powder Muzzleloading shoot Oct. 4-6 near Marshall.
It’s a big weekend at the Nantahala Outdoor Center, Sept. 27-29, with its Guest Appreciation Festival, the U.S. Slalom Nationals, and a big water release on the Upper Nantahala.
The annual Chief’s Challenge one-mile run and walk benefit for victims of childhood cancer will take place at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, before the Cherokee Indian Fair parade. The event will take participants through downtown to the Cherokee Immediate Care center adjacent to the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort parking lot.
Registration takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the day of the event, at the Cherokee Phoenix Theatre parking lot or online. Registration is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 years and younger. Proceeds will go to the Madison Hornbuckle Children’s Cancer Foundation.
The first 300 participants will receive a swag bag with T-shirts, water bottles and more, donated by local businesses and tribal programs. The day also features a host of activities for participants before the event, including a magic show, games, and art activities.
The Madison Hornbuckle Children’s Cancer Foundation is a non-profit foundation that provides financial support to the families of children with cancer. Information about the foundation can be found online at nc-cherokee.com/madison-hornbuckle-foundation.
Registration and event information are available at www.runsignup.com/race/nc/cherokee/chiefschallenge1milesprint.
The U.S. Forest Service is promoting its fall foliage webpage, which features scenic drives and other areas in the Nantahala and Pisgah national forests for visitors to enjoy this autumn.
The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will offer a beginner’s disc golf class for youth ages 8 to 17. The class will take place from 4:30 to 6 p.m. each Tuesday in October at the Waynesville Disc Golf Course on Vance Street in Waynesville.
A group of friends have come together to create a non-profit entity to operate a new pottery school in the Macon County Heritage Center at the old Cowee School.
Watercolor and oil painter Jo Ridge Kelley will demonstrate oil painting techniques in a naturescape for Art League of the Smokies at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, at the Swain County Center for the Arts in Bryson City.
Voices in the Laurel will hold auditions for “Laurel Strings,” a new string ensemble open to students in grades two-12 in area counties who are currently taking private lessons in violin, viola, cello or bass or have taken at least two years of lessons in the past. Auditions will be held by appointment through Sept. 27. First rehearsals will begin on Oct. 1 in Waynesville.
The ensemble will meet on Tuesdays at First Baptist Church in Waynesville and will perform both a winter and spring concert in conjunction with Voices in the Laurel. The ensemble will also perform at the Voices in the Laurel “I Heart Disney” Valentine Concert in February 2014.
Sarah Smith, the director of the ensemble, has been teaching private lessons in Haywood County since arriving from the Raleigh area more than two years ago. She has a bachelor’s degree in music education from Huntington University in Indiana and has spent 12 years teaching public school choir, drama and music. She has taught violin and piano privately for the last 17 years.
919.272.1359 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Acclaimed musician/folklorist Lee Knight will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, at the Jackson County Public Library Complex in Sylva.
The Boho Stage Show will bring aerial trapeze, circus acts, belly dancing, hula-hooping and other eccentric forms of performance art for two shows — one at 2 p.m. and one at 7 p.m. — on Saturday, Sept. 28, at The Strand on 38 Main in Waynesville.
To the Editor:
The North Carolina legislature has passed, and Gov. McCrory has signed, a bill requiring a photo ID in order to vote. This bill will disenfranchise a large number of voters in our state, especially the elderly (which includes the greatest generation, who saved our country for democracy) and the first-time voters. In addition, the bill eliminates one week of early voting, which has been extremely popular with older folks.
Some real examples: a friend is 94 years old. She served as a nurse in WWll, has always been very active in her church and community; her husband was a state senator for several terms. She has voted in every election since she was old enough, but now she can’t vote because she has no “valid” ID. Another friend is 87, has never driven because she is blind, she and her family have worked tirelessly for their church and community, but now she can’t vote.
The newspapers assure us that “free IDs” can be obtained at any driver’s license office. How does a 94-year-old woman or a blind woman locate an office and get there? What about the many older folks who do not see a newspaper or who missed the announcement on the news? What about those who were not born in North Carolina and don’t have a birth certificate?
There will be thousands who make the effort to get to the polls, only to be told they are not eligible. Few people will go through the process of casting a provisional ballot, which may or may not, be ruled eligible by the officials. Many restrictions on absentee voting have been lifted, creating more opportunities for fraud.
Recent redistricting, with changed boundary lines and split precincts, increases the likelihood that folks will go to the wrong precinct to vote. For years, they could fill out a conditional ballot, which, after verification, would be counted.
Under the new law, these votes will be thrown out. The elderly and minorities are most likely to be in this group.
With all the distractions today, many young people are turned away by politics, not realizing that politics affect every phase of our lives, or that voting is a precious right and a responsibility.
Currently, high school civics classes provide an opportunity to get them involved, and even provide pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds. In many cases, this will be the last opportunity to reach these kids. The new legislation totally eliminates this registration.
Things get even more complicated when a college student tries to vote!
Incidentally, these free IDs are estimated to cost North Carolina $823,200 in each of the first two years, and over $24,000 annually. All of this to fix a problem that all surveys indicate does not exist.
Is it a coincidence that the elderly, the young, and minorities tend to vote Democratic?
Margaret S. Ramsey
Franklin
By Dawn Gilchrist-Young
I’m writing this because I teach three sections of senior English at Swain High School, where I’ve taught English in grades nine through 12 for almost 15 years. However, I can only say I’ve loved what I do for 14 of those years, and that’s because my first year in public education left me neither time nor energy to ponder the luxury of how I felt about my work. Having no time to reflect is typical for a first-year public school teacher.
