Classroom lessons focusing on Cherokee culture and ecology of the Great Smoky Mountains will expand to schools in seven Western North Carolina counties thanks to a $102,500 grant that the Cherokee Preservation Foundation awarded to Friends of the Smokies.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville is finally ready to show off its new second main stage, the Daniel and Belle Fangmeyer Theater, at an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday Sept. 24.

A museum honoring the American house cat is set to open soon in Jackson County, but cash and volunteer hours are needed to make it happen. 

Western Carolina University’s Public Policy Institute and Department of Political Science and Public Affairs are seeking questions from voters to be asked during a series of debates in September and October.

Macon County Sheriff’s Office concluded “Operation Thunderstruck” on Sept. 9 with 26 arrests for drug-related offenses while three suspects are still at large. 

To the Editor:

Widespread reports of Muslim terrorist activity in the media of late, and the incessant drumbeat of political rhetoric, have combined to stoke our fears about exercising our historic American hospitality to “welcome the stranger” by hosting refugees. Countries much less affluent than we have far outstripped us, percentage wise, in providing food and shelter to those who have lost everything due to violence or natural disaster. 

My experience with Muslim people has been quite different. While living for extended periods of time in countries where Muslims (and adherents of other religions) significantly outnumbered Christians (e.g., Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Palestine. Hong Kong, Korea) and visiting others for shorter periods of time (China, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Israel), my wife and I have had nothing but the most cordial, constructive, and harmonious relations with the local populations. Also, while actively sponsoring refugees in another U.S. locale, we found the experience to be stimulating and enriching. 

In both types of experience we have been able to learn from other cultures, receive generous hospitality, and put into practice American values of service, unselfishness, and benevolence. When we allow our attitudes and behavior to be governed by fear and security concerns, however, we negate our rich national heritage of welcoming the stranger, forego opportunities for learning and growth, and project a selfish, mean-spirited image. 

Sad to say, this latter attitude has seemed to prevail in our country ever since 9/11. Hate crimes against Muslims have tripled, exacerbated by irresponsible speechifying and biased commentary. Bigotry, hate mail, school bullying, and (not always veiled) incitement to violence are openly expressed. Many American Muslims live in constant fear of rejection and persecution. The media focuses on the negative, “terrorist” dimension, while stories about Muslim contributions to society, both here and abroad, are hard to find. 

Hate, violence, intolerance, and religious persecution have been practiced in every age, nation, and culture — as much or more in so-called “Christian” eras and countries as in any other. Treatment of Native Americans, Chinese, Mormons, African Americans, Jews, etc., in our history are prime examples. Rather than “the pot calling the kettle black,” can we not put our best foot forward by reaching out with welcome and support for the “others” who are already here, open our hearts and homeland to human beings fleeing war, famine, and persecution in places like Syria, Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Burma, and support their desire and motivation to make a new life for themselves and become contributing members of our society, as the ancestors of most of us have always done? 

Doug Wingeier

Waynesville 

To the Editor:

I have said many times that I love living in a small town; yesterday, something happened that perfectly illustrates why I do.  

For many, many years my family and I have processed and frozen enough peaches to enjoy in the winter. I always get my fruit at Tallent’s Produce, so have become good friends with Bruce and Steve. We have shared tears over deaths and laughs, over many things.  

Yesterday, I went by to get my peaches. Since I am almost 85 years old, I don’t pick up big baskets like I used to, so asked if they would hold them for me until the next day, when I would have family available. Without hesitation, Steve said, “I’ll give you 15 minutes, and then will be right behind you!” Even though their stand was still open, he followed me home, put the peaches on the porch, and then returned to their business! Where, but in a small town, would that happen?

I decided to list just some of the ways that I, personally, benefit from the small-town atmosphere; the list is long. I have always had the newspaper delivered to my home; the box was near the road, a fair walk for me. After I became less active, I came home one day and found that the carrier had moved the box closer; later he moved it even closer. We lease our farm to Nelson Thibault — who now brings the paper to my back door!

When my husband died, after 62 years of marriage, I closed my kitchen and do very little cooking. My family and I eat out daily. We have several favorite places; when we miss a few times, the staff always greets me with ….. “Are you OK? We were worried about you!” I use a cane, which I am prone to forget and someone always brings it to me. At the grocery store, the cashier came out from the counter to give a hug and  “I’ve missed you!” When I got home, Nelson stopped what he was doing, and carried my groceries in. Small town, for sure!I decided to read just one issue of the newspaper to see what evidence of small town volunteerism I could find that benefit the whole community. The list is really long: 

• Charity Car Show to benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation — Many volunteers to make it happen.

• Public Safety Day — Kids can meet fire fighters, law enforcement and emergency personnel. A few of these folks are paid, but most are volunteers.

• 4-H Clubs all need volunteer leaders.

• “Back to school” really brings out the volunteers — We all know how important volunteers are to the school system.

• Youth sports — There is no way to count the volunteers it takes to make these programs work.

• Mountain Youth Talent contest

• Shriners’ Horse Show benefits Shriners’ Children Hospitals.

• Zonta Club holds “Boots and Bling” to benefit REACH

• Franklin Federated Women’s Club.

• Almost every week, there is a notice of a benefit for someone who has had a fire or medical problem that is very expensive.

This is a very incomplete list and does not include the dozens of churches and all their contributing organizations.  I really feel sorry for folks who don’t live in a small town.

Margaret Ramsey

Franklin

A relaunched carbon offsets program will give business, organizations and individuals in Western North Carolina a way to turn their energy emissions into efficiency upgrades for area nonprofit and organization facilities.

A meeting between leaders of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians brought tribal members a little closer to being able to gather plants on national park land. 

The Haywood Community College Foundation will hold a Shine & Dine Gala from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, at the Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville. 

Maggie Valley Area Chamber of Commerce recently elected three new members to the board of directors: Dave Angel, owner of Elevated Mountain Distilling Company; Scott Neilson, co-owner of Cabbage Rose Gifts; and Tammy Brown with Cataloochee Ski Area.

National forest users who want to share their thoughts on issues and projects, including the forest plan revision, will have a chance during a slate of upcoming meetings.

Orange barrels have been flying out of the Pigeon River Gorge on Interstate 40 near the North-Carolina Tennessee border.

On Wednesday morning, N.C. Department of Transportation officials removed the final orange barrels that had closed one lane in each direction for the last month.

To the Editor:

A recent letter-writer states, “most Republican politicians will continue to tell you that tax cuts are the solution to most of your problems.”

Does he mean Republican President JFK who pointed out, “… it is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high today and tax revenues are too low and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the rates now?”

Maybe he means JFK’s Republican Vice President, LBJ, who signed JFK’s tax reduction legislation into law.

Was it Republican President Jimmy Carter he was thinking about? The same president who reduced capital gains tax from as much as 98 percent to 28 percent and asked for tax reductions of $17 billion for individuals and $6 billion for corporations?

Could he mean Republican President Clinton who reduced the capital gains rate to 20 percent? He also reduced tariffs by signing NAFTA, signed welfare reform, increased deductions for the estate tax, established Roth IRAs and increased limits for deductible IRAs.

Or maybe he means Republican President Woodrow Wilson who warned, “high rates of income and profits taxes discourage energy, remove the incentive to new enterprise, encourage extravagant expenditures, and produce industrial stagnation with consequent unemployment and other attendant evils.”

He may have Republican President Harry Truman in mind, who proposed cuts of $30 billion in today’s money.

Does he mean Republican President Obama who realized, “No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top?” This is the same Republican president who extended the Bush tax cuts to the tune of $858 billion.

Maybe he means that former Goldwater Girl and current Republican candidate for president who as senator voted to extend the Bush tax cuts in 2005 and 2006.

The writer’s expressed economic policy most nearly resembles John Maynard Keynes’ economic theory of aggregate demand. Even he was forced to admit that “taxation may be so high as to defeat its object,” that in the long run, a reduction of the tax rate “will run a better chance, than an increase, of balancing the budget.”

The recent letter-writer also wrote, “the middle and lower economic classes don’t have extra money to spend ....” But in the next paragraph, he states that the “last 20 years have seen the greatest transfer of wealth in U.S. history.” Since the lower classes don’t have money to spend, how was this miraculous transfer of wealth accomplished? Who exactly is he accusing here anyway? Which party held the White House for 12 of those 20 years?

It’s getting a little tiresome listening to Democrat malcontents who keep harping on the mote in Republicans’ eyes while ignoring the logs in their own and who blame Republicans for the very policies they enshrined into law. Their air of moral superiority while wallowing in the cesspools they accuse Republicans of dipping their toes into is a wonder to behold. Republicans live by North Carolina’s motto: “esse quam videri,” which translates to “to be rather rather than to seem.”

If only Democrats would.

Timothy A. Van Eck

Whittier

To the Editor:

There are those who would have us fear going about our daily lives due to possible terrorist attack. Even including the recent rash of attacks at Fort Hood, San Bernardino, and Orlando, the odds of dying in the U.S. due to terrorism is far less than many other risks we don’t give a second thought. 

Consider the following statistics, which reflect averages for the entire population.  Compared to terrorist attack you are more likely to die from:

• Poisoning, including drug overdose (4.400 times more likely).

• Traffic accident or obesity (4,000 times each).

• Medical mistake (at least 2,000 times.)

• Alcoholism (1,200 times).

• Crossing the street (600 times).

• Bee sting (8 times).

This is not to say we should ignore the risk. Far from it. But ginning up fear is counterproductive.

By behaving irrationally, we might very well alienate those who could be our strongest allies in stopping attacks. We provide propaganda value to ISIS beyond their wildest dreams by disrespecting Muslims and threatening to torture, carpet bomb and murder the families of ISIS members.  

Those who confuse bombast with strength and cheer wildly at these statements are only helping the cause of ISIS. How many more terrorists have been recruited with help of these thoughtless statements and reactions? 

The point of terrorism is to terrorize (duh). Many of our so-called leaders are doing their work for them. Let’s not allow ourselves to fall into that trap. We’re smarter than that … I hope.

Everett Baucom

Cruso

As my siblings and I became more interested and engrossed in politics growing up, my father always tried to impress on us the importance of understanding the political/ethical/economic/social views of others. Regardless of our point of view, he urged us to listen and try to understand those views that were different from our own. Not only does this allow for greater respect between people of different ideas, it also better prepares a person to counteract ideas or views with which they don’t agree.

September temperatures will make or break fall color quality this year, according to Western Carolina University’s new fall foliage forecaster Beverly Collins.

An infestation of destructive emerald ash borers has been confirmed in the Appalachian Ranger District of the Pisgah National Forest and on private lands along the French Broad River, extending from Marshall to the Tennessee state line.

Friends of the Smokies raised $205,562 at its 22nd annual Friends Across the Mountains Telethon last week, with the hundreds of callers, online donations and sponsors bringing the telethon’s lifetime fundraising total to $3.5 million since its inception in 1995.

Harris Regional Hospital has provided a new scoreboard for the Carr Hooper Stadium and Babe Howell Field at Smoky Mountain High School as part of its longstanding commitment to Mustangs athletes, families and fans. 

CeCe Hipps, president of the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, was designated by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives as a Certified Chamber Executive. The CCE is the only national certification for chamber professionals.

No charges will be filed following a District Attorney Office investigation into the death of 2-year-old Mason Lee Powell of Franklin.

The annual Mountain Youth Talent Contest was held at the Franklin Area Folk Festival on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin.

The recently unveiled “Golden Threads” mural, located outside facing Pack Square Park in Asheville is now available as a limited edition art print. 

Penland School of Crafts has open spaces in its upcoming eight-week session available at half tuition to area residents. These long workshops are an unusual opportunity to spend two months working with first-rate instructors in professionally-equpped studios.

Papageorgio’s Italian-American Restaurant is set to open Friday, Sept. 2, on Main Street in Waynesville where Apple Creek Cafe has operated for less than a year.

To the Editor:

Oh, boy. It’s like 1974 all over again. A high-profile elected official is doing his best to dodge the scrutiny of an investigative agency looking into a sex and misappropriation of funds scandal in his office.

The official is our own Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers. The agency is the Office of Congressional Ethics. This is the independent, nonpartisan agency charged with reviewing the conduct of members of Congress. Its purpose is to conduct an unbiased review of questionable behavior and issue a public report on its findings.    

There is another committee that serves this function, too. It’s the House Committee on Ethics ... similar name, similar sounding purpose, but with a wholly different approach. It’s made up of House members — not an independent staff — who have an interest in protecting each other. And after the HEC makes its report, the report is not available to the public.

Meadows’ problems started in October 2014, when his chief of staff, Kenny West, made women in his congressional office “uncomfortable,” with three testifying that he sexually harassed them. The next month, Meadows moved the man out of his office, giving him an advisory title, but in essence he did no work. However, he got paid. The same as he’d been paid as chief of staff. By April 2015, it was announced that West was no longer chief of staff, but the payments continued until August of that year.  And that broke the rules outlined in the House Ethics Manual.  

Meadows variously called the payments “severance” or “vacation” pay, neither of which held water with the OCE. Then Meadows refused to cooperate with the OCE, instead saying that he would cooperate only with the friendlier HEC … the one that would hide its report. In his attempt to obscure the facts and avoid transparency in his misuse of public funds, Meadows is hiding something. Just what, he’s not saying.  

So it’s time to make the same demand that the special prosecutor made of Richard Nixon: turn over the tapes so that we know what is behind your cover up.

Shirley Ches

Franklin

To the Editor:

Mr. Jim Gray’s letter concerning wilderness conservation in last week’s SMN, while well written, is based on a faulty assumption, and so arrives at incorrect conclusions.

His assumption is “wilderness advocates” are backward looking, only interested in returning tracts of our pubic land to a pre-Columbian state. That may have been a fair generalization a generation ago, but today we are faced with new circumstances that require a new perspective on wilderness. We need to look forward and envision a better land ethic.

Looking at current trends and projecting into the future, we see the grim realities of disappearing species and habitats, diminished ecological diversity, and even the possible collapse of whole ecosystems. America needs to preserve our remaining wild areas, not as memorials to some supposed pristine past but as genetic savings accounts that we can draw upon in the future. 

Furthermore, we cannot do this simply by picking out places that look pretty. We must choose wild areas based on where the most critical genetic information is stored.

It is laudable to bring different stakeholders together in order to balance the various forms of consumption each party represents, but it is not enough. We must listen carefully to those who actually have some scientific knowledge of the vital flora and fauna of our mountain habitats, who know which habitats are closest to vanishing forever and who have some overall plan in mind to protect and connect these threatened areas.

Wilderness isn’t a museum of the past; it is an essential bank account for the future.

Boyd Holliday

Lake Junaluska

By David Teague • Guest Columnist

More than 20 years ago, I attended a diversity training in Raleigh. A component of the training was to pair up with a partner, choose a group we identified with, and name something about that group that we never wanted to hear said again. The group identity I chose was white male.

Students at Cherokee Middle School have spent the last two years digging deep into the ecology, culture and history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park through a partnership between the park and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians honoring the Park Service’s centennial. 

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has a new chief of resource education in Nigel Fields, who Superintendent Cassius Cash hired following the retirement of Liz Dupree. 

Haywood County Sheriff’s Office is searching for one or more individuals who around midnight Tuesday, Aug. 16, broke into the Quick Pantry store at 6147 Pigeon Road in Bethel.

Rev. Jimmy Pennell was recognized as the 2016 Chief Junaluska recipient during Lake Junaluska Associates Weekend held on Aug. 6. 

To the Editor

You may have noticed that we have an election coming up. With that, one hot topic will be taxes. Based on their stubborn belief in trickle-down economics, most Republican politicians will continue to tell you that tax cuts are the solution to most of your problems.

The story goes that if you cut taxes on higher income groups, investors will have more money to invest which will provide money to companies to build more facilities which will hire more people who will pay more in taxes and result in increased government revenue. 

We have been testing this theory for over 30 years and the results are in. It doesn’t work!

The Reagan tax cuts resulted in unprecedented increases in the deficit during his eight years in office. The tax cuts and relaxed financial oversight during Bush2 led to the next great increase in national debt, middle-class bankruptcies and an international financial crisis. Only recently has the increase in annual deficit spending been reversed as we slowly emerge from the Bush Recession.

At the state level, Kansas and Louisiana have become the poster children for aggressive implementation of trickle-down. Both are economic train wrecks. The deep-red Kansas legislature even debated whether to ignore a valid ruling from their own Supreme Court regarding education funding rather than deal with the real cause of their budget disaster. Kansans threw out many of their trickle-down legislators in the recent primary.

So why hasn’t this worked? Nationally, we now have a concentration of wealth in the upper 1 percent that has not been seen since before the Great Depression of the 1930s. The last 20 years have seen the greatest transfer of wealth in U.S. history. Large corporations are sitting on record amounts of cash and buying other companies — not investing in new production capacity that would create jobs. 

Why is this? We are a consumer economy and the vast majority of consumers — the middle and lower economic classes — don’t have extra money to spend after paying for food and shelter. Companies will not invest in new production and employees if they don’t see an expanding market for their products. That market has been eliminated by implementation of trickle-down tax policies. 

The problem is made worse when legislatures use increased sales taxes to balance budgets. Sales taxes hit middle- and lower-income citizens worse than the wealthy. In North Carolina the vast majority of us pay more of our income in taxes (income and sales) than we did before Gov. Pat McCrory and Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, took charge.

The trickle-down theory has been tested for over 30 years and has been found to be false and dangerous. It’s time to move on and develop policies that invest in the 99 percent of citizens. Trickle down just doesn’t work.

John Gladden

Franklin

To the Editor:

Glittering gold and gleaming glass

Dominating the miserable humans

Huddled in the shadows

Of the Trump Tower.

This is Donald Trump’s vision, as revealed to me in the summer of 1984.

I was 20 years old and I will never forget it. I grew up in Franklin and, by the blessing of a college scholarship, I was working as a summer intern with the Hartford Police Department. I had the opportunity to explore New York one weekend. The Trump Tower had opened just the year before, and I could hardly believe that someone could build a tower of gold. I had to see it for myself.

Before I could get to the tower, however, I had to pass by a gauntlet of homeless, desperate human beings who lay desolate before the gleaming tower. The poor will always be among us, but I was struck deeply by the contrast of immense apparent wealth and the desperation of those who clung to its periphery. 

I could not escape the question: if you can build a tower of gold, what can you do to alleviate suffering? I could not escape Trump’s apparent answer: nothing.

When I drew closer to the tower, I realized that it was not really gold. By all accounts, it appears golden in color, but on closer inspection, it is built of brass, glass and mirrors. I took the interior escalator up several flights, and was amazed at the high-end boutiques. I could not afford anything offered, so I left empty-handed. But, not alone.

My friend, Andy was with me. He saw what I saw. He is now a physician. He heals people and supports missionaries. 

To all who will hear, please know that our choices matter. Lives can be blessed, or they can be ignored. I know what I saw. And, now he wants to govern us all. I cannot be silent. Leave Trump to his tower and America will be greater than ever. We are only as strong as our weakest link. But they, like most of us, live outside the Trump Tower.

Fred H. Jones

Franklin

To the Editor:

I want to commend the U.S. Forest Service and district ranger staffs for an excellent job in producing a very thorough analysis of what alternatives should be considered for additional wilderness designation in the Nantahala & Pisgah National Forests new management plan (see story page 50). If you want to read the analysis of each area that was considered for wilderness recommendation go to http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd511839.pdf. Here you can read the analysis of each of the 54 areas that were considered and why it was recommended or not recommended.

The Forest Service formed a Stakeholders Forum for input and guidance on the new management plan. This Forum has met monthly for almost a year. I am a member of the Forum. The Forum also included members from the Sierra Club, MountainTrue, Southern Environmental Law Center, Wilderness Society, recreational interests, timber interests, Ruffed Grouse Society, Fish & Wildlife Conservation Council, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission (who provided excellent science and hard data) and numerous others. 

All interests had ample opportunity to provide their input and to solicit input from their members. The one group that was not included in the Forum was the counties that have national forest lands within their borders — and 12 of those counties have passed resolutions opposing additional wilderness in their county. The county commissions are our elected representatives and they needed to be heard on an issue this important.

Wilderness advocates have a vision of what the Appalachian forests looked like when Europeans first arrived in North America and they want to go back to that imaginary state. It is essentially a very flawed vision. If you want to read some excellent research of what our mountains looked like then (and had looked like for thousands of years) read chapter 12 of Natural Disturbances and Historic Range of Variation, by Cathryn S. Greenberg (USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station – Asheville) and Beverly S. Collins (Western Carolina University).

We have lots of wilderness in Western North Carolina in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests (over 93,000 acres) and in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (over 500,000 acres). That wilderness is protected by federal statute. What we need is attention to our local economies, restoration of desirable native forest species and management of wildlife habitat. Those are the things that were not managed properly in the current management plan, and we have the opportunity to get back on the right track. 

And, no, there will be no vast clear-cuts, there will be no polluted streams, there will not be a vast network of logging roads slashed through the forest. The national forest will look a lot like it looks today with the addition of a mosaic of areas where timber has been cut, trees are regrowing, old growth forest will be very common, wilderness will exist as it does today and the forest will become a healthy mix of trees of all ages AND a healthy abundant mix of wildlife species that prefer all those types of habitat.

Jim Gray

Franklin

To the Editor:

I was very happy to read the article, “Greenway use rising in Jackson County” in The Smoky Mountain News last week. The article stated that recent use of the greenway doubled and had increased five-fold since last fall. Congratulations to all who brought this project to fruition in spite of unforeseen challenges. With the Tuckasegee River running through the heart of Jackson County, the riverside greenway and other recreational amenities are good for both residents and visitors. 

Founded in 2007, Cullowhee Revitalization Endeavor (CuRvE) is a community organization whose mission is to help revitalization the historic center of Cullowhee. Our focus area begins at the Cullowhee dam and flows downstream to Locust Creek, just below the new footbridge. Right now, much of the area is torn up with construction of a new bridge on Old Cullowhee Road. CuRvE has been actively working with DOT to ensure that the bridge will become a centerpiece of the historic town. 

Significantly, a grant from Blue Ridge Natural Heritage Partners in 2012 allowed CuRvE to commission an economic impact study to measure the effect that improved river access would have on our county. Completed by Asheville-based Syneva Economics, a family river park beside the new bridge would bring $1.2 million in new spending dollars to Jackson County every year. That money would support 16 jobs and generate $145,000 in annual tax revenues. 

Surely, such investments in county services are a good thing for citizens and the growing use of the greenway supports that idea.

Anna Fariello

Cullowhee

Nearly 1,000 athletes converged on Lake Logan this month, pushing for a finish in challenging half-ironman and triathlon competitions at the 11th annual Lake Logan Multisport Festival. 

Details on Mission Hospital for Advanced Medicine 

The public got its first detailed look at the Mission Hospital for Advanced Medicine when Mission Health unveiled a new website with renderings, real-time webcams, key stats and other information for the more than $400 million replacement project.

The new 12-story patient tower in Asheville will combine the older St. Joseph and Memorial facilities, consolidate the two Asheville campuses, and create 220 patient rooms, a significantly expanded state-of-the-art emergency department with 97 beds, consolidated operating, pre-op and recovery space along with interventional cardiology and radiology space that allows for true multidisciplinary, team-based interventional care with the very latest technology. 

The project is expected to create 1,300 area jobs and is expected to be completed in 2019. www.missionfutureready.org.

NC prepares for Zika virus

State health officials continue to encourage North Carolinians to take preventive measures against mosquito bites and to stay informed of the risk of Zika virus infection before traveling to areas with local, active transmission, now including Miami, Florida. 

Zika virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infectious Aedes aegypti mosquito. This mosquito, to date, has not been identified in North Carolina, according to a statewide survey of mosquito populations being conducted in conjunction with researchers at East Carolina University, North Carolina State University, Western Carolina University and experts at local health departments. Currently, 33 travel-related cases of Zika virus have been confirmed in North Carolina.

Symptoms of Zika virus include rash and red eyes. Less common symptoms include fever, joint pains and muscle aches. Only about one in five people infected with Zika virus will show symptoms. Sexual transmission of Zika virus is possible, and is of particular concern during pregnancy. 

www.cdc.gov/zika.

Free tired leg/varicose vein program offered

A free tired leg/ varicose vein educational program will be offered at 5 p.m. Thursday Aug. 25, at the Vein Center at Haywood Regional Medical Center on the 2nd floor.

The event is aimed at educating anyone who may be suffering from aching, cramping or burning pain in the legs, varicose veins, restless legs, discoloration or skin changes, numbness, tingling or pain in their legs after activities such as grocery shopping or a short walk up the stairs.

The program will be led by Dr. Al Mina, MD, FACS and Dr. Joshua Rudd, DO. Register for this session by calling 828.452.8346. Space limited, RSVP required. 

Harris welcomes third general surgeon this fall 

Dr. Joshua Pratt is joining Harris Surgical Associates, a Duke LifePoint physician practice, in September. 

Pratt will join Dr. Billy Noell and Eric Reitz in providing expert surgical care to the region. 

Pratt completed his residency in general surgery at Franciscan St. James Hospitals in Chicago where he served as chief resident. Pratt received his medical degree from the University of North Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth after graduating from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. 

Harris Medical Associates is located on the third floor of Harris Medical Park, 98 Doctors Drive in Sylva.

828.586.3976.

Advance directives workshop offered Aug. 30

A workshop on advanced directives, sponsored by Haywood Regional Medical Center Hospice and Palliative Care and Haywood County Senior Resource Center, will beheld from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, at the Senior Resource Center at 81 Elmwood Way in Waynesville. 

When planning for an expected event, one can end up making multiple decisions, small and large, simple and complicated. Thinking and talking about your health care wishes at end of life can bring the same reassurance that comes from planning any other life event. 

Participants are asked to bring along with them two forms of identification, one a photo I.D., name of their doctor and names, addresses and phone numbers of family members chosen as health care power of attorney or other designee.

828.452.5039 or 828.452.2370.

Angel Medical named acute stroke ready hospital

Immediately performing life-saving care at any time of the day for people suffering from stroke is among the abilities that earned Angel Medical Center a national certification.

The medical center garnered the Advanced Disease-Specific Care Certification for Acute Stroke Ready Hospital from the Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

The certification recognizes hospitals equipped to treat stroke patients with timely, evidence-based care prior to transferring them to a primary or comprehensive stroke center. AMC underwent a rigorous onsite review to assess its compliance with the Joint Commission’s Advanced Disease-Specific Care certification requirements.

Essential Tremor support group to meet in Sylva

International Essential Tremor Foundation Support Group will hold a meeting at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21, at Mission Community Church, 501 North River Rd., Sylva.

Learn about essential tremor (ET) and other movement disorders. The group serves individuals in Jackson, Macon, Swain and Haywood counties. Essential tremor is a neurological condition that affects 10 million adults and children. Although it is not a life-threatening condition, it is a life-altering condition that causes rhythmic trembling of the hands, head, legs or voice; frequently impacting every day activities such as eating, drinking and writing. 

RSVP to Ted Kubit at 828.631.5543 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Lessons in Mindfulness offered in Waynesville

A six-session anxiety and stress reduction workshop will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. every Thursday, Sept. 15 through Oct. 20 at 166 Branner Ave. Suite C, Waynesville.

The cost is $15 per person or $25 per couple), per session. Space is limited, registration required. 

Contact Dodi Christiano, Licensed Professional Counselor at 703.609.9107.

Also:

• Harris Regional Hospital is seeking volunteers to assist in supporting patients under palliative care of hospice treatment and offering volunteer training sessions beginning in August. Multiple areas of opportunity are available and volunteers are free to choose how much time they will commit. 828.631.1702.

• Harris and Swain Hospitals welcome Chip Thompson, MD to the medical staff. Dr. Thompson will provide pain management services at the Swain and Harris Pain Centers beginning Aug. 22.

• Macon County Public Health is offering a program to help prevent Type II Diabetes. The program offers a fun group atmosphere. The group will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays at the Macon County Health Department starting Sept. 15. It is offered for a one-time fee of $60 with scholarships available for those who qualify. 828.349.2455.

The new budget signed by Gov. Pat McCrory will allow the North Carolina Arts Council to support an extensive arts infrastructure across North Carolina, including arts programs in all 100 counties funded through the Grassroots Arts Program, with more than $7.1 million in grants.

To the Editor:

Chapters of the League of Women Voters in Henderson County and Macon County recently invited the congressional candidates in the North Carolina’s 11th District to participate in forums wherein they would be allowed to speak briefly and then field questions put to them by the audience.

Democratic candidate Rick Bryson accepted.

Republican candidate Mark Meadows declined.

One is inclined to wonder why Meadows would avoid an open discussion with WNC women. Is it because the questions are not vetted by his staff? Is it because they might ask about the ethics issue of paying off his chief of staff who was reported to be too personal with women members of his staff? 

Or could it be that they would openly wonder about his choice of words when he referred to, in a public hearing on women’s issues, a birth control pill as a “... slut pill?”

So, Mark, what’s the story? What don’t you want to say in front of WNC women?

Suzanne Thomas

Franklin

To the Editor:

A friend recently asked me if I could give her a short answer to a question and I, without thinking, said yes.  The question was ... “Who should I vote for in November for President?”

 I stared at her in disbelief earnestly wishing she’d asked for a short answer to the meaning of life instead. Not having a short (or a long) answer readily available, I have been contemplating the question off and on ever since.

It appears our two major parties have burdened us with candidates few of us like  and consequently we’re apt to awake Nov. 9 believing we’ve elected as President the most corrupt politician on the planet or our country’s most recognizable buffoon.

I was born a Republican, but the Grand Old Party left me eons ago and for many election cycles I’ve been registered “Independent” or “Unaffiliated.” I believe the character and demeanor of the two major candidates demands my putting that independent spirit into reinvigorated practice this November.

I’m going to study the alternative candidates far more carefully than usual and try and determine if perhaps one of them isn’t better qualified and more closely aligned with the temperament, attributes and distinguishing characteristics of the leader I think this great and wonderful nation needs and deserves.

David L. Snell

Franklin

To the Editor:

I encountered a customer openly carrying a pistol at a local business. I inquired as to the legality of this, and he assured me that this is legal in North Carolina. I checked the N.C. Department of Justice website, and it turns out that he is correct.

While I can agree with the logic of concealed carry in some circumstances, I strongly disagree with civilians openly carrying firearms in public, unless in a designated hunting area during season.

The question is this: do we want to revert to the Wild West mentality? If so, what message does this send to our children? To me and millions of other Americans, open carry is a form of intimidation, an inherent visible public threat.

Given race relations and the state of political division, there is no reason for civilians to openly carry guns in public. Further, it makes the carrier a target for someone who wants to steal their visible gun.

Do you want to encounter men and women walking down Main Street with AKs and ARs? How about in Ingles or Walmart? Would that make you feel safe? What if they had Confederate flags or Nazi flags, Communist flags, or American flags for that matter? 

The police don’t carry rifles because they don’t want to escalate a situation unnecessarily.  

Last year, a man entered the ticketing area of the Atlanta airport carrying an AR-15 with a 100-round magazine. Law enforcement agencies have better things to do than stop idiots, do background checks and see if they are allowed to own guns.

It’s time for the Republican politicians in this state to use some common sense and put a stop to open carry other than for law enforcement and hunting.

Civilians visibly carrying guns in the streets and businesses makes us all less safe. It’s a recipe for tragedy and heartbreak.

Don Kowal

Franklin

To the Editor:

Most papers lean to the left a little and some a lot. I believe your newspaper is impartial when it comes to letters to the editor. I can see you print both sides, congratulations.

I am an independent, I was a blue-collar worker all my life, I retired with a 38-year pension and a four-year enlistment in the Navy. I am 79 years old and consider myself a patriot. I have been involved in politics since the first time I could vote, when I was 21. 

My observations are as follows: this country is in trouble. We have a president that is screwing up so badly he’s making Jimmy Carter look good. Bubba Clinton went to school in England and chose not to join the service or was not drafted. Hillary Clinton equals liar, liar, pants suit on fire. I understand she just won four Pinocchio awards. 

Now it’s time to pick on so-called Republicans. Romney equals loser, McCain equals loser, this year’s 16 hopefuls equal losers. RINO Ryan equals a man that did Obama’s work and raised our national debt. It was the first thing he did.

Donald Trump is far from perfect but he is the only game in town — unless you want lying Hillary. He is proud of his accomplishments in life and will go out of his way to make himself look good. If that happens, America would benefit. God only knows how important this election will be to our country and the rest of the world.

Al Goodis

Waynesville

To the Editor:

This is a letter of appreciation to the people that live in Haywood County as well as to those that live elsewhere but call us friends. I want to begin by humbly saying thank you from the bottom of my heart for all who display appreciation for law enforcement, but especially for those of you that have in some way expressed your thankfulness over the past several weeks. I wish it was possible for us to come to your doorstep to thank you in person. I feel our message would simply be “thank you for taking a moment out of your day to choose love and support to those of us that wear the badge.”  

After a seemingly never-ending string of tragic, unfortunate and senseless incidents that have occurred in our nation recently, it has felt as if everywhere I have turned there has been a sense of “a heavy and broken heart” for our law enforcement families and for our nation in general. However, I will be forever grateful and thankful to those in our communities throughout Haywood County who have chosen to push for unity and collaboration during these most pivotal times, rather than tip the scale in a direction of division.  

To the pastors and their churches and our faith-based community here in Haywood County as a whole, your prayers and support have been felt in a mighty way. I want to thank you for the times you have been in our parking lot and even our lobby to pray for the healing of our nation, our state and protection for the law enforcement officers in our county.  I also want to say thank you for being so kind to many of our officers and deputies’ spouses, children and other family members.

  When the moment arrives for people to choose to rise above and show generosity after a tragic event, or get lost in the darkness that surrounds violent acts, the citizens of Haywood County have risen to a level that is unparalleled. In a world where so many are looking over their shoulder more than ever before, the people of Haywood County have shown the world they would rather send a smile or a kind word our way more than anything else.

So many of you have expressed to us at the Sheriff’s Office loud and clear that you accept us. You found the strength to dig deep in a turbulent time and show us your hearts. Please know that you will always have ours. We will never forget the kindness and love that has been shown.

Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher

Anyone with an internet connection can now pull up a map showing where they might encounter any of 1,800 Smokies species, thanks to the newly launched Species Mapper web application.

The Haywood County Sheriff’s Office will soon have full 9-1-1 text message capabilities.