Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host a free Halloween-flavored performance of “The Liars Bench” Southern Appalachian variety show at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20.

“The Liars Bench” was founded by Sylva writer and storyteller Gary Carden in June 2010, and the show’s cast presented programs in Sylva during its first year. The ensemble has been staging its monthly productions in the Mountain Heritage Center auditorium since July.

With the theme “Haints, Boogers and Belled Buzzards,” the upcoming show will feature Carden, Cherokee storyteller Lloyd Arneach, musician and poet Barbara Duncan, claw-hammer guitarist Paul Iarussi, guest musician William Ritter and a “mystery guest,” Carden said.

“This is the second Halloween show we’ve done, and I believe it’s going to knock your socks off,” he said. “This ‘Liars Bench’ won’t be a funny-face, jack-o-lantern-type of Halloween show. You need to be ready for Southern Appalachian scary.”

828-227-7129 or www.wcu.edu/mhc/.

‘Raindrop Waltz’ in Franklin

Playwright Gary Carden’s “The Raindrop Waltz” will be performed at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 14, at the Unitarian Church in Franklin.

The play will be performed by the Burnsville Theater Troupe.

828.524.6777.

Carden at City Lights Oct. 19

“A Conversation with Gary Carden,” noted storyteller and author, will take place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 19 at City Lights Café in Sylva.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

828.587.2233 or www.citylightsnc.com.

Mountain traditions come alive at the annual Harvest Festival on Oct. 14-16 at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center on the grounds of the historic Stecoah School.

The three-day event begins with a Friday evening campfire and storytelling. Saturday begins with a 5K race and a one-mile fun run. Then from 11 a.m.-5 p.m., the grounds are filled with the sounds of mountain music and dancing feet.

Hit and miss engines, antique tractors and the corn-grinding exhibit provide more excitement. Local artists offer their handmade crafts and foods for sale, often conducting demonstrations of their craft as well. The country fair features competition and exhibits of jams, jellies, pies, cakes, quilts, needlework and much more. There’s even flat foot dance instruction and bed turning of antique quilts. Saturday admission is $3 for adult and free for kids K-12 and younger.

Balsam Range will perform at Saturday night at 7:30 on the grand old stage. Adult tickets are $15 and students (K-12) are $5. Tickets may be purchased by calling or coming into the Stecoah Gallery or on line at stecoahvalleycenter.com  

On Sunday, Oct. 16, there will be free gospel singing in the auditorium from 2:30-5 p.m. featuring local groups Robbinsville Quartet, Shining Pathway, and the Barker Family.  

828.479.3364.

The North Hominy Apple Festival will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the North Hominy Community Center on Newfound Road just outside of Canton.

The festival kicks off with a country breakfast buffet at 7 a.m. and is $7 for adults and $3 for children under 7. The breakfast buffet includes eggs, biscuits and gravy, country ham, sausage, bacon, grits and applesauce with coffee, orange juice and apple juice.

Fried apple pies and apple butter will also be for sell, as are cookbooks. All proceeds benefit the North Hominy Food Pantry.

Festival-goers are invited to watch community residents cook a batch of fresh apple butter or shop for crafts.

828.648.0040.

Big rigs and antique trucks rumble into Cherokee Oct. 14-16 for the sixth Annual Big Rigs and Antique Trucks Show, where truck enthusiasts of all types gather to show off their custom and original truck restorations, trade stories and ideas, compete for prizes and raise money for The Hope Chest for Women, which provides educational resources and limited financial assistance to women in Western North Carolina with breast and gynecologic cancer.

This family friendly event takes place on the Qualla Boundary at the Acquoni Expo Center, which is the old Cherokee High School located at 1501 Acquoni Road Last year more than 2,200 spectators and participants showed up, and this year organizers expect more than 150 trucks to be on display.

Models range from the antique to the working class, including pickup trucks, semis, dump trucks, and more.

Anyone with a real working or antique truck may register. Parts and swap meet vendors and food displays will also be available at the show.

Gates open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. General admission is $5; children 12 and under admitted free.

828.421.9399.

The Marianna Black Library will host an evening of original Southern Gospel music written by the author of the new book Inspirational Lyrics.

Join Sharon Wyatt in the library auditorium at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, as she talks about her new book. She will discuss the songs she’s written and sing a few of them.

Born and raised in Bryson City, Sharon began writing after she moved to Sylva 25 years ago. She has had poetry published in several books, including “National Library of Poetry” and “Poetic Voices.”

828.488.3030 or www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, Blind Faith Productions will present Phil Keaggy, a multi-Dove Award winner, Grammy nominee and world-renowned guitar virtuoso in a fundraising concert for the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center.

This concert will take place at Franklin Covenant Church in Franklin at 7:30 p.m. and doors open at 6:30 p.m. In addition to the concert, there will be a silent auction, desserts and drinks as well as Phil Keaggy merchandise and CDs.

Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center is a local Christian non-profit ministry that reaches out to women and men facing possible pregnancies, which might be unplanned or unwanted pregnancies and don’t know which way to turn.

Tickets are available online at iTickets.com and can be purchased locally at the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce, Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Center and Franklin Covenant Church office. For more information contact Blind Faith Productions 828.342.9006

The Haywood Community Band will present its final free concert of the Maggie Valley Concert Series at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 16 at the pavilion adjacent to the Maggie Valley Town Hall.

The theme for this concert will be, “Out of This World.” Concert-goers will travel “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” visit “The Planets,” “Moon River,” and travel to see “Star Wars.” Bring a picnic dinner and enjoy a Maggie Valley sunset.

www.haywoodcommunityband.org or 828.456.4880.

The Lake Junaluska Singers will present two concerts at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14 and 15 at historic Stuart Auditorium.

The Singers will perform Shaker tunes, music from Appalachia, and more.

Directed by Melodie Galloway, the Lake Junaluska Singers serve as musical ambassadors for the Southeastern Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church and travel nationally and internationally. This 16-voice ensemble presents concerts throughout the year at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, along with performance tours. Concerts include classical, choral music, spirituals, comedy and musical theatre. Bringing hope to the world through inspiring music is the primary focus of the Singers’ ministry.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for children 8 and under.

800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com. Packages are available.

Tickets go on sale 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14, for a Nov. 10 concert at Western Carolina University’s Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center by country music breakout stars Justin Moore and Thompson Square.

The two hot country acts originally were scheduled to be part of a triple-bill headlined by Darius Rucker, who was forced to postpone the concert because of his involvement in a Country Music Association holiday show taping.

In response to demand from fans, however, campus concert organizers decided that the show must go on, said Bill Clarke, Ramsey Center director. “We received numerous calls from fans who said they were disappointed that Darius Rucker had to reschedule and asking if we could still bring Justin Moore and Thompson Square to town,” Clarke said. “The answer, it turns out, is yes.”

Advance tickets are $18 for WCU students and $25 for non-WCU students, plus applicable convenience fees. All tickets day of show are $25 plus fees. Tickets will be available at the Ramsey Center box office, online at ramseycenter.wcu.edu or by phone at 866.928.3378.

Ubuntu, a group of people who meet to sing world music a cappella, will perform at 7 p.m. on Oct. 18 at City Lights in Sylva.

Ubuntu seldom performs as that is not the purpose of the group. The group’s purpose, according to its leaders, is to experience harmony, sing as a spiritual practice and develop an appreciation for world music traditions.

Ubuntu Dillsboro is a member of the worldwide Ubuntu Community Choir Network based in Victoria, B.C. Tom Tyre directs the local group. The event will provide ample opportunity for audience members to sing along with the Ubuntus just to sit back and listen to harmonies from around the world.

A drumming circle for all ages will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16, on the Macon County Courthouse plaza on Main Street in downtown Franklin.  

Mary Eileen Ferrick is the circle leader. People may bring drums and rhythm instruments, or choose from the wide assortment provided, including African djembes, guiros, shakers, and buffalo drums.  Large take-home “can” drums will be provided for the children. Bring a lawn chair. In case of inclement weather the program will be held in the Rathskeller Coffee Haus, 58 Stewart Street, a block from the Courthouse.

This event is sponsored by the Arts Council of Macon County, with funding from the Grassroots Arts Program of the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

828.524.7683, or www.artscouncilofmacon.org.

The decade-old Songwriters in the Round series at the Balsam Mountain Inn continues Thursday, Oct. 13, with crowd favorites Thom Bresh, Lisa Carver and Ladd Smith performing.

The $45 ticket price includes dinner — shrimp and grits, prime rib and chicken marsala are all on the menu — and seating begins at 6:30 p.m., with showtime at around 8.

A world-renowned guitarist and the son of country legend Merle Travis, Bresh is a singer, songwriter, impressionist, and instrumentalist whose instrument of choice is his custom-made two-sided Langejans SuperDualette. He has performed alongside luminaries ranging from Bob Hope and Chet Atkins to Gordon Lightfoot and Les Paul. He has produced the music of Jerry Reed, classical guitarist Valerie DuChateau, and Travis.

Ladd Smith is veteran singer-songwriter, guitar virtuoso and experienced performer who grew up in Hendersonville, Tenn., where many among country music’s royalty call home.

Carver sings dark, deep, and tongue-in-cheek story songs. In addition to her songwriting, she is the author of Dancing Queen: a Lusty Look at the American Dream, in which she expounds upon various relics of pop culture past, including Lawrence Welk, roller rinks and Olivia Newton-John.

855.456.9498 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Fall Colors Art Show will be held this week at the Highlands Recreation Center in Highlands. The popular juried show features national, regional and local artists.

The show is from noon to 6 p.m. on Oct. 14 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 15.

One of the nationally known artists returning this year is Patti Gilley. Gilley grew up in a small town in Ohio and has always enjoyed being outdoors and observing nature. Although she was always interested in art, it wasn’t until her children were out of high school that she began the process of teaching herself how to use them.  

Her work has won numerous awards at art shows across the Southeastern United States and is held in private collections in this country, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy.

There will be events for the children on Saturday with a hands-on creative experience.

The Marianna Black Library in Bryson City is hosting its Third Annual “Life in Swain” amateur photography contest. The past two years have been a huge success with more than 50 photographers submitting more than 100 photos. 

All photographs must be taken in Swain County.  They may be of buildings, landscapes, nature shots, locally known locations, but the winning photos will highlight what makes Swain County unique. The contest is open to all ages and will be divided into two groups: adults 16 years and older and the junior division consists of 15 and under.

Rules for the contest and entry forms are available at the library. Entries may be turned in before Oct. 15. Entry fee is $10 for the first photograph and $5 for each additional one.

828.488.3030.

The Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University — with funding from the Jackson County Arts Council — is hosting a free children’s arts series this fall during the Jackson County Farmers Market.

“Homegrown FAM: Family Art at the Market” will run from 10 a.m. to noon each Saturday through October at Sylva’s Bridge Park. The Jackson County Farmers Market is held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays through October in the adjacent municipal parking lot before moving indoors for the winter.

The arts programming will resume when the farmers market moves back outside for the spring. There is no charge for the program, and children ages 3 through 11 are invited to participate.

The Jackson County Arts Council, with funds originally from the N.C. Arts Council, granted $1,480 to the WCU Fine Arts Museum.

“We’re thrilled to receive this funding from the Jackson County Arts Council, which will help us teach vital life skills such as cooperation and critical thinking to our children through art-making,” said Denise Drury, interim director of the WCU Fine Art Museum. “As a teaching and research-based art museum, our exhibitions often are challenging for younger audiences. This project is a way that we can teach young ones about the museum’s exhibits in an accessible and appropriate way.”

828.227.2553 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Looking for great fall color? Well, gem and mineral dealers from across the country will be in Macon County Oct. 14-16 for the 22nd annual Leaf Lookers Gemboree at the Macon County Community Building just off U.S. 441 south of Franklin.

Dealers will be displaying and selling fine jewelry, gems, minerals, and more against the spectacular backdrop autumn color in the Smokies. The gemboree will feature a wide variety of items including fine finished jewelry, rough and cut gems, lapidary equipment, beads, minerals, fossils and collectibles. Dealers will also be available to custom make special pieces of jewelry.

Every paid admission will be given an entry to the door prizes drawn hourly.  New this year, a grand prize drawing on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. for a 14k white gold vintage ring with a sapphire and diamonds. This ring’s estimated retail value is $795. You do not need to be present to win.

“All dealers who attend our Gemborees return year after year because the Franklin shows are among the best in the country,” said Linda Harbuck, executive director of the Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce. “We carefully select the dealers who attend to make sure we have just about anything folks could be looking for.”  

Admission is $2 for adults and those under 12 are free. Watch for $1 off coupon in local papers. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

828.524.3161 or 800.336.7829.

About 3,000 students from high school marching bands in four states will compete for top honors during the 11th annual Tournament of Champions competition Saturday, Oct. 15, at Western Carolina University.

“We are excited and looking forward to hosting one of the largest marching band competitions in the Southeast,” said David Starnes, director of athletic bands. “We invite everyone to attend this year’s event, not only to experience the great entertainment that our participating bands will offer, but also to show appreciation and enthusiasm for all of their hard work.”

The event, a showcase for elite high school marching bands, will begin with a preliminary session at 9:45 a.m. at E.J. Whitmire Stadium. Judged by a nationally recognized adjudication panel that provides educational and constructive feedback, bands selected to advance to finals will be announced at 4:30 p.m. The evening session will begin at 7 p.m., with finalists competing for the grand champion Chancellor’s Trophy.

In addition, WCU’s award-winning Pride of the Mountains Marching Band, which participated in the 2011 Rose Parade and performed this fall at a Carolina Panthers football game, will offer exhibition performances at 4 p.m. and at the end of finals at 9:30 p.m. Also on the schedule is a noon concert by Soul Train, the WCU marching band’s rock group.

Regional participating schools include Pisgah High School from Canton, Smoky Mountain High School from Sylva and Tuscola High School from Waynesville.

Tickets are available for the preliminary session for $10 each, and for the finals session for $8 each if purchased before 4 p.m. on Oct. 15 and $10 if purchased after 4 p.m. Tickets for WCU students are $8 to each session with a valid student identification, and children 12 and younger will be admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.

828.227.2259 or www.prideofthemountains.com.

The Nantahala Hiking Club, the Franklin-based Appalachian Trail maintaining club, is building a new Appalachian Trail shelter about half way between Albert Mountain and Rock Gap to replace the existing “Big Spring” shelter which is nearing the end of its life span. The structural components timber frame shelter were donated by Goshen Timber Frame of Franklin in recognition of Franklin being designated an Appalachian Trail Community. Additionally, Goshen’s craftsmen will donate their time to erect the timber frame at Rock Gap.

In the meantime, a volunteer trail maintenance crew has made repairs to the old shelter. The crew “raised the roof” last week using two, six-ton jacks and cribbing raised the corner of the shelter 21 inches and replaced the four-inch diameter locust post, which had sunk into the ground over time, with a new pressure treated timber.

The unique flower and decorative plant arrangements of Ikebana International will be on display during a special exhibit, part of the Carolina Bonsai Expo.

The event will take place at The North Carolina Arboretum on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9, in the second-floor gallery and library of the Education Center.

Terri Ellis Todd, teacher in the Ichiyo School and former president of Ikebana International in Asheville, will demonstrate on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the education building in the first-floor classroom.

Ikebana International in Asheville has almost 60 members, students and teachers in Western North Carolina.

The exhibitions are free. There is a parking fee of $8 per vehicle to visit the Arboretum.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.645.6633 or www.ikebanaasheville.org.

The popular Bethel half marathon and 5K race is set for Saturday, Oct. 8, the 18th version of this event.

Both races will begin simultaneously at Bethel Middle School on Sonoma Road at 8:30 a.m., and the courses will take runners along the rolling farmlands and historic sites in Bethel with the added treat of the fall colors on the trees.  

The Bethel Rural Community Organization uses all the proceeds of the race to help support their farmland and historic preservation efforts, MANNA food distribution, Bethel school activities, volunteer fire departments, as well as benevolence to needy families and other worthy causes in the Bethel community. Post race award ceremonies include refreshments of home-made soups and baked goods.

www.bethelrural.org.

The Western North Carolina environmental community recently lost one of its most credible and visible faces with the death of Esther Cunningham of Macon County.

Cunningham died Sept. 20 at age 93. The Macon County native was a wife, mother and grandmother, and the founder — at age 64 — of the Western North Carolina Alliance, an environmental group with local chapters across the mountains.

“She was motivated by her love of the mountains and forests and was outraged when the Forest Service considered allowing private companies to explore for oil and gas in the national forest,” the WNC Alliance noted in a written memorial about Cunningham following her death. “She pulled together her friends and neighbors, environmentalists and hunters, natives and newcomers in a successful effort to stop that proposal — and eventually to change the way the Forest Service manages its lands.”

Cunningham also fought clear-cutting practices by the forest service and encourage selective timber harvest, which is now largely standard practice.

Today, the Alliance has six staff members and two AmeriCorps volunteers and work on various environmental issues across 23 mountain counties.

Hear this fall’s official leaf forecast, including the why and how of leaf color production, at the Jackson-Swain Master Gardeners’ Association meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12. Kathy Mathews, associate professor of biology at Western Carolina University who specializes in plant systematics, will share her prediction for fall foliage. Held at the Jackson County Community Services Building on Scotts Creek Road in Sylva. 828.586.4009.

A book signing with nature photographer James Valentine, a well-known naturalist, photographer and filmmaker, is set for 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. His new book is Southern Appalachian Celebration: In Praise of Ancient Mountains, Old-Growth Forest & Wilderness. Some of the book’s proceeds will go to support the library.

The Nantahala Hiking Club offered three hikes (Ranger Falls, Appalachian Trail north of Winding Stair Gap, and Bartram Trail) this past Saturday Sept. 24 to celebrate Family Hiking Day and National Public Lands’ Day. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and its 31 volunteer maintaining clubs are promoting Family Hiking as a way to connect children and families to nature and plant the seeds for the next generation of Public Land stewards. For more information about Family Hiking and to tell your family hiking story visit www.appalachiantrail.org/familyhiking. www.nantahalahikingclub.org.

Pull a chair up to the fire and enjoy listening to America’s famed wilderness adventurer, John Muir, a critical player in the formation of our National Parks.

The one-man performance will be played by acclaimed actor/storyteller Lee Stetson at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Haywood Community College’s Beall Auditorium in Waynesville.

Stetson will relate hair-raising tales of Muir’s adventures riding a snow avalanche, freezing in a blizzard and being caught in a mighty Yosemite earthquake, all liberally laced with Muir’s love of the natural world.

Stetson, known as “the voice of John Muir,” was featured in the recent Ken Burns PBS special “The National Parks – America’s Best Idea,” and performs frequently in Yosemite National Park and across the country.

Proceeds from the evening will benefit Trails Forever and other Great Smoky Mountains National Park projects. Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson will be on hand to greet guests. Attendees will be treated to a dessert reception during intermission.

Tickets for the event are: advance $23, door $27, Friends of the Smokies members $20, and students $15. Tickets may be purchased at Blue Ridge Books, 152 S Main St, Waynesville; by calling 828.452.0720; or www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

Learn about hiking and camping in a year when the bear activity is particularly high, forcing the closures of many campsites in the Smokies.

The B.E.A.R. Taskforce will hold “B.E.A.R. Talk ... Hiking and Camping in Black Bear Country” on Oct. 11 at 5:30 p.m. at the library in Cashiers. Tanya Poole of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will be the speaker. Poole has been with the commission for nearly eight years, and is working on a master’s thesis titled: The Effects of Educational Strategies on Black Bear-Human Conflicts.

B.E.A.R.’s mission is to provide educational opportunities and resources to promote peaceful coexistence between humans and bears.

828.526.9227

A juried exhibit of the Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association “Autumn in the Southern Appalachians” is ongoing through Oct. 24 at the Pack Place gallery in Asheville.

An opening reception is set for Friday, Oct. 7, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The exhibit will travel to the Biltmore Estate’s Deerpark Inn for the months of November and December.

The photographers association was founded in 1992 as a nonprofit to promote nature photography in the Carolinas; to help conserve and preserve the diverse natural ecosystems in the Carolinas; and, to educate others interested in nature photography.

Learn all about keeping worms for making compost at two upcoming workshops.

The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and the Jackson/Macon Conservation Alliance will hold free composting, a.k.a. vermicomposting events, on Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Cashiers library. 

This workshop will be repeated on Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 2 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the Swain Extension Center on 60 Almond School Road seven miles west of Bryson City.

Workshops attendees will learn more about acceptable materials for composting, types of structures, preparing and maintaining your compost pile, temperatures, carbon to nitrogen ratios, water requirements, types of worms, bedding, proper food scraps, worm bins, harvesting your compost and worms, and troubleshooting tips.

828.488.3848 or 828.586.4009.

Bicyclists from near and far will take to the road for the eighth-annual Tour de Franklin “Halloween Hunard” charity bicycle ride on Sunday, Oct. 30, starting from Smoky Mountain Bicycles in Franklin at 9 a.m.

With more than 100 cyclists participating in last year’s ride, the Hunard has become a popular fall event for cyclists of every level. Riders will enjoy the beauty of the routes, the festive Halloween atmosphere, and great food that comes with the post-ride meal.

Smoky Mountain Bicycles owners, Dave and Pam Forshee, have mapped out three ride choices, each offering cyclists spectacular mountain scenery when fall colors are at their peak.

This year’s routes include rides of 28, 66 and 103 miles with total climbing elevations ranging from 2,200 to 8,500 feet.

Sponsors are needed to help support the race, as well as volunteers to work at the rest stops.

“Last year, our sponsors and volunteers helped make the ride a great success,” Forshee said.

All proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warriors Project. Cost of the ride is $35 (if registered by Oct. 15) and $45 after that date. The ride fee includes fully stocked rest stops, a commemorative custom T-shirt and a post-ride meal. 828.369.2881 or www.tourdefranklin.com.

Carolyn Sakowski will read from the third edition of her book, Touring the Western North Carolina Backroads, at noon on Friday, Oct. 7, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Scenery, history and folklore intertwine in 21 unique tours that span across the beaten paths of Appalachia. The book serves as a guide for anyone in search of a journey, whether it is a day trip, hike, or cycling adventure. The latest edition includes updated directions, additional sites and photographs and nearby recreational facilities for spur-of-the-moment opportunities.

828.586.9499 email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

MaconSense, a non-partisan organization promoting civic engagement and community service projects, will present a program at 12 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Tartan Hall in Franklin. The program is sponsored by the Macon County League of Women Voters.

The goal is to give everyday people a voice in where the county is heading, free from political posturing and heated rhetoric. Their first campaign is for safe slope development and promotion of commonsense regulation. Group organizers Michael Jackson and Kathy Tinsley will speak.

Lunch is available by reservation. For more information, call 828.371.0527 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Water supply sampling on six wells near the closed Francis Farm Landfill in Haywood County shows that all are safe for drinking and other purposes, according to a report issued by Bunnell-Lammons Engineering (BLE).

In August, Haywood County contracted with BLE to identify property owners and residents near the landfill who have or had water supply wells on their properties. Six property owners within 1,500 feet of the landfill were notified by letter and asked to allow the county to sample the water supply on their properties. On Aug. 16, the county conducted a public meeting to discuss the project and ask the property owners to sign an authorization form.

The water sampling, which was conducted on Aug. 24, tested for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The results showed that VOCs were not detected in any of the wells except for concentrations of bromodicloromethane and chloroform in two wells. However, the concentrations of chemicals in these two wells were not from the landfill, according to BLE.

Kenneth Rudo, state toxicologist with the N.C. Division of Public Health, also examined the test results and said the samples looked good.

“All of the wells are OK for all water uses,” Rudo stated.

County Manager Marty Stamey has notified the six property owners by letter and thanked them for their cooperation.

“The county sampled your well in a pro-active measure to ensure the safety of your well water,” Stamey stated in the letter. “We appreciate your patience and cooperation.”

Haywood County continues to maintain and monitor the Francis Farm Landfill, which closed in 1993.

The Cherokee Preservation Foundation will use a new grant application, beginning with the Spring 2012 grant cycle. The Foundation staff will explain the new grant application process at community meetings in October.   

The new grant application process will allow the Foundation and grantees track project results to know if the grants were successful after completion. The application will also help grantees gauge where they need to be spending the most time during their grant projects.

Cherokee Preservation Foundation is now joining with other Western North Carolina grantmakers to use a common application, which will make the process simpler and more efficient for applicants submitting to more than one regional funder.

The meetings will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. on Oct. 11, at United Community Bank in Andrews, from 10 to 11 a.m. on Oct. 14, at the Qualla Arts & Crafts in Cherokee, and from 2 to 3 p.m. on Oct. 17, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

To RSVP, call 828.497.5550.

Coats for Kids is now accepting donations in Jackson County. Donations of gently used or new winter clothing items — coats, warm clothing, hats, gloves, shoes and new undies and socks new in original packaging due to health safety — can be dropped of at Cullowhee United Methodist, Sylva Wal-Mart, Cullowhee Valley Elementary School, Cullowhee and Sylva State Employees Credit Union and Pathways Thrift Store.

Mail monetary donations to Cullowhee United Methodist, PO Box 1267, Cullowhee NC, 28723, with the memo line: “Coats for Kids.”

Coats for Kids distribution day will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Cullowhee United Methodist Church for families who need items for their children.

The Trail of Tears Memorial Walk will begin 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Cherokee Historical Association building, continuing on the Cherokee River Loop Trail on Acquoni Road, back to Tsali Boulevard onto Drama Road, ending at the Oconaluftee Indian Village and including a tour of the village.

The event honors those forced into exile along the infamous and tragic Trail of Tears.

Registration is $10. Walkers 12 and under are free. Parking will be available at the Oconaluftee Indian Village starting at 8 a.m. with Cherokee Transit providing shuttle service to the Cherokee Historical Association parking lot. Light breakfast will be provided.

828.497.2111.

Law enforcement officials are looking for information on a rape which occurred at approximately 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25, in Macon County within the Nantahala National Forest.

Authorities are seeking information in identifying a possible suspect, a white male, 6 feet tall, 200 pounds, between the ages of 30 and 40, with brown wavy short hair, no facial hair, green to blue eyes, a deep voice and a fair complexion.

The suspect was last seen wearing dark blue jeans and a medium blue shirt. The subject is armed and considered dangerous and may be carrying a backpack. No vehicle information is available at this time.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Forest Service Road 711 and the Wayah Road, FSR 1310. A woman driving through the area stopped to help a person lying beside the road she believed was incapacitated. A firearm was then used to subdue the victim and she was raped.

On the same day and approximate location, a motor grader was vandalized and diesel was stolen. Earlier in the day, three people were observed around the motor grader that may have information relevant to the case.

Anyone with information can call the U.S. Forest Service Special Agent at 828.231.0288, the Macon County Sheriff’s Office at 828.524.2811 or the SBI at 800.334.3000.

The Toys for Tots coordinator for Macon, Jackson and Swain counties is beginning the search for volunteers.

Randy Dean Hughes, the TFT Local Coordinator for Macon, Jackson, Swain counties, he says all donations collected from this area will be used for the children in this area. All the monetary donations collected under the Toys for Tots name and logo are sent to the TFT foundation.

Anyone wanting to help out with the collections of toys, or to be a local TFT sponsor, have a toy drive, or maybe help in other ways, can go to the website at www.Smokymt-toysfortots.

Contact Hughes at 828.524.7300 or visit email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Students in Western Carolina University’s Criminal Justice Club will host a shoe donation drive to benefit people in need during the month of October as part of the WCU Poverty Project.

Shoes of all types — athletic, running, dress, sandals, heels, work boots, cleats, flip-flops or others — will be collected for the Nashville-based charity Soles4Souls, which distributes donated shoes in the United States and abroad. 

Shoes can be dropped off in donation boxes in Sylva at Fusions Spa and City Lights Café, and on campus at A.K. Hinds University Center, Campus Recreation Center, Belk 413, Creative Services in H.F. Robinson 401 and the Honors College Office in Balsam Hall 101 during the month of October.

Cyndy Caravelis Hughes, assistant professor of criminal justice, began thinking about hosting a shoe drive on campus while serving on the steering committee for the WCU Poverty Project. The project is a yearlong, multidisciplinary learning initiative at WCU featuring engaged teaching, learning, service and creative and scholarly opportunities centered on poverty, both in local communities and global society.

“I know that money is tight for everyone right now, so I thought that a shoe drive would be perfect because everyone has a spare pair or two lying around,” said Hughes.

She shared the idea with several students, and Tamara Davis Blatt, vice president of the criminal justice club, said members became excited about the possibility of being able to work on an initiative to give back to the community in a domestic and international capacity.

After the donation drive in October, the shoes will be delivered to a Soles4Souls distribution center, said Blatt.

From there, they will be processed and graded, with new and high-grade shoes sent for distribution and lower-grade shoes sent to microenterprise programs in developing countries such as Haiti, Tanzania and Honduras to be cleaned, reconditioned and sold locally, according to information from Soles4Souls. Donated shoes in conditions unfit for the microenterprise programs are sent to recyclers in Pakistan who salvage usable materials from the shoes.

For more information, contact Hughes at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.227.2165.

Furry Friends Benefit Bash will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Gateway Club in Waynesville to benefit Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation. This year’s event will be a sit-down dinner with four entrees to choose from: prime rib, butter-poached salmon, herb-crusted chicken breast or a vegetarian main dish.

Jeannie Tracy, owner of the Jewelers Workbench, will again be hand crafting a designer piece of jewelry to be auctioned off during the evening. The rounded shape pendant entitled “Blue Moon Rising” will feature a 3.7 carat blue diamond. The piece will be on display at the Jewelers Workbench about one week prior to the dinner.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at Sarge’s Adoption Headquarters in Waynesville, at the Earthworks Frame Gallery and online at www.sargeandfriends.org. Table sponsorships are also available for $550 which will reserve a table in your name that seats 10 guests.

There will be a presentation on Medicare Low Income Subsidy at 1 p.m. on Oct. 7 at the Haywood County Office Building in Waynesville. The program is put on by the Haywood Jackson Volunteer Center/NC SHIIP(Senior Health Insurance Information Program) in conjunction with the Brain Gym.

There will also be information on the new plans available during Medicare’s Open Enrollment for Part D prescription plans as well as Advantage plans.

828.356.2833.

A Blessing of the Animals will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 9, at Grace Episcopal Church in the Mountains in Waynesville. The annual event is held in memory of St. Francis of Assissi.  All are welcome to attend with their animal companions, large or small.

In past years, a great variety of pets, and some farm animals have joined the service, including llamas, donkeys, birds, as well as dogs and cats.  Small children may bring their stuffed animals.

The service will be held on the lawn of the church.  Chairs will be provided, and families may also bring blankets for seating on the ground.

828.648.3173.

To the Editor:

While the good folks at Frontier (Everett, Wash., customer service call center) offered as a good faith gesture to lower my monthly landline phone charge by $11, my original request for an update on DSL service was met with lots of vague responses.

I explained that while Verizon gave extremely token acknowledgement to DSL for those of us who are “rural rurals” we are anxious to get high-speed internet service at our homes. The representative assured me that Frontier IS addressing that issue: service to rural America. But how does that affect us in Jackson, Haywood, Swain and other counties?   

Unfortunately, no answer as to the important issue of “when.” Six months? One year?

A decade? “There are a lot of technical matters which have to be resolved by the engineers,” the rep told me. Then I asked the question of why don’t they give customers an updated status as to how progress is being made by the engineers? “We tried to give customers who called that type of information and when they anticipated operational date came and went without the service, there were a lot of irritated customers so we don’t do that anymore,” was the rep’s reply.

“Who can I talk to in this area who can give me an update,” I asked.

The reply was “we do have an office in Sylva.”

“May I please have that number.”

“Sorry, there is no number for that office”.

Wonderful, a communication company that you can’t communicate with locally!

My interest in the subject of DSL at our home came when a contract Frontier workman mentioned that a couple of homes way beyond ours had Frontier DSL and said we should be able to as well. My interest at that point peaked and my wife checked the internet for the Frontier customer service number.

While zip was resolved in my conversation with the gentleman at the customer service call center, I did enjoy the bantering about lack of information available for those hungering for DSL, and of course, the reduction in the monthly Frontier bill.

Frontier should at least have the public relations decency to provide information as to current status of DSL for its “rural rural” customers. Information that gives us a glimmer of hope.

David Redman

Sylva

To the Editor:

I found Rep. Phil Haire’s recent letter outlining and justifying his opposition to SB 514, the Defense of Marriage Bill, very alarming.

Rep. Haire was 100 percent wrong when he said that to put the issue of homosexual marriage on the ballot in the form of a constitutional amendment is a “gross waste of your time and state funds.” Mr. Haire fails to take into account that marriage between one man and one woman is an integral part of the moral foundation that this country and the state of North Carolina is built upon. It is worth fighting for, both from a moral and economic standpoint.

The issue of gay marriage is all about the money, plain and simple. Sure, homosexual couples want to feel that their unions are validated and legitimate, but the bigger issue is to be recognized for the sake of financial reasons (Social Security benefits, state pensions, insurance).

What people do behind closed doors is strictly their own business. However, when that behavior is brought out and forced upon the public and is attempted to be mainstreamed — and paid for by the taxpayers — it must be stopped for the good of our state and our country!

Rep. Haire needs to make clear his stance. He is not against SB514, rather he is for gay/homosexual marriage, plain and simple. Mr. Haire also references several biblical passages which aided his decision making process. Unfortunately, I think he failed to take several verses, which clearly outline what marriage is, into account: “Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them all male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and will be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh” (Matthew 19:4-5).

This is a very serious issue that effects all of us and our future generations. I hope that Rep. Haire will remember that the next time he casts a vote in Raleigh that he thinks will save the taxpayers time and money.

Scott C. Stump

Waynesville

To the Editor:

I’d like to address the letter three weeks ago by my representative to the General Assembly, The Honorable Phil Haire.

Short and to the point, I have two issues. First, it is very telling that our elected representative finds it just too much trouble to answer personal contacts of concern about an issue on a one on one basis and then attempts to do it publicly through a letter to the editor while attempting to invoke scripture to justify his position. If it were an election for his position, he would be the first to reach out and take that hand shake, kiss that baby, and chase that vote while all the time looking for a political donation.

This leads to the even bigger problem I have with Mr. Haire’s position against the Constitutional Amendment “To Define Marriage as being between a Man and a Woman.” Mr. Haire basically declared that, “We the people” should not be allowed to vote on this issue of a constitutional amendment. The content of the amendment is not as relevant to me, but his attitude in standing in judgment of his constituents puts him in the position of a political a fool.  

“We the people” are not ignorant and we do not forget those who attempt to limit the power of the vote. I wish him no harm, but then again I have little use for someone who takes such an arrogant stand against the very voters who elected him. I would hope that his replacement will have a better concept of the American way.

John Herrin

Bryson City

To the Editor:

If property revaluation is postponed until 2015, the Macon County Commissioners are again gambling that property values will be comparable to the current valuations in order to maintain the current budget level. Consider that they could be worse than now or even worse than 2013. Using the analogy of a nurse pulling off a band-aid: pull it off quickly and endure the pain for a short period, or pull slowly and endure the pain for a long time.

Also, commissioners cite that if valuations decrease and the millage remains the same, revenues would decrease. This would necessitate a decrease in services. In this economy I have had to decrease the goods and services I purchase. It appears that government spending, healthcare, and inflation are all going up while incomes are going down. That is a good definition of unsustainable. Commissioners should pull the band aid quickly!

Robert Bourke

Franklin

To the Editor:

These questions are directed to progressives, liberals or left-thinking people.

• Why do you think it’s OK for the government to hold a gun to my head and take my money to give to more deserving or “less fortunate” people when, in fact, most of those people simply refuse to take individual responsibility for their own wealth and well-being?

• Why do you think it’s OK for the government to force me to send my kid to a government school that has a failure rate of 75 percent and is allowed to stuff drugs down my kid’s throat simply because some lame teachers don’t know how to teach the gifted, thus turning him into a zombie and drug addict?

• Why do you think it’s OK for the government to steal my property from me, property that has been in my family for over 200 years, and give it to some unnamed, uncaring corporation just because they will pay more taxes on it than I do, then, when they decide not to build on it, the government keeps it and gets zero taxes on it?

• Why do you think it’s OK to let total strangers fondle your 6-year-old daughter or your 80-year-old mother because they just might have a bomb strapped to them, all in the name of security?

• And finally, why do you think it’s OK for the government to continue to trample our Constitution, shredding it every single day in the name of social justice?

Why? Just asking.

Larry Porter

Waynesville

The Oconaluftee Institute for the Cultural Arts is offering evening classes this fall in a variety of disciplines.  

• Intro to Printmaking will be offered from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 10 and Nov. 14 in Cherokee. Students will get an overview of letterpress printing from Frank Brannon, printmaking instructor. He will demonstrate basic printmaking methods from setting type and inking the press to the actual operation of the press. Participants will have an opportunity to print note cards in the Cherokee Syllabary. Cost is $20 per person.

• Book Arts will happen from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 12, 18 and 19 at the Macon, Swain and Cherokee campuses. Unlock your inner artist through following or altering traditional forms of bookmaking. Learn how to make a simple bound and folded book. Students can bring cutouts from magazines or old books, snippets of ribbon, old letters, buttons or findings from nature such as feathers or pressed flowers. The course is taught by Kathrine Cays and costs $18.

• Intro to Leather Work will teach the art of handmade leather craft from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 11, 13 and 20 in Macon and Swain counties and in Cherokee. Students will learn to work with basic leather working tools to create a change pouch. The class is taught by Kathrine Cays and costs $22.

• Advanced Firing Techniques in Raku ceramics will run from 5 to 10 p.m. from Nov. 8 through Dec. 13 and will focus on raku glazes, applying raku glazes, building a raku kiln, firing, and safety. Taught by Joe Frank McKee, the class costs $120, materials not included.

• Liquid Clay Ceramics will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 17 through Dec. 15.  Students will learn several liquid clays. Taught by Elsie Delfield, course cost is $65, materials not included.

828.497.3945 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Maggie Valley October Leaves Craft Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.

Admission is free and there is plenty of parking for everyone. Artists and crafters will sell their handmade products and some will demonstrate their craft. Festival food will also be available.

828.497.9425 or www.maggievalleycraftshows.com.

The Bryson City Chamber Chili Cook Off will mark its 21st year, on Saturday, Oct. 15, and the Swain County Chamber of Commerce is looking for cookers in all classes: traditional (red), white, and vegetarian.

Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place and average attendance is over 3,000. Held at Frye Street, adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Depot in downtown Bryson City, the day-long event also offers live local music and crafters.

828.488.3681 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.