The Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River will host a “Walk ‘n Talk” in the Deep Creek area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park outside Bryson City at 5:30 p.m. Friday, July 23.

Two retired WCU professors, Glenn Liming and Dan Patillo, will take the group on a short hike to a waterfall, followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Anyone interested in discussing environmental issues and water quality in Jackson and Swain counties is welcome. 828.488.8418 or WATRnc.org.

Jackson County resident Josie Williams will be guest storyteller at a special children’s storytime at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 24, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Williams is co-creator (with her sister-in law Kim Williams) of Shert: The Helping Hand Glove Puppet, a book-and-puppet combination for children. Shert is an acronym for Safety, Helping, Encouraging, Relating, Teaching. The simple glove puppet is both toy and teaching tool.

Williams will read from the book, Shert: Goes to the Park and introduce children to puppets. 828.586.9499.

Join the fun at a Star Wars party at 2 p.m on Saturday, July 31, at Blue Ridge Books. The bookstore in Waynesville is one of only 70 in the United States hosting a 2010 DK Star Wars Event. The party is co-sponsored by the DK publishing company.

The event will include games and crafts for children, a trivia contest for all ages, free Star Wars souvenirs for the first 100 participants, and a costume contest. Star Wars prizes will be given for contest winners and there will be a raffle for other Star Wars prizes. The highlight of the event will be a special appearance by several members of the 501st Legion, a costuming organization formed in 1997. Be sure to bring a camera. 828.456.6000.

Dr. Barbara Carlton will autograph copies of her book, This Nearly Was Mine: A Journey Through Carlton Country at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 28, in the Friendship Garden at the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library.

In June 1994, the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library was dedicated. The site for the library was purchased by the Carlton family. Dr. Carlton has continued her support with spearheading the expansion of the library in 2007.

Proceeds from the sale of her book will go to the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library Foundation, which supports the library and the Friends of the Library and the Summit Charter School.

A group of award-winning mountain dulcimer players — including several national champion musicians — will present a concert of dulcimer music at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 22, at Western Carolina University’s Fine and Performing Arts Center.

The concert is sponsored by WCU’s Division of Educational Outreach and features the staff of Mountain Dulcimer Week, an annual residential workshop that brings together dulcimer masters and players of all skill levels for a week of courses and performances.

The show will feature a mixture of traditional and contemporary songs played on baritone and bass dulcimers, and some played with a violin bow. Performers will include Susan Trump of New York and Molly McCormack of Kentucky, both of whom accompany themselves while singing, and national champions Jeff Hames of Mississippi and Erin Rogers of Kansas.

$12 adults, $7 students and children. Tickets are available at the arts center box office from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, by calling 828.227.2479, or at www.wcu.edu/fapac.

Space is still available for courses during Mountain Dulcimer Week, scheduled for July 18 to 23. dulcimer.wcu.edu or 828.227.7397.

Join Bean Sidhe, pronounced ban-shee, for a lively evening of traditional music from the British Isles. The premier Celtic band of the Smokies will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 22, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

The group began as a means for members to explore the connections linking traditional music from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales with its contemporary American counterparts, especially in the bluegrass, country, and folk genres. The band currently has four members: David Russell, who may have lost count of the exact number of musical instruments he plays, but he is capable of playing at least a dozen at the performance level; Amanda Burts plays recorder and accordion; Ralph Wright-Murphy, who is a classically trained baritone, sings, plays bodhran (Irish drum) and guitar; and rounding out the group is Karin Lyle, a professional musician from Waynesville who plays harp and violin, and can be found teaching at the Balsam Gallery Dulcimer Shop in Waynesville.

The Friends of the Marianna Black Library will provide snacks and refreshments. This program is free.

828.488.3030 or fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

Celebrate the remarkable bonds of familial harmony this weekend at The Highlands Cashiers Chamber Music Festival.

“All In The Family” parts I and II will feature performances by brother and sister pianist William Ransom and violinist Kate Ransom and the HCCMF debut of sisters The Albers Trio.

On Friday, July 23, the Ransoms will deliver Antonin Dvorak’s brilliant “Sonatina in G Major, Op. 100.” The Ransoms are no strangers to sharing the stage — every HCCMF season contains at least one duet by this dynamic team.

The Ransoms will be followed by the Albers Trio’s performance of Ernst von Dohnanyi’s “Serenade in C Major for String Trio, Op. 10.” The Albers sisters — violinist Laura, violist Rebecca, and cellist Julie — will also perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s “String Trio in G Major, Op. No. 1.”

On Sunday, July 25, the Ransoms return with Bela Bartok’s “Roumanian Folk Dances.” The Albers Trio follows with Bohuslav Martinu’s “String Trio No. 2.”

Following Intermission, the Ransoms and The Albers Trio will team up for Dvorak’s “Quintet in A major, op. 81.”

The Highlands Cashiers Chamber Music Festival stretches through Sunday, Aug. 15. Concerts are held at 6 p.m. Fridays at the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center in Highlands and repeated at 5 p.m. Saturdays at the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library in Cashiers. Sunday concerts are staged at 5 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center in Highlands and repeated at 5 p.m. Mondays at the Cashiers Community Library.

www.h-cmusicfestival.org or 828.526.9060.

The Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet takes the stage 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 23, for the weekly Concerts on the Creek series in downtown Sylva, and the group encourages other brass musicians to join the fun.

Brass players of all ages are invited to bring their instruments to Sylva’s Bridge Park and play along with the quintet on two songs. The selections will be played just after intermission, and the music for the songs is available for download at: www.smbq.org/music/music.html.

“If you’re in the Sylva area, dust off your instrument cases, oil your valves and slides, and come join us,” said trumpet player David Ginn.

The Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet is a popular group that serves as quintet in residence at Western Carolina University. The quintet has performed nationally in such venues as Carnegie Hall, as well as internationally with tours of Russia, the United Kingdom and China. Their unique music ranges from early renaissance to rock.

In addition to Ginn, the band consists of Brad Ulrich on trumpet, Dan Cherry on trombone, Mike Schallock on tuba and Travis Bennett on French horn.

This free show is part of a summer concert series each Friday evening through Labor Day weekend.

Concerts on the Creek are co-produced by: the Town of Sylva, Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, Jackson County Parks & Recreation, Downtown Sylva Association, and Jackson Country Travel & Tourism.

800.962.1911 or www.mountainlovers.com.

Creating a youthful, energetic mood, the new 175-seat Entertainment Lounge at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel is the focal point in the property’s Mountain Breeze zone, one of four themed zones of the casino, which is soon to be doubled in size as part of its $633 million expansion. The Mountain Breeze zone is characterized by rich, striking colors, strobe lighting and pulsating music. More than 700 new games are being added to this zone, with the new 3,000+ seat Events Center on its upper level set to open Labor Day weekend.

The Entertainment Lounge features live music on Wednesday through Saturday nights and a variety of stimulating bar top games. Music will include a rotating roster of entertainment for adults of all ages and interests. With 33 plasma-screen TVs, a 13-foot over-the-stage projector, and concert-level audio, guests will also be able to enjoy sporting events and music videos. The Lounge will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily with full bar service. For the balance of July, except July 22, 23 and 30, the Entertainment Lounge will host live karaoke from 8 p.m. to midnight every Wednesday, dueling pianos from 8 p.m. to midnight on Thursdays, and live bands from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Ultimate Elvis Competition will take over the Entertainment Lounge on July 22 and 23. The Ultimate Elvis finals will take place in the Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. July 24. On Friday, July 30, Terry Lee and the GTs will perform from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. in the Lounge.

828.497.7777 or www.harrahscherokee.com.

The popular play, “The Prince of Dark Corners,” by local writer and storyteller Gary Carden will be performed at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 31, at the historic Rickman Store in Macon County’s Cowee Valley.

The play centers on the life and times of the Carolina outlaw, Major Lewis Redmond, and has been performed widely in North Carolina and South Carolina over the past several years.

Seating is limited to 60. Tickets are $15 and can be obtained at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce and at the Rickman Store on Fridays and Saturdays. All proceeds will go to support the preservation and maintenance of the Rickman Store.

Filled with wit, humor, and pathos that pays homage to the eternal image of the true American folk hero, the play has been lauded as an entertaining glimpse into the life of one of the Carolina’s most colorful characters.

The T.M.Rickman Store is located seven miles north of Franklin by Hwy. NC 28 on Cowee Creek Road next to Cowee Elementary School.

Students will learn the basics of quilt piecing and machine quilting while making an easy tote bag at a one-day workshop Saturday, July 31, at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center.

Participants will use the “Mini-Charmer” pattern, which is available at local quilt shops & online. A sewing machine in good working condition, preferably with a “walking foot,” is required.  If you don’t have a portable sewing machine to bring to class, don’t let that stop you. Contact Melinda at Stecoah Valley Center or the instructor, Rena Magolnick, at 828.479.2100.

$20 if you bring your own materials, or $55 including the fabric and pattern. A material and supplies list will be provided when you register. To register, 828.479.3364.

Local residents of all ages are exploring one of the newest and hottest fitness classes: Latin Aerobics. This upbeat class offers a fun-filled, hip-shaking cardiovascular workout where students can enjoy Salsa, Samba, African, Cumbia, and Reggaeton rhythms, all while toning and sculpting their bodies.

“This is a fitness option for all ages. The class makes exercise fun, so people feel motivated to come each week,” says Nicole Polzella, local instructor and director of AccessDance WNC, a mobile dance instruction company. Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Day Spa is already on board, providing Latin Aerobics classes at 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and 4 p.m. on Thursdays.

To take part or learn more, contact AccessDance WNC at 828.276.6458 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The annual Parish Fair will feature smoked barbecue, a drawing for a locally-made colorful quilt, and music and entertainment, including a children’s booth and games. The fair takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 31, at Grace Episcopal Church.

Bargain hunters can find good buys in clothing, books and boutique items at the flea market and garden shop. Some appliances and furniture will also be offered.

All proceeds from the fair go to support local charities.

Grace Church in the Mountains is at the corner of Miller and Haywood streets in Waynesville.

Penland School of Crafts will host a professional development workshop for artists living in Western North Carolina from Oct. 1 to 3.

The workshops will be taught by the nonprofit group Creative Capital and is geared for all artists who would like to earn their living from their art or would like to take their art-based career to a new level of professionalism.

The weekend workshop is an intensive two-and-a-half-day crash course in self-management, strategic planning, fundraising, and promotion, including lectures, peer critiques, one-on-one consultations, interactive exercises, and written assignments. Participants will be given a workbook as well as handouts with practical how-to information, and they will meet with leaders in small groups.

The workshop is open to artists living in the following Western North Carolina counties; Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey.

Applicants will be asked to submit a resume, a letter of interest, and photographs of their work. Tuition for the workshop, which takes place on the Penland campus in Mitchell County, is $50. Housing and meals are available at additional cost. Applications due Aug. 16.

www.penland.org or www.creative-capital.org.

“For the Love of Color: Mixed-up Media,” an exhibition of works by Sylvia Everett, will take place from Wednesday, Aug. 4, to Saturday, Aug. 21. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through. A special artist’s reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 6, in conjunction with the Waynesville Gallery Association’s Art After Dark event.

In 1995, Everett was one of the first artists to exhibit at the Haywood County Arts Council’s newly founded Little Gallery on Church Street. From 1995 to 2001, she was a resident artist at Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Mass. She maintained a working studio on campus and provided help and guidance to students who chose to use art as a way to explore theological questions.

In addition to the weaving, mosaic, and painting of this exhibition, Everett has created many large banners using painted silk and cut paper as well as seasonal installations for First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.

Everett has also provided worship settings for Lake Junaluska and was an artistic consultant for the Bethea Welcome Center, where her large sculptural installation, “Song of Justice,” is permanently displayed. That sculpture, composed of 27 vintage organ pipes and authentic ethnic fabrics, honors the many cultures of people who come to Lake Junaluska.

www.haywoodarts.org.

A special art showing of David Arms’ works will run July 30 through Aug. 1 as part of Old Edwards Inn and Spa’s Season of the Arts.

For many years, Arms was one of the leading special event designers in the country, producing award-winning events from coast to coast. In 1996, he was presented the “Award of Excellence” by Special Events Magazine for his outstanding designs and contributions to the events industry. Also in 1996, he chose to devote himself full-time to his fine arts career.

He is a self-taught artist that is known for his ability to create compositions that simplify a subject to its essence. Arms’ paintings can be found in private collections and noteworthy publications. Each piece is given great detail that is evident in the final result. He resides in Nashville, Tenn. with his wife and two daughters.

828.526.8008 or www.oldedwardsinn.com.

For the first time, Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation invites teams as well as individuals to sign up for the 5th Annual Downtown Waynesville Dog Walk on Aug. 7.

Last year, almost 280 dogs walked down Main Street. The fun begins at 10 a.m. when walkers meet at the Haywood County courthouse.

The route will be from Depot Street to Montgomery Street to Church Street then returning down Main Street back to the courthouse.

Contests for registered dogs and their owners who walked will be held upon returning to the courthouse. The contests, emceed by Jeanne Naber, will be Best Dressed, Best Tail Wagger, Best Trick and Owner-Dog Look Alike.

The two judges for the contests are Brian Hatfield, afternoon host of 99.9 Kiss Country radio, and Larry Blunt, News Anchor at WLOS-TV. Both judges will bring their dogs and walk with the crowd.

Sponsors receive up to three free T-shirts and free dog walk registration for one dog.

Pledge sheets accompany registration forms and prizes will be awarded for the most money collected by a team and by an individual.  There will also be a prize for the runner-up in each category.

Registration forms are at The Dog House located at 304 N. Haywood Street in Waynesville, Sarge’s office at 1659 S. Main in West Waynesville, veterinarian offices in Waynesville, Clyde and Canton, and online at www.sargeandfriends.org.

828.246.9050.

The monthly Art After Dark will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 6 in Waynesville. Sponsored by The Waynesville Gallery Association, Art After Dark takes place the first Friday of each month, May through December.

Enjoy a stroll through working studios and galleries on Main Street, Depot Street and in Historic Frog Level. Festive flags identify participating galleries, while Steve Whiddon will provide music on the street.

• The wire-wrapping art of Nadine Fidelman will be featured at The Jeweler’s Workbench from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, at Waynesville’s Art After Dark.

Fidelman searches out the best gemstones, pearls, fossils and dichroic glass from the world’s top suppliers to use in her one-of-a-kind pendants and earrings.  She “wraps” each one, surrounding it with a minimal amount of wire, to enhance its beauty.

• Burr Studio will be featuring woodcarver Dennis Ruane for the month of August. Many folks will remember Dennis from the Hardwood Gallery previously located on Main Street in Waynesville.

• Earthworks Gallery is proud to feature the work of nationally-acclaimed artist Bonnie Marris and the fanciful creations of Ruth Apter as it celebrates August Art After Dark.

• Ridge Runner Naturals Studio & Gallery will be hosting a Trunk Showing of new creative, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces by Waynesville artist Keri Anna Kelley. Kelly will be sharing her inspiration and design process. Wine and cheese will be served.

www.waynesvillegalleryassociation.com or 828.452.9284.

Honoring four-legged friends at Twigs and Leaves

Twigs and Leaves Gallery is celebrating our four-legged companions with a special Art After Dark tribute from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6.

Having recently lost its gallery dog, Twigs and Leaves will honor Debbie, who welcomed thousands of customers, with a tree planting on Wall Street. The gallery will also be fundraising for The Francis Fund, which helps injured and sick creatures who are abandoned or homeless and will help the pets of people in financial difficulty.

Clay animal artist “Old Dog” will be in the gallery, and he and Twigs and Leaves Gallery will donate the profit of the sales of Old Dogs dogs to the fund. Munch on “dog treats,” stroll the gallery with its more than 170 artists, and enjoy familiar tunes on the piano.

www.twigsandleaves.com.

To the Editor:

Last week I announced that I would be conducting an online poll seeking input about public sentiment surrounding the proposed Super Wal-Mart project.  Many community members responded, and I would like to give them my sincere thanks for their time and thoughtfulness.

This past Friday, the Town of Franklin’s attorney informed me that polls like the one I conducted are not allowed before hearings like the one to be held by the Board of Aldermen on Aug. 2. That hearing is a “special use permit” hearing and by state law has to be “quasi-judicial,” meaning that the board of aldermen can only make their decision based on information put before it during the hearing and cannot seek public input beforehand. Because I did seek input, the town attorney has asked me to recuse myself from the Aug. 2 hearing and not participate.

I do not agree with this feature of our state law nor was I aware of it. I’ll chalk it up to a learning experience and take full blame for not being aware of this situation.

Elected officials represent the public, both the majority and the minority’s opinions to make sure everyone’s ideas and thoughts are considered. I particularly try to take in the minority’s opinion.

I will abide by the town attorney’s request. The last thing I want to do is cause any legal difficulties for the town. Therefore, I will not participate in the Aug. 2 hearing, and I will keep the poll results to myself until after that hearing. I want to stress, however, that I can and will share the poll results after the Aug. 2 hearing.

The town attorney confirmed to me that the poll and its results are proper for any other board activities that are not “quasi-judicial.”  While I will not be participating in the hearing, I would remind the public that it is a public hearing, and anyone can come and give evidence on the question of the special use permit.

Thanks again to those of you who responded to the poll.

Bob Scott

Alderman, Town of Franklin

To the Editor:

I wish the article written by Thomas Crowe (“The terrorists are right here among us,” July 23 Smoky Mountain News) would have never been published, but I reckon this is freedom speech being exercised.

I live in coal country and work at a refinery. Yes, we lost 29 miners in West Virginia just recently, and a great loss it was. British Petroleum lost 11 men on that rig that blew. Not everybody has office jobs where the greatest danger may be a paper cut, tripping over extension cords, or maybe even a strained back while changing the water bottle on the cooler!

Why is it the well-funded green machine makes all these statements, yet out of hypocrisy, they write and use computers that use electricity that is made from burning coal or nuclear energy? Or like Al Gore makes such statements as the ocean is rising and then turns around and buys a mansion for a mere $9 million. Of course he went and looked at it before purchasing it — in his jet, which burns 1,000 pounds of fuel per hour.

It’s amazing to me. They preach the message of doom and gloom, and people buy into it. Part of that message is we need to change our way of living.

I have a better idea. What if the power companies that supplied the A/C your sitting in while you read this or the electricity in the hospitals would shut off power to everybody that didn’t like coal, or what if all products that you used that contained some sort of crude oil in it was eliminated. Needless to say you wouldn’t be driving on roads then. All the while the rest of us who believe in coal and oil maintained our way of life as usual and see how long it took for your opinion to change! Thank God for the greatest country on the face of the earth!

Jesse McClanahan

West Virginia

We are writing to express our gratitude for your excellent coverage of the 2010 Haywood County Garden Tour. Your full page spread was really appreciated. Our attendance was up over 15 percent from 2008 thanks, we’re sure, to your support.

The Garden Tour is the primary fundraiser for the Horticulture Program of the Haywood County Extension Agency. The Horticulture Program provides advice and support to local area farmers and home gardeners. In these days of state and county budget cuts, the funds raised by the Garden Tour are sorely needed.

Paula Gatens

2010 Haywood County Garden Tour Co-chair

To the Editor:

On behalf of the Franklin Chamber of Commerce, I would like to thank those who helped to make Franklin’s Annual 4th of July Fireworks & Fun Day such a huge success.

Businesses donated not only money but products, while others donated their time. These people willingly worked a long, hot day to provide the activities that were offered to the folks of Franklin. We here at the Franklin Chamber feel it is an honor to serve our residents and visitors.

Linda Harbuck, Diane Baldwin and Cindy Cavender

Franklin Chamber of Commerce

The 30th Judicial District Domestic Violence-Sexual Assault Alliance is working to end elder abuse by offering training sessions across the far western counties of North Carolina.

Statistics from the National Center for Elder Abuse state that between one and two million Americans 65 or older have been injured, exploited or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depended for care or protection.

In January 2008, Det. Jeff Haynes of the Waynesville Police Department began working on a federal elder abuse grant with Sybil Mann, an assistant district attorney in the 30th Judicial District. Since that time, Haynes has trained numerous groups, including law enforcement, medical personnel, victim advocate groups and others who wanted to know more about the problem of elder abuse.

Call the 30th Alliance at 828.452.2122 or the Elder Safe Hotline at 866.496.5406 for help.

Haywood Habitat for Humanity is holding an open enrollment through July for perspective new-home partner families. Applicants must be residents of Haywood County and have lived in North Carolina for the past year, have an annual household income of $18,700 to $28,600 and a credit history free of liens and judgments. Applicants must currently reside in unsafe or overcrowded housing and be willing to commit 400 hours of labor and time into building their home or the home of another partner family.

828.452.7960. www.haywoodhabitat.org.

The Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 27 at the Shook House in Clyde. Following the business meeting, Ted Carr and Evelyn Coltman will present a program entitled, “The Best of the Cold Mountain Heritage Tour.”  The tour, which was the sixth and final one of its kind, was held in June.

The presentation will include video clips from “The Best of Bethel” and parts of a DVD entitled, “Walking in the Footsteps of Those Who Came Before Us.”  The video describes the Heritage Tour, and the DVD features interviews of local people such as Ted Darrell Inman discussing Inman’s Chapel, Tanna Timbes talking about Francis Mill, and Doris Cathey who discusses her home, all of which have been on the tour.

828.627.9828.

As the director of Southwestern Community College’s new Plus 50 program, Michael Rich is rapidly working in the community to get his face and program recognized.

An initiative of the American Association of Community Colleges, Plus 50 focuses on learning, career development and volunteering for people older than 50. In Southwestern’s three-county service area there are more than 30,000 people older than 50.

Rich is eager to appear before groups to discuss the new Plus 50 program and gather input. Call him at SCC’s Cashiers Center at 828.586.4091 ext. 497 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Visit the Plus 50 blog at http://blogs.southwesterncc.edu/plus50/.

Mountain Projects, Inc. through a collaborative effort with the Area Agency on Aging and Progress Energy is sponsoring Operation Fan-Heat Relief Program for seniors. People 60 years or older whose health would otherwise suffer during hot summer months and seniors who are retail residential customers of Progress Energy may apply. 828.452.1447.

A ceremony marking the installation of a marker honoring Capt. George Ellis Plott, who was killed in action on Dec. 24, 1944, will be held at 11 a.m. on July 26 at the Plott family cemetery in Plott Creek in Waynesville.

Capt. Plott died after going below decks several times to rescue injured and trapped comrades after their transport ship was torpedoed in WWII.

He was a notable Haywood County bear hunter and hunting guide who also raised Plott Hounds. Capt Plott’s relatives — including former Navy Commander Bill Plott and author Bob Plott — along with the Rev. Patrick Womack have worked together to get the marker.

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

Whether you’re a birder or mountain biker, paddler or hiker, photographer or hunter, now is your chance to bend the President’s ear on the future of outdoor recreation in America.

A series of listening sessions are being held across the country “to hear Americans’ ideas on land conservation, recreation, and best ways to reconnect Americans to the great outdoors.”

WNC outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists will weigh in on “America’s Great Outdoors Initiative” from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 15, at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.

“The listening session in Asheville on July 15 is a rare opportunity to be heard on a number of outdoor-oriented issues relating to a place that is special to us all,” said Ken Murphy, vice chair of The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee, who plans to attend. “Given that somebody is listening, we have not only an opportunity, but in some sense a duty, to speak out in order to enhance means of protecting our landscape and sharing our natural treasures with those who are losing touch with them.”

President Obama launched the initiative to develop a conservation and recreation agenda worthy for the next century.

“Even in times of crisis, we’re called to take the long view to preserve our national heritage — because in doing so we fulfill one of the responsibilities that falls to all of us as Americans, and as inhabitants of this same small planet,” Obama said.

For more, go to www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors.

The Dixie Region Hosta Convention will be in Waynesville Friday and Saturday, July 16 and 17, at Rux Gardens. Lovers of the shade tolerant plant will assemble for seminars, garden tours, vending and auction.

Plant vendors will be set up from 1 to 5 p.m. on Friday and 2 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday with hostas, ferns, conifers, Japanese maples and many more plant varieties from regional growers. A live auction will be held Friday evening.

Rux Gardens is located at 2930 Old Balsam Road in west Waynesville. 828.456.4621.

Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market will have a festival in conjunction with the long-awaited arrival of  summer corn and tomatoes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 17.

The market has been bustling for weeks with colorful produce, homemade bread, cheese, eggs, fish and meat, plus locally made crafts. This weekend, vendors will pull out all the stops with food samples, including marinated and grilled pork and vegetable kebobs, grilled fish, fried green tomatoes and blackberry cobbler. There will be live music by Allan McRae and The Waynesville Wildcats.

“We’re working hard to make Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market the best market in Western North Carolina,” said Carol James, president of the market’s board of directors. “We’re currently one of the largest markets in the area, second only to Asheville City Market.”

Haywood’s Historic Farmers’ Market is open every Wednesday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of HART Theater on U.S. 276 a few blocks down from Main Street in Waynesville.

The Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River members and all who are interested in clean mountain streams are invited to the WATR Summer Public meeting on Wednesday, July 21, at the Sylva Town Hall in Jackson County. The Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River will meet at 6:30 for socializing and with the regular meeting starting at 7 p.m. The meeting will feature two speakers.

Fred Grogan of Equinox Environmental will speak about the riverbank restoration along the Tuckasegee River at the old Dillsboro Dam site.  Next, Dave Cozzo of the Revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources (RTCAR) program will present “Stalking the wild river cane: Finding canebrakes in the Tuckasegee Watershed.” The talk will be followed by a brief breakout session for group planning. Come join us, and leave knowing what dates and where you can help work for a healthy Tuckasegee River.

On Friday, July 23, WATR will have its Annual Walk ‘n Talk at Deep Creek in Swain County.  At 5:30 p.m., WATR will meet at the parking lot at the Deep Creek Entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a leisurely walk to a nearby waterfall. Glenn Liming and Dan Patillo, retired WCU professors, will be the leaders. Patillo will answer biological questions and Liming will assist.  Afterwards members will go to a local restaurant for dinner.  Check the website WATRnc.org for directions.

For answers to questions and to sign up for the Walk ‘n Talk, call the WATR office at 828.488.8418.

From bark shingles to edible mushrooms, entrepreneurs across Western North Carolina are being encouraged to tap the resources of the national forests for creative business endeavors.

More than $1.2 million in federal stimulus money has been granted to 14 small business initiatives that use forest products.

“I believe these projects will help jumpstart the forest products industry and the economy of Western North Carolina,” said USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station Director Jim Reaves.

Historically, logging companies extracting timber for mass markets have comprised the bulk of the forest-products industry in WNC, but the grants seek to open the door to new innovations.

One such project called “Recovering Traditional Cherokee Delicacies” got $62,000 to harvest, grow, and market forest food products traditionally gathered by Cherokee tribe members, including edible greens and mushrooms.

Another project got $90,000 to create a cooperative of producers to grow, harvest, and market value-added ramp products. Ramps, a form of wild garlic used by Appalachian settlers and Cherokee, have become all the rage in recent years, and are now in short supply in the wild as a result.

Many of the businesses awarded grants will tap the timber trade, but not in the traditional logging style. Two businesses will launch sustainable firewood ventures. Another will cater to the demand for sustainable timber by using horse logging and small sawmills. Another will supply furniture makers with sustainably-harvested wood.

More than 60 people applied for the grants. The WNC forest stimulus initiative was earmarked for $1.9 million, but $700,000 will go to project managers, advisors and consultants, workshops and grant oversight.

Cataloochee Valley, a popular section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Haywood County, finally has restrooms.

Cataloochee Valley offers a historical representation of an early mountain community with farmhouses, cemeteries, a church and school house. It also has numerous trails, fishing and — as home to the park’s elk herd — excellent wildlife viewing.

Despite heavy visitation, the site only had port potties. It now has three permanent restrooms at different points in valley with a rustic design that looks like an old-fashioned outhouse. Each structure has two vault-style toilets, one for men and one for women.

The park service also removed built up bat droppings from the historic chapel and gave it a fresh coat of paint.

Mary J. Messer, author of the Haywood County based memoir, Moonshiner’s Daughter, will hold the kick-off launch for her newly published book from 10 a.m to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 17, in front of the historic courthouse in Waynesville

Messer’s memoir is now available at the Bargain Book Store, 1032 Mauney Cove Road in Waynesville.

“It has been several years since I first sat down and hand wrote my memories of growing up ‘dirt’ poor in Haywood County in the ‘40s and ‘50s,” said Messer. “I hope the struggles I share in Moonshiner’s Daughter will help others who were abused or witnessed domestic violence as children to heal and see that there is a way out.”

Moonshiner’s Daughter is Messer’s early life story of a young girl raised in some of the most remote, backwoods parts of Haywood County.

Her father, an ardent moonshiner when he wasn’t in prison, and her mother, often showing mental illness from an earlier brain injury, raised their four children in some of the grimmest circumstances imaginable.

Messer is donating a portion of each book sold to REACH of Haywood to assist them with their mission of helping survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse as well as educating teenagers and the public in ways to avoid intimate partner violence.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 828.452.2539 or www.moonshinersdaughter.com.

More than 350 dancers and musicians from across the globe will arrive in Waynesville on July 19 to participate in the 27th annual Folkmoot International Festival, and a project is under way to provide as much fresh food as possible for the dancers.

These dancers and musicians work up quite an appetite performing across Western North Carolina. Folkmoot staff and volunteers provide four full meals each day during the two-week festival. Feeding the dancers and musicians costs a lot of money, and Folkmoot has traditionally relied volunteer help and community contributions.

This year Folkmoot is in need of baked goods, fruits, vegetables, herbs and even flowers for the dining room tables. Folkmoot is searching for gardeners who would like to help “feed the world” through a donation of produce, herbs or fruit. If you are a gardener blessed with an abundant harvest and would like to make a contribution from your garden or other source, Folkmoot can provide you with a receipt for a charitable donation. Folkmoot is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization.

To find out how you can help “feed the world,” or to make a donation, please call Sybil Mann, Folkmoot Food Committee Chairperson, at 828.508.4336.

The Original Twin Piano Twins, Mark and Clark, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 16, and Saturday, July 17, at Eaglenest Entertainment in Maggie Valley.

Mark and Clark Seymour have been playing the piano since they were 4 years old. At first, the family only had one piano and the boys would practice separately every day.  When they were 16, their parents bought a second piano, and the twins decided to put the two musical instruments together. It was then that they became an act.

The late columnist Forrest Duke described them as having “the flash of Liberace, a lot of Jerry Lee Lewis, and the piano artistry of Ferrante and Teicher.”

Their first album, first “Doubletake” on Columbia Records, went gold in five countries in Europe

The Twins’ self-composed pride and joy, “The Worn Down Piano,” went to Number 1 in several European countries and stayed there for 17 weeks. Since then, the twins have also recorded albums on their own label, Twinco, and have sold as many as half a million albums in their career through concerts and nightclubs alone.

Mark and Clark have made numerous national appearances on CBS, NBC and ABC. They have performed in Europe, Asia, South America and Mexico.

Buy tickets from noon until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Eaglenest box office or call 828.926.9658. Tickets range from $20 to $25. www.eaglenestnc.com.

Craft artists are invited to submit digital images of their work by July 19 to be considered for inclusion in The Bascom’s juried exhibition “American Craft Today.” This national competition and exhibition will feature original works in all craft media: ceramics, metal, wood, glass, fiber, book arts, etc. Cash awards will be made for various categories including best in show.

This year’s juror, Carol Sauvion, will select some 40-50 handcrafted works for inclusion in the exhibition taking place from Oct. 2–Dec. 18 in The Bascom’s main gallery in Highlands.

Carol Sauvion is executive producer of the Peabody Award-winning and Emmy-nominated “Craft in America” PBS television series, as well as creator and director of Craft in America Inc., a nonprofit odedicated to presenting the history, practitioners and techniques of craft in the United States and their impact on our nation’s cultural heritage.

Guidelines available at www.thebascom.org/exhibitions.

Visit www.thebascom.org or call 828.526.4949.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre is pulling the stops out for its production of the smash hit “Chicago,” which opened July 9.

“Chicago The Musical” has become the longest-running revival in Broadway history, with more than 5,600 performances, along with inspiring an Academy Award-winning film.

The usual rule of thumb is that if a show is running in New York, the rights are restricted and no other theatre can produce it. Because of “Chicago’s” extraordinarily long run the rights have been released, and HART is one of the first theatres to be granted permission to do the show.

The musical is based on a play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins, who had been assigned to cover the 1924 trials of murderesses Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner for the Chicago Tribune.

Annan, the model for the character of Roxie Hart, was 23 when she was accused of the April 3, 1924 murder of Harry Kalstedt. The Tribune reported that Annan played the foxtrot record “Hula Lou” over and over for two hours before calling her husband to say she killed a man who “tried to make love to her.” She was found “not guilty” on May 25, 1924.

Velma is based on Gaertner, who was a cabaret singer. The body of Walter Law was discovered slumped over the steering wheel of Gaertner’s abandoned car on March 12, 1924. Two police officers testified that they had seen a woman getting into the car and shortly thereafter heard gunshots.

Julie Kinte, who rocked the stage as Sally Bowles in “Cabaret,” returns as Velma Kelly, and Candice Dickenson, who blew everyone away last summer as Ulla in “The Producers,” is Roxie Hart. The production is being choreographed bymCord Scott and Music Director Chuck Taft will conduct the orchestra. “Chicago” is being directed by HART’s Executive Director Steve Lloyd.

“Chicago” will have performances at 7:30 p.m. July 9, 10 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, 30, 31 and at 3 p.m. July 11, 18, 25 and Aug. 1.

$22 adult, $20 senior, $10 student/child with special $5 discount tickets for Students for Thursday and Sunday performances.

Box office hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 828.456.6322 or www.harttheatre.com for reservations.

To the Editor:

The Smoky Mountain News and Western Carolina University’s Gibb Knotts and Chris Cooper are to be commended for a job well done (“Jackson County Political Poll” in the July 7 Smoky Mountain News).

County Commissioners Tom Massie and Brian McMahan seem to believe the polls’ questions too “generic” and do not answer the question of why people are critical toward government? Perhaps we can help with that.

People are tired and they’re angry. Many people (now in their 60s and 70s) have worked hard for over half a century, rarely been sick, never asking for help. Given the economy, for them, there is no retirement in sight ... unless they’re fortunate enough to work for the government.

People are tired of being told they have to “spread the wealth” to people who don’t have their work ethic, of having their hard-earned money given to people too lazy to earn it.

People are tired of being told they have to pay more taxes to help people who bought homes they knew they couldn’t afford and to bail out companies which made that possible, like “Fannie” and “Freddie.”

People are tired of being told how bad America is by millionaires who live in luxury because of the opportunities America offers. In a few years, if they get their way, the United States will have the economy of Zimbabwe, the freedom of the press of China, the crime and violence of Mexico, the tolerance for Christian people of Iran, and the freedom of speech of Venezuela.

People are tired of being told that out of “tolerance for other cultures” we must let Saudi Arabia use our oil money to fund mosques and Islamic schools to preach hate in America while no American group is allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia to teach tolerance.

People are tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and we must help and support them and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses?

People are tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of both parties talking about innocent or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught.

And people are really tired of illegal aliens being called “undocumented workers,” especially the ones who aren’t working but are living on welfare or crime. Should we call drug dealers, “undocumented pharmacists”?

And I’m definitely tired of being lied to. If you believe Barack Obama and the Democratic Party have any intention of reforming immigration in any meaningful way, I have a bridge up in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you. Barack Obama and the Democratic Party know that if they can mange to legalize the millions of illegals presently living in the United States they will have a permanent lock on a Democratic majority in Congress (and the White House) for 50 years.

Jackson County Sheriff, Jimmy Ashe, asks a pertinent question. “Why, with government approval at its lowest, is voter turnout so abysmal?” Easy question, Sheriff ...  apathy and ignorance. And Ashe is painfully correct when he states, “it’s up to the people to take back the government.” Up until now, we Americans have failed miserably in accomplishing that task.

David L. Snell

Dillsboro

To the Editor:

Let’s look at what truly stimulates an economy, creates jobs, drives markets and produces tax revenue to fund government services. Should it be a mystery that in a brief period of time the greatest economy in history suddenly had the pins pulled out from under it? We talk about jobs lost, the absence of bank lending, the bottom falling out of the real estate market, reduced consumer spending, and on and on. What do all of these occurrences have in common? They are all symptoms of a much deeper but simple problem. The root problem that drives all of these is simply a lack of confidence.

Confidence in the future creates jobs in every viable business in the country. It encourages banks to lend, individuals to spend and it generates tax revenue through increased commerce at every level. If business is not confident in future growth, it does not invest in people and the tools to produce. If banks are not confident in business markets to grow, they will not lend. It is the single most important ingredient in a vibrant economy.

Let’s examine what happened to confidence. That too is simple: government actions that defied logic, ignored public opinion, exhibited abject arrogance and flagrantly ignored warning signs. The predictability of government to make decisions that reflect the public’s wishes, and its reaction to issues in a logical way, drive confidence that the future will be business- and market-friendly.

Government actions like passing the bailout, stimulus spending and healthcare bills, all done in defiance of the public’s will and passed without our representatives even having read the bills, only serve to destroy confidence in our future direction.

What can we do to restore confidence? Change the players at all levels of government! The ones we now have will not suddenly be imbued with common sense and better judgment; nor will they abandon self-interest in favor of a calling to public service.

Bruce Gardner

Waynesville

By Ken Murphy

Western North Carolina is a special place, a region with awe-inspiring scenic vistas, waterways and forested watersheds that are home to unmatched biodiversity, and rural landscapes and cultural sites that remind us of our heritage on a daily basis. However, the demands of the modern economy have led to the loss of many of our working farms and forests, the disappearance of wild areas, and threats to clean air and water.

Fortunately, our region is blessed with many community-based environmental and conservation organizations, each seeking to protect our land, water, and wildlife. These local organizations (including local offices of national organizations) are uniquely positioned to “make things happen” through decisions of local stakeholders and elected officials so that effective and innovative conservation efforts can succeed.

Because tax and spending policies are increasingly set on the federal level, the framework in which our local organizations act is largely determined on the national stage. Our local organizations — no matter how hard-working and resourceful — cannot continue to be successful if they work in an atmosphere of indifference to the challenges they face. Since federal policymakers act in a remote urban setting, and since future generations cannot vote, the risk of inadequate support for local conservation objectives is high. Thankfully, somebody is now listening.

Last April 16, President Obama established the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, led by the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture, the Administrator of the EPA, and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. The Initiative recognized that our country is in many ways losing touch with — and in many cases losing — the places and traditions that have helped make America special. Importantly, the President ordered that the Initiative conduct listening and learning sessions throughout the country, sessions in which the full range of interested groups could speak to the problems and solutions involved with protecting special places. A listening session is scheduled for Asheville on July 15 (see www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors for details).

Given that somebody is listening, we have not only an opportunity, but in some sense a duty, to speak out in order to enhance means of protecting our landscape and sharing our natural treasures with those who are losing touch with them. By speaking of our accomplishments, we can encourage others to replicate and build upon our success. By speaking of our challenges, we can encourage decisions that help lower barriers rather than raise them.

For example, the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (LTLT), which primarily operates west of the Balsam Mountains, plans to speak of the success we have had in working with local landowners and in combining private contributions and government grants in order to acquire and protect significant portions of Cowee, the richest and most intact cultural landscape in the region we cover. Cowee was the principal commercial and diplomatic center of the Mountain Cherokee in the 18th century. William Bartram, who traveled through the area in 1775, described the setting as “one of the most charming natural mountainous landscapes perhaps any where to be seen.” The, LTLT has made great strides in securing this landscape, and in 2007 succeeded in conserving the Cowee Mound itself in partnership with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and the state of North Carolina.

LTLT has plans for further work in the region, and these plans are not without challenges. For example, through a generous private donation and financing through a local bank, LTLT was recently able to purchase a 108-acre forested tract that includes Hall Mountain, which overlooks the Little Tennessee River and the Cowee Mound. As a result, LTLT has expanded to over 380 acres the network of conserved land surrounding the ancient mound site. LTLT is working with the EBCI and others to seek permanent protection of the Hall Mountain tract under the USDA-Forest Service’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program.

Establishing the Hall Mountain tract as a community forest would provide tribal members and the surrounding community an opportunity for vocational education in forestry as well as an active demonstration site for quality forest stewardship. The tract could also be managed to provide artisan resources, such as white oak, to the Cherokee basket weavers.

While LTLT will speak to its successes and challenges in land conservation, the listening session in Asheville on July 15 is a rare opportunity to be heard on a number of outdoor-oriented issues. I hope to see you there.

Ken Murphy is vice chair of The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee

By Christopher A. Cooper and H. Gibbs Knotts

Beginning in 2009 with a series of protests focusing on what participants viewed as excessive government taxation, the TEA Party movement has grown into one of the most prominent political stories of the past few years. Because it is a relatively recent movement and in most places it is still impossible to register with the Board of Elections as a member of the TEA Party, hard data on TEA Party supporters are difficult to come by.

The New York Times produced one of the only surveys focusing on the TEA Party. It found that that 18 percent of Americans self-identified as TEA Party “supporters” and that these supporters tended to be white, educated, fairly well-off, ideologically conservative, and members of the Republican Party. Not surprisingly, the Times survey also found that TEAPartiers are distrustful of the federal government.

Although these findings are illustrative of the country as a whole, what about the situation in Jackson County? To learn more about the degree of TEA Party support among locals, Western Carolina University’s Public Policy Institute and The Smoky Mountain News teamed up to poll about 600 registered voters in Jackson County on issues related to the TEA Party, as well as other political issues.

The survey data reveal that Jackson County registered voters are evenly split, with 42 percent holding a favorable view of the TEA Party, 40 percent holding an unfavorable view and the remaining 18 percent having no opinion. Although the question’s wording is different than that of the New York Times poll, it does appear that the TEA Party has more support here than in the nation as a whole.

Digging a little deeper into the data reveals that TEA Party supporters in Jackson County are more likely to be male, conservative and registered as Republican than those who do not support the TEA Party.  Given the national results, none of this is terribly surprising.

Considerably more surprising, however, is the influence of education. Recall that in the national sample, TEA Party supporters were more educated than the population at large. In the Jackson County sample, however, those with positive opinions towards the TEA Party have slightly less education than their counterparts.

The Jackson County poll also presents an opportunity to determine how TEA Party supporters feel about local as well as national government. Not surprisingly, TEA Party supporters do not hold a positive view off the federal government. What is more surprising is the size of this effect. A whopping 95 percent of TEA Party supporters hold an unfavorable opinion of the federal government, but among those with unfavorable opinions of the TEA Party only 36 percent hold an unfavorable opinion of the federal government.”

TEA Party supporters aren’t big fans of the Jackson County government, either, but the effect here is much smaller.

Approximately 70 percent of TEA Party supporters disapprove of Jackson County government, compared to 47 percent among those who do not support the TEA Party. Clearly the TEA Party movement, at least here in Jackson County, is much more dissatisfied with federal than local government.

Anyone who walked through the county on Tax Day knows that the TEA Party has some backing in Jackson County, and this polling information can tell us a little bit more about the nature and extent of this support. What our data cannot tell us, of course, is what the exact effect will be on the upcoming elections. The TEA Party has considerable support here in Jackson County, but a true understanding of the group’s electoral impact will have to wait until November.

Christopher A. Cooper and H. Gibbs Knotts are associate professors of political science and public affairs at Western Carolina University, where Knotts also serves as department head and Cooper directs the Public Policy Institute.

By Christopher A. Cooper and H. Gibbs Knotts

A creature once roamed the American South that many now presume to be endangered if not extinct — the conservative Democrat. For nearly a century following the Civil War, almost all white southerners were conservative Democrats. As late as 1978, more than a third of all Democrats in the South were conservatives. In most parts of the South today, however, finding a conservative Democrat is about as likely as spotting a bald eagle — they do exist but they are hard to find.

A recent survey conducted by the Western Carolina University Public Policy Institute and The Smoky Mountain News, however, suggests that Jackson County resembles a refuge for conservative Democrats. Today almost as many Democrats in Jackson County identify as conservatives as liberals (23 percent compared to 30 percent — the remainder are moderates). These numbers are even more striking when compared to an analysis of Republicans in the county.  Two-thirds of Republicans in the WCU PPI/SMN poll claim to be conservatives, compared to less than 4 percent who are self-proclaimed liberals. The message is clear: Democrats do not mind being called conservatives, but almost no Republicans in our county want to be called liberal.

So what does this mean for political candidates in Jackson County? First — it pays to be a Democrat. Results of the survey as well as analysis of voter registration records in Jackson County clearly indicate that there are many more Democrats than Republicans residing in the county. In the WCU PPI/SMN survey, 45 percent of the respondents claim to be Democrats, compared to 32 percent who identify as independents and 24 percent who consider themselves Republicans. The actual voter registration numbers are identical for Democrats, but indicate slightly higher percentage of registered Republicans.

Despite these positive numbers for Democrats, aspiring politicians in this county who align themselves with the Nancy Pelosi/Harry Reid wing of the Democratic Party will find little support. Nationally, Republicans tend to be conservative, and Democrats are most often liberal. As we suggested above, however, few Democrats in this county consider themselves liberals. Most are moderates, and almost a quarter are conservatives. Among members of all parties, only 18 percent are liberals, compared to 42 percent who are moderates and 40 percent who are conservatives.

Given these trends, it is perhaps not surprising that more than half of the respondents in the WCU PPI/SMN survey who expressed an opinion on Democratic Congressman Heath Shuler hold a favorable view of him (54 percent favorable, compared to 46 percent unfavorable). Shuler has distanced himself from the Pelosi/Reid wing of the Democratic Party by casting votes against the healthcare plan and the stimulus package.

In fact, an independent analysis of roll-call votes in the House by political scientist Keith Poole finds that Shuler is the fifth most conservative Democrat in the House. Perhaps as a result, further analyses of Jackson County survey data reveal that Democrats are no more likely to approve of Shuler than Republicans, and conservatives are more likely to support him than liberals.    This trend is most evident at the extremes where twice as many conservative Republicans as liberal Democrats approve of Shuler (60 percent to 30 percent).

All of this portends well for Shuler this fall, at least in this county. Sure he is not popular with the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, but fortunately for Shuler, this is a fairly small part of the Jackson County electorate. Moderate and conservative voters of both parties as well as independents approve of Shuler in fairly high numbers. A lot can happen between now and November, but Heath Shuler can probably rest fairly comfortably in the conservative Democratic refuge of Jackson County.

Christopher A. Cooper and H. Gibbs Knotts are both Associate Professors of Political Science and Public Affairs at Western Carolina University where Knotts also serves as Department Head and Cooper directs the Public Policy Institute.

By Michael Morris • Guest Columnist

The sale of alcohol has become a hot topic in Western North Carolina. In 2010, voters in Burnsville and Weaverville passed ballot measures approving alcohol sales, and last August voters in Clay County approved countywide alcohol sales.

Here in Jackson County, consumers have been able to purchase on-premises beer and wine in Dillsboro since 2005. In Sylva, the county seat, alcohol sales have been permitted in some form since 1967, and voters approved on-premises mixed beverage sales in 2006.

More recently, a Western Carolina University Public Policy Institute/Smoky Mountain News poll indicated that 56 percentof registered voters would support legalizing countywide alcohol in Jackson County.

One part of the county that has the potential to benefit from countywide alcohol sales is the area surrounding Western Carolina University. The university and its surrounding community is growing and expanding at a fairly rapid pace. With the expansion of the university, there is potential to attract business, expand infrastructure, and become a place that offers residents an enhanced array of goods and services.

Concerned residents of Jackson County may be fearful that alcohol consumption among the student population will increase, causing more alcohol-related illegal activity than previously seen in Cullowhee and surrounding areas. As a student at Western Carolina University, I am deeply concerned about the potential negative effects that legalizing the sale of alcohol will have on the student and non-students residents of Jackson County.

However, there are some real advantages to locating bars and restaurants within walking distance of the campus. I know too many students who make the dangerous drive between Sylva and Cullowhee, and on-campus establishments would make it possible to walk to a restaurant, have a couple of beers, then walk home safely.

Other areas in Jackson County may also benefit from the expanded sale of alcohol. Tuckasegee, Cashiers, and parts of Jackson County near Cherokee could attract restaurants that would normally not be interested in locating in an area without the option to sell alcohol.  These restaurants would enhance the quality of life in these communities and contribute to the county’s tax base.

Many locales within Jackson County are doing themselves a disservice by allowing or even pushing revenue away from their areas. It is likely that Jackson County residents also leave the county to purchase alcohol and eat at restaurants located just over the county-in Haywood, Macon, and Transylvania counties.

There are residents, however, who debate against alcohol sales by saying that the revenue generated would not be worth the funds it would take to increase law enforcement and deal with some of the social issues that come with alcohol and its users. If countywide alcohol comes to Jackson County, the county and the university should partner to implement an alcohol awareness campaign and collaborate on taxi and bus services.

In these tough economic times, it is worth considering countywide alcohol in Jackson County. If alcohol is to be legalized countywide, then it should be done in the most constructive and safe way possible.

(Michael Morris is a senior majoring in political science at WCU.)

The engineering, grounds and Behavioral Health Unit at Haywood Regional Medical worked together to brighten the hospital community by planting a rose garden.

Research has shown that hospital patients whose windows looked out at landscape scenery recovered from surgery quicker than those who faced a brick wall.

Marty Murray and the hospital’s engineering team prepared planting beds at the front entrance to the Haywood hospital. With the help and hard work of patients and staff of the Behavioral Health Unit, the team then transformed the space into a rose garden that will bloom throughout most of the year.

Southwestern Community College was one of only 11 colleges to earn an exceptional rating in the annual performance measures report recently released by the North Carolina Community College System. The performance measures were adopted by the State Board of Community Colleges to annually assess the performance of the state’s 58 community colleges in meeting key indicators of success.

In order to receive an Exceptional Institutional Performance rating, a college must meet or exceed the state standards in eight areas.

The complete report is available on the N.C. Community College System Web page at: http://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/Publications/docs/Publications/csf2010.pdf.

The only woman to head a college or university construction management department in the United States has joined the faculty of Western Carolina University as the Joe W. Kimmel Distinguished Professor of Construction Management.

J.K. Yates began her duties as Kimmel Professor and head of WCU’s department of construction management June 15.

Prior to joining the WCU faculty, Yates served as chair and professor in the department of construction management and engineering at North Dakota State University.

WCU’s Joe W. Kimmel Distinguished Professorship in Construction Management was endowed in 2006 through gifts provided by Asheville businessman Joe W. Kimmel.

To contact Yates, call 828.227.2175 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..