Macon County will celebrate its quilting heritage with Airing of the Quilts on May 12.

Centered in downtown Franklin, Airing of the Quilts will feature hundreds of quilts along with an antique quilt show, quilt appraisals, quilting related merchandise, live music and more.

The historic West’s Mill District of Cowee will also feature quilts and tours of Rickman’s Store, Snow Hill Inn and Pleasant Hill Church, which will include quilting demonstrations from the Cowee Quilters.

Visitors can tour the Macon County Quilt Trail with more than 20 quilt blocks that have been installed on barns, homes and businesses throughout the county.

In addition, the United Daughters of the Confederacy along with Civil War Re-enactors will hold a special ceremony at 11:30 a.m. to observe N.C. Confederate Memorial Day.  The ceremony will be held at the Confederate monument at Rankin Square.

Also that weekend, the Mother’s Day Gemboree will be taking place at the Macon County Community Building. The three-day gem, mineral and jewelry show is now in its 11th year.

828.524.2516.

Four Haywood Community College students and one faculty member will represent the college at the 2012 NC Community Colleges Art Exhibition.

Christopher Cagle, a crafts fiber student; Nathaniel Chambers, a crafts wood student; Kira Farrington, a business administration student; Lillian Parks, a continuing education faculty member; and Cory Plott, a crafts clay student all have work in the show.

Chamber’s work is titled “A Bowl with a Hole is Not a Piece of Firewood.” Farrington’s photography is the winner of the People’s Choice Award for HCC’s first Photo Contest and is called “Dead End.” Parks’ watercolor is titled “Melons.” Plott’s ceramic piece is called “The Chicken of Creation.”

The Visual Art Exchange, the oldest non-profit visual arts organization in Raleigh, awarded Cagle’s piece, an untitled wall hanging, second place for an art excellence prize. The art exhibition is open to each of the 58 community colleges in North Carolina. Artwork from all media is represented in the show, and the pieces remain on display for the entire year.

www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/pr/artexhibit.

A reception will be held the evening of May 4 to mark the opening of a new photography exhibit at Gallery 86 in Waynesville.

“Through the Lens: WNC Photographers” includes work by four Western North Carolina photographers — Anna Fariello, Lori Davis, Tim Lewis and Rachel Pierce — at various stages of their careers. The reception will be held from 6-9 p.m.

In the exhibit, the photographers demonstrate a variety of techniques in capturing images and observations. Although photography has undergone major technological shifts from darkroom to digital, it remains a means of telling visual stories.

The exhibit will remain open until May 28.

www.haywoodarts.org.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre will hold auditions for its July production of the hit Broadway musical “La Cage Aux Folles” at 6:30 p.m., May 7 and 8 at the HART Theater in Waynesville.

The production is being directed by Steve Lloyd and opens on July 6 for a four-week run. It features a large cast with acting, singing and dancing roles for men and women in leading roles and the chorus.

The show is based on a French film of the same name, which was later remade in America as “The Bird Cage” staring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane as a mature gay couple who run a nightclub. The son they have raised has become engaged to the daughter of a conservative politician and the comedy develops from there.

Actors auditioning as professionals should come with a headshot and resume, as well as a prepared audition piece, sheet music and a prepared song. Community theater actors should come with sheet music and a prepared song but that is not required. All actors will be given the opportunity to read from the script. Anyone interested in working backstage on the production is also encouraged to come by during auditions to sign up.

Headwaters Brewery will host “Lend a Hand for The Strand” starting at 4 p.m., May 6.

The event is to held raise money for the renovation of the historic theater.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and include a free pint of craft-brewed beer paired with a chocolate from Chocolate MD. They are available for purchase at Headwaters Brewing Co., Coffee Cup Cafe, The Classic Wineseller, Mainstreet Perks Cafe or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Red June, an acoustic Americana trio from Asheville, will perform at 5:15 p.m.

The brewery is located at 130 Frazier St. The fund-raiser will be held in its tap room, which is now open from 4-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturday.

The brewing company plans to host its own grand opening event later this month.

The Bascom visual arts center in the Highlands will hold its largest annual fund-raiser, Collective Spirits, May 17-19.

On Friday evening, there will be a mountain casual walk-around Wine Tasting & Market from 5-7 p.m. The Sensational Sounds of Motown will take center stage at 7 p.m. on the Terrace at The Bascom for a night of dancing with a buffet supper.

The three-day long festival will culminate in a live auction and gala dinner at 6:30 p.m. on the Terrace at The Bascom. The auction will feature about 20 lots. Highlights include rare and special French and American wines; a trip for up to seven to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, with accommodations, airfare and a guide for a day; a wine and art trip for four to France and the Champagne region; and a cocktail party for 20 on the Bridge at The Bascom with a nine liter bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne.

Collective Spirits raises essential operating funds to maintain quality exhibitions, enrichment activities and studio art instruction for learners of all ages.

During Collective Spirits 2012, The Bascom will showcase a number of exhibitions including “Chicks: It’s All Gone to the Birds” – a plethora of art works that portray an avian theme; Youth Art K thru 12; Green Art – celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Studio Glass Movement; and Alex Matisse: Ceramics – this installation of large ceramic vessels will be the signature outdoor exhibition.

www.thebascom.org/collectivespirits or 828.787.2896.

The Waynesville Gallery Association will host its first Art After Dark of the year from 6-9 p.m., May 4. The event will also feature a new Saturday Stroll from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 5.

The Art After Dark and Saturday Stroll events take place the first Friday and Saturday of each month, May through December. Working studios and galleries on Main Street, Depot Street and in Historic Frog Level will be open late. On Saturday, the galleries will continue the artistic experience with artist demonstrations and special activities. Festive Art After Dark and Saturday Stroll flags denote participating galleries like Burr Studio and Gallery, Earthworks Frame Shop, Earthworks Gallery, Gallery Two Six Two, Grace Cathey Sculpture Garden and Gallery, Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86, the Jeweler’s Workbench, Lone Backpacker Gallery of World Photography, TPennington Art Gallery, and Twigs and Leaves Gallery.

• Lone Backpacker Gallery of World Photography is the newest addition to Waynesville’s growing art scene. Journey thru a diverse collection of photography from all seven continents and hear the tales of adventure from the traveler himself, Adam Malise. Lone Backpacker Gallery is located at 94 Depot Street and open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Wednesday and Sunday.

• Visit TPennington Art Gallery to meet colored pencil artist, Teresa Pennington. She will demonstrate Friday evening and all day Saturday at the gallery. Refreshments will be served.

• Twigs and Leaves Gallery will feature local watercolor collage artist Margaret Roberts. Roberts will demonstrate her talent of creatively constructing bright, colorful watercolor paper pieces into beautiful works of art. It will be a hands-on activity for visitors to the gallery, and children are encouraged to participate. The gallery will also serve hors d’oeuvres and have live music.

The Waynesville Gallery Association’s 2012 Art After Dark and Saturday Stroll season takes place the first Friday and Saturday each month May through December. For more information about Art After Dark and the Saturday Stroll, visit the web site at www.waynesvillegalleryassociation.com or 828.452.9284.

A day of events to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 12, at the Cradle of Forestry.

Activities for the day include:

• 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Family birding walks offer beginning and intermediate birders an in-depth look at local and migratory songbird species. After learning about binocular use, bird characteristics and habitat preferences, the group will look and listen for birds by the Forest Discovery Center and along paved trails to identify species present.

• 1:30 p.m.: A live raptor program with Wild for Life Wildlife Rehabilitation Center staff. Meet the center’s rescued birds and learn their stories.

• 2:30 p.m.: During the Backyard Birding program, get tips on observing and conserving birds that live around our homes.

• 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Ongoing activities at the Forest Discovery Center show the wonder of birds and teach how we can all do our part for their conservation.

828.877.3130.

Children and their families can help the Great Smoky Mountains National Park celebrate National Junior Ranger Day from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28.

There will be a variety of free, hands-on activities at Oconaluftee Visitor Center, located at the entrance to the park on U.S. 441 near Cherokee.

Activities will range from ranger-guided nature walks and ecological programs to cultural heritage activities like making dinner bells at a blacksmith shop.

This year’s focus will be based around the theme, “Picture Yourself in a National Park.” Oconaluftee will have a special program planned for Junior Rangers to display their artistic talents, using the park as their inspiration.

Children can earn their Junior Ranger badge by completing three of the specially planned activities.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 865.436.1263.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is currently searching for volunteers to help maintain the Appalachian Trail through the Smokies Wilderness Elite Appalachian Trail Crew program. No previous trail experience is required — just a desire to work hard, live in the backcountry and have a great time among new friends. All food, tools and equipment will be provided at no cost.

This is a mobile crew, carrying all food, tools and camping gear into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The crew focuses on the difficult trail problems that occur in the backcountry with the tools they carry in and the materials that they find. Each crew works six days in the field repairing the trail, building steps, and clearing the trail.  

Both of these all-volunteer trail crews are led by paid trail crew professionals who teach volunteers trail stewardship and Leave No Trace skills during the multi-day adventure.

www.appalachiantrail.org/crews.

Weekly Saturday bird walks will be held by the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society starting in May.

The first Saturday of every month will be geared to beginners, with guidance on the use of binoculars and field guides and an introduction to bird watching generally on the Highlands-Cashiers plateau.  Binoculars will be available on loan. Here’s a list of walks and programs:  

• May 5: Kick-off walk at The Bascom in Highlands, led by Russ Regnery. Meet in The Bascom parking lot at 7:30 a.m.  

• May 8: Birding outing at Southern Highlands Reserve Gardens. Participants need to register in advance by calling 828.743.9670. Meet to carpool at 8 a.m. in Cashiers behind Wendy’s/community center or in Highlands at 7:30 a.m. in The Bascom parking lot.

• May 12: Bird walk at Lonesome Valley in Cashiers with guest leader Curtis Smalling from Audubon N.C.  Meet at 8 a.m. near the gate in Lonesome Valley. To carpool, meet at 7:30 a.m. in Highlands in The Bascom parking lot. At 4 p.m. the same day, Smalling will present a program entitled “The Birds of the Highlands Plateau: Amazing Stories from a Remarkable Place” at The Bascom in Highlands.

• May 19: Nature walk to Jones Gap with The Highlands Cashiers Land Trust. Sign up by calling 828.526.9938. Bring $5 for lunch. Meet in The Bascom parking lot at 7:30 a.m. to carpool.

• May 26: Bird walk along Turtle Pond Road in Highlands. Meet in The Bascom parking lot at 7:30 a.m. to carpool.

• May 27: The Bird Barn In Highlands will have guest, Michael Skinner, present a program to the public about Eagles. The program will begin at 1 p.m.

Two birding events in the region, sponsored by the Great Smoky Mountains Audubon Society, are on the horizon.

The first is birdwatching for beginners from 8 a.m. until noon on Saturday, April 28, at the Balsam Mountain Inn. Larry Thompson will be the instructor. This introductory workshop will acquaint participants with the basics of birdwatching, including how to find and identify birds, how to select and use binoculars and field guides, what homeowners can do to attract birds to their yard and which birds are found in different habitats. The workshop is open to anyone over the age of 10, and family participation is encouraged. The cost is $25. 828.452.5414 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The other workshop is a birding by ear workshop from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday, May 11, at the Balsam Community Center with a field trip at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 12. There are no easy tricks to learning bird songs, but there are magical methods, aids and practice that enable a new birder to conquer those troubling warbles, squeaks and chips.

Georgann Schmalz will be the instructor. The cost is $35.

828.550.5449 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Tour de Cashiers, one of the region’s most well-known bike races, will take place beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 5, starting at the Village Green in Cashiers.

There are three races, a 25 mile, 62 mile and 100 mile. The routes take in spectacular vistas of springtime in the mountains along quiet mountain back roads. With rides ranging from moderate to strenuous climbs,  beginners to experienced bicyclists are welcome. The event for some is a lifetime challenge and for the hardcore, a great training ride.

Early registration fee is $40, the cost is $45 the day of the race. The entry fee includes a t-shirt, light breakfast and a hearty post-ride lunch, as well as on-road support and well-stocked rest stops.

The Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Foundation is sponsoring the event, now in its 20th year.

As in previous years, the Tour will be partnering in the Blue Ridge Double with a similar ride in Walhalla, S.C., “Issaqueena’s Last Ride.” The events will be on consecutive weekends. Riders receive a $10 discount on the combined registration fees.  

828.526.1313 or www.TourdeCashiers.com.

The Ruby Ride and Run will take place in Franklin on May 12, offering various distance options to both bikers and runners.

The rides and the runs start and end at Franklin High School. A 5k and 10k run begin at 8:30 a.m. For those looking to test their bike legs after winter, there will be a 24-mile, 40-mile and 63-mile bike rides starting at 9 a.m.

• The 24-mile bike ride will traverse the Burningtown Community with 2,200 feet of climbing.   

• The 40-mile option includes roughly 3,500 feet of climbing and partially follows the 63-mile route.  

• The 63-mile option offers 4,000 feet of climbing through the Cowee Community following the Little Tennessee River into the Burningtown area.

The ride and run is sponsored by the Franklin Daybreak Rotary with benefits supporting several local charities, including CareNet and the Community Care Clinic.

Cost of the bicycle ride is $30 before May 1 and $40 after. The cost of the run is $20 for the 5k and $25 for the 10k until May 1 and $5 more after that date.   

www.therubyride.com or call Smoky Mountain Bicycles at 828.369.2881 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The popular annual Ducks on the Tuck, with little yellow rubber ducks racing down the Tuckasegee River, will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 29. The ducks will be dropped into Scotts Creek at the train depot bridge in Dillsboro.  

A racing duck can be “adopted” at the Greening Up the Mountains festival this Saturday or at the race for $5. This year’s grand prize is a 40-inch flat screen television. Ducks will also be racing for more than 70 other prizes, which will be awarded at the finish line.  

The money raised goes to support New Century Scholars, a community initiative to provide programming and opportunities for youth. Students who successfully complete the program have the opportunity to attend Southwestern Community College for five semesters without the cost of tuition and fees. After earning a degree at SCC, Western Carolina University has partnered with the program to provide an additional two years with this same guarantee.

828.339.4477 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Haywood Community College has been recognized for its cutting-edge work in promoting environmental sustainability by the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

“Haywood Community College has a robust history, dating back to 2006, of demonstrating sustainable technologies in the classroom, college operations, and community initiatives — and these relationships elevate sustainable practices on campus and in the greater community,” said Rose Johnson, president of Haywood Community College.

Haywood earned the distinction in large part through its public/private-sector and community partnerships — and for allowing those partnerships to influence students’ coursework.

The college’s partnership with private developers, for instance, led to the creation of an associate’s degree in low-impact environmental development. Another partnership with U.S. Forest Service Wood Products Laboratory researchers allowed the college to construct the area’s first Habitat for Humanity green home. The construction of a sustainably-built home by construction students on campus underscored Haywood’s commitment to green construction practices and technologies.

Other examples include: wetlands and native grass reclamation projects on campus and in the community; biofuel production using recycled oil from the local public schools; installation of solar panels on campus and in the community; and training workers from a community action agency to retrofit homes of low-income residents to make them more energy efficient.

“The way that Haywood puts its students to work on projects that will both improve the community and augment their classroom education should serve as a model for every other institution of higher learning in the country,” said Anthony D. Cortese, president of Second Nature, the lead supporting organization of the group. “One central goal of the ACUPCC is to get everyone to think systemically about the relationship between sustainability and education. Haywood is doing a remarkable job.”

A Mothers Day Celebration 5K walk and run in Cherokee that also functions as a dialysis patient fundraiser will be held on Saturday, May 12, at Acquoni Expo Center, or the old Cherokee High School.

Registration starts at 11 a.m., the walk and run is at noon. There will be a silent auction from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Registration is $10 for adults and $5 for elders and children ages 12 and under. The money raised goes directly to the Dialysis Support Group in Cherokee.

828. 497.1976.

City Lights Bookstore will celebrate the launch of Harvey K. Littleton’s A Life in Glass with Western Carolina University’s ceramics instructor Joan Byrd at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 27.

Byrd was a member of Littleton’s first glassblowing class at the University of Wisconsin.  Benefiting from close access to the artist and his personal archives, the book is illuminated by many unpublished archival photographs and a detailed chronology.

828.586.9499.

Merritt Moseley, a professor at University of Carolina-Asheville, will lead a series of discussions surrounding the works of beloved author Jane Austen at the Waynesville library.

A novelist whose reputation has never declined, critic Brooke Allen called Austen “a woman …for every decade.  Though her books are almost two hundred years old, they gleam with an immediate freshness.”

The series will cover three Austen favorites: Sense and Sensibility on May 17; Pride and Prejudice on June 14; and Persuasion on July 19. The discussions will be held from 4-6 p.m.

The books are free and will be available April 30 at the Waynesville branch. Contact the library office to sign out a book. There is no charge for a book, but the three book series can be purchased for $10. Refreshments will be served.

“Let’s Talk About It” is made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in partnership with the North Carolina Center for the Book, a program of the State Library of North Carolina.

828.456.5311 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thomas Thibeault will be at City Lights Bookstore to read from his historical thriller, Balto’s Nose, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.

Glenn Carnehan, a WWII veteran, spent the war tracking down treasures looted by the Nazis and in a deadly race across Europe discovered the masterpieces of a ruined civilization. Now he must take his grandson, Michael on the same journey.

“This historical novel examines the themes of character and courage, and like the dog Balto, affirms endurance, fidelity and intelligence,” said Thibeault. “George Stout, Robert Posey, Walter Farmer, Edith Standen, Rose Valland, and Balto the Dog show us that manliness is not restricted to one sex or even to one species.”

The Teen Advisory Group will meet at 3:30 p.m. on April 30 at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Teens are invited to come share their ideas about materials of interest to them, including what sort of programming they’d like to see at the library. There will be food, crafts, games and more at the meeting.

Teen volunteers are also needed for the upcoming summer reading program, “Dream Big — Read.” Teens can earn community service hours for school by volunteering at the library. The teen theme for summer reading program is called, “Own the Night.”

To the Editor:

I agree with the opinion expressed by several of those interviewed for a recent article that the increase in gambling cafes is good for business and is a welcomed option for increasing city revenues.

Each person who shows up to use an Internet gambling café is there because she or he has elected to be there. I believe this is a significantly improved choice when compared to floating casinos. I think the winnings and chance to return home with money in my pocket is higher with North Carolina’s “sweepstakes cafeterias.”

That means I hope to spend more time in North Carolina than I have in the past. Thank you for your coverage on this story.

Robert Karhutt

Charleston, S.C.

To The Editor:

I find Cecil Bothwell’s preoccupation with Heath Shuler odd and slightly disturbing. Although Shuler announced months ago that he would not be running for re-election, Bothwell has continued to attack him online and in public forums across the 11th Congressional District. Bothwell’s website still features a page entitled “Vs. Shuler” where he contrasts his views against what he claims to be Shuler’s views. Nearly all of Bothwell’s information on Shuler’s record is false or misleading.

Heath Shuler isn’t running for Congress. His name won’t be on the ticket in May or November. While Bothwell focuses his campaign on attacking someone who isn’t in the race, Hayden Rogers has been getting his positive message out to voters across Western North Carolina. I have been impressed by Rogers’ work ethic and his extensive knowledge of the issues facing our area. He is down-to-earth, relatable, thoughtful, sharp, and focused. There’s a lot to like about Rogers. Unlike Bothwell, he is focused on making positive changes in Western North Carolina, not tearing down other congressional candidates.  Rogers has a promising future in public service and I look forward to voting for him on May 8.

David Wijewickrama

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Do you remember “hanging-chads? Those were the tiny little punch-out holes on Florida ballots that gave George Bush the presidency in 2001 and made Florida the land of bad elections. As a direct result of that fiasco, Congress passed the “Help America Vote Act” or HAVA, which gave money to the states to improve their election systems. Over $4 million of that money is still in North Carolina banks ready to be spent on the 2012 election process.

In cash-strapped counties across the state, election boards are trying to find the money to conduct fair and efficient elections come November. That $4 million would go a long way to expand early voting, to ease access for the disabled, and ensure that everybody who wants to vote can vote. It would also expand computerized voter registration and record systems, and would greatly reduce the possibility of voter fraud.

But there is a problem.The Republican legislature is blocking the release of this money to the counties and state boards of elections. For the $4 million to be released, the legislature must provide about $660,000 to the state election boards. And, if they don’t, the money goes back to Washington. It is clear to many knowledgeable observers that the Republican legislature has purposely under-funded the State Board of Elections to prevent the release of the $4 million.

A letter signed by 85 members of local boards of elections, including 40 Republicans, was just sent to the legislature pleading for the release of the money. Many are concerned that chaos will ensue in the November General Election unless those funds are released.

Here is what I don’t understand: This is the same Republican legislature that has just passed a $500 million dollar tax relief bill for corporations. So, apparently it is easy to find $500 million for corporations but $660,000 to insure a fair vote is out of the question.

Talk to any Republican legislator about voting and he will cite the potential for rampant voter fraud. Therefore, they argue, there stands a crying need for voter ID bills and all sorts of restrictions on voters. Yet, the money to help solve this alleged problem sits unused.

It appears the Republicans have taken voter suppression to a new level.    

Louis Vitale

Franklin

To the Editor:

I want to share with you three times in my life that made me appreciate how important our Democratic vision is to the people of this state and this country.

First, it is clear to me the Republican Party sees women as second-class citizens. I attended a public meeting last year where our state senator said poor women have no business having children. I was appalled that he had the audacity to tell women who should and should not have children. If this outrageous Republican view had prevailed at the time and my mother had been influenced by it, I would never have been born. Democrats, as opposed to Republicans, believe all people whether rich or poor, male or female, black or white have the right to be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings.

Second, my parents started out with little money, but they worked hard started a business and were doing well. But when I was just 9 years old my father died suddenly from a heart attack. Thank goodness for Democrats who believe our government should be concerned with the welfare of all citizens and had provided a safety net. The Social Security program the Democrats had passed and funded helped my mother provide for me and my brothers and sisters at this crucial time in my life.  

Third, thanks to the strong public education system that Democrats have supported for decades in North Carolina, I was able to get an outstanding education through the public school system that allowed me to get into and succeed in college. My college and medical school education was made affordable through publicly funded scholarships and loan money. Emphasis by Democrats on public education for all our citizens has made a real difference in the quality of my life.  

The Republicans in our state legislature have made drastic cuts in every single level of public education. Huge cuts in funding for pre-school education for disadvantaged children, to K-12 education, to the community college system, and to our N.C. public universities. Republican Sen. Jim Davis falsely wrote that teaching jobs had been fully funded, when in fact as a result of budget cuts by the Republicans thousand of teaching jobs and teaching assistants jobs have been eliminated in North Carolina. These cuts may not affect you and me too much, but will play havoc in the lives of our children and grandchildren.

We Democrats stand for women’s rights, we stand for increased opportunities for poor and middle class citizens, we stand for a strong public education system that serves all of our citizens, we stand for affordable health care for everyone whether rich or poor, we stand to support Medicare and Social Security that has been so valuable in the lives of our citizens. Democrats’ vision of the future will give our children and grandchildren a better life in Macon County, in the state of North Carolina, and in these United States of America.  

Ed Morris

Chairman Macon County Democratic Party

To the Editor:

In 1993, I knew I wanted to be a registered nurse (RN) and my health occupations teacher, Mrs. Hess, encouraged me to go to C.J. Harris Hospital and become a junior volunteer. That is where my story begins. I volunteered until I left for college. Since the junior volunteer days, I have worked here, for the federal government and Vanderbilt Medical Center. Harris has always been my home. I have been honored to serve my community as a junior volunteer, nurse aid 1, nurse extern, nurse aid 2, LPN, RN, clinical coordinator, house supervisor, and currently as the director of the Intensive Care Unit and Medical-Surgical Unit.

I speak for my staff and myself when I say to you that you can trust me with your life. I care for every single patient with every ounce of my being. I truly believe that you do not become a nurse, you are called to be a nurse. There is no greater honor than to serve your church, family, extended family and neighbors in their time of need. My family receives its medical care at Harris. I prefer to have care delivered to my family by people that live in my community and understand who we are. I stand by the care that we deliver to every single patient at Harris. I plan to raise my family in this community, send my kids to school in this community, receive our healthcare here, and I plan to work at Harris until I retire in many years to come.

Thank you to every patient I have had the honor and privilege of caring for. Without you there would be a hole in my soul. It warms my soul to hold your hand, give you a hug and manage your electrolytes. Thank you, Jackson County.

Heather Sheppard, RN

Director, ICU and Medical-Surgical Unit

MedWest-Harris

To the Editor:

To us, this is more than just a hospital because it is part of our community, and it’s where our friends, relatives and neighbors work and so many people’s livelihoods depend on the hospital being here. We need to look out for each other and support each other and support our hospital so that it’s still here down the road when it’s inevitable that each of us will need it.

I’ve only been here for a few years, and already this is the hospital that I’ve chosen to have my baby in, and where my two nieces have been born, where my nephew has had surgery, and my baby niece was hospitalized. It is where I chose to bring my brother when he was critically ill and was hospitalized for over a week, and then came back for two different surgeries. That’s how much I believe in this place.

This isn’t just a hospital, but part of our community. When you come to us, you won’t be treated as just another faceless patient or another number. You will be treated with that extra special touch that only your own community hospital can give you.

None of us know what’s going to happen a year, two years, or five or more years from now. But I do know that if people don’t support the hospital now, what we’re afraid of happening will happen. But it doesn’t have to be like that, because there’s a great hospital right here in our community that wants to take care of its people and will provide the best care possible, just like a family provides for its own. We just need to stick together and support each other.

This hospital is an important part of the community and the local economy. If we don’t support it, it will hurt the entire community. It is unfortunate that we’re losing some great doctors, but at the same time physicians, nurses, and other staff are staying because we truly want to be here and because we believe in this place and how important it is to have a local hospital. The hard decision is the one to stay here and fight for this place to succeed.

Now, more than ever, we all need to support each other. We believe in our hospital and our community and it is our privilege to take care of you. Thanks for your support.

Casey Prenger, MD

Medical Director

WNC Hospitalist Service

MedWest-Harris

To the Editor:

The Physician Leadership Council, the governing body of the employed physicians of MedWest Health System, is saddened to see the recent media coverage surrounding MedWest-Harris. We understand the concerns that have been voiced by several doctors, as well as the community in recent months, but feel that this is the time to look into our future instead of dwelling on the issues of the past. In recent months the administration of MedWest has changed dramatically; so that we the physicians can better serve all of our communities. We work closely with all three of the hospitals that make up MedWest and are committed to giving the best medical care possible. Our council strives to create avenues of communication for the patients, for the providers and for the communities as a whole. We welcome input from our patients, so that we can serve each and every patient in the best possible way.

All of the members of the Physician Leadership Council have worked with the physicians who are leaving and hold them in high regard. Their expertise and caring will be missed. However, we must not forget that we still have an extremely skilled and dedicated medical staff of nearly 230 physicians who are choosing to stay in our communities and work in our hospitals to take care of our patients. And that number is growing! Ten new doctors in a variety of specialties are joining the medical staff this summer.

We realize that our system faces many challenges, as reflected in the healthcare industry as a whole. Yet as we look to the future, the Physician Leadership Council supports the administration of MedWest and the affiliation with Carolinas HealthCare System. With the relationships that we are nurturing between the MedWest campuses, we are working to build an even better healthcare system so that we can help you and your family when you need to call on us. We thank you for your past, present and future support.

Robin Matthews, MD

Chairpeson, Physician Leadership Council

Haywood Women’s Medical Center

Charles Toledo, MD

Vice Chair, Physician Leadership Council

WNC Pediatric and Adolescent Care

MedWest-Haywood will hold an open house from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2, at the newly constructed MedWest Urgent Care Center in Canton.

The community can get a preview of the new facility during the open house. MedWest Urgent Care Center-Canton is expanding services provided at MedWest-Haywood with an additional location for the MedWest Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine clinic.

Haywood Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine also will have space in the MedWest Urgent Care Center-Canton facility and will provide car seat checks and children’s activities such as face-painting, inflatables and balloon twisters at the open house.

Staff and physicians at the facility will begin seeing patients     May 3.

MedWest Urgent Care Center-Canton will provide walk-in examinations seven days a week to people with non-emergency illnesses or injuries. The new facility is replacing the Urgent Care Center on the MedWest-Haywood campus.

Once open, MedWest Urgent Care Center-Canton will be open from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. every day.

828.648.0282.

Residents and business owners of Cullowhee and Jackson County are invited to attend a community meeting from 5:30-7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 1, at the Cullowhee Valley School library. This is a follow-up to the March 13 meeting when community members discussed Cullowhee’s future.

Participants will be asked to take part in developing project ideas to contribute to the revitalization and improvement of Cullowhee. The Jackson County Planning Department and the Cullowhee Revitalization Endeavor (CuRvE) will facilitated the meeting.

A $3.4-million contract to replace the T. Walter Middleton Bridge on N.C. 107 over the Tuckasegee River in Jackson County has been awarded to a Whittier company.

Owle Construction Co. will build a new bridge that will be widened from 20 feet to 50 feet with three lanes, shoulders and a sidewalk to reduce costs, improve safety and cut down congestion.

Work will begin as early as April 30, with final completion scheduled for no later than Jan. 11, 2015. An on-site detour will be in place during the project.

Last March, the state department of transportation decided to postpone the replacement of the bridge to allow for more time to consult with the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians to study and document Native American archaeological findings uncovered at the project site.

Children’s choir, Voices in the Laurel, will perform in its 16th annual spring concert at 2:30 p.m., May 6, at Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Voices in the Laurel is a Haywood County-based non-profit choir for young people in grades 1-12 from Haywood, Buncombe, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties.

Voices in the Laurel provides choristers the opportunity to participate in performance tours all over the world. Voices in the Laurel has performed with the Asheville Lyric Opera, opened for Dolly Parton in her Christmas show at Dollywood, with Ronnie Milsap at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Westminster Abbey in London, Chartres Cathedral in France and the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Voices in the Laurel is planning for a summer 2012 performance tour in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain.

Tickets are $10 each.

www.greatmountainmusic.com/buy-tickets.asp or 828.524.1598.

Macon County youth will take the stage in Showcase of Talent 2012, a non-competitive talent show for third- to 12th-graders, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.

The annual event is held in the Franklin High School Fine Arts Center and features talented students chosen from the county’s public, private, and home schools performing a variety of entertaining acts, from vocal and instrumental numbers to dance, gymnastics, and comedy routines.

Admission is $5 adult and $2 youth age 16 and under.  Proceeds support the Arts Council’s Artists-in-the-Schools Program, which brings diverse interactive, instructive arts programs to Macon County Public Schools.

Showcase of Talent is a joint project of the Arts Council and the Macon County Board of Education. It is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.  For information visit www.artscouncilofmacon.org or phone the Arts Council at 828.524.7683.

Two Western Carolina University student disc jockeys committed to offering “smashing good fun” on their morning radio show have been recognized by an international media association.

Fern Lulham and David Rose have been co-hosts of “Fern and David in the Morning” on Power 90.5 WWCU-FM since September. They earned second place as air personalities in a national competition with nearly 900 entries sponsored by the Broadcast Education Association.

“All of the comments from judges were similar – ‘original sound’ or ‘quick wit’ – but my favorite was ‘(this show is) designed to hit you over the head and show you how good these two are,’” said Michael Huntsberger, the student radio competition chair for the BEA.

Fast-talking Lulham and Rose incorporate a range of sound clips and effects, as well as a studiocam, as part of the news, information, fun and games show.

Both from the United Kingdom, Rose and Lulham were enrolled at the same time at the University of Glamorgan in Wales but first met at WCU.

“I’ve always loved radio. I remember interviewing my family with a cucumber at the tea table – things like, ‘So Mum, what do you think of Dad’s new haircut?’ So when I came to WCU, I knew straightaway that I wanted to get involved with the station, and the radio station was one of the major reasons why I transferred,” Lulham said.

www.wwcufm.com.

The library in Sylva will host a free energy healing workshop with Laura Elliott at 7 p.m. on May 1.

Elliott is an artist, a healing touch therapist and an expressive art facilitator in Sylva.

Healing Touch is a holistic energy therapy that restores balance and harmony to the body, mind and spirit. In her workshop, Elliott will teach how to master your own energy using your body and voice to release stress, restore balance, strengthen vitality, and gain peace of mind.

Elliott’s technique integrates Healing Touch with the ancient wisdoms of qigong and toning. Qigong (chee-gong) is an ancient oriental form of movement designed to enhance health by releasing stress and increasing vitality.

Registration is not necessary and the workshop is free.

828.586.2016.

The Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts at historic Shelton House will open on May 1 for the 2012 season.

In addition to Tuesday through Saturday tours conducted by Curator Jackie Stephens, the museum will offer a series of special events and Friday night lectures and demonstrations throughout the May-October season.  

A kick-off celebration will be held on May 4 for members and sponsors. Shelton House is striving for growth in membership to inspire a broader appreciation of the extensive collection of crafts on display at the facility. Membership entitles cardholders to visitation privileges at the museum as well as to its numerous events.

www.sheltonhouse.org.

A new ‘Art + Energy’ gallery will have its grand opening from 5-7 p.m., April 26, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park.

The gallery will feature of blown glass, forge-hammered metals, and wood-fired kiln ceramics by local artists, including Tadashi Torii, Aaron Shufelt, Judy McManus, Tracy Kirchman, Clayton Hufford, John Burtner, Brock Martin and Preston Tolbert.

“Our new gallery is special and unique because all of the work displayed has been made using renewable energy. We pay great attention to what our artists produce and ask them to exhibit only the finest pieces,” said Nicole DuPont-Strub, gallery manager.

The Jackson County Green Energy Park is an award winning, community-scale landfill gas project located in Dillsboro.

www.jcgep.org or 828.631.0271.

The winning art pieces from the 2012 Southwestern Community College Student Art Show will be exhibited at the Oconaluftee Institute for Cultural Arts until April 30 and at SCC for the remainder of the year.

Best of Show went to Jessica Gagne for her sculpture “Lochness Wear and Tear.” Honorable mentions went to Robert Beck Jr. for his letterpress-printed book “Robert’s Fish Tales,” Joy Hutcher for her ceramic “Cat Effigy,” and Carrie Atkinson for her book and sculpture titled “Uktena.”

Each of the four winners will have their artwork on display at the college during 2012 and will then be entered in the statewide community college art exhibition in Raleigh for 2013.

828.497.3945 or www.southwesterncc.edu/finearts.

Singer/songwriter Lyle Lovett will take the stage at 7:30 p.m., May 5, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel.

Lovett is one of the most distinctive and original singer/songwriters to emerge during the ‘80s. He combines a talent for incisive, witty lyrical detail with an eclectic array of music, ranging from country and folk to big-band swing and traditional pop. Lovett has won four Grammy Awards, including Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Album. Hits include “Cowboy Man,” “Give Back My Heart,” and “She’s No Lady.”

828.497.8815 or www.ticketmaster.com.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theater will exhibit a collection of antique quilts during the production of “Look Homeward Angel,” scheduled from April 27-May 6.

The quilts will be hung on April 16 and may be viewed while purchasing or picking up tickets prior to attending the play. Brief wall labels will accompany the quilts, and a booklet will be available in HART lobby for more complete data on each piece. A total of nine quilts will be featured during the HART/Shelton House exhibit.

One of the prized quilts on display is Gladys Lett’s appliqued Flower Garden pattern, one of the most popular bed covers in the Shelton House collection. The 1930 quilt won third place in the Indianapolis Star quilt contest that year and features 25 different floral patterns.

www.sheltonhouse.org.

The Macon County Public Library will host a talk by local author Dennis Murphy at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 3.

The subject will be “Near-Death Experiences: Evidence of Heaven or Last Gasps of Dying Brains.” Following the talk and a brief discussion period, the author will read excerpts from his novel, Brain Waves, and answer questions. He’ll then be available to autograph copies of the book, which will be for sale.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre will open its 2012 season on April 27 with “Look Homeward Angel,” a Pulitzer Prize winning drama based on Thomas Wolfe’s novel.

HART will perform the play at 7:30 p.m., April 27-28 and May 3-5. Sunday matinees will start at 3 p.m., April 29 and May 6.

Ketti Frings wrote “Look Homeward Angel,” which tells the story of the Gant family, living in the fictional Altamont, and the Dixieland Boarding House, operated by a domineering matriarch who used her children as free labor. A “parade of pimps, prostitutes and ne’er-do-wells” populated the rambling barn of a house.

The play and book are a thinly veiled autobiography by Wolfe, a 20th century writer and Asheville native. The play opened on Broadway at the Barrymore Theater in 1957.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and $8 for students/teachers. A special $5 discount tickets for students and teachers is also available on for Thursdays and Sundays.

The box office will open two weeks before each show to the general public this season.

828.456.6322 or www.harttheatre.com.

The North Carolina Symphony will perform its “Beethoven and Beyond” at Cherokee Central Schools and Haywood Community College.

The symphony will perform select work by Beethoven, Mozart, Wagner and Liszt. The concert in Cherokee will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Chief Joyce Dugan Cultural Arts Center at Cherokee Central Schools. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for seniors and enrolled members and $5 ages 6 to 16.

The following day, the symphony will perform a free concert at 10:45 a.m., April 27 for Haywood County School students in the Haywood Community College’s auditorium.

The Western Carolina Civic Orchestra will play the final concert of its season at 7:30 p.m. on April 28 in the Coulter Building Recital Hall on the WCU campus.

The soloists will be the students who won the 22nd annual Student Solo Competition in January. This competition is sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council, which funds the awards. This year the winners are Samuel McQuitty, Ryan Wall and Ashley Setzer.

McQuitty is a home-schooled 10th-grade student from Franklin and studies violin. He will play the first movement of the “Viotti Violin Concerto No. 22 in A Minor.” Wall is a WCU senior from Kenly and studies flute. He will play the “Bach Flute Concerto in G Minor.” Setzer, soprano, is a graduate student from Hickory, studying voice. She will sing the aria “Tornami a Vagheggiar” from Alcina by G.F. Handel.

The full orchestra will perform Mozart’s Overture to The Impresario, Vocalise by Rachmaninoff, and the “Triumphal March” from “Sigurd Jorsalfar” by Edvard Grieg. Members of the orchestra are student and faculty musicians from WCU, and students and adults from Jackson, Macon, Haywood, Swain, Cherokee and Buncombe counties.

The Haywood-Junaluska Community Chorus’ spring concert will be held at 4 p.m., April 29, at The First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.

The 70-voice choir will present familiar works by Beethoven, Faure, Gounod, Haydn, Mozart and Pergolesi. The chorus will also perform a recent arrangement of “A Choral Quilt” with music by Leonard Bernstein, and concept and arrangement by Jack Gottlieb, who designed the arrangement of six songs stitched together to bring a sense of warmth and protection just as a quilt or comforter does.

The Signature Winds and guest soloist Lee Thomas of Asheville will also appear at the show. Admission is free.

Western Carolina University’s Catamount Singers and Electric Soul instrumental group will present its spring showcase “Rhythm and Rhymes” at 7:30 p.m., April 26, in WCU’s John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center.

Admission is free for the program, which will feature hits from artists such as Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Lou Rawls, Tower of Power and Whitney Houston.

The Catamount Singers comprises 12 student voices, and Electric Soul features 14 student instrumentalists, including a lively horn section.

828.227.7242.

Folkmoot USA will host a luau from 5 to 8 p.m., May 11, at the Haywood Regional Arts Theater in Waynesville.

Enjoy a spread of Hawaiian food, hula demonstration and a raffle. Tickets are $25 and include a chance at winning one of 15 raffle items, including a Samsung laptop; Sanyo 42-inch HDTV; gas grill; fly fishing trip; and gardening package. Additional raffle tickets to increase your chances of winning can be purchased before and during the event for $5 each.

The 29th Folkmoot Festival will take place from July 18-29, and events feature dancers and musicians from New Zealand, France, Belgium, Indonesia, Peru, Philippines, Serbia, Puerto Rico, Ukraine and Hawaii. The festival attracts 100,000 visitors to Western North Carolina, helping local communities receive more than 4 million tourism dollars each year.

Hawaiian Luau tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door.

877.365.5872 or 828.452.2997 or www.FolkmootUSA.org.

A backcountry fee rally will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., April 21, at the Sugarlands Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to heighten awareness and provide information about the proposed backcountry fee that will be imposed starting next year.

Backcountry camping is currently free in the Smokies, but the park will impose a $4 per person per day fee next year to fund backcountry rangers and information desk.

Southern Forest Watch will be at the Sugarlands Visitor Center through 3 p.m. As part of this informational session, a drawing will be held for an autographed copy of Jim Casada’s book, Fly Fishing in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There also will be a fly fishing and backcountry gear demonstration, and information obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests that address the process to implement the first-ever user fee in the Smokies. www.southernforestwatch.org.

The 40th annual Spring Wildflower and Bird Pilgrimage will be held April 27-29, with registration at 6:30 p.m., April 27, in the lobby of UNC Asheville’s Robinson Hall.

There will be 14 events, including talks and guided tours, focused on local flora and fauna. All are open to the public. The pilgrimage is sponsored by UNC Asheville’s Biology Department and the Botanical Gardens at Asheville. The registration fee is $5 for adults and $1 for students and covers all events.

The keynote speech will be delivered by David McAdoo, co-founder of the Native Orchid Conference, will present “Native Orchids of North Carolina,” at 7:30 p.m. in UNC Asheville’s Robinson Hall Auditorium. North Carolina has about 70 different native species; McAdoo’s presentation will include photos of the state’s orchids along with information on their distribution, bloom times and conservation status

Events on Saturday, April 28, will conclude with a presentation by The Smoky Mountain News nature columnist George Ellison, at 7:30 p.m. in UNC Asheville’s Robinson Hall Auditorium. Ellison will present a talk, “Edible, Medicinal, and Utilitarian Plants Used by the Cherokees and Early White Settlers,” including discussion of ginseng, poison ivy, bloodroot, mushrooms and spring greens.

There will also be a two-day celebration that includes plant and craft vendors, food and entertainment from 1-6 p.m. Friday, April 27, and from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 28, in the Botanical Gardens at Asheville, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd., adjacent to campus.

828.232.5151.