Jackson REACH hosts benefit with author

Friends of REACH of Jackson County will be hosting a benefit to raise funds for REACH family services.

Hear Rozetta Mowery, author of the best-selling book, Tragedy in Tin Can Holler, will speak of her first-hand journey from personal tragedy to personal triumph. The event will take place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 25, at the Country Club of Sapphire Valley. A minimum donation of $75 is suggested. There will be limited seating. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served.

For more information about REACH contact Sandy Frazier, director of development, at 828.631. 4484. For tickets or sponsorship opportunities contact Janice Mason at 828. 631.4488.

Community group to award ‘green’ citizens

The Commission for a Clean County (CCC) will recognize Haywood County residents and organizations who contribute to environmental awareness at the seventh annual Community Pride Awards program.

Special recognition will be given to businesses, community and civic groups, schools and outstanding adults and children of school age who show commitment to a clean and healthy environment. This can be done through litter control, recycling and beautification. This year, the group is giving an award for a new category — Environmental Stewardship. This reflects businesses and groups that use biodiesel fuel for their cars and trucks and make special efforts to control air pollution. The award also spotlights individuals who build “green” houses and otherwise make special efforts to clean the air and the earth.

Impartial judges selected from the community, as well as the CCC board members, will read all applications, make site visits to finalists and select both first-place and honorable mention winners. Winning entrants will be selected based on the extents of efforts, benefits to the environment and sincere commitment to a clean county

Entry forms can be picked up at the Waynesville, Canton and Maggie Valley libraries, the Homebuilders Association offices and also at the Haywood and Maggie Valley Chambers of Commerce. Residents also may call 828.452.1550 to request that one be mailed.

In order to have sufficient time for judging and to order awards, the CCC needs to receive entries as soon as possible, preferably by Friday, Nov. 2. The mailing address is on the entry form. The awards will be presented at a special luncheon early in February.

USDA grants to help farmers with water quality

The USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, with Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District, is accepting applications to install practices that improve water quality on farms.

This program is being offered through the United States Department of Agriculture, Farm Bill programs. Interested farmers or landowners should stop by the USDA office located in Waynesville by 4 p.m. on Nov. 1 to submit an application.

Cost share practices include watering tanks, fencing, streambank stabilization, pastureland improvement, sediment control on agriculture lands, agri-chemical buildings and many more. Call 828.452.2741 extension 3 or email at kara.cassels@nc.usda.gov.

Jackson commissioners want plan for Judaculla Rock

A Georgia-based consulting firm will develop a comprehensive conservation plan for Judaculla Rock in Jackson County.

The soapstone boulder covered with prehistoric petroglyphs is located approximately 3 miles off N.C. 107 on State Road 1737 along Caney Fork Road.

On Oct. 15 Jackson County Commissioners voted to develop a plan to restore the rock, which has suffered from negative impacts caused by tourists and the environment.

Commissioners awarded the project to Stratum Unlimited of Georgia. The project’s total cost is $16,230.

The study will include a formal recordation of the petroglyphs and offer measures to alleviate the damages the site sustains.

Alzheimer’s conference comes to Junaluska

The Western Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will hold its 23rd fall Education conference, “The Many Faces of Dementia 2007: Current Information for Everyone,” on Nov. 1 at the Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center.

The goal of the conference is to provide quality education at a reasonable cost for those in the senior industry as well as families and caregivers dealing with dementia.

The conference is targeted at family caregivers, clergy, counselors, facility administrators, physicians, nurses and other health care professionals. Featured speakers include LeAnn Thieman, a nationally acclaimed certified speaking professional, author and nurse; John C. Morris, director and principal investigator of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the Washington University School of Medicine; Teepa Snow, an occupational therapist currently serving as a dementia care and dementia education specialist; and Karen Stobbe, an actress, writer and instructor.

To register contact Mark Cornett at 828.254.7363 or mark.cornett@alz.org.

Hearing on coal-fired energy plant is Oct. 18

The Canary Coalition, a regional air quality advocacy group based in Sylva, is hosting a public hearing Thursday, Oct. 18, in Asheville over Duke Energy’s plans to build a new coal-fired power plant outside Hickory.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality held a public hearing on the new coal plant last month in Forest City, but the single public hearing in the remote location was inadequate to give the public a real voice on the issue, according to Avram Friedman of Sylva, director of the Canary Coalition.

“The state has refused numerous requests from many organizations and individuals to hold multiple hearings in more populated cities around the state that will be affected by the massive air pollution and greenhouse gases pumped into the air annually by this new coal power plant,” Freidman said.

So the Canary Coalition is staging a public hearing of its own in Asheville on Oct. 18. Environmental groups are also staging public hearings of their own in Charlotte and Raleigh. Officials with the Division of Air Quality were personally invited to attend the public hearings, but declined the invitations. Organizers will video-record the hearings and send DVDs to the N.C. Division of Air Quality to enter as part of the public record.

“DAQ officials are going to hear from the people of North Carolina regardless of how much cotton they put in their ears,” said Friedman. “It’s no surprise that DAQ has refused our invitation and we expected that. There’s a long history of snubbing the public and abuse of power. Once again this agency is exposing itself as the fox that is guarding the hen house.”

The hearing will follow the typical format: each speaker gets three minutes at the microphone to make their point. Written comments can also be submitted and are unlimited.

The hearing will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Asheville-Buncombe Technical College in Simpson Hall on the Asheville campus. For more information or to car pool, call 828.631.3447 or visit www.canarycoalition.org.

Haywood clinic switches to appointment system

Beginning Oct. 15, the Haywood County Health Department General Clinic converted from a walk-in system to a new appointment system.

Haywood County Health Director Carmine Rocco said the appointment system, which was approved by the Board of Health in September, is expected to provide better service to clients served by the health department.

“We believe it will reduce waiting time for our clients, as well as increase staff efficiency,” Rocco said.

Appointments will be available from 9 a.m. to noon and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On Friday, appointments will be available from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Walk-in patients will continue to be accepted from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. each weekday. Those not seen by 9 a.m. will be worked into the appointment schedule.

Appointments will be booked on the day a patient wants to be seen but will not be booked days in advance. Patients can begin calling for appointments at 8 a.m. To schedule an appointment, contact the health department at 828.452.6675. Those with appointments will be given priority over walk-ins who come in after 8:45 a.m. Those walk-in patients who qualify as having urgent needs will be worked into the appointment schedule.

General clinic services include childhood immunizations, adult tetanus/diphtheria immunizations; flu, pneumonia or foreign travel immunizations, blood pressure checks and HIV counseling and testing.

For more information contact the health department at 828.452.6675.

Haywood seeks input about health issues

Healthy Haywood and the Haywood County Health Department will hold a public listening session from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at the Haywood County Office Building (formerly the Mountain Area Resource Center) at 81 Elmwood Way in Waynesville.

Healthy Haywood began listening sessions in August in an effort to gain information from communities throughout Haywood County. The information provided at the Nov. 8 forum will be compiled with other listening sessions throughout the county. The listening sessions will continue with a variety of people and community organizations until January 2008.

The data collected will then be compared to health statistics that describe Haywood County. Together, this information will be used to help develop the Health Department’s Community Health Assessment Report and Healthy Haywood’s health action teams. These teams will then create action plans for the next four years consisting of programs and activities to address the determined health concerns in the county.

A program of the Haywood County Health Department, Healthy Haywood brings together individuals and organizations to improve health and health care access in Haywood County. To better understand community members’ views about health, Healthy Haywood is interested in public views regarding all aspects of health.

To attend the listening session, contact Steffie Duginske at 828.452.6675, ext. 2270, no later than Nov. 7. Due to the nature of the survey, only the first 30 people who call will be able to attend the meeting. Also, if you are interested in having Healthy Haywood and the Health Department hold a listening session with your group or organization, please contact the coordinator to schedule.

$10,000 reward offered in Wal-Mart explosion

Individuals who have information about the people involved in the Sylva Wal-Mart explosion can receive a cash reward.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the Sept. 26 explosion that injured five people.

“We are taking this investigation very seriously,” Special Agent C.J. Hyman said.

Information said the suspects drove off in a blue or green 4 door 1995-1997 Mercury Grand Marquis.

Anyone with information can contact the following agencies:

• Jackson County Sheriff’s Crimestoppers at 828.631.1125

• Sylva Police Department at 828.586.2916

• NC SBI at 1.800.334.3000

• ATF bomb hotline at 1.888.283.2662

All information will be treated confidentially and callers will remain anonymous if they request.

Dry weather leads to new burning ban

The N.C. Division of Forest Resources has re-initiated a statewide ban on all open burning and canceled all burning permits effective Oct. 15. The ban on open burning will be in effect until further notice.

Dry weather conditions and depleted water resources across the state led to the ban. In addition to a $100 fine, people in violation of the open burning ban may have to pay court costs.

The following are a few facts about the law regarding the ban on open burning:

• The burn ban does not apply to cooking fires, such as grills or outdoor cookers.

• The ban does not apply to a fire within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling. County fire marshals have jurisdiction of burning within 100 feet of an occupied dwelling.

• If a fire within that 100-foot area escapes containment, a North Carolina forest ranger may take reasonable steps to extinguish or control the fire. The person responsible for setting the fire may be responsible for reimbursing NCDENR for any expenses related to extinguishing that fire.

• Open burning includes burning leaves, branches and other plant material. In all cases, it is illegal to burn trash, lumber, tires, newspapers, plastics or other non-vegetative materials.

The Division of Forest Resources has advised county fire marshals across the state of the burning ban and asked for their consideration of also implementing a burning ban. In addition, other local ordinances and air quality regulations may impact open burning.

For more information, contact Brian R. Haines at 919.733.2162, ext. 234.

Literacy Council holds tutor training sessions

The Haywood County Literacy Council will have its next volunteer tutor training at 2 p.m. on Mondays, Nov. 5, 12, and 19 in the Annex III building (United Way building) on 2143 Asheville Road in Waynesville.

Anyone 16 years old or older or at least in ninth grade is welcome to participate. A separate workshop for previously trained tutors who wish to teach English as a Second Language will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 26 at Annex III.

A roundtable discussion for all tutors will be held from 6:30 until 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 10. The discussion will focus on dyslexia. For reservations or more information call 828.452.1695. Volunteers are urgently needed for these elementary schools: Jonathan Valley; Clyde; Meadowbrook; and North Canton. Adults are also on the waiting list for services.

Business start-up class starts Oct. 22

The Continuing Education division of Haywood Community College will offer Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (REAL) beginning Monday, Oct. 22. It will help anyone who wants to explore the opportunities and challenges of opening a business.

Learn how to take a business idea, improve or expand an existing business, and walk through the steps of self-employment assessments, the business plan essentials, legal structures, community analysis, marketing research and feasibility, targeting the customer and meeting customer needs, analyzing the competition, taxes and licenses, utilizing professionals, computerized cash flow analysis, and financial feasibility.

The REAL course will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. from Oct. 22 through Nov. 21 on Monday and Wednesday evenings for a fee of $55. The class will be held on campus in the Freedlander Building in Room 204. For information call 828.627.4512.