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A pilot education program for food pantries and other emergency food providers will hold a series of training classes from 5 to 8 p.m. July 21, July 28, Aug. 4 and Aug. 11. 

The Appalachian Food Pantry School four-week training program will cover everything from public relations to financial planning to volunteer management, with course topics including fundraising, food safety regulations, marketing and grant writing. 

It is put on by the Western North Carolina Food Policy Council  and co-sponsored by MANNA Food Bank and the MountainWise Public Health Partnership, with financial support from the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina. The WNC Food Policy Council coordinates efforts to build a stronger food system, encourage agricultural development, and reduce food insecurity in the seven western counties. 

A kickoff event at 6 p.m. Friday, July 17, will feature a catered reception, live music and a panel of pantries whose boards of directors have demonstrated exceptional engagement and action.

$45 registration includes course materials and dinner during class. Participants can send different members of their organization to different courses dependent on their needs. 

The location of the courses and kick-off are to be announced.

www.wncfpc.org.

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Seniors interested in getting out for an early morning walk this summer are wanted for a now-forming group through the Haywood County Senior Resource Center. 

The group would likely meet at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday in various locations, such as Waynesville’s Main Street, Lake Junaluska and Vance Street Park. 

Michelle Claytor, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.356.2813.

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out lightningLightning is one of nature’s most ephemeral forces, but scientists are still able to detect and measure these electrical displays. A presentation at 7 p.m. Friday, July 10, at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute will explain how.

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out womensworkBy Wil Shelton • SMN Intern

For Whittier resident Anne Hill, sharing the history of Appalachia goes far beyond the realm of classrooms and textbooks.

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out altBy Wil Shelton • SMN Intern

For Jeff Alt and his family, hiking is more a lifestyle than a hobby.

“After experiencing all the great positive physical and mental benefits gained from hiking, I wanted to share it with my family,” he said.

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Acclaimed musician Marshall Ballew will perform at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

Ballew is a singer-songwriter/ multi-instrumentalist, whose repertoire spans over a century of traditional music in an array of styles, from blues and ragtime to folk, old-time, and bluegrass. He has performed with such folks as David Lindley, Jorma Kaukonen, Doc Watson, Dave Alvin, and more. His dobro and lap steel work can be heard on recordings by Christine Kane, David Childers, Chris Rosser, The Gospel Playboys and others. 

The event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library. Free.

828.586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org.

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Haywood Community College continues the Student for a Day Series with Creative Arts on Saturday, July 11. 

• The Intro to Felting workshop will acquaint students with the technique of wet felting. This workshop will be held from noon to 4 p.m.

• In the Beginning Basics of Mountain Style Dance, students will learn the basic flat-foot/buck/clogging steps. This workshop will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• In the Intro to Enamel workshop, students will use powdered glass fused to the surface of metal using heat to make one-of-a-kind wearable enamel samples. This workshop is available from either 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or noon to 4 p.m.

• The Play in Clay workshop is a fun, no pressure introduction to the potter’s wheel and fundamental techniques. Workshops will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and noon to 4 p.m. 

• In the Artful Finishes for Wood workshop, participants will play with unusual surfaces and finishes such as torching, sandblasting, grinding, dyes, grain filling, and photo-transfer. This workshop is held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

• Participants in Handspun Fun will learn how unique and wonderful yarn was made by experiencing fiber spinning using HCC’s new spinning wheels. This workshop is available from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m.  

• In the Designer Tote Bag workshop, participants will design and piece together their own unique tote bag. This workshop is available from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. 

• The Altered Image workshop is an introduction to transferring images to fabric then altering and embellishing that image through stitching, dying, and painting. This session will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. 

• Cuttlefish casting is a quick and fairly accurate metal casting method. It is difficult to achieve fine details, but rather creates a richly complex texture that is a natural by-product of this method. This session will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. 

These sessions are free of charge and lunch is provided. Registration is required and space is limited. 

828.627.4522.

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art sweetcornThe 18th annual Sweet Corn Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at St. Cyprian’s Church in Franklin.

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art bascomThere will be an array of upcoming artisan and craft workshops at The Bascom in Highlands.

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art elvisThe ‘Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest’ will be July 9-11 at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.

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To the Editor:

Nearly 240 years ago, our founding fathers declared our national independence from Great Britain. This Fourth of July, let’s declare our independence from the meat industry.

More than 60 percent of U.S. agricultural subsidies pay for meat, dairy and egg production. Fresh fruit and vegetable farmers receive less than 1 percent of the total. It’s time to declare our independence by stopping these subsidies.

Our annual medical care expenditures for diseases associated with consumption of animal products are estimated at $300 billion. Much of the cost is borne by our taxes through Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration, and Obamacare. It’s time to declare our independence by taxing animal products to recover these costs.

Currently, the meat industry is getting Congress to gut dietary recommendations by a government-appointed panel of our nation’s top nutritionists. The panel recommended incorporating reduced meat consumption and sustainability of food sources in our dietary guidelines. It’s time to declare our independence by telling the meat industry to butt out of our dietary guidelines.

In the meantime, each of us can declare our personal independence from the meat industry by refusing to subsidize it on our next trip to the supermarket.

Weston Madrigal

Waynesville

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To the Editor:

This piece could be titled, “How to beat a dead horse in 350 words or less.”

First let me say that Waynesville is a great place to live. My wife and I picked it for retirement over 20 years ago; however, every time I return to the city from elsewhere I try to look at the city the way a tourist or newcomer might view it. Coming from east, west or south you are immediately confronted with junkyards or eyesores. Across from Junaluska Elementary School there are dozens of junk trucks and trailers (many parked on the road right of way) that have been there for at least 20 years and probably far longer than that. Who pays the personal property tax on those? You and I pay tax on our vehicle, why should someone not pay the tax on those?

After you get past the junk, the fillings in your teeth begin to rattle because of the poorly maintained streets in town. South Main, Haywood Road, Pigeon Street and many others are in deplorable condition. Are we trying to discourage people and businesses from settling here? Where is the appearance committee and ordinance enforcement? Where is the Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Realtors? After all, is this the impression that is good for business and appealing to people looking for a place to live?

The best way to get the attention of any public officeholder was best described by an ex-senator from Illinois when he said, “when I feel the heat, I see the light.” Chamber, board of realtors and Waynesville residents, it’s up to you to supply the heat. Call the city, attend the alderman meetings, write the paper, let your voices be heard. I do.

Bruce Gardner

Waynesville

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“Cultivators of the earth are the most valuable citizens. They are the most vigorous, the most independent, the most virtuous and they are tied to their country and wedded to its liberty and interests by the most lasting bands.”

 –Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Jay (Aug. 23, 1785)

To the Editor:

It’s that time of year again: DOT Trash Season. The unnatural season of the year in which our NCDOT becomes the biggest litterer in the state! How is this so, you may be asking? 

It is because our DOT turns a small amount of easily removable litter into incalculable amounts of mostly irretrievable litter by not picking up the trash on the sides of our taxpayer-funded roads before mowing it into a million pieces. Maybe we could hire all the teachers assistants back with the fine the DOT would face?

How environmentally and fiscally lazy! We have 546,918.02 people unemployed in our great North State (5.5 percent unemployment, April 2015, multiplied by our US Census Bureau estimated N.C. population from 2014) so there are plenty of citizens in need of work who might love the opportunity for a state job walking the roads picking up litter out in our glorious state. 

Now, I do know that the DOT does provide bags for citizens to use to pick up litter and the DOT will pick the bags up. I also know that all county sheriffs place incarcerated citizens on our roads occasionally to remove litter (although this seems to not have happened for many months in Jackson County). 

I do not understand why my fellow citizens litter at all, never have. I myself stop on the roadside multiple times per week to pick up trash. I remember speaking with a juvenile male who wants to go to Mars when he “grows up.” While telling me this, he stated that we (earthlings) think we have the best planet, but it’s not the best because so many people disrespect it by littering.

I asked him if he and his parents ever stopped and picked up litter. His whole posture and expression went from happy and adamant to sad, and he said: “No, we’re always in too much of a hurry.” This is so sad. He probably learned to not like littering from his parents who are then simulta-neously teaching him to not act, to not walk his talk, to just continue complaining.

I guess trickle down theories do work when it comes to litter.

Curt Collins

Cullowhee

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fr drivinglessonsBy Katie Reeder • SMN Intern 

Young drivers in North Carolina may no longer be required to take driver education to get their learner’s permit if a Senate subcommittee’s modifications to House Bill 97 are passed by the General Assembly.

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ingles dietitianQUESTION: Could I be sensitive to wheat because it has been genetically modified?

ANSWER:  NO! 

out plantsRegistration is now open for the 2015 Cullowhee Native Plant Conference at Western Carolina University, a four-day event featuring more than a dozen plant walks and workshops and a demonstration of how drones can aid in environmental conservation mapping.

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out recparkA much-used riverbank in the Canton Recreation Park is now a lot more stable, thanks to a protection project recently completed by Haywood Waterways Association and the town of Canton. 

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out jrrangersA lineup of summer programs in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will give young park-lovers the chance to earn their credentials as Junior Rangers.

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out joesamThe N.C. League of Conservation Voters named Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, as its 2015 Representative of the Year in the organization’s annual Green Tie Awards.

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out bennettThe National Park Service is still waiting on the results of an autopsy looking into the cause of hiker Jenny Bennett’s death in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park earlier this month, but investigators have ruled out a bear attack and do not suspect foul play.

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Registration is ongoing for Western Carolina University’s 16th annual Dulcimer U Summer Week, a gathering that brings mountain dulcimer virtuosos and students to the campus in Cullowhee for six days of classes and concerts.

The year’s conference, set for July 19-24, will feature an instructional staff of nationally recognized musicians and performers, including hosts Larry and Elaine Conger. A variety of classes will be held during the week, and participants will get to choose the group that is best for them based on their ability level and the skills they wish to improve. 

Special classes will include “Dulcimer Building” with Bob Magowan, “Caregiving and Comfort Using the Mountain Dulcimer” with Lorinda Jones, “Learning to Teach the Mountain Dulcimer” with Judy House and Joe Collins, “Exploring our Dulcimer Heritage” with Aubrey Atwater, and “Mountain Dulcimer Ensemble” with the Congers.

The schedule for July 23 includes a mountain dulcimer concert featuring the instructional staff playing “in the round.” The show, which is open to the public, begins at 7 p.m. in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Tickets, priced at $10 for the public and $5 for WCU faculty, staff and students, are available by calling the Bardo Arts Center box office at 828.227.2479 or www.bardoartscenter.wcu.edu. 

Registration that includes all confirmed classes, materials, staff concerts and other events is $350 per person. On-campus accommodations and meals packages are available for an additional $349 for single-occupancy rooms and $299 for double-occupancy rooms.

www.dulcimeru.wcu.edu or 828.227.7397.

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The faculty of the Mountain Collegium Music Workshop will perform a recital of medieval, renaissance, baroque and contemporary music on early and folk instruments at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at the Cullowhee Baptist Church adjacent to the campus of Western Carolina University.

The musicians and their instruments include Lisle Kulbach, Holly Maurer, Gail Ann Schroeder (violas da gamba); Valerie Austin, Jody Miller, Patricia Petersen, Gwyn Roberts and Anne Timberlake (recorders); Erik Schmalz (sackbut); Lorraine Hammond and John Maschinot (harp and folk instruments); Robert Bolyard (voice and viola da gamba); and Jack Ashworth (harpsichord and viola da gamba).

The summer Mountain Collegium Early Music and Folk Music Workshop at WCU offers classes in recorder, viol, voice and other early instruments as well as classes in folk, Appalachian, Celtic, Sephardic and contemporary music. The teaching organization’s site can be found at www.mountaincollegium.org.

Admission to the concert is free, but donations to the Gerald R. Moore Mountain Collegium Scholarship are accepted.

404.314.1891 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

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art powwowThe Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ 40th annual Pow Wow will be held July 3-5 at the Acquoni Expo Center.

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art eaglenestA state-of-the-art entertainment facility, Eaglenest will have its grand reopening at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 27, in Maggie Valley.

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art alabamaCountry superstars Alabama will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, July 2, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort.

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art ownersunThe “Week of Rock” celebration will run at 8 p.m. June 26-July 4 at Nantahala Brewing Company in Bryson City.

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art theplaceI fixed my hair in the rearview mirror and exited the truck.

Heading up the steps, I was already five minutes late when I reached for the doorknob. Leaving the heat of a sizzling Thursday afternoon last week in downtown Waynesville, I entered the cool air of Bosu’s Wine Shop.

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Join officials from the United States Mint and the National Park Service for the launch of the quarter honoring Blue Ridge Parkway at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 25, at Pack Square Park in Asheville.

Invited guests include Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and Principal Chief Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Grammy award-winning musician and TV host David Holt will serve as master of ceremonies.

A coin exchange, where the public can trade their cash for $10 rolls of new Blue Ridge Parkway quarters, will take place after the ceremony.

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fr bruinmeadowsBy Katie Reeder • SMN Intern

A recurring theme emerged in a congressional oversight hearing last week aimed at shedding light on the questionable tactics and motives of wildlife agencies behind the now-infamous undercover poaching sting known as Operation Something Bruin: where is the line between personal freedoms and governmental oversight?

fr rollerderbyBy Katie Reeder • SMN Intern

No hitting, punching, elbowing or tripping people — and definitely no biting or yelling at the referees. Fourteen-year-old Autumn Pine, or “Fall Out Girl” as she’s known on the track, will quickly tell you there are rules to roller derby.

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fr andolinisBy Katie Reeder • SMN Intern 

When his restaurant doors are open, Chris Chagnon keeps busy, playing the role of owner, chef and greeter.

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ingles dietitianQUESTION: Should I be worried about arsenic in my food?  

ANSWER: There are two different types of arsenic, organic and inorganic. Inorganic arsenic is found naturally in rocks, especially in areas where there is or has been volcanic activity.

A pair of programs about Horace Kephart, an adopted son of the Smokies who captured the culture of mountaineers in the early 1900s in writing and championed the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, will explore the life of this giant of Smoky Mountain history at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 28, at the Western Office of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources in Asheville. 

Naturalist and historian George Ellison, a columnist for The Smoky Mountain News who hails from Bryson City, will give a talk titled “A Room of One’s Own,” looking at the places in WNC most closely associated with Kephart.

Kephart’s great-granddaughter Libby Kephart Hargrave will present “Horace Kephart: His Way Back,” taking an intimate look into the life of Kephart and discussing his wife Laura, his parents and his children. 

The traveling exhibit “Horace Kephart in the Great Smoky Mountains,” created by the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University, will be on hand for visitors to view afterward. The free exhibit will be available at the office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through June 30. 

Free, with RSVP required. 828.296.7230, ext. 221 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

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Seven Cherokee cyclists from North Carolina are in the midst of a 950-mile bike ride to Tahlequah, Oklahoma, an annual ride commemorating the forced removal of the Cherokee people along the Trail of Tears in 1839. 

“The ‘Remember the Removal’ ride not only marks this important event in our people’s history, it is chance for our youth to learn more about our history,” said Principal Chief Michell Hicks of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indidans.

The riders joined 12 members of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, leaving Cherokee June 7 and scheduled to arrive in Tahlequah, capital of the Cherokee Nation, June 25. 

Riders were chosen in December and embarked on four months of training starting in February, preparing for the physical aspects of the trip as well as the cultural ones. Riders study leadership skills, Cherokee language and tribal history preceding their departure. Along the route, they’ll stop at historic sites such as graves of those who died along the way, stockades used as prisons and museums, and they’ll document the journey using video diaries. 

“In this way, ride participants become more deeply immersed in our culture and serve as ambassadors of the Eastern Band as they set out across the country,” Hicks said.

Follow the ride at www.facebook.com/removal.ride 

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out snakesaliveA program featuring scaly reptiles as the stars will return to the Jackson County Public Library at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday, June 25.

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out birdwatchersVolunteers are needed for a summer monitoring project involving up-close contact with birds.

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out womensworkThe Women’s Work Festival in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will give a glimpse into the historical roles rural women held in their families and communities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 20.

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The live stage production of “Dancing With The Stars: Live!” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at Harrah’s Cherokee.

Following a sold-out winter tour and the 10th Anniversary Season of ABC’s hit show “Dancing with the Stars,” “Dancing with the Stars: Live!” is going back on the road giving fans the opportunity to see their favorite stars dance live in their hometowns, visiting over 40 cities across America. Hosted by Dancing with the Stars All-Stars champion Melissa Rycroft, the ‘Perfect Ten Tour’ presents a one-of-a-kind touring production.

For tickets, www.harrahscherokee.com.

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There will be a summer art camp held June 22-26 at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro.

Ages 4-6 will be 10 a.m. to noon, with ages 7-10 at 1 to 3 p.m. Campers will explore various creative techniques in drawing, painting and sculpture. Using professional and age-appropriate techniques, campers will create original works of art. Possibilities are endless, and include nature studies, paper mache, animal portraits, masks, fairy houses, self-portraits and landscape painting. 

Instructor will be Julie Jacobson, a master artist with over a decade of teaching experience. She is a certified North Carolina k-12 art teacher, occasional college professor, and enjoys sharing her love of art with people of all ages from pre-K to college.  

To sign up or for more information, contact Jacobson at 828.575.0270 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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“An Appalachian Evening,” a summer bluegrass/Americana weekly concert series, will return to the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center in Robbinsville.

The 2015 series will include The Snyder Family Band July 19, The Walking Roots Band July 25, Balsam Range Aug. 1, Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’Blues Aug. 8, The Jeff Little Trio Aug. 15, Henhouse Prowlers Aug. 22 and The Kruger Brothers Aug. 29. Season tickets are $150, with separate show ticket prices varying. 

www.stecoahvalleycenter.com or 828.479.3364.

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art hartThe stage production of the classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller “The 39 Steps” will held at 3 p.m. Aug. 1 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

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art bbqbeerA “BBQ & Brews Dinner Train” will be departing at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 27, at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad depot in Bryson City.

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art labordayThe 109th Canton Labor Day Festival will be held Sept 5-7 at Sorrells Street Park in downtown.

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art almarussAmericana fiddler Alma Russ will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

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To the Editor:

Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with all the scientific discoveries made on almost a daily basis, some of which are jaw dropping.

Earlier, we learned about the goat that was put in jail for car theft in Nigeria after they found out that he was in fact a human witch doctor who disguised himself as a goat to avoid prosecution. The last I heard the goat was still in jail and being obstinate by refusing to revert back to his human form. Certainly the FBI can utilize this information and may provide some clues as to the whereabouts of many criminals on the most wanted list.

In another earth-shaking (no pun intended) discovery, a politician in Pakistan has revealed that earthquakes in Pakistan are caused by women who wear jeans instead of gunnysacks to cover themselves. The discovery was announced at a press conference by one Maulana Rehman, a respected politician, and reported in the New Indian Express newspaper.

He went on to ascribe not only earthquakes to immodest women but the cause of inflation and power shortages. Just to demonstrate he is serious, he has called on the military to launch an operation against women.

Hmm, wonder how that new movie “San Andreas” would have turned out had the producers consulted with Mr. Rehman first. I haven’t seen the movie, but I must wonder just how many women in blue jeans were in the movie. All these years geologists believed that earthquakes were caused by underground faults and frankly, until now, I went along with their explanation. I now know better and attribute my new wisdom to a politician in Pakistan.

No doubt economists will be flocking to his door to learn about inflation and what to do about it. Even Duke Energy may consult with him about unexplained power outages.

But wait, have we forgotten the discoveries Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell revealed to us when they announced that the tsunami that killed some 230,000 south Asians years ago was a demonstration of God’s wrath at us folks in America. They also pointed out that the Twin Towers attack was God’s revenge on us, although they didn’t make it clear as to whether American women wearing blue jeans was the cause. Proof that God will kill folks in one tribe to get even with another tribe. So what’s new? ISIS is well known for killing each other or committing suicide in the Middle East to get even with us folks in America, all at God’s command.

I must admit to missing out on some of these learned new discoveries. Had I known that big pharma was preventing people from learning about the power of garlic to kill cancer cells, I might have saved the lives of a few friends of mine who died of cancer.

Just shows that we all must keep up with the latest scientific discoveries and maybe have second thoughts about letting your wife wear blue jeans.

Bob Wilson   

Franklin

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To the Editor:

As a pediatrician, it has been my privilege to serve the families of Western North Carolina for over 20 years. My colleagues and I are honored to be invited into your lives, to share your greatest joys, and sometimes your worst fears as we work together to ensure the health and safety of your children.

The climate of medicine has changed both nationally and locally. Our practice has adapted in order to continue to provide the excellent quality healthcare our patients expect and deserve. 

In 2013, we became a part of Mission Health System. This allows us to bring the expertise and resources of Mission Children’s Hospital to our community. By partnering with other medical providers in the region to form Mission Health Partners, we have become part of a movement to ensure all patients in the region continue to receive exceptional high-quality care.  

To better focus our time and resources, my colleagues and I have made the difficult decision to stop seeing patients at Harris Regional Hospital after Aug. 1. We will improve patient access in our Sylva and Bryson City offices with extended office hours and designated walk-in times. We will also provide newborn care for babies at Angel Medical Center in Franklin. Our patients will have access to the hospital-based pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists at Mission Children’s Hospital should they require hospitalization. Being a part of the larger Mission Health team has allowed Eestern North Carolina to leverage the training and broad expertise of one of North Carolina’s premier healthcare systems to promote women’s and children’s health.

As always, we remain committed to the care of our patients and access to a provider for after-hour emergencies is just a phone call away. We look forward to continuing to care for your families for many years to come.

Dr. Penny O’Neill

Pediatrician

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fr cantonbuildingsBy Katie Reeder • SMN Intern 

The Canton Planning Board is considering a building maintenance ordinance that would regulate downtown commercial properties and hold owners to certain standards.

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fr voterIDBy Katie Reeder • SMN Intern 

The North Carolina State Board of Elections held a public hearing last Thursday to allow people to comment on the proposed rules for North Carolina’s new voter identification laws. The hearing was the seventh of nine meetings held across the state.

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ingles dietitianQUESTION: What kinds of things do you do as the dietitian for Ingles? 

ANSWER: My job is primarily to inform consumers and our Ingles Markets associates about nutrition and food-related issues. I have been the Corporate Dietitian for Ingles Markets for almost 15 years!

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