The Macon County Public Library will host the Patton String Band at 7 p.m. Aug. 30.

Come and enjoy old time traditional mountain tunes, as well as country and gospel songs.

Thursdays at the Library is an eclectic mix of programs by authors, musicians, and educators on topics designed for enjoyment and education. The Friends of the Library sponsor the programs; they are free and open to all.

The library is located on Siler Farm Road in Franklin.

828.524.3600 or fontanalib.org/franklin.

Fontana Village Resort will host the third annual LakeAlooza celebration Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

Local residents and visiting guests are invited to attend the line-up of family friendly events. The resort will host a family softball game at 7 p.m. Friday and ping-pong tournament at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Starting at noon Saturday, there will be a cookout at Fontana Marina with burgers and hotdogs, frozen t-shirt contest, inflatable log jousting, inner-tube races, and games for little kids. Prizes awarded for all ages. Randy Flack will perform live at the Marina from 1-4 p.m.

Saturday at 7 p.m., FastGear will play on the Wildwood Deck. FastGear performs many different styles of music with a guitarist that comes from a blues background, a bassist from bluegrass, a drummer from alternative rock and a vocalist from country. The band will take a break at 9:30 p.m. for a fireworks show.

Bring your flashlight for the Ghost Tour on Sunday night at 8 p.m.  The Ghost Tour starts at the Gunter Log Cabin and meanders through the Village highlighting the mysteries of Fontana’s long history.

Fontana Village Resort is located in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains just off Hwy 28.

www.fontanavillage.com or call 828.498.2211.

Cullowhee Mountain ARTS is raffling off 24 original art works ranging from painting and printmaking to mixed media and ceramics.

Professional artists who taught during the 2012 Summer Visual Arts Series and staff members at Cullowhee Mountain ARTS donated the pieces. The artwork is on exhibit in the 130 Atrium gallery in the Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University or can be seen online at cullowheemountainarts.org/Drawing-for-Art.

Tickets are on sale now and the draw will occur at 9 a.m. Aug. 30 in the 130 Atrium Gallery. Winners will be posted on Cullowhee Mountain ARTS’ website and winners will be contacted.

Tickets can be purchased online or by contacting the nonprofit directly. There are 24 drawings – a drawing for each work. Cost is $20 for one ticket; $36 for three; $50 for five; and $100 for 12. The purchase is tax-deductible.

Cullowhee Mountain ARTS is a nonprofit under the fiscal sponsorship of the Jackson County Arts Council. Funds are used to support CMA’s ongoing effort of bringing modestly priced but highest quality art programming to Western North Carolina.

828.342.6913.

Hard economic times have taken a toll on animal rescue groups, and Catman2 is no exception.

Harold Sims, commonly known as Catman2, is hosting “Painted Cats on Parade” and hoping to raise $20,000.

The plan is to find people, groups, or corporations to sponsor a life-size fiberglass cat to be painted by talented artists who will turn it into a work of art. The cats and other art will be sold at auction to the highest bidder sometime in late October.

Donate a piece of fine art to be sold at auction. Or people can sponsor a cat for $150 or buy a cat for minimum donation of $500. Catman2 will have a cat painted to your design and have it delivered to you.

So if you are: a sponsor, artist, donor or auctioneer or wish to find out more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 828.293.0892. www.catman2.org.

Beginner clogging classes will be held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the N.C. Cooperative Extension at 60 Almond School Road in Bryson City.

Learn basic clogging steps with fun and energetic instructors. The classes are free and open to all ages. No prior dance experience required.

Register at 828.488.3848.

Noted artist Grace Cathey will share the story about her chosen craft genre – metal sculpture – with her presentation “The Art of Placing Sculpture in Your Garden and Home” at 7 p.m. Aug. 24.

The Overlook Theatre Company in Franklin will present “The Civil War, an American Musical,” at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 23-25 and at 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts.

“The Civil War” explores the experiences of the soldiers and leaders who fought in the war, and the loved ones and families they left behind. It also demonstrates the hopes and fears of the slaves and citizens who were at risk of losing their freedom. It’s a passionate look at the history of the Civil War, drawing on letters, diaries, firsthand accounts, and the words of Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass and Walt Whitman.

The Tony-award nominated musical is based on the book and lyrics written by Frank Wildhorn, Gregory Boyd and Jack Murphy, with the musical arrangement by Frank Wildhorn. Its styles include gospel, folk, country, rock, and rhythm and blues.

Tickets are $15, with discounted student tickets available for $10 each. Tickets are available at the theatre’s box office located at 1028 Georgia Road in Franklin.

The production is sponsored in part by Kurti Orthodontics.

www.GreatMountainMusic.com or 866.273.4615.

The comedy “Fox on the Fairway” opens the Highlands Cashiers Players at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Performing Arts Center on Chestnut Street in Highlands.

The play is written by the acknowledged master of farce, Ken Ludwig, whose many comedies have been produced on Broadway and from coast to coast in regional theaters.

The basic plot is: Quail Valley Country Club, desperate to end its five-year losing streak against Crouching Squirrel Club in the annual golf tournament, attempts to find a crackerjack player who will join their club and lead them victory. Thus begins the belly laugh marathon of non-stop action, clever dialogue and improbable romance, full of ups and downs and an unlikely surprise ending brings everything to a happy conclusion.

The cast includes Ronnie Spilton, Stuart Armor, Michelle Hott, Chris Hess, Lance Trudel, and Laura Zepeda. Tanji Armor directed.

“Fox on the Fairway” will run from Aug. 23-Sept. 2, with evening performances at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.

828.526.8084.

Western Carolina University will offer a series of films on topics from local food to the life of a forgotten civil rights activist as it again hosts the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers this year.

First up is “Joe Papp in Five Acts” at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 4 in the theater of A.K. Hinds University Center. The feature-length documentary tells the story of the New Yorker who introduced interracial casting to the American stage and created the concept of free Shakespeare in the Park and the Broadway classics “Hair” and “A Chorus Line.”

Stage and screen veterans offering insights on Papp’s accomplishments and tumultuous personal history include Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Kevin Kline and James Earl Jones. Tracie Holder and Karen Thorson wrote, directed and produced the film. Holder will be on hand for the post-screening discussion. Refreshments will be provided.

828.227.3622 or email ledavis.wcu.edu.

Folk singer/storyteller Lee Knight will bring his unique sounds to the stage of the Village Commons in Cashiers at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 for “Before Bluegrass–Ancient and Old-Time Music of the Southern Appalachians.”

Writer and naturalist George Ellison will read from his new collection of poems, Permanent Camp, at the Rickman Store at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31.

Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville will be having its annual “Tablescapes” luncheon starting at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 25.

The Episcopal Church Women group will host the event, and this year the tables will be decorated with individual versions of an English tea party theme.

The guest speaker will be Kathryn Magendie, author of Graces Trilogy (Tender Graces, Secret Graces, Family Graces), Sweetie, and the novella Petey in The Firefly Dance anthology. Her short stories, poetry and photography have been published in print and online journals. She is also the Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal. Magedie lives in Maggie Valley.

The event will include wine, appetizers and lunch. There also will be a raffle for baskets of treats, as well as a silent auction.

The public is welcomed to attend. Tickets are $20 each and may be purchased at the Grace Church office at 394 N. Haywood St.

828.456.6029.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theater is once again presenting a chance for area talent to show take home the gold with the second annual Haywood’s Got Talent event in September. Auditions will be held from 1-5 p.m. Aug. 25.

HART is offering a $1,000 top prize for the winner and cash prizes for the two runners up. Contestants are not limited to Haywood County and there are no age limits or category restrictions, but all contestants must first make it past a screening audition.

Anyone unable to attend auditions may submit a recorded audition via mail to HART at P.O. Box 1024, Waynesville, NC 28786 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Those who get past the initial audition will be part of a semifinal round of performances during the Labor Day weekend, which will be presented as full variety shows on the HART main stage. Each night will feature different performers.

The finals will be held on Sept. 22. At the end of the evening at both the semi-final and final rounds, the audience will be allowed to cast a vote, which will count 25 percent towards the final outcome. The event is a fundraiser for HART.

Canton Labor Day Festival

The town of Canton will kick off its annual Labor Day Festival on Aug. 31. The celebration takes place at Canton Recreational Park on 77 Penland St. through Sept. 3. Admission is free.

It’s that time of year again. The Haywood County Fair will be taking place from Wednesday, Aug. 22, to Sunday, Aug. 26. The fairgrounds will officially be open to the public at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Admission is $2 per person or $6 per carload.

By Chris Cooper

The ocean’s a powerful thing. Source of life, nice to look at ... all that stuff. How many fond memories do you have of the beach, the sights and smells, seagulls and bikinis? Ever found yourself wandering the shoreline and had some little tune pop into your head that went something like, oh, I don’t know — “... I wish they all could be California girls ...” or “... little deuce coupe, you know what I like ...”

By Sarah Kucharski • Staff Writer

Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education specialist Lee Sherrill dips out a cup full of water from a five-gallon bucket and holds it up to the small group of students gathered around. He inserts a straw and captures a drop of water.

The phrase “do the right thing,” the name of an early Spike Lee movie, has become a part of the lexicon of this generation. It’s a phrase that has often come to mind — as in, “we wish they would do the right thing ” — as we’ve watched Duke Energy throughout the negotiations to relicense its hydropower operations in the region.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

The restructuring of the Swain County TDA is well under way with a host of new board members appointed at the county commissioners’ Aug. 14 meeting. The selection of the new TDA differed from the previous selection process in a couple of ways — namely, the Chamber of Commerce lost its authority to appoint members (though it can still recommend people) and the number of board members increased from five to nine.

 In the Heart of the Sea: the Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, by Nathaniel Philbrick

If you want an adventure-tragedy story, read this book. In 1820 a whaling ship from Nantucket was attacked by a sperm whale in the Pacific Ocean. The ship sank 10 minutes after being rammed by the bull whale, and 20 men escaped into three rickety whaleboats. Before they were rescued about 90 days later, we are a witness to terrifying storms, starvation, dehydration, cannibalism and finally the utter hopelessness that besets those lost at sea for long periods of time. This is the incident that inspired Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, and Philbrick imbues it with research on the history of whaling, the effects of starvation and dehydration on the human body, and just good writing. Marvelous read.

Visiting the N.C. coast

As the heat wave of August continues its stranglehold on the entire U.S., we were caught in its early throes as we embarked on a four-day sailing trip along the coast of North Carolina. My wife’s father has a boat that he keeps in New Bern, and Lori is an able captain. Yeah, it was hot, and each day we just shook our heads as the weather reports warned people to stay inside and out of the sun as we had no place to escape its omnipresent reach. Still, it was a great trip, as it always is on the boat. We swam, took bucket showers to cool off, read (see above), learned the art of dinghy rowing, and sailed through a couple of summer squalls that were downright frightening. But we were able to anchor in the Pamlico Sound, at Beaufort and then at Oriental before heading back to New Bern. Kind of a mini-tour of some of the coolest places along the coast. No better way to get away from the frenzied life most of us lead. Boats force people into tight quarters, and so it makes for quality family time.

— Scott McLeod

We are a nation of blamers. When something goes wrong, or something tragic happens we, as Americans, are quick to look for someone or something to blame.

This is very apparent to most all teachers. Call out a student’s name and you are immediately bombarded with shouts of, “I didn’t do it!” It doesn’t matter if you were asking what caused the Great Depression or who was going to the ballgame Friday night; their response is an automatic denial absolving them from any wrong doings.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

New legislation to restructure the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority calls for a drastic overhaul of the organization while leaving much open to interpretation.

The overhaul was prompted by controversy over the TDA’s budget, particularly a new marketing plan that was unveiled in 2005. The marketing plan was devised after lodging tax revenue — a 3 percent tax on overnight stays at lodging facilities — started declining three to four years ago. The TDA wanted to fund new marketing initiatives in hopes of turning things around.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

Construction is slated to begin immediately on a structurally deficient bridge in downtown Canton, a project the Department of Transportation says will take months and force them to re-route a major thoroughfare.

The bridge is on Bridge Street toward the outskirts of the downtown area. It extends approximately 155 feet from the Old Lamp Factory warehouse to the north entrance of Blue Ridge Paper Products and is used frequently by mill workers and residents.

Haywood County has emerged as the high bidder for 22-acre tract of land in Jonathan Creek that will become a recreation park.

The county’s bid of $1,114,029.15 was not upset. For the last two months the county and a private bidder had been both trying to buy the land., each making subsequent bids that drove up the price of the land.

By Scot Warf

As past chairman of the Swain County Tourism Development Authority (TDA), I feel compelled to share with the community the events surrounding the recent hostile takeover of the Swain County TDA. In the fall of 2006, Kevin King, Swain County Administrator and Finance Officer, called me to ask whether the TDA would be interested in a new visitor center facility. I told him I would have to ask my board members to get their feelings on the issue. Mr. King told me that he would rather that I not ask too many of our board members because he wanted to keep this issue quiet.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

Ever since Democrat Heath Shuler’s upset of incumbent Charles Taylor in the 2006 election, Republicans have been plotting their strategy to take back control of the 11th Congressional District. Taylor is the first choice to take back his former seat, but the clock is ticking and he has yet to announce whether he is running.

By Julia Merchant • Staff Writer

Heath Shuler’s time so far in the House of Representatives is shorter than his career in pro-football, but he’s already attracting more attention as a rookie member of the House than he ever did as an NFL player.

The U.S. Justice Department gave final approval last week to a new North Carolina law allowing people to register and vote on the same day during the state’s early voting period. All we’ll say is it’s about time.

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe

Ah, the old TV cartoons from childhood...The Smurfs. The Super Friends. Scooby Dooby Doo. Remember when predictable heroes could save the day and still provide us with a few corny jokes?

A.J. Rowell of Cullowhee is ticking off the miles on his transcontinental bike ride from the Arctic Ocean back home to Jackson County.

Rowell posts regular dispatches from his journey on his blog, entertaining readers with both his adventures and misadventures — from exploring glaciers to his first flat tire.

The Smoky Mountain News caught up with Rep. Heath Shuler at his home in Haywood County. Here’s what he had to say about the attention surrounding his good looks, the fast pace of life in Washington, and how his time on Capitol Hill has changed his views of the country he serves.

On being named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill by The Hill newspaper:

Obviously, you can always be very flattered (but) you kind of wish that there were a little more productive evaluations on the Hill. But it’s great, it’s a neat honor. The funny thing is, I caught a lot of grief from my colleagues, especially the Blue Dog Caucus. Out of the members of congress, only three made the list. (House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Sen. Brad Ellsworth, R-Ind., were the other two).

By Chris Cooper

Robben Ford: Truth

Not many guitarists can meld the harmonic sensibilities of jazz with the visceral punch of blues and make it work. Often, the “blues” part of it gets watered down in order to better accommodate the instrumentalist’s need to demonstrate their “jazz” leanings, and we know that never works very well.

By Michael Beadle

It’s been called the poor man’s silver, but its shine and durability have made it prized in kitchens and living rooms around the world.

“You can do three things with pewter,” says Ruth McConnell, a third-generation pewter artist living in Webster.

Decades ago, fresh water mussels littered the river bottoms of Western North Carolina.

River otter and muskrats ate them, Cherokee harvested them and early settlers apparently cussed them.

The King of the Smokies sprint and international distance triathlons will be held at Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center on Sept. 1.

Dr. Karen Kandl, associate director at the Highlands Biological Station, will speak on “Biodiversity of the Southern Appalachians: Learning outside of the classroom” at 7 p.m. on Aug. 23.

Kandl has extensive experience teaching outside of the classroom and believes that people learn best when they actively explore, discuss and construct concepts, relationships, and explanations that involve relevant problems and projects. She will discuss examples of place-based learning at the biological station, and how teachers can use these methods with students of all ages.

The Aug. 23 discussion is part of the regular Zahner Conservation Lectures that take place very Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Highlands Nature Center. Free and open to the public.

www.highlandsbiological.org or call 828.526.2221.

Fontana Village Resort will host a LakeAlooza party on Labor Day weekend.

A full day of water activities at Fontana Marina begins at noon on Sept. 1 and includes a burgers and hotdog cookout, friendly competition lake games such as frozen t-shirt contest, inflatable log jousting, inner-tube races, and games for children. Prizes awarded for all ages. Musician Randy Flack will perform live at the Marina from 1-4 p.m.  

Fontana Marina offers free launch and trailer parking for guests bringing their own watercraft or just come, grab a noodle, and join the fun.

Saturday night at 7 p.m. FastGear will perform on the Wildwood Deck. A fireworks show will start at 9:30 p.m.

Other events during the weekend include a family softball game, a ping-pong tournament, a scavenger hunt and more.

www.fontanavillage.com/ or 828.498.2211.

This American Land, a new weekly half-hour series that delves into key environmental issues, is now airing on UNC-TV every Thursday at 9:30 p.m.

The show focuses on issues affecting the nation’s national heritage, and segments for the upcoming season include a look at the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory that has been going on in the Smokies for the last 10 years.

For information on upcoming episodes visit www.thisamericanland.org/.

Eleven high school students from Western North Carolina had an opportunity to learn about biology and ecology this summer as they participated in “Life-Cycle,” a 200-mile exploration by bicycle offered through Western Carolina University’s Project Discovery-Talent Search Program.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recruiting volunteers to help the park staff by roving the River Trail, Mountain Farm Museum and fields along U.S. 441 (Newfound Gap Road) and providing visitors with useful park information regarding regulations such as littering, disturbing wildlife and approaching wildlife

The positions will be available from late August until Nov. 10. Volunteers will be asked to rove four hours prior to sunset on the same day each week.

Volunteer rovers also informally present important information on the park’s history, wildflowers and the best areas for viewing fall leaf colors.

When elk appear in the fields along Newfound Gap Road, volunteers aid Visitor Use Assistants and rangers in traffic management as well as provide visitors with information on viewing the elk and their role in the park.

Interested persons will be required to attend one, 5-hour orientation and training session on Tuesday, Aug. 28, at the Oconaluftee multi-purpose room near Cherokee. To register for the training or for more information contact the Oconaluftee Visitor Center at 828.497.1904.

A field photography program that includes four Wednesday morning shoots, three evening group critiques and field discussions will be held Sept. 4-Oct. 2.

It’s amazing what can happen in just 60 minutes. Each year, the Friends Across the Mountains telethon showcases inspiring images and stories from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and each year individuals, local businesses, and foundations provide necessary support by calling in during the broadcast. The event has raised more than $2.4 million during the last 17 years.

The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will offer a trip for seniors to DuPont State Forest near Brevard on Sept. 12.

The trip will leave from the Waynesville Recreation Center at 10:30 a.m. and return by 4 p.m.

 DuPont contains some of the most scenic waterfalls in the state.

$10 per person for members of the Waynesville Recreation Center or $13 per person for non-members. Bring money for lunch.

828.456.2030 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recently added a new interactive map to its website that identifies more than 500 public fishing areas across the state, many of which are owned or managed by the commission.

The map allows users to search for and view information about public fishing areas around geographic areas of interest. Visitors can view the entire state or search locations by address, by zip code or by county. Once they enter a location, they can then click on a map access point to get additional information about the site, such as the name of the access site, the type of access available, the water body name, the primary fisheries present, directions to the site and the entity that owns and/or manages the site.

“We hope that this new map will be useful for anyone who fishes or wants to start fishing in North Carolina,” said Kevin Hining, a fisheries biologist with the Commission’s Division of Inland Fisheries.

The map can be found at http://216.27.39.120/FishingAreasMap.

Blue Ridge Parkway rangers will lead a “Sweet Summer Nectar” hike to the meadow near Sams Knob beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 17.

The easy to moderate, 2.5-mile round-trip hike will focus on the relationship between summer wildflowers and insects. Meet at the Black Balsam Parking Area at the end of Forest Service Road 816 (MP 420), about one mile south of Graveyard Fields. Bring water and sunscreen; wear good walking shoes; and be prepared for changeable weather.

828.298.5330, ext. 304, for details.

Real-life mystery talks focus

Margaret Dunbar Cutright, author of A Case for Soloman, will be at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville at 3 p.m. on Aug. 25.

Cutright’s book tells the spellbinding story of one of the most celebrated kidnapping cases in American history, and a haunting family mystery that took almost a century to solve.

828.456.6000 or www.blueridgebooksnc.com.

New book club forming in Canton

The Canton library on Pennsylvania Avenue is planning to revive an old tradition later this month. At 3:30 p.m. Aug. 16, the library will host an informal gathering to discuss the formation of a new Canton Book Club.

At the Aug. 16 informational meeting, participants will have the opportunity to meet other prospective book club members, discuss how they envision the book club, and pick the first book selection.

The new book club will be informal. All those who enjoy reading and sharing what they’ve read with others are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.

At previous club meetings, someone would review a book, and participants would ask questions at the end. It was more of a presentation than a general discussion, said Keneitha Bryson, a current employee at the Canton Branch Library.

828.648.2924.

Author to discuss local African American history 

 The Jackson County Public Library in downtown Sylva will host a reading and book signing with Victoria Casey McDonald, author of Just Over the Hill, at 7 p.m. Aug. 23.

The book is a collection of true stories about African Americans in Jackson County, which McDonald pieced together through newspaper articles and her own knowledge of the history of the county’s African American community. Just Over the Hill is published by Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, located in Sylva.

“For years, African Americans have had a hand in every aspect of Jackson County life and represented every profession,” McDonald said. “I want people to know that we as African Americans are Appalachian really as much as the whites are Appalachians.”

McDonald was a longtime educator in Jackson County before her retirement. An accomplished painter as well as a writer, she is president of the Jackson County Arts Council.

This program is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

828.586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org.

Poetry series continues

Join City Lights Bookstore for an open-mic edition of the “Coffee with the Poet” series at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16.

Attendees are encouraged to share their poetry or bring a favorite classic or contemporary poem and read it to the group. The “Coffee with the Poet” series meets at 10:30 a.m. every third Thursday of the month and is co-sponsored by the NetWest chapter of the North Carolina Writer’s Network.

828.586.9499.

To the Editor:

A pair of letters in this (last) week’s Smoky Mountain News made me check the calendar to see if it was April Fool’s Day. One of them asserted that Republicans want everyone to work and aren’t the rich man’s party. The other was headlined “Democrats never met a tax they didn’t like.” Please, let’s be real.

Taking them in reverse order, Lynn Riggsbee’s letter did not quote that trite “Democrats never ...” line, so it must have been the inspiration of the headline writer. Even so, her ire at the Democrats for threatening to let all the Bush tax cuts expire in January is somewhat late and a tad hypocritical.

To the Editor:

Last Saturday afternoon, Aug. 11, hundreds of people traveled to Jackson County to attend a rally which featured the North Carolina Council of State and other Democratic candidates. This rally was an historic happening, and was put together with Ben Utley of Macon County acting as the spark plug in getting the event organized. He traveled the 17 western counties of the state for weeks, working with different groups and especially with the different Democratic Women’s Clubs to bring this event into existence.

At the event held at the Jackson County Library, something over 200 people attended, with Macon County being very well represented. Candidates who spoke and talked with the people included Linda Coleman who is running for lieutenant governor; Elaine Marshall, who is running to return to the office of secretary of state; Janet Cowell, seeking another term as state treasurer;   Beth Wood, incumbent state auditor; and State School Superintendent June Atkinson, who asked people to “Vote for June in November.” Also present were Court of Appeals Judges Linda McGee, Wanda Bryant, and Cressie Thigpen, asking to be remembered as the “fair” judges for North Carolina. All the candidates were very friendly and approachable and so appreciated the opportunity to stump through Western North Carolina.

The candidates separately and collectively expressed their appreciation for the huge turnouts, and the audience gave them a rousing reception. There was standing-room only in the old courtroom, now modified into an auditorium for the Library. In my memory, which goes back quite a long way, I recall no such event which elicited so much enthusiasm and interest.

I very much hope that this enthusiasm will carry through November, and will result in a clean sweep to help restore some common sense to the political scene in North Carolina.

Sue Waldroop

Franklin

To the Editor:

What an ignorant letter (“People, not dogs, are the problem,” Aug. 1, The Smoky Mountain News) written by Mylan Sessions of Clyde.

We were the second homeowners to build in our area — nice, quiet and lonely — no log mansion. We have had people move in and are raising big barking dogs — fenced a run for them very near the road. Nothing or no one can come up the road; no one can walk the road without the dogs barking day or night. Someone walks four beautiful black and white dogs on our road and not a single leash. I was cornered by three big dogs not on a leash, as was my neighbor, and was nearly scared to death. We are afraid to walk our road anymore. It simply isn’t safe. I have a big plastic dog bone left in my yard by someone’s uninvited dog.

We certainly do need a countywide ordinance concerning leash laws, breeding or housing standards, and registration of animals by their owners.

Edith Barton

Waynesville

To the Editor:

As Western North Carolina strives to attract more businesses into this area, a major selling point is the natural beauty of our mountains. Not only does this incredible natural resource promote a high quality of life, but it also draws millions of tourists every year. Our magnificent forests and pristine waters lure visitors from all over the world for activities such as hiking, whitewater rafting, fishing, canoeing, and sightseeing. These visitors shop in our stores, stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, and visit our attractions. According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, domestic travelers to Western North Carolina spent $18.4 billion here in 2011, a record high visitor-spending figure, and their expenditures directly supported 187,900 jobs for North Carolina residents.

One might expect that any action that would adversely affect this highly desirable natural resource would draw the swift condemnation of our local and state governments. After all, who supports unhealthy air, dirty water, and contaminated soil? Who wants to kill the goose that lays our golden eggs?

Surprisingly, there appears to be a significant number of legislators who have not made the connection between clean air, clean water, and good jobs. The General Assembly’s focus on rolling back the environmental regulations designed to protect our air and water is short-sighted in the extreme. Slashing clean water funds and weakening the state air-toxic standards for power plants and paper mills does not create jobs; it only creates problems for the citizens that these legislators are supposed to represent.

We all understand that not caring for our bodies can lead to expensive, long-term health problems. Not caring for our natural environment can also create costly and possibly permanent damages. Degrading the air we breathe and the water we drink causes health problems among our citizens, adversely affects our vitally-important tourism industry and lowers the overall quality of life. No matter which economic area you examine, all benefit from a healthy and beautiful natural environment. We need to let our legislators know that we value our precious natural heritage.

Neva Duncan Tabb

Waynesville