Admin
A documentary on Aldo Leopold, the famous forester and environmentalist, will be screened at 6 p.m. March 15, at the Jackson County Public Library's community room.
This is the first documentary on the life and work of the legendary conservationist, tracing how he shaped and influenced the modern environmental movement. Special guest Curt Meine, Leopold biographer and host of the film, will be present for the free screenings.
Event sponsors are the N.C. Leopold Education Project, the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, The Wilderness Society, the Western North Carolina Alliance, the U.S. Forest Service and the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee.
Other screenings in the region include:
• 6:30 p.m. March 16, the University of North Carolina-Asheville in the Highsmith University Union Grotto.
• 6 p.m. March 17, Crossnore Forestry Training Facility's main cafeteria.
• 8 p.m. March 21, Warren Wilson College's Canon Lounge.
www.greenfiremovie.com or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Winners of "Community Pride" awards through Haywood County's Commission for a Clean County will gather at noon, Feb. 15, at the Waynesville Inn.
The award winners demonstrated exceptional environmental stewardship in the county during the past year.
Being recognized are the Haywood Correctional Center (now closed), Waynesville's Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Silver Bluff Village, the Maggie Valley Civic Association, Clayton Davis, the North Hominy Community Beautification Make-over Team, the Maggie Valley United Methodist Church, Meadowbrook Elementary School Recycling Club and the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America Club at Tuscola High School.
RSVP by Monday, Feb. 6.
Bill Skelton at 828.456.3575 or JoAnna Swanson at 828.452.1550.
A two-day conference titled “Growing the Appalachian Food Economy: A Forum on Local Food Systems and Sustainable Agriculture” will be held Tuesday, April 3 and Wednesday, April 4, in Asheville.
The forum will provide an opportunity people from all sectors to share ideas and learn practical ways local food systems can increase employment opportunities. It will also help spark entrepreneurial ventures and build local wealth in Appalachian communities.
Forum participants will hear from practitioners and experts on topics that include:
• the economic and community impacts of supporting local food systems
• why the “local food” economic development approach is particularly useful for Appalachian communities
• how to take advantage of innovative models of capital and credit that support local food economies
• how to develop and encourage a “buy local” community mindset and more.
There also will be opportunities to participate in local food and farm tours showcasing food business ventures and farms.
It is hosted by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
828.252.8211 or www.arc.gov
Don and Diane Wells will discuss their book, Mystery of the Trees, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 15, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
Mystery of the Trees is a study of Indian Trail Trees which are trees that were bent by native tribes to serve as markers for trails, water sources or significant spiritual or cultural locations.
The meanings of these trees are not completely known but this fascinating book compiles what data there is with the intent of creating a more permanent record of this portion of Native American culture. The book features photographs, maps and interviews with tribal elders. To purchase or reserve a copy please call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.
Acclaimed potter Jeffrey Oestreich will demonstrate his work and give an illustrated artist’s talk Thursday, March 15, at Western Carolina University.
Oestreich will demonstrate clay-forming techniques from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3 p.m. in the Ward Clay Studio, Room 151 of the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. And, beginning at 4 p.m. he will deliver an illustrated artist’s talk in Room 130 of the Bardo Arts Center.
A WCU Fine Art Museum Third Thursday wine and appetizer reception will be held for Oestreich at 5 p.m. in the arts center atrium, where a small exhibit of his work will be on display. All events are free and the public is invited.
Oestreich’s work is now included in the collections of the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, N.Y.; the Victoria and Albert Museum in London; and the Taipei Fine Arts Museum in Taiwan, among others.
828.227.3595 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Western Carolina University’s Department of Communication will join Carolina Public Press in co-hosting “Full Disclosure,” a public records workshop, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in Room 144 of WCU’s Stillwell Building.
The workshop will provide information on the existing laws and advice on drafting a request for information and publishing news stories from the data.
Seating for the workshop is limited and tickets are required. Admission is free for WCU students and $20 for all others.
828.227.2730 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or www.carolinapublicpress.org.
Elementary school-aged children and their families are invited to a free ARTSaturday workshop from 10 a.m. till noon on March 10 in the Macon County Public Library children’s wing.
Make-and-take projects include paper kites and airplanes, and one-of-a-kind insect mobiles. Every ARTSaturday features live music by Keyboardist Lionel Caynon. There’s no pre-registration; children should wear play clothes and come for any part of the two-hour session. Adults must stay with their children; a special workstation is provided where adults and younger children can work together.
The library is off Siler Road in Franklin, adjacent to the Macon Southwestern Community College campus.
828.524.7683 or www.artscouncilofmacon.org.
Peggy Schwartz, an award-winning professor of dance and former director of the dance program at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, will discuss her biography of dancer Pearl Primus at Western Carolina University on March 15.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held in Niggli Theater from 12:35 to 1:50 p.m.
828.227.3672 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Students who are enrolled in Haywood Community College’s Continuing Education Digital Photography class will exhibit their work from March 14 through June 30 at the Canton Branch of the Haywood County Public Library.
Opening reception will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 1. This exhibit is being held in coordination with the Haywood County Arts Council.
Though this course, students focused on the creative process of concept to completion, while learning the technical and creative aspects of the craft. Upon completion, students will have a professional portfolio that can be presented in a print or a digital portfolio.
828.565.4242.
The Broadway Musical “The Story of My Life” will play at the Haywood Arts Regional Theater on March 9, 10 and 11.
The show tells the story of two childhood friends and how their friendship profoundly defined their lives. Thomas Weaver is a best-selling, award-winning author; Alvin Kelby was his best friend for 30 years. But, time can test the bonds of friendship and when it does Thomas calls on the only resource he has, his stories of Alvin, to learn where things went wrong.
The HART’s production is being directed by Kelly Christianson and will feature Mark Jones and Neil Bartram in cast. Bartram is a newcomer to the HART stage, but Jones has appeared as the lead in HART’s “Cabaret” and “Buddy Holly.”
“The Story of My Life” will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 9-10 and at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 11. Potential hold over dates are March 16-18. Tickets are $12 for all adults and $8 for students, general admission.
828.456.6322.
Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, a non-profit organization located in Jackson County, is offering three $500 scholarships for Appalachian Studies, with a focus on traditional craftsmanship, traditional music and community service.
The scholarships are open to high school seniors in Jackson, Swain, Haywood and Macon. Appalachian Studies would be a multidisciplinary major with teaching, research and service. It could include the study of music, craftsmanship, art, writing, literature, history, vocational, education, social work and human services — all with intentions of producing an understanding that is supportive of regional pride and identity of the Appalachian people.
To download the 2012 Scholarship applications, go to www.spiritofappalachia.org.
828.631.4587.
The North Carolina Symphony will hold the preliminary round of its annual Kathleen Price and Joseph M. Bryan Youth Concerto Competition at the Wainwright Music Building at Meredith College in Raleigh on May 19.
The competition is open to instrumentalists between 10 and 21 years of age. All participants must be North Carolina residents or students enrolled full-time in a North Carolina school.
Competition participants perform one movement from any concerto of their choosing. The piece must be performed from memory. Preliminary auditions will be held on April 16 beginning at 9 a.m. and last no more than ten minutes each. Accompanists are required and must be provided by the performer. Applicants ages 16 to 21 compete in the senior division, 10 to 15 in the junior division.
Applications to reserve an audition time are now being accepted. First and second-place winners in both divisions will receive a cash prize. The winner of the senior division will also perform as a featured soloist with the North Carolina Symphony at a future public performance.
Download the interactive application form under “Competitions & Awards” at www.ncsymphony.org/educationprograms.
919.789.5461 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The first Heritage Alive Mountain Youth Talent Contest of the year will be held April 28 at the Greening Up the Mountains festival in Sylva.
Entry forms are due April 18. The other competitions will be held later in the year.
The purpose of the competition is to discover, develop and encourage talent in the youth of Western North Carolina and to provide an opportunity for local youth to perform on stage before an audience.
“I think it’s good to sing and play in front of an audience. It’s good practice,” said Alma Russ, who performed in one of the contests for the first time last year. “It’s important not to hide your talent and good to show others what you can do.”
A “Best of Show” winner is determined at each Mountain Youth Talent Contest and those youth are then invited to perform on stage each fall at the Mountain Heritage Day held at Western Carolina University.
828.586.4009 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Western Carolina University’s School of Music will present “The Film Music of John Williams” in honor of the composer’s 80th birthday. The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 13, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building on the WCU campus.
The concert is free, and the public is invited.
Williams is one of America’s most prolific composers. He has a long history of association with director Steven Spielberg and has won awards for musical pieces in the movies “Jaws” and “Superman.” The concert will include some of Williams’ best-known musical hits from Harry Potter,” Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “Schindler’s List,”“Witches of Eastwick” and “E.T.” Visual slides from the movies will be on display to accompany the music.
Bradley Martin, WCU associate professor of piano, will lead the concert on piano along with student chamber musicians. As a solo pianist, chamber musician and accompanist, Martin has performed concerts in the United States, Russia, Europe, Australia and Asia.
828.227.7242.
Ian Moore and the Second-Hand String Band will perform at 7 p.m. on March 14 in the community room of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.
The group will play old-time, traditional blues and jazz. The band consists of Ian Moore on fiddle, Hal Herzog on guitar, and Adam Bigelow on stand-up bass.
This event is free and open to the public.
828.586.2016.
The Smoky Mountain Community Theatre in Bryson City will present its 4th annual Celtic Concert 7 p.m. on Friday, March 9. Tickets are $5 each.
Bean Sidhe (pronounced banshee) will be performing this year. Bean Sidhe plays traditional Celtic tunes and ballads using acoustic instruments covering a broad range of folk music from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.
The group was started out of a desire to study and explore the uplifting traditional music that came to America with our ancestors. Bean Sidhe has been playing together in some fashion for more than 10 years. Band members include David Russell, Amanda Burts, Karin Lyle and Ralph Murphy.
828.488.8227.
Arts and crafts vendors are being sought to participate in Mountain Heritage Day, Western Carolina University’s annual fall festival of traditional Appalachian culture.
The deadline for submitting arts and crafts applications is March 30.
This year’s Mountain Heritage Day will be held Saturday, Sept. 29, on the WCU campus in Cullowhee. The festival typically attracts more than 20,000 visitors who come to enjoy three stages of continuous music and dance, exhibitions of Cherokee stickball and shape-note singing, and more than 150 booths of food and juried arts and crafts.
Arts and crafts are judged for quality of workmanship, booth display and design. The festival gives out cash awards to artists for “best in show,” first place and second place. Applications for arts and crafts vendors are available at the festival website, www.mountainheritageday.com.
828.227.7129.
Western Carolina University’s Department of Intercultural Affairs and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority are co-sponsoring a panel discussion and “No Limits March” in honor of International Women’s Day on March 8.
The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin with a panel of women from the campus community sharing the stories of their professional journeys, challenges, joys and goals at 5 p.m. in the theater of A.K. Hinds University Center.
As attendees enter, they will write their own aspirations and goals on a large banner, which will be carried on the march immediately following the panel discussion and question-and-answer session.
The march will begin about 5:45 p.m. and follow a route from the University Center toward the bookstore, around Scott and Walker Halls, through the fountain area and ending in front of the University Center.
828.227.2617 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Phyllis Jarvinen will be teaching a Long Stitch bookbinding workshop 5 to 9 p.m. on March 15 at Oaks Gallery in Dillsboro.
Cost of the workshop is $30 and includes materials.
In a long stitch binding, the signatures (groups of folded pages) of the book’s text block are stitched directly to the cover material along the spine. The long binding stitches are exposed and the text pages open fully when the book is finished. The exposed stitches on the spine make an embellishment for the structure.
Jarvinen is currently showing artist’s books, paintings and pinhole photographs in Clemson. Her artistic focus is two-dimensional work and includes artist’s books, pinhole photographs and mixed media. She is inspired by landscape and experimentation with process and materials.
828.586.6542 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
A show by the Blue Ridge Watermedia Society opened March 7 at Gallery 86 on N. Main Street in Waynesville.
The show runs through March 31, and an artists reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 9. The public is invited to attend.
The exhibit at the Haywood County Arts Council’s gallery features work by 18 members of the Blue Ridge Watermedia Society. Participating artists include: Char Avrunin, Vickie Beck, Wendy Cordwell, Nick DePaolo, Mary Jane Ellsworth, Patsy Ferrell, Pam Haddock, Nancy Judge, Lolly Krieder, Patricia McKenney, Ginny Patten, Gertrude Rapp, Mary Reida, Pam Riley, Joyce Schlapkohl, Adele Wilkins, Silvia Cabrera Williams, and Lynne Wortmann.
Meetings of the Blue Ridge Watermedia Society take place at 6:45 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at the Haywood Community College’s Continuing Art & Education Building. Members, who paint in a variety of media, share tips and experiences, and local artists provide demonstrations and teach workshops.
828.452.0593 or www.haywoodarts.org.
To the Editor:
A headline on a Feb. 29 article in The Smoky Mountain News creates a misleading impression of the support the N.C. Education Lottery has provided for Haywood schools.
Through June 30, 2011, Haywood County received more than $8.8 million in lottery funds. Those dollars have meant more than $3.1 million for teachers’ salaries in grades K-3, more than $1 million for need-based college scholarships for Haywood County college students, and more than $1.3 million for at-risk 4-year-olds to attend prekindergarten.
Haywood County also has received more than $3.4 million in funds for school construction that would otherwise have been paid for with property taxes. Since 2007, lottery funds have been approved 16 times for purposes such as classroom additions, repairs, and facilities improvements at Haywood schools.
The lottery has raised more money for education every year, totaling more than $2.2 billion. Keep in mind, though, that last year’s record transfer of $446.9 million was equal to about 4 percent of the $10.9 billion budget for K-12, community colleges and universities.
The Education Lottery is doing the job it was created to do. During these tough times, it is hard to meet all the needs that our schools have, but how much greater would those needs be without lottery money?
As the Education Lottery enters its seventh year, we remain committed to raising as much money as possible for education while protecting the interest of players and ensuring games are operated honestly and fairly.
Alice Garland
Executive Director
N.C. Education Lottery
To the Editor:
It is interesting that The Smoky Mountain News in its reporting on superintendent of Macon County Schools Dan Brigman both last summer and recently cites the legal opinion of only one organization. That is unfair. Sadly, it indicates that there is either a strong bias on the part of the SMN or a surprising lack of knowledge about other legal advocacy groups that would strongly disagree with that seemingly unchallenged opinion.
The Freedom from Religion Foundation website makes clear that the organization is a far-left political advocacy group that strongly opposes Christians and their views in the political arena. In fairness, the SMN reporter should have taken the time to make a phone call to an organization like the American Center for Law and Justice or the Christian Legal Defense Fund to ask for an opinion.
If that’s asking too much, then at least include a statement to indicate that there are other legal groups that would support the superintendent’s actions. That’s not asking too much — unless the paper does have a strong bias and supports the views of The Freedom from Religion Foundation. If it does, then very well. I believe in freedom of the press just as I do freedom of (not from) speech and religion.
In its recent story on Superintendent Brigman, the SMN makes reference to the “legally mandated chasm between state and church.” The Constitution, in this case the first part of the First Amendment, actually says: “Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of a religion or prohibit the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press …”
If that somehow mandates a chasm, then it also stipulates that a chasm should exist between the state and the press. In that case maybe someone will start an organization and call it Freedom from the Press to oppose all journalists and news organizations that report on the government. Of course that’s absurd, but no more absurd than the convoluted notion that the Bill of Rights was ever intended to prevent a superintendent of schools from wishing his staff a Merry Christmas. May God help us.
Patrick J. Womack, Pastor
Hazelwood Presbyterian Church (PCA)
Waynesville
To the Editor:
Somewhere during my school years I was taught about slanted journalism. One of the best examples of slanted journalism is the headline for an article about Sen. Jim Davis on page 5 of the Feb. 29 edition of The Smoky Mountain News.
The headline reads “Sen. Davis breaks ethics rule by using government email for campaign.” Breaking ethics rules sounds like and is a very serious accusation.
However, upon reading further, we find that Sen. Davis used his legislative email mistakenly, admits it and reported the violation immediately. Doesn’t sound to me like someone who is purposefully unethical, as hinted by the SMN headline. In fact, the legislative ethics rule cites excessive use of legislative email as a violation. Certainly Davis’ single violation does not fulfill the description of “excessive” and therefore does not deserve a highly volatile headline.
The headline selected by the SMN editors was designed to show Davis in a very bad light. A more accurate headline that would more accurately represent the issue might be ”Sen. Davis self-reports wrongly sent email” or “ Sen. Davis learns more about legal campaign email”.
The headline chosen by SMN was obviously chosen to show Davis in a negative way rather than a truthful introduction to the story following the headline. But, the SMN liberal leanings will always win out when it comes to a truthful reporting of conservative and Republican officials.
Shirley Slaughter
Cashiers
To the Editor:
Over the weekend we heard from our 44-year-old niece. She was fretting over her 401k. She is employed as a teacher in Alaska and has been since she got out of college, so she has around 20 years service. She said her 401k was up just $1,000 over what she has contributed.
All I told her is that she is not alone. All 401k’s are suffering: the stock market is flat since Obama has been in office, and his economic policies of running up $6 trillion in deficits and having the Fed create $7 trillion dollars in a going-nowhere economy have driven interest rates below 1 percent.
As a retiree with 85 percent of my retirement funds in U.S. Treasuries, a 10-year yield of 1 percent is pathetic.
Obama is on the way to achieving his objectives of redistribution and retribution against my generation. He is redistributing income from the makers to the takers and ruining the economy in the process. In addition, those of us who over the decades have been trying to provide for our retirement have been battered by his distaste of those who strive for independence by lowering interest rates and punishing savings — pure retribution.
Thanks for nothing, Barack. Exit 2012 can’t come soon enough.
Pat Denzer
Waynesville
“Full Disclosure,” a public records workshop, will be held from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15, in Room 144 of WCU’s Stillwell Building.
The workshop will provide information on the existing laws and advice on drafting a request for information and publishing news stories from the data, Spasovska said.
Trainers include Charles Coble, an attorney with Brooks Pierce, who will discuss the North Carolina Public Records Law and its challenges, changes and application; Jon Elliston, a contributing reporter with Carolina Public Press, who will examine the Freedom of Information Act and case studies, and talk about where, when and how to find information; and Angie Newsome, editor and founder of Carolina Public Press, who will discuss putting the laws into practice, crafting a good request and getting results published.
Seating for the workshop is limited and tickets are required. Admission is free for WCU students and $20 for others.
The transportation department will hold a citizens’ informational workshop from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 15, about a proposed project to improve N.C. 107 from north of Old Cullowhee Road in East LaPorte to N.C. 281 in Tuckaseegee in Jackson County.
The meeting will be in the Cullowhee Valley School cafeteria. Attendees may drop in at any time during these hours. There will not be a formal presentation.
The proposed project would improve safety on this section of N.C. 107 by widening lanes and shoulders, improving intersections and realigning parts of the road. Right-of-way acquisition is scheduled to begin in 2014, and construction is scheduled for 2016.
Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation is accepting pet photographs for its Pet Photography Contest sponsored by Ellen Schattie, owner of Bocelli’s Italian Eatery in Waynesville.
Entry forms are available on Sarge’s website at www.sargeandfriends.org and at the following locations: The Dog House, Mountain Dreams Reality, Country Lane Animal Hospital, Canton Animal Hospital, Balsam Animal Hospital, Maple Tree Animal Hospital, Junaluska Animal Hospital, Animal Hospital of Waynesville and at the Smoky Mountain Dog Bakery.
Deadline for entries is Monday, April 9. Categories for this year’s judging are best in show, dog, cat, puppy, kitten, photographers under the age of 12, a Sarge adopted pet, a pet other than a dog or cat, and “super hooters” who have previously won first place.
Kristin Gruner, of the Good Samaritan Clinic, will speak to the Bethel Rural Community Organization at 7 p.m. at the community hall in Bethel. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. Gruner will be updating the community on the fundraising efforts to keep the clinic open.
Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont will host “Information Hours” for new volunteers at the Haywood County Library in Canton from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, March 12. This is also a time for current troop leaders, parents and Girl Scouts to come by to ask questions or pick up materials.
The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will offer “Spring Break Camp” from April 16 - 20. This will take place at the Waynesville Recreation Center each day from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The camp will include games, movies, swim time in the pool, hikes and field trips. The camp is for boys and girls in grades K - 5.
Campers will need to bring a swimsuit, lunch, tennis shoes, a towel and snacks. The cost is $15 per day per camper for members of the Waynesville Recreation Center or $20 for non-members. The weekly rate is $75 for members or $95 for non-members.
Pre-registration is requested.
828.456.2030 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Haywood County Democrats will hold a rally to support public funding for pre-K education and to oppose privatizing it.
The event will take place at noon on Friday, March 16 on the Historic Courthouse lawn in Waynesville.
828.452.9607 or haywooddemocrats.org.
Organizing for America volunteers are hosting the kickoff for the Haywood County campaign to reelect President Barack Obama at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, at Sid’s on Main in Canton.
Food and drink will be available for purchase. The short program, beginning at 3:20 p.m., will provide up-to-date information about the campaign and the volunteer opportunities available.
828.421.1997 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Joe Cline, executive director of the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority, has suddenly voluntarily resigned without publicly specifying why.
TWSA board Chairman Randall Turpin said Cline tendered his resignation during a closed session. Turpin is temporarily overseeing the agency until a replacement is hired.
Efforts to reach Cline for comment were unsuccessful. Chairman Jack Debnam and other county leaders said they did not know why Cline had resigned, with Debnam describing those involved as “tight-lipped.”
County Manager Chuck Wooten told Jackson County commissioners this week that the TWSA board would be advertising for a replacement in trade magazines and similar outlets.
“They want to get someone on board as soon as possible,” Wooten said.
TWSA was created in 1992 when the Jackson County and the towns of Dillsboro, Sylva and Webster consolidated their water and wastewater utilities.
Derreck Kayongo, a former child refugee who now serves as the senior advocacy coordinator in the Southeast for the CARE International relief organization, will deliver the keynote address at Western Carolina University’s the 11th annual Gender Research Conference on Thursday, March 15.
The conference, themed “Women and Poverty in the Global Economy,” will be held at WCU’s A.K. Hinds University Center. Registration begins at 9 a.m.
Kayongo will speak on “The Role of Women in the Fight against Global Poverty” during his address, set for 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. in Grandroom A of the University Center.
Kayongo’s family fled Uganda during the tyranny of Idi Amin in 1979, and he has gone on to become a voice for marginalized and vulnerable people around the globe. Now a naturalized U.S. citizen, he has worked with the American Friends Service Committee as program director for the Southeast Peace Education program and has been director of the Southeast region for Amnesty International.
Following Kayongo’s address, a series of presentations will be offered by WCU faculty members and students from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The conference will also offer lunch for $10 from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Illusions, and Mary Jean Ronan Herzog, professor in WCU’s School of Teaching and Learning, will present the lunchtime address “Faculty Women and the Glass Ceiling at WCU: Differences in Salary and Position in Academia.”
Lunch will be followed by more presentations and discussion from 2 to 4:50 p.m.
828.227.3839 or www.wcu.edu/25228.asp or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The American Legion will observe its 93rd anniversary March 15-17, and Legionnaires of Jackson and Swain counties will celebrate that milestone at their regular 7 p.m. meeting at William E. Dillard Post 104, Sylva, on Monday, March 12.
Founded in Paris, France, at the close of World War I, the organization now includes men and women veterans of World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Lebanon/Grenada periods, Operation Just Cause in Panama, Desert Storm, Iraq and the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Aikido, a form of martial arts that means “the Way of Spirit Harmony,” will be offered in Sylva from 7:30 till 9 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday evenings at the White Dragon Academy. An initial meeting and free introductory class will be held at 7:30 p.m. on March 5.
Unlike karate and other “hard” arts, aikido allows someone to protect themselves against an attack without necessarily harming the other person. When presented with an attack, an aikido practitioner uses gravity, momentum, and a variety of throws, wristlocks, and other unbalancing techniques to blend with an attacker, bring them under control, and resolve the situation. This strategy is not only effective against physical attacks, but can be used to diffuse a verbal attack or calm a heated argument as well.
Since aikido relies on timing and blending, more than on strength or size, it is well-suited for both men and women of all ages and sizes. Aikido, a modern Japanese martial art, was created in the 1940’s after the end of WWII.
Class size will be limited to a maximum of eight students. Previous martial arts experience is helpful, but certainly not required. Past experience with dance, gymnastics, or other activities that emphasize circular movement will prove helpful in learning aikido. Students must be at least 16 years old, and in reasonably good physical condition.
Aikido classes will be taught by Sensei Timm Muth, who trained for 14 years under Sensei Ned Danieley and the late Shihan Fumio Toyoda.
828.269.8144 or call Muth at 828.507.1800 after 5 p.m.
Runners will have a chance to mix running and chicken-wing-eating as a Western Carolina University student organization, the Western Athletic Training Association, hosts the Zaxby’s Finger Lickin’ Fun Run at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 10.
Runners who register for the two-mile race have the option of signing up to eat six wings at the halfway mark. The event is sponsored by Zaxby’s Sylva location and is a fundraiser for the athletic trainers’ group, with proceeds to be used to help students attend conferences.
Registration is available at active.com. Fees are $5 for the run only, $10 for the run and wing-eating, $15 for the run and a T-shirt, and $20 for the run, wings and T-shirt. Online registration closes at 5 p.m. Friday, March 9. Registration also will be available at the start area the morning of the race.
Packet pickup will begin at 10 a.m. race day at the fountain in the center of campus. The race will start from the corner of Central Drive and Killian Building Lane.
Other sponsors include Carolina West Sports Medicine and RoadID.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.227.3530.
Runners still have time to register for Western Carolina University’s Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon and 5-K at early registration rates before March 1.
The half marathon held Sunday, March 25, and take runners on a 13.1-mile journey through the WCU campus and along the Tuckaseigee River. The 5K run-walk is a new addition this year.
The inaugural half marathon at WCU last year proved to be very popular with runners around the region, with a total of 188 athletes registering for the race. Registrations for this year’s half marathon are already well ahead of numbers from last year, with nearly 100 half marathoners having signed up by mid-February.
Online registration is available at active.com. Fees are $40 for the half marathon and $20 for the 5-K through Wednesday, Feb. 29. Beginning March 1, the fees increase to $60 for the half marathon and $25 for the 5-K. No registrations will be accepted after Wednesday, March 21, including on race day.
Race hosts are WCU’s School of Health Sciences and Department of Campus Recreation and Wellness. Proceeds will be used to support professional development opportunities for students.
The historic Cherokee trails in Jackson County and the surrounding areas will be highlighted during program held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 6 at the Jackson County Public Library.
Lamar Marshall, cultural heritage director of Wild South, will be the presenter. Marshall has researched and mapped historic trails in the Southeast for more than 40 years, and the Cherokee Preservation Foundation has funded the Cherokee trails research in Western North Carolina for the last two years.
The early Indian trails evolved as the result of thousands of years of Native Americans’ interactions with animals, tribal migration, relocations, population shifts and lifestyle changes due to European contact and trade.
Geographical features were the key factors that led to the establishment and development of village sites and trail locations. Dividing ridges, passes and gaps, springs, river shoals, shallows, waterfalls, fords, and valleys all determined ultimately where trails were established.
“Where these trails remain visible today, old beech trees with carvings and trail marker trees might still be found nearby,” Marshall said. “Abandoned segments meander through fields and forests, and loops that followed the natural contours of the land can be found veering off of paved highways.”
828.586.2016.
Thanks to an $8,000 grant from WNC Agricultural Options, the Jackson County Farmers Market in Sylva will open a community commercial kitchen for farmers to process, preserve and package foods.
Classes in cooking, nutrition and food safety and sanitation will also be offered at the venue.
Other farm groups and 23 farmers throughout Western North Carolina were awarded a total of $150,000 through the grants, intended to increase profitability of diverse farms. Other grants of $6,000 include:
• Lambert Farms on the Cherokee Reservation to assist with a grass-fed beef grazing operation and pastured poultry processing.
• Water quality improvements at Sunburst Trout Farm in Haywood County.
• A truffle project at Tri-Lynn Plantation in Jackson County.
• Hydroponic greenhouse operations at Nantahala Farms and Nursery in Macon County.
• High Mountain Meadows farm certified creamery and kitchen in Clay County.
The grant program has been funded exclusively by the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission since 2003.
The Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance will hold a workshop on shiitake and oyster mushroom cultivation at 2 p.m., March 24, at the Bascom Art Center in Highlands. The event will take place in the adult studio room downstairs.
Rodney Webb, member of the N.C. Mountain Mushroom Cooperative, will present tools and tips for growing edible mushrooms. Following the presentation, Webb will help attendees inoculate their own log. Logs, tools and supplies will be provided by the alliance and be available for sale during the event. Participants will be able to purchase additional logs that have been pre-inoculated. Each log, if properly cared for over time, will produce several pounds of mushrooms.
The hands on portion of the workshop will entail drilling the mushroom logs, plugging the holes with mushroom spawn and sealing them with hot wax. 828.526.0890, ext. 320.
The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service will hold free fruit tree workshops that will cover the basic needs of apple, pear and peach trees.
Learn about site selection, the differences between dwarf, semi-dwarf and seedling trees, proper soil conditions, pollination requirements, yearly fertility needs and tree spacing. Common diseases, insect problems and possible control options will be discussed.
• 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 27, at the Swain Extension Center on Almond School Road in Swain County.
• 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, March 5 at the Jackson Extension Center on Scotts Creek Road in Sylva.
Additionally, a workshop on how to train and prune is set to take place from 10 a.m. until noon on Friday, March 2, in Swain County at an orchard location. Meet at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot in Bryson City on Main Street behind the old courthouse.
828.586.4009 in Sylva or 828.488.3848 in Bryson City.
A bass tournament hosted by Fontana Village Resort will be held on Fontana Lake March 17 and March 18.
With water temperatures and lake levels already rising, local anglers are reporting an increase already in the action on the lake. Fontana Marina and Dock manager Ronnie Crisp said that he expects quite a turnout this year.
“Local anglers and folks from neighboring states have already been calling to register for this year’s tournament,” he said.
This year’s purse is $5,000 with first place garnering $2,000 in prize money and $1,000 for second place. Prize money will be awarded for third through eighth places and $100 each for the biggest smallmouth, large mouth and spot bass.
Fontana Village Marina will be hosting the event on their docks located at the west end of Fontana Lake.
828.498.2211 or www.fontanavillage.com/marina/springtournament.pdf
A special StarLab Planetarium presentation will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, March 9, at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) in Pisgah Forest.
PARI Science Educator Stephen Hawk will share stories of the spring constellations. The evening’s activities will include a tour of the PARI campus and celestial observations using PARI’s optical or radio telescopes.
The presentation is part of PARI’s monthly Evening at PARI series and will be conducted inside PARI’s StarLab Planetarium.
“We’ll be celebrating the Vernal Equinox, the first day of spring,” Hawk said. “I’ll share stories of several prominent springtime constellations around Leo the Lion and also point out where to locate Ursa Major and Minor, as well as Hydra the water snake, the longest constellation in the sky.”
Afterward and outside, weather permitting, PARI staff and volunteers will share observations of visible objects.
Reservations are required and will be accepted until 3 p.m. the day of the event. The cost is $20 per adult, $15 for seniors/military and $10 for children under 14.
www.pari.edu or 828.862.5554.
The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust was awarded an honorable mention in “eco-preservation” category of Southern Living magazine’s “Heroes of the New South” edition because of the group’s efforts to preserve the region’s heritage.
Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust currently protects 2,400 acres of land in Macon and Jackson Counties.
Asheville resident, Trey Carland will read from and discuss his book A Seeker’s Guide to Inner Peace at 2 p.m. on March 3 at City Lights Bookstore.
The book is a collection of blogs written about his experiences and is intended to bring the life lessons he learned to a broader audience and offer insights to happiness and spiritual enlightenment.
828.586.9499.
Jane Grahl, a Waynesville resident, has published a new book, Just One Won’t Hurt, about the demands of high school and peer pressure.
The story focuses on 15-year-old Kellie Jamison, the perfect daughter who found the transition from middle school to high school a greater undertaking than she’d anticipated. Already stressed, she falls prey to peer pressure and makes decisions that will affect the rest of her life.
Grahl graduated of UNC at Charlotte with a degree in business and is currently working on three other novels. She has already penned and published Is Having a Boyfriend Really Necessary?
Bob Plott will revisit City Lights to present his newest book Colorful Characters of the Great Smoky Mountains at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 2.
The Smoky Mountains have been the home of many fascinating individuals, and this book details the legendary lives of a few of those people. Whether it is French and Indian War hero Captain Kennedy or the author’s relative Von Plott, Bob Plott crafts each narrative to honor the legacy of some of the area’s most interesting and influential people. Plott has also written Story of the Plott Hound, History of Hunting in the Great Smoky Mountains and Legendary Hunters of the Southern Appalachians.
828.586.9499.
The King’s Messengers, a Southern Gospel music quartet who will soon celebrate 48 years singing, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 3, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $10 each.
Based out of Gainesville, Ga., The King’s Messengers have performed throughout the Southeast. They are a non-profit ministry made up of four singers and four band members.
To reserve tickets, stop by the theatre’s box office on Georgia Road in Franklin.
866.273.4615 or greatmountainmusic.com.
Aaron Tippin, Sammy Kershaw and Joe Diffie — all platinum-certified country music recording artists — will come together for a country music super show March 9 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts.
The show, a part of their Roots and Boots tour, is set for 7:30 p.m., and tickets start at $27 each.
Aaron Tippin is best known for great hits such as “You’ve Got to Stand for Something” and “Workin’ Man’s PHD.” Sammy Kershaw is famous for such songs as “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” and “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer.” And, Joe Diffie holds claim to great songs such as “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox” and “John Deere Green.”
These three county music sensations will unite to sing their timeless hit songs together on one stage.
866.273.4615 or www.GreatMountainMusic.com
