The Fines Creek Bluegrass Jam will begin at 4 p.m. on Aug. 26-27and at the festival grounds behind the old Fines Creek School on Fines Creek Road.

Steve Brown and Hurricane Ridge will open the festivities on Friday. Brown will also serve as master of ceremonies. Raymond Fairchild will be featured next, followed by The Troubadours, Hazel Creek and the Marcus Ireland Band. Dance groups appearing Friday night will be the Dixie Darling Cloggers and the Southern Mountain Fire Cloggers.  

The Saturday lineup will feature Balsam Range, Carol Rifkin and Paul’s Creek, the Hominy Valley Boys and the Marcus Ireland Band. Appearances by the Fines Creek Flatfooters and the Appalachian Cloggers will round out the evening’s entertainment.

The Fines Creek Community Association sponsors the event each year to raise money for its scholarship fund. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for ages 16 to 18. Both nights are $25 for adults and $15 for ages 16 to 18. Children under 16 are free with a paying adult. Those who plan to attend are asked to take their own lawn chairs or blankets. 828.627.1912 or visit www.finescreek.org.

A tribute concert honoring The Kingston Trio, one of America’s most popular folk groups for more than 40 years, will be hosted at The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20.

The Kingston Trio is best known for such hits as “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “Tom Dooley.” Collectively, The Kingston Trio released 19 albums that made Billboard’s Top 100, 14 that were in the Top 10 and five of which hit the No. 1 spot.

The opening act for this tribute concert will be The Sock Hops, an oldies group from Marietta, Ga.  Specializing in four-part harmonies of musical favorites of the 50s, 60s and 70s, The Sock Hops have opened for such acts as The Temptations, The Drifters and Frankie Avalon.

Headlining the show will be Banks and Shane, a high-energy band that has paid tribute to The Kingston Trio through special concerts since the late 50s and have performed to sold-out audiences throughout the United States.  

Tickets start at $10. 866.273.4615 or visit greatmountainmusic.com.

Moscow Ballet and the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts announce open auditions for 7- to 16-year-old dancers to perform side-by-side with 40 Russian professionals in the “Great Russian Nutcracker.”

Auditions are at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 21, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Moscow Ballet soloist Svetlana Todinova is in town specifically to conduct the auditions and to train the young dancers for several days.

Students from all area dance studios are invited. Those accepted will perform in the “Great Russian Nutcracker” at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27.  

Applicants must have dance training, dress in dance attire and may bring pointe shoes.

866.273.4615 email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.nutcracker.com/Audition_Dates.

“Understory: An Exhibition of Work by Alice Sebrell” will run from Aug. 21 through Oct. 28 at the Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University. A reception with wine and appetizers will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 21 in the atrium of the Fine Art Museum.

Sebrell, a North Carolina native and program director for the Black Mountain College Museum and Arts Center in downtown Asheville, uses photography and other media, including wood, metal and glass to create work that combines imagery from the natural world and the man-made environment.

The WCU Fine Art Museum is open to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and Thursdays to 7 p.m. 828.227.3591 or visit fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or call.

A Sock Hop and a meet-the-candidates event will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. on Aug. 21 at Juke Box Junction in Bethel.

There will be hamburgers, hot dogs, sides and sodas, and much like the sock hops of old, the music provided is strictly from the early stars of rock ’n roll. There will also be raffles for baskets and an antique car show.

All candidates for local elections have been invited for a meet-and-greet, so you can get to know those who might become the leaders of our communities.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.  In addition, each person is asked to bring a new pair of socks to be given as a charitable donation to the Salvation Army.

828.456.3505, 828.646.0587, or 828.246.7921.

The Haywood Community Band will present its fourth free concert of the Maggie Valley Concert Series at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 21 at the pavilion adjacent to the Maggie Valley Town Hall.

The theme for the August concert will be “Thanks For The Seasons,” and will include memorable melodies of past years, including In The Good Old Summer Time, Rain Drops Keep Fallin’ On My Head, Summer Time from Porgy and Bess, and Winter Wonderland.

828.456.4880 or 828.452.7530, or visit www.haywoodcommunityband.org.

Mountain musicians Rob and Anne Lough will give a concert at 3 p.m. on Aug. 21 at the Haywood County Library in Waynesville.

Rob and Anne Lough bring to life the ballads, folk songs, folk hymns, stories, dulcimer and dance tunes that are a treasured part of our cultural heritage.

For more than 40 years, Rob and Anne Lough have been delighting audiences with their wide reaching repertoire, beautiful harmonies and superb musicianship. Anne plays the autoharp, mountain and hammered dulcimer and is complimented by Rob on guitar accompaniment. They have been regulars for the past 20 years at the cultural events throughout the region.

Anne has several recordings and more than 10 books of dulcimer arrangements to her credit, the most recent one.

The concert is free. For more information, visit www.haywoodarts.org.

Sandra Beck will teach a two-class knitting workshop at 7 p.m. on Aug. 23 and 25 at the Jackson County Public Library Complex.

Beck will provide instructions about making a shawl or scarf over the two classes. Attendees will learn to cast on and bind off and are asked to bring a #15 circular needle with a 29-inch length, two skeins of yarn and point protectors to the first class.

Beck grew up in Waynesville and moved to Sylva in 1993. She began knitting in the 1960s and has participated in the Cooperative Extension Service knitting classes in Jackson, Haywood and Buncombe counties.

For more information call 828.586.2016.

Members of the Stecoah Artisans Guild will be demonstrating their techniques on from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center.

Visitors will be able to try their hand at gourd carving, knitting, drum making, textile crafts and more. The event is free and all ages are welcome.

For more information call 828.479.3364 or visit www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.

The Third Arts and Craft Show will be held on Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Beaverdam Community Center in Canton.

Local author Louise Nelson will have books available, and other crafts include dichroic glass jewelry, Studio Earth art, pottery, stained glass, decorative gourds, birdhouses and more. More than 18 craft vendors will be present.

Live music will be performed by the Ross Brothers, Zeb and Levi, and the J-Creek Cloggers will perform at 10 a.m.

Sausage biscuits and coffee will be available for breakfast and hotdogs, chips and desserts for lunch.

Haywood Arts Regional Theater’s next production will be the Noel Coward comedy “Hay Fever” at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 19, 20 and 25 to 27 and at 3 p.m. on Aug. 21 and 28.

From the 1920’s until his death in 1973, Coward was one of the most popular British playwrights of his age and also one of the most prolific, with more than 50 published works to his credit.

“Hay Fever” centers around the antics that ensue when each member of the eccentric Bliss family invites an unsuspecting guest away for the weekend.

The HART production is directed by Jeff Bachar. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $8 for students and children. Special $5 discount tickets for students are available for Thursday and Sunday performances. For more information call 828.456.6322 or visit www.harttheatre.com.

What if we treated all athletes like skateboarders?

I ask this question because I am a skateboarder. I grew up playing almost every sport (football, soccer, baseball, basketball, judo, etc.), and I witnessed firsthand how much support these sports receive in this area. Unfortunately, skateboarding receives little reinforcement here because some people automatically attach an unmerited negative stigma to the sport.

Recently, I have had a couple of run-ins with a particular Waynesville police officer. Sometimes after business hours and on rainy days I skate under the covered area at the Public Works Building — it is always dry and the ground is smooth. Just last week I was skating there by myself when two town workers showed up. They dropped off some things, waved at me, and then left. Next, two police officers pulled in, filled their cars up with gas, and also left.

Some time later, a different police officer, this one unaccompanied, pulled up to also get gas. But he was different from the other town employees and the earlier officers. He, I quickly realized, had hassled me in a threatening manner before. He saw me skating and walked swiftly over in an irritated manner. He sternly told me to leave immediately or that he would arrest me. I calmly asked the officer why he felt the need to kick me out when two town employees and two other officers saw no nuisance in my skating there.

The officer would not hear my questions, he became very angry very quickly, and began to shout, “If you do not leave here or if you say another word you are going to jail!” All I wanted was a rational, unaggressive conversation with the officer. I proceeded to ask him who I was hurting by being there after hours? Where else did he expect that skaters could go, since there is no designated place for us?

He replied, “The town doesn’t want you here, and if you keep talking you are going to jail.” Immediately following this encounter, I went to the police department and spoke to the sergeant on duty. He was very receptive of my thoughts and comments and appreciated my informing him of the situation.

Skateboarding is the 12th most participated sport in America. Like other sports, it fosters numerous benefits for millions of children and teens: it is a great way to exercise, it is an avenue for young people to find commonalities and to form friendships, and it teaches the values of self-discipline and hard work. Kids who are busy skateboarding are not sitting at home playing video games, watching TV, or eating junk food. Nor are those who really love skateboarding wasting their time experimenting with drugs and alcohol. Like other young athletes, dedicated skateboarders find the sport to be a postiive outlet.

I am not a criminal. When the officer approached me the other day I was not stealing, hurting others, or vandalizing. I was skating.

I am a 28-year-old professional skateboarder. People pay me to do this, they provide me with free equipment, and they send me all over the world. But in my own hometown, I am far from welcome and instead told to “Get out!” Skating has been such a blessing to me. It has afforded me amazing opportunities and has taught me invaluable lessons in life. Yet, some around here hate it because they simply do not understand it, nor do they care to get acquainted with it.

For quite sometime Waynesville has been in the process of developing plans for a skate park. I am on the committee and there has been no major development on the project in months — there have been no updates and it does not appear that there are any upcoming meetings. What are skaters supposed to do? I refuse to go sit at home and watch TV because there will “eventually” be skate park in town. Runners, swimmers, and those who play soccer, football, basketball, baseball, disc golf, and tennis, all have places where they can go without being kicked out. The town has provided them with fields, gymnasiums, courts, and a pool to satisfy their recreation needs.

What about Waynesville’s skaters?

Thankfully there is a small privately owned skate park located in the Eagle’s Nest area, but it caters to only middle-schoolers and high-schoolers. Skaters, like other athletes, range from children to adults.

I challenge those in this area to no longer discourage youth from engaging in a sport that has captivated millions across the globe. I appreciate the town’s plans to build a skate park. But until the facility is actually built, instead of telling local youth to go back home to their living rooms and television sets and kitchen pantries, let us be understanding of their skating around town.

By Jared Lee • Guest Columnist

To the Editor:

After reading a recent article in The Sylva Herald, I feel it is time to further explain my position on R-5000. My questions have never been about whether Southwestern Community College needs another campus entrance/exit; rather, does the exit need to be of such magnitude.

Mr. George Stanley of SCC was right, I was wrong in saying this started out as a $6 million project. R-5000 started with the DOT in March 2007 as a $4 million project and has blossomed to an $11.5 million price tag in four years.

Mr. Stanley is correct in stating that SCC owns property on the west side of N.C. 107, but Mr. Stanley failed to mention that there is property that is needed on the east side of N.C. 107, Evans Road and Bonnie Lane, that has not been purchased by the DOT.

Mr. Stanley is also correct that approximately 2,900 cars a day will use this road, but the 400 cars per day figure I used was what traffic coming from the south that would utilize the multimillion dollar overpass.

Mr. Stanley is correct that part of DOT funding comes from the 38-cent gas tax, but that is but a small portion of their funding.

Mr. Stanley is correct in stating that there is no guarantee that this may not stay in Jackson County if not spent on R-5000. Joel Setzer, the division engineer with the DOT, and Conrad Burrell, the DOT board member for this division, would be a large part of that decision-making process as to if another Jackson County project was “critical” enough.

Mr. Stanley is incorrect in his statement that no Division 14 projects were delayed. In an e-mail dated April 21, 2009, that Setzer sent to Van Argabright (State Transportation Improvement Plan Manager) and copied to Burrell (vice chairman of the NCDOT Finance Committee and chairman of the Board of SCC), he wrote that, “There are 39 projects with schedules being delayed. Of the 39, we see 7 projects that the original schedule should be maintained.”

Of those, two projects were directly related to SCC, R-4748 (Macon Campus) and R-5000 (Jackson Campus). On April 27, Setzer sent another e-mail stating, “These two projects are being evaluated for schedule due to funding shortages. These are high priorities for Division 14. Division 14 is evaluating options for keeping these Projects on schedule and delaying others.” Those two projects were R-4745 ( Macon Campus) and R-5000 (Jackson Campus).

After having the safety issue raised so many times as one of the justifications for the R-5000 project, I checked with Emergency Management and learned that there are only two reasons for total evacuation of campus. One would be a chemical spill and the other would be a major fire. Most other situations such as a “sniper attack” would trigger a campus lockdown.

There has been $935,000 already spent on engineering and $11.5 million budgeted for construction to date. There is also $200,000 budgeted for right-of-way acquisition, which will not go far in buying anything fronting N.C. 107.

No matter where the money comes from, it’s still our money, the property purchased by SCC was our money, the building of any road will be done with our money. Let’s use our money a little more wisely.

Please feel free to contact me Jack Debnam at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Burrell at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Setzer at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or Gene Conti, the state secretary of transportation, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or one of our state representatives with questions about the way more than $30 million of our money is being used on these two projects.

Is it too late to scale back this project and instead build just another entrance for SCC? I don’t think so.

Jack Debnam

Chairman, Jackson County Board of Commissioners

To the Editor:

For the last two weeks I have been hearing about artifacts donated to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by Swain County citizens being moved to Tennessee to a new proposed curatorial collections facility being built there. The money to build this, from my understanding, was put in the federal budget by a Tennessee senator for Tennessee only.

Several local Swain County organizations, along with the Swain County commissioners, are writing letters to the national park asking for this facility to be built in Swain County since we have 43 percent of the park in Swain County and more than 51 percent of the park in North Carolina. This is a great concern to me considering all that has been taken from Swain County by the national park.

Another concern I have about the national park is much simpler: we cannot even get the overlooks or the grass cut on the Road to Nowhere. If you go over to Tennessee across the mountain you do not see this problem. Why is that?

Another concern I have is the national park is now wanting to charge our local backcountry campers to use our park. How much more does Swain County have to give before our citizens stand up and say enough is enough.

David Monteith,

Swain County commissioner

Bryson City

The Tye Blanton Foundation will host its seventh blood drive for the American Red Cross on Sunday, Aug. 28.  

The drive will be held at Canton’s Central United Methodist Church at 36 Church St., across from the Lamp Factory. Through the previous blood drives, the Tye Blanton Foundation has collected more than 450 units of blood.

These efforts are in memory of state Trooper Shawn Blanton, who was shot and killed a few years ago in a traffic stop on Interstate 40, and his infant son, Tye, who died a short time later.

Call or text 828.550.6853 to schedule an appointment time, or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The 9/11 Armed Forces Golf Classic will be held on Sept. 10 and 11 at Sequoyah National Golf Club in Cherokee. The tournament is hosted by the Steve Youngdeer Post 143 of the American Legion.

A free golf clinic will be provided by Sequoyah National and fly fishing classes and guided rafting trips will be given by Rivers Edge Outfitters on Sept. 10. A special golf rate will also be available to tournament participants.

All funds will benefit the Vietnam Veterans Traveling Wall coming to Cherokee in 2012 and other services of the Steve Youngdeer Post of the American Legion.

For more information, call 828.788.3807 or visit www.sequoyahnational.com.

Two one-day Internet courses will be offered from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Agust 25 and 26 by Western Carolina University’s Division of Educational Outreach.

“Using Google Docs,” is set for Thursday, August 25, and is designed to familiarize participants with the free Google Docs program. Students will learn to produce, create, modify and organize text documents, slideshow presentations, spreadsheets, drawings, surveys and more.

“The One-Day Website” will be offered Friday, August 26, and will cover how to create, design and publish personal websites for free, as well as how to maintain website files.

The fee for each course is $49 until August 19, and $59 after that.

To register or for more information, call 828.227.7379 or visit learn.wcu.edu.

The Haywood County Fair this year will feature a Farm Fresh meal to celebrate agriculture in Western North Carolina at 11 a.m. on August 28.

Along with the Farm Fresh meal, local producers will be selling fresh produce, meat, dairy, and more during a mini farmers market.

“This is a perfect way to showcase locally grown garden items, meat, eggs, and other farm products found right here in Haywood County,” said Aaron Mabry, the fairgrounds director. “It will also give local growers a chance to reach customers who might not otherwise know what they have to offer.”

The chef will be Brad Brendell, executive Chef at Maggie Valley Club and a Bethel native.

Tickets are limited to 200 and will be sold in advance for the full-course meal. $10 for adults, $5 for elementary age children, and pre-schoolers are free. Tickets are available at the Cooperative Extension or the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. The event is presented by Mission Hospital and sponsors include MedWest, Champion Credit Union, and Wells Fargo.

What’s on the Farm Fresh menu?

• cole slaw

• heirloom tomato and cucumber salad with herbed feta dressing

• a grilled summer vegetable medley containing yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers

• green beans with rosemary

• bacon-wrapped yellow corn with honey chipotle butter

• tea brined and southern fried chicken

• pulled pork with a Carolina gold barbecue sauce.

A talk on the local food movement will be held at noon on Thursday, August 11, in Franklin hosted by the League of Women Voters.

Alan Durden of the NC Cooperative Extension Service will describe local food sources and tailgate markets, farm stands, farmers’ markets, and community gardens. He will also share views of local farmers concerned with marketing, how to grow with the changing market, and the direction of agriculture.

Held at Tartan Hall at the First Presbyterian Church. 828.371.0527 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

An annual banquet and auction to benefit this region’s chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is set for Saturday, Aug. 13, beginning at 4 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza Expo Center in Asheville.

The Great Smoky Mountains Chapter this year is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the reintroduction of the elk into Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Joe Yarkovich, elk researcher for the Smokies, will give an update on the elk. His presentation will be followed by a prime rib dinner with all the fixings; raffles and drawings; a silent auction; and a live auction with at least 13 rifles or shotguns and two handguns raffled or auctioned.

At least six hunting trips and one pack trip will be auctioned in addition to the special Pro Bull Riders Package.

The cost of the meal is $45 per person. Dress is casual. If you purchase a membership and attend the banquet, you will receive a free Buck knife with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation logo, retail value of $39.95. You will also receive six issues of the “Bugle” magazine in the coming year.

Learn about plants that attract birds, butterflies and other wild critters on a field trip to Spring Valley Nursery in Macon County at 5 p.m. Monday, August 15.

Horticulturist and Master Gardener Bill Messina has opened her nursery to the “Gardening for Wildlife Series,” an effort to promote a better understanding and care of wildlife habitats by Friends of the Rickman Store. Meet at Spring Valley Nursery, 57 Sounders Road, Franklin at 5 p.m. 828.349.5201.

Peter Loewer, a.k.a. the “Wild Gardener”, will present a program about native plants at 7 p.m. Tuesday, August 30 at the Jackson County Public Library Complex.

Loewer, a well-known writer and botanical artist, teaches art at AB-Tech Community College, the Montreat Road Scholars Program, the North Carolina Arboretum, and the Penland School in Spruce Pine.

Over the past 30 years, he has written and illustrated many books on gardening, wildflowers, and natural history. His pen and ink botanical drawings are included in the permanent collection of the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation at Carnegie Mellon. wildgardener.com or 828.586.2016.

Want to know how to use a drift boat? There’s an opportunity to learn from an actual designer, builder and fisherman from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 16 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education.

The presenter is retired Western Carolina University Engineering and Technology Professor Robert Dalley. He’s been featured on the “Bob Caldwell Outdoors” segment of WLOS-TV news, and recognized for his fishing expertise in Sports Illustrated magazine.

Drift boats, also known as McKenzie boats, are specialized fishing vessels powered by oars adept for maneuvering down mountain rivers.  

You’ll learn about oar selection, anchor systems and anchoring selection, hull materials and design, and view the video “A Smoky Mountain Drift Boat Adventure.” The program will cover design elements that make drift boats safer on the water, and discuss how to handle whitewater situations. Dalley will explain ferrying and safe operation in an on-the-water demonstration.

The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education is in the Pisgah National Forest next to the Bobby N. Setzer State Fish Hatchery.

www.ncwildlife.org or 828.877.4423.

A “Treasure Highlands” Bird Hike will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on August 18 by the Highlands Biological Foundation.

Members of the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society to some of the best birding spots around the Highlands Nature Center. This Highlands Plateau is one of five Important Bird Areas in the state. The town of Highlands has 400 documented species making it one of the most diverse areas for birds on the eastern seaboard.

treasurehighlands.org.

A few hundred cyclers will test their endurance with the annual Blue Ridge Breakaway coming up August 20.

A spectrum of routes — 24 miles, 40 miles or 65 miles — will take riders over the scenic countryside of Haywood County. The longest route follows the Blue Ridge Parkway with a cumulative elevation gain of 9,600 feet.

The second annual ride is organized by the Greater Haywood County Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by MedWest.

Cyclists in last year’s event praised how smoothly the event was orchestrated and executed, including rider support and rest stops.

“The Blue Ridge Breakaway is without doubt one of the best cycling events in the Smoky Mountain region”, said Committee Chair Scott McLeod of The Smoky Mountain News. “The routes are just breathtaking as far as scenery goes, especially the portion on the Blue Ridge Parkway. All in all it’s just a great event that you don’t want to miss if you love cycling in the mountains.”

All routes will begin at the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. The Century ride will also include 30 miles on the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway with

Early registration for the two longer routes is $44, but goes up by $10 after August 12. Shorter ride is $29 or $35 after August 12. Register online, and find route descriptions, maps, and cue sheets. www.BlueridgeBreakaway.com.

Franklin resident Robert Shook will read from his novel, A Journey in Courage, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 13, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

This historical fiction piece captures the legacy of the Shook family and spins a story of faith, God and the unshakable love that connects a family. A discussion and signing will follow the reading.

828.586.9499 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Get your wands ready for a Harry Potter back-to-school party at 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 20, at Blue Ridge Books in downtown Waynesville. Come for an afternoon filled with activities for wizards and muggles alike.

There will be a sorting and competition for house points as participants create their own spells, search for magical creatures, solve crossword puzzles, create their own book covers, have a trivia contest, a game of N.E.W.T.S. Bingo and have discussion questions.

A costume contest will also be held, and for more fun between the students, they will have a refreshments contest. Participants will create their version of a famous Harry Potter snack or drink (Blue Ridge Books will have Butterbeer, licorice wands, and cockroach clusters), and see whose snack tastes the best or is closest to the description in the series.

This is an event for people of all ages and is sure to be fun for everyone. Be sure to call or come in person with your name and age to reserve your spot as space is limited. 828.456.6000.

A workshop about plastic canvas cross-stitch will be taught at 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 18, at the Jackson County Public Library.

Sally Salyards, program leader, will teach a simple pattern during the class. Materials will be provided.

Plastic canvas cross-stitch is easier than knitting for people affected by joint problems. Children over the age of 8, as well as adults, are encouraged to participate.

Salyards, originally from southeastern Virginia, has lived in Jackson County for nine years and is an employee of the Jackson County Public Library. She has several craft hobbies including sewing, knitting, rug hooking as well, as plastic canvas cross-stitch, which she has been involved in for 30 years.  

828.586.2016.

The Haywood County Arts Council will hold a Wine for the Arts party, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, August 18, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville.

The party is part of a series called the FUNd Party Series, which offers an eclectic array of social excursions featuring food, unique experiences, and entertainment to benefit the arts in Haywood County.

Wine for the Arts will feature a variety of wines paired with food and truffles from The Chocolate Bear in Waynesville. In addition, there will be a silent auction including artwork by Elisa Holder, Teresa Pennington, and more.

Tickets are $50 per person, of which $25 is tax-deductible. The registration deadline is August 12 and the maximum number of partygoers is 50. For more information, call 828.452.0593 or visit www.haywoodarts.org.

With berries ripe and ready for picking, it’s time to plan your entry in the Best in the West Recipe Contest, part of Mountain Heritage Day’s gathering at Western Carolina University on Sept. 24.  

This year’s competition will focus on dishes using berries of any kind.

All entries must use berries as a recipe ingredient. The recipe does not have to be original, but the item must be made from scratch.

Entry forms will be available at N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and at WCU Mountain Heritage Center in the next few weeks.

So get out your best recipes for pies, cakes, breads, cookies, muffins and start making some great berry dishes.

Artist Kathie Blozan will lead painting workshops from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on August 11 and 13 at the Zachary-Tolbert House in Cashiers.  

Attendees will walk along the nature trail at the Zachary-Tolbert House to look at wildflowers and then return to the pavilion to sketch and paint.  

Participants will learn to sketch and paint wildflowers and will produce one or more small finished paintings. Each day is independent of the others so participants may attend one or both days.

Each workshop costs $60 for members of the Cashiers Historical Society and $75 for non-members. The fee includes all supplies that will be needed for the class, but does not include lunch.

828.743.7710 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Elementary school-aged children and their families are invited to a free ARTSaturday workshop from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, August 13, at Big Bear Shelter on the Little Tennessee River Greenway in Franklin.

During the two-hour workshop, participants will learn basic dances from around the world and here at home. Children should wear play clothes and come for any part of the session.

The monthly ARTSaturday series is produced by the Arts Council of Macon County. No registration required. For more information, call 828.524.7683 or visit www.artscouncilofmacon.org.

The Haywood Fairgrounds will host its third annual Mountain Music Jamboree on Aug. 13.

Featured performers include White Water Bluegrass, Paul’s Creek String Band, Buncombe Turnpike, Gray Wolf, The Unexpected and dance performances from the Southern Appalachian Cloggers and the Fines Creek Flatfooters.  

A $7 barbecue dinner will start at 4 p.m. and music begins at 6 p.m.

This event will benefit the Haywood County Fairgrounds.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For more information, call 828.627.6396 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A free Gingerbread 101 workshop will be taught by Grove Park Inn chefs from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13. The event will prepare participants for the National Gingerbread House Competition, which happens every holiday season at The Grove Park Inn in Asheville.

This workshop will demonstrate the basic skills required for the creation of a successful gingerbread structure. From 2 to 4 p.m., Chef Geoffrey Blount will showcase specialized pastry skills, transportation tips, scoring guidelines and more. This demonstration will benefit both beginners and those with more advanced skills. Blount heads up the baking and pastry arts program at Central Piedmont Community College and has won numerous culinary awards.

Recipes, entry forms and other useful information will also be available at the demonstration.

828.252.2711 or visit www.groveparkinn.com.

Basket classes will be taught by Dogwood Craft members at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 13, at Applegate Inn in Dillsboro.

Sharon Crosby will be teaching a jelly basket, which can be used for two jelly jars. Cost will be $20, including supplies.

Donna Pollock will be teaching how to make a small tote basket with shaker handles and a fabric liner. It can be used for a purse, lunch basket or just stuff. Cost will be $22.50 including supplies. Materials to bring are clothespins, work scissors, a pencil and old towels.

Joyce Lantz will teach the timeless technique of coiled basketry using natural materials, including a walnut slice that is the basket center. Learn the basics as well as varying stitches and expect to complete a small basket in four to five hours with a mid-day break. Cost of $32 includes all materials.

To register, call 828.586.2248.

The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort & Spa will once again be hosting the Porsche Concours “In Den Bergen” on Saturday, August 20.

Organizers are expecting upwards of 75 cars this year to participate in this regional and nationally recognized event. The event is open to the public with free admission, but a $5 donation to SARGE’s Animal Rescue Foundation is requested.

The hit musical “Always … Patsy Cline” opened July 28 at the Highlands Playhouse and will continue at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday through Aug. 20.

The show is the third in the theatre’s season and played to full houses in a run during the 2008 season.  

“Always…Patsy Cline” is based on the true story of the singer’s relationship with Louise Seger, a fan from Houston who corresponded with Cline until her death in 1963. The show contains many of Cline’s biggest hits including “Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “Walking After Midnight,” and “Sweet Dreams.”  

Tickets are $30 for adults and $12 for children. 828.526.2695.

The Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin will welcome three sensational Gospel groups at the Smoky Mountain Jubilee at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug.11.

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet, an eight-time Grammy award-winning southern gospel group will open the evening. With a background of over 75 years in gospel music, they are one of the best-known groups in gospel music history. The Blackwood Brothers have performed with many well-known artists over the years, including Johnny Cash.

Headlining the evening will be Mark Eskew, Promised Land and the Heartbreak Band. For 16 years, Eskew has paid tribute to the great Elvis Presley as the King of Rock N’ Roll. He has performed throughout the United States and has entertained many celebrities and politicians, including President George W. Bush. Eskew, Promised Land and the Heartbreak Band present Reflections of Elvis, a celebration of Elvis’ favorite gospel songs.

Tickets are $20 for the artist circle, $15 for all other seats and $8 for children 12 years and younger. 866.273.4615 or visit greatmountainmusic.com.

Dehlia Low will perform at An Appalachian Evening at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 13, at Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center in Graham County.

Dehlia Low’s vocal harmony and instrumentation reflect a deep connection to traditional music with modern arrangements and relevant, smart songwriting. The band combines their rustic-flavored vocal style with instrumental prowess in original songs in the emerging Americana genre. Dehlia Low echoes the sounds of early country with a strong bluegrass flavor, crafting a fresh originality that feels true to their southern Appalachian roots. Their performance will feature music from their newly released CD ‘Ravens and Crows’.

The concert is preceded by two dinner seatings, at 5 and 6:15 p.m., served family style at the Stecoah Kitchen. The menu will be stuffed bell peppers and fried chicken with fresh vegetables, all grown locally.  

Reservations are required. 828.479.3364 or www.stecoahvalleycenter.com.

The Mountain High Republican Women’s Club will hold a luncheon and fashion show at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, August 19, at the Highlands Country Club. The fashion show features Carlisle clothing, a home show line of fashion.

A line of fashion jewelry will be shown as well and those attending can also bid at the silent auction. Auction items include everything from fashion accessories, home decorative accessories to restaurant and getaway gift certificates.

Tickets are $30 and individual tickets or group tables can be purchased by calling 828.526.9195.

The group meets monthly for lunch and to hear speakers who address timely political or government issues. The luncheon fashion show is the first major fundraiser for the group.

828.507.7900 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Steve Dean, a teacher of the Kriya yoga tradition, will speak at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, August 12, at the Creative Thought Center in Waynesville.

Dean, a student of Paramahansa Yogananda  and Ernest Holmes, will present how these two teachers brought a dynamic understanding of God and how to live in harmony with God’s laws. Ernest Holmes is best known for writing The Science of Mind. Paramahansa Yogananda is best known for his book Autobiography of a Yogi. Offered on a love offering basis, but no one will be turned away. For reservations, call 828.246.2794 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Big House Radio returns to Sylva’s Concerts on the Creek from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 12.

The Bryson City-based quintet won WNC Magazine’s Last Band Standing competition in 2010, emerging from a field of 32 bands to capture the coveted award.

Big House Radio’s free performance is the 12th in a 15-week series of Friday concerts at the Bridge Park Pavilion in downtown Sylva. The band will play a set consisting of all original songs. Big House Radio prides itself on playing plain ol’ rock without the hyphenations, though there’s a Southern tinge to their style.

800.962.1911 or visit www.mountainlovers.com.

I have some good news. But first the bad news. The world is ending. Evangelist Harold Camping has predicted it. Others point to the Mayan calendar and confirm that our remaining days are few. Meanwhile, a surprising number of people believe that a planet called Nibiru will collide with Earth and do us in.

Most conservationists I encounter may not pay attention to these particular predictors of doom, but they tend to be equally pessimistic about our future. When I traveled to Indiana a few weeks ago to speak at a conference on literature and the environment, I heard countless examples of people wiping out nature, nature killing people, and nature sometimes destroying itself.

Session titles included such uplifting topics as “Dead and Dying Animals in Literature, Film, Art, and Culture,” and “Imagining Environmental Apocalypse.” More than once, professors at the conference lamented that their students find environmental issues extremely depressing. Really? I can’t imagine why.

Sure, we have plenty of reasons to be concerned about the outside world: loss of habitat, polluted waters, global climate change, invasive species, oil spills, funding cuts for conservation programs, species extinctions, and more.

But depressing news is, well, depressing. It repels people — and their donations, too. Very few people want to take on apparently losing causes, and so the challenges continue.

I know we have to be realistic about these conservation issues, but rather than focusing on what’s gone wrong, maybe we should spend more time tallying what’s gone right. Then, the next time we think we’re approaching an environmental Armageddon, we can share these encouraging stories with friends, family, struggling students, discouraged conservation leaders and potential donors — or just read them to ourselves to remember that good things have happened before and can happen again.

Fortunately, we can find plenty of recent conservation successes right here in Western North Carolina. Thanks to various groups and agencies, we again have elk in the Smokies, peregrine falcons in the skies, and river otters and various fish species back in the Pigeon River watershed.

Meanwhile, air quality is improving, and Haywood Waterways and its partners have cleaned up Hyatt Creek enough that it has been removed from the EPA’s list of polluted waters. Also, the 12 land trusts of the Blue Ridge Forever partnership have protected more than 50,000 acres of important farmland, forests, and natural areas in the last five years.

I don’t think we should worry that some favorable results will eliminate humanity’s interest in the environment. Instead, these success stories can inspire all of us to create more good news.

Speaking of which, Harold Camping has updated his timeline for the end of the world — previously scheduled for May 21. We now have until October 21 to create some new conservation successes. Who knows? Maybe we’ll do enough good between now and then to earn the world another short reprieve.

George Ivey is a Haywood County-based consultant and author of the novel Up River. Contact him at www.georgeivey.com.

To the editor:

In this recent atmosphere of mudslinging, it’s all too easy to lose focus on what’s important. What should matter more than anything to tribal members is the ability to hold their elected representatives on Tribal Council and the chief and vice chief’s offices accountable.

They need a watchdog, and with a free press there is such a watchdog. But there is no free press in Cherokee.

Yes, there is a free press law. Yes, there is an open meetings law. Yes, there is a public information law. However, those laws aren’t worth the paper on which they’re printed if there’s no enforcement.

Under our current tribal leadership, there not only is no enforcement, but there have been circumventions, blatant violations, and there were no consequences.

Take a look a the One Feather and what it’s turned into since Principal Chief Michell Hicks directly took a meddling role in its editorial process:

• There is no editorial.

• Rarely, if ever, are there published critiques of the chief or Tribal Council.

• There is nothing to encourage a free exchange of ideas.

• The free press act was watered down to remove independent and professional oversight of the paper through an editorial board.

• An award-winning reporter and writer has been reduced to writing propaganda designed to puff up a tribal deputy with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

• And as evident in the July 21 edition, the chief can use this publication to denigrate an entire family who did nothing more than to have the chief’s challenger as one of their own.

The changes in the publication have not resulted in the community having a better paper. It has lost circulation. It has lost credibility. It has lost respect, and a look at the paper itself will show that advertisers have noticed.

We need elected officials who support a free press and will back up that support with strong legislation to ensure it. We need elected officials who will resist and oppose pressure to censor or shut out the media, whether tribally owned or otherwise. And we need elected officials who realize that the One Feather belongs to 14,000-plus people, not 14.

Any candidate who doesn’t support a free press, open government and transparency does not care about your best interests.

Joseph Martin

Andrews

To the editor:

I am writing to thank NC Representative Phil Haire for his courage and integrity in voting against House Bill 854, both in the initial vote and in the override of Gov. Purdue’s veto on it.

Since women and their doctors were given the right to choose reproductive issues in 1973 without coercion or intimidation we have never seen such an attempt to roll back those hard fought for rights until now. I urge all women who struggled with these issues back then and who look at what their daughters and granddaughters are now facing to support all efforts to stop the erosion of a very critical basic right.

Forcing a distraught and probably very young woman or a teenager to delay her decision  after she has come to a legally binding conclusion about her status is no way to convince her to change that decision. It will just add another alienating layer of stress on a person who is trying to make a hard choice.

We fought hard for that right of choice 40 years ago and as a mother myself I can tell you that my children were loved and wanted, but I would never presume to force another woman to bear a child. I think it really is an issue for a woman, her family and her doctor and, in fact, the law says so.

So why are politicians so eager to align themselves with a rising tide of targeted control of women’s’ rights? The answer lies not so much with this issue itself but with the underlying issue of control and coercion for shallow political ends.

Again, I commend Phil Haire for his vote and I hope that in the present climate of political dysfunction that we will remember that he stood up for women’s rights.

Angela McGregor

Bryson City

The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce is starting an After Hours Networking Event for the Young Professional of Haywood County, with the first event to be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Herren House. Young Professionals was created to connect area business professionals between the ages of 22 and 40 through professional development, networking, and community service.

“The Young Professionals of Haywood will provide a unique opportunity for its members to network, improve professionally, and be active civically in our community,” said Jake Robinson of Champion Credit Union, YPH Committee Member. The event is free for Chamber members and $10 for non-members. RSVP by calling 828.456.3021 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at www.haywood-nc.com.

A networking conference will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, in Franklin, offering business coaching on a variety of critical topics for today’s marketplace.

The all-day event is designed for community leaders, business owners and professionals from WNC. Topics will include “Adaptive Leadership in Times of Change,” “Mastering Lead Generation: How to turn Networking into Profits,” “Your Networking Toolkit: The Must Haves to make a Lasting Impression,” and “Get on the Map: Building your Online Network through SEO.”

An evening social will follow the event. Cost is $65, but bulk rates are available. Space is limited to 200. 828.369.8660 or visit www.XtremeNetworking.net. Sponsored by Black Rock Company and SiteDart Hosting.

Haywood County businesses and organizations interested in “greening” their business practices should sign up for the Green Initiative Program with the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce set to begin in August. A green plan of action will be established for businesses and organizations that participate and demonstrated outcomes will allow them to receive their Green Leader certification. green.haywood-nc.com or call 828.456.3021 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..