The Town of Waynesville is asking residents and businesses to take part in the Adopt-A-Street program. Volunteers can choose a street in town and be responsible for picking up litter on that street. For their efforts, a street sign is erected with their name, or business name, recognizing their efforts.

Gloves, vests, garbage bags and blue bags for recyclable items are furnished by the town. Adopters are asked to clean up a minimum of four times per year, but may do so weekly or monthly. Adopters must be at least 18 years old and sign a contract.

Currently, 89 streets have been adopted under the program. Individuals, groups, churches or businesses interested in participating can contact Eddie Ward at 828.356.1172.

The 12th annual Diversity Week will take place at Western Carolina University Sept. 18-24. A series of events, designed to help the university become a more inclusive community, include a picnic, speakers and Mountain Heritage Day. An International Day of Peace, and sessions on the Saudi Arabian Experience and Wicca and Paganism are included this year.

Readings by local residents of the U.S. Constitution will take place Sept. 17 in Maggie Valley, Cashiers and Cherokee.  

This is part of a nationwide effort to revitalize civic culture. The event in Cashiers begins at 11 a.m. at the Village Green with the presentation of the colors. A complimentary lunch follows the reading.

“We Read the Constitution” gets under way at 3 p.m. at the Maggie Valley Pavilion. The public is invited to read small sections of the Constitution out loud in the forum. There will be Patriotic music, children’s activities and crafts, and more.

The Rev. Dan Mathews will share his experience of being in New York during the 9/11 attacks 10 years ago during a Live and Learn event on at 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22. The program will be in the Reynolds Center of the Foundation for Evangelism at Lake Junaluska.

Mathews was pastor of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at that time, located a few blocks from the site of the attack, and was there when the planes struck the towers. Mathews and wife Deaner developed The Swag, a resort in Haywood County.

828.456.4523.

A workshop on a plan to build truck turn-around locations and information stations on U.S. 64 between Franklin and Highlands in Macon County will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Cullasaja Gorge Rescue and Fire Department.

Large trucks are currently banned from using the road between Franklin and Highlands, which is a narrow two-lane with sharp curves and a steep grade. Despite warning signs, some trucks do use this route.

The state Department of Transportation is considering building additional pull-overs at the U.S. 23/441 and N.C. 28 interchange, plus put truck turn-arounds at three other intersections on U.S. 64.

919.707.6012 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Beginner Spanish is being offered at Southwestern Community College’s Jackson Campus Monday evenings beginning Sept. 12.

The course will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. through Nov. 14, and will provide the foundation for future levels. The focus of this level is to learn proper pronunciation and the basic structure of the language. Present-tense verb conjugations are considered, as well as the correct formation of sentences, negative sentences and questions. Latin American cultural difference will be discussed, which would help those planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking Latin American country. Alice Rainone will be the instructor.  

828.339.4497.

Seconds after I heard the doorbell, my little feet hit the stone floor landing that served to separate the front door from the living room. The cold temperature of the floor on my feet meant it was colder outside. Thanksgiving was only two days away, it was dark and Dad was late coming home from work.

It was my father’s good job with the railroad that let my mom stay home and take care of us kids. All I knew is that he left for work early in the morning and got home before it was dark; I was 7 years old then.

I wrapped both hands around the doorknob, turned, and the big metal door opened. There stood three men in full suits; they were the darkest clothes I ever did see. “Is Mrs. Corbeil home?” one asked. “I’ll get her,” I replied.

Mom was on her way from the kitchen because she heard the doorbell ring too. She invited the men in on the landing. I’ll always remember that smell, a man’s smell. The businessman’s pungent odor from the mixture of fumes from heavy cigarette smoke and the leftover cover scent cologne purchased at a discount store. The smell still resonates decades later; for I am now a man.

“Mrs. Corbeil, we are from the Railroad and we need to tell you of an awful accident that happened in the yard,” a rough and choked voice said. Neither of the three would look at me, the man who broke the silence first reached out with his hand to my mom.

“There was an explosion at the yard, four men were hurt and Ed, Ed was badly burned and did not survive.” Edward M. was my father. I took off running through the living room and down the hall. My bedroom was the last one at the end. When I reached my room I busted out crying, drove my head with open mouth into a pillow wailing, wailing like there was no tomorrow, wishing that doorbell never rang ... crying.

In our world today we have access to professional psychologists and counselors for the young and adults. There are organized support groups that can help a spouse begin to reason with the heartache, loneliness, anger, and guilt that can follow a person the rest of their lives from a tragic life changing event like the lost of a parent, significant other or child These structured support services often require financial resources to gain access.

Ten years ago 343 firemen and paramedics were killed from the attacks on the World Trade Center. A total of 2,819 people lost their lives either at one of the two Towers, at the Pentagon Building or on United Airlines flight 93 crashing in Pennsylvania. It is estimated on New York Mag.com that 3,051 children lost a parent.

A decade later, I will be honoring those who lost their lives by bicycling 10 days on a memorial ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway. In our own region of the world there was another tragic explosion and fire that took the life of firemen Captain Jeff Bowen on July 28, 2011.

I have teamed with the Mission Hospital’s Healthcare Foundation to provide a path to accept donations to build the Fallen Firefighters Fund that will provide financial support for his surviving wife and three children. The days, months and years ahead will be accompanied with second-guessing, fear, and self-doubt. The Bowen family will need human support to cope with the loss of a husband and father; to live again sooner than later, to build self-worth and achieve total forgiveness moving forward.

If you find it in your heart to take action and join us, thank you! There is a link to a secured web site that will take you directly to the 9/11 Memorial Bike Ride with more information. http://support.missionfoundation.org/site/PageNavigator/911MemorialBikeRide.html. Once on the web page there is a link to a news article about the July 28 fire, along with buttons on the left side to follow my journey or learn more about our team, and donate.

Come join me in this 9/11 Memorial Bike Ride by showing your monetary support, or meet me at a Milepost and ride with me; add the link above to your favorites on your web browser then click on the button “Follow Keith on Twitter” for updates of the trip.

To mail a donation make your check payable to Mission Healthcare Foundation with a written Memo message of “9/11 Memorial Bike Ride” Mail a check to: Mission Healthcare Foundation, 980 Hendersonville Road, Suite C; Asheville, NC 28803-1740. To donate by telephone call Ms. Shaana Norton at 828.213.1052.

Keith Corbeil is a father, performance consultant, and competitive tri-athlete and can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To the Editor:

In a Quinnipiac University polling (8/16-8/27), 29 percent of Americans responded that they couldn’t formulate an opinion of the Tea Party because they hadn’t heard enough about it. Following are the core beliefs of the Tea Party.  

The Tea Party is a political phenomena of the 21st century. Independently, throughout this nation, like-minded individuals began meeting to discuss America’s massive government spending and unprecedented debt. Lack of transparency and accountability, a failing economy, unsustainable entitlement programs, and a financial crisis triggered by the government mortgage giants of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac served as alarms that awakened people to the need for fiscal responsibility in our government.

In addition to fiscal responsibility, the Tea Party believes in the values of constitutionally limited government. We respect the original meaning and intent of the founders. The Constitution provides for a system of checks and balances in order to prevent usurpation of power; backdoor legislation by executive order can lead to corruption. We believe in our inalienable rights and we pledge our allegiance to America. We defend our values and freedoms and believe in the exceptionalism of America.

Besides fiscal responsibility and constitutionally limited government, the Tea Party champions a free market economy, the basis of America’s prosperity. We are against federal bailouts of corporations. We believe that financial institutions should regulate student loans, not the government. The free market system should prevail; the government should not be choosing winners and losers, as they have been with car companies, financial institutions, and soon to be, healthcare. Free markets should be free, not stifled and controlled by executive ordered regulations.

In an attempt to restore fiscal sanity to D.C., the Tea Party has shown a spotlight on out-of-control spending and skyrocketing national debt. The Tea Party has alerted the nation to unconstitutional legislation and usurpation of executive power. The Tea Party believes that an unbridled free market system, not socialism, will restore the American economy to its former status.

The simple truth is that, for far too long, American voters have relied on what they believed to be the innate integrity of our elected leaders, Democrats and Republicans. Unfortunately, both parties have let us down. The members of the Tea Party are no longer inattentive or gullible. We are concerned citizens who want to preserve what is best in our nation for both present and future generations.

Gail Chapman, President

Mountain Patriots Tea Party

Macon County

To the Editor:

We need a plan that will help grow jobs in our district. The message to the world and the nation is simple: Western North Carolina is open for your business. We need to ease the rules that choke the life out of small businesses. We need to limit the burden of federal bureaucracy. Smaller government creates jobs.

We need to send the message loud and clear and remind Washington that the government serves the people, not the other way around. We need to grow the economy and stop growing the government.

Job creation in our district and in all of America depends on the spirit of enterprise. Education provides the knowledge to start a business. Starting a business fuels jobs. Jobs give people money to spend. More money spent means a healthy economy.

Maybe the only way to make sure the president will understand what we are saying is to make sure he joins the ranks of the unemployed next November. He is ignorant, with no sense of how to make things better, and arrogant, with no sense of his own massive failures. His combination of ignorance and arrogance is more than we should be asked to bear.

Christopher J. Petrella

Republican candidate for U.S. Congress

District 11

Spindale

To the Editor:

It’s good to see Haywood County leaders talking sense about landslide hazard mapping instead of stoking the fires of misinformation and conspiracy that exist in other parts of the region. The county commissioners are to be commended for recognizing the value that landslide hazard mapping brings in terms of public safety, landowner education, and the easy-to-understand need to use different building techniques in different areas. This is a common sense approach that elected leaders in the region — particularly those in the state House and Senate — should adopt.  

The landslide hazard mapping program, which was just eliminated by the new legislature, was about providing the kind of information Haywood County leaders want, information that would protect residents and protect the significant investments they make in their homes. By helping people avoid high hazard landslide areas and debris flow pathways or helping them identify areas where they need to build differently, these maps would also help protect our beautiful mountains, forests, and rivers from the long-lasting scars of landslides.

Those who allege these maps were a back door to regulation that would prohibit development are more interested in their self-interested political agenda than the safety of their neighbors and the welfare of their community. Let’s put community and safety first and ask the legislature to bring the landslide hazard mapping program back.

Julie V. Mayfield,

Executive Director

Western North Carolina Alliance

Asheville

To the Editor:

Regarding the editor’s article, “It’s time to approve dealers at Harrah’s casino” (SMN, Sept. 7-13), I agree the time is now for the North Carolina to approve live dealers. This could be a win-win situation for both the Cherokee and the state.

Live dealers would supposedly increase Harrah’s revenue which would mean more money for the Cherokee and increased job opportunities. Plus, if the state were to get a cut of the new revenue generated from the dealer-approved gambling, the state would also benefit.

Of course gambling (whether at casinos or the state lottery) can be an addiction to some people, just like alcohol and cigarettes. The user will satisfy their vices somehow or somewhere. In my opinion the answer is not to ban these choices or vices.

However, I disagree that Cherokee should have the sole privilege or monopoly on gambling. Competition is a good thing. I also believe video poker should be allowed throughout the state. I am a military veteran and it is the video gambling that keeps the veteran private clubs (i.e. American Legion, VFW, etc.) open and operating. Our veterans (and their families) have earned and deserve a club where they can go for camaraderie.

So now is the time to address gambling not only at Cherokee, but throughout the state. Bottom line is gambling is gambling, whether at Harrah’s, state lottery, or video gambling throughout the state and can be a source of revenue to benefit the majority.

Ron Rookstool

Maggie Valley

Local author Chris McMillan will read from her new memoir at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

Backwards Off the Curb is the story of McMillan who, at 54, decided to leave the comforts of her suburban life and head out on a cross-country pilgrimage of self-discovery.

McMillan was a well-traveled Air Force wife who ran retail stores in Tallahassee, Florida for 20 years. She found herself stagnating in her daily routine, so she packed up her van and embarked on a 10,000-mile journey to “find her sanity.”

The result is 207 pages of feisty Southern feminine soul-searching, memory-strolling, and self-reflection.

828.456.6000.

In celebration of National Library Card Sign-Up Month, the Haywood County Public Library is joining with other North Carolina libraries to urge citizens to use the smartest card in your wallet.

Haywood County Public Library will be celebrating Library Card Sign-Up Month this September with the following events:

• Write a love letter to your library. Entries will be judged by librarians and prizes will be awarded to the first- and second-place winners. Entries must be submitted by Monday, Sept. 19.

• Show your library card Sept. 26 to 30 at Blue Ridge Books and News in Waynesville, and receive a 10-percent discount on any purchase (excluding newspapers).

• All first-time library card applicants will receive a canvas book bag the week of Sept. 26.

• Young adults and children are invited to enter a “Why do you love your library?” video contest. Entries must be submitted by Monday, Sept. 19. The winning video will be shown on the Haywood County Government Access Station and on the television in the lower level of the Waynesville library.

 Novelist Pamela Duncan will read from and discuss her novels at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Jackson County Public Library. Duncan was born in Asheville and raised in Black Mountain, Swannanoa and Shelby, and currently lives in Cullowhee, where she teaches creative writing at Western Carolina University. Her first novel, Moon Women, was a Southeast Booksellers Association Award Finalist, and her second novel, Plant Life, won the 2003 Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction. She is the recipient of the 2007 James Still Award for Writing about the Appalachian South, awarded by the Fellowship of Southern Writers.  Her third novel, The Big Beautiful, was published in March 2007. She is currently at work on The Wilder Place, a novel set in western North Carolina. Duncan will read selections from her work and discuss the process of writing. A question-and-answer session and an autographing will follow.

828.586.2016.

Sharyn McCrumb, author of the Ballad Series of novels, will read from her new book, The Ballad of Tom Dooley, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

In this new novel, New York Times bestselling author Sharyn McCrumb uncovers new revelations about one of the most famous mountain ballads of all time.

McCrumb returned last year to her critically acclaimed Appalachian Ballad series after an eight-year hiatus. Now, from the pen of this award-winning Southern writer comes the story of one of the most famous mountain ballads of all time, The Ballad of Tom Dooley. Although millions may have heard the ballad, made famous by the Kingston Trio’s classic folk song, McCrumb’s research has uncovered a new twist in the tale that is certain to surprise those who think they already know the whole story.

The tale of Tom Dooley recounts a tragedy in the North Carolina mountains in the aftermath of the Civil War. Laura Foster, a simple country girl, went missing and was later found murdered and buried in a shallow grave on a mountainside. Her lover, Tom, was the prime suspect and hanged for the crime. However, Tom was also involved in a long-time affair with a married woman, Ann Melton, who was jailed as a possible accomplice to the crime after her cousin, Pauline Foster, reported that Ann had showed her where the missing girl’s body was buried.

This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Reserved seating is available with the advanced purchase of The Ballad of Tom Dooley. For more information, call 828.456.6000.

David Joy, the author of the new book Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey, will hold a reading and signing at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. The event is hosted by Blue Ridge Books and Waynesville Fly Shop.

Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey delves into David Joy’s obsession with fish. Feeling more comfortable with fish than with humans, he works to reveal why he is inherently defined by the piscine world. Topics range from environmentalism to family, from Rousseau’s “noble savage” to the ones that got away, from places that remain wild to the worn cork of rods, and from the beauty of native trout to the art of fly tying.

Not only a book about fishing but also a story of life, Growing Gills: A Fly Fisherman’s Journey is the tale of one man’s venture into the wild to find understanding.

828.456.6000.

A river-sweep cleanup of the Tuckasegee starting at the new CJ Harris boat ramp in Dillsboro is set for Thursday, Sept. 22, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. A rain makeup date is Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the same times.

The vast majority of the work will need to take place from boats because of the dense stream-bank growth. There will be a couple of flat-bottomed boats available, but canoeists and people willing to wade the river’s edge are needed.  

Drinks, T-shirts, tote bags and trash bags will be provided; bring gloves and waders.

Sponsored by the Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Get out your gloves and pitch in cleaning up litter from Richland Creek in Waynesville as part of the North Carolina Big Sweep.

Haywood County Big Sweep will be Saturday, Sept. 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This event is part of a statewide one-day event to pickup litter along North Carolina’s waterways.

Haywood Community College’s students in the Natural Resources Department will lead the way along Richland Creek from the Russ Avenue bridge to Lake Junaluska. Volunteers should plan to meet at 9 a.m. in the Bi-Lo Grocery Store parking lot off Russ Avenue in Waynesville. For more information call Shannon Rabby at 828.627.4592.

Other Big Sweep opportunities and contacts:

• Jackson County is set for Oct. 1; James Jackson, Tuckaseegee Outfitters, 828.508.3377.

• Macon County also is Oct. 1; meet at Gooder Grafix on East Main Street in Franklin at 9 a.m.; Guy Gooder, 828.421.4845.

• Swain County has two Big Sweeps, on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2. Nantahala River put in at 11 a.m. on Oct. 1 or shuttle from the Nantahala Outdoor Center. On Oct. 2, volunteers meet at the Swain County Administration Building at 9 a.m.; Laurie McLaren Perkins, 828.488.9735.

It requires getting a little wet, but that’s all part of the fun when the Haywood Waterways Association and Haywood County Schools hold the annual Kids in the Creek program.

The event is for Haywood County eighth graders and will be held on the Pigeon River in Canton Sept. 19, 21 and 22. Instructors focus on water quality and the issues that affect our ability to swim, fish and drink the water from our rivers and streams.

Students rotate through four stations: fish, benthic macroinvertebrates, water chemistry and the Enviroscape watershed model. The students, and their teachers, learn about water pollution and the ecological interactions occurring within a watershed.

The public is welcome to attend the event, held at the Canton Recreation Park. Two sessions are held each day, 9 a.m. to 11:10 am, and 12:00 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.

This is the 14th year Haywood Waterways and Haywood County Schools have hosted Kids in the Creek. Over its history, more than 9,000 students have been through the program.

Other sponsors include the Pigeon River Fund, Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District, the towns of Canton, Clyde and Waynesville, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, Evergreen Packaging Group, Tennessee Valley Authority, Trout Unlimited (Cataloochee Chapter), University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Tenn., and Best Buy.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.haywoodwaterways.org for more information and to watch a video of Kids in the Creek.

Outdoor enthusiasts can look forward to a two-day WNC OutdoorAthlon this fall in Macon County, Oct. 8-9. Activities include a triathlon, 5k, rock-climbing wall, disc-golf clinics, paddling demos and more.

The slogan is “Live, Love, and Learn about the Mountains of North Carolina.” This family friendly event will feature free clinics for all things outdoors — from fly-fishing sessions with some of the area’s most respected guides, to kayak demos and a rock-climbing wall.

The WNC OutdoorAthlon will feature an interactive kids zone and competitive Kid’s Duathlon for little adventures, ages 6-12.

Visit www.outdorathlon.com.

Registration is open for a new half-marathon race taking place on the Cherokee Indian Reservation Saturday, Oct. 15, starting at 8 a.m. The day’s events also feature a 5k race.

Proceeds will benefit the Madison Hornbuckle Children’s Cancer Foundation, providing funding for families with children being treated for cancer.

Both races begin at the Cherokee Fairgrounds. The course traverses through downtown Cherokee and winds through some of the beautiful mountain areas of the Great Smokies during the colorful fall season. The half marathon course will pass through virtually every community in Cherokee, with one significant climb at mile six. The runners will experience Cherokee culture throughout the entire course, and fully staffed aid stations will be provided.

Registration is open at www.cherokeeharvesthalf.com. Runners will receive a long-sleeve technical running shirt, swag bag and post-race entertainment. Entry fees are $30 for the half marathon and $20 for the 5K through Sept. 30.

The event is being produced by Glory Hound Events.

Training for leaders and activists in the conservation movement will explore the deeper issues of ethics, values and the root causes of ecological issues facing society from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 21 and Sept. 28 in Sylva.

“The training aims to empower you to create similar dialogs in your towns and workplaces, getting people talking about environmental problems in deeper, more meaningful ways,” according to Rob Hawk, director of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service in Jackson and Swain counties.

The “Leopold Land Ethics” Program is rooted in noted conservationist’s Aldo Leopold’s own method of engaging his family and students in developing a personal land ethic — observing the natural world through scientific inquiry, participating in purposeful work on the land and reflecting on their experiences.

Held at St. John’s Episcopal Church. 828.586.4009 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Learn how to grow that lucrative cash-plant, ginseng, at home.

The N.C. Cooperative Extension Service and the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance will offer a free seminar on ginseng production for homeowners.

You’ll learn about state regulations for growing and hunting ginseng, plant physiology, present and historical, and compare Asian to American ginseng. More practically, you’ll find out about site selection and preparation, sowing, harvesting and drying the roots and seed stratification.

Seminars will be held Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. until noon at the library in Cashiers; Sept. 20 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Jackson County extension center, room 234; and Sept. 26 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Swain extension center (old Almond School) in room 110. 828.586.4009 or 828.488.3848.

Shutterbug alert: Balsam Mountain Trust in Sylva will hold a digital photography class Sept. 24, from 3 p.m. until sunset.

Students will learn both composition and digital “darkroom” techniques. There will be both classroom instruction and a field trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The instructors are Waynesville residents Michael Skinner and Ed Kelly, both outdoor enthusiasts and talented photographers.

You’ll need your own camera, memory card, and please do wear clothing appropriate to the season and for a field trip. Only six students or fewer will be in the class; cost is $65 each. Held at Balsam Mountain Preserve in Jackson County.

828.631.1062 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The second-annual Rooted in the Mountains symposium at Western Carolina University will be held Thursday, Oct. 20, and Friday, Oct. 21, in the Grandroom of the A.K. Hinds University Center.

The Rooted in the Mountains event was created to raise awareness of the intersection of environmental, health and indigenous issues related to mountain destruction. This year’s program includes a 6 p.m. Thursday address by Dennis Martinez, an advocate for an indigenous perspective of ecology, and music beginning at 7:30 p.m. by Sheila Kay Adams, a longtime storyteller and performer of traditional Appalachian ballads.

Cultural historian Jeff Biggers will start Friday’s session with a 9 a.m. keynote address. Biggers, a coal miner’s grandson and outspoken critic of mountaintop removal in Appalachia, is the author of nonfiction works “Reckoning at Eagle Creek,” “The United States of Appalachia” and “In the Sierra Madre.” The symposium also includes a Thursday reception, Friday lunch, academic presentations and a facilitated discussion.

Reduced-rate hotel rooms at the Sylva Inn and the Holiday Inn Express in Dillsboro and an early registration fee of $75 are available through Sunday, Sept. 25. After that, the symposium registration fee rises to $125. The symposium is free to WCU students. The Biggers address, part of WCU’s Art and Cultural Events Series, is free to all.

Lisa Lefler, the event’s organizer, said the Rooted in the Mountains symposium is for individuals interested in Native American studies, health and environmental issues.

“Those who are interested in how the continued destruction of mountain landscapes affect us should attend, as well as those who would like to learn more about the intersection of Native ways of understanding with these issues,” said Lefler, an anthropologist and director of WCU’s Culturally Based Native Health Programs. “This event is for all who are rooted in the mountains and value our common ground.”

Lefler organized the inaugural event in honor of her mother, the late Jean Nations Lefler, and her uncle, the late Dale Nations. The siblings were “saddened in their last years about what they perceived as destruction to the mountains,” Lefler said. Though only a year old, Rooted in the Mountains is quickly evolving, and three other institutions – Berea College, Appalachian State University and Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee – have expressed interest in alternately hosting it.

Lefler also organized an August event on the WCU campus intended to help sharpen the symposium’s focus. A panel of Native elders visited WCU to participate in dialogues on “Native science,” which respects the natural laws of interdependence, or phrased alternatively, a universal law of interconnectedness. Panel members encouraged those in attendance to shed their personal and career identities and their “tacit infrastructures” – beliefs so ingrained we unconsciously base our paradigms on them without questioning why – so they could examine the connection between health and the environment in new ways.

To register for the Rooted in the Mountains symposium, go online to rootedinthemtns.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7397. For additional information about Rooted in the Mountains, contact Lefler at 828.227.2164 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or contact Pamela Duncan in the WCU Department of English at 828.227.3926 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy is challenging outdoor enthusiasts to support land conservation simply by hiking. The Hiking Challenge encourages all those who enjoy the beauty of Western North Carolina’s mountains to explore and discover the breathtaking scenery of the conservancy’s preserved lands, up close and personal.

By completing eight hikes on the conserved lands, hikers can earn rewards while having fun outdoors. Hikes range from easy to moderate difficulty, and are between one and four miles in length.  

Completers of the eight hikes will earn a badge of honor: the conservation’s exclusive white squirrel embroidered hiking patch. The white squirrel represents the local wildlife oddity unique to Henderson and Transylvania counties, the conservation’s primary protection areas. Those who complete the challenge will also earn a $20 gift certificate for free hiking gear at the Hendersonville location of the Mast General Store.

Hikes may be completed at the participant’s own pace and schedule, and there is no deadline to complete the eight hikes. Challenge hikes may be completed individually or as part of monthly guided outings led by conservation staff and volunteers.

The challenge hikes include scenic locations such as the 360-degree view from the summit of Bearwallow Mountain, and the old growth forests of the conservation’s 600-acre Florence Nature Preserve. Also featured in the challenge are seven waterfalls, including the newly opened Connestee Falls Park near Brevard and three waterfalls in DuPont State Forest.

Participants have the opportunity to hike within private conservation properties otherwise not open to the public, such as the 3,100-acre Green River Preserve. www.carolinamountain.org/hikingchallenge

The Land Trust of the Little Tennessee will hold a Stewardship Workday at Tessentee Bottomland Preserve in southern Macon County on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 9 a.m. until noon.

This will be a general “cleanup” day. September and October will be busy months at Tessentee, with the second-annual Migration Celebration for sixth graders scheduled in late September into early October, and the annual Youth Conservation Field Day for seventh graders in scheduled in late October.

Tasks include: updating the signage at the entrance; mowing/ weedeating/ trimming along roads and trails; cleanup in and around the house and sheds; tree plantation maintenance; maintenance of blue bird boxes; and more. Drinks and snacks will be provided, and some tools, too, but please hand pruners, loppers, weedeaters possible. Please dress appropriately and safely — long pants, gloves.

828.524.2711.

As part of their popular Eco Tour Outreach Program, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust hold two elk tours in Cataloochee Valley with a Smokies elk specialist will on Thursday, Sept. 22, and Wednesday, Sept. 28.

The event includes a picnic dinner; the Sept. 22 trip includes a “seated” presentation of the elk, the Sept. 28 trip features a walking tour.

This is “rut” season, when the male elk, or bull, competes for dominance and the right to mate with particular female elks, or cows. An important, and quite enchanting, part of the process is the bull warning call to other males, known as the “bugle.” The call, which has been described by many as eerie or haunting, provides an audible cue that fall has arrived at Cataloochee Valley.  

The cost is $10 for HCLT members and $35 for new participants, which includes an HCLT membership. Space is limited.

828.526.1111 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

With fall comes hungry bears, and the B.E.A.R. Taskforce wants to help people learn to peacefully coexist with these great animals and decrease the growing number of human-bear conflicts.

“B.E.A.R. Talk …..In Your Neighborhood” will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Cashiers library.

The program will begin with a short film, “Living in Bear Country: Practical Advice on Living Responsibly in Bear Country.” Following the film, wildlife experts Anne Allison and Kathy Sherrard will share information about black bears and explain actions people can take to reduce human and bear conflicts. Allison and Sherrard have been wildlife educators for more than15 years, and currently work closely with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and as volunteers for Appalachian Bear Rescue and B.E.A.R.  A question and answer session will conclude the program.

Other programs this fall include:

• Hunting and Your Property Rights, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 4. in Highlands.

• Hiking and Camping in Bear Country, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 11 in Cashiers.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.526.9227.

Maggie Valley will play host to the Carolina Harley Davidson Dealers Fall Rally in the Valley from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sept. 16 and 17, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.

The event will feature live music, bike stunt shows and vendors. Admission is $10.

Saturday will feature a Harley-Davidson bike show with a $10 entry fee, bike games and Team Extreme Motosphere will perform a motorcycle stunt show on Friday and Saturday.

For more information, call 828.298.1683 or visit www.chdda.com.

The Gods of the Machine, an exhibit by painter John Lytle Wilson, will open with a reception at 5 p.m. on Sept. 15, in the Fine Arts Museum at Western Carolina University. An interview with the artist is scheduled for 4 p.m., with the wine and appetizer reception to start at 5 p.m.

Wilson, of Birmingham, Ala., draws inspiration in the power of images used to attract, convert and sell, from advertising and product design to museum pieces and iconography. Wilson explores issues such as consciousness, free will and mortality using animal and robot imagery rather than traditional human subjects. The show will run through Friday, Sept. 30.

Western Carolina University will offer eight weeks of blacksmithing classes from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays from Sept. 20 through Nov. 10 at Calerin Forge in Balsam.

Taught by David Burress, participants will learn fundamental skills in shaping iron on a traditional coal forge. The cost of the course is $375 and includes all materials with the exception of safety glasses, which participants should supply for themselves.

For more information, call 828.227.7397 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To register, visit learn.wcu.edu and select “community classes, conferences and workshops.”

Capt. Joseph E. Myers, historian for the Asheville Composite Squadron of the North Carolina Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, will be the guest speaker at the Carolina Round Table on the World Wars. The group will hold its first meeting of the fall from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, in the Killian Building at Western Carolina University.

The Carolina Round Table on the World Wars addresses various aspects of the era of the world wars of the 20th century. While it focuses primarily on the military history of the two conflicts, the group also examines political, economic, technological and social factors associated with the wars.

828.227.3908 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Haywood County Arts Council will hold registration for new students in the Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Canton Middle School. JAM instructors will be on hand to assist beginning students with their choice of instrument. Instruments are available for rental from Strains of Music in Waynesville. Classes meet on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. beginning Tuesday, Sept. 27.

The JAM program is designed for children in fourth grade and older who want to learn old-time mountain music. Students will be taught banjo, fiddle, guitar or mandolin. A string band class is offered to advanced students by instructor referral only. JAM instructors are Barry Benjamin, Michael Pilgrim, Robby Robertson, Travis Stuart, and Trevor Stuart.

All students in Haywood County are eligible. Students in adjoining counties may participate on a space available basis. Lessons are $90 per child for the school year and fees must be paid in advance.

828.452.0593, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.haywoodarts.org.

Mandy Barnett, a country music singer and stage actress, will perform a Tribute to Patsy Cline at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Throughout Barnett’s music career, which began at the young age of 5, she has released three albums and chartered three singles on the Billboard country charts. She received high honors from Rolling Stone magazine when her album, I’ve Got a Right to Cry, was named top country album of the year.

As a teenager, Barnett held the title role in the musical, Always … Patsy Cline, which she performed at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. She credits Patsy Cline as one of her greatest influences. In 2009, she reprised her role as Patsy Cline for a special 15-year anniversary performance.

Tickets are $15. For more information, call 866.273.4615 or visit greatmountainmusic.com.

The Highlands Playhouse will hold a fundraising auction at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Highlands Playhouse.

The auction will include items donated from businesses throughout Highlands and across the country.

The auction will include items such as an Orlando vacation package which includes tickets to Disney World and a Wheel of Fortune prize package including four VIP Passes to a taping of the show, a piece of the wheel signed by stars Pat Sajak and Vanna White, and a signed 8-by-10 of the stars. Theater fans will find tickets to theaters in Atlanta, Asheville and Pigeon Forge. The Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Panthers and Charlotte Bobcats are just a few of the sports teams that have sent memorabilia packages, including many signed items. Movie stars Dustin Hoffman and Tim Allen as well as playwright A.R. Gurney have signed memorabilia at the auction. 

Admission is free and there will be an open bar with a generous selection of wines.  

For more information or to donate items, call 828.526.2695.

Dogwood Crafters will host an English tea, with two seatings at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Jarrett House in Dillsboro.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling 828.586.2248. The cost is $10. All proceeds are for Dogwood’s Building Fund.

A basket-weaving class will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, in the Macon County Cooperative Extension Services building. Participants will construct a functional and decorative Williamsburg basket, designed after a popular basket used in Colonial times. Instructor Joanne Nolen is a skilled weaver and basket maker. No experience is needed.

A $35 fee covers all materials and instruction. Pre-register with the Macon County Arts Council by calling  828.524.7683 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The band Cullowhee will perform at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University.

The band began at WCU in 1974 and inhabit a musical genre encompassing the sounds of folk, bluegrass, country, gospel, rock and blues.

Advanced reservation is required. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for students and $30 for VIP table seating.

A checkpoint on the Pakistan-India border and Peruvian workers traveling by boat to an island of birds are just two of the scenes from the upcoming opening of Doxita, a film festival that began in 2008 and showcases documentaries under 40 minutes in length.

The festival starts at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 20, in the theater of the A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University. This year, Doxita consists of four films, each centered on a common theme of inside/outside.

The films are “Guañape Sur” (Janos Richter, Italy), about Peruvian workers who harvest soil from an island of birds; “Wagah” (Supriyo Sen, Germany), about national identity expressed daily by thousands of spectators at a flag ceremony on the border between India and Pakistan; “My Name is Sydney” (Melanie Levy, USA), about the complex inner life of a severely autistic teenage girl; and “Arsy Versy” (Miro Remo, Slovakia), a quirky portrait of a man who follows his own spirit.

The program represents a variety of documentary styles – domestic and foreign, short and longer format, serious and funny – and is designed to profile the content and artistic vision that nonfiction short films provide but that people don’t often get a chance to see.

828.227.2479 or bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

The Haywood Community Band will present its monthly free concert at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Maggie Valley Pavilion, adjacent to the Maggie Valley Town Hall.

The concert will include a Sept. 11 anniversary tribute. Music for this concert will feature some of the great arrangements done of both classical and popular favorites.  The band will play Leroy Anderson’s Boston Pops arrangement of Seventy Six Trombones, and Greensleeves: a Fantasia based on Vaughan  Williams’ setting. Other titles include William Walton’s Crown Imperial and Gordon Jenkins’ Manhattan Tower Overture, a flashback to the music of radio dramas.  

For more information call Rhonda Wilson-Kram at 828.456.4880, or Bob Hill at 828.452.7530 or visit www.haywoodcommunityband.org.

Native American tribes the Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, Seminole and Cherokee return to Cherokee for a two-day event that celebrates the revitalization of their ancient traditions. The Southeast Tribes Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sept. 16 and 17, reuniting people from the original American Indian tribes of the Southeast on the sacred ancestral ground of the Cherokees at the Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds.

Visitors can share in the tribes’ traditional dances, food, storytelling, stickball games, crafts demonstrations, living history encampments, a Cherokee marbles tournament, a blowgun competition and native languages. The event also includes a 5k fun run at 9 a.m. on Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. and a writers gathering Sept. 14 and 15.

Adult daily admission is $7, $3 for children 6-12 years. Children under 6 are free. Admission includes evening performances. Special group rates are available for schools on Friday. For more information, call. 828.497.3481, ext. 207, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.cherokee-nc.com.

The 380-member Western Carolina University band will perform as halftime entertainment during the Carolina Panthers regular season home opener against defending Super Bowl champions, the Green Bay Packers, on Sunday, Sept. 18.

The game has a 1 p.m. kickoff at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

The band was selected based on its recognized showmanship and musicianship, as well as its previous experience and ability to execute a halftime performance under stringent NFL halftime guidelines, Panthers team officials said.

The WCU band received the 2009 John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Trophy, the nation’s highest award for college and university marching bands. The Pride of the Mountains enjoyed a 2011 New Year’s Day appearance in the Tournament of Roses Parade and was named “best band” in the parade in an online poll conducted by KTLA-TV of Los Angeles.

A limited number of single-game tickets for the Sept. 18 game are available. For information, visit www.panthers.com.

For some adrenaline-pumping outdoor flicks, catch the Sept. 12 “Radical Reels” tour hosted by REI in Asheville, with proceeds benefiting the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

These outdoor sport films feature on-the-edge skiing, mountain biking, kayaking and more. The show gets under way at 7 p.m. at Carolina Cinemas, with tickets on sale at REI for $15 ($17 starting Sept. 11). Prizes will be given away at the screening.

This is an outgrowth of the famous Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. The Radical Reels Tour showcases nine short films that capture some of the most progressive talent in action.

Some of the films include strong language that might not be appropriate for children under 14 years old.

828.687.0918 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Smoky Mountain Jet Boats in Bryson City, which for six years has been building New Zealand style jet boats, is now expanding to build larger boats.

Smoky Mountain Jet Boats has been making a 12-passenger boat since 2006. This year, the business has expanded to include a four-person recreational model that boasts a 410 horsepower Corvette engine and two models of 24-passenger tour boats.  

Construction of the first 24-passenger boat started last week. This all aluminum jet boat is capable of traveling in four inches of water at speeds of 45 knots.

A pair of 12-passenger boats is being delivered to Gatlinburg, Tenn. Because of a very flat bottom, the boats are capable of spinning 360 degrees. Other boats, including one this week, are being sold in the international market.

Get a firsthand understanding of stream buffers by touring a demonstration trail at Monteith Farmstead Park in Dillsboro at 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16, just before the annual fall dinner of the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River.

There are educational signs along these trails to explain why maintaining a natural strip of land next to streams is so important for healthy mountain creeks.  

After the tour, everyone is invited to the fall dinner, which will be held at Carol’s Cabins on Mockingbird Lane. Bring a covered dish, salad or dessert. Beverages will be provided. For directions, go to www.WATRnc.org. RSVP at 828.488.8418 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The third-annual Citizens Race, a competition for amateur paddlers on a calm section of the Tuckasegee River, is set for 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 10.

Participants are timed as they paddle canoes, kayaks or stand-up paddle boards through nine slalom gales, which are plastic poles hung over the water about three feet apart, on a flat section of the river off Old Cullowhee Road. Canoes, life jackets and paddles will be provided for participants who do not have their own equipment.

Entrants may get a feel for the water and boats from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 9, as they practice the course.

“This event is to show that the downtown area of Cullowhee can be used for river recreation, and is a fundraiser for the planned park between the dam and the bridge,” said Maurice Phipps, a parks and recreation management professor and member of the Cullowhee Revitalization Endeavor, or CuRvE. “It is designed to be a community event — a citizens race for families, individuals, kids and students.”

The race is sponsored by WCU’s Parks and Recreation Management program and Parks and Recreation Management Club and Base Camp Cullowhee. Registration is $5 per person, and registration forms (one per boat) are available at Base Camp Cullowhee.

828.227.3633 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Learn about the functions of shelters, including how animals and humans adapted to various environments, through a new exhibit at The N.C. Arboretum.

Opening September 24, Sustainable Shelter explores biodiversity, human and animal architecture, ecosystems, and energy and water conservation, all from the perspective of the “home.”  

Sustainable Shelter investigates the ways that human dwellings extract, use, and discard energy, water, and other precious natural resources.

Sustainable Shelter will be on display at arboretum through Jan. 2. The exhibition will be open to the public during regular Baker Exhibit Center hours, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. Exhibit admission is in addition to the standard parking fee ($8 per personal vehicle), and is $3 for adults and $2 for students age 18 and under.

828.665.2492 or visit www.ncarboretum.org.

Western North Carolina’s lackluster economy could get a significant boost from leaf lookers this year, if the annual prediction is right and we enjoy an excellent fall color show.

Kathy Mathews, who serves as the region’s and Western Carolina University’s fall foliage forecaster, said weather conditions over the spring and summer bode well for the critical autumn period.

“2011 should prove to be an excellent year for fall color,” said Mathews, a WCU associate professor of biology specializing in plant systematics. “While heavy spring rain is generally not a good sign for fall color, records indicate that rainfall was slightly below normal for March, average for April and May, and slightly below normal for June and July, as gardeners struggled to keep their crops watered,” she said. “These conditions actually are promising for good development of leaf color in September and October.”

In addition, mid-August brought a respite from the hot temperatures of June and July, another good sign of vibrant leaf color during autumn, she said.

Mathews believes that the formation of higher levels of yellow, orange and red pigments in the leaves seems to correlate with dry weather throughout the year. The drier the climate, the more brilliant the fall leaves tend to be, she said.

Of course, when it comes to forecasting the vibrancy of the fall color season, just as with forecasting the weather, there are no guarantees. Cloud cover and ample rainfall in the weeks ahead could mute the color show, Mathews said

“Anyone remembering the last two years may have noticed a shortage of brilliant red leaves in our area, which could be blamed on cloudy weather and rain during the fall,” she said. “Hurricane season also can be hard to predict as far as bringing rain to the mountains, but if we see cool and sunny weather, we can expect nice red color to develop this year.”

Cooler temperatures of autumn contribute to the decomposition of chlorophyll, the chemical that gives leaves their green color in spring and summer. As chlorophyll breaks down, yellow pigments – always present in the leaves, but masked by the green of chlorophyll – are revealed, and new red pigments are produced

Depending upon the timing of the first frost, the peak of fall color should arrive during the second week of October in the higher elevations, and during the third week of October in the mid-elevations, Mathews said.

“Early November can bring surprising bursts of color, too, particularly between 2,500 and 3,000 feet as the oaks peak out in oranges and reds while other trees’ colors are lingering,” she said. “Those planning leaf-peeping vacations should have a fairly broad window of time in which to choose for viewing excellent color change in the mountains this year.”

The color change should begin at the higher mountain elevations in late September and continue through mid-November in the lower levels of WNC.

“Look for the earliest color change to take place on the sourwoods and dogwoods, which both turn red, as well as the tulip poplars, which become yellow but tend to turn brown early,” Mathews said. “Colorful maples, with hues of red, orange and yellow, and birches, which turn yellow, bring us into the peak period. Finally, oaks turn orange and red to round out the later color change in the season.”

Sweet birches and tulip poplars already are starting to turn yellow in the mid-elevations around Cullowhee, which is a normal occurrence for this time of year, she said.

“Over the month of September, the color change should continue and spread. Expect buckeyes to give pops of orange early, as well. Maples will add more yellow, oranges and reds as they gradually change in late September, and sourwoods should turn a beautiful, deep red,” Mathews said.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will celebrate National Public Lands Day by hosting several volunteer projects Saturday, Sept. 24, in a unified effort with many public lands across the country.  

National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands that Americans enjoy. Those interested in participating at the Smokies will have a chance to work on a trail rehabilitation or a native meadows restoration project.

• The Trails Forever program – a partnership between the national park and Friends of the Smokies – will be hosting a Forney Ridge Trail project. Adult volunteers (18 years old or older) can work with the park trail crew to reconstruct a section of this popular trail. The work will include collecting, moving, breaking and setting rock as well as naturalizing some sections where work has already been completed. To RSVP, contact Trails and Facilities Volunteer Coordinator, Christine Hoyer at 828.497.1949 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

• Park resource managers also are recruiting for volunteers to help restore native meadows in Cades Cove. Remnant stands of native Indian Grass remain scattered throughout the cove. Volunteers can help the park collect seed from this native grass that provides outstanding wildlife cover and nourishment for a variety of wildlife including ground nesting birds, small mammals, turkeys, and deer. To RSVP to contact Volunteer Coordinator Dana Soehn at 865.436.1265 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..