The  annual Ruby Ride & Run will be held Saturday, May 21, in Franklin.

There will be a 5K and 10K run and three bike rides of varying lengths: 24 miles, 64 miles and 100 miles.

Last  year, 75 bicyclists and 93 runners  participated.

The runs begin at the Tassee Bridge on the Little Tennessee River Greenway and follow a relatively flat path that parallels the river.

The rides traverse scenic roads through pastoral valleys and mountainous national forest territory

• The  24-mile bike ride will traverse the Burningtown Community with 2,200 feet of climbing. A fully-stocked rest stop will be available at mile 10 and include an optional “bailout” route reducing the ride to 16 miles.

• The  63-mile option offers 4,000 feet of climbing through the Cowee Community  following the celebrated Little Tennessee River into the  Burningtown area. Two fully-stocked rest stops.

• Over 8,000 feet of climbing will challenge cyclists on the 100-mile route which  includes ascending  both Standing Indian and Wayah Mountains. Three fully stocked rest stops. SAG vehicles and/or motorcycles will be on all routes to assist  riders with any needs.

The race is sponsored by Franklin Daybreak Rotary. All proceeds go to “Stop Hunger Now” and the  Franklin High School Interact Club.

The cost is $30 per rider now or $40 after May 14. Runners are $20 for the 5K and $25 for the 10K, with an extra $5 after May 14.

Runs start at 8:30  a.m. and bike rides at 9 a.m. from the Franklin High School parking  lot.

www.therubyride.com or call Smoky Mountain Bicycles at  828.369.2881.

Two free fishing clinics for ages 6 to 15 will be offered at the 21st Annual Great Smoky Mountain Trout Festival on Saturday, May 7, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.

The clinics are sponsored by the Haywood Community College Natural Resources Management Department, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the Town of Maggie Valley and Haywood Waterways Association.

The morning clinic will be held from 9 a.m. until noon. An afternoon clinic will be held from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.

The CATCH (Caring For Aquatics Through Conservation Habits) program is designed to teach young people “how,” “when” and “where” to fish as well as to introduce lessons in aquatic ecology, water safety, fishing ethics, and respect for the outdoors.

Equipment will be furnished. A parent or guardian must register and attend with the youth.

In addition to the CATCH Clinics, there will be live music, arts and crafts, demonstrations, children’s activities and more at the festival.

Pre-registration is required as space is limited. 828.926.0866, ext. 117 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A hike and campout at Tusquitee Bald, the highest point in Clay County, will be held Friday, May 6, by the WNC Alliance, a regional conservation group.

A carpool leaves Asheville at 5 p.m. on Friday. Hiking takes place Saturday at 9 a.m.

The event will start at Bob Allison Campground, hiking out on Chunky Gal Trail in the Nantahala National Forest.

The cost for campers is $25 for WNCA members, and $35 for non-members, which includes food, travel and a one-year membership to WNCA. If you are a WNCA member and bring a friend, the cost is only $15.

People can opt to just hike on Saturday, providing their own meals and transport, at no charge. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 828.258.8737.

A Songbird Celebration will be held at the Cradle of Forestry in America Saturday, May 7, to honor the annual migratory bird influx.

At 8 a.m., the cradle will offer a guided walk to learn and practice identifying birds by sight and sound. At 10:30 a.m. another guided walk — Birding for Beginners — is open to all interested in learning about birds and birding. Both programs are wheelchair accessible. Group size will be limited and registration is requested. Ages 10 and older are welcome if accompanied by an adult.

Family oriented activities for the cradle’s Songbird Celebration will be from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and include on-going games and crafts that show the wonder of birds and teach how we can do our part for their conservation.

A variety of migratory birds rest and feed at the Cradle of Forestry while on their way farther North. Others stay to nest and raise young around the trails. Birders often hear and see black throated blue warblers, hooded warblers, black and white warblers and blue headed vireos. An occasional bright blackburnian warbler and scarlet tanager can be spotted as well.

Admission is $5 for adults and free for youth under 16 years of age. The Cradle of Forestry is located on U.S. 276 in the Pisgah National Forest four miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway at milepost 412. 828.877.3130.

In a combination celebration of migratory birds and Balsam Mountain Trust’s 10 year anniversary, hikes and classes are scheduled at the preserve 115 bird species call home from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 14.

Events include a beginner’s bird walk, advanced bird trek, a program on raptors, bird of prey photography and bird activities for kids. The Balsam Mountain Trust is a nonprofit conservancy operating at Balsam Mountain Preserve, an eco-development in Jackson County where 75 percent of the 4,400 acres have been preserved.

Everyone must register as space is limited. Cost is a $5 donation per car. The celebration begins at 8:30 a.m. and goes until 3 p.m.  Or, people can sign up for a morning or afternoon shift.  

All events start at the Balsam Mountain Trust nature center.

www.bmtrust.org or 828.631.1060.

Jacquelyn Frank, a the New York Times best selling author, will speak at the Mountain Writers meeting at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 10, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.  A paranormal romance writer, she’ll talk about building worlds — creating the worlds in which her characters live.   

Specializing in paranormal and fantasy romance, Jacquelyn has spawned several series taking place everywhere between Earth and other dimensions. Soon she will delve even further beyond that.

“There I nothing that delights me more than hearing someone has thrown my book across the room because they are so upset by what I have allowed to happen to their beloved character,” said Frank. “Except of course when they tell me they run to pick it up again because they have to know what happens next!”

Call 828.456.6000 for more information.

Even with the old library closing, Jackson County kids can’t get out of their parents enrolling them in Jackson County’s annual summer reading program. This year it is “One World, Many Stories,” in which children will explore places from Oceania to Russia through stories, crafts, music, dance and more. The program is open from preschool ages to young adult, and entire families are encouraged to join the read-to-me portions.

Registration for the program is being held at the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore, 356 West Main St., Sylva. No phone registration — you’ve got to sign up in person.

To the Editor:

Now that you have received the re-evaluations of your Haywood County property, are you pleased county commissioners chose to re-evaluate your home? Are you getting the runaround when you try to get inflated values reviewed?

These commissioners made no secret about their plans to raise the values on most homes $300,000 and under. I read it in the newspaper. Last November, you could have replaced these commissioners with excellent candidates, but you voted them back in power. Now, for four years, you will only be able to replace two of the commissioners. The just-elected will not be up for re-election until 2014. They will retain the majority of 3 of the 5, so it will not matter what two commissioners you replace.

This is the result of apathy, people who didn’t have any idea what was at stake, automatically pulling the lever for the party running this county for years. They have accumulated debt, and now the taxpayer is expected to cough up the money to pay for their spending. Re-evaluations are required once in eight years, and most counties have chosen to wait because of the instability of the real estate markets.  

Haywood County did a re-evaluation in 2006  so they didn’t have to reassess until 2014. But this greedy bunch couldn’t wait that long, so while almost all real estate has dropped in value due to the weak market, the commissioners decided that our property and homes have gone up in value. Commercial properties have really been hit hard. Just what we need — more small businesses and jobs to go under while the county government delights in the windfall they will see due to unrealistic re-evaluations.  

Arlene Hemm,

Canton

Editor’s note: Revaluations are required by state law and are based on market value as determined by real estate assessors. County commissioners don’t choose which houses to raise the values on compared to others.

To the Editor:

Where are the real jobs? During the 2010 election season, an organization named Real Jobs NC targeted Democratic incumbents in the North Carolina legislature with attack TV ads and mailers. This organization, a 527 group created May 2010, could receive unlimited contributions from businesses and individual donors. According to the Associated Press, it was funded by wealthy Republicans led by Republican millionaire Art Pope.

During the campaign season, it spent at least $500,000, including $265,000 for attack ads against moderate incumbent Sen. John Snow. Sen. Snow was defeated by Sen. Jim Davis by less than 200 votes. It is most likely that Real Jobs NC contributed to his defeat. People were desperate for jobs and still are.  

I propose that Real Jobs NC be renamed Kill Jobs NC. Republicans gained control of the North Carolina legislature and are now working on a budget. Although it is a moving target, I have seen estimates of the elimination of 26,000 jobs — with around 23,000 of those coming from education — in the House version of the budget. These jobs, and the essential functions they support, are being sacrificed because the Republicans in control of the NC legislature refuse to continue the existing state sales tax rate for two more years. Legislation was also introduced to refuse a federal grant for high-speed rail, which was estimated to create 4,800 jobs.

North Carolina, let’s not be fooled again by shady radical right-wing organizations with noble-sounding names formed to elect politicians who will transfer even more wealth from the working class to the filthy rich.

Carole Larivee

Waynesville

To the Editor:

On Saturday, April 30, the Republican Party of Haywood County submitted a resolution to the Redistricting Committee of the North Carolina General Assembly. That resolution requested that they comply with the Whole County Provision of the North Carolina Constitution and return Haywood County to a single district county, rather than the split district which it has been for 10 years.  On Monday, May 2, the same resolution was presented to the Haywood Board of County Commissioners.

We have taken this position for a number of reasons. The previous split has created an added burden on the Board of Elections and the taxpayers of Haywood County. It has required additional ballots, staffing, and training for poll workers for each election in our county. Furthermore, this split has created confusion for voters at the polling places.

In addition, the previous split has diluted the influence of Haywood County in the state House and Senate election process. Therefore, citizens have found it difficult to know who is responsible for specific areas, fostering frustration and concern.

This change, if adopted, would not be done for political advantage to either party. However, it will return Haywood County to the original organization as outlined in the state constitution. This will also provide clarity and fairness to the citizens. Most importantly, Haywood County would no longer need to deal with the financial and logistical burdens of the past decade. It just makes good sense.

John Meinecke, Chairman

Haywood County Republican Party

To the Editor:

At first the shakedown to the county was over $817,000 in grants and loans. Then, seeing that was a totally ridiculous sum, the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad slashed their ‘request’ to $95,176 in cash and $322,000 in a revolving loan.

Information from public records requests indicates that neither of these two requests for public money has been in the proper format using the proper forms that the county has asked for. And all of this jockeying (including a photo-op at the Feb. 21 commissioner’s meeting) to bring the train to Dillsboro for approximately 110 days a year for “specialty” events and provide a few part-time seasonal jobs? Do what?

Why can’t the GSMR get its act together and provide the county with the requested loan information to be able to make the decision about whether they can repay our money? What kind of people is Al Harper employing who seemingly can’t follow directions? Is it fiscally responsible to lend money to a business that has to be publicly embarrassed into paying its taxes? Why can’t they go to the bank (like you or I would have to) and borrow the money? Or is all this about getting from the public treasury while the getting is good?

Soon, the state of North Carolina is going to put a lot of financial burdens onto the counties that haven’t been there before. Jackson County has a small cushion of savings (somewhat more than most other N.C. counties). It is highly likely that we are going to need that cushion when the state transfers many responsibilities to the counties. It’s not a pleasant prospect.

Reportedly the GSMR made an 18-percent profit last year. Instead of hijacking us, the responsible thing for them to do is to re-invest their own money back into their own business, otherwise it is not a free market. Is Al Harper serious? This is all a joke, right?

Carl Iobst

Cullowhee

The public is invited to a celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week on Friday, May 6, at Haywood County Tourism Development Authority’s new visitor center on Main Street in Waynesville.

Enjoy music and more, as well as the first Art after Dark of the season, when galleries and shops will open their doors for the evening until 9 p.m.

For more information, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre will hold auditions for its July production of the Broadway Musical “Smash Gypsy” at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and Monday, May 8 and 9, at the HART Theater in Waynesville.

“Gypsy” was created by the team that was responsible for “West Side Story” and is based on the life of famed burlesque stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. The musical chronicles the final glory days of vaudeville and the seedy and sometimes dazzling world of burlesque.

There are major roles for men and women of all ages — singing and non-singing — and roles for boys, girls and young people of various ages.

Actors interested in singing roles should come prepared to sing, preferably with sheet music. An accompanist will be provided. Anyone auditioning will be given scenes to read from the script. Those interested in working backstage on the production are also encouraged to come by during auditions to sign up.

Grammy winner Peter Rowan will give an after-dinner solo performance on Saturday evening, May 7, in the main ranch house at Cataloochee Ranch.

The cost of the evening event, which includes dinner with beverage and dessert, will be $40 per person. The performance is expected to be a sellout, so advance reservations are strongly recommended.

Peter Rowan is an internationally acclaimed bluegrass singer-songwriter who first emerged onto the musical scene in 1964, as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, then later formed bluegrass band Old & In the Way. He has also toured extensively as a solo artist.

828.926.1401.

The Shakespearean classic “Much Ado About Nothing” is coming to Bryson City at 7:30 p.m., May 12 through 15, at the Smoky Mountain Community Theatre.

The lauded playwright’s popular comedy of misunderstandings and mistaken identity will feature a mixed cast of newcomers and seasoned performers from around the region. The cast will perform an updated version of the show, with the original language intact but a few surprises thrown in along the way.

Regular tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for students ages 6 to 18, and children under 6 are free. The deluxe ticket is an additional $3 and includes coupons for free concessions and on-stage seating.

828.736.4861.

The Whole Bloomin’ Thing Festival is coming to Waynesville’s Frog Level district from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.

Now in its ninth year, the spring festival kicks off the growing season with flowering baskets, vegetable and herb starts, berry bushes and potted ornamental plants to jumpstart your garden.

Local artisans will feature a wide range of nature-inspired gifts and crafts, as well as fresh cheeses, homemade preserves and jellies, barbecue and burgers, veggie wraps, ice cream and desserts.

Live music and entertainment will be provided throughout the day by local musicians and dancers including Chris Minick, Caleb Burress, Lorraine Conard, Bostic Yard, Josh Fields, Ian Moore, The Ross Brothers and Cousins, and local cloggers The Smoky Mountain Stompers.

Parking is available at Haywood Builders, St. John’s Catholic Church, the VFW upper parking lot, the public parking deck on Branner Ave., and all public parking in the area.

Voices in the Laurel, Western North Carolina’s regional children’s choir, is holding its inaugural car and truck giveaway to raise funds. Tickets are on sale for $100 and each ticket will have the chance to go home with the winner’s choice of either a 2011 Ford F-150; a 2011 Ford Fiesta and $7,000; or $30,000.

Funds raised will help pay for the choir’s operations and performances, which have included concerts around the region, the nation and the globe. The group is comprised of young voices from around the region from grades one through 12 and they perform works from a variety of choral traditions, from gospel and hymns to jazz, classical and traditional folk music.

Money raised will also help pay for scholarships, which pay for tuition, sheet music, supplies and uniforms.

There will be a drawing for the winner at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 20, at the Gateway Club in downtown Waynesville. Tickets must be bought by May 14 and the winner need not be present to win.

For tickets and information, visit voicesinthelaurel.org.

A contra dance will be held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 8, at the Bridge Park Pavilion in Bryson City.

There will also be a potluck dinner following the dance, starting at 5:30 p.m. The dance is free, though participants are encouraged to make a contribution toward the cost of renting the hall.

All dances will be taught and walked through before dancing and no partner is required.

Contra dancing is a form of English country dancing that has become very popular with people of all ages during the last twenty years. It uses many of the same figures as square dancing such as circles, stars and swings.

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

The Blue Ridge Watermedia Society will meet at 6:45 p.m. on May 10 at Haywood Community College.

The meeting will feature Waynesville illustrator Dominck “Nick” DePaolo, who has been a freelance artist for over 40 years and will do a water-based oil demonstration.

DePaolo was an illustrator in the U.S. Navy, an art teacher at Prairie State College in Illinois and now teaches classes in oils, watercolors, acrylics and drawing. Currently, he has ongoing classes at Mountain Home Craft Collections in Waynesville.  

Visit www.longgroveartschool.com or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Haywood Community Band will start its ninth concert season with a free concert at 6:30 p.m. on May 15 at the pavilion next to the Maggie Valley Town Hall. The concert will feature conductor favorites from previous seasons’ concerts.

The band performs on the third Sunday of each month, May through October, in Maggie Valley at the town hall pavilion and concerts are always free. Picnics are welcome. For those interested in joining be band, call 828.452.5553 or visit www.haywoodcommunityband.org.

Sylva’s Guadalupe Café will host “Bigaroo” beginning at 6:30 p.m. on May 7, a tribute to the musicianship and spirit — and college graduation — of Adam Bigelow.

Standing 6 feet 4 inches with a distinctive baritone, Bigelow is one of Jackson County’s most recognizable local musicians. He may also be one of the busiest. He performs every Tuesday night at Guadalupe Café’s “Old Timey Music Jam” and is the bass player for local groups The Dan River Drifters, The Imperative and Cooking with Quanta. In the last two weeks alone Bigelow has played 11 gigs, with several more still to go.

But being a musician is only one of Bigelow’s interests. He might be just as quickly recognized for his work in several Jackson County community and conservation groups, including Sylva’s Community Garden and the Cullowhee Native Plants Conference. After Saturday, he will also be a 40-year-old college graduate after receiving a bachelor’s degree.

“Bigaroo’ will feature each of Bigelow’s current bands and is being touted by organizers as a chance for people to celebrate a night of original, local, live music. Festivities will run until the early hours of the morning.

— by Carrie Eidson

The Golden Dragon Acrobats will grace the stage of the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 6. Tickets are $15 to $20.

The Golden Dragon Acrobats feature performers who have been trained in acrobatics since early youth and have appeared around the globe in more than 65 countries since inception in 1985. They are the only Chinese acrobatic company touring year-round in the United States

They combine acrobatics, traditional dance, spectacular costumes, ancient and contemporary music and theatrical techniques to present a unique show for all ages.

866.273.4615 or visit greatmountainmusic.com.

Alex Kudera will read from his new satirical novel, Fight for Your Long Day, at 7 p.m. on May 6 at City Lights bookstore in Sylva.

The book is a day-in-the-life tragicomedy that follows the unraveling and misadventures of Cyrus Duffleman, a portly, down-and-out college instructor who teaches classes at four urban universities and also works the night shift as a security guard.

Fight for Your Long Day is a manifesto for adjunct faculty everywhere, but most all workers will see some of their own struggles in Duffy’s adventures.

Kudera is a native Philadelphian but now teaches literature and writing at Clemson University. Fight for Your Long Day is his first novel.

828.586.9499 or visit citylightsnc.com.

Hikers, hunters and others who enjoy North Carolina’s mountain landscapes will soon have access to 534 acres of gameland and a national historic trail that are accessible from the Blue Ridge Parkway near Spruce Pine.

The Conservation Trust for North Carolina recently conveyed the Rose Creek property to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. The conservation trust purchased the property in 2008 from a developer based in Texas.

The Mitchell County property has well over a mile of frontage on the Blue Ridge Parkway between mileposts 326 and 328, and includes about 1.3 miles of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, which will be opened to the public once it is cleared and posted.

The Overmountain Victory Trail traces the route taken by colonial militiamen to the pivotal Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolution. The trail, which passes through four states, is a unit of the National Park Service.

The property is home to a variety of native wildlife, and is recognized as a conservation priority in the state’s Wildlife Action Plan, a strategy developed to guide habitat protection efforts across North Carolina.

Kevin M. FitzGerald, deputy superintendent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, recently was presented the U.S. Department of the Interior’s

Meritorious Award, the department’s second-highest honor.   

FitzGerald was recognized for his extraordinary performance of duties during the span of his 33-year National Park Service career and for his outstanding leadership that resulted in exceptional achievements at the Smokies.

One major accomplishment was spearheading a comprehensive $80 million facility rehabilitation program with federal stimulus money. Under extreme time constraints, he established a project team to review and prioritize eligible park projects and then worked collaboratively to streamline the required compliance, scoping, and design work to begin the numerous construction projects.

FitzGerald also crafted a partnership agreement with Great Smoky Mountains Association, the park’s cooperating association that fully funded the construction of the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

Celebrate Appalachian nature with the 39th-annual Spring Wildflower and Bird Pilgrimage April 29-May 1, with a line-up of 16 hikes, talks and guided tours on local flora and fauna. The program is sponsored by UNC Asheville’s Biology Department and is open to the public.

Events on Saturday, April 30, include morning and afternoon half-day adventures such as a birding trip through Craven Gap, beginner’s tree and wildflower identification trips and a nature walk to Ray Mine. Events on Sunday, May 1, include a birding trip to the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary, a trip to the Craggy Mountains to explore old growth sites, and a wildflower walk in the Shinn Gardens.

Botanist Tim Spira will kick off the weekend with a talk called “Wildflower Ecology of Rich Cove Forests: The Most Species-Rich Community in the Southern Appalachian Mountains,” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, in UNC Asheville’s Robinson Hall Auditorium. The talk will explore the natural history of favorite wildflowers, including trillium, bloodroot, jewelweed, mayapple, jack-in-the-pulpit, foamflower, and yellow lady’s slipper, as well as some of the prominent trees and shrubs of rich cove forests.

At 7:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, learn why the Southern Appalachians have such astounding biodiversity from Jennifer Frick-Ruppert, professor of ecology and environmental science at Brevard College and author of Mountain Nature: A Seasonal Natural History of the Southern Appalachians.

Registration begins a at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, in the lobby of UNC Asheville’s Robinson Hall. The registration fee is $5 for adults and $1 for students and covers all events. 828.232.5151 or www.unca.edu/biology.

Coinciding with the Spring Wildflower and Bird Pilgrimage is the “A Day in the Gardens” festival. The two-day celebration includes plant and craft vendors, food and entertainment from 1-6 p.m. Friday, April 29, and from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, April 30, in the Botanical Gardens at Asheville, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd., adjacent to campus.

The West Swain Fire Department is hosting its 18th annual Bass Tournament at Almond Boat Park on May 7.

The fire department auxiliary will dish up barbeque (lunch and dinner) with all the trimmings. A raffle will be held, with the biggest-ticket item to be given away a barbeque gas grill valued at more than $300.

828.736.2203.

The North Carolina Arboretum will host the annual show of the American Rhododendron Society’s Southeast Chapter from noon until 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 30 and May 1.

Hundreds of blooms will be featured at this yearly event. Spring and summer blooming rhododendrons and azaleas are always favorites of the weekend. Society members will be on hand to answer questions, and a guided tour of the Arboretum’s Azalea Repository will be offered each day.

Glenn Palmer, longtime volunteer for The North Carolina Arboretum, will lead a leisurely hour-long walking tour of the repository. The tour will depart from the Education Center at 1 p.m. on Saturday and again at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The walk will include information on the natural history of the arboretum’s azalea and rhododendron collections, techniques for identifying various species, and tips on growing and maintaining the plants. Pre-registration is not required, and there is no charge for the walk. The walk will be approximately two miles, so participants are encouraged to wear comfortable, sturdy shoes and carry water.

The rhododendron show is free for arboretum members or with the standard parking fee ($8 per personal motor vehicle).

Daniel Jones, a forest management and fisheries/wildlife management student at Haywood Community College from Hayesville, took home top honors in the Stihl Timbersports Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Qualifiers.

The event was held April 17 at Penn State Mont Alto.

Chopping and sawing through four professional lumberjack disciplines — the single buck, standing block chop, stock saw and underhand chop — Jones bested six other collegiate lumberjacks to take the Mid-Atlantic title, earning a $1,000 scholarship from Stihl for his school and advancing to the Collegiate Championship at the Oregon State Fair Aug. 26-28.

At the Collegiate Championship, Jones will compete against four regional qualifier champions and one wildcard pick to determine the nation’s top collegiate lumberjack.

A Kids Indoor Triathlon and Aquathlon will be held May 6 for ages 15 and under, hosted by MedWest Health and Fitness Center in Haywood County.

The Asheville Triathlon Club will help coordinate this event, which begins at 6:30 p.m. The fitness center will close at 6 p.m. so participants will have uninterrupted use of the facility.

There will be two divisions for the aquathlon, which consists of swimming and running. Each division is limited to 20 participants. The junior division will be for boys and girls 8 years and younger, and will include a five-minute swim and a half-mile run. The intermediate division will be for youth 9 to 11 years of age, and will include a 10-minute swim and a one-mile run. A senior triathlon division will be for youth 12 to 15 years of age, and will include a 15-minute swim, a 20-minute spin bike and a two-mile run.

Participants will be divided into waves, based on age and experience.

Registration is on-line at www.ashevilletri.com, or 828.216.7661. Participation is free, compliments of MedWest Health & Fitness Center.

To the Editor:

What if you knew that your state senator or state representative knew there were proven ways to improve a broken public education system that is graduating less than two-thirds of our high school students and yet did nothing?

What if these elected officials knew that over a third of our children were dropping out and being relegated to menial jobs, direct infusion into the poverty cycle and even a possible term in prison?

What if they knew that several of the options delivered far better results at 50 to 60 percent of the cost?

What if it were apparent to all that 40 years of throwing money at the current system had produced no measurable improvements in the results obtained and has taken us from a ranking of No. 1 in the world in 1970 to 31st in the world in 2010?

What if all this were known and nobody did anything to fix it except demand more money to fund more bureaucrats and administrators?

What if those same state senators and state representatives not only failed to implement the solutions but also fought the passing of legislation to fix the problem with falsehoods, misrepresentations, ignorance of the issue, failure to read the legislation proposed or on direct orders from their political party?

What if we asked those elected officials one question: why?

Let’s see now, how many answers can there be?

I can think of none that do not reflect pure self-interest. Campaign contributions from the teachers’ unions keep these people in office. The enormous bureaucracy that has been developed by the government-education complex is totally self-serving and only makes it more and more difficult for our good teachers to teach.

No one represents the children. After all, they can’t vote anyway.

Bruce Gardner

Waynesville

To the Editor:

Here we go again. Our two state representatives, both of whom are Democrats, fail to see the reality of the primary cause of the state’s budget woes. They fail to grasp the reality that it is the businesses and employees of those businesses in the private sector that are the people who fund all of the public sector jobs.

Instead, they use strong and divisive rhetoric to scare the private sector into “coughing up” more tax dollars. Now, they are pulling out the big guns by using our children and education as pawns in their need for more spending.

Rep. Ray Rapp (D-Mars Hill) was quoted in the paper as saying, “That the cuts are ‘Draconian,’ and could set education back 25 years.” Frankly, I wish that were true, because a two-year degree today is not even the equivalent to a high school diploma from 25 years ago.

The Democrats have been in control of our state for more than100 years. They have managed to devalue education to the point that most public schools are nothing more than a “high cost babysitting service” to which we are mandated to send our children. They have done this by passing so many mandates, regulations and total “BS” that it is nearly impossible for any teacher to truly be effective in the classroom. Ask any teacher. It’s not the children that make their jobs hard; it’s the adults, aka bureaucrats.

As a former high school teacher, I witnessed firsthand for seven years the chaotic madness of public education. Most of my fellow teachers with school age children sent them to private schools; even they didn’t have faith in the public schools.

Rep. Phil Hare (D-Sylva) was quoted as saying, “It is a Tea Party mentality.” I guess asking our state legislators and governor to be more fiscally responsible and accountable is a bad thing, and cutting cost is not a realistic approach. As if tax and spend, then borrow and spend, was the correct approach!

They just don’t get it! WE ARE BROKE! It’s gone; you have received more than you should have. Please let me keep what I have left. I have worked too darn hard to allow you to squander what is left.

Michael Graham

Waynesville

To the Editor:

For almost 20 years I have found myself involved in the concern of child abuse either professionally or in some volunteer capacity. April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and though it’s almost over it provides an opportunity for each of us to consider our own role in preventing the mistreatment of children in our own community. There is an African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child.” I am convinced that in the same spirit it takes a community to prevent child abuse.

Years of research have shown that there is no one “cause” for child mistreatment. It would be so much easier to address if there were. Unfortunately, a variety of risk factors that affect the child, parent, family and community can all contribute to the likelihood of abuse. Providing support for families at risk is one strategy for prevention. This support can come from a formal program or from a caring family member, neighbor or friend.

Unfortunately, there are times when the only option to protect the child is for an agency to intervene. This can come from the Department of Social Services or one of our local law enforcement agencies. The priority always remains on the safety and care of the child.

We are fortunate to have so many professionals in our community who work to protect and help children. I’d like to say “Thank You” to social service workers, guardian ad litems, law enforcement officers and those who work in our court system; teachers, school counselors and social workers and all other employees of the school system and private schools; child care providers, preschool and Head Start teachers; mental health professionals, doctors, nurses and other members of the medical community; professionals in non-profits such as KARE and REACH, along with those who contribute to the funding of these agencies. I don’t want to leave out all the volunteers who reach out to children and youth through faith communities, extracurricular activities, sports programs and clubs; and the grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and other extended family members who care about children.  

Every child deserves a happy childhood and we must work together as a community to reach that goal.

Allison Best-Teague, chairperson

Haywood County Community Child Protection Team

To the Editor:

With all due respect to Mr. Ellison — who wrote in his “Back Then” column a few issues back about the inevitable demise of the hemlock — I would have to enjoin him and other like minds not to give up hope.

A little over seven years ago, the 11 hemlocks on my property were all infected, as were those on adjoining properties.

Not about to pay tree servicers hundreds of dollars to “cure” each one, I went to Wal-Mart where I bought a bottle of concentrated systemic insecticide (pour around the roots, water in and it’s drawn into the tree via its roots) that was enough to treat about six trees, depending on size. Result: complete eradication of the hemlock wooly adelgid. Next year I did the same, although it might not have been necessary.

Five years later, with no additional treatments, they remain adelgid free, as does a neighbor’s 40-footer, which was in the final stage before dying prior to treatment.

Furthermore, another neighbor’s badly infected trees, which received no treatment, not only survived but flourished adelgid-free. I don’t know why. The trees were spaced about 30 feet from my bordering, treated tree, so soil penetration from tree to tree-to-tree is unlikely. Perhaps the insecticide spread through the insects themselves. Who knows?

In any event, these are tough trees. Sure, there will be a terrible cost to our woodlands and streams from those we lose, but some, just some, will survive and likely will flourish once again.

Ed Myers

Bryson City

Dr. C.L Gray, who is well known for his activities promoting healthcare reform, will speak on May 3 at the Mountain High Republican Women’s Club luncheon at the High Hampton Inn and Country Club.

Gray founded Physicians for Reform in December 2006 to find solutions for American healthcare. The organization’s position is that working together, physicians, patients, and the business community can recapture the heart of medicine and secure a political platform to reform American healthcare.

Dr. Gray, a practicing internal medicine physician in North Carolina, previously served as chief medical resident at Bassett Healthcare, an affiliate of Columbia University.

All interested parties are invited to attend the luncheon.

828.743.9005 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Western Carolina University’s spring graduating class will be honored as the university holds a trio of commencement ceremonies over a two-day period, May 6 and 7.

Commencement for WCU’s Graduate School will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, May 6. Commencement for the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Allied Professions, and Fine and Performing Arts will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 7, and that event will be followed the same day by a 3:30 p.m. ceremony for the College of Business, College of Health and Human Sciences, and Kimmel School of Construction Management and Technology.

WCU’s ceremonies are open to everyone, with no limit on the number of family members and friends who can attend.

The events will include recognition of the service of outgoing WCU Chancellor John W. Bardo, who will be stepping down from his position July 1.

828.227.7216.

A 40-hour training program for professionals who have encounters with mentally ill people will be held May 16 through 20 at Haywood Community College.

CIT (Crisis Intervention Training) specializes in teaching the best methods to defuse and stabilize encounters with mentally ill persons. This program is designed for law enforcement officers and emergency personnel. Officers from local hospitals and universities are also eligible for the training.

CIT is a pre-booking jail diversion program designed to improve the outcomes of police interactions with people with mental illnesses and brain disorders.

828.452.6675 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Macon County Health Department implemented a new open-access appointment system in February that has cleared a four-week backlog of appointments.

The open-access system replaced the previous system of clinic days. Now, most services are available every weekday, allowing patients to be seen in the first available appointment slot, no matter what service they need. Most appointments can be scheduled within 72 hours of contacting the public health department.

Only Franklin area services are affected by the system. Highlands and Nantahala clinic days will not change. Macon County Public Health will file Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Tricare,

Crescent, and certain Medicare replacements for its patients.  

828.349.2081 or visit www.maconnc.org.

Mountain Mediation Services will hold a three-day community mediation training from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,  May 24 through 26 in the Bryson City United Methodist Church at 76 Main Street.

The training is recommended for those who want to learn neutral ways to mediate conflict in workplaces, families, churches, community organizations and neighborhoods.  

The fee of $195 for the three-day training covers all materials, the training and the snacks and beverages provided throughout the day (lunch is on your own).

828.349.2561, 800.789.4675 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The 2011 FUNd Party Series will kick off with Cinco de Mayo in the Garden from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 5, at the home of David and Rosemarie Harrington at 225 Seasons Drive in Clyde.

The series benefits the Haywood County Arts Council and will feature three parties in May, offering food, entertainment and unique experiences.

The first late-afternoon party invites gardeners of all levels to join in celebrating Cinco De Mayo on the porch and in the garden with appetizers and drinks and sharing and trading plants from your own personal gardens.

All attending will have the opportunity to bring some of the results of early spring digging and thinning. Ideas and plant-growing wisdom will also be shared. Participants may bring as many plants as they want. Tickets are $35 and seating is limited to thirty partygoers.

The second party in the series is Birding for the Arts, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 7. Birders will meet at the Performing Arts Center at 8 a.m. to set out on a day-long stroll through the area in search of regional nesting birds with sponsors Joe Sam and Kate Queen and naturalist Don Hendershot. A gourmet boxed lunch will be provided.

Tickets are $25 per person and participation is limited to 35 partygoers.

828.452.0593 or visit www.haywoodarts.org.

The Mother’s Day Gemboree will open its doors from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 6 and 7 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m on May 8 at the Macon County Community Building in Franklin.

Gem and mineral dealers will display and sell everything from fine jewelry to rough and cut gems and minerals. This show complements two other gem and mineral shows held in July and October. Door prizes will also be given. Admission is $1 for adults and children under 12 are free.  

800.336.7829 or 828.524.3161.

Airing of the Quilts, a new event showcasing quilt artistry, will be held on Saturday, May 7, in downtown Franklin.

Businesses and homeowners will hang quilts from their storefronts and porches to create a burst of spring color throughout the town.  

While the downtown area will be the focus of the event, everyone is invited to join in to create a county-wide display of quilts. Residents can call to have their location added to a list that will be handed out during the event.

The Smoky Mountain Quilters Guild, Macon County Quilt Trail project and Macon County Art Association will also have displays on the square in downtown, while the Cowee Quilters will be demonstrating at Pleasant Hill AME Church in the West’s Mill District.

828.524.2516.

The first Art After Dark of the season will kick off from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 6, in downtown Waynesville.

Presented by the Waynesville Gallery Association, Art After Dark takes place the first Friday of each month May through December. Enjoy a stroll through working studios and galleries on Main Street, Depot Street and in Historic Frog Level. Flags denote participating galleries and pianist Steve Whiddon is musician on the street for the evening.

Haywood County Arts Council’s Gallery 86 is hosting an artist reception during Art After Dark for its new exhibition, “310 ART Contemporary Works from the Rivers Arts District,” with work from Waynesville, Asheville, and Hendersonville artists.

Gallery Two Six Two’s featured artists for May are watercolorists Pamela Haddock and Margaret Roberts.

Textures will feature new work by painters Joe Parrot and Sarah Faulkner, and potter John Nickerson, along with live blues music by Karen “Sugar” Barnes. At T. Pennington Art Gallery, come see a recently completed Biltmore Estate drawing and a 2011 St. Nicholas that Teresa Pennington will be working on during Art After Dark.

Twigs and Leaves Gallery will feature jewelry fashioned by Carolyn Brigman.

828.452.9284 or visit www.waynesvillegalleryassociation.com.

An introductory photography class will begin Tuesday, May 3, at First Baptist Church in Waynesville.

The class is offered by Lori Johnson and will teach students to work with buttons and menus, as well as how to start making better photos. Students will work on a variety of subjects such as landscape, portrait, architecture and storytelling to get used to the controls. 

Lori will also be teaching children’s art classes, which include a variety of activities, from painting to cookie decorating.

828.627.6214 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for class times or to register.

Macon County youth will take the stage at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, at the Franklin High School Fine Arts Center in Showcase of Talent 2011.

The showcase is a non-competitive talent show for third- to 12th-graders, featuring students chosen from the county’s public, private, and home schools, performing a variety of acts, from vocal and instrumental numbers to dance, gymnastics, and comedy routines.

This year’s show will include a special segment of African Dance with Franklin dance teacher Jada Bryson.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for youth 16 and under. Proceeds support the Arts Council’s Artists-in-the-Schools Program, which brings arts programs to Macon County Public Schools.

828.524.7683, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.artscouncilofmacon.org.

A poetry slam will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 28, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City as part of National Poetry Month. The event will feature fifth-graders from the Mountain Discovery Charter School, whose poetry is already on display at the library.

828.488.3030 or visit www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

A stained glass course will be offered from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays, May 5 through June 9, at the Cordelia Camp Building at Western Carolina University. Courses are run by the school’s Division of Educational Outreach.

The course, suitable for both beginners and advanced students, will follow the Tiffany method of stained glass, where each piece of glass is wrapped in copper foil and soldered. Students will complete a project in plain glass and a small panel in colored glass while learning about safety, cutting techniques, foiling and soldering, and simple metal framing, as well as types of glass, solders and copper foils.

The instructor, Moya O’Neal, has been working in stained glass for more than 20 years.

Cost is $85. Pre-registration is required. 828.227.7397, 800.928.4968 or visit learn.wcu.edu.

The first of this season’s Sylva After Dark events is coming to downtown from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 6. The evening is an opportunity to stroll through downtown Sylva and enjoy arts, dining, music, shopping and more.

Sylva After Dark is a seasonal celebration of local art, held every Friday, May through December, in downtown Sylva.

828.586.1577 or visit downtownsylva.org.

The 12th annual Taste of Chocolate competition will run from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 at the Maggie Valley Country Club.

Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased at Fun Things, Etc. or Blue Ridge Books and News.

Around 30 chocolatiers will compete in three categories: professional, amateur and B&B. Judges from the community will choose the winners. Guests will enjoy sampling the chocolate along with coffee, a wine bar and milk fountain. A silent auction with selections from local businesses will also be on offer.

Proceeds will support the Haywood-Jackson Volunteer Center.