October 2007 Archives

Jackson County resident Tom Nicholas went for a "walk in the park" on Oct. 29 and shares with us these photos he took of the magnificent scenery.

Although this magazine generally covers only Jackson County places, people and events, Tom says "I'm sure parts of Jackson County are included in the pics as I was shooting in a southerly direction!" That's good enough for us.

(Click on any image below to view a larger version.)

Smoky Mountain High School's marching band brought home 3 first-place awards from its last competition of the year, held Saturday, Oct. 27 at Forbush High School in Yadkinville near Winston-Salem. Thirteen bands competed.

The 33-member SMHS Marching Mustangs performed first, competing against 3 other bands in its class. Smoky Mountain won trophies for #1 Horn Line, #1 Percussion and #1 Overall. Other scores, in colorguard, drum major and woodwind categories, helped bring them up to 6th place overall.

This year's band consists of several seniors and a large group of first-year marchers this year, mostly seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-graders. The band is led by senior drum major and experienced marcher Sabine Moses.

Director Drew Umphlett hopes to keep band members working hard for even more awards in the future. "We're really proud of this group of kids," he said. "They've worked all season, really hard, and this competition was where they really came through."

The marching band also performed in two other competitions this year, at Enka High School and Western Carolina University.

Several members of the marching band are members of the high school's Wind Ensemble, which is inviting the public to its first concert performance of the school year on Thurs. Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. in WCU's acoustically excellent Coulter Hall. The ensemble will perform pieces written as long ago as the 1500's, in a program entitled "The History of Music." Admission is free, but donations to the SMHS Band Boosters club are encouraged.
 
For more information, contact Umphlett at 586-4796, between 11:30 and 1:00 p.m. or from 3:00 to 3:30 p.m.

A ride for less than a dollar? Would you believe only 75 cents?

Hop aboard the red-and-brown "Jackson Trolley" operated by Jackson County Transit, and you'll be taken in comfort to the most important locations around Sylva, Webster and Dillsboro. The Trolley runs once every hour, starting at 7 a.m.

The fare is low (75 cents; exact change) in part because the program is geared towards people without regular means of transportation. But transit workers are encouraging everyone to ride the Trolley.

Here's how it works, starting at 7 a.m. every day except Saturday and Sunday: at the top of each hour (or as close to it as possible, depending on weather and traffic), the Trolley leaves River Park Apartments at 437 North River Road in Dillsboro. Then it stops at:

1. Jackson Village apartments on Savannah Drive in Sylva (3 minutes past the hour)

2. Nicol Arms apartments on Savannah Drive in Sylva (:06)

3. Pine Tree apartments on West Main Street in Sylva (:09)

4. Downtown Sylva, in front of In Your Ear Music (:13)

3. Community Service Building on Hospital Road between Asheville Highway and Skyland Drive in Sylva (:20)

4. Harris Regional Hospital (:22)

5. Kel-Save Drugs on State Road 107 just south of Sylva's main intersection (:27)

6. Wal-Mart on State Road 107 (:32)

7. The Haven at the Oaks apartment complex in Webster, behind the DSS building (:37)

8. Southwestern Community College in Webster (:43)

After leaving SCC, the Trolley returns to its starting point in Dillsboro.

Click here for a map of the Trolley's route, provided by Jackson Transit.

The Trolley driver can drop you off at some point between the scheduled stops, if you tell the driver when you board the bus.

The last run leaves Dillsboro at 5 p.m. and arrives back in Dillsboro by 6.

The Trolley service began about a year ago through a county-funded transit program already in place. According to Transit Director Chuck Norris, ridership is between 25 and 30 fares per day. The new paint scheme is designed to make the Trolley stand out and remind people of the service.

Frequent riders can lower the 75-cents fare by purchasing a $12 pass for 20 rides. A pass for unlimited rides during a month is available for $18.

The Trolley has a few passenger rules; children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Each trip requires the 75-cents fare or pass. Continuous riding (around the loop) is not allowed.

On holidays, the Trolley does not operate, such as Thanksgiving Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas.

For more information about the Trolley, call Jackson County Transit at 586-0233.

Jackson County Magazine says: Bravo to Jackson County Transit and to the riders of the Trolley. In these times of high gas prices and polluted air, it's the right thing to do for our community. And it's comfortable and convenient as well!

Jackson County Habitat For Humanity's retail/resale store in downtown Sylva is now open for business on Wednesdays from 12-5, Thursdays from 2-7, Fridays from 12-5 and on Saturdays from 9-2.

For information, see our earlier online article (click).

[Note: this article contains corrections to the original version:

• one-stop voting is not available on Monday, November 5
  
• the registration deadline is Friday, November 2 (not Monday)
  
• voting hours are longer than we had reported; stations open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.
• voting occurs at the Justice Center in addition to the two locations described in the original article; see below]
  

Election Day for Sylva's town board is Tuesday, November 6, although voters have an opportunity to vote even earlier.

Five candidates are running for three seats on the Sylva Town Board. The winners will be the 3 candidates receiving the highest number of votes. Ballots will ask the voter to select 3 out of the 5 persons running: Danny Allen, Mike Beck, Sarah Graham, Ray Lewis and Maurice Moody. Allen, Lewis and Moody are on the Town Board currently, and are running again because their terms are expiring.

Only persons who are residents of Sylva (that is, whose residences are within the town limits) are eligible to vote.

Voting occurs on Tuesday, November 6 at these three locations: the Justice Center at Sylva's Exit 83 on U.S. 74 for persons in Sylva's "North" precinct, the Community Services Building in Sylva (on Hospital Road, between Skyland Drive and Asheville Highway) for persons in Sylva's "South" precinct, and the Dillsboro Town Hall (at the corner of Front Street and Depot Street) for persons in Sylva's "Dillsboro" precinct. Each location will be open for voting at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. (you'll be given time to vote if you arrive by 7:30).

Voting is allowed only for persons who have "registered." If you have never registered before, you can register at the Board of Elections in Suite 249 of the Justice Center in Sylva on or before Friday, November 2. To register, bring a utility bill or your driver's license showing your residence is in Sylva. If you are already registered to vote in Jackson County (if, for example, you voted in the last election, for congressional and county seats, or have voted in presidential elections in this county before) you are automatically registered to vote in the town election of your residence. You ONLY need to complete a registration form if you've never voted in Jackson County before, or if you've lived in a different county or state immediately before living here.

It's also possible to register by completing a form and then mailing it to the Board of Elections, but there's a deadline: those forms have to arrive by Friday, November 2, so they can be processed before the Tuesday, Nov. 6 election. Copies of the form are available at the Jackson County library in Sylva and the library in Cashiers, and can be picked up at the Board of Elections office or emailed to you by contacting the BOE (contact information appears below).

"One-stop" voting is taking place now, which means any registered voter who wishes to vote before election day can go to the Board of Elections on or before Saturday Nov. 3 and cast his or her vote during normal office hours: 8 a.m. to 5 Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 on Saturday. The "one-stop" voting is a way to simplify the long lines at polling stations on election day by allowing residents to vote over a longer period of time.  Even a non-registered person can take advantage of this opportunity; by going to the Board of Elections in person, he or she can register and then vote during the same visit.

One-stop voting is available whether or not the voter will be out of town on November 6; at one time an "absentee" ballot could be cast only if the voter certified he would not be available to vote on election day. That restriction no longer applies. Absentee ballots - for people who are out of town, disabled, or otherwise unable to make their way to a local polling station and cannot cast their vote in person - can now be counted throughout the voting process, as long as they have been verified before November 6. If you wish to cast an absentee ballot, make sure you contact the BOE as soon as possible. There are some restrictions and certifications necessary, and they'll help you with the process and deadlines as quickly as they can.

If you have questions about how, when or where to vote, call Lisa Lovedahl-Lehman at 586-7538 or 586-4055, ext. 6035, or email her at jackson.boe@ncmail.net. The web site of the Board of Elections is http://www.boe.jacksonnc.org.

The public is invited to a free performance on Tues. Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. in the recital hall of Western Carolina University's Coulter Building.

Clarinetist Shannon Thompson, associate professor of music at Western, and pianist Andrew Adams, assistant professor of piano at Western, will perform masterworks for clarinet and piano.

Jackson County Magazine says: Don't miss this and other musical performances at WCU's acoustically excellent auditorium. We are fortunate to be able to hear professional musicians in such a comfortable environment. Bring your teen-agers and make them leave their iPods at home!

More information is available at a WCU web page (click).

Whether you’re familiar with clay, firing practices, and glazing techniques or you just like the look and feel of a handmade coffee cup first thing in the morning, you’ll be astonished Saturday, Nov. 3, as the streets of Dillsboro fill with pottery aficionados of every stripe and color. Artisans will be on hand all day at one of the state’s largest juried pottery fairs, showcasing their wares and their artistic touch in a wide array of presentations and hands-on demonstrations.

The fair, organized by Dillsboro potters Karen and Brant Barnes of Riverwood Pottery and fellow Dillsboro shop-owner JoeFrank McKee of Tree House Pottery, is in its third year and brings visitors from all over the country to learn more about handcrafted pottery and browse through the more than 150 visiting artists’ booths. There’s also live music all day, traditional food, and shopping in the stores of Dillsboro proper, plus a train ride catered to festival-goers later that afternoon. Admission to the event is free.

Organizers say the family-friendly event is not just a boost for local stores and artists, but a chance to keep alive the traditional art of handcrafted pottery for both visitors and residents alike. We couldn’t agree more.

Public parking the day of the fair is available at Dillsboro’s Monteith Park, and shuttles will be available throughout the day. Whether you’re coming for the day or planning to make a weekend out of the event, you can call Barnes at 586-3601, McKee at 631-5100, or click your way to www.visitdillsboro.org.

On Wednesday (Oct. 31), the Community Table in Sylva will host a special lunch for all members of the general public. The $5 cost will provide needed operating funds for Jackson County's only source of free and reduced cost meals for the needy.

This week's "Blue Plate Special" begins at 11 a.m. and runs through 2 p.m.

The meal will be prepared by Wanda Moss, who for many years owned the Riverhouse Restaurant in Cullowhee, will be guest chef. She’ll prepare two soups: one vegetarian and the other a vegetable beef brew she is famous for. Sandwiches will be her homemade pimento cheese served on pumpernickel or rye bread.

The Community Table's Kitchen Manager, Samantha, will make a graveyard cake and witches' fingers cookies for dessert. Staff and servers will be in costume, so come prepared for pleasant spookiness and treats!

To-go orders can be placed by calling 586-6782. Also, deliveries can be made in the Sylva, Cullowhee and Dillsboro area.

The Community Table is in Sylva's former "Pumpkin Patch" neighborhood, on Bartlett Street across from the Sylva Church of Christ. [View directions on Mapquest.com (click)]

A Blue Plate Special occurs on the last Wednesday of each month. Jackson County Magazine says: Put it on your calendar!

The Community Table is a nonprofit, volunteer group. Since 1999 the Community Table has provided meals four days a week to those in need, on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, from 4 to 6 p.m.

To volunteer or for more information, call Executive Director Timara McCollum at 586-6782.

WestCare Health System is celebrating Pastoral Care Week from October 21 through 27. The hospital is recognizing its volunteer chaplains who provide care to patients around-the-clock.

The program is headed by WestCare Chaplain Ron Allen, and utilizes the services of 16 volunteer chaplains in Jackson County, 6 in Swain County, and several at nursing homes of both counties.

During the past year these volunteers made more than 2,100 visits to patients, answered 209 emergency calls and made more than 240 phone calls on behalf of patients seeking local pastors.

Over half of the support for the Chaplaincy program comes from local churches and individuals, who donate money, resources and volunteer their time.

To get involved or just to say thank you, call the WestCare Foundation at 586-7669.

If you use Highway 116 as a shortcut between Highway 441 and Webster, be prepared to take a detour route this Friday, Nov. 2, between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. The N.C. Department of Transportation is closing the stretch of 116 from just beyond Rock Quarry Road's intersection with 116 all the way to the intersection with Highway 441 at Top Cats Exxon.
 
The closure should enable the NCDOT to finish most of the remaining work on the blind curve that existed where 116 met Mockingbird Lane. A new road and intersection is being constructed with clearer lines of sight, straighter roads and longer sight distances, in order to reduce the number of traffic accidents.
 
Drivers will need to take North River Road (just before the bridge in Webster) to Dillsboro and then to Highway 441, or they can follow detour signs along Rock Quarry Road to Mockingbird Lane (South River Road) and from there to the highway. Detour signs from Rock Quarry should be clearly marked.

The NCDOT expects to be able to re-open the road Friday evening around 9 p.m.
 
The solution to the blind curve isn't the only facelift 116 is receiving. A sidewalk that completes the link between Webster's town limits and the intersection of 116 with Highway 107 (near Ingles and Smoky Mountain High School) is being constructed. The long-anticipated sidewalk will make pedestrian travel safer for people who walk between the Social Services complex, Southwestern Community College, the Haven at the Oaks, Reedwood Manor Apartments, Ingles and SMHS. The project is routing travelers this week into the center lane just past the entrance to SCC, and is blocking the inbound lane until just past the Division of Highways office.

The sidewalks are expected to be completed by the end of the year.
 
For more information, contact the Sylva office of the NCDOT at 586-0925.
 

The notoriously accident-prone curve on Webster Road (N.C. 116), a popular shortcut between Highway 441 South and N.C. 107 in Webster, has become the target of extensive work by the Department of Transportation.

It should be worth the wait. The blind curve, where 116 intersects Mockingbird Lane, was placed on DOT's 2007 projects list because of the number of accidents there over the past few years. An increase in residential housing on 441 South also means more people are using the two-lane road.

The section being constructed should eliminate the deepness of the curve and provide a nearly straight line of sight, by creating a new intersection. The road is being widened as well, to lower the chance of a driver getting too near the double yellow lines, which has been the cause of several car accidents.

Call the DOT's Sylva office at 586-2141 if you have questions. The Jackson County operations of the DOT are described online at http://www.ncdot.org/findinfo/Mountain.html?county=Jackson.

Jackson County Magazine says: We're thankful for the DOT's work. The temporary inconvenience is worth permanently saved lives.

A new sign at Rick's Car Wash in Sylva proclaims, "We recycle our water!"

Although the sign went up only recently, owner Rick Bryson explained that his car wash has used recycled water for 11 years. "Water's something we've all got to have, but we shouldn't waste it if we don't have to," he added. "It saves on water and it saves on the bill, and it just seemed like the right thing to do."

Bryson put up the sign because he said he is concerned that some of his regular or prospective customers might be hesitant to have their cars washed on account of the recent severe drought.

The ingenious system first collects used water from drains inside the car wash and then funnels it into an underground tank. There the water is tumbled through several filters, just as it would in a natural creek, Bryson said.

The filtered water is used in several steps during the car wash process: to keep the washing equipment wet, to clean the car's side panels and to wash the car's underbody. Fresh water is used when the car is rinsed and also when the car's interiors are cleaned or wax is applied.

Bryson says he is able to reclaim almost 50 percent of the water he uses.

The car wash, located just across from Zaxby's on Highway 107 in Sylva, is open from Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call Bryson at 631-3600 for more information.

Jackson County Magazine says: We applaud Rick Bryson for being a good neighbor by being a good steward of Jackson County's valuable but finite natural resources.

The WCU Commercial and Electronic Music Program presents local musician and WCU music student Matt Williams in a concert celebrating the release of his new CD, "Particles." Song samples are online (click). Pavel Wlosok and several other musicians will perform with Williams.

The concert is October 31 at 7:30 p.m., in WCU's Fine and Performing Arts Center (FAPAC).

Free tickets are available while they last. You'll need to go to FAPAC to get some (tip: call the ticket office first at 227-2479 to see if they are still available). Another location that has a limited number of tickets to distribute is the University Center ticket office on the second floor of WCU's University Center.

Williams also provides tickets by mail, if you complete a form on his web site (click).

Restaurant 553 West Main in Sylva and WCU's student radio station, Power 90.5, are sponsoring the event.

Williams' CD project began in spring 2005 at WCU's Center for Applied Technology Recording Studio. It is the first student project at the new facility.

It's a breezy, warm October weekday, and in the Wilmot community off of Highway 23/74, the Purvis family is getting new wheelchair-accessible ramps added to their house. Mrs. Purvis, however, doesn’t have to do any of the work; she's just coming out every once in a while to check on the "boys" hammering away at the back entrance to her home.

The "boys" are First United Methodist Church’s volunteers. Pictured below, from the left, are Tommy Ginn, Tom Schutte, Jim Wisdom and Max Browning. They're using construction supplies and plans provided by the county’s Department on Aging. They're replacing Mrs. Purvis' steps with ramps.

Today, as happens often, the volunteers are joined by a family member, Otis Purvis, who helps with everything from putting rails together to tacking down matting over the wood.

The Purvis home is one of hundreds served by the program, which utilizes volunteers to bring these additions to the homes of seniors in need all over the county.

The FUMC group has been donating one day a month to the program for the last several years, as do several other Jackson County churches.

If your group would like to volunteer, or you or someone you know is in need of the service, call the Department on Aging at 586-8562.

Jackson County Magazine says: this kind of partnership between government and volunteers is citizenship at its finest. We applaud the Department of Aging and our local church volunteers!

The general public is able to view the excellent 3-page Jackson County Happenings for the month of November, published by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.

(Requires the free Adobe Reader program to view.)

Highlights: the publication includes information about the On Agate Hill play in Sylva on November 4 (better get your tickets now), the Great Smoky Mountain Book Fair in Sylva on November 9 and 10, another blacksmithing class on November 10 and 11 in Dillsboro, and WCU's Madrigal Dinner on November 30 (tickets go on sale on Tuesday, November 9).

Jane Gibson Nardy, a Cashiers native, will bring her skills as an historian and author to City Lights Bookstore in Sylva this Saturday, October 27 at 2 p.m., for a reading from her recently published pictorial history, Cashiers Valley.

Nardy and co-author Jan Wyatt compiled the book with more than 200 vintage photographs and extensive historical captions, all describing the evolution of the Cashiers Valley area in southern Jackson County.

Nardy will also speak during the program about the importance of photographs, their role in our society, and how interpretations of photographs can provide clues to a community's past.

Nardy is the historian of the Cashiers Historical Society, which was formed in 1996 to save the historic Mordecai Zachary House, located on Highway 107 two miles south of Cashiers. Then-owner Robert "Bubba" Tolbert wanted to sell the home to a group willing to undertake its preservation. In 1997 Thomas and Wendy Dowden purchased the home, now called the Zachary-Tolbert House, and donated it to the Cashiers Historical Society, which restored the 1850 house to nearly-original condition. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the building is used by the historical society as its headquarters and serves as a community resource for learning, recreation and fund-raising.

Nardy is a descendant of Colonel John Zachary, one of the original founders of Cashiers, whose history is part of the story told in the house museum. She will be available after the reading for questions and book signings.

For more information, call Jessica at City Lights at 586-9499 or visit a page about the program on the City Lights web site.

A Sylva Herald article has additional coverage.

Comedian Jamie Kennedy performs at WCU's Ramsey Activities Center on Fri. Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are required and can be purchased online or by phone.

See an online article in the Sylva Herald for complete information.

Cullowhee Valley School is the spot for this year's barbeque sponsored by the Cullowhee Volunteer Fire Department, beginning Sat. Oct. 27 at 3 p.m. and lasting until about 8.

Tickets can be purchased at the event, which features live music and raffles for two shotguns donated to the department by Papa's Pizza to Go in Cullowhee.

See the Sylva Herald's web site for more.

Volunteers are asked to assemble at Smoky Mountain High School this Saturday morning beginning at 8:30, to do weeding, mulching, planting and general cleaning. The event is sponsored by the Parent-Teacher Organization.

Bring your rakes, wheelbarrows, shovels and brooms. At 1 p.m. SMHS principal Jay Grissom will provide a cookout lunch for the volunteers.

The PTO can provide more information, at 226-1078.

Nobody cooks fish like Catholic men on a Friday! The Knights of Columbus, a men's fraternal organization at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sylva, fires up its 4 vegetable oil fryers Fri. Oct. 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. ($8 for adults, $5 for kids 12 or under), filling them with American catfish (they taste better than Chinese catfish, and it's the principle of the thing), hushpuppies and hashbrowns. Over in the kitchen, others are serving freshly made cole slaw, drinks, homemade pies, brownies and other desserts.

The crowd of several hundred people is always lively and friendly -- Catholics, Protestants and perhaps even a few hungry nonbelievers. The net proceeds go to charitable causes, including support for intellectually disabled residents in Jackson County.

Directions: St. Mary's church is in Sylva's former "Pumpkin Patch" neighborhood. Once you're on Grindstaff Cove Road between U.S. 23-74 and downtown Sylva, take Dillsboro Road into the neighborhood and you'll see the church, which is at the corner of Bartlett Street and Dillsboro Road.

In addition to the Egg Haunt on Thurs. Oct. 25 and the Pumpkin Patch Trail on Sat. Oct. 27 (click for details), kids have several other opportunities in our area to show off costumes and generally have fun tromping about:

Haunted Warehouse at the old Chasam plant on Scotts Creek Road; 7:30 p.m. each evening Thurs. Oct. 25 through Wed. Oct. 31 (but not Sun. Oct. 28). This is a fundraiser for juvenile diabetes patients in our area. The 30-minute tours run until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, until 10 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, and until midnight on Wednesday (Halloween). Directions: turn onto Skyland Drive from Business 23 (Asheville Highway); after about 3/4 of a mile, turn right onto Scotts Creek Road just before the bridge over Scotts Creek itself. The plant is located on the right at 380 Scotts Creek Road; parking is available in the gravel lot on the left side of the road. For more information call 631-3959. A Sylva Herald article has additional coverage.

In nearby Franklin is Pumpkinfest held during the day on Fri. Oct. 26 and Sat. Oct. 27. Live entertainment is provided all day Saturday, along with a pumpkin rolling contest ("I regret that I have but one pumpkin to give for my country" -- Nathan Hale.). For more information call 421-7613 or visit www.franklinpumpkinfest.com.

Haunted Trail and Barn at the Old Buchanan Farmhouse in Webster (529 Buchanan Loop); Fri. Oct 26 and Sat. Oct. 27 from 7 to 10 p.m.; suggested donation of $5 per family. It's recommended that kids be age 10 or more. This is a fundraiser for Mountain Youth Resources, to help build a new Hawthorn Heights emergency youth shelter (to replace the 70-year-old shelter being used now). The shelter serves youths, age 10 through 17, from the 7 westernmost North Carolina counties. For more information call Margie Allison at 586-8958.

9th annual Harvest Carnival at the Lifeway Community Church in downtown Sylva at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Allen Street; Sat. Oct. 27, 6 to 9 p.m. Games and live entertainment for children and adults. Call 631-9322 for more information.

Haunted "Trunk and Treat" at Greens Creek Baptist Church; Wed. Oct. 31 from 6 to 9; free. Church members provide candy from the trunks of their vehicles in the church parking lot, which is located about a mile and a half up Greens Creek Road, off U.S. Highway 441 South.

Trunk-or-Treat Fall Festival at East Sylva Baptist Church; Wed. Oct. 31 from 6 to 8:30; free. Church members provide candy from the trunks of their vehicles in the church parking lot. Free hot dog supper at 6. Games, hay rides, cakewalk and bonfire. For more information call 586-3853 or visit www.eastsylvabaptist.org.

The Men's Group of Sylva's First United Methodist Church holds its annual Poor Man's Luncheon at the church Fri. Oct. 26 from 11 until 1.

The lunch of pinto beans, potatoes, cole slaw, drink and dessert costs $6, and serves as the group's main fundraiser for church projects and missions. Take-outs will be available.

The late Raymon Stovall is being honored by the Men's Group this year; he was a member of the group for many years.

Local author Thomas Rain Crowe will present a reading from three of his recently published works at 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 26 at the City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Crowe, a Tuckasegee resident, will read from two poetry collections: Radiogenesis and The Book of Rocks, and from his first short-story collection, A House of Girls. He will be available for questions and autographs after the reading.

For more information, call Jessica at City Lights at 586-9499.

A Sylva Herald article has additional details.

The Pumpkin Patch Trail, Jackson County's annual Halloween event for children ages 12 and under, will be set against new scenery this year, and will take place on the Saturday a few days before Halloween arrives.

On the Saturday prior to Halloween (Oct. 27) at 6 p.m., local ghosts, goblins and witches ages 12 or under are invited to trek through a trick-or-treat trail at Cullowhee's Jackson County Recreation Complex (the Rec Center), with a rain date of Tuesday, Oct. 30.

The trail will include 15 to 20 decorated booths at which volunteers from area churches and businesses will provide the treats. Non-food items also will be available. The event continues until candy or people run out, which usually happens around 8 p.m. Lines are expected when the trail opens at 6, so it might be smart to arrive around 7 instead.

Why the Change in Location

The Jackson County Recreation/Parks Department says the change in location is needed partly because crowds have grown so large in the traditional location (the neighborhood between St. Mary's Catholic Church and the Church of Christ, just off of Grindstaff Cove Road in Sylva).

The new location also means parking should be easier, explained event coordinator Dora Caldwell: spaces will be available at the recreation center and at nearby Cullowhee Valley School.

But more importantly, kids should have as much fun at the new location because the trail will include dozens of carved illuminated pumpkins just like last year (they are prepared by the recreation/parks department) and the same kinds and quality of candy (paid for by the recreation department, as in past years) will be distributed by volunteers at a number of decorated booths. The outdoor location at the recreation center will have about as many booths as the number of houses that participated in last year's trail in the Sylva neighborhood.

Another Fun Opportunity for Kids Occurs on Thursday Night

Another event for kids sponsored by the Recreation/Parks Department is the annual Halloween Egg Haunt on Thursday Oct. 25 beginning at 7 p.m., also at the Rec Center.

Parents can bring kids as early as 7 p.m., when judges will begin judging costumes. Prizes will be awarded for 2 age groups.

Black-and-orange candy-filled plastic eggs will be hidden for kids to find. The egg hunt (officially called the "haunt") begins at 7:30. Flashlights are encouraged.

The Halloween Egg Haunt is temporarily being held this year at the recreation center rather than its traditional location at Mark Watson Park due to a construction project currently underway on a road at Mark Watson Park.

On Halloween night, of course, kids and their parents might visit traditional locations. For those who come into Sylva, the Downtown Sylva Association is encouraging downtown businesses to be open to trick-or-treaters on Wednesday evening (Oct. 31).

For More Information

If you have questions about about the Pumpkin Patch Trail or the Halloween Egg Haunt, Ms. Caldwell can be reached at the recreation center at 293-3053.

A rainbow over downtown Sylva appeared late in the afternoon on Monday, October 8, after a slight drizzle of rain.

This view of the Sylva post office seems to indicate the fabled pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is on federal property!

Migrant farmworkers are becoming part of Jackson County in a big way. They come to Western North Carolina for jobs and often stay here, bringing their families.

Western Carolina University is partnering with a regional non-profit to present a series of events to raise local awareness of these new residents.

A photographic exhibit opens Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University and continues through Saturday, Dec. 1. The photographs have been assembled by Vernicos, Inc., a non-profit organization that works with farmworkers in Jackson and other nearby counties.

Also, on Thursday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m., the public is invited to a panel discussion at the Fine and Performing Arts Center. Topics include, Who are the migrant farm workers? What are the challenges they face? On the panel will be Mark Heffington, medical director of Mountain Area Family Medicine, and Mark Couture, associate professor of modern foreign languages at WCU and a board member of Vecinos. A reception follows.

For more information, contact FPAC Museum Director Martin DeWitt at 227-2253 or visit http://www.wcu.edu/5124.asp . To learn more about the Vecinos Farmworker Health Program, contact Josie Ellis, RN, at 508-9785 or visit http://www.idealist.org/en/org/128309-282

Saturday in Jackson County (Oct. 13)

Tournament of Champions Marching Band Competition, 9:15 a.m. until 4 p.m., when WCU's marching band performs its halftime show; the performances begin again at 7 p.m.; a modest admission fee is charged.

This annual competition brings to Western's football stadium two dozen of the best high school marching bands from several hundred miles around, to compete by performing elaborate halftime shows all afternoon in front of a team of judges. Smoky Mountain High School's marching band performs at 10:30 a.m. Those bands who make the finals will perform again beginning at 7 p.m.

Your best bet is to come at 7 and plan to stay for a couple of hours. WCU's marching band will perform a second time at the end of the evening, which undoubtedly will wow many of the high school students into deciding to attend Western and join its band. The innovative show produced by WCU's 320-member band will wow you, too.

The anticipation and excitement is palpable. Very family-friendly; you'll be cheering along with the parents who practically fill the home team stands, and you'll find yourself rooting for your favorite band as the judges announce the runners-up and then the grand winner at the end. Bring a seat cushion plus a blanket and hot cocoa if it's chilly.

Western Carolina Regional Fly-In and Family Fun Day, 9 - 5, at the Jackson County Airport in Cullowhee. Features ramp displays of aircraft; in-flight demonstration of radio-controlled airplanes; airplane rides; youth mentoring classes regarding aerodynamics and careers in aviation; food and beverages available; aviation-related merchandise for sale.

Sylva Farmer's Market (9 - Noon), downtown at Railroad Avenue and Grindstaff Cove Road

Whittier Maple Leaf Festival in Whittier. Proceeds go to the New Century Scholars program. 828-497-2393.

Qualla Arts Open Air Indian Market at Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual. 828-497-3103

Big Rigs Antique Truck Show, 8 until 5, Cherokee Indian Fairgrounds. $5; children under 6 are free.

Note: the Singing in the Smokies Fall Color Festival is next weekend, not this weekend, at Inspiration Park. (It has been reported in other media as occurring this weekend.)

Rabies vaccination for cats and dogs, noon until 1, Jackson County Veterinary Clinic. $5.

Sign-up for Jackson County Youth Basketball (last chance), 9 until 1, Smoky Mountain High School gym lobby. For boys and girls ages 7 to 17; bring certified birth certificate and a recent photo. 293-0677.

Sunday in Jackson County (Oct. 14)

Bridge Park Fundraiser Concert, 1 - 7 p.m., downtown Sylva. Free; you can make a donation for construction of the park, at a booth staffed by the Downtown Sylva Association.

Bark in the Park, starting at 1 p.m., Mark Watson Park in Sylva; for more information, see the online article in the Sylva Herald.

Onder and Sykes concert, 6 p.m., Lighthouse Baptist Church on 441 south of Dillsboro. Sponsored by sponsored by Lighthouse Baptist Church and Faith Family Church.

Bird Youmans, gospel musician, 11 to 2 p.m., Uncle Bill's Flea Market on U.S. 74, about 3 miles west of Dillsboro.

Singing Christians, 6 p.m., Fall Cliff Baptist Church.

Rabies vaccination for cats and dogs, Noon until 2, Sylva Animal Hospital. $5.

Note: the Singing in the Smokies Fall Color Festival is next weekend, not this weekend, at Inspiration Park. (It has been reported in other media as occurring this weekend.)

Who can comment? How and why did Albert Einstein's face get on a sign that has hung for so many years above the old Hooper's Drugstore location (now Guadalupe Cafe)?

This Saturday (Oct. 20), City Lights Bookstore will be hosting one of the foremost "monster spotters" in the country.

Meet Scott Francis, author of Monster Spotter's Guide to North America, a book in field-guide format with information on more than 100 legendary American monsters. Written for adults in a campy yet informative format, the subjects range from Bigfoot to western North Carolina's Wampus Cat. For those considering a monster hunt, details are included as to where and when the monsters are reported to have been seen, their preferred habitats, appearance and feeding habits.

Francis' program begins at 7:30 p.m. at City Lights Bookstore, on Spring Street in downtown Sylva.

To learn more, call Joyce Moore of City Lights Bookstore at 586-9499 or view more information on a page of the City Lights web site .

Thirty pink ribbons strikingly displayed along Main Street in Sylva are sponsored by WestCare Health System as part of its annual breast cancer awareness drive. The drive coincides with national Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Get your own pink ribbon for $1 at several local stores, including Goody's in Jackson Plaza. Proceeds go to fund breast cancer research.

WestCare invites you to write a loved one's name on an ornament and place it on a Tree of Hope in the lobbies of the hospitals in Jackson and Swain counties and at the WestCare Medical Park in Franklin.

WestCare is sponsoring two walks, called Hoping for the Cure, on Friday, October 12. Meet in the Sylva's Harris Regional Hospital lobby at 11:30 a.m (the first 100 walkers will receive a breast cancer awareness water bottle) or in the First Baptist Church parking lot in Bryson City at 5 p.m. (the first 25 walkers will receive a breast cancer awareness water bottle). Everyone is encouraged to wear pink during the walks, which will last approximately two hours.

For more information about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit www.nbcam.org.

At an important fundraiser for the upcoming Bridge Park in downtown Sylva, three musical groups will play all afternoon at a stage near Main Street on Sunday, October 14.

Bring a blanket or lawn chair to enjoy the music. You'll also find food and information about the park, which recently began construction but is still very much in the fundraising stage.

The music kicks off at 1 p.m. and continues until 7.

Performing from 1 until 3 is Balsam Range Bluegrass Band, which includes longtime local favorites Buddy Melton (Rooooo-beeeee!) and Grammy-winner Marc Pruett.

From 3 until 5 hear four-time Grammy winner David Holt and the Lightning Bolts. If Marc Pruett's band is the warm-up, you know Holt's group must be awesome.

From 5 until 7, you'll hear CookingWithQuanta, a rock band that includes Sylva's beloved hippie gardener, Adam Bigelow, on the electric bass. The band has played to enthusiastic crowds at Sylva's Guadalupe Cafe.

The largest sponsoring contributor to the fundraiser is the Jackson County Arts Council.

Other sponsoring contributors are F. Patrick McGuire, D.D.S., Coward, Hicks & Siler, P.A., and Smoky Mountain OB/GYN Associates.

The Downtown Sylva Association, which is sponsoring the event, hopes to raise a considerable amount in donations from individuals on the day of the event.

The DSA will have a staffed donation tent where it will be accepting donations for Bridge Park in cash or a check. Last year, at a similar event, the DSA was able to raise $5,000 in contributions from the community.

[Jackson County Magazine says: Bring your checkbook and help build our park.]

Sylva’s Harris Regional Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop -- known to regulars as "the H.A." -- is enjoying as much success at its new location near the intersection of Skyland Drive and Hospital Road as it did at its former location in downtown Sylva.

The shop sells clothes, toys, kitchen items, fabric, craft supplies, shoes and more. The Hospital Auxiliary's sales proceeds go to Westcare Health System projects. One such project is to purchase playground equipment for a planned community childcare center next to the store.

You won't find furniture or appliances for sale, because the volunteers, many of whom are older ladies, can't handle them. But it's nothing short of amazing to see how they handle everything else. Every item for sale has been taken out of boxes, cleaned, priced, sorted and arranged by the cheerful, friendly volunteers.

Each Wednesday, Friday and Saturday the parking lot is filled and the store is crowded with people hunting for needed supplies or just out for bargains. On those days you'll also see a big white sign on the sidewalk, asking for more volunteers.

Can you help? Visit the store for an application or call volunteer coordinator Carol Douglas at 586-7405.

Also, you can click here for more information, published by Western Carolina University's Office for Student Affairs as part of a directory of volunteer opportunities for students.

On Saturday, October 20, 2007, from 9 until 5 at the Jackson County Recreation Complex (the Rec Center) in Cullowhee, the second annual Appalachian Arts & Crafts Bazaar will commemorate local artists and crafters who carry on highly prized skills of old.

Click here for details!


[Photo by Lee Pritle.]

The enormous creekside building that once housed Ace Hardware in downtown Sylva is being renovated for use as a store for Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit group that renovates and builds houses for low-income families in Jackson County.

The store opens this month (October) and will sell discounted and donated building materials, furniture, knick-knacks for the home, construction supplies and more. Donations of any items except clothes are sought. The store hopes to offer mostly like-new merchandise.

Habitat for Humanity (or HFH) is a Christian housing ministry it helps eligible needy people to renovate or purchase their homes. A program participant must meet income requirements, prove substantial need, and put in "sweat equity" hours by helping to build the home along with the many community volunteers who provide the labor needed to erect or renovate the house. The program participant receives an interest-free loan if a traditional home loan is unavailable, and is able to purchase the home at a reduced amount because the price basically consists of the cost of land and materials.

Seven houses have been completed by the Jackson County HFH since June 2006. Two house projects currently are underway, on Cullowhee Mountain.

For more information or to find out how you can volunteer, call executive director Joyce Russell at 586-1232.