December 2007 Archives
Below: a stained glass window at Saint Mary's Catholic Church in Sylva, depicting the holy family. (Click on the photo or any other photos below, to view an enlarged version.)
Below: Frasier fir trees on the lawn of the old courthouse, in downtown Sylva.
Below: Milt and Lucy Wofford of Sylva have a "ChrisMoose" in their front yard!
Below: Boy Scouts Joseph Baker and Alex Madill of Sylva's Troop 999 make last-minute preparations for the 2007 Sylva Christmas parade; the headgear does not seem to be part of the regulation Boy Scout uniform, however!
Below: Frasier fir trees on the lawn of the old courthouse, in downtown Sylva.
Below: Milt and Lucy Wofford of Sylva have a "ChrisMoose" in their front yard!
Below: Boy Scouts Joseph Baker and Alex Madill of Sylva's Troop 999 make last-minute preparations for the 2007 Sylva Christmas parade; the headgear does not seem to be part of the regulation Boy Scout uniform, however!What makes it feel like Christmas in downtown Sylva?
For some people, it's the wreaths on the old courthouse. For others it might be the big tree at the bottom of the courthouse steps. But for everybody, it's the annual festive window decorations on Sylva's Main Street, hand-painted by local artist Austen Mikulka.
You've probably noticed Austen at work, perhaps accompanied by his loyal dog, Benro. He's the fellow crouching on the sidewalk with paint on his sweatshirt and hands, studying notepad sketches and skillfully turning them into full-color humorous scenes on the plate glass windows of shops on Main Street.Thanks to his focused attention, each window not only is a bright bit of cheer for downtown Christmas shoppers, but also is a beautiful advertisement for each shop. You'll find snowmen in camping gear at BlackRock Outdoor (roasting snowballs over "coals" of ice); Santa Claus at Nick and Nate's restaurant, where Santa has cheese shredders and pizza cutters in his sack of toys; Santa Claus doing a wheelie at Motion Makers bicycle shop (where the tires are made of wreaths); and many more. The key is to hunt for the delightful details.(Below: two spoons warm themselves in front of an oven, sitting in the snow next to the pizza-slice trees, on the window at Nick and Nate's restaurant.)
You might recognize the Three Wise Men painted on Guadalupe Cafe's
front window. On a starry night, on a snowy hill, we see not the three
kings from Bethlehem, but loyal Guadalupe Cafe patrons John McCarley
(local landscaper), Adam Bigelow (everyone's favorite hippie gardener)
and Austen himself.
After moving to Sylva in 2001 from his hometown of Douglas, Georgia, Austen began working at Meatball's Restaurant. The restaurant had a large plate glass window in front, so Austen decided -- between cooking pizzas and waiting tables -- that he'd like to learn how to paint on windows, the way he'd seen an artist do back home. He had not been formally educated in art techniques, and he says "I started painting windows to teach myself how to paint."
Local businesspeople liked the results at Meatball's so much that Austen began to get requests for work on other shop windows. By paying Austen to design and paint the expressive and original scenes on their windows, shop owners enjoy greater sales and attention from window shoppers. Awnings above the glass windows along Main Street protect the art from rain, hail, snow and direct sun, which gives Austen's artworks a long lifespan.
Two of Austen's earliest Main Street customers were BlackRock Outdoor and Nick and Nate's Pizzeria. Newer customers include Bear Lake Reserve, Fantasy Travel, Jake's Mountain House, Guadalupe Cafe, Motion Makers, Lily's Treasures, the Friends of the Library Bookstore, Terri Clark Photography and the Sylva Herald.
(Below: Jake's Mountain House (the "Life is good" store) seems to be announcing that "Christmas is good!" Click photo to enlarge.)
Austen first sketches his masterpieces on paper, trying various shapes and characters. He uses his imagination to create a different scenario that fits each of his business customers. At Halloween on the window of the new Lily's Treasures boutique for children, for example, one could spot a pumpkin-headed lad atop the shoulders of his pumpkin-headed dad. A ghoul appeared atop a bicycle on the window of the Motion Makers bicycle shop. Three varieties of carnivorous plants created a sense of impending Halloween doom on the window of the Guadalupe Cafe.
Austen is thrilled with the response from both locals and visitors, though he sometimes worries his work will not be received well (the ghouls on various windows for Halloween "were pretty creepy," he admits). "I've gotten a lot of encouragement," he said. "It's good, because I'm not just pleasing myself and my friends, the people I know downtown, but also people who are complete strangers, and that's a really cool thing to do."
(Come downtown to Main Street to view all of Austen's Christmas work. The photos in this article are only a portion of the scenes you'll see.)
In addition to his work on Main Street, Austen likes to stay busy with other artistic jobs -- it's his living -- and he's available for photography, hand-painted signs, murals, portraits, graphic design and illustrations.
Several striking pen-and-ink drawings and illustations are available for viewing at the Guadalupe Cafe (which hosted a reception for Austen on Thursday, Dec. 13). Go by and take a look -- and if you can't, call Austen at 828.371.0695 for more information.
A 2-page guide to restaurants in Jackson County is available online (click here), showing special longer operating hours as well as dates the restaurants will be closed during the Christmas season.
The guide was produced by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson County Travel & Tourism Authority.
The guide was produced by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson County Travel & Tourism Authority.
The interfaith drama, "Mary Did You Know," presented by the Trail of Light Drama Team, drew crowds this year in its 10th year of production.
More than 15 churches were represented by the cast and crew of the play, which was hosted by Cullowhee Baptist Church on the evenings of November 30 and December 1.
The dance scenes were expanded from last year's performance, with 7 dancers performing 3 Israeli folk dances choreographed by Suzanne Kehrberg of Cullowhee. The performance was accented by the drumming expertise of Caden Painter and the vocal talents of Henry Wong, Sarajane Melton, Britney Acosta, Paula Fox, Victoria Casey McDonald, Larry Haskett, Pelham Thomas, Wesley Haskett, Nikki Henke and a child angel choir.
[Earlier coverage of the event appears in an online article by the Jackson County Magazine (click).]
Shown below (from left to right: the baby Jesus is flanked by angels and shepherds, and Jasper (the dog), Sarajane Melton (as a midwife) , Jim Harbin (as Joseph), Britney Acosta (as Mary). Baby Jesus is Tori Langford.
(Click any image to enlarge.)
More than 15 churches were represented by the cast and crew of the play, which was hosted by Cullowhee Baptist Church on the evenings of November 30 and December 1.
The dance scenes were expanded from last year's performance, with 7 dancers performing 3 Israeli folk dances choreographed by Suzanne Kehrberg of Cullowhee. The performance was accented by the drumming expertise of Caden Painter and the vocal talents of Henry Wong, Sarajane Melton, Britney Acosta, Paula Fox, Victoria Casey McDonald, Larry Haskett, Pelham Thomas, Wesley Haskett, Nikki Henke and a child angel choir.
[Earlier coverage of the event appears in an online article by the Jackson County Magazine (click).]
Shown below (from left to right: the baby Jesus is flanked by angels and shepherds, and Jasper (the dog), Sarajane Melton (as a midwife) , Jim Harbin (as Joseph), Britney Acosta (as Mary). Baby Jesus is Tori Langford.
(Click any image to enlarge.)
Shown below: Western Carolina University dance student Natalie Daugherty performs Tfilati
("My Prayer"), choreographed by Suzanne Kehrberg.
Shown below: Henry Wong of Cullowhee plays Gabriel (in background). Joseph
is played by Jim Harbin of Bryson City. 2-year old Jesus is David
Sluyter; playing Mary is Selina Sluyter of Dillsboro.
Shown below: Henry Wong of Cullowhee plays Gabriel (in background). Joseph
is played by Jim Harbin of Bryson City. 2-year old Jesus is David
Sluyter; playing Mary is Selina Sluyter of Dillsboro.
Let's go dancing!
Western Carolina University will offer beginner swing and salsa
workshops for teenagers and adults Monday, Dec. 17, through Wednesday,
Dec. 19, in Breese Gymnasium.
The teen workshop will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m., and the workshop for adults is offered from 6 to 7:30 p.m. No partner or experience is required for either workshop.
A registration fee of $40 per person is required along with pre-enrollment.
For more information or to register, visit http://www.wcu.edu/2874.asp or call the Division of Educational Outreach at (828) 227-3688 or email sfouts@wcu.edu .
The teen workshop will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m., and the workshop for adults is offered from 6 to 7:30 p.m. No partner or experience is required for either workshop.
A registration fee of $40 per person is required along with pre-enrollment.
For more information or to register, visit http://www.wcu.edu/2874.asp or call the Division of Educational Outreach at (828) 227-3688 or email sfouts@wcu.edu .
If you missed them last weekend, don't miss them this weekend: Dillsboro's luminary celebration will be held again on Friday and Saturday evenings, from 5 to 9 p.m (December 14 and 15).The town's shops, inns, and restaurants will be decorated for the season, and will offer cocoa, cider, and small treats for visitors.
Santa will be available for photographs with the kids, inside Town Hall, at the corner of Front Street and Depot Street.
Over 2,500 small white paper bags filled with sand and lighted candles will adorn the streets and sidewalks. Musicians will be stationed at nearly every shop, and look for a group of musicians to be jamming around the firepit at the Riverwood Shops.
Admission is free. Parking is available in town, at several lots around town, and at the Monteith Farmstead, just off of Old Hometown Place Road.
Dress for cold weather, and bring the entire family!
For more information, see www.visitdillsboro.org or call Teresa Dowd, Dillsboro Merchants Association Chairman, at 586-5700. Additional coverage is online in an article by the Sylva Herald (click).
The events coincide with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Christmas trains, featuring the Polar Express rides. For information on train rides, call 1-800-872-4681 or visit www.gsmr.com.
Western Carolina University will host commencement exercises at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Ramsey Center. Approximately 560 students are candidates for graduate and undergraduate degrees.
An honorary doctorate of letters will be awarded posthumously to the Benjamin S. Ruffin (shown at right), who became the first African-American to lead the UNC system's governing board when he was elected its chairman in 1998. He was still serving as chairman when he died in 2006.
The primary commencement address will be delivered by Cara Elizabeth Ward, a theatre and art major from Sylva. She enrolled at WCU in 2002 but left the university to serve 11 months with the Army Reserves in Iraq in 2005. She returned to her studies this fall.
WCU Chancellor John Bardo will preside and deliver the charge to the degree candidates.
Commencement is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact WCU's Office of Public Affairs at 227-7327.
An honorary doctorate of letters will be awarded posthumously to the Benjamin S. Ruffin (shown at right), who became the first African-American to lead the UNC system's governing board when he was elected its chairman in 1998. He was still serving as chairman when he died in 2006.The primary commencement address will be delivered by Cara Elizabeth Ward, a theatre and art major from Sylva. She enrolled at WCU in 2002 but left the university to serve 11 months with the Army Reserves in Iraq in 2005. She returned to her studies this fall.
WCU Chancellor John Bardo will preside and deliver the charge to the degree candidates.
Commencement is free and open to the public.
For more information, contact WCU's Office of Public Affairs at 227-7327.
[Editor's note: tickets are no longer available; the show sold out on December 10.]The Asheville Symphony Orchestra will perform a holiday concert at Western Carolina University at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Performing a concert titled "Holiday Pops," the symphony will feature the Western Carolina Community Chorus under the direction of James Dooley, and soloists Alison Trainer and William Martin.
Both soloists are widely recognized performers and have appeared in both regional and international performances. Trainer is an accomplished vocal performer, and Martin is a tenor and associate professor of music at WCU.
The performance will be conducted by Asheville Symphony music director Daniel Meyer. The show will offer a variety of holiday and Christmas favorites such as "Frosty the Snowman," "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." The audience is invited to participate in a sing-a-long featuring "Joy to the World" and "Deck the Hall," and other favorite Christmas carols.
"The sounds of Christmas are a legacy for all in our communities. These sounds will come alive in the Holiday Pops concert through the magical sound of a symphony orchestra," said Robert Kehrberg, dean of the College of Fine and Performing Arts. "The Asheville Symphony Orchestra is a treasure to our region with professional performers throughout our region and nation. Anyone who attends will be impressed and changed by this concert."
An online video commercial prepared by WCU is available (click here).
(Shown at right: conductor Daniel Meyer.)
Don Hendershot, who writes the "Naturalist's Corner" column for the Smoky Mountain News, has this excellent tip for hikers, fishermen and backpackers: it's hunting season, so wear an orange hat or other orange clothing when outdoors. You don't want your movements to be mistaken for those of prey.
A special tint called "blaze orange" is required by law to be worn by hunters. Caps and vests in blaze orange can be purchased at sporting goods and hunting supply stores and some general retail stores.
A special tint called "blaze orange" is required by law to be worn by hunters. Caps and vests in blaze orange can be purchased at sporting goods and hunting supply stores and some general retail stores.
Paint brushes of all sizes (click photo to enlarge) await art students at downtown Sylva's Studio 598. The art studio, operated by Norma Smith, is located at 598 West Main Street (above Hollifield Jewelers). Smith also teaches art at Western Carolina University.
The smell of freshly roasted coffee... home-cooked local food... ambience and atmosphere in the heart of downtown Sylva. What could be better? For John Bubacz, nothing at all.
Bubacz (whose name is pronounced boo-bah-ch) is the proprietor of Bubacz's Underground, a cafe and coffeeshop that's making waves among local patrons. Its slogan is "World's Healthiest Fast Food."
The restaurant is a delightful combination of
At first Bubacz's Underground served only coffee and small pastries when it opened about 2 years ago, but it quickly became a full-service breakfast and lunch eatery.
John roasts his own coffee beans, using a roaster he recently acquired. He negotiates directly with farmers in Central and South America to get the beans shipped to America. Profits from the sales go immediately to the farmers, eliminating the share of profits that otherwise would go to distributors and wholesalers. In addition, he only buys beans that are organic and that meet fair-trade standards.
(Shown at right: John Bubacz with his coffee roaster.)
John hopes Sylva will become more aware of the importance of fair-trade and organic practices. "I do fair-trade because I want to see farmers in economically depressed regions of the world paid a fair price for their [coffee] beans," he said. "I do organic because the nutrition in non-organic products is inadequate and other methods of growing and creating food are environmentally destructive."
John's coffee roasting brings to Jackson County a mix of the old and the new, because he is partnering with Harold's Galaxy Supermarket -- one of the county's oldest businesses -- to carry his line of beans, which carry a "Signature Brew" label. Other businesses selling the beans include Papou's Wine Shop, the Harris Regional Hospital gift shop, Guadalupe Cafe, Jack the Dipper (all in Sylva), Mad Batter Bakeshop, and Cat's Nip Cafe (both in Cullowhee). Beans even can be purchased in bulk at the restaurant or at Jack the Dipper.
John came to Franklin as a boy more than 30 years ago, and has lived in Jackson County since 1990. After earning a degree in psychology, he worked in the mental health field for 13 years. But 8 years ago he made a jump into the food business, when he began operating the Whatcha Want? Bogega in Cullowhee.
(Shown at left: the restaurant's Mill Street entrance, at the back of the restaurant.)
Currently he employs 7 people, several of them full-time. His plans for the future include an espresso bar at his restaurant's Mill Street entrance and a full-size organic grocery store. One day, he says, he'd like to see a laundromat, bar and cafe in the same building.
Bubacz's Underground is open every day of the week, every day of the year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Monday through Friday hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Extended evening hours will begin later this winter.) Free wireless internet and even a computer are available for customers.
The restaurant is located at 610 West Main Street in downtown Sylva, in the space occupied for many years by Hedden's Barber Shop, later known as Wimpy's (where Wimpy Hyatt cut hair).
Check it out!
(Shown below: John is busy with one of the unglamorous aspects of a restaurant business.)
Bubacz (whose name is pronounced boo-bah-ch) is the proprietor of Bubacz's Underground, a cafe and coffeeshop that's making waves among local patrons. Its slogan is "World's Healthiest Fast Food."
The restaurant is a delightful combination of- fast, friendly service,
- local, organic, hormone- and pesticide-free meats, dairy and eggs, and
- teas, coffee and juices.
At first Bubacz's Underground served only coffee and small pastries when it opened about 2 years ago, but it quickly became a full-service breakfast and lunch eatery.
John roasts his own coffee beans, using a roaster he recently acquired. He negotiates directly with farmers in Central and South America to get the beans shipped to America. Profits from the sales go immediately to the farmers, eliminating the share of profits that otherwise would go to distributors and wholesalers. In addition, he only buys beans that are organic and that meet fair-trade standards.
(Shown at right: John Bubacz with his coffee roaster.)John hopes Sylva will become more aware of the importance of fair-trade and organic practices. "I do fair-trade because I want to see farmers in economically depressed regions of the world paid a fair price for their [coffee] beans," he said. "I do organic because the nutrition in non-organic products is inadequate and other methods of growing and creating food are environmentally destructive."
John's coffee roasting brings to Jackson County a mix of the old and the new, because he is partnering with Harold's Galaxy Supermarket -- one of the county's oldest businesses -- to carry his line of beans, which carry a "Signature Brew" label. Other businesses selling the beans include Papou's Wine Shop, the Harris Regional Hospital gift shop, Guadalupe Cafe, Jack the Dipper (all in Sylva), Mad Batter Bakeshop, and Cat's Nip Cafe (both in Cullowhee). Beans even can be purchased in bulk at the restaurant or at Jack the Dipper.
John came to Franklin as a boy more than 30 years ago, and has lived in Jackson County since 1990. After earning a degree in psychology, he worked in the mental health field for 13 years. But 8 years ago he made a jump into the food business, when he began operating the Whatcha Want? Bogega in Cullowhee.
(Shown at left: the restaurant's Mill Street entrance, at the back of the restaurant.)Currently he employs 7 people, several of them full-time. His plans for the future include an espresso bar at his restaurant's Mill Street entrance and a full-size organic grocery store. One day, he says, he'd like to see a laundromat, bar and cafe in the same building.
Bubacz's Underground is open every day of the week, every day of the year, including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Monday through Friday hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Extended evening hours will begin later this winter.) Free wireless internet and even a computer are available for customers.
The restaurant is located at 610 West Main Street in downtown Sylva, in the space occupied for many years by Hedden's Barber Shop, later known as Wimpy's (where Wimpy Hyatt cut hair).
Check it out!
(Shown below: John is busy with one of the unglamorous aspects of a restaurant business.)
College students giving up something they love for a bigger cause? It happened right here in Cullowhee, as students, faculty and staff at Western Carolina University pledged themselves to a day of "fasting" to help members of the conflict-stricken area of Darfur in the African country of Sudan. Each participant agreed to forego something for the day -- perhaps a meal or even just a snack -- and then donate to the cause the money that would have been paid.
The Fast Day was held on Wednesday, December 5, the day that Darfur's case was presented to the United Nations, where advocates asked for UN and African Union peacekeeping troops in Darfur. The conflict in Darfur is a politically charged, long-running strife between factions of Sudan's government. Millions of persons have been killed, wounded or rendered homeless.
The movement, begun by WCU freshman Katy Elders, attracted prominent members of the community and campus. Their organized effort is pursuant to international guidelines for a "STAND" club (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur). STAND's faculty adviser is Steve Carlisle, who is Associate Dean of the Honors College and Director of the Humanities Program.
Students staffed an information booth on Fast Day on the front lawn of WCU's University Center. Already the effort had generated more than $600 through collections on campus and at booths that were set up by WCU students near Ingles and Wal-Mart in Sylva.
Elders says the focus of the group in the future is to provide information, outreach and education, with fundraising as a secondary but still important goal. Future plans include educational programs in local schools, including Smoky Mountain High School, advocacy initiatives, a student movement to write federal congressional representatives and senators, advocating for genocide education in public schools, and working with the student-run Last Minute Productions group at WCU to put on a benefit concert in the spring.
For more information about Darfur, STAND recommends www.standnow.org or www.savedarfur.org. Also, stories about Darfur have been featured recently at www.bbc.com, www.usatoday.com, and www.msnbc.com.
For more information on pledging or donating to the WCU effort, contact Elders at cullowheesavesdarfur@gmail.com.
The Fast Day was held on Wednesday, December 5, the day that Darfur's case was presented to the United Nations, where advocates asked for UN and African Union peacekeeping troops in Darfur. The conflict in Darfur is a politically charged, long-running strife between factions of Sudan's government. Millions of persons have been killed, wounded or rendered homeless.
The movement, begun by WCU freshman Katy Elders, attracted prominent members of the community and campus. Their organized effort is pursuant to international guidelines for a "STAND" club (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur). STAND's faculty adviser is Steve Carlisle, who is Associate Dean of the Honors College and Director of the Humanities Program.
Students staffed an information booth on Fast Day on the front lawn of WCU's University Center. Already the effort had generated more than $600 through collections on campus and at booths that were set up by WCU students near Ingles and Wal-Mart in Sylva.
Elders says the focus of the group in the future is to provide information, outreach and education, with fundraising as a secondary but still important goal. Future plans include educational programs in local schools, including Smoky Mountain High School, advocacy initiatives, a student movement to write federal congressional representatives and senators, advocating for genocide education in public schools, and working with the student-run Last Minute Productions group at WCU to put on a benefit concert in the spring.
For more information about Darfur, STAND recommends www.standnow.org or www.savedarfur.org. Also, stories about Darfur have been featured recently at www.bbc.com, www.usatoday.com, and www.msnbc.com.
For more information on pledging or donating to the WCU effort, contact Elders at cullowheesavesdarfur@gmail.com.
The Downtown Sylva Association is encouraging residents to make downtown a shopping destination this Christmas. A banner stretched over West Main Street (between BlackRock Outdoor Company and the Landowner Building) announces to drivers that downtown shops are open longer on weekends this Christmas season.
DSA's "shop here" theme echoes that of the new Shoppers' Hotline operated by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. Hotline callers (586-2155 or 800-962-1911 outside the county) are given the names and addresses of local businesses that can provide just about any requested good or service. (See our story in last week's edition for details: click here.)
"We want people to make downtown a destination, much the same way they make the mall a destination," said Sarah Graham, DSA director. "Most of the retail stores downtown will definitely stay open later or have extended hours on specific days so that people can find the items they're looking for right here in downtown."
Some stores that will participate include In Your Ear Music, open from 12-5 on Sundays in December; City Lights Bookstore, open on Sundays in December from 12 to 6; and BlackRock Outdoor Company, Heinzelmenchen Brewery, and Jake's Mountain House are among those who will extend their hours.
For more information, call Graham at 586-1577.
DSA's "shop here" theme echoes that of the new Shoppers' Hotline operated by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. Hotline callers (586-2155 or 800-962-1911 outside the county) are given the names and addresses of local businesses that can provide just about any requested good or service. (See our story in last week's edition for details: click here.)
"We want people to make downtown a destination, much the same way they make the mall a destination," said Sarah Graham, DSA director. "Most of the retail stores downtown will definitely stay open later or have extended hours on specific days so that people can find the items they're looking for right here in downtown."Some stores that will participate include In Your Ear Music, open from 12-5 on Sundays in December; City Lights Bookstore, open on Sundays in December from 12 to 6; and BlackRock Outdoor Company, Heinzelmenchen Brewery, and Jake's Mountain House are among those who will extend their hours.
For more information, call Graham at 586-1577.
Your vote in an online contest could help WestCare Health System win an MRI (magnetic resonant imaging) machine for Swain County Hospital in Bryson City.
An MRI is an expensive medical technology device that scans a patient's body and provides interior views of living tissues, enabling physicians to diagnose and monitor disease.
Nearly 100 other hospitals are competing against WestCare for the new MRI machine, manufactured by Seimens Medical Corporation. Only hospitals of less than 180 beds that have no fixed-installation MRI machine are eligible.
Each hospital has created its own video (no music, film or video professional services were allowed). The video receiving the most votes via a Web page wins. To view the videos and vote for WestCare's video, point your web browser to www.WinAnMRI.com (click here).
The last day to vote is December 31, but you can vote more than once. The contest's rules allow each person to vote once per day.
The Web page includes these details: "One hospital in America will win a free MAGNETOM Essenza, an all-new 1.5T MRI. This powerful diagnostic tool can help improve the quality of care for friends, families, and neighbors in your community. View the videos and vote for the hospital who has the most compelling argument for why they should win." The page includes a link to a page in the Products and Solutions department of Siemen's Web site with a photo of the product. No price is given, although it is described as being the "most affordable all-new 1.5T MRI." A trade magazine (click) describes the unit as being priced "as much as $500,000 below similar 1.5 Tesla systems, making it the least expensive of the new 1.5T brands."
WestCare has one fixed-installation MRI and one mobile MRI in use at Harris Regional Hospital in Jackson County. A mobile MRI is taken to WestCare's Swain County Hospital every other week. If Swain County Hospital can obtain its own MRI, Swain County emergency patients would not need to come to Jackson County for MRI work, and Swain's regular patients would not need to wait for the mobile unit's scheduled visits.
"Having an on-site MRI machine at Swain County Hospital would eliminate the waiting period that patients in our area often face when their doctor orders an MRI. We serve a very large region of Western North Carolina and an on-site MRI machine would provide our physicians with the information they need in order to diagnose patients faster and begin treatment sooner, which leads to better care," said Ronnie Sloan, administrator of Swain County Hospital.
More information is available from WestCare at 586-7404.
As of December 5, the contest's Web page reported that Westcare's video had 295 votes. The leading contestant was Sumter Regional Hospital of Americus, Georgia, with 167,965 votes.
Although the MRI to be given to the winner is manufactured by Siemens, the contest is administered by Elite Marketing Communications of Orlando, Florida. The contest's web page includes a link to tips for contestants, which recommends using the popular YouTube video site and contacting local community groups and organizations.
Shown below: U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler casts his vote online for WestCare's video on Friday, Nov. 30, when he visited Harris Regional Hospital to participate in WestCare's celebration of National Home Health and Hospice Month.
An MRI is an expensive medical technology device that scans a patient's body and provides interior views of living tissues, enabling physicians to diagnose and monitor disease.
Nearly 100 other hospitals are competing against WestCare for the new MRI machine, manufactured by Seimens Medical Corporation. Only hospitals of less than 180 beds that have no fixed-installation MRI machine are eligible.
Each hospital has created its own video (no music, film or video professional services were allowed). The video receiving the most votes via a Web page wins. To view the videos and vote for WestCare's video, point your web browser to www.WinAnMRI.com (click here).
The last day to vote is December 31, but you can vote more than once. The contest's rules allow each person to vote once per day.
The Web page includes these details: "One hospital in America will win a free MAGNETOM Essenza, an all-new 1.5T MRI. This powerful diagnostic tool can help improve the quality of care for friends, families, and neighbors in your community. View the videos and vote for the hospital who has the most compelling argument for why they should win." The page includes a link to a page in the Products and Solutions department of Siemen's Web site with a photo of the product. No price is given, although it is described as being the "most affordable all-new 1.5T MRI." A trade magazine (click) describes the unit as being priced "as much as $500,000 below similar 1.5 Tesla systems, making it the least expensive of the new 1.5T brands."
WestCare has one fixed-installation MRI and one mobile MRI in use at Harris Regional Hospital in Jackson County. A mobile MRI is taken to WestCare's Swain County Hospital every other week. If Swain County Hospital can obtain its own MRI, Swain County emergency patients would not need to come to Jackson County for MRI work, and Swain's regular patients would not need to wait for the mobile unit's scheduled visits.
"Having an on-site MRI machine at Swain County Hospital would eliminate the waiting period that patients in our area often face when their doctor orders an MRI. We serve a very large region of Western North Carolina and an on-site MRI machine would provide our physicians with the information they need in order to diagnose patients faster and begin treatment sooner, which leads to better care," said Ronnie Sloan, administrator of Swain County Hospital.
More information is available from WestCare at 586-7404.
As of December 5, the contest's Web page reported that Westcare's video had 295 votes. The leading contestant was Sumter Regional Hospital of Americus, Georgia, with 167,965 votes.
Although the MRI to be given to the winner is manufactured by Siemens, the contest is administered by Elite Marketing Communications of Orlando, Florida. The contest's web page includes a link to tips for contestants, which recommends using the popular YouTube video site and contacting local community groups and organizations.
Shown below: U.S. Congressman Heath Shuler casts his vote online for WestCare's video on Friday, Nov. 30, when he visited Harris Regional Hospital to participate in WestCare's celebration of National Home Health and Hospice Month.
Curtis Blanton's play, "Precious Christmas Memories," will be performed at the Webster United Methodist Church at 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 9.
For more information, see an online Sylva Herald article (click here).
[Jackson County Magazine is not affiliated with the Sylva Herald.]
For more information, see an online Sylva Herald article (click here).
[Jackson County Magazine is not affiliated with the Sylva Herald.]
WCU faculty musicians present a chamber music concert this Sunday evening, December 9.
The public is invited, and there is no charge.
The concert, entitled "Loose Ends," is the last faculty concert of the current semester. The program includes
The concert begins at 8pm in the Recital Hall of WCU's Coulter Building.
The public is invited, and there is no charge.
The concert, entitled "Loose Ends," is the last faculty concert of the current semester. The program includes
- Haydn's "London" Trio for flute, oboe, and bassoon
- Walter Hartley's Sonata for tuba and piano
- Madeline Dring's Trio for flute, oboe, and piano, and
- Benjamin Boone's 1994 piece for alto saxophone, "Election Year."
The concert begins at 8pm in the Recital Hall of WCU's Coulter Building.
An exhibit of Craig Forrest's work is featured at the It's By Nature gallery on West Main Street in downtown Sylva this Friday, December 7. A reception for the artist will be held there from 6:30 p.m. until 9.
Information about the artist can be found in an online article by the Smoky Mountain News (click here) and in an online article by the Sylva Herald (click here).
Forrest's Web site, www.sleepyhollowstudio.com, includes an image gallery.
Information about the artist can be found in an online article by the Smoky Mountain News (click here) and in an online article by the Sylva Herald (click here).
Forrest's Web site, www.sleepyhollowstudio.com, includes an image gallery.
For more information, call 828-743-5191.
City Lights Bookstore in Sylva will host Asheville photographer Kevin Adams on Saturday, December 8th at 4 p.m., for a presentation based on his new book, North Carolina Then & Now.
Published in the fall, the book features more than 75 pairs of oversized photographs of places around the state. Both shots of each pair are taken from the same vantage point, but one is a new photograph taken by Adams and the other is a historic photograph. The photos demonstrate the rapid pace of development in NC over the past 75 years.
Covering all parts of the state, the book includes many photographs from the mountain region, including the downtowns of Sylva, Bryson City, and Asheville. Various mountain views, including Whiteside Cove, Linville Gorge, and Tablerock Mountain are also featured.
Adams includes an extensive caption with each photograph, describing the scene's history. He consulted more than 10,000 historic photographs before choosing which ones to include in the book.
Adams will discuss his research and photography techniques and take questions from the audience. An autographing will follow his remarks.
For more information or to reserve a signed copy of the book, call City Lights at 586-9499. Copies of Adams' previous books, North Carolina Waterfalls and North Carolina's Best Wildflower Hikes, will be available.
Published in the fall, the book features more than 75 pairs of oversized photographs of places around the state. Both shots of each pair are taken from the same vantage point, but one is a new photograph taken by Adams and the other is a historic photograph. The photos demonstrate the rapid pace of development in NC over the past 75 years.
Covering all parts of the state, the book includes many photographs from the mountain region, including the downtowns of Sylva, Bryson City, and Asheville. Various mountain views, including Whiteside Cove, Linville Gorge, and Tablerock Mountain are also featured.
Adams includes an extensive caption with each photograph, describing the scene's history. He consulted more than 10,000 historic photographs before choosing which ones to include in the book.
Adams will discuss his research and photography techniques and take questions from the audience. An autographing will follow his remarks.
For more information or to reserve a signed copy of the book, call City Lights at 586-9499. Copies of Adams' previous books, North Carolina Waterfalls and North Carolina's Best Wildflower Hikes, will be available.
