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 WE HAVE A NEW BYLINE in the paper this week. It belongs to the newsroom’s most recent addition, reporter/feature writer Emily Elders, who joined The Herald staff Aug. 31. Currently a Sylva resident, Emily grew up in Cullowhee and attended Cullowhee Valley Elementary School. A 2002 graduate of Smoky Mountain High School, Emily attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville and is currently a student at Southwestern Community College. Emily, who has planned a career in writing since childhood, started a newspaper at Cullowhee Valley when she was in eighth grade and has worked on literary magazines at SMHS, SCC and UNC-A. Her parents are Tony Elders of Tilley Creek and Sherry Fox of Sylva, and her grandparents are David and Sherry Fox of Cullowhee and Opal Elders of Sylva. Her sister, Katy Elders, is a senior at SMHS, and her brother, Adam Elders, is an SMHS sophomore. Emily has a daughter, Mason, who is 17 months old.
MAKE PLANS NOW FOR THE SYLVA FIRE DEPARTMENT’S annual open house on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include food, games and appearances by Sparky the Fire Dog and Smokey Bear.
THE PONDEROSA and the four Cartwrights were on TV for many years, and you can still see reruns today. The Ponderosa Restaurant in Cherokee, owned by Ray Don Letts, Candler Cooper, Jim Cooper and Charlie Saunooke, opened its doors June 3, 1986. The restaurant quit operating as the Ponderosa on Aug. 10, but still was an eatery until Sept. 10. But just like the Phoenix, it arose again three days later and the four “Cartwrights” reopened it today (Thursday), under a new name and with a new format. The Luftee River Restaurant will feature lunch and dinner buffets menu service. It will feature ethnic foods on different nights ... Italian, Mexican, Southern Barbecue, Native American, Seafood and Chicken wings nights and traditional Sunday dinner, which will serve up food like your grandmother used to make. The restaurant seats about 200 and will be open seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. It also features a deck on the Oconaluftee (“Luftee”) River and is in the same building that housed the Ponderosa, which is located across the street from the Ceremonial Grounds. Joe Lambert is in charge of the kitchen staff, and the new restaurant will have the same owners and same general manager, Oleda Lambert, who managed operations at the Ponderosa for the past 17 years. The restaurant has 35 employees. Herald owner Jim Gray, who wrote this column for more than 30 years, sent in this report on the new enterprise. “We wish the new restaurant as much success as they had for the past 20 years as the Ponderosa,” Jim said Tuesday.
THE JACKSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE held a raffle for the Lt. Ellith Kenneth McFalls Basic Law Enforcement Scholarship, which is offered through Southwestern Community College. Inez Mathis of Sylva won the prize – a Glock model 27 handgun. The fund-raiser netted more than $2,000 for the scholarship, according to Lt. Shannon Queen of the Sheriff’s Office.
SUMMIT CHURCH has moved and began holding Sunday morning worship services at 11 a.m. in the gymnasium of Cullowhee Valley School. Summit is a contemporary worship experience that seeks to lead people into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ, said the Rev. Jim Dean, pastor. It is a casual dress worship that features a live band playing contemporary music and a positive uplifting message. Those who come early can enjoy free donuts and drinks. “Anyone looking for a church home is welcome to come and join us,” Dean said. The church recently celebrated its first anniversary. For more information, call Dean at 506-1303.
COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE CRAFT CLUB will offer a Chrismon workshop on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 21 and 22, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the conference room at the Community Service Center in Sylva. Chrismon ornament designs are monograms and symbols of the Christian church and were first used in 1957. They are made with white Styrofoam adorned with materials including pearls, gold metals, sequins, fringe, braids, beads and wires. Participants will learn the symbolism of Chrismons as well as techniques used in working with beads and wire. It will be taught by Betty White and Candy Myers and will be limited to 12 participants. To register for the class, call the Extension Office at 586-4009 by Tuesday, Sept. 19. Cost is $10, which will include all materials. Participants are asked to bring wire clippers and needle-nose pliers. For further information, call White at 586-4641 or Myers at 586-6010.
A NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALE is planned this Saturday, Sept. 16, on Joe Davis Road in Ashe Settlement community. See the ad for more details.
TRIPLE THREAT PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY will hold open house Tuesday, Sept. 19, through Friday, Sept. 22, from 3 until 7 p.m. Owners John and Valerie Tissue invited everyone to stop by and see their studio, which is located at 509-C Asheville Highway in Sylva.
MOUNTAIN CREDIT UNION broke ground for its new Sylva branch Aug. 18. Participants included, from left, N.C. Sen. John Snow; MCU Vice President Amy Woody, MCU director Cindy Ramsey, MCU Chairman Bob Cathey, MCU Vice Chairman Roy Keithley, MCU Director Gary Nicholson, MCU President Patty Idol, and MCU Supervisory Committee member LaNeah Dyson, The ceremony marked the start of what will be a full-service financial institution with two drive-thru lanes and a drive-thru ATM. Local contractor Western Builders will build the bank, which will be at the intersection of N.C. 107 and N.C. 116.
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