Things and Stuff: 04/24/03

Notes from our business community
- and everywhere else

HAYWOOD BUILDERS SUPPLY....

on Charles Street in Waynesville is featured this week in our Business Spotlight. Haywood stocks a complete line of building materials and offers free estimates and free delivery. For more information, see their ad on the back page of this section.

CATMAN2 INC....

has delayed the grand opening of its new no-kill cat shelter in Cullowhee due to last-minute construction glitches. Additional information will be published as it becomes available.

ARSENAL ARTIFACTS...

will hold an open house this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. during Greening Up the Mountains. Prominent Civil War artists Bob Graham and John Warr will be on hand to discuss their work.

MOUNTAIN DISCOVERY...

Charter School will hold a musical laser light extravaganza Friday, April 25, in the Southwestern Community College auditorium. The laser light show (similar to those presented at Stone Mountain, Ga.) will be one night only, and the event is a fund-raiser for the school. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 kids 12 and under. Fog machines and dancing beams will be set to the music of artists like Collective Soul, Louis Armstrong, U2, Beatles and more.

THE MARKET at DARNELL FARMS...

is now open featuring fresh produce, landscaping plants and hanging baskets. Strawberries will soon be ripe, and plans are under way for Darnell's annual Strawberry Jam the weekend of May 17. Join the Darnell Farm "Jammers" every Saturday night - just bring your instruments and lawn chairs. Admission is free, and hot dogs and hamburgers are available at the snack bar. Call (828) 488-2376 for more information.

MULCH...

is available for $5 per loader bucket from the Jackson County C&D transfer station on Mineral Springs Drive from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7 a.m.-noon on Saturday. For information, call 586-7509.

CITY LIGHTS...

will host a "Teachers' Night" at the bookstore on Tuesday, April 29, at 6 p.m. The evening will feature a presentation for teachers on new children's and young adult books, as well as giveaways of posters, reading guides and other materials for classroom use. Door prizes will feature gift certificates from Spring Street Cafe, which will also supply refreshments for the event. For more information, call Jenifer Ross at City Lights at 586-9499.

JOIN NOVELIST...

Pamela Duncan for a reading from her new book, Plant Life, on Friday, April 25, at 7 p.m. A reception and book signing will follow. Duncan's previous novel, the acclaimed "Moon Women," is now available in paperback. In her new book Duncan returns to the world of small-town family life in a story of mothers and daughters, about family and friendship, and about a woman at a turning point her life. For more information about this event or to reserve a book, call City Lights at 586-9499. (The time for this event was listed incorrectly in last week's newspaper. The Herald regrets the error.)

PHYSICAL THERAPY...

assistants at SCC will sponsor a golf tournament on June 7 at Smoky Mountain Country Club. Cost for the two-man captain's choice event is $100 per team through May 23. After that, the cost will be $125. For more information, call 508-6042.

SOUL INFUSION...

will present the following live music this weekend: Tonight (Thursday) - Jaida, 8-10 p.m. Local favorite Christy Stokes returns to music after having a child.

Friday, April 25 - Marshall Ballew, 9 p.m. Longtime WNCW veteran kicks off Greening Up the Mountains weekend at Soul Infusion.

Saturday, April 26 -Tater, 8 p.m. - Roger Pagett, former lead guitarist of Acoustic Syndicate, brings his bluegrass-rock band to town on the evening of Greening Up the Mountains. Self-described as "High-Test Hillbilly Grass & Roll." This show has a $5 cover charge. Weather permitting, this show will be outside in the music garden.

WENDY CAGLE...

has been named assistant director of Western Carolina University's Small Business and Technology Development Center and will oversee the Asheville office. A member of the SBTDC staff since 1995, Cagle holds a master's in business administration from WCU. SBTDC is an interinstitutional program of the University of North Carolina, and is North Carolina's primary business assistance program. The Asheville office is located in the Bank of America Building at 68 Patton Ave. For more information, contact Allan Steinberg at 227-3459.

HARRAH'S...

Cherokee Casino and Hotel has recognized employees with the Chairman's Award, a commemorative clock and monetary award. Local winners will be placed in competition with other Harrah's employees across the nation. Among those chosen for the award are Rick Sneed, Juan Owle, Goodlow Bark, Eddie Swimmer and Kristen Smith, all of Cherokee.

HEATHER BROOM...

of Sylva recently joined the Longaberger Co. as an independent sales associate. More than 70,000 associates market and sell the company's products at home shows across the nation. Learn more about the company and its products at www.longaberger.com.

JULIE SPIRO...

of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce sent us a note and newspaper clipping to let us know that Sylva made its way into a story in the Griffin (Ga.) Daily News. Columnist Nick Ryder mentioned Sylva as an exception to the rule that towns die on "the outskirts of Superstoreville." Ryder said Sylva and similar towns are not "dead or dying" because downtown merchants have converted to "niche," or theme stores, like specialty bicycles, handmade furniture or high-quality kitchenware.

"I thought the reference to Sylva was flattering - and it is always nice to have someone outside the area brag on us," Julie said. "It's great when we can share that compliment with our friends who have worked together to make Sylva a better place."