Jan. 14, 2010 the State of Highlands Drinking Water • Inside • HS Basket Ball
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Volume 8, Number 2 PDF Version – www.HighlandsInfo.com Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010 The state of Highlands drinking water • Inside • HS Basket Ball ............... 2 No matter how good a water only 91 of the 60,000 chemicals ity of Highlands’ drinking water Obituaries ..................... 3 plant is watchdogs say the laws reg- now used in the United States, says steadily improving. Wooldridge ................... 4 ulating drinking water standards the Environmental Protection However, EWG has analyzed Salzarulo ...................... 5 His & Hers .................... 6 This Week in Highlands are outdated which means drink- Agency – many which are associat- almost 20 million drinking water ing water isn’t being monitored as ed with a risk of cancer and other records from state water officials Coach’s Corner ............. 7 Conservative POV ......... 8 closely as it should be, nor is it be- diseases. and found 315 pollutants in the tap Sign-ups through Feb. 2. Upcoming Events .......... 9 ing tested for contaminates com- Data collected across the na- water Americans drink. • Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19, Western Spiritually Speaking ....... 12 tion since 2004 by the advocacy More than half of the chemi- style mainstream square dance classes in mon in today’s world. Classifieds ..................... 15 organization Environmental Work- First Presbyterian Church’s Coleman Hall. The Safe Drinking Water Act – cals detected are not subject to Police & Fire ................. 16 Professional caller Jim Duncan from Otto which is 35 years old – regulates ing Group (EWG), shows the qual- •See WATER page 13 will teach as many couples as will commit to the approximately 20-week series of lessons. Tentative class time is 6-8 p.m. Old Man Winter revives old passtime Call FPC at 526-3175 to reserve your place Repairing of Highlands in a square. Through January Cullasaja Town Board • Buy your 2010 full color Highlands School yearbook. Call 1-866-282-1516 or River coming wrap-up go to www.jostensyearbooks.com Questions? Call Highlands School at 526- With the Macon County Com- At the end of the Jan. 11 Town 2147. mission backing the project, the Board meeting, commissioners and Monday, Jan. 18 funds may be available to begin re- Town Attorney Bill Coward went • Town Hall will be closed in storing the Cullsasaja River at its into closed session to discuss ease- observance of MLK Holiday. headwaters at the Cullasaja Coun- ments for the Big Creek dredging Saturday, Jan. 16 • Mirror lake Improvement Assoc. litter try Club. project, road improvements on Aza- pick up from Thorn Park at 9 a.m. Weather At the Monday, Jan. 11, com- lea Circle and a lawsuit filed by John permitting. mission meeting, County Manager Shearl over the zoning violation he • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take Jack Horton said the Upper Culla- received for concering the use of his a strenuous 12.5 mile hike from Deep Creek saja Watershed Association property on N.C. 28. to Sunkota Ridge in the Great Smokies Park. (UCWA) needed the county com- In November the Zoning Board Meet at the Huddle House in Sylva at 8 mission to approve and pass a reso- of Adjustment upheld Zoning Ad- a.m. Drive 100 miles round trip from Franklin. lution in support of a significant ministrator Joe Cooley’s violation Bring water and lunch. Call leader Don water quality improvement project order against Shearl concerning the O’Neal, 828-586-5723, for reservations. on the Cullasaja River in the High- use of the residential portion of his Visitors are welcome, but no pets please. lands public water supply water- property on N.C. 28 for commer- Sunday, Jan. 17 shed. cial purposes. • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take “There is no local money re- In an interview last week, an easy 2.5 mile hike on old Forest Service quired, but grant funding is more Shearl said by law he had 30 days to roads in the Jones Creek area. Meet at likely to be awarded if the Town of petition the court over the Zoning Westgate Plaza in Franklin, opposite Burger Highlands and Macon County are Administrator’s and Town Board’s King, at 2:00 p.m. Drive 12 miles round trip. behind the project,” he said. Though weeks of single-digit weather have been hard to final decisions and “that’s the only Call leader Kay Coriell, 369-6820, for The first leg of the river-wide reason it looks like I’m entering into reservations. Visitors are welcome but no bare, Highlanders were rewarded with a frozen Harris Lake project will start with 4,300 feet of this year which is thick enough to skate on. Over the years, a lawsuit against the town,” he said. pets please. the Cullasaja River within the “We couldn’t let that 30 days expire, Beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19 Harris Lake and other lakes in the area have frozen, but most boundaries of the Cullasaja Coun- but I hope to have a rezoning hear- • The 8-week Community Youth Art agree the last time it was safe to skate on Harris Lake for an Program begins at The Bascom: Tuesday try Club property. extended period was the winter of 1994. Sadly, with an iced- ing with the town before this goes After School Classes from 3:15–4:30 pm. “We are hoping that by begin- over Mirror Lake, one of the swans and two geese harboring to court.” $40; Wednesday Preschool Creativity ning at the headwaters within the there, drown in a hole in the ice. He said a court date hasn’t been Classes for Parent and Child – (Ages 2 1/2– club, the next country club down Photo by Jim Lewicki set and he hopes to have his rezon- 5) 11-11:45 am, $40. Saturday Art School – river will restore their part and this ing request on the Jan. 20 Town 10 a.m. to noon for fun, hands-on, age- will follow all the way down river,” Board agenda when he will be peti- appropriate “art school.” Cost is $64. To said Mayor David Wilkes who at- Report reveals citizens’ health tioning the town to rezone all his register, visit www.thebascom.org or call tended the commission meeting. property B3 commercial rather (828) 526-4949 ext. 100. “The 4,300 feet of river identi- Submitted by ther MC Macon County’s Health Report for than the split zone it now carries. Wednesday, Jan. 20 fied in the project has been catego- Health Dept. 2009.” Typically, the Town Board hears • The Highlands Town Board meets at rized as impaired for years and is The Macon County Public This report informs commu- rezoning requests, sends the request 7 p.m. in the Community Building on U.S. listed on the EPA 303d list of prior- Health Center and the Macon nity members, leaders, organiza- to the Planning Board and based on 64 east next to the ballfield. County Healthy Carolinians Part- •See CULLASAJA page 13 nership have issued the “State of •See HEALTH page 18 •See TOWN BOARD page 16 Page 2 - Highlands’ Newspaper - Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010 • THE PLATEAU’S POSITION • • HIGHLANDS SCHOOL BASKET BALL • Highlanders throttle Bobcats to open • HAWK’S EYE VIEW • conference play By Ryan Potts The Highlands Highlanders opened conference play last Tues- day by making the short trip over to Cashiers to face the Blue Ridge Bobcats. Blue Ridge has been in the midst of a down season, and it be- came apparent early in the night as the Lady Highlanders used pres- sure defense to build an early 20-2 lead. From that point on, the Lady Highlanders cruised, finishing up with a 63-16 victory over the Lady Bobcats. Sarah Power led High- lands with 11 and Kate-Marie Parks added 10. The boys game saw the High- landers struggle early, trailing 3-2 after a Blue Ridge three pointer Both the Girls and Boys teams won against Blue before exploding on a 24-2 run to Ridge Tuesday, Jan. 5. Above, Robbie Vanderbilt break the game open. The High- controls the court. Below, Marlee McCall nets a lander frontcourt of Josh Delacruz foul shot. Photo by Noel Atherton and Robbie Vanderbilt dominat- ed the smaller Bobcats, with Delacruz scoring 21 and Vander- bilt scoring 11 in the 70-21 victory. Delacruz also added 17 rebounds for the Highlanders. Highlands will host Nantaha- la on Friday night in what is bound to be a crucial Smoky Mountain conference matchup. The Lady Highlanders and Highlanders will need plenty of LETTERS-TO-THE EDITOR-POLICY fan support as they bid for confer- Photo by Stephanie McCall ence championships in the 2010 season, ball Friday night and support your home- We reserve the right to reject or edit submissions. NO ANONYMOUS LETTERS so come out and watch some great basket- town Highlanders. WILL BE ACCEPTED. Views expressed are not necessarily those of Highlands’ Newspaper. Please EMAIL letters by Monday at 5 p.m. There is a 500-word limit without prior approval. • THANK YOU • Christmas Dinner raises $11,000 The Christmas Dinner gang would like to thank all that came to enjoy our fabulous fare and good cheer on Christmas Day. The dinner was a huge success, serving over 260 people and raising over $11,000 for Highlands- Cashiers Hospice and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Highlands. The success of the Annual Highlands Christmas Dinner is a reflection of the many volunteers and sponsors who unselfishly contributed their time and/or resources for the sole benefit of the participating non-profits and the many Highlanders “Our Community Service - A Free Local Newspaper” who have made this event their Christmas Tradition.