Education News

HCC machining program gets new equipment

One of the key components of preparing students for the workforce is ensuring that they have access to the most current equipment in the industry. For students in Haywood Community College’s Computer-Integrated Machining program, this access has improved greatly over the last few months.

With the addition of three new pieces of equipment, HCC’s machining students will have a leg up on the competition when they finish the program and start looking for employment. In addition, it will save employers time and money to know that these students have already had experience and training on equipment that they may very well end up using every day.

These new additions include a Boss Laser Engraver that allows users to engrave wood, leather, glass, metal and cardboard. With a rotary axis, students can also engrave on round stock. Using a computer program, students complete the design work and then transfer the information to the machine to see the work completed.

The final new addition is a forklift that was bought for the program with proceeds from HCC Foundation’s Gala.

High school sports schedules delayed

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association recently announced a schedule for school sports for the 2020-21 school year.

Skill development may begin on Monday, Aug. 24. All seasons will be shortened with fewer games/matches/events as follows: football by seven; cross country, track and field and swimming by 10 and volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, soccer, golf, tennis, wrestling, softball, and baseball by 14.

First practice for sports seasons are as follows: ■ Cross Country and Volleyball: Nov. 4 – Jan. 8 ■ Swimming: Nov. 23 – Jan. 30 ■ Basketball: Dec. 7- Feb. 19 ■ Men’s Soccer and Lacrosse: Jan. 11- March 12 ■ Football: Feb. 8 - April 9 ■ Golf, Men’s Tennis, Women’s Soccer, and Softball: March 1- April 30 ■ Baseball, Women’s Tennis, Track, and Wrestling: April 12 - June 11 ■ Cheerleading Invitational: May 1

“This is great news from the NCHSAA,” said Superintendent Dr. Bill Nolte. “COVID-19 has had a significant physical and emotional impact on all of us. This is another important step in helping our students, schools, and community return to more normal activities. We will share additional details as they develop.”

Libraries ready to help students

As schools open again for both in-person and online learning, Fontana Regional Library locations have tools to help students of all ages.

Libraries are open by appointment, and anyone 12 and up can call to schedule a time to come inside to browse books, use a computer, or use a study room. (Younger children are also welcome, but a parent must make the appointment.) Time slots are 45 minutes in length, although longer sessions can be allowed. Masks or other face coverings are required. Wi-Fi is available immediately outside each building 24/7 as well as inside during library hours. Curbside pick-up service is also still available at all locations.

All public school students in Macon, Jackson, and Swain Counties have access to online resources like eBooks and research databases through the StudentAccess program, which gives students library accounts automatically, without a separate card. Ask your local library for details.

Visit www.fontanalib.org.

ConMet scholarship started at HCC

ConMet’s local Canton plant recently established a scholarship through Haywood Community College’s Foundation for students in the college’s Computer-Integrated Machining, Industrial Systems or Electrical Engineering programs.

ConMet supplies injection molded, structural foam, gas counter pressure and highly decorative plastic products in a wide range of press sizes from 250-Ton to 4,000-Ton machines. The Canton facility produces products primarily for the heavy truck industry.

The scholarship will be awarded to full-time students to cover a combination of student expenses such as tuition and fees, books, childcare and transportation. Students in these business and industry programs are taught through hands-on applications and receive training on machines that mimic what they will encounter when entering the workforce.

For more information, call 828.627.4544 or email pahardin@haywood.edu.

WCU revamps Title IX policies

Sexual Harassment” on Aug. 4. Taking effect Friday, Aug. 14, the policy is designed to provide an independent policy and framework to protect employees, visitors and students from sexual harassment within any education program or activity, said Ivy Gibson, WCU’s associate general counsel and Title IX coordinator.

Important aspects of the new policy include a uniform complaint and grievance hearing process, options for informal resolution when both parties agree, and a 60-day processing timeframe absent good cause for extension, such as unavailability of one or both of the parties.

For more information, review University Policy 129 or contact the Title IX Coordinator Ivy Gibson at 828.227.7116 or igbson@email.wcu.edu.

Macon 4-Hers compete in state horse show

While this year has been very different for Macon County 4-Hers, many have gone the extra mile to show off their show animals and projects.

Natalie Owens and Courtney Weeks recently competed with equine youth from across the state in the first virtual NC 4-H State Horse Show. Competitors submitted a recorded competition riding pattern to be judged online. Congratulations to our riders for placing among 219 statewide competitors: Natalie Owens — second in Senior Hunter Showmanship, fourth in Senior Western Horsemanship, fourth in Senior Western Showmanship and third in Senior Hunter Equitation; Courtney Weeks — ninth in Senior Hunter Hack, 10th in Senior Hunter Showmanship and 10th in Senior Hunter Equitation.

SCC top national ranking from bestcolleges.com

notified SCC officials that Bestcolleges.com put Southwestern at No. 1 in its listing of “The Best Community Colleges & Trade Schools of 2020.”

Although this is SCC’s debut atop a nationwide ranking, it marks the fourth time in the last 13 years that SCC has been included among the Top 10 colleges in the U.S. Washington Monthly placed Southwestern at No. 4 (in 2007) and No. 9 (in 2010), and WalletHub had SCC at No. 7 in 2015.

HCC program ranked in top 5

According to Medicalassistantadvice.com, Haywood Community College’s Medical Assisting program has been ranked No. 5 in North Carolina for the year 2020.

The ranking is based on factors such as graduation rate, full-time retention rate, admissions rate and average net price.

HCC’s medical assisting program prepares graduates to be a key component in keeping busy medical offices and clinics running smoothly. Perhaps the most versatile of all allied health professionals, medical assistants have a great amount of variety in their job duties and are cross-trained to perform administrative, clinical and laboratory duties.

Scholarships awarded to WNC students

The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina recently approved scholarships totaling $510,250 to 94 WNC students in 57 schools in 21 counties.

MaKenzie Caldwell and Keely Cherry of Tuscola High School, Brenda Laney of Lincoln Memorial University and Zachariah Mull, Chloe Parris and McKenzie Squires of Pisgah High School were awarded. Scholarship endowments can have broad eligibility criteria or can be focused on a particular school or county, offered to students pursuing a degree in a stated field or available to those who will attend a designated college or university.

Learn more at www.cfwnc.org.

Macon names ‘Teacher of the Year’

Rachel Alford has been named Macon County Schools 2020 Teacher of the Year.

Alford currently teaches high school math at Union Academy. She will now move forward to the regional competition.

Here are the finalists for the Teacher of the Year Award from each school in the district: Macon Middle School- Scott Burns; East Franklin Elementary School - Cieara Gregory; Highlands School - Dave Cashion; Mountain View Intermediate School - Jennifer Nation; Cartoogechaye Elementary School - Katrin Rholetter; Iotla Valley Elementary School - Sheena Hughes; Nantahala School - Jenny McMahan; South Macon Elementary School - Christy Passmore; Franklin High School - Bob Kuppers and Macon Early College - Gary Brown.

Opinion

Cawthorn’s claims about Davis are ridiculous

Keep electing people who are ideologically too far left or right to reach across the aisle, and we’ll have the same kind of Congress we have today: divided, ineffective, laughable. So despite Madison Cawthorn trying to brand himself as a new face of conservatism, many of his statements since winning the 11th District GOP primary reveal a young man with a narrow, hard-right world view that may make him the darling of a certain segment of his party but will do little to help those in his district or help get Congress moving in a positive direction.

Cawthorn — who is 25, never graduated from college and has never lived anywhere else but Western North Carolina except for one semester at a private college in Virginia — told Smoky Mountain News Staff Writer Corey Vaillancourt that his opponent in the race to replace Mark Meadows is racist.

“My opponent is racist. White liberals are the most racist people I’ve ever met in my entire life,” Cawthorn told the SMN.

His opponent, 62-year-old Democrat Moe Davis, is a retired Air Force colonel and a former chief prosecutor in the terrorist trials at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. He attended law school at a historically Black college and taught for four years at Howard, a prominent historically Black college. He also served as an administrative law judge at the U.S. Department of Labor. He resigned his position at Guantanamo because he disagreed with the George W. Bush administration’s decision to allow testimony obtained through torture. “I stand on my record,” Davis responded. “I have a record. I’ll be 62 years old next week.” Calling Davis a racist — which is a Scott McLeod Editor patently absurd and unfounded accusation, by the way — also means Cawthorn is painting a large part of what would be his constituency with the same broad brush, calling them racist. That may be a strategic political stance, but it also sounds like someone who will find it difficult to relate to many of those in this district and who isn’t interested in working with those with whom he holds different opinions.

His ridiculous claims of racism against his opponent aren’t the only criticism Cawthorn has faced lately. Some have attacked him for surrounding himself with symbols that have become associated with the white nationalist movement. There’s the Betsy Ross flag that is often behind him when he does interviews; the Spartan symbol on the vest he’s wearing in a popular photograph of him sporting a military style rifle; and the name of his real estate investment company, SPQR, which was originally used to denote the Roman senate and its people but has been co-opted by white supremacists. Questions have also been raised about his relationships with women.

There was a time not too long ago when openly accusing an individual or group of being racist would be considered an outrageous insult. In this politically charged and divisive time, however, it just seems to be accepted as blunt or tough talk. That’s too bad, but the accusation reveals more about Cawthorn than it does Davis.

When someone with Cawthorn’s inexperience and youth makes this kind of charge against someone with Davis’ background and credentials, well, it’s just hard to take him seriously. If he’s wants to wrap himself in the mantle of the new conservative, he could start by not using the tired, old tropes and clichés of the worst of his predecessors. (Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)

FOX not on list of reliable news sources

To the Editor:

Forbes magazine caters to the millionaires, billionaires, and Wall Street types whose fortunes depend on accurate information. On February 1, 2017, Forbes published an article called “10 Journalism Brands Where You Find Real Facts Rather Than Alternative Facts.”

The author of the article, Paul Glader, states “One key question for any publication is this: If a reporter gets facts in a story wrong, will the news outlet investigate a complaint and publish a correction? Does the publication have its own code of ethics? Or does it subscribe to and endorse the Society of Professional Journalist’s code of ethics? And if a reporter or editor seriously violates ethical codes — such as being a blatant or serial plagiarizer, fabulist or exaggerator — will they be fired at a given news outlet? While some may criticize mainstream media outlets for a variety of sins, top outlets such as the Washington Post, the New York Times, NBC News and the New Republic have fired journalists for such ethics violations.”

LETTERS

The article then goes on to list the top reliable news sources, and why each was chosen. In order, they are: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, BBC, The Economist, The New Yorker, Wire Services (The Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg News), Foreign Affairs, The Atlantic, and Politico.

For runners up, he listed National Public Radio, TIME magazine, The Christian Science Monitor, The Los Angeles Times (and many other regional, metropolitan daily newspapers), USA Today, CNN, NBC News, CBS News, and ABC News.

Notice anything missing? How about the No. 1 watched source of information in the U.S., Fox News?

In January of this year, Fox delivered “an average total prime time audience of 2.9 million viewers,” and FNC shows “Hannity,” “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” “The Ingraham Angle” and“ Fox News at Night” all had their best January ratings in history,” according to the Forbes article “‘We Passed CNN … And Never Looked Back’: Fox News Hits 18 Years At #1.”

What does it say about this country when the most popular news source doesn’t make it into the top 29 reliable news sources? That tells me that millions of Americans are misinformed. Our democratic republic relies on informed citizen voters, and Fox is leading us astray.

If you want to actually know what is going on in the world, read news articles from reliable sources. If you want to continue to have your biases confirmed and be manipulated, watch Fox and the other biased sources. They are spoon-feeding their audience cherrypicked stories with cherry-picked facts, often out of context, denying the audience the full story. If you rely on Fox or similar sources, you aren’t getting all the facts, and often getting a lot of spin.

If you want to be credible, cite sources that are reliable, not propaganda machines. “Rumor has it” may be a great band name, but it is lousy for persuading intelligent people. When in doubt, check it on Snopes. Dan Kowal Franklin

Haywood Health Board supports vaccines

and encourages all eligible persons to get vaccinated. Vaccines prevent many illnesses and have saved the lives of millions of infants, children, adolescents, teens and adults.

The goal of the immunization program at the Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency is to prevent disease, disability and death from vaccine-preventable diseases in children. These services help reduce the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases by assuring that individuals are age appropriately immunized. Haywood County DHHS is prepared to manage outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. They provide requested vaccines for children and adults as set forth by North Carolina Health and Human Services.

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and North Carolina Immunization Program (NCIP) are followed to deliver age appropriate immunizations according to the most current recommended schedule and to assure the safe delivery of vaccines. While we recognize that some have concerns about vaccines, to date the preponderance of study confirms the overwhelming benefit to community-wide health from such an immunization approach. Vaccinations are provided Monday-Friday by appointment or walk-in to all patients who are eligible for vaccinations.

All CDC recommended vaccines are available to eligible adults and children through our local Health Department. These vaccines are given by appointment. An appointment can be scheduled by calling 828.452.6675.

The Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency Board supports vaccination as one of the most effective public health strategies to control and prevent disease.

Sincerely, the following undersigned members of the Haywood F

Pondering fences and their removal

BY RICH BYERS G UEST COLUMNIST

Robert Frost said that “fences make good neighbors.” I get that. I am not a sociable person. However, I do know and like almost all my neighbors. And, granted, my entire yard is fenced in. It makes it much easier to have two dogs who are sociable, sort of.

Last Saturday, sitting on our porch, my wife and I heard a racket different than we had been hearing over the last year. It was wonderful. Here is the parable to ponder:

There was a vacant lot cattycorner from our home which a very nice person bought some years ago. He has improved and maintained that empty lot for some time, and late last year he started building a beautiful little home here. We have talked to him several times, and we look forward to this new neighbor.

But, on one border of this property there has been a six-foot privacy fence for a long time. It seems to say “Keep Out” just by its size and length.

Now, this fence is owned by a wonderful young family whom we also know. Here is the thing: they bought this home a few years ago when the fence was already there. They didn’t install it. This fence was already part of everybody’s reality when they moved in. County Health and Human Services Board: Paul Turner, HHSA Board Chair; Dr. Donald Buckner; Psychiatrist Member; Neil

Budde; Public Member; Lowell K. Davis PhD; Consumer Member; Sarah M.

Henderson, MSN, RN, Registered Nurse

Member; Jon Parsons; Public Member; Dr. Elizabeth Ferguson, DDS; Dentist Member; Nita Kirkpatrick, MSN, RN; Public Member; Larry Reeves, Regional Long-Term

Care Ombudsman, Public Member; Dan

Schultz, LCSW, Social Worker Member; Ann E. Geers, PhD, Public/Consumer

Member; Dr. David McCracken, DVM, Veterinarian Member; Warren Sugg, Professional Engineer Member; Mollie Harrington-Weaver, MD Pediatrician,

Physician Member; John Stoeckel, LCSW,

Public Member/Advocate Member; Kim Ferguson, Vice-Chair/Pharmacist Member.

DeVos takes money from public schools

To the Editor:

One provision of the CARES Act passed by Congress in March, as it is being administered by the Department of Education, could have a devastating effect on Haywood County’s public schools, students, and teachers.

So, last Saturday, as the young couple banged at that big fence, and panel after panel came down, our neighborhood looked more and more beautiful. We just sat in deep amazement and gratitude at what was happening. Another border gone.

And then the young family went over to the new home and our newest neighbor welcomed them in to see his new house. It was such a glimpse of promise. A hope that things will get better someday. Now, we have no idea what was said between the neighbors or what started it. And, there are those who will say that I am simplifying deep unsettled issues. Agreed, you can view this as a simplistic tale. But, is there any value to a ray of sunshine today? We value every one of them as best we can.

Between the increasing hateful rhetoric everywhere and the viral suffocations we endure daily, can you imagine what a wonderful joyful thing it was to see a fence come down?

So, our neighborhood is just a little more beautiful. I have no idea who said what to who that resulted in opening up that space between them, but if you want me to spell it out, here it is:

We all have fences somewhere, and maybe we didn’t build them. They are just there for us. But, if we can talk around the fence, if we can reach out, both sides reaching out, maybe a fence will come down. It is a wonderful thing to celebrate. Another fence down!!

Thanks to our unnamed neighbors. You’re great! (Rich Byers is a retired English as a Second

Language teacher and an active beekeeper. He

lives in Waynesville.)

The money from this Act was intended by Congress to help low-income children by narrowing the existing resource and achievement gap. Instead, Secretary Betsy DeVos (no friend of public schools) has interpreted it to mean that the billions of dollars would be shared equally with public and private schools, based on the idea that all children be served equitably no matter where they attend school. The estimated amount to be taken from public schools and given to private schools is $1.5 billion, with a proportionate transfer to occur locally.

The secretary’s effort to eliminate discrimination against private school students will instead have the effect of discrimination against students in districts like Haywood County’s that serve low-income constituents. Since private schools have sources of revenue not available to public schools, the net effect will be that the richer schools get richer while students in poverty and minority areas are further deprived.

Public education is a fundamental right for all children. The aim of the CARES Act was to facilitate that. Its application by the current Department of Education will only further undermine it. Our children deserve better than this. Doug Wingeier Asheville