Regional Roundup

Buncombe County

New class to be offered in Asheville

ASHEVILLE — The free, 12-week Family-to-Family Education Class, sponsored by the National Association for the Mentally Ill, will be offered in Asheville from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays beginning May 1. Designed for families and friends of people with a serious mental illness, the course offers coping skills and up-to-date facts about bipolar disorder/manic depression, schizophrenia, clinical depression, panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A clinical psychologist who holds a doctorate and who has ill family members has written the extensive materials that are provided at no cost. Now offered in 44 states, NAMI Family-to-Family is an educational outreach of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and is taught by trained family members.

Because class size is limited, registration is required. Call 252-6824.

Warren Wilson gets Bible study grant

SWANNANOA — Warren Wilson College is among 24 schools related to the Presbyterian Church (USA) that will receive Bible study grants from the Office of Colleges and Universities in the denomination’s higher education program area.

A total of $207,400 was awarded to the schools in Grants for Teaching of the Bible to support new courses and pay for resources. The grant to Warren Wilson will provide $10,000, the maximum amount awarded to any one school, over three years to assist the development of the college’s Bible and social ethics program.

WNC Alliance to meet

ASHEVILLE — The Buncombe County Chapter of the Western North Carolina Alliance will meet at 5:30 p.m. today in the First Presbyterian Church on Church Street in Asheville.

Those attending will get an update on clean air and wind power, transit initiatives and the recent Earth Day celebration in Asheville. To find out more, contact Norma Ivey at 258-8737.

Henderson County

Knights of Columbus to present awards

HENDERSONVILLE — The Knights of Columbus will celebrate its annual Shield Awards at 7:30 tonight in the St. Francis Room on the lower level of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

This award honors members of Henderson County and Hendersonville police department who exemplify professionalism and especially service to the community. Honorees are selected by their individual department heads.

The respective departments have selected the honorees, and the Knights of Columbus will present the awards.

Henderson County Commissioner Grady Hawkins and Hendersonville Mayor Fred H. Niehoff Jr. will be presented awards and make remarks.

Johnson Farm Festival coming up

HENDERSONVILLE — The 13th annual Johnson Farm Festival, a celebration of spring and mountain heritage, will take place Saturday.

The festival highlights the historic Henderson County farm, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Those attending the festival can look forward to music, food and entertainment. Some features of the festival are bluegrass and dulcimer music, farm animals, homemade pound cake and fried apple pies. Twenty-six craftsmen, artists and demonstrators, 12 musical acts, plus school PTOs and festival volunteers donate their services to benefit the farm.

The horse-drawn wagon rides will be offered again this year and are included with admission price. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children age 5 and older; preschoolers are free when accompanied by an adult. Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Macon County

Free health screening planned

HIGHLANDS — A free health screening sponsored by Highlands-Cashiers Hospital will be from 7 to 11 a.m. May 17 at the Highlands Conference Center. Participants will be checked for blood pressure, blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, height, weight, bone density and body composition.

Participants must pre-register by visiting www.hchospital.org or by calling 526-1435. Registrations will be accepted until 5 p.m. May 15.

Swain County

Swain County group to meet

BRYSON CITY — A new chapter of the group Citizens for a Sound Economy will meet in Bryson City at 6:30 p.m. today at the Swain County Administration Building.

Organizers say the group “hopes to raise public awareness and gain support for landowners currently involved in disputes with the U.S. Forest Service and other federal land agencies.” The guest speaker will be Matt Bennett, co-founder and executive director of Treekeepers.org. To find out more about the group or the meeting, call 488-3096.

Transylvania County

Artist studio tour coming up

BREVARD — The Transylvania County Arts Council is presenting the Handmade in Transylvania Artists’ Studio Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The arts center is at 321 S. Caldwell St. Tickets for the tour are $15 per person. For more information call 884-2787.

‘Leave No Trace’ workshop offered

BREVARD — The Cradle of Forestry historic site will offer a “Leave No Trace” educator workshop Saturday and Sunday designed for teachers, educators and Scout or recreation leaders.

Educators can become certified to teach these skills to students, Scouts and campers. The program includes an overnight backpacking trip in Pisgah National Forest and will be led by two master trainers in Leave No Trace techniques.

This workshop qualifies for NCEE criteria II or III and 1.2 CEUs. Registration is $40, including food and teaching materials. To register, call or e-mail Alice Cohen Goldstein at 877-3350, Ext. 203 or agoldstein@fs.fed.us.

Watauga County

Internet studies offered at Appalachian

BOONE — A new undergraduate concentration in Internet studies has been added to Appalachian State University’s major in interdisciplinary studies.

The goal is to provide students with the tools needed to be involved in policy-making decisions about Internet use, as well as practical experience with the technology.

The concentration consists of 24 semester hours. Students take a minimum of nine semester hours from a list of technical/design courses, nine semester hours from a list of culture/politics courses, and a required seminar course.

For more information, visit www.internetstudies.appstate.edu.

Yancey County

Battle of Burnsville program

BURNSVILLE — The Yancey County History Association invites the public to its fifth annual Battle of Burnsville weekend Friday and Saturday at the McElroy House in Burnsville.

In April 1864, the town of Burnsville was invaded by what locals called “Tories.”

At 7 p.m Friday, interpreter Elizabeth Hardy will tell the story of the Battle for Burnsville from the perspective of one of the women who took part in the raid. On Saturday, interpreter Jim Priestmeyer will portray Mont Ray.

At 2 p.m. interpreter Michael Hardy will restore order to the town through his portrayal of Palmer. For more information, call 682-3671.

In April 1864, the town of Burnsville was invaded by what locals called “Tories.” First came a group of 40 women who broke into the Confederate commissary and stole wheat. The next day, a group of 75 men led by a local Confederate deserter rode into town, wounding one Confederate soldier, taking weapons belonging to the state, stealing food and roughing up citizens. The town was saved a week later by a Mitchell County resident, Col. John B. Palmer.