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Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018 Vol. 19 Iss. 36

Macon County grading license being reviewed Page 6 Maggie Valley Band releases album, looks ahead Page 20

CONTENTS On the Cover: In 2016, the Blue Ridge Parkway celebrated the addition of more than 5,000 acres at Waterrock Knob following a donation by a group of land conservation organizations, but the vision for conservation in the Plott Balsams is bigger than just that. Ultimately, the groups would like to see a swath of conserved land stretching uphill from Maggie Valley and Waynesville, along the Parkway and back down into Sylva. It’s a long-term project that will require the continued buy-in of the community at large to be successful. (Page 30) Hikers take in the view from Blackrock Mountain. SAHC photo

News New Canton board sets bold agenda ..........................................................................3 Jackson will combine health and social services ......................................................4 Macon County grading license being reviewed ........................................................6 Rep. Clampitt town hall goes to pot ..............................................................................8 Pool vote delayed in Jackson, again ..............................................................................9 Nudge City faces zoning, criminal battles ................................................................10 Haywood board admits to open meeting violation ................................................12 Business News ..................................................................................................................15

Opinion School systems need help with class size mandate ............................................16

A&E Maggie Valley Band releases new album, looks ahead ........................................20

The Naturalist’s Corner

Smoky Mountain News

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

Christmas vacation – part deux ....................................................................................47

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Canton sets bold agenda

Canton’s Board of Aldermen/women and town staff discuss priorities at a retreat Jan. 27. Cory Vaillancourt photo

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that infrastructure is a priority, and we will continue with this as a priority.”

Tops among those infrastructure priorities is a $1.7 million in improvements to the Spruce Street Reservoir and the $2.3 million consolidation of the Crossroad Hills Water Association with the town’s water system.

Sewer and water repairs don’t usually precipitate the type of ribbon-cutting photo ops part and parcel to more glamorous, more visible projects like a pool or a stadium, and they’re also extremely expensive.

The 2016-17 fiscal year saw a slew of positives for the town, which completely rebranded itself, commissioned a pedestrian and bike plan, began studies on increasing access to Camp Hope and to the Rough Creek Watershed, started and finished a $2.1 million aquatic center, instituted a take-home policy for police cars and began work on the Sharptown Road project.

“That being said... infrastructure, the most unsexy thing, is what we build our town on,” Smith said. “We need to ensure that we position Canton for success and that is built on infrastructure.”

Paying for those improvements requires a strong effort to expand the tax base in Canton, which hasn’t raised taxes in a decade but still holds claim to the highest rate of all Haywood County municipalities.

A recent economic development agree-

But that could be solved through the addition of Smith — who works in marketing for the Biltmore — and Markey, who says communication is his top priority.

“I’m glad the town is moving to a more current, streamlined website and I look forward to following up on how our consolidated calendars and schedules will be made available so that our town residents can stay accurately and continually informed.”

Smoky Mountain News

would reflect the need for a leaner, meaner town government that will finally address some lingering problems.

At the board retreat — Smathers’ first as mayor — he presided over an agenda focused on improving communications, economic development, public safety, special events, recreation and infrastructure.

Joining Smathers were newly-elected board members Kristina Smith and James Markey, both of whom were going through their first such retreat.

“I thought it went very well,” Markey said.

“I feel like I learned a lot about how things work in terms of town planning and operations, as well as the part I will be playing in helping support and guide these efforts.”

Smith, too, gained insight from the session.

“One takeaway from Saturday's planning session was that I am immensely impressed with the amount of projects and initiatives town staff undertake, from the new car take home program for law enforcement to building on the success of Labor Day,” she said.

“At town hall, you can feel and see how they work together as a team and that is paramount to Canton's success.”

Smith and Markey, along with Alderman Ralph Hamlett and Alderwoman Gail Mull are now charged with helping Smathers carry out his vision of continuing the Canton Comeback through the next budget year, but have some major challenges ahead.

“I refuse to kick this problem down the road,” Smith said of urgent infrastructure needs in the town. “The board has been clear

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER fficials in the town of Canton have been throwing around the term “Canton Comeback” for a few years now, noting the very visible progress made in economic development and administration.

While they do make a strong case for using the term, it’s clear that new Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers intends to fulfill his promise of progress, albeit of a less visible nature.

The 2016-17 fiscal year saw a slew of positives for the town, which completely rebranded itself, commissioned a pedestrian and bike plan, began studies on increasing access to Camp Hope and to the Rough Creek Watershed, started and finished a $2.1 million aquatic center, instituted a takehome policy for police cars and began work on the Sharptown Road project.

But the biggest stories out of Canton during that time all centered on economic development — a number of new businesses opened in the downtown retail core, and Freightliner’s investment in the Champion Drive corridor near Interstate 40 turned a dilapidated parcel that had been vacant for 15 years into an important sign of what’s down the road for Canton.

“I don’t see that level of interest slowing down any time soon,” said Town Manager Jason Burrell at the commencement of a board planning retreat Jan. 27.

During his campaign, Smathers said that he’d layout an “aggressive” vision for the town and that this year’s budget priorities

ment between the Haywood Chamber of Commerce and the Asheville Area Chamber leaves Canton well-positioned to take advantage of new businesses, and continuing the incentive program that last year provided between $15,000 and $20,000 to business owners for exterior and interior improvements won’t hurt either, but the utilization of existing economic resources seems to be a higher priority this year as well.

Two years ago, the town significantly retooled its century-old Labor Day Festival drawing larger crowds and bigger performers; last year, more minor tweaks were applied to the fest, which is still generating middling financial results, despite charging admission for the first time.

“The idea worked, and the price worked,” Burrell said. “It did not deter our crowd.”

The subject of alcohol sales had also been broached in the past as a potential way to take in more money at the fest, but after Markey asked about it, Smathers and the rest of the board said it wouldn’t be addressed this year.

Another controversial Labor Day topic — a proposed policy that would ban the display of imagery like the Confederate Flag during municipal parades — was also not addressed at the retreat.

However, much of the board’s attention was spent on another underutilized town resource.

“The Colonial remains, not for lack of building or staff, a riddle,” Smathers said of the 85 year-old downtown landmark theater that seats 300 and has an annex capable of hosting small meetings or gatherings.

“This needs to be the heartbeat of our downtown,” Smith said.

Part of the problem, though is that decades of underutilization have left the Park Street gem with almost no brand recognition despite being located just a few minutes’ drive from one of America’s live music capitals, Asheville.

“I don’t think the idea or identity of that facility is known by people outside of here,” said Burrell.

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Jackson will combine health and social services departments Split-vote approval followed public comment overwhelmingly opposed

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER n a party-line vote that came after a lengthy and impassioned public hearing, the Jackson County Commissioners voted Jan. 29 to merge the county’s health and social services departments into a single consolidated human services agency.

“From time to time I’d like to refer back to my childhood and being very active in the 4-H Club,” Commissioner Mickey Luker, a proponent of consolidation, said following the vote.

“The 4-H Club motto was ‘I pledge to make the best better.’ We have a good thing going with both (departments), but my pledge is let’s make all of that better in the near future.”

In interviews before the Jan. 29 meeting, the commissioners favoring consolidation — Ron Mau, Charles Elders and Luker, all Republican — said that they saw the move as a chance to streamline the chain of command, improve communication between agencies that often see a similar list of clients and possibly reduce costs for back-end functions like finance and IT. All took care to express that nothing was seriously wrong in the departments or the boards governing them — they simply felt that consolidation would offer the chance to, as Luker put it, “make the best better.”

Smoky Mountain News

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC Such sentiment was completely absent from the public hearing that preceded the vote. The commissioners’ boardroom was packed with about 60 people that evening, with 11 of them offering comment during a public hearing that ran for roughly 40 minutes. Not a single comment was offered in favor of consolidation.

Commissioner Boyce Deitz explains his vehement opposition to consolidation. Holly Kays photo “The first meeting of the Jackson County Board of Social Services was held in 1937,” said Bob Cochran, who retired in 2016 as DSS director after 20 years with the department.

“The law governing social services — called public welfare back then — was designed especially to protect and insulate the provision of services from undue personal or political influence.

“I’m very concerned that changes to this structure could result in the ability of county commissioners, through pressure on the county manager — not only now but in future years to come — to exercise political or personal influence on our human services organizations, organizations that should be guided solely by their mission, the law and by professional standards.”

Consolidation was made possible by a 2012 law giving counties the option of combining two or more human services depart-

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ments into a single entity. So far, about onethird of North Carolina counties have taken advantage of this option, and when Luker and Mau were elected in 2016 their campaign included a desire to explore consolidation. In March 2017, commissioners held a joint meeting with the health and social services boards to hear representatives from the University of North Carolina School of Government present the issue.

Then, during a special-called meeting in November 2017, they voted 3-2 to pursue consolidation.

Comments delivered Jan. 29 included repeated concerns that a board charged with overseeing both DSS and public health functions would be hard-pressed to carry out both responsibilities adequately.

“If I had a friend, if I had a family member — or even somebody I did not like — I would never recommend that they serve on a

board that had to have the comprehensive knowledge of both the Health Department and the Department of Social Services,” said Carol Ann Cope, who worked in DSS for 30 years before retiring. “Me knowing what it requires for the DSS department, that’s asking too much.”

Both departments are charged with carrying out a heavy and complex set of responsibilities, and there can be legal implications for failing to do so correctly, Cope said — putting such a monumental task in the hands of a volunteer board could expose the county and its board members to liability.

“In the event of consolidation, the learning curve would be doubled for board members,” agreed Delos Monteith, chair of the DSS board. “The health and DSS departments may share clients — their programs are vastly different and board members would be challenged to maintain the in-depth knowledge they now have to have in their respective agencies.”

Health board member Jerry DeWeese, meanwhile, took a different tack, expressing his belief that commissioners had already made up their minds and instead offering a strategy for the county to pursue co-locating the health and DSS functions after consolidation. The departments are currently located across town from each other.

Steven Anthenson, a Jackson County resident and volunteer guardian ad litem with more than 40 years of experience in human services, posed a series of questions to commissioners as to the actual cost-benefit of combining the agencies. Hiring a new manager to oversee the existing department heads would certainly be a cost, he said, if the county goes that route. Or, if commissioners decide to promote one department head to oversee the other, dissatisfaction and resulting turnover is a possible cost.

“Presumably in a rational world, one would only initiate change when the resultant benefits significantly outweigh the costs,” he said. “It doesn’t appear that such an analysis was conducted.”

The department heads of the social services and health departments spoke as well, expressing their opposition to consolidation at this time and offering a variety of suggestions as to how they could work to achieve some of the hoped-for benefits without actually consolidating.

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Smoky Mountain News

When the consolidation vote came up on the agenda later that evening, McMahan echoed Bigelow’s sentiment when he made a move to table the vote for a later date. He added that, while state laws setting up the existing boards allow for some “wiggle room” if board members meeting specific professional requirements can’t be found, the ordinance outlining the composition of the consolidated board does no such thing.

“Given questions of that nature, which are fairly significant given that it determines who this board is, and the board has to be in place before we can operate, I would like to make a

THE CLASSY FLEA

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

THE VOTE

motion that we table this item until another time,” McMahan said.

Deitz seconded the motion, offering comments in passionate support of those who attended the public hearing.

“Why do they have to beg and plead for us to do that for them?” he said of tabling. “I feel passionate about this. Durn right I feel passionate about this. There wasn’t no politician that got up there and talked about this. All y’all were talking about the job that you do, and I agree 100 percent.”

However, the motion to table failed, with Republican commissioners Elders, Mau and Luker voting against Democratic commissioners McMahan and Deitz.

Following the vote, Mau suggested that the board fill in the blank spot in the resolution stipulating when the boards should submit their nominations for members of the new consolidated board with the date May 1.

He then moved to pass the resolution creating the consolidated department. Luker seconded the motion, and McMahan called for any discussion on the move.

“So we’re going to get to discuss this some more?” asked Deitz.

“If you want to,” said McMahan.

Deitz then got out of his chair and walked toward a whiteboard set up along the perimeter of the room, drawing a diagram of the consolidation plan.

“I’ve talked to these fellas trying to understand why it is we’re doing this,” Deitz said, then proceeding to list the reasons he’d been given — principally to make it easier to get sewer permits (Deitz said he failed to see what DSS has to do with sewer permitting) and to make sure that health department employees tell families about services available at social services (Deitz said he believed this was already happening).

“You can fool some of the people all the time and all the people some of the time, but we’re not going to fool all the people all the time,” he said to an enthusiastic round of applause from the audience.

Following his comments, the vote was taken without further discussion — Elders, Mau and Luker in favor, and McMahan and Deitz opposed.

While none of the commissioners who voted in favor made comments during the meeting as to why they took that position, in a press conference afterward Mau and Luker both referred to the statements they made for a story in the Jan. 24 issue of The Smoky Mountain News as the best summary.

“It’s not a perfect start by any means, but it’s going to take some time,” Elders said.

“Efficiency is a great idea. In other counties that I talked to it’s working real good.”

In a follow-up question as to why commissioners chose to take the vote right then rather than tabling the decision until next week’s meeting, Mau said that his research for the vote included reading newspaper articles from the other counties that chose to consolidate it. In all instances he could find, the existing boards were opposed.

“It’s very common and I get that. It’s change, it’s something different. That can be hard to adjust to,” he said. However, he continued, he believes that the new system will be better.

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DSS Director Jennifer Abshire suggested that she and Health Director Shelley Carraway schedule regular meetings with the county manager to receive regular input on improving the departments. The two departments could also form a leadership team to help them work together to better meet client needs. Abshire invited commissioners to appoint one of their members to the DSS board — while the health board has long had a commissioner at the table, the DSS board has not. Finally, Abshire cautioned, some of the hoped-for cost savings might not transpire. Both departments need all the IT people currently in place, she said, and the complex nature of the budgets necessitates that they maintain their separate fiscal officers.

“Please remember that we have two departments that work well together, that are representative of the county leadership and public,” she said. “We both have engaged and effective boards. We just ask that you not consolidate at this time.”

Carraway offered her support to Abshire’s comments, saying that if commissioners wanted to improve communication between the two departments co-location should be a higher priority than consolidation. She gave several examples of ways in which the two departments already collaborate to better meet client needs.

“We recently reached out to DSS to help increase our WIC referrals,” she said. “In response DSS created a referral program to help refer their clients to WIC. It worked. We kept our case load up in WIC when most other counties are seeing a decline.”

As a result, she said, Jackson County will see an increase in WIC funding where other counties are getting cut.

Cullowhee resident Adam Bigelow, who had attended the meeting mainly to comment on proposed zoning changes in that community, was moved enough by the speakers to offer his two cents at the end of the public hearing.

“I don’t see how you can actually take into account the input from the community and give it the time and weight that it deserves (if you vote today), probably taking less time than it took many of these people to come up with their comments,” he said. “I ask that you table the vote this evening until you can look into some of the details and answer some of the questions proposed to you tonight.”

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Macon County grading license being reviewed Amendment to erosion control ordinance causes uproar

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR esidents are accusing the Macon County government of impeding their private property rights by proposing new requirements for landowners and contractors wanting to perform grading work, but commissioners say that was never their intention.

Commissioner Paul Higdon first raised concerns about the county’s grading license program during a budget work session last February. While Higdon motioned to get rid of the program altogether, he couldn’t get a second from his colleagues. Commissioners ultimately decided to suspend the current grading license program and tasked the planning board with reviewing it.

“I wanted to scrap it. It’s an occupational license and Macon County shouldn’t be in the occupational license business,” Higdon said.

“I didn’t want to but we sent it to the planning board. I thought it might just go away but it didn’t — it came back with gnarly teeth.”

The planning board came back to commissioners in August with recommendations to strengthen the program instead of discontinuing it. Under the current program, applicants simply had to pay a small fee and pass an open book Paul Higdon test as a way for graders to demonstrate they had enough knowledge regarding grading practices and regulations.

But the proposed changes would bring property owners into the mix, which many aren’t happy about. Residents who are opposed to the planning board’s recommendations claim the proposed requirements are nothing more than a burdensome regulation that could cost property owners quite a bit of time and money.

At a recent public hearing, commissioners were presented with a number of questions about the proposed changes that they couldn’t answer. So the issue is now in limbo until the next regular meeting in February.

While commissioners figure out their next move, residents have taken to social media to build their case against the licensing program. Jim Eliason recently started an online petition on Change.org asking commissioners to discontinue the program. It already has more than 1,000 signatures.

Smoky Mountain News

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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WHAT IS REQUIRED? If passed, the proposed changes to the grading license program would be added as an amendment to the county’s Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control ordinance.

6 The proposed amendment states that

Macon County Planning Director Jack Morgan speaks to commissioners regarding the proposed changes to the county grading license program in front of a packed room during a Jan. 9 public hearing. Screenshot from meeting anyone performing any grading work or land disturbing activity must have a valid state issued license or a valid Macon County grading and land disturbance license. While a state license is required for any single project costing $30,000 or more, the county license covers grading projects under $30,000.

Based on feedback from different contractors, Macon County Planning Director Jack Morgan said obtaining the local license is advantageous for graders who only do smaller projects under $30,000 and don’t require the state license. It gives them some reliable credentials when bidding projects.

To obtain the county grading license, under the proposed amendment applicants would have to appear in person at the county planning office with a valid driver’s license or photo ID; pass an open book test developed by the planning administrator and pay $100 to take the test. The first-time license fee is included in that cost.

If a contractor’s county grading permit hasn’t been expired for more than 18 months, they only have to pay a $25 renewal fee. Contractors would have to renew their license each year by Dec. 31 by successfully completing one of two, four-hour continuing education courses offered by the Macon County Department of Permitting and Development or four or more hours of training annually given by an agency approved by the planning administrator.

The cost of a course is $25 and includes the annual renewal fee.

Even if the contractor does have a license, they still need to obtain a county land-disturbing permit for projects that involve more than a half acre. Failure to have the proper permitting can result in a contractor losing their county license for a year.

So how does all this impact property owners? The proposed amendment states that any person — not just contractors — per-

forming grading work or any land disturbing activity without a county license or a state general contractor license will be required to pay a $500 fine for each day they continue the illegal activity.

Landowners must refer to the county’s Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control ordinance to see if the work they want to

“If this passes, you can get a penalty for doing absolutely nothing wrong.”

— David Culpepper, Franklin resident

perform on their own land qualifies as a land disturbing activity. In the county ordinance, which is basically a replica of the state ordinance, a land disturbing activity is defined as “any use of the land by any person in residential, industrial, educational, institutional or commercial development, highway and road construction and maintenance that results in a change in the natural cover or topography and that may cause or contribute to sedimentation.”

Assistant County Planner Joe Allen said property owners wanting to perform grading or land disturbing activities on their own property would be required to come take the open book test but they wouldn’t have to pay the fee needed to obtain the grading license unless they choose to do so.

If a property owner does perform land disturbing activity on their own property, the proposed changes to the grading license program would require them to sign an affidavit stating they won’t sell or transfer the property to another party within a year of completing the project.

Allen said the planning board modeled that portion of the amendment after the state ordinance regulating property owners who want to act as their own general contractor when building their home. However, it’s a proposed requirement the commissioners could decide to remove from the proposed amendment.

MISPERCEPTIONS Prior to a public hearing regarding the proposed changes to the grading license, Macon County Manager Derek Roland took the time to review how the issue came to the commissioners’ attention and address some misinformation circulating in the community.

“Comments suggest this is a new ordinance or its purpose has changed — that you can’t put a swing set up on your property or a shovel in the ground — but the purpose is to regulate land disturbing activity in Macon County,” Roland said.

He assured everyone that it was the same definition that’s been in place for years and that the amendment for the grading license has not altered that definition.

“The grading license program is the only thing that’s been added to the ordinance — nothing else has been added,” Roland reiterated. “The questions I’ve received via email — I can say right now with 100 percent certainty that any activity homeowners are doing on their property now will not be illegal under this ordinance.”

Roland also disputed allegations that commissioners were trying to rush the process and pass the amendment without public input. In fact, the process has included a great deal of input from a variety of perspectives.

After being tasked with reviewing the grading license program in February, the planning board decided to have a public

OPPOSITION

“The questions I’ve received via email — I can say right now with 100 percent certainty that any activity homeowners are doing on their property now will not be illegal under this ordinance.”

“Contractors said it helped them to have this license, that it gave them some credibility if they didn’t have a state license. I’m surprised this has gone so far. We were focused on one thing — the grading license — and I think we came up with a good solution.”

— Kathy Tinsley, planning board vice chairman

dents made good points against having the affidavit requirement.

Despite opposition from landowners, Kathy Tinsley, vice chairman of the planning board, said contractors wanted the licensing program to have more bite for it to be worth it for them to obtain.

“Contractors said it helped them to have this license, that it gave them some credibility if they didn’t have a state license,” she said. “I’m surprised this has gone so far. We were focused on one thing — the grading license — and I think we came up with a good solution.”

Higdon argued that the program was sim-

ply a “feel-good thing” that doesn’t carry any weight in other counties. If contractors want the license, Higdon said they could get a state license that actually shows a contractor has the required knowledge to perform grading work instead of passing a meaningless open book test with the county.

Culpepper agreed that if contractors saw a benefit to having the local license, the county should keep it in place but make it a voluntary program. He said the county could still work toward educating landowners and contractors about proper grading practices to prevent sedimentation without putting more regulations in place.

“If someone breaks the ordinance, the state and the county have full policing power to enforce the ordinance. There’s no need to have this program,” he said.

Commissioners didn’t take any action on the grading license amendment, but did seem open to making some revisions to it.

“You’ve all given me a lot to think about,” said Commission Chairman Jim Tate after public comment wrapped up. “Maybe we can clear up some of the interpretation in the language.”

Roland said since the county’s Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Control ordinance was a state-modeled ordinance, any amendment the county makes to it would have to be approved by the state before it could be officially adopted.

The next Macon County Commissioners meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Macon County Courthouse.

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

— Derek Roland, Macon County manager

ning department, issues like this are typically worked out before a fine is ever levied.

“I don’t know anyone that’s been fined.

Usually they get a notice of violation (a warning) but most of the time people call and see what they need to do to avoid it,” he said.

While the current planning staff may be forgiving, Culpepper said the ordinance amendment could be enforced more strictly under a future administration.

Many landowners also took issue with the proposed affidavit requirement prohibiting them from selling their property for a year after completing a land disturbing activity.

“Who knows if I’ll be alive in a year and I have to sign an affidavit saying I won’t transfer the land? I don’t know if that will stand up in court,” Smeltzer said.

Resident Randy Shook agreed the affidavit requirement was “ridiculous.”

After hearing concerns, Beale said resi-

Smoky Mountain News

Residents that spoke up during the public hearing opposed a number of requirements the proposed amendment would put in place for property owners.

Franklin resident David Culpepper, who was recently elected to the Franklin Town Council, has been one of the most vocal opponents of the proposed amendment throughout the process.

Not only has he spoken in opposition during the commissioners’ meetings, he took time at a town board meeting to address the subject. He encouraged town constituents to attend the county public hearing to oppose what he called a poorly written amendment that would negatively impact the rights of property owners.

In a follow-up interview, Culpepper said he understood the land disturbing activity definition is not new — what is new is that private landowners can now be fined $500 a day based on that definition. If a landowner performs a land disturbing activity without passing the county test, the county could fine them whether the activity resulted in erosion problems or not.

“If this passes, you can get a penalty for doing absolutely nothing wrong,” Culpepper said.

He said part of the land disturbing activity definition that states, “may cause or contribute to sedimentation” is problematic because technically, any project where dirt is being brought in or taken off property may cause sedimentation. He’s afraid such a vague definition will discourage landowners from performing their own work if they have to run every little project by the county planning department or risk

a $500 a day fine.

“It’s not well written. I’m sorry to be the bad guy because here in a couple weeks I’m going to have to work with you guys real hard on some projects I want to help the town and county get done,” Culpepper said to commissioners during the public hearing.

Beale asked if Culpepper was representing the town in his comments.

“No, I’m not. I’m here as citizen of Macon County,” Culpepper said.

Higdon pointed out during the public hearing that he had asked Morgan if a landowner wanting to build a crosstie wall on their property would qualify as a land disturbing activity and he said it would.

Roland said it would depend on whether the retaining wall was being constructed on a slope and could affect neighboring property or if it was in the middle of a 10-acre field where the risk of run off would be low.

Nantahala resident Danny Smeltzer said he has dead trees to clear off his lot that’s under an acre, but he’s not clear whether that activity would qualify as a land disturbing activity.

Beale said it would depend on whether it would potentially cause sedimentation into a nearby creek or neighboring property.

Therein lies the problem — the definition of land disturbing activity leaves too many questions, forcing landowners to take even the smallest project before the county planning department to ensure they’re in compliance.

Allen said in his experience with the plan-

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input process in evaluating the program by inviting all licensed contractors — about 150 of them — to a question and answer session in June to get input. Not every contractor showed up for the meeting, but Commissioner Karl Gillespie said it was a great turn out that provided a lot of insight for the planning board to consider.

Morgan agreed that the planning board spent many hours discussing the issue with contractors and lawyers to make sure the amendment was properly vetted.

“This was not done in the dark, this was not done overnight and it was not done underhandedly,” Morgan said.

Commissioner Ronnie Beale, who also is a local contractor, said he’s seen a lot of misinformation being spread around. He also said it was important for people to remember the reason the grading license program was put into place. In 2008, the construction industry was booming and Macon County was dealing with several cases of irresponsible grading practices. People without proper training were renting track hoes to complete their own grading projects and ended up causing erosion problems and damage to neighboring properties.

“When it was passed, it was intended to be an educational process for people doing these kinds of projects,” Beale said. “Within two hours you can completely mess up a piece of property.”

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Clampitt town hall goes to pot

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER o the traditional topics of a legislative town hall meeting — economic development, fake news and even the morality of abortion — was added a new topic last week that could signal an upcoming legislative push on the equally controversial topic of medical cannabis products in North Carolina.

Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, held another of his town hall meetings in Haywood County Jan. 26, again drawing about 30 people to the Regional High Technology Center just as he did to Haywood Community College last September.

And like that September meeting, Clampitt touted recent accomplishments with economic development and rural subsidies before answering questions from the crowd.

But that’s where the meeting took an unexpected turn during a discussion over opioid abuse.

“In Swain County the number of painkillers for the 10,000 residents was 11 prescriptions per resident,” Clampitt said.

“That’s a bunch of pills, folks. We can’t incarcerate, legislate or negate our way out of this drug problem. Overdoses from Swain and Cherokee tripled in 2017. We’re losing a generation of young people.”

The national and the regional opioid epidemic is far from unexpected news, but comments from the conservative Republican certainly were.

“Now, a lot of folks have asked, and one of the number one emails I get has to do with marijuana and having marijuana as an intermediary to this opiate problem,” he said.

Clampitt first asserted that the discussion was in no way related to the recreational use of marijuana, which is legal in eight states, but not North Carolina.

Smoky Mountain News

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, listens to a question at a recent town hall. Cory Vaillancourt photo “Let me be very clear and upfront so there will be no misunderstanding — I am not in support of any recreational marijuana,” he said to claps from about half the crowd. “I am not in support of recreational marijuana.”

On the issue of marijuana as medicine, however, Clampitt revealed a different position.

“Now, that’s not to say that medical cannabis does not have a place in society,” he said. “When I say I’m not for recreational marijuana, I’m not for recreational marijuana. But I am for a medicinal marijuana that doesn’t have the hallucinogens.”

Clampitt then proceeded to give some

insight into his nuanced feelings on the matter.

“My dad lives in The Dalles, Oregon, and he had a kidney removed this past fall.

He had his gallbladder removed, and he’s in his late 80s, in a lot of pain. And he didn’t want to take all those prescription drugs for the pain.”

One day, Clampitt said, he heard his phone buzz.

“So I get a text from my stepmom that says, ‘Guess where papa and I are at? We’re sitting outside the pot store here in downtown Portland.’”

North Carolina currently has no broad laws legalizing the medical use of marijuana, unlike 21 other states that have permitted

some form of marijuana legalization on a medicinal basis.

Three such bills were presented to the General Assembly last year — one in the House, and two in the Senate — but all three died in a rules committee. No Western North Carolina representatives or senators sponsored or co-sponsored any of them, except for Asheville Democratic Sen. Terry Van Duyn.

Since the topic hasn’t been widely discussed among Western North Carolina elected officials thus far — do Clampitt’s unanticipated remarks indicate there may be a coming action on medical marijuana in North Carolina?

“Short answer, yes,” he said. “Long answer with that, I don’t know of any particular one facet that’s a driving force with this, but it’s one of those kinds of things that is sort of sublingual right now, and I think that in the next three, no more than five years we will have an address to this situation in North Carolina.”

Clampitt explained that his father was getting “low-THC” marijuana chocolates to alleviate the pain from his recent surgeries, and that it appeared to be working. He had to quit just a few weeks later, however, because he’d begun to experience an abnormally rapid heartbeat — a dangerous proposition for someone pushing 90 years of age.

That fact explains Clampitt’s desire to see some use come of medical marijuana, provided it doesn’t prove just as dangerous as the opioids that now cause almost four deaths a day in North Carolina alone.

So will Clampitt in the future support a renewed effort to explore medical marijuana of some sort as an option?

“As long as, one, we’re not in violation of federal law with that as a regulated substance,” he said. “And then also with that, if the medical community can prove to me and show me that the medicinal marijuana, medical cannabis — whatever it is called — has medicinal value and is just not a stepping stone to other problems and issues.”

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Pool vote delayed in Jackson, again

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Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018 Smoky Mountain News

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER or the second time in two months, a proposal to kick off the process toward a November referendum vote on building a pool failed to gain traction in Jackson County.

The county commissioners’ agenda Jan. 29 included an action item to award a $38,000 contract to Asheville-based Clark Nexsen, which would complete the predesign work necessary toward figuring out how much it might cost to add an indoor pool to the recreation center in Cullowhee.

From there, commissioners would approve language for a referendum question asking voters for permission to take out a bond to pay for the pool. The total cost involved with bringing the question to a vote was estimated at $58,000.

The contract award was first placed on the meeting agenda for Dec. 18, but Commissioner Charles Elders moved to table it, with Commissioner Boyce Deitz and Chairman Brian McMahan supporting that move as Commissioner Ron Mau and Mickey Luker voted opposed.

Those in favor of tabling felt that the issue warranted more discussion before making a decision.

The outcome Jan. 29 was nearly the same as that of the December meeting. This time Deitz moved to table, with McMahan and Elders again voting in favor of delaying the decision and Luker and Mau opposed.

“I move that we table this and study it more,” Deitz said. “We ought to talk to the hospital about it. I think they could help us.

We ought to talk to the school system about it. I just think there’s a lot to be said about where the thing’s going to be built, things of this nature.”

The pre-design work by Clark Nexsen would be site-specific, and while locating the

pool on the site of the existing recreation center would make it less expensive and at the county’s geographical center, some commissioners said they wanted to explore placing it in a community that doesn’t currently have any recreation facilities.

Deitz said he felt like the process was being rushed and that moving ahead now could cause the county to wind up with a haphazard kind of product that doesn’t truly meet the need.

“One of the reasons you hire an architect is to address the very issues you’re bringing up,” Mau said. “That would be part of the design process.”

However, Deitz questioned what the rush was, apart from trying to get the issue on the November ballot. In a work session Jan. 16, County Manager Don Adams said that the timeline was getting “pretty close” if a November referendum was the goal.

“I think if it’s not done this month or next month, we’d be pushing it a little close,” Adams said. “I’d say within the next couple meetings as far as being able to pull the trigger on the architect.”

Commissioners have a work session scheduled for Feb. 13 in which they could possibly discuss the pool issue further, which could allow for another vote at their regular meeting later that month. However, according to Adams’ statement Jan. 16 failure to award the contract at that time would mean abandoning the effort to hold a referendum this year.

If the referendum question does not get on the ballot this year, the next opportunity wouldn’t come until November 2020. In September 2017, commissioners passed a resolution to restrict referendums on local tax increases and bonds to the November elections of even-numbered years.

“We passed that resolution that we’ll put issues on the ballot when we know people are going to show up, unlike what’s happened in the past with this board,” Mau said.

Deitz maintained that the delay would be worth it.

“Tonight I’d like to go swim — or drown, or something — but at the same time there’s a lot that goes into this,” he said.

“Where are we going to put this thing?

Who’s going to take care of it? Who’s going to take care of it on Christmas Day?”

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Let Me Sell Your House

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Zoning fight, criminal indictments loom for Nudge City

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER ocal business owner Tami Nicholson was indicted Jan. 8 for illegally operating video gaming machines after police raided her Waynesville Plaza business last April, but it hasn’t stopped her from continuing a similar operation in a different location.

Nicholson posted a secured bond Jan. 20 in the amount of $50,000, but Assistant District Attorney Jeff Jones filed a motion Jan. 26 to revoke or modify Nicholson’s bond, stating that “… since the bond was posted, law enforcement has informed the undersigned that Defendant continues to operate and allow to be operated numerous video gaming machines … in violation of the law … at a new location in the town of Waynesville as opposed to the location which is the subject matter of these charges.”

That new location? Nudge City, on Dellwood City Road.

Jones’ motion further says that Nicholson should have known that “video gaming machines are illegal” due to her role as an informant in a Waynesville Police Department investigation that resulted in the 2015 conviction of Scott Lee Crosby on eight gambling machine-related felonies.

The motion asks that the court order the revocation of Nicholson’s bond, or, “in the alternative, order Defendant to not operate, allow to be operated, place in oper-

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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ation, and/or possess with the intent to place into operation … video gaming machines during pendency of the abovecaptioned criminal action.”

Nicholson’s attorney Jonathan Song and Jones appeared before Superior Court Judge Brad Letts to argue the matter Jan. 29, but because a witness was unavailable, the hearing was postponed three days to Feb. 1.

“Our feeling is that the use they have there is not allowed by zoning, so therefore they can’t occupy that building.”

— Elizabeth Teague, Waynesville Development Services Director

“What the public may not know is that my client hires numerous locals as employees and she has spent upwards of $100,000 of her own money to renovate a piece of property close to downtown that looked like it should’ve been condemned a long time ago,” Song said. “I feel that the sequence of events since the zoning issue came up has been questionable, to say the least. It’s clear that despite her contributions to this community, she’s being made

Cory Vaillancourt photo

to feel very unwelcome by the Town of Waynesville.”

Last summer, her Nudge City video gaming parlor opened on Dellwood City Road in Waynesville, offering the peculiar brand of gaming presumably permissible under everevolving state gaming statutes.

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The Town of Waynesville maintained that the business should have never been allowed to open in the first place, due to local zoning restrictions, but at no point did the discussion broach the complicated legal and moral issue of gaming in North Carolina.

Smoky Mountain News Writers Pen Books

Holly Kays Smoky Mountain News

Attorneys (left to right) Adam Melrose, Martha Bradley, Mark Melrose and Jonathan Song speak with Waynesville Development Services Director Elizabeth Teague at a meeting Jan. 24.

HEARING POSTPONED Nicholson’s attorneys had planned to make their case before the Waynesville Zoning Board of Appeals on Jan. 24 but never got the chance.

ZBA member Stephanie Strickland had to recuse herself due to a familial connection to the property, while Chairman Neal Ensley and board member John Gisler were absent. Board alternate Joshua Morgan was present when Vice Chairman David Felmet opened the meeting with just three members.

Although the trio constituted a quorum, Felmet said that three votes would be needed for any action — a sketchy proposition both for the town and for

Nudge — so Mark Melrose, an attorney for the appellant, asked the city to reschedule the appeal.

Martha Bradley, filling in for Waynesville Town Attorney Bill Cannon, agreed to what in court parlance would be called a continuance, but Open Meetings Laws call a recessed meeting.

“We’re sorry that you assembled here today,” Felmet told the 25 people who’d showed up for the meeting. “But the attorneys and everybody have got their heads together and decided that the better part of valor is to continue this until you can get more people up here.”

According to state open meeting laws, if the town had cancelled the meeting and called a new one, it would have had to start from scratch in terms of serving adequate notice of the new meeting to the public.

With zoning matters like this one, adequate notice requirements are a bit more stringent than with meetings held by other public bodies, as they require letters to be sent to nearby property owners, publication of the notice in a newspaper — twice over two weeks — and the placement of signs on the property itself in question.

Rather than go through a time-consuming re-notification process, the zoning board of adjustments in essence opened the hearing and then immediately went into recess while announcing that the appeal would be heard during its next regular meeting on Feb. 6.

“This will be better for the community if more people are involved,” Teague said.

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That November, the town passed a text amendment to land development standards that in the future will relegate such businesses to Regional Center districts like the Russ Avenue corridor and the Walmart area in Hazelwood.

Still remaining, though, was the issue of Nudge City’s Dellwood City Road establishment, which Waynesville Development Services Director Elizabeth Teague and the town contend is operating illegally.

“They had an occupancy inspection, but they did not get to zoning compliance,” Teague said Jan. 23. “They felt like they had been given town approval, and our feeling is that the use they have there is not allowed by zoning, so therefore they can’t occupy that building.”

Western Carolina University.

A Shot Above photo

Public forums held for WCU chancellor search Members of the public will have several opportunities to share their opinions on the characteristics they would like to see in Western Carolina University’s next chancellor as the committee leading the search for a successor to Chancellor David O. Belcher has announced a series of open forums for February.

The 22-person search committee is seeking input from WCU’s various constituencies to assist as it drafts a leadership statement describing the attributes and responsibilities of WCU’s new chancellor.

Each open forum is designed for a specific constituent group, but all sessions are open to anyone who wants to attend.

The public forum schedule for Monday, Feb. 5: • Staff members – 1:30-3 p.m.; A.K. Hinds University Center theater.

• Faculty members – 3:30-5 p.m.; conference center of Blue Ridge Hall.

• Community members and alumni – 5-6:30 p.m.; Room 204 of the Health and Human Sciences Building.

The public forum schedule for Tuesday, Feb. 6: • Students – 12:15-1:15 p.m.; A.K. Hinds University Center theater.

• Faculty members – 3:30-5 p.m.; A.K. Hinds University Center theater.

• Staff members – 5:30-7 p.m.; conference center of Blue Ridge Hall.

A second forum for community members and alumni will be held in Cherokee from 5 until 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, in the Locust Room at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort.

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018 Smoky Mountain News

your friendly, local blue box — smoky mountain news 11

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Haywood school board admits to open meeting violation

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER aywood County Schools’ administration recently admitted it may have violated North Carolina’s Open Meeting laws by not properly noticing a board meeting that had to be rescheduled due to inclement weather.

The violation occurred when a regular board meeting scheduled for the evening of Jan. 8 was rescheduled via email at 10:04 a.m. Jan. 8 to 12:30 p.m. Jan. 9 due to inclement weather.

HCS Superintendent Dr. Anne Garrett made no excuses for the apparent slip up.

“When one reads that [statute], it appears we didn’t follow procedure, but we will be meeting with our board attorney on Feb. 12 for guidance,” Garrett said.

There is no formal rule in N.C. General Statutes for providing notice of a meeting that gets cancelled, so there’s no issue whatsoever with the cancellation.

Statutes, however, are clear in that to hold any regular board meeting on a date that isn’t on the published schedule, a new regular schedule must first be filed and then no regular meeting may occur for seven days after filing, per NCGS 143-318.12 (a).

The only way HCS could have held the Jan. 9 meeting is if a quorum met Jan. 8,

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announced a place and time where the meeting would reconvene, and then recessed the meeting.

In that case, no further public notice would have been required, as it would have then become a properly noticed recessed meeting that was merely reconvening, and not a new meeting.

Shining Rock Classical Academy School Board Chairman Anna Eason brought up HCS’s violation after The Smoky Mountain News wrote a story about SRCA’s most recent Open Meetings violation, which was similar to Haywood’s.

SRCA, a public charter school in Waynesville, also failed to provide adequate public notice of both a special and a regular meeting on Jan. 17 that needed to be rescheduled because of the snow. Eason sent out an email at 10:09 p.m. Jan. 16 announcing the Jan. 17 meetings were cancelled and rescheduled for the same times Jan. 18.

Those meetings, however, violated the Open Meetings Law because the first, a special called meeting, wasn’t adequately noticed 48 hours prior, and the second, a regular meeting like the one HCS scheduled for Jan. 8, wasn’t held off seven days like it should have been.

Eason claimed meetings could be moved with short notice for inclement

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HCS Superintendent Dr. Anne Garrett addresses the school board in January, 2016. File photo weather, but open government experts say be answerable to the public,” Garrett said.

Eason didn’t respond to emails asking to that’s not the case.

Frayda Bluestein, an open meetings expert confirm or deny wrongdoing in regard to the who’s been at the UNC School of Government Jan. 17 meetings, which are but the latest in a in Chapel Hill for more than 25 years, told string of stumbles that began before the SMN that there are no exceptions to meeting school even opened its doors to students. In notice requirements for inclement weather, 2015, SRCA refused to identify a parcel of land or for any other reason.

Public and elected officials Remedies may be sought in like the ones that serve on these school boards may find these North Carolina courts for laws cumbersome and unnecesviolations of Open Meetings Laws sary, but they are in place for a reason. Meetings of public bodies by almost anyone. One potential like Shining Rock and HCS are governed by a set of sunshine outcome is a court order requiring laws meant to ensure that public the public body to satisfy its business takes place in full view of the public. Paramount among notice obligations in the future. those statutes are the ones explaining how much advance notice a body must give when it intends to it sought; last fall, then-School Director Ben Butler resigned during an unusual Sunday hold a meeting.

Although innocent and non-nefarious in night special called meeting that wasn’t propnature, these violations of the Open Meetings erly noticed; and earlier this year, SRCA bunLaw expose the public body — and taxpayers gled privacy concerns at a meet-and-greet for — to legal liability, which is why they’re candidates seeking Butler’s old job.

Garrett, on the other hand couldn’t recall notable.

Remedies may be sought in North Carolina running afoul of the Open Meetings Law durcourts for violations of Open Meetings Laws ing her 13-year tenure as superintendent of by almost anyone. One potential outcome is a HCS. "In regards to any violations to Open court order requiring the public body to satisfy Meeting Laws, I am not aware of any signifiits notice obligations in the future.

Another potential outcome is that actions cant issues,” Garrett said. “I spoke with our taken during meetings found to be in viola- School Board Attorney, Pat Smathers, who has tion of Open Meetings Laws could be invali- been our attorney for 33 years and we both agree, we are not aware of any violations.” dated.

The only possible exception, which The court may also at its discretion order the public body (i.e. taxpayers) to pay the Garrett cited, was a 2016 lawsuit by local attorney fees and court costs for those bring- attorney Mark Melrose that HCS settled early in 2017; a joint statement by the parties at ing the case.

It’s likely that a judge trying such a case that time said that HCS “does not admit it would also take into consideration — as in violated the law or its own policies, but agrees any other case — the defendant’s history of it would have been preferable if circumsuch transgressions, as well as the defen- stances had permitted to have provided more advanced public notice of its intention to vote dant’s acknowledgment thereof.

“We are responsible for everything we do, on January 11, 2016 to study the possible cloand being able to accept responsibility is to sure of Central Elementary School.”

Macon sheriff raising funds for cancer

Sylva groups start Blanket Drive

Inspections now available online

All human service agencies and churches are invited to an information meeting about the Haywood County Charity Tracker Network from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the Waynesville Recreation Center.

The Haywood County Charity Tracker Network, an internet service that enables agencies to share information with care providers in the county, is available to agencies, churches and nonprofits in Haywood County at no cost to the organization.

Opioid forum comes to Swain The Swain County Board of Commissioners will host a Community Leadership Forum on Opioid Abuse in partnership with the NC Association of County Commissioners at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the Swain County Administration Building.

The forum will include information from local health providers, law enforcement and more. Members of the public are invited.

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Board vacancy open in Maggie The town of Maggie Valley is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on its 1 percent Tourism Development Authority subcommittee.

Applicants must live within the 28751 zip code to apply. The town will be accepting applications until 5 p.m. Feb. 5. The Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen will make a recommendation to the county commissioners' Feb. 13.

The application can be found at www.townofmaggievalley.com.

Meet congressional candidate Phillip Price Democratic candidate for the 11th Congressional District Phillip Price will meet with voters from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at Bearwaters Brewing Company in Canton.

The event is open to anyone with an interest in the future of Western North Carolina and who wants to hear Price’s answers to pressing political questions. There will be no formal talk by the candidate, but he will take questions and discuss how better jobs and higher wages can come from focusing on health care for all, protecting the environment, expanding free education, and securing high speed internet for all of Western North Carolina.

The candidate announced his run last spring and since then has traveled throughout the 16-county district listening to voters and explaining why he is best suited to unseat incumbent Republican Mark Meadows.

Smoky Mountain News

The Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency, Environmental Health Office, has contracted with Custom Data Processing, Inc., for integrated web-based, database-centered software for conducting field-based inspections.

Environmental Health inspections will be available to the public for viewing as part of this contract. Inspections that will be available include those of restaurants, lodging/motels, adult day cares, child day cares, rest and nursing homes, bed and breakfast homes, tattoo artists, public swimming pools, resident and summer camps, residential care facilities, nutrition sites for the elderly, food stands, pushcarts, and mobile food units.

The facilities are listed in alphabetical

Nonprofits invited to charity tracker meeting

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

The Jackson County Public Library, The Department on Aging, and Mountain Projects are collecting blankets, winter hats, gloves, and scarves for people who need them. All three locations will have winter warmth items for people's use.

Donations can be dropped off at Jackson County Public Library, the Sylva Mountain Projects Office and the Jackson County Department on Aging's front desk. Donated items should be new and in the packaging.

Those in need can either go to one of these locations or call Mountain Projects at 828.586.2345 or the library at 828.586.2016.

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Macon County Sheriff Robert Holland challenged law enforcement agencies in Western North Carolina to a fundraising campaign in honor of World Cancer Day. To date, Cherokee, Swain, Jackson and Macon County Sheriff's offices as well as Sylva, Highlands, and Franklin police departments are all participating.

The official fundraising kick off will be Feb 4, World Cancer Day, and will continue for one month. Proceeds will benefit Cancer Care of WNC’s LoveLight fund, which provides financial assistance for transportation, food, utilities, and other things for patients receiving care.

Law enforcement agencies in WNC typically have it in their policy that they have to be clean-shaven, but for the month of February the participating agencies have agreed to wave the rule, for a fee, to raise money for cancer patients in WNC. A fundraising page on youcaring.com was established so the public can “sponsor” officers by donating in their name for the event.

The public will then be invited to vote on the best beard for each department via the department’s Facebook pages. The officer with the most votes and the officer with the most money raised will be the winner.

order and include the date, grade, and complete field inspection.

To view inspections, visit https://tinyurl.com/ybpdfzqb.

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Smoky Mountain News Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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Business

Smoky Mountain News

Survival training being offered

also worked in management in both the hotel and cruise industries and served as catering sales manager at Horseshoe Bay Resort, a luxury resort in Horseshoe Bay, Texas.

Carswell will also connect with those working to stimulate Haywood County tourism, such as local chambers and tourism development authorities.

Asheville airport sets passenger record Asheville Regional Airport’s annual passenger numbers were at their highest ever in 2017.

Specifically, 956,634 passengers used the airport in 2017, compared to 826,648 in 2016, which is a 15.7 percent increase. Last year was the fourth consecutive record year of passenger utilization, and the annual numbers are more than 50 percent higher than they were just five years ago.

The Survival Skill Center, a Piked Antler Project, is a new venture in Haywood County founded by William White and Katie Swanger to prepare people for real world survival situations.

White, a physical trainer and Army veteran, possesses an extensive skill set from his time served overseas during Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom in the U.S. Army. He is trained in kickboxing and the art of Krav Maga hand-to-hand combat and self-defense, wilderness survival, tactical defense, hunting, certified CrossFit instructor, emergency wilderness survival shelters, international travel and more.

Swanger, a single mother of three and

Hospitals to host job fair Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital will hold a job fair from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6, in the lobby of the new Harris Emergency Department, located at the front of Harris Regional Hospital.

Clinical and non-clinical positions are open at both hospitals and their affiliated physician practices and locations. Department leaders will be conducting on-the-spot interviews.

For a complete list of career opportunities, visit www.myharrisregional.com or www.myswaincommunity.com and click on “Careers.”

For information, call 828.586.7408.

Financial University offered in Franklin Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University will be offered from Jan. 31 through March 28

outdoor enthusiast, has a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management, with a concentration in outdoor leadership and instruction from Western Carolina University. She also has a background in emergency medicine having worked as an EMT for several years and active in her local fire department as a firefighter/first responder.

PAP offers a number of course and membership options and offers a variety of discounts for families and community organizations. Courses are available for adults as well as children ages 6 and older.

For more information, call 828.989.0209 or email pikedantlerproject@gmail.com.

HCC to host financial seminars

15

said Karen Proctor Wilmot, Chamber of Commerce executive director. “Combined with the bridge flower baskets and street containers, our work on the four corners of Town Square and the Caboose, and the tree planting project on Mitchell and Depot Street, this new initiative continues the overall enhancement of our downtown.”

Working with a local contractor to determine viable locations along Everett and Mains Streets, the Chamber has already begun installation of the new benches, trash/recycling bins, and cigarette butt receptacles, and hopes to have everything in place before the end of January.

Real estate market has record-breaking year

Neal Hanks, Jr., president of Beverly-Hanks & Associates, recently delivered the 2017 YearEnd Real Estate Market Report highlighting four key metrics of the Western North Carolina real estate market.

According to the Beverly-Hanks 2017 YearEnd Real Estate Market Report, a shortage in the supply of homes for sale and subsequent escalation of home prices are slowing the sales pace for homes in Buncombe and Henderson Counties. Almost all of the smaller outlying counties, with lower median sales prices, are reporting double-digit increases in their pace.

Last year, the region’s pace was up 5 percent and the median sales price was up 8 percent to $244,000.

In places like Buncombe, Haywood, and Henderson counties, the supply of homes priced under $300,000 is down by as much as 30 percent. Meanwhile, the supply of luxury homes at $1 million and up remains largely unchanged despite a steep increase in the number of homes sold.

at First Alliance Church located at 31 Promise Lane in Franklin.

The group will meet from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Wednesdays downstairs in the main church building. The cost is $50, half price, to cover materials.

Register online at facregistration.com.

Childcare is available from nursery through 12th grade. Contact Pastor Kris Gerow at 828.369.7977 or kris@franklincma.com for more information.

The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will be offering a series of free business seminars at the College’s Regional High Technology Center in room 3021.

Geared toward early stage entrepreneurs and those looking to start a business, the free series is comprised of the top eight pillars critical to the successful foundation of a business.

The sessions will feature industry experts to walk you through each topic in detail.

Attendees are welcome to attend a single session of interest or the entire series.

• “How to Write a Business Plan” will be held 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6 • “Marketing Your Business” will be held from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 • “Choosing Your Legal Structure” will be held from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20 • “Basics of Bookkeeping” will be held from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27 • “Basics of Bookkeeping 2” will be held from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, March 6 • “How to Find Your Customers” will be held from 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, March 20 • “Your Small Business Taxes” will be held from 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, April 3 Visit SBC.Haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512 to register.

Lake Junaluska hires new sales director

Swain Chamber invests in downtown

• BCNC Investments in Bryson City recently announced the successful sale of the Lees at the Depot restaurant in Dillsboro. Details and a re-opening date will be announced soon. For further information, contact Dana Smith at 828.342.2060.

Lake Junaluska has hired Colleen Carswell as the new director of sales.

She will be responsible for all group sales and event coordination at Lake Junaluska, and she is part of the organization’s leadership team. Carswell has an extensive background as a hospitality industry professional. Most recently, she worked as director of catering for Carmel Country Club in Charlotte. She has

With a recent purchase of 13 dual trash and recycling bins, six benches, and 12 cigarette butt receptacles, the Swain County Chamber of Commerce took another significant step forward in its efforts to make downtown Bryson City more pedestrian friendly, clean, and welcoming for both locals and visitors alike.

“This is yet another example of our ongoing commitment to improving our community,”

• The latest edition of Lake Junaluska's annual Discover Magazine is now available online and in print. The magazine includes upcoming programs, events, feature stories and other information for 2018. Download the magazine at www.lakejunaluska.com/discover. Print copies of the magazine are available in the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.

• A training seminar on sexual harassment laws for businesses will be from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 31, at the TenBiz office located at 582 W. Main St., Franklin.

The cost is $55 a person.

Register at office@tenbizinc.com or 828.631.0310.

ALSO:

16

Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

School systems need help with class size mandate T

GOP legislature has stolen my vote To the Editor: My vote has been stolen. It has been stolen by the Legislature of the State of North Carolina. Let me explain.

I live and vote in Congressional District 11. Traditionally, the 11th District has been a swing area. A little over one third of the voters are Democrats, a few less Republicans, and almost one third of the voters are registered as non-affiliated. I am one of those latter voters.

In the past, we have been represented by both Republicans and Democrats. With the Democrats and Republicans almost evenly divided, it fell to the un-affiliated voters to determine who would represent the district in Congress.

With the 2010 census, Congressional District lines were redrawn by the Legislature. At that time, two thirds of the City of Asheville and approximately one half of Buncombe County were removed from District 11 and attached to District 10. As an urban area, the region has had a tendency to vote Democratic, thus balancing the rural Republican vote. By attaching these areas to District 10, which centers out of Gastonia, almost 120 miles away, a “safe” district was created for the Republican Party.

Thus the power of my vote has been negated and “stolen” from me by the Legislature. It no longer makes a difference for whom I vote, as my vote has been cancelled by the political design of the district. I would argue that this is unconstitutional, in that it suppresses the validity and power of my vote.

was joined in passing the legislation by ALL Republicans and Democrats in the N.C. House.

Finally, you and your fellow senators gave us a one-year reprieve, but the chaos watch has started anew. Consider who is saying the class size cap law is bad policy: n Every single Republican and Democratic representative in the state House. n Your hometown newspaper, The Franklin Press, published an editorial to this effect last April. n All 115 school boards and all 115 superintendents across the state have said that this legislation will lead to fiscal chaos in their respective districts. It Guest Columnist will cost Macon County Schools a minimum of $350,000 to comply and yet we will still be under water. It will cost Haywood County Schools $1.9 million to comply and yet they will still chop other educational opportunities and suffer larger classes outside of K-3. n The NC PTA, which has never stepped onto the political stage, passed a resolution in early January demanding a repeal of the class size cap. n As a former Macon County Commissioner, you yourself fre-

John deVille

his is a letter I sent to Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin. Macon County Schools, Haywood County Schools, and all the other school systems in your district and the state of North Carolina, are bracing for a wave of fiscal chaos to wash over them this coming fall. This chaos can only be undone by you and your fellow senators.

We do not understand why it’s coming and what North Carolina children have done to deserve it. We are speaking about the class-size cap which was passed in 2016. Your goal was simple and praiseworthy: create smaller K-3 classes in North Carolina. But without the necessary funding for both personnel and for the newly-required classrooms, what was praiseworthy will convert to classroom poison. n We will lose art, music, and physical education classes for K-3 students. n We will suffer larger class sizes in grades 4-12. n Many school systems will have to have 40 first-, second-, and third-grade students in a single room with two teachers in order to comply with the law. n School systems will have to eliminate crucial programs in order to finance the class size mandate.

Last spring, the N.C. Senate faced a similar warning from across the state and even from the House. Rep. Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin, was one of four primary sponsors of a bill to mitigate the damage which would be done by the class size cap. He

LETTERS The current federal court has ruled that some congressional districts in the state are unconstitutional and has ordered the state Legislature to draw new district maps that are acceptable to the court. The North Carolina Legislature is contesting this and has asked the Supreme Court of the United States to place this order on hold citing that there is not enough time to accomplish this before the next election.

Since these districts were redrawn in 2010, I have had to vote in three elections (2012, 2014, 2016) where unconstitutional congres-

quently denounced “unfunded mandates” — demands passed by the General Assembly which have no funding attached and thus force counties to pick up a tab for a meal they didn’t order. There is consensus from numerous outside sources, as well as from all 100 county commissions, that this class size cap law is indeed an unfunded mandate. Absolutely no credible evidence has been offered that the law has been funded and so your own principles condemn this law as it now stands.

Last spring, we were promised a fix in the fall ... none was forthcoming. In the fall, we were promised a fix in January … none has occurred. And now we are counseled to wait until May, with no guarantees that a solution will come even at that late date, long past the March/April window when county commissions and school boards put their finishing touches on the upcoming year’s school budget.

Sen. Davis, can you please offer the children of North Carolina, our parents, and our teachers the desperately needed leadership in the Senate and lead your fellow senators to either repeal this law or fully fund the mandate? Just a few weeks ago, the highly-respected Education Week noted that North Carolina public schools had fallen from 19th to 40th in the space of 2011 to present ... can you please help us turn this around?

(John deVille of Franklin has been a North Carolina public school teacher since 1995.)

sional district boundaries have been in use. If the state legislature gets its way, I will be forced again to vote in an unconstitutional election or to forego voting. Since my vote, as a non-affiliated voter, will not matter to the outcome of the election, I believe that my constitutional right to vote and have my vote counted has been violated.

I have written Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and asked that the lower federal court order not be delayed. My right to vote and have that vote count is important to me.

It is my participation in the democratic process of government. When my vote no longer has weight or meaning, the system of

government is broken, and with that the political and social contracts of the government with the people have also been severed. We no longer will have, as Lincoln stated, a nation “… of the people, by the people, and for the people.” We cannot let this happen.

Luther Jones Sylva

Third party efforts futile in U.S. To the Editor: I appreciated your article on third parties.

The frustration of the people with the two major parties is often expressed as a desire for new parties, but it is futile.

Americans look at Europe and see multiple parties working so they think, “Why not here, too?” The error here is that European nations have parliamentary systems, while we have our “two-party” system. In a parliamentary systems, if your little party gets 2 percent of the vote, you get 2 percent of the seats in parliament. At least you get to voice your opinions, even if nobody cares.

In our two-party systems, 2 percent gets you a big fat nada.

Parties like the Greens, Libertarians, or whatever, sound like viable options, but they are really just wasted effort.

There is, however, a way for third parties to make a meaningful difference. They can go the caucus route. Just for example, look at the Freedom Caucus or Black Congressional Caucus. They could call themselves little parties and waste their time, but instead they choose to operate

within the existing two party-system, and as a result they hold significant power. Maybe someday the Constitution will be altered to allow multiple parties like in Europe, but I doubt it. Until then, if you are unhappy with the Dems and GOP, form a caucus.

Boyd Holliday Lake Junaluska

National park backlog needs attention

Susanna Barbee

ilege” of prima noche. If you have watched Braveheart you might have noticed that that sexual abuse really angered the hero in the movie. Nowadays, however, men of status seem to be declaring the right to abuse women any time-day or night.

President Trump may be the poster boy for this new phenomenon. Is this a fad or a trend that our society will tolerate for years to come? Will even more professed Christians who supported Trump find his ruthless words and actions despicable enough to realize that they sold out on Christian principles to a man who has asked for no forgiveness and sought no atonement?

Famous country singer Glen Campbell sang “There oughta be a Hall of Fame for mammas. Creation’s most unique and precious pearl. And heaven help us always to remember that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”

Trump promised to be the best Christian representative people had seen in a long time. Does anyone else think he missed that mark by a mile?

Let’ get back to honoring our mothers, sisters aunts — well, all women.

Dave Waldrop Webster

Let’s get back to honoring all women To the Editor: Have you told your mother? Your sister?

Your aunt? Your niece? Simply put, have you explained to all the females you know that we live in a new society? Yes, indeed!

They must be enlightened.

It has now been made very clear by prominent politicians and famous men of financial/social/political position that they have the “right” to grope, molest, seduce and otherwise demean women.

Powerful men used to exercise the “priv-

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To the Editor: I want to commend Holly Kays for her great story on “Breaking the Backlog” (SMN Jan 24).

I hope that her multi-dimensional reporting and analysis for this article will be the basis for a lot of discussion and letters about the problems of the national park maintenance backlog. Western North Carolina is so dependent on our national parks. This is what brings visitors into the area. All the other attractions — restaurants, breweries, amusement parks, music venues — are built on top of our natural features.

It is a shame that our congressional Rep.

Mark Meadows, R-Asheville, doesn\t see this as a priority. The last quote from Meadows on national park funding, “I do see it as something I have to address” makes it seem like it’s an issue he’s just discovered, though he is now in his third tern in office.

Kays continues to bring us relevant stories on our mountains week after week.

And for that, I am grateful.

Danny Bernstein Asheville

Dellwood

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

I’m not a snob. In fact, I’m more of a bleeding heart. But when it comes to beer and coffee, I’m admittedly a bit of an elitist.

I loathe gas station and fast food coffee.

If I’m not grabbing a morning cup of joe from Panacea, I’m making locally-roasted coffee at home. And in regard to beer, my stomach churns at the thought of Bud Light or another mass-produced, watered down brewski. I’d rather forgo the beverage entirely than drink a cheap beer. Give me a well-crafted IPA or amber ale and I’m one happy girl.

Who knows where this all started? It certainly wasn’t from my parents. Growing up, my mom and dad drank instant coffee.

My dad prepped their coffee cups each evening by arranging their mugs side-byside and spooning in grinds. The next morning as I popped a bagel in the toaster, they poured water over coffee grinds, heated it in the microwave and stirred to dissolve.

As far as beer goes, my mom would never in her life drink a beer. She was a true Southern lady, salutatorian of her high school and attended Winthrop. She didn’t drink much of anything until later in life and then it was most certainly a glass of Chardonnay or a cocktail. Intellectually, she was driven and a hardcore Democrat, but socially she was traditional and demure.

In contrast, my dad had a rough child-

and ingredients came from.

This offered me a type of education one can only receive when immersed in the industry. And while this column highlights coffee and beer, I’m pretty particular about food origin and wine as well.

I wrote a feature article about coffee for the February/March edition of Smoky Mountain Living magazine. As part of my research, I visited several coffee roasters in the region, watched the roasting process and tasted different types and roasts of coffee. Considering my love for the drink, this was a dream assignment. Coffee roasting is a beautiful art requiring time and skill. I think about that every time my mouth sips coffee from a roaster. It’s part of the whole experience and part of why I love it.

In terms of beer, a friend and I have taken on a challenge. Last year, I was perusing the shelves at Blue Ridge Books and came across a pamphlet called “The Great N.C. Beer Map.” When unfolded, it’s the entire state of North Carolina with all breweries listed. It may take us a couple of years, but our plan is to visit every brewery in this beautiful state of ours.

There’s so much stress in my own bubble and in the world at large, it’s fun to think of things like good coffee and beer.

Many wise folks have said “Keep life simple.” The older I get and the more curveballs I’m thrown, the more I embrace this philosophy.

So, whether it’s a steaming cup of dark roast coffee or a fresh IPA from a Main Street tap, I’m ever so grateful for the small pleasures in life.

(Susanna Barbee works in marketing and as a writer for Mountain South Media, Smoky Mountain News and Smoky Mountain Living. susanna@mtnsouthmeida.com

opinion

Life is too short for cheap beer, bad coffee

hood. While my grandfather was a successful mill village engineer, he was also abusive to my dad and uncles, as well as my grandmother. He only spared my aunt. The strife at home drove the boys out of the house and led them down some wild paths. This was the 1950s, so “wild” back then meant cars, cigarettes and a little booze. The boys would hang out behind the downtown bars.

When the kegs were drained at the end of the night, my dad and his brothers caught the runoff beer in Mason jars and drank it.

My dad loves to hang out with my sister and me at Boojum, Sierra Nevada, New Columnist Belgium or Wicked Weed, but even at those places, the strongest thing he’ll drink is a pilsner, as he would prefer a Coors over anything.

I guess my knowledge of and love for good coffee and beer came from my days in the restaurant industry. Throughout college, graduate school and young adulthood, I worked as a server. I loved waiting tables. I enjoyed the newness and challenge of each table, getting to know the personalities of the guests and ensuring their time at the restaurant was relaxing and memorable.

I only worked at local farm-to-table and/or high-end establishments, like Tupelo Honey or Frog’s Leap. Skilled chefs and restaurant owners ensure their staff knows the products well, so we routinely had wine and food tastings as well as minilessons on how/why the chef prepared something a certain way or where the foods

17

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT Daily Specials: Soups, Sandwiches & Southern Dishes

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Smoky Mountain News

Taste the Mountains is an ever-evolving paid section of places to dine in Western North Carolina. If you would like to be included in the listing please contact our advertising department at 828.452.4251

CITY LIGHTS CAFE Spring Street in downtown Sylva.

828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tasty, healthy and quick. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more.

Outside patio seating. Free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly.

Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch daily 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner nightly at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Wine Down Wednesday’s: ½ off wine by the bottle. We specialize in handcut, all natural steaks from local farms, incredible burgers, and other classic american comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available.

THE CLASSIC WINESELLER 20 Church Street, Waynesville.

828.452.6000. Underground retail wine and craft beer shop, restaurant, and intimate live music venue. Kitchen opens at 4 p.m.

Wednesday through Saturday serving freshly prepared small plates, tapas, charcuterie, desserts. Enjoy live music every Friday and Saturday night at 7pm. www.classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. It’s winter, but we still serve three meals a day on Friday, Saturday and long holiday weekends. Join us for Breakfast from 8:00 to 9:30am; Lunch from 12 to 2:00pm; and Dinner featuring entrees such as prime rib, Virginia ham and lime-marinated chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. And a roaring fire in the fireplace.

We also offer a fine selection of wine and craft beer. Come enjoy mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view.

Reservations are required. For more details, please call 828.926.1401.

CHEF’S TABLE 30 Church St., Waynesville. 828.452.6210.

From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday dinner starting at 5 p.m. “Best of” Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Set in a distinguished atmosphere with an exceptional menu. Extensive selection of wine and beer. Reservations honored.

Real New Yorkers.

Real Italians. Real Pizza.

Dine-In ~ Take Out ~ Delivery

An Authentic Italian Pizzeria & Restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge.

Just to serve you!

CHURCH STREET DEPOT 34 Church Street, downtown Waynesville.

828.246.6505. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Mouthwatering all beef burgers and dogs, hand-dipped, hand-spun real ice cream shakes and floats, fresh hand-cut fries.

Locally sourced beef. Indoor and outdoor dining. facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot, twitter.com/ChurchStDepot.

Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Open Sundays Noon to 8p.m.

828-476-5058 NEW LOCATION OPEN! 499 Champion Drive | Canton

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COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT 3589 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley.

828.926.1820 Winter hours: Wednesday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet.

Instead our waitresses will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want. So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service.

DELLWOOD FARMHOUSE RESTAURANT 651 Dellwood Rd., Waynesville.

828.944.0010. Warm, inviting restaurant serving delicious, freshly-made Southern comfort foods. Cozy atmosphere; spacious to accommodate large parties. Big Farmhouse Breakfast and other morning menu items served 8 a.m. to noon. Lunch/dinner menu offered 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Come see us.

You’ll be glad you did! Closed Wednesdays.

FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA 243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde.

828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 12 to 8 p.m. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery. Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95.

FILLING STATION DELI 145 Everett St., Bryson City, 828.488.1919.

Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to

4 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sundays (in October) 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Locals always know best, and this is one place they know well. From the high-quality hot pressed sandwiches and the huge portions of hand-cut fries to the specialty frozen sandwiches and homemade Southern desserts, you will not leave this top-rated deli hungry.

FRANKIE’S ITALIAN TRATTORIA 1037 Soco Rd. Maggie Valley.

828.926.6216 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday-Saturday. Father and son team Frank and Louis Perrone cook up dinners steeped in Italian tradition. With recipies passed down from generations gone by, the Perrones have brought a bit of Italy to Maggie Valley. frankiestrattoria.com FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE 44 Church St., Downtown Waynesville 828.456.1930 Serving lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Frogs Leap is a farm to table restaurant focused on local, sustainable, natural and organic products prepared in modern regional dishes. Seasonal menu focuses on Southern comfort foods with upscale flavors. www.frogsleappublichouse.com.

GUADALUPE CAFÉ 606 W. Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.9877.

Open 7 days a week at 5 p.m. Located in the historic Hooper’s Drugstore, Guadalupe Café is a chef-owned and operated restaurant serving Caribbean inspired fare complimented by a quirky selection of wines and microbrews. Supporting local farmers of organic produce, livestock, hand-crafted cheese, and using sustainably harvested seafood.

J. ARTHUR’S RESTAURANT AT MAGGIE VALLEY U.S. 19 in Maggie Valley. 828.926.1817.

Open for dinner at 4:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome.

Take-out menu. Excellent service and hospitality. Reservations appreciated.

JUKEBOX JUNCTION U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel.

828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner.

The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

Come Try Our Signature Fried Green Tomatoes!

Nutrition Facts serving size : ab out 50 p ag es Am ount per Serving Calories 0

243 Paragon Parkway | Clyde

Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m • Closed Sundays

18

tasteTHEmountains

% Daily Value * Tot al Fat 0g

0%

Reg ional New s

100%

Op inion

100%

Outd oors

100%

Art s

100%

Entert ainm ent

100%

Classified s

100%

* Percent Weekly values b ased on Hayw ood, Jackson, M acon, Sw ain and Buncom b e d iet s.

Simple, delicious food with vegetarian options, craft beer on draft, great wines, kids menu and daily specials.

Bringing brunch downtown! Sunday: 10 to 2 Open daily except Wednesdays: 11:30 to 9

828.454.5400 128 N. Main · Downtown Waynesville fireflytapsandgrill.com

tasteTHEmountains

MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB 1819 Country Club Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

Open seasonally for lunch and dinner. Fine and casual fireside dining in welcoming atmosphere. Full bar. Reservations accepted.

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT 2804 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.926.0425. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Daily specials including soups, sandwiches and southern dishes along with featured dishes such as fresh fried chicken, rainbow trout, country ham, pork chops and more.

Breakfast all day including omelets, pancakes, biscuits & gravy. facebook.com/carversmvr; instagram @carvers_mvr.

MOUNTAIN PERKS ESPRESSO BAR & CAFÉ 9 Depot St., Bryson City. 828.488.9561.

Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With music at the Depot. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Life is too short for bad coffee. We feature wonderful breakfast and lunch selections. Bagels, wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and quiche with a variety of specialty coffees, teas and smoothies. Various desserts.

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley 828.926.0201 Home of the Maggie Valley Pizzeria. We deliver after 4 p.m. daily to all of Maggie Valley, J-Creek area, and Lake Junaluska.

Monday through Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE 1941 Champion Drive, Canton 828.646.3750 895 Russ Ave., Waynesville 828.452.5822. Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Carry out available.

Sagebrush features hand carved steaks, chicken and award winning BBQ ribs. We have fresh salads, seasonal vegetables and scrumptious deserts. Extensive selection of local craft beers and a full bar. Catering special events is one of our specialties.

SALTY DOG’S SEAFOOD & GRILL 3567 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.926.9105. Open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Full service bar and restaurant located in the center of Maggie Valley.

Featuring daily $6 lunch specials and daily dinner specials such as $1 Taco Tuesdays and 45¢ Wednesday Wings. Backyard Bar is open every weekend thru October. Join us for every NFL game.

SMOKEY SHADOWS LODGE 323 Smoky Shadows Lane, Maggie Valley 828.926.0001. Check Facebook page for hours, which vary. Call early when serving because restaurant fills up fast. Remember when families joined each other at the table for a delicious homemade meal and shared stories about their day? That time is now at Smokey Shadows. The menus are customizable for your special event. Group of eight or more can schedule their own dinner.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN SUB SHOP 29 Miller Street Waynesville 828.456.3400.

Open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. A Waynesville tradition, the Smoky Mountain Sub Shop has been serving great food for over 20 years. Come in and enjoy the relaxed, casual atmosphere. Sub breads are baked fresh every morning in Waynesville.

Using only the freshest ingredients in homemade soups, salads and sandwiches. Come in and see for yourself why Smoky Mountain

Sub Shop was voted # 1 in Haywood County.

Locally owned and operated.

SPEEDY’S PIZZA 285 Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.3800.

Open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Family-owned for 30 years. Serving hand-tossed pizza made to order, pasta, subs, gourmet salads, calzones and seafood. Also serving excellent prime rib on Thursdays. Dine in or take out available. Located across from the Fire Station.

Monday: Closed Tue-Thurs 3pm-8pm Fri-Sat: 12pm-9pm Sunday: 12pm-6pm AT BEARWATERS BREWING

101 PARK ST. CANTON 828.492.1422 PIGEONRIVERGRILLE.COM

TAP ROOM BAR & GRILL 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville.

828.456.3551. Open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, the Tap Room Bar & Grill has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Full bar and wine cellar. www.thewaynesvilleinn.com.

MON-THUR 3-8 • FRI, SAT, SUN 12-8

TRAILHEAD CAFE & BAKERY 18 N Main Street, Waynesville.

828.452.3881 Open 7 days a week. You will find a delicious selection of pastries & donuts, breakfast & lunch along with a fresh coffee & barista selection. Happy Trails!

Events begin at 7:15pm unless otherwise noted.

Dinner and Music reservations at 828-452-6000.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2 Jay Brown piano, guitar, harmonica, vocals.

Blues, Folk-Americana, Originals.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3 Joe Cruz piano, vocals. Beatles, Elton John, James Taylor, Sting.

VITO’S PIZZA 607 Highlands Rd., Franklin.

828.369.9890. Established here in in 1998. Come to Franklin and enjoy our laid back place, a place you can sit back, relax and enjoy our 62” HDTV. Our Pizza dough, sauce, meatballs, and sausage are all made from scratch by Vito. The recipes have been in the family for 50 years (don’t ask for the recipes cuz’ you won’t get it!) Each Pizza is hand tossed and made with TLC. You’re welcome to watch your pizza being created.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9 Kevin Lorenz guitar. Pop, Latin, Classical.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10 Joe Cruz piano, vocals. Beatles, Elton John, James Taylor, Sting.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 Valentine's Wine Dinner. Wine and romance go together. Bring your sweetie to the Classic Wineseller and enjoy four delicious wines paired with a scrumptious meal prepared by Guest Master Chef Michelle Briggs, price is $49.99 per person.

The evening begins at 7:00pm.

WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY 32 Felmet Street, Waynesville.

828.246.0927. Open Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Opened in May 2016, The Waynesville Pizza Company has earned a reputation for having the best hand-tossed pizza in the area. Featuring a custom bar with more than 20 beers and a rustic, family friendly dining room. Menu includes salads, burgers, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, gourmet pizza, homemade desserts, and a loaded salad bar. The Cuban sandwich is considered by most to be the best in town.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Flea Bitten Dawgs ukulele, percussion, vocals.

Ukulele Jazz Americana. Tickets are $10 per person and may be applied to each person's dinner purchase.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17 Joe Cruz piano, vocals. Beatles, Elton John, James Taylor, Sting.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23 Tina and Her Pony ukulele, cello, banjo, vocals.

Folk-Americana, Originals.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24 Joe Cruz piano, vocals. Beatles, Elton John, James Taylor, Sting.

Valentine’s Weekend

Fixed-Price Specials Feb. 14-16

Smoky Mountain News

WAYNESVILLE’S BEST BURGERS

1196 N Main St Waynesville NC 828.452.5187 Kaninis.com Serving lunch Monday-Saturday 10:30-2:30

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

PATIO BISTRO 30 Church Street, Waynesville.

828.454.0070. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Breakfast bagels and sandwiches, gourmet coffee, deli sandwiches for lunch with homemade soups, quiches, and desserts. Wide selection of wine and beer.

Outdoor and indoor dining.

country buffet and salad bar from 5 to 9 p.m. $11.95 with Steve Whiddon on piano.

Friday and Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 to 8 p.m. 11:30 to 3 p.m. family style, fried chicken, ham, fried fish, salad bar, along with all the fixings, $11.95.

Check out our events and menu at rendezvousmaggievalley.com

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Order off the menu or choose 1 of 4 affordable packages that includes a bottle of wine, champagne or pitcher of local beer. Buy 1-Get 1 Free Dessert Crepes and $5 Flights of Beer. We will have 6 Specials those nights, plus our regular menu items.

MON.-SAT. 11 A.M.-8 P.M.

34 CHURCH ST. WAYNESVILLE 828.246.6505

Reservations Encouraged 828.587.2233 3 E JACKSON ST. • SYLVA, NC

www.CityLightsCafe.com

383-33

MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM 617 W. Main Street Downtown Sylva.

828.586.3555. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch.

Beer and wine. Free movies Thursday trought Saturday. Visit madbatterfoodfilm.com for this week’s shows.

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facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Caroline and Whitney Miller of The Maggie Valley Band.

SMN: How has the vision of the band either changed or remained the same between these two releases? What has that time shown you as a band?

“Sometimes — most times — the hardest thing is the right course of action. It’s not fun in the moment, it’s not fun for a moment, but it’s the wisest decision.”

Meant to be lonesome Maggie Valley Band launches new album, pushes ahead

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER The territory, and what comes with it.

Being a traveling musician has always been a haphazard and often difficult position to hold down, let alone make a financial and professional go at it. The long nights far away from home. Sometimes empty rooms where there may be more folks onstage than off. Vehicles breaking down to and from shows. Those situations when you stand there, looking up at the sky, wondering if this is the exact spot you’re meant to be at — in that moment, in that time, and in that place, either known and unknown.

And these things The Maggie Valley Band are well-versed in. They’re scrappy, which is one of the most important traits an up-andcoming band needs to have in order to survive, and to push forward into a realm they can call their own.

A blend of old-time mountain, Americana and psychedelic folk music, the Haywood County group is fronted by siblings Whitney

CM: Because it sums up our message of the album best. Sometimes — most times — the hardest thing is the right course of action.

It’s not fun in the moment, it’s not fun for a moment, but it’s the wisest decision. Overall, we hope to inspire our audiences that they’re not alone in making the best choices. We so often feel alone in them, but TMVB wants to come along those who experience pain and encourage them. The hardest thing we both would say about being in TMVB is the competition and uncertainty. Anytime you present art, you become vulnerable. However, in Western North Carolina we’re blessed that there’s so much good music, but it creates a lot of insecurity. We hammer away because we don’t know any different, but it’s hard to pursue it if we don’t get affirmation. Most days we feel like failures, other days it’s just not about us.

— Caroline Miller

and Caroline Miller. The duo has gone through numerous changes since they first set out on their melodic adventure several years ago.

But, what remains is the unbreakable bond of sisterhood, something that’s become a stronghold — and strong suit — in what it will take to break into the next level of their promising careers.

CM: We’ve always wanted to connect musically and personally to our audience, to let them know we’re here to support them in their struggles. It’s been a major learning experience how we experience pain in the music business, but not letting ourselves become bitter over it. We’re constantly challenged to take the high ground in business dealings.

Smoky Mountain News: With the latest album, “The Hardest Thing,” what was the thought process coming into this project? And how was it different from the intent of the previous release?

Whitney Miller (guitarist): Right as we were set to release [the album] “Don’t Go” in 2016, [singer-songwriter] David Mayfield reached out to us about doing an album. We started immediately on preparing new songs for this album. We wanted to release an album that captured the many different sounds of The Maggie Valley Band.

Caroline Miller (bassist): Before, we wanted to show what we were currently doing. With mostly originals and one traditional on this album, we aim to show the past, present, and future of TMVB. We have many traditional moments from our early thought process and, under David’s influence, we show were TMVB might go.

SMN: By being a band that heavily relies on touring, to get the word out on the group, and to keep it all afloat financially, how do you measure success?

CM: It’s hard because we have high goals and when we don’t meet them in our timetable it gets discouraging. However, at the end of the day, we ask ourselves if we’ve done our best with our time and resources. That’s all we can do. It’s all we will do until we’re told otherwise.

WM: There’s a lot of unknowns, but if we’re paying our bills and trying to make the wisest decisions, we just have to keep moving forward. Right now, success may look like not giving up and meeting expenses. We definitely have a blast doing this. In the end though, it’s really the passion that drives us more than anything. We love what we do and hope that our community will support us in these hard, but awesome opportunities.

Want to go?

Americana/folk act The Maggie Valley Band will host an album release party for its new record, ‘The Hardest Thing,’ at 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at Isis Music Hall in West Asheville.

David Mayfield will also perform. Tickets are $10. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.isisasheville.com or call 828.575.2737.

SMN: Why the title “The Hardest Thing”?

And what is the hardest thing about what The Maggie Valley Band is, and also where is currently stands in the grand scheme of things musically?

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

The recent “Sunday at the Opry” hosted by the HCAC at the Colonial Theatre in Canton.

WNC art councils: where do we stand?

Americana/folk act The Maggie Valley Band will host an album release party for their new record, “The Hardest Thing,” at 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at Isis Music Hall in West Asheville.

Jennifer McGaha to present her memoir Flat Broke with Two Goats Saturday, February 3rd at 3 p.m.

3 EAST JACKSON STREET • SYLVA

828/586-9499 • citylightsnc.com

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Smoky Mountain News

It’s like pulling teeth.

As your arts and entertainment editor for Western North Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host Nick Carolina, I find it difficult someDittmeier & The Sawdusters (honky-tonk/rock) times to not only “rally the at 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9. troops” to attend local art events, A “German Friendship Dinner” will be held but also get folks to support and from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at the share these ongoing gatherings Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. and vital interactions in our mountain communities.

The popular “Haywood Ramblings” series will And at the heart of many of present “Waynesville’s African-American these events are the art councils, History” by Lin Forney at 4 p.m. Thursday, which for many artisans provide Feb. 1, in the Town Hall Board Room on crucial grants and promotional Main Street. tools needed to push their education, evolving craft and showcase Old-Time and Bluegrass Series at Western events into a place where they Carolina University continues with singercan find creative and financial songwriter Keith Shuler at 7 p.m. Thursday, footing.

Feb. 1, in the H.F. Robinson Administration With state and federal fundBuilding. ing for the arts waning — or nonexistent — these art councils and their members are the frontlines in mak- zation before Solomon came aboard, some of you readers may have forgotten. ing sure these creative mediums and outlets “When I came on, [the HCAC] suffered are not only preserved, but also vibrant and from a lack of consistency, to no fault of anyalive, always growing alongside the commuone. It went for a few years as kind of an nities they’re part of. assessment with no director, and so it was in Recently, Lindsey Solomon, executive this place that it hadn’t had any consistent director of the Haywood County Arts leadership,” Solomon said. “I’ve really investCouncil, announced she would be leaving ed myself personally here, and I want to conher position after two-and-a-half years. tinue to see it thrive. I hope [my time] here Though Solomon will be the first to say she truly enjoyed her position at the HCAC, have shown some consistency and excitement for the arts.” she felt it was time to move on, where she Solomon touched on a key word in the will now be part of the capital campaign to fate of art councils in Western North raise funds for the Asheville Art Museum’s Carolina — consistency. I would surmise an new building.

And though we all wish her well, I felt we overwhelming majority of folks around here appreciate the arts and cultural heritage that needed to chat with her before she left her is presented in their communities throughpost. Though many in the HCAC are well aware of uncertainty of the nonprofit organi- out the year. But, I would think that same

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f —

number — that overwhelming majority — also are not directly involved in their local art council, either personally or financially.

“Every artist that works, and sells their work, is a small business in and of themselves, and helping bridge that gap is something that’s been important to me,” Solomon said. “It’s something probably every arts council struggles with — how do we maximize our resources? And that’s both internal and external, and a combo of the two. It’s a common challenge.”

At the HCAC’s recent Annual Meeting, where the organization looks over the past year’s accomplishments and the upcoming year’s goals and obstacles to overcome, it became apparent, as it does year after year, that I, at age 32, was one of only a few people in attendance under the age of 50.

Where is everybody else? Surely, there are folks busy with their young families and other obligations. But, that doesn’t take away from the dire state of bridging the age gaps within WNC art councils and the unknown future of these organizations that may or may not be in existence in the coming years.

Solomon, and myself included, see the importance of the new and ongoing partnerships between the art councils and other organizations in the community, where precious ideas and innovations like Junior Appalachia Musicians (JAM), “Sunday at the Opry” and monthly artist exhibitions immediately come to mind.

“Partnerships are so important,” Solomon said. “When you’re part of not only a small organization, but also a small community, a rising tide floats all boats. And I feel you can do so much more together than you can alone, to get us plugged in with other places and other groups.”

The fate of WNC art councils resides in breaking down invisible barriers between groups and businesses around the community.

“Approaching your work without a sense competition, and without holding things too closely, allow for people to approach you,” Solomon advised. “You have to also be careful with your time and resources — you can’t do it all — and being open to possibilities and having that attitude to work together, things that might be different than what you’ve done that might bring in a whole new audience.”

Beyond the fact you do see collaborations over county lines with other art councils, there also needs to be more of a civic duty by citizens, where artists can’t just rely on summer and fall tourism to ensure their survival — they need all our help, which, in turn, makes all of our lives that much richer.

“Some people have that attitude of the arts being this superfluous thing in society.

But, I think that coming into the gallery, experiencing music, or whatever your art of choice is, that is what makes life worth living. It’s what makes a community really special and speaks to the culture of a place,” Solomon said. “[Art councils provide] publicity, grants, [and] make art patrons and art lovers out of everyone in the community. It helps bolster the economy and the vibe of a place. To me, the arts are what give a place life.”

274 S. MAIN ST. WAYNESVILLE

828.246.6570

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Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

arts & entertainment

On the beat WCU traditional music series The 2017-18 First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Series at Western Carolina University continues Thursday, Feb. 1, with a concert featuring the songs and stories of musician and singer Keith Shuler.

His performance at 7 p.m. in the ground-floor auditorium of H.F. Robinson Administration Building will be followed by an 8 p.m. jam session in which local musicians are invited to participate.

Shuler, who was raised in the shadow of the Plott Balsam Mountains in Jackson County’s Addie community, has been playing guitar and writing songs for about four decades in styles ranging from bluegrass and traditional mountain music to folk, blues and rock. He will be telling stories and singing songs about people, animals and places from his native Jackson County and from across Western North Carolina during his performance.

“Shuler holds a deep love of lyrical beauty and humorous stories that he twines together to create his unique stage presence,” said Peter Koch, educational associate at WCU’s Mountain Heritage Center, which sponsors the series. Sitting at the crossroads of traditional mountain music and blues-rock, Shuler is among artists often given the “Americana” label.

The First Thursday concerts and jam sessions will continue through spring, with programs from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month.

• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” with The Trailer Hippies Feb. 3 and Somebody’s Child (Americana) Feb. 10. All shows are free and begin at 5 p.m. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

Smoky Mountain News

• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host Shane Meade & Sean Shuffler (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. Jan. 31, Twelfth Fret (Americana) 8 p.m. Feb. 9, Taylor Martin (singer-songwriter) 8 p.m. Feb. 16 and 1898 (Americana) 8 p.m. Feb. 23.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host an acoustic jam with Main St. NoTones from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 1 and 9. Free and open to the public. www.blueridgebeerhub.com.

• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters (honkytonk/rock) 9 p.m. Feb. 9. $5 at the door. www.boojumbrewing.com.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Jay Brown (guitar/harmonica) Feb. 2, Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Feb. 3 and 10, and Kevin Lorenz (singer-songwriter) Feb. 9. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m.

828.452.6000 or 22 www.classicwineseller.com.

The concerts and jam sessions are free and open to the public. Pickers and singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part in the jam sessions, which also are open to those who just want to listen.

For more information, call the Mountain Heritage Center at 828.227.7129.

Louisville rock, blues returns to WNC

‘Open Door Meal & Sing’ The “Open Door Meal & Sing” will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, at the First United Methodist Church in Sylva.

The community is invited to enjoy a delicious meal, which will be prepared by church members, musical entertainment, and fellowship.

The entertainment will be provided by Jeff Ginn, a talented singer and guitar player, who performs a wide variety of music. Ginn is a native of Cullowhee and has recently moved back home from Texas with his wife Holly and his two children. Although Ginn has traveled worldwide, he always had a desire to return to the mountains. While he lived in Texas, Ginn was the youth director at a Methodist church.

A brief devotional will precede the meal. The “Open Door & Sing” event is held on the fifth Wednesday in those months which have one. All are welcome and invited to attend.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host a Love S(t)ings Lip Sync Battle at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10.

All shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. www.curraheebrew.com.

• The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host Papa Smurf 9 p.m. Feb. 1, “Great Gatsby Party” with a live band (gypsy/jazz) 10 p.m.

Feb. 10, Bird In Hand (Americana/folk) 8 p.m.

Feb. 23 and DJ Gemini Moon Feb. 24. All shows are free and open to the public.

ALSO:

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Ben Morgan & Jesse Stephens (singer-songwriter) Feb. 10 and Scoundrel’s Lounge (Americana) Feb. 17. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Feb. 1 and 8. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Isis Music Hall (Asheville) will host The Traveling Ones w/Matt Hires (Americana) 7 p.m. Jan. 31, Missy Raines & The New Hip (Americana/bluegrass) 7 p.m. Feb. 1, Bob

Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters will play Feb. 9 at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville.

Beloved Kentucky Americana honky-tonk act Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters will perform at 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville.

Hailing from Louisville, it’s hard to pinpoint just what The Sawdusters sound is.

They’re not outlaw country, not rock-n-roll or Americana either. They’re something else, and it’s that something else that truly sets them apart from anyone else. This wild ensemble ricochets up and down the highways and back roads of Southern Appalachia and the Midwest, where legions of new fans and golden opportunities are hard earned, and usually only granted just when all seems lost.

“I get a lot of inspiration from my hometown and the area we’re from. It’s a unique place with a lot of history. Louisville is regarded either as the northernmost southern city

Sinclair & The Big Deals 7 p.m. Feb. 2, David Mayfield w/The Maggie Valley Band (Americana) 9 p.m. Feb. 2, Blue Cactus (Americana) 7 p.m. Feb. 3, The Artimus Pyle Band (southern rock) 9 p.m. Feb. 3 and Welcome to Jazzville 5:30 p.m. Feb. 4. www.isisasheville.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host The Paper Crowns (Americana) Feb. 3, Shane Davis (singer-songwriter) Feb. 9, Lyric (funk/rock) Feb. 10, Troy Underwood (singersongwriter) Feb. 16 and The UpBeats Feb. 17. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m.

There will also be an open mic night at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The Oconaluftee Visitor Center (Cherokee) will host a back porch old-time music jam from 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 17. All are welcome to come play or simply sit and listen to sounds of Southern Appalachia.

• Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. on Wednesday with Mike Farrington of Post Hole Diggers. Free and open to the public.

• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have

or the southernmost Midwestern city,” Dittmeier told The Smoky Mountain News last year. “I also like to take small almost mundane things and try to make them much larger. A good example of that is our song ‘Rhythm of the Train.’ There are a lot of trains passing through my neighborhood on the river. Most people tune those noises out or don’t ever think much about them, but there’s more to that and it facilitates way more connectivity than people give thought to. With my music, I feel I rarely try to tell people what to think. Instead, I try to hold a mirror up to a subject.”

The show is $5 at the door. Ages 21 and over. For more information on the group, visit www.nickdittmeier.com. A full feature on the band will run in next week’s issue of The Smoky Mountain News.

Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays, and an Open Jam with Rick 8 p.m. Thursdays.

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

• Sneak E Squirrel Brewing (Sylva) will host line dancing every Friday at 7 p.m. and contra dancing every other Friday at 8 p.m.

828.586.6440.

• Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro (Sylva) will host Bird In Hand (Americana) Feb. 9 and Andy Ferrell (singer-songwriter) Feb. 16.

Both shows begin at 7 p.m. 828.586.1717 or www.soulinfusion.com.

• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will celebrate its anniversary with Humps & The Blackouts (psychobilly) Feb. 9-10. All shows begin at 9:30 p.m.

arts & entertainment

Co. Macon Rental Winterizing & Early Bird Spring

On the beat

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Now through February We service all makes and models including parts.

String Trimmer, Chainsaw, Blower Push Mower Riding Mower, Zero Turn Mowers

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828.524.8911 • 537 W. Main St. Franklin, NC The Diamonds will perform Feb. 10 in Franklin.

Franklin welcomes The Diamonds Doo-wop legends The Diamonds will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

In 1957, The Diamonds released an instant million selling hit “Little Darlin’.” The song continues to sell worldwide and has been dubbed “The National Anthem of Rock and Roll.”

To date, it has sold approximately 20 million copies and led to many honors and accolades including three Gold Records, 33

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Monday–Thursday 7:30 am–4:30 pm Friday 7:30 am–12 pm Citizen Way. was released the following year. Both charted on numerous Christian song charts. The third single, “How Sweet the Sound,” was released in September 2013 and became their first No. 1 single. Their most recent single, “Bulletproof,” has also topped the charts.

Tickets start at $10 per person. To purchase tickets or to find out more information about this or any other show at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com or call 866.273.4615.

581 Leroy George Dr., #300, Clyde, NC 28721 WesternCarolinaOrtho.com

Smoky Mountain News

There will be a benefit concert featuring Christian rock acts Zach Williams and Citizen Way at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Proceeds from the event will support the Hands & Feet Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing family-style, residential care for children in crisis.

Currently, the Hands & Feet Project serves multiple locations across the southern peninsula.

They are dedicated to providing sustainable solutions that serve the forgotten children who are part of Haiti’s orphan crisis.

Zach Williams was a member of Zach Williams & The Reformations from 2007-2012. He was also the lead singer of Christian groups Brothers of Grace and Zach Williams and the Brothers of Grace.

In 2016, he signed as a solo artist and released his first single in June of that year.

“Chain Breaker” reached number one on the Hot Christian Songs Chart and the Top 10 on Christian radio. A second single, “Old Church Choir,” had similar success. Williams was recently nominated for a Grammy award and multiple Dove awards. He was named the

2017 “New Artist of the Year” at the GMA Dove Awards and also received an award for “Pop/Contemporary Recording Song of the Year” for “Chain Breaker.”

Citizen Way debuted its first single, “Should’ve Been Me,” in 2012. Their second single, “Nothing Ever (Could Separate Us)”

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

Concert to benefit Hands & Feet Project

appearances on “American Bandstand,” the “American Graffiti” and “Happy Days” soundtracks, and inductions into the “Vocal Group Hall of Fame” and the “Doo-Wop Hall of Fame.”

Through the years since the release of “Little Darlin’,” The Diamonds have learned one important lesson-the durability of this classic rock and roll music is as much about the future as it is about the past. As a result, The Diamonds continue to expand their audience to this day, performing in a variety of venues and settings worldwide.

Tickets are $20. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.524.1598 or visit www.greatmountainmusic.com.

828.452.4131

23

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

arts & entertainment

On the beat Haywood Community Chorus prepares for spring Directed by Kathy Geyer McNeil, the Haywood Community Chorus (HCC) will begin spring rehearsals on Monday, Feb. 5, in the Wilson Children’s Complex at Lake Junaluska.

Registration will be at 6:30 p.m. followed by a full chorus rehearsal at 7 p.m. Rehearsals continue each Monday evening for 12 weeks, culminating in the spring concert, scheduled for Sunday, May 6, at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.

Dan Forrest’s new work, “Lux: the Dawn from on High,” will be the major work this season. In addition, the chorus will perform traditional and contemporary spirituals, including “Beautiful River” by John Rutter and “Singabahambayo,” a South African folk song, arranged by Victor C. Johnson.

Membership dues are $30, which covers the cost of music and hiring musicians for concert performances. As attendance is important to learning music and to becoming accustomed to performing with fellow singers, members are encouraged to attend as many rehearsals as possible, missing no more than three, unless approved by McNeil.

The ability to read music is not required but is encouraged. Sectional rehearsals are held each week 30 minutes prior to the regular 7 p.m. rehearsals; sopranos and altos alternate weeks with tenors, basses and baritones. The schedule for sectional rehearsals is emailed to members each week.

Founded in 1997, HCC is supported by a grassroots grant through the Haywood Arts council and by the continued support of its founders, The Junaluskans. Director Kathy

Geyer McNeil is director of music at Grace Episcopal Church in the Mountains, as well as associate director of the Junaluska Singers.

Singing together is a wonderful experience of community. Joining together with fellow music lovers, learning new music, singing familiar pieces, and making friends are what choral music and HCC is all about.

For questions, call Laura Schnabel 828.557.9187.

Junior Appalachian Musicians fundraiser The Jackson County Junior Appalachian Musicians (JAM) program is partially funded by the NC Arts Council and the Jackson County Arts Council. However, fundraising is still needed to keep the program going.

Claymates in Dillsboro has agreed to donate 10 percent of their sales from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, to the Jackson JAM Program. This is a good opportunity to take your kids (and their friends) and let them purchase a piece of pottery to decorate and have “fired” in the kiln. It’s a fun thing to do on a winter Saturday afternoon and it helps keep the JAM program alive. Contact the Jackson County Arts Council for questions or to make a monetary or instrument donation to the JAM program at info@jacksoncountyarts.org or 828.507.9820.

Smoky Mountain News

Team Breese

Honoring the legacy of Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Artimus Pyle Band will perform at 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at Isis Music Hall in West Asheville.

More than just a “tribute” to Lynyrd Skynyrd, but a tribute to Ronnie Van Zant — the man that defined it. The Artimus Pyle Band is a high energy, true to the music, and true to the era rock group —

Reggae, funk in Sylva Jackson County rock/reggae act Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) will per-

one of the few that is on the road today.

The band is led by former Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Artimus Pyle, alongside Brad Durden, Jerry Lyda, Tony Black, and Scott Raines — some of the most seasoned musician in the southeast.

Tickets are $15. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.isisasheville.com. form at 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at O’Malley’s Bar & Grille in Sylva.

“Our music is full of inspiration from these mountains. Water, mountain landscapes, nature, trails. They all take part in the inspiration process for us,” said guitarist Miller Watson. “It’s also really cool to see the similarities in bluegrass music and reggae and how they took shape from the development of African banjo. It’s nice to bring a touch of reggae to these mountains.”

Cover is $2 at the door. www.facebook.com/pmamusic.

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On the street

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Mountain Top Polka Band.

‘German Friendship Dinner’ at Folkmoot Center

The popular “Haywood Ramblings” series presented by the Town of Waynesville Historic Preservation Commission will return with four new events.

The speaker series will focus on the historic resources and rich heritage of Waynesville and Haywood County. Each event runs from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Town Hall Board Room on Main Street and is free to the public.

• “Waynesville’s African-American History,” presented by Lin Forney.

Thursday, Feb. 1.

• “History of Cataloochee Valley,” presented by Patrick Womack. Thursday, March 1.

• “Prominent Waynesville Families,” presented by Sarah Sloan Kreutziger.

Thursday, April 5.

• “History of Main Street, Waynesville,” presented by Alex McKay. Thursday, May 3.

In case of snow, the event will be automatically rescheduled for the second Thursday of the month.

828.452.2313 kimsrx.com

Smoky Mountain News

Haywood history speaker series

Tickets for this event are $15 for adult $10 for students and can be purchased at Folkmoot.org or by calling 828.452.2997.

Limited seating is available so advance purchase is advised. Parking is available in the back of the Folkmoot building for year-round events.

Folkmoot’s year-round programming initiatives have been made possible by Haywood Regional Medical Center, the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and the Cherokee Preservation Foundation.

Folkmoot is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating many cultures in one community. The Folkmoot Friendship Center is located in the Historic Hazelwood School at 112 Virginia Avenue in Waynesville. Staff can be reached by phone at 828.452.2997 or by email at info@folkmoot.org.

(BiLo Shopping Center)

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

Mouth-watering schnitzel, traditional games, polka music and local beer are on the agenda for Folkmoot’s “German Friendship Dinner” from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.

Local families with German heritage will be making chicken schnitzel, German style egg noodles, red cabbage, sautéed apples and dessert. BearWaters Brewing Company will provide beer.

Dinner will be served in the Folkmoot Cafeteria, followed by traditional games and music by Mountain Top Polka Band in the Sam Love Queen Auditorium. True to Folkmoot’s goal of celebrating diversity in our community and multicultural arts, the dinner honors German heritage. Activities will include games for all ages, and with lots of chocolate for the prize winners.

366 RUSS AVE., WAYNESVILLE

25

arts & entertainment

On the street

Nick Breedlove photo

Open call for Greening Up There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentallythemed booths at the 21st annual Greening Up the Mountains, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 28, in downtown Sylva.

Celebrating the new spring in the mountains, the festival has become a beloved regional event. Applications can be downloaded at www.greeningupthemountains.com and will be accepted through April 1.

For more information, call 828.554.1035 or email greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

‘The Little Tennessee River Valley: Treasure Over Time’ Mark Davidson will present “The Little Tennessee River Valley: Treasure Over Time� during the meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City.

The presentation will provide an overview of the Little Tennessee River Valley from the 1700s until the present. Over the years, many

“People stop me to tell me that

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• “Is America still the land of opportunity?’â€? will be the topic for the Franklin Open Forum at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5. at the Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub. Those interested in an open exchange of ideas (dialog, not debate) are invited to attend. For more information, call 828.371.1020.

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• The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host a “Champagne Classâ€? with sommelier Cara Freije ($15 or $20 for two people) 7 p.m. Feb. 10, Mardi Gras Crawfish Boil 5 p.m. Feb. 13 and Edward Gorey Birthday Celebration Feb. 22.

Diplomate

• The “Masquerade Ballâ€? will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Camp Living Water Main Building in Bryson City. The evening will be a fundraiser for the Pirouettes Traveling Dance Competition Team. Full formal wear required. Tickets sold at the door, $10 for adults. 828.557.2948. • Line Dance Lessons will start on Tuesday, Feb 6, in Waynesville. Times are 7 to 8 p.m. every other Tuesday. Cost is $10 per class and will feature modern/traditional line

events have taken place in this valley that have shaped the region, the nation and the world, including Fontana Dam. In 2000, while teaching at William Blount High School, Davidson developed a curriculum known as Appalachian Studies. The curriculum expanded, and now in his retirement, he teaches non-credit classes designed for those who love the mountains and want to learn more through the “Our Appalachia� series at Pellissippi State Community College’s Blount County Campus.

Conversation and refreshments will follow the presentation. The event is free and open to the public. www.swaingenealogy.com.

dancing. 828.734.0873 or kimcampbellross@gmail.com for more information. • “Laughing Balsam Sangha,â€? a meeting for Mindfullness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, meets will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays at 318 Skyland Drive in Sylva. Included are sitting and walking meditation, and Dharma discussion. Free admission. For more information, please call 828.335.8210, and “Likeâ€? them on Facebook. • There will be a free wine tasting from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 3 and 10 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120. • A free wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 3 and 10 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.631.3075. • Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.

On the stage

Sylva photographer gets national attention

HART winter season continues

• The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host a “Bruch Art Opening” with a DJ set by Justin Moe on Feb. 4.

• The Waynesville Fiber Friends will meet from 10 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of the month at the Panacea Coffee House in Waynesville. All crafters and beginners interested in learning are invited. You can keep up with them through their Facebook group or by calling 828.276.6226.

• “Paint Nite Waynesville” will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursdays (Feb. 1 and 15) at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Sign up for

• There will be a “Thursday Painters Open Studio” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin Uptown Gallery. Bring a bag lunch, project and supplies. Free to the public. Membership not required.

828.349.4607.

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre will hold auditions for principal roles in its 2018 season on Sunday, Feb. 11 and Monday, Feb. 12, at its location in Waynesville.

Directors for all of the theatre’s productions, except “Sense and Sensibility,” which has already been cast, will be in attendance to see actors interested in being considered for principal roles. Following these auditions, directors will have the discretion of casting from those who auditioned or conducting follow-up auditions at a later date. All chorus and dance company casting for large musicals will be done at a later time. Actors are discouraged from attending both evenings of auditions.

HART is primarily a volunteer based community theater but offers limited stipends to professional actors cast in leading roles. To qualify as a professional, actors must have a professional head shot and resumes with credits at other professional theaters or be enrolled in actor training programs at area universities. Auditions must include a prepared monologue and musical selections if auditioning for lead musical roles. Actors with prepared monologues will be seen from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Musical auditions and auditions for plays will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Community theater actors are not required to have photos, résumés or prepared audition material beyond 16 bars of a song with sheet music if auditioning for musical roles. Priority is given to volunteer actors in all casting. An accompanist will be provided for those auditioning for roles in musicals.

Additional information is available at www.harttheatre.org.

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• A “Youth Art Class” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Appalachian Art Farm on 22 Morris Street in Sylva. All ages welcome. $10 includes instruction, materials and snack. For more information, email appalachianartfarm@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

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Smoky Mountain News

• Mad Batter Food & Film (Sylva) will host a free movie night at 7:30 p.m. every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. For the full schedule of screenings, visit www.madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

either event on the Paint Night Waynesville Facebook page or call Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.

Open call for HART productions

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

Teri Leigh Teed has been selected as a featured artist for Manhattan Arts International’s third annual “New Beginnings” exhibition, which runs through March 20 online at www.manhattanarts.com.

Teed’s fine art photograph, “Beginning of Fall,” was given an Award of Excellence. Based in New York City, a leading art capital of the world, Manhattan Arts International has been a leading advocate for under-recognized and accomplished artists from around the world.

Renee Phillips, founder and director of Manhattan Arts International, created the website in 2000 and has been dedicated to promoting and rewarding artistic excellence in all styles and mediums.

‘Beginning of Fall’ The artists selected for

by Teri Leigh Teed. this exhibition reflect the notion of “New Beginnings” with artistic originality and a proficiency in of the South, the Original Homegrown and their styles and mediums. Phillips stated, Musical Storytelling Show, which raises “The jurying process was extremely challeng- awareness for regenerative agriculture.

“Healing Spirit Art” has been the name of ing due to the outstanding quality of entries Teed’s artwork since 2005. She blends fine art received from artists worldwide.”

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, nature and landscape photography, stories, Teed is a multi-dimensional, award-winning poetry, and songs with positive, inspirational artist based in the Blue Ridge Mountains of and healing thoughts and energies.

To join the community of love, peace and Western North Carolina near Sylva. Along with her visual artwork, Teed is also a song- goodwill and share #HealingSpiritArt with writer of folk music and the author of Seasons the world, visit www.terileighteed.com.

One of the bright spots of winter is the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre Studio Season.

Each year, HART in Waynesville presents a festival of plays in its intimate 60-seat Feichter Studio. The space is located backstage in the Performing Arts Center at the Shelton House and for many this is where the region’s most exciting theatre happens.

Shows include: “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare abridged” (through Feb. 4), “Twelfth Night” (Feb. 9-16), “Women and War” (Feb. 23-March 4), “Mass Appeal” (March 23-April 1) and “In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play” (April 6-15).

Tickets are only $10 with general admission seating, but reservations are recommended as many shows regularly sell out. Another cautionary note, don’t arrive late.

Once the show begins, no one can be admitted.

A complete schedule is available on the HART website at www.harttheatre.org. Season tickets are also available for the winter season. Most shows traditionally run two weekends, but reservations are only taken one week at a time due to possible weather cancellations. Those attending can also dine at Harmons’ Den Bistro at HART prior to the show.

To make reservations or for more information call the HART box office at 828.456.6322. HART is located at 250 Pigeon Street in downtown Waynesville.

arts & entertainment

On the wall

27

arts & entertainment

On the wall

Three Course

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A Glass of Lamarca Prosecco Sparkling Wine

Appetizer Hearts of Palm Salad with Gorgonzola Crumbles and Raspberry Vinaigrette —OR— Charleston She Crab Bisque

Entrée Char-Grilled Filet Mignon with Shiitake Mushroom in a Port Wine Sauce —OR— Lemon Beurre Blanc Atlantic Salmon Stuffed with Crab, Shrimp and Brie * Entrées Served with Grilled Jumbo Asparagus and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Dessert Dark Chocolate Pâté with Melba Sauce & Fresh Raspberries

—OR— Turtle Cheesecake

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Smoky Mountain News

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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28

College of Fine and Performing Arts turns 10 elebrating 10 years at Western Carolina University, the College of Fine and Performing Arts has many special activities planned, including an alumni weekend Feb. 9-10 to honor graduates in music, theater, film and visual arts.

Reunion activities will include a reception, a campus tour and a luncheon honoring alumni and faculty emeriti, along with concerts, films and exhibits.

“Come to Cullowhee and help us celebrate 10 years of inspiring art,” said George Brown, dean of WCU’s College of Fine and Performing Arts. “This is an amazing opportunity to gather with friends and kindred spirits, perhaps rediscover the campus and be amazed by both the changes and our future plans.”

Early bird overnight accommodations are available at the Comfort Inn in Sylva. The offer is open by calling 828.477.4950 and asking for the special “CFPA Alumni Weekend” rate, with a reservation deadline of Wednesday, Jan. 31.

Friday highlights include: • Welcome Home Social 5 to 7 p.m. in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center on Feb. 9, with burgers and beer.

• Entertainment options beginning at 7:30 p.m. with theatrical performance of “J.B.” in Hoey Auditorium; WCU Wind Ensemble at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, “Shifting Gears” feature film screening in the University Center theater, or an alumni art exhibit in the Fine Art Museum of the Bardo Center.

Saturday highlights include: • Guided campus tour by bus, 10 to 11:30 a.m.

• Explore the Arts, 1:30 to 3 p.m. with the Best of Controlled Chaos Film Festival in the University Center theater, a trivia competition in University Center’s Illusions Club, paint your own ceramics at the Bardo Arts Center’s ceramics studio and join in a gamelan (tuned metal percussion instruments) music session with WCU music professor Will Peebles, no experience necessary.

• “Shifting Gears” hosted screening of movie written by College of Fine and Performing Arts alumnus Keith Harris, 4 p.m.

• Wine reception and light hors d’oeuvres at Illusions Club, 6 p.m.

C

• Entertainment beginning at 7:30 p.m. with “J.B.” at Hoey Auditorium, choral concert at the recital hall of the Coulter Building or alumni art exhibit in the Fine Art Museum.

As part of the alumni weekend activities, the college will honor several distinguished alumni and will recognize three retired faculty members with emeritus status. Included among the faculty emeriti being recognized are: • Robert A. Holquist, retired music professor and director of choral activities.

During his 23-year tenure, he maintained an active schedule as a conductor, bass-baritone soloist and educator, and directed regional choral clinics in North and South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee.

• The late Alfred “Wig” Wiggins Sr., who died at age 80 in February 2017. A retired professor of fine arts, he founded WCU’s Black Theatre Ensemble, providing black students an opportunity to perform and share their history and culture. He was a 2001 recipient of the North Carolina Governor’s Award for Excellence.

• Joan Byrd, who taught ceramics and retired in 2014 after a 46-year career in the School of Art and Design. She and her husband, George Rector, now operate Caledonia Pottery in nearby Speedwell.

Among alumni being recognized are: • Garrett Wilson, recipient of the School of Art and Design Young Alumni Award. A 2014 graduate with a bachelor’s degree in interior design, Wilson is a designer at Young Office commercial design firm in Asheville and is serving as director of the regional International Interior Designers Association for Western North Carolina. He lives in Burnsville.

• Nicholas Gattis, recipient of the School of Music Young Alumni Award. A 2010 graduate with a bachelor’s in music education, Gattis is a Charlotte middle school teacher and a National Geographic Teaching Fellow.

• Tyler MacKenzie, the School of Stage and Screen’s Young Alumni Award recipient, is best known for starring in the Broadway smash “Hamilton.” A 2013 graduate with a bachelor’s in musical theater, he now lives in Brooklyn.

For more information and to register, visit the College of Fine and Performing Arts Alumni Weekend at arts.wcu.edu/alumniweekend or contact Ellen Wolter Perry at 828.227.2757 and elperry@wcu.edu.

Gallery opening in Franklin The Franklin Uptown Gallery will be open for the 2018 Season starting on Feb. 1.

An exciting new artist exchange exhibit will feature artwork created by members of the Valley River Arts Guide from Murphy. The opening reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9. It is open to the public.

Within the exhibit, the artist members of the Macon County Art Association have created exceptional paintings, jewelry, fine crafts and other unique items.

For information on hours and art classes, contact the gallery at 828.349.4607.

Books Former English department lecturer and grad student from Western Carolina University, Jennifer McGaha, will read from her forthcoming memoir, Flat Broke with Two Goats, at 3 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 3, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Tommy Hays, author of the Pleasure Was Mine offers praise for her memoir writing, “This sweet miracle of a memoir tells the story of a struggling couple who have to lose their house, and just about everything else, to find home.”

To reserve copies of her book, contact City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.

Journalist releases debut novel

Set amid the windswept prairies of Wyoming and rounded mountains of southwest Virginia, Shadows of Flowers is a debut novel about love, loss and the power of place from award-winning Smoky Mountain News journalist Holly Kays.

She will host two readings at the following locations: 7 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 9, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, and 11:30 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Waynesville Public Library. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at both readings.

It follows the story of Virginia native Dana Stullman, whose world turns upside down when her boyfriend dies in a car accident. At 22, she finds herself moving across the country to escape reminders of the tragedy and the life that preceded it. Becoming lonelier than she could have imagined, Dana finds solace in an unexpected friendship, but her life remains paralyzed until a crisis in the wind-swept Wyoming wilderness forces her to confront the past and choose her path into the future.

Kays is a writer and journalist who makes her home in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Having earned more than 20 state and national awards during her news reporting career thus far, she covers a range of topics for the regional newsmagazine fThe Smoky Mountain News and explores the area’s many hiking trails with her four-legged best friend whenever possible.

Originally from Williamsport, Maryland, she is a graduate of Virginia Tech’s creative writing program and began her reporting career at small newspapers in Idaho and Wyoming. This is her first book.

Shadows of Flowers retails for $12 and is available online at www.paypal.me/hollykays for a $16 payment that includes shipping. No orders will be sent until the first printing arrives, by Dec. 12. www.facebook.com/shadowsofflowers.

Franklin Harry Potter party The fourth annual “Harry Potter Book Night” will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, at the Macon County Public Library in Frankin.

On “Harry Potter Book Night: Fantastic Beasts,” the library will be sharing the wonder of J.K. Rowling’s unforgettable stories and, most excitingly, introducing the next generation of readers to the unparalleled magic of Harry Potter.

Young wizards, witches and Muggles will be treated to an evening of fantastic activities, magic tricks, and readings from your favorite Harry Potter books. It all begins when the Sorting Hat decides who will be in which house, and then the students will rotate through magical classes.

They will be transforming the library into Hogwarts, as well as serving up snacks inspired by some of the scrumptious wizard foods in the books. Everyone is also encouraged to dress up as a Harry Potter book character for our costume contest.

For more information, call the children’s desk at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin at 828.524.3600. The Macon County Public Library in Franklin is a member of Fontana Regional Library (www.fontanalib.org).

29

Grandfather Mountain’s story makes for fascinating book D

reamers and schemers. Andre Michaux and Daniel Boone.

Yankees and Confederates. Hugh Morton. The mile-high swinging bridge.

Tweetsie Railroad. Singing on the Mountain. Highland bagpipes and LowCountry vacationers. Hikers and hang gliders. Mildred the Bear. Fraser firs and rhododendron. Peregrine falcons and big-eared bats.

An unlikely combination of elements. Mix them together, however, and you’ve got one of the treasures of Western North Carolina: Grandfather Mountain.

In Grandfather Writer Mountain: The History and Guide to an Appalachian Icon (The University of North Carolina PressChapel Hill, 2016, 290 pages), Randy Johnson conducts readers on a tour of the mountain, giving us a description of its geology and climate, a history of the men and women associated with it over the years, a look at the various attractions designed by some of these people to draw tourists to this peak, and a thousand bits of information in print, pictures, and photographs about the “great, evergreen Grandfather Mountain.”

Johnson divides his book into two parts. In “Part I: A History of the Mountain,” we first meet those who explored and later developed Grandfather and the land around it. One of the first Europeans to climb the mountain, French explorer and botanist Andre Michaux, whom commentator and North Carolinian Charles Kuralt once called “one of the most remarkable human beings of the 18th century, or of any century,” broke into song on reaching the peak, believing he had scaled the highest mountain in North America.

Others followed Michaux, some motivated, as was Michaux, by science and the thrills of discover. Worth “Buzz” Weller, for example, was among these visitors, a young man who in 1930 came to the mountain after his high school graduation hoping to repeat his performance of finding a new species of salamander. Weller fell while hiking at night in a storm and was found dead in Stonestack Creek. Clutched in his hand was a cloth sack containing what he had

sought, a new species amphibian called in his honor Plethodon welleri, or Weller’s salamander.

Part I also tells the stories of others whom Grandfather Mountain has attracted over the last two hundred years: the settlers, the men who dreamed of making it a tourist attraction, the loggers, the railroad crews, the builders of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the conservationists. Here, too, we meet the visionary

Jeff Minick

McGaha to present new memoir

Smoky Mountain News

Hugh Morton, who along with other members of his family did so much to develop the mountain as a beacon for tourism.

In “Part II: A Practical Guide to Hiking and Photography,” Johnson brings his sights to bear on the natural world of Grandfather Mountain, its hiking trails, and the best ways and means to capture its splendor in photographs.

Resources in this part of the book are abundant. In the hiking section, for example, Johnson includes not only a detailed description of the trails and what sights to look for along the way, but a detailed map as well. In the short section on photography, Johnson gives camera buffs insights into the lighting around the mountain and recommendations about where to capture the best views. Johnson recommends taking “a lot of pictures,” though few will rival the number of photos snapped by Hugh Morton. An ambitious photographer, Morton left the University of North Carolina nearly a quarter of a million

color slides and negatives.

With this book’s comprehensive history, its many photographs, maps, and documents, and its descriptions of the hiking trails, Randy Johnson has given us a work that does Grandfather Mountain proud.

••• I was at the public library and looking for a collection of short stories by Breece D’J Pancake, a young Appalachian writer of short stories who in 1979 committed suicide. Pancake was a student at the University of Virginia, and I was living in Charlottesville at that time and had read some of his work. Though I didn’t find his book, the library did own another collection containing Pancake’s “The Scrapper.”

Grit Lit: A Rough South Reader (The University of South Carolina Press, 2012, 359 pages) is a gathering of short stories and excerpts from memoirs put together by editors Brian Carpenter and Tom Franklin. In addition to Pancake, Grit Lit features authors like Harry Crews, Dorothy Allison, Rick Bragg, Lewis Norden, Ron Rash, and Lee Smith.

Over the years, I have read several of these writers, so I doubt I will take up this collection. I did, however, get a kick out of Tom Franklin’s preface “What’s Grit Lit?” and wanted to share his definition of “grit lit” with readers of this column. Here’s just a part of what he wrote about the fictional characters featured in Grit Lit: “Yes, they drink. They smoke — weed and pills and sometimes meth. They’re usually white, usually rednecks. Snopesian. Broke, divorced, violent — they’re not good country people. Writer Tony Earley divides Southern literature into two groups: those on the right side of the tracks, who sip mint juleps in Miss Welty’s yard, swearing politely under the magnolias in seersucker suits; and those on the wrong side of the tracks, whose characters make shine, shoot or stab one another on occasion, and cruise around in their pickups tossing beer bottles along the side of the road while looking for armadillos to flatten.”

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Linked to the landscape

The Blue Ridge Parkway winds through the Plott Balsams near Waterrock Knob.

SAHC photo

Community envisions Plott Balsams’ future

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he doors opened, and the room filled — with hikers, bikers, ecologists, conservation workers, economic development professionals and Cherokee tribal members alike who were intent on making their voices heard during a public form Thursday, Jan. 25, which took input on plans that will impact the future of Waterrock Knob and the Plott Balsams.

“What I love is the passion that people bring to conversations like this,” said Leesa Brandon, spokesperson for the Blue Ridge Parkway. “Their love of these places, their hopes for the future and the fact that the (National) Park Service is here hearing that along with all of these other community partners — it makes me really excited for the resource.”

In August 2016, the Park Service announced that land donations from a quartet of conservation organizations would add 5,329 acres to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Waterrock Knob, and that announcement spurred efforts to plan for the future on a regional scale. While the Waterrock Knob addition will represent the largest expansion of the Parkway in 60 years, it’s far from being the only piece of conserved land along its length. The stretch from Waterrock to Maggie Valley has drawn particular attention from a litany of conservation organizations, with blocks of conserved acreage — as well as undeveloped tracts of private land being eyed for conservation — lodged all along the way (see story to the right).

“It’s not just about the 5,000 conserved acres that may be turned over to the National Park Service,” said Kim Williams, who is managing the project for Equinox Environmental, the firm conducting the planning effort. “It’s about the larger area and how the larger area can be conserved or protected.”

The goal of the planning project — facilitated by the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and funded mainly through grants from the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership and the Pigeon River Fund of the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina — is to gather input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders and then combine that feedback into an overall vision for the future management of the Plott Balsams, across jurisdictions.

Over the summer, Equinox met with a

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Worth protecting Conservation organizations partner to preserve Parkway lands

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER orn in the upstairs of the Post Office building his mom ran in Crabtree, Robert Williams, now 87, has always called Haywood County home.

His dad was in the cattle business, and when the family moved to Canton during Williams’ childhood, chores such as feeding cattle, splitting wood and tending the fire kept Williams busy. But his grandfather William Silver’s 1,800-acre tract in the Plott Balsams, while also technically a workplace, provided a respite from the busyness of day-to-day life. Silver and his son — Williams’ uncle — ranged cattle up there, and in the summers Williams would join them.

“We’d go up there and spend nights in the old cabin,” Williams said. “I remember a lot of tales being told in there when I was a kid.”

They called the cabin Camp WiHaSi, a combination of the family names Williams, Hawkins and Silver.

“We spent a lot of time on there,” added Williams’ cousin Thornton Hawkins, 88, who now lives in Asheville. “I guess you’d say we had a romantic attachment to it.”

Later, as an adult, Williams would inherit his section of the land — hundreds of acres of forest abutting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

In the years between his childhood on Sheepback Mountain and his acceptance of the inheritance, Williams had traveled the world.

He served four years in the military, fighting in the Korean War, and he’d been all over the United States — even living in New Jersey for a spell — before returning home to North Carolina.

“I think this is the best place in the country as far as I know, and we traveled all across the country,” he said.

Upon his return, Williams built the Meadowbrook Resort on 10 acres of the family land, raised a family and 18 years ago found himself — a man who had never ridden a motorcycle — owner of Crazy Bob’s Biker Stuff on Dellwood Road. Williams holds four patents

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and can still be found manning the cash register at Crazy Bob’s, radio in the background.

As the years wore on, planning for the future of the 783 pristine acres in his name began to seem anything but crazy to the owner of Crazy Bob’s.

“More land doesn’t keep appearing,” said Williams’ daughter Karen Collis, 61. “It just keeps disappearing. Its use is really important because down the road you want your kids and grandkids to be able to walk out and take a hike, go for 4 miles and not see any people or houses or phone lines or anything like that, to wander across a bear or something that’s wild and living.”

Investors had been knocking for years, wanting to buy Williams’ land for some future development. But Williams kept saying no, eventually selling his property to The Conservation Fund for roughly half its market value, with the goal of eventually turning it into a game preserve managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Eventually, more of Silver’s descendents followed suit — including Hawkins — and now the property that Silver purchased in 1907 is conserved within the 1,925-acre William H. Silver Game Land.

COLLABORATING FOR CONSERVATION The Silver Game Land, officially created in February 2017, represents a major win for wildlife and land conservation. But it’s far from being the only conservation project underway in the Plott Balsams.

“We’ve got a ways to go, but in the future it could be possible to walk out of your cabin or motel room in Maggie Valley and get on a trail and hike up to Plott Balsam and Waterrock Knob on lands that are owned by a combination of local, state and federal agencies,” said Bill Holman, North Carolina director for The Conservation Fund.

The Conservation Fund, along with a group of other nonprofit organizations, has been working for years

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tors such as visibility from the Parkway, water quality, natural heritage value, size, climate resiliency and proximity to other protected areas. This information results in a score of one through 10 for each property that’s 10 acres or more, which helps CTNC — and the organizations it works with — figure out where to concentrate conservation efforts.

“We all look at the results together and parse out the different properties and determine who makes the most sense to approach any given landowner,” Painter

market dropped so the property sold at auction for a much lower price than we had been looking at having to pay,” Silverstein said.

Even a lower price requires the raising of money, however. Sometimes that comes from donors who believe in a land trust’s mission. Other times it comes from grants. But grants take time, and state monies are a lot tighter these days than they used to be.

“We are very appreciative that the legislature continues to fund the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund,” Holman said.

“But the level of funding is not as great as it was in the heyday. The state was investing over $100 million a year in land and water conservation. Now it’s more like $20 or $30 million.”

Other times, land trusts receive outright land donations — and while free is always better, each donation comes at the price of countless hours of behind-thescenes outreach and relationship building.

Earlier this month, CTNC accepted a 21acre land donation from Florida landowner John Scelfo and George Escaravage, a Waynesville resident, at Woodfin Acres, which will eventually become part of the Waterrock Knob acreage. The organization contacted Scelfo two years ago about

“I think this is the best place in the country as far as I know, and we traveled all across the country.”

— Robert Williams

MAKING THE DEAL

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Even with clearly identified priorities, the process is anything but straightforward. Some landowners say no. Some say maybe. Some say yes — but that usually requires money.

“We often work with people who have owned that property and would prefer to see it go to an organization like ours rather than a developer, and then at the same time they may have needs for their own lives that compel them to need to sell the property,” Painter said.

Then, the question is — what’s a fair price? Sometimes a deal can be reached quickly. Other times the deal evolves over a course of years of conversations and changing conditions. For example, SAHC had been speaking for years with the owners of a 60-acre tract that will soon be part of Waterrock Knob Park, but they could never agree on a price. The economy was still booming and real estate prices were high — the land trust simply couldn’t come up with the money to compensate the owners like they wanted to be compensated.

“In this case, in the intervening time the economy unraveled and the real estate

acquiring the land, but his price at the time was too expensive.

In the meantime, CTNC spent a lot of time getting to know other landowners in the subdivision, which had excellent conservation value such that the land trust hoped to protect as much of it as possible from development.

“We kind of got a foothold in this subdivision,” Painter said. “The landowners who already do own land in there know us and trust us and understand what we’re doing and are all very supportive of what we’re doing. This guy (Scelfo) eventually decided, ‘I ‘d like to go donate that property.’”

In many cases, the land trust doesn’t see itself as being the end owner of conserved properties. For a lot of conserved land along the Parkway, the ultimate goal is to convey it to the National Park Service, or the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, or some other government entity.

But the wheels of government move slowly, so the land trusts prove invaluable middlemen to ensuring transactions go smoothly.

“We can move faster than the government agencies, so we often wind up buying properties and holding them for several years while the public and private funding comes together to make it possible to transfer the property to, say, the Blue

When The Conservation Fund began acquiring the land that would eventually become the William H. Silver Game Lands near Maggie Valley, the idea was that parts of the property could be converted into elk-friendly habitat, hopefully alleviating conflicts between the large ungulates and the farmers whose crops they love to munch.

Three years after The Conservation Fund bought the first large tract of land in that project and one year after it was officially designated a state game land, work continues toward that goal.

“Critters have their own mind, so for me to say, ‘There’s not going to be any more problems or conflicts with landowners’ — I’m definitely not going to say that,” said David Stewart, land management biologist for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “But is definitely something we would like to accomplish is making habitat that would encourage elk to hang out on public land more.”

The elk population has been more or less steady at about 150 animals over the last couple years, said wildlife biologist Justin McVey, with the main herds located in Cataloochee, Cherokee, Maggie Valley and Harmon Den — though individual elk have been spotted as far away as Greenville, South Carolina.

With funding from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Wildlife Commission has completed two major wildlife habitat projects on the game land and is getting ready to start a third.

The first project involved improving the main access road to get rid of erosion issues, clearing it out to allow sunlight to reach the ground, and planting it with elk-friendly forage. The second project took place at the site of a ski resort that had been planned on the property years ago. Slopes 50 to 60 feet wide had been cleared there at one point, wide enough for the Wildlife Commission to get equipment in. The project involved clearing out those slopes once more and planting them with a variety of grasses and leafy plants.

Funding has been secured for a third project, which will run along the same lines as the other two. One of the tracts that’s part of the game lands had some significant logging activity in the past, so the Wildlife Commission wants to convert the old skidder tracks to linear wildlife openings — reshape the roads, clear out enough branches that daylight can hit the ground, and plant the roadbeds with vegetation.

“It’s going to be good habitat for elk, but it’s also good habitat for a whole list of other critters,” Stewart said. “Everything from songbirds to turkeys, grouse, so we’re creating elk habitat but a lot of other stuff is getting their home improved too. It’s a win-win for all the critters that like that kind of habitat.”

Elk are using the property already — just not in large numbers. No herds have located there.

Stewart hopes that could change as these and future habitat projects take effect. Elk love meadow and young forest habitat, but that’s not something that Western North Carolina has in abundance.

“You’ve got oceans and oceans of trees, and trees are a good thing. But you need diversity,” he said.

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

explained. “We have very limited resources as far as funding goes, and staff time and resources as well, so we want to make sure we’re picking the best of the best to spend the money on.”

Elk habitat projects underway on Silver Game Lands

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towards a larger vision of land conservation along the Blue Ridge Parkway — especially the high-elevation section stretching from Maggie Valley south to Waterrock Knob.

The Blue Ridge Parkway, which is consistently one of the most-visited units in the National Park Service, is a bit of an anomaly in that its 469-mile span is routed to capitalize on the breathtaking views afforded by the Blue Ridge Mountains — but throughout much of its length, the buffer of National Park Service land is quite skinny. Often, the Park Service boundary sits 400 feet or less from the roadside.

“For the most part, it is a pretty narrow ribbon of land,” said Rusty Painter, executive director of the Conservation Trust for North Carolina. “It is pretty precious and surrounded by private land.

Anything can happen unless it’s protected. We’re trying to make sure that the Blue Ridge Parkway doesn’t start to look like I-40.”

CTNC has been serving as North Carolina’s official “Parkway land trust” since the Governor’s “Year of the Mountains” Commission appointed it as such in 1996, and its official mission is to protect as much land along the Parkway’s borders as possible. But the section running through Haywood and Jackson counties has been a particular focus, because the large swathes of undeveloped private land covering the high-elevation spruce-fir forests found there mean that there is much to gain from conservation — and also, much to lose from failing to act.

CTNC is not alone in that realization.

For years, a tight-knit group of conservation organizations has been working collaboratively toward the goal of increased land conservation in the Plott Balsams. Its crowning achievement thus far has undoubtedly been the still-pending creation of Waterrock Knob Park, a 5,329acre addition to the Parkway announced in 2016 stemming from lands donated by The Conservation Fund, CTNC, the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy.

“The effort has evolved organically among groups that have a good working relationship with one another, and each fulfilled roles that make sense for us,” said Carl Silverstein, executive director of the SAHC. “There’s not a memorandum of understanding, but there’s kind of a natural working relationship.”

Representatives from each of the organizations typically meet once or twice a year, Silverstein said, with subsets of them getting together more often than that. Coordination is important, because there is more than enough work to be done — figuring out which organization is best suited to which project is vital.

CTNC has developed a scientific method of prioritizing efforts. The organization uses a “fairly complex” GIS model to review more than 5,000 properties located within 2 miles of either side of the Parkway, processing them based on fac-

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The planning process

Indian Creek runs through the William H. Silver Game Land.

The Conservation Fund photo

Smoky Mountain News

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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group of about 30 stakeholders representing a variety of recreational, economic, conservation and governmental interests. Last week, it threw open the doors of the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville to see what the public at large thought about the ideas developed from those stakeholder meetings.

ROBUST INPUT By all accounts, the event was a success.

“Just the turnout here, it’s obvious that people are very engaged and interested in what’s in their backyard,” said J.D. Lee, newly hired superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Rita Larkin of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation estimated that about 50 people showed up to look over the plans and share

their feedback via written notes, conversation and the sheet of six stickers each person was given upon entrance, with instructions to affix them to the management goals most important to them.

“I have a hard time putting these out here, because all of it is really important,” said Lindsay Boring, Ph.D., a retired forest ecologist who moved to Western North Carolina about a year ago, as he pondered where to place his stickers.

Faced with the task of choosing, though, Boring said watershed protection and planning for wildfire prevention should be priorities. And, always important is recognizing the diversity of the lands involved — there is no “cookie-cutter” recipe for management.

But those tasks are surmountable, he said.

The key thing is that lands are being conserved, and the partnerships that have come together to make that happen are truly impressive.

Community members flock to the public input session Jan. 25. Holly Kays photo

“People would be amazed if they knew what a big matrix of private land there is out there, and all the things that could happen on that if the organizations weren’t working,” he said. “I think the strength of it is in the diversity of the organizations and all the different tools that are on the table.”

Steven Reinhold, who co-owns the Appalachian Adventure Company, said much the same thing.

“The Plott Balsams are like my home range,” he said. “I grew up there.”

As a boy he took many a long hike through those undeveloped mountains, making his way through semi-official trails criss-crossing public and private lands.

“I realized a long time ago looking at maps that it was an island of unprotected area between the Pisgah (National Forest) and the Great Smokies, and I always thought, ‘Why on earth does this not get incorporated into either one of these?’” he said. “I’m really stoked to see everything that’s happening here.”

DESIRE FOR INCREASED ACCESS As the owner of an adventure company, Reinhold said he would love to see an opportunity to run tours as a concessionaire of the National Park Service. But on a more universal level, he said, increasing trail access for hiking and backpacking should be a top management priority — perhaps with backcountry camping transpiring in the future.

“Everywhere around Waynesville and Haywood County has profited from the boom in the outdoor industry in recent years,” he said. “I feel like we’re lagging behind.”

A need for increased access was an oftenrepeated comment in the room that night.

The results of last week’s public input session will be incorporated into a plan that Equinox Environmental has been developing to guide future management of the Plott Balsams across federal, state and locally conserved lands.

The plan is expected to be complete in February or March, and when it’s published the Blue Ridge Parkway will begin to consider how that plan should inform the formal planning process for the 5,329 acres in line for addition to the National Park Service at Waterrock Knob. The 2,986 acres from The Conservation Fund are already in federal ownership, but it could take another year or two to transfer the remainder. However, the Parkway can start the planning process before the transfer is complete.

The Park Service is currently taking comments on its proposal to manage the Waterrock Knob land as part of the larger network of federal, state and local lands rather than as a standalone entity. Comments will be accepted through Feb. 25 and can be submitted online at parkplanning.nps.gov/waterrockknobvisionplan or mailed to Blue Ridge Parkway, ATTN: Suzette Molling, 199 Hemphill Knob Road, Asheville, N.C., 28803.

Danny Bernstein of the Carolina Mountain Club, which spent years building the piece of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail that goes through Waterrock Knob, concurred with Reinhold’s dream of seeing backcountry campsites and shelters akin to what’s available on the Appalachian Trail. Maggie Valley resident Luke Popa would like to see a highelevation mountain bike trail to offer cooler riding in the summer. And retired botanist Dan Pittillo, Ph.D., was adamant about the importance of access toward the goal of stewardship through future generations.

“Panthertown Valley started out in the 1970s with no access,” Pittillo said. “And so Panthertown Valley is now accessible and there are thousands of people there yearly.

That means that Panthertown has a special value to the people that see it. The Plott Balsams, you’ve been driving by them for years. You feel like they’re not accessible because you’re driving by them and it’s a mystery. It’s mysterious, but what is it? You want to go see it.”

When people are allowed to go see, they care more, and they add their voices to the chorus calling for increased conservation, Pittillo said. But the trick will be finding ways to make the area accessible to backcountry users while also protecting the resources from overuse.

“Because the Parkway is the most-visited unit in the Park Service, we are constantly dealing with the implications of too many visitors at a site,” agreed Chris Ulrey, plant ecologist for the Parkway. “So we always think about the carrying capacity of a site.

How many people can this site withstand before the resource starts to degrade?”

Building trails that are sustainable and erosion-resistant, routing trails away from rare plant communities and getting rid of user-created trails are

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all tools that managers can use to protect resources while also offering access.

“There’s things you can do,” Ulrey said.

JUST THE BEGINNING With recent successes like Waterrock Knob Park and the William H. Silver Game Lands, one could assume that intensive conservation efforts are winding down in the Plott Balsams.

That is not the case.

“There’s still a lot to be protected there,” Painter said. “We really want to continue to add to the Waterrock Knob conservation area by protecting as many acres there as we can.”

The Silver Game Land, also, could get bigger, Holman said — and ultimately, the dream is to create a continuous channel of protected land from Maggie Valley and Waynesville running up the mountainside

“We can move faster than the government agencies, so we often wind up buying properties and holding them for several years.”

— Bill Holman

to the Parkway and then back down again into Sylva.

That dream is not yet a reality. But it’s also a lot closer than a pie in the sky. A few more years, Holman believes, and it could be done. The Campbell Creek watershed, which runs up from Maggie on the east side of U.S. 19, is a key part of that equation,

A robust network of conserved property runs along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

The Conservation Fund Map

Smoky Mountain News

Planning for the Plott Balsams won’t be completely focused on future generations and future use, however. A key part of the planning effort will be deciding how to interpret the past — the settlers who scratched out a living in these mountains years ago and the Cherokee people who called them home for millennia before that.

“It’s not just a place,” said Tommy Cabe, forest resources specialist for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. “It’s not just Waterrock Knob. It’s more than that. It’s a place of reference, and it’s a place of healing, and it’s a place of beginning.”

“It helps mark our cosmography,” added T.J. Holland, cultural resources supervisor for the tribe. “It marks us in a place. It’s a reference that informs who we are as people of Kituwah, as people of these mountains.

It’s a reference point for all those things that we are.”

At this point in history, the government is welcoming the tribe’s input as to how these places should be preserved and protected. Being a bearer of that input, Cabe said, is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. He and Holland are in the process of meeting Cherokee elders and speakers to determine just how much of the Cherokee stories the tribe wants to tell publicly.

“We’re only going to represent to the point we’re told to represent, because you do run the risk of over-telling stuff too, and then the landscape suffers or the reference point suffers or the mountain peak suffers because people have a tendency to over-love stuff or appreciate things a bit too much,” Cabe said. “You have to be kind of careful in how you deliver and how you act as a courier of this information.”

But conveying pieces of that heritage, said Molly Phillips of Mainspring Conservation Trust, will be vital to spurring continued stewardship of the land.

“A lot of places have great views, and everybody needs quality water, but to tie in that rich history and heritage — for me that helps me to understand the value around how unique this area is compared to other places in the United States,” she said.

For all involved, the Plott Balsams are mountains laden with meaning, as well as with potential. The trajectory of future conservation and management of those lands will likely have profound implications for the success of the sensitive species that call them home, the way stories and stewardship values are passed down to future generations, and the economy of Western North Carolina as a whole.

“It has the potential to be quite large,” Lynn Collins, director of the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, said of possible economic impact. “The more we have to offer, the more attractive it makes our destination, and for people who are used to coming here anyway it extends their stay.

It’s a win-win for everybody.”

Ridge Parkway or the Maggie Valley Sanitary District,” Holman said.

Some parcels in the Waterrock Knob land, for instance, have been in conservation for more than a decade. And while the 2,986 acres donated by The Conservation Fund have been officially transferred to Park Service ownership, the remaining 2,343 acres are still in process, with the last acre estimated to be transferred within the next two years. Before accepting a land donation, the Park Service has to go through a long process of due diligence and approvals — a process too onerous to expect landowners needing to move on with their lives to put up with, but doable for organizations that are in the business of land conservation.

and some funding has already been secured to start acquiring land there. The Maggie Valley Sanitary District would ultimately own the acreage to ensure a clean water supply.

“There’s some stuff happening that’s more preliminary, but I hope to have better connectivity on the Waynesville side as well,” Holman said. “There’s some properties we’ve been talking to people about, but it’s too early to really talk publicly about that.”

Once the conservation part is done, the next task is to figure out how those lands should be managed. The visioning process currently underway at the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation (see page 30) will be part of that, and construction of a high-elevation trail connecting the communities of Maggie Valley, Waynesville and Sylva has long been part of the idea. Creating such a trail would require extensive cooperation from various government entities, hiking clubs and nonprofits.

The result, should it come to fruition, would be a vast tract of untouched forest covering some of the most rare and highquality habitat in the Southeast and drawing outdoors enthusiasts of all types to explore what Haywood and Jackson counties have to offer. Such an accomplishment would surely define the counties’ future for years to come — and it would also ensure that the vistas of the past remain unblemished in the public domain.

“We’re lucky to have the Parkway,” Williams said. “You want to get out of the world, just go up on the Parkway, and forget your troubles.”

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Smoky Mountain News

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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Parkway hires new superintendent he Blue Ridge Parkway has a new superintendent following the hire of J.D. Lee, currently deputy superintendent of Florida’s Big Cypress National Preserve.

“I started my career in the Great Smoky Mountains (National Park), so coming back to the Appalachian Mountains is like coming home,” he said. “It was an easy decision for me. I love the communities that run along the Parkway and the opportunity to work with those folks that I feel like are family to me.”

Lee, 53, has been serving as acting superintendent of the Parkway since October after former superintendent Mark Woods retired on July 3, 2017. He is now in the process of moving and will assume his new role on Feb. 18.

Originally from Indiana, Lee is a graduate of Ball State University in Indiana and a 30-year veteran of the National Park Service, starting his career as a seasonal ranger and wildland firefighter in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. He has extensive experience working with NPS staff, partners, concessioners and contractors to provide essential visitor services and a comprehensive understanding of resource preservation.

When it comes to leading the Parkway, Lee said a major focus will be working to engage the younger generations in its continued preservation.

“I like the word ‘challenge’ because I

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think it means that there are opportunities, and I think the biggest opportunity for us not only on the Blue Ridge Parkway but in the entire (Park) Service is our relevance in

I think the biggest opportunity for us not only on the Blue Ridge Parkway but in the entire (Park) Service is our relevance in getting the future generations to stay engaged and understanding the benefit of having such great resources in their backyard.”

J.D. Lee. Donated photo

getting the future generations to stay engaged and understanding the benefit of having such great resources in their backyard,” he said.

Lee has been the deputy superintendent at Big Cypress for eight years, before that serving as chief ranger at the National Park

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Service Intermountain Regional Office in Denver, where he led a program staff that supported more than 90 national park sites and provided technical assistance on a variety of operational issues. He has served on multiple incident management teams and is currently a liaison officer with the Southern Area Type 1 Red Team, which manages wildland fire, natural disaster relief efforts and other management activities. Lee has also

Ridge Parkway staff, friends and partners.”

He was selected following a competitive hiring process that began with a job posting at www.usajobs.gov. Selection criteria included the ability to manage complex and diverse land management programs, develop an overall vision and strategic plan for advancing the mission of an organization and develop partnerships with a variety of stakeholders to accomplish projects.

“J.D. is a valuable member of the Southeast Region and we are pleased to welcome him as the new superintendent of Blue Ridge Parkway,” said Regional Director Stan

held management positions at the Natchez Trace Parkway and Gulf Islands National Seashore, and completed temporary assignments as acting superintendent of the Big Cypress National Preserve, Canaveral National Seashore and, most recently, the Parkway.

“I am thrilled to have such an incredible opportunity to work with dedicated people in an area known for boundless scenic beauty,” Lee said. “I look forward to building strong and lasting relationships with Blue

Austin. “J.D. is a proven leader with vast experience managing complex operations, building strong teams and collaborating with community partners.”

Lee and his wife Stephanie will soon relocate to Asheville. They are avid hikers and look forward to seeking out as many of Western North Carolina’s waterfalls as possible. They have two daughters who live in Naples, Florida, and a son in the U.S. Coast Guard.

— By Holly Kays, outdoors editor

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Patti Abel instructs a class.

Donated photo

Get aligned A fitness class focusing on posture and alignment will be offered at noon Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the Macon County

Public Library.

Donnie and Patti Abel, of Abel Wellness, will give the class. It will cover posture, alignment of the vertebra, how alignment affects movement, the anatomy of movement and the benefits of efficient movement.

Free. www.abel-wellness.com.

Befriend the MST Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail will gather for a conference March 23-25 in Elkin, a weekend full of opportunity to learn more about the trail and ways to help its development going forward.

The weekend will include dinner Friday and the annual membership meeting on Saturday. Both days will include a full schedule of trail and town excursions for attendees to explore the outdoors and learn more about this special part of North Carolina.

Registration is $75 and open to members only. Memberships are available for $35. RSVPs required

by March 16. Sign up at http://conta.cc/2ne6UnK.

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Get a jump on berry season A seminar on growing strawberries, blackberries and raspberries will be offered at a trio of locations over the next several weeks. n 10:15 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the Albert Carlton Cashiers Library in Cashiers. n 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the Swain County Extension Center in Bryson City. n 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at the Jackson County Extension Center in Sylva.

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Topics will include site selection and preparation, soil conditions, fertility needs, spacing, trellising, weed control, cultivar selection, pruning, training, harvesting and pest control options.

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Grow plants from seed Learn the basics of starting plants from seed with a class offered 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 8, at the Waynesville Public Library.

Master Gardener Volunteer Jim Janke will show participants how to successfully start seeds that will enable them to grow whichever varieties they choose while saving money as well.

Free, with refreshments provided by Friends of the Library.

Smoky Mountain News

Learn about WNC land conservation

36

Mainspring Conservation Trust is a major driver of land conservation in Western North Carolina, and the organization’s development director Cris Weatherford will speak about some of Mainspring’s current projects during a talk at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the United Community Bank in Sylva.

The talk is offered as part of the Tuckseigee River Chapter of Trout Unlimited’s monthly meeting, with the group gathering at 6:30 p.m. to eat dinner — dinner cost is $5 — and entering a raffle to win a locally crafted fly rod. The talk will follow.

Free. The Tuckaseigee River Chapter serves Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. tuckaseigee.tu.org.

Smokies sets visitation record in 2017

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park saw a record number of visitors for the second year in a row, logging 11.34 million visits in 2017.

“We strive each year to provide exceptional services to the visitors who come to enjoy the Smokies,” said Superintendent Cassius Cash. “With increasing visitation across seasons, this does not come without challenges. I am proud of the employees

who work hard each day to meet these challenges, along with the support of our volunteers and partners who collectively help us care for this incredibly special place.”

The 2017 visitation figure represented a 0.2 percent increase over 2016, with the highest visitation in July, followed by October and June. The shoulder season months of January, February, April, September and November set monthly visi-

tation records, following a pattern of the park seeing increased year-round visitation.

Visitation received a boost when the park hosted the largest special event in its history — the Great American Solar Eclipse. More than 47,000 visitors entered the park to view the eclipse on Aug. 21, a 64 percent increase from the visitation figure for that day in 2016. Eclipse events offered in Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Sugarlands Visitor Center drew 15,600 people, with an additional 26,000 people watching a live broadcast of the Clingmans Dome event in partnership with NASA. Another 6 million people watched the event online worldwide through the NASA 360 broadcast.

Overnight camping was slightly down from 2016, at 400,000 nights, but still above the five-year average. The park offers nine front-country campgrounds and 100 backcountry campsites.

Volunteers were essential to park operations in 2017, with 2,800 volunteers donating more than 115,000 hours of service. The figure represents an increase in the number of volunteers but a slight dip in the number of hours in 2016, which saw 2,230 volunteers working 117,000 hours. Volunteers maintained trails, removed invasive plants and provided visitor information along trails, at visitor centers and in campgrounds.

Additional park visitation statistics are online at irma.nps.gov/Stats/.

outdoors

Visitors peer into the sky during the solar eclipse event at Clingmans Dome Aug. 21. NPS photo

Prescribed burns coming on game lands North Carolina residents could start to see smoke over the coming weeks as the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission conducts prescribed burns on its game lands.

The Wildlife Commission’s burn season typically runs January through March, though some burns are also conducted in the spring and summer. Burns are conducted on cool days with moisture in the air and minimal wind, allowing for control of the flames.

Prescribed burns are intentional vegetation burns intended to restore and maintain wildlife habitat, spurring the growth of native plants that provide abundant food for a variety of species. Many of North Carolina’s declining or rare species are found only in fire-dependent habitat. Burns also help reduce the amount of leaf litter and pine straw on the forest floor, preventing deadly wildfires, and they help control disease and insects.

Sat., Feb. 17 Registration opens at 10 a.m., The Plunge starts at 11:30 a.m.

Canton Pool (77 Penland St.) Cost: $25, $10 under 18, or FREE by raising sponsorships.

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

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Join the team, donate, or sponsor a Plunger at: www.crowdrise.com/6thannualhwaplunge *All plungers receive a free t-shirt Music, food, bonfires, heated bathrooms Prize packages for top fundraisers and best costumes Smoky Mountain News 37

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WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Volunteers will be available to assist with federal and state income tax preparation and filing from Feb. 2April 13 in Jackson County. The service is available from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays on a firstcome, first-serve basis at the Jackson county Senior Center in Sylva. It’s also available from 3-6:45 p.m. on Tuesdays by appointment (586.2016) at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Info: 293.0074, 586.4944 or 586.2016. For tax prep sites in other counties: www.aarp.org.

• All human service agencies and churches are invited to an information meeting about the Haywood County Charity Tracker Network. The meeting will be on Wednesday, February 7, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm at the Waynesville Recreation Center. The Haywood County Charity Tracker Network is available to agencies, churches and nonprofits in Haywood County at no cost to your organization. aprice@haywoodministry.org.

• Registration is underway for a grant writing and research workshop for nonprofits through the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. Workshop is from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the Franklin Chamber of Commerce and Welcome Center, 98 Hyatt Road in Franklin. https://tinyurl.com/yax5m96j. Info: 704.614.8703.

• The Town of Waynesville is accepting applications from nonprofit organizations for consideration of special appropriations in the upcoming fiscal year 2018-19 budget. Applications available at www.waynesvillenc.gov/government or at the municipal building. Applications due by March 31. Info: 452.2491 or aowens@waynesvillenc.gov.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • The fourth annual Appalachian Farm School, organized by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center and its partners, will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesdays through Feb. 27 in the Burrell Building on SCC’s Jackson Campus in Sylva. Designed for anyone in the agriculture business. Topics include business planning, farm evaluation, goal setting and more. Registration required: www.southwesterncc.edu/sbc. Info: t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4426.

• Western Carolina University will provide a series of open forums in February allowing the public to share their opinions on the characteristics they would like to see in the next chancellor. The committee’s goal is having a new CEO for the university by Aug. 1. Monday, Feb. 5 for staff at 1:30-3 p.m. in A.K. Hinds University Center theater, for the faculty members at 3:30-5 p.m. in the conference center of Blue Ridge Hall, and 5-6:30 p.m. for the community & alumni in room 204 of the Health and Human Sciences building. Again on Tuesday, Feb. 6 for students at 12:15-1:15 p.m. in the A.K. Hinds University Center theater, for the faculty members at 3:30-5 p.m. in the A.K Hinds University Center theater and at 5:30-7 p.m. for staff members in the conference center of the Blue Ridge Hall. A second forum for community members and alumni will be held in Cherokee from 5 until 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12, in the Locust Room at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort. A questionnaire is also available at chancellorsearch.wcu.edu.

• Concealed Carry Handgun Class is being offered from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. on Feb. 17 at Bethel Grocery Hunting & Fishing at 5692 Pigeon Road in Waynesville.

648.5797 or bethelgrocery@gmail.com.

• Small business owners can find materials and services to support business growth at Fontana Regional Library’s locations in Macon, Jackson and Swain Counties. Computer classes and one-on-one assistance

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. also available. 586.2016 or www.fontanalib.org.

• A meeting of current and former employees of the Waynesville plant of Champion/Blue Ridge/Evergreen is held at 8 a.m. on the first Monday of each month at Bojangles near Lake Junaluska’s entrance.

• One-on-one computer lessons are offered weekly at the Waynesville and Canton branches of the Haywood County Public Library. Lesson slots are available from 10 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Canton and from 3-5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Library. Sign up at the front desk of either library or call 356.2507 for the Waynesville Library or 648.2924 for the Canton Library.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • The First United Methodist Church of Sylva will hold an Open Door Meal & Sing at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 31, in the church’s Christian Life Center.

Entertainment by singer/guitar player Jeff Ginn.

Devotional precedes meal. 586.2358.

• “Farmers of America Documentary” will be showing on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. as part of a fundraiser at Mad Batter Food & Film. A percentage of sales at Mad Batter Food & Film will be donated to Jackson County 4H. 586.3555.

• The Jackson County Junior Appalachian Musicians program will hold a fundraiser from noon-5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, at Claymates in Dillsboro. Ten percent of all sales will go to the Jackson JAM program.

Purchase a piece of pottery to decorate and have it fired. Info: info@jacksoncountyarts.org or 507.9820.

• A “Zumba party for Puerto Rico” will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the Mad Batter in Sylva. $10 at the door. Fundraiser for hurricane relief.

• There will be a benefit concert featuring Christian rock acts Zach Williams and Citizen Way at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Proceeds from the event will support the Hands & Feet Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing family-style, residential care for children in crisis. Tickets start at $10 per person. To purchase tickets or to find out more information about this or any other show at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, visit www.greatmountainmusic.com or call 866.273.4615.

• Registration is underway – and donations are being accepted – for the “6th Annual Plunge Benefit-t-ting Kids in the Creek & Environmental Education,” which is from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Canton Pool. Donate or register: www.crowdrise.com/6thannualhwaplunge.

VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS • Special Olympics Haywood County is seeking leaders of the new Special Olympics Young Athletes program.

An interest meeting is set for 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. 456.2030 or haywood@sonc.net.

• Exhibitors are being accepted for the ninth annual Healthy Living Festival, which is from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, March 24 at the Jackson County Cullowhee Recreation Center. Applications due by Feb. 16.

Applications and info: 587.8238 or janellemesser@jacksonnc.org.

• There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentally-themed booths at the 21st

Smoky Mountain News

annual Greening Up the Mountains, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 28, in downtown Sylva. Applications can be downloaded at www.greeningupthemountains.com and will be accepted through April 1. For more information, call 554.1035 or email greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.

HEALTH MATTERS • HIV and syphilis testing will is offered during normal business hours at Jackson County Health Department.

• Classes to help you take control of your diabetes will be offered from 10 a.m.-noon on Wednesdays through Feb. 28 (but no meeting on Feb. 7) at the Canton Library, 11 Pennsylvania Ave., in Canton. Family members, caregivers and friends also welcome to attend.

Register at the Senior Resource Center or call 356.2800.

• A “Project 24” program for anyone diagnosed with pre-diabetes – or who knows they’re at risk – is offered at 5:30 p.m. at Haywood County Health and Human Services. 24 one-hour classes. First class was Jan. 22.

Info and to register: 356.2272.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • Line dance lessons will be offered from 7-8 p.m. every other Tuesday starting Feb. 6 in Waynesville. $10 per class. Modern/traditional line dancing. 734.0873 or kimcampbellross@gmail.com.

• Waynesville Yoga Center is offering “Buti Hot Core” from 2-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3, in Waynesville.

Engage the deep muscles of the tummy and back. $20.

Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• A fitness class with Abel Wellness is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, Feb. 7, in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room in Franklin. Focus on posture, alignment of vertebra and more. www.abelwellness.com.

• Waynesville Yoga Center will offer “Flow Bros + Beer” from noon-1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, in Waynesville.

Men-only yoga basics class followed by a beer tasting (1-1:30 p.m.). $25. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Waynesville Yoga Center will offer “Thai Massage Workshop” from 2-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, in Waynesville. $30 single; $50 for couple. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Registration is underway for a “Yoga Basics Deep Dive Workshop” with Shelby McDermott. The workshop is from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, at Waynesville Yoga Center. $30. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Registration is underway for a “Meditation Workshop” with Amber Kleid. Workshop is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, at Waynesville Yoga Center. $30.

Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Registration is underway for a “Deconstructing Cravings” Workshop with Sara Lewis at Waynesville Yoga Center. Understand the source of cravings and how to reduce them. Workshop is from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24. $35. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Registration is underway for “Spa Weekend,” which is Feb. 16-18 at the Lake Logan Conference Center in Canton. Food, time with friends, massage, mani or pedi, facial, guided yoga and other classes. $320. Stay one night or two. Register: lakelogan.org/events.

• A wide variety of yoga classes are offered daily through the Waynesville Yoga Center. For updated, current listings, visit: http://waynesvilleyogacenter.com/class-schedule.

• Registration is underway for rumba, waltz and line

39

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: ■ Complete listings of local music scene ■ Regional festivals ■ Art gallery events and openings ■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers ■ Civic and social club gatherings dance lessons that will be offered in February and March. Beginning rumba is offered on Mondays from Feb. 12-March 19; intermediate waltz is available on Tuesdays from Feb. 13-March 27; and beginning line dancing is offered on Wednesdays from Feb. 14-March 21. A higher level of line dancing is scheduled for Thursdays from Feb. 15-March 22. $60 per person. All classes are from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Info: 356.7060 or 550.3170.

• Registration is underway for a TaijiFit program, which will be presented by International Tai Chi Champion David-Dorian Ross from March 3-4 at the Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center in Clyde. TaijiFit makes Tai Chi, yoga and meditation more accessible.

Info: 904.377.1527 or mattjeffsdpt@outlook.com.

SPIRITUAL • Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s winter youth retreat featuring Chris Sasser (speaker) and The Advice (worship band) Retreat is from Feb. 2-4.

Register or get more info: 800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

• Grace Episcopal Church in the Mountains will hold an open house to highlight its children, youth and young adult Sunday programs from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 394 N. Haywood Street in Waynesville.

456.6029.

• Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s winter youth retreat featuring Eddie Willis (speaker), Abbye West Pates (worship band) and Joshua Lozoff (illusionist). Retreat is from Feb. 16-19. Register or get more info: 800.222.4930 or www.lakejunaluska.com/winteryouth.

• Registration is underway for a “Healthy and Holy Retreat,” which is Feb. 23-24 at the Lake Logan Conference Center in Canton. Retreat will be led by author Mike Morrell, David Bolt and Dr. Gus Vickery.

Opportunity to enrich, rejuvenate and clarify your essential relationships. Register: lakelogan.org/events.

• Registration is underway for the Interfaith Peace Conference, which is Thursday through Sunday, March 1-4, in Lake Junaluska. Topic centers around communicating with civility and respect while upholding core values and religious traditions. Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders will offer lectures, worship, music, prayer and meditation. $150 per person. $60 for students. $10 for CEU credits. www.lakejunaluska.com/peace or 800.222.4930.

POLITICAL • Democratic candidate for the 11th Congressional District Phillip Price will meet with voters at Bear Waters Brewing Company, Friday, Feb. 2, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. There will be no formal talk by the candidate, but he will take questions and discuss how better jobs and higher wages can come from focusing on health care for all, protecting the environment, expanding free education, and securing high speed internet for all of western North Carolina.

wnc calendar

• A book study group will be starting at 1 p.m. on Feb. 4 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Franklin.

Book: “Darking Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning and Connection for the America We Want” by Francis Lappe and Adam Eichen. 524.3691.

• “Is America still the land of opportunity?’” will be the topic for the Franklin Open Forum at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 5 at Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub in Franklin. Moderated discussion; open exchange of ideas; dialog, not debate. 371.1020.

• The Jackson County Board of Commissioners will hold a regular meeting at 3 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 5, at the Justice & Administration Building, 401 Grindstaff Cove Road, Room A201, in Sylva.

• Both Bryson City 1 & 2 Precincts will hold their February meeting Tuesday, February 13th at 6:00 p.m. at the Swain County Technology & Training Center 45 W Ridge Dr, Bryson City. Agenda items 2018 elections.

All are welcome. Please contact Brenda Donargo with questions 488.1118.

• The February Swain County Democratic Party Whittier-Cherokee precinct meeting will be Thursday, February 15th at 6:00 p.m. at the Chestnut Tree Inn (formally the Holiday Inn) Hwy 19 South, 37 Tsalagi Rd. Cherokee. Agenda items include preparing for speaker Joe Sam Queen and the 2018 election calendar. All are welcome. For info, contact Brenda Donargo at 488.1118.

• A book study group will be starting at 1 p.m. on Feb. 18 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Franklin.

Book: “Daring Democracy: Igniting Power, Meaning and Connection for the America We Want” by Francis Lappe and Adam Eichen. 524.3691.

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

• The Haywood County Libertarian Party is now meeting at Blue Ridge Books on Main Street from 4:30-6 p.m. every second Monday of the month. These meetings will be for discussion on current events,and are open to the public.

• A lunch-and-discussion group will be held by the League of Women Voters at noon on the second Thursday of each month at Tartan Hall of the First Presbyterian Church in Franklin. RSVP for lunch: lwvmacon@wild-dog-mountain.info or 524.8369.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Former English department lecturer and grad student from Western Carolina University, Jennifer McGaha, will read from her forthcoming memoir, Flat Broke with Two Goats, at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

To reserve copies of her book please, contact City Lights Bookstore at 586.9499.

Smoky Mountain News

• Holly Kays, outdoors editor for The Smoky Mountain News, will read from her new novel “Shadows of Flowers” at two separate events in February. The first is at 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 9, at City Lights bookstore in Sylva; the second is at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 17, at Waynesville Public Library in Waynesville. Book

is available at The Smoky Mountain News, Blue Ridge Books and Earthworks Gallery in Waynesville; at City Lights and Sylva Market in Sylva and at Books Unlimited in Franklin. Order: $15 at www.paypal.me/hollykays. Price without shipping is $12. www.facebook.com/shadowsofflowers.

• Banned Book Club meets from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. For those who enjoy literature and intellectual conversation. 456.6000, blueridgebooks@ymail.com or www.blueridgebooksnc.com.

• Waynesville Book Club at 5:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at Waynesville Library Meet to discuss books, which are chosen by each member (taking turns) and provided by the library. New members are welcome. For more information, 356.2507.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players to join games at 1:30 p.m. each Tuesday at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 926.6567.

• Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina – an effort to help area residents commit to a healthier lifestyle, will meet from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

• A Silver Sneakers Cardio Fit class will meet from 1011 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 60 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Senior croquet for ages 55 and older is offered from 9-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Vance Street Park in front of Waynesville Recreation Center.

Free. For info, contact Donald Hummel at 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• A Hand & Foot card game is held at 1 p.m. on Mondays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Pinochle game is played at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2813.

• Hearts is played at 12 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

356.2813.

• Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

356.2813.

KIDS & FAMILIES • Signups for the upcoming Jackson County Little League Baseball and Softball seasons will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturdays, through Feb. 10, at the Cullowhee Recreation Department. Signups also offered from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Feb. 3 at the Qualla Fire Department in Whittier. For ages 5-16. $65, with a $5 discount for additional siblings. Bring birth certifi-

Puzzles can be found on page 46.

cate(s). jacksoncountynclittleleague@gmail.com or 226.0061.

• The fourth annual “Harry Potter Book Night” will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The library will be transformed into Hogwarts, snacks inspired by some of the scrumptious wizard foods in the books will be served. Everyone is encouraged to dress up as a Harry Potter book character for our costume contest. For more information, please call the children’s desk at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin at 524.3600. (www.fontanalib.org).

• Blue Ridge Books will be hosting “Book Babies” on Wednesday, Feb. 14 at 9:30 a.m. Event is an interactive reading group designed for children ages 2 and under. Call 456.8995 to RSVP. Blue Ridge Books in located at 428 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville.

• Camp Hobbit Hill is currently offering an essay contest to future campers. Winners of the essay contest have a chance to win a free session of camp.

Camp Hobbit Hill is a girls overnight camp, with a focus on horsemanship and arts, located in Alexander.

The essay must answer one of the following questions (200-250 words), be written by the potential camper, and be submitted to camp@CampHobbitHill.com no later than March 1. Please explain what leadership and community mean to you or How could attending and experiencing camp help you become more actively involved in your community or Tell us how you can be a good role model to other students in school (300 words or less). Further instructions will be available at www.camphobbithill.com. Contestants may enter all sections of the contest but are only entitled to win one 1st prize. All entries must include name, age, parental contact and return email.

• A “Youth Art Class” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Saturday at the Appalachian Art Farm on 22 Morris Street in Sylva. All ages welcome. $10 includes instruction, materials and snack. For more information, email appalachianartfarm@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

ONGOING KIDS ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS • The Canton Library offers a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) program each month. At 4 p.m. on third Tuesday. Children ages 6-12 are welcome to attend. Please call 648-2924 for more information.

• A Tuesday Library Club for ages 5-12 meets at 4 p.m. each Tuesday (except for the fifth Tuesday on months that occurs) at the Canton Library. Hands-on activities like exercise, cooking, LEGOs, science experiments and crafts. 648.2924 or kpunch@haywoodnc.net.

• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City.

A new project every week. $20 per child, with includes lesson, materials and snack. To register, call 828.538.2054.

www.ThePrintHaus.com

• Stories, songs and a craft are offered for ages zerosix (and caregivers) at 10:30 a.m. each Tuesday at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• A program called “Imagine,” an art program for children 8-12 meets at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Jackson County Public Library. Program contains art, writing, and drama. 586.2016.

• Rompin’ Stompin’, an hour-long storytime with music, movement and books, is held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays at the Canton Library and at 11 a.m. on Thursdays at the Waynesville Library. For ages zero to six. 648.2924.

• Rompin’ Stompin’, an hourlong storytime with music, movement and books, is held at 11 a.m. on Fridays at the Canton Library. For ages zero to six. 648.2924.

• Crafternoons are at 2:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• Library Olympics will be held at 2 p.m. on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. Children age 5 and up get active through relay races, bingo, mini golf.

586.2016.

• Get Moving, a program for children ages 5-12 to encourage children to live a healthy life through exercise and healthy eating, will be held on the first Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. at the Canton Public Library. 648.2924 • Family Story Time is held on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 0-6. Stories, songs, dance and crafting. 648.2924.

• Storytimes are held at 10 and 10:40 a.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• After-School Art Adventure will be on from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesdays at The Bascom in Highlands. For ages 5 to 10, Art Adventure is a class that explores the creative process of drawing, painting, printmaking, clay, sculpture, fiber art, and crafts by utilizing a variety of media. The students will investigate some of the most popular techniques and theories in art history and will be exposed to contemporary as well as folk art traditions. Tuition is $40 for a four-class package. www.thebascom.org.

• Fun Friday, everything science, is held at 4 p.m. on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• Teen Coffeehouse is at 4:30 p.m. on the first, third, and fourth Tuesday at Jackson County Public Library.

Spend time with other teens talking and sharing. 12 and up. 586.2016.

• Rock and Read is at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays at Jackson County Public Library. 586-2016.

• WNC Martial Arts will hold karate classes from 67:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the Old Armory in Waynesville. For more info, contact Margaret Williams at 301.0649 or mvwilliams39@gmail.com.

• A Teen Advisory Group meets at 4 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month to discuss YA books and

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teen program events at Canton Library. http://haywoodlibrary.libguides.com/teen or 648.2924.

• A Lowe’s Build and Grow session for ages 3-and-up is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. on Saturdays at the Sylva (586.1170) and Waynesville (456.9999) Lowe’s stores. Free.

• The Highlands Biological Foundation will offer a series of nature-themed films and documentaries shown at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of January, February and March in Highlands. For info on each show, call 526.2221.

• A family movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. every Friday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

wnc calendar

• Michael’s Kids Club will be held for ages 3-and-up from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at Michael’s in Waynesville. $2 per child for 30 minutes of creative crafts. 452.7680.

• “Wonder” will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 16 and 7 p.m. on Feb. 17, at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva.

Free, call 586.3555 for reservations.

• Art classes are available for kids 10 and older from 4:15-5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Bascom in Highlands. $15 per class. 787.2865 or www.thebascom.org.

• Art Adventure classes are taught for ages 5-10 from 3:30-4:45 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Bascom in Highlands. Theme: metal. Instructor: Bonnie Abbott. $20 per month. 787.2865.

• Free, weekly, after-school enrichment classes are offered by the Bascom and MCAA from 3-5 p.m. on Thursdays at Macon Middle School through a grant from the Jim McRae Endowment for the Visual Arts. To register, contact Bonnie Abbott at 743.0200.

•A community breastfeeding information and support group meets from 10:30 am.-noon on the first Saturday of each month in the main lobby of the Smoky Mountain OB/GYN Office in Sylva. Free; refreshments provided. For information, contact Brandi Nations (770.519.2903), Stephanie Faulkner (506.1185 or www.birthnaturalwnc), or Teresa Bryant (587-8223).

• Macon County 4-H Needlers club, a group of youth learning the art and expression of knitting and crochet crafts, meets on the second Tuesday of each month.

For information, call 349.2046.

• A Franklin Kids’ Creation Station is held from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at uptown Gallery in Franklin.

Snacks provided. $20 tuition. 743.0200.

• A Lego Club meet the second Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m. at Cashiers Community Library.

743.0215.

• Teen time 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursdays at Waynesville Library. A program for teens and tweens held each week. Each week is different, snacks provided. 356.2511.

• Teen Advisory Group, first Wednesday of each month at 4 p.m. For ages 13-18. Teens can enjoy snacks while discussing popular young adult books, help plan events and displays for children and teens at the library and participate in community service projects.

Canton Library, 648.2924.

• Crazy 8 Math Adventure Club on Tuesdays 3:30 p.m.

- 4:15 p.m. for grades K-2 at the Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

• Culture Club on the second Wednesday of the month, 1 to 2 p.m. for K-6 graders. Guest speakers, books, photos, crafts and food from different countries and cultures. Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

• 21st annual Greening Up the Mountains is scheduled for 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, April 28.

554.1035 or greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.

FOOD & DRINK • Firefly Taps & Grill, formally Blossoms on Main will providing special during the month of February for locals as part of the “February is Love the Locals” month. They will offer southern food and comfort food, but also vegetarian and vegan items, as well as a few items from their Thai menu.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • Haywood Ramblings, presented by the Town of Waynesville Historic Preservation Commission, will feature Lin Forney speaking on “Waynesville’s AfricanAmerican History: from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, in the Town Hall Board room at 9 South Main Street.

• First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Series at Western Carolina University continues Thursday, Feb. 1, with a concert featuring the songs and stories of musician and singer Keith Shuler. His performance at 7 p.m. in the ground-floor auditorium of H.F. Robinson Administration Building will be followed by an 8 p.m. jam session in which local musicians are invited to participate. The First Thursday concerts and jam sessions will continue through spring, with programs from 7 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month.

For more information, call the Mountain Heritage Center at 227.7129.

• Popular Americana/folk act The Maggie Valley Band will host an album release party for their new record, “The Hardest Thing,” at 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at Isis Music Hall in West Asheville. David Mayfield will also perform. Tickets are $10. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on www.isisasheville.com or call 575.2737.

• “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” – a comedy – will be on stage Feb. 2-4 at HART Studio in Waynesville. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 2-3 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 4. $10 for adults; $7 for students. Harmon’s Den Bistro open before each performance. Reservations: 456.6322 or www.harttheatre.org.

• “Earth: One Amazing Day” will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 2, at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free, call 586.3555 for reservations.

• Haywood Community Chorus, directed by Kathy Geyer McNeil, will begin spring rehearsals on Monday February 5th, with registration at 6:30, followed by a full chorus rehearsal at 7 PM. Rehearsals continue each Monday evening for 12 weeks, with a concert date set for Sunday, May 6th. Membership dues are $30.00; rehearsals are held in the Wilson Children’s Complex at Lake Junaluska. Any questions, call Laura Schnabel at 557.9187.

• “The Princess Bride” will be shown at 6:30 p.m.

Feb. 9, at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free, call 586.3555 for reservations.

• Beloved Kentucky Americana honky-tonk act Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters will perform at 9 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 9, at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville.

KIDS FILMS

Smoky Mountain News

• The American Girls Club meets at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. The club meets one Saturday a month, call for details. Club is based on a book series about historical women. Club members read and do activities. Free. 586.9499.

FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

• SafeKids USA Blue Dragon Tae Kwon Do School offers defense training with after-school classes Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings.

627.3949 or www.bluedragontkd.net.

A&E

41

wnc calendar

The show is $5 at the door. Ages 21 and over. For more information on the group, click on www.nickdittmeier.com.

• Doo-wop legends The Diamonds will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets are $20. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 524.1598 or click on www.greatmountainmusic.com.

• HART Theatre will hold auditions for principal roles in its 2018 Season on Sunday and Monday, February 11 & 12 at the theatre’s home, the Performing Arts Center at the Shelton House, 250 Pigeon St. in downtown Waynesville. Directors for all of the theatre’s productions, except Sense and Sensibility, which has already been cast, will be in attendance to see actors interested in being considered for principal roles. Following these auditions, directors will have the discretion of casting from those who auditioned or conducting follow-up auditions at a later date. All chorus and dance company casting for large musicals will be done at a later time. Actors are discouraged from attending both evenings of auditions. Actors with prepared monologues will be seen from 6:30-7:30pm. Musical auditions and auditions for plays will begin at 7:30pm. www.harttheatre.org.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • Mark Davidson will present “The Little Tennessee River Valley: Treasure Over Time” during the upcoming meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 1 at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center. www.swaingenealogy.com.

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

• An indoor flea market will take place every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in February and March at Friends Of The Greenway Quarters at 573 East Main St. in Franklin. Registration fee will go to FROG.

• “Stitch,” the community gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meet at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org.

• The Sew Easy Girls meet from noon-3 p.m. on the first Monday of every month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office’s conference room. Learn how to sew. 586.4009.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES • An art show, “Oils and Mixed Media,” will be presented by Milly Honeycutt through Jan. 31 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

• Linda Dickinson’s display of black-and-white photography is being displayed at the Canton Public Library Meeting Room in Canton. Show is entitled “Waynesville and Environs, a Black & White Perspective.” 648.2924.

• New artist and medium will be featured every month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

FILM & SCREEN • “Professor Marston and The Wonder Women” will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 1, at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free, call 586.3555 for reservations.

• “Marshall” will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free, call 586.3555 for reservations.

• “Post” will be showing at the Strand on Main in Waynesville on Feb. 3 & 4, Jan 31-Feb. 2 & Feb. 5-8 at 7 p.m., Visit www.38main.com for tickets.

• Registration is underway for a Beginning Bladesmithing class that will be offered from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, March 3-4, at Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro. Cost: $300; materials included. Preregistration required: 631.0271 or www.JCGEP.org.

• “The Anonymous People” will be screened at 6 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the Sylva First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. Centered on addiction and recovery. 586.2016.

• Waynesville Fiber Friends welcomes fiber artists of every kind: crochet, knitting, cross-stitching and more, from 10 a.m.-noon on the second Saturday of each month at Panacea Coffee House in Waynesville.

276.6226.

• Free movies are shown every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva.

Madbatterfoodfilm.com.

• The Bryson City Lion meet at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursdays of each month at the Iron Skillet in Bryson City.

• “Paint Nite Waynesville” will be held at 7 p.m. every other Thursday at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville.

Sign up on the Paint Night Waynesville Facebook page (www.facebook.com/paintwaynesville) or call Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.

Smoky Mountain News

enjoy this new trend. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 524.3600.

• There will be a “Thursday Painters Open Studio” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin Uptown Gallery. Bring a bag lunch, project and supplies. Free to the public. Membership not required. For information, call 828.349.4607.

• Coloring Club will be hosted on the second Wednesday of the month at 4 p.m. at Canton Library.

Color pencils and color pages supplied. For ages 8 to 108. 648.2924.

• Beginners Chess Club is held on Fridays at 4 p.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 8-108 invited to participate. 648.2924.

• Cribbage is at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Maggie Valley Inn. 410.440.7652 or 926.3978.

• The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. An afternoon of creativity and camaraderie. Supplies are provided, or bring your own.

42 Beginners are welcome as well as those who already

• “Loving” will be shown at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 10, at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free, call 586.3555 for reservations.

Outdoors

• Comments on the future of the larger Waterrock Knob and Plott Balsam region are be accepted until Feb. 25 at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/waterrockknobvisionplan or through mail to: ATTN: Suzette Molling, 199 Hemphill Knob Road, Asheville, NC 28803.

• Feline Urgent Rescue will hold a special adoption day for cats that are one year old and older from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 10, in Waynesville. Adoption fee is $35 on this day only. Kittens also available for $20. Cats have been spayed/neutered, are current on shots, have been tested for feline leukemia and have microchips. Info: 844.888.2287, furofwnc.org or FUR’s Facebook page.

• The Tuckaseigee River Chapter No. 373 of Trout Unlimited will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the United Community Bank in Sylva. $5 for dinner.

Guest speaker is Cris Weatherford, development director of Mainspring Conservation Trust. Chapter 373 serves Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties.

• Registration is underway for a “Mountains-to-Sea Trail” conference, which will be March 23-25 in Elkin.

Trail and town excursions; dinner Friday is included. $75; members only. Memberships are $35. RSVP by March 16: http://conta.cc/2ne6UnK.

• Registration is underway for the eighth annual Three River Fly Fishing Festival, which is April 26-28 in Highlands. Fishing competition open to men and women of all skill levels. $500 per team or $450 for those who register before March 15. Includes opening night reception at Wolfgang’s Restaurant, Friday happy hour after closing night dinner and a gift bag. All funds raised benefit the town’s scholarship fund.

Register: hilary@highlandhiker.com.

• The Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society and Museum will sponsor its Spring Excursion Saturday, March 24th, – a ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad through the majestic mountains and beautiful countryside of western North Carolina from Dillsboro through Bryson City and the Nantahala Gorge. Tickets and pre-purchased meals may be ordered online by credit card at http://www.wataugavalleynrhs.org/ • A Spay/Neuter Clinic is offered from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays at 182 Richland Street in Waynesville. As low as $10. 452.1329.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • The largest recreational ski race program in the world, NASTAR Public Racing is happening through the end of February from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sundays at Cataloochee Ski Area. Competitive, easily accessible racing program that allows racers of all ages and abilities to compare themselves with each other, regardless of when and where they race, using a racer handicap system. $10 for two runs or $20 for unlimited runs.

Register: nastar.com or at the ski resort’s ticket center on the lodge’s lower level.

• The Cataloochee Thursday Night Race League is open to skiers and snowboarders 18 years or older from 78:30 p.m. through Feb. 22. Individuals race against the clock on a modified GS or slalom course for the better of two runs. The top three challengers in men’s and women’s age divisions will win prizes. Helmets and goggles required. $15 to race or $35 for race entry and night lift ticket. https://tinyurl.com/y9ys99hu.

FARM AND GARDEN

with a 1,700-foot ascent on Saturday, Feb. 10, on Coontree Loop. Reservations and info: 676.0255, 699.8857 or lsbernhardt50@gmail.com.

• Nantahala Hiking Club will have a Kimsey Creek exploration on Saturday, Feb. 10, to Park Ridge. Total distance is five mile. Info and reservations: 524.5298.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a five-mile hike with a 1,300-foot ascent on Feb. 11 at Cove Creek/Caney Bottom Loop. Register or get info: 698.9394 or rivergypsy@sprintmail.com.

• Nantahala Hiking Club holds monthly trail maintenance days from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on every fourth Saturday at 173 Carl Slagle Road in Franklin. Info and to register: 369.1983.

• Hike of the Week is at 10 a.m. every Friday at varying locations along the parkway. Led by National Park Service rangers. www.nps.gov/blri or 298.5330, ext. 304.

• Friends of the Smokies hikes are offered on the second Tuesday of each month. www.friendsofthesmokies.org/hikes.html.

• Nantahala Hiking Club based in Macon County holds weekly Saturday hikes in the Nantahala National Forest and beyond. www.nantahalahikingclub.org • High Country Hikers, based out of Hendersonville but hiking throughout Western North Carolina, plans hikes every Monday and Thursday. Schedules, meeting places and more information are available on their website, www.highcountryhikers.org.

• Carolina Mountain Club hosts more than 150 hikes a year, including options for full days on weekends, full days on Wednesdays and half days on Sundays. Nonmembers contact event leaders. www.carolinamountainclub.org • Mountain High Hikers, based in Young Harris, Ga., leads several hikes per week. Guests should contact hike leader. www.mountainhighhikers.org.

• Smoky Mountain Hiking Club, located in East Tennessee, makes weekly hikes in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park as well as surrounding areas. www.smhclub.org.

• A seminar on how to establish and maintain strawberry, blackberry and raspberry patch will be offered by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service at three separate times and locations in February: 10:15 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, Feb. 6, at the Cashiers Library; 10 a.m.noon on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the Swain Extension Center in Bryson City; and from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 22, at the Jackson Extension Center in Sylva. Info and to register: 586.4009 (Sylva), 488.3848 (Bryson City) or clbreden@ncsu.edu.

• Benton MacKaye Trail Association incorporates outings for hikes, trail maintenance and other work trips.

No experience is necessary to participate. www.bmta.org.

• A “Starting Plants from Seed” program, featuring master gardener Jim Janke, is scheduled for 2-3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8, at Waynesville Library’s auditorium.

• The Jackson County Poultry Club will hold its regular meeting on the third Thursday of each month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office. The club is for adults and children and includes a monthly meeting with a program and a support network for those raising birds. For info, call 586.4009 or write heather_gordon@ncsu.edu.

HIKING CLUBS • Carolina Mountain Club will take a nine-mile hike with a 1,800-foot ascent on Jan. 31 to Case Camp – Seniard Ridge Loop. Reservations and info: 606.3989, jqs290@gmail.com, 606.1490 or quilter290@gmail.com.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take an easy twomile hike with an elevation change of 200 feet on Sunday, Feb. 4, to Winding Stair Gap on a Forest Service road. Info and reservations: 369.7352.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have an 11.9-mile hike with a 2,000-foot ascent on Feb. 4 from Buck Spring to U.S. 276 via Barnett Branch Trail. Info and reservations: 684.7083, 606.7956 or dblanning@bellsouth.net.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 7.5-mile hike with a 1,500-foot ascent on Feb. 7 at Purchase KnobHemphill Bald. Register or get info: 404.731.3119 or Djones715@aol.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a seven-mile hike

• Diamond Brand’s Women’s Hiking Group meets on the third Saturday of every month. For more information, email awilliams@diamondbrand.com or call 684.6262.

OUTDOOR CLUBS

• The North Carolina Catch program, a three-phase conservation education effort focusing on aquatic environments, will be offered through May 15. The program is offered by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department. Free for members; daily admission for non-members. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.

• An RV camping club, the Vagabonds, camps one weekend per month from April through November. All ages welcome. No dues or structured activities. For details, write lilnau@aol.com or call 369.6669.

• The Cataloochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited meets the second Tuesday of the month starting with a dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Rendezvous restaurant located on the corner of Jonathan Creek Road and Soco Road in Maggie Valley. 631.5543.

• The Jackson-Swain Master Gardeners’ Association meets at 9:30 a.m. every second Wednesday at the Jackson Community Services Building on Scotts Creek Road in Sylva. Mike Glover at 736.2768 or lmgofish@gmail.com.

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MarketPlace information: The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.

Rates:

■ Free — Lost or found pet ads.

■ $5 — Residential yard sale ads, ■ $5 — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

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If your ad is 10 words or less, it will be displayed with a larger type.

■ $3 — Border around ad and $5 — Picture with ad or colored background.

■ $50 — Non-business items, 25 words or less. 3 month or till sold.

■ $300 — Statewide classifieds run in 117 participating newspapers with 1.6 million circulation. Up to 25 words.

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CONST-TRK-FARM-AUCTION 1-27-18 at 8:00am in Lumberton, NC 10% Buyer’s Premium www.meekinsauction.com NCLN858 910.739.0547 RESIDENTIAL & ACREAGE TRACTS In Scotland County, NC sold at Auction, Online w/ Bid Center, Begins Closing 2/13 at 4pm, Bid Center at Hampton Inn Laurinburg, ironhorseauction.com, 800.997.2248, NCAL 3936 SOLD! ADVERTISE YOUR AUCTION In over 100 newspapers across the state for only $375. Call Wendi Ray at NC Press Services, 919.516.8009 TAX SEIZURE AUCTION Of Restaurant Equipment Wednesday, January 31 @ 10am 196 Crawford Road, Statesville, NC. Selling BBQ & Restaurant Equipment. (50)+ Coolers/Freezers, (6) BBQ Smokers, Gas & Electric Cook Equipment. 704.791.8825 ncaf5479 ClassicAuctions.com

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING

ACORN STAIRLIFTS. The affordable solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1.855.808.9573 for FREE DVD and brochure.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, Free Estimates & Competitive rates. References avail. upon request. Specializing in: Log Homes, remodeling, decks, new construction, repairs & additions.

Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson.

Licensed/Insured. 828.631.0747 or 828.508.0316 SAWMILLS From only $4397.00 - Make & Save Money with your own bandmillCut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship! FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1.800.578.1363 Ext.300N SAPA ALL THINGS BASEMENTY! Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing, Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and Mold Control FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1.800.698.9217 SAPA GOT MOLDOr think you might have it? Mold can be hazardous to you and your family’s health! Get rid of it now!

Call our experts and get a quote today! 844.766.3858 SAPA

FROG POND ESTATE SALES HELPING IN HARD TIMES

DOWNSIZING ESTATE SALES CLEAN OUT SERVICE • COMPANY TRANSFER • DIVORCE • LOST LOVED ONE

WE ARE KNOWN FOR HONESTY & INTEGRITY 828-734-3874 18 COMMERCE STREET WAYNESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28786 WWW.FROGLEVELDOWNSIZING.COM

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING CALL EMPIRE TODAY To schedule a Free in-home estimate on Carpeting & Flooring.

Call Today! 1.855.929.7756 HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

STOP STRUGGLING ON THE STAIRS Give your life a lift with an ACORN STAIRLIFT! Call now for $250 OFF your stairlift purchase and FREE DVD & brochure! 1.855.808.9573 SAPA SAFE STEP WALK-IN TUB Alert for Seniors. Bathroom falls can be fatal. Approved by Arthritis Foundation. Therapeutic Jets. Less Than 4 Inch Step-In. Wide Door.

Anti-Slip Floors. American Made.

Installation Included. Call for more information 800.807.7219 and for $750 Off.

CARS A-1 DONATE YOUR CAR For Breast Cancer! Help United Breast Foundation Education, Prevention, & Support Programs.

Fast Free Pickup -24 Hr ResponseTax Deduction 855.701.6346 AUTO INSURANCE Starting At $49/ Month! Call for your fee rate comparison to see how much you can save! Call: 855.970.1224 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!!

Top Dollar Offer! Free Towing From Home, Office or Body Shop. All Makes/Models 2000-2016. Same Day Pick-Up Available! Call Now: 1.800.761.9396 DONATE YOUR CAR To Charity. Receive maximum value of write off for your taxes.

Running or not! All conditions accepted. Free pickup. Call for details. 855.972.0354 GOT AN OLDER CAR, VAN OR SUV? Do the humane thing. Donate it to the Humane Society. Call 1.855.617.2024

www.smokymountainnews.com

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

WNC MarketPlace

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

A PRIVATELY OWNED TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY Is seeking applications/resumes for an Installer/Technician.

The successful applicant will need the following: • Able to climb utility poles • Good driving record •The ability to operate and handle hand tools, power tools, hydraulic eqpmnt., ladders, etc.

• Some computer experience would be helpful • Self-motivated & dependable with the ability to work independently • The ability to deal with difficult customers and members of the public in a professional, courteous manner • Be able to handle multitasking and stressful situations in a professional manner • Be available for “On Call” Duty on weekends and overtime as needed with little notice • Be able to pass a drug test and background check This person will be responsible for the installation of telephone, cable, and internet service from the utility pole into a customer’s home, will install and set up modems, digital equipment, etc. in a customer’s home, and be able to detect, troubleshoot, and fix problems as they occur with the services offered to a customer.

Salary is dependent on exp.

Benefits are available Anyone interested should e-mail their resume to: sanders@ccvn.com or fax it to 828.536.4510.

Resumes/applications will be accepted through February 9, 2018.

Equal Opportunity Employer Veterans encouraged to apply BROWN TRUCKING Is looking for COMPANY DRIVERS and OWNER OPERATORS. Brown requires: CDL-A, 2 years of tractor trailer experience OTR or Regional (Multiple states) in the last 3 years, good MVR and PSP. Apply: www.driveforbrown.com.

Contact Brandon Collins.

919.291.7416.

SAPA

AIRLINES ARE HIRING – Get FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Financial aid for qualified students - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866.441.6890 FRONT DESK/OFFICE MANAGER Full Time or Part Time: Maggie Valley Cabin Resort Seeks a Versatile, Energetic & Experienced Front Desk Employee. Customer Service & Computer Exp. Req. Weekends, Nights & Holidays a Must! Call 828.926.1388 FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Respiratory Therapy Clinical Instructor (Part-time Raleigh Area).

For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.comHuman Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD IN BRYSON CITY Is Hiring for a Property Maintenance Worker.

This Position will work YearRound. Eligible for Medical, Dental, Paid Time Off & 401K. Earn train passes, retail and food discounts, passes to area attractions and more!

Full Job Descriptions and Applications are Available at: www.gsmr.com/jobs TEACHER RECRUITMENT FAIR To fill 2018-19 Vacancies ~ did you know over 650 teaching positions were filled by 22 Virginia school divisions? Join us on Sat, Jan 27 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. @ Salem Civic Center in Salem, VA. See: www.wvpec.org (Job Fair) to pre-register and for details.

NO FEES are required. Sponsored by WVPEC

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS FOR HVAC Technicians and Installers.

Good Pay and Benefits with Year-Round Work. Experienced Only! Call 828.421.0187 or Apply in Person at 39 Bended Knee Dr., Whittier, NC off Hwy/441 N. EEO

NCCAT AT CULLOWHEE Seeks Permanent Full-Time COOK II Salary Range: $24,405 - $29,000 Job description and application are available online: www.oshr.nc.gov/jobs/index.html Application Deadline: January 26. 2018 at 5 PM EST. Questions about this job? Please call Ian Talarico at 828.293.5202 NC State Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer

FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Drama/Theatre Instructor (10month), Digital Media Instructor (10-month), & PC Support & Services/Database Management Instructor (10-month). For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com Human Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer SAPA NCCAT AT CULLOWHEE Seeks Permanent Full-Time RECEPTIONIST Salary Range: $27,000-$29,950 Job description and application are available online: www.oshr.nc.gov/jobs/index.html Application deadline: January 26, 2018, at 5 PM EST. Questions about this job?

Please call Karen Sumner at 828.293.5202.

NC State Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

EARN $500 A DAY: Lincoln Heritage Life Insurance Wants Insurance Agents • Leads, No Cold Calls • Commissions Paid Daily • Agency Training • Life License Required.

Call Now for more information 1.888.713.6020 SAPA NCCAT AT CULLOWHEE Seeks Permanent Full-Time Development Foundation Executive Assistant Salary Range: $29,861-$37,000 Job description and application are available online: www.oshr.nc.gov/jobs/index.html Application deadline: January 26, 2018, at 5 PM EST. Questions about this job? Please call Tina Wilson at 828.293.5202.

NC State Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

CAVALIER ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

828.734.4864

smauldin@beverly-hanks.com

828.452.5809 44

beverly-hanks.com

FINANCIAL BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

OVER $10K IN DEBT? Be debt free in 24-48 months.

Pay a fraction of what you owe.

A+ BBB rated. Call National Debt Relief Now 844.235.9343.

SAPA SERIOUSLY INJURED In an Auto Accident? Let us fight for you! We have recovered millions for clients! Call today for a FREE consultation! 855.324.5256 YOU DON’T HAVE TO LIVE With Bad Credit and High Interest Rates! Get a FREE Consultation Today, and Start Improving your Credit Now. Call 855.705.7246 Today! SAPA

FURNITURE COMPARE QUALITY & PRICE Shop Tupelo’s, 828.926.8778.

HAYWOOD BEDDING, INC. The best bedding at the best price!

533 Hazelwood Ave. Waynesville 828.456.4240

LEASE TO OWN 1/2 Acre Lots with Mobile Homes & Empty 1/2 Acre + Lots!

Located Next to Cherokee Indian Reservation, 2.5 Miles from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

For More Information Please Call 828.506.0578

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS We Are Offering 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting From $465.00

Section 8 Accepted - Rental Assistance When Available Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

OFFICE HOURS:

OFFICE HOURS:

Tuesday & Thursday 8:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

50 Duckett Cove Road, Waynesville, NC 28786

Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm 168E Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

Phone# 1.828.456.6776 TDD# 1.800.725.2962

Phone# 1.828.586.3346 TDD# 1.800.735.2962

Equal Housing Opportunity

GEORGE

ESCARAVAGE BROKER/REALTOR

—————————————— 28 WOODLAND ASTER WAY

74 N. Main St.,Waynesville

GOT CANDIDATES? Find your next hire in over 100 newspapers across the state for only $375. Call Wendi Ray at NC Press Services for more info 919.516.8009.

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT

Offering 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $420.00

——————————————

Steve Mauldin

EMPLOYMENT

ASHEVILLE, NC 28804

828.400.0901

GESCAR@BEVERLY-HANKS.COM

BEVERLY-HANKS.COM

Equal Housing Opportunity

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT

SOUTHPORT, N.C. Limited time offering. For sale waterfront condominium hotel resort units for as low as $149,900.

Scheduled completion for summer occupancy. The River Hotel Of Southport. Deep water fishing pier.

Amazing water views! Cooke Realty. Call Stuart 910.616.1795.

HOMES FOR SALE BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor, Locally Owned and Operated mcgovernpropertymgt@gmail.com McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

SAVE YOUR HOME! Are you behind paying your MORTGAGE? Denied a Loan Modification? Is the bank threatening foreclosure? CALL Homeowner’s Relief Line now for Help 844.359.4330 SAPA

VACATION RENTALS

SFR, ECO, GREEN

Haywood County Real Estate Agents

147 WALNUT STREET • WAYNESVILLE

828.506.7137

aspivey@sunburstrealty.com

www.sunburstrealty.com/amy-spivey

PET SUPPLIES & SERVICES HAPPY JACK® XYLECIDE® Is a Fungicidal Shampoo to treat Ringworm & Allergies. For Dogs & Horses. At Tractor Supply, or: fleabeacon.com HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

Ann Eavenson R B A ESIDENTIAL

ROKER

SSOCIATE

ann@beverly-hanks.com

www.beverly-hanks.com

828.506.0542

828.452.5809 office

Prevent Unwanted Litters!

The Heat Is On! Spay/Neuter For Haywood Pets As Low As $10.

Operation Pit is in Effect!

Free Spay/Neuter, Microchip & Vaccines For Haywood Pitbull Types & Mixes!

Hours:

Berkshire Hathaway • • • • • • •

berkshirehathawayhs.com Ira Atkins Margie MacDonald Kaye Matthews Donna Miano Robert Sales Jay Spiro Bill Thagard

Beverly Hanks & Associates • • • • • • • • • • • • •

beverly-hanks.com Ann Eavenson - anneavenson@beverly-hanks.com George Escaravage - gescar@beverly-hanks.com Billie Green - bgreen@beverly-hanks.com Michelle McElroy - michellemcelroy@beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig - mobrig@beverly-hanks.com Steve Mauldin - smauldin@beverly-hanks.com Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com Anne Page - apage@beverly-hanks.com Brooke Parrott - bparrott@beverly-hanks.com Jerry Powell - jpowell@beverly-hanks.com Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither - ellensither@beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey - mikestamey@beverly-hanks.com

ERA Sunburst Realty

Tuesday-Friday, 11:00 am - 5:00 pm 182 Richland Street, Waynesville

Catherine Proben Cell: 828-734-9157 Office: 828-452-5809

cproben@beverly-hanks.com

sunburstrealty.com • Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com • Rick Border - sunburstrealty.com

Keller Williams Realty kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

BEACH GETAWAY SPECIAL. Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Mention this add to receive an extra $25.00 discount on all spring reservations.

Limited time offering. Call Now 1.800.NCBeach; or visit us at: cookerealty.com

GREAT SMOKIES STORAGE Conveniently located off 19/23

by Thad Woods Auction. Available for lease now: 10’x10’ units for $55, 20’x20’ units for $160.

Get one month FREE with 12 month contract. Call 828.507.8828 or 828.506.4112 for more info.

WNC MarketPlace

RESIDENTIAL & ACREAGE TRACTS In Scotland County, NC sold at Auction, Online w/ Bid Center, Begins Closing 2/13 at 4pm, Bid Center at Hampton Inn Laurinburg, ironhorseauction.com, 800.997.2248, NCAL 3936

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT

Lakeshore Realty • Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Mountain Home Properties 74 N. Main St., Waynesville, NC

828.452.5809

SIOUX - A GORGEOUS CATAHOULA MIX ABOUT 1-1/2 YEARS OLD. HE IS FRIENDLY AND VERY PLAYFUL, AND ALSO FAIRLY LARGE AND ENERGETIC, SO HE'LL PROBABLY WORK OUT BEST IN A HOME WITH OLDER KIDS AND ADULTS. HE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A YARD TO PLAY IN, AND DO FUN ACTIVITIES WITH THE FAMILY LIKE HIKING OR DOG PERFORMANCE SPORTS.

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management • Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty

Judy Meyers 26 N. MAIN STREET • WAYNESVILLE (O) 828-564-9393 (C) 828-734-2899 JAMEYERS@CHARTER.NET

remax-waynesvillenc.com

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

• • • • •

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com Holly Fletcher - hollyfletcher1975@gmail.com The Real Team - the-real-team.com Ron Breese - ronbreese.com Landen Stevenson - Landen@landenstevenson.com Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

smokymountainnews.com

BREE - A GORGEOUS SNOW WHITE KITTY W/ BRIGHT BLUE EYES. SHE IS A LITTLE SHY. SHE'LL DO BEST WITH ADOPTERS WHO HAVE THE PATIENCE TO GIVE HER SPACE AND LET HER MAKE ALL THE ADVANCES. WE'RE CONFIDENT SHE'LL BE A WONDERFUL, LOVING COMPANION GIVEN SOME TIME AND TLC.

mountaindream.com • Cindy Dubose - cdubose@mountaindream.com

Rob Roland Realty • Rob Roland - rroland33@gmail.com

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE 828.452.4251 | ads@smokymountainnews.com 45

www.smokymountainnews.com

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018

WNC MarketPlace

Super

46

CROSSWORD

75 Start of the second riddle 81 Holds up ACROSS 82 Cybernames 1 Jan. and Feb. 4 Project detail, for short 84 English rocker Brian 85 Middle of the second 8 Coll. dorm monitors riddle 11 Salt Lake City ath91 Andy Taylor’s son letes 15 Speedy WWW hookup 92 Look at 93 Org. giving tows 18 Nibble away 94 See 75-Down 19 Funny Bombeck 95 Storage site 20 Trio after N 100 Misfortunes 21 12-point-wide type 102 Livy’s 2,150 22 Lemur kin 23 Start of the first rid- 103 Couple 104 End of the second dle riddle 26 Ship routes 110 Intercept and turn 28 Henry of Time and aside Life 111 Gin joint 29 The Teletubby that’s 112 Oohs and — yellow 115 “You have my word” 31 Certain citrus grove 117 Second riddle’s yield answer 32 Middle of the first 121 Cinematic Spike riddle 122 Purple fruit 37 Lingerie garment 123 Go — rant 39 Snobbery 124 Black-and-white 40 Un-PC suffix treat 41 Retort to “Not so!”

125 — culpa 42 Wrestling pad 126 Cut out 43 Party game cry 127 Aug. follower 44 Peaty place 128 April follower 47 Slave over — stove 49 End of the first riddle 129 Simple 130 Purported psychic 58 U.S. snoop gp. gift 59 Creameries 60 State as fact 61 First riddle’s answer DOWN 1 Cry feebly 65 Zagreb site 66 “My Man” singer Yoko 2 Island of Hawaii 3 Detached, musically 67 Pre-58-Across org.

68 Immodesty 4 Jiffy 70 Old fed. led by Nasser 5 Ace 71 Hydrogen atom’s lack 6 Aussie bird PUNNING UP AND DOWN

7 Hardened skin area 8 Fit for a king 9 Straight as — 10 Nerdy sort 11 Big name in pkg. shipping 12 Get stewed 13 PC-sent greeting 14 Deli meat 15 “Blasted!”

16 Big name in swimsuits 17 Not to such a degree 24 Tetley option 25 “True —!” (“Yes siree!”)

27 Santa — (hot winds) 30 All the world, per the Bard 33 Actress Metcalf 34 One-dimensional 35 Body part above eyes 36 One of the Musketeers 37 X6 and Z4 carmaker 38 Pep rally cry 44 Doldrums 45 Any of the Joads, e.g.

46 Female kid 48 Old despot of Russia 50 Cry in Berlin 51 Tallies 52 Bite playfully 53 General —’s chicken 54 “There — tide ...”

55 Abate 56 Event with evidence 57 Gawk 61 Pilot and Fit carmaker 62 “— a nap!”

63 Pianist Glenn 64 History unit 65 Fishcake fish

68 Actor Murphy 69 Main point 72 Oil byproduct 73 Bread or booze 74 — buco 75 With 94-Across, donkey noise 76 Sun, moon and star 77 Cablegram 78 Jewish Passover 79 Surround with a saintly ring 80 Caveman Alley 82 Functional 83 Turtle covers 86 Makes natty 87 “— Rock” (1966 hit) 88 “Heavens!”

89 Liquid filling la mer 90 A couple 95 For some time 96 Prison, informally 97 Began to cry, with “up” 98 Prefix with Chinese 99 Chews noisily 101 Ski race 102 “Some Like It Hot” actress 105 Cyber-submit to the IRS 106 Massey of “Rosalie” 107 “Never ever!”

108 Common site for a 7-Down 109 Set (down) 113 Tilling tools 114 Flip one’s lid 116 First-aid ace 118 History unit 119 — Moines 120 Male kid

answers on page 40

ITEMS FOR SALE 11-HP GENERATOR New, Never Been Used Homelite #LR5500, 5 Gallon Gas Tank, 5500 Watts, HD 220/115 Cord. $475/Firm. For more info call Richard at 828.316.9557 BORING/CARPENTER BEE TRAPS No Chemicals, Poisons or Anything to Harm the Environment.

Handmade in Haywood County. 1 for $20, 2 or More for $15 each.

828.593.8321 CHAMPION SUPPLY Janitorial supplies. Professional cleaning products, vacuums, janitorial paper products, swimming pool chemicals, environmentally friendly chemicals, indoor & outdoor light bulbs, odor elimination products, equipment repair including household vacuums. Free delivery across WNC. www.championsupply.com 800.222.0581, 828.225.1075.

WANTED TO BUY • WANTED TO BUY • U.S./ Foreign Coins! Call Dan

828.421.1616 FREON R12 WANTED: Certified Buyer will PICK UP and PAY CA$H for R12 cylinders or cases of cans. 312.291.9169; www.refrigerantfinders.com SAPA

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MEDICARE DOESN’T COVER All of your medical expenses. A Medicare Supplemental Plan can help cover costs that Medicare does not. Get a free quote today by calling now. 1.877.212.8839 SAPA OXYGEN Anytime. Anywhere. No tanks to refill. No deliveries. The All-New Inogen One G4 is only 2.8 pounds!

FAA approved! FREE info kit.

Call 855.969.8854 SAPA STRUGGLING WITH DRUGS Or Alcohol? Addicted to Pills?

Talk to someone who cares. Call The Addiction Hope & Help Line for a free assessment. 800.511.6075

SERVICES AT&T HIGH SPEED Internet Starting at $40/month. Up to 45 Mbps! Over 99% Reliability!

Bundle AT&T Digital TV or Phone Services & Internet Price Starts at $30/month. Call 1.800.950.1469 SAPA CHANGE THE WAY YOU WATCH TV Get rid of cable and get DIRECTV! You may also qualify to receive $100 VISA gift card when you sign up today- Limited time Only.

CALL NOW! 855.901.5470 CHEAP FLIGHTS Call Now! 1.844.787.9808 SAPA DISH NETWORK. 190+ Channels. FREE Install. FREE Hopper HD-DVR. $49.99/month (24 mos) Add High Speed Internet $14.95 (where avail.) CALL Today & Save 25%! 1.877.920.7405 HUGHESNET Satellite Internet: 25mbps for just $49.99/mo! Get More Data FREE Off-Peak Data. No phone line required! FAST download speeds.

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CALL NOW! 1.800.791.0713

WEEKLY SUDOKU Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Answers on Page 40

half-dollars and did, indeed, glow like rainbows in the water.

The naturalist’s corner

Izzy (left) scoops a comb with Maddie.

BY DON H ENDERSHOT

Don Hendershot photos

Christmas vacation – part deux he day after our water dance with manatees in Crystal River we headed across Florida to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. There we checked into our hotel, had a bite and napped, getting ready for a night time kayak excursion in Indian River Lagoon looking for comb jellies.

Comb jellies are amazing aquatic creatures more than 500 million years old. They are called jellies because of their physical resemblance to jellyfish. They are both gelatinous and mostly translucent creatures that meander and/or drift through the oceans around the world. But combs and jellyfish are actually from two totally different phyla, Cinidaria (jellyfish) and Ctenophora (combs.)

Comb jellies get their name from their plates of fused cilia (short hair like filaments used for locomotion.) While many microscopic organisms use cilia to propel themselves, combs are the largest animals that do so. Most species of comb jellies only reach a size of a few inches or less but one species — Venus’s Girdle — may reach more than

T

three feet in length.

Another unusual feature — the one that drew us — is the light produced by comb jellies. They are bioluminescent critters, and like underwater fireflies use the chemicals luciferin and luciferase to create light. But quite often it is another color phenomenon that draws one’s attention to combs. Light also reflects off the combs’ cilia as the comb jelly propels itself, creating a rainbow effect of color in the water.

It was dark when we met our guide, Richard, at the launch site in Indian River Lagoon. After detailed instructions, we slogged off the bank and slipped into the moonlit lagoon. It was New Year’s Eve and January’s first “super” moon cast a twilight glow upon the lagoon. Sometimes, with the cronks and grunts of night herons and the still moonlit silhouettes of great blue herons, it was easy to just drink in the beauty of boat and water and moonlight, not thinking about combs.

But Richard knew what we had come for and where to find them. After a half hour or so of paddling we followed Richard into a sheltered cove. He gave us small dip nets and instructed us on how to find and scoop up the combs. They were about the size of

Comb showing the “rainbow” effect.

Richard explained the biology and life history of combs to us and for a bonus told us about the ecosystem (Indian River Lagoon) we were paddling in and how combs fit in with the rest of the environment.

After our encounter of a gelatinous kind, we put our nets away and once again fell in line behind Richard, crossing Indian River and back to the launch sight, spooking mullets, listening to night herons, nodding to statuesque great blue herons and watching brown pelicans touch down and lift off in the quasi dark.

The outfitter for our comb jelly adventure was A Day Away Kayak Tours. Comb jellies in the winter and a bioluminescence tour in the summer are a just a couple of adventures A Day Away offers.

Our comb jelly trip was outstanding; Richard was a competent, enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide and all the equipment was first rate. To learn about A Day Away visit www.adayawaykayaktours.com.

(Don Hendershot is a naturalist and a writer who lives in Haywood County. He can be reached at ddihen1@bellsouth.net)

Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018 Smoky Mountain News 47

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Smoky Mountain News Jan. 31-Feb. 6, 2018