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February 11-17, 2015 Vol. 16 Iss. 37

Jackson deputy fired amid ongoing investigation Page 16 Maggie officials debate proposed mountaintop cross Page 17

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: Parents and health care professionals weigh in on the risks and benefits of vaccinating children as a recent measles outbreak has brought the controversial issue to the forefront once again. (Page 6-8)

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News Canton to revamp Labor Day festivities ..............................................................4 Canton considers extensive event application ..................................................5 Sylva sounds off about noise dispute ..................................................................9 Haywood County considers smoking ban ........................................................10 Fire burns 400 acres near Cherokee ................................................................12 Courthouse bottleneck leads to renovations ....................................................13 Jackson deputy fired amid investigation ............................................................16 Proposed cross in Maggie prompts debate ....................................................17 Cullowhee land-use plan on the move ..............................................................19

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Scott McLeod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@smokymountainnews.com Greg Boothroyd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . greg@smokymountainnews.com Micah McClure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . micah@smokymountainnews.com Travis Bumgardner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . travis@smokymountainnews.com Emily Moss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . emily@smokymountainnews.com Whitney Burton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . whitney@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Bradley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jc-ads@smokymountainnews.com Hylah Birenbaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hylah@smliv.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jessi Stone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jessi@smokymountainnews.com Becky Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . becky@smokymountainnews.com Holly Kays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holly@smokymountainnews.com Garret K. Woodward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . garret@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Singletary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jeff Minick (writing), Chris Cox (writing), George Ellison (writing), Gary Carden (writing), Don Hendershot (writing).

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Let’s do the time warp again ................................................................................26

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Canton considers Labor Day overhaul Popular band could attract a crowd

The Canton Board of Aldermen looks at a proposed poster idea for the revamped Labor Day celebration.

Jessi Stone photo

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR anton’s annual Labor Day Celebration has been a beloved community tradition for more than 100 years.

As attendance and excitement have started to wane over the last few years, however, the town is looking at ideas to revamp the holiday weekend events, including bringing in a nationally known band for a Sunday night concert at Pisgah High School’s stadium.

“For 108 years, the festival has been one of our greatest assets,” said Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss at a recent board workshop.

“It’s seen some decline over the years, but we want to bring it back to its former glory.”

Mayor Mike Ray said he didn’t want to start the conversation about Labor Day with negativity.

“Let’s look at improving what we have,” he said. “Even though people put stuff on Facebook, we’re proud of our town and what we do.”

Hendler-Voss said the board adopted an economic development initiative last year to move the town forward. The plan included five goals: to leave their comfort zone, take calculated risks, learn from failures, understand the need for change and be pro-active.

The Labor Day planning committee has been working on recommendations for improving the event based on input from a community survey. Assistant Town Manager Jason Burrell, who serves on the planning committee, said possibilities included scaling back the event from four days to two days, getting rid of the mechanical rides, booking a popular band and moving all other activities from the recreation park to Sorrells Street Park downtown.

To make the event a success, Hendler-Voss said it needed to rebranded to set Canton apart from other towns. He suggested returning to the event’s roots and celebrating everything “Made in Canton.”

“We need to go back to the roots of our event, which started as a tribute to the mill,”

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February 11-17, 2015

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Serving all of WNC

he said. “We need to harness that energy and do a better job of telling our own story.”

LOCATION Burrell said the recreation park has been a great location for the event but moving it downtown would make it more prominent to people driving through. His hope is that more people will stick around for the other events on Monday after the parade if they only have to walk over to Sorrells Street Park.

“The visibility in downtown will help attendance, and MaterFest has been successful in having it there,” Burrell said. “We want to expose more people to our community — what better way to do that than have it downtown?”

Changing locations would require a portable stage and some additional costs associated with getting a temporary power panel for food vendors and the musical acts.

“Since this board has been elected, we’ve wanted to be bold and take risks,” said Alderman Zeb Smathers. “It belongs downtown because that’s where it started. I’m in support of embracing all these ideas.”

KIDS’ ACTIVITIES Lisa Stinnett, Canton’s special events

coordinator, said when comparing the town’s event to others in the region, most were twoday events held in a central downtown location that did not feature rides.

“We just can’t afford the rides the kids want,” she said.

The rides would be replaced with a kids’ zone that would include several inflatables, crafts, games, face painting, magicians, balloon animals and more. Instead of paying per ride, parents could pay $10 for a wristband that would allow kids to partake in all activities the entire day.

Burrell said FOCUS of Canton would still host a carnival with mechanical rides in the summer for kids. He added that many families attend the state fair around that time of year for the rides, and the town just can’t compete with the quality of those rides.

ENTERTAINMENT The community survey found that a majority of residents would attend the event without rides and would pay up to $20 a ticket for a concert.

The town’s festivities usually begin Friday night with Pickin’ in the Park; music, rides, food vendors and other activities Saturday at the recreation park; gospel music Sunday;

COST

In the past, the town has usually budgeted about $20,000 for Labor Day festivities.

Hendler-Voss said the cost would increase to about $135,000 if all the recommendations were implemented. But he’s hoping community and corporate sponsorships and ticket sales would help offset the extra expense.

Ray said he wanted to be careful not to spend all the town’s money on the Labor Day festivities and provide several good events for residents throughout the year.

Smathers said it would be important for the town to get big sponsors and sell enough tickets to lessen the taxpayer burden in case the concert is rained out.

Hendler-Voss said the town needed to sell at least 3,000 concert tickets, but the stadium can hold up to 8,000.

The board was in consensus to move forward with researching the changes and seeing what bands would be available to perform.

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and the Monday parade and continued entertainment at the rec park.

If the event was shortened to Sunday and Monday, Burrell said Pickin’ in the Park would continue on Friday night, but no events would be held Saturday. Gospel music would be moved to the Colonial Theatre on Sunday and other entertainment, food vendors, car show and a kids’ zone would be held at Sorrells Street Park. Then the concert would begin at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Monday would include the parade followed by more music, food and entertainment for children downtown.

Hendler-Voss said the new recommendations would satisfy the local community by providing the traditional events residents love and also providing a regional draw with a headlining concert. It’s been done before when The Beach Boys and Charlie Daniels played several years ago. The town would have to get approval from the school system to use the stadium.

With most bands booking shows for Friday and Saturday nights, Hendler-Voss said it would be an ideal opportunity to catch a band already coming through the area and ask if they’d play a Sunday show in Canton.

Board members also discussed having a popular regional act like Balsam Range open up for the headlining band to bring in local folks.

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The town also is examining its co-sponsorship policy for special events. Currently, the town is a regular co-sponsor for Relay for Life of Canton, FOCUS of Canton’s summer carnival, Shining Rock RiverFest, Pickin’ in the Park and the Armory, Easter egg hunt, the town’s Christmas parade and Fourth of July festivities. These events receive cash contributions and/or in-kind donations in exchange for public safety and cleanup service.

While the town is happy to contribute to these signature events, Hendler-Voss said there needs to be parameters to ensure the town is recognized for its efforts. He recommended only offering co-sponsorships to nonprofits with a Canton charity impact or corporate events only if they have an economic development impact.

In exchange for a sponsorship, he said the town should require its logo be placed on all

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promotional material. He added that events already being co-sponsored by the town would be grandfathered in to the new policy.

The Fourth of July festivities in Canton have been privately funded for the last few years since the past board no longer wanted to pay for a fireworks display. Hendler-Voss asked if the board wanted to make any changes with the event this year.

Champion Credit Union stepped in to pay for the fireworks once the board didn’t want to pay for it, and Mayor Mike Ray said he and his wife paid for everything else for the event, including food, a DJ, advertising and clean up.

“And I want to continue that as long as I’m mayor,” he said.

The question is whether Fourth of July festivities should be a town produced or cosponsored event since the town provides public safety services.

Alderman Carol Edwards said she didn’t see any need for it to be a town-sponsored event since Ray took care of everything.

“There’s no sense in sponsoring it — it’s always been their baby and it’s something they want to provide for the community,” she said.

Ray said he understood if the town wanted credit for providing services.

“That’s the least the town could do when someone is providing that service,” he said.

The board agreed it should be a co-sponsored town event so the town could help promote it.

“If that’s what you want to call it,” Edwards said.

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February 11-17, 2015

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR vent organizers may have to go through a more thorough application process if the Canton Board of Aldermen adopts a new special events policy.

During a recent board work session, Town Manager Seth Hendler-Voss said the board passed two ordinance amendments last year related to street closures and alcohol consumption during special events.

Requests for closures and alcohol for events has to be approved by the board, which means an ordinance and application process is needed to ensure public safety and to protect Brad Boulet town assets. of Owner of “It should be on the the Sun at promoter to think the Shining through all that in the Rock application,” HendlerRiverFest.

Voss said.

Garret K. Angela Reece, a Woodward photo Western Carolina University graduate student, did the research and drafted a special events policy for the town as part of her capstone project for her master’s degree in public affairs. As a lifelong resident of Haywood County and a current Canton resident, she said she wanted to help her community in whatever way she could.

The board will look over the proposed ordinance and discuss it in more detail during its next meeting.

Reece’s proposed policy outlines exactly what promoters are responsible for and walks them through the entire process.

Applicants would be required to: • Have a pre-application meeting with town staff to explain the policy and for the town to gain details about the event.

• Complete an application at least 120 days before the planned event or within 60 days of the last event if it is a regular annual event.

• Pay a $250 refundable security deposit at least 90 days before the event.

• Pay the rental fee associated with the venue being used for the event ($50-$150).

• Pay additional fees for fire or police to work an event ($20 per hour).

• Must have a $1 million general liability insurance policy at least 30 days prior to the first day of the event. If the event includes alcohol, organizers must have liquor liability coverage as well.

• Are responsible for food vendors, trash disposal, minor traffic control and parking, tents and equipment, clean up, etc.

• Apply for an alcohol permit through the state. Unless an exception is approved, the Canton Police Department maintains a 10 p.m. curfew on alcohol consumption for all special outdoor events on public property.

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Canton considers extensive special event policy

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Inside immunizations PARENTS WEIGH THE RISKS AND BENEFITS

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR ana Quinn of Waynesville has lost friends, been called crazy and was turned away from a pediatrician’s office because of her decision to not vaccinate her three sons.

Waynesville resident Janet Presson’s son was diagnosed with autism at 2 years old, shortly after he received his scheduled vaccines. She isn’t against vaccinations completely but feels like small children are overimmunized at a young age.

Katie Seymour of Sylva is an adamant supporter of vaccinations and believes parents should be required to vaccinate if they want to send their children to public schools.

Canton mom Darcia Sirianni said the risks associated with vaccines aren’t worth the slight chance her children might contract a rare disease.

Despite their different opinions about vaccines, all these parents have done extensive research on the topic and feel confident in their conclusions.

Vaccinations have become a polarizing issue that has been exacerbated by the recent outbreak of measles in 17 states.

The once-eradicated disease seems to be making a comeback and has a majority of the medical community concerned for the public’s safety as more people decide against immunization.

Measles was considered eliminated in the United States in 2000, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports there were 644 cases in the U.S. in 2014. The largest outbreak hit unvaccinated Amish communities in Ohio last year.

More than 100 people have contracted measles since Jan. 1, after the first case was linked to an out-of-country visitor at Disneyland. According to the CDC, the majority of people who have gotten the measles are not vaccinated.

While measles is considered eradicated in the states, it still hits underdeveloped countries each year. The CDC reports that an estimated 20 million people get measles and 146,000 people die from the disease each year worldwide. If measles can return to the states, healthcare professionals are worried about resurgence of other diseases they say can be prevented by vaccines, including polio, Hepatitis B, pertussis and rubella.

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February 11-17, 2015

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N.C. IMMUNIZATION LAW

North Carolina law requires immunizations for every child in the state. Every parent or guardian is responsible for ensuring that their children receive required immunizations unless the parent receives a medical or religious exemption.

If a parent with a religious exemption 6

decides to get just one vaccination for their child, the exemption is voided. Some students receive a medical exemption because of compromised immune systems.

Parents starting their child at a daycare or public school have to present vaccination paperwork or their exemption, but the exemption isn’t any type of formal documentation.

“There is no form for religious exemptions; parents write a note and sign it, stating they have a bona fide religious belief opposing immunizations,” said Carmine Rocco, the head of the Haywood County Health Department.

The public health departments have vaccination statistics for a majority of students in the public school system, but they don’t keep stats on homeschooled children.

The 60,950 homeschools in the state are required by law to keep students’ vaccine records or exemptions on site, but no one is enforcing that law. The state keeps no records of religious or medical exemptions.

During the 2013-14 schools year, there were 1,944 homeschooled students being taught in 1,265 homeschool sites in Haywood, Jackson, Swain and Macon counties.

UNVACCINATED IN SCHOOLS Bill Nolte, associate superintendent for Haywood County Schools, said the school system follows the state laws regulating immunizations unless a parent receives a religious or medical exemption.

“If they have a religious exemption, we stick that note in the folder where the immunization records usually are, but it’s not a lot,” he said. “I feel pretty confident that if we have a measles outbreak in North Carolina, a vast majority of our students will be in pretty good shape.”

If the schools did have some sort of outbreak, whether it is measles or chickenpox, Nolte said the schools have the capacity to determine which students haven’t been vaccinated within 24 hours and decide whether those children need to be removed from the school to prevent the spread of the outbreak.

He added that the schools would rely on direction from the local health department before making that call.

With such a small percentage of children not vaccinated, Nolte said, the school system hasn’t received any complaints from parents.

Even if there were complaints, he said they would be misdirected.

“We don’t make state law, so I would encourage them to communicate with the General Assembly if they want something changed,” he said. “Many of us have strong religious beliefs, and we honor other people for having those too.”

Katie and Jeff Seymour are pictured with their three children: Lillian, 9; Charlie, 3; and Mary Gentry, 2. The Seymours chose to vaccinate their children. Donated photo

By the numbers Number of students in public school systems not vaccinated HAYWOOD COUNTY 53 out of 7,500 students JACKSON COUNTY 31 out of 3,716 students MACON COUNTY ?? of 4,400 students SWAIN COUNTY 15 out of 1,985 students

PARENTS’ POSITIONS Seymour, a mother of three, grew up with a physician father and a nurse mother. She vividly remembers interviewing her father for a school project when she was 13 and asking him what he considered the greatest medical advancement in his lifetime.

“He said, ‘Without a doubt it has been vaccines,’” Seymour said. “It’s been because of vaccines I’ve never had a friend lose a child to chicken pox or smallpox.”

She had her first child at the height of the autism/vaccination media hype. Celebrity

Jenny McCarthy was all over TV talking about how vaccines made her son autistic.

And even though Seymour grew up with medical professionals as parents, she still questioned whether vaccinations were safe.

“It was scary — I read a lot of literature and the doctors gave me info sheets about vaccines,” she said. “Knowing it was a concern for me, my dad would read medical journals and keep me updated.”

Her children all received vaccines as recommended and experience little to no side effects. But what really sealed the deal in her mind is when McCarthy publically said she was wrong and apologized for all the parents who had listened to her claims.

“What scares me for these moms is when we have these outbreaks — there is no doubt there is a link between that and not vaccinating their children,” Seymour said.

She knows parents are only trying to do what’s best for their kids but said public health should be a greater priority than individual rights.

Quinn and her husband are second-generation non-vaccinators after they experienced bad reactions to vaccines as babies. She received her six-month MMR vaccines in 1984 and had a horrible reaction, including a 104-degree fever and projectile vomiting. Her

Common substances found in vaccines news

• Aluminum gels or salts of aluminum, which are added as adjuvants to help the vaccine stimulate a better response. Adjuvants help promote an earlier, more potent response, and more persistent immune response to the vaccine.

• Antibiotics which are added to some vaccines to prevent the growth of germs (bacteria) during production and storage of the vaccine. No vaccine produced in the United States contains penicillin.

• Egg protein is found in influenza and yellow fever vaccines, which are prepared using chicken eggs. Ordinarily, persons who are able to eat eggs or egg products safely can receive these vaccines.

• Formaldehyde is used to inactivate bacterial products for toxoid vaccine (these are vaccines that use an inactive bacterial toxin to produce immunity). It is also used to kill unwanted viruses and bacteria that might contaminate the vaccine during production. Most formaldehyde is removed from the vaccine before it is packaged.

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) and 2-phenoxy-ethanol are used as stabilizers in a few vaccines to help the vaccine remain unchanged when it is exposed to heat, light, acidity or humidity.

• Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative that is added to vials of vaccine that contain more than one dose to prevent contamination and growth of potentially harmful bacteria.

For children with a prior history of allergic reactions to any of these substances in vaccines, parents should consult their child’s health care provider before vaccination.

Source: CDC

Matthew and Lana Quinn pose with their three children: Kingston, 5, Coen, 3, and Christian, 16 months. The Quinns have chosen not to vaccinate their children. Donated photo babies and adults with carcinogens and neurotoxins — that’s not safe.”

MEDICAL OPINIONS

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Charles Toledo, a pediatrician with WNC Pediatrics and Adolescent Care in Sylva, said extreme side effects from vaccines are very rare and the benefits are great.

“The data is super strong for the positive effects of immunization,” he said. “The benefits far outweigh any risks of vaccines.”

In his 30 years of practicing medicine, he has noticed an increase in the number of children not being vaccinated. He believes that everyone should do their part to vaccinate for public health reasons, but he also understands that parents have the right to decide.

When he looks at the drop-off in diseases once vaccines were introduced, there’s no doubt in his mind that vaccines are effective.

He also doesn’t want to see any of those diseases return.

“Measles is a terrible disease — it causes extreme high fever and people do die from it,” Toledo said. “There are rare forms that result in encephalitis that can be fatal.”

He said online research isn’t always a reliable way for parents to decide whether to vac-

cinate because it’s hard to seek out objective information.

“Case reports or testimony are important, but when you look at how rare those are, I think that’s not always obvious,” he said.

Another misperception is that vaccinated people are completely protected from people who are not. That’s because vaccines are not 100 percent effective. They significantly decrease the odds of catching something but some people still get sick. For example, the pertussis vaccine is known to wane after age 9, Toledo said. Pertussis isn’t deadly for a 9year-old, but it could be very dangerous if passed on to a baby.

“If enough people in society are not immunized, all of a sudden we have a critical mass that can spread the disease,” Toledo said. “We could end up with a significant population of children with full-blown diseases that can pass it along.”

Rocco said he hasn’t noticed an increase in non-vaccinated children at the Haywood County Health Department.

“If anything, we have noticed an increase in the number of people bringing children in for vaccinations, in part due to new and revised N.C. immunization rules and require-

February 11-17, 2015

parents began digging into the research, She received a religious exemption, but which wasn’t as accessible as it is today, and then family pressured her to vaccinate her decided not to vaccinate her again. son for pertussis (whooping cough) because She was homeschooled for a few years, it ran in the family. Sirianni said she asked the attended public school and then got a health department if she could just get that degree that required her to spend a lot of one vaccine without getting the others and time in a hospital. At 30 years old, she’s was told that wouldn’t be a problem. never had a serious illness except for chick“But then I got a letter in the mail (from en pox as a child. the health department) saying my religious When it came time for her to have chil- exemption didn’t apply since I got one,” she dren, she did research online and read many said. “So months later he had to get the other books on the subject but she just didn’t find shots — five in one day.” enough positives to outweigh the risks.

She later vaccinated her daughter because “I’m not wholeheartedly anti-vaccine, but she was going on a trip outside the country.

I wholeheartedly think parents should have a In her research, Sirianni found that most choice,” she said. “I need serious information of the diseases doctors vaccinate against are proving effectiveness and a guarantee there not life-threatening. She said it didn’t make aren’t the risks.” sense to vaccinate a baby for a sexually Quinn said she nursed her children to transmitted disease like Hepatitis B, and it pass on a strong immune system and her fam- didn’t make sense that a 10-pound baby and ily is focused on great a 200-pound man nutrition to keep should receive the “I’m not wholeheartedly them healthy. Her 5same vaccine. year-old son goes to “If you get the anti-vaccine, but I Haywood Christian mumps and measles wholeheartedly think Academy and the it doesn’t kill you, younger children are and you can still get parents should have a still at home. them with the vac“It was surprising choice.” cines,” she said. that they hadn’t run Quinn, Sirianni — Lana Quinn into someone not and Presson are all vaccinated before, concerned about the and they didn’t really know how to deal with ingredients used in vaccines. They will me at first,” she said. “But I do have the reli- never be able to accept that it is safe to gious exemption because I don’t believe God inject substances like mercury into a young created us flawed.” child’s body.

When it comes to her children mixing Presson, a former nurse and current with vaccinated children, she said she doesn’t owner of A Small Miracle, which provides see the threat to public safety. If they do come services for children and adults with autism, in contact with something — a cold or stom- feels like her son might have had a better ach bug — they stay home, isolated to pre- quality of life had she not vaccinated. vent spreading anything.

At 14 months old, her son was meeting “My kids aren’t a public safety risk if oth- developmental milestones and speaking ers are vaccinated,” she said. “If those parents clearly, but after his vaccines at 15 months, he feel vaccines work, then my child shouldn’t stopped speaking, he stopped meeting his affect them.” milestones and one side of his face started Sirianni said she made the conscious deci- drooping. Doctors diagnosed him with sion not to vaccinate her two children when autism when he was 2 years old. they were babies, but now at ages 16 and 11, “We immunized my son until we brain they are both vaccinated. injured him,” Presson said. “We’re injecting

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VACCINATION, CONTINUED FROM 7 ments, and eligibility criteria for vaccine usage through the North Carolina Immunization Program,” he said.

Even though the percentage is a small one, Rocco said it is still a major public health concern in today’s mobile society. With the current measles outbreak affecting 102 people across 14 states since Jan. 1, he said, it only takes one sick person to begin the transmission of disease to those around them.

“Vaccination is the most important strategy in the prevention of measles and other diseases like whooping cough, polio and meningitis,” Rocco said. “The community is better protected when all people who can be vaccinated are current on their immunizations.”

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” is what Rocco tells parents who are apprehensive about getting their children vaccinated. The health department staff also points to facts from the CDC. Newborn babies are immune to many diseases because they have antibodies they got from their mothers, but Rocco said that immunity goes away during the first year of life. A child less than a year old may not be strong enough to fight off a disease if they are not vaccinated.

“Before vaccines, many children died from diseases that vaccines now prevent, such as whooping cough, measles and polio,” Rocco said. “Those same germs exist today, but because babies are protected by vaccines, we don’t see these diseases nearly as often.”

Immunizing individual children also helps to protect the health of the community, he said, especially people who can’t be immunized for medical reasons and the small proportion of people who don’t respond to a particular vaccine.

Some of these diseases can be fatal in rare cases and also can be costly because of doctor’s visits, hospitalizations and medications.

Sick children can also cause parents to lose time from work, Rocco added.

LINK TO AUTISM

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Toledo said he tries to figure out a parent’s true concerns when they ask about vaccines. He said the most common notion is the alleged link to autism or other developmental delays.

A study was published in a British medical journal in 1998 outlining Dr. Andrew Wakefield’s research paper claiming a link between vaccines and the increased number of autism cases. The article was retracted in 2010 and Wakefield lost his license for falsifying data. Even though the article was retracted, the claim continues to be a concern for parents.

“In my 30 years, I can’t remember an article being retracting from a peer journal — that was a big deal,” Toledo said.

He said continued research has resulted in a better understanding of chromosome abnormalities occurring in children diagnosed with autism. He said genetic testing information from autistic children is still being compiled and patterns are starting

“If enough people in society are not immunized, all of a sudden we have a critical mass that can spread the disease. We could end up with a significant population of children with full-blown diseases that can pass it along.”

— Charles Toledo, Sylva pediatrician

Required vaccinations in North Carolina • • • • • • • • • • • •

Diphtheria Hepatitis B Hib Disease Measles Meningococcal Mumps Pertussis (whooping cough) Pneumococcal Polio Rubella Tetanus Varicella (chickenpox)

to emerge showing abnormal chromosome sequences.

Toledo said children can have a genetic predisposition to autism and other factors can trigger its manifestation — like an infection or certain food products. Toledo said more advancement is needed in the genetic testing before it’s conclusive.

“So I tell parents that it seems like there’s a huge genetic component (in autism) and that vaccines do not cause autism,” he said.

Presson has a much different opinion based on extensive research and her own personal experience with her son. Since Wakefield lost his license, she said, his research has been replicated.

“Wakefield never said vaccines cause autism,” she said. What he did say was that there was a large group of children with autism who also had unexplainable stomach issues. The common denominator was that those autistic children had a vaccine strain of measles found in their gut that children without autism did not have.

Still, Presson isn’t completely confident in studies from medical journals. Most receive substantial funding from big pharmaceutical companies that push vaccines.

“I have no doubt that they become doctors to help people, but they don’t realize they’ve been brainwashed in medical school,” she said. “They want to believe vaccines are safe and effective, but I think they will be jumping off buildings when the truth comes out.”

Sylva citizenry sounds off about noise dispute C

The unpaid noise citations at No Name Sports Pub have landed on the desk of the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission’s legal division following an investigation by N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement.

It could take a few months for that report to wind up on the top of an attorney’s stack of paperwork — the ABC Commission’s two attorneys are currently working on 500 viola-

able.” “It’s arbitrary and can be used to attack different businesses.”

Curt Collins, a customer of No Name’s, took that idea of attack a step further.

“I believe that a noise ordinance that only runs from 11 to 7 attacks a certain segment of the community, and that is people who work second or third shift jobs,” said Collins, though adding that he’d be all for getting rid of the noise ordinance altogether.

SOUND ON SKYLAND DRIVE But noise ordinances serve a purpose, said No Name neighbor Dwight McMahan, and the club needs to abide by this one.

“I can’t tell you on how many countless nights I’ve tried to put my son to sleep and him turn over and say, ‘I can’t go to sleep,’ said McMahan.

McMahan moved in shortly before No Name did, and he can attest to the difficulty of living alongside a bar. It’s not like it’s just one person calling the police all the time, McMahan said. He’s dialed that number before and knows a number of neighbors who have as well.

“It’s just really upsetting when you constantly hear ‘hooping and hollering’ after midnight, and it’s not just from the music,” he said.

“It’s the people leaving the establishment.”

tions between them, the commission’s chief counsel Renee Cowick said — but the violations could result in consequences ranging from a written warning to revocation of No Name’s liquor license.

In all likelihood, the resolution will fall on the milder side of that spectrum.

“It probably won’t be much,” Cowick said.

According to the report filed with the ABC Commission, Assistant Sylva Police Chief Tammy Hooper told Special Agent S.D. Myers of Alcohol Law Enforcement on Dec. 29, 2014, that No Name had been issued five noise citations since that May,

However, said Cindy Lewis, part-time No Name bartender and mixology and bartending instructor at Southwestern Community College, the bar hasn’t had a chance to preempt those concerns. She wishes the neighbors would call No Name before the police station.

“All the nights that I’ve worked, I’ve never had one person call me and say, ‘This is too loud,’” she said. “We’d turn it down.”

Drew Hooper isn’t so sure. Hooper lives across the road and uphill from the bar. He’s spearheaded a petition claiming that “there is no benefit to the community by having this bar here.”

“It wasn’t bad the first year, and then [owner Gregg] Fuller, he just figured out, ‘Well no one’s saying anything to me. I’ll get a little bit more and little bit more,’” Hooper said. “So then he ramped it back up and said, ‘I’m going to rawhide this place, I’m going to rawhide this neighborhood. And he has. It’s time to calm it down.’”

BENEFIT OF A BAR? Hooper wasn’t in favor of a decibel-specific ordinance revision, saying that the sound spikes up and down and officers responding to a call would likely get there after the sound had died down for a bit. He’d like to see a con-

all still unpaid. Myers later spoke to Gregg Fuller, who owns No Name. Fuller said he planned to bring the citations up at Sylva’s Jan. 15 meeting, and he expected them to be dismissed.

But that did not happen, and Myers spoke with several people at the meeting — all of whom wished to remain anonymous, according to the report — who said No Name was “becoming a detriment” to their community.

The day after the meeting, Myers submitted the report.

The best-case scenario would be for the neighbors to work the issue out on their own,

NO PLAN TO AMEND Mayor Maurice Moody thanked everyone for their comments but informed the audience that the board would not take any action that evening, as the topic was not actually on the agenda. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that it will be in the future.

“At this point there is no plan to change the ordinance,” he said. “The board will discuss that, but at this particular time there is no plan.”

So it might be up to the neighbors to work it out, but that could prove challenging.

“It’s going to be hard to repair this situation,” said Commissioner Danny Allen. “I hope that we can, but the way that the feelings are among the neighborhood and the business owners — comments were made on each side — it’s going to be hard.”

said Stacy Cox, special agent in charge for Alcohol Law Enforcement.

“Both parties have a valid complaint, and they need to come to middle ground,” she said.

Fuller, meanwhile, is still considering going the legal route. He has retained Jim Moore, former assistant district attorney for the western counties, as his lawyer, he said, and doesn’t plan to comment on the issue anymore for a while.

“I’d like to talk to you, but my counsel’s told me to shut up, so that’s what I’m doing,” he said. “I think things are going well, but I can’t talk any further about it.”

Smoky Mountain News

ABC to rule on noise violations

Drew Hooper, a neighbor of No Name Sports Pub who is spearheading a petition against noise at the bar, speaks to the town board before a crowded room. Holly Kays photo

February 11-17, 2015

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER onflict surrounding noise complaints at No Name Sports Pub — and the Sylva town ordinance that addresses how those complaints are handled — brought out a crowd of about 25 to the town board meeting last week.

The issue was absent from the agenda but quite present during the public comment, with eight people speaking to the issue and many more taking it all in from their seats.

Some pled with town aldermen to do something about the noise they say is keeping their children awake at night, while others implored the board to change the ordinance to state more objectively what’s too loud and what isn’t.

“I think it’s important to remember that whatever decision the town board makes will affect the future of economic investment in our community,” said Jason Kimenker, former owner of Soul Infusion, a restaurant-pub that hosted a lot of live music under his management. “And I know there are several local businesses that are paying close attention to what the town board is doing and will do in the future as to whether they want to invest here.”

The town’s noise ordinance uses words such as “unreasonably” and “disturbingly” when describing unlawful sound levels. Though Mary Harper there is a section dealing specifically with musical equipment that says sound is too loud if audible from 20 feet past the property line between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., that section identifies music played outside or from a car, not music produced from inside a building, though it is being applied to this situation.

No Name is asking for Sylva to amend its ordinance to set the limit at a particular, measureable decibel level.

“If we lined up 50 people, they would have 50 different interpretations,” Sylva resident Adam Bigalow said of the term “unreason-

tinuous noise meter installed at No Name, recording all the spikes and dips in sound emanating from the business.

“I don’t understand why music has to be that loud,” said Carl Queen, who lives about 200 yards up Skyland Drive from No Name. “If it’s so loud it hurts you, what’s the point?”

But there’s an awful lot of points, said Alice Bauman, a local musician who said of No Name, “I like to think I got my start there.”

“We’re really lucky to have a really strong cultural community of musicians, some really good individuals that play music, and their bands have gotten their start here,” Bauman said. “It brings people into the community.

And I don’t think that it’s fair to limit opportunities for young musicians.”

It’s also not fair, said Mary Harper, who books bands and manages the bar for No Name — and also happens to live across the street with her two teenage children — to come down so hard on No Name when the bar is “taking measures” to reduce the sound and is not the only property in the neighborhood to generate noise.

“Mr. Hooper shooting his guns and ‘hooping and hollering’ at night, I don’t call the police,” Harper said. “Mr. Queen with his really loud motor — I work third shift, so I’m asleep. I don’t call in when that machine drives me crazy.”

news

No plans to change ordinance, mayor says

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February 11-17, 2015

news

Smokers could become scourge of downtown sidewalks

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER owntown Waynesville could feel the not-so-pleasant trickle-down effects if a proposed smoking ban on Haywood County property goes through.

The county ban would evict smokers from the grounds of the justice center and historic courthouse. Striking out in search of safe harbor, they would no doubt make their way to town sidewalks to light up.

“It is a concern,” said Richard Miller, president of the Downtown Waynesville Association and long-time downtown business owner. “They will be pushed onto the town of Waynesville, and then the town will have to decide what to do.”

Especially on heavy court days, people pour out the revolving doors of the justice center during recesses to smoke.

If the county creates a “no-smoking island” on the justice center campus, the town sidewalks would essentially become the new smoking zone, Miller said.

Piles of cigarette butts littering the ground around the justice center are one gripe that led to the ban. But that problem would simply land on town sidewalks if smoking is banned on county property.

Another issue is that heated disputes in the courtroom — from child custody battles to domestic violence restraining orders — have the potential to spill outside and spark

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disputes during smoke breaks. But if pushed down the street, they would be out of sight of deputies manning the justice center lobby.

Those who wander from the justice center in search of a smoking respite might take up residence at the town pocket park across the street from the historic courthouse — a courtyard of sorts with sculptures and seating at the corner of Main and Depot streets.

That would be undesirable to Attorney Jeff Norris, whose law firm is right next door to the mini-park. Norris said the mini-park gets a lot of enjoyment, from downtown employees taking a lunch break to tourist families regrouping after shopping Main Street.

“It is fantastic,” Norris said. “It has been very positive. I would prefer for that not to become a de facto smoking area.”

Many in the downtown community are hoping the county will include a provision for a designated smoking area on the justice center grounds.

“The county may be advised to chat with the town and coordinate some effort,” Norris said. “Maybe an alternative would be they could come up with a designated smoking area.”

Miller suggested cordoning off a smoking area in the parking deck. It is a short walk — about 70 feet, all of it covered — from the

front door of the justice center entrance, yet is out of sight.

Wells Greeley, the owner of Wells Funeral Home across the street from the justice center, said he philosophically supports the idea of a smoking ban.

“From a health aspect, it is the absolutely worst thing anyone can ever do,” said

Greeley, also a town alderman.

But practically speaking, a full ban may be unrealistic, he said.

“Every person who lives in this county at some time or another has an interaction with the courthouse,” Greely said. “Every airport I’ve been in has a designated smoking area of some sort.”

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A public hearing on a proposed smoking and tobacco ban for Haywood County property will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, at the historic courthouse in Waynesville.

A piecemeal smoking ban is already in effect for some county sites: the Allens Creek park, the Health and Human Services building and the public libraries, for example.

The new no-tobacco policy would encompass all county property, including the entire grounds of county office buildings, from one edge of the property to the other.

There’s no stipulation for a designated smoking area, so county employees would have to completely leave the premises to smoke during the workday.

The big kicker is the historic courthouse and justice center campus in downtown Waynesville — more than a hundred employees work in the two buildings, and several hundred people visit each week to pay taxes, file deeds, pay traffic tickets, report for jury duty and the like.

The ban would apply to more than smoking. Chewing tobacco, electronic cigarettes, vaporizers and pipes would also be banned.

The ban would apply to county vehicles, as well.

The penalty for violating the ordinance would be a $25 citation, but carries no other consequences, not even court costs.

Employees who violate the ordinance are subject to disciplinary action.

County Manager Ira Dove said there were no designated smoking areas outlined in the ordinance, but commissioners will consider any public comment presented at the public hearing.

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Haywood to offer some teachers signing bonuses news

Haywood County Schools will be offering signing bonuses for teachers in hard-to-get fields starting next school year.

Math and science teachers in middle and high school and special education teachers at all grade levels will get a $1,500 signing bonus the first year they take a job with the Haywood School System.

“Generally, if we can get them here, they stay. The culture, the community, the type of kids we have — they are generally pretty happy and stay,” said Jason Heinz, the human resources officer for Haywood Schools.

The school system will also offer a $2,500 retention bonus to keep teachers who work with special at-risk students. The school system has a special class at Central Elementary and two special classes at Waynesville Middle for students with emotional and behavior issues. The teachers in those programs can get $2,500 each year simply for sticking with the position.

The Haywood County School Board approved the plan this week. Teachers will get half the bonus at the beginning of the year, and half upon completing the school year.

“This is away to entice teachers to those positions,” said School Board Member Jim Francis.

Bonuses for math, science and special ed teachers are becoming more common throughout the state, making it even tougher to compete for the already hard-to-get teachers unless Haywood ponied up, too, Heinz said. The school system will use federal money earmarked for staff development.

Jackson County Schools recently approved a similar measure, offering a $1,000 signing bonus for teachers in those same fields.

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Jackson County commissioners will spend $100,000 on a storage room at the Cashiers library for the Friends of the Cashiers Library to house used book donations.

Used books constantly pour in to the Friends of the Library, which then holds used book sales to raise money for library projects and programs.

But there’s currently not enough space to store all the donated books, nor adequate work space for volunteers to sort and organize the thousands of books that flow through their hands each year.

County commissioners agreed last week to fund a 500-square-foot addition for $100,000.

The Friends of the Cashiers Library raises around $15,000 a year through its used book sales.

There’s one giant multi-day book sale a year, plus volunteers run an on-site used book store that keeps the same hours as the library.

Andrea Hannon with Friends of the Cashiers Library considers the used book store a community service as well as vital revenue source, and particularly enjoys sending kids home with super cheap books of their own to foster a love for reading.

County Manager Chuck Wooten said perhaps bigger and better space to accommodate the used books coming in will allow them to raise even more money to benefit the library.

“They are very instrumental in the programs of that library,” Wooten said.

Friends of the Library recently funded new sound and video technology for the public meeting room at the library. It also supports community programs, book purchases and other library needs.

February 11-17, 2015

Cashiers library volunteers to get more elbow room

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news

Fire burns 400 acres near Cherokee

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The mountains surrounding Cherokee glow as the 400-acre Red Tail fire burns. Kristy Herron photo.

Arson likely, fire management officer says

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BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER blaze in Cherokee has been fully contained, but not before burning up 400 acres of forest in the Qualla Boundary.

“It was more than likely arson,” said James Condon, fire management officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Cherokee.

“There was no lightning strikes in the area and there was no brush being burned.”

Dubbed the Red Tail fire, the blaze started Friday afternoon (Feb. 6) off of Adams Creek Road near the Mount Noble Fire Tower.

Crews from the BIA, Cherokee Fire Department and Great Smoky Mountains National Park launched the initial attack, later joined by a helicopter and helipack crew from the U.S. Forest Service at Glassy Mountain, the North Carolina BRIDGE crew and a team of smoke jumpers out of McCall, Idaho, who just happened to be doing a rotation in Clayton, Georgia.

By the time the fire was contained Sunday night, about 2,500 manhours had been invested, Condon estimated, involving about 50 people. Though there are no estimates yet

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Litter reduction meeting open to all A meeting with Mike Causey, state coordinator for DOT’s Office of Beautification, will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Room A227 at the Jackson County Justice and Administration Building in Sylva.

County officials and concerned citizens are invited. Causey will describe anti-litter programs that are available across the state.

Visit www.watrnc.org/litter for links to anti-litter programs.

as to the value of the forest burned, he expects the cost of the firefighting effort to total about $30,000.

That was not the only fire to light up on the Qualla Boundary over the weekend. Five smaller fires, together totaling less than an acre in area, ignited Saturday morning. All were located just off a road, which strengthens the case for arson. Three were off of U.S. 19 in Soco Valley, while the other two were in Yellowhill and Big Cove.

Share what you see To report arson, call 800.47.ARSON or visit www.wetip.com. Tips are taken anonymously, and information that can lead to a conviction is eligible for a reward.

“I suspect they were in a car,” Condon said. “They could have been on an ATV or motorcycle.”

Saturday morning was cool enough, however, that those fires didn’t amount to much.

Another unrelated fire cropped up Saturday as well, burning 4 acres when a leaf pile on Wright’s Creek Road got out of control. The Hornbuckle fire occurred in Roadside and creek pickups have been extensive this winter. For the entire year 2014, WATR volunteers and partner groups picked up two tons of trash.

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the afternoon, and though it was contained within an hour, it required resources at the same time crews were battling the Red Tail fire.

The fires are all contained, but it will likely be a while before the BIA can definitively declare them arson and even longer — if ever — before a suspect can be identified. Arson cases are hard to solve anyway, and the BIA office in Cherokee doesn’t have its own wildland fire investigator. Instead, they have to order investigators in from elsewhere.

The same rainy weather that helped firefighters contain the blaze has also made investigation more difficult, as the raindrops and wind mussed the patterns of leaves and grass that investigators read to help determine cause. That means there’s not a huge rush to get an investigator on site, Condon said, because natural forces have already altered the scene.

He’s planning to wait until the weather dries up again so that the investigator will be on hand to look into any other fires that pop up while he’s examining the cause of the Red Tail fire. Condon would expect to have someone in by March 1.

“That person or people come with their own vehicles, and they can just do more patrolling,” Condon said.

Having someone with those qualifications onsite during the initial attack is vital to increasing the chances of pinpointing the person responsible for intentionally set fires, Condon said. Those cases are already difficult to solve, so throw the passage of time into the mix, and it gets even harder.

The Cherokee BIA has an investigation trainee, but that person is not yet qualified to conduct investigations solo. In addition to training someone internally, Condon said, the BIA is working with Cherokee law enforcement and natural resources enforcement to send some of their people to wildland fire investigation training this summer.

No one was hurt in this fire, but that’s not always the case — hence why it’s important to have the people on hand to figure out whodunit in future flares.

“There could be a lot of bad outcomes from somebody starting the fire,” Condon said. “We always want to get out there and find out who did it. We just need to get out there and get more resources for that.” to their community.

When customers purchase a pound of candy on Feb. 14-15, Mast will match that pound with a $1 donation to MANNA FoodBank to help feed the hungry in Western North Carolina.

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The efforts of volunteers and donors help MANNA provide 29,000 meals each day.

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BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER all it a foyer, an atrium, a lobby, a cattle call — an addition is being planned for the Jackson County Justice Center to house metal detectors and lines of people waiting to pass through each morning.

Jackson County commissioners were shown the latest architectural renderings of the proposed foyer at a county meeting last week. It’s grown in size and cost since their first glimpse last month.

“The other design didn’t have adequate space to hold folks while they are trying to gain admission to the facility,” said County Manager Chuck Wooten.

Commissioner Boyce Deitz questioned the need for a larger holding area — one that would accommodate a line of more than 100 people.

“So by your expertise and judgment, there’s going to be a horde of people waiting outside there?” Deitz asked. “Are we sure that is really a problem?”

The rendering depicted a snaking line of people wrapping and folding back on itself.

Wooten admitted the bigger foyer is mainly to relieve the morning bottleneck, and the rest of the day it would probably seem relatively empty and oversized. But the morning rush must be contended with, Wooten said. If there’s not enough room for

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people to queue up in the foyer, they would have to wait outside on the sidewalk in the cold and rain, Wooten said.

“We certainly can have the security checkpoint without the atrium,” Wooten said. “It is a convenience issue.”

On busy court mornings, 200 people could be arriving around the same time. And that’s not counting dozens of court employees and county workers who will have to come through the entrance each morning.

The county hoped to build the new entry foyer for $75,000. But it will now cost more than that, though how much more isn’t known yet, Wooten said.

“We do not have a good hard price estimate for what this would be,” Wooten said.

Costs will also include four additional officers to run the metal detectors and generally beef up security detail.

The county has essentially been ordered to do something about perceived security shortcomings in the justice center by Superior Court Judge Brad Letts. Currently, metal detectors are mounted outside the door of the courtrooms on the second floor. Letts has decreed that’s not good enough, however.

People potentially carrying weapons need to be stopped at the building’s entrance — thus the construction of a foyer to serve as a single entry and exit point.

news

Bottleneck concerns prompt bigger courthouse foyer design

Anyone coming and going to the Jackson County Justice Center or county administration building will have the added hassle of passing through security once a new foyer (highlighted) is built. Foot traffic will only be allowed to enter and exist through the new main entrance, built to house metal detectors. Rendering by Architect Odell Thompson.

Security issues aside, it will be an added hassle for county and court employees.

They will likely be waved through the metal detectors with the flash of an I.D. badge, but they will still have to funnel through the new foyer — even county employees who work in the adjoining administration wing.

They will no longer be able to use their own entrance, but will instead queue up in the CACHE — Containment Area for CourtHouse Employees — and pass security before making their way to the opposite end of the building.

The same goes for members of the public,

whether they are paying taxes or applying for a building permit.

The only way to leave the building will be back through the foyer. All the other doors will become emergency exits only.

Letts has been calling the shots to some extent on the project, holding the power to shut down the courthouse if he feels it is unsafe.

“We want to show Mr. Letts that we are moving along and we are not dragging our feet,” Wooten said.

The Macon County Courthouse is similar to Jackson’s: it has multiple entrances with no central security checkpoint to get inside the building.

February 11-17, 2015

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Jackson deputy fired Was initially put on leave following alleged appearance at an October party with minors

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he investigation is ongoing following a Halloween party at Dillard Excavating in Sylva that allegedly involved underage drinking and allegedly resulted in the rape of a 14-year-old girl, but the career of a Jackson County sheriff ’s deputy who was suspended following the incident is not.

“After speaking with the district attorney [Ashley Welch], I determined his services were no longer needed,” said Sheriff Chip Hall.

Dep. Jimmy Henry, who allegedly attended the Saturday, Oct. 25, party, was placed on administrative leave the following Monday, Oct. 27, and continued to receive his salary of $37,600. But he wasn’t actually fired until Hall and Welch, who both won their current seats in the November elections, discussed the issue last week.

A single-sentence press release announcing Henry’s dismissal didn’t elaborate, and due to legal restrictions neither would Welch or Hall.

“It’s a murky situation, because you have personnel laws from one side and you have ethics rules that prevent me from comment-

Smoky Mountain News

February 11-17, 2015

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ing on a pending investigation,” Welch explained.

Henry’s wife, Maria, who was also allegedly at the party, was also placed on leave. An emergency dispatcher for the county, she was placed on paid administrative leave between Nov. 5 and Dec. 9. When it became clear the investigation would drag out for a while, she was allowed back on staff at her same salary of $29,400.

However, she was reassigned to be an administrative assistant for the Emergency Management Department.

“We felt the position of telecommunication operator in our 911 call center was too close to other departments involved in the pending case and its investigation,” said County Manager Chuck Wooten.

“Consequently, we wanted her to return to work and we reassigned her in a position with the same pay grade and similar qualifications.”

Elected officials like Hall have more flexibility when hiring and firing employees than do other county employees, Wooten said.

The county will re-evaluate Maria Henry’s employment pending the outcome of the investigation.

Sgt. Josh Yopp had initially responded to the party, said Jackson County Sheriff Department Maj. Shannon Queen, due to reports of careless driving and a vehicle complaint in the area.

Later, a rape investigation launched when students at Smoky Mountain High School told their teacher about the party, according to an Oct. 27 search warrant unsealed last week.

According to the warrant, officers spoke with the girl, 14, who had allegedly been raped.

The girl told officers that Jackson County sheriff, she had been drinking Jell-o Chip Hall shots and other alcoholic beverages while at the party and ended up leaving with Sylva resident Cody Jenkins, 24.

Jenkins took her to his home and had intercourse with her, the warrant alleged.

The search warrant was executed the same day granted, Oct. 27. Investigators retrieved a laundry list of items, including Jell-o mix boxes, a Jell-o shot glass mold, receipts for American Vodka, a used condom, clothing and bedding.

In a separate search, issued and executed Oct. 28, investigators took DNA swabs from Jenkins.

Two days later, Superior Court Judge Bradley Letts issued an order sealing the warrants for 90 days to prevent the information contained in them from jeopardizing the investigation or the rights of those involved. The Jackson County Sheriff ’s Office and N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement had many pending interviews with minors in relation to the case, according to a motion to seal by Assistant District Attorney Ann Ansley.

However, the investigation was quickly turned over to the State Bureau of Investigations due to conflict of interest.

“We started investigating and found out we had some employee involvement,” Hall said.

“During the initial course of the investigation, we determined that we were going to request assistance,” added Maj. Queen.

SBI cases can go on for quite a while before resulting in any charges. For example, an investigation into embezzlement at the Macon County Board of Elections that launched in January 2014 is still ongoing, though the person being investigated has since resigned her post and been replaced.

The benefit of an SBI investigation, however, is that the case can be examined by someone who is not as connected with the community or people under suspicion.

“If you have an investigation that comes across our desk, we have to make sure it was independent and impartial,” Queen said.

Rumors of giant cross on the ridgeline above Maggie prompts debate

M

An illustration compares the heights of other crosses in the Western Hemisphere. If Ghost Town owner Alaska Presley goes through with her plans to construct a 220-foot cross, it will be the tallest of all of them. Donated illustration

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER he town of Maggie Valley has asked the state to weigh in on whether a 220-foot cross on the ridgeline above town would be legal under the state’s ridgeline law.

The state has a ridgeline law dating to 1983 that limits how high structures can extend above the crest of a ridge.

But it is not cut and dry, and takes some fancy footwork in the computer mapping realm to figure out exactly how it would apply in a particular spot.

Maggie Valley Town Planner Andrew Bowen contacted the state two weeks ago after getting a visit from Alaska Presley, who owns 250 mountaintop acres above Maggie Valley. It’s currently home to Ghost Town in the Sky

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Banks also appreciates that the giant cross is a passion for Presley.

“She considers it part of her legacy, and this is a very important for her to do. It was part of her original vision when she bought the property out of bankruptcy,” Banks said.

Ghost Town was a wildly popular theme park in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, but began a long, slow decline in the ‘90s — both in upkeep and visitation. It was finally shuttered in 2002, and sat empty for five years. New owners tried to revive it, but failed and fell into bankruptcy with a massive trail of unpaid debt. Presley then bought it out of

S EE CROSSHAIRS, PAGE 18

The state wasn’t even sure itself.

“It is not one of those things they handle all the time,” Bowen said.

That hurdle has been cleared, and Bowen has now found a state mapping specialist to run a model.

Here’s how the ridge law works: • Take the highest point on the ridge.

• Take the second highest point on the ride.

• Draw an imaginary straight line between the tops of both ridges.

• No structure can extend 35 feet above that imaginary line.

So how high the cross can be is relative. It depends on where Presley wants to put it and where that imaginary line is drawn. And that’s what the town is waiting to hear definitively.

There’s another catch. Cell towers are exempt from the ridge law. Presley told the town she was toying with the idea of making the cross double as a cell tower. If so, would she be exempt from the state ridge law? And in that case, would the town’s own 125-foot cell tower rule come into play?

But that’s a question for another day, and for the town’s lawyers, Bowen said.

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Smoky Mountain News

Sizing up the state ridge law with mountaintop cross

amusement park, but Presley wants to build a new Christian theme park with a giant cross that would be visible for miles.

Presley made a casual inquiry with the town last month about its building regulations but didn’t share any written plans or drawings.

As for the town, it doesn’t have any regulations on the books — at least at the moment — that would apply.

“Large crosses on tops of mountains aren’t specifically addressed in our ordinance,” Bowen said.

Here’s a couple of related rules on the town books, however: • Building height: a building can’t be taller than 45 feet.

But the cross doesn’t meet the definition of a building, so it would be exempt from this rule, Bowen said.

• Cell tower height: telecommunications towers can’t be taller than 125 feet. But this doesn’t apply either, unless the cross doubled as a cell tower, in which case the 125-foot cap would kick in.

Bowen suspected the state ridge law would come into play, however, and set the wheels in motion to get a verdict from the state. At first, it was a challenge to simply figure out who at the state level was the point person for the ridge law.

A DREAM ON THE ROCKS

February 11-17, 2015

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER aggie Valley leaders could land in the middle of a controversy in coming months about whether the owner of Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park should be allowed to build a giant cross on the ridgeline above Maggie Valley.

Alaska Presley, a wealthy Maggie businesswoman who has spent the past three years trying to rekindle the bankrupt amusement park, has a vision of building a new Christian-theme park with a 220-foot cross on the mountaintop — which would be visible for miles.

“The mountains are all about the natural beauty. I think anything that takes away from that is questionable. So I think it certainly needs to be considered,” Maggie Mayor Ron DeSimone said when asked whether the town would allow a cross that high.

The town currently has no regulations on its books that would limit how high it could be. The state ridge law will come into play, but how high it could be under the state ridgeline rules is still being determined (see related article.)

For now, town aldermen are hoping the state ridge law will keep the height of the cross in check, and it won’t be necessary for them to weigh in.

But if it doesn’t, aldermen could face a tough choice: whether to quickly write a new regulation of their own that would limit its height.

Alderwoman Janet Banks said that wouldn’t be a pleasant position for the town to be in.

“In a strongly Christian community, you would have the public perception that the Maggie board of aldermen are antiChristian,” Banks said.

It might be an easier discussion if it didn’t center around a cross — but a towering banana, or giant rainbow. But it is a cross, and that is bound to bring religion into the mix.

DeSimone said whether you are for or against a giant cross on the ridge top isn’t a testament to your religious faith.

“I do not think having an excessively tall cross on top of the mountains speaks positively about either religion or the mountains.

I think to some it maybe defaces a little of both,” DeSimone said.

Alderman Mike Eveland said if the aldermen do end up tackling the issue, no one should be accused of being anti-Christian for not wanting a tall cross.

“It has nothing to do with whether I am a Christian or not. We have to decide whether it is the right thing for the town,” Eveland said.

What if it was something sinister, like a Devil’s pitchfork, or sign of hate, like a Swastika? No one would want to see those hanging over Maggie Valley.

And that’s what Eveland keeps coming back to in his head.

“Are we opening up a Pandora’s Box?” Eveland said.

forward with economic development, which we all need, but keeping the seed that brought everybody here?”

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In the crosshairs

“What if it isn’t a cross next time but something that is hideous? Can we write an ordinance that allows only crosses?”

From a personal standpoint, Eveland said he’s neutral.

“I don’t really have an itch one way or the other. I would be fine if it went up or if it didn’t,” Eveland said.

But as a town leader, he has to take everyone’s thoughts and opinions into consideration.

“I don’t think it is a scourge on the town.

But you have to consider the fact the guy on the other side of the mountain might have different views,” Eveland said.

Banks said the issue is an age-old one that has played out across the mountains in various forms and fashions.

“You will always have the people who moved here or grew up here who want to see the beauty of the mountains and don’t want to see windmills and cell towers all over,” Banks said. “How do you reconcile moving

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February 11-17, 2015

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CROSSHAIRS, CONTINUED FROM 17 foreclosure in 2012 and has had limited success in reviving it herself.

Her primary dream is to build a new Christian-theme park dubbed Resurrection Mountain, but she is over 90 years old, and her time is running out to pull it off.

Eveland said he doesn’t know if Presley would build the cross at all if it couldn’t be the height she wanted. Her goal is to compete with the highest crosses in the world.

“She wants it to be the biggest and the highest and the largest,” Eveland said. “From what I heard she was pretty specific about how high she wanted it to be and wasn’t willing to compromise.”

Eveland would hate to be the one to ruin her dream.

But DeSimone said everyone has a stake in the mountain scenery and deserves to be part of the discussion.

“I think something that would affect all of Maggie Valley and in fact all of Haywood County, I think that is something that should be more than just Alaska’s vision. I think everyone should be allowed to weigh in on something that drastic on the mountaintop,” DeSimone said.

Banks agreed.

“I would hope Alaska would meet with residents and say ‘This is what I am planning to do because you will be able to see it from your house,’” Banks said.

Alderman Phillip Wight, a self-described “property rights person,” doesn’t think the town should intervene. Presley’s idea of a giant cross didn’t suddenly come up out of the blue.

“We have heard of the cross for years now. I think we have had plenty of opportunity to think about it. Rushing in to change the ridge rules now would be a knee-jerk reaction, he said.

“We are going to restrict somebody’s rights because we don’t like it? I think she ought to be able to do what she is legally entitled to do with her own money,” Wight said.

DeSimone said he doesn’t see it as writing new regulations to rein in the cross. Rather it would be closing up loopholes that had just never dawned on the town before.

The town has a height rule for buildings and for cell towers, but the cross doesn’t meet the technical definition of either. So it would be exempt.

“I think what applies to structures should apply to anything manmade on top of the mountain,” DeSimone said.

Wight said the biggest problem is that the town doesn’t have any concrete information about what Presley is actually proposing.

“We haven’t seen any hard plans. It is hard to base an opinion on what is really hearsay,” Wight said. “This could be something amazing. It could be something odd. It could just be a steel pipe.”

Wight would like a general outline of the plan — not just for the cross but for the original Ghost Town theme park and the proposed Christian theme park. Presley’s plans have a huge bearing on Maggie Valley, but there’s little concrete information coming off the mountain.

Some supporters believe the giant cross

and Christian theme park would be a tourist boon. But others aren’t so sure, especially about the cross. It could turn off more people than it pulls in to the valley.

“I think it would detract somewhat,” DeSimone said.

RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK

The town board hasn’t been officially briefed by town staff on the issue yet.

“Before I could really give an opinion, I need to see what the ordinances really say,” Banks said.

When interviewed for this article, each alderman had a slightly different understanding of the issue. Eveland thought it was largely out of the town’s hands.

“Somebody asked me ‘Are we allowing this to happen?’ and I said ‘That is not up to us,’” Eveland said. “I am not sure the aldermen would ultimately have power over this.”

Banks also said she would want to see a plan from Presley first.

But if the town leaders wait until then, it could be too late.

Once Presley submits plans, the town can’t retroactively decide it doesn’t want a cross that tall. Once a permit application is in the pipeline, the town can’t suddenly make up new rules.

Legally, the cross would have to be approved as long as it meets the criteria on the books at the time of any permit application. The process is meant to keep local governments from writing regulations on the fly to block a particular project just because they don’t like it — rather than measuring it against a set of objective standards.

Failure to proactively decide how tall is too tall for a structure on the mountaintop — before any permit application lands on the town’s desk — would essentially be a de facto decision to allow it once it does.

There is one tool of last resort at the town’s disposal: a moratorium. A moratorium is like hitting the pause button. If local leaders get wind that a particular project is headed their way, they can quickly impose a moratorium, buying time to come up with regulations. Then they lift the moratorium, with the new rules in place before any formal permit application comes across their desk.

Moratoriums can be tailored to anything, but usually target ugly, loud or smelly things — like wind turbines, rock quarries, dirt-bike race tracks, toxic waste dumps or 20-story condos. They can also be left field kinds of things that town planners didn’t foresee being an issue before, but for whatever reason are poised to become issues.

Eveland said the first step is finding out how high the cross can be under the state ridge law — which is a waiting game right now.

“It all depends where the state lands,” Eveland said.

Then a more informed discussion could ensue, he said.

“This is the kind of board that would consider this very carefully and thoughtfully,” Eveland said. “We would have to decide, ‘Is it in the best interest of the town forever more to allow this type of structure to be built that high?’”

Cullowhee land-use plan on the move

“Some of the people who objected spoke louder than the ones who were supportive, and that is natural.

We listened to their concerns and made a lot of adjustments.”

— Gerald Green, county planner

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER hen Jackson County’s subdivision ordinance was revised last year, it included some changes that would apply to development at Western Carolina University. Namely, all WCU projects with more than 60 bedrooms — including dorms — would have to comply with the new county standards.

The question, though, is should they? WCU requested, and was granted, exemption from the Cullowhee Community Planning Area. Should the same go for county standards?

Scott Baker, planning board member and chair of the Cullowhee Community Planning Committee, thinks the county standards should apply. But not because WCU is a loose cannon that needs to be regulated. The university was exempted from the planning area in the first place because of its pre-existing plan to manage its own growth.

“It’s not that they refused to be part of it,” Baker said.

“It’s that they have their own master plan and it’s going to exceed the guidelines of the Cullowhee planning ordinance.”

As to the county ordinance, he simply believes that WCU falls within its purview and that there’s no good reason to exclude them.

“There’s not a concern that they’re going to go rogue and build something crazy,” he said.

While WCU is aware that the county is looking into the subdivision ordinance and its applicability to the WCU, the university hasn’t received any definitive communication on the issue from the county, said Bill Studenc, WCU’s communications director.

“University leaders plan to maintain open lines of communication with county officials,” Studenc said in an email.

“Western Carolina wants to be full partners working in collaboration with the county as the campus and the county grow in ways that preserve their natural beauty and enhance their sense of community.”

The planning board will discuss the issue at its Feb. 12 meeting, to be held 6 p.m. in room A227 of the Jackson County Administration Building.

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February 11-17, 2015

could land in the middle of neighborhoods without rules stipulating where certain types of development can go and what it must look like.

Opponents don’t like government rules dictating what they do with their property, however.

Green sees the land-use plan as a tool of empowerment for the people who live and work in Cullowhee to chart their own course rather than turning the wheel over to outside forces.

“Who makes the decisions now?” Green asked. “This effort puts the decision-making power back in the hands of the community.”

Members of the Cullowhee community have been voicing concerns about disjointed development patterns for years before finally mobilizing the county to begin a land-use planning process.

“For folks who live there, it has been a long time coming,” said County Commissioner Vicki Greene.

Jackson is the only county west of Buncombe with zoning outside of town limits. Cullowhee will be Jackson’s third such community-based planning district to impose zoning.

Cashiers and the U.S. 441 corridor leading to Cherokee are the other two.

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student housing complexes, Green said.

A steady increase in students at Western Carolina University has been the main driver of growth in Cullowhee in recent years. A rash of large-scale student housing complexes have cropped up around campus, creating clashes with residents in the vicinity. But bars, restaurants and rental houses packed with college kids — really any development of almost any type, any size and any nature —

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BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER land-use plan to guide growth in Cullowhee will take a detour past the planning board en route to Jackson County commissioners this spring.

There was some uncertainty over what trajectory the land-use plan would take once the Cullowhee planning task force finished it. A unanimous consensus at last week’s commissioner’s meeting was that the planning board should take a crack at it next.

“To not include the planning board in this process will be a mistake,” County Manager Chuck Wooten said during a discussion at last week’s commissioner meeting. “I think having another independent review would benefit the commissioners and the community.”

County Planner Gerald Green and County Attorney Jay Coward agreed. But it will only be a cursory once-over.

“Seems to me it would be a simple overview, another set of eyes to look at it, sign off on it, and pass it off to the board of commissioners,” echoed Commissioner Chairman Brian McMahan.

The stopover with the planning board won’t include a public hearing. And any substantive changes are unlikely, given the thorough public vetting the plan has already undergone. A Cullowhee planning task force spent 18 months crafting the growth and development guidelines.

“We’ve had a lot of community meetings and a lot of public hearings. We took a lot of opinions and feedback. We’ve met and wrestled over it,” said Scott Baker, the chair of the Cullowhee planning task force and a vice president at Southwestern Community College.

The final stop for the land-use plan is the county commissioners. Commissioners appear solidly behind the land-use plan, but will hold a public hearing before enacting it, and could make any changes they see fit.

Green said the majority of people who live and work in Cullowhee support the land-use plan despite its detractors.

“Some of the people who objected spoke louder than the ones who were supportive, and that is natural. We listened to their concerns and made a lot of adjustments,” Green said.

Its main purpose is to protect residential neighborhoods from incompatible commercial development and large-scale

Jackson planning asks if WCU should be subject to county development rules

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Opinion

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Too much of a good thing can be dangerous I

Sen. Tillis wasted no time becoming an embarrassment To the Editor: It took newly elected Sen. Thom Tillis , R-N.C., merely a month in Washington to make himself North Carolina’s reigning national embarrassment, succeeding Rep. Mark “Shutdown” Meadows, R-Cashiers, and John “Casanova” Edwards. People elsewhere are asking how we elected a U.S. senator who doesn’t believe the government should make restaurant workers wash their hands before work or after using the toilet.

The simple explanation is that too many people didn’t care enough to vote; those who did seemed to know what a throwback Sen. Tillis is and most must have approved.

The surprise is not that he’s babbling like a disciple of the nihilist author Ayn Rand, but that he chose so offensive an example to make his point. Sen. Tillis isn’t saying that cooks or servers shouldn’t wash their hands, but simply that it isn’t the government’s job to make them do it. The public deserves only to know whether their employers require it.

His ideology is the law of the jungle. It used to prevail nationwide until Upton Sinclair and other crusaders began writing about such things as spoiled meat disguised with chemicals and littered with rat feces. To return to such unfettered free enterprise is the not-sosecret ambition of the big shots in every sector of the economy and their stooges in the Congress and the legislatures.

In Sen. Tillis’s dream world, restaurants are required only to tell their customers whether employees must wash their hands. To a bemused audience, Sen. Tillis remarked that the market — meaning the patrons — would “take care” of those establishments that didn’t.

Of course, every place would claim that it did. But so what?

To say, as some do, that Sen. Tillis proposes to replace one regulation with another misses the point. As a Bloomberg Politics essay put it, “he’d rather make things

graduate from any public school system in this country and do well enough to get accepted to the nation’s elite universities. It just takes work, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

And there are plenty of great public school teachers doing fantastic things in the classroom.

What is disconcerting, though, is the growing movement to divert local, state and federal resources to parochial, private and even charter schools. This is not a recipe for improving education.

This isn’t a slam on any of those type Editor schools. I understand that many students’ needs aren’t met in the large-net philosophy of public education. Freed of over-reaching regulations, many of these other types of schools do great things and help students who otherwise might slip through the cracks.

But what happens if school choice becomes the norm for most American children and their families? Here’s what would happen: we would become an even more fractured society than we are now. Perhaps this is a quaint vision, but to me the great-

Scott McLeod

wish those planning to open a new charter school in Haywood County the best. Their intentions are completely honorable. But I also believe that the proliferation of school choice in the U.S. is not a long-term positive for the country.

Look, it would be ludicrous to argue that the U.S. system of public education is great. There are lazy, below-average teachers, way too many uninspired central office bureaucrats (who don’t, by the way, deserve double the pay of classroom teachers), and too many parents who don’t — for any of a multitude of reasons — make school a priority for their children.

But here’s the simple truth: the situation not going to change anytime soon. Americans today aren’t going to invest what is needed to make dramatic, dazzling improvements in schools. We’re a society too self-centered, too divided politically and too easily convinced that the holy grail of education is higher standardized test scores. Kind of ridiculous, really, that we have sacrificed grammar, languages, art, drama, dance, music (except the almighty marching band) and even field trips and critical thinking exercises in hopes of raising reading and math scores a few points.

So while you won’t hear me crowing about how great public education is, I still believe a kid with a family who cares can

easier for businesses than safe for consumers.”

Requiring a restaurant to say only whether it orders its workers to wash their hands isn’t the same as holding it responsible — as the law does — for seeing that it’s done and done well.

North Carolina’s hand-washing rules are fairly detailed and explicit, and properly so. The water needs to be warm, hands and arms should be scrubbed with an approved product for at least 20 seconds, there have to be clean towels or a dryer, and there must be a separate sink so that the one where food is prepared won’t be used for post-toilet sanitation.

In Tillisland, none of that would matter.

Overall, there are 204 pages in our state’s Food Code.

If you think that’s too many, you have not suffered such miseries as E. Coli, shigella, or salmonella. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that there are 48 million cases of food-borne diseases in the U.S. every year. That’s one for every six of us. At least 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die.

During a salmonella outbreak two years ago that sickened 100 people in Fayetteville — yes, right here in North Carolina — inspectors identified multiple possible rule violations at the restaurant in question. They included improper water temperature and a lack of hand-washing supplies. The report also noted that seven employees had violated the code by working when they were ill.

Granted, the employees shouldn’t have worked. But without paid sick leave, it was likely a matter of breaking either the law or their leases.

For public safety, the law should demand paid sick leave for food service and health care workers, so many of whom live precariously from one pay check to the next. But we’re not likely to get something so obviously necessary from a General Assembly of Sen. Tillis clones.

With a committee chair’s gavel now in her hands, Rep. Michelle Presnell, R-Burnsville, is promising to attack what she calls “onerous regulatory overreach.”

Tom Tillis and Michelle Presnell: King and Queen of the jungle.

Martin A. Dyckman Waynesville

ness of America lies in the brewing cauldron of shared dreams and ideals that are constantly reshaping and reforming.

Perhaps the greatest unifying element in this mix is the public system of education. It is the place where different economic spheres mix, where ethnic and racial divisions blur, where neighborhoods and communities come together to do what’s best for their young. Look around Western North Carolina and imagine how different each small town would be without the bonding that comes from being a part of the public school system.

I’m OK with a few charters and few private schools in each community. But I’m not OK with laws and funding formulas that give these schools a preferred status — fewer regulations, the same amount of money — that slowly takes more and more resources away from an already strapped public school system. And I definitely would fight against laws that open the door for more and more school choice until education resembled a shopping trip to the mall, each entity promising a better deal. That’s an unimaginable scenario, but I truly believe some see this as the future of education. I’m not buying it.

(Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com.)

Waynesville missing an opportunity

To the Editor: It’s true, you only get one chance to make a good one. Entering Waynesville from any direction does not make a good first impression.

Coming from the east on N.C. 19/23 you only have to be about 500 feet inside the town limits before encountering a junkyard. There are dozens of unlicensed over-the-road vehicles that haven’t moved for at least the last 20 years. Several are parked within six or seven feet of the sidewalk and obviously are on the road right of way. Keep going a little farther and at the traffic circle you have a great view of a drive-in movie screen that has been falling apart for the last decade. Go another half mile and enjoy the next junkyard on your left. Continue on North Main another half mile or so and gaze upon the next junkyards on both sides of North Main. I have been to ghost towns in the West that gave a similar first impression. Now let’s come to town from the south on U.S. 276. Immediately upon entering the town limits on your left you will see a junkyard that has been growing for the last 15 years. Then come in from South Main and encounter another junkyard on your right, inside the town limits.

Some of these aren’t real junkyards, but they are businesses who need to clean up their act.

What has happened to our junkyard and sign ordinances? We had temporary real estate signs removed and not returned just days after putting them up. South on U.S. 276 about a half mile from Main Street, there is a development sign that has been there at least 20 years for a development that has never been or will ever be. Consistency in enforcement would be nice.

I guess my question should be: what individual does the performance review of the town employee being paid to enforce our ordinances?

It appears that neither of these people are doing what they are being paid by the taxpayers to do. We have the ordinances in place and code enforcement employees on the taxpayers payroll. Isn’t it time to clean up the impression we make on people coming to Waynesville?

Bruce Gardner Waynesville

The Smoky Mountain News encourages readers to express their opinions through letters to the editor or guest columns. All viewpoints are welcome.

Send to Scott McLeod at info@smokymountainnews.com., fax to 828.452.3585, or mail to PO Box 629, Waynesville, NC, 28786.

tasteTHEmountains

Valentine’s Days Dinner for Two

THURSDAY-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12-15 Come and enjoy a great dinner for two on those special nights for sweethearts!

———————————————

FOR ONLY

$

29.99

———————————————

Dinner Includes: Two 8oz. Hand-Cut Ribeyes with Choice of Side, Salad, Non-Alcoholic Beverage & a Special Dessert for Two! 279-62

35 EAST MAIN ST. • SYLVA 828.586.6532

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 AMMONS DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT & DAIRY BAR 1451 Dellwwod Rd., Waynesville.

828.926.0734. Open 7 days a week 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Celebrating over 25 years.

Enjoy world famous hot dogs as well as burgers, seafood, hushpuppies, hot wings and chicken. Be sure to save room for dessert.

The cobbler, pie and cake selections are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997. Open Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slow-simmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts.

Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily.

Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available.

BOGART’S 303 S. Main St., Waynesville. 828.452.1313.

February 11-17, 2015

Romantic Dinner

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Carry out available. Located in downtown Waynesville, Bogart’s has been long-time noted for great steaks, soups, and salads. Casual family atmosphere in a rustic old-time setting with a menu noted for its practical value. Live Bluegrass/String Band music every Thursday. Walking distance of Waynesville’s unique shops and seasonal festival activities and within one mile of Waynesville Country Club.

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner nightly from 4 p.m. Closed on Sunday. We specialize in hand-cut, all natural steaks, fresh fish, and other classic American comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available. We also feature a great selection of craft beers from local artisan brewers, and of course an extensive selection of small batch bourbons and whiskey. The Barrel is a friendly and casual neighborhood dining experience where our guests enjoy a great meal without breaking the bank.

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ 6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Sat. & Sun. Chef owned and operated. Our salads are made in house using local seasonal vegetables. Fresh roasted ham, turkey and roast beef used in our hoagies. We hand make our own eggplant

and chicken parmesan, pork meatballs and hamburgers. We use 1st quality fresh not pre-prepared products to make sure you get the best food for a reasonable price. We make vegetarian, gluten free and sugar free items. Call or go to Facebook (Breaking Bread Café NC) to find out what our specials are.

BRYSON CITY BAKERY AND PASTRY SHOPPE 191 Everett St., Bryson City. 828.488.5390 Offering a full line of fresh baked goods like Grandma used to make. Large variety to choose from including cakes, pies, donuts, breads, cinn-buns and much more. Also serving Hershey Ice Cream. Open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

BRYSON CITY CORK & BEAN A MOUNTAIN SOCIAL HOUSE 16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934.

Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday brunch 9 a.m. to 3p.m., Full Menu 3 to 9 p.m. Serving fresh and delicious weekday morning lite fare, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Freshly prepared menu offerings range from housemade soups & salads, lite fare & tapas, crepes, specialty sandwiches and burgers.

Be sure not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials starting at 5pm every day. Followed by a tempting selection of desserts prepared daily by our chefs and other local bakers. Enjoy craft beers on tap, as well as our full bar and eclectic wine list.

Warm your heart WITH A

for two

MAKE YOUR VALENTINES DAY RESERVATIONS NOW!

Smoky Mountain News

Classic local American comfort foods Craft beers Small batch bourbons & whiskey Call 828-452-9191 for reservations Dinner Nightly at 4 p.m. • CLOSED ON SUNDAY

454 HAZELWOOD AVENUE WAYNESVILLE VOTED “BEST DINNER” TWO YEARS IN A ROW!

Joey's will be closing for winter vacation

Feb. 17 and will reopen April 4.

We'll see you in the spring!

Soco Rd. Maggie Valley

(828) 926-0212 Reservations Accepted 22

279-02

tasteTHEmountains

Romantic

cializing in traditional french breads. All of our breads are hand shaped. Lunch: Fresh salads, panini sandwiches. Enjoy outdoor dinning on the deck. Private room available for meetings.

Valentines Day Live Entertainment Saturday Dinner Feb. 14 • 6-8

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.

94 East St. Waynesville 828-452-7837 herrenhouse.com Bed & Breakfast and Restaurant

Specials Pork Porterhouse

with fig sauce, sautéed arugula & almonds

Filet of Beef

with cherry cabernet sauce & creamed spinach

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.

Friday and Saturday serving freshly prepared small plate and tapas-style fare.

Enjoy local, regional, or national talent live each Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. www.classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.

CITY BAKERY 18 N. Main St. Waynesville 828.452.3881.

Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Join us in our historic location for scratch made soups and daily specials.

Breakfast is made to order daily: Gourmet cheddar & scallion biscuits served with bacon, sausage and eggs; smoked trout bagel plate; quiche and fresh fruit parfait.

We bake a wide variety of breads daily, spe-

Sunday Brunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

279-81

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.

Call for reservations.

Pan-Seared Ahi Tuna with pineapple mango salsa

Rack of Lamb & Sea Scallops with a pomegranate reduction

www.CityLightsCafe.com

Also: Seafood bisque and cupid’s very own dessert menu!

Now Taking Reservations for Friday & Saturday

Friday & Saturday of Valentine’s Weekend (Regular menu also available!)

Valentine’s Dinners LIVE MUSIC BOTH NIGHTS PACKAGES WITH WINE & SPECIALS AVAILABLE

CORK & CLEAVER 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville.

828.456.7179. Reservations recommended. 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, Cork & Cleaver has an approachable menu designed around

CALL 828.587.2233

279-64

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 to 9:30 a.m.; Lunch from 12 to 2 p.m.; and Dinner buffet from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with entrees that include pot roast, Virginia ham and herb-baked chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer.

And a roaring fire in the fireplace. So come enjoy mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view. Reservations are required.

DOWNTOWN SYLVA • NC Mon.-Fri. 7-4 Sat. 8-4

828.587.2233

279-41

blueroostersoutherngrill.com

— Real Local People, Real Local Food — 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, North Carolina Monday-Friday Open at 11am

Winter Hours:

& GIFT SHOP

Wed. - Sat. 7:30 A.M. - 7:00 P.M. Sun. 8 A.M. - 3 P.M. Closed Mon. and Tues.

Featuring a Full Menu with Daily Specials BREAKFAST • LUNCH • DINNER

3589 SOCO RD. MAGGIE VALLEY

828.926.1820

Sweetheart Dance: • FEB. 12: Steve “The Piano Man” Whiddon. 6-9 p.m.

• FEB. 13: Randy Beaumont • FEB. 14: Ashli Rose

1st Course: A trip to the Salad Bar 2nd Course: Choice of Entrée: • Fresh Cut Salmon with mashed potato and grilled veggie kabob • Parmesan Encrusted Chicken Marsala over rice w/veggie kabob • Fresh Cut Angus Ribeye with baked potato and veggie kabob 3rd Course: Sweet Treat to Share: Red Velvet Cupcake or Brownie Rockslide

$32/couple RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

We Deliver to Maggie Valley & Jonathan Creek

Smoky Mountain News

Country Vittles RESTAURANT

Sweetheart Dinner 279-77

828-456-1997

Valentine’s

February 11-17, 2015

APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

Eat-In - Take Out

828.926.0201 Located at Maggie Valley Inn • 70 Soco Rd. Maggie Valley www.maggievalleyhotel.com 279-06

23

tasteTHEmountains locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Executive Chef Corey Green prepares innovative and unique Southern fare from local, organic vegetables grown in Western North Carolina. Full bar and wine cellar. www.waynesvilleinn.com.

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

828.926.1820 Open Daily 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., closed Tuesday. 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.

VALENTINE’S DAY

REGGAE JAM with the

Natti Love Joys

FEBRUARY 14 9 P.M. • $3 617 W. Main St. • Sylva 828.586.3555 Check out upcoming movies at:

February 11-17, 2015

www.MadBatterFoodandFilm.com

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 highquality 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.

Smoky Mountain News

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 compliment-

HERREN HOUSE 94 East St., Waynesville 828.452.7837.

Lunch: Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday Brunch 11 a. m. to 2 p.m.

Enjoy fresh local products, created daily. Join us in our beautiful patio garden. We are your local neighborhood host for special events: business party’s, luncheons, weddings, showers and more. Private parties & catering are available 7 days a week by reservation only.

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

Lunch Sunday noon to 2:30 p.m., dinner Thursday - Sunday starting at 4:30 p.m.

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.

JOEY'S PANCAKE HOUSE 4309 Soco Rd Maggie Valley.

828.926.0212. Winter hours; Friday through Sunday and Mondays, 7 a.m. to noon. Joey’s is a family style restaurant that has been serving breakfast to the locals and visitors of Western North Carolina since 1966. Featuring a large variety of tempting pancakes, golden waffles, country style cured ham and seasonal specials spiked with flavor, Joey's is sure to please all appetites. Joey & Brenda O’Keefe invite you to join what has become a tradition in these parts, breakfast at Joey’s.

p.m.; Wednesday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Hand-tossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch. Beer and wine. Free movies with showtimes at 6:30 and 9 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Visit madbatterfoodandfilm.com for this week’s shows.

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

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

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

MOONSHINE GRILL 2550 Soco Road, Maggie Valley located in the Smoky Falls Lodge. 828.926.7440. Open Wednesday through Saturday 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cooking up mouth-watering, wood-fired Angus steaks, prime rib and scrumptious fresh seafood dishes. The wood-fired grill gives amazing flavor to every meal that comes off of it. Enjoy creative dishes made using moonshine. Stop by and simmer for a while and soak up the atmosphere. The best kept secret in Maggie Valley. themoonshinegrill.com 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.

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

828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner. The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

NEWFOUND LODGE RESTAURANT 1303 Tsali Blvd, Cherokee (Located on 441 North at entrance to GSMNP).

828.497.4590. Open 7 a.m. daily.

Established in 1946 and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Family style dining for adults and children.

LOS AMIGOS 366 Russ Ave. in the Bi-Lo Plaza.

828.456.7870. Open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Enjoy the lunch prices Monday through Sunday, also enjoy our outdoor patio.

ORGANIC BEANS COFFEE COMPANY 1110 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.668.2326. Open 7 days a week 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Happily committed to brewing and serving innovative, uniquely delicious coffees — and making the world a better place.

100% of our coffee is Fair Trade, Shade Grown, and Organic, all slow-roasted to bring out every note of indigenous flavor. Bakery offerings include cakes, muffins, cookies and more. Each one is made from scratch in Asheville using only the freshest, all natural

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

828.586.3555. Open Tuesday 11 a.m. to 9

UPCOMING EVENTS

279-11

279-70

MEDITERRANEAN

Valentine’s Day Reservations

MAKE YOUR

FILET AND LOBSTER SPECIALS THURSDAY 2/12 - SATURDAY 2/14 TO HELP YOU CELEBRATE WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT FOR YOU! Call or email to make your reservations today!

117 Main Street, Canton NC 828.492.0618 • SidsOnMain.com Serving Lunch & Dinner

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ed by a quirky selection of wines and microbrews. Supporting local farmers of organic produce, livestock, hand-crafted cheese, and using sustainably harvested seafood.

MON.-THURS. 11 A.M.-9 P.M. • FRI. & SAT. 11 A.M.-10 P.M. SUNDAY BRUNCH 11 A.M. TO 2:30 P.M. 279-33

FRIDAY, FEB. 13

Karaoke w/Chris Monteith FRIDAY, FEB. 14

ITALIAN CUISINE

STEAKS • PIZZA SEAFOOD CHICKEN & SANDWICHES

Buchanan Boys

1863 S. Main Street • Waynesville 828.454.5002 Hwy. 19/23 Exit 98

83 Asheville Hwy. Sylva Music Starts @ 9 • 631.0554

SERVING LUNCH & DINNER CLOSED WEDNESDAYS

Plus Steak, Pasta & Desert Specials!

tasteTHEmountains ingredients available. We are proud to offer gluten-free and vegan options.

PASQUALE’S 1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner, closed Wednesdays. Classic Italian dishes, exceptional steaks and seafood (available in full and lighter sizes), thin crust pizza, homemade soups, salads hand tossed at your table. Fine wine and beer selection. Casual atmosphere, dine indoors, outside on the patio or at the bar.

Reservations appreciated.

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.

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 828.926.0201 Open Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m and Sunday 7:30 a.m to 9 p.m. Full service restaurant serving steaks, prime rib, seafood and dinner specials.

SOUL INFUSION TEA HOUSE & BISTRO 628 E. Main St. (between Sylva Tire & UPS). 828.586.1717. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday noon -until.

Scrumptious, natural, fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and desserts. 60+ teas served hot or cold, black, chai, herbal.

Seasonal and rotating draft beers, good selection of wine. Home-Grown Music Network Venue with live music most weekends. Pet friendly and kid ready.

TAP ROOM SPORTS BAR & GRILL 176 Country Club Dr. Waynesville 828.456.5988. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. Enjoy soups, sandwiches, salads and hearty appetizers along with a full bar menu in our casual, smoke-free neighborhood grill.

THAI SPICE 128 N. Main St., Waynesville.

828.454.5400. Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday noon to 3 p.m. Dinner Tuesday-Saturday 4:30 to 9 p.m. Closed Monday. Thai Spice, an authentic Thai restaurant, warmly welcomes you to experience a superb dinning experience. Don’t be timid, the food comes mild, medium, hot and Thai Hot. You choose. www.thaispicewnc.com 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.

VALENTINE’S DAY Four Course Dinner Menu Chocolates & Champagne split for 2 5:30-9:30 p.m. • $45/couple*

Call for Reservations Or visit Opentable.com

RESERVATIONS: opentable.com or 828.456.3551

176 COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE

*Excludes tax and service charge

Valentine’s weekend menu FEBRUARY 12-15 Full menu also available Reservations suggested 828-926-1817

February 11-17, 2015

SMOKY MOUNTAIN SUB SHOP 29 Miller Street Waynesville 828.456.3400.

Open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through 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 home-made 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.

Appetizer Special Fried oysters with chipotle mayonnaise

Couples Special Chateaubriand for two (10 ounce) accompanied by a six – seven ounce lobster tail served with drawn butter, two sides each, soup or salad each, and desert to share

Bone-in Ribeye -

14 ounce

From the finest Chicago Stockyards

Surf & Turf

Five ounce

Filet with three batter-fried Shrimp

Shrimp Pasta

(no side)

Prime Rib - 6 ounce All entrees served with warm rolls & butter, soup or salad, entrée with side & assorted petite fours

828-926-1817

Cataloochee Ranch 119 Ranch Drive, Maggie Valley, NC 28751 | CataloocheeRanch.com | (828)926-1401

v

Smoky Mountain News

We’ll feed your spirit, too.

jarthurs.com

2843 Soco Rd./Hwy 19 v Maggie Valley J. Arthur’s Winter Schedule: Sunday, Noon – 2:30 p.m.

Dinner: Thursday through Sunday at 4:30 p.m. • Early dinner 4:30- 6 p.m.

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Janet Weiss (played by Kylee Smith) and Brad Majors (played

by James Hendley), the couple taken in by the aliens in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” WCU photo

‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ to hit WCU stage

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER Transvestite. Transsexual. Transylvania.

Three words that immediately conjure images of extravagant parties, mad scientists, death, rock-n-roll, Meatloaf, aliens, sing-alongs, freedom and sexual liberation. What “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” did, and continues to do, for society can never be overstated. Originally written as a stage musical, the story hit the big screen in 1975, cueing a new dawn in acceptance and understanding in everyday life. It kicked the door down for punk rock, 20th century cultural evolution, independent filmmaking and LGBT rights by simply stepping over the line of what it means to truly be yourself in a sometimes stifling world where being one-in-the-same is “easier” than being one-in-a-million.

“It’s in our human nature to judge characters immediately in film and in stories,” said Kristen Hedberg. “The thing about Rocky Horror that gets people who are maybe extremely conservative is that the two main characters, Brad and Janet, are very conservative, law-abiding, well-mannered citizens, who happen to encounter this world of aliens.

They have to adapt and change to survive, and what it brings out of them is so different than what would happen if they were in a human social scene.”

A professor of voice at Western Carolina University, Hedberg takes a seat in an empty row in the Hoey Auditorium on campus.

Onstage there are numerous musical theater students milling about, all getting ready for another run through of the stage production of cult classic, which will take place Feb. 19-21.

“Doing Rocky Horror is such a challenge because there are traditions that are expected to be upheld because it’s a classic,” said Hedberg. “But, you also want to give it new life, and the students are working really hard from that perspective — to make the characters come alive from the page.”

DAMMIT JANET The scene of actor Tim Curry singing atop a throne in glittery fishnet lingerie is as iconic to the culture and political climate of the 1970s as

images of Nixon waving goodbye from a helicopter, the gas crisis, Studio 54 or Vietnam. It was an era of societal change, one whose ripple effects can still be felt today. An although, from the surface, Rocky Horror looks to be a weird, B-list type of film, once you dig deeper you soon discover a rabbit hole of revelry, rebellion and revolution.

And yet, even with all that said, Rocky Horror remains, at its core, a rollicking adventure into the curious mind of humanity, as well as a pinnacle in what it means to be a stage performer.

“It incorporates dance, voice and acting — all aspects of theater,” said Alex Drost. “It’s completely fun and ridiculous at the same time, where you have this newly wed couple crossing paths with a group of aliens. They are taken in, suddenly things happen, everything goes wrong, and voila, you have a show.”

A 20-year-old musical theater major at WCU, Drost plays Dr. Frank N. Furter (Curry’s transvestite mad scientist), a true creature of the night.

“Dr. Frank N. Furter is the man in charge, who created Rocky, who created the atmosphere for the Transylvanian aliens,” Drost said.

So, what’s been the hardest part of playing the doctor?

“I’ve discovered it’s very difficult to walk in heels,” Drost laughed. “Embodying the female characteristics and qualities of the character has been a challenge, but it’s also been so much fun.”

Sophomore musical theater major Kylee Smith plays Janet Weiss, the naïve female who, with her fiancé Brad Majors, stumble across a mysterious castle in search of help in the middle of the night, only to fall into the hands, and fate, of the doctor and his wild cohorts.

“Janet is the ingénue who is scared of everything, only to break free in the end,” Smith said. “I love how silly and awkward she is, especially in the beginning because that’s me, too.

She has this free spirit at the end breaks free, just like everyone at some point in their lives

nothing is set in stone with this production even though everything is ‘set.’”

CURTAIN CALL

Taking a seat and watching the students do a run-through, one gets a real sense of camaraderie and support among the young actors and actresses.

“At other schools and other programs, you might find backstabbing or bad energy,” Smith said. “But not here, everyone cares about one another, and we’re all excited when any of us books a role.”

“A lot of mainstream programs around the country are producing real cookie cutter ensemble, and here each person is completely different,” Alicandri added. “When you hear one of their voices here or see them perform, you know it’s them. This place is going to breed more stars than just people in the background.”

Those sentiments are heartily echoed by Hedberg. wants to do. There’s never dull moment in the “The musical theater program at WCU is very show — it’s always high energy and with some- competitive,” she said. “And it’s such a treat to thing absurd.” work with this group because it attracts a serious Junior Samantha Alicandri, also a musical student who is very disciplined, who wants to be theater major, has taken on the role of here, and who wants to make a career of this.”

Magenta, an antagonist servant at the castle.

The students have already been preparing “She’s a maid and also an alien, so I have a for over a month, which actually is longer than lot of room to find things within myself,” usual for a production. But, between ideal Alicandri said. “I have to discover a lot of those props, winter break and other items of considthings because the text is a little different than eration, Rocky Horror is a dilemma of sorts in the film. With Rocky Horror, I really like that that Hedberg and her group figured out.

I don’t know what’s going to happen, that “Our concept is a presence of whimsy and violence, and if these two things can be together at the same time in our movement, choreography, set design and costumes,” Hedberg said. “We have to always remember that even though they look like humans, they’re aliens, so what would it be like for aliens to come toN Earth? And how would they try to fit in or in what ways would they not be able to?”

When asked what will be going through his head on opening night, Drost noted how important it is to reach the audiStudents at Western Carolina University do a recent run- ence in very surreal and emothrough practice of their upcoming stage production of ‘The tional ways.

“Feeling that palatable enerRocky Horror Picture Show.’ Garret K. Woodward photo gy from a performer is such an overwhelming experience,” he said. “It’s amazing and enlightening for someone to be able to convey that energy, and I want The campy cult classic musical “The Rocky Horror Picture to be able to do that.”

Show” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19-21 and again at “It’s a show for all ages, for 10:30 p.m. Feb. 21 in the Hoey Auditorium at Western those parents who grew up with Carolina University. The production is the opening Mainstage it, for those college kids who will series production for the spring semester. Tickets cost $21 for come in and have a great time,” adults, $16 for seniors (age 60 and older), faculty and staff, Alicandri added. “Every time I and $7 for students. The first four rows of seats will also be hear them sing ‘Dammit Janet,’ I reserved for audience participation, with special ‘Rocky just get so excited and so Horror’ kits available for $5. All proceeds from the pumped for how much fun this participation kits will go the University Players, a student club had been — I can’t wait to show on campus. 828.227.2479 or www.bardoartscenter.wcu.edu. everyone all of our hard work.”

Want to go?

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

A young Garret K. Woodward.

Family photo

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Smoky Mountain News

things just happen and time moves forward, I think it’s all one thing, you know? Where the ebb and flow of your surroundings is all one fluid motion of “us” and “it all.”

Sorry, it got a little deep there, eh? My thoughts, like my actions, have always been a rabbit hole, where I find I can’t stop exploring. And maybe that’s the whole point — to learn, where perpetuating your knowledge and never giving up on your desires is all we have in life. Maybe all of this is one big dream we eventually wake up from, a deep sleep in the subconscious of the heavens.

Your life is a direct result of your actions and intent. Every day you wake up and open your eyes to the world is another clean slate, another blank page in the book of “you,” a story only you possess and can tell.

And don’t forget about what it means to be alive. Go see live music. Hit the mountain trails. Wrap your hands around a pint of craft beer. Practice and preach “The Golden Rule.” Don’t be afraid of love, it is the greatest feeling there is. Learn something today you didn’t know yesterday.

Each fresh, local produce. A conversation with a dear friend over a cup of coffee in a diner is the center of the Universe. If you are going to be mean to someone, wait five seconds and the anger will immediately fade. Listen to the rainfall outside your window as John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme” plays in the background. Tell those you love how much they mean to you, and do it often. Oh, and go Red Sox. Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

LovebirdsRomance

February 11-17, 2015

What are you thinking about?

Staring out the window, the question asked shook me out of a trance. My gaze drifted to the femme fatale who just got out of my bed, putting her clothes back The annual Outhouse Race will be held at 11 on and heading into an unknown a.m. Feb. 14 at the Sapphire Valley Ski Area. day. She posed the question inquisitively, and I took me a moment to respond.

Pierce Edens & The Dirty Work (Americana) “You know, I’m not really will perform at 8 p.m. Feb. 14 at BearWaters sure,” I said.

Brewing in Waynesville.

And I really wasn’t. I knew I was thinking about something, Darren & The Buttered Toast (soul/funk) will but I couldn’t remember exactly perform at 9 p.m. Feb. 14 at No Name Sports what it was. Whatever those Pub in Sylva. thoughts were, they swirled The Bohemian Jean Mardi Frog Party around my head and into the cos(rock/folk) will perform at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 at mos like fall leaves on a windy Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville to benefit New England afternoon. To be the Haywood County Schools Foundation. honest, I could have sworn it was the simple notion of clarity that The 2015 Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout & appears on the morning of your Barrel Aged bottle release will be all-day Feb. 30th birthday — a surreal sense of 13-14 at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. being, of place and time, where all does seem to fit seamlessly into the puzzle of your existence. those road weary endeavors of the flesh, Ever since I turned 20, I’ve wondered mind and soul were to be purposely selfwhere I’d be in the next decade of my life. I destructive. Rather, I look at my unrelentoften thought about what lay ahead on that ing fascination with literally everything horizon I’m always running toward. And around me as my attempt to soak in every today, that curiosity became a reality. The ounce of beauty in the world, for none of night prior I found myself hoisting beers us know when and where the end of the high at Innovation Brewing in Sylva with road lies. my publisher. We had just concluded a sucThus, it was quite odd how clear my cessful business meeting with a long-time magazine client. Work done, time for birth- mind was this morning. I felt like one large, heavy, somewhat cumbersome, a tad confusday beverages. ing, and yet utterly satisfying chapter of my About two sips into my second Double life has come to a close. Cue the sound of a IPA we began talking about nothing and bank vault being sealed. everything, with topics hovering around I feel like I’m in a speeding car, hurdling turning 30 and what more could our newspaper be, what more could I become in my own further down the road, away from the past 10 years. Though my eyes are focused on the pursuits, as a writer and a human being? road, thoughts are stuck looking behind me, I spent my entire 20s running around like a chicken with my head cutoff. None of peeking over the seat like a little kid leaving

“Your life is a direct result of your actions and intent. Every day you wake up and open your eyes to the world is another clean slate, another blank page in the book of ‘you,’ a story only you possess and can tell.”

arts & entertainment

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summer camp, at the present life I know which would soon become dusty memories.

Head for the hills of your 30s, away from the breakups and funerals, the tragedies, but also away from the happiness shared and experienced, for now it is all but memories I grasp firmly, memories placed in the back of the closet of my mind, as the faces I adore become blurrier, where years from now only an outline of our time together remains, a flickering flame of passion I place my hands around to protect from the winds of time.

I look at time as one moment, where the eras of humanity are always existing, in parallel universes that continually remain in the space you once knew. Like, for example, my youth — your youth (our youth) — wasn’t a linear thing, it’s cylindrical and constantly moving, only we can’t, at least not now, enter those worlds, but we know in our souls they are out there, somewhere. I don’t think

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arts & entertainment

On the beat Productions and tickets are available on www.ticketreturn.com or by calling the Ramsey Center at 828.227.7722. Admission is $11 for WCU students and $21 for non-students. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and WCU students are required to show a valid WCU student ID with their ticket. www.wcu.edu.

Juicy J. Donated photo

Voices in the Laurel Valentine’s show

Juicy J to perform at WCU

February 11-17, 2015

Producer, songwriter and rapper Juicy J will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in Ramsey Regional Activity Center at Western Carolina University.

A founding member of Three 6 Mafia and later a co-owner with Wiz Khalifa of Taylor Gang Records, Jordan Michael Houston, also known as Juicy J, has never considered himself a rapper, but a producer instead. His career has led him to collaborate with Timbaland, 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne, Justin Timberlake, The Weeknd and Nicki Minaj.

A Memphis native, Juicy J won a MTV Video Music Award and an American Music Award for his participation on Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse,” a song for which he is nominated for this year’s Grammy Awards in the category of “Best Pop Duo Performance.”

The event is sponsored by Last Minute

The Voices in the Laurel “Cinema Magic Valentine’s Concert” will be held at 3 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

The show will feature songs of the cinema, Laurel Strings and more. Voices in the Laurel is a Haywood County based nonprofit choir for young people ranging from first grade through 12th grade from Haywood, Buncombe, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties under the direction of Martha Brown. Laurel Strings is the string ensemble directed by Sarah Smith.

Sponsored in part by Libba Feichter and HART Theatre.

Tickets cost $15 for adults in advance, $18 at the door. Children ages 12 and under are $7 in advance, $10 at the door. Concert tickets include a dessert after the show. www.voicesinthelaurel.org or 828.734.9163.

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Heart to rock Harrah’s Renowned classic rock act Heart will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, at Harrah’s Cherokee.

The acclaimed female group is known for their chart-topping hits “Magic Man” and “Barracuda.” Sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson first showed the world that women could rock when their band stormed the charts in the 1970. Not only did the Wilson sisters lead the band, they wrote the songs and played the instruments, too, making them the first women in rock to do so.

Tickets start at $42. www.harrahscherokee.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

Celebrate Mardi Gras while supporting the Haywood County Schools Foundation!

Proceeds to benefit Jessi Stone’s campaign to be crowned queen at the 2015 Mardi Gras Ball.

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Heart will play Feb. 21 at Harrah’s Cherokee. www.facebook.com/heart

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On the beat

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have Angelica Easterling (singer-songwriter) Feb. 13, Mike Pilgrim & Friends (gypsy jazz) Feb. 20 and Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Feb. 21. All shows begin at 7 p.m. $10 minimum purchase.

There will also be a special Valentine’s Day fourcourse dinner with the Jesse Junior Quartet (jazz) on Feb. 14, cost is $45 per person.

828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

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• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will have Chris Minick & Mercy Hawkes (Americana/folk) at 6 p.m. Feb. 12, The Myxx 8 p.m. Feb. 14, Bohemian Jean Mardi Frog Party (rock/folk) 6 p.m. Feb. 17, Chris Minick & Sheila Gordon (Americana/folk) 6 p.m. Feb. 19 and Hunter Crisp 7 p.m. Feb. 20. Free.

828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

Two locations to serve you • The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will have Through The Hills (Americana/bluegrass) Feb. 12 ($5 advance, $8 door) and an Open Mic Night Feb. 19. All events begin at 7:30 p.m. www.38main.com or call 828.283.0079.

• Tipping Point Brewing (Waynesville) will have Ashli Rose (singer-songwriter) at 9 p.m.

Feb. 13 and Joey Fortner & Kevin Fuller (Americana/folk) 8 p.m. Feb. 20. Both shows are free.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grille (Waynesville) will have Tonology Feb. 13 and Dirty Soul Revival (hard rock/blues) Feb. 20. Both shows begin at 10 p.m.

• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will present a Wind Ensemble concert for AllDistrict Bands Feb. 13, Orchestra Concert (Tchaikovsky 4th) Feb. 17 in the Bardo Arts Center Theatre. A Faculty Woodwind Recital will be Feb. 19 and Travis Bennett (horn studio recital) Feb. 21 in the Coulter Building.

All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. www.wcu.edu.

On the stage Open audition at HART

“Brighton Beach Memoirs,” “Nunsense,” “The 39 Steps,” “Oklahoma!,” “Company” and “Fox On The Fairway.” www.harttheatre.org.

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Chilean coup play at HART Ariel Dorfman’s acclaimed drama “Death and the Maiden” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13-14 and at 3 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

The play was inspired by Dorfman’s life in Chile and the coup by Augusto Pinochet in 1973. Dorfman was born in Argentina but his family later moved to Chile in the 1950s.

From 1970 to 1973, Dorfman served as a cultural advisor to President Salvador Allende.

Dorfman was supposed to work on the night shift at the La Moneda presidential palace the night before the Pinochet coup, but he had swapped his shift with his friend Claudio Jimeno, not knowing what was to come.

Possible holdover dates are Feb. 20-22.

Tickets cost $10 for adults, $6 for students.

828.456.6322 or www.harttheatre.org.

Smoky Mountain News

The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre will be holding open auditions for its 2015 season at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15-16 in Waynesville.

Directors for all of the theatre’s productions will be in attendance to see actors interested in being considered for principal roles. All chorus and dance company casting for the summer production of “Oklahoma!” will be done at that show’s general auditions on May 3-4.

Actors with professional credits and training may audition as professionals, with a prepared audition piece, headshot and professional resume. These actors will be seen by all directors first on Feb. 15-16.

These auditions will be closed to the public.

Community theater actors are not required to have photos, resumes or prepared audition material beyond 16 bars of a song with sheet music if auditioning for musical roles. Immediately following the professional auditions, community theater actors will be given a chance to cold read from the scripts of each show they are interested in being considered for.

The 2015 production includes the

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February 11-17, 2015

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night on Feb. 11 and 18, and a jazz night Feb. 12 and 19. All events begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus and Pub (Franklin) will have Tom Johnson Feb. 13, Ronnie Evans Feb. 14, Brian Sandeb Feb. 20 and Gary Carter Feb. 21. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.rathskellerfranklin.com or 828.369.6796.

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• City Lights Café (Sylva) will have Tyler Kittle & Michael Collings (jazz) Feb. 13 and Liz & AJ Nance (Americana/folk) Feb. 14. Both shows begin at 7 p.m. www.citylightscafe.com.

• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will have Darren & The Buttered Toast at 9 p.m. Feb. 14. Free.

828.586.2750 or www.nonamesportspub.com.

arts & entertainment

• BearWaters Brewing (Waynesville) will have Pierce Edens & The Dirty Work (Americana) Feb. 14 and Smokerise (southern rock) Feb. 21. Both shows begin at 8 p.m. www.bwbrewing.com or 828.246.0602.

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On the street arts & entertainment

Mardi Gras at Grace Church The “Come One, Come All� Mardi Gras Party will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Grace Episcopal Church in Waynesville.

This traditional New Orleans style celebration will include a live jazz band, great decorations and costume party. There will also be a special New Orleans menu including appetizers, red beans and rice, shrimp creole, pralines, king cake and beverages.

Tickets cost $15 per person, with children accompanied by their parents admitted free.

Complete tables of six may be reserved, but must be done at the time of purchase. 828.456.6029.

The Sapphire Valley Outhouse Race will be Feb. 14. Garret K. Woodward photo

Outhouse Race returns to Sapphire Valley

February 11-17, 2015

The annual Outhouse Race will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Sapphire Valley Ski Area.

This event kicks off with the display of all the racing outhouses. The parade of all participants follows, with the race following the parade. Last year, over 15 outhouses took part in this crazy, full of fun, wild and wacky elimination race. It’s expected that a record number of entries will be on hand for this year’s event. Live music and food will also be onsite.

Want to enter? Do you need an outhouse to rent for the race? Call 828.743.7667.

JOIN US FOR ARTS EVENTS AT WCU FEB. 13 | FRI. 7:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | FREE

Music: Wind Ensemble Concert

FEB. 17 | TUE. 7:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $

Music: Artist in Residence Orchestra Concert FEB. 19 | THU. 5-7PM | FINE ART MUSEUM | FREE

Smoky Mountain News

ArtTalk: Vadim Bora: PORTRAITS

FEB. 19-21 | THU.-SAT. 7:30PM, SAT. 10:30 PM | HOEY THEATRE | $

Performance: The Rocky Horror Show

SAVE THE DATE: FEB. 19 | THU. 7:30PM | COULTER | FREE

FACULTY WOODWINDS: OBOE, CLARINET, BASSOON, AND PIANO VISIT THE FINE ART MUSEUM FOR ONGOING EXHIBITS | FINEARTMUSEUM.WCU.EDU

Zumba at the Mad Batter A group of eight area licensed ZIN instructors will host a Zumba in the Club party for Mardi Gras from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, at the Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva.

There will be a warm-up and basic steps instruction at 6:30 p.m. Licensed ZIN instructors will lead you in some of the newest and best Zumba routines at 7 p.m.

No experience necessary.Â

The Mad Batter will also be selling beverages, but no food. Feel free to bring your own water bottle and Mardi Gras mask and get ready to shake it while enjoying great music, friends and fun.

Entry is $5 at the door. emilykepleymoss@gmail.com.

World War II round table at WCU

Former U.S. Air Force helicopter pilot John Lance will be the guest speaker as the Carolina Round Table on the World Wars meets at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, in Room 130 of the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Lance earned a history degree at the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master’s degree in European history at WCU. He spent 20 years on active duty as a helicopter pilot with various Air Force units and now lives in Asheville.

The presentation, “Seeds of Destruction: Aerial Mining in the Second World War,� will examine the effective combining of advanced anti-ship mines and combat aircraft by all combatants during the Second World War. Lance will address the technological, economic and cultural aspects of that form of warfare.

Free.

828.227.3908 or dorondo@wcu.edu.

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• The 2015 Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout & Barrel Aged bottle release will be all-day Feb. 13-14 at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• A Sweetheart Breakfast will be from 7 to 11 a.m. Feb. 14 at the Bryson City Presbyterian Church. Meal prepared by Chef Julia Hunt. $6 per plate, carry out available. All proceeds benefit the Carrie Abbott Scholarship for a Swain County High School senior.

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Smoky Mountain News

• The 12th annual Franklin Folk Festival will be postponed. Scheduled for July 18, 2015, the Folk Heritage Association of Macon County recently concluded it needed to postpone the event to re-evaluate the activities, manpower and budget. The FHAMC is aiming to restart the festival in 2016.

A GUARANTEED GRE AT NIGHT OUT

February 11-17, 2015

An “Alternative Healing Therapies” program will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, in the auditorium at the Waynesville Public Library.

Local practitioner Kim May will be teaching the section on E.F.T., which is a noninvasive healing approach that adds positive selfstatements to the technique of tapping on the meridian pathways/acupressure points. She will also be leading a discussion on Quantum Touch, which is the practice of learning to be in communion with the Creator and acting as a conduit for it to flow through us.

Rose Johnson is a Reiki Master Practitioner certified by The International Center for Reiki Training. She will provide an overview of Reiki, an ancient technique that draws upon the universal life force of energy to promote relaxation, reduce stress and foster emotional, physical and spiritual well being.

Bobbie Ammons, BSN, MA, RN HTP has been a practicing RN for over 44 years. For the past 27 years, she has co-owned Aurora Recording, specializing in providing educational media for complementary and alter-

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Ashley T. Evans photo

The Downtown Waynesville Association is seeking heritage themed vendors for the fifth annual Appalachian Lifestyle Celebration that will take place Saturday, June 13.

In the interest of protecting and preserving Appalachian traditions, this event will be a celebraftion of traditional mountain craft, food and entertainment. Exhibit space will be made available to vendors demonstrating and selling handmade Appalachian art and crafts such as blacksmithing, leatherworking, quilting, weaving, pottery, wood working/carving, painting, etc. In addition to craft vendors, the event is seeking demonstrators for Appalachian life skills such as lumberjacking, butter churning, soap making, storytelling, native plants, beekeeping, and food preservation.

Vendors interested in exhibiting personal collections of antique items such as tools, household items, quilts, tractors, wagons, pre 1940’s cars, etc. are also being sought for participation.

If you’re interested in being a part of this celebration of Appalachian traditions and keeping mountain heritage from being forgotten, contact the Downtown Waynesville Association at 828.456.3517 to request an application or visit the event calendar at www.downtownwaynesville.com.

Applications accepted until April 17.

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On the wall Bora portrait exhibit at WCU “Portraits & Portraits,” an exhibition of a selected group of portraits from the late Vadim Bora will run through March 6 in the Fine Arts Museum at Western Carolina University. A special reception and discussion of his work will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at the museum.

Bora immigrated from Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia in Russia to Asheville, where he kept an active studio and gallery for over 10 years. Besides being a painter, he was a sculptor, philosopher, teacher and an active creator of satirical political cartoons. Classically trained, his drawings and paintings tend to shift stylistically as he worked more from the subconscious than from the use if models or any kinds of technology. He Courtesy of Richard Brown trained at the Vladikavkaz College of Art and the noted St. Petersburg Academy of Art. In addition to the Bora works will be “Portraits: from the FAM Collection,” a selection of works by distinguished international artists in the collection. www.wcu.edu.

Elementary school-age children and young families are invited to Valentine ARTSaturday, a free arts and crafts workshop from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday Feb. 14, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

This event features story time, make & take 3-D cards and collages, music, and sugar cookie frosting and eating. All materials are provided. No pre-registration is needed; children should wear play clothes and come for any part of the session.

Free.

828.524.ARTS or 828.524.3600.

Photo club to discuss light boxes, portraits

WCU to showcase Barnwell collection

February 11-17, 2015

Valentine’s Day crafts for kids

A collection of images by acclaimed photographer Tim Barnwell that reflects the musical and craft traditions of the Southern Appalachian Mountains is currently on display through April 1 at Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center.

The “Hands in Harmony” traveling exhibit depicts the uniqueness of handmade objects and their creators as well as the musical heritage carried on by the traditional musicians of the region. The exhibit also includes a soundtrack featuring the musicians in Barnwell’s photos.

Born in Franklin, Barnwell started taking photographs at age 10 when he bought a camera from his uncle. He served as executive director of the Appalachian Photographic Workshops from 1980 to 1988 and has documented folk musicians and traditional crafts people of the Appalachian region for more than three decades.

The work of the Asheville-based photographer is in Courtesy of Tim Barnwell the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Asheville Art Museum and the New Orleans Museum of Art. 828.227.7129 or www.wcu.edu/mhc.

The Sylva Photo Club will discuss light boxes and portraits at noon Saturday, Feb.14, in the Cullowee Methodist Church at Western Carolina University.

At noon, there will be a Valentine’s Portraiture Session. To have a photograph done, the general public’s cost is $10 and $5 for members. As a workshop, anyone can quietly attend for free and watch Tony Wu demonstrate how to pose couple.

At 2 p.m., there will be a workshop by Wu on how to build and use an inexpensive light box for tabletop photography. Light boxes are for close-up studio, eBay/Craigslist, documenting valuables for insurance, or photographing anything that is small. Bring a box cutter or XActo knife and paper cutting scissors if you want to start your own DIY light tent.

After the program members will submit pictures for viewing in the theme of Table Top Photography.

Visitors are welcome. Free. www.sylvaphotoclub.wordpress.com or sylvaphotoclub@gmail.com or 828.293.9820.

Catch the Spirit scholarships available

A nonprofit organization, Catch the Spirit of Appalachia wishes to once again provide four opportunities for a scholarship in the amount of $500 each for Appalachian Studies to be presented to four deserving seniors in the Western North Carolina counties.

• The Annie Lee Bryson Memorial Scholarship is for a local student who has declared a major or minor in Appalachian Studies or related studies with an interest in traditional crafts.

• The Mary Jane Queen Memorial Scholarship is for students who have declared a major or minor in music, with an interest in the traditional music of the Appalachian Mountains.

• The Elmer & Irene Hooper Memorial Scholarship is for high school seniors who have demonstrated excellence in volunteerism and leadership.

• The Founders Scholarship is awarded on the basis of merit or potential within the visual arts, writing or history, with consideration of financial need.

Applicants must submit a completed application and all supporting documents to the guidance counselor of the applicant’s school by March 10 in order to be considered for this year’s scholarship awards. Home-schooler applicants should complete the application and send it to CSA, 29 Regal Avenue, Sylva, N.C. 28779, also by March 10. The application may be downloaded at www.spiritofappalachia.org.

828.631.4587.

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Books

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33

Guys, don’t fear Valentine’s Day, embrace it Note to readers: this is one of the few times I have written a column addressed to one sex — or gender, if you prefer that term. This one is for the guys facing the next holiday. t’s Valentine’s Day, and there they are, shuffling through the checkout line of the grocery store in the late afternoon, men holding roses and boxes of chocolates, each of them looking sheepish and angry. The embarrassment stems from the fact that they have once again forgotten Valentine’s Day, the anger from Valentine’s Day itself.

Men generally have more trouble with Valentine’s Day than women. Many of Writer us just never quite grasp its importance to our significant other. What seems frivolous to us — some of us mutter that it’s a holiday concocted by the card, flower, and chocolate industries — may be of enormous importance to the ones we love.

Before her death, my wife on this holiday always dressed in a red sweater, bought candy hearts for the children, and helped them design and write out Valentine’s for their friends. From me, she expected roses, a special supper, and other treats. So there I was on several holidays, standing in that awful line at the grocery store and staring straight ahead with my roses and chocolates, feeling as if I’d been put into the stocks. “Look!” I could hear the women around me thinking. “Another idiot who forgot to buy his wife flowers!” The men in line never had these thoughts because they were too busy staring straight ahead and holding their roses and candies.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

You can buy lots of great gifts for the one

Jeff Minick

I

you love, but best of all is the gift that comes with forethought and meaning. Since this is a book column, let’s focus on ways to make your loved one feel special for Valentine’s with some literary ardor.

First, consider buying her a book of poetry. Both in bookstores and online you can find wonderful collections of poetry on romance and love. Here on my desk is A Book of Love Poetry, edited by Jon Stallworthy, nearly 400 pages of poetry of the heart ranging from the Song of Solomon to T.S. Eliot. If you purchase such a collection, flip through the book and find a poem or piece of writing that strikes you as special. Mark that passage — or even better, copy it out — and tell your beloved why it means to much to you.

Individual poems, copied out in your own hand, can mean the world to the one in your heart. Here are some poems you might consider: ■ “Love in Brooklyn” — John Wakefield’s wonderful poem about the love between a manager and his secretary breaks my heart every time I read it. It’s a guy’s poem about love. As with the other selections, you’ll need to put a note with it explaining why it applies to your situation.

■ “I Knew A Woman” — Here is one of my favorite poems of all time. If you know a woman like this one, as I have — a wild woman “who moved in circles, and those circles moved” — then Theodore Roethke’s masterpiece is for you. The joy here is infectious.

■ “Lay Your Sleeping Head, My Love” — W. H. Auden may be more difficult to understand, but the individual lines on the beauty and the blessing of love — “Not a whisper, not a thought./Not a kiss nor look be lost” —

Book notes City Lights Bookstore in Sylva will celebrate 30 years in business during the month of February with a weeklong sale of up to 20 percent discounts starting on Valentine’s Day. There will also be free chocolate for customers.

••• Author and professor Chris Cox will read from his new book of essays The Way We Say Goodbye at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, in the Susan Todd Lounge of the Harrell Center at the Lake Junaluska Conference Center.

As part of the Lake Junaluska February Book Review, Cox’s

deserve to be, as the poet writes, “watched by every human love.”

■ “Love Is Not All” — Edna St. Vincent Millay once attracted throngs of fans at her readings. Today some regard her as a minor poet, but Millay left us some treasures that deserve to be polished up and restored to the culture. Here she writes that “Love can not fill the thickened lung with breath,/Nor clean the blood, nor set the fractured bone;/Yet many a man is making friends with death/Even as I speak, for lack of love alone.”

■ “somewhere i have never travelled,gladly beyond” — In this poem, E. E. Cummings, who wrote many other love

poems, gives readers and lovers an incredible look at love and its enormous impact on the beloved. He writes “(i do not know what it is about you that closes/and opens; only something in me understands/the voice of your eyes is deeper than all roses) nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands.”

■ “When You Are Old” — William Butler Yeats wrote this

essays will sometimes entertain, sometimes inspire and sometimes break your heart.

828.456.6720.

••• The Department of Modern Foreign Languages at Western Carolina University will present a Romantic languages poetry reading at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, at Illusions on the second floor of A.K. Hinds University Center in Cullowhee.

WCU students, faculty and staff and local residents are invited to attend to share a poem in a Romantic language or listen to others read poems. The poems recited do not necessarily have to deal with the topic of love, even though Valentine’s Day will be just three

poem for all of us who have fallen in love with someone who either fled from us or who, because of circumstances, could not return our affections. “But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,/And loved the sorrows of your changing face”: those lines say it all to those who have been blessed or cursed to love this way.

Not a poetry fan? Here are three more suggestions from literature (and there are hundreds): First, go online and copy out the letter from Sullivan Ballou to his wife Sarah Ballou just before he died at Bull Run in 1861.

Second, though it is a Christmas story, O’Henry’s The Gift of the Magi is a lovely tale of sacrifice and wisdom in love.

Third, C.S. Lewis’ novel Till We Have Faces is a masterpiece about the meaning of love.

Lewis tells the story of Cupid and Psyche, and explores love from many angles.

(I’m always astounded by how few people have read this book. It is a stunning examination of the ladder of love, belief, and devotion).

Finally, gentlemen, you should include a hand-written note with whatever gift you chose. In your own words, speak your affections. That’s what Valentine’s is all about. It’s really what your true love wants to hear.

(Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher. He can be reached at minick0301@gmail.com.)

days later. The poems also do not have to be the original creations of the readers, but can be compositions written by someone else that have inspired them.

Attendees are encouraged to wear red, white or black attire. Free. gdfisher@wcu.edu.

••• Tyler Cook will present his debut novel The One at a special release party at 11:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The event is cosponsored by the Macon County Public Library and Books Unlimited.

828.369.7942 or 828.371.8519 or moonshinepressnc@gmail.com.

34

Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

One foot in front of the other Haywood runner seeks to push her limits, share the joy of running

BY HOLLY KAYS Running USA. In 2013, 1.96 million people finSTAFF WRITER ished a half marathon in the U.S., of which ushing through 2.4 miles of swimming, there were 2,100, and 61 percent of those were 112 of biking and 26.2 of running, it was female. Though half marathon finishers all Jennifer Jacobson could do to keep increased at a slower rate in 2013 than in 2012, moving toward the finish line of Ironman the race is still on the rise. Running USA calls Louisville in Kentucky last summer. But she did the growth “astounding.” make it, earning an achievement to boost her mood for years to come.

“That was basically an ultimate bucket list goal for me, and if I don’t ever do another one again, I’m OK with that,” said Jacobson, 33. “But just having that experience was something I’ll never forget for sure.”

Crossing the finish line after nearly 16 hours of racing was exhilarating. But for Jacobson, the joy is in the journey.

“As I was getting close to the finish line, all I could think about was the whole training experience,” she said. “The race is just the icing on the cake. It’s all the hard work you’ve done over months of training.”

Training has been a part of Jacobson’s life since 2006, when she completed her first half marathon at Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, after a few years of 5Ks and loops around a nearby lake as a student at N.C. State University. That race was a rough run that wasn’t the world’s most comfortable experience.

“I didn’t have any knowledge of what foods I should eat,” Jacobson Jennifer Jacobson recalled. “I totally ate tons of pasta calls the Ironman and bread the night before, and race she completed that did not help me on the race.” last year in Still, something about the expeLouisville, Kentucky, rience told her that she wanted (both images) an more. ‘ultimate bucket list Jacobson isn’t alone in that goal,’ but she desire. In fact, since 2003 the half doesn’t plan to stop marathon has been the fastestrunning anytime growing race distance in the United States, especially among women, soon. Donated photos according to a 2014 report from

P

Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon Runners will take to the streets of downtown Waynesville as the inaugural Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon starts from Main Street at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 2.

The 13.1-mile race, organized by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, will start off at the intersection of Main and Depot streets and continue down Main until heading up Country Club Drive. It’ll loop around the Waynesville Inn golf course before moving down into Hazelwood and out Plott Creek Road for a loop around Log Cabin Road before heading back into town.

Jacobson had entered the Myrtle Beach race as a way of staying in shape after marrying her husband Ryan and moving back to Haywood County. She’s the funeral director at Wells Funeral Home, the fifth generation to work in the family business.

But racing quickly morphed into something much more than a mechanism for continued fitness. Jacobson’s friend, Jennifer Worley, convinced her to enter the 2008 Philadelphia Marathon, and the two began training together for the 26.2-mile foot race.

“She was my first and biggest encourager in getting really into that distance of running,” Jacobson said of Worley.

From there, Jacobson kept pushing the limits, getting into triathlons and, ultimately, completing the Ironman race last year.

HARD WORK, HIGH REWARD Running time is usually in the early hours of the morning, usually around 5 a.m., and sometimes getting up is not easy. Especially not for the mother of a toddler — Jacobson has a 3year-old son, Wells.

“It’s hard sometimes when that alarm clock goes off at 4:15 or 4:30 [a.m.],” Jacobson said.

“There are days when I say, ‘I just can’t do it,’ but it starts my day off so much better, and it gives you a lot more energy to take on the day and start your day off on a good note, because you’ve accomplished something before most people are awake.”

And, meanwhile, she’s accomplishing those miles while also building lasting friendships.

“You can talk about life with each other, and you really develop close friendships with people that are like-minded,” Jacobson said of the women she runs with. “I guess I appreciate that about running more than anything else.”

It’s also provides a new way to experience the world, a different view than the one you get while rushing to work or pushing the speed limit on the highway.

“In the Philadelphia marathon, we got to run by the Liberty Bell,” Jacobson recalled. “We ran by a zoo somewhere in Philadelphia. You really get to see a different side of a city or town when you’re either on bike or on foot.”

Of course, during the race, the focus is on

Getting ready Running a half marathon isn’t something you decide to do overnight. Getting to the finish line involves months of training, but Ironman finisher Jennifer Jacobson calls it worth it.

“The journey means more to me than crossing the finishing line, even though crossing the finish line is awesome,” Jacobson said.

Though it’s quite possible to run in a half marathon like the upcoming Gateway to the Smokies in Waynesville without having any shorter races under your belt, Jacobson recommends trying to get in a 5K beforehand.

And she definitely recommends starting a training program three months before race day. For those aiming to finish the Gateway race, that means training starts now. May sounds like a long ways away, but the more time you have, the more gradually you can increase the distance of your runs.

“You don’t want to go from running 5 miles to 10 in a couple weeks,” Jacobson said.

“It’s easy to get injured.”

A good exercise routine would involve running about three times each week, with two of those runs being shorter distances that lead up to a longer distance on the third day. On the off days, it’s a good idea to get into a cross-training routine to strengthen muscles and further reduce the risk of injury.

Then, just keep ramping up the distance until hitting the magic number.

“For a half-marathon, you want to get at least to the 10-mile mark,” Jacobson said.

“Usually if you get to 10 miles, you can easily run 13. But for a more experienced runner, they’ll sometimes train through the full distance.”

the finish line. But training is different.

“If you see a beautiful sunset or sunrise or just awesome scenery, you can stop or take it in and just take a picture,” Jacobson said. “It really rejuvenates me personally.”

Running through downtown Waynesville at 5 a.m., the streets are deserted and the world is quiet. The sun is still asleep and the mountains rise to make a dark silhouette against the sky.

These are the moments that make the early alarm clock worth it.

“I guess I would call it my therapy, getting out, running out in nature,” she said. “Outside you just kind of can release all the stress of the day, all those thoughts, anxieties and emotions that can get to you.”

F

The route climbs the hill up Boyd Avenue and Bryson Street before following Haywood Street toward Depot and into Frog Level for the finish.

“I think it showcases some of the great parts of Waynesville, and I’m excited that it will hopefully bring people into the area that might not have visited this area before to see what a gem it is,” said race committee member and Waynesville native Jennifer Jacobson.

The course is certified and spectator-friendly, and a portion of the proceeds will go toward the Richland Creek greenway initiative in Waynesville. Register at www.smokieshalfmarathon.com or on www.active.com.

RESIDENTIAL HOUSECLEANING outdoors

Two open houses this month will offer as superintendent of the Boston African the chance to meet and greet the Great American National Historic Site and Boston Smoky Mountains National Park National Historic Site. He also has a backSuperintendent, Cassius Cash, who had his ground working with the U.S. Forest first day at work this Monday (Feb. 9).

Smoky Mountains “Great Smoky Mountains National Park National Park is surrounded by Superintendent, incredible communities with a long Cassius Cash. tradition of supporting the park,” Donated photo said Cash. “I look forward to meeting and working with park neighbors as we continue building relationships and partnerships that enable us to protect this special place together.”

■ 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center at the main entrance to the park on U.S. 441 near Cherokee.

■ 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24, at the Historic Calhoun House in Bryson City.

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There will be two open houses in The open houses are Hosted by Friends Tennessee as well. of the Smokies, Great Smoky Mountains Cash came to the Smokies from his post Association and Historic Calhoun House.

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ones in Myrtle Beach and Philadelphia, her ideal race is the one that takes place right at home.

In fact, of all the places that she’s raced, one of her favorites is Lake Logan, whose annual Multisport Festival draws athletes from all around the country to participate in its triathlon, half-triathlon and menu of other race combinations.

“It is nice to go to a destination race, but just to be able to wake up in your own bed

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Jacobson knows what those early morning runs mean to her, and for that reason she’s big on encouraging new runners to get active.

“It doesn’t matter how slow, how fast,” Jacobson said. “That doesn’t matter. In the end, it’s just that you have a goal and you’re trying to reach it. Being that encouragement to others has been awesome.”

Maybe that’s why she’s enjoying Racers finish the swimming her new role as registration, expo leg at the 2014 Lake Logan and finish line coordinator — together with fellow runner Kate Birthright Multisport Festival.

— for the inaugural Gateway to the Holly Kays photo Smokies Half Marathon, to be held in Waynesville Saturday, May 2.

“Just being a part of so many different races, I’ve seen a lot, seen how different races do it, so it’s been nice thinking back on that experience and making the Gateway to the Smokies something special,” Jacobson said.

The Haywood County Chamber of Commerce, which is organizing the event, hopes to attract as many as 300 runners that weekend. Jacobson is excitand go to a race venue, it’s wonderful, and ed see a lot of people run the route, taking in we live in such a beautiful area,” she said. downtown Waynesville and the neighborSo, why not lace up the running shoes hoods around it — as well as plenty of and go exploring? mountain views — because, while she likes “Give it a shot,” Jacobson said. “You to travel for destination races like those early won’t be disappointed.”

facebook.com/smnews February 11-17, 2015

An introductory beekeeping class from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, at the Haywood County Extension Building in Waynesville will unveil the mysteries of beekeeping for beginners.

The class will cover equipment choices, how to choose honeybees and a beehive location, the basics of dealing with pests and all the ins and outs of producing honey. The day will include breaks in the morning, afternoon and lunchtime with snacks provided and door prizes drawn.

Cost is $50, which includes a 2015 membership to the Haywood County Beekeeper’s Association and to the N.C. Beekeeper’s Association. Free for students under 18.

RSVP to 828.456.3575.

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outdoors

Polar Plunge lands cash for waterway education Lake Junaluska was only 39 degrees on Jan. 31, but 120 people still braved the cold to participate in Haywood Waterways Association’s Third Annual Polar Plunge.

The event, hosted by Lake Junaluska Assembly, raised $24,500 for youth waterway education. That’s a bit shy of the goal of $25,000, but donations are still coming in. In addition to the 120 plungers, 250 people came to watch.

The money will go to support Kids in the Creek, a hands-on learning experience that educates middle-school students about aquatic ecology and water quality with a hands-on field trip. The program has reached more than 11,000 students since its inception. www.haywoodwaterways.org.

Maggie Valley Planner Andrew Bowen takes the plunge dressed as ‘Mr. Maggie.’ Fred Alexander photo

Celebrate winter Smoky style Maggie Valley’s inaugural WinterFest Smoky Style will celebrate the best of the cold-weather season 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds, with other events bookending the festival Friday and Saturday nights.

The festival will include Plott hound, police K9 and sled dog demonstrations as well as a dog pulling competition officially sanctioned by the International Weight Pull Association. The cast of Hillbilly Blood, a Discovery Channel reality television show about surviving in the mountains filmed in and around Haywood, will demonstrate their survival skills, and there will be plenty of activities geared toward children.

In addition, photography seminars and a guided photo shoot with Lens Lugger Photographic Association will be held and prizes awarded in a winter photo contest.

Admission and a portion of other proceeds will go to Friends of the Haywood County Animal Shelter, a newly formed group whose goal is to fund a new county animal shelter. www.winterfestsmokystyle.com

Smoky Mountain News

February 11-17, 2015

Pisgah National Forest.

The event, presented by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, will be held May 18-22 and May 26-29, teaching the specialized skills that trail maintainers need to work in designated wilderness areas. Programs include crosscut saw training, wilderness history and stewardship, trail construction and maintenance, first aid, balancing visitation with solitude and advanced trail structures with an emphasis on stonework.

Free, but spots go quick. Apply online at www.trailcrews.org/wilderness-skills-institute.

Located off U.S. 276 about 25 miles south of Waynesville. Leanna Joyner with ATC, 828.254.3708 or Brenna Irrer with Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards, 828.226.4320.

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Students at a previous WSI examine a log to determine where best to cut it.

Appalachian Trail Conservancy photo

Learn to tread lightly at Wilderness Skills Institute Registration is now open for the fifth Wilderness Skills Institute, a training program for Wilderness stewardship and management, held at the Cradle of Forestry in

Take in a winter hike A hike to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park will give a glimpse of the woods in winter on Saturday, Feb. 21, in a trip organized by Jackson County Recreation and Parks.

The location will be announced as the weather forecast becomes clearer, but the route will be between 3 and 6 miles, with registration open through Feb. 18. $5, including transportation from the Cullowhee Recreation Center at 9 a.m. Sign up with Jennifer Bennett, 828.293.3053 or jenniferbennett@jacksonnc.org.

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outdoors

Bird count seeks citizen scientists Bird-lovers will have a chance to throw in their two cents to science with the Audubon Society’s 18th annual Great Backyard Bird County Feb. 13-16.

During those four days, people everywhere in the world are challenged to count birds for at least 15 minutes and enter their sightings at www.birdcount.org. When information from tens of thousands of volunteers is combined, scientists can track populations on a massive scale. kfernandez@audubon.org or 919.929.3899.

Golden eagles explained

Smoky Mountain News

February 11-17, 2015

It’s been known for a while that golden eagles sometimes wander to the North Carolina Mountains during the fall and winter, but a recent study from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has revealed that happens a lot more frequently than previously thought.

Chris Kelly of the Wildlife Commission will present the findings on golden eagles at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16. The study used bait stations and motion-sensing cameras to document the eagles — which were found at five of nine camera traps in 2013 and nine of 14 in 2014. At the most active site, 14 individual golden eagles were observed.

HCC nabs accreditation from Society of American Foresters Haywood Community College just became the only two-year community college in North Carolina to offer a forest management technology program accredited by the Society of American Foresters, a national organization for professional foresters.

The accreditation shows that HCC’s program provides an education whose objectives are consistent with professional standards and that the college has the resources to help students accomplish those goals. Through its accreditation, SAF seeks to improve forestry education by periodically having programs selfevaluate and undergo peer review by educators and practicing foresters.

“Over the years, we have been fortunate to have high-quality faculty and students, with our graduates going on to have successful careers in forestry and natural resources management,” said Blair Bishop, lead instructor for the program.

HCC’s program, established in 1967, attracts students from across the state and region as well as from Haywood County. The campus serves as an outdoor laboratory for forestry students, allowing them to practice land surveying, tree identification and timber stand evaluation. More than 75 percent of the main campus is forested, and HCC also owns several teaching forests.

A two-session landscaping series at Jackson County Public Library in Sylva will teach participants what to do during wintertime to set the stage for beautiful gardens when warmer weather comes.

The first session, scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, will focus on how to correctly clear ground, covering methods for removing invasive species and preserving native ones, creating open spaces for gardens, soil prep and making infrastructure decisions.

At 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 3, the second installment will focus on design, including creating energy flow, placing walls and paths and relationships between different kinds of plantings.

All sessions are free and taught by Marsha Crites, owner of Harvest Moon Gardens. Co-sponsored by Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

828.586.2016.

Women in Business invite you to our first luncheon of 2015. Join us in embracing the notion that we all need to stop and smell a ROSE. Our 2015 series will focus on the Resiliency, Opportunity, Sacrifice, and Endurance that all women share.

Guest speaker is Phylis Prevost.

This 91 year old woman has been active in the business world since World War II. She is an Attorney and Hotelier, and has many stories to tell about her life and career changes through the years as well as how maturity has altered has altered her ideas and attitude.

P R E S E N T E D B Y:

Thursday, March 19: 11:30-1 Laurel Ridge Country Club PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED

25/CHAMBER MEMBERS • $30/NON–MEMBERS

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Aaron Mabry photo

Winter landscaping series held at Jackson library

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

$

HCC students get some hands-on field experience.

■ A spring break adventure camp in Jackson County will run March 9-13 for fifth through eight graders. The week will include hiking, biking, geocaching and indoor rock climbing with Jackson County Recreation and Parks.

The $225 cost includes transportation, activities and equipment. Space limited.

828.293.3053 or jenniferbennett@jacksonnc.org.

■ A spring break camp in Waynesville April 6-10 will teach students in pre-K through seventh grade the basics of paddling at the Waynesville Recreation Center’s pool and later at Lake Junaluska.

Offered through the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department. Cost is $95 for

rec center members and $110 for nonmembers. Space limited.

828.456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.

Spring soccer gears up in Jackson Spring soccer sign-up is underway with the Jackson County Recreation and Parks through Feb. 27, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Cullowhee Recreation Center.

Games are Sunday afternoons starting in late March, with opportunities for children up to age 14 who turned 4 by Aug. 1, 2014. $40 for new players, $35 for returning fall 2014 players, with discounts for siblings and those with recreation memberships.

Jonathan Parsons, 828.293.3053 or jonathanparsons@jacksonnc.org.

Wintertime gardening Chuck Shelton, Melissa Myers and Dale Parrot gather brush at REACH of Macon County, a domestic violence advocacy nonprofit whose services include legal assistance, a shelter and help finding employment.

Even chilly temperatures couldn’t keep two local garden groups from helping to restore the gardens to health. Since August, the Macon County Master Gardeners Association and Franklin Garden Club have been working to improve the grounds. Donated photo

Secure Your Identity.

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Spring break camps with an outdoor flare

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February 11-17, 2015 Smoky Mountain News

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WNC Calendar

Smoky Mountain News

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Jackson County Public Library is holding a “Love Your Library” Amnesty Week on Feb. 9-14 to allow users to return or renew overdue materials with new overdue fines by saying “I love my library.” Lost cards also replaced for free. Replacement charges for lost or damaged items can’t be forgiven. For info, call 586.2016.

• Students from elementary, junior high and high schools throughout WNC will attend the Western Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 10-11, at Western Carolina University.

Free. Viewing from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. each day.

Info: sciencefair.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• Former U.S. Air Force helicopter pilot John Lance will be the guest speaker as the Carolina Round Table on the World Wars meets at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at Western Carolina University’s John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Free. Contact David Dorondo, at 227.3908 or dorondo@wcu.edu.

• An interactive “Tar Heel Tour” examining North Carolina regions and attributes will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Free. Contact Lane Perry at 227.2643 or laneperry@wcu.edu.

• A craft artist business plan contest featuring a $3,000 prize, presented by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center, kicks off with an event from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the Mad Batter in downtown Sylva. Free. For info, contact Tiffany Henry at t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4211.

• The Holly Springs Community Development Club will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 at the community building located at 2720 Cat Creek Road, Franklin. Homemade soup, cornbread and pound cake will be served. jsutton@frontier.com.

• Haywood County’s half-century of progress, present developments and future prospects will be discussed by Vicki Hyatt, editor of “The Mountaineer,” at 2 p.m. Feb. 19 in Gaines Auditorium at the Lake Junaluska Visitor Center.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Free tax preparation by trained volunteers certified by the IRS will be offered from Feb. 3-April 14 every Tuesday at the Jackson County Public Library (3-6:45 p.m.) and the Jackson County Senior Center (10 a.m.-3 p.m.) - both in Sylva. For info, contact Donald Selzer (293.0074), Senior Center (586.4944) or library (586.2016).

• A basic Internet class will be held at 5:45 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

Free, limited to first 16 who register at 586.2016.

• A free “Alternative Financing for the Small Business Owner” luncheon will be presented by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center and the Haywood County Public Library from noon-2 p.m. on Feb. 12 in the Waynesville Library Auditorium.

Registration required: 627.4606 or sbc.haywood.edu.

• Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center offers a free NC REAL (Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning) business simulation seminar from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 16 at the SCC Jackson Campus. Reservations required: www.ncsbc.net. For info, contact Tiffany Henry at 339.4211 or t_henry@southwesterncc.edu.

• A three-hour seminar entitled “Business Planning for Business Success” is being offered through Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center at 6 p.m.

Feb. 17 in the 1500 Building Auditorium at HCC in Clyde. Speaker is Russ Seagle. sbc.haywood.edu or 627.4512.

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 • “Top Five Types of Identity Theft” is the title of a free seminar open to the public starting at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 17 at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital Campus. Register at 11:15 a.m. RSVP with Pamela Harris at 526.1325.

Leave message with name, number of attendees and return phone number.

• A small business seminar entitled “BEE Financially Savvy & Organizationally Strong” will be presented by Southwestern Community College from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Feb. 17 at Macon Bank Corporate Center in Franklin.

Free. Registration required at www.ncsbc.net. Info at t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4211.

• A small business owners roundtable, an opportunity to network and learn, will be held from 8:30-10 a.m. on Feb. 18 at the Haywood Community College’s Library Conference Room. sbc.haywood.edu or 627.4512 • A resume writing workshop will be offered at 1 p.m.

Feb. 18 at the Macon County Public Library. Free, but reservations strongly recommended. 524.3600.

• A small business seminar entitled “Introduction to Facebook for Business Use” will take place from 5:308:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at SCC’s Jackson Campus. Free; registration required: www.ncsbc.net. For info, contact Tiffany Henry at 828.339.4211 or t_henry@southwesterncc.edu.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • A canned food drive is being held through March 2 at the Eckerd Living Center at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital.

• A Sweetheart Breakfast will be from 7-11 a.m. Feb. 14 at the Bryson City Presbyterian Church. Meal prepared by Chef Julia Hunt. $6 per plate, carry out available. All proceeds benefit the Carrie Abbott Scholarship for a Swain County High School senior.

• A Valentine’s Ball with the theme “Love Heals” will be held from 7-10 p.m. on Feb. 14 at the Quality Inn in Sylva. Proceeds benefit the Clean Slate Coalition.

Tickets: www.cleanslatecoalition.org. To become an event sponsor, 586.3939.

• A Mardi Gras Fundraiser for Jessi Stone will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Frog Level Brewing Company in Waynesville. Proceeds benefit Haywood County Schools Foundation.

• The Bascom winter bash will be held from 6-10 p.m.

Feb. 21 at the Delta Flight Museum in Atlanta. Tickets cost $200 each for the fundraiser, which benefits the Bascom Visual Arts Center. www.thebascom.org/bascombashtickets.

• A Volunteer Fair organized by Southwestern Community College’s SCC Cares committee is scheduled from 9 a.m.-noon Feb. 24 in the Burrell Conference Center on Southwestern’s Jackson Campus in Sylva.

Agencies and nonprofits interested in having a presence – as well as individuals interested in volunteering – can contact Amanda Allen for more info at a_allen@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4305.

• The Haywood County Meals on Wheels program has route openings for volunteer drivers: Mondays – Route

#6 – West Canton; Wednesdays – Route #3 – Clyde; and Route #21 – Saunook; Thursdays – Route #23 – Waynesville/Shelton Street; Fridays – Route #18 – Pigeon Valley. Substitute drivers also needed. Info: Jeanne Naber, 356.2442.

• Friends of the Library Book Sale Committee needs books for its annual sale on July 23-25. Books can be picked up at your home. Call Sandy Denman at 627.2370.

HEALTH MATTERS • Affordable Care Act representatives will be available from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursdays until Feb. 12 at Maggie Valley Town Hall.

• The Macon County Cancer Support Group will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 in the cafeteria of Angel Medical Center in Franklin. Jo Zachary, former radio broadcaster and kidney cancer survivor, is guest speaker. Light refreshments will be served. $50 door prize. Everyone welcome.

• Free Affordable Care Act informational sessions will be held from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at City Lights Café in Sylva; or from 5-7 p.m. at City Lights Bookstore.

Schedule free one-on-one appointment by calling 855.733.3711 or by visiting www.getcoveredamerica.org/connector. For info, contact Eunice Lee-Ahn at 586.8931.

• Information sessions about Affordable Care Act Insurance open enrollment, which ends Feb. 15, will be held on Feb. 12. One session is from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Jackson County DSS; another is from 3-7 p.m. at the Waynesville Library. Call 452.1447 for an appointment.

• Diabetes and chronic disease self-management trainings for ages 14-and-up will be offered by Macon County Public Health and Macon County Senior Services from 1-5 p.m. on Feb. 12 and Feb. 19. Diabetes training is followed by six weeks of chronic disease education and support from 5-7 p.m. on Thursdays. Light refreshments provided. Information: 349.2086.

• An Affordable Health Insurance Enrollment event will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Feb. 14, at Cullowhee United Methodist Church. Reservations: 353.3711 or www.getcoveredamerica.org/connector. Walk-Ins are welcome.

• The Red Cross has scheduled a blood drive for noon4:30 p.m. on Feb. 16 at Masonic Lodge in Waynesville.

800.RED.CROSS. • A free program in Alternative Healing Therapies will be offered from 1-3 p.m. on Feb. 17, at the Waynesville library. Refreshments will be served. For info, contact Kathy Olsen at 356.2507.

• Four short films illustrating public health concerns, policy issues and ways communities are responding will be shown at 6 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • A women’s volleyball league is accepting registrations through Feb. 13 at the Cullowhee Recreation Center. $175 entry fee per team. For info, contact Jennifer Bennett at 293.3053.

• Pickleball is played from 2-4:30 every Monday and from 9 a.m.-noon every Friday at the Armory in Sylva. $1 • A Zumba in the Club party will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the Mad Batter in downtown Sylva.

Eight area licensed ZIN instructors will host the event and lead routines. No experience necessary For info, contact Emily Moss at emilykepleymoss@gmail.com or go to madbatterfoodandfilm.com.

• Yoga for Outdoor Fitness will be taught for free from

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

6-7 p.m. on Feb. 18, at REI Asheville. Wear comfortable clothing and bring yoga mat, water bottle and straps or blocks if you like. Registration required: http://www.rei.com/event/64604/session/108617.

687.0918.

• A GoPro basics class entitled “Getting to Know Your GoPro” will be offered for free from 7-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 at REI Asheville. Fully charged GoPro is strongly recommended. Registration required: www.rei.com/event/50858/session/108556. 687.0918.

• Haywood County Recreation & Parks Department is offering adult coed indoor soccer pickup games from 68 p.m. on Wednesdays through March 25 at Old Hazelwood Gym. For ages 18 and up. For info, contact Daniel Taylor at 452.6789 or drtaylor@haywoodnc.net.

• Open play volleyball and practice will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in February at Waynesville Recreation Center. Free for members; $6 per non-members. Open to ages 18 and older. 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Registration for a women’s volleyball league has begun at the Recreation Center in Cullowhee. 293.3053.

• Friday Night Skiing at Cataloochee every Friday through Feb. 27. Registration closes at 4 p.m. the Friday before the trip at Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee. 293.3053.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will host the Silver Sneakers New Member Orientation from 10 a.m.-noon on Feb. 11 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Refreshments will be provided. Information: 456-2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

KIDS & FAMILIES • Spring soccer registration being held from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, Feb. 9-27 at the Recreation Department in Cullowhee. For info, contact Jonathan Parsons at 293.3053.

• “Nature Nuts: Animal Senses,” a program for ages 47, is scheduled for 9-11 a.m. on Feb. 11 and Feb. 16 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Transylvania County. Free, but call to reserve a spot. 877.4423.

• “Eco Explorers: Living Downstream,” a program about environmentally friendly planning for ages 8-13, will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Feb. 11 and Feb. 16 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, in Transylvania County. Free, call to reserve a spot. 877.4423.

• 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.

• A free Valentine’s Day arts and crafts workshop for kids will be held from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Includes story time, make and take 3-D cards and collages, music and sugar cookie frosting and eating. All materials provided. For details, call 524.ARTS or 524.3600.

• A Lowe’s Build and Grow session for ages 3-and-up is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. on Feb. 14 at the Sylva (586.1170) and Waynesville (456.9999) Lowe’s stores.

Free. Build a sweetheart picture holder.

• High-performance volleyball clinics for fifth through eighth-grade girls will be held from 6-9 p.m. on

13-15 in Waynesville. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday then 3 p.m. on Sunday. For reservations: 456. 6322 or www.harttheatre.org.

• Innovation Brewing in Sylva will have a jazz night starting at 8 p.m. on Feb. 12. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Kid Zumba for ages 4-11 will be held from 3:454:45 p.m. on Thursdays from Feb. 19-April 9 at the Cullowhee Recreation Center. $45 for members; $85 for nonmembers. Register by Feb. 18. Contact Jennifer Bennett at 293.3053.

• All-District Band rehearsals and performances will be held Feb. 13-14 at Western Carolina University. The WCU Wind Ensemble and Smoky Mountain Brass Quintet will perform for the students and the public at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Free. Info at 227.7242. www.wcu.edu.

• Chris Minick & Mercy Hawkes (Americana/folk) will play at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Free. 454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Baby Storytime is at 11 a.m. on Thursdays at the Jackson County Public Library. Songs, fingerplays and stories for infants through toddlers. 586.2016.

• Between the Lines is held at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at Jackson County Public Library. A writing, art and creativity workshop for teens ages 12 and up. 586.2016.

Kids movies • A new animated movie will be shown from 2-6 p.m. on Feb. 19 in the meeting room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Rated PG and running 1 hour, 37 minutes, the show centers around a purehearted fairy living in a peaceable kingdom. Info: 524.3600.

• “The Book of Life” will be screened at noon and 2 p.m. every Saturday in February at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Free. Rated PG. 1:35. www.38main.com or call 283.0079.

• The “Frozen — Sing It Celebration” will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 20, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. $8. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

A&E • A Mardi Gras party is set for 6:30-9:30 p.m. Feb. 17 at Grace Episcopal Church in Waynesville. Event features a live jazz band, decorations, costume party, and a New Orleans menu. $15 per person; children accompanied by parents attend free. Tickets must be purchased by Feb. 11. 456.6029.

• The 2015 Chocolate Covered Cherry Stout & Barrel Aged bottle release will be all day Feb. 13-14 at Nantahala Brewing in Bryson City. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• The Valentine’s Day Sweetheart Dinner will start at 5 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Fontana Village Resort. Enjoy a delicious four-course meal with your sweetheart at the Mountview Restaurant. 828.498.2115 or www.fontanavillage.com.

• The eighth annual Father-Daughter dance is set for 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Feb. 28 at First United Methodist Church in Sylva. Advance fee: $30 per couple; $5 for each additional daughter before Feb. 20. At the door: $35 per couple plus $5 for each additional daughter.

Includes complimentary photo, corsage and party favor. Go by the church or fill out online: www.www.firstumcsylva.org.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • Jacob Jones, Jessie Stephens, & Friends perform bluegrass and old-timey mountain music at 7 p.m. on Feb. 12 in the Community Room of the Jackson County Historic Courthouse. Free. Info: 631.2646.

• HART’s winter season continues with the Broadway drama “Death and the Maiden” by Ariel Dorfman, Feb.

• A Cinema Magic Valentine’s Concert, featuring songs of the cinema by Laurel Strings and Voices in the Laurel, is set for 3 p.m. Feb. 14, at HART Theater in Waynesville. Tickets: $15 for adults in advance and $18 at the door; $7 in advance for 12-and-under or $10 at the door. For information, visit www.voicesinthelaurel.com or call 734.9163.

• HART Theatre will hold auditions at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15-16 for principal roles in its 2015 season in Waynesville. HART’s season includes “Brighton Beach Memoirs” (opens April 24); “Nunsense” (opens May 22); “The 39 Steps” (opens June 19); “Oklahoma!” (opens July 10); “Company” (opens Aug. 7); “Fox on the Fairway” (opens Sept. 11); and “The Weir” (opens Oct. 9). Info at www.harttheatre.org.

• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will present an Orchestra Concert (Tchaikovsky 4th) at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 in the Bardo Arts Center Theatre. www.wcu.edu.

• Imago Theatre’s “FROGZ,” a family-friendly show combining Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics with masks, mime and music, will be presented by Western Carolina University at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Bardo Center in Cullowhee. Tickets ($5 students; $10 all others). bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 227.2479.

• Three members of the faculty of Western Carolina University’s School of Music will present a recital at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in the recital hall of WCU’s Coulter Building. The free performance will feature Alicia Chapman on oboe, Will Peebles on bassoon, and Shannon Thompson on clarinet. Accompanied by pianist Lillian Buss Pearson. For info, 227.7242 or Shannon Thompson at thompson@wcu.edu.

• Producer, songwriter and rapper Juicy J will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at Western Carolina University’s Ramsey Regional Activity Center. Purchase tickets at www.ticketreturn.com or 227.7722.

• As part of the Western Carolina University School of Stage and Screen’s theatrical season, “The Rocky Horror Show” will be on stage Feb. 19-21 at Hoey Auditorium in Cullowhee. Show times are 7:30 p.m. all three nights with an additional 10:30 p.m. showing on Saturday. Audience members interested in participating with traditional interactive props and talk-back lines need to request special seating and pay $5 extra at the door. For tickets, call 227.2479 or visit www.bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

NIGHTLIFE • Innovation Brewing in Sylva will have an Open Mic night at 8 p.m. on Feb. 11. www.innovationbrewing.com.

• The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville will have Through The Hills (Americana/bluegrass) at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 12. $5 advance, $8 door. www.38main.com or call 283.0079.

• City Lights Café in Sylva will have Tyler Kittle & Michael Collings (jazz) at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13. www.citylightscafe.com. 587.2233 • Rathskeller Coffee Haus and Pub in Franklin will have Tom Johnson at 8 p.m. on Feb. 13. Free www.rathskellerfranklin.com or 369.6796.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grille in Waynesville will have Tonology at 10 p.m. on Feb. 13.

• Pierce Edens and The Dirty Work (Americana) perform at 8 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Bearwaters Brewing in Waynesville. www.bwbrewing.com or 246.0602.

• City Lights Café in Sylva presents Liz & AJ Nance (Americana/folk) at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14. www.citylightscafe.com. 587.2233.

• No Name Sports Pub in Sylva will have Darren & The Buttered Toast at 9 p.m. on Feb. 14. Free. 586.2750 or www.nonamesportspub.com.

• Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville will have The Myxx at 8 p.m. on Feb. 14. Free. 454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus and Pub in Franklin will have Ronnie Evans at 8 p.m. on Feb. 14. Free. www.rathskellerfranklin.com or 369.6796.

BOOKS & AUTHORS • A romantic languages poetry reading is set for 6 p.m. on Feb. 11 at A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Free.

Attendees encouraged to wear red, white or black attire. For info or to sign up for reading a poem, contact Garrett Fisher at gdfisher@wcu.edu.

• Author and Southwestern Community College instructor, Chris Cox, will review and read from his new book of essays, “The Way We Say Goodbye,” at 10 a.m. Feb. 18 at the Lake Junaluska February Book Review. Info: 456.6720.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • An artist talk with Molly Hatch about “The Business of Crafts” will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Feb. 11 in Room 130 of the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. www.wcu.edu.

• A craft artist business plan contest featuring a $3,000 prize, presented by Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center, kicks off with an event from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the Mad Batter in downtown Sylva. For information, contact Tiffany Henry at t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4211.

• Bring valentines for veterans to a Lunch and Learn Extension and Community Association group what will meet at noon on Feb. 12 at the Community Service Center in Sylva. For information call 586.4009.

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• A Valentine’s dinner will be hosted at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14, at the Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. The Jesse Junior Quartet will perform jazz standards. $45 tickets per person. Limited seating. Reservations: 452.6000.

• HEARTS for SART (Southern Appalachian Repertory Theatre), with a cash bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, desserts and a silent auction, will start at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 at the Asheville Masonic temple on Broadway.

Performance by Forte with Liz Aiello, Carol Duermit, Katherine Sandoval Taylor and Beverly Todd.

• Tipping Point Brewing in Waynesville will have Ashli Rose (singer-songwriter) at 9 p.m. on Feb. 13. Free.

• Innovation Brewing in Sylva will have an Open Mic night at 8 p.m. on Feb. 18. www.innovationbrewing.com.

February 11-17, 2015

FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS

• Former teen idol Frankie Avalon, who came to fame in the 1950s, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. $35 tickets available at GreatMountainMusic.com or 866.273.4615.

• Singer-songwriter Angela Easterling (guitar, vocals) performs at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Info: www.angelaeasterling.com, 452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Bohemian Jean (rock/folk) and Through the Hills (bluegrass/Americana) will play at 6 p.m. on Feb. 17 at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Free. 454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

wnc calendar

Thursdays from March 19-May 14 at the Cullowhee Recreation Center. Fee: $50. Registration begins Feb. 16. Contact Jennifer Bennett at 293.3053.

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wnc calendar

• Sweetheart Valentine Portraitures are offered from noon-1:45 p.m. on 1:45 p.m. on Feb. 14 at Cullowhee Methodist Church. Photos will be taken by Tony Wu. $5 for Sylva Photo Club members; $10 for nonmembers.

Photographs will be immediately reviewed in digital format and sent to client by email. Followed by a workshop by Tony Wu at 2 p.m. on how to use an inexpensive light box for tabletop photography. Info: 293.9820 or sylvaphotoclub@gmail.com.

• A paper-cutting workshop focused on three-dimensional art (Scherenschnitte) will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 in the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

ART SHOWINGS AND

Highlands. www.thebascom.org or 526.4949.

CALL FOR VENDORS • A WinterFest Smoky Style highlighting sled dogs, Plott hounds, canine demonstrations, local reality TV stars and more will be held from Feb. 27-March 1 at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Includes photography seminars, guided winter shoot and a photo contest. $10 photo entry fee. Photo seminar details: http://winterfestsmokystyle.com/major-events/photography/. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Haywood County Animal Shelter. Vendor applications at winterfestsmokystyle.com.

FILM & SCREEN

GALLERIES • Macon County Art Association will hold a “Grand Re-Opening” of its Uptown Gallery from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Feb. 13 at 30 East Main Street in Franklin. A reception with a children’s valentine activity, door prizes and refreshments will be held from 5-7 p.m.

• A discussion focusing on the work of the late Russian-born artist Vadim Bora and reception is set for 5-7 p.m. on Feb. 19 at Western Carolina University’s Fine Art Museum. An exhibition featuring a selection of portraits created by Bora will be on display through Friday, March 6. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Monday through Friday with extended hours to 7 p.m. on Thursday. For info, visit fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or call 227.3591.

• New art by Canton native Clint Hardin will be on display in the Meeting Room of the Macon County Public Library during the month of February. For info, visit http://clinthardin.blogspot.com/. 524.3600; fontanalib.org.

• “Bird Man”, comedy/drama will be screened at the Highlands Playhouse. Showtimes are at 2, 5 and 8 p.m. Feb. 12 Tickets are $9. 526.2695. www.highlandsplayhouse.org.

• The Groovy Movie Club invites the community to a screening of “Pride” at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13 at Buffy Queen’s home in Waynesville. A potluck is at 6:30 p.m.; a discussion follows the screening. Reservations recommended: 926.3508, 454.5949 or johnbuckleyx@gmail.com.

• A screening of the domestic violence documentary “Private Violence” will be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 17 in the theater of A.K. Hinds University Center. Free. For info, visit ace.wcu.edu or contact Francis Ann Ortiz at 227.2612.

February 11-17, 2015

• The Contemporary Craft Series exhibit featuring the work of metal artist Mike Sluder will be on display through Feb. 22 at The Bascom in

• “Gone Girl” will be shown at 7 p.m. on Feb. 11 and Feb. 13; 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Feb. 14; 2 p.m. on Feb. 15; and 7 p.m. on Feb. 17 and Feb. 18 at The Strand in Waynesville. Tickets $3 at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. showings; $6 for all other showings. www.38main.com or 283.0079.

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

Outdoors • Two fly-tying clinics will be held by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in February. Level I class is 9 a.m.-noon on Feb. 13; Level II is from 9 a.m.-noon on Feb. 20. Both clinics are free, require pre-registration on first-come, first-serve basis. 877.4423. www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/EducationCenters/Pisgah. aspx • Birders are encouraged to participate in the 18thannual Great Backyard Bird Count from Feb. 13-16.

Anyone anywhere can count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more of the days and enter their sightings at www.birdcount.org. Learn more at nc.audubon.org and @audubonnc.

• A presentation on space law begins at 7 p.m. on Feb. 13 at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute in Rosman. Evening includes a tour of the PARI campus and celestial observations using PARI’s optical or radio telescopes. Entry fee: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors/military and $10 for children under 14.

Register: www.pari.edu or 862.5554. Info: cwhitworth@pari.edu.

• Ski races for middle school and high school at Cataloochee Ski Area. Races start at 6 p.m. every Tuesday for middle school and every Wednesday for high school. Season ends Sunday, March 1 for both. www.isalessite.com/cataloochee/catalog/ticket.

• The Cataloochee Challenge Cup Race Series at Cataloochee Ski Area. Races are held at 7 p.m. every Thursday through Feb. 26. Ages 18 and up. Register between 6-7:30 p.m.

FARM & GARDEN • The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project will hold its annual Business of Farming Conference from 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 at UNC Asheville. 17 workshops, including “Accepting SNAP and EBT at your Farmers Market” and “Managing Risk on Your Farm.” $75 fee with discount for multiple farm registrants. Pre-conference workshops can be registered for separately. www.asapconnections.org/conference. Info: 236-1282.

• A Winter Craft Series session on Bonsai Trees will be held from 10 a.m.-noon on Feb. 14 at Wild Fern Studios in Bryson City. Karen Taylor, Crafter and Owner of Taylor’s Greenhouse in Robbinsville, is the instructor. $20 class/materials fee. Info: 736.1605.

• Winter Landscaping Series with Marsha Crites is at 6 p.m. on Feb. 17, at Jackson County Public Library. A program to assist participants in the process of planning a garden. 586.2016.

HIKING CLUBS

• Franklin Bird Club meets at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin for a program entitled “The Golden Eagle Has Landed: Winter Range and Abundance in the NC Mountain” by Chris Kelly.

• The Carolina Mountain Club will hold a hike of Hardtimes Loop at 10 a.m. on Feb. 14. 900-foot ascent. Contact Lenny Bernstein at 450.1325 or lennybernstein41@gmail.com.

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials will introduce Superintendent Cassius Cash to the public from 4-6 p.m. on Feb. 17 at the Oconaluftee Administration Building near Cherokee. Includes light refreshments.

• Carolina Mountain Club’s 7.5-mile hike of Bracken Mountain – Brushy Creek Trail will be held on Feb. 18.

1,400-foot ascent. Contact Stuart English at 384.4870.

• A litter reduction meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Feb. 19 at Room A227 in the Jackson County Justice and Administration Building. Mike Causey, state coordinator for the DOT’s Office of Beautification, will describe anti-litter programs available across the state. Visit www.WATRnc.org/Litter for links to ant-litter programs. For info, call Roger Clapp at 507.9144.

• A moderate “Winter Day Hike” of 3-6 miles will be held on Feb. 21. Meet at 9 a.m. at Cullowhee Recreation Center. $5 activity fee. Register by Feb. 18.

Participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult; under 18 must have a legal guardian present at registration. For information, contact Jennifer Bennett at 293.3053.

SNOW SPORTS • The Sapphire Valley Ski Slopes’ annual Outhouse Race is at 11 a.m. on Feb. 14. For info or to enter or rent an outhouse, call 743.7667.

Smoky Mountain News

• A learn-to-ski series organized by Waynesville Parks and Recreation will be held 4-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in January and February. 828.456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.

Puzzles can be found on page 46.

These are only the answers.

a website to take you to places where there are no websites.

Log on. Plan a getaway. Let yourself unplug.

42

PRIME REAL ESTATE Advertise in The Smoky Mountain News

UPBEAT ADS

MarketPlace information:

NEW HIP-HOP REALITY TV SHOW!!

Now Accepting Submissions! Your ONE SHOT to WIN $100,000 + Record DEAL. Will You Take It? www.MyOneShot.TV Twitter: @OneShotShow

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.

REACH READERS ACROSS North Carolina for only $375. Run your 25-word classified line ad in 99 newspapers with one call to this newspaper, or call NCPS at 919.516.8009.

Rates:

■ Free — Lost or found pet ads.

■ $5 — Residential yard sale ads, ■ $5 — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $15 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2.

■ $12 — 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.

■ All classified ads must be pre-paid.

ARTS AND CRAFTS ALLISON CREEK Iron Works & Woodworking. Crafting custom metal & woodwork in rustic, country & lodge designs with reclaimed woods! Design & consultation, Barry Downs 828.524.5763, Franklin NC

Classified Advertising: Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com

EXPERIMENTAL ART CLASS Students will imprint objects, such as buttons, lids, etc. to make designs. Using gesso or molding paste, paint over design with fluids & acrylics. We’ll practice these techniques in the first lesson.

Class is Tues. Feb 17th from 1-3 at Mountain Home Collections. Silvia Williams, Instructor.

828.456.5441

WAYNESVILLE TIRE, COO

Serving Haywood, Jackson & Surrounding Counties

AUCTION

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DI

SC OV E R E

ATR

PE

INC.

Offering:

MAJOR-BRAND TIRES FOR CARS, LIGHT & MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCKS, AND FARM TIRES.

Service truck available for on-site repairs LEE & PATTY ENSLEY, OWNERS

MON-FRI 7:30-5:00 • WAYNESVILLE PLAZA

828-456-5387

279-59

"2ND ANNUAL PIEDMONT OPEN" Equipment Consignment Auction March 21st, 2015 at 10am. I-77 Speedway, Chester, SC. Accepting consignments now! Call Now 803.909.4555, or visit us at: www.theligoncompany.com NCAL8951. SCAL1716.

RESTAURANT EQPMNT. AUCTIONWednesday, February 11 @ 10am.

201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC (East of Charlotte). Selling New, Scratch & Dent & Used Equipment.

Refrigeration, Freezers, Gas Fryers, Ovens, Ranges, Mixers, Slicers, Pizza Ovens & More. 704.791.8825. ncaf5479. www.ClassicAuctions.com

AUCTION HARPER’S AUCTION COMPANY Friday Feb. 13th @ 6:00 p.m.

Lots of Great Deals: Furniture, Pottery, Franklin Mint Sea Life Collection, Oriental Items, Bird Cages, Glass and Box Lots.

47 Macon Center Dr. Franklin,NC 828.369.6999. Debra Harper, NCAL #9659, NCFL #9671. harpersauctioncompany.com LIQUIDATION OF FROZEN YOGURT Bar Online Only through February 17th. 5836 Samet Drive, High Point NC. Ice and Soft Serve Machines, Walk-in Cooler NCAL#685. www.RogersAuctionGroup.com

BUILDING MATERIALS HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR PAINTING CALL DENNIS AT: LUCAS PAINTING Co.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING ACORN STAIRLIFTS. The Affordable Solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1.800.291.2712 for FREE DVD and brochure.

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 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 SULLIVAN HARDWOOD FLOORS Installation- Finish - Refinish 828.399.1847.

PAINTING JAMISON CUSTOM PAINTING & PRESSURE WASHING Interior, exterior, all your pressure washing needs and more.

Specialize in Removal of Carpenter Bees - Cedar or Log Homes or Painted or Siding!

Call or Text Now for a Free Estimate at 828.508.9727

828.421.4057 AUTO PARTS

DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, INC 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

BLOWN HEAD GASKET Cracked Heads/Block. State of the art 2-part Carbon Composite Repair! All Vehicles Foreign or Domestic including Northstars!

100% guaranteed. Call Now: 1.866.780.9038 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 800.807.7219 for $750 Off.

99-2000 GMC SIERRA SLT/Z71 For Sale by Owner - 3-Door, Great Work Truck, Runs Strong, Never Wrecked, Toolbox, Bedliner, Rail Guards. Highway Miles, NC-FL 20k/yr. 1-Owner, $3,800. For More Info Call 828.736.7000.

TRUCKS FOR SALE

R

WNC MarketPlace

CARS DONATE YOUR CAR Fast Free Towing 24 hr. Response Tax Deduction United Breast Cancer Foundation Info 888.759.9782.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

DONATE YOUR CAR, Truck or Boat to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. 800.337.9038.

HOME BASED BUSINESS Serious impact on retirement for self-motivated people. Create your own safety net. Flex hours. FREE online training! Escalating income potential! www.project4wellness.com SAPA

TOP CASH FOR CARS, Call Now For An Instant Offer. Top Dollar Paid, Any Car/Truck, Any Condition. Running or Not. Free Pick-up/Tow. 1.800.761.9396 SAPA

GET PAID WEEKLY! FT and PT mail work from home.

For full details visit: www.750weekly.com or call 512.827.0060 (24/7) SAPA

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

25 DRIVER TRAINEES NEEDED! Become a driver for Stevens Transport! No Experience Needed! New drivers earn $800+ per week! PAID CDL TRAINING! Stevens covers all costs! 1.888.748.4137. drive4stevens.com ATTN: DRIVERS $2K Sign-on Bonus, Love Your $55K JOB! We put Drivers first!

Average $1100 Weekly + newer KW’s CDL-A Required 1.388.592.4752 SAPA DRIVERS: New Equipment Just Arrived. New Year - New Opportunities. Want Better Pay? Better Home-Time? & Compensation?? CDL-A 1yr. Exp. 877.704.3773

February 11-17, 2015

BROWNSTONE A HAPPY, EASYGOING AND VERY FUN DOG. HE LOOKS LIKE A MEDIUM-SIZED REDBONE MIX WITH A DEEP REDDISH BROWN, SOFT COAT AND SOULFUL, BEAUTIFUL EYES.

NICKY A 6 MONTH OLD, VERY HANDSOME BOY WITH GORGEOUS GREEN EYES! HE ENJOYS BEING HELD - WE THINK HE REALLY ENJOYED HIS PHOTO SESSION AND IS HOPING TO BECOME FAMOUS.

CLASS A CDL DRIVER WANTED: OTR, Regional & Dedicated. $3,000 sign on Bonus! Weekly average take home is $2,100. Can send proof of actual driver pay. Call TODAY: 1.877.600.5995 (Not valid in South FL) SAPA DRIVERS: Dedicated OTR Lanes hauling PODS! CO and O/O drivers welcome! Target 2900 mpw, $3K Sign-on bonus, 401K, Dental, Medical, Holiday Pay! Atlanta location. Call Gil today 855.980.1339 NEED MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES! Doctors & Hospitals need Medical Office Staff! No Experienced Needed! Online Training gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. Careertechnical.edu/nc.

1.888.512.7122

44

JOIN OUR TEAM! Guaranteed pay for Class A CDL Flatbed Drivers! Regional and OTR. Great pay/benefits/401k match.

CALL TODAY 864.649.2063. www.jgr-inc.com EOE MANAGING EDITOR Carolina Public Press, an Asheville-based non-profit, online in-depth and investigative news organization, seeks a parttime managing editor to join its growing team. Find the full job description and application instructions at: http://goo.gl/2UUewv Applications due Feb. 28th.

For more info visit: www.carolinapublicpress.org THE NAVY IS HIRING Top-notch training, medical/dental, 30 days vacation/yr, $ for school. HS grads ages 17-34. Call Mon-Fri 800.662.7419 WELDING CAREERS Hands on training for career opportunities in aviation, automotive, manufacturing and more. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call AIM 877.205.6458.

GREAT Product • GREAT Place to Work!

If you have a POSITIVE ATTITUDE, NEAT APPEARANCE AND DESIRE to become the very BEST, we offer you the career of a lifetime!

• COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAM • UNLIMITED INCOME OPPORTUNITIES • MEDICAL INSURANCE (INCLUDING DENTAL) • PAID VACATION • PROFIT SHARING AND 401K PLAN • 5 DAY WORK WEEK

ADVERTISE YOUR TRUCK DRIVER Job in 96 N.C. newspapers for only $375. Your 25-word classified ad will reach more than 3.5 million readers. Call this newspaper or NCPS, 919.516.8009.

PARALEGAL NEEDED FOR ESTATES TEAM In law office in Waynesville, NC. Full time in office (No telecommuters please). Probate, court accountings, trust administration, incompetency proceedings, adult guardianships, as well as wills, trusts, complex estate planning. Accounting experience helpful. Ability to work as team and good client skills important.

Must be comfortable learning new software. Apply by sending Cover Letter and Resume to: apply@wenzellawfirm.com FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following position: Grounds Technician. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com Human Resources Office. Phone: 910.678.8378. Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu. CRC Preferred Employer. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

HIRING OTR PROFESSIONALS Who want Consistent Milesaverage 2,800+; consistent payaverage $51,400 per year; 2012 or newer trucks; call Fischer Trucking today at 1.800.486.8660.

FINANCIAL BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

SAPA REDUCE YOUR PAST TAX BILL By as much as 75 Percent. Stop Levies, Liens and Wage Garnishments. Call The Tax DR Now to see if you Qualify 1.800.396.9719

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400

Call Bill Gourley or Riley Vernon at 828-648-2313 for an appointment.

Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

KEN WILSON FORD is an Equal Opportunity Employer

OFFICE HOURS: Tues. & Wed. 10:00am - 5:00pm & Thurs. 10:00am- 12:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

648-2313 1-800-532-4631 I-40 AT EXIT 31 CANTON

T003-1794834

www.smokymountainnews.com

KEN WILSON FORD SALESPEOPLE NEEDED

HEAD START FAMILY SERVICE WORKER Haywood County- Must have an AA in Early Childhood Education, prefer BS/Early Childhood or related field, good record keeping/paperwork experience preferred. This position requires good time management, good judgment and problem solving skills and the ability to work well with diverse families, community partners, children and co-workers. This is a 10 month position with full time benefits.

Applications will be taken at Mountain Projects, 2251 Old Balsam Rd, Waynesville 28786, 25 Schulman St, Sylva 28779 or you may go to our website www.mountainprojects.org and fill out an application.

Pre-employment drug testing required. EOE/AA.

EMPLOYMENT

Phone# 1.828.586.3346 TDD# 1.800.725.2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

FINANCIAL SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1.800.371.1734 to start your application today!

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

LAWN & GARDEN HEMLOCK HEALERS, INC. Dedicated to Saving Our Hemlocks. Owner/Operator Frank Varvoutis, NC Pesticide Applicator’s License #22864. 48 Spruce St. Maggie Valley, NC 828.734.7819 828.926.7883, Email: hemlockhealers@yahoo.com

PETS HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

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: Tuesday-Friday, 11 - 5 pm or by Apt. 182 Richland Street, Waynesville

LAND WANTED TO BUY LAND WANTED IN HAYWOOD CO: 2-5 Acres of Land with View on a State Maintained Road.

Preferably with a 2-3 Bedroom House on One Level with Heat and Air. Farm Land Would Be Nice! Property in Foreclosure Would Also be Considered.

Looking for Owner Financing or Reasonable Rental Terms.

Please Call 407.435.6622

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT 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

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE

CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE UNITS FOR RENT

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 an equal opportunity basis.

HOMES FOR SALE BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor shamrock13@charter.net McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

VACATION RENTALS

828.734.6500, 828.734.6700 maggievalleyselfstorage.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.

MEDICAL ATTENTION VIAGRA USERS: Viagra 100MG and Cialis 20 MG! 40 pills + 4 Free, Only $99. No prescription needed! Satisfaction Guaranteed! 1.800.491.8751 SAPA

ENTERTAINMENT

99-2000 GMC SIERRA SLT/Z71 For Sale by Owner - 3-Door, Great Work Truck, Runs Strong, Never Wrecked, Toolbox, Bedliner, Rail Guards. Highway Miles, NC-FL 20k/yr. 1-Owner, $3,800. For More Info Call 828.736.7000.

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.

ENJOY 100 PERCENT GUARANTEED, Delivered?to-the-door Omaha Steaks! SAVE 74 percent PLUS 4 FREE Burgers - The Family Value Combo - ONLY $39.99. ORDER Today 1.800.715.2010 Use code 48829AFK or www.OmahaSteaks.com/mbfvc46 SAPA

MEDICAL GUARDIAN Top-rated medical alarm and 24/7 medical alert monitoring. For a limited time, get free equipment, no activation fees, no commitment, a 2nd waterproof alert button for free and more - only $29.95 per month. 800.615.3868

GEORGIA PECAN 5-DRAWER CHEST 40� x 32� x 22�, From the Mary Cornwell Estate. Nice Color a Must See! $3,150 For more info call 828.637.2342.

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 800.807.7219 for $750 Off.

DISH TV RETAILER - SAVE! Starting $19.99/month (for 12 months.) FREE Premium Movie Channels. FREE Equipment, Installation & Activation. CALL, COMPARE LOCAL DEALS! 1.800.351.0850.

SAPA

279-46

ENTERTAINMENT

GET THE BIG DEAL From DirecTV! Act Now- $19.99/mo Free 3-Months of HBO, Starz, Showtime & Cinemax Free Genie HD/DVR Upgrade! 2014 NFL Sunday Ticket Included with Select Packages. New Customers Only IV Support Holdings LLC- An authorized DirecTV Dealer. Some exclusions apply - Call for details 1.800.413.9179 SAPA

BROOKE PARROTT BROKER ASSOCIATE

828.734.2146 bparrott@beverly-hanks.com Visit beverly-hanks.com/agents/bparrott

to see what others are saying!

SCOTTISH TARTANS MUSEUM 86 East Main St., Franklin, Open 10am- 5pm, Mon - Sat. Come & let us find your Scottish Connection!

828.584.7472 or visit us at: www.scottishtartans.org.

279-50

The Real Team

JOLENE HOCOTT • LYN DONLEY MARLYN DICKINSON

PERSONAL HERO MILES To find out more about how you can help our service members, veterans and their families in their time of need, visit the Fisher House website at www.fisherhouse.org SAPA

Real Experience.

Real Service. Real Results.

MAKE A CONNECTION. Real People, Flirty Chat. Meet singles right now! Call LiveLinks Try it FREE. Call now 888.909.9978 18+.

SAPA

1904 S. Main St. • Waynesville

YOUR AD COULD REACH 1.6 MILLION HOMES ACROSS NC! Your classified ad could be reaching over 1.6 Million Homes across North Carolina! Place your ad with The Smoky Mountain News on the NC Statewide Classified Ad Network- 118 NC newspapers for a low cost of $330 for 25-word ad to appear in each paper! Additional words are $10 each. The whole state at your fingertips! It's a smart advertising buy! Call Scott Collier at 828.452.4251 for more.

EMERSON ——————————————

GROUP

George Escaravage BROKER/REALTOR

828.452.3727

www.The-Real-Team.com

MOUNTAIN REALTY

Michelle McElroy RESIDENTIAL BROKER ASSOCIATE E-PRO, CNHS, RCC, SFR

828.400.9463 Cell michelle@beverly-hanks.com

74 North Main St. • Waynesville 828.452.5809

279-50

279-53

MOUNTAIN REALTY

Mieko

February 11-17, 2015

CAVENDER CREEK CABINS Dahlonega, North Georgia Mountains. **WINTER SPECIAL: Buy 2 Nights, 3rd FREE** 1,2,& 3 Bedroom Cabins with HOT TUBS! Virtual Tour: www.CavendarCreek.com Call Now Toll Free 1.866.373.6307 SAPA

1 Month Free with 12 Month Rental. Maggie Valley, Hwy. 19, 1106 Soco Rd. For more information call Torry

FOR SALE

WNC MarketPlace

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT

Thomson ROKER/R /REALTOR EALTORÂŽÂŽ BBROKER

Cell (828) 226-2298 Cell

mthomson@remax-waynesvillenc.com mthomson@remax-waynesvillenc.com www.ncsmokies.com www.ncsmokies.com

2177 Russ Avenue Waynesville NC 28786

smokymountainnews.com

PO BOX 54 | 60 TIMUCUA TRAIL WAYNESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

828.400.0903 • 828.456.7705 gke333@gmail.com

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www.smokymountainnews.com

February 11-17, 2015

WNC MarketPlace

Super

46

DOING PR WORK

CROSSWORD

68 Like a slob’s bed 69 Blowtorch the exterior ACROSS of your launch vehicle?

1 Maize 74 Wind section player 5 1980s TV’s “Kate & -” 75 Quaint oath 10 Bank acct. under76 Just a - (somewhat) writer 77 Hissing snake sound 14 Resort isle near 78 Ice-skating food fish?

Naples 80 Mexican menu items 19 Cock- - (mixed dog 84 Blast maker breed) 85 “Mammal” has three 20 Pencil end 86 “Thank you, Henri” 21 Prehistoric beast, 87 Opra part briefly 91 PR concern 22 ALF or ET 94 Farmer’s motto?

23 Pool hall champion?

97 Risen from sleep 26 Flower calyx part 100 Seemingly endless 27 Off - (sporadically) time 28 Small flycatcher 101 Park oneself 29 Christmas songs 102 Dwelling: Abbr.

31 Omega preceder 103 Tirades about the tri32 Passover crackers als of being a mother?

34 Place where pizza 109 Not switched off dough is flattened?

111 Ace 37 “We - not amused” 112 Art style 38 Ripken of the diamond 113 Sofa 40 Angriness 115 Spanish for “queen” 41 Actress De Carlo 116 Wax theatrical 42 Get the shoe mender 118 Actor Moranis playon the phone? ing a garbage sweeper?

47 Marine eel 121 12-inch stick 49 Poetic foot 122 Small toiletry case 50 Pertaining to the sun 123 Pay the penalty 51 Still wrapped 124 First-aid plant 52 In spite of the fact 125 Fencing blades that, for short 126 Part of NYPD: Abbr.

55 King Arthur’s home 127 Tightly wound 58 Commercial in which 128 Give away temporariall of one’s fury is ly unleashed?

62 Fido’s sound DOWN 65 Faced 1 Squid dish 66 Phileas Fogg creator 2 Expanse Jules 3 Sports squad that

rarely has home games 4 Vivarin rival 5 Fourth mo.

6 Belt holder 7 Longtime con 8 Split evenly 9 Lucy’s TV pal 10 32nd pres.

11 Actress Wiest 12 Disguised, for short 13 Alternatives to Pepsis 14 Tapioca-yielding tree 15 Hoppy drink 16 1972-77 Broadway musical 17 Explanation 18 Queued up 24 Tennyson’s “- Arden” 25 More elusive 30 Astron. distance 33 Little pouch 35 Like the vbs. “eat” and “lie” 36 Tiny dog 39 Get bested by 43 TV network north of the USA 44 Ty-D- - (bathroom brand) 45 Slo- - (fuse type) 46 Riga native 47 Brawl 48 Athena’s bird 51 Sam once in the Senate 52 Trees yielding wood for ships 53 Mythical hell 54 Dramatist Clifford 56 Collect 57 Conductor Zubin 58 Cake icer 59 Countryish 60 Cell terminal

61 Yukon maker 62 Cut short 63 Harp on gloatingly 64 Anterior 67 Cut short 70 Suffix with neat or peace 71 “- tell ya!”

72 Problems for vain types 73 Tide targets 79 Shin’s place 81 Noted coach Parseghian 82 Bygone AT&T rival 83 Slump 86 Home of Monte Carlo 88 Vehicle ownership certificate 89 Get drunk 90 Trapped 91 34th prez 92 Corporate marriages 93 Avonlea girl 94 Hide - hair 95 It’s nothing 96 Comical Cheri 97 Current unit 98 Pre-race stretch, say 99 “King Ralph” actor Peter 100 Ocular cleansing receptacle 104 One way to mark debits 105 Uninspired 106 Like skim milk 107 Mozart’s “Cos fan -” 108 “Danke -” 110 Prenatal 114 Egg layers 117 Golf gadget 119 Model-making set 120 “Annabel -”

answers on page 42

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Answers on Page 42

The butternut is a country boy’s tree

U

nlike herbaceous plants or shrubs or vines, trees display an almost human presence. Each has unique characteristics, a spirit of its own. I enjoy visiting trees. One of my best friends is a basswood tree that resides down the creek from my house. This tree has resided on “our” property for at least three times as long as I have. Its ancestors were here long before the first Indians arrived.

I don’t have a favorite tree any more than I have a favorite bird or wildflower. But I am partial to several species: basswood, oaks, deciduous magnolias, yellow birch, Fraser fir and butternut walnut.

Of these, the ones that stand out in winter are Fraser fir (because it’s an evergreen) and butternut walnut (because of its bark). I spot butternut walnut a lot easier when the leaves are off the trees because the distinctive gray to light brown bark is almost luminous in winter light. The bark is divided into deep furrows that form a characteristic gray diamond-shaped pattern.

Here in the Smokies region, butternut walnut (also known as white walnut) grows in rich woodlands at low and middle elevations, especially on moist, well-drained slopes or alongside streams. Butternut walnut is shorter than its cousin the black walnut, but its branches spread more. The leaflets of a butternut walnut leaf are wider and fewer than those on black walnut, and the latter often lacks a terminal leaflet.

Another distinction is that the nuts of Columnist butternut walnut are egg-shaped and become a yellowish-brown at maturity. But once you learn to recognize the diamondshaped bark, you’ll identify it with ease.

Butternut walnut is yet another of our threatened trees. Charles E. Little provides details in The Dying of the Trees: The Pandemic in America’s Forests (1995): “The proximate cause of butternut mortality is a canker, first identified in 1967 on the East Coast, but not much recognized for another 20 years as the serious problem it was to become. The butternut canker is now found throughout the tree’s range … The canker — a ‘sore’ caused by the fungus — begins as a

George Ellison

“A countryman’s tree is the Butternut, known to the farm boy but not his city cousin. One who takes thoughtful walks in the woods may come to know and admire it for the grand old early American it is.”

— Donald Culross Peattie, A Natural History of Trees (1949)

BACK THEN tiny spore entering the tree through an injury to a limb, twig, or trunk. Then the lens-shaped cankers, necrotic lesions of the bark and cambrium layer, spread throughout the tree, even to the nut husks, eventually girdling the main limbs and trunk and causing the tree to die … At the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NPS scientists have been working with canker-inflicted butternuts since 1987, having identified some 70 trees that they keep track of. Many have since died, but even among those living, the rate of reproduction of the butternut has fallen to near zero. The NPS is now collecting `scions’ — detached shoots — from the trees that are left, in a near-hopeless effort to find a canker-resistant genotype.”

The Cherokees used the bark of butternut walnut to make various medical remedies, and they collected the nuts as food. To this day, it is the tree they favor as the dye source for the lustrous brown color of their basket splints.

White mountaineers used the inner bark and fruit husks to obtain a yellow or orange agent to dye their homespuns. During the Civil War, backwoods Confederate troops dressed in homespun “uniforms” of butternut-dyed cloth became known as “Butternuts.” Some ginseng hunters seek

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out butternut trees on moist slopes as a way of locating choice ginseng sites. Some local cabinetmakers and carvers favor butternut wood, which is softer and lighter in color than black walnut.

“In an old country church somewhere in the Southern mountains … if the altar is carved of a lustrous and satiny wood, a light brown with bands of paler sapwood, it might well be made of butternut walnut,” Charles E. Little noted.

There are several butternut walnuts down the creek from my house. I say hello to them whenever I’m on my way to visit with my friend the basswood tree.

Unlike the basswood tree, the butternuts are sick. When I first got to know them a quarter of a century ago, they seemed in perfect health. Now the cankerous lesions are eating them alive. Their days are numbered.

George Ellison wrote the biographical introductions for the reissues of two Appalachian classics: Horace Kephart’s Our Southern Highlanders and James Mooney’s History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees.

In June 2005, a selection of his Back Then columns was published by The History Press in Charleston as Mountain Passages: Natural and Cultural History of Western North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains. Readers can contact him at P.O. Box 1262, Bryson City, N.C., 28713, or at info@georgeellison.com.

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