SMN 02/19/14

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Feb. 19-25, 2014 Vol. 15 Iss. 38

Jackson County sheriff’s race a free-for-all

Pisgah teen forms secular club Page 6

Page 5

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover Amphibians are some of the most vulnerable organisms when it comes to habitat change, and the wetlands many need to reproduce are among the most fragile habitats. A WCU grad student has recently finished her research on the effectiveness of the Forest Service’s answer to that problem, and what she found is encouraging. (Page 28) Donated photo

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News A born caregiver retires from the Good Samaritan Clinic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Ashe retirement prompts many to run for Jackson sheriff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Pisgah student wins approval for secular club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Maggie businessman faces child sex abuse charges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Macon sheriff says undercover drug buys best way to snag dealers . . . . . 8 Jackson locavores organize to form local products co-op. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 New NAACP chapters form in response to legislative action . . . . . . . . . . 11 Jackson mulls major courthouse expansion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Pending sale of hospitals brings major changes for foundations . . . . . . . . 14 Macon officials want state auditor to help with election board woes . . . . 15

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Born to care Olson looks back on 40 years of nursing

BY HOLLY KAYS care system is not a system at all,” Olson STAFF WRITER said. “It is boxes of care that are available to hen Becky Olson first began makcertain folks who have the resources to puring house calls, she was barely old chase that care. There’s a large number of enough to walk. She spent her folks who do not have resources to purchase childhood following behind her that care. physician father’s coattails when he made “You realize you want to do something house calls and shadowing her mother, a about it if you can.” nurse, through various clinics and classrooms. She saw, too, the bounty that poured HE GROWTH OF AN IDEA into their home from patients who just couldn’t pay her father for his services — at So, when Olson’s friend Judith Hallock, least in monetary terms. then a nurse practitioner at a local family “They would say, ‘Would you like a mess practice, decided to start a free clinic in of beans?’ and he’d say, ‘Great!’” she Jackson County, Olson was eager to jump on recalled, adding, “I even board. Whether workremember a few jars of ing in pediatric ICU at moonshine coming our Chapel Hill or teaching way.” continuing education Years later, as Olson classes at Western embarked on what Carolina University, would become a 40-year she’d always tried to career in health care, she volunteer as much of remembered those gifts her time as possible — and the people behind “Our parents told us them. that that’s part of what “I just thought it was it meant to be a health a wonderful way for professional,” she said things to be, but obvi— and she was eager ously it’s not that simple to start intentionally these days,” she said. serving people in “These folks that were Western North able to do that in the Carolina who couldn’t past, we have to find a access traditional new way to provide their Olson examines a patient during a day health care. basic health care needs.”

“People who come on the job at Good Samaritan. Donated photo It was a need Olson to the free clinic aren’t saw over and over again freeloaders,” she said, in her various capacities as a nurse, healthadding, “The majority of our patients work. care educator and researcher. Eventually, Many of them work more than one job.” that need drew her to the Good Samaritan From the clinic’s founding, Olson was Clinic of Jackson County, where she worked actively involved, volunteering and serving from the time it opened in 2001 until her on the board. When Hallock retired in 2006, retirement earlier this month. The clinic Olson took her place. At that point, the filled a gap in the community that Olson was director’s position was the only paid job.

— and still is — passionate about plugging.

Olson was the lead nurse, the scheduler, the “When you’ve worked for a while, it finder of supplies and the wearer of any becomes very clear that what we call a health other hat that needed donning. At that time,

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the clinic operated at night only, using a space in the Jackson County Health Department that was otherwise employed during the day.

“What’s been simply amazing to me is from the get-go the amount of community support to support this clinic,” Olson said.

Today, the operation looks a little bit different. Good Samaritan employs five fulltime and two part-time positions and has its own clinic site in a building owned by MedWest Harris Regional Hospital. Harris Regional and Swain County hospitals donated $1 million dollars in care and services to Good Samaritan last year, and a hefty rotation of local doctors, nurses, physician assistants and other medical professionals volunteer regularly.

“They donate their time and care and their expertise,” Olson said. “It is simply amazing.”

FILLING THE GAP But while Olson is pleased with the growth in services and capacity the clinic has seen since its creation 13 years ago, she has always maintained that it’s not a good thing that free clinics need to expand.

“It is sad that free clinics are a growth industry,” she said. “It would be so much better if there was a system of care where everyone had entry to the system.”

In the absence of such a system, though, the Good Samaritan clinic is a godsend for many, Olson said. She emphasized that the people who use its services are not lazy, and they’re not con artists trying to save a buck.

By and large, they are people who need care but can’t afford insurance. Often, they are people who have been in need of care for some time, letting their condition slide longer than they should have before seeking help from Good Samaritan.

Understanding that, Olson said, the clinic is set up to offer the intensive help its clients often need to overcome their existing problems and get back on their feet. Once a patient has qualified for the clinic’s care, he or she is eligible for regular appointments and referrals when necessary, and “from that point on it is like you going to your doctor’s office,” Olson said.

Between appointments, patients can go see the two full-time nurses who work there, allowing them to make steady gains rather

than sliding downhill while waiting to see their doctor.

“That allows us to catch a patient up to a more stable place in their health,” Olson said.

But medicine alone is never a cure for such chronic issues as low blood pressure and diabetes. To really address these problems and get their patients to a place where they can live healthy, self-sustaining lives, caregivers have to go beyond the examining room. That results in both lasting change and lasting relationships.

“The relationships can become quite real and personal, because in order to help folks get past the hurdles of their physical condition, it also means you have to work with their psychological and emotional state as well,” Olson said.

Some patients, especially those whose chronic issues prevent them from pursuing full-time work, have been in Olson’s life since her first days at the clinic 13 years ago.

Since retiring, she’s received mail and phone calls — Olson often gave her personal cell number to patients in need of after-hours attention — from the people to whom she’s given her time and attention. So, though she’s excited to spend more time with her six grandchildren, leaving the clinic won’t easy.

“I miss a lot of those folks,” she said.

When you witness some of the most pivotal ups and downs of a patient’s life, when you’re the one listening to her story and offering the help to get her through, there’s no going back. There’s nothing like watching relief spread across a man’s face as he learns that it’s possible for the pain he’s been living with for years to go away, or like taking a call from a mother who, for the first time in a long time, has overcome her physical difficulties enough to be able to return to work.

“Watching them say, ‘I was able to get a job today,’ that kind of thing is priceless,” Olson said.

So, as she settles in to a life full of grandparenting and adventures with her husband, who is also retired now, she doesn’t expect this goodbye to healthcare to last forever.

She’s excited to turn the clinic over to an energetic new director, Rebecca Mathis, but she’ll have trouble resisting the urge to pop in as a volunteer once that leadership transition is complete. At heart, she’ll always be a nurse.

“It has been a wonderful career,” she said. “I don’t think I could have designed it with as much fun and challenge as I’ve had.”

Jackson sheriff’s race shapes up

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ith campaign season barely off the ground, the Jackson County sheriff ’s race has already drawn a hefty list of candidates — and of issues.

Current Sheriff Jimmy Ashe’s retirement left the field wide open, and so far five Democrats and two Republicans have announced their candidacy in a race they all believe to be a defining one for the community. “[Sheriff] is an important role, because it is the chief law enforcement officer, and the direction he goes, the stance that person takes within that organization, that can impact a lot of things in the community,” said Steve Lillard, a Democratic candidate who is currently assistant police chief at Western Carolina University.

Indeed, each candidate has his own list of high-priority issues, from crime prevention education to Latino community outreach to standardizing hiring procedures — but four defining issues seem to have already risen to the top.

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DRUG TRAFFICKING

Candidates also agree that the next sheriff should focus on installing a student

resource officer in every school. Jackson County has nine public schools, but only five officers are assigned to cover them. The SRO position is vital, many candidates say, for quelling drug issues and providing security on campus.

“I’d like to ensure that each school gets an SRO assigned to it,” said Curtis Lambert, a Sylva police officer and Republican candidate for sheriff.

Two factors will determine the new sheriff ’s success in reaching that goal: funding and the ability to work with the school system.

“You always want to work with your school system, your school board, to seek funding to eventually have an SRO in every school,” said Chip Hall, a current chief sheriff ’s deputy and Democratic candidate for the office.

Ashe hasn’t done the best job greasing the skids with county commissioners, who hold the purse strings for school resource officers. He rarely made an appearance at county commissioner meetings, something most sheriffs in rural mountain counties do as a matter of course, just to be seen in the community and interact with the other elected leaders.

But Ashe averages only one commissioner meeting a year: the one where he is making his department’s annual budget request, and then isn’t seen again for another year.

He has even skipped the budget meeting before and sent his underlings to make the funding requests.

Ashe found his spending practices in an uncomfortable limelight four years ago.

Ashe was using drug seizure funds that are supposed to be earmarked for drug prevention in a rather unorthodox manner, including unauthorized donations to youth sports

MORE OPENNESS In everything, communication is key, the candidates agreed. According to some, that’s something that has been lacking in the current administration.

“I think that we have to change the attitude the sheriff ’s office is working under,” Gunnels said. “I think it needs to go back to a more service-oriented attitude.”

More openness about the department’s procedures and what is happening inside it will be important, Gunnels said.

Lambert agreed, adding that the new sheriff should listen to what community members are saying and be intentional about responding to their needs.

“There are some concerns that we need things to change,” Lillard added. “Maybe more emphasis on communication with the public, a little more transparency with whatever’s going on in the sheriff ’s office.

Being a little more accommodating to meet the needs of the public. Those are some of the concerns that have been brought to my attention in the community.”

And community perception is important, said democratic candidate Glen Biller, because serving the people is what law enforcement is all about.

“The people need to know that we’re out there working for them,” said Biller, Cullowhee resident and Haywood County sheriff ’s deputy.

By contrast, Ashe has a poor working relationship with some media outlets, one

GOING FORWARD As the race moves forward, Jackson County voters will have the chance to hear the candidates debate their solutions to these issues. Of course, the discussion will likely splinter to include myriad other topics, as well, such as the sheriff department’s current policy of not responding to residential alarms unless someone with a house key can meet officers; updating security at the county jail; whether a change in hiring procedures is needed and how the department can best help victims of crime deal with their trauma.

“They’re all good people,” Gunnels said of the other candidates. “Everyone is going to have an equal shot to win.”

Lambert said voters want someone they have confidence in.

“You want someone you can trust at the helm,” Lambert said.

Doug Farmer, sergeant with the Sylva Police Department, is also running on the Democratic ticket but could not be reached by press time.

— Reporter Becky Johnson contributed to this story

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MAKING FRIENDS

Democrat • Robin Gunnels • Chip Hall • Steve Lillard • Glen Biller • Doug Farmer Republican • Jimmy Hodgins • Curtis Lambert *There is still a week left in the candidate sign-up period, so this list could change.

February 19-25, 2014

The foremost issue discussed by the candidates is how law enforcement should address drug trafficking in Jackson County.

“The drugs — that’s the big issue is drugs,” said Jimmy Hodgins, Republican candidate and retired logger. “The reason I’m running for sheriff.”

Some think the issue is exacerbated by drugs moving through Jackson County en route from Atlanta to the casino in Cherokee.

“It’s assumed…that there’s a certain amount of drugs coming through our county,” said Democratic candidate Robin Gunnels, who owns a custom truck cover business and has worked in a variety of law enforcement positions.

Among the candidates, there’s no question that drugs are a problem in Jackson County. The question is how they will propose to deal with it, but almost all contend a more proactive approach is needed.

“People are concerned, and ways to address those issues will factor into the decision of who they choose for sheriff,” Lillard said.

Candidates

teams, including his kids’ teams, new carpet for his office and the registration fee to get his name on a national Who’s Who list — along with riding around on a Harley Davidson confiscated from a drug dealer, putting more than 1,300 miles on it before finally auctioning off the seized bike.

Collaboration with other community leaders will be an important issue, too. The candidates agree that the new sheriff will have to build positive relationships with other law enforcement agencies, such as WCU Police Department, Cherokee Indian Police Department and neighboring counties. Relationships with other Jackson County departments and with agencies such as the school system will be important, too.

“You’ve got to have good working relationships with your fellow law enforcement providers because criminals, they don’t stick to one jurisdiction,” Hall said.

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Candidates lay out the issues

of the main conduits for elected officials to reach the greater public. He often refuses to respond to media inquiries and interview requests, with dozens of phone, mail and in-person messages on a host of subjects going unreturned over the years.

Ashe at times has instructed his law enforcement officers not to speak to reporters. An email from Ashe to Major Rick Queen obtained by The Smoky Mountain News two years ago is indicative of the hostile attitude Ashe has with some media. Ashe told Queen “don’t return phone calls” and would not fulfill the paper’s public records request.

Ashe has also alienated various groups during his time in office.

He offended women’s advocates three years ago in his portrayal of a rape victim’s experience, injecting a measure of doubt as to the victim’s rape claim and references to her night of bar-hopping leading up to the incident (a home invasion by two strangers).

He offended Latinos by alleged racial profiling during traffic checkpoints, which critics decried as thinly veiled immigration dragnets. A sit-in protest was held in the sheriff ’s lobby, and a legal complaint forced Ashe to agree to new traffic checkpoint protocols.

And he upset some in the restaurant industry by making them jump through extra hoops when applying for permits to serve alcohol, following a ballot referendum that legalized countywide alcohol sales. He has also been criticized by Cashiers residents for not providing enough services in their part of the county.

“[Sheriff] is an important role, because it is the chief law enforcement officer, and the direction he goes, the stance that person takes within that organization, that can impact a lot of things in the community.”

— Steve Lillard, a Democratic candidate for Jackson County Sheriff

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Pisgah student persists, forms secular club

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER club for non-religious students is being formed at Pisgah High School after a freshman enlisted the help of a national group to go to bat for her.

Kalei Wilson, 15, claims that the Pisgah assistant principal scuttled an attempt last fall to start a club for non-religious students.

So she summoned backup from the national Secular Student Alliance and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

The groups accused Haywood County Schools of violating federal law and the rights of non-religious students by not letting them form a club, according to a pointed letter from the groups last week.

Haywood County School officials quickly rectified the issue, and a club has now been created. For the record, top school administrators said they weren’t even aware of the issue until receiving the ominous letter.

“It truly was news to us,” said Dr. Bill Nolte, assistant superintendant.

Today was the first day back to school for Kalei after making media headlines last week.

“It was awkward,” Kalei said.

But in a way, that’s exactly her point. She shouldn’t have to feel awkward at school just because she doesn’t believe in God. She hopes the club will help atheists feel accepted and open the eyes of Christian students who she feels assume everyone around them shares their religion.

Kalei’s father said he is proud of his daughter, but is naturally concerned for her.

She has gotten some threats and nasty messages, he said.

“But she is pretty tough-skinned.

Tougher than I am,” Cash Wilson said.

The idea of forming a secular club was initially broached by Kalei’s brother last fall.

He talked to Pisgah’s assistant principal about the idea and claims he was told such a club wouldn’t “fit in” at Pisgah and was pointed toward other clubs already in existence as an alternative.

The biggest hurdle he was presented, however, was finding a faculty sponsor to act as an advisor to the club. There wasn’t any-

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one to serve as the faculty advisor, he was allegedly told by the assistant principal, and without one, the club couldn’t exist.

“That requirement cannot be a backdoor veto to forming a group,” according to the letter Haywood Schools received last week.

“Denying access to a student group, if only because no faculty monitor exists, is impermissible.”

However, school officials at central office again said they hadn’t heard about the desire to form such a club.

Superintendent Dr. Anne Garrett said had she known students were in need of a faculty advisor for their club, she would have made it happen sooner.

“We want to make Kalei Wilson sure every club and every organization is represented,” Garrett said. “We are working to make sure it is resolved in an amicable way.”

Indeed, by Monday, just a few days after a letter from the national groups brought the issue to school officials’ attention, everything had fallen into place: Pisgah’s principal approved the club, not one but two faculty advisors had come forward to sponsor the club, and the club’s first meeting had been scheduled.

The Secular Student Alliance fielded 28 complaints nationally last year from students who felt their attempt to start a club was met with resistance from school officials.

Many shared a similar experience: they were told there wasn’t a faculty member available to sponsor the club.

But Nolte said the Haywood school system has never turned down a student’s request for a club.

Pisgah High School has 30 clubs. Some are curriculum based — like the Math Club, or Spanish Club. Others are “non-curricular,” like the Equality Club or the Fellowship for Christian Athletes.

As official school clubs, they are required to have a faculty advisor, not simply a parent

CCC gives out annual Community Pride Awards The Commission for a Clean County (CCC) has announced the winners of its annual Community Pride Awards program, who will be honored at luncheon ceremony at the Waynesville Country Club on Feb. 26.

This program honors businesses, community groups, civic clubs, schools and individuals (both adults and children) for exceptional efforts in the categories of litter pickup and control, recycling, beautification of public areas and environmen-

volunteer. Clubs can’t be discriminated against, so if a faculty advisor is provided for a Christian club, the same must be made available for a secular club.

Nolte said the school system has always enabled club requests by finding a staff member to take it on.

“We will go out of our way to find a faculty advisor. We work with students to try to find those and we always have and always will,” Nolte said. “We might say, ‘Did you know we had this one, this one and this one?

Would any of those work?’ and if they explained, ‘No, mine is different and this is how it is different,’ then we would assist them in establishing this club.”

Although Haywood School officials were somewhat taken aback by the letter they received last week from the Freedom For Religion Foundation, which was also cosigned by the American Civil Liberties Union, Jessica Kirsner with the Secular Student Alliance doesn’t think the letter was over-the-top.

The letter made a case for why non-religious students need an environment where

Pisgah High School has 30 clubs. Some are curriculum based — like the Math Club, or Spanish Club. Others are “non-curricular,” like the Equality Club or the Fellowship for Christian Athletes. they can freely express their views and have a sense of belonging.

“Too often students who identify as nonreligious encounter resistance, harassment and bullying in their schools,” the letter states.

A club would allow nonreligious students to “build community” and “provide a safe space for these students to gather to address these issues.”

But it also spelled out the legal ramifications should the school system deny the formation of a secular club, citing the Equal Access Act. “Students must be given equal access, and a fair opportunity to meet, and not be

tal stewardship, which includes “green” building.

Winners include: • The advisory appearance committee for the town of Canton.

• Sharon Flowe, a science teacher at Tuscola High School, for her work in organizing litter pickups and recycling efforts at the school.

• Jarvis Hampton, a teenager, who participated in every roadside litter pick-up organized by the CCC last year.

• Haywood County Sheriff’s Office.

• Haywood Soil and Water Conservation District.

• Mark Etheridge, who has worked tirelessly as a volunteer for the YES camp and has brought groups of youths to tour the recycling facility and the White Oak landfill to see

discriminated against, or the law has been violated,” the letter states.

Kirsner points out that last week’s letter was actually a follow-up to a much gentler one sent to Pisgah Principal Greg Bailey last fall that got no response.

“When we send out a letter to a school, we try and do so calmly and with an eye towards educating administrators on the rights students have and their responsibilities to these students,” Kirsner said.

But that letter got no response. So the Secular Student Alliance had “to take things a step further and discuss the legal consequences with the school.”

Help from the Secular Student Alliance gives students both courage and a sense of legitimacy when they are unsure what their rights are, Kirsner said.

Assistant Superintendent Bill Nolte said Haywood County Schools takes students rights very seriously.

“We don’t discriminate based on religion or non-religion,” Nolte said.

But Kalei said she isn’t sure she would have gotten this far without the backing from the national groups.

“I don’t feel like they would have changed their mind just based on my opinion,” Kalei said.

Kalei’s father said Christian influence is everywhere in the schools. Non-Christian students feel ostracized and guilty for not subscribing to the majority belief, he said.

But Wilson wagers many students who are agnostic or atheist won’t admit it for fear of losing friends or it affecting their social status. The club would hopefully change that.

“If more people were out, then maybe it would be more accepted,” Wilson said.

Kalei is now looking forward to the club’s first meeting later this month — a pizza party. Kalei thinks she has at least 10 and maybe 15 students interested in joining so far.

“That’s more than some of the clubs they already have,” she said.

But Kalei isn’t holding her breath that the ruckus she caused will blow over any time soon. She looks forward to a couple of years from now when the presence of a secular club is just the norm, one many students join, and new freshmen coming in don’t remember the history of it being any other way.

And, Kalei pointed out, students of all persuasions will be welcome.

“I hope some kids from the Christian club come and learn about what an atheist is,” she said.

what happens to discarded items.

• Tuscola High School Ecology Club and advisor Suzanne Orbock-Miller.

• Ken Zulla, a Lake Junaluska resident who has devoted much time, energy and money to organize daily cleanups around lake Junaluska every spring and summer. He also recruited a Boy Scout Troop to help with the clean-ups as their service project.

In existence since the year 2000, the CCC believes that a litter-free, environmentally conscious clean county is highly beneficial for the financial and physical health of its residents.

For information about the work of the CCC, call Chairman Dr. Bill Skelton at 828.456.3575 or Secretary JoAnna Swanson at 828.452.1550.

BY B ECKY JOHNSON ment agencies to investigate, a process that STAFF WRITER would presumably involve tracking down fosMaggie Valley restaurant owner who ter kids who had passed through Hurley’s was also a figure in town politics has home going back 10 years or more. been charged with sexually abusing two Hurley is being held in jail on a $1 million boys several years ago. bond.

Steve Hurley, 68, the owner of Hurley’s Prior to his arrest, Hurley spent over a Creekside Dining and Rhum Bar in Maggie week in the hospital due to a suicide attempt.

Valley, was arrested last week on 44 charges Hurley apparently checked into a motel in of statutory sexual Maggie Valley and attempted to commit suioffense, indecent libercide on Feb. 5, according to police reports. ties and crimes against Someone who was concerned for Hurley’s nature. well-being called the police. Police then drove The victims were to the motel to check on Hurley, discovered under 16 when the the attempted suicide and sent him to alleged sexual abuse Haywood Regional Medical Center. occurred in 2006 and In the hotel room, police “found a note 2007, but they are now that led them to initiate an investigation into adults, according to Steve Hurley possible sexual assaults involving children,” police warrants. according to a police statement.

Hurley moved to Maggie Valley several However, it seems the allegations of past years ago and bought a restaurant. He and his abuse may have come out even without the wife, Julie, ran the business together. suicide note.

The couple has several adopted children, “There were several things all coming up and some of them have worked at the restau- at once,” Sutton said of how the case came to rant as well. their attention.

Their four adopted sons are now young Hurley spent the next week-and-a-half in adults, but their two daughters are still the hospital. He was arrested immediately school-aged and living at home. upon being discharged on Friday, Feb. 14.

Hurley’s wife, who is 11 years younger He was taken directly from the hospital to than him, has not been charged in connec- the jail, where he was still being held on a $1 tion with the alleged child sex abuse. She Prior to his arrest, Hurley spent over a has been very cooperative, as has the entire week in the hospital due to a suicide family, said Maggie attempt. Hurley apparently checked into Valley Police Chief Scott Sutton. a motel in Maggie Valley and attempted The investigation to commit suicide on Feb. 5, according to is ongoing, Sutton said. police reports.

Rumors surrounding Hurley’s arrest have been rampant in Maggie Valley million bond as of press time. High bonds are over the past week, with the most wide- not uncommon for suspects charged with spread rumor referencing the dozens of foster child sex abuse. kids Hurley and his wife have taken in over Hurley has been involved in town politics the years. for the past two years. Last fall, he ran for a However, Hurley has not had any foster seat on the town board but didn’t get enough kids in his home since moving to Haywood votes to win one of the seats.

County, Sutton said. Neither Hurley nor his The year before that, Hurley was one of wife are licensed or registered as foster par- several who applied to fill a sudden vacancy ents in Haywood County, according to on the town board. At the time, Aldermen records of the Haywood County Department Phil Wight and Mike Matthews favored of Social Services.

Hurley and wanted to name him to the empty But he and his wife took in many foster seat. kids in the past, before moving to Maggie But the other two town board members, Valley. Sutton said the Maggie Police Alderwoman Saralyn Price and Mayor Ron Department is contacting the appropriate DeSimone, refused to pick Hurley. law enforcement agencies in the states and Each locked in their position, the seat ulticounties where Hurley has lived prior, includ- mately went unfilled for an entire year, leaving Florida and South Carolina. ing the choice up to voters in the next official It would then be up to those law enforce- election.

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Maggie businessman charged with child sexual abuse

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February 19-25, 2014 Smoky Mountain News

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Macon sheriff wants more money for drug buys Holland says hike would be ‘benefit to the community’

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER heriff Robert Holland is looking to ramp-up his department’s crackdown on drug dealers in Macon County, requesting that the county commissioners multiply his allocation for undercover drug buys from $1,000 to $20,000 in its upcoming budget.

That’s the best way to quell drug use in Macon County, he said.

“What better evidence do you have than Robert Holland an officer being able to testify that, ‘I bought 20 oxycontin off this individual?’” Holland said. “There’s no better evidence than that.”

The alternative, he said, is to invest huge numbers of man-hours observing suspicious locations or people and making vehicle stops.

And it’s hard to make those tactics pay off, because officers need probable cause to stop a vehicle; for the same reason, many times they can’t actually search a house where they suspect drugs are being sold. Undercover drug buys, on the other hand, make an ironclad case.

To prove his point, Holland refers to a methamphetamine ring operating in Macon, Jackson and Swain counties that his agency helped bust in 2011. It resulted in a federal investigation that put more than 10 people in jail, and not one of those cases went to trial.

Instead, they opted to work out plea deals.

The ringleader, Michael Taylor, agreed to a decades-long sentence in federal prison.

“For an individual to plead guilty, he knows you have a pretty darn good case against him,” Holland said.

By increasing the funds he has available to pursue undercover investigations, Holland hopes to save taxpayer money in the long run.

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227-24

Jane Hipps officially kicks off Senate campaign

Discover the state you’re in.

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1-800- V I S I T

NC

W W W. V I S I T N C . C O M .

Jane Hipps of Waynesville will officially kick off her campaign to run against Sen. Jim Davis at an “Announcement Celebration” at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at Junaluska Elementary School.

Hipps says she is running for the N.C. Senate because she is concerned about the future of North Carolina. She highlights

Those savings would come through reducing the need for substance abuse programs, through cutting out the cost of taking a case to trial and by reallocating the man-hours it would otherwise take his deputies to wrap up a case.

“Give me two years. We’ll be able to account for every dime that $20,000 goes to,” Holland told commissioners. “At the end of two years, if we have not shown progression in what we use that $20,000 for, take it away.”

Among other counties in the region, Holland is not alone in his desire for more funds for undercover drug busts. Haywood County, for example, allocated $4,600 in 2013-14 for undercover drug buys, and Swain County allocates $3,000 per year. And Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran isn’t shy about saying he needs more to be effective.

“Three thousand bucks, that’ll make you three, four buys and that’s it,” he said.

With limited money available for buys, sheriffs have to make choices about which leads to pursue.

“Ninety-nine percent of the time the reason we don’t initiate the case is because we don’t have the money to initiate that investigation.”

— Sheriff Robert Holland

“There’s cases at least a couple times a week. We have to decide whether we’re going to initiate that case or not,” Holland told commissioners. “Ninety-nine percent of the time the reason we don’t initiate the case is because we don’t have the money to initiate that investigation.”

Commissioners will consider that request as they head into budgeting season for 2014-15.

“I would not be asking for this $20,000 if, based on my experience in law enforcement, I didn’t think if would be a benefit to the community,” Holland said. how opportunities for children have been eroded by the massive cuts and threats to public education, including the community colleges and universities. Hipps said that the impact Jane Hipps of these cuts at the local level has meant that our counties have fewer teachers, teacher assistants and assistant principals.

The public is invited.

From left: Yvonne Scott, John Bubacz and Sandra Dennison, who make up half of the co-op effort’s core planning group, gather at Signature Brews for a planning meeting, bringing in fellow planner Deborah Denmark on Skype. Donated photo

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Get involved Interested in learning more about the group? Contact John Bubacz at 828.587.6300 or signaturebrew@yahoo.com, or join the Facebook page, titled Ramp-Berry Community Market Co-op.

The group also encourages anyone living in Western North Carolina to take its online survey, housed at www.surveymonkey.com/s/rampberrycoopcommunitysurvey. They’ll use the results as their planning progresses and when scheduling a community meeting next month.

The group began meeting regularly, cooking up a plan to create an online store for Western North Carolina manufacturers. But as the idea gathered steam and drew more people to the meetings, new members floated the idea of a brick-and-mortar retail store.

Now, they have their sights set on a grocery store-size establishment selling everything from bread to produce to soap — all made within 100 miles of Sylva.

Those products may cost more than chain store generic brands, but both Bubacz and fellow planning group member Sandra Dennison believe there’s a market for them.

“I know a lot of my circle of friends travel to Asheville to do their shopping,” said Dennison, who seriously considered opening her own whole foods store before establish-

ing Fusions Spa in 2003. “We travel outside of our county some 30 or 40 miles to get the food we want.”

More locally, several specialty organic stores dot the towns of Western North Carolina. Room Full of Nuts in Franklin, Kountry Kupboard in Sylva and Zoolies in Waynesville all have organic offerings, but there’s no one-stop shop for organic groceries west of Asheville.

“That’s what we want to be,” Bubacz said.

But that kind of business doesn’t grow overnight. Which, perhaps, is why the planners don’t even envision the store as a typical business. They want to create a nonprofit food co-op, an institution owned by members who either buy in or give their time to stock shelves, run the cash register or clean the

snagged 57 members, and they’re now distributing a survey, trying to gauge interest and schedule a March meeting for potential members. At that point, they’ll organize people into the groups that will handle real estate, vendors, by-laws, etc.

“We’re still at the beginning stages, but we are at least at the stage of starting to recruit community partnerships and getting people involved,” Dennison said.

Bubacz said they’ll need hundreds of members in order to shoulder the cost and the labor of operating a full-scale retail store.

Still to be determined is a breakdown of how many paying members and how many volunteers the co-op would need.

“We have determined we need both,” Bubacz said. “We need people who pay to be members and people who work in the store.”

And as far as workers, it’s not just cashiers and shelf-stockers the co-op needs.

It will also rely on its members more specialized skills: handling the legalese of by-laws and contracts, applying for grants and marketing the brand, to name a few.

While the group searches for members, it will also be looking for funding, whether from grants, loans or private donations, and searching for a suitable location. But the Ramp-Berry folks are confident that those are hurdles that they — and the members of their yet-to-be-born co-op — can jump.

“I think there has been a want for a long time,” Dennison said.

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Smoky Mountain News

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER group of Jackson County locavores is hoping to bring the Ramp-Berry Community Market Co-op, a store that will sell all things local, to fruition before the year ends.

“Buying and selling local products is going to support our local economy,” explained John Bubacz, a member of the planning group. “It’s going to help environmentally, because you’re not burning diesel fuel to transport when your products are being manufactured here.”

Bubacz, who owns Signature Brew in Sylva, has long wanted a stronger market for local goods in Jackson County. In 2002, he opened Wha Cha Want Bodega at Western Carolina University, where he sold locally made products for four years before closing in favor of the coffee business. But he kept his ear to the ground for anything related to local goods, and two years ago the concept for a centralized store for local products was born.

“There was a threshold number of people two years ago that were interested in getting started,” he said.

February 19-25, 2014

The group began meeting regularly, cooking up a plan to create an online store. But as the idea gathered steam and drew more people to the meetings, new members floated the idea of a brickand-mortar retail store.

Now, they have their sights set on a grocery store-size establishment selling everything from bread to produce to soap — all made within 100 miles of Sylva.

news

Group hatches a plan for local products co-op in Sylva

floors. Depending on the co-op’s structure, those members then earn the right to shop at the store, to purchase goods at reduced prices or to get some products for free.

The Ramp-Berry group is far from deciding those particulars, but they do know the approach relies on people just as much as it does on pennies. They’ve enlisted the help of food co-op advocate Yvonne Scott, who lives locally and is semi-retired, to take on some of the major leadership tasks. Their Facebook page, also called Ramp-Berry Community Market Co-op, has already

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Sapphire knows how to throw a ‘potty’ Annual outhouse race is flush with fun … and puns

Smoky Mountain News

February 19-25, 2014

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER Sitting on a toilet, Kyle Iezzi is ready for victory.

“The main thing is that I hope we go straight,” the 15-year-old said.

Within his homemade outhouse, Iezzi was a competitor at the 8th annual “Great Sapphire Outhouse Race” on Feb. 15 at the Sapphire Valley Ski Area, just outside of Cashiers. Amid several other outhouses bolted to skis and pushed down the snowy hill, Iezzi felt he had the advantage with his design. Dubbed “White Lightning,” the structure looked and felt strong enough to actually be used for its namesake purpose.

“We have our skis angled a little bit towards the center to give it a straighter performance, little more of a ‘pizza’ angle,” he said. “The design does knock off our speed, but it’s better to go straighter than faster.”

Standing next to Iezzi was his father, David. Along with his son Evan, the trio built the outhouse over the last few days. For David, the best part has been spending quality time with his sons.

“It’s fantastic, not only for our family, but also for the community,” David said. “We’ve got [Evan] strapped in there, helmet on. His mom isn’t crazy about this, but then again, she isn’t crazy about a lot of things we do.”

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BUILDING TRADITION Coming into its eighth year, the race has become something of a tradition as it as evolved.

“There’s a lot of speculation as to how it began, some suggesting it was a late Friday night idea,” said Chris Grimshawe, marketing director at Sapphire Valley. “It’s something to cap off the end of the season. It’s a lot of fun, and has been since the beginning.”

Each time it comes around on the calendar, the preparations and excitement builds, only to come to fruition amid the winter wonderland that is the mountains of Western North Carolina.

“This race is similar to NASCAR — it’s about speed and everyone comes to see the crashes,” Grimshawe chuckled. “It’s a great family atmosphere. Nobody takes it too seriously, and it’s not intended to be. It’s a nice community event that grows with interest.”

So, what’s the key to a successful outhouse

The 8th annual “Great Sapphire Outhouse Race” took place recently at the Sapphire Valley Ski Area. Several locals and visitors alike hand-built outhouses on skis and raced them down the hill. Below: 15-year-old Evan Iezzi was the winner this year of the “Great Sapphire Outhouse Race.” Garret K. Woodward photo race?

“A lot of luck,” laughed Chris Green, mountain manager at Sapphire Valley.

“You’re going freestyle down a mountain in a homemade outhouse. Hold on tight and make sure your helmet is on.”

And alongside the festivities and competition is the heart of the matter — raising money for a good cause. The race itself provides a fundraiser (through entry fees and donations) for the nearby CashiersHighlands Humane Society.

“It’s so much fun, and yet we’re raising money, so you can’t go wrong,” said Tonya Dickey, an employee at the humane society.

“This race is exciting and unique, and who in the heck in the world races outhouses besides Cashiers, North Carolina?”

Dickey is also a racer in the event. This is her second year at helm of her outhouse. She hoped this time around she wouldn’t flip over, like she did twice last year.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking,” she said, strapping on her helmet. “But this year, we put three skis and bumper rails to push off the [snow burm] instead of flipping.”

START YOUR TOILETS Approaching the start line, racer Kelsey Mears and her “Notre Dame” themed outhouse are ready. Mears throws on her helmet and gazes down the icy track, lined with hun-

dreds of spectators — it’s do or die at this point.

“This is my first time doing this, so I just don’t want to fall and get hurt,” she grimaced.

“Our outhouse is short and stocky, and has a cross on the top, so we have Jesus with us.”

A few outhouses down, Rob Kenyon, manager at nearby Mica’s Restaurant, is gearing up to be one of the pushers for his team.

“Winter is kind of slow for us up here, so

Community workshop meeting rescheduled An Opt-In Community Workshop planned for Jackson County on Thursday, Feb. 20, has been postponed due to the changing of the date of another meeting that was cancelled due to recent bad weather.

A new date has not been set yet, but will be sometime in March.

The Opt-In project is looking at a broad range of issues facing the seven western counties including transportation policy options; the relationships between economic development and tourism; the connections between land use and public health; and the opportunities to leverage the region’s access to the outdoor recreational playground of

this is great for everybody,” he said. “All I’ll be thinking at that start line is, ‘Go, go, go, go.’”

Green approached the line and named off the first racers. The outhouses line up two at a time as the signal is quickly given to push.

Spinning their “tires” in the snowy slush, the pushers get any traction they can as they shove the contraptions down the hill. The structures pick up speed, barreling down the mountain — some straight forward, others veering left and right, with some almost right into the raucous crowd.

Standing on the sidelines, Jeff James is visiting the area from Chicago. He’s never seen something like this race, and can’t believe what transpiring in front of him.

“I would say if you ever get a chance to come here, make sure you do, because it’s a real ‘potty,’” he howled in reference to the festive atmosphere of the event.

The snow and ice fury soon clears, with Iezzi and his crew the victors. The teenager is ecstatic over the surefire design he felt all along would work when put to the test.

Standing next to his outhouse, he’s all smiles as the newly crowned “King of the Mountain,” a title that’ll be his for the next year.

“The ride was a lot smoother than I expected, and I couldn’t have done it without the horsepower behind me,” he said. “Build it light and keep pushing until the end. She went straight down the hill, just like we wanted. It was amazing, and it’s an honor to be here.”

the Southeastern United States.

A community workshop in Haywood County is still on schedule for 5:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at Tuscola High School.

The workshop includes an open house followed by a presentation and discussion of the regional visioning process at 6 p.m.

Everything you need to know about Opt-In backgrounds and progress so far is on the project website at www.optinswnc.org.

BY B ECKY JOHNSON mobilize and educate the electorate.

STAFF WRITER “It is a non-partisan effort to address the olitical backlash against the new con- injustice we see happening to our wonderful servative policies of state lawmakers state, where anyone of any persuasion can has given rise to two local chapters of come together as a coalition and work for justhe National Association for the tice,” she said.

Advancement of Colored People in Haywood The NAACP has tapped its organizaand Jackson counties — the first such affili- tional capacity for mobilizing and motivatates to be formed in the rural, predominantly ing people to orchestrate the Moral white mountain Movement, a series counties since the of large-scale “I think the NAACP NAACP’s creation protests that have about a century ago. brought tens of thouhas been a catalyst for The NAACP has sands of residents coalition building.” emerged over the from across the state past year as a conto the doorstep of the — Mary McGlauflin duit for those dissatGeneral Assembly. isfied with the poli“I think the cies of the Republican-controlled General NAACP has been a catalyst for coalition Assembly and governor’s mansion. building,” said Mary McGlauflin of Haywood “Wherever there is a problem that is County, who is also spearheading the chapter infringing on people’s rights and not giv- there. ing them justice, their mission is to help McGlauflin was motivated to start a chapthem give them a voice, to help speak for ter in her hometown after making several you in situations where you are not able to trips to Raleigh to participate in the Moral do it as individuals,” said Rev. William marches led by the NAACP last year. Being Staley, pastor of Jones Temple A.M.E. white, she wouldn’t have guessed that she Zion Church in Waynesville and an organ- would be at the forefront of forming a local izer of the local NAACP chapter in NAACP chapter.

Haywood.

“I always thought about it as being an The NAACP chapter in Jackson County organization that’s for and run by people of already has 121 members, and counting. color,” she said.

“It is critical mass that creates the change,” But the issues today go well beyond the said Myrtle Schrader, who helped get the NAACP’s historic focus on racial equality.

NAACP chapter off the ground in Jackson It has become a vehicle for a groundswell County. She sees it as the perfect vehicle to of new members who oppose the state’s

news

New NAACP chapters spawned by protests against Raleigh legislation

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Haywood County residents in the recent Moral March on Raleigh. Donated photo

Want to learn more?

HAYWOOD COUNTY

JACKSON COUNTY To find out more about the NAACP chapter in Jackson County, contact 828.506.0190.

February 19-25, 2014

The Forward Together Haywood People’s Assembly, an official committee of the NAACP will meet at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, in Waynesville. The meeting will include a recap of participation in the recent Moral March on Raleigh, as well as brainstorming ways to recruit new members and ideas for community activities.

Held at the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center at 450 Pigeon Street in Waynesville. forwardtogetherhaywood@gmail.com.

treatment of public education, tax cuts for the wealthy, reduction in social benefits and environmental rollbacks witnessed under the new Republican administration in Raleigh.

McGlauflin said that to her, the NAACP is rooted in justice, and justice is the unifying theme of the Moral Movement, “to restore North Carolina to a place of justice for citizens, and not just for certain segments of the population with more resources, whether it is financial resources or political access,” she said.

McGlauflin traces her involvement to an epiphany she had in church one morning when her pastor at Saint David’s Episcopal Church in Cullowhee spoke these words.

“Some people, when they see people being thrown into the river, go in and pull them out. But if you see people who keep getting washed down the river, sometimes you have to go upstream and find out who is throwing them in and stop them,” McGlauflin recounted.

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Jackson eyes courthouse expansion Leaders look at Haywood’s $18 million project

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ust shy of a decade after county offices moved into a brand-spankin’ new Haywood County Justice Center, Jackson County is considering its own courthouse overhaul — and it’s using the Haywood project as a model. Jackson pulled in Heery International, the same company that designed and built the Haywood courthouse, to do a preliminary needs assessment, and now commissioners are waiting on the results to come back before planning the next step.

“The reason we used these folks was because they came highly recommended as being involved in the Haywood County project,” said Chuck Wooten, Jackson County manager.

In October, Jackson County signed a $34,000 contract with Heery, who then distributed a survey to those who use the courthouse, asking how many employees they have, how many they might have in the future, what kinds of space they need to do their job and myriad other questions. In mid-January, a team of seven people, including five architects, came from Orlando to spend a week on-site to meet with people who work at the courthouse and see Brad Letts the building first-hand.

Now, they’re tying up a preliminary report that will likely be presented at one of the commissioners’ March meetings.

The draft results, however, are already on Wooten’s desk. The verdict? That the justice center needs an additional 35,000 square feet, more than half again its current size.

“I had gone to the county manger [Wooten] and also the commissioners and told them that we were really starting to have issues with space, and it was becoming more of an issue as time went on,” said Brad Letts, a Superior Court judge who frequently holds court in both Haywood and Jackson counties.

“We needed to begin the process of examining what our uses were today and get a better feel for what our needs were going forward.”

Smoky Mountain News

February 19-25, 2014

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WHY BUILD?

Currently, the Jackson County justice center comprises about 60,000 square feet and includes only two courts. During 2013, both courtrooms were full on 97 of the 247 days when court was held, according to the court schedule. On three of those days, three courts were held, meaning that courtroom space had to be finagled using another room in the building. On 43 percent of business days in 2013, one of the two courtrooms was filled. Those numbers indicate a need to act now, Letts said.

“You just tend to see an increase in popu12 lation, and with an increase in population,

you have an increase in use of court,” he said.

“Everything from traffic violations to custody matters.”

As part of the needs study, Heery looked at trends in court filing over the past 25 years.

Total filings have increased 176 percent between fiscal years 1987-88 and 2012-13, though there was a dip between the highest level of 13,347 filings in 2008-09 and the 2012-13 level of 10,404. Assuming that the county’s population continues to follow an overall upward trend, Letts said, that number would likely continue to increase.

And space isn’t the only issue with the existing courthouse, Wooten said. At age 20-

HOW BIG? All parties seem to agree that Jackson County’s justice center needs an overhaul.

The question is, how big does it have to be?

“If you’re talking about doing anything less than 50 percent [expansion], it’s probably not worth the expense of going through the process,” said Bob Clark, a Waynesville-based attorney who is in the Haywood courthouse almost daily and is also familiar with Jackson.

The total planning and design process could cost as much as $650,000, Wooten said, so there’s a hefty price tag before even a single blade of grass is moved. If you’re going

and future personnel. It asked for a list of existing and anticipated future support spaces, such as closets and reception areas. It even asked for a list of any past, present or future changes that could alter that department’s requirements. In short, it gave employees a blank slate to list their best-case scenario work environment.

“We didn’t put any parameters on anybody,” Wooten said. “A person was able to ask for whatever they thought they might like to have.”

If the commissioners decide to move forward with the project, the next step would be to figure out how those dreams might look in reality. In this phase, called programming, consultants would sketch out schematic diagrams for each department and determine how big those offices should be.

That contract could go to Heery or to another company, Wooten said. Though he couldn’t put a number on the potential price tag, Wooten anticipates that this step would cost significantly more than the needs assessment.

And as far as actually breaking ground, that’s a long way off, assuming that the commissioners even pursue the project to that point.

“We’re still probably at least two years away from a shovel in the ground,” Wooten said.

A LOOK BACK AT HAYWOOD As Jackson County turns its eyes toward a courthouse makeover, its leaders are looking to the Haywood County Justice Center, where the courtroom pictured here is located, for an example. Holly Kays photo plus, the building’s heating and air conditioning system is “pretty much at the end of its life cycle,” Wooten said. Poor signage makes it difficult for people who aren’t familiar with the building to find their way around, and much of the structure — including the jury boxes — isn’t handicapped-accessible. But aside from the lack of space, the biggest problem, Wooten said, is lack of security.

“The only security in the building is in front of the courtrooms,” he said. “Everyone felt like we needed to have a more secure building.”

In Haywood County, the public comes in through a single entrance and must pass through manned metal detectors in order to get past the lobby. In the Jackson County building, security only begins at the door of the courtroom. By a similar token, the building doesn’t have all the separate entrances for defendants, victims, witnesses and jurors necessary to keep these parties from interacting with each other.

“Potentially, everybody could be brought into contact with you before you enter the courtroom,” Wooten said.

“We needed to begin the process of examining what our uses were today and get a better feel for what our needs were going forward.”

— Brad Letts, Superior Court judge

to do it, it’s important to do it right. But while Letts agrees that the expansion should include the full 35,000 square feet, Wooten isn’t so sure.

“What you have right now is a wish list,” he said. “I see that number as coming down.

How much it comes down, I don’t know.

What we have now is a big number with a lot of dreams in it.”

The 11-page needs assessment survey threw the door wide open for employees to shoot for the stars, he said. The survey asked for everything from visitor traffic to conference requirements to a list of both existing

The planning and construction of Haywood County’s courthouse was also a long process, spanning years of discussion and fueling heated controversy between the project’s proponents and citizens who felt the $18 million project was overdone and unnecessary. In the process, a fourth floor disappeared from the plans, but three district courtrooms, two superior court courtrooms, a courtroom for the clerk of courts, another for the magistrate and a whole host of offices, mediation rooms and auxiliary departments were built.

It’s been nearly 10 years since Clerk of Court June Ray moved into her new office in May 2005, but she had her answer ready when asked whether she believed the courhouse was overbuilt.

“No. No, I do not,” she said. “We use this facility.”

According to the 2013 court schedule, all five of the available courtrooms were never used on the same day. Four of the five courtrooms were used on the same day 15 times; conversely, on 12 days in 2013, no courtrooms were used. The most common use level was two courtrooms per day, occurring 107 times.

However, Letts said, the schedule doesn’t tell the whole story.

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CHALLENGES TO EFFICIENT DESIGN But it’s precisely because of that uncertainty, Letts said, that functional courthouses require so much space. Sometimes a Superior Court judge who is scheduled to be there for a whole week finishes up before lunch on Friday, but you can’t schedule another court on top of that in the hopes the first will end early. Sometimes a defendant will enter a plea deal days before the trial is scheduled, but you can’t fail to have a courtroom available on the assumption that a deal will be reached.

And because courthouses handle so many different people who need to be moved through separate physical channels — for instance, a child abuse victim must be able to enter the courthouse so that he won’t encounter the person accused of abusing him — they are, by definition, inefficient spaces.

“Courthouses in general are very inefficient facilities because there’s a lot of common space that you just have to have,” Wooten agreed.

In addition, there’s a lot of space that

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“Some days are slow, but when you have three and four courts a day and you have jury selection, it’s nothing to see 1,000 people come through a metal detector.”

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Smoky Mountain News

works most efficiently when housed under the same roof as the courthouse but is not directly involved in what happens in the courtroom.

There are mediation rooms used to help parties settle their differences without going to trial, there are guardians ad litem who help advocate for children whose families are caught up in legal issues and there are auxiliary departments such as mapping and tax collection. The clerk of court, too, must plan to store state records for 60 years, Superior Court records for 10 years and District Court records for three. All of that takes space.

But it also takes money. Aside from the $18 million it took to build the courthouse, there’s all the overhead costs associated with building insurance, custodial services, heating, cooling, maintenance — the list goes on.

Wooten estimates that adding 35,000 square feet to the Jackson County building would cost the county about $100,000 annually, not counting the cost of hiring additional people in the sheriff ’s department to man the metal detectors that would most likely be installed with the building’s completion.

That’s why, Wooten said, there will be plenty of discussion and winnowing of wants versus needs when Heery’s report comes back in full.

“This is just a very first step in what I think is going to be a continuing and long discussion,” he said.

Asheville | Waynesville | Naples

February 19-25, 2014

— Lt. Mike Price, Haywood County Justice Center

news

When a special jury trial is called, such as a murder trial that may last for weeks or months, that room is assigned on top of the existing schedule, and unscheduled uses pop up all the time.

“There have been times we’ve had five [courtrooms full],” he said. “I would say that’s happening two to three times per month.”

Based on the courtroom schedule, the average use in 2013 was two courtrooms per day. Letts said the building is actually averaging 2.5 courts per day.

“We’ve been here roughly five years, and you want the building to last you for decades,” he said. “If we’re right at half capacity, that’s excellent. Well-designed and wellplanned.”

Letts has held court in roughly one quarter of North Carolina’s 100 counties, and he unequivocally holds Haywood’s building as the best. Features such as the flow of people — departments are placed so that the heaviest-traffic departments are on the first floor, with the next level of volume on the second and the fewest people going to the third — separate entrances for witnesses, defendants and victims and easy handicapped accessibility give the building “perfect” functionality and design, Letts said.

And its usage is increasing, both in caseload and in people. In 2003, Haywood County saw 525 court cases; in 2013, 626.

Between 500 and 2,000 people now pass through its metal detectors every day, according to Heidi Warren of the Haywood County Sheriff ’s Department. Though Warren does not have numbers going back to 2003, she is certain usage is on the rise.

“I can comfortably and without hesitation say that those numbers have increased over the past 10 years,” she said.

Lt. Mike Price, who often mans the metal detectors, agrees.

“Some days are slow, but when you have three and four courts a day and you have jury selection, it’s nothing to see 1,000 people come through a metal detector,” he said.

Attorneys who work in the building also hail its design and construction.

“The justice center is a modern, functional building that will last and be used for 50 years or more,” said Frank Queen, who has been practicing law for 37 years. “It was an absolute necessity that something like that be built at the time when the county commissioners did it.”

But Gavin Brown, Waynesville mayor and practicing attorney, cautions against relying too much on the opinions of those who benefit from a building’s amenities. Much like a surgeon whose paycheck grows best in a hospital with a plethora of operating rooms, lawyers like himself make more money when a courthouse is large, with plenty of open rooms.

“If I’m a surgeon, I want that room open,” he said.

But as to whether there are too many open rooms, that’s hard to quantify, Brown said. It depends not just on how many courtrooms are occupied at one point in a day or how many cases are handled annually, but also on how many people enter a plea bargain and how many go to trial, how many people are involved in each case and how long the cases take.

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news

Hospital sale pushes foundations into new territory

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER he clock is ticking for the fundraising foundations of Haywood Regional Medical Center and Harris Regional Hospital to spend earmarked money in their coffers to benefit the hospitals.

The hospitals will soon come under the new ownership of Duke LifePoint and will no longer be able to accept charitable donations.

Duke LifePoint is a for-profit health care chain, and for-profits are legally prohibited from accepting non-profit fundraising support.

Haywood Regional Medical Foundation won’t go away, however.

“We don’t want to fold up the tent. That was the board’s collective decision,” said Gavin Brown, treasurer of the foundation board and an attorney who is the Mayor of Waynesville. “There would still be plenty of opportunities to provide for the healthcare needs of this community.”

The Haywood hospital foundation will retool its mission and continue its charitable work in the health care arena, even though it will no longer be a fundraising arm for the hospital itself.

“We truly feel like our work is important and of great value and there is tremendous need to continue to support improving the health of the community,” said Laura Leatherwood, chair of the foundation board and a vice president at Haywood Community College.

The WestCare hospital foundation, which supports Harris Regional and Swain County Medical Center, will also continue in some role as a community foundation focused on health care initiatives.

With the sale of the hospitals imminent, the respective foundations are acting fast to finish any projects that were in the pipeline before the ownership change happens.

Haywood Regional Medical Center is knocking out renovations to the fourth floor of the hospital, a project that the foundation had already set aside $400,000 for before the sale to Duke LifePoint was announced.

At Harris Regional, $600,000 had been raised over the past couple of years for a major overhaul of the labor and delivery suites and the mother-baby floor. The New Generations Birthing Center was envisioned

Smoky Mountain News

February 19-25, 2014

T

as a $3 million project. The foundation is hammering out the first phase now, and Duke LifePoint has pledged to complete the rest of the project when it assumes ownership of the hospital.

But the foundations aren’t spending down every penny they have — only the donations that had come in earmarked for a particular hospital-related project are under the gun to be used as intended before the sale goes through, explained Steve Brown, a staff director shared by both foundations.

Any general funds will follow the foundations as they move toward a new identity as a health care community funds. But Brown said the foundations are working with as many of their donors as possible to determine what their wishes would be as the foundations embark on a new mission that is no longer tied to the hospitals.

IS ONE BETTER THAN TWO? The Haywood hospital foundation board is currently analyzing exactly what its new structure and charter should be. The process could take several months, according to Leatherwood.

“We are going to evaluate all of our

options before we make a decision,” Leatherwood said.

The most likely scenario is a communitybased non-profit that takes on health care causes and initiatives.

“This is an opportunity for us to reach out countywide and do some collaborative work in regard to improving the health of the community,” Leatherwood said.

The hospital foundation isn’t the only one working on the idea of a community health care non-profit in Haywood County.

Haywood County itself stands to clear several million dollars from the sale of the hospital to Duke LifePoint.

County commissioners have signaled they will put that money into a trust fund of some sort for community health care initiatives — tapping only the interest it earns.

“We do not want the money to be squandered,” said County Commissioner Mark Swanger. “We want to protect the principal so it would continue to generate revenue over time, so we can address health issues in Haywood County that heretofore there have been no funds to address.”

With the county and the hospital foundation both hoping to create a community health care funding pool, the two have

broached the idea of joining forces.

Swanger said the foundation’s fundraising success would make it a valuable partner.

“They have an impressive donor list. It would be to the advantage of any newly created foundation to have them as partners so we could maximize the potential benefit to our county,” Swanger said.

While it might seem logical to created a single health care non-profit and pool their assets into a single trust fund, there would be plenty of details to work out, like how the board for the new foundation would be appointed.

And both would want assurances the funds they bring to the table are kept in a lockbox for the intended purpose.

“You want something that is held in perpetuity for the health needs of Haywood County. You don’t want to see that fund raided,” Gavin Brown said.

The foundation has assets of $1 million.

Meanwhile, the county should net at least $8 million, maybe more, from the sale of the hospital. While the actual price tag is $26 million, the county only gets what’s left over after paying off all the outstanding debt, loans and bills.

Meanwhile, Haywood Regional Medical

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State auditor to help county identify weaknesses as SBI investigation unfolds

we want them to do more than that, it would be a separate action of the board’s behalf.”

The interest in an in-depth audit stems from a State Bureau of Investigations probe that began Jan. 21, after Roland received a tip about questionable business practices at the Board of Elections. The investigation, which is still ongoing, turned up $50,000 in county checks requested by Board of Elections Director Kim Bishop, who has since been placed on paid investigative leave. The check requests, supposedly intended to pay four individuals for contracted work at the Board of Elections, contained allegedly forged signatures and had inadequate explanations of the work their recipients were supposedly being paid to do. The county never received any W-9 tax forms from any of the people named as

February 19-25, 2014 Smoky Mountain News

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER s the State Bureau of Investigations continues to probe embezzlement allegations in Macon County, the county is calling in the experts to help it pinpoint any internal policy failures that may have contributed to the alleged seven-month-long, $50,000 fraud at the Board of Elections.

County Manager Derek Roland hopes to bring in State Auditor Beth Wood to examine the county’s paperwork and offer any recommendations for policy changes.

“The goal of it will be to look at The investigation, which is still the recommendations from the auditor, any recommendations that ongoing, turned up $50,000 in they’ll get from the audit, and discounty checks requested by cuss that with the rest of the board and move in a positive direction Board of Elections Director Kim from there,” Roland said.

Bishop, who has since been The plan to bring the state auditor developed last week as Roland, placed on paid investigative leave.

County Commission Chairman Kevin Corbin and North Carolina Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, rode to a regional contractors, and, according to court docugovernment meeting together. The three ments, none of those individuals received any began discussing the Board of Elections situa- of the checks printed in their name. tion when Davis floated an idea.

The whole episode has caused the county “Jim Davis said, ‘Hey, I can get the state to take a hard look at its financial practices; it’s auditor’s office involved, and that will save a elicited plenty of criticism from the communiprivate company coming in,’” Corbin said. ty, as well. Editorial pages, comments sections This week, Roland will talk with Wood to on websites and public meetings have all conhash out details such as her scope of work and tained plenty of opinions on the matter. her schedule for coming to Macon County. He At the Feb. 11 Macon County expects that her visit will help the county bet- Commissioners’ meeting, Macon County rester decide how to move forward and is aiming ident Bick Drummond took advantage of the to bring policy change suggestions to the coun- public comment period to voice his dissatisty commissioners at their March 11 meeting. faction with the situation, citing a need for The county also has the option of offering more proactive policies. its independent auditor an additional con“I believe county taxpayers are asking for tract for a deeper look into the county’s more,” Drummond said. finances. North Carolina counties are Corbin agrees that it’s time to take another required to undergo an independent audit look at the county’s financial safeguards, but each year, a process in which the auditor he cautions against the idea that any policy or looks at a sampling of the county’s financial set of policies offers 100 percent security. records and identifies any inconsistencies in “I think our responsibility is to make sure those records or deficiencies with the system. there are safeguards in place as best we can to But counties process way too much paper- prevent this kind of thing in the future, but work in a given year for a standard audit to no system is foolproof,” he said. capture every weakness that is present.

Editor’s note: The Feb. 5 story titled “What In its 2013 audit, the auditing firm did not happened to internal controls?” neglected to fully identify any weaknesses in Macon County’s sys- explain Macon County’s policy on spending threshtem, but with the Board of Elections investiga- olds. As stated in the story, only purchases over tion ongoing, county leaders want a better $10,000 require approval from the county manger, understanding of any flaws this time around. At but any purchase over $300 requires approval from their Feb. 11 meeting, commissioners approved the finance director and the purchasing agent. The the standard audit for 2013-14 but discussed article also drew a comparison with Haywood amending the contract for a deeper audit later, County, which, as stated, requires approval from depending on the outcome of Wood’s visit. the finance director and purchasing manager for “What’s in front of us right now is the con- any purchase over $1,000. The finance director tract for the general audit,” Corbin said. “If must sign off on any purchase over $500.

A

news

Macon County requests auditing assistance

15

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FOUNDATIONS, CONTINUED FROM 14

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Center — not the foundation, but the non-profit entity that manages and oversees the hospital — would presumably cease to function once it sells the hospital to Duke LifePoint, since its purpose was running a hospital and it will no longer have a hospital to run.

Haywood Regional Medical Center Foundation has been a fundraising powerhouse for the hospital.

It has raised $13 million since 1991.

“The community has been extremely generous.

Because of their philanthropic nature, we have been able to do some really great things to improve health care,” Leatherwood said.

It’s most successful fundraising campaigns have centered around big-ticket capital projects: the construction of the fitness center, a new emergency department, an in-patient hospice house, and renovations for the mother-baby labor and delivery floor.

“We truly feel like our work is important and of great value and there is tremendous need to continue to support improving the health of the community.”

— Laura Leatherwood, Haywood Regional Medical Center Foundation co-chair

Smoky Mountain News

February 19-25, 2014

But the foundation has also funded equipment, from heart monitors to security officer radios to a new nurse call system for patient rooms. And it has also supported medical services, like mammograms for underserved women or nurse education.

Still, it was always the major construction and renovation projects that inspired hospital benefactors to open their wallets, it remains to be seen whether the foundation can rally that kind of support from donors for other types of projects under a new charter.

“The question is can we transfer the philanthropy to a new mission,” Gavin Brown said.

16

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The WestCare Foundation isn’t technically a stand-alone foundation. The fundraising arm is part and parcel of WestCare itself, kind of like a committee or department within the hospital.

Funds raised by the WestCare foundation are kept and held by the hospital, unlike Haywood where an independent foundation holds its own funds and make grants to the hospital for specific projects or needs.

But WestCare follows the wishes of a foundation committee on how the money it has raised should be spent, and donors will still stipulate what projects they want their contribution to go toward, Steve Brown said.

WestCare spokeperson Lucretia Stargill said the foundation will be spun off from the hospital, and would become a new entity of some sort whose mission is no longer tied to supporting the hospital.

The bigger question is what will happen to WestCare itself once it sells the hospital to Duke LifePoint. Stargill declined to answer any questions related to that.

Hospital officials have declined to talk about what will happen to the money they get from the sale (it will not go to the county like in Haywood), whether WestCare would continue to exist, whether it would become obsolete, or whether WestCare would retain some sort of ownership stake of the hospital under Duke LifePoint.

Opinion My family will miss the Shoney’s on the hill

Smoky Mountain News

I

Nothing wrong with teacher pay plan To the Editor: Regarding the plan to give some teaches a pay raise: I cannot for the life of me see anything wrong with this plan. Good teachers get a raise and the others are encouraged to do better. Teachers should not get a raise just because they are teachers.

I'm a third shift factory worker. Every year we get a review, and only the best workers get a raise. Like the state, the company has a limited amount of money available. Other workers are encouraged to do better. Some may be let go and encouraged to do something else for a living.

Yes it is possible that I may have upset the plant manager in some way, and he won't give me a raise no matter what my job performance. It is not a perfect world. This is a problem that everybody in the world faces … except teachers.

But the solution to this is not to give everybody a raise and guarantee a job through tenure. Doing this would soon put the company out of business. With teachers, we can try to prevent this through more openness and parent involvement in the evaluation process.

If an obviously great teacher is not offered a

loaded up and headed to Shoney’s to graze from the breakfast bar while bleary-eyed daddy, trying to function on five hours of sleep at best, consumed approximately 45 cups of coffee in a single hour while the kids colored or invented exciting new games with tiny cubes of cantaloupe and honey dew melon.

As the kids grew ever older, we found that our trips to Shoney’s were not quite so frequent as they once had been — though we were virtually certain to hit the breakfast bar twice per month — but we also found that Shoney’s became a place for us to celeColumnist brate certain milestones. There was a birthday dinner or two in there, but mostly the milestones were connected to certain specific accomplishments.

We will certainly never forget my daughter’s acting debut when she was 10 years old. She played a sassy girl named Alice in a local production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” and she just nailed it, if you want the absolute truth instead of false humility.

We decide to celebrate, of course, with a round of hot fudge cakes for the family and her best friend, Rose, but on the way out of the theater, her grandmother fell and injured her arm.

My wife accompanied her to the emergency room and insisted that I take my daughter, her friend and my son on to Shoney’s, where we would eat our hot fudge cakes while I did my best to keep the focus on her performance, while reassuring her that her grandma would be OK. Every ten minutes or so, I slipped outside to call and check on grandma while watching the kids through the big plate glass windows gouging away at their desserts as my daughter reenacted certain key scenes from the

Chris Cox

f someone had told me 30 years ago that someday I’d be sentimental about a Shoney’s restaurant closing down, I would have laughed out loud and accused them of being delusional. I guess I’ve always had a soft spot for their potato soup and hot fudge cakes, which I used to order as a kid when my parents took us there on infrequent trips out of town, but it is nothing I’d ever get misty-eyed over, anymore than I would over a three-piece original recipe chicken plate from Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Then again, 30 years ago, I could not have foreseen the unlikely role Shoney’s would wind up playing in my family history. Not just any Shoney’s, but this particular Shoney’s, sitting high on its perch in Waynesville like an enormous neon bird watching over the bustling traffic on U.S. 23-74 while keeping one wary eye on Lowe’s across the way.

Over a decade ago, before my son was born and when my daughter was still in diapers, Shoney’s somehow became the restaurant where we ate most often, even though it was no one’s very favorite. The main thing it had going for it was that no one much cared whether my daughter built castles fashioned from artificial sweetener packets on the table, or dropped her sippy cup 12 times in half an hour, or smeared peas on her high chair.

Once in a while, we would have awkward moments in other restaurants as some less tolerant diners cast steely glances at us now and then when our daughter acted her age and not like the 2-year-old adult they imagined she should be. But in Shoney’s, we felt comfortable, and welcome. And we liked their potato soup and hot fudge cakes.

After my son was born, we relied on Shoney’s even more, not just as a “safe haven” for the unpredictable behavior of children in restaurants, but as our default source of sustenance whenever mom or dad were just too exhausted or too busy to make dinner … or breakfast. Many was the morning that we

raise, we know there is something wrong.

There is no reason why teachers can't live by the same rules as everybody else. Good workers get a raise. Others are encouraged to do better, or do something else. And no one is guaranteed a job.

Larry Rhodarmer Candler

Don’t fix what isn’t broken To the Editor: We have heard much from GOP Gov. Pat McCrory and some leaders in the state legislature about our “failed” Medicaid program.

This “fix” is despite the fact that Community Care of NC (CNCC), which manages care for 1.4 million of the 1.6 million state Medicaid patients, was recognized nationally in April 2013 as the model for delivery of Medicaid services.

Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., presented an award to CNCC from the Healthcare Leadership Council, a national group of healthcare CEOs, for quality AND efficiency and in particular praised the high quality of care delivered to patients in rural areas.

However, Art Pope’s Civitas Institute has allocated funds to discredit the Medicaid pro-

17

play.

If my son’s little league team won a big game, we were off to Shoney’s. If someone did well on a report card, or got a certificate at camp, or worked hard all day in the yard, or finally learned to master that bicycle without training wheels, we went to Shoney’s.

When we heard a few months ago that the Shoney’s would be closing, we knew then that it would represent something to us that we could not quite express. The months passed, and we saw the demolition of the motel across the street, then David’s Home Entertainment store and the closing of Taco Bell. Finally, word came of the closing date for Shoney’s — Feb. 6.

So on Saturday night, we packed up one last time — this time with the camera — and we headed to Shoney’s. We parked and took turns making pictures of each other in front of it, so that the big red neon sign glowed over our heads. Then we went in and had our server make a picture of us at our table before a nice lady in the adjacent booth offered to take over, explaining that she had some experience as a photographer and would be delighted to help.

We ate our potato soup, our meals and our hot fudge cakes. My wife made a picture of those as well. My son, who will be 9 years old in three weeks, colored the Shoney’s bear with purple and red crayons, and then we found the words in the puzzle and figured a way out of the maze. We had our usual tug of war over spending money on the crane game, paid the bill, and made our way back out into the night air, a little chillier now.

“Well, that’s that,” I said, because what else could I say? If I tell my kids that they’ll be sentimental about a Shoney’s 30 years from now, they’d probably just laugh and accuse me of being delusional.

(Chris Cox is a writer and teacher who lives in Haywood County. He can be reached at jchriscox@live.com.)

LETTERS gram, the purpose seeming to be to further reduce funding to the program.

So what are the governor’s plans? He wants to privatize Medicaid. He wants to take this award-winning, efficient, patient-centered program and turn those state dollars over to several mega insurance companies and managed care HMOs. It is his belief that a private business can better run such a large program and save our tax dollars.

However, as has been shown with Medicare, a much larger program, only 1 percent is spent on administration. In contrast, managed care HMOs take 15 percent of health care dollars as profits.

Even if the state saves a few bucks (not a certainty), where does the 15 percent come from? It comes from reduced services to patients and further reductions in reimbursement to providers. Rural hospitals, especially, and providers depend on Medicaid income, but with increases in overhead and reduction in payments, many will not be able to survive and continue to serve those who need it most.

Having been in private pediatric practice in Franklin for 37 years (and with a Medicaid population of about 60 percent), I have dealt with the current N.C. system as well as the managed care system in Georgia. Hands

down, the current NC system much more efficiently serves the patients and is much more user friendly to the medical providers; there is far less red tape and fewer inexplicable denials of care than the managed care system in Georgia.

And there is that 15 percent profit going to insurance companies for performing a service the state can do for much less.

Please contact the governor, Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and Rep. Roger West, RMarble, and tell them the system is not broken; don’t “fix” what is not broken.

Frederick A. Berger, M.D. Franklin

GOP pulls a fast one on ‘tax cuts’ To the Editor: I hate paying taxes. So when someone promises to lower my taxes, they have my attention. Most people feel the same way. In 2010, every Republican running for office in N.C. promised to lower my tax bill. They all got elected. And sure enough they lowered taxes. The problem is they did not lower my taxes. You see, I don't make more than

S EE LETTERS PAGE 18

LETTERS

Smoky Mountain News

February 19-25, 2014

opinion

LETTERS, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 $84,000 a year. I make less, so my taxes went up, just like eight out 10 N.C. citizens.

How could a lower tax rate cause my taxes to go up? Easy, you eliminate those tax breaks for the middle class and the poor.

Gone is the Earned Income Tax Credit; a program actually started by conservatives to aid poor working families. Gone are the deductions for college savings accounts. The personal exemption allowance is eliminated.

Business pass-through income deductions and private pension deductions are eliminated. These and many other â&#x20AC;&#x153;adjustmentsâ&#x20AC;? to the tax code directly result in higher taxes for most of us.

Just in case we did not get the message on who benefits from this new tax plan, the legislature increased the sales tax on many services we use every day. The sales tax is the most regressive of all taxes because it burdens the poor and middle class the most.

Just how focused was the Republican legislature in helping out their rich friends? Well, two-thirds of all the tax cuts will go to the top 1 percent of N.C. taxpayers.

The tax rate for large corporations has been cut to 5 percent this year and possibly down to 3 percent in 2017. This windfall for large corporations, together with the tax breaks for the top 20 percent of all taxpayers, will result in a revenue shortfall of more than $650 million a year. That is $650 million less for teacher salaries, road and bridge repairs, investments in higher education, money for county and city governments, and

in general, all those things we depend on statewide.

So how did the Republicans justify this massive shift in taxes from high-income citizens and large corporations to the middle class and the poor? The answer is trickledown economics. You have heard it before.

Just give more money to the wealthy and large corporations and they will create jobs, jobs, jobs. Some actually believe this. In reality, study after study over the last 50 years shows that if you give more money to rich, they just get richer.

Jobs are created when the middle class has more money to spend. Corporations come to a state with excellent education systems, an educated work force, a well-maintained infrastructure and a politically stable society. Taxes are usually last on their list.

Most experts agree that this new â&#x20AC;&#x153;reformâ&#x20AC;? tax plan will actually cost us jobs in the long run.

So the next time Republicans promise to cut taxes remember they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t talking about you.

Louis Vitale Franklin

Pat the polluter is helping old friends To the Editor: The old clichĂŠ of follow the money continues to be true, and now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s close to home.

Fracking firms donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t care about rights

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Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s connect the dots. â&#x20AC;˘ Pat McCrory elected governor of North Carolina in 2012. â&#x20AC;˘ McCrory was an employee of Duke Energy for 28 years. â&#x20AC;˘ Duke Energy executives, families of executives, and political action committee contributed $1.1 million to McCroryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s campaign for governor. â&#x20AC;˘ Environmental groups sue Duke three times to get coal ash dumps owned by the power company cleaned up, through the Federal Clean Water Act. â&#x20AC;˘ N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources steps in to head off the lawsuits, claiming that it will handle the problem, and levies small fines on Duke Energy. â&#x20AC;˘ Amy Adams, regional director of the agency, resigns, stating, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Under the new administration, North Carolina has changed the definition of who its customer is from the public and the natural resources it protects to the industry it regulates.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Coal ash pond owned by Duke Energy erupts, dumping 82,000 tons of coal ash â&#x20AC;&#x201D; enough to fill 73 Olympic sized swimming pools â&#x20AC;&#x201D; into the Dan River. â&#x20AC;˘ Tests of the river water show elevated levels of heavy metals in the water â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and arsenic. â&#x20AC;˘ Turns out that none of this is new to Duke Energy; it has a history 14 groundwater and wastewater violations at ash ponds.

So, Pat, you worked with a lobbying law firm. Is your role in this misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance?

Rick Bryson Bryson City

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To the Editor: Here are just a couple thoughts about fracking. My home water supply is spring fed, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve not been too impressed with what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m reading about local municipal water efforts. All my neighbors are either using spring water or wells. I see no good reason to trade perfectly good spring water for a city water bill based on some pie-in-thesky fracking companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promise of free money sitting under ground. Whenever I hear â&#x20AC;&#x153;free money,â&#x20AC;? I assume someone is trying to con me.

Worse than that is the forced pooling allowed under the new law (General Statutes 113-393. Development of lands as drilling unit by agreement or order of Commission.)

If James Womack's Mining and Energy Commission of the DENR lumps me into a drilling unit, then my property rights go out the window. Some landowners around me are my neighbors, but some are out-of-state and out-of-country investors who'll only look at the potential income from drilling versus the loss in property value.

Forced pooling lets this unelected bureaucrat sell me down the river for what?

Maybe a few bucks and legacy of poisoned well water.

So suppose I don't lease and I manage to stay out of a Forced Pooling Drilling Unit.

Now my property rights are safe from the

DENR Mining and Energy Commission trespass, right? Hardly.

N.C. General Statute 113-420 gives gas speculators authority to trespass without my permission, to go looking for gas and make undefined â&#x20AC;&#x153;alterationsâ&#x20AC;? to the property surface, all with little more than a note in the mail and a company badge. General Statute 40A-3 gives energy companies authority to take my land by eminent domain if they want to build roads or pipes moving their gas across my front lawn.

Some people have convinced their towns and counties to put up legal hurdles between themselves and Womack's DENR robber barons, and it might be a good idea to do the same here before the hills are crawling with gas speculators looking to rip off landowners.

Garrett Lagan Alarka

The TEA Party is who is making change To the Editor: Recent elections in Haywood County have seen Republicans getting elected. Some of this activity is due in part to the Active TEA Party in Haywood County (www.912wnc.com).

Nationally, the TEA Party gets a lot of media attention because of this success.

Some Republicans in office may be afraid they will be ousted in GOP primaries because of their voting records. So these politicians may attack the TEA Party.

TEA Party people are elected on principles instead of party control. The establishment politicians worry. Lobbies in D.C. lose control. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We the Peopleâ&#x20AC;? get better representation.

Locally, the Republican Party may be attacked, but the TEA Party is not to blame.

Yes, these Republicans have been distracted from their true tasks of helping elect Republicans.

To get elected, Republicans need everyone from all parties and unaffiliated voters.

This â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Tentâ&#x20AC;? voter base includes TEA Party supporters, unaffiliated independent voters, Libertarians and Democrats.

The local GOP gets along with the local TEA Party. Even fiscally conservative Democrats understand the TEA Party. I remember a president who said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what YOU can do for your country.â&#x20AC;? My have things changed (and not for the better!)

The TEA Party spends time educating the public. Offering â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;meet and greetsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with candidates, elected officials, authors and movie directors. The TEA Party does not get involved in local Republican Party organization. It certainly does not disrupt meetings.

When Democrats attack the TEA Party Republicans, they are showing fear of the TEA Party. They want to reduce the influence of a growing movement. They want to win elections â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but they are not speaking the â&#x20AC;&#x153;truth.â&#x20AC;? So listen carefully to the complaints about the TEA Party. It may be coming from Democrats.

Watch what the TEA Party

F

Jackson TDA working hard for the county Letter to the Editor: hile I currently serve as chairperson of the Jackson County Tourism Development Authority, I wish to make clear that I am speaking as a private citizen and my comments may not reflect the collective opinion of the TDA. First, I wish to thank news organizations for their coverage of the formation and deliberations of this TDA. Having served six years with Jackson County Travel and Tourism Authority, I can say that this is the most attention the media has paid to the tourism efforts of Jackson County that I have seen in many years.

The statement made in a recent Sylva Herald editorial, “… a robust tourism industry is critical to everyone in Jackson County …to a great extent, we rely on visitation dollars,” is quite accurate. And no one knows that better than those the county has selected to direct the development of that segment of the economy just how critical it is. As the writer indicated, the impacts of tourism on the Jackson County economy are far-reaching. But it does all start with getting those “heads in beds.” That is the catalyst for all of the benefits that the paper listed in the editorial.

You see, each one of those who sit on the Tourism Development Authority was selected because of their connection and understanding of the industry based on ownership

W

Haywood room tax hike just a bad idea

That is not what the TDA charter was when it was created. Its purpose was to bring more tourists and lodging business into the county, primarily through marketing and advertising. If the county wants a baseball park, they should fund it from the general revenue (of which I am also opposed), not on the backs of inns and lodging business owners. News flash: Baseball teams from area cities are not tourists. Most of them pack coolers and eat off their tailgates.

They're not big spenders for tourism.

I want this TDA tax increase idea to die and stay dead. You’re already getting 4 percent of the gross income of every lodging business. That’s in addition to the 7 percent that’s already being collected (4.75 percent state, 2.25 percent county). Deal with it. If you insist on more taxation, let’s share the pain. You think I’m squealing? Let’s talk about a TDA restaurant plate tax.

Larry Wright Maggie Valley

Early Bird Discounts Available Until March 15th

Mountain Dell Equestrian Learn More & Register at: www.MountainDellEquestrian.com 228-50

We’ve Moved! 142 N. Main St. OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! MONDAY-SATURDAY 10-6 • SUNDAYS 1-5

Mostly Local, Always Sustainable

FEBRUARY

LOVE THE LOCALS SPECIAL:

10 OFF all NC-Grown or produced items %

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5TH SUN SPECIALTIES

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To the Editor: I see the notion to hike the Haywood County bed tax by 50 percent has risen again. Some bad ideas just never die.

The TDA leadership smells a way to boost their till, and like a kid and a cookie jar, they will not be denied. Thankfully we had individuals in the legislature like Sen.

Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and Rep. Michele Presnell, R-Burnsville, who understand that raising taxes just because a few people want to is not a good enough reason to do so.

I thought we put this idea to rest in the last session. It was an ill-conceived idea to increase the TDA tax by 50 percent (from 4 cents to 6 cents per dollar). They said “we could do all sorts of great things if we could just boost the revenue by $450,000.” Mind you, that’s in addition to the nearly $1 million dollars they’re already collecting from innkeepers and lodge and cabin owners!

What great things are you doing with that? Their stated reason was to, um, what was the stated reason again? I heard rumblings about building a baseball park. In Canton. Or an ice skating rink. Seriously? So you build a building, and baseball fields, and fences, and seating and parking areas. Who is going to pay the salaries and benefits to those for manning it? Maintaining it?

Insuring it? The TDA?

If you child is interested in riding but has never been on a horse before we have a beginners program for them.

If they are an experienced rider who wants to work on more advanced skills we have a program for them too.

See you soon!

February 19-25, 2014

“does”… understand why they are doing it.

Think about the big issues. Do not listen to the gossip of fear.

The TEA Party is open to all conservative-minded people. If the TEA Party wants to vote Republican, then the GOP should embrace them. Along with anyone else that wants to vote Republican.

Al Goodis Waynesville

or management. They have a vested interest in the success of efforts being put forth.

Unlike some, their income is tied to the dollars the TDA invests in enhancing and promoting the Jackson County tourism brand, accommodations, amenities and attractions.

And what they are doing is working. So much so, in fact, that in the first six months of the fiscal year, occupancy tax collections increased by 8.2 percent. That number is adjusted so that the 1 percent occupancy tax increase does not inflate the percentage (so actual collected revenue is even higher than the 8.2). Using the vernacular of the editor, I would say that the Board not only “burned rubber,” but left the previous revenue figures in the dust. Growth in that collection is one of the metrics of success that lets the board and the public know that efforts (and dollars invested) are bearing fruit.

Again, to use the analogy of the writer,

youngsters often make fun of what they don’t understand. We, as citizens, need to be reminded occasionally that an opinion page is just that — opinion. Even if it is brought forward by those who normally bring us the “news” and even if it is peppered with facts, a person (journalists included) is not required to be accurate or correct when giving their opinion in print.

Insinuating that the TDA paid for two words shows a gross misunderstanding of what it takes to produce a slogan or brand concept, brand creative and the associated research, which is also a product of the effort. And to declare that the TDA is spending money frivolously is an insult to each of those who are putting heart and soul into efforts to improve Jackson County’s tourism product, image and help the overall economy of Jackson County grow. The TDA’s actions are not frivolous, they are deliberate and they are not only working; they are showing increase.

I invite you, as citizens and media, to attend our monthly meeting and see firsthand what is going on in the TDA. I can do that as a citizen; those meetings are public and open to everyone. Again, as the opinion writer stated, tourism is important to Jackson County. We should all be working to enhance it and not tear down those who are volunteering to lead it.

Robert Jumper

Insinuating that the TDA paid for two words shows a gross misunderstanding of what it takes to produce a slogan or brand concept, brand creative and the associated research, which is also a product of the effort.

Horsemanship Adventure Weeks

Saturday, Feb. 22 • 2-5 p.m.

Tasting of tortilla chips, salsas and hot sauces with Michael Hernandez

828.452.3848

www.sunburstmarket.com www.facebook.com/sunburstmarket

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tasteTHEmountains

THURSDAYS: SOCIALLY CONSCIOUS

MOVIE NIGHT!

FEB. 20, 6:30 P.M.: “FOOD FIGHT”

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

LIVE MUSIC STARTING @ 7PM FEB. 21: LIZ & AJ NANCE FEB. 22: ERIC HENDRIX & FRIENDS

S PRING S TREET, D OWNTOWN S YLVA CREPES, PANINIS, SOUPS, SALADS, GOURMET PASTAS WINE & BEER

CityLightsCafe.com 228-29

Bridget’s Bistro at the

228-23

Herren House

Love The Locals SPECIAL:

Buy One Brunch or Lunch, Get a Second One

Half OFF! 94 East St. • Waynesville

February 19-25, 2014

Open for Sunday Brunch 11-2 • Lunch 11:30-2 Wed.-Fri.

68585

828-452-7837 www.herrenhouse.com

Frogs Leap Public House

Innovative Southern Cuisine with a local backbone & homegrown libations ARTISAN BREADS & PASTRIES

COMETRY OURNEW MENU!

Voted #1 Restaurant Waynesville/Canton 2013

Love the Locals 2014 Tuesday:

Free Snack w/2 Cocktails

Wednesday:

1/2 Price Wine

Thursday:

1/2 Price Bottle Beer

Smoky Mountain News

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All Natural Meats Fresh Bread Daily Scratch Made Soups 228-19

Fair Trade Coffee & Espresso

18 North Main Street Waynesville • 452.3881

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44 Church Street Waynesville

SUN-THR: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

828-456-1930 Lunch & Dinner Tues.-Sat. Open Sundays May-October

ASHEVILLE: 60 Biltmore Ave. 252.4426 & 88 Charlotte St. 254.4289

frogsleappublichouse.com

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; slowsimmered 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. Call-ahead BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Dinner nightly from 4 p.m.

Closed on Sunday. We specialize in handcut, 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 through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (takeout only 5 to 6 p.m.) Closed Saturday and Sunday. Serving Mediterranean style foods; join us for weekly specials. We roast our own ham, turkey and roast beef just like you get on Thanksgiving to use in our sandwiches. Try our chicken, tuna, egg and pasta salads made with gluten free mayo. Enjoy our variety of baked goods made daily: muffins, donuts, cinnamon buns and desserts.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. Mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view. Join us for plentiful buffet-style dinners on Fridays and Saturdays, and long winter holiday weekends. Dinner is served from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in winter and includes pot roast, Virginia ham or herb-baked chicken, complemented with an assortment of seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer.

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.

CITY BAKERY 18 N. Main St. Waynesville 828.452.3881.

Winter hours: Sunday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday & Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 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, specializing 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.

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.

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 house-made 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.

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 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.

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

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

Tuesday-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 FRYDAY’S & SUNDAES 24 & 26 Fry St., Bryson City (Next To The Train Depot). 828.488.5379. Frydays is

tasteTHEmountains open; but closed on Wednesdays. Sundaes is open 7 days a week. Fryday’s is known for its Traditional English Beer Battered Fish & Chips, but also has burgers, deep fried dogs, gyro, shrimp, bangers, Chip Butty, chicken, sandwiches & a great kids menu. Price friendly, $3-$10, Everything available to go or call ahead takeout. Sundaes has 24 rotating flavors of Hershey's Ice Cream making them into floats, splits, sundaes, shakes. Private seating inside & out for both locations right across from the train station & pet friendly.

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.

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.

LUCIO'S RESTAURANT 313 Highlands Road, Franklin.

828.369.6670. Serving Macon County since 1984. Closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday.

Lunch Wednesday-Friday 11:30 a.m. until.Dinner Wednesday-Saturday 5 p.m. until. Owned and operated by Tanya and Dorothy Gamboni. Serving authentic Italian and continental cuisine including appetizers, pastas, poultry, veal, seafood, steaks and homemade deserts. Selection of wine and beer. Lunch and Dinner menus. Wednesday and Thursday nights only. 1 appetizer and 2 selected entrées with unlimited salad and Lucio’s famous garlic rolls for $24.95.

Winter Special: half-off house wines, Friday and Saturday only. luciosnc.com 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 loacted in the Smoky Falls Lodge. 828.926.7440.

Open Thursday through Saturday, 4:30 to 9 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

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.

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.

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

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.

PASQUALE’S 1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. 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 indoor, 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 Bar open Monday thru Saturday; dining room open Tuesday thru Saturday at 5 p.m. Full service restaurant serving steaks, prime rib, seafood and dinner specials.

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.

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.

THE WINE BAR 20 Church Street, downtown Waynesville.

828.452.6000. Underground cellar for wine and beer, served by the glass all day. Cheese and tapas served Wednesday through Saturday 4 p.m.-9 p.m. or later. info@classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST

Imposters

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND

Sharkadelics

228-11

83 Asheville Hwy. Sylva Music Starts @ 9 • 631.0554 228-03

Café

Deli & So Much More 6147 Hwy 276 S. • Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station)

bbcafenc.com • 828.648.3838 Mon.-Fri. 8-5 • Closed: Sat. & Sun.

Burgers to Salads Southern Favorites & Classics -Local beers now on draft-

February 19-25, 2014

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 nightly 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.

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.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Live Music on the Patio Tues.-Fri. Call to see who’s playing.

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

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. 228-38

228-08

We’ll feed your spirit, too.

ITALIAN

MEDITERRANEAN

STEAKS • PIZZA CHICKEN • SEAFOOD SANDWICHES OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK 1863 S. MAIN ST. WAYNESVILLE 828.454.5002 HWY. 19/23 EXIT 98

Smoky Mountain News

228-07

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

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

BRIDGING FAITH, MUSIC AND APPALACHIA —

Mountain Faith

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER Summer McMahan remembers the exact moment her life changed.

“Mountain Heritage Day [at Western Carolina University], 14 years ago,” she said. “I watched the Fiddlin’ Dill Sisters and decided that’s what I wanted to do.”

Singer and fiddler in the Sylva-based gospel/bluegrass group Mountain Faith, the 20-year-old was just a kid that day at WCU, but the dream had been set in stone. Soon after, she went to a pawn shop and purchased her first banjo. But, it was a chance encounter with fiddler J.W. Stockman that sealed McMahan’s fate as to her instrument of choice.

“When I saw J.W. Stockman play the fiddle, I had to have one,” she said. “And I started lessons the next week with Amanda Dills in Sylva. I had always loved singing though, and I’ve been singing since before I could talk.”

From then on, it was all about bridgSummer McMahan ing her passions for life with the melodic sounds echoing from her soul.

“Ever since then, we’ve worked hard at developing our music.

There wasn’t a particular moment that I thought we had something special,” she said modestly. “I just know it’s what we were born to do. I wouldn’t have been given such a huge love for it if it were not what I’m supposed to be doing. I enjoy every second of it — even the many hours I’ve spent in the van traveling.”

FAMILY TRADITION

Alongside McMahan onstage is her father Sam (bass), brother Brayden (banjo), Dustin Norris (mandolin) and Luke Dotson (lead guitar). Soaked in multiple vocal harmonies and an angelic Appalachian tone, the sextet has rapidly gained notoriety in Western North Carolina and beyond. Amid regional accolades and acclaim, the band was recently nominated for eight awards by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America.

“To me, it’s all about keeping mountain music alive,” 19year-old Brayden said. “When I’m onstage, I think about the crowd. I watch my fingers playing, but I feel like it’s happening without me doing it — it’s second nature, it just happens.”

“I love the gospel side of the music we play because it touches people — that’s why we do what we do,” Summer noted. “To lift people’s spirits and remind them there’s hope, there’s nothing like seeing tears stream down someone’s face when you’re singing a song.”

The musical roots for both Summer and Brayden run deep.

Their mother exposed them to bluegrass, while Sam brought the gospel side of things to the table. The siblings were constantly around music wherever their family was. If there was a get-together, there were bountiful opportunities for musical collaboration and education.

Based out of Sylva, Mountain Faith has been making a name for themselves in Western North Carolina and beyond with their unique blend of gospel and bluegrass harmonies and melodies. Donated photo

McMahan, Nicholson to perform solo show Mountain Faith fiddler Summer McMahan will be performing at a release party for her new solo album, “The Story of My Life,” at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 8, in the Community Room of the Jackson County Courthouse in Sylva.

McMahan’s record includes guest appearances by Buddy Melton (Balsam Range), Corey Hensley (formerly of the Doyle Lawson band) and Katie Fortner. The performance will be followed with a show by the Darren Nicholson Band at 7 p.m.

Mandolinist for Balsam Range, Nicholson will also be promoting his recent solo album, “Things Left Undone,” at the event.

Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased at the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce office in Sylva. The event is sponsored by Champion Credit Union and The Sylva Herald, and is being put on by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.

828.586.2155 or www.mountainlovers.com.

“I feel so blessed to have all of this musical influence in my life,” Summer said. “Many people would love to be able to sing or play an instrument, so I never want to take my God-given ability for granted.”

And it’s that deep family bond within Mountain Faith that is its greatest asset.

“I wouldn’t trade playing with my dad and brother for anything in the world,” Summer said. “We’ve all grown so close, just from being on the road with each other. Luke and Dustin might as well be brothers, too. We’re really a tight-knit band.”

“Summer is one of the most talented people I know, Brayden could live happily with nothing but a yo-yo, Luke is about to get married, and Sam enjoys a loving family every-

day,” 22-year-old Norris added. “Our recent successes and honors have been unbelievable, and I can only hope things continue as the Lord wills.”

THE CREATIVE PROCESS Plans are already in the works for Mountain Faith to hit the studio this summer to record its debut album. Coming into that endeavor, Summer is excited to be able to put her melodies on tape. When coming up with a melody, she starts with a key line or phrase, and then works off of it from there, adding more and more pieces until the number is ready for the stage.

“I have a ‘secret room’ that you can access through my closet,” she said. “Once you get through the crawl space it opens up into this good-sized room with two large windows.

That’s where I go to sing, play and write. The room overlooks our farm, and it’s probably my favorite place to be besides onstage.”

And when they’re onstage, the members of Mountain Faith find themselves immersed in the melodic beauty of the universal language. It is in that moment where the ensemble feels not only at home, but also channeling the power that connects the heavens above to the joyous faces below.

“I don’t know exactly what music does to people. I guess it affects everyone differently,” Brayden said. “What my thought is, is that everyone listens to music and it touches them because the songs are about something they’re going through or something they have been through.”

“I love nothing more than singing and playing, and seeing a smile on people’s faces,” Summer added. “Ultimately, I’m thinking about the people in the audience. I don’t know what they may be going through at the time, and what I say and sing is to let them know that everything will be OK. I just want them to feel better when they leave than they did when they arrived.”

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This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

First Citizens Bank • Founded in Smithfield, NC on March 1, 1898 • Headquartered in Raleigh • One of the largest family controlled banks in the US with assets totaling more than $21 billion • Operates more than 400 offices in 18 states with 5,000 employees • 3 branches serving Haywood County with more than 15 employees (Park Street in Canton, Walnut Street and South Main Street in Waynesville) • First Citizens Bancshares includes First Citizens Bank — a full service commercial bank; First Citizens Investor Services — a full service brokerage firm that offers financial planning and investments; and First Citizens Insurance Services — insurance firm offering everything from pet insurance to life insurance.

• In 2013, First Citizens was named to Forbes Top 20 Banks in America and was named Money magazine’s Best Midsize Regional Bank in the US in 2012. They maintain a 5 Star Superior rating with Bauer Financial.

• Locally, FCB is proud sponsor and participant with Relay for Life, the March of Dimes, Haywood Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and of course, the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. Each year, First Citizens Bank hosts an Annual Community Shred Day which offers a free safe way for community members to dispose of sensitive documents and papers.

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I ski in jeans. make final adjustments on my equipment, There, I said it. And I’ve been doing it for take a deep breath and launch myself into years — as far back as I can remember. Ever the wintry abyss. since I was a child, when the snowflakes With each turn, my body becomes more started to drift down from the heavens, I hit and more in rhythm with the earth the slopes. And this past week, the pickins’ beneath my skis. Like a maestro in front of were ripe in Western North Carolina. an orchestra, I sway back and forth — My phone vibrated on the nightstand last smoothly, effortlessly, but with a keen Wednesday morning. It was my publisher. The nearby clock was proof positive of how early I thought it was. He asked if I wanted to go skiing. It was a nobrainer. Within the hour I was on the mountain at Cataloochee Ski Area. The moment I sat on that chairlift, I was home — a feeling in my soul that has existed my whole life.

Raised in the Champlain Cataloochee Ski Area.

Valley of Upstate New York, I was Paul Heathman photo surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains to the West and the Green Mountains of Vermont to the east. Legendary ski resorts like Jay Peak, Mad River Glen, Whiteface, Stowe, Smuggler’s Notch and Mont-Tremblant were Robin Thicke performs at 8 p.m. Feb. 25 at all within a couple hours drive.

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But before I could tackle those majestic vertical drops, my eager Brushfire Stankgrass will play at 9 p.m. Feb. elementary school self had to 28 at the Water’n Hole Bar and Grille in learn at Beartown Ski Area, a tiny Waynesville. bunny hill for little kids and patient parents. I was told to The Squirm Burpee Circus hit the stage at 5 make a “pizza slice” with my skis p.m. March 2 at Western Carolina University. when I wanted to slow down, and to turn them straight like a What Matters, an anthology of poems, will be “French fry” to go faster. Needless read at 3 p.m. Feb. 22 at City Lights to say, “pizza slice” was my go-to Bookstore in Sylva. move for those first few trips to the hill.

CaroMia Tiller performs at 7 p.m. Feb. 21 at Eventually, I got more confiThe Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. dent in my abilities. I let go of the “pizza slice” philosophy and went straight into “French fry” runs down the slopes. Many-a-time, I’d fall, and sense of direction and intent. The matters fall hard. But, I always got back up, and was of the day slowly fade to the back of my ready for more. Skiing, like life, requires balmind, where now the utter beauty and pasance, patience, skill and a strategy for a persion of being completely immersed in fect execution of a plan. nature takes center stage.

As a teenager, I was hooked on fresh The massive snowstorm left roads last powder days, small lift lines and cute snow Wednesday silent and empty. But, for those bunnies. Jumping into my old Toyota Camry, lucky few that made it to Cataloochee, it was my high school chums and I took off on the glorious. I found myself with a grin ear-toweekends in search of the perfect trail. In ear, only to be greeted by the same exprescollege, it was all about weekend cabin ski sions from any and all I cross paths with on trips around New England, where hot tubs, the trails. Fresh powder as far as the eye cold beer and former girlfriends filled our could see, with each ride proving better than visions. After college, I took my first reportthe previous. ing job in eastern Idaho, amid the Grand “Skiing? In the South?” my northeast Teton Mountains — a skiers paradise of and western friends questioned after I told chest-high powder, endless trails and riders them of my snowy exploits. Yep, and it was from all corners of the world. glorious, and just another of the innumerBut, at the heart of it all remained the able reasons why I choose to reside in this snow. Once the lift dropped me off at the outdoor paradise that is Western North top, the downhill was mine for the taking. I’d Carolina.

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Squirm Burpee Circus to perform at WCU The Squirm Burpee Circus will perform at 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina

University. The performance is part of the 2013-14 Galaxy of Stars Series.

Billed as fun for the whole family, the show features a Cirque du Soleillike aesthetic, with highenergy acts such as the Human Cannon, the Ladder of Love and chainsaw juggling, along with classic comedy routines, hilarious romantic antics and more.

The performance centers on the Baron Vegan von Hamburger, who is the humble host of the show and the sworn enemy of the Squirm Burpee Circus. Von Hamburger is in a constant struggle with Mike the Handsome and Dashing Dave, a pair of world-class jugglers and vaudeville performers Tickets are $20 for adults; $15 for WCU faculty and staff; and $5 for students and children. Tickets are $15 per person for groups of 20 or more and $10 per person for groups of 50 or more.

828.227.2479 or www.bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

Open call for actors at Highlands Playhouse

Email wdpatti@gmail.com for appointments.

Entering its 76th season, the Highlands Playhouse will hold an open call for both equity and non-equity actors on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Auditions will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the playhouse and from 3 to 6 p.m. in the Blackbox Theater at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School. The playhouse is casting for its 2014 Summer Season — “Little Shop of Horrors,” “Pippin,” and “9 to 5.”

Actors should prepare two contrasting 32bar songs in the style of the shows, as well as a one-minute comedic monologue. An accompanist will be provided, with sheet music to be brought to the audition. Walk-ins are welcome, and will be seen as time permits. Attach a headshot and resume with your email.

Callbacks, if any, will be held on-site.

‘The Vagina Monologues’ to stage at WCU

On the street Chili competition heats up in Maggie Valley The Maggie Valley Chamber “Chili Challenge” will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at the Maggie Valley Inn & Conference Center. Alongside chili tasting, there will be awards given for an array of categories. To enter the competition, there is a $10 fee for chamber members, $15 for all others. To taste the entries, the fee is $5 per person. 828.926.1686 or teresa@maggievalley.org.

A benefit performance of “The Vagina Monologues” will be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 28 and March 1 in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center at Western Carolina University.

Proceeds from WCU’s production of “The Vagina Monologues” will go to the V-Day Foundation as well as to REACH of Macon County, which provides services in Macon and Jackson counties; the Clean Slate Coalition; and the WCU Sexual Violence Awareness Fund. $6 in advance, and $8 at the door. ica@wcu.edu or 828.227.2276.

On the beat Grammy Award-winning black string band Carolina Chocolate Drops will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 3, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

The group formed in 2005 after three Durham-based musicians began meeting weekly with Joe Thompson, a black old-time fiddler with a short bowing style who was in his 80s. What the group offered was fresh interpretations of styles of southern black music from the 1920s and 1930s, including string-band music, jug-band music, fife and drum and early jazz. The band’s membership has grown and evolved over time, and its repertoire began to incorporate more blues, jazz and folk balladry alongside string-band

Robin Thicke comes to Harrah’s

The Western Carolina University Symphony Band will present its Winter Concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.

The concert will feature a variety of music including works of composers Dan Forrest, Julius Fucik, Ronald LoPresti, Alfred Reed and Robert Sheldon.

Free. 828.227.7242.

The Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Donated photo

tunes. Their awards include a Best Traditional Folk Album Grammy for the album “Genuine Negro Jig.” Tickets are $5 for WCU students and $10 for the general public. www.bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 828.227.2479.

Donated photo

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• Americana/roots singer Rachel Brooke and Brushfire Stankgrass will hit the stage at the Water’n Hole Bar and Grill in Waynesville.

Brooke will play Feb. 22, with Brushfire Stankgrass, Feb. 28. Both shows begin at 9 p.m. and have a $3 cover charge.

828.456.4750.

• The “Winter Pickin’ in the Armory” will be at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at the Canton Armory. The event includes mountain music, vintage country, clogging and dancing.

Featured performers will be the Dixie Darlings and Mountain Traditions cloggers, with live music from Heart of the South. The “pickin’” is every first and third Friday of the month. www.cantonnc.com.

• An open mic night will be held on Feb. 20 at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville.

828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

• Americana group Granville Automatic will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at Fontana Village Resort. The duo has created a quiet and lyrical sound devoted to telling stories from the past. 828.498.2211.

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• The Reed Trio will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25 in Coulter Building at Western Carolina University. Free. 828.227.7242.

• Dylan Riddle, Rachel Brooke, Natty Love Joys, Barnyard Stompers and Red Honey will perform at No Name Sports Pub in Sylva. Riddle plays Feb. 20, with Brooke Feb. 21, Natty Love Joys Feb. 22, Barnyard Stompers Feb. 27 and Red Honey Feb. 28. All shows are free and begin at 9 p.m. 828.586.2750 or www.nonamesportspub.com.

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9 am • Pinnacle Park • Sylva 7 mile trail race 2700’+ elevation gain All proceeds benefit The Community Table of Sylva Visit us on facebook or email barwatt@hotmail.com for info Logo courtesy of SCC Graphic Design Students

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Smoky Mountain News

Shop

• The Mixx, Twisted Trail, an open mic, bluegrass jam and DJ KO will play Alley Kats Tavern in Waynesville. The Mixx performs at 8 p.m. Feb. 20 and Feb. 27, with Twisted Trail at 9 p.m. Feb. 22, an open mic every Monday, a bluegrass jam every Tuesday, and DJ KO at 9 p.m. Feb. 21 and Feb. 28. 828.226.7073.

• CaroMia Tiller will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. $10 minimum purchase on food, drink or merchandise. 828.452.6000.

February 19-25, 2014

world-renowned for his hits “Give It 2 U,” “Lost Without U,” “Magic” and seminal summer 2013 anthem “Blurred Lines.”

Tickets are $39.50, $40 and $49.50.

800.745.3000 or www.harrahscherokee.com.

The Denture

Winter Choral Concert at WCU Two student choral ensembles will perform at the Winter Choral Concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Coulter Building in Cullowhee.

The University Chorus will sing choral compositions and arrangements by Maurice Greene, W.A. Mozart, Dan Bird, Robert De Cormier and Jeffery Ames. The Concert Choir will perform three selections from “Shaker Songs” by Kevin Siegfried as well as “Three Nocturnes” by Morten Lauridsen.

Free. 828.227.7242.

Robin Thicke.

Pop sensation Robin Thicke will perform at 8 p.m. Feb. 25 at Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center.

Born in Los Angeles, Thicke taught himself to play piano at the age of 12 and by 16 was writing and producing songs for artists like Brandy, Color Me Badd and Brian McKnight. By the age of 21, he had written and produced songs on more than 20 gold and platinum albums including those by Michael Jackson, Marc Anthony, Pink, Christina Aguilera and others. He’s

WCU symphony band winter show

arts & entertainment

Chocolate Drops to perform at WCU

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On the wall

arts & entertainment

WCU exhibit of artwork by local students Bookstore COFFEE WITH THE POET

Artist Wendy Cordwell will hold a live painting demonstration from 1 to 5 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 22, at Gallery 86 in Waynesville.

The demonstration is part of the exhibit “Local Flavors” that will run through March 29 at Gallery 86 in the Haywood County Arts Council at 86 N. Main St, in Waynesville. www.haywoodarts.org or www.themahoganyhouse.com.

Thursday, Feb. 20th at 10:30 a.m.

WHAT MATTERS an anthology featuring Pat Riviere Seel and former NC poet laureate Kathryn Byer.

Attendees are welcome to share in poetry, essay or discussion what matters to them.

Saturday, Feb. 22nd at 3 p.m.

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Artwork from local school students will be on display Feb. 28-March 21 at WCU. Donated photo

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An exhibit of artwork by local students in kindergarten through 12th grade will run Feb. 28 through March 21 in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

A public reception for the exhibit will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, March 2, at the Arts Center. The winners of this year’s exhibit will be announced during the reception. WCU art education students and Bardo Arts Center staff members will serve as judges for the entries.

The annual exhibit at WCU is a celebra-

Smoky Mountain News

tion of Youth Art Month, a nationwide recognition of visual arts programs and the role they play in the nation’s public schools. The student artwork will include drawings, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, basketry, printmaking and book arts.

Event sponsors include WCU’s School of Art and Design, College of Education and Allied Professions and Art Education Club, and the Jackson County Arts Council, Jack the Dipper, Claymates of Dillsboro and Dillsboro Chocolates. etapley@wcu.edu or 828.227.3598.

Painter Wendy Cordwell will host a demonstration on Feb. 22 at Gallery 86 in Waynesville. Donated photo

Penland School plans open house The Penland School of Crafts Community Open House will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1.

Demonstrations and hands-on activities will be held in the clay, iron, metals, photo, printmaking, textile, glass and wood studios. Visitors will have opportunities to create their own crafts with the help of professional instructors. The open house is supported by the United Way of Mitchell County and Dr. Taylor Townsend.

Free. Glass activities are limited to visitors 12 years of age and above. www.penland.org.

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Live painting demo at Gallery 86

Donated photo

Hewitt to give ceramics demonstrations at WCU Kristen Hammett, DVM Susan Bull, DVM Joel Harrington, DVM Morgan Scholhofer Plemmons, DVM Annelie Yarkovich, DVM

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North Carolina potter Mark Hewitt will hold ceramics demonstrations and give an artist’s talk Thursday, Feb. 27, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Demonstrations of the art of throwing ceramics will be from 9:30 a.m. until noon and from 1:30 p.m. until 4 p.m. in Room 151. Hewitt will give an artist’s talk at 5 p.m. in Room 130.

Hewitt specializes in planters and jars and uses local clays in his pieces. His work has been featured in Smithsonian magazine and on the cover of American Craft magazine. He has exhibited throughout the United States and in London and Tokyo.

Hewitt’s visit to the WCU School of Art and Design is funded by the Randall and Susan Parrott Ward Endowed Fund for Ceramics. All events are free and open to the public. jbyrd@wcu.edu or 828.226.3595.

Reception, showcase for Macon painter A reception and conversation with artist Lizzy Falcon will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 25, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Her paintings and sculptures will be on display at the library for the month of February.

Falcon’s work has a whimsical and emolike feeling. Thematic threads of her work are

grey-toned girls with one big eye, as Big Eyes Art and the Lowbrow Art movement have had a major impact on her. She uses grey tones for her characters to avoid assigning them race or ethnicity. www.lizzyfalconart.com.

• A canvas tote bag workshop will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb 28, at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office in Sylva.

Attendees will learn to make a fully lined, market tote that is roomy and functional. These canvas tote bags make great handmade gifts and are the perfect project for beginning crafters. Class cost is $5 per person. 828.586.4009.

ALSO:

Books

Smoky Mountain News

27

A poetic description of a savage time t took me almost a year to read this book.

I kept losing it, leaving it in restaurants and other people’s cars. However, the major reason for the delay was that I didn’t want to finish it. I kept going back to the beginning and becoming enamored again and again of a young Jake Roedel’s surreal journey through the killing fields of “Bloody Kansas” and Missouri during the final years of the Civil War. I have always been a slow reader, but Woodrell’s narrative brings out the bovine in me; like a cow, I Writer like to re-digest Woodrell’s gift for narrative that is a blend of courtly and biblical speech, imaginative details and dark humor.

Consider this description of the terrified flight of the residents of Lawrence, Kansas, in 1863:

Gary Carden

I

All that season they were driven to us. Woeful widows with hung husbands and squalling babes. White-haired grannies with toothless mouths and fierce feeling. Hard-faced farm boys who would now apprentice themselves to the study of revenge.

The infamous burning of this benighted town and the slaughter of some 200 of its citizens, like many of the outrages committed by the First Kansas Irregulars, is an act of revenge. For Jake Roedel and his comrades, the war is deeply personal. It is retribution for the hangings of fathers and the burning of homesteads by Jayhawkers and Union troops. Frequently, these men ride chanting the names of their hated enemies. Jake searches for the man who shot his father, and Riley Crawford searches for a treacherous Union officer named Major Grubbs who has become famous for his atrocities against women and children. “I want to kill him,” he tells Jake, who notes that Riley “had been weaned from hope and only bloodshed raised his morale.”

And again, Jake finds this nightmarish scene on a wooded hillside in Cass County:

High in the branches, seasoned beyond recognition, there swung seven noosed rebels. It was macabre and altogether eerie. The bodies draped down through the leaves like rancid baubles in the locks of a horrible harlot.

Kansas Irregulars for a spell, share a bottle and the spoils of a few raids, and then they vanish ... off to keep another rendezvous.

Out of the numerous memorable passages in Woe to Live On, several are unforgettable.

One deals with the acquisition of a mail pouch In such a hellish setting, life, death and that is packed with letters written by wives, random murders become commonplace and mothers and sweethearts. Jake, being literate, whimsical. Jake is quickly transformed into a is elected to read the letters aloud. In one galloping demon who sports a necklace of pis- instance, a dying Union soldier is forced to listols, chanting rebel yells, firing his weapons ten to a letter from his wife. Initially, Jake’s indiscriminately and striking down both the companions find the letters amusing, but as time passes, they yearn to hear them again, and begin drawing a kind of solace and inspiration from them. Some are nothing more than catalogs of personal grief while others are erotic, touching and poignant. As the First Kansas Regulars move through this blighted and torn landscape, camping in remote coves, Jake is asked to read the letters again and again. (It is interesting to note that Woodrell read collections of letters much like the ones Jake reads. This experience probably influenced Woodrell when he came to create the speech of his characters.)

Time and time again, Jake stumbles on scenes of slaughter that leave him benumbed. The roads are clogged with refugees, many of which are starving, frightened children. “It just let the grease right out of your heart to see them,” he says as he watches these hapless survivors creep through miles of burned and scorched earth, where nothing but lone chimneys stand where farms and villages once prospered.

Jake participates in a prisoner exchange in which captured Union Woe to Live On by Daniel Woodrell. Little, Brown and prisoners are offered for rebels that Company, 2012. 225 pages. are slated to be hanged. Not only does the barter fail, it also starts a innocent and guilty. In the course of this tale, series of brutal executions, beheadings and he finds himself riding with notorious folks: heedless slaughters that leave Roedel haunted William Quantrill, Frank James, Coleman by images and dreams that he will carry for Younger — dangerous men who ride with the the rest of his life.

Jacar Press anthology poetry reading in Sylva Former North Carolina poet laureate Kathryn Byer and others will read from What Matters, an anthology of poems, at 3 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 22, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

The anthology features poetry by Byer, Pulitzer Prize winner Claudia Emerson, MacArthur Foundation Genius grantee Thylias Moss, National Book Award finalist Alan Shapiro, Yale Series of Younger Poets award Fady Joudah and 90-plus other writers.

The book focuses on questions, answers, meditations and explo-

rations on the why and how of living. Byer, Richard Krawiec and Pat Riviere Seel will read from the anthology.

City Lights Bookstore and Jacar Press will donate a portion of sales to The Community Table of Jackson County.

828.586.9499.

Fox to showcase work at Coffee with the Poet Writer Samuel Fox will present his work at the Coffee with the Poet Series at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, at City Lights

At such times, as he shares a meal and another bottle of pop skull, he asks his companions a singular question: Why? This unanswered question troubles Jake throughout Woe to Live On. He is asking why he and his companions are suffered to live. It is as though he is waiting for some divine power to intervene. Why have he and his ilk not been wiped from the earth? And further, why is the human race allowed to continue breeding and murdering?

Yet, out of this carnage and suffering are born two remarkable events. In time, Jake’s closest friend becomes a freed slave named Holt, who rides with the First Kansas Regulars for no discernible reason other than the perversity of chance. Holt is a contradiction to the entire war and he rides and murders with the same deadly zest as Jake. Why is he here?

And yes, there were many like him as the old photographs of Quantrill’s Raiders attest.

Slowly, a bond develops between these two men that transcends war and allegiance.

The second event is passion. Yes, Jake Roedel, who prides himself on his long rebel locks and his bachelor state, finds romance in the midst of war. Her name is Sue Lee and she is pregnant by one of Jake’s companions, Black John. After devoting considerable time to describing his puzzlement at all things having to do with sex and women, Jake finds himself married to Sue Lee, a black-haired, smartmouthed hussy with a chipped tooth (and Jake thinks he knows how the tooth got chipped). Some folks think that Jake is the father of Sue Lee’s child, but in fact, the father is Black John, a man that Jake admires. (One of the most moving scenes in this novel is the one in which Jake chews up raw potatoes and feeds them into the mouth of Black John, his dying companion.)

So, in the final pages of Woe to Live On, Jake shaves his rebel locks, abandons his cavalier clothing and loads his new wife and child into a wagon, preparing to be yet another GTT (Gone To Texas) migrant. The reader is left to ponder his fate. Will he survive, or will he end up a victim of the ever-present violence that flourishes on the road? I would like to know that Jake Roedel survived, and I am hoping for a sequel.

Bookstore in Sylva.

Fox is the 2014 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Collegiate Poet for the 34-county Western Carolina region. His work has been published in Full of Crow, 13 Magazine, and The Nomad. He currently attends Western Carolina University as an undergraduate and is involved with the Asheville slam poetry scene. He moonlights as a jazz guitarist and is working on a book of poems titled Fierce Anatomies. He also works at Hunter Library’s Special Collections on WCU’s campus.

The Coffee with the Poet Series is co-sponsored by the Netwest Chapter of the North Carolina Writer’s Network, which meets at 10:30 a.m. every third Thursday.

828.586.9499.

Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

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Jessica Duke holds an American bullfrog after catching it from a pond off of Ranger Falls Trail in Macon County.

Donated photos

Snug as a frog in a bog Study finds success in amphibian pond project

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ake an evening walk through the woods this time of year, and odds are you’ll hear the grumpy quacking of a male wood frog, showing off for the ladies. The sound promises the return of warm days and growing gardens, even as icy temperatures fill the forecast.

For Jessica Duke, this harbinger of a new season coincides with the end of an old. The Western Carolina University graduate student is wrapping up a year of study on behalf of local amphibian species like the wood frog, and what she’s found offers encouragement for animals that are up against some hard times.

The roots of Duke’s work began a decade ago, when Doreen Miller, who recently retired from the U.S. Forest Service, began building temporary ponds in the Nantahala National Forest in 2003. Wetlands are often the first habitats destroyed or damaged when human needs conflict with ecological ones, and for most amphibian species, they’re vital.

Wetlands provide a place to mate and lay

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eggs, and for the tadpoles or larvae to grow into adults. The pools were intended as a lowmaintenance way to fulfill these species’ habitat needs during the critical breeding season.

“The idea was to create pools that would dry in the late summer or early fall,” Duke said.

Spring rains would fill the ponds, and frogs and salamanders would have plenty of time to hatch and develop before the summer heat dried them. The only problem was that nobody really knew whether that’s what was actually happening.

“Since the creation of most of the ponds,

“The Southern Appalachians have the highest diversity of salamanders in the world, depending on how exactly you count them.”

— Joseph Pechmann, WCU professor

there’s been little follow-up monitoring,” Duke said.

So she did the only logical thing: At the suggestion of her advisor, WCU biology professor Joseph Pechmann, Duke brought her master’s thesis to the forest. Of the 60-plus ponds, she studied 50 in Macon and Jackson counties, visiting each during April and May 2013 to determine how many were actually capturing those spring rains. Half of them retained the water, so she visited that set of 25 three more times that year, taking data at each in late spring, early summer and late summer.

The goal was to figure out which species were using the ponds and to find out what characteristics were most important in making them amphibian-friendly. To that end, Duke looked at everything from the ponds’ depth, temperature, pH and surface area to their position on the landscape — elevation, slope, aspect, habitat type and shading. The species count, though, was the most telling measurement. Duke listed all the species that she might expect to show up to her study sites, a roll of 12. By the end of the summer, she knew who to mark absent.

“I found a lot of wood frogs, American toads, spring peepers,” she said.

Though 10 of the 12 species showed up, she didn’t find any mole salamanders or marbled salamanders. But those species tend to be rare in Nantahala National Forest anyway.

“If the salamanders were in the area of my created ponds, I’m confident that I would have found them using my ponds,” Duke said.

A HARD KNOCK LIFE The results are encouraging, Duke said, because amphibians sometimes have it tough.

They breathe through their skin, so they’re susceptible to harm from any pollutants that find their way into the water they need to survive. They can have very specific environmental needs, so when temperature norms change or a wetland disappears, they have a hard time responding. Some fall prey to invasive species such as fire ants and feral hogs, and others are victims of poaching. But for Pechmann, these vulnerabilities are just part of what makes them so interesting.

“What draws me to amphibians

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Meet the neighbors Amphibians can be easy to miss. They’re usually small creatures — with the notable exception of the hellbender, which can reach two feet in length — and live hidden lives under rocks and beneath streambeds. But you might be surprised how easy it is to get to know your slimy-skinned neighbors.

This time of year, frogs are your best bet for an amphibian sighting. Wood frogs are already calling, and spring peepers start sounding soon. Before you know it, the evening will be full of froggy choruses. Venture out at night, preferably after a rain when the temperature is over 50 degrees, and you’ll likely have luck. Frogs especially like to hang out at woodland ponds, so seek out some waterways and bring a flashlight if you’d like to see one, rather than just hear the chorus. And if you’re wanting to bone up on your frog call repertoire beforehand? Visit www.herpsofnc.org and click through their frog call library.

And as the weather gets even warmer, you can look around for salamanders. On a warm, damp night, seek out the higher elevations and shine a headlamp around. Look carefully, and you’ll probably see some crawling. Or if you’d rather embark on a daytime excursion, head out to the woods and turn over rocks in small streams and on the forest floor. But remember to be a good neighbor.

“You want to remember to put the rocks back so you don’t wreck their homes,” Pechmann said.

Fisheries society honors Bill McClarney Senior Scientist and Aquatic Program Specialist Dr. Bill McLarney, a senior scientist and aquatic program specialist for the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee (LTLT), has been selected as the 2014 recipient of the Fred A. Harris Fisheries Conservation Award by the North Carolina Chapter of the American Fisheries Society.

McLarney, a Franklin resident who divides his time between WNC and Costa Rica, will receive the award at the Society’s annual meeting in late February in Durham.

The Fred A. Harris Fisheries Conservation Award, established in 2002 by the N.C. Chapter of American Fisheries Society, recognizes non-Chapter members who have distinguished themselves by service or commitment to the Chapter or to the fisheries resources of North Carolina. The timing of this award coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Aquatic Biomonitoring Program that McLarney established. Since the program began, more than 2,000 volunteers have participated in monitoring activities at more than 150 sites. This work has generated the largest fish-based biomonitoring database in the world for any comparablysized watershed, according to the LTLT.

February 19-25, 2014

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outdoors Smoky Mountain News

ways the Forest Service might be more sucis that they’re understudied creatures that cessful in building future ponds. Her recomoften suffer from threats,” he said. “I’m also mendations started with those 25 ponds interested in complex life cycles, and they’re that weren’t holding water at the beginning one of the flagship groups for complex life of the season. No water means no breeding, cycles.” and a pond that dries up too quickly means That’s a true enough statement. Frogs, desiccated tadpoles on the forest floor. It’s for instance, hatch from their eggs as tadno surprise, then, that ponds that held poles. That larval stage can last upwards of water longer were more successful amphibfour months. After that, it takes days or ian breeding grounds. The question is, how weeks longer for their legs to develop as their tails shrink away to nothing. Then there are salamanders, which may hatch either on land or in the water, depending on the species. Most go through a larval stage before growing into adults, but some skip that stage entirely and hatch as mini-adults. Others never fully assume an adult form.

Some species live underwater until they leave as adults, while others live an entirely aquatic life.

The possibilities are dizzying, but not quite as dizzying as the sheer diversity of species, especially in this corner of the world.

“The Southern Appalachians have the highest diversity of salamanders in the world, depending on how exactly you count them,” Pechmann said. Western North Carolina has 48 species of salamander and 11 Jessica Duke handles a dip net at Moss Knob Pond in of frogs. And those numbers Jackson County, the first pond she visited for the project in keep growing — though locally the growth is limited April 2013. mainly to salamanders — because modern DNA testing do you build a temporary pond that’s not now allows biologists to distinguish nearly too temporary to function? identical-looking organisms into different “So far, it looks like landscape position species. is a big factor in how long the pond holds “To identify some of them, you need a water,” Duke said. Characteristics like map and a GPS,” Pechmann said. whether a pond faces north or south, how much of it is shaded by trees and what kind PLASHING TOWARD AN of slope it’s on all feed in to how long that AMPHIBIOUS FUTURE pond is able to stick around, and ultimately, how much good it does for a frog looking Duke, though, had a pretty good bead for a place to woo his honey. on which species she was looking for. Of the “I hope I can provide good feedback to 25 water-holding ponds she studied, 22 overall future creation of these ponds,” contained amphibian species, including the Duke said. larval stages that indicated they were able The overall goal, of course, is to offer to breed there. one more avenue for these little-noticed Those numbers, Duke said, indicated creatures to continue making their home in that Miller’s original pond project was the Smokies. They may not be as conspicu“pretty overall effective.” Salamanders, ous as black bears or as charismatic as elk, toads and frogs were using them during but the Smokies without its amphibian resimating season, as intended, producing a dents wouldn’t be the Smokies at all, new generation of offspring. Though no Pechmann said. vegetation was planted when the ponds “I think they add to our experience and were created, an impressive diversity of our quality of life, even if we don’t spend a plant life grew up around them — Duke lot of time looking at them,” he said. “An counted 34 different aquatic plant species. analogy is that different species are like the And all this happened without tying Forest instruments in a symphony. If you took Service employees up in an endless cycle of away the French horn, you may not notice it construction and maintenance. that much. If you took away the trumpet, “They actually, to my knowledge, have you would notice it a little bit more. If you not returned to any of those ponds,” Duke took away the brass section, it wouldn’t said. sound quite as good.”

But Duke’s results also showed her some

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outdoors

A beginning beekeepers school will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Haywood County Extension Service in Waynesville.

There will be complete informational handouts and discussions about the biology of bees, how to assemble and maintain a hive, how to buy and install bees, the diseases and treatments of bee colonies, how to use smokers and other equipment, and much more. Refreshments will be provided during midmorning and midafternoon breaks. Lunch will be on your own. There will also be door prizes and a package of bees (an $80 value) will be given out.

The class is $35 per person (or $45 for a family), which includes a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s membership in the local beekeepersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; association. In addition, a field day is planned for late April for hands-on learning in an apiary nearby. The Haywood Beekeepers Association is sponsoring the event.

828.456.3575.

Sign up for spring soccer in Jackson Jackson County spring soccer sign ups will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, Feb. 17-28, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at the recreation department in Cullowhee.

Participants must be 5 years old by Aug. 1. Cost is $40 for new participants and $35 for returning 2013 fall soccer participants.

Membership and sibling discounts are available.

Jonathan Parsons at 828.293.3053 or jonathanparsons@jacksonnc.org.

Swim lessons available at MedWest The Health & Fitness Center at MedWest Haywood is offering American Red Cross certified group swim lessons for children ages 3- 10 from Feb. 21 through April 6.

The classes are offered in six-week sessions and designed to prepare children for the summer swimming season. The interactive, progressive program allows children to continue improving their skills and become more comfortable with the water as they move through different levels.

The program is $30 for non-members and $50 for members.

Call 828.452.8080 or stop by the Health & Fitness Center to register children. www.medwesthealth.org.

New recreation center to host indoor triathlon An indoor triathlon will be held on Saturday, March 15, at the new Cashiers-Glenville Recreation.

Events include rowing, biking and running. Check-in will be from 8 to 8:30 a.m. The race will start at 9 a.m., with post-race snacks and awards. Age categories are 14-19, 20-29, 30-39, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79 and 80 and over.

Distances for each event are a 2,000-meter row, two-mile run and five-mile bike. Prizes will be awarded to the first overall male and female finishers and to the top three finishers in each age group. The cost is $30 for pre-registered participants and $40 for race day participants. Long sleeved technical tshirts are guaranteed to the first 50 registered participants.

Sponsored by the Jackson County Recreation Department. Register on imathlete.com or call 828.631.2020.

The Home You Want...Where You Want It!

Buy New, Buy Now

Smoky Mountain News

February 19-25, 2014

Beekeepers school held in Haywood

Franklin Building Center 335 NP & L Loop, Franklin, NC Hwy 441 Across from Franklin Ford 30

*Photos may show options not inculded in the base price of the home.

(828) 349-0990

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The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is seeking public comment on a proposal to build a new 36-stall barn at the site of the current Smokemont stables, which is about six miles north of Cherokee off U.S. 441.

The National Park Service proposes building the barn, a hayshed, manure storage shed, horse wash rack, office, covered tie stalls with up to 36 stalls, employee break

area, horse loading platform, firewood shed, water well and fencing with gates.

To see the EA, visit www.park planning.nps.gov/grsm and click on “Smokemont Riding Stables EA” link.

Comments must be received by March 14.

Comments may also be submitted on the NPS Planning website at www.parkplanning.nps.gov/grsm.

865.436.1207.

Hiking season with Friends of the Smokies starts March 11

Smokies Trails Forever fund.

The hike is an easy, 6.1-mile round trip with an elevation gain of 1,100 feet.

Participants will visit historic log cabins in the park and Little Cataloochee Baptist Church. Other hike destinations this year will be Ramsey Cascades, Kephart Prong, portions of the Appalachian Trail, Mountains-to-Sea Trail and a special overnight engagement in July.

outdoors

Public comment on sought on Smokemont stables project

Outdoors author and blogger Danny Bernstein will once again lead this year’s Friends of the Smokies Classic Hikes, which kick off March 11 with a trek to Little Cataloochee in the Great Smoky Mountains Little Cataloochee National Park.

Baptist Church Hikers will learn firsthand about a different park stewardship need that benefits from donations made to Friends of the Smokies, including hemlock wooly adelgid treatment, historic structure preservation, the Parks as Classrooms program and elk management.

Hikes are offered on the second Tuesday of each month. Each hike is $10 for current Friends of the Smokies members and $35 for non-members, who will receive a For the complete calendar of 2014 complimentary membership. Members Classic Hikes of the Smokies, visit who bring a friend hike for free. www.friendsofthesmokies.org/events.html Registration donations benefit improving Register by calling 828.452.0720 or emailtrails in the park through the Friends’ ing outreach.nc@friendsofthesmokies.org.

WATR meeting to focus on fishing, conservation

EcoCATS to host ‘Solar Spill’

Anyone who joins the Arbor Day Foundation will receive 10 free Colorado blue spruce trees.

The trees are part of the nonprofit foundation’s Trees for America campaign and help support the The Tree City USA program.

The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting, between March 1 and May 31, with enclosed planting instructions.

The 6- to 12-inch trees are guaranteed to grow, or they will be replaced free of charge.

Members also receive a subscription to the Foundation’s colorful bimonthly publication, Arbor Day, and The Tree Book, which contains information about planting and care.

Send a $10 contribution to Ten Free Colorado Blue Spruce Trees, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, Neb., 68410, by Feb. 28, or visit www.arborday.org/february.

The Canary Coalition and the Western Carolina University EcoCATS are hosting a “Solar Spill” demonstration at noon on Feb. 20 at the clock tower on the WCU campus.

EcoCATS stands for the Conservation Awareness Team for Sustainability, and the Feb. 20 demonstration is aimed at gaining signatures to encourage Duke Energy to allow customers to invest in sustainable energy.

The “solar spill” references recent problems Duke Energy has had with spills into the Dan River from a coal ash pond at a coal-fired power plant in eastern North Carolina. Solar energy supporters say it eliminates the potential for these kinds of environmental disasters.

Learn more online at www.canarycoalition.or claws.wcu.edu/ecocats/.

Neighbors caring for neighbors CarePartners’ Home Health professionals provide nursing, therapy, telemonitoring and personal care for patients in the comfort of their own homes.

With an office in Haywood County and a staff of professionals that live in your community, CarePartners is here for you when you need us.

To learn more about our Home Health Services in Haywood and Jackson Counties, call (828) 452-3600 carepartners.org

Winner of the Governor’s Award of Performance Excellence in Healthcare

Smoky Mountain News

Help Tree City USA towns

February 19-25, 2014

Paul Bourcq of River’s Edge Outfitters in Cherokee will be the featured speaker at the annual meeting of the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 at the parish hall of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Cherokee.

Bourcq will share highlights from his 20-plus years of trout fishing in the region and his ideas about the connection between fishing and conservation.

Bourcq was selected head coach for Team USA Youth Flyfishing Team and traveled to the Youth World Championships in France, where he led the team to a silver medal.

Ken Brown will also provide an update about Watch our Water, the association’s efforts to locate and reduce sources of sediment in Jackson County. www.watrnc.org.

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WNC Calendar

Smoky Mountain News

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Opt-In Community Workshops, Jackson County: 5:30 p.m. open house, 6 to 8 p.m. discussion Thursday, Feb. 20, Smoky Mountain Drive, Sylva; and Haywood County: 5:30 p.m. open house, 6 to 8 p.m. discussion Thursday, Feb. 27, Tuscola High School, 564 Tuscola School Road, Waynesville. www.optinswnc.org, Ben Brow, ben@placemakers.com; or 508.5002.

• Haywood County Project Lifesaver, a public safety program designed to protect and locate missing people due to wandering, 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, Bethea Welcome Center, 91N. Lakeshore Drive, Lake Junaluska.

Marian Badgley, 926.0018. Public invited.

• Affordable Care Act question and answer session, 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, Canton Branch Library.

Receive free one-on-one assistance before open enrollment ends on March 31. 648.2924.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • National Entrepreneurship Week, Feb. 17-21, at Haywood Community College, Clyde. Public invited Speakers, event and activities at www.haywood.edu/news.

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

No previous tax preparation experience is required. You will be trained and certified by local mentors using IRS and AARP Foundation training materials and guidelines.

Donald Selzer, 293.0074.

• 44th annual High School Mathematics Contest, Tuesday, March 25, Western Carolina University. Schools can apply to register students for the contest through Tuesday, Feb. 25. Contact Axelle Faughn, WCU associate professor of mathematics, 227.3829.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • Pancake Day, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, First United Methodist Church, 566 S. Haywood St. Waynesville. 456.9475.

• “Caring For Kids Yoga Class,” Mondays, by Feel Well Yoga at UUFF, 89 Sierra Dr., Franklin. 100 percent of all first-time participant donations and 10 percent of all ongoing collections go to KIDS Place. Space limited.

941.894.2898.

• Haywood County Tourism Development Authority marketing committee meeting, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, Conference Room, First Citizens Bank, Waynesville.

Jackson

• “Business Networking in Waynesville,” 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, The Gateway Club, 37 Church St., Waynesville. 367.0488.

• Lowe’s 2257 Sylva Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 21, 1716 N. Main St., Sylva. 586.1170 or log onto www.redcrossblood.org, keyword: Lowes

• iPad Users Group, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, JCPL. 586.2016.

Haywood

• Elected Officials Reception, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20, Laurel Ridge Country Club.

Sponsored by Haywood Chamber. Hors d’ oeuvres provided. 456.3021, mtinsley@haywoodchamber.com, www.haywoodchamber.com.

• Sequoyah Fund Entrepreneurship Course, Mondays, Feb. 24-March 10, Ginger Lynn Welch Building, 810 Acquoni Road, Cherokee. $60, register online at www.sequoyahfund.org, by emailing johnross@sequoyahfund.org, or by calling 359.5006.

• Computer class: Basic MS Word, 5:45 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 26, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Southwestern Community College cosmetology students are offering haircuts, manicures and nail tech services from 8 to 11 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, on Tuesdays through Thursdays at SCC’s Jackson Campus in Sylva. $12 for women and $8 for men.

Shampoo and style costs $10; other services offered at discounted rates. Limited afternoon time for reservations. 339.4238, southwesterncc.edu or rmccall@southwesterncc.edu.

• Ribbon Cutting, 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, Mountaineer Complete Care, 279 Paragon Parkway, Clyde.

• Register for classes at Haywood Community College for Spring Semester. Registration for short sessions is underway now by appointment. Call Student Services, 627.4500.

• “Love the Locals” through Feb. 28, downtown Waynesville. Special discounts for local residents.

• Free tax preparation assistance available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Friday and Monday, at the Jackson County Senior Center, Sylva and from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. by appointment every Tuesday at the Jackson County Public Library, Sylva. 586.2016 or 293.0074.

• Jackson County needs volunteers to provide free basic tax forms preparation and counseling for individuals.

BLOOD DRIVES

• Haywood Community College Blood Drive, 3 to 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 112 Industrial Park Drive, Waynesville. 800.733.2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org, keyword: HCC. • Waynesville Community Blood Drive at the Waynesville Masonic Lodge, noon to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Feb.24, East Marshall St,, Waynesville. Jennifer Stump, 231.6511.

• Junaluska Fire Department Blood Drive, 2 to 6 p.m.

Monday, March 10, 90 Old Clyde Road, Lake Junaluska.

Larry, 456.9934 or the American Red Cross at 800.733.2767.

Swain • Cherokee Indian Hospital Blood Drives, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, 268 Hospital Road, Cherokee. Sally Penick, 497.9163 ext. 6498 to schedule an appointment.

HEALTH MATTERS • Lunch and Learn with Dr. Kit Helm, 11:45 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, Angel Medical Center Dinging Room. Topic is “Heart Healthy Living: An Update.” 349.8290.

• Free blood pressure screenings at fred’s Pharmacy during February, American Heath Month. For each screening, fred’s will donate $1 to the American Heart Association, up to $50,000.

Daniel Taylor, 452.6789 or email drtaylor@haywoodnc.net.

• Spring soccer registration, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 1728 and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, Jackson County Recreation Department. Must be at least 5 years old by Aug. 1 to participate. $40 for new participants, $35 for returning 2013 Fall soccer participants. Membership and sibling discounts available.

Jonathan Parsons, Recreation Department in Cullowhee, 293.3053 or jonathanparsons@jacksonnc.org.

KIDS & FAMILIES • Macon Early College special presentation for homeschool parents and students, 12:15 to 12:45 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20, Meeting Room, Macon County Public Library. Presentation by Student Body President Noah Miller. nmill12@gmail.com.

• Nature Nuts: Fred the Fish – 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 24, for ages 4 to 7. Learn how various types of pollution affect fish in a mountain stream. Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. Register at 877.4423 or www.ncwildlife.org.

• American Red Cross certified swim lessons for children, ages 3 -10, starting Feb. 21, MedWest Health & Fitness Center, Clyde. Spots fill quickly. 452.8080, MedWestHealth.org.

• Eco Explorers: Fly-Tying – 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, for ages 8 to 13. Enjoy a morning learning the fundamentals and art of fly-tying. Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. Register at 877.4423 or www.ncwildlife.org.

• Mosaics and More, free art program, 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 21, Room 150, John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, Western Carolina University.

Children ages 6 and older will make a small mosaic plate, draw tessellations and create architectural dioramas around a theme of Middle Eastern aesthetics.

Donations appreciated. Register at 506.5748, Erin Tapley, associate professor and director of the art education program, etapley@wcu.edu.

• 7th annual Father-Daughter Dance, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22, Christian Learning Center of the First United Methodist Church of Sylva. Margaret Agee, 452-.820. $30 per couple, $5 for each additional daughter.

• Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group, 10:30 a.m. to noon, Saturday, March 1, MedWest Harris Hospital annex building. Brandi Nations, 770.519.2903, Teresa Bryant, 587.8214, or Jennifer Luker, 587.8242.

• Registration underway for high performance volleyball clinics, March 20-May 15, Recreation Center in Cullowhee. For girls in 5th - 8th grades. Limited to 20 in each class. $50.

Literary (children) • Homework Help, 3 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Mary Ann’s Book Club, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, MCPL, Franklin.

• Toddlers Rock! 10 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, Macon County Public Library, Franklin.

RECREATION & FITNESS • Discover the Heart of Yoga, 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, Meeting Room, Macon County Public Library, Franklin. Free and open to all levels. Taught by certified yoga instructor Robin Callahan. 524.3600.

• Adult Coed Indoor Soccer pickup games, 6 to 8 p.m.

Wednesdays, through March 26, Old Hazelwood Gym, 112 Virginia Ave., Waynesville. Players must be 18 years old & up. $3 per session or $20 for a season pass punch card and available for purchase at the door.

• Family Evening Story time: Paws 4 Reading, 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, Macon County Public Library, Franklin.

• Homework Help, 3 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Family Night: Blizzard Fun, 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time: Sledding, 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 21, JCPL. 586.2016.

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 • Children’s Story time: Blizzard, 3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time: World Thinking Day, 2 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 22, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time: Rotary Readers, 11 a.m.

Monday, Feb. 24, JCPL. 586.2016.

• Homework Help, 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, JCPL. 586.2016.

POLITICAL GROUP EVENTS & LOCAL GOVERNMENT GOP • North and South Jackson County Republican monthly meeting , 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24, Ryan’s in Sylva.

Others • Jackson County Patriots “Meet the Candidates,” 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, Ryan’s Steakhouse, Sylva. Two candidates for the NC State House of Representatives, Aaron Littlefield and Mike Clampitt, will be guest speakers. Ginny Jahrmarkt at Box547@aol.com.

A&E FESTIVALS, SPECIAL & SEASONAL EVENTS • Vendors, demonstrators, crafters and environmental groups are wanted for the 17th annual Greening Up the Mountains festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 26, downtown Sylva. Applications accepted through April 15. Reduced application fee for early registrations.

Applications at www.greeningupthemountains.com, Signature Brew Coffee Company or Sylva Town Hall.

226.8652, greeningupthemountains@gmail.com

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • National Dance Company of Ireland’s “Rhythm of the Dance,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Tickets are $20, $25 per person. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

• Rachel Brooke, 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, The Water’n Hole, 796 Main St., Waynesville. Free. www.rachelbrookemusic.com.

• Casting call 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, Highlands Playhouse, for Highlands Playhouse summer theater season. For an appointment, email Artistic Director William Patti at wdpatti@gmail.com.

• The Reed Trio, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, Coulter Building , WCU campus. Free. The trio includes WCU School of Music faculty members Terri Armfield, oboe; Shannon Thompson, clarinet; and Will Peebles, bassoon.

227.7242.

Library or www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity/ChocolateCookoffApplic ation_2014.pdf. All proceeds go to improvements at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 736.0612.

• WCU School of Music Winter Choral Concert featuring the University Choir and the Concert Choir, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, recital hall of the Coulter Building. Directed by Michael Lancaster, director of choral activities at WCU. Free. 227.7242.

• “In Praise of the Edges: Southern Food Studies from Appalachia to Texas,” 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, UNC Asheville, Karpen Hall, featuring Elizabeth Engelhardt, scholar and writer on food, culture and gender in the South. Engelhardt is the author of A Mess of Greens: Southern Gender and Southern Food (University of Georgia Press, 2011) and Republic of Barbecue: Stories Beyond the Brisket (University of Texas Press, 2009. 251.6592.

• “The Vagina Monologues,” 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, March 1, in the Grandroom of A.K. Hinds University Center, Western Carolina University.

Benefit performance for V-Day Foundation, REACH of Macon County, the Clean Slate Coalition; and the WCU Sexual Violence Awareness Fund. Tickets $6, in advance at A.K Hinds University Center in Room 330, the Department of Intercultural Affairs, or $8 at the door. Sales tax is included in the ticket price. ica@wcu.edu or 227.2276.

• Squirm Burpee Circus, 5 p.m. Sunday, March 2, Western Carolina University’s John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Tickets, $20 for adults; $15 for WCU faculty and staff; $5 for students and children.

Ticket prices are $15 per person for groups of 20 or more and $10 per person for groups of 50 or more.

227.2479 or tobardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

LITERARY (ADULTS) • Coffee with the Poet Series, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, City Lights Bookstore, featuring Samuel Fox, 2014 Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Collegiate Poet for Western Carolina. 586.9499.

• What Matters, an anthology of poems, 3 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 22, City Lights Bookstore. 586.9499.

NIGHT LIFE • Liz & A.J. Nance, Feb. 21; and Eric Hendrix & Friends, Feb. 22, City Lights Café, Sylva. www.citylightscafe.com.

• 9 p.m. shows at the No Name Sports Pub, Sylva: Dylan Riddle, Feb. 20; Rachel Brooke, Feb. 21; and Natty Love Joys, Feb. 22. Free. www.nonamesportspub.com.

• Open mic night, Feb. 20, The Strand, 38 Main St., Waynesville. 283.0079 or www.38main.com.

• Americana/roots singer Rachel Brooke, 9 p.m. Feb. 22, Water’n Hole Bar and Grill, Waynesville. $3.

456.4750.

MUSIC JAMS

DANCE • High Mountain Squares “Fifties Dance,” 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, Memorial United Methodist Church, 4668 Old Murphy Road, Franklin. Jim Duncan from Otto will be the caller. 371.4946, 342.1560, 332.0001, or www.highmountainsquares.org .

• Ballroom dance, 8 to 10:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21, Angie’s Dance Academy, 115 Glance St., Clyde. Live Ballroom Music presented by Paul Indelicato. Dress is smart casual, admission is $10. Ronnie, 734.8726 or Shirley, 734.8063.

FOOD & DRINK • 7th Annual Chocolate Cook-off deadline for entry is Monday, Feb. 24. Applications at the Marianna Black

• Rescheduled event: Reception and artist’s talk with artist Lizzy Falcon, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 25, Meeting Room, Macon County Public Library. lizzyfalconart.com or 524.3600.

• Rescheduled ceramics demonstration and artist’s talk with North Carolina potter Mark Hewitt, Thursday, Feb. 27, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.

Demonstrations, 9:30 a.m. to noon, in Room 151 and artist’s talk at 5 p.m. in Room 130. Born in Stoke-onTrent, England, Hewitt is the son and grandson of directors of Spode, makers of fine china. jbyrd@wcu.edu or 226.3595.

• Penland School of Crafts Community Open House, 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 1, Penland. 765.2359.

• Works by pet artists Janice Swanger and James Smythe exhibited through February at The Mahogany House Art Gallery and Studios gallery, 240 Depot St., historic Frog Level, Waynesville. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday to Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

246.0818.

CLASSES, PROGRAMS & DEMONSTRATIONS • Claymates Pottery fundraisers: Feb. 19-20, 30 percent of sales to Catman2 of Cullowhee; Feb. 27-28, 30 percent of sales to Cullowhee United Methodist Church. 31 Front St., Dillsboro,631.3133, www.claymatespottery.com.

• Artist Holly Hanessian reception and talk, 5 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 20, WCU’s Fine Arts Museum Star Atrium. Free.

• Oil painting demonstrations by Nick DePaolo 12:30 to 4 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 20, March 6 and March 20, Cedar Hill Studio and Gallery at Depot St., Waynesville.

• Art collage demonstration by local artist Wendy Cordwell, 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, Gallery 86, 86 N. Main St., Waynesville. 452.0593.

• Western North Carolina (wood) Carvers monthly meeting, 1:30 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23, Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Road, Asheville. Bruce Dalzell, 665.8273.

• Canvas Tote Bag Workshop, 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office, Sylva. $5. 586-4009 to register and get supply list.

• Minimum Wage (socially conscious movie), 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, City Lights Café, Sylva. www.citylightscafe.com.

• WATR annual meeting, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, St. Francis Episcopal Church in Cherokee in the Parish Hall on Old River Road behind the Econo Lodge.

WATRnc.org.

• Lincoln, 7:45 p.m. Friday, Feb 21 and 5 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, The Strand, 38 Main, downtown Waynesville. www.38main.com.

Outdoors OUTINGS, HIKES & FIELDTRIPS • First Classic Hike of 2014 , Tuesday, March 11, Little Cataloochee. Easy, 6.1-mile round trip hike with hiking expert and author Danny Bernstein register at 452.0720 or emailing outreach.nc@friendsofthesmokies.org, www.friendsofthesmokies.org/events.html.

PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS • “Getting to Know Your GoPro – GoPro Basics,” 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, REI Asheville. Free.

Register at www.rei.com/event/50858/session/85370.

• N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission public meeting for input in developing management plans for the Needmore game land in Macon and Swain counties, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, Tartan Hall, First Presbyterian Church, 26 Church St., Franklin. www.ncwildlife.org.

• “Jewels From the Sky,” 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, Sugarlands Visitor Center Training Room near Gatlinburg. Program on snow crystals presented by Kris Light. Register by Feb. 20.

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials want public input on Environmental Assessment of construction of new concession facilities at Smokemont Riding Stables. Deadline for comments is March 14.

See EA at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/grsm and click on “Smokemont Riding Stables EA” link. Or submit comments to NPS Planning website at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/grsm. 865.436.1207.

FARM & GARDEN • Macon County 4-H Spring Plant Sale, orders taken through Thursday, Feb. 20. Proceeds to Macon County 4-H. Fruit trees and plants. 349.2046.

• Knife Sharping Class, 1 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, WNC Supply, Inc. 320 US. Hwy. 441, Whittier, 497.7755. www.wncsupplyinc.com.

• “Growing Shiitake Mushrooms,” a mushroom workshop, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 25, Macon County Environmental Resource Center. Pre-registration required. 349.2046.

• 4th annual Grape Growers Conference, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, Madison County Cooperative Extension Office in Marshall. $25 paid in advance or $30 walk-in. www.GrapeSAVI.org.

606.3130 or Blethen@GrapeSAVI.org.

• Business of Farming Conference, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa. Sponsored by the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP). Features 20 workshops. $60, with a discount for multiple farm registrants.

Register at www.asapconnections.org/conference.

JOIN US FOR ARTS EVENTS AT WCU FEB. 25 | TUE. 7:30PM | COULTER BUILDING | FREE

Music: WCU Faculty Woodwind Trio FEB. 27 | THU. 7:30PM | COULTER BUILDING | FREE

Music: WCU Choral Ensembles FEB. 28 | FRI. 7:30PM | COULTER BUILDING | FREE

Music: Apollo Winds Concert MAR. 2 | SUN. 5PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $20

Theatre: The Squirm Burpee Circus

SAVE THE DATE: MAR. 6 | THU. 7:30PM | BARDO ARTS CENTER | $20

LECTURE: GLORIA STEINEM TALK

Smoky Mountain News

• “Picking in the Armory,” 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, Canton Armory, featuring the band, Hearth of the South, and the Dixie Darlings and Mountain Traditions cloggers. Food, refreshments at 5:30 p.m.

• Rescheduled event: Coffee and Chocolate Reception and Gallery talk for book artist and printmaker Matt Liddle, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 21, Rotunda Gallery in the Historic Courthouse, Jackson County Library Complex.

SmokiesInformation.org or call 888.898.9102, ext.

325, 222 or 254.

February 19-25, 2014

• The Mixx, 8 p.m. Feb. 20; Twisted Trail, 9 p.m. Feb. 22; open mic every Monday; bluegrass jam every Tuesday, and DJ KO, 9 p.m. Feb. 21, Alley Kats Tavern, Waynesville. 828.226.7073.

ART/GALLERY EVENTS & OPENINGS

Thursday, Feb. 20, City Lights Café, Sylva. www.citylightscafe.com.

wnc calendar

• Robin Thicke, with special guest Jessie J, 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 25, Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center, 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee. Tickets start at $58. www.Ticketmaster.com.

VISIT THE FINE ART MUSEUM FOR ONGOING EXHIBITS | FINEARTMUSEUM.WCU.EDU

FILM & SCREEN • New horror movie, 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, Meeting Room, Macon County Public Library, Franklin. Rated R for sequences of disturbing violence and terror. 524.3600.

• Food Fight (socially conscious movie), 6:30 p.m.

EVENTS ARE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE COLLEGE OF FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS AT WCU. JOIN FRIENDS OF THE ARTS TODAY! FOR MORE INFO – 828.227.7028 | ARTS.WCU.EDU 33

PRIME REAL ESTATE

INSIDE

Advertise in The Smoky Mountain News

MarketPlace information: The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.

Rates: ■ Free — Residential yard sale ads, lost or found pet ads.

■ Free — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $12 — 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.

■ $35 — 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.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

AUCTION

2 NEW LIVING ESTATES Fri. & Sat. from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Lots of Good Furniture, Home Decor, Art, Tons of Great Antiques, Everything Under the Sun! We are Frog Pond Downsizing Located at 255 Depot St., Waynesville. Look for the Frog on the Brick Building and You’ve Found Treasures & Bargains from the Origianl Estate Sale Company!

HARPER’S AUCTION COMPANY Dinner & Auction Fri. Feb. 21st @ 6pm. Lots of Great Deals up for Grabs... Primitives, French Provincial Bedroom Suite, Old Doors, Windows, Limited Edition Barbies, Home Improvement Fixtures, Noritake China, Japanese Figurines and Lots More!!!

47 Macon Center Dr., Franklin, NC 828.369.6999, Debra Harper NCAL# 9659 NCFL# 9671 Always Accepting Your Consignments Call for an Appointment.

REACH READERS ACROSS North Carolina for only $330. Run your 25-word classified line ad in 99 newspapers with one call to this newspaper or call NCPS 919.789.2083.

ARTS & 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

AUCTION DECOYS, HUNTING MEMORABILIA Auction- Roy Willis Lifetime Collection - February 21st & 22nd. Core Sound Museum, Harkers Island.

ONLINE BIDDING, Antique & handcarved decoys, hunting-sporting & rare coastal memorabilia. www.HouseAuctionCompany.com.

252.729.1162, NCAL#7889

WAYNESVILLE TIRE, COO

Serving Haywood, Jackson & Surrounding Counties

R

DI

SC OV ER 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

228-51

CARWILE AUCTIONS INC. Saturdays, February 22 & March 1.

Construction-Farm-Shop Equipment. Antiques-Personal Property.

Charlotte-Nottoway Co., VA. www.carwileauctions.com info@carwileauctions.com or 434.547.9100, (VAAR392) TAX SEIZURE AUCTION Saturday, February 22 @ 10am.

201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC. (East of Charlotte) Selling Vehicles, Road Tractors, Pickups, Motorcycles, Mechanic's Shop Equipment, 2007 Chevy Suburban, 25,000 miles! for NC Department of Unpaid Taxes.

704.791.8825 ncaf5479.

ClassicAuctions.com

ONLINE ONLY AUCTION W/ Bid Center, Custom Home & Lot Located in Pinehurst, NC, 2/28 at 8am to 3/7 at 3pm. Bid Center On Site, Iron Horse Auction Co., Inc., For more info 800.997.2248.

NCAL3936. www.ironhorseauction.com.

See Website for Details

BUILDING MATERIALS HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING 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 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 SULLIVAN HARDWOOD FLOORS Installation- Finish - Refinish 828.399.1847.

AUTO PARTS DDI BUMPERS ETC. Quality on the Spot Repair & Painting. Don Hendershot 858.646.0871 cell 828.452.4569 office.

CARS - DOMESTIC DONATE YOUR CAR Fast Free Towing. 24 hr. Response.

Tax Deduction. United Breast Cancer Foundation, Providing Free Mammograms & Breast Cancer Info 855.733.5472 DONATE YOUR CAR Fast Free Towing 24 hr. Response Tax Deduction United Breast Cancer Foundation Providing Free Mammograms & Breast Cancer Info 888.759.9782. SAPA 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.

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

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES BE YOUR OWN BOSS! Own a Yogurt, Dollar, Mailbox, Party, Teen, Clothing or Fitness Store.

Worldwide, 100% Financing, OAC. From $55,900 Turnkey! Call now 800.385.2160 or visit us at: www.drss3.com EXCITING NEW, LOW COST, Home Based Service Franchise. Be your own boss & “WOW” your customers with our easy to learn Tile & Grout rejuvenation services. Call: 1.800.401.9597 Visit: TheGroutGeeks.com SAPA PROFITABLE NORTH CAROLINA Businesses For sale by owners.

Many types, sizes, locations, terms. $25k to $15M. Other states available. www.BizSale.com Call 1.800.617.4204

R

EMPLOYMENT

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE SPECIALIST Part-time, 20-25 hours/week.

Sought for Environmental Nonprofit (Balsam Mountain Trust).

Email: mskinner@bmtrust.org for a complete job description.

AIRLINE CAREERS BEGIN HERE Get FAA Approved Maintenance Training Financial Aid For Qualified Students - Housing Available Job Placement Assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 1.866.724.5403 WWW.FIXJETS.COM. SAPA ATTN: DRIVERS 12 Pro Drivers needed. Full Benefits + Top 1% Pay. Recent Grads Welcome. CDL A Req 877.258.8782. ad-drivers.com CITY OF ALBEMARLE: Assistant Public Works Director. $54,891.20. Contact: NC ESC; city website: www.ci.albemarle.nc.us.

Deadline March 7, 2014. EOE

TRUCK DRIVERS WANTED Up to $7,500.00 Sign-On Bonus!

Top 100 Companies! Great Pay, Home Time and Benefits! Choose the Best Job! Apply at: www.TruckDriverJobOffers.com SAPA

HOME WEEKENDS. $1,000 sign on bonus. Regional flatbed. No tarp freight. Excellent pay and benefits. Owner/Ops welcome. Call 800.554.5661, ext. 331. www.tlxtransport.jobs FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Associate Degree Nursing Instructor. Deadline: March 19.

Grounds Technician. Deadline: March 3. 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 OPEN DECK High Mileage Expedited Fleet.

Clean, predictable freight. Heavy Haul and Specialized also available. Company Trailers AT NO COST. Details at www.dailyrecruiting.com or 1.800.669.6414

MULT-LEVEL NON-PROFIT Seeking individual with a disability to assist people with disabilities in setting and reaching goals to live more independently.

Must have outgoing personality, ability to work independently and ability to interact with local, state and federal agencies. Work experience and level of education will be considered. Applications available at DisAbility Partners, 525 Mineral Springs Drive, Sylva, NC 28779. Or on our website: disabilitypartners.org NEED MEDICAL OFFICE TRAINEES! Become a Medical Office Assistant at CTI! NO EXPERIENCED NEEDED! Online Training gets you job ready!

HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. Careertechnical.edu/nc.

1.888.512.7122 NEW PAY-FOR-EXPERIENCE Program pays up to $0.41/mile.

Class-A Professional Drivers Call 866.291.2631 SuperServiceLLC.com NURSING CAREERS BEGIN HERE Get trained in months, not years.

Small classes, no waiting list. Financial aid for qualified students.

Apply now at Centura College 888.893.3477

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT 20 ACRES Only $119/month, $0 Down, Owner Financing, No Credit Checks! Near El Paso, Texas. Beautiful Mountain Views! Money Back Guarantee.

1.866.882.5263 Extension 81. www.SunsetRanches.net SAPA

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Ann knows real estate!

Ann Eavenson CRS, GRI, E-PRO

ann@mainstreetrealty.net

506-0542 CELL 228-48

101 South Main St. Waynesville

MainStreet Realty

BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor shamrock13@charter.net McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

mainstreetrealty.net

228-45

Ellen’s clients said it best!

AUCTION - VILAS, NC Sat. Feb. 22nd. 3-Level Home on 20+/-Acres. Adjoining 30+/-acre tract. Main level 1620+/- sq ft.; granite; cherry cabinets; Jacuzzi. www.RogersAuctionGroup.com 800.442.7906 NCAL#685

HOMES FOR SALE

(828) 452-2227

Wa y n e s v i l l e O ff i c e 2 0 1 2 R a v i n g F a n Aw a rd

esither@beverly-hanks.com

Ellen

Sither

828.734.8305

beverly-hanks.com 228-47

VACATION RENTALS 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.CavenderCreek.com CALL NOW Toll Free 1.866.373.6307 SAPA

NONA A SWEET, AFFECTIONATE GIRL WHO LOVES TO PLAY. NONA HAS A BEAUTIFUL TORTOISESHELL COAT AND GLOWING AMBER EYES. SHE'S ABOUT 2 YEARS OLD, SPAYED, AND READY TO FIND HER FUREVER HOME. BO PEEP REALLY DOES NOT CARE MUCH ABOUT SHEEP. SHE IS MORE INTERESTED IN FINDING HER NEW BEST FRIEND. BO PEEP IS A MEDIUM SIZED MIXED BREED DOG WHO JUST ADORES PEOPLE. SHE GETS ALONG VERY WELL WITH OTHERS & HAS GOOD MANNERS.!

smokymountainnews.com

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400 Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

OFFICE HOURS: Tues. & Wed. 10:00am - 5:00pm & Thurs. 10:00am- 12:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

Phone# 1.828.586.3346 TDD# 1.800.725.2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

February 19-25, 2014

DRIVERS: OTR & Regional, Home Weekly/Bi Weekly Guaranteed! Paid Weekly + Monthly Bonuses, 90% No Touch/ 70% Drop & Hook, Paid Loaded & Empy/Rider Program BC/BS, Rx, Dental, Vision, 401K etc...

877.704.3773.

HIGHLANDS-CASHIERS HOSPITAL Positions now available: ER and Med/Surg Registered Nurses, C.N.A.’s, Radiologic Technologist, Inpatient Coder, and Rehabilitation Services Manager.

Benefits available the first of the month following 60 days of full-time employment. PreEmployment screening required.

Call Human Resources.

828.526.1376, or apply online at: www.highlandscashiershospital. org

EMPLOYMENT OWNER OPERATORS Average $3k/week! Be out up to 14 days, enjoy GUARANTEED home time! Weekly settlements. Pay loaded/unloaded. Class-A CDL & 1yr driving. Fleet Owners Welcome.

Operate under your own authority or ours! Call Matt 877.398.0657.

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Immediate Placement Available.

Best Opportunities in the Trucking Business. Call Today 800.277.0212 or www.driveforprime.com

WNC MarketPlace

12 PRO DRIVERS NEEDED. Full Benefits + Top 1% Pay. Recent Grads Welcome. CDL A Required. 1.888.592.4752.

SAPA

EMPLOYMENT

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

35

WNC MarketPlace

VACATION RENTALS

COMM. PROP. FOR SALE

FLORIDA DISNEY Area Hotels, Suites & Condo’s As Low As $39.00 per night! Call 1.855.303.5528 Promo Code: SAPA.

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT

IN FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA Convenient Location. Two Buildings, Approx. 5,000 sq. ft. of Storage and Offices. 17 Roll-up Doors. A Four Room Office with Bathroom; A Two Room Office with Bathroom Plus Shower; One Large Office with Bathroom.

Ideal for Small Businesses (Plumbing, Electrical, AC/Heat, Salesroom, Etc.) Owners Motivated. 828.342.3170.

FOR SALE CHEAP Lifetime Ownership in Travel Resorts Camping Club with 1-2-3 Bedroom Cabins. 7 locations available to owners. Contact Gordon Wells 828.758.5722.

OCEAN ISLE BEACH, North Carolina's #1 Family Vacation Spot! Minutes from Myrtle Beach. Reserve your Vacation Today! www.CookeRealty.com or call 1.800.NCBEACH.

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 or for more information visit the N.C. Press Association's website at www.ncpress.com

LOTS FOR SALE 2.819 ACRE TRACT Building Lot in great location.

Build your 2nd home log cabin here. Large 2-story building near HCC, was a Work Shop.

Reduced - Reduced $64,750 Call 828.627.2342.

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.

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FINANCIAL BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

PETS

MEDICAL

HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

FURNITURE COMPARE QUALITY & PRICE Shop Tupelo’s, 828.926.8778.

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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 FREE TO GOOD HOME 2 Female Chow puppies. Several Chihuahua puppies. Local, not a scam. Serious inquiries only.

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www.smokymountainnews.com

February 19-25, 2014

Great Smokies Storage

36

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Puzzles can be found on page 38.

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FOR SALE

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Michelle McElroy — beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig — beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey — beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither — esither@beverly-hanks.com Jerry Smith — beverly-hanks.com Billie Green — bgreen@beverly-hanks.com Pam Braun — pambraun@beverly-hanks.com

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Haywood County Real Estate Agents

Keller Williams Realty kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • Rob Roland — robrolandrealty.com • Ron Kwiatkowski — ronk.kwrealty.com

Your Local Big Green Egg Dealer

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228-10

ON DELLWOOD RD. (HWY. 19) AT 20 SWANGER LANE WAYNESVILLE/MAGGIE VALLEY 828.926.8778

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• Thomas & Christine Mallette realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/7767/

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• • • • • • • • •

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com Brian K. Noland — brianknoland.com Connie Dennis — remax-maggievalleync.com Mark Stevens — remax-waynesvillenc.com Mieko Thomson — ncsmokies.com The Morris Team — maggievalleyproperty.com The Real Team — the-real-team.com Ron Breese — ronbreese.com Dan Womack — womackdan@aol.com Catherine Proben — cp@catherineproben.com

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February 19-25, 2014

PERSONAL

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 or for more information visit the N.C. Press Association's website at www.ncpress.com

WNC MarketPlace

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228-04

PERSONAL

The Seller’s Agency — listwithphil.com • Phil Ferguson — philferguson@bellsouth.net 228-25

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE 828.452.4251 | ads@smokymountainnews.com 37

Super

78 Cpl. outranker 81 French for “mine” 82 Where dawn arises ACROSS 83 Gave nutrients to 1 Measure that led to a 86 Prefix meaning 1773 Boston Harbor “equal” “party” 87 College in Cedar 7 Battery ends Rapids, Iowa 13 Five o’clock 88 “Love Story”; “Little 19 Medicine vial Darlings” 20 Quick reviews 92 Ladder unit 21 Finished 94 Actress Mazar 22 “Spartacus”; “Wall 95 Weed-B-Gon maker Street” 25 Music producer Brian 96 Repetitive response to “Who wants ice 26 King, in Lyon cream?”

27 - de mer 99 Othello’s lieutenant 28 Duplicity 103 “... corn, - don’t 29 “The Defiant Ones”; care” “Halloween” 107 “Badlands”; 37 “... - I’ve been told” “Platoon” 38 At a reduced price 113 Smart- - (wise guys) 39 Skimpy swimwear 114 Sort brand 115 Stop on a bus rte.

40 UV part 116 Tax return pro 44 See 17-Down 117 “Chinatown”; 47 Fawn, e.g.

“Prizzi’s Honor” 48 “On Golden Pond”; 124 Very disorderly “Klute” 125 Fighting - (Big Ten 56 Tarnish team) 57 Adam named her 126 Drill directive 58 Noted period 127 Glittery tree decora59 Sci-fi vehicles tion 60 Active sort 128 Latino corner store 61 Conniving 129 Easier to see 62 Egoist’s love 64 Prepare for publicaDOWN tion 1 Develop a liking for 65 Muppet frog 2 One-sharp musical key 67 “Hot Shots!”; “The 3 Spill catchers Fabulous Baker Boys” 74 Corporate shake-ups, 4 Black-and-white seabird briefly 5 Bow of film 75 Runtish 6 Mortise insertion 76 False god

Smoky Mountain News

February 19-25, 2014

DAD’S ACTING GENE

38

CROSSWORD 7 Ulna’s place 8 - Marcus (retailer) 9 - razor (“keep it simple” rule) 10 Mexican flower 11 MPG org.

12 180 degrees from NNW 13 Emotion-hiding sorts 14 Come to a stop 15 Made mad 16 Marina - Rey 17 With 44-Across, just for fun 18 Sentence units: Abbr.

21 Together, musically 23 Executed 24 Size up from med.

30 BYOB part 31 Steinbeck’s Tom 32 Model Macpherson and others 33 Foliage bit 34 Bursts (with) 35 Exemplar 36 Apologetic 41 Caustic stuff in Drano 42 Road gunk 43 Cellular stuff 45 Passed on a bicycle, say 46 Big name in soup mixes 48 “- So Shy” 49 Motorcyclist Knievel 50 Carter of sitcomdom 51 Naomi and Wynonna 52 Tell - (lie) 53 Journalist’s tablet 54 Moore of film 55 Parched 63 All - naught 64 Turbine, e.g.

65 Kinte of “Roots”

66 - Friday’s 68 2012, e.g.

69 “I’ll - best!”

70 On - to nowhere 71 Vienna loc.

72 Sedgwick of Warhol films 73 Sammy of baseball 77 Texter’s titter 78 Theater curtain fabric 79 Cheese type 80 Choir part 82 Huge 1940s computer 83 Hide hair 84 Pro at giving first aid 85 Oaf’s cry 89 Run before E 90 Saw or ax 91 Actor Wyle 93 Popular 1980s jeans 97 Grow wider 98 Common soccer score 100 Sword go-with 101 - Mae (loan company) 102 Miffing 104 It lures bees 105 Unthrone 106 More asinine 108 Electrically adaptable 109 Hush-hush govt. org.

110 “This - stickup!”

111 “- Frome” 112 Fry quickly 117 RR crossing 118 “- get it now!”

119 Solo of “Star Wars” 120 Point on a pen 121 “I’m Real” singer, for short 122 Espionage gp.

123 Salty body

answers on page 36

NOTICES BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

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SERVICES REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL! Get a whole-home Satellite system installed at NO COST and programming starting at $19.99/mo. FREE HD/DVR Upgrade to new callers, SO CALL NOW 1.866.983.7935 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 or for more information visit the website at: www.ncpress.com DDI BUMPERS ETC. Quality on the Spot Repair & Painting. Don Hendershot 858.646.0871 cell 828.452.4569 office.

YARD SALES 2 NEW LIVING ESTATES Fri. & Sat. from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Lots of Good Furniture, Home Decor, Art, Tons of Great Antiques, Everything Under the Sun! We are Frog Pond Downsizing Located at 255 Depot St., Waynesville. Look for the Frog on the Brick Building and You’ve Found Treasures & Bargains from the Origianl Estate Sale Company!

WEEKLY SUDOKU Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Answers on Page 36

Overwintering monarchs. Donated photo

The naturalist’s corner

BY DON H ENDERSHOT

Will we extinguish another beautiful light?

A

river of burnt umber flows every year from southern Canada through the U.S. to the oyamel fir forests in the mountains west of Mexico City. This river tumbles along in a kind of bubbly joy reserved for kids, fairies, hermits, counterfeit curmudgeons and anyone whose soul is pricked by unimaginable beauty not trying to be beautiful — simply being.

This river — the flow of monarch butterflies as they leave North America for their wintering grounds in Mexico — has been flowing for millions of years and represents the constant ebb and flow of the migrational (seasonal) pattern of life that homo sapiens find themselves more and more disenfranchised from as we become more and more sedentary. And as we become more and more sedentary it becomes easier for us to turn our heads from this beautiful, magical and mysterious river that washes over us, the way we turned our heads from Carolina parakeets and passenger pigeons, the eastern elk and the southern Rocky Mountains wolf, among others.

This year’s overwintering population of monarch butterflies in Mexico is estimated at about 33 million individuals, about half of 2012’s estimated 60 million, which was the lowest number ever recorded in the 30 or so years since records have been kept.

Of course, every year, there are variations in food supply, weather, predation, etc. that can account for fluctuating numbers. But this steady decline points to something more established than weather patterns and/or changes in predation.

More and more fingers point to the eradication of the monarch’s host plant — milkweed, especially in the Corn Belt. According to a recent New York Times article, “Monarchs lay their eggs only on milkweed, and patches of the plant have rapidly disappeared from the Great Plains over the last decade. As corn prices have risen — spurred in part by a government mandate to add ethanol to gasoline — farmers have planted tens of millions of acres of idle land along the monarchs’ path that once provided both milkweed and nectar.

At the same time, growers have switched en masse to crops that are genetically engineered to tolerate herbicides. The increased use of herbicides has all but wiped out milk-

weed that once sprouted between rows of corn and soybean.”

World Wildlife Fund points to one major culprit — Monsanto. WWF points to the use of Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup.

One report states that major corn producers have lost 98 percent of their milkweed — the plant host (and the only plant where monarchs lay their eggs) of the monarch butterfly.

SumOfUs.org reported that Monsanto’s

response was, “… we should balance the butterfly’s survival with what it calls “productive agriculture.’”

So while we fiddle with futures and commodities profits and increasing farm production, home continues to burn. The passenger pigeon, Carolina parakeet, Rocky Mountain wolf and other canaries in Coal Mine Earth continue to perish while we turn our heads.

(Don Hendershot is a writer and naturalist. He can be reached a ddihen1@bellsouth.net.)

ww

A WEEKEND

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IN WAYNESVILLE NC

February 19-25, 2014

at 20 ore 3600 m See .com/ rbo w.v

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Offer valid for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY. One winner will receive a Friday & Saturday night stay on May 2-3, 9-10, or 16-17, 2014. Subscription must be made via www.smliv.com and “I Want To Get Away” must be entered in the comments box upon subscribing. Subscription must be paid in full. Valid for both 1-year and 2-year subscriptions. Winner will be chosen March 5, 2014. Offer not valid for employees of Smoky Mountain Living or their family members. DISCLAIMER: Subscribers of Smoky Mountain Living hereby hold Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living LLC and Smoky Mountain Vacation or owners, respective officers, directors and employees from and against damages, indemnify and hold harmless and its liabilities and reasonable costs, loss, and expenses, including reasonable legal fees in connection with the Smoky Mountain Vacation Getaway.

39

February 19-25, 2014 Smoky Mountain News

Clyde - 2BR, 1BA, $69,900 #555030

Canton - 3BR, 1BA, $75,000 #554948

Waynesville West Condos 2BR, 2BA, $130,000 #554590

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40

beverly-hanks.com for details on any property, enter the MLS # into quick search