Smoky Mountain News | March 4, 2020

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Western North Carolina’s Source for Weekly News, Entertainment, Arts, and Outdoor Information

March 4-10, 2020 Vol. 21 Iss. 40

INSIDE: ELECTION COVERAGE

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: Stakeholder groups recently came together for the first time since the release of the 2,500-page Nantahala and Pisgah Forest Management Plan Revision to discuss the highlights. More public meetings will be held through March, and May 14 is the last day to submit public comment. (Page 34) Water cascades down the West Fork of the Pigeon River near Sunburst Campground. Holly Kays photo

News Attorney General wants answers from HCA ..............................................................4 Primary Election 2020 coverage ....................................................................................6 Oregon State's Alex Gary named WCU athletics director ................................10 Catamounts hope to continue basketball turnaround ..........................................12 Banishment law changes considered in Cherokee ................................................14 Smoky Mountain News recognized for journalistic excellence ..........................16 Erosion issues persist at Millennial Apartments ......................................................17 Rock netting coming to Nantahala Gorge ................................................................19

EDITOR/PUBLISHER: ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: ART DIRECTOR: DESIGN & WEBSITE: DESIGN & PRODUCTION: ADVERTISING SALES:

CLASSIFIEDS: NEWS EDITOR: WRITING:

ACCOUNTING & OFFICE MANAGER: DISTRIBUTION: CONTRIBUTING:

Scott McLeod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@smokymountainnews.com Greg Boothroyd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . greg@smokymountainnews.com Micah McClure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . micah@smokymountainnews.com Travis Bumgardner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . travis@smokymountainnews.com Jessica Murray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jessica.m@smokymountainnews.com Susanna Shetley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Bradley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jc-ads@smokymountainnews.com Hylah Birenbaum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hylah@smokymountainnews.com Sophia Burleigh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sophia.b@smokymountainnews.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jessi Stone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jessi@smokymountainnews.com Holly Kays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holly@smokymountainnews.com Cory Vaillancourt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cory@smokymountainnews.com Garret K. Woodward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . garret@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Singletary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jeff Minick (writing), Chris Cox (writing), George Ellison (writing), Gary Carden (writing), Don Hendershot (writing), Susanna Shetley (writing).

CONTACT WAYNESVILLE | 144 Montgomery, Waynesville, NC 28786 P: 828.452.4251 | F: 828.452.3585

Opinion Plenty of room in the arena ............................................................................................20

A&E

SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779 P: 828.631.4829 | F: 828.631.0789 INFO & BILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786

A conversation with Steve Gorman ............................................................................24

Books A legend re-told: the story of Crazy Horse ..............................................................33

The Naturalist’s Corner

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Attorney General wants answers from HCA Mission Health’s new owner criticized at public meetings

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR orth Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein issued a letter to HCA Healthcare’s president last week wanting answers to the many concerns his office has heard regarding the for-profit’s takeover of Mission Health System in Western North Carolina.

Specifically, the letter named four issues — a surge in complaints about quality of care, the lack of a sexual assault nurse examiner at Angel Medical Center in Franklin, how Mission Health implements its charity care and uninsured patient policies and the way HCA discloses charges to patients.

There’s little doubt that Stein has been paying attention to the complaints that have been made during recent public meetings hosted by Gibbins Advisors, the independJosh Stein ent monitors hired to oversee compliance following HCA’s purchase of Mission Health. The meetings were held throughout the region and every community with a Mission-affiliated hospital had its share of complaints about changes in services, a lack of providers, billing and a lack of communication from the corporation now in charge of their health care needs.

While Gibbins representatives weren’t able to give people many answers, they promised to pass along the information to HCA leaders and look into any issues that may be in violation of HCA’s purchase agreement.

“The meetings held by the Independent Monitor over the last month have been a constructive opportunity for HCA customers to publicly raise their concerns about Mission Health,” Stein’s letter stated. “We have received 30 written complaints about Mission since Jan. 1.”

Macon County residents voice their concerns over Angel Medical Center’s new one HCA Healthcare during a public forum held by the independent monitor hired to oversee the transition from Mission to HCA. File photo

A letter to HCA Healthcare’s president named four issues — a surge in complaints about quality of care, the lack of a sexual assault nurse examiner at Angel Medical Center in Franklin, how Mission Health implements its charity care and uninsured patient policies and the way HCA discloses charges to patients.

for HCA to respond to them; sharing the complaints with regulators at the Department of Health and Human Services who investigate hospital quality-of-care concerns; and by evaluating the complaints to determine whether HCA is failing to provide any services that it promised to provide under the Asset Purchase Agreement. Complaints will also be shared with Dogwood Health Trust and Gibbins Advisors.

The AG office requested the following information for the 12 months before and after HCA’s acquisition of Mission: • Utilization rates for financial assistance policies in the Mission Health System under Mission Health System Inc.’s ownership and under HCA’s ownership.

• Dollar value of financial assistance provided under Mission Health System Inc.’s ownership and under HCA’s ownership.

• Dollar value of all write-offs or writedowns of patient bills provided under Mission Health System Inc.’s ownership and under HCA’s ownership.

• The overall percentage increase or decrease in charges for

Smoky Mountain News

March 4-10, 2020

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Many of the complaints have been about the quality of care, including the impact of staffing cuts — especially for nurses. Stein said some of the complaints are “harrowing to read” and are being taken very seriously by his office.

“We have been told that Angel Hospital no longer has a sexual assault nurse examiner on staff. These nurses are trained to provide specialized support in emergency rooms to survivors of sexul assualt,” he said.

Indeed, this concern came up at the public meeting held in Franklin when an employee with REACH of Macon County said she had to transport a rape victim over an hour to Mission Hospital in Asheville because a nurse wasn’t available to examine the patient at Angel Medical Center.

When purchasing Mission, HCA committed to offering a more expansive charity care policy compared to what Mission had in place, but Stein’s letter stated that the policy was not clear on what services it covered and had caused confusion for patients. According to Stein, HCA has chosen to have the chief medical officer personally make the decision regarding whether someone will be covered under charity care, but “his busy schedule makes it impossible for physicians to easily contact him.” It seems HCA is only applying the charity policy to emergency care, which Stein said appears inconsistent with the Asset Purchase Agreement.

Lastly, the charity policy on Mission’s website does not match the policy attached to the APA. Stein said the complaints also align with recent changes in patients’ satisfaction scores.

“HCA facilities have generally maintained their star ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which measures patient care. However, the Mission Asheville hospital has declined in the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades,” he said.

In Leapfrog’s fall 2019 scores, Mission was a ‘C’ while it had previously received a ‘B’ in the spring of 2019 and earned an ‘A’ in the spring of 2018, 2017 and 2016.

Stein said he planned to respond to the complaints in three ways — by providing HCA with copies of the complaints and asking

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BACKGROUND

The next meeting of the BPR Community Forum is open to the public and will be held from 4 to 6 p.m.

Wednesday, March 11, at the Sylva Public Library, 310 Keener Street in Sylva.

The forum meeting will conclude with a listening session hosted by members of

Smoky Mountain News

BPR holds community forum in Sylva

the BPR News team and journalists from The Smoky Mountain News. The public is invited to voice concerns about important issues facing their communities. Public feedback will help both news organizations improve service to the region during this busy election cycle.

The Community Forum is a volunteer advisory group that provides community input to Blue Ridge Public Radio about programming and public service. The 40 volunteer members of the Community Forum represent different professions, geographic regions, and individual needs and interests of the listeners and the communities BPR serves.

The forum is governed by a steering committee, responsible for basic organizational matters. Public radio listeners who are interested in becoming a BPR Community Forum member can learn more and apply online at www.bpr.org/community-forum or contact Blue Ridge Public Radio at feedback@bpr.org or 828.210.4800.

March 4-10, 2020

Mission Health’s former CEO Dr. Ron Paulus announced the nonprofit’s intention to sell to HCA in early 2018, claiming it was the best way to keep Mission Health’s vision of providing “word-class quality of care within a rapidly consolidating healthcare industry.”

Paulus said the decision came down to the rising costs of health care partnered with low reimbursement rates on Medicare, Medicaid

and private insurers. With so much of WNC’s population being uninsured or underinsured, he said the current nonprofit model was no longer sustainable.

At the time, Haywood Regional Medical Center, Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital had already transitioned from nonprofit to for-profit ownership when they were purchased by Duke LifePoint in 2014. Mission’s sale to HCA meant no more nonprofit hospitals in the western counties, and that made communities uneasy about the future.

Mission had already shut down the labor and delivery unit at Angel Medical Center in Franklin and other rural hospitals to cut costs.

That move forced expecting mothers to travel over an hour to Asheville to deliver their baby.

At the same time, Mission had also committed to constructing a new Angel Medical Center to replace the aging building in downtown Franklin. The new hospital, which will cost about $60 million, will be located along U.S. 441 and is still in the planning phase.

HCA’s purchase agreement includes the plans to continue with the replacement hospital in Franklin, but residents are still concerned the new facility will be a “glorified emergency room” that will mostly be used to transport people to Mission Hospital in Asheville. Plans do include a helipad on site.

Stein worked closely with the parties during the transaction and negotiated the purchase agreement to address community concerns before it was approved in January 2019.

Stein said he did not oppose the negotiated asset purchase agreement of $1.5 billion but did get HCA to extend its promise to provide the current services offered at Mission hospitals from five years to 10 years. Stein also negotiated the hiring of the independent monitors and the creation of local advisory boards in each community to be the watchdogs of the transition.

The entire purchase agreement that was made public can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/uyfcbfa.

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medical services since the consummation of the sale of Mission Health System.

• The overall change in gross revenues from medical services since the consummation of the sale of Mission Health System.

• A list of every individual involved in making coverage decisions for HCA’s financial assistance policies at Mission Health System, by name and title.

• The average number of cases per week that are considered in the weekly charity care appeal process Dr. Hathaway described.

• Mission Health’s policies and practices with respect to requiring payment in advance for services delivered in the hospital as they existed before the transaction and as they exist today.

• A copy of the one-page description of HCA’s financial assistance policies that was distributed to doctors with admitting privileges in the 2019 third quarter meeting.

As for the billing issues, patients have complained about an “outpatient” fee HCA may be charging to patients at Mission-affiliated primary care providers even if the patient never sets foot in a Mission hospital.

“We ask that Mission provide our office with all disclosures that it made to customers about this outpatient fee. Please respond to this portion of our letter by March 11, 2020,” the letter stated.

Stein has asked the public to contact Gibbins Advisors and also file a complaint with his office by visiting ncdoj.gov/file-acomplaint/.

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Wild finish in 11th Congressional District

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER ast fall, few people expected to be devoting so much time, energy and money to two Primary Election races in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.

But then on Dec. 19 popular four-term Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, RAsheville, stunned much of the country by announcing he wouldn’t seek re-election just hours after an impassioned defense of President Donald Trump on the House floor during Trump’s impeachment proceedings.

Meadows’ announcement set off a scramble for Republican and Democratic candidates, who were given next to no time to contemplate running and filing for the seat thought to be safely in Meadows’ control despite a gerrymandering ruling that halved GOP advantage in the district.

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With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Davis had more than 47 percent of the vote, enough to avoid a runoff. He credits teamwork and a lot of volunteers for the victory.

“Tonight is actually the 15-week point from when we first started, and everyone else had a significant time advantage. We had 4,452 individual contributions and that

REPUBLICANS RESPOND

DEMOCRATS SELECT

March 4-10, 2020

A NEWCOMER The five-way Democratic primary featured two familiar faces — Phillip Price, and Steve Woodsmall, both of whom ran in 2018. Price took that nomination but lost to Meadows by 20 points.

Price and Woodsmall were joined by Mills River native Michael O’Shea and Asheville resident Moe Davis.

Davis, a retired Air Force colonel, held a commanding lead over all of the other candidates when early voting results were released, and never really looked back.

“The argument I’ve made all along is that I have the record, the reach and resources to compete in November,” said Davis. “Folks did their due diligence and came to same conclusion. The bottom line is, we’ve got to win this seat, and this is our best shot at winning.”

that enabled us to do advertising, and things the other candidates weren’t able to do, which helped us overcome their advantage of time.”

Davis said it was now time to take a breather and then buckle down for the eightmonth campaign leading up to the General Election against whomever the Republicans choose as their nominee. Davis says there’s no one in particular he’s looking to face.

“Not really. I’ve had the opportunity at forums over the past few months to have seen all 11 Republicans,” Davis said. “The first sentence out of everyone’s mouth is ‘I’m a loyal supporter of Trump and his policies.’

They are all carbon copies of each other.”

11TH CONGRESS GOP Lynda Bennett Madison Cawthorn Jim Davis Dan Driscoll Wayne King

Haywood 2,132 1,094 1,932 735 210

Jackson 775 336 1,197 282 110

Macon 1,269 423 2,996 402 99

Haywood 4,053 1,533 1,042 727 613

Jackson 2,419 1,130 917 570 470

Macon 1,634 603 493 245 357

Swain 208 68 406 104 30

Total 20,279 18,110 17,081 7,662 7,776 • 298 of 304 precincts reporting • six other candidates also were on the ballot

Democratic Moe Davis Gina Collias Phillip Price Michael O’Shea Steve Woodsmall

Swain 576 326 190 119 107

Total 52,388 25,024 12,453 12,351 8,307 • 298 of 304 precincts reporting

Haywood County Republican Lynda Bennett’s been under fire since her campaign began — for the way it began and for the sham endorsement she received from a two-day-old “conservative ballot committee,” but voters didn’t seem to mind that at all; Bennett led a large field of Republicans with 22.73 percent of the vote.

Coming in a close second was 24-year-old Madison Cawthorn, a Henderson County Republican who’s emerged as the surprise star of the Republican field. Cawthorn garnered just enough votes to slip past Sen. Jim Davis, long considered a frontrunner in the race. At 20.43 percent, Cawthorn appears to be headed to a runoff because it didn’t meet the 30 percent threshold.

Jim Davis came in with 19.25 percent of the vote, about 1,100 behind Cawthorn. He was trailed by Buncombe County businessman Chuck Archerd, and former Meadows advisor Wayne King.

The General Election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Smoky Mountain News

Wingate wins GOP judicial primary

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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER nce Judge Richard K. Walker announced he wouldn’t seek re-election, four Republicans from three of the seven counties in the 30th Judicial District jumped into the race.

Two of them are from Haywood Cherokee Clay County, the dis1,646 502 trict’s largest coun- Jim Moore Kaleb Wingate 1,333 307 ty, giving them an Mitchell Brewer 913 403 advantage populaRich Cassady 983 361 tion-wise, so the results of the race shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Attorney Mitch Brewer — from Clay County, the smallest county in the race — finished fourth. Rich Cassady, an attorney from Macon County, finished third.

Both were far behind Jim Moore, an attorney from Haywood County who finished in second, but voters chose

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the youngest, least experienced candidate to proceed on to the General Election in November.

Kaleb Wingate was able to avoid a runoff and defeat his opponents with nearly 39.6 percent of the vote and cited the quality — not quantity — of his experience as well as

30TH JUDICIAL GOP Graham 698 446 100 75

Haywood 2,264 4,022 43 349

Jackson 1,376 1.090 285 332

Macon 1,572 1,901 364 1,438

Swain 417 315 98 124

Total 8,189 9,700 2,606 3,662

his character as reasons for victory.

“I think integrity is a very important thing when it comes to judicial election, being true to who you are as a person and your political affiliation,” said Wingate. “I think being born and raised in WNC had a tremendous impact on this election and I’m so very grateful to have this support

from our seven counties. I will always remember how I got to this position.”

Candidates had engaged in some digs at each other — some veiled and some not — but in the end Wingate thinks it was a professional campaign all around.

“Overall, it was a very clean campaign. All my opponents are passionate and hard working, and it was about as clean a race we could have with all the energy we have for our positions and values. I have a lot of respect for them and I look forward to working with them for the rest of my legal career.”

Wingate will now look forward to facing a Democrat, Bryson City attorney Justin Greene, in November.

“I think my experience as a prosecutor sets me apart from Mr. Green. I have my fair share of experience in court, trying hundreds if not thousands of cases,” Wingate said.

“You have so much responsibility as an assistant district attorney, and it’s important to have that experience on the bench. I have nothing bad to say about Mr. Green, but I think my experience will set me apart.”

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER usan Bogardus has won the Democratic primary in the race to represent Jackson County’s District 3 on the Board of Commissioners. Pulling

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Brandon Rogers

Susan Bogardus

Republicans stick with incumbents in Haywood

42.02 percent of the vote, she beat out opponents Cody Lewis and Brad Stillwell — who received 34.76 and 23.21 percent, respectively — for the chance to face Republican Tom Stribling in November.

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER hen Canton businessman Brandon Rogers led the county commission ticket in 2016, he helped narrow the Democratic majority from 4-to-1 to 3-to-2.

Democrat District 3

HAYWOOD COMMISSIONERS (vote for two) Jennifer Best L. Kevin Ensley Terry Ramey Brandon Rogers

3,052 3,169 1,656 4,972

Cooper will return to school board Elizabeth Cooper reeled in a decisive win in her bid for re-election to her seat on the Jackson County Board of Education, taking 66.49 percent of the vote against challenger Shane Danner.

JACKSON COMMISSIONERS Susan Bogardus T. Cody Lewis Brad Stilwell

2,263 1,872 1,250

“I really want to do this, and the people that know me and came out to vote for me, they know the person I am,” said Bogardus. “You win races because you have relationships with people and they trust you. I think that there are many people in this county who know me and trust me.”

She said that while she wasn’t surprised about the outcome of this Primary Election, she expects stiff competition heading into the General Election.

However, she said she looks forward to the challenge and hopes to ultimately win a seat on the board.

In a pre-election interview, Bogardus said that her top three priorities, should she be elected, would be to boost affordable housing opportunities for working people, support local businesses so that they can pay employees living wages and improve infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians.

With no incumbent in place, the General Election will be anybody’s race.

The seat is currently held by Republican Commissioner Ron Mau, who vacated it for a chance at the N.C. House District 119 seat. However, Mau lost his bid for state office in the Primary Election contest against Bryson City Republican Mike

Elizabeth Cooper Cooper — who as the District 1 representative represents Sylva-South Ward, Dillsboro, Barkers Creek and Qualla — was appointed to the board by majority vote in 2010, when she filled the unexpired term of Mark Brooks. She won reelection in May 2012 and was then elected for a two-year term as vice-chair beginning July 2018.

Incumbent Wesley Jamison had an uncontested primary and will also return to the board for another term following the election results.

Unlike the other races on the Primary Election ballot, the final outcome of the non-partisan school board race was decided by today’s votes. Elections for the five-member board are staggered, with elections held at the time of the spring primary in even-numbered years.

Smoky Mountain News

Then, in 2018, he and Chairman Kevin Ensley were joined by two more Republicans, Tommy Long and Mark Pless, bringing a Republican majority to the commission for the first time ever.

“I ran because of who I am and what I stand for more than me being a politician,” Rogers said. “I’m no politician by any means. I’m trying to do what’s best for Haywood County and that’s what I’m always going to do.”

This year, both Rogers and Ensley were up for re-election, and were faced with two Republican challengers. The race was largely seen as a referendum on how satisfied Republican voters were with that Republican-led commission. Voters responded by returning both Ensley and Rogers to the General Election in November.

“I feel like folks appreciate the direction

Clampitt.

Like the Republican commissioner she hopes to replace — and unlike both of her Primary Election opponents — Bogardus is not originally from Jackson County. A self-described “Air Force brat,” she moved all over the country while growing up but calls Jackson County home after 13 years of living there. She is a registered dietitian with a doctorate in nutrition science, currently working as a dietician at the Cherokee Indian Hospital.

While she has never held elected office before, Bogardus has been active in the Jackson County Democratic Party since moving to the area in 2007, serving as both a precinct chair and assistant chair.

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we’re headed in and being fiscally responsible with taxpayer money,” Rogers said.

“With our finances looking the way they do, with our debt continuing to drop and our fund balance growing, I think voters know we’re going in the right direction.”

Rogers and Ensley will now face Democrats Leah Hampton and David Young in November.

“I would say we’re going to continue on the path that we’ve been on by dropping the debt. We’re going to continue our conservative, commonsense approach,” Rogers said.

“We’ve got a hefty fund balance, so I’d like to see us put some of that money back in taxpayers’ pockets in the form of a tax cut, if we can.”

Rogers said that he’d now return to focusing on county business, but he knows that he’ll have to get back out there and talk to voters across the county, and across party lines.

“What I’ll probably do is take a few months off and relax, and then after summer’s over I’ll hit the trail again and get our message out there,” he said. “It seems most people are happy with it.”

Rogers again led the Republican ticket with 38.7 percent of the vote, with Ensley coming in at 24.66 percent. Challenger Jennifer Best was less than a percentage point behind Ensley — 117 votes out of more than 3,100 — but as long as nothing changes, that won’t be enough to get Best to the next level.

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Bogardus to advance in Jackson contest

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news March 4-10, 2020 Smoky Mountain News 8

Carson, Parsons to continue for Swain commissioner

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR Democratic candidates Roger Parsons and Phil Carson will move on to the November election after being the top two vote-getters in the Swain County commissioner race.

Parsons was the top vote-getter with 42 percent of the vote while Carson was close behind with 33 percent of the vote. The third candidate in the Democratic primary — Mitchell Jenkins — received 24 percent of the vote.

Carson and Parsons will now move on to face Republicans Kenneth Parton and H. Robert Lowe in the November election and then the top two vote-getters regardless of party affiliation will win the two open seats.

Kenneth Parton is currently finishing his first term as commissioner while Lowe is a newcomer to Swain politics.

Carson, 57, is a Swain County native and a licensed plumber who has also spent 34 years as a rescue squad member and paramedic. He served one term as a county commissioner and two terms as the commission chairman. He ran for a third term as chairman in 2018 but lost to fellow Democratic commissioner Ben Bushyhead during the primary. With only 18 percent of voters casting a ballot in the primary, Bushyhead received 59 percent to Carson’s 41 percent.

Parsons was appointed to fill the unexpired term for Commissioner David Monteith, who passed away in early 2017 — not long after being elected to another four-year term on the board. Parsons then had to run in 2018 to keep the seat for another two years. He won the seat with 57 percent of the vote and is now running for a four-year term.

Parsons, 64, grew up in Swain County and had a long career working for UPS. He also served on the Swain County School Board for 16 years before becoming a county commissioner.

Jenkins — a former Swain County maintenance director — first ran as a write-in candidate during the 2018 election for Swain County commission chairman against Bushyhead but only garnered 800 votes.

During the 2016 Primary Election, Swain County’s voter turnout was at 30 percent, which is about 3,075 out of 10,121 registered voters. For the 2020 Primary, voter turnout in the county dipped to 27 percent — or 2,594 out of 9,526 registered voters.

Corbin cruises in Senate race

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER epublican voters in seven western counties have again decided that a candidate from Franklin, in Macon County, should be their voice in the N.C. Senate.

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GOP NC SENATE DISTRICT 50 Sarah Conway Kevin Corbin

4,294 16,191 (62 of 91 precincts)

“I appreciate the vote of confidence,” said Rep. Kevin Corbin. “I’ve worked very hard in the House for my district. What I tried to do is convince people that I’d do the same for the larger Senate district, and I will. People gave me that vote of confidence, and I plan to follow through.”

Corbin first announced his intention to seek the seat during an event at the Macon County Republican Party headquarters in Franklin — the same event where longtime senator and former Macon County

Commissioner Jim Davis announced he would return to private life after two decades of public service.

Davis later returned to campaigning when Congressman Mark Meadows, RAsheville, Kevin Corbin announced this past December that he wouldn’t seek reelection to his seat (see CONGRESS, page 6).

The 50th Senate District contains the seven westernmost counties in North Carolina — Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain. With 57 percent of precincts reporting, Corbin

had more than 79 percent of the vote.

Corbin will face Canton Democrat Alan Jones in November, and has a solid plan to convince voters to send him to Raleigh.

“I think I can point to my effectiveness in the House,” Corbin said. “Even my freshman year, we got a lot done for the district and we’ll do the same in the Senate. My number one goal is good constituent service, so when people have problems with the DOT or Department of Revenue, I keep up with those. We have about a 95 percent success rate at solving problems people have. That’s what I plan to run on and I don’t plan to change that work ethic.”

Corbin’s opponent, Sarah Conway, trailed him by more than 10,000 votes but ran a good race, said Corbin.

“She’s a fine person, very smart, lots of good ideas, and we wound up at the same precinct in Maggie Valley today,” Corbin said. “She said win, lose or draw, we should have lunch and talk over some ideas and we plan to do that. I think she has a future in the Republican Party and I will encourage her to stay involved.”

Wallace, Young will fight for Macon in November

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR s the top vote-getters from each party, Democrat Betty Cloer Wallace and Republican Josh Young will battle it out for a District 2 Macon County Commissioner seat in the November election.

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MACON COMMISSIONERS Democratic District 2 (vote for one) Betty Cloer Wallace 1,768 Olga Lampkin 1,409 GOP District 2 (vote for one) Bryan Rauers 1,850 Josh Young 2,482 Terry Bradley 1,239 Wallace, who had an unsuccessful run for commissioner in 2018, received about 56 percent of the vote compared to her challenger, Democrat Olga Lampkin, who received 44 percent.

Wallace, 76, grew up in Franklin and had an extensive career in public education before retiring, including Associate Superintendent of Macon County Schools and Assistant State Superintendent of the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. She also served two terms as secretary of the N.C. Democratic Party.

“I’m thrilled with the results of all our local races, especially the large turnout countywide. I think we’re ready for a new day in Macon County,” Wallace said after seeing the results Tuesday night.

Young received about 45 percent of the vote while his challengers — Bryan Rauers and Terry Bradley — received 33 and 22

Josh Young percent of the vote, respectively. Young, also a Macon County native, worked for Duke Energy for eight years before he started his own business — Young Tree Service in 2015. While he’s active in the community, this is the first time he’s sought an elected office.

Contacted right as the final results were rolling in, Young said he was still in shock that he’d be moving ahead to the General Election.

“I’m humbled and I’d be honored to be able to serve the people of Macon County,” Young said. “I really want to thank all my supporters.”

Wallace and Young will move on to the

Betty Cloer Wallace November election in hopes of grabbing up the open District 2 seat left vacant by Republican Karl Gillespie, who decided to run for a Senate seat following his first term as a county commissioner.

The other seat up for election this year is a District 3 seat occupied by Republican Commissioner Paul Higdon, but he will have no challengers in the general election.

In the 2016 primary, Macon County’s voter turnout was 40 percent with 9,825 out of 24,554 registered voters casting a ballot.

However, Macon County saw a dip down to 37 percent voter turnout in 2020 with 9,583 out of 25,702 registered voters casting a ballot.

Mike Clampitt (left) defeated Jackson County Commissioner Ron Mau handily. Cory Vaillancourt photo news

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER t looks like one of North Carolina’s longest-running political feuds will go another round.

“I’m so pleased and thankful to God to be the official nominee for the 119th District,’” said Bryson City Republican Mike Clampitt. “Now it’s time to start the ‘Say it

I

ain’t so Joe,’ campaign. Or, a better one might be the ‘Joe’s got to go’ campaign.”

GOP HOUSE DISTRICT 119 Mike Clampitt Ron Mau

4,077 2,593

Nov. 3 will be the fifth time Clampitt

faces incumbent Democratic Rep. Joe Sam Queen, of Waynesville. Queen won in 2012 and 2014 but lost in 2016 and then reclaimed the seat from Clampitt in 2018.

With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Clampitt scored a decisive victory over Jackson County Commissioner Ron Mau. Clampitt earned more than 61 percent of the vote and will thus avoid a runoff.

“Well, I did spend two years in the House as the elected representative and had a working knowledge of that, and I got out and worked in the public and talked to people individually,” said Clampitt of why he prevailed in the March 3 primary. “Probably the other important factor is being a native of WNC. People recognized that and wanted a local to represent them.”

March 4-10, 2020

Clampitt takes nomination in 119th District

North Carolinians decide state and federal offices From president to state auditor, the March 3 Primary Election was full of an almost overwhelming slate of federal and state offices. Here’s how North Carolinians had voted in these state and federal races as of press time 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night, with 82 percent of precincts reporting:

• Joe Biden had a decisive win, pulling 41.39 percent of the vote against second-place Bernie Sanders, with 23.86 percent.

• President Donald Trump received 93.85 percent of the roughly 700,000 votes cast in the Republican primary.

• Democrat Cal Cunningham won 57.06 percent of the vote in the Democratic race for U.S. Senate. He will face incumbent Thom Tillis in November — Tillis received 78.4 percent of the vote.

• Gov. Roy Cooper received 87.2 percent of the vote on the

Democratic ticket and will face Republican Dan Forest in November after Forest pulled 89.18 percent of the vote against challenger Holly Grange.

• Yvonne Lewis Holley was the top vote-getter in the Democratic race for lieutenant governor with 26.03 percent of the vote, but Buncombe County state senator Terry Van Duyn received more than 20 percent of the vote and will be able to call for a runoff primary since Holley got less than 30 percent of the vote. The eventual winner will face Republican Mark Robinson, who received 32.91 percent of the vote.

• Jim O’Neill won the Republican nomination for N.C. Attorney General with 47.4 percent of the vote.

• Incumbent N.C. Auditor Beth Wood will face Republican Tony Street in November.

• Jenna Wadsworth won 53.57 percent of the vote in the Democratic race for N.C. Commissioner of Agriculture.

• Mike Causey received 64.32 percent of the vote in the Republican primary for N.C. Commissioner of Insurance.

• Josh Dobson won against two opponents in the Republican race for N.C. Commissioner of Labor with 40.47 percent of the vote.

• E.C. Sykes will be the Republican candidate for N.C. Secretary of State after winning 42.22 percent of the vote against two opponents.

• Democrat Jen Mangrum and Republican Catherine Truitt will face off in November in the race for N.C. Superintendent of Public Instruction after winning their respective primaries.

• The Democratic race for N.C. Treasurer was tight between the three contenders. As of press time, Ronnie Chatterji had a narrow lead with 34.8 percent of the vote, followed by Dimple Ajmera with 34.34 percent and Matt Leatherman with 30.86 percent.

Smoky Mountain News

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER

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Oregon State’s Alex Gary named WCU athletics director Former Catamount to start May 1

WCU alum Alex Gary returns to Cullowhee this spring.

Ashley Evans/WCU photo

BY TODD VINYARD CONTRIBUTING WRITER lex Gary, a former student-athlete on the Western Carolina University baseball team who is currently serving as senior associate athletics director for development at Oregon State University, is the next director of the Catamount athletics program.

WCU Chancellor Kelli R. Brown announced Friday, Feb. 28, the selection of Gary to serve as director of athletics following approval of his contract by the university’s Board of Trustees during a special conference call meeting earlier in the day.

The appointment, which is effective May 1, follows a national search conducted by a 15-member committee working with the assistance of the North Carolina-based executive search consulting firm Collegiate Sports Associates. A formal introduction and campus reception was held Feb. 28 afternoon at the Ramsey Regional Activity Center.

Gary has served as senior associate director of athletics and the department’s chief development officer at Oregon State since September 2017. He previously served as associate athletics director for development and external relations at the University of Maryland from 2014 until 2017. He also has held development positions at the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Gary’s professional experience in major collegiate athletics conferences, such as the Pac-12 and Big Ten, combined with his personal familiarity with WCU as a former student-athlete, make him a perfect fit to take over the helm of the Catamount athletics program, Brown said.

“I asked the search committee to identify an extraordinary leader to guide the Catamount athletics program into the next

March 4-10, 2020

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“I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to help develop student-athletes during a critically important time in their lives, especially at a place where I spent those same significant years.”

— Alex Gary

era and who will provide our coaches and professional staff with the resources necessary to help our student-athletes enjoy the same level of success on the fields and courts of competition that they have had in the classroom in recent years,” she said.

“The committee has found exactly that in Alex Gary,” Brown said. “To borrow some terminology from the sport that Alex once played while representing the Catamounts, this hire is a grand slam homerun and one that touches all of the bases.”

A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, who grew up in Charlotte, Gary was an outfielder on the WCU baseball team from 2001 until 2004, earning Southern Conference Player of

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“I have a strong affinity and love for WCU. Three groomsmen in my upcoming wedding in August come from my time in Cullowhee as a three-year student athlete. WCU had an immeasurable impact on my life, and I welcome the opportunity to come back in a leadership capacity,” Gary said.

“My personal experience as a former student-athlete at WCU deepens my understanding of this institution

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performance is symbiotic with university success, allowing the university to increase its visibility and further its mission. I am confident in my ability to lead what may not be the most important room in the house, but potentially the most visible.”

He earned a degree in business administration in 2005 from Virginia Commonwealth University and his master’s degree in business administration at UNC Charlotte in 2009.

Gary was selected from a slate of more than 40 qualified candidates for the position after an initial narrowing of a larger list of possibilities, said Ivy Gibson, WCU associate general counsel and chair of the athletics director search committee. Six candidates were interviewed by the search committee off-site in Charlotte.

“We had a very strong pool of candidates with a vast array of professional and personal experiences in the profession of athletics administration,” Gibson said. “I think that Alex Gary’s track record in athletics fundraising in particular will be a tremendous asset as the university begins to work toward implementation of some of the construction and renovation projects proposed in the recent athletics facilities master planning process.”

Brown appointed the search committee on Dec. 18 and set an ambitious and accelerated timetable to find a permanent successor for Randy Eaton, who served as WCU’s athletics director from Dec. 14, 2011, until Dec. 10, 2019. Mike Byers, WCU vice chancellor of administration and finance, will continue to manage the athletics department until Gary takes over the helm.

March 4-10, 2020

and what is needed to advance Catamount Athletics. I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to help develop student-athletes during a critically important time in their lives, especially at a place where I spent those same significant years,” he said.

At Oregon State, he has been a member of f the executive leadership team responsible for the athletics department’s $85 million budget, 150 employees and more than 500 stuA dent-athletes. He oversees the 16-member athletics development team, which raised nearly $26 million in 2019, a record for the g Beavers’ athletics program. That fundraising effort included a $3.5 million sports performance center renovation, $2.3 million women’s locker room renovation, and $2.6 million baseball stadium expansion.

During his stint at the University of Maryland, Gary chaired a committee focused on the financial sustainability of the athletics department, and he led annual giving growth in the Terrapin Club by 22 percent in 2015 and 13 percent in 2016. As a member of the development team at the University of Michigan from 2010 until 2014, he worked closely with the university’s athletics department, raising $12.8 million to support the Wolverines’ athletics program’s capital and endowment needs. He began his career in 2009 as assistant director of annual giving at UNC Charlotte.

“Western Carolina University’s growth and development over the past decade have been impressive. WCU athletics has the ability to assist in that growth by raising the competitive bar across the 16 sports,” Gary said.

“Research has proven that high-level athletics

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WCU men’s basketball coach Mark Prosser (center-right) counsels players during a recent game. Ashley Evans/WCU photo

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Catamounts hope to continue basketball turnaround

BY TODD VINYARD CONTRIBUTING WRITER estern Carolina University basketball has been using the hashtag #ItsComing on social media this season to describe year two under head coach Mark Prosser. After a Catamount season featuring an improvement of eleven wins from seven to 18, maybe they might want to prepare for #ItsHere.

The number of victories turnaround by the Cats from last season equals the best jump in the country; however, Prosser says his team and program keep building toward the goals of Southern Conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. The Catamounts have moved up on the Southern Conference ladder and now know the next step is climbing into the elite part of the league with the top four teams.

Last year, four teams — ETSU, Furman, UNCG, and Wofford — earned postseason invites the previous season to mark the 11th consecutive year multiple league teams received postseason bids.

Prosser says the year two progress in the program has come as players feel more comfortable.

“We have a great group of kids who play the game very unselfishly,” Prosser said. “I think this year you have seen their comfort

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March 4-10, 2020

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level improve with what we do and what we want to do. Last year, we were putting in our system of how we wanted to play, and you see that take shape now. Coaches often say they have great kids, but it is a genuine thing here. Our players have been ready to work from day one.”

Prosser learned a work ethic from his father Skip Prosser, who area college basketball fans will remember as the head coach at Wake Forest, where he had a 126-68 coaching record over six years. Skip knew about turnarounds like his son has led at Western Carolina this year, having taken three separate schools to the NCAA Tournament in his first year of coaching them. He was also famous for never taking credit himself and always giving it to the players and staff, something Mark Prosser does as well.

“I was fortunate to see how my dad did things and the way he ran a program, made recruiting calls, and how that all worked,” Prosser said. “The importance of the people around you and importance of relationships was obvious watching him.”

Skip Prosser died suddenly from an apparent heart attack at age 56 in 2007.

There has been time since the tragedy, yet it was clear from a Tweet at @MarkProsser15 sent by Mark Prosser following the recent death of basketball star Kobe Bryant, his

daughter, and others in a helicopter crash that he knows what that pain of loss. The Prosser tweet read — “I know that call, that feeling that comes when your world changes in an instant. I know the titles that matter to those who receive it in that moment are Dad, Mom, Sister, Brother, Husband, Wife, etc. Not Player. Not Coach. Pray for those in California and all that get that call!”

Mark Prosser was beginning his basketball coaching journey when that devasting call came, so the father and son never had the chance to share his time as a head coach.

The impact a coach can have on others is something Mark Prosser learned for his dad and continues to see even after his father passed away.

During the Catamounts visit to Wake Forest last year, where they came back from 18 points down before losing 71-64, Demon Deacon point guard Brandon Childress took time to tell Mark Prosser that while he didn’t know him, it was an honor to play against his team.

Childress told the Winston-Salem Journal afterward: “I can remember, I was in the passenger seat leaving camp or school at the time, my mom told me Skip Prosser passed away, and I was hurt. To this day, I feel like if he were still here on this earth, he would be the head coach. And it wouldn’t have changed. If I would have got the opportunity to come to Wake Forest to play for Skip Prosser, I would. I wouldn’t even hesitate, just because of the history that he has here and the relationships he built. … I just told (Mark Prosser), ‘Hey, it’s an honor to play against you and your team.”

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Compared to last season, the turnaround of Mark Prosser’s Catamount squad is among the best in the nation. Noah Sautter/WCU photo The Catamounts (18-11, 10-8 SoCon) have earned the respect of plenty of opponents this year with a team that plays fast on offense and can score with multiple options.

The duo of Carlos Dotson — one of Prosser’s first recruiting calls — and Mason Faulker have put up impressive stats. Dotson entered the season’s final game as one of six

players to have at least 18 double-doubles on the year, and Mason Faulker is one of two players to have at least two triple-doubles on the year. Faulker and Dotson led a balanced attack as evidence in the 109-78 win over Samford this year when Catamount senior Onno Steger led five WCU players in double figures with a career-high 31 points.

The Cats have also shown grit, including coming back to win 96-94 in two overtimes at Jacksonville (Fla.) University on Nov. 22 after trailing by 22 points with 6:16 left in the second half.

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— Mark Prosser, Catamounts basketball head coach

SAT. MARCH 14TH 12- 4PM ON MAIN STREET WAYNESVILLE

March 4-10, 2020

“Last year, we were putting in our system of how we wanted to play, and you see that take shape now. Coaches often say they have great kids, but it is a genuine thing here. Our players have been ready to work from day one.”

“We trust each other as a team,” Faulkner said earlier this year. “We try to stay consistent and keep attacking. We keep playing hard. We’ve got a good mix of young guys and veteran guys.”

Fans have noticed. Catamount home average attendance has increased from the previous year, and WCU has a 10-4 record at home.

“The players understand Coach Prosser’s system well,” said Jake Robinson, chief executive officer of Champion Credit Union, based in Canton, who scored in double figures 59 times during a career at WCU from 2006-10. “You can see this year they are playing much more freely knowing what to do. The community support has been there, and our home record is solid.

Adding a true point guard like Mason Faulkner certainly helps. That makes players like Carlos (Dotson), Onno Stegar, and Matt (Halvorsen) all better, and the freshmen are contributing. It has all been a perfect storm for this team. I’m a proud Catamount looking forward to the tournament in Asheville.” #ItsHere for now means the Southern Conference Tournament in Asheville. The Catamounts will be the No. 5 seed and take on No. 4 Mercer (17-14, 11-7 SoCon) in the quarterfinal of the 2020 Ingles Southern Conference Tournament presented by General Shale Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Mercer and WCU split two games in the regular season. WCU will attempt to win a SoCon Tournament game for the first time since 2016.

“This is a tough league, no doubt about it,” Mark Prosser said. “We will go into the tournament ready to play and knowing nothing will be easy. This team has been ready to face each challenge, and we will keep working on getting where we want to be as a program.”

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Banishment law changes considered in Cherokee

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ribal Council will consider a pair of ordinances proposing changes to the tribe’s banishment laws during its March 5 meeting, and with discussions held during the Jan. 9 Tribal Council meeting and a Feb. 26 work session in the rearview, a final vote is likely.

The topic first came before Council in January, when tribal member Kallup McCoy presented an ordinance that if enacted would provide a pathway for people Tribal Council had banished from the Qualla Boundary to have that decision reversed.

“Basically, we’re just asking you to invoke your power and to give people the opportunity to come in and prove their remedial process and their path to healing and recovery,” said McCoy. A former addict, McCoy is now a leader in and advocate for the tribe’s recovery community. Most of the banishments currently on the books were enacted as the result of drug-related offenses, especially against alleged dealers.

While nobody currently on the banishment list is a tribal member, said McCoy’s mother Ruth McCoy, who presented the ordinance with him, many of them have family members and children who are tribal members or who otherwise live on the Qualla Boundary.

Some councilmembers said that there was merit to the idea of providing some pathway to reverse a ban, but they all agreed that the

March 4-10, 2020

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issue was complex enough that the ordinance should be tabled for a work session. The vote to table was unanimous, and the work session was held Feb. 26.

However, only the first seven minutes of the 33-minute work session dealt with McCoy’s ordinance, with the remainder of the time focused on a separate ordinance that also dealt with banishment laws. This ordinance was submitted by the Attorney General’s Office.

During the portion of the meeting dealing with McCoy’s ordinance, council members expressed mixed opinions on the document.

Birdtown Representative Boyd Owle jumped right in with a positive view of the concept, though with caveats.

“I think bringing people back on here like this would be about the same as letting somebody out on parole from prison,” he said. “I think the family they harmed or the families they came in contact with, made them become banned, I think they should have a say in why they shouldn’t be brought back just like the parole board here.”

Other members weren’t so sure.

“On this, a lot of the time the victim was the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians,” said Painttown Representative Dike Sneed, who served as the tribe’s Chief of Police prior to running for council. “When they would bring in loads of dope to the casino and distribute them to the dealers here and we would

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Kallup McCoy presents his ordinance to Tribal Council during its Jan. 9 meeting. EBCI image catch them doing that, that’s why the majority of these were done. Some of them were individuals that lived here, and we don’t know who all they stole from to support their habit.”

There’s no way he could support such an ordinance, said Sneed. His fellow Painttown Representative Tommye Saunooke concurred.

“I wouldn’t even consider supporting something like this,” she said. “There’s a reason those people were banished.”

Chairman Adam Wachacha, meanwhile, took issue with the part of the ordinance that said banishments could be reversed by a majority vote of council. That would need to be changed, he said, because while banning somebody for up to 90 days requires only a

majority vote, an indefinite exclusion requires a two-thirds vote and a permanent exclusion requires a three-fourths vote.

Attorney General Mike McConnell then stepped up to the mic to point out another issue with the existing banishment ordinance, which in tribal code is referred to as an exclusion ordinance. While the tribe gained a victory in 2018 when the state legislature made it a felony to violate a banishment order from the tribe, enforcement has been difficult due to the need to prove that the person in question was aware that he or she was banned. To address that issue, McConnell’s office drafted an ordinance that takes a big-picture look at the

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a non-member shall constitute a per se threat to the integrity and law and order on Tribal lands and territory or the welfare of its members,” the ordinance reads.

It grants any Cherokee officer the ability to authorize and execute a writ of emergency temporary exclusion on a named non-member independent of any criminal charges that may or may not be filed. Tribal Council would then later review the case and decide whether to renew the writ, enact a formal banishment process or allow the person back on the Boundary.

The ordinance also seeks to crack down on people who help others defy banishment orders. Under the draft ordinance, somebody who harbors a banished person on tribal trust lands will be guilty of a crime carrying a sentence of up to six months, a fine of up to $5,000 or both. Council members especially supported that provision, with some representatives asking for a concrete minimum sentence to go along with the maximum.

“I’d like to see a mandatory sentence imposed on that, because we’ve got to get the message across that if you’re harboring, you’re doing wrong,” said Sneed.

“I think a mandatory 10 days would be enough for me to realize that I made a mistake,” added Yellowhill Representative Tom Wahnetah.

Both versions of the banishment ordinance are on the agenda for the March 5 Tribal Council meeting. If one of the documents passes with a majority weighted vote of Tribal Council, it would then go to Principal Chief Richard Sneed for ratification.

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chapter of tribal law dealing with banishment. The proposed changes address procedures for serving banishment notices as well as the issue of reversing a ban. Rather than discussing McCoy’s legislation further, Council switched gears to take a look at McConnell’s proposed document.

Addressing McCoy’s concern, the proposed ordinance clarifies that Council’s power to banish also includes the power to “modify or terminate” a previously ordered banishment.

“There is no right to judicial appeal of a Tribal Council decision to exclude a person from Cherokee trust lands; provided, however, nothing in this Chapter shall preclude Tribal Council from re-considering an exclusion and modifying or terminating the order of exclusion by appropriate resolution, if Tribal Council believes a change of circumstances warrants such action,” the ordinance reads.

The ordinance requires that Tribal Council provide “reasonable written notice” when it is considering banishing someone and grants such people the right to appear before Council during the hearing when banishment is considered. It also requires that a copy of the resolution enacting the banishment be served to the person in question by “a person authorized to serve legal process” with proof of service maintained by the Tribal Operations Program.

Additionally, the document creates a process for automatically considering banishment when a non-member commits a drug offense on the Qualla Boundary.

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Smoky Mountain News again recognized for journalistic excellence STAFF R EPORT t was another good year for community journalism in Western North Carolina, and writers from The Smoky Mountain News were a big part of it, taking home more editorial awards — 21 — than any other newspaper in its class.

“We always strive for editorial excellence. Our mission is to provide our readers with journalism as good as you could get anywhere in the country, including metro areas,” said SMN Publisher and Editor Scott McLeod. “Awards aren’t the end-all, but they do show that our reporters and writers are accomplished, that they are good at what they do.

“What is particularly gratifying is that our current editorial staff has shown a sustained excellence,” said McLeod. “They have been recognized as among the state’s best journalists many years in a row. I’m happy for them, appreciative of the support we get from readers and advertisers, and proud that we are able to produce this kind of newspaper for Western North Carolina.”

The awards, announced at the North

March 4-10, 2020

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FOR SALE

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Smoky Mountain News staff (from left) Scott McLeod, Cory Vaillancourt, Jessi Stone, Holly Kays and Garrett K. Woodward stop for a photo at the NCPA awards ceremony in Raleigh on Feb. 27. Donated photo third-place awards for investigative reporting, and an additional third-place award for news feature writing.

Kays’ news feature awards, along with Vaillancourt’s gave SMN a sweep of that category.

News Editor Jessi Stone earned a secondplace award in city/county government reporting, second and third place in business reporting, and third-place awards in beat feature reporting and news enterprise reporting.

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Arts & Entertainment Editor Garret K. Woodward brought home a third-place award for arts and entertainment reporting, and Susanna Shetley won her first-ever NCPA award, earning first place in the lighter columns category.

Shetley’s victory keeps the lighter columns first-place award in-house; since 2015, only SMN writers have won it — Chris Cox in 2018, and Woodward in 2017 and 2016.

SMN staff also took home a second-place award for community coverage.

chose Pamela Williams to represent the listing of our “ Wehistoric home and, suffice to say, it was one of the best

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16

Carolina Press Association’s annual conference in Raleigh, are bestowed yearly after judges from another state’s press association evaluate the more than 4,000 entries submitted.

SMN designer Travis Bumgardner’s work on the SMN website earned him another first-place award in the “general excellence for websites” category.

The newspaper as a whole also took home the third-place award for general excellence.

Individual SMN writers also earned a host of awards, led by Staff Writer Cory Vaillancourt’s seven. Vaillancourt picked up first-place awards in the categories of city/county government reporting, election/political reporting and education reporting, as well as second-place finishes for beat feature reporting, news feature writing and religion and faith reporting, along with an additional third-place award in the election/political reporting category.

Outdoors Editor Holly Kays earned two first-place awards, one for news feature writing and one for Arts & Entertainment reporting. She also picked up second- and

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Muddy water flows down the access road to the Millennial Apartments project during a rain event Feb. 24. Jackson County photo

WATR calls on state to issue stop work order

T

IMPACTS TO NEIGHBORS It’s not just environmental concerns that have locals upset. A sheer slope drops off from the edge of the construction site, the toe of which ends just behind a student housing development owned by Sherri Deitz.

Following heavy rain Halloween morning, a piece of earth detached from the slope, slid downhill, and knocked one of those houses off its foundation.

“I was scared to death,” Deitz said in an interview at the time. “I was yelling. I thought my tenants were in that place, and I was scared to death that they were injured.”

Nobody was home, so nobody was injured, but the house was condemned and all students living in the development’s 12 small houses were evacuated for a time.

Brown said that Zimmer has done “absolutely nothing” to restore the damaged house, which is still condemned, and that Deitz paid out of pocket to have someone remove the mud that accumulated under several of her houses as a result.

When reached for comment, Deitz said she couldn’t make a statement at this time.

Tucker, meanwhile, said Deitz had never asked Zimmer for any help in connection with the incident.

Brown said that WATR plans to help restore the portion of Long Branch that runs

Because the project takes place on land owned by Western Carolina University, it’s subject to state inspections rather than to county inspections. Elder’s office, as well as the county’s planning office, tried to send a message by briefly suspending approval of the project this fall under the county’s subdivision ordinance and halting building inspections. However, those suspensions soon had to be reinstated.

The Department of Environmental Quality does have the authority to issue a stop-work order the project, and state statute requires that several conditions be met to do so. The Secretary of Environment must find that a violation has occurred, that the violation is knowing and willful and that one of three additional criteria has been met. Those criteria are that off-site sedimentation has eliminated or severely degraded a use in a lake or natural waterway or that such degradation is imminent; that off-site sedimentation has caused “severe damage” to adjacent land or that such damage is imminent; or that land-disturbing activity is being conducted without an approved plan.

“DEQ keeps all compliance options available for every project site under our jurisdiction,” said Sarah Young, public information officer for DEQ. No stop work order has been issued, and WCU expects that the 500-bed student housing complex will be up and running by August, said WCU Chief Communications Officer Bill Studenc. The university can’t say with certainty if it would work with Zimmer again until it sees how well the company rectifies this most recent violation, said Studenc.

However, the incidents are certainly a departure from business as usual.

“The issues we have faced with the project on the West Campus are highly unusual,” he said.

On Nov. 6, the Division of Water Resources assessed fines and fees totaling $14,610, which Zimmer has yet to pay.

“We don’t necessarily disagree with it.

We’re just still in discussion with them,” said Tucker.

However, Zimmer is legally contesting the fines through a case in the Office of Administrative Hearings filed Dec. 10.

Zimmer is asking that the penalties be dismissed, claiming that the Division “acted arbitrarily and capriciously and erroneously” in assessing the fines. Heavy rains were responsible for the fact that approved erosion control measures were overwhelmed, but the sediment has been removed and the streams repaired, Zimmer argued in its petition.

Brown disagrees.

“They’re diligently opposing the fines and their responsibility,” he said. “They have neglected wholesale to force the company that is working for them to bring this site into compliance.”

17

Smoky Mountain News

These erosion issues have been ongoing for most of the past year. The state issued its first notice of violation on June 17, 2019, with additional violations issued June 19, June 21, July 31, Nov. 4 and Nov. 13. The most recent notice, issued Jan. 14, brings the grand total to seven.

“Never in one given day on a rainy day has that site been in compliance enough to keep soil from leaving the site,” said Ken Brown, executive director of the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River.

Brown, who is a contractor by trade, called for the state to shut down construction at the site completely, calling its lack of willingness to do so “shameful.”

“When it rains today and tomorrow, I don’t really fully expect that they will have achieved compliance on the eastern part of the site,” Brown said during a phone call Monday, March 2. “I hope to find otherwise, but I won’t be surprised is what I’m saying. There are numerous construction sites, university, public-private contracts going on or ongoing or concurrent with what’s going on there, and all those sites and have been in compliance and have been working very diligently to keep it that way. So this is incredibly unusual.”

Adam Tucker, director of development for Zimmer, took issue with that characterization.

“There’s been an inordinate amount of rain this year and large events that have been, I would say, unusually large events that made it more challenging for us,” he said. “But again, we worked with the state. We increased our controls. We’ve added measures, we’ve shored up existing measures and feel good about where we are in the process.”

Tucker especially took issue with Brown’s assertion the site has been out of compliance every time it rains. While he couldn’t say how often those issues actually do occur, as he’s not on site day-to-day, he insisted that they’re not continual.

WORK CONTINUES

March 4-10, 2020

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he Millennial Apartments project overseen

by Zimmer Development Corporation has racked up seven notices of violations of state standards since breaking ground on the project last summer in Cullowhee.

The most recent NOV was issued Jan. 14 as the result of a Dec. 17 inspection that revealed turbidity levels in some locations on the property that were nearly triple the state standard of 50 nephelometric turbidity units.

Nine samples were collected, of which four were upstream of the confluence with the tributary coming from the Zimmer project or otherwise outside the limits of disturbance.

These upstream samples averaged 24 NTUs. Meanwhile, the five samples taken from areas affected by site runoff averaged 82.6 NTUs, with one sample logging a turbidity level of 140 NTUs. These results were likely impacted by an uncapped pipe found on site, unleashing muddy water near the project’s entrance.

A Feb. 10 letter to the Division of Water Quality from Civil Design Concepts, the company Zimmer hired to rectify the violations, states that site conditions have “continued to improve and stabilize” as grass has established on all exterior slopes. The site’s interior does not have ground cover but drains to “significantly oversized basins, which have performed well,” the letter reads. While the majority of the site had been stabilized when the letter was written, the eastern side along Dr. Killian Road still required attention.

“Traffic tracks dirt onto the road which is then carried by runoff through various paths off-site,” the letter reads. “The contractor is addressing this by installing another construction entrance, utilizing a street sweeper for paved roads, and regularly back-blading Killian Road.”

AN ONGOING PROBLEM

behind Deitz’ property and will expand that project to cover as large an area as possible.

“If we don’t do something there, her houses eventually are going to fall into the creek because the stormwater velocity and volume coming through there is such that it’s continually eroding the banks,” he said.

news

Erosion issues persist at Millennial Apartments

“We don’t have a problem every time it rains,” he said. “I wouldn’t say ‘A lot of times.’

I would say just a few times.”

If a rainstorm were to hit this week, said Tucker, he’s confident that the measures in place would be sufficient to prevent additional erosion.

The situation does seem to be improving, said Jackson County Planning and Code Enforcement Director Tony Elders. A photo of the site during a rain event March 2 still shows some mud in the runoff — though it’s difficult to tell how much is residual from earlier rains that week — but it’s significantly less than the markedly muddy water flowing down the site’s access road in a photo taken the previous week. The situation looked even better during the most recent rain March 3.

“The site actually held up fairly well overnight compared to recent history,” said Elders March 3. “Still some muddy runoff but improving.”

However, it’s undeniable that the issue has been persistent and of unusual proportions.

There are many other construction projects underway in the Cullowhee area, said Elders, and they have all remained in compliance.

According to Brown, erosion issues at Zimmer have been present since an unreported incident that occurred in April 2019.

Turbidity, another name for muddy water, is a big problem for mountain trout streams where aquatic organisms require clear water to survive and especially to thrive. Brown, who grew up on a 78-acre property that includes the very land where the Millennial Apartments are now being constructed, remembers when Long Branch was wider, shallower and good for fishing. Increased development in the area has forced the stream to become narrower and deeper, creating a whole different kind of aquatic ecosystem.

18

Smoky Mountain News March 4-10, 2020

news

Fish Fry at Pigeon Center

N.C. Department of Transportation officials recently awarded a $450,000 contract to increase the stability of a hill beside U.S. 19/74 in the Nantahala Gorge that has suffered from recent slides.

The preliminary work to be completed

by GeoStabilization International requires a closure of U.S. 19/74 in the gorge starting Monday, March 9, and lasting through the week. Drivers will be routed through Robbinsville — as they have been during recent closures due to slides — which adds about 20 minutes to commute times.

Crews from GSI will spend the week scaling a slide area near Ferebee Memorial Picnic Area with hand tools including axes, shovels, and pry-bars to remove loose material and prepare the area for the next phase of repairs.

Once the scaling is complete, likely on Sunday, March 15, traffic will return to the current one-lane pattern with a traffic signal at the slide area. Then crews will spend the next two to three weeks installing rock bolts and 9,000 square feet of steel netting to sta-

bilize the slide area and prevent additional dirt and debris from entering the highway at this location. The roadway should open to two-way traffic by the first weekend in April.

“During this very technical work, it is safest for drivers and the crews to have the road closed,” said NCDOT Assistant District Engineer Zach Shuler. “Once it opens back to one lane, drivers will need to be cautious in the area and expect the unexpected, like seeing workers dangling by ropes from the hillside like mountain climbers.”

This hillside in the Nantahala Gorge suffered a slide on Jan. 4 that closed the highway and forced NCDOT officials to set up a small catchment area and install the traffic signal for the safety of passing drivers.

During the closure, the detour will direct westbound traffic from U.S. 19/74 to N.C. 28 to Stecoah, N.C. 143 to Robbinsville and U.S. 129 to Topton and U.S. 74. Eastbound traffic will go to Robbinsville and then Stecoah en route back to U.S. 19/74. Visitors may still access the Nantahala Outdoor Center from the east.

www.smokymountainnews.com

Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center will hold its annual Fish Fry fundraiser beginning at 11 a.m.

Friday, March 6, at 450 Pigeon Street, Waynesville.

Cost is $10 a plate, which includes fried fish, baked beans, cole slaw, hushpuppies, drink and dessert. Fish will also be sold separately for $1.50 each. Eat in or carry out available. Call ahead for large orders.

For more information, call 828.452.7232.

Help with job search Are you looking for a job? Do you need help with your job search, resume writing, or interviewing skills?

Your local NCWorks Career Center can assist you with a job search, resume writing or interviewing skills from 1:30 to 4 p.m.

Friday, March 5, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

On the first Friday of each month a career advisor from the Swain County NCWorks Career Center will be at the library to assist job seekers with their job search efforts. Assistance filling out job applications, creating professional resumes, and preparing for interviews will be provided.

If you can’t make it Friday, stop by the

news

Rock netting coming to Nantahala Gorge

Swain County NCWorks Career Center, located in the County Administration Building at 101 Mitchell Street.

For more information, call the Marianna Black Library at 828.488.3030 or visit www.fontanlaib.org.

HCC to hold business webinars The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a free webinar series - Business Planning Power Hour for current and prospective small business owners who are short on time and ready to build a business plan or revisit a current plan.

The one-hour webinar “power hours” will address business planning tools, tips, tricks and resources to help you create or strengthen your business plan. Seminars in the Business Planning Power Hour series include: “Structure and Resources” from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 11. This seminar includes a quick overview of the core components of the business plan, resources to assist in development and time blocking for successful completion.

“Market Plan” will be held Wednesday, March 25; “Management, Organization and Operations” will be held Wednesday, April 15 and “Financials” will be held Wednesday, April 29. overall business plan.

Resources will be highlighted and shared.

Visit sbc.haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512 to register.

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Smoky Mountain News

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March 4-10, 2020

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20

Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Plenty of room in the arena I

No newspapers?

No thanks To the Editor: Imagine a world without your local newspaper. Imagine a world without any newspapers. Where would you get your news about upcoming elections or about what the DOT and county commissioners plan to do with that stretch of road near your house? Would you turn to Facebook? Twitter? Platforms that have been reprimanded repeatedly for allowing the dissemination of false stories meant to manipulate and mislead readers? Speaking of Facebook, founder Mark Zuckerberg made it very clear that he has no intentions of stopping the spread of fake news across his platform. Why should he halt it? He’s making money either way.

A couple of weeks ago McClatchy Publishers, parent company of the Miami Herald and Kansas City Star announced a filing of chapter 11 bankruptcy. The plan, according to McClatchy’s creditors, is to reorganize in order to offload massive debt totaling $700 million across the 30 newspaper titles they own — including our state’s two largest papers, The Charlotte Observer and the Raleigh News & Observer. Reorganize is a fancy way of saying trimming the fat, which is a colloquial way of saying putting journalists out of work.

met with uneducated opinions that will in no way bring about change and progress. Then the bleeding heart in me became angry at my fellow community members before I remembered wise words from President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Well, actually I remembered Brené Brown — Ph.D. research professor at the University of Houston who has written several books on courage, shame, vulnerability, and empathy — using the FDR quote often as she encourages her readers to not heed News Editor criticism from those who don’t understand the struggle.

Jessi Stone

became aware of a Facebook group recently called “Finding Solutions — Waynesville.” On the surface it appeared this group was looking for solutions to the town’s social issues of homelessness and addiction, so I joined in so I could observe and perhaps offer valuable resources to the discussion — after all, The Smoky Mountain News has covered these issues extensively in the last several years.

I quickly realized many members of the group are more determined to dismantle the efforts that have been made to address the problem. There were so many posts and comments from people complaining about how homeless people and those suffering from substance use disorder impact their lives and people wanting Haywood Pathways Center and The Open Door Ministries gone from Waynesville.

Based on the commentary, it’s clear many people in the community still don’t understand the complexity of these social issues — they don’t know how counties are funded for behavioral health or how much funding the state has cut to Medicare and Medicaid providers in Western North Carolina.

They can’t grasp how much money it costs county taxpayers to incarcerate people who really just need rehabilitation.

But, what is so disheartening is to read so many comments that show people’s lack of empathy for those experiencing homelessness and or addiction. Many in this Facebook group are determined to bash the nonprofits working diligently to provide resources for our most vulnerable populations.

Someone even put “nonprofits” in quotes as if to signify that these hard-working people have ulterior motives.

Being the objective reporter that I aim to be, I offered links to articles, research studies and census data to help people understand and answer their questions, but again I was just

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

So yeah, I could use this entire column to complain about the people complaining from the cheap seats, but it would be pointless. I want to speak to those who are in the arena every

LETTERS If you haven’t noticed, this trend of newspapers going belly up, whether shuttering entirely or restructuring at the expense of journalistic integrity, has been a steady occurrence for several years. According to PEN America, 20 percent of all U.S. newspapers have closed since 2004. Dwindling advertising dollars combined with the onslaught of digital takeover by Google and Facebook, has absolutely crushed print media. Today, 225 counties across the U.S. are without a newspaper and of the newspapers still operating, a sizeable number are so broke they can only afford to publish what comes down the wire from the Associated Press. This means no local news for the people living in those communities.

The thought of not having a local newspaper may not strike others as something worth fretting over, but for me, the thought is terrifying. It should be terrifying for anyone who gives it consideration. Newspaper journalists are the eyes and ears of what’s happening in your community. They are the first on the scene and the ones who literally do the legwork, often thanklessly, of gathering facts and information to share. In fact, 90 percent of the commentary you see on television news and read online comes from the labor and work of newspaper reporters. Your favorite talking heads would be silent bobbing heads if it weren’t for the efforts of journalists. Or worse,

day marred by dust, sweat and tears as they fall, fail, dust themselves off and get right back up the next day to keep fighting in hopes of rejoicing in another small victory. The work people at Pathways and Open Door as well as our behavioral health and addiction nonprofit providers are doing to make a difference in this county is thankless, exhausting and depressing. But for every failure to reach someone, there’s hope to save someone — that’s what keeps them going. In my reporting I’ve met so many dedicated people working to overcome the devastation drugs have brought to our community. They work to provide education, prevention, mental health resources, diversion programs, jail ministries and peer support — anything they can think of to make a dent in the epidemic. It’s not perfect and we can always do more when resources are available, but until we come to terms with the fact that addiction is only a symptom of larger systemic issues we’re just treading water.

Our state has to invest more resources into understanding trauma and how it impacts people’s lives forever if it’s not dealt with properly. We need more school counselors, more mental health funding and more affordable housing options for people. What we don’t need is for this community to stop supporting the organizations that don’t cost taxpayers any money and are funded by private donations.

I don’t want to discourage public discussions regarding these important issues, but I want their opinions to be welleducated. Before you criticize, go cook a meal for people staying at Pathways Center; offer to teach the residents a valuable skill that could help them lift themselves up; keep bottles of water, healthy snacks and hygiene products in your car and give them out when you encounter someone in need.

There are so many ways to be a part of the solution and not the problem. I challenge those up in the cheap seats to make their way down into the arena — there’s plenty of room.

(Jessi Stone is news editor of The Smoky Mountain News. jessi@smokymountainnews.com)

your talking heads would simply be spokespersons for the biggest spenders in advertising.

So why care? Because news matters. An absence of press and the disappearance of local news outlets is an invitation for the growth of misinformation, misunderstanding and propagation of false narratives. It’s handing over the voice of your community to whichever power has the strongest grip (and deepest wallet). The loss of free press is the unraveling of the foundation of our society. As journalist Richard Kluger once said, “Every time a newspaper dies, even a bad one, the country moves a little closer to authoritarianism; when a great one goes, history itself is denied a devoted witness.”

Amanda Singletary Waynesville

Expand Medicaid without work mandate To the Editor: At the recent Waynesville Town Board meeting on Feb. 11, there was a motion to support Medicaid expansion under House Bill 655. I appreciated the input of law enforcement, medical professionals, and community members to endorse this expansion. However, I take issue with the work requirements put forth in the bill.

I am personally able to afford health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, though by a shoestring. I have a $7,000 deductible and, beyond the cost of my premium, I spend around 200 additional dollars each month for mental health care. It is not a stretch for me to imagine that others in our community struggle to access healthcare at all. Haywood County has a 16.6 percent poverty rate, or almost 10,000 people. The wage gap that prevents our neighbors from accessing healthcare is between $6,000 and $16,000.

Work requirements do not solve the problem of access to healthcare. Sixty percent of those with Medicaid coverage already work, and those who don’t are unable because of disabilities, caregiving, or inability to find fulltime work. They are the ones in need of healthcare, in order to be well enough to work in the first place. Not to mention, work requirements cost taxpayers more money, due to the cost of bureaucratic paperwork to enforce the work requirements.

Haywood County faces a current crisis, linked between the issues of homelessness, mental health, addiction, and poverty. Work requirements will not properly address these issues. I support HB5/SB2 to close the Medicaid coverage gap. I demand that our town council members do the same as we move forward with this issue.

Abigail Ahlberg, DownHomeNC Waynesville

Chris Cox

I

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All proceeds benefit the Jackson County Humane Society.

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March 4-10, 2020 Smoky Mountain News

t has been over a week since my son had seven boys stay overnight at our house to celebrate his fifteenth birthday party. We are still sorting through the rubble, fishing through layers of debris for whatever valuables may still be Columnist buried there: shoes, missing iPhones, family pets, and so forth.

Of course, we insisted that he had to clean up as a condition of having the party in the first place, but who were we kidding?

When I went down on Sunday morning to check on the boys, I could not recognize our own home. There was not a single inch of surface area that was visible. It was hard even to get a headcount.

We may have to hire a professional cleaning crew and pay them a week’s wages to get our downstairs anywhere close to livable condition. But first, we may need to rent a backhoe. I can imagine a professional cleaning crew arriving on the scene, taking one look at our downstairs, and then declining to clean it for any amount of money. I can imagine some people choosing to just burn it all up and starting over, but we do not have that luxury, it being our home and all.

It’s going to be a “family project” to clean it properly, and it’s going to take a while. Maybe Easter. Or Memorial Day. A while. We may have to tackle it one quadrant at a time. Who knows what we may find along the way? The very idea sends waves of dread crashing over me.

Nevertheless, it is a fact that we cherish these birthday parties. It is a fact that we are running out of them. Our daughter is now officially grown. The Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, and Shrekthemed slumber parties that we once hosted on her birthday are long gone. Those awkward, adorable little girls are now busy choosing majors and navigating relationships.

We half-feared our son would deem it too uncool to have a birthday party this

opinion

The rubble heap that was our basement

year, but he went in the utter opposite direction. Not only did he want a party — he wanted it at Chuck E. Cheese, where we’ve celebrated his birthday seemingly every year since he turned three. In retrospect, we should have just bought our own franchise.

I think it was supposed to be ironic, or at least some kind of gag that this group of teenage boys, all now old enough to shave and nearly old enough to drive, was going to descend on Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate a birthday. Most of them towered over Chuck E. He danced around some but seemed to be a bit edgy and perhaps going through the motions.

A couple of the teens looked like they could have potentially fathered some of the younger kids running around like hamsters in a cage, pausing only occasionally to play the blinking and colorful arcade games that otherwise served as obstacles to their pursuit of one another, or whatever.

The reserved tables for all of the birthday kids — including our son — were in the back, each one decorated with balloons and streamers and posters that announced the child’s name and age: Henry, age 4: Lucy, age 5: Kayla, age 3: Jack, age 15.

Our son was older than any three of the other kids combined. When it was his turn to get his birthday photo taken with Chuck E. surrounded by all of his friends, they looked like a fledgling motorcycle gang: The Riverbend Rodents, maybe. All they needed were leather jackets to go with their theatrical scowls and they’d be straight out of central casting. Rebels Without a Token.

On the way home, I stopped off to get a few snacks for the “afterparty,” as he had been calling all week.

“Is this a birthday party or the Oscars?” I asked. “Will Leo DiCaprio be stopping by?”

“Just get the snacks, dad. Don’t try to be funny. It’s just sad. OK, boomer?”

I ran by Ingles and loaded up my cart with Moon Pies, cookies, two bags of Doritos, two bags of Hot Cheetos, and enough gummies to dam up a good-sized river. I was feeling a little inept as a parent and called them up.

“Do we want to get a fruit or vegetable tray?”

(Sounds of laughter and hurtful remarks in the background. What kind of afterparty are you envisioning here, old man?)

The afterparty was a big success.

Eventually, we located all the boys the next morning — or they located us. They crawled out of the wreckage one by one in search of cinnamon buns, bacon, and eggs.

Next year, some of them will be able to drive themselves to the party. I wonder what Chuck E. will think of that?

(Chris Cox is a writer and teacher who lives in Haywood County. jchriscox@live.com.)

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WAYNESVILLE OFFICE 74 North Main Street | (828) 634 -7333

Smoky Mountain News

March 4-10, 2020

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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.

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

828.926.1820 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Tuesdays.

Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet. Instead our waitresses will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want.

So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service.

FIREFLY TAPS & GRILL 128 N. Main St., Waynesville 828.454.5400. Simple, delicious food. A must experience in WNC. Located in downtown Waynesville with an atmosphere that will warm your heart and your belly! Local and regional beers on tap. Full bar, vegetarian options, kids menu, and more.

Reservations accepted. Daily specials. Live

Join us Sundays 6-9PM

LIVE MUSIC!

Gluten Free Options Available

New Party Room Available ~ ~ ~ ~ Book Us for Your Next Event ~ ~

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

watamisushinoodles.com · 828.246.6888 33 S. Main St. #101 · Waynesville

WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY 32 Felmet Street, Waynesville.

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

Friday, March 6 3 E JACKSON ST. • SYLVA, NC

www.CityLightsCafe.com Carver's

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT since 1952

Daily Specials: Soups, Sandwiches & Southern Dishes

Mon/Wed/Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday/Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Closed Tuesday

Sunday 12-9 p.m.

Sandwiches • Burgers • Wraps 32 Felmet Street (828) 246-0927

SOUTH PHILLY ITALIAN PASTA & SUBS 2768 Asheville Hwy., Canton.

828.593.3580. Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m.

Pick-up or carryout only. Call in orders.

Pasta and subs. Large portions!

WATAMI SUSHI AND NOODLES RESTAURANT 33 S. Main Street, Waynesville.

828.231.3476. Open 7 days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4:30 p.m.-9 p.m. on Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. Healthy, fresh, delicious and high-quality Asian food such as Sushi and Sashimi, Hibachi and Teriyaki, Pad Thai, Wok Lo Men and Thai Coconut Noodle Soup. Sushi, Hibachi and Teriyaki lunch specials every day. Gluten free options available. Full sushi bar and new chocolate wine bar. New party room available for weddings, birthdays or special occasions. Live bluegrass Sundays from 6-9 p.m. with Sons of Ralph. Reservations and online ordering available. www.watamisushinoodles.com

Starts at 7PM

Tin Roof Echo

Bluegrass: Sons of Ralph

MAD BATTER KITCHEN 617 W. Main St, Downtown Sylva.

828.586.3555. In collaboration with Lazy Hiker Brewing Co. Open 7 days a week; Saturday & Sunday Brunch until 2 p.m.

Hand-tossed pizza, local grass-fed beef and rice bowls. Scratch-made and beer inspired menu with lots of vegetarian, vegan & gluten free options. Free live music and movies. Visit madbatterkitchen.net for this week’s events.

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT 2804 Soco Road, Maggie Valley.

828.926.0425. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

Daily specials including soups, sandwiches and southern dishes along with featured dishes such as fresh fried chicken, rainbow trout, country ham, pork chops and more.

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

LIVE MUSIC

Featured Dishes: Fresh Fried Chicken, Rainbow Trout, Country Ham, Pork-chops & more

Breakfast : Omelets, Pancakes, Biscuits & Gravy!

Breakfast served all day!

OPEN DAILY 7 A.M. TO 8 P.M. SUNDAY 8 A.M. TO 8 P.M. CLOSED TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 2804 SOCO RD. • MAGGIE VALLEY 828.926.0425 • Facebook.com/carversmvr Instagram- @carvers_mvr

APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde

828-456-1997 blueroostersoutherngrill.com Monday-Friday Open at 11am

Real Local Families, Real Local Farms, Real Local Food Smoky Mountain News

FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA 243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde.

828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; closed Sunday. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery.

Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95.

HARMON’S DEN BISTRO 250 Pigeon St., Waynesville 828.456.6322. Harmon’s Den is located in the Fangmeyer Theater at HART. Open 5:30-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday (Bistro closes at 7:30 p.m. on nights when there is a show in the Fangmeyer Theater) with Sunday brunch at 11 a.m. that includes breakfast and lunch items.

Harmon’s Den offers a complete menu with cocktails, wine list, and area beers on tap.

We Accept Reservations & Offer Online Ordering

March 4-10, 2020

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 WiFi, pet-friendly. Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.

music every Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m.

Open Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Advertise here.

Smoky Mountain News

828.452.4251 www.smokymountainnews.com

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Another song, another mile A conversation with Steve Gorman Steve Gorman.

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER n any rock-n-roll band, the unsung hero is the drummer. With a soaring singer and whirlwind guitar solos, the person behind the kit is the anchor for the group — holding up the light at the end of the tunnel of a melody in motion.

Steve Gorman is one of those drummers. Cofounder of The Black Crowes, Gorman was part of arguably one of the biggest and most explosive rock acts in the history of American music.

Forming the band with brothers Chris and Rich Robinson in Atlanta in 1984, the trio remained the core of the Crowes through the rollercoaster of multi-platinum success, rotating bandmates, mind-boggling collaborations, substance abuse and missed opportunities.

Though the Crowes broke up in 2002 (reforming in 2005) and 2015 (reforming in 2019), the numerous hit songs remain staples of radio airplay decades after being recorded — all within a modern era where sugary pop and hip-hop rules the charts.

The music of The Black Crowes is the music of this country and its people — of struggle and passion, of love and loss, and of the eternal search for truth and honesty in the darkest of circumstances.

And yet, a lot of that struggle and missed opportunity was at the hands of the Crowes themselves. Usually its own worst enemy, the group tended to blow itself up whenever a chance to break into another bountiful level

I

presented itself. All of which is extensively documented in Gorman’s recent acclaimed memoir, Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of The Black Crowes.

The book itself is a candid — often uncomfortable — account of what actually goes on behind the curtains in the mysterious realm of rock music. The release of the memoir also came just months before the Crowes announced a reunion tour — a showcase that doesn’t include Gorman or past members, just the Robinson brothers and a handful of hired musicians.

But, Gorman doesn’t let that deter him. At 54, he’s found his Zen zone, personally and professionally. Based out of Nashville these days, the focus is his family, all alongside hosting a successful sports radio show and currently touring with his own band, rising soul/rock outfit Trigger Hippy.

Smoky Mountain News: With forming Trigger Hippy, what were some of lessons learned that you pulled from the past?

Steve Gorman: Well, there [are] countless lessons. There’s the whole idea of if I have a red flag about somebody, if I’m getting a vibe from somebody that there’s a little bit of a duality at play or if I don’t think they’re shooting straight on any level, [then] I’m not interested in going further with them. If there’s a need for drama, if there’s a tendency to self-sabotage, I’m just not going to get to a place in life with anybody on any level where that lasts very long.

Want to go?

Trigger Hippy will perform at 9 p.m.

Friday, March 6, at The Grey Eagle in Asheville. The Rick Nelson Band will open the show. Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 day of show.

Prior to the show, Smoky Mountain New Arts & Entertainment Editor Garret K. Woodward will host a live audience Q&A with Steve Gorman at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at The Dweller taproom located at 10 North Market Street in Asheville.

The Q&A will cover Gorman’s new book, his life and career. Gorman will also be selling and signing his book onsite. The Q&A is free and open to the public. www.thegreyeagle.com.

SMN: I guess that’s one of the things when you get older — you realize how much you just don’t need the bullshit.

SG: Trust me, that’s 100 percent what it is.

And I said, I don’t have to think about that stuff. It’s weird, as I get older, I’ve gotten more patient in the big picture. But, I’m also much quicker to go, “Nope, that’s not worth pursuing.” [I’ve had] my quota for dysfunction and self-sabotage that was filled for literally decades — there’s no room in the cup for that anymore.

SMN: At this point in your life, does it feel

good to know that you’ve transcended beyond the chaos?

SG: Oh, sure. I mean, the chaos of the music machine [that] The Black Crowes were a part of — the truth is we had bigger fish to fry the whole time, and that was ourselves and each other. The Black Crowes did themselves in, without question. By the time our second album had wrapped and the tour ended, it took us literally four years to put ourselves in a place to be beyond all of that forever — and then we fucked it up.

SMN: But, as you approach 55, you still love what you do and [you seem] not to be jaded or turned off by it — to still have that passion.

SG: Well, it helps that I was jaded and helps that I was turned off by it [back then]. And then, it really helped that I admitted those things because I know a lot of jaded people who say they’re not, and so they’re stuck.

It’s a really good thing to wake up one day and say, “I don’t even want to play. I don’t even like playing music anymore. And I don’t even care about drums anymore.” I went through this for four years [and then came back to the drums].

My drumming is always and forever linked to my expression. I’m not following orders, so I’m not in a band where the guy goes, “Play it like this.” I don’t understand that way of drumming. So, if my emotional state is up or down, you’re going to hear it and feel it. And that’s how I play — there’s just no getting away from it.

“I’ve gotten more patient in the big picture. But, I’m also much quicker to go, ‘Nope, that’s not worth pursuing.’ [I’ve had] my quota for dysfunction and self-sabotage that was filled for literally decades — there’s no room in the cup for that anymore.”

— Steve Gorman

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

What a way f to ride, oh what a way to go

There will be a special concert in memory of late banjo great Steve Sutton from 3 to 8 p.m.

Sunday, March 8, in the Queen Auditorium at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.

I

CASUAL FINE DINING WITH LIVE MUSIC COVERED PATIO LATE NIGHT MENU

KITCHEN 743 TUESDAY THRU SUNDAY FROM 5PM UNTIL...

SUNDAY BRUNCH 10AM TO 2PM

Smoky Mountain News

n March 2011, I was a 26year-old freelance writer traveling down Interstate 87 in Upstate New York to There will be a special “Oyster Roast” gathering one of Levon Helm’s from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Midnight Rambles. The legNantahala Brewing’s Taproom & Burger Bar in endary singer/drummer for Bryson City.

The Band, Helm held these There will be another installment of “Comedy intimate concerts in his barnNight” at 9 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Mad like home, tucked away in the Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant in Waynesville. backwoods of the Catskill Mountains.

Popular alternative rock act Sister Hazel will Initially, the performances perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the were the ways and means to Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts pay his medical bills as he in Franklin. recovered from a serious bout Rock/reggae act Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) with throat cancer, which took will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at away his golden voice for sevNantahala Brewing’s Outpost taproom and eral years, replacing it with a restaurant in Sylva. gravely tone that remained until his passing in April 2012. radiated into the cosmos.

But, the shows became so popular and When you dive into the sounds of The mythical, that Helm & Co. continued doing the weekly performances, all of which became Band, you’re immersing yourself in the blood, sweat and tears of the United States part of a renaissance for Helm’s music and and Canada (the musicians hailed from both lore, as seen through the albums released sides of the border). It’s a seamless, groundnear the end of his life (and Grammys won). breaking blend of rock, folk, blues and counFor myself and millions of other music freaks, the music of The Band remains a cor- try music, created at a time when most rock music was about shock and awe, and not nerstone of our existence. No other band necessarily about revealing deeper truths from either side of the Atlantic Ocean has within all of us. had the organic growth and enduring Each song of The Band is a masterpiece, impact that Helm, Robbie Robertson, Rick each album a melodic chapter in a long and Danko, Richard Manuel and Garth Hudson

March 4-10, 2020

HOT PICKS 1 2 3 4 5

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

arduous history of each country, where you not only feel the timeless nature of the tunes in your bones, you also realize that nothing is the same, everything is the same in the grand scheme of things.

Hell, even George Harrison and Eric Clapton (among countless other rock giants) were in awe of what they heard from this rag-tag bunch living and recording in the basement of a pink house in rural Woodstock, New York, in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Later in life, Clapton even admitted that he wanted to ask The Band if he could join them from the ashes of Cream disbanding.

And there I was, in the spring of 2011, finally able to witness Helm live and in all his glory behind the drum kit. The evening and experience was eventually published by the Press-Republican, my local newspaper in Plattsburgh, New York, which paid pretty much peanuts for my music articles: “The car tires squished through the mud of Helm’s backyard. Dozens of vehicles crammed onto the land. Anonymous faces cracked open cold microbrews. Cigarette smoke, exhaled in haste, drifted into the crisp, starry night. Burn barrels dotted the road to the home/studio.

Laughter echoed into the distance. It is an awkward feeling trekking around the ambiance of a revered man only seen from afar, in films like ‘The Last Waltz’ or black and white photos.

Helm has created a magical castle for himself and lovingly invites any to partake in his happiness. Walking into the basement entrance, I hear foot-stomps coming through the ceiling.

The structure shakes. Muffled voices shout and cheer. It only means one thing — Levon has taken the stage.”

I walked out of the Ramble with a new sense of self, this deep and sincere connection to the mysteries of the universe, of humanity’s role and place in the organized chaos of daily life — the performance was that staggering, in purpose and in scope.

And I’ll never forget that signature smile adorning Helm’s face that night: “Howling into the heavens, Helm has a grin ear-to-ear when ‘Ophelia’ kicks in. The entire barn gyrates and sings together like a church revival on the Louisiana bayou. Guitarist Larry Campbell throws bare-knuckle licks. Pounding the keys with a thunderous fury, pianist Brian Mitchell looks Helm directly in the eye as the two belted out the lyrics. The night was over, but the memories had been set in motion.”

The Ramble and all that incredible music came flooding back to me last Sunday when I went to the Fine Arts Theater in Asheville to watch the new documentary, “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band.”

To see old interviews with Levon recorded in his Woodstock home, to hear all those mesmerizing songs and watch the story of the group unfold, well, it put tears in my eyes and chills throughout my body.

For a rambler like myself, the open road has always felt more like home than wherever it was may be that I’ve hung my hat or left my belongings. Hop into the old pickup truck, put it into drive and crank The Band on the stereo — for it is in that moment alone that all is well, all is aligned in the starry night of your intent.

Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE EVENTS 743 HAYWOOD RD • WEST ASHEVILLE

ISISASHEVILLE.COM 828.575.2737

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arts & entertainment

On the beat Steve Sutton Memorial Concert

Cold Mountain lineup revealed

There will be a special concert in memory of late banjo great Steve Sutton from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 8, in the Queen Auditorium at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville.

Performers include the Darren Nicholson Band, Crowe Brothers, Mark Bumgarner, Marc Pruett, Hazel Creek, Bill Kaman, Mike Hunter, Malcolm Holcombe, and the Whitewater Bluegrass Co. The concert is an opportunity for his many friends to raise money for the International Bluegrass Music Association trust fund and for a scholarship in his name for music students at Waynesville’s Tuscola High School.

March 4-10, 2020

Steve Sutton.

Smoky Mountain News

A longtime member of the Darren Nicholson Band and Whitewater Bluegrass Company, Sutton was 60 years old when he passed away in his sleep on May 13, 2017, one day shy of his 61st birthday.

“I basically owe my musical career to him,” said mandolinist Darren Nicholson of International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year” bluegrass act Balsam Range, who was Sutton’s best friend and longtime collaborator. “Steve was kind to everyone he met and helped countless people — he just had a good heart.”

A Grammy-nominated, multiple IBMA award-winner himself, Sutton graduated from Tuscola High School in Waynesville. Upon graduation, he was simultaneously offered gigs with the “Godfather of Bluegrass” Bill Monroe and bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin.

Tickets to the performance are $35 in advance. Dinner is ticketed separately for $12 and begins at 6 p.m. More information about tickets can be obtained by calling 828.452.2997.

To purchase tickets online, visit www.showclix.com/event/second-annu26 al-steve-sutton-memorial-concert.

Blitzen Trapper. (photo credit: Tyler Kohlhoff.)

The Cold Mountain Music Festival is proud to announce the lineup for its fourth annual event happening June 5-6 at the picturesque Lake Logan Conference Center in Canton.

Grammy-winning newgrass pioneer Sam Bush Band will headline the weekend-long retreat, with additional appearances by fastrising alt-country sensation Charley Crockett, West Coast folk-rock outfit Blitzen Trapper, critically acclaimed troubadour Amythyst Kiah, regional rock powerhouse Futurebirds, Americana/indie singer-songwriter sensation Sierra Ferrell, and more.

With less than half a decade of programming under its belt, Cold Mountain Music Festival has

Reggae, rock at Nantahala Jackson County rock/reggae act Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Nantahala Brewing’s Outpost taproom and restaurant in Sylva.

“Our music is full of inspiration from these mountains. Water, mountain landscapes, nature, trails. They all take part in the inspiration process for us. We are proud to call Sylva home and our sound could not be what it is without this town,” said guitarist Miller Watson. “It’s also really cool to see the similarities in bluegrass music and reggae and how they took shape from the development of African banjo. It’s also nice to bring a touch of reggae to these mountains.”

Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com or www.facebook.com/pmamusic.

Mountain Heritage Center concert Fiddler Andrew Finn Magill will take the stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 5, in the recital hall of the Coulter Building at Western Carolina University.

already been recognized as one of the Southeast’s best goldmines for live music, outdoor recreation, and family-oriented activities.

Located just outside of Asheville in one of Western North Carolina’s most pristine stretches of land, Cold Mountain utilizes the vibrant Pisgah National Forest as its playground and encourages exploration throughout the two-day immersive experience.

At the heart of the festival site is the glistening Lake Logan, which boasts plenty of swimming, paddle-boarding, and fishing.

Paired with performances by some of live music’s leading forces on the scene and plenty of kid-friendly offerings, the upcoming Cold

Andrew Finn Magill.

WCU’s School of Music is co-sponsoring the show. The performance is free and open to the public.

Magill has six albums to his credit and is known for playing fiddle tunes steeped in traditional Irish, Brazilian choro, jazz and oldtime, bluegrass and swing fiddle music.

Fascinated by the connections between the fiddling traditions of Ireland and Scotland and the “musical cousins” of oldtime and bluegrass, Magill created a musical program that explores the connections between these styles through fiddle tunes.

This presentation is part of his larger commitment to music education.

For more information, call the Mountain Heritage Center at 828.227.7129 or visit mhc.wcu.edu.

Mountain Music Festival will offer the trifecta of rustic summer experiences.

In addition to heavy-hitting ensembles from the national frontlines, Friday night’s bill will shine a light on the region’s abundant local talent, welcoming an all-star cast of bands to the stage.

With highlights including the celebrated Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters, Pierce Edens, Joe Lasher, and Camp Henry (which calls Lake Logan home) alum Noah Proudfoot & The Botanicals, attendees will enjoy a curated dose of entertainment with a community thread tying it all together.

Having started as an effort to raise awareness for Camp Henry and the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina, Cold Mountain Music Festival continues to support the mission of inclusivity and engage participants from all backgrounds.

Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more.

Enter the code “DioWNC” at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each.

Cold Mountain Music Festival is presented by Ingles Markets, with partners iHeartMedia and Haywood County Tourism Development Authority. www.coldmountainmusic.org.

Gypsy & Me return to The Strand Celebrated Americana/folk duo Gypsy & Me will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, in The Loft listening room at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Howl in the Valley will open the performance.

The duo has recently released their third album, “Get Busy Livin’.” With thoughtful lyrics and melodic harmonies, they continue to touch the hearts of audiences everywhere.

Tickets are $7 per person. You can purchase tickets at the door or online at www.38main.com.

Captain Midnight Band at Boojum Brewing Popular rock act The Captain Midnight Band will perform at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville.

Internationally-ignored superstar, Captain Midnight is the world’s only known purveyor of “Waterbed Rock & Roll.”

The show is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.captainmidnightband.com.

On the beat

• BearWaters Brewing (Canton) will host Aubrey Eisenman & The Clydes 6:30 p.m.

March 14 and Darren Nicholson Band 7 p.m.

March 20. www.bwbrewing.com or 828.237.4200.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host an acoustic jam with Main St. NoTones from 6 to 9 p.m. March 5 and 12. Free and open to the public. www.blueridgebeerhub.com.

• Boojum Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host a bluegrass open mic every Wednesday, an all-genres open mic every Thursday, Captain Midnight Band (rock/jam) 8:30 p.m.

March 5, Isaiah Breedlove & The Old Pines (Americana) March 7 and Gold Rose (Americana/indie) “St. Patrick’s Day Celebration” March 14. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.boojumbrewing.com.

ALSO:

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Zach Meadows March 6, The Mixx March 7, The Valley Authority March 14 and Chris Campbell 4 p.m. March 15. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night March 4 and 11, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo March 6 and 13. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Dave Patterson March 6 and Sweet Charity March 7. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.

• Isis Music Hall (West Asheville) will host Nefesh Mountain (Americana/folk) 7 p.m.

March 4, Tom Rush & Matt Nakoa (Americana/folk) 8:30 p.m. March 4, Piper & Carson (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. March 5, Steff Mahan (Americana/country) 7 p.m.

March 6, Bad Girls & The Aliens of Soul Dance Party 8:30 p.m. March 6, Brooks Williams (Americana/blues) 7 p.m. March 7, Che Apalache (bluegrass/world) 8:30 p.m.

March 7, Rebecca Loebe (folk/pop) 6 p.m.

March 8, The Jeremiahs (Celtic/folk) 7:30 p.m. March 8, Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions w/Jackson Grimm Band 7:30 p.m. March 10 and Arkansauce (bluegrass/Americana) 8:30 p.m. March 11. www.isisasheville.com.

• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, and a Trivia w/Kelsey Jo 8 p.m. Thursdays.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host an open mic night at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Scrawny Johnny March 13, Mama Danger March 14 and Gopher Broke 8 p.m. March 17. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Sirsy March 20 and Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle March 21. All shows are at 8 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Legends Sports Grill (Maggie Valley) will host music semi-regularly on weekends.

828.926.9464 or www.facebook.com/ legendssportsgrillmaggievalley.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host the “Stone Soup” open mic night every Tuesday, Shayler’s Kitchen March 6, Somebody’s Child March 7, Heidi Holton (blues/folk) March 13 and Wyatt Espalin March 14. Shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Sugar Lime Blue March 6, Positive Mental Attitude (rock/reggae) March 7, Humps & The Blackouts March 13 and Chris Pressley w/Arnold Hill March 14. All shows begin at

Sister Hazel.

Franklin welcomes Sister Hazel Popular alternative rock act Sister Hazel will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

The group is comprised of five gifted, seasoned musicians whose well-spring of natural talent has been called “one of the Top 100 Most Influential Independent Performers of the last 15 years” by Performing Songwriter Magazine.

The song “All for You” topped the adult alternative charts during the summer of 1997 and the success propelled their album to platinum status. In their first showing on the country music charts they made a strong debut with “Lighter In The Dark” at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.

Tickets start at $22 per person. www.greatmountainmusic.com.

7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

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

• Snowbird Mountains Brewing (Andrews) will host a St. Patrick’s Day Party 2 p.m. March 14. Free and open to the public.

678.410.3035 or www.snowbirdmountainsbrewery.com.

• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays, George Jackson 7 p.m. March 5, Gypsy & Me w/Howl in the Valley 7:30 p.m.

March 6, The Moon and You 7:30 p.m. March 13 and EmiSunshine 7:30 p.m. March 14.

For information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host Bluegrass Thursdays w/Benny Queen at 6:30 p.m. 828.743.3000.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host Bluegrass w/Nitrograss Wednesdays at 7 p.m. and The Paper Crowns 9:30 p.m. March 7. 828.526.8364.

• Orchard Coffee (Waynesville) will host Chris Staples 7:30 p.m. March 21. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.246.9264 or visit www.orchardcoffeeroasters.com.

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic Night” on Mondays, karaoke on Thursdays and semi-regular music on Fridays and Saturdays. All events at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

828.456.4750.

• Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday.

Free and open to the public. www.pub319socialhouse.com.

• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host semi-regular music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.743.6000 or www.whitesidebrewing.com.

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• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company (Maggie Valley) will host AcousticEnvy March 14. All shows begin at 7 p.m. 828.944.0766 or www.elevatedmountain.com.

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host Liz & AJ Nance (Americana/folk) March 21. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

arts & entertainment

• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location with Paul Edelman March 6, Blue Revue March 7, Chris Blaylock 4 p.m. March 8, Kevin Smith March 12, Rags & Riches March 14 and Wyatt Espalin 4 p.m. March 15. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

March 4-10, 2020

arts & entertainment

On the street

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Historical presentation in Bryson City “Cherokee Cultural Sites in Swain County” is the title of the presentation by TJ Holland for the next meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 5, at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center in Bryson City.

While places like Kituwah are well known, there are many, perhaps lesser known, locations throughout the Swain County that are important to Cherokee history.

In addition to historical significance, there are many locations connected to traditional Cherokee stories located within the county. These story sites and the lessons that they teach are central to Cherokee culture.

Holland is the cultural resources supervisor for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. A tribal member of the Snowbird community, Holland works as a tribal historian and oversees the future Junaluska Memorial Site and Museum, which will be in Robbinsville.

Holland is on various boards including the tribe’s Cultural Institutional Review Board for research, the NC Trail of Tears Association, the Center for Native Health, and is a consulting scholar for the Center for

Native American and Indigenous Research at the American Philosophical Society.

Conversation and refreshments will follow the presentation. This is free and open to the public.

Waynesville historic speaker series Presented by The Town of Waynesville Historic Preservation Commission, the fifth annual “Haywood Ramblings” will once again take place this spring.

A speaker series on the historic resources and rich cultural heritage of Waynesville and Haywood County, the events will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the Town Hall in Waynesville.

• Thursday, March 5: “The Mountaineer: History in The Moment,” presented by Kathy Ross. Unlike history books, newspapers record events from an immediate perspective. This talk will take a look at some of The Mountaineer’s most spectacular, peculiar, and even painful stories of the past century.

Free and open to the public. In case of snow, the event will be automatically rescheduled for the second Thursday of the month.

WNC Civil War Roundtable The Western NC Civil War Roundtable will host Douglas Waller on Monday, March 9, at The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. The evening’s agenda begins at 5 p.m. with a meet and greet dinner at the Tap Room within The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. Dinner will be followed with a social at 6:30 p.m. The meeting and free presentation will commence at 7 p.m. in the Mountaineer room on the second floor of The Waynesville Inn. Waller will be speaking on Abraham Lincoln’s Spies. He will tell the story of the dangerous espionage and covert operations during the Civil War. He will feature four important Union agents and spy ring leaders: Allan Pinkerton, whose detective agency had already brought him fame nationwide; Lafayette Baker, who ran counter-espionage operations in Washington for the War Department; George Sharpe, a New York lawyer, who spied for generals Joseph Hooker, George Meade, and Ulysses S. Grant; and Elizabeth Van Lew, who ran a Union espionage ring in Richmond.

Behind these secret agents was Abraham Lincoln, who became an avid consumer of intelligence and a ruthless aficionado of

covert action. The phone tapping, human collection and aerial snooping seen today can be traced back to the Civil War. Waller holds a B.A. in English from Wake Forest University, as well as an M.A. in Urban Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is a former correspondent for Newsweek and Time, where he covered the CIA, Pentagon, State Department, White House and Congress.

Waller is the author of several bestselling books, including Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage; The Commandos: The Inside Story of America’s Secret Soldiers; and Disciples: The World War II Missions of the CIA Directors Who Fought for Wild Bill Donovan. His latest book is Lincoln’s Spies: Their Secret War to Save the Nation.

The Civil War Roundtable’s schedule will continue on Tuesday, April 14, with Dr. Judkin Browning who will focus on the impact of the war on the Northern and Southern home front. Michael Hardy returns on Monday, May 11, to discuss Stuart’s Tar Heels. Thomas Thibeault will speak about Robert Smalls on Monday, June 8.

More information can be found at www.wnccwrt.com.

On the table arts & entertainment

• There will be a “Chili Cookoff” hosted by the Haywood Waterways Association from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Elevated Mountain Distilling Company in Maggie Valley. Entry fee is $35.

Pre-sale chili eater tickets are $15 or $20 at the door. Live music by Bona Fide. Tap takeover by 7 Clans Brewing.

For more information, email caitlinw.hwa@gmail.com or call 828.476.4667 (ext. 12).

ALSO:

Nantahala Brewing ‘Oyster Roast’ There will be a special “Oyster Roast” gathering from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Nantahala Brewing’s Taproom & Burger Bar in Bryson City.

Shake off that cabin fever and come out for an all you can eat oyster roast. Order in advance online for $15 (plus transaction fees).

Day of tickets are $25. As well, there will be craft beer, wine and cocktails available. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. March 5 and 12, and 2 to 5 p.m. March 7 and 14 at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva.

828.631.3075.

• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.

On the stage

Cary Goff.

‘Comedy Night’ at Mad Anthony’s

• A production of “Hamlet” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, in the Studio Theater at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. A retelling of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy, the play depicts Prince Hamlet’s descent into madness as he seeks his revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has murdered Hamlet’s father in order to seize his throne and marry Hamlet’s mother. www.wcu.edu.

ALSO:

@SmokyMtnNews

written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath QUESTION: My doctor has said that I need to buy low-sodium or no salt added food.

What should I be looking for?

ANSWER: Typically “low sodium” refers to items that have 140mg/ of sodium per serving or less. This means you will need to check the nutrition facts panel of packaged and canned items. Here is information from the American Heart Association on labeling language: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eatsmart/nutrition-basics/food-packaging-claims A “no salt added” product would usually be identified on the front of the packaging or by checking ingredients.

For some good general information on finding low(er) sodium products check out this information: https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/topics/ health-conditions/heart-health/lower-some odium-foods-shopping-list TIPS: • Some “sneaky” sources of sodium that often people don’t think about are: sliced breads, prepared pastries like cupcakes and muffins, cookie and cake mixes, cereals and condiments.

• One way to reduce sodium from canned vegetables is to rinse the canned vegetables in a colander under running water. That will get rid of about 40% of the sodium you see listed on the label.

• Look for salt-free herbal seasonings or seasonings that have less salt as a way of flavoring your foods.

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN

Smoky Mountain News

There will be another installment of “Comedy Night” at 9 p.m. Friday, March 6, at Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant in Waynesville.

Comedians include acclaimed stand-up Cary Goff, as well as Chesney Goodson and Ryan Cox. Hosted by Cory Thompson. Goff is a writer/comedian out of Asheville and has performed around the Southeast. He’s showcased in the Laugh Your Asheville Off Festival, been a finalist in the Port City

• KIDS at HART, the youth drama program at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville, will present “Mary Poppins Jr.” at 2 p.m. March 7-8, 14-15. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for students. Reservations may be made by calling the HART Theatre at 828.456.6322 or visiting www.harttheatre.org.

Ingles Nutrition Notes March 4-10, 2020

Comedy Competition and a semi-finalist in the Carolina’s Funniest Stand-Up Comic Competition.

Goff has enjoyed performing with comedians such as Joe DeRosa, Rory Scovel, Joe Zimmerman, Doug Stanhope, Tom Segura and Jarrod Harris, among others. He also writes satire for the Asheville Disclaimer in the alt-weekly Mountain Xpress as well as The Simpleton Review.

Admission is $5 at the door. Ages 18 and over permitted. For more information, call 828.246.9249.

Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian

@InglesDietitian Leah McGrath - Dietitian 800.334.4936 Ingles Markets… caring about your health

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On the wall arts & entertainment

‘Luck of the Art’

Want to learn blacksmithing?

Smoky Mountain News

March 4-10, 2020

The “Forging Experience” classes will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro.

Cost is $80 per one-hour time slot or $40 per 30-minute time slot. One-hour time slots will make either a high-carbon boot knife and a railroad spike blade. Thirty-minute time slots will make either a Mjolnir Rune pendant or a magic wand.

No experience necessary. Walk-ins are welcome, but space is limited. Payment is due at registration. Ages 13-18 may participate with a parent/guardian present. Dress in cotton clothing (no polyester), wear closed toed shoes and long pants.

To register for a class, call 828.631.0271.

For more information, visit www.jcgep.org.

Celebrate St Patrick’s Day early from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 14, on Main Street in Waynesville.

The Galleries of Haywood County have enlisted shops and restaurants to offer “Lucky Specials” and “Wee Irish” treats — look for the flags and balloons to locate participating merchants.

Find and meet Waynesville’s Leprechaun and his lady to collect a green necklace. And enter to win the “Rainbow’s End Pot of Gold” with a 50/50 drawing to be held at 4 p.m.

Prizes will be awarded up to $500 each (as the pot allows), as well as special gifts from participating merchants. Just $5/ticket or $10 for three tickets, on sale until 3 p.m. that day. Each entry also gets a golden coin necklace.

Purchase tickets at these Galleries of Haywood County on Main Street: Cedar Hill Studio, Haywood Arts Council, Jeweler’s Workbench, Metzger’s Burl Wood Gallery, T Pennington Art Gallery, and Twigs and Leaves Gallery.

Participants for the drawing must be 18 to win, but do not need to present to win.

Winners will be posted in the galleries and online at www.haywoodarts.org/gallerieshc.

Proceeds from the drawing will go to support more Galleries of Haywood County community events.

Innovation ‘Pottery & Pints’ There will be a “Pottery & Pints: Free Play” class held by Viva Arts Studios from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at the Innovation Station in Dillsboro.

This is your chance to let your imagination rule as you mold, sculpt and create anything you want. Cost is $30 per person.

For more information and/or to register for the workshop, go to Facebook, search “Viva Arts Studio” and click on the “Events” tab for the ticket link.

The Viva Arts Studio in Sylva currently offers several weekly and monthly pottery and painting classes alongside other artisan mediums.

For a full calendar of classes and more information on the studio, visit www.vivaartsschool.com, call 828.506.6067 or simply take a gander at the full schedule posted on the large garage door of the studio at 456 West Main Street.

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On the wall

AUTO SALES CONSULTANT

arts & entertainment

WCU Fine Art Museum exhibitions

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Glass class in Dillsboro

both the Green Energy Park and the NC Glass Center in Asheville and has introduced hundreds of people to the art of glassblowing.

No experience is required for any of the classes, and youth 13 and older are welcome to attend with a parent present. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are strongly suggested, as these classes tend to fill up quickly.

Cost is $65 per time slot. Payment due at registration. There is a 10 percent discount offered to Jackson County residents.

To reserve a class spot, contact the Green Energy Park at 828.631.0271 or email info@jcgep.org. For more information, visit www.jcgep.org.

The “Make Your Own Pint Glass” class will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, March 7, at the Jackson County Green Energy Park in Dillsboro.

In the class, participants will create a custom pint glass under the direction of local glass artist Cole Johnson. The glass class takes about 35 to 40 minutes per time slot.

Participants will make one pint glass within the time slot.

Johnson is a sought-after instructor at

Contact Dean Howell at 828-452-5111 and/or email your resume to rdhowell1@yahoo.com

Smoky Mountain News

• “Claire Van Vliet: Stone and Sky” This new exhibition highlights landscape prints by Claire Van Vliet, a renowned printmaker and book artist. Between 1993 and 2010, Van Vliet completed several residencies at Harvey Littleton Studios in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, where she experimented with the medium of vitreography, a form of printmaking that uses a glass plate to produce a printed image.

Fascinated by rocks of all kinds, Van Vliet produced detailed images of rock formations from around the world, including Wind Cave in New Mexico, Kilclooney More in Ireland, and the Moeraki Coast in New Zealand.

This exhibition brings together a selection of these vitreographs, drawn from the WCU Fine Art Museum’s Permanent Collection, and provides a glimpse into the artist’s creative process.

The exhibition includes a rare opportunity to view one of the original glass plates used in the vitreograph printing process.

The museum exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public with free parking on site. Regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays until 7 p.m.

For information, visit arts.wcu.edu/museum or call 828.227.ARTS.

March 4-10, 2020

The Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center is presenting a range of photography, glasswork, and vitreography on display from now through May 1.

• “Time and Again: Glass Works by Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post” Funded in part by the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, the exhibition brings together two Penland-based artists whose works explore ideas about time, history, memory, and the antique.

In many of their works, objects from the past are remade and reimagined in glass, creating a bridge between past and present.

• “Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air” This new exhibition features aerial photographs that explore the relationship between humans and the WNC landscape. Taken by Alex S. MacLean, a renowned artist and pilot with over 45 years of experience photographing the land from the bird’s eye perspective of an airplane, these newly commissioned images focus on the seven westernmost counties of North Carolina.

“The Curious Terrain: WNC From the Air” reception will take place from 5 to 7 p.m.

March 19, with a gallery talk from Alex S. MacLean at 5:45 p.m. This exhibition is supported by a grant from The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina.

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arts & entertainment

On the wall

Creating Community Workshop The next Creating Community Workshop will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 14, in the Atrium of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

Come and enjoy making Zentangle magic.

Master this absorbing, relaxing and creative art form. No drawing experience is required.

The Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. They call these patterns tangles. Create tangles with combinations of dots, lines, simple curves, S-curves and orbs.

These simple shapes are the “Elemental Strokes” in all Zentangle art. These patterns

Smoky Mountain News

March 4-10, 2020

‘Brainstorming a Superhero’

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James Lyle will be offering a “Sequential Art Class Series” beginning on March 7 and running through May 23 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.

In this session, the class will partici-

Tribute to Cherokee artist An exhibit honoring Cherokee artist John Daniel (Dee) Smith Sr. is currently being showcased at the Qualla Co-Op, which is located 645 Tsali Boulevard in Cherokee.

The exhibit is a collection of Smith’s watercolors and paintings, which is curated

by Dr. R. Michael Abram. The gallery showing will run through March 31.

For more information, call 828.497.3103.

• Stonehouse Pottery (Waynesville) will be doing an Open Studio Tour and Sale the first Sunday of each month to help support our local nonprofits. Each month highlights a different artist and that artist chooses his or her nonprofit. Stonehouse Pottery and the artist then give a portion of the proceeds as a donation to that nonprofit.

• The Weekly Open Studio art classes will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville, Instructor will be Betina Morgan. Open to all

are drawn on small pieces of paper called “tiles.” They call them tiles because you can assemble them into mosaics.

Instructor Helen Vance has worked in landscaping, graphic design and marketing, and dabbled in various textile arts. She particularly enjoys traditional rug hooking.

This program is free of charge. The workshop is limited to 10 participants. Call the library to register at 828.586.2016. This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Jackson County Public Library.

The Jackson County Public Library is a member of Fontana Regional Library (www.fontanalib.org). pate in a group exercise dealing with the process of creating a “superhero” (or any other type of character in any media, really). The group will spend time providing ideas for a collectively created character and along the way learn a bit about comic book history as well as the process of brainstorming ideas.

Students will want to bring along their own sketchpads, pencils, etc. to allow them to write down notes as well as create additional secondary characters as this process tends to bubble over into many ideas that cannot be used in the collective character design.

Reserve a spot today. Class fee is $20 for HCAC members or $25 for non-members. Cash and Checks made payable to James Lyle. Call 828.452.0593 for more information. www.haywoodarts.org.

artists, at any stage of development, and in the medium of your choice. Cost is $25 per class. There will also be a Youth Art Class from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Cost is $15 per class. Contact Morgan at 828.550.6190 or email bmk.morgan@yahoo.com.

• The Museum of the Cherokee Indian’s exhibit, “People of the Clay: Contemporary Cherokee Potters,” features more than 60 potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation, and more than one hundred works from 1900 to the present.

The exhibit will run through April.

• A “Beginner Step-By-Step” adult painting class will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. There is also a class at 6:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at Balsam Fall Brewing in Sylva. Cost is $25 with all supplies provided. For more information on paint dates and/or to RSVP, contact Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560 or wncpaintevents@gmail.com.

Books

Smoky Mountain News

33

A legend re-told: the story of Crazy Horse n Feb. 8, William B. Matson and members of the Clown/Crazy Horse family were scheduled to give a talk at the Jackson County Library in Sylva. I planned to attend, but unfortunately that was the day of the only snow and ice storm we’ve had all winter. So, as soon as I could get out I went to the library and checked out a copy of the as-told-to biography of the Crazy Horse/Clown family Crazy Horse: The Writer Lakota Warrior’s Life & Legacy written by William Matson.

There have been many books (such as Mari Sandoz’s 1942 biography Crazy Horse: The Strange Man of the Oglalas) and many accounts of the life and adventures of Crazy Horse, but not until now has there been a book about the Lakota warrior and spiritual leader written by members of his own family.

In their own words we hear the history of the Lakota peoples as passed down through the generations as a part of their oral history method of archiving and retaining a detailed memory of the past. On the last page of this riveting book, Matson writes in the words of the Clown/Crazy Horse family: “We are happy that we finally have gotten our oral history into print. It is important that it be so.

Our Nation has no future if it does not know its past. We would like to see our people throw off the yoke of those educated in other cultures who claim to have the knowledge to define our people and our people’s history.

Crazy Horse once said that ‘a people without a history are like blades of grass in the wind.’

We are Lakota. We are a spiritual people, and a spiritual people are never beaten.”

What we have in Crazy Horse: The Lakota Warrior’s Life & Legacy is a riveting if not telling tale of the last 200 years of Lakota history with an apriori focus on the life and times of its legendary leader Crazy Horse that includes a 50-page appendix of the probate papers of the family’s genealogical records which adds additional credence to the words and claims collected here.

The Crazy Horse family kept their stories and history secret for many generations for fear of reprisal from the U.S. government and

Thomas Crowe

O

other sources that wanted either to usurp or squelch the truth about what went on during the Indian wars and after to minimize the

stature and legend of Crazy Horse. He has always been viewed by the white political power structure in the U.S. as a threat and someone to be feared. While the life of Crazy Horse as told in this book is one of epic proportions, he was anything but a hostile and crazy or “strange” man as portrayed by Mari Sandoz. On page 40 we are told about Crazy Horse’s early life:

“They Are Afraid Of Her had also taught him the value of living in harmony with our Mother the Earth. In addition, he had learned our basic Lakota belief that we belong to the earth and that the earth does not belong to us. While Good Looking Woman had taken over as the mother of his heart, They Are Afraid of Her had taken over as the mother of his spirit.”

And for the next 120 pages we see evidence of his upbringing over and over again in a detailed portrait of his life and elevated spiritual status amongst all tribal peoples in the Dakotas and the Great Plains.

In Crazy Horse: The Lakota Warrior’s Life & Legacy we follow Crazy Horse and his family and tribal members through the entire 37 years of his life — from his hunter, warrior and spiritual training as a youth; to his marriage and family with his wife Black Shawl; to the early and almost miraculous descriptions of his heroics in battles with the U.S. cavalry; to his rise to prominence as a warrior and

spiritual leader amongst the Lakota, Dakota and Nakota peoples; to his fight to keep the white miners and mining operations out of their homelands in the Black Hills region; to the legendary battle with Custer at The Greasy Grass (Little Big Horn); to his constant focus on keeping his people alive and well and living in the traditional ways that they had been living for hundreds if not thousands of years; and finally to his sad end as his people are starving after the buffalo herds (six million animals) had been slaughtered by the armies and white settlers; and his last days at the Fort Robinson Red Tail Agency and the lies and unfulfilled promises made to Crazy Horse and his people as just one of hundreds of agreements and treaties broken by the U.S. government.

While being a very enlightened history, the Clown/Crazy Horse family history is also a sad, even traumatic one that shows that the values and behavior of our country haven’t changed much since the European colonies were first established in the early 17th century. On page 159 we read the account of how in the late 19th century children were separated from their families and sent to BIA boarding schools under the slogan of “kill the Indians and save the man.” These practices seem very familiar to what we are hearing today that our current goverment is doing to and with Latino immigrants and would-be legal aliens. Seems that we don’t learn from history and that history keeps repeating itself as our modern-day Crazy Horses are eliminated by assassinations and other nefarious methods.

But Crazy Horse — who was known as a family man — was above all this, as is written by the family on a panel at the Indian Memorial at the Little Big Horn Battlefield National Park: “Our Grandfathers told us that all mankind were created equal and they represent the earth man with no skin color. In order to heal our Grandmother Earth we must unify through peace.”

[Other good books about Crazy Horse...The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History by Joseph M. Marshall III., 2004] (Thomas Crowe is a regular contributor to The Smoky Mountain News and is the author of an historical novel The Watcher based on Shaker history and set in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky. He lives in the Tuckasegee community of Jackson County and can be reached at newnativepress@hotmail.com)

• “Pints, Poems & Prose” will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at Nantahala Brewing’s Outpost taproom in Sylva. Sponsored by the NC Writers’ Network. Free and open to the public.

• Monthly Poetry Reading at Panacea Coffeehouse in Waynesville. Last Saturdays every month at 2 p.m. Bring your poetry, essays and writings to share. Be sure to order drinks and snacks and tip the staff of Panacea. For more information, contact Morella Poe at poevampyre@gmail.com.

ALSO:

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

FATE OF THE FOREST Stakeholders offer initial feedback on long-awaited forest management plan

posed plan and draft Environmental Impact Statement. The Feb. 26 meeting was the first since November 2018, so there was a lot of catching up to do — on a personal level, but also on a professional level; hence the reason for the meeting.

The Forest Service first began preparing to revise the management plan for the PisgahNantahala National Forest back in 2012, and now, after eight years of research and analysis and unprecedented levels of public involvement, a proposed plan is out. Through May 14, the Forest Service is taking public comment on the more than 2,500 pages of documents released in conjunction with the plan’s publication, and a final plan will be adopted sometime next year.

AN ENCOURAGING START

Like a hand in the water, the forest plan will create ripple effects for generations to come. USFS photo

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he atmosphere inside the Lake Logan Conference Center was more akin to a reunion of friends than to a gathering of business associates as members of the Stakeholders Forum for the Nantahala and Pisgah Plan Revision arrived Wednesday, Feb. 26 — and perhaps there’s good reason for that.

When the forum was first created in 2015, members would gather for monthly meetings to discuss the future of the forest and work toward a specific road map to guide it there.

Every member of the 24-seat forum is present

T

for a reason that in some way relates back to a love for the outdoors and the particular beauty of Western North Carolina’s 1 million acres of national forest, so it’s natural that friendships or at least friendliness would form around that shared interest. However, the forum was initially created because the members’ goals for the forest were so divergent that relationships were often more adversarial than amicable. The division was marked enough to prompt the U.S. Forest Service to hit pause on the forest planning process and call the forum into existence.

Things have been quiet lately as the Forest Service has hunkered down to produce a pro-

Be heard Seven open houses are planned throughout the region in the coming weeks to give members of the public a chance to chat with U.S. Forest Service planning team members about what’s in the 2,500 pages of materials drafting management of the Pisgah-Nantahala National Forest in the decades ahead.

Meetings will be held 5:30 to 8 p.m., with an overview of the plan presented at 6 p.m. and the rest of the meeting dedicated to offering the chance for attendees to talk one-on-one with resource specialists. Meetings will be held: • Tuesday, March 10, at the Foothills Conference Center in Morganton.

• Thursday, March 12, at the N.C. Arboretum Education Center in Asheville.

• Monday, March 16, at the Rogow Family Community Room in the Brevard Library in Brevard.

• Thursday, March 19, at the Brasstown Community Center in Brasstown.

• Tuesday, March 24, at the First Presbyterian Church’s Tartan Hall in Franklin.

• Thursday, March 26, at the Bentley Fellowship Hall in Mars Hill.

A cowbell, rung enthusiastically by meeting facilitator Karen DiBari, signaled the end of coffee bar catch-up time, and forum members took their seats at the giant horseshoe of tables around which the day would center.

The purpose of the meeting, Dibari said, would be to give everyone a solid foundational understanding of what’s in those 2,500 pages, so that the group could later produce substantive feedback on what looks good and what needs work.

“Even though we haven’t been in this room together, I know you all have been thinking about the plan a lot,” she told the group.

That’s doubtless the case. Everyone on the forum is part of an organization that has strong opinions about what values and uses the new plan should prioritize, and those differing priorities are the reason that the forum came into existence in the first place. Dibari works for the nonprofit National Forest Foundation, which was called in to help build consensus when it became clear that the groups were unlikely to come to any kind of constructive understanding on their own.

When public discussion on the forest plan started in 2013 and 2014, the tenor could easily be described as polarized, with most interested groups finding themselves in one of two camps. One camp beat the drum for dramatic increases in acreage managed as recommended wilderness or otherwise designated to receive heighted protections from logging,

burning and other interventions. The other camp pointed to the exceedingly small percentage of young forest habitat on the landscape and asked for a substantial increase in logging operations, something that is prohibited in recommended wilderness areas.

Recreation groups often had different priorities but also tended to divide on the wilderness question — hikers often looked favorably on the protection from developed recreation new wilderness areas might provide, for example, while mountain bikers pointed out that wilderness restrictions would box them out due to the Wilderness Act’s prohibition on mechanized travel.

The Stakeholders Forum includes representatives from both camps. Around the horseshoe sat members of The Wilderness Society and the National Wild Turkey Federation, MountainTrue and the Ruffed Grouse Society. Mountain biking, hiking, climbing and paddling groups are all represented, as are logging companies, birders, equestrians and hunters.

That all goes to explain why the friendly pre-meeting conversation over coffee was noteworthy, newsworthy and perhaps even shocking. Five years ago, amiability between the wilderness hikers and the wildlife hunters was still far-off.

Even more surprising, though, were the positive reactions that representatives of these diverse interests shared about their initial look at the plan.

“The Forest Service is clearly listening, and that makes me excited to work together in this room, to keep offering solutions,” said Sam Evans, representing the Southern Environmental Law Center, which has fallen on the pro-wilderness side of things. “I don’t come here to complain, even though it might seem like it sometimes. I come here to find solutions with y’all. I’m excited about this phase when we finally have something to really dig into.”

David Whitmire, who as chairman of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Council represents a coalition of groups who mostly share a more anti-wilderness point of view, echoed those sentiments.

“We’re excited to see a lot of information that our constituents had put into the plan show up in the plan,” he said.

F

• Tuesday, March 31, at the Four Square Community Action Center in Robbinsville.

The complete proposed plan and draft Environmental Impact Statement, as well as supplementary material including an interactive map of the forest and proposed management areas, is available at bit.ly/forestplanwnc. It’s a big document set, so the 26-page reader’s guide and 16-page consolidated objectives document give a good overview of what’s included and references to find out more about a given topic.

The site also includes information on how to submit comments. A link to the online portal is available on the website, and comments can also be mailed to Plan Revision Team, National Forests in North Carolina, 160 Zillicoa St., Asheville, N.C. 28801. The deadline is May 14.

The Forest Service relies on the information contained in each comment — not the volume of comments received — to make decisions. Comments that have the best chance of influencing the outcome will focus on solutions rather than general advocacy or opposition to an idea. Impactful comments also describe specific management types or resources, as well as locations, especially when using these specific locations to make a broader point applicable to other areas of the forest.

THE ALTERNATIVES

intensity of management activity would be the same, as would expected outputs such as timber volume, jobs and economic contributions. The only differences would be the location, size and configuration of the various management areas; management of the designated old growth network; and management of new system trails.

However, implementation could vary drastically depending on how another dimension of the plan plays out. Following the 2017 public input sessions, the Forest Service kept hearing stakeholders say that they wished the agency would step up its level of management activity on the forest.

The Forest Service would also like to increase its management level but isn’t able

A timeline of the plan

Smoky Mountain News

• Late 2012 — The Forest Service begins preparing for the plan revision process.

• Early 2013 — Public engagement begins as Forest Service works to assess current forest trends and conditions.

• September 2013 — A draft assessment report is posted.

• October 2013 — A Federal Register notice invites public input on proposed actions for the forest plan.

• March 2014 — A Federal Register notice announces the Forest Service’s intent to revise the forest management plan.

• Fall 2014 — Public meetings gather input on issues and actions the new plan should address. Sharp disagreement between various interest groups prompts the Forest Service to pause the process in order to achieve better collaboration between diverse interests.

• April 2015 — Forest Service seeks to reengage the public by fostering collaboration between diverse interests.

• September 2015 — The Stakeholders Forum for the Nantahala and Pisgah Forest Plan Revision is created in hopes of reducing polarization.

• Late 2013-2017 — Many county governments pass resolutions opposing additional wilderness areas, with Buncombe County passing a resolution asking for more wilderness. Sen. Thom Tillis and Rep. Mark Meadows introduce bills in Congress aimed at moderating the Forest Service’s ability to add recommended wilderness. Neither bill passed.

• Summer 2016 — Initial forest-wide plan direction is released, including an initial set of objectives.

• September 2016 — Original goal for adoption of a final plan passes as Forest Service focuses on collaboration. The new goal is to release a draft plan in spring 2017.

• Fall 2016 — The Forest Service modifies the management area framework based on public comment and decides to add a chapter on geographic areas. Massive wildfires across the forest further delay plan development.

• May 2017 — Draft plan building blocks for geographic areas and management area chapters are released. Following public comment, the Forest Service decides on a two-tiered plan approach, which doubles the analysis workload and further delays release of a final plan.

• February 2020 — A proposed plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement are released.

• March 2020 — Open houses on the plan will be held regionwide.

• May 14 — Deadline to offer public comment.

• February 2021 — Final plan expected to be released. A three-month objection period will follow, and the Forest Service will then have two months to resolve any objections.

• Late summer 2021 — Final plan expected to be adopted.

March 4-10, 2020

The Pisgah-Nantahala had the unenviable position of being the nation’s guinea pig in the forest planning process. It was one of the first national forests to create a management plan under a 2012 planning rule that emphasizes public involvement throughout the process.

Under the old planning rule, the draft plan’s publication Feb. 7 would have marked the first opportunity for public input. As it stands, public input has been ongoing since 2013, with the Forest Service to date hosting 47 meetings and attending dozens of others organized by other groups. Forest planners used that input to develop a set of plan building blocks that it released in 2017. Feedback on the building blocks resulted in some changes to those building blocks and informed development of a set of plan alternatives designed to provide a range of “win-win” management options.

“We believe all these alternatives move our shared interests forward, and we want to know what people have to say about them before we make a decision,” forest revision team leader Michelle Aldridge told the forum.

“There is not a preferred alternative.”

That’s a lot different from the Members of the Stakeholders Forum discuss their initial reactions to the plan during a small group breakout Feb. 26. Holly Kays photo forest plans of years past, which to do so with its currently available typically offered an alternative catering to nates the potential for future additions to resources. So, the agency decided to develop one extreme, an alternative catering to the the old growth network, but it includes the Tier 1 and Tier 2 scenarios for each aspect of other extreme and a preferred alternative in most acreage in that network to begin with. the plan — Tier 1 represents what the the middle. This plan, meanwhile, offers Alternative D targets people who want a agency could do using its currently allocated three alternatives that are each designed to moderate amount of flexibility in the plan, government resources, and Tier 2 represents give every group some of what they want — taking a middle road in the amount of land but not all of it. available for active timber management, rec- what it could do with help from partners.

“If I had only known what I was getting “Every time we said that, people were ommended wilderness, backcountry and for us all into,” Aldridge told the forum. like, ‘Huh. I’ll be interested to see how that the new management area emphasizing Incorporating the Tier 1 and Tier 2 sceworks,’” Aldridge said. active management for species composition.

The first alternative in the plan, The alternative allows for adjustments to the narios meant that the Forest Service had to double its analysis workload, looking twice Alternative A, is not considered a viable trail network and old growth network, but at every aspect of every alternative. option — it’s just a restatement of the existonly when specific conditions are met. It “It challenged our analysis,” she said. ing forest plan, which was implemented in includes an amount of old growth network “But I think it was important, and I’m glad 1987 with a major amendment completed in acreage between the amounts listed in that we did it. I also want to make sure you 1994. Everybody agrees that it’s outdated Alternatives B and C. and doesn’t serve the forest’s current needs.

While the alternatives are quite different, guys know that just because something is in Tier 2, that means that we analyzed it. It Alternative B, meanwhile, aims to each aims to achieve the same outcome at a doesn’t mean that we could do it.” respond to people who want more flexibility forest-wide scale.

For example, Alternatives B, C and D in managing vegetation patterns, wildlife “There’s broad agreement on what needs provide for 800 to 1,600 acres of timber harhabitats, recreation and access. It has the to happen,” said Aldridge. “What differs is most land available for timber management where.”

S EE FOREST, PAGE 36 and motorized access — but it also includes Under each plan, the objectives and

outdoors

the most recommended wilderness, the most flexibility in adding new trails and the easiest path to adjusting the old growth forest network. However, it has the least acreage in that network to begin with.

Alternative C responds to people who want more certainty in the forest plan, with less potential for flexibility at the forest plan level. It has the least land available for active timber management and motorized access, but also the least amount of recommended wilderness. Instead, it places more land in backcountry and into a new management area that emphasizes active management for the purpose of improving species composition. The alternative places the most restrictions on new trail development and elimi-

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FOREST, CONTINUED FROM 35 vest per year under Tier 2 but 1,600 to 3,800 acres under Tier 2. However, more timber harvest means more road construction, and road construction is both expensive and regulated — there’s no guarantee that the Forest Service could complete 3,800 acres of timber harvest each year even if given the funds needed to do so.

“I think all the Tier 2s can be achieved,” Aldridge clarified. “What the analysis shows is it’s not just as simple as moving from a Tier 1 to a Tier 2. Tier 2 comes with some additional considerations.”

FRAMING THE FUTURE

March 4-10, 2020

The plan, environmental impact statement and associated documents total more than 2,500 pages and had been available for only three weeks at the point that the Stakeholders Forum held its Feb. 26 meeting. Even the interested and involved subject matter experts sitting around the horseshoe hadn’t read the whole thing by the time the meeting took place.

However, the questions they asked and the statements they made during an end-ofmeeting round robin seeking general reactions to the plan pointed to the issues around which future discussion might center.

Recreation representatives were unsure about the plan for authorizing new trails.

Under Alternative B, new trails could be created as long as layout incorporates

design principles, minimizes impacts and doesn’t increase user conflict. An analysis would also have to find that the trail is sustainable, and the forest supervisor would have to approve the new trail.

Alternatives C and D, meanwhile, would incorporate all the requirements from Alternative B but also require that current trails be decommissioned to make way for new ones. Alternative C is the strictest, requiring that any new trail miles be offset by decommissioning a comparable number of trail miles within the geographic area where the new trail is to be located. The forest plan splits the Pisgah-Nantahala into 12 geographic areas, a new development over the current plan. Alternative D would create a forest-wide trail bank with 30 miles of trail available to start. Trail miles would be deposited as old trails were decommissioned and withdrawn as new trails were created.

“I haven’t found or convinced myself that something positive is going to happen on the trails,” said forum member Ruth Hartzler, who represents the Carolina Mountain Club, during the meeting. “I see emphasis on decommissioning trails, and I just found out there’s no funding directly related to the plan concerning trails. So I feel a little concerned about what’s actually going to happen as far as positive impacts on the trails.”

The Forest Service’s final decision on the plan will have no impact on its federal funding. That’s true of trails, and of every other management category addressed in the doc-

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Plans vs. Environmental Impact Statements The most important documents among the 2,500 pages of information that the U.S. Forest Service released last month are a proposed forest management plan and a Draft Environmental Impact Statement. They’re related documents, but they fulfill very different purposes.

Forest Management Plan: Offers strategic guidance as to how the forest will be managed over the next 20 years or so. The document will occupy a place at every district office and on every program manager’s shelf. Precise wording and phrasing matters and has to stand the test of time.

Environmental Impact Statement: Analyzes how the plan will affect forest resources. EIS’s for forest plans look at indirect effects at a programmatic level over time, as the specific effects of specific projects will be analyzed separately as those projects are planned. The document helps the forest supervisor decide what path to take, but the precise wording of an individual sentence won’t matter much over time.

Heritage Program?” asked Josh Kelly, who represents MountainTrue on the forum.

“It just says if there’s a project in there, we’ll talk to them, which is not a commitment we have in the current forest plan,” replied Aldridge.

“If there are values present in those areas, I’m not sure why coordination is an adequate sideboard for it, because in the past coordination hasn’t been,” Evans chimed in, recapping the results of a past “There’s broad agreement on what needs dispute between the Forest Service and to happen. What differs is where.” the Natural Heritage Program to prove his — Michelle Aldridge point.

At the end of the day, when forum members were asked to state their exciteby legislation. In both cases, it happens,” ments and concerns surrounding the plan, Gray told his fellow forum members. “On Kelly reiterated that he was more concerned the other hand, the forest work is subjected about what’s not in the plan than about to budget, it’s subjected to a lot of variables, what is in it. and in the case of the current plan it really “I think there should be strong standidn’t happen at the level that was in the dards on how to treat natural heritage plan, so that’s a big concern. How do we areas,” he said. “I think there should be guarantee a balanced plan, when one side is strong standards on how to treat old guaranteed essentially by law and the other growth forest when it’s found in other side is not?” places.”

Other stakeholders felt that the plan The plan’s contents have seen some sigshould strengthen environmental protecnificant changes since the last set of docutions forest-wide and especially boost the ments was released in 2017, and it will likely consideration given to areas of special natusee even more change before a final plan is ral or cultural interest. Compared to the released in 2021. As of press time, less than current forest plan, all three alternatives three weeks into the 90-day public cominclude enlarged management areas for ment period, the Forest Service had Special Interest Areas, which were identireceived 251 official comments through the fied through coordination with the N.C. online form, and with seven public forums Natural Heritage Program and contain coming up over the next month, that numexceptional ecological communities. ber is likely to balloon as the May 14 comAccording to its website, the Natural ment deadline approaches.

Heritage Program has identified more than Curtis Smalling, who represents the 2,400 Natural Heritage Areas statewide, N.C. Audubon Society on the forum, said and while they were all evaluated for potenthat he’s working to send his constituents tial inclusion as Special Interest Areas in the one “really basic message.” plan, they didn’t all qualify for inclusion in “Patience. Learn about the plan,” he that management area. said. “Don’t fire something off the first However, said Aldridge, the plan Monday the plan is out.” includes a commitment to coordinate with If that advice is followed, and those with the Natural Heritage Program when plana stake in Western North Carolina’s millionning management actions in Natural acre national forest give the Forest Service Heritage Areas — even when those areas the constructive feedback it needs to do its are not deemed “exceptional in characterisjob, optimism is high that WNC will end up tics” under the forest plan. with a good, thoughtful plan that will govThat declaration sparked some backern the forest well for the next 20 years. and-forth conversation that DiBari eventu“The things I’m excited about, honestly, ally had to rein in to get the agenda back on it’s as long as my arm,” said Megan Sutton, track. a forum member representing The Nature “Does the plan do anything beyond Conservancy. “I’m really excited.” committing to talking with the Natural ument. That fact concerned wildlife groups hoping to see an increase in young forest habitat. Jim Gray, who represents the Ruffed Grouse Society on the forum, pointed out what he sees as unequal guarantees for supporters of congressionally designated wilderness versus supporters of wildlife habitat achieved through logging.

“It (wilderness and protected areas) is either protected de facto, or it’s protected

Run for Riley

Hit the green on St. Paddy’s Day A three-person scramble format St. Patrick’s Golf Tournament will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at the Lake Junaluska Golf Course in Waynesville.

The tournament honors legendary golfer Bobby Jones, who was born on St. Patrick’s Day in 1902. The scramble format involves three-person teams, with each

player on the team hitting a tee shot and the players deciding which of the shots to play from. A $40 per person entry fee includes the green fee, cart fee, prize payout and a helping of Irish stew.

Contact Charlie Carswell to register at 828.456.5777 or ctcarswell@lakejunaluska.com.

Cherokee outdoors stores celebrate opening

Cades Cove reopens

Work the river this summer Get a job at Nantahala Outdoor Center during a job fair to be held 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 14, on the campus in Swain County.

Managers from the adventure, retail, restaurants and human resources departments will be available for open interviews, offering the opportunity to be hired on the spot. All offers will be conditional pending successful background and reference checks.

Prospective employees can also register in advance by sending a resume to the human resources office using the link at www.noc.com/events/work-hardplay-hard-job-fair. A list of open opportunities is available at www.noccareers.com.

ryhoundevents.com. Donations to the Riley Howell Foundation Fund can also be made directly, online at www.rileyhowellfoundation.org/donate or by mailing checks with “Riley Howell Foundation Fund” in the memo line to CFWNC, 4 Vanderbilt Park Drive, Suite 300, Asheville, NC 28803.

Women’s only mountain bike rides kick off The kick-off party for Motion Makers Women’s Group Rides will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, March 9, in Asheville.

The group will meet at the Ledford Parking Lot in Bent Creek and then roll out for a mountain bike ride before heading to the Motion Makers Bicycles shop in Asheville for pizza and beer.

Throughout the season, these women’s only rides will be offered at 6 p.m. on Mondays and 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. The Monday ride meets at Ledford Parking Lot and the Wednesday ride meets at Rice Pinnacle. It is a beginner-friendly, no drop ride of 6 to 8 miles that returns no later than noon.

For more details or to RSVP, join the Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/977882092306563.

Smoky Mountain News

Cades Cove reopened Feb. 28 following a two-month closure for repairs at Bote Mountain Tunnel.

Bryant’s Land and Development Industries Inc. of Burnsville finished the $950,000 tunnel repair along Laurel Creek Road ahead of schedule, allowing the popular area to reopen in time for the first full weekend of the spring break season. The Cades Cove Campground will reopen on March 5.

Intermittent, single-lane closures will be necessary between March 1 and June 15 to re-pave the tunnel area. Motorists should

expect weekday delays during the paving operations. This work will not occur on weekends, federal holidays or the week before and after Easter.

The 121-foot long tunnel, constructed in 1948, had not had any significant rehabilitation work since that time. Crews replaced nine drainage chases using track-mounted saws to cut through the concrete liner along the arc of the 18-foot high tunnel opening.

Cracks throughout the tunnel were also sealed and repaired. Crews enclosed and heated the tunnel, allowing the temperature-sensitive repairs to be conducted during the winter months when visitation is traditionally lower.

Riley Howell

March 4-10, 2020

Motion Makers Bicycles and Fire Mountain Outpost will celebrate the grand opening of their joint location in Cherokee during a special event 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, March 7.

The Big Laurel Food Truck will be on site from noon to 8 p.m., with live music from Somebody’s Child 3 to 5 p.m. and the Gold Sprint Tournament 5 to 7 p.m. Giveaways and great deals on gear and bikes will be offered all day long.

The store is located at 516 Tsali Boulevard in Cherokee, formerly home to the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians.

outdoors

The St. Patrick’s Golf Tournament will honor legendary golfer Bobby Jones, whose birthday was on St. Patrick’s Day. Donated photo

A race to honor hometown hero Riley Howell will run through downtown Waynesville on Saturday, April 4, and registration is now open.

The Mighty Four Miler, which honors Howell, will be held in conjunction with the Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon. The 4mile race will begin at 8:15 a.m. and the half marathon at 8 a.m.

All proceeds from the 4-mile race benefit the Riley Howell Foundation Fund, which seeks to help people affected by gun violence.

Howell died on April 30, 2019, after he charged a gunman who opened fire in the classroom where he was a student at UNC Charlotte. Investigators said that Howell’s actions undoubtedly saved multiple lives, but he lost his own in the process.

Registration is $35 for the Mighty Four Miler and $70 for the Gateway to the Smokies Half Marathon. Register for either at www.glo-

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outdoors

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includes more than 18,000 flies, 380 fly fishing books, 50 fly rods and 45 fly reels. Due to limited space, Kesselring will present just the international part of his collection, which includes handtied flies from far-flung places such as Tasmania, Argentina, Siberia, South Africa, Japan, Ireland and Norway.

The presentation is offered as part of Trout Unlimited Cataloochee’s regular monthly meeting. A social hour and swap meet will be held at 5:30 p.m. ahead of the 6:30 presentation.

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Fly collector Mike Kesselring will present the flies he’s collected from locations around the globe at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at Rendezvous Restaurant in Maggie Valley.

Kesselring is a professional photographer, writer and public speaker who in the last 35 years has done most of his fishing in the wild streams and blue line creeks of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where he also serves as the volunteer coordinator for the North Carolina side of the park.

His fishing collection, meanwhile,

Puzzles can be found on page 46 These are only the answers.

North Carolina expects to receive $1.3 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to fund water quality projects this year, and proposals are now being accepted for grant-funded projects.

The N.C. Division of Water Resources will award grants to help restore waterways impaired by nonpoint source pollution. Applicants who submit a draft application by March 15 can obtain a preliminary review and feedback from division staff, and all applications must be received by midnight on May 4.

Learn more at http://bit.ly/2I1a08N.

Trout waters closed for the month Approximately 1,000 miles of Hatchery Supported Trout Waters are closed to fishing through 7 a.m. April 4 in order to allow the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to stock them in preparation for opening day.

This year Commission personnel will stock about 916,000 trout, 96 percent of which average 10 inches in length. The

remaining 4 percent exceed 14 inches. After the waters open, anglers can harvest a maximum of seven trout per day with no minimum size or bait restrictions. Waters are marked with green-and-white signs and will continue to be stocked at frequent intervals throughout the spring and early summer.

For more information on trout fishing in North Carolina, visit www.ncwildlife.org/learning/species/fish/t rout/trout-fishing or call 919.707.0220.

Gather with turkey lovers

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The Cold Mountain Strutters Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold its annual banquet at 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 13, at the Canton Armory Building in Canton.

The evening will include games, a raffle and dinner, with sponsor packages and table sponsor spaces still available. Tickets are $80 for a couple, $50 for singles and $20 for youth 17 and under. To purchase tickets, contact JoEtta Holder at 828.421.6606.

Go birding

Explore Elkmont

Presentation to magnify microplastics problem Scientist Jason Love will discuss the issue of microplastics in groundwater at 7 p.m. Friday, March 13, in the meeting room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Since the 1950s, plastics have become an increasingly pervasive part of daily life, but this

presentation will delve into current research on pollution from microplastics, which measure less than half a centimeter in length. Love will speak specifically to the results of recent research in the Little Tennessee and Tuckasegee Rivers.

Love was recently hired as associate director of the Highlands Biological Station after previous employment as site manager for the Coweeta Long Term Ecological Research Program. He has authored or co-authored scientific papers on a

broad range of topics, from invasive species management to terrestrial insects, and he recently published the children’s book Shady Streams, Slippery Salamanders. Love served on the Mainspring Conservation Trust board.

The presentation will be offered as part of the Nantahala Hiking Club’s regular monthly meeting, with visitors welcome. After the presentation refreshments and fellowship will commence through 9 p.m.

Pisgah Center resumes free workshops After taking a break for the winter, the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education will resume its schedule of free outdoor-related workshops in March, kicking the year off with an intro to fly fishing course for people 12 and older, offered 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, March 13.

Workshops cover a variety of topics and cater to a variety of ages and skill levels. While there is no charge, online registration is required and limited space is given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Check out the full schedule or register for a workshop at www.ncwildlife.org/learning/education-centers/pisgah/event-registration/pageid/eventlistview.

The Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education is operated by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and located in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard.

It is open 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Saturday April to November, and Monday through Friday December to March.

If you have limited mobility, contact us about an in-home visit.

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Experience the Elkmont Historic District with an easy 5.1-mile loop hike Tuesday, March 10, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Haywood County native Billie Green will lead this excursion on the Little River and Cucumber Gap Trails, which offer the opportunity to see the homes of those who once lived in the park. Green, an avid hiker and runner, is a longtime volunteer for Friends of the Smokies.

The hike is part of Friends of the Smokies’ Classic Hikes of the Smokies series, with guided day hikes offered March through December on the second Tuesday of each month. Each hike is led by a member of the “Hike Advisory Team,” a group of Western North Carolina volunteers committed to preserving and protecting the park while sharing their diverse experiences.

Hikes are $20 for Friends of the Smokies members and $35 for new or renewing members, a price that includes membership plus one hike. Money raised benefits the Smokies Trails Forever Program, which seeks to rebuild and rehabilitate high-use trails in the Smokies. Register for the whole series at a discounted rate of $180. Learn more or register at hike.friendsofthesmokies.org.

outdoors

The 14th annual Winter Bird Watch will be held Saturday, March 14, at Lake Chatuge near Hayesville.

Retired Young Harris College professor and former MountainTrue board member Brenda Hull will share her expertise as participants observe birds around the lake. In past years, the group has seen more than 20 species ranging from small songbirds to larger birds of prey and wintering waterfowl typically associated with more northerly climes.

The group will meet at 7:30 a.m. at the Hinton Center and then carpool to various sites around the lake to view a variety of birds. A spotting scope will be provided for up-close views, but participants should bring binoculars and their favorite bird identification guide. At 9:30 a.m., the group will return to the Hinton Center for breakfast, which is $10 per person.

The birding portion of the day is free, with registration required at www.mountaintrue.org/event/winter-bird-watch.

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509 Asheville Hwy., Suite B, SYLVA, NC

828-456-HAUS (4287)

828-586-HAUS (4287)

(3/10 (3/10 Mile Mile North North of of the the Courthouse) Courthouse)

(Located (Located in in the the NAPA NAPA Auto Auto Parts Parts Center) Center)

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WNC Calendar

Smoky Mountain News

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Tax-Aide volunteers will be available to assist with federal and state income tax preparation and filing through April 14 at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Service is provided by appointment from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays. Appointments: 524.3600 or visit the library at 149 Siler Road.

• Volunteers are available to assist with federal and state income tax preparation and filing through April 14 at two locations in Jackson County. Assistance is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays at the Department on Aging in Sylva. The same service is also provided by appointment from 2:30-6:45 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Appointments: 586.2016.

• Western Carolina University will host “National History Day” competition for middle and high school students from noon-5 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, in Cullowhee.

Students will display projects based on the theme “Breaking Barriers in History.” jswigger@wcu.edu.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Employment assistance is offered by NC Works Career Center from 1:30-4 p.m. on Friday, March 6, and the first Friday of every month at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. 488.3030 or www.fontanalib.org.

• Motion Makers Bicycles and Fire Mountain Outpost will celebrate the grand opening of their joint location from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, at 516 Tsali Boulevard in Cherokee. Big Laurel Food truck (noon-8 p.m.), live music from Somebody’s Child (3-5 p.m.) and Gold Sprint Tournament (5-7 p.m.).

• The Nantahala Outdoor Center will hold a job fair from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, in Swain County. Register in advance: www.noc/com/events/work-hard-play-hard-job-fair. Job opportunities listed at: www.noccareers.com.

• Registration is underway for a two-part workshop entitled “The Tenets of Project Management” that will be offered by Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment from 9 a.m.-noon on consecutive Tuesdays, March 17-24, at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville. $279. For info or to register: pdp.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment is accepting registrations for a workshop entitled “Understanding the Unique Culture of Military Applicants” that will be held from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville. Cost $89; includes a networking lunch. For info or to register: pdp.wcu.edu and click on: “For-profit and Nonprofit Professional Development Workshops” or call 227.7397.

• Registration is underway for “The School Leadership for Equity Summit” that will be offered from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20, at the Crest Center in Asheville. Theme is “What is Equity?” Hear from regional, state and national educational leaders about how they are building equitable and socially just classrooms, schools and districts. Registration fee: $85; includes light breakfast and lunch. Info: jrweiler@email.wcu.edu. Info about registration: https://tinyurl.com/ugdbm6c OR 227.7397.

• Registration is underway for a seminar entitled “How to Write a Business Plan,” which will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, in Clyde.

Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Registration is underway for “Marketing Your

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com Business,” a seminar that will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 5:308:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, in Clyde. Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Registration is underway for a “Website Construction 101: Learn the Basics of Coding” workshop that will be offered by Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment department from 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. on Friday, Friday, April 3, for those who want a next-level course. Registration fee: $139. For info and to register: pdp.wcu.edu and click on “Forprofit and Nonprofit Professional Development Workshops” or 227.7397.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment is accepting registration for a two-part, Six Sigma Whitebelt training that will be offered from 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesdays, April 7 and 14, at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville. Topics include team dynamics in Lean Six Sigma projects, tenets of effective project charters, valid measuring systems and more.

Registration fee: $249 before March 7 or $279 after. For info or to register: pdp.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• Registration is underway for “How to Find Your Customers,” a seminar that will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 5:308:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14, in Clyde. Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Submissions are being accepted for Southwestern Community College’s Cultural Fusion art/literature contest, which will be featured during the Cultural Fusion Festival on Wednesday, April 15, on the college’s Jackson Campus. Submissions accepted through April 1 in “Artwork or Photography” or “Literature (poetry, short stories, prose).” 339.4325, tknott@southwesterncc.edu.

• Registration is underway for “Basics of Bookkeeping,” a seminar that will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, in Clyde. Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Registration is underway for “Your Small Business Taxes,” a seminar that will be offered by Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, April 21, in Clyde. Info and Registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512.

• Registration is underway for several session of a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician program through Landmark Learning. Upcoming sessions include May 23-June 19, July 11-Aug. 7 and Oct. 3-30. www.landmarklearning.org.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • St. Mary’s Catholic Church will have a Fish Fry from 5-7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 6, in Sylva. $10 adults; $5 children. Dine in or take out. 506.1713.

• Raffle tickets on sale now for a chance to win a $250 Ingles gift card, $100 Walmart card or a $50 Butts on the Creek gift card. All proceeds raised will go to Camp Ability, who provides activities and summer camp for children in Western North Carolina who have disabilities. www.campabilitywnc.org. Raffle tickets are $1 for 1 ticket, $5 for 6 tickets, or $10 for 15 tickets. Drawing will be held at the fundraising concert on March 7.

Winners do not have to be in attendance to win. Buy tickets by contacting Wende Goode at 246.2256.

• Bowl for Kids’ Sake is set for March 14 for Swain and Haywood County, respectively. Fundraiser for Big

Brothers, Big Sisters of Western North Carolina. Times, places, registrations and more: bbbswnc.org.

• A three-band concert will benefit Camp Ability at 6 p.m. on March 7. Purchase tickets online to hear The Resonant Rouges, the Greenliners and Red Clay Revival as they perform a benefit concert at the Colonial Theater in Canton. Tickets are $10 with all proceeds going to Camp Ability, which provides activities and camps for children who have disabilities. www.campabilitywnc.org. Purchase tickets here: www.eventbrite.com or at the door.

• Haywood Waterways and Elevated Mountain Distilling will hold their second annual Fundraising Chili Cookoff from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, at Elevated Mountain Distilling, 3732 Soco Rd., in Maggie Valley.

Entry fee for cookers: $35. Pre-sale tickets for Chili Eaters: $15; $20 day of. Tickets available at: https://tinyurl.com/s8v6y8s. Info: caitlinw.hwa@gmail.com or 476.4667, ext. 12.

•There will be a special concert in memory of late banjo great Steve Sutton from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday, March 8, in the Queen Auditorium at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. Performers include the Darren Nicholson Band, Crowe Brothers, Mark Bumgarner, Marc Pruett, Hazel Creek, Bill Kaman, Mike Hunter, Malcolm Holcombe, and the Whitewater Bluegrass Co. $35 in advance. Money raised will go toward the International Bluegrass Music Association trust fund and for a scholarship in his name for music students at Waynesville’s Tuscola High School. Dinner is ticketed separately for $12 and begins at 6 p.m.

452.2997. www.showclix.com/event/second-annualsteve-sutton-memorial-concert.

• Matt Stillwell will perform at a benefit concert for Shop with a Cop at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 13, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Other performers include Limited Distance, The Hackers, Michaella Hedden, Brent Ledford, Chelsi Reynolds and more. Tickets: $15 at the door (cash or check).

• Tickets are on sale for the inaugural Great Smokies Eco Adventure, a multifaceted fundraising event for Discover Life in America set for April 19-21 near Gatlinburg, Tenn. Includes glamping at A Walk in the Woods’ luxurious off-grid camp near Cosby, gourmet food and drink, guided nature hikes and live music.

Cost: $1,500. Proceeds support DLiA, which coordinates the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory in the park. Tickets: www.dlia.org.

VOLUNTEERS & VENDORS • Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recruiting volunteers to provide orientation and historic information to visitors at Mingus Mill, which is one-half mile north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee.

Required training is from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Friday, March 6. Info: 497.1906 or florie_takaki@nps.gov.

• Volunteers are being sought to help with “Lake Cleanup Day,” from 9 a.m.-noon on Saturday, March 7, at Lake Junaluska. Preregister and info: 502.419.3035.

• There is an open call currently underway for artisans, vendors and environmentally-themed booths at the 23rd annual Greening Up the Mountains, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, in downtown Sylva. Applications can be downloaded at www.greeningupthemountains.com and will be accepted through March 15. greeningupthemountains@gmail.com.

• The historic Shelton House in Waynesville is currently in need of volunteers for an array of upcoming events. Alongside help for events and gatherings, the organization is also seeking a docent, gift shop attendee, data entry person, landscaper, handyperson,

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: n n n n

Complete listings of local music scene Regional festivals Art gallery events and openings Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers n Civic and social club gatherings and other positions. Upcoming main events include the Blue Ridge Heritage Festival June 19-21, Shelton House Halloween “Haunting on the Hill” Oct. 27-31 and Shelton House “Tinsel Trail & Appalachian Christmas.” www.sheltonhouse.org or 452.1551.

• Haywood Vocational Opportunities is seeking donations of goods, services, time and support for the second annual “HVO Stans Up to PTSD Veteran Community Resource, Education and Job Fair,” which will be held on June 27. 454.6857.

HEALTH MATTERS • Suicide Prevention Awareness Training will be presented from 2-3 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, at the Waynesville Library. Covers risk factors and the “S.A.V.E.” model: Signs of suicide, Asking about suicide, Validating feelings, Encouraging help and Expediting treatment. Registration required: Kathleen.olsen@haywoodcountync.gov or 356.2507.

• Registration is underway for the Diabetes Preventaion Program that will be offered starting March 17 at Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency.

Lifestyle change program dedicated to preventing type 2 diabetes through a series of 24 one-hour group classes. Classes are held from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.

Info: 356.2272 or 356.2292.

• “Yoga for Back Care” will be offered from noon-1 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, at Waynesville Yoga Center.

Cost: $15. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• “Wheels of Life: Deep Dive into the Chakra System” will be offered from 2-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, at Waynesville Yoga Center. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• “Inspiring Confidence in Yoga Teaching: Learn Trauma-Informed Adjustments” will be offered from 23:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, at Waynesville Yoga Center. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Community Acupuncture will be offered from noon-5 on Wednesdays and 1-6 p.m. on Fridays at Sylva Yoga. sylvayoga@gmail.com.

• Al-Anon, a confidential support group for friends and family members of alcoholics, meets at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays at Grace Episcopal Church in Waynesville.

440.724.5994.

• Co-Dependents Anonymous, a support group for those wishing to create more fulfilling relationships with themselves and others, will meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Friendship House, 566 S. Haywood St., in Waynesville. http://coda.org.

• “Nourishing You” – an introductory “Yoga for Cancer” class, is offered from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Haywood Breast Center in Waynesville. Taught by Kim Mulholland, Mindful Yoga for Cancer Duke Integrative Medicine Trainer. Info: 452.8691 or MyHaywoodRegional.com/YogaforCancer.

• Jackson County Department of Public Health is offering diabetes self-management education as well as medical nutrition therapy. Info: 587.8240 or http://health.jacksonnc.org/wic.

• Codependents Anonymous (CoDA) meets at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Friendship House on Academy Street, behind and adjoining the First United Methodist Church of Waynesville. Group of persons desiring healthy and fulfilling relationships. 775.2782 or www.coda.org.

• Nutrition counseling and diabetes education are offered through Macon County Public Health in Franklin. 349.2455.

• Western Carolina University’s student-run, Mountain Area Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic will be open from 6-8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays of each month.

227.3527.

• HIV and syphilis testing will is offered during normal business hours at Jackson County Health Department.

• Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) meets at noon on Saturdays at the First United Methodist Church Outreach Center at 171 Main St. in Franklin. 407.758.6433 or adultchildren.org.

• The Jackson County Department of Public Health will offer a general clinic from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 587.8225.

• A Food Addicts Anonymous Twelve-Step fellowship group meets at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays at Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville. www.foodaddictsanonymous.org.

• Mothers Connection, an ongoing social gathering for mothers and their babies, meets from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays excluding holidays at Haywood Regional Medical Center. 452.8440 or MyHaywoodRegional.com/ParentClasses.

• “ECA on the Move!” – a walking program organized

by Jackson County Extension and Community Association – meets from 9-10 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. It’s an effort to meet the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 10,000 steps per day. 586.4009.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • The High Mountain Squares will host their “Black and White Dance” from 6:15-8:45 p.m. on Friday, March 6, at the Robert C. Carpenter Community Building in Franklin. Western-style square dancing, mainstream and levels. 787.2324, 332.0001, 706.746.5426, 727.599.1440 or check out the group on Facebook.

• ZUMBA is offered at First United Methodist in Waynesville in the Youth Room on Thursdays at 6 p.m. with Patti Burke. Check Facebook page Patti Burke Zumba Students for additional information such as holiday or weather related cancelations. $5 per class. https://pattiburke.zumba.com • ZUMBA is offered at Dance Tonight Haywood Studio, 62 ½ Main Street in Canton on Saturdays, at 10 a.m. with Patti Burke. Check Facebook page Patti Burke Zumba Students for additional information such as holiday or weather related cancelations. $5 per class.

• Sylva Yoga is offering Intro to Belly Dancing at 6:15

• Waynesville Yoga Center will offer Yoga for Back Care from noon-1 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, in Waynesville. Cost: $15. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Waynesville Yoga Center will offer Sky Styx Yoga: Finding Joy in Motion from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, in Waynesville. Cost: $30 in advance or $35 day of. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Sylva Yoga is offering a 5 Elements Gentle Yoga Series from 10:30-11:45 a.m. on Sundays, March 8-28 in Sylva.

• Waynesville Yoga Center will offer Breathwork from 5:45-6:45 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, in Waynesville.

Cost: $15. Register: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• The Waynesville Parks & Recreation Department will hold an organizational meeting for the Spring Adult Softball League at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Info: 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Waynesville Yoga Center will offer the 30 Days of Mindfulness Challenge from Wednesday, March 11, to Thursday, April 9, in Waynesville. Details and to register: WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Reduced-price skiing and snowboarding will be offered through the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department from 5:30-10:30 p.m. on Fridays through March 6 at Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley. Register: www.rec.jacksonnc.org, 293.3053, ext. 9 or mollyneary@jacksonnc.org.

3 mo onths af te er hearrt surger y,, back k on baby duty d How healthy is your o heart?

Take our online e quiz. missionhealth.org/ he eartstrong

• Sylva Yoga is offering a Mountains Songs for Soul Workshop from 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, March 28, in Sylva.

POLITICAL • The Swain County Democratic Party for the Whittier/Cherokee precinct will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10, at the Chestnut Tree Inn, Highway 19 South, 37 Tsalagi Road, in Cherokee. 497.9498.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Mountain Writers will meet at noon on Tuesday, March 10, at Panacea in Waynesville.

• “Pints, Poems & Prose” will be held at 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 12, at Nantahala Brewing’s Outpost taproom in Sylva. Sponsored by the NC Writers’ Network. Free and open to the public.

• City Lights Bookstore will host an event Saturday, March 28 for Brannen Basham, Sylva Herald weekly nature writer and contributor to Smoky Mountain Living magazine, release of her book “A Guide to the Wonderful World Around Us: Notes on Nature”. The event will feature a reading, native bee talk and Q&A at 3 p.m. www.sprigglys.com

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players to join games at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• A Hand & Foot card game is held at 1 p.m. on Thursdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Pinochle game is played at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

What Are Cannabinoids?

Cannabinoids are a group of closely related compunds that act on cannbinoid receptors in the body, unique to cannabis (or hemp). The body creates compounds called endocannabinoids, while hemp produces phytocannabinoids, notably cannabidiol.

Cannabinoids is traditionally used for pain, sleep, and fibermyalgia.

Alzheimer’s Migraines Asthma Breast Cancer

Diabetes Crohn’s Disease

Prostate Cancer Menstrual Cancer

CBD has traditionally been used for: Anxiety/Depression Seizures Pain/Fibromyalgia Nausea/Vomiting Sleep Tremors PTSD ADHD/ADD Autism

The Endocannabinoid System is perhaps the most important physiologic systerm involved in establishing and maintaining human health. Although the endocannabinoid system affects a wide variety of biological processes, experts believe that its overall function is to regulate homeostasis.

Smoky Mountain News

• The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department is offering Pickleball lessons from 9 a.m.-noon on Mondays and from 9-11 a.m. on every other Wednesday at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Free for members or $20 for 10 play days. Info: 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Sylva Yoga is offering Yin Yoga and Live Music from 6-7:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, in Sylva.

March 4-10, 2020

• A free weekly grief support group is open to the public from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at SECU Hospice House in Franklin. Hosted by Four Seasons Compassion for Life Bereavement Team. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

p.m. and Belly Dance Skills & Choreography at 7:15 p.m. on Fridays in Sylva.

wnc calendar

• “Riding the Waves of Cancer” meets from 2:30-4 p.m. on Thursdays at the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center. Physician referral from an oncologist or cancer doctor is required: Myhaywoodregional.com/yogaforcancer. 452.8691.

479 DELLWOOD RD. WAYNESVILLE 828.452.0911 | facebook.com/kimspharmacy

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wnc calendar

KIDS & FAMILIES • “Nature Nuts: Skunks” program will be offered for ages 4-7 from 9-11 a.m. on March 16 and 25 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard.

Online registration required: https://tinyurl.com/y53o5ddq.

• “Eco Explorers: Compass” program will be offered for ages 8-13 from 1-3 p.m. on March 16 and 25 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard.

Online registration required: https://tinyurl.com/y53o5ddq.

• Registration is now open for the spring/summer PGA Jr. League team for players age 13 and younger of all skill levels. Team captain is Charlie Carswell, PGA golf professional. Deadline is April 30. Fee: $190 per player, includes practice sessions, matches, home and away jerseys, bag tag and more. Register: www.pgajrleague.com/sign-up. Info: 456.5777 or ctcarswell@lakejunaluska.com.

• SafeKids USA Blue Dragon Tae Kwon Do School in Clyde is offering a free week of introductory classes through March 6 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Attend one day or all week. Call to RSVP 627.3949. www.bluedragontkd.net.

• Kid Create: An art and music experience for kindergarten-fourth grade students is offered from 3:305:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at First Baptist Church in Waynesville. Fbcwaynesville.org/after-school/kidcreate.

• The STEAM Club meets at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. STEAM is Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math. Info: 488.3030, ext. 130.

Smoky Mountain News

March 4-10, 2020

• Homeschoolers get special rates at Cataloochee Ski Area by presenting their homeschool credentials on Tuesdays at the ticket center. Rates are $25 for lift tickets and $50 for lift, lesson and rental. Lift and rental ticket is $35. Rates apply only to skiing from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

• Wednesdays are family days at Cataloochee Ski Area with children 17-under receiving a free lift ticket when accompanied by a parent purchasing a full-price adult lift ticket. Regular rental and lesson rates apply.

Only on non-holiday Wednesdays.

• The Sylva Art + Design Committee is pleased to announce a unique pop-up gallery event that will feature the artistic creations of children ages 5-18 in the Western North Carolina region. “Nature Through A Child’s Eye” will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 4, at Viva Arts Studio in downtown Sylva. If you have a child that you think may want to be a participant ages of 5-18 apply by emailing sylvaartdesign@gmail.com or vivaartsstudio@gmail.com.

Facebook at www.facebook.com/sylvapublicart or on Instagram @sylvaarts. All submissions will be available for purchase and can be picked up after the completion of the exhibition. All money raised will be equally distributed between SADC and the Sylva Community Garden in order to further the betterment of the community through arts, education, and environmental awareness.

• Mountain Discovery Charter School, a K-8 charter school in Bryson City, is holding open enrollment through March 6 at www.mountaindiscovery.org.

• Registration is underway for the Challenger International Soccer Camp, which will be offered to ages 3-14 from July 20-24 at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Costs vary based on age group from $90-197. Separate goalkeeper and scorer program is $25 for ages 6-14 from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday. Register: challengersports.com. Info: 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Mother Goose On the Loose early childhood curriculum will be featured in a Reading Adventures Storytime program that’s offered at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Blends rhyming with movement, storytelling, simple 42 songs, music and sensory play. 488.3030.

• Waynesville Art School offers the Young Artist Program in the afternoons for 5-6 year old, 7-8 year old, 9-12 year old. Intro to Printmaking and Evening studies in arts is offered for 13-19 year old.

Waynesville Art School is located at 303 N. Haywood Street. Info: 246.9869, info@waynesvilleartschool.com or visit WaynesvilleArtSchool.com for schedule and to register.

• Mountain Wildlife offers wildlife education programs for schools and organizations in Western North Carolina, free of charge. If you are interested in having them visit your group contact them at blackbears66@gmail.com, 743.9648 or visit the website at www.mountainwildlifedays.com.

KIDS FILMS • “Sonic the Hedgehog” will be showing through March 5 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• “Onward” will be showing from March 5 to March 12 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza.

Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• “I Still Believe” will start showing March 12 through March 17 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

A&E

• The Veterans of Foreign Wars Riders Group Post 5202 will hold its ninth annual “Bikers in Boxers, As Bare as You Dare” event from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on March 7 in Waynesville. Entertainment, food, prizes and comradery. Donations: $10, $25 and $30.

Includes meal, door prizes and entertainment. Info: daigre1@yahoo.com or 593.1647.

• The Galleries of Haywood County will offer “Luck of the Art” from noon-4 p.m. on March 14 on Main Street in Waynesville. Find and meet Waynesville’s Lebrechaun and his lady to collect a green necklace; 50/50 drawing will be held at 4 p.m. www.HaywoodArts.org/GalleriesHC. • The Cold Mountain Music Festival is proud to announce the lineup for its 4th annual event happening June 5-6 at the picturesque Lake Logan Conference Center in Canton. Weekend passes are on sale now on the Cold Mountain Music website. General admission passes are available for $75, and youth passes for those aged 12-17 can be purchased for $40 apiece. Overnight camping spots and catered breakfast meal tickets are also available for $75 (per site) and $12-$15 (per person), respectively. Group discounts may be applied for parties of 15 or more.

Enter the code “DioWNC” at checkout to purchase each pass (minimum 15) for $60 each. www.coldmountainmusic.org.

FOOD & DRINK • There will be a special “Oyster Roast” gathering from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 7, at Nantahala Brewing’s Taproom & Burger Bar in Bryson City. All you can eat oyster roast, order in advance online for $15 (plus transaction fees). Day of tickets are $25. As well, there will be craft beer, wine and cocktails available. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• Bryson City Wine Market will host Yoga and Mimosas from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 7.

Cost: $10. Must be 21.

• Pottery & Pints: Free Play” class held by Viva Arts Studios from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 12, at the Innovation Station in Dillsboro. Mold, sculpt and create anything you want. Cost is $30 per person. For more information and/or to register for the workshop, go to Facebook, search “Viva Arts Studio” and click on the “Events” tab for the ticket link. www.vivaartsschool.com or 506.6067.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • The 19-piece John Brown Big Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 5, at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. Tickets for the John Brown Big Band are $15 for adults, $10 for faculty/staff/seniors 65+, and $5 for students.

Find tickets and further information at arts.wcu.edu/johnbrownjazz. Tickets may also be reserved over the phone at 227.2479 • Captain Midnight Band will perform at 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 5, in The Gem downstairs taproom at Boojum Brewing in Waynesville.

• Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Center will host fiddler Andrew Finn Magill at 7 p.m.

Thursday, March 5. 227.7129 or mhc.wcu.edu.

• Sister Hazel will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets start at $22 per person. www.greatmountainmusic.com.

• A production of “Hamlet” will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 6, in the Studio Theater at the Bardo Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. www.wcu.edu.

• Americana/folk duo Gypsy & Me will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 6, in The Loft listening room at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. Howl in the Valley will open the performance. The duo have recently released their third album, “Get Busy Livin’.”

With thoughtful lyrics and melodic harmonies, they continue to touch the hearts of audiences everywhere.

Tickets are $7 per person. www.38main.com.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • Gamblers Anonymous meets from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at Grace Episcopal Church, 394 N. Haywood St., in Waynesville. Meet in the Community Room.

476.5054.

• The Jackson County Green Energy Park will open its spring class schedule with hot glass and blacksmithing classes throughout March 7 in Dillsboro.

Reserve your class spot: 631.0271 or info@jcgep.org or www.JCGEP.org.

• The Jackson County Public Library offers e-services support from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays in Sylva. For those with new devices or need help accessing library resources. Appointments: 586.2016.

• Saturday morning cooking classes will be offered from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. throughout March at McKinley Edwards Inn, 208 Arlington Ave., in Bryson City. Expertise, food and wine provided. Cost: $45 per person. Reservations required by 5 p.m. on Thursday prior to class: 488.9626.

• A discussion about “Pushing the Limits of Motion – Endurance: My Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery”

by Scott Kelley is set for 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room.

• TJ Holland will present “Cherokee Cultural Sites in Swain County” at 6:30 p.m. on March 5 at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center, 45 East Ridge Drive in Bryson City.

• “The Mountaineer: History in the Moment” will be presented by Kathy Ross from 4-5 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, in the Waynesville Town Hall Board room, 9 South Main Street, as part of the Haywood Ramblings Series.

• Jackson County Green Energy Park is holding classes on March 7 to show you how to make your own pint

glass in Dillsboro. Time slots cost $65 each and are available from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Register: 631.0271.

Info: jcgep.org.

• First Saturday Blacksmithing Classes will be offered from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, at Green Energy Park in Dillsboro. Forging experience class.

Cost: $80 for one-hour time slots (make a high-carbon boot knife or a railroad spike blade); $40 for 30 minutes (make either a Mjolnir Rune Pendant or a magic wand). Register: 631.0271. Info: www.JCGEP.org.

• James Lyle will be offering a “Sequential Art Class Series” beginning on March 7 and running through May 23 at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. In this session, the class will participate in a group exercise dealing with the process of creating a “superhero” (or any other type of character in any media, really).

Make your reservation and pre-payment today. Class fee is $20 for HCAC members or $25 for non-members. Cash and Checks made payable to James Lyle.

Please call 828.452.0593 for more information. www.haywoodarts.org.

• The Western NC Civil War Roundtable will feature a presentation on “Abraham Lincoln’s Spies” by Douglas Waller at 7 p.m. on March 9 at the Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. Meet-and-greet dinner at 5 p.m.; social at 6:30 p.m.

• The Cook Book Club’s first meeting of sharing recipes and discussing ideas on food will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at The Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. The group will discuss and plan favorite recipes either from a recipe book, a favorite family recipe or just any recipe you like. Just pick out your favorite appetizer recipe to make and bring in to share, and don't forget the recipe. There will be a cookbook created from the recipes brought in.

• Cold Mountain Strutters Chapter of the NWTF will hold its annual banquet on Friday, March 13, at the Canton Armory Building. Info: 231.8864 or 421.6606.

Tickets: $80 for couples, $50 single or $20 for ages 17-under.

• The American Chinese Friendship Society of WNC is sponsoring a lecture and live demonstration of a traditional Chinese tea ceremony from 2-4 p.m. on Friday, March 13, in the Waynesville Library Auditorium. Registration required: Kathleen.olsen@haywoodcountync.gov or 356.2507.

• A program entitled “Operation Fraud Prevention!” will be offered from 1-3 p.m. on Friday, March 20, in the Waynesville Library Auditorium. Join the U.S. Department of Justice/U.S. Attorney’s Office for Western North Carolina, the FBI, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office and the AARP; learn how to protect yourself and your family from financial schemes targeting older adults.

• All women and teenage girls are invited to a presentation entitled: “Human Trafficking: In Our Shadows” scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, at First Baptist Church of Waynesville, 100 South Main Street. Speaker is Lt. Chris Chandler of Waynesville Police Department.

• Alarka Expeditions will offer “The Artists Way” with James Nave from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on March 21, at Cowee Arts and Heritage Center in Franklin. Read more about Nave at www.jamesnave.com. To register: www.alarkaexpeditions.com/upcoming-events.

• Alarka Expeditions will offer “Seven Miles of Silence” from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on March 26 on a stretch of the Bartram Trail. Consider what you think of and what you observe when you’re alone in the forest. To register: www.alarkaexpeditions.com/upcomingevents.

• Registration is underway for the ninth annual Heritage Life Skills event offering classes in a variety of survival-related skills from May 8-10 at the Folkmoot Center in Waynesville. Bread-making, harvesting medicine plants and more. Cost: $135 or $60 for 18-under. Carolinareadiness.com.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES

• Jenean Hornbuckle, a landscape painter, is currently showing her works, at the Rotunda Gallery in the Sylva library. info@jacksoncountyarts.org or 507.9820.

• Art exhibit, “Time and Again” – a glass works exhibit by Kit Paulson and SaraBeth Post – will take place through May 1 at the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee. arts.wcu.edu/museum or 227-ARTS. • Cherokee Indian Hospital is issuing a “Call to Artists” for the new Analenisgi Inpatient Unit. The mission is to create community pride and ownership using a variety of culturally significant, healing art mediums. Enrolled EBCI members will be given preference.

Mediums can include, but are not limited to, paintings (oil, acrylic, pastels, watercolor) photography, fiber arts, metal, mixed media and sculpture. Please email legendweaverstudios@gmail.com if you want the formal “Call to Artists” application and information.

FILM & SCREEN • “Call of the Wild” will be showing through March 12 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• The Second Tuesday Movie Group meets at 2 p.m. in the Waynesville Library Auditorium. For info, including movie title: 452.5169.

Outdoors

• A kickoff party for the Motion Makers Women’s Group Rides will be held at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 9, in Asheville.

Info and to RSVP: www.facebook.com/groups/977882092306563.

• Motion Makers Women’s Group cycling rides

• Learn how to get the most out of a trip to America’s most-visited national park during a program offered from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11 at REI in Asheville.

Offered by Friends of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

• Intro to Fly-Fishing will be offered to ages 12-up from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on March 13, 23 and 31 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard. Online registration required: https://tinyurl.com/y53o5ddq.

• The Macon County Horse Association will hold its annual Coggins Clinic from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on March 14 at the Macon County Fairgrounds. 369.3903.

• The 14th annual Winter Bird Watch is set for 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 14, at Lake Chatuge near Hayesville. Breakfast at 9:30 a.m. at Hinton Center for $10. Registration for birding portion: www.mountaintrue.org/event/winter-birdwatch.

• Jason Love will speak on “The Critters of Coweeta” at 6:30 p.m. on March 16 at Cowee School, 51 Cowee School Drive in Franklin.

Part of the “Where We Live: History, Nature and Culture” series.

• A birding hike will be offered to ages 14older from 9-11 a.m. on March 16 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard. Online registration required: https://tinyurl.com/y53o5ddq.

• “On the Water: Little River” will be offered to ages 12-up from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on March 17 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard. Online registration required: https://tinyurl.com/y53o5ddq.

• “Casting for Beginners: Level I” will be offered to ages 12-up from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on March 18 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard. Online registration required: https://tinyurl.com/y53o5ddq.

• A series of three lectures will explore Western Carolina University’s campus theme of sustainability and the environment on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, March 16, 17 and 19, in the theater of A.K. Hinds University Center. Each lecture is from 5-6:30 p.m. Info: 227.7262 or jwhitmire@wcu.edu.

• State officials will host a public hearing at 6p.m. on March 19 at A-B Tech Community College in Asheville to gather comments on the application for a 401 water quality certification submitted to the N.C. Division of Water Resources from Biltmore Farms, LLC. Written comments accepted through April 20: PublicComments@ncdenr.gov. View application online: https://tinyurl.com/s788ob8.

• Registration is underway for the Landmark Outdoor Educator Semester, which is offered May 14-June 30, through Landmark Learning. www.landmarklearning.org.

See Virtual Tours of listed homes at

MaggieValleyHomeSales.com Market Square, 3457 Soco Rd. • Maggie Valley, NC • 828-926-0400

• Registration is open for the Mighty Four Miler – a race to honor hometown hero Riley Howell - and Smokies Half Marathon. Event is Saturday, April 4, and will run through downtown Waynesville. Proceeds go to the Riley Howell Foundation Fund, which seeks to help people affected by gun violence. Registration is $35 for the four miler and $70 for the half marathon. Register: www.gloryhoundevents.com.

• Registration is underway for Lake Junaluska’s Annual Friends of the Lake 5K, which is Saturday, April 11. Provides financial support for maintaining the walking trail and other recreation opportunities. Registration before March $26: $30 adults, $15 students and kids fun run is free for ages 10-under. www.lakejunaluska.com/run.

FARM AND GARDEN • Orders are being accepted through Friday, March 13, for the Macon County 4-H Club’s annual plant sale. Fundraiser. Info and order form: https://tinyurl.com/rw39w7x.

HIKING CLUBS • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate, four-mile rambling hike with an elevation change of 500 feet on Saturday, March 7, around Wallace Branch and up the Bartram Trail. Info and reservations: 772.263.3478.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate two-mile hike with an elevation change of 400 feet on Sunday, March 8, on Whiteside Mountain Loop between Highlands and Cashiers. Info and reservations: 369.7352.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 7.5-mile hike with a 1,900-foot ascent on Sunday, March 8, at White Oak Flats, Pounding Mill, Hickey Fork. Info and reservations: 380.1452 or desraylet@aol.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 12-mile hike with a 1,600-foot elevation gain on Wednesday, March 11, on Long Branch, Art Loeb & Butter Gap Trails. Info and reservations: 336.406.9279 or picassue48@gmail.com.

• Nantahala Hiking Club will hold its general meeting at 7 p.m. on March 13 in the meeting room of the Franklin Public Library.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 7.5-mile hike with a 1,750-foot ascent on Saturday, March 14, from Big Falls to Thompson River.

Info and reservations: 505.2036, 408.887.3666 or daisytk@yahoo.com.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have an eightmile hike with a 2,600-foot elevation gain on Sunday, March 15, from Toms Creek to Woods Mountain. Info and reservations: 738.0751, 443.2532 or jimr57@yahoo.com.

RE/MAX

EXECUTIVE

Ron Breese Broker/Owner 71 North Main Street Waynesville, NC 28786 Cell: 828.400.9029 ron@ronbreese.com

www.ronbreese.com Each office independently owned & operated.

Catherine Proben Cell: 828-734-9157 Office: 828-452-5809

cproben@beverly-hanks.com

74 N. Main St., Waynesville, NC

828.452.5809

Mike Stamey

mstamey@beverly-hanks.com

828-508-9607

Smoky Mountain News

• “The Invisible Man” will be start through March 12 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or smokymountaincinema.com for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info on Facebook or 246.0588.

• Landmark Learning will offer courses in Wilderness First Responder, dates: March 715 and March 14-22 in Cullowhee. Info: www.landmarklearning.org.

• Registration is underway for the 10th annual Assault on Blackrock, which will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, starting from the parking lot of Pinnacle Park in Sylva.

Preregistration fee: $25; $30 on race day.

Register: ultrasignup.com. Info: 506.2802 or barwatt@hotmail.com.

March 4-10, 2020

• The Museum of the Cherokee Indian has recently opened a major new exhibit, “People of the Clay: Contemporary Cherokee Potters.”

It features more than 60 potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation, and more than one hundred works from 1900 to the present. The exhibit will run through April.

• Registration is underway for the 10th annual Three River Fly Fishing Festival, which will be held April 30-May 2 in Highlands. Entry: $500 after. For info, to register or sponsor: hilary@highlandhiker.com or 526.0441.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • Lake Junaluska Golf Course will host a three-person scramble format St. Patrick’s Tournament starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 14. Entry fee: $40; includes green fee, cart fee, prize payout and helping of Irish stew. 456.5777 or ctcarswell@lakejunaluska.com.

wnc calendar

• “HCC Clay in Retrospect” runs now through April 22 and is located on the second floor of the Creative Arts Building on the HCC campus. The public is invited to a closing reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22, with a gallery talk beginning at 4:30 p.m.

“HCC Clay in Restrospect” is an exhibition featuring the work of 20 artists from the college’s 46 years of clay programming.

Mandatory coursework includes photography of finished pieces for gaining entrance into craft shows, creating a business plan, and designing and building a studio tailored to fit production needs. 627.4671 or eareason@haywood.edu.

will be offered at 6 p.m. on Mondays and 10 a.m. on Wednesdays in Asheville. Monday rides meet at Ledford Parking Lot; Wednesday rides meet at Rice Pinnacle. Rides are 6-to-8 miles. Info and to RSVP: www.facebook.com/groups/977882092306563

74 NORTH MAIN ST. • WAYNESVILLE, NC

www.beverly-hanks.com

43

Market WNC PLACE

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MarketPlace information:

The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County.

Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!

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Note: Highlighted ads automatically generate a border so if you’re placing an ad online and select a highlight color, the “add border” feature will not be available on the screen.

Note: Yard sale ads require an address. This location will be displayed on a map on www.wncmarketplace.com

p: 828.452.4251 · f:828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com www.wncmarketplace.com 44

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CASH FOR CARS! We buy all cars! Junk, highend, totaled – it doesn’t matter! Get free towing and same day cash!

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Auction ONLINE ONLY AUCTION Entegra 45B Coach, Farm Equipment, Boats, Trucks, Cars, Guns, Fine Art and Much More, Begins Closing 3/11/2020 at 4pm, Check our website for Inspection times and days, ironhorseauction.com, 800.997.2248, NCAL 3936 214+/- ACRES DIVIDED In Scotland County, NC on Calhoun Rd. Online w/ bid center, Begins closing 3/24 at 2pm, Inspections at Buyer’s Leisure & Liability. ironhorseauction. com, 800.997.2248 NCAL#3936 ONLINE REAL ESTATE AUCTION Lake Wylie, Laurinburg, Marston, Peachland, Norwood, Raeford & Red Springs, NC, Begins Closing 3/19/2020 at 2pm, Check our website for Inspection times and days, ironhorseauction.com, 800.997.2248, NCAL# 3936

AUCTION ALERT! Southern States Cooperative Multistate Fleet Realignment Auction.

Farming Equipment Including Spray Trucks, Fertilizer Trucks, Rogators & more! Bid online 2/28 - 3/5 at 11 a.m. at www.motleys. com. Motleys Industrial. 877-MOTLEYS. NC#5914

Auto Accessories TIRES Good year Wrangler Duratrac, 265/65 R17. Like new, less than 6000 miles on them. $475.00, good offer. 828-2260281 (828) 226-0281

Automobiles

Business Opportunities

LOOKING TO EXPAND Into the Market?? Coatings manufacture looking for company to install coatings on commercial roofs, in North & South Carolina. CALL 740-656-0177

BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR! Publications sold at all major secular & specialty Christian bookstores. CALL Christian Faith Publishing for your FREE author submission kit. 1-877-4844025 TRAVEL THE USA FOR PAY! Do you own a pickup truck?

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As simple as checking your email. Complete online training provided. Visit for details: https://bit.ly/2yewvor PAINTERS & ROOFERS NEEDED! Coating manufacture looking for companies or

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Candidate will also be outgoing, articulate and enjoy engaging our members and the general public. Email Michael Skinner @ mskinner@bmtrust.org for a job description. mskinner@bmtrust.org BROWN TRUCKING Is looking for Company Drivers & Owner Operators. Brown requires: CDL-A, 2yrs of tractor trailer exp. OTR or Regional in last 3yrs, good MVR & PSP. Apply: driverforbrown.com AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Get FAA approved hands on Aviation training. Financial DLG IRU TXDOL¿HG VWXdents - Career placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866-4416890.

WNC MarketPlace

PART-TIME CUSTODIAL WORK 20-30 hrs/wk. Averages 4 hrs/night, 5-9 pm. $10.25/ hr. Email responses only: Jerry.Southard@LongsChapel. com Jerry.Southard@ LongsChapel.com

AUTO SALES CONSULTANT Do you want to be a part of a family-owned and locally operated business that has served the area for over 65 years? Earning the trust of our customers, employees and community is what drives us to be better. Taylor Ford is proud to be a fast-paced, high-energy, forward-thinking company that is looking for experienced professionals with all of the same attributes!

What We’re Looking For: Our growing Sales department is looking for ambitious and self-motivated people to join our team.

Automotive experience is preferred. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow and develop your career, apply here! Contact Dean Howell. (828) 452-5111 rdhowell1@yahoo.com FTCCFayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Coordinator for Military Business Center, Director of Facility Services. For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https:// fay techcc.peopleadmin.com/ Human ReVRXUFHV 2I¿FH 3KRQH 910-678-7342 MEDICAL BILLING & CODING TRAINING. New Students Only.

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Legal Notices MOUNTAIN PROJECTS, INC. Is seeking proposals for a roof repair/replace to the 6\OYD 2I¿FH ORFDWHG in Jackson County.

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Phone Number: 828586-2345. This is a one level commercial EXLOGLQJ ZLWK D ÀDW roof of approximately 60x60 feet. Contractor must be fully insured, provide references and include warranty on material and labor. Mail or hand deliver sealed bids to: Holly Crawford at Mountain Projects, 2177 Asheville Road, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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BROWN TABBY CATS — DARLA&SPANKY We’re 9 years old, sweet and loving; must be adopted together because we love each other so much! (828) 761-2001 publicrelations@ashevillehumane.org

Real Estate Announcements

LOT FOR SALE 1/2 acre lot out of the John Denver Biodome area just minutes to Waynesville & Maggie Valley off Hwy. 276. Beautiful rolling pasture and mountain views, septic approved.

Paved private road surrounds 3 sides of lot, 3200 feet elevation among the Christmas Tree growers. $27,500 Robin Jones 803-6220187 (803) 622-0187 robinjonesrealtysc@ gmail.com

SPRING TRAVEL SPECIAL! 7 Day / 6 Night Orlando + Daytona Beach Vacation with Hertz Rental Car Included. Only $398.00.

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices/Great Smokys Realty - www.4Smokys.com Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate- Heritage

• Carolyn Lauter - carolyn@bhgheritage.com Beverly Hanks & Associates- beverly-hanks.com • Ann Eavenson - anneavenson@beverly-hanks.com • Billie Green - bgreen@beverly-hanks.com • Michelle McElroy- michellemcelroy@beverly-hanks.com • Steve Mauldin - smauldin@beverly-hanks.com • Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com • Anne Page - apage@beverly-hanks.com • Brooke Parrott - bparrott@beverly-hanks.com • Jerry Powell - jpowell@beverly-hanks.com • Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com • Ellen Sither - ellensither@beverly-hanks.com • Mike Stamey - mikestamey@beverly-hanks.com • Karen Hollingsed- khollingsed@beverly-hanks.com • Billy Case- billycase@beverly-hanks.com • Laura Thomas - lthomas@beverly-hanks.com • John Keith - jkeith@beverly-hanks.com • Randall Rogers - rrogers@beverly-hanks.com • Susan Hooper - shooper@beverly-hanks.com • Hunter Wyman - hwyman@beverly-hanks.com

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• • • • • • • •

• Rob Roland - rroland33@gmail.com

The Smoky Mountain Retreat at Eagles Nest

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WNC Real Estate Store

Where Quality Comes First

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Haywood Co. Real Estate Agents

• Jeff Baldwin - jeff@WNCforMe.com • Melanie Hoffman - mhoffmanrealestate@gmail.com • Thomas Hoffman - thoffman1@me.com

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE WAYNESVILLE, NC • 828.454.0464 • Fully Insured

March 4-10, 2020

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March 4-10, 2020

WNC MarketPlace

ness areas in the state. Harlan said he felt the House Natural Resources Committee would be open to new wilderness legislation and he knows the Forest Service is aware of the wilderness characteristics of the Craggies and Big Ivy. He hopes to secure a recommendation for CWNSA from the Forest Service in its new 30-year management plan.

Heart Craggy campaign. Harlan is also an Friends of Big Ivy, Forest Keeper and others author (Untamed: The Wildest Woman in are working with Congress to introduce a America and the Fight for Craggy Cumberland Island,) editor Wilderness and of Blue Ridge Outdoors National Scenic Magazine and a renowned area Act. trail runner. He lives near According to Big Ivy and has spent many Harlan, “The hours on the trails that Craggies offer a meander through old rare opportunigrowth forest, climb steep ty to protect and rocky slopes, pass thousands of waterfalls and pass more acres of wild than 40 species of rare ancient forest, plants and animals. full of old Harlan believes the time growth, rare is right for CWNSA to plants and anibecome only the 11th mals and outNational Scenic Area in the standing scenic U.S. Harlan said the beauty all just CWNSA would include 15 miles from Gray’s lily — one of the rare about 16,000 acres with a downtown species known from the proposed core wilderness area of nearAsheville.”

CWNSA. Don Hendershot photo ly 8,000 acres. He noted the Josh Kelly, Tennessee Wilderness Act public lands enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress (all biologist for MountainTrue, has also spent wilderness areas must be recommended by time exploring the Craggies. “There are some Congress) and was recently signed into law exemplary areas of old growth in the creating new and adding to existing wilderCraggies,” Kelly said, “including some virgin

The naturalist’s corner

BY DON H ENDERSHOT

Give Craggy extra protection “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”

— John Muir nd if a coalition of local, regional and national businesses, governments and conservation/environmental organizations is successful, one way into the universe will be through the Craggy Wilderness and National Scenic Area (CWNSA) less than 20 miles from downtown Asheville.

Supporters of the CWNSA include Friends of Big Ivy, the Sierra Club, MountainTrue, Mountain Bizworks, Outdoor Gear Builders of Western North Carolina, Liberty Bicycles, Carolina Climbers, Buncombe County Commissioners, Asheville City Council, Defenders of Wildlife, Southern Environmental Law Center and hundreds more. More than 4,000 people have signed a petition asking the U.S. Forest Service to protect the Craggies.

Will Harlan is co-founder of Friends of Big Ivy and one of the organizers of the I

A

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timber.” Kelly said he felt the reason for the nearly 3,000 acres of old growth in the area is because it was some of the first forests purchased by the Forest Service —a some of it as early as 1914-1915. Kelly said most of the old growth was northern hardwood but there was some montane oak forest and even a little rich-cove forest. Some of the rare species Kelly noted included Aconitum reclinatum, trailing wolfsbane, Dodecatheon meadia, shooting star, Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum, small yellow lady’s slipper, northern flying squirrel, Alleghany wood rat, cerulean warbler, black-billed cuckoo, pygmy salamander, rock vole and others.

Dr. Alan Smith, a professor of biology at Mars Hill University, surveyed old growth in Big Ivy back in 1999. Smith concluded there were 3,250 acres of forest that could be classified as old growth. And he documented some trees that pre-date the Revolutionary War by 100 years or more. In conclusion Dr. Smith wrote, “In sum, the Big Ivy Watershed represents a magnificent, biologically significant area which contains a relatively large amount of old growth forest that should be recognized and protected.”

You can go to https://iheartpisgah.org/ and/or www.change.org/o/i_heart_craggy to sign the petition to the Forest Service and/or comment on the new FS 30-year management plan. Comment period is open till March 14.

(Don Hendershot is a writer and naturalist.

His book, A Year From the Naturalist’s Corner, Vol. 1, is available at regional bookstores or by contacting Don at ddihen1@bellsouth.net)

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Smoky Mountain News March 4-10, 2020