Smoky Mountain News | June 15, 2022

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June 15-21, 2022 Vol. 24 Iss. 03

Graham County voter fraud complaint filed Page 6 Haywood gears up to celebrate Juneteenth Page 14

CONTENTS On the Cover: Baker Perry was seen as an odd duck growing up, given his obsession with all things weather, but that passion led the Haywood County native to Mt. Everest, where he led an expedition to install the highest weather station in the world. (Page 28) Tenzing Gyalzen Sherpa, Kami Temba Sherpa, and Nima Kancha Sherpa stand at the summit of Everest. Arbindra Khadka/National Geographic photo

News Walk in their shoes: Event raises awareness for elder abuse ................................4 Substantial voter fraud alleged in Lake Santeetlah....................................................6 Bear injures campers at Elkmont ..................................................................................10 Report highlights bungled aftermath of abuse claims at rehab center ............12 Local churches celebrate Juneteenth through gospel music ..............................14 Community briefs................................................................................................................17

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Rep. Pless bullies his way over local leaders............................................................18 So what’s the big deal about plastics? ......................................................................19

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A&E Food truck celebrates lineage, the independent spirit............................................20 One man’s vision of the Southern Appalachians ....................................................27

Outdoors Haywood native leads expedition to Everest ............................................................28 Roadside parking banned at Laurel Falls ..................................................................30

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Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

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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 Sophia Burleigh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sophia.b@smokymountainnews.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Kyle Perrotti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kyle.p@smokymountainnews.com Holly Kays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holly@smokymountainnews.com Hannah McLeod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hannah@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), Don Hendershot (writing), Susanna Shetley (writing)

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Walk in their shoes Event raises awareness for elder abuse HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER or the tenth year in a row, people will gather in towns across Western North Carolina on the evening of June 15 to raise awareness about elder abuse.

“We are walking simultaneously as a region in awareness and support of older adults and encouraging folks to become more aware of elder abuse and what they need to do if they suspect it,” said Sarajane Melton, director of the Area Agency on Aging for the Southwestern Commission Council of Governments.

Launched in 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations, Elder Abuse Awareness Day provides an opportunity for communities around the world to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect.

Ten years ago, Melton was working as a long-term care ombudsman for the Southwestern Commission Council of Governments. In order to mark Elder Abuse Awareness Day, she organized a walk for awareness in three of the commission’s seven counties — Haywood, Macon and Jackson.

“That first walk was relatively well attended,” said Melton. “The other counties heard about it and wanted to be involved. So we expanded to seven counties and one on the boundary the next year. And it has just grown incrementally.”

In her organization process, Melton knew that mountain geography would hinder one large gathering of people from across the region. For this reason, groups gather on the same day, at the same time, at their local senior center to partake in the Elder Abuse Awareness Walks.

Today, Melton is the Area Agency on Aging director for the Southwestern Commission. As both an ombudsman and director, she has advocated for older adult

Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

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issues, making sure their voices are heard, not only in the region, but across the state. For four years she was the director for the Area Agency on Aging State Association.

Melton knew from a young age that she wanted to be a social worker, but she found her niche in the study of gerontology and the care of elders.

“It has been a blessing to me; I’ve learned a whole lot more than I’ve given,” said Melton. “People laughed at me when I was the ombudsman. If I was having a bad day, I’d go walk through the nursing home, because they’re such uplifting, extremely uplifting folks who just need a kind word and will provide you with way more than you give them.”

“The intended message is twofold, that elder abuse does occur, and we need to be alert and aware and know the steps to take if we suspect.”

— Sarajane Melton, director of the Area Agency on Aging for the Southwestern Commission Council of Governments

There is a misconception that most elder care takes place in facilities. However, according to Melton, 90% of it is done by family caregivers and the community. An important aspect of Melton’s work is advocating for those caregivers and making sure they have what they need to be able to provide vital care. One program offers family care-givers respite from their daily responsibilities.

“They need a break,” said Melton. “We have lots of strong, responsible individuals who see it as their responsibility to take care of their loved one. That is true, and we celebrate that with them, but they also need to take a break. So we have a

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Area Agency on Aging staff hold up this year’s banner for Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Donated photo

Walk in their shoes The 10th annual Elder Abuse Awareness Walk will take place on June 15.

• Cherokee County - Both walks begin at 6 p.m., in Andrews at the Valley River Park and in Murphy at the pavilion behind the old rock gym and wellness center.

• Clay County - Register beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Clay County Recreation Center, the walk will begin at 6 p.m., refreshments served afterward.

• ECBI/ Qualla Boundary - Participants should meet at the Tsali Manor Pavilion in Cherokee at 5:30 p.m.

• Graham County - The senior Resource Fair will be in the Graham County Community Building from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The walk will be at the Robbinsville High School Fit Trail with registration beginning at 5 p.m.

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• Haywood County - Pre-walk activities will start at 4 p.m. with carnival games, cake walk, Senior Resource Bags, free snacks, prizes, a photo booth and therapy dogs.

The Walk begins at 6 p.m. at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

• Jackson County - Pre-walk activities begin at 5:15 p.m. with music, games, snacks, and cornhole. The Walk starts at 6 p.m. at the Department on Aging in Sylva.

• Macon County - Presentations/Pre-Walk Activities begin at 5:30 p.m. followed by the Walk at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown Franklin. Local merchants are providing cookies and drinks for walkers.

• Swain County - Walk starts at 6 p.m. at the Swain Senior Center in Bryson City.

Refreshments will be served afterward.

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WE RECYCLE WASTE WOOD STUMPS • LIMBS • BRUSH Seniors participate (above) in last year’s Elder Abuse Awareness Walk. Participants gather (below) to raise awareness around elder abuse. Donated photos

Ingles Nutrition Notes written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

Macon County and Swain County.

“The intended message is twofold, that elder abuse does occur, and we need to be alert and aware and know the steps to take if we suspect,” said Melton. “In North Carolina, the steps are to report it to the Department of Social Services, or law enforcement, but DSS is your primary, first contact.”

Though Melton’s work is often filled with the trauma and difficulties of abuse, it has also shown her the compassionate side of human connection and community.

“I have seen both the good and the bad, but the good strongly outweighs the bad,” she said.

Particularly during COVID-19, Melton saw how communities rallied to serve older adults who were at a higher risk of contracting the virus and getting seriously ill or dying.

People delivered meals, offered transportation, and provided human connection in unique ways at a safe distance.

“People really came together to make sure that those older adults were taken care of,” said Melton. “It was a wonderful thing to see.

It happens every day, but when there is a crisis, it certainly raises that up. I talk about the collaboration that happens in Region A all the time, the seven Southwestern counties, but that certainly was a strong sentiment of humanity.”

Did you know that there’s no real definition of the word “local” when it comes to food? The USDA (US Department of Agriculture) notes that, “There is no pre-determined distance to define what consumers consider “local,” but a set number of miles from a center point or state/local boundaries is often used.”

For some, “local” can mean that corn was grown in their town, county, state or region (e.g. the Southeast). Perhaps you think of “local” to mean that food was grown or produced within a certain number of miles of your home, but is that 50 miles or 500 miles?

For other individuals “local” may even mean grown or produced in the United States. So, while avocados aren’t grown in North or South Carolina they are grown in California…does that mean they’re local? It depends on how you define it!

What’s the bottom line? If someone says they “shop (or buy) local” or something is “locally grown”… it’s worth it to ask what that means to them!

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN

Smoky Mountain News

respite program that provides a voucher, and they can hire whoever they want, and it gives them a break.”

The most common type of elder care needed is for dementia.

“That is a hard road for folks because it is a slow progression for most,” said Melton.

“The physical body remains the same, but the mind goes away. That’s a tough place for families to be, that’s a tough place for the person to be.”

The 10th annual elder abuse awareness walks are a chance to draw attention to a very real issue that tends to fly under the radar.

According to the National Council on Aging, up to five million elders are abused every year, and the annual loss by victims of financial abuse is estimated to be at least $36 billion. Social isolation and mental impairment make older people especially vulnerable to abuse and neglect. However, according to Melton, there is a unique stigma that comes along with elder abuse.

“On some level, elder abuse has more of a stigma, is more taboo than child abuse,” she said. “No one wants to believe that it could happen to their nana or grandpa, but it does.”

This year, groups will gather to combat that stigma in Andrews, Murphy, Clay County, the Qualla Boundary, Graham County, Haywood County, Jackson County,

June 15-21, 2022

WHAT DOES “SHOP LOCAL” MEAN?

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

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A series of voter registration challenges could mean big trouble in little Lake Santeetlah. Cory Vaillancourt photo

Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

Substantial voter fraud alleged in Lake Santeetlah

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR t may look like any other rustic vacation community, but beneath the placid surface of Lake Santeetlah, division runs deep.

As one of North Carolina’s smallest incorporated municipalities, voters are few but problems are many, pitting neighbor against neighbor, locals against seasonal residents and a town government acting as an entity unto itself plotting to subvert existing zoning regulations.

Those divisions may grow deeper after explosive allegations of voter fraud were filed by a member of the town council — against another member of the town council and seven others — earlier this month.

If the challenges are sustained, this tiny community’s governing board could see huge consequences.

If they’re not, the beloved lakeside retreat could be rendered unrecognizable.

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eep within Western North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest in rural Graham County lies scenic Lake Santeetlah, created in 1928 when aluminum giant Alcoa dammed the Cheoah River to produce hydroelectric power.

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The lake boasts almost 80 miles of coastline, snaking through isolated coves and lapping at the shore far below knobby mountain peaks blanketed by old-growth forests.

During the 1960s, investors from Florida’s east coast began to develop homesites around the lake, marketing to residents of Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale a refreshing mountain getaway from the stifling seasonal heat.

As summer vacation homes began to dot the hillsides — small campers or modest ranch-style homes, some with boat docks, crammed into every available cranny on the steeply sloping banks — it became increasingly clear that a certain sense of overriding order was needed to maintain the physical integrity of the settlement.

In 1989, the Town of Santeetlah was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly, mostly to provide clean water and maintain the labyrinthine network of singlelane one-way roads winding around a halfmile long peninsula jutting out into the water.

At that time, a simple zoning ordinance was enacted to ensure slapdash construction practices wouldn’t hamstring future development. In 1999, the town was renamed Lake Santeetlah and boasted a population of 67 permanent residents in 38 households.

Today, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that

there are around 40 permanent residents and 192 homes.

The town is governed by an elected board of five councilmembers who serve four-year terms and choose their own mayor by vote from among their ranks. The town’s most recent budget, passed on June 9, totals less than $380,000.

Roger Carlton is a former city manager and assistant county manager in Dade County, Florida, where he helped prepare the county’s first billion-dollar budget. The Miami native has owned property at Lake Santeetlah for almost 20 years and became a permanent resident in 2013 after a five-decade career in local government administration.

Some years back, Carlton was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Lake Santeetlah town council.

“When I first got involved, and this is six years ago maybe,” Carlton said, “I read the code and I said, you know, this is outdated.”

Carlton left the council for two years to work briefly in Florida. When he returned, he was reappointed to fill another council vacancy.

“I had one goal when I went back on the council,” Carlton said, “and that was to get the zoning thing done.”

At the time, Lake Santeetlah was the only

jurisdiction in Graham County that had zoning.

“The people who moved here, who invested here, by and large 95% of them had that as a major factor in their decision to buy here,” he said. “They wanted the trees protected.

They wanted the setbacks to be reasonable.

They didn’t want to live on the side of a mountain and have somebody build a house below them, blocking their view of the lake. It was that kind of stuff, but it was an old-fashioned code.”

In 2019, Carlton won election to the council and tied Jim Hager for the most votes with 15.

“When I came back up and I got on the council, the work that was done [on zoning] became the basis for a fresh start, and it was done right this time,” Carlton said, noting the completion of a comprehensive plan and the appointment of a planning board.

Through the summer and fall of 2021 the planning board and town council — Carlton, Mayor Hager, Vice Mayor Keith Predmore, Diana Simon and Kevin Haag — concentrated on passing the zoning update after completing more than two dozen public workshops.

Throughout the zoning update process, Carlton said, Tina Emerson and Jack Gross

offered sustained disagreement.

A community survey issued by the planning board in late 2019 as part of the comprehensive planning process asked residents to choose the town’s “three greatest weaknesses.” The survey received input from more than 50% of the town.

The greatest, according to respondents, wasn’t property management or zoning or security or residency issues. It was Jack Gross.

Jack’s wife Constance and Tina Emerson also received votes. No one else was mentioned by name.

“While we were working diligently to get the code right, Tina and Jack basically were constantly speaking,” Carlton said. “I would say between the two of them, and this is a guess, it was probably 15 hours of opposition that we listened to respectfully, the planning board listened to respectfully.”

A public hearing to consider the updates was held on Oct. 28, 2021, but was recessed due to problems with the internet connection.

Days later, in the Nov. 2 General Election, Carlton, Haag and Predmore were voted out.

When the public hearing resumed on Nov. 4, before the new council was sworn in on Dec. 9, the zoning update passed unanimously.

“We did it,” Carlton said, “but none of us had really focused on the election.”

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Top five candidates win seats Diana Simon* ...........................................22 Tina Emerson (write in) ............................14 Constance Gross (write in) .......................14 Ralph Mitchell (write in)...........................14 Jim Hager*................................................11 **Keith Predmore* ...................................11 Various write-ins ......................................11 Kevin Haag* .............................................10 John Cochran (write-in) ..............................8 Roger Carlton*............................................7 Jeff Cochran................................................6

* incumbent ** lost a coin flip to Hager Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections

n June 1, Simon filed a new series of challenges that could have a ripple effect on town government.

In North Carolina, any registered voter in a particular county can challenge the right of any other person to register, remain registered or vote in that county. Filing a fraudulent challenge is a felony.

Challenges are lodged with the county board of elections, which must schedule a preliminary hearing, take testimony and receive evidence. The burden of proof is on the challenger, and if the board finds probable cause, it must schedule a hearing on the matter.

Simon’s challenges offer a series of parallels to a recent, well-publicized challenge involving former congressman and chief of staff to then-President Donald Trump, Mark Meadows.

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Jim Hager In March, 2022, Charles Bethea, a writer for the New Yorker, revealed that Meadows had registered to vote at a rundown trailer in Macon County and along with his wife, Debbie, voted there in the 2020 General Election.

During his investigation Bethea spoke to Duke University adjunct public policy instructor Gerry Cohen, who was a staff attorney for the General Assembly when he wrote the state’s voter challenge statute.

Cohen told Bethea that while you can have more than one residence, you can only have one domicile, and that’s where you should be registered to vote. Cohen further explained that to qualify as a domicile, it must be a “place of abode” where you’ve spent at least a night, and where you plan to remain indefinitely “without a present intent to establish a domicile at some other place.”

There’s no single, definitive way to establish that intent, but there are a number of ways to bolster the claim like with a driver’s license, utility bills or vehicle registration.

Meadows’ alleged Macon County “residence” didn’t even have a mailbox.

He’s since been purged from Macon County voter rolls, and the case has drawn

Smoky Mountain News

Incumbent Mayor Jim Hager then nominated leading vote-getter Simon to serve as the new mayor.

On boards that choose their own presiding officer, the person with the highest vote total is usually nominated, a practice enshrined in custom but not in statute.

According to meeting minutes, all three new council members — Emerson, Gross and Mitchell — voted no. Mayor Hager then nominated Mitchell, who declined. Emerson nominated Gross. Simon and Hager voted no, and Gross took control of the council with a 3-2 majority.

Simon then nominated Hager to serve as finance officer. Emerson, Gross and Mitchell voted no and instead installed Emerson.

Their takeover of the Town of Lake Santeetlah town government was now complete, and the Emerson-Gross-Mitchell faction of the council moved quickly to advance its agenda.

On Feb. 15, 2022, a resolution authored and presented by Emerson to lower the municipal room occupancy tax from 3% to 0% was presented to council.

Simon, the chair of the Tourism Development Authority charged with collecting and distributing the tax, asked Emerson to recuse herself from the vote due to an alleged financial interest. She didn’t, and the resolution passed 3-2, over the opposition of Hager and Simon.

A subsequent April 21 budget workshop proposed defunding the town’s zoning administrator.

At the outset of the May 12 council meeting, the ousted Predmore sarcastically “welcomed” Emerson back to Lake Santeetlah.

Simon made a motion to reverse the decision to defund the zoning administrator position, but because Hager wasn’t at the meeting, her motion died for lack of a second.

Later in the meeting, a public hearing was called for May 26 to discuss repealing the town’s zoning ordinance. More than 90 people attended that meeting, via Zoom.

Of the 25 or so who spoke only five sup-

Diana Simon

June 15-21,

hile the 2019 Lake Santeetlah election saw only 75 total votes (voters could cast up to five votes for five council members), the 2021 election saw almost 130.

Tina Emerson, Constance Gross and Ralph Mitchell, a longtime resident of the lake, all tied with 14 votes — good for three seats on the board. From the previous council, only Simon and Hager were reelected.

On Nov. 17, 2021, the Graham County Board of Elections summarily dismissed residency challenges filed by Simon against councilmembers-elect Tina Emerson and Constance Gross due to what the board called incomplete filings, according to reporting by the Graham Star. The merits of the challenges were never heard.

“I filed candidate challenges, but my filings were only a couple of the numerous challenges filed in the 2021 Lake Santeetlah election,” Simon told The Smoky Mountain News. “When I first saw the election results, they seemed irregular, and I asked Board of Elections staff to provide what I thought would be the correct paperwork needed to contest the outcome of the election. Not being a lawyer, however, I didn’t understand or realize that the paperwork I was given wasn’t the paperwork needed to challenge the votes of non-residents and the qualifications of those elected to hold office. As a result, my previous challenges were dismissed without being considered.”

When the new council was sworn in on Dec. 9, Emerson commented that she had “rescinded” her residence in Matthews, North Carolina, which is in Mecklenburg County, just southeast of Charlotte.

Simon claimed that Emerson had been in Lake Santeetlah only three days since November 21, and asked that she resign from the town council immediately.

Nov. 2, 2021 Lake Santeetlah municipal election

ported the repeal of zoning, including Jack Gross, who said that the ordinance “cannot continue to exist.” Stephanie Danforth implored council members not to “take our paradise away by putting so many regulations in place that we have to jump through hoops to get things done.”

Another 18 people spoke in opposition to the idea of repealing the town’s zoning. Jim Pittinger asked Vice Mayor Mitchell to “stand up” against the intent of a few individuals.

“Be a true statesman and don’t blindly follow the direction of a few misguided individuals,” Pittinger said, according to meeting minutes. “Any person holding public office, regardless of the means used to obtain that position would hopefully have moral and ethical standards when it comes to representing the majority of homeowners on this issue.

Otherwise, we don’t have a form of representative government but a form of dictatorship being forced on the homeowners that have no representation.”

Pittinger also said that not one homeowner spoke in favor of defunding the zoning administrator position, but that the council majority of Gross, Emerson and Mitchell had ignored that fact.

Jonathan Keith, a property developer and resident of Lake Santeetlah, said he could not “responsibly plan and develop property without zoning and land use regulations.”

Resident Betty LoBue said that by eliminating the existing zoning ordinance, “you will open the door to uncontrollable overbuilding … for the profit of a few.”

Hager said that 97% of the emails received by the town on the zoning issue were against repeal.

Near the end of the meeting, Emerson called for the town’s planning board to submit a written recommendation on zoning to the council for the town’s June 9 regular council meeting.

At the meeting, the board passed the town’s fiscal year 2022-23 budget, defunding the zoning administrator position, as well as kudzu removal and lake water quality testing.

No planning board recommendation was mentioned, so the zoning repeal remains undecided.

The town’s next regular meeting is scheduled for July 14, but if council member Diana Simon has her way, one of the current board members won’t be there.

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June 15-21, 2022

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scrutiny from the State Bureau of Investigation.

A simple change in registration address is not sufficient grounds for filing a challenge; voter-specific evidence must be presented, which is exactly what Simon did.

After a public records request, the Graham County Board of Elections provided the challenges to SMN. The first challenge targets councilmember Tina Emerson.

Voter records from the North Carolina State Board of Elections show that she registered at 124 Santeetlah Trail on Sept. 28, 2021, and voted in the Nov. 2, 2021, Santeetlah election as well as in the May 17, 2022, Primary Election.

Prior to that, she voted from a Mecklenburg County address on Swancroft Lane from 2020 all the way back to 2004.

Mecklenburg County GIS records show the Swancroft property is owned by John J. and Tina M. Emerson.

Graham County property and tax records list the home at 124 Santeetlah Trail as being owned by John J. and Tina M. Emerson. The address listed in the owner’s account information — where they receive their tax bill — is Swancroft Lane in Mecklenburg County.

But Graham County records also list another property, 106 Santeetlah Trail, as being owned by John J. and Tina M. Emerson.

The owner’s account address is likewise listed as the Swancroft Lane property in Mecklenburg County. Currently, that property is listed on a vacation rental site as being hosted by “Tina.”

Guest reviews for that cabin mention “Tina and John” as owners, which is likely the basis of Simon’s Feb. 15 request for Tina to recuse herself from the TDA tax vote.

Simon offers in support of her challenge a sworn affidavit, as well as 76 photographs of Emerson’s house at 124 Santeetlah Trail taken between Nov. 11, 2021, and May 11, 2022. Simon claims the photographs all show a distinct lack of activity at the property.

Her affidavit states that she drives by the property “on an almost daily basis” and that she has “not observed any cars associated with the owners of the property at the Alleged Residence on a regular basis, and [has] not observed any lights or other use of the property that would indicate that someone was permanently residing at the Alleged Residence.”

Councilmember and Former Mayor Jim Hager filed an affidavit in support of Simon’s challenge to Emerson, using the exact same language. The affidavit also presents a page from the Lake Santeetlah residential directory, in which Tina and John list the Swancroft Lane address in Mecklenburg County.

Simon, however, took an additional step in her voter challenge. According to her affidavit and evidence she presented, Simon sent two identical letters via certified mail (signature required) to both the Swancroft address and the 124 Santeetlah Trail address. John or Tina signed for the Swancroft letter, but the Santeetlah letter came back as undeliverable.

Per the voter challenge statute, “The pres8 entation of a letter mailed by returnable first-

Lake Santeetlah councilmembers (left to right) Constance Gross, Ralph Mitchell and Tina Emerson were elected in 2021. Town of Lake Santeetlah photo class mail to the voter at the address listed on the voter registration card and returned because the person does not live at the address shall constitute prima facie evidence that the person no longer resides in the precinct.”

Prima facie is a legal term which means that in the absence of a rebuttal, the evidence is sufficient to raise a presumption or establish a fact.

The second challenge filed by Simon, against Tina’s husband John, contains the same allegations and evidence as the challenge filed against Tina.

Not included in the Emerson challenges is a corporate warranty deed from Florida, obtained by SMN, that lists John and Tina Emerson’s address as of Oct. 1, 2021, as the Swancroft Lane address in Mecklenburg County.

The Emersons did not respond to a request for comment by SMN. uring his research on the Meadows registration case, Bethea also learned from Cohen a fairly self-evident problem with the Meadows’ voter registrations — if you haven’t moved into the building, you can’t claim you live there.

That could be bad news for the targets of Simon’s six other challenges, all of whom registered to vote at Lake Santeetlah in 2021 using the address of a house that burned down in 2019.

In the February, 2019 issue of the Fairview Town Crier, there appears a profile of the Fairview Animal Hospital in Buncombe County.

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“In 1983, two young vets just out of school saw potential in a cornfield off Charlotte Highway. And 35 years later, the same two doctors — Dean Hutsell and Charles Lloyd — are still serving the Fairview community in the building they had constructed for their practice,” it reads. “Reflecting back on 35

In the “notes” section of the county’s property card for the Thunderbird Trail address, it says “house burnt 2019 total loss.” years, Dr. Hutsell said, ‘Fairview has been a wonderful community and continues to be the best place to live. From the time Dr. Lloyd and I … established Fairview Animal Hospital, we have grown together with the community.’”

Buncombe County GIS shows four parcels owned since 2014 by Dean and Linda Hutsell on Lambeth Walk in Fairview.

Graham County GIS records indicate that a house at 310 Thunderbird Trail in Lake Santeetlah is also owned by Dean and his wife Linda as trustees of a revocable trust. Their account address for tax records is listed as the Lambeth Walk address in Buncombe County.

On Oct. 6, 2021, Dean, Linda and their four college-age children Olivia, Amelia, Savannah and Kaylee, all registered to vote at

the Thunderbird Trail address in Lake Santeetlah.

Dean and Linda had voted only in Buncombe County from 1992 through 2020, but they, along with all four of their children, voted in the Nov. 2, 2021, Lake Santeetlah election from the Thunderbird Trail address.

Olivia has voting history in Buncombe County dating back to 2016. Her Facebook profile says she moved to Raleigh in 2021, although she’s still registered to vote at Lake Santeetlah.

Amelia voted in Buncombe County in 2020. Her Facebook profile says she lives in Asheville, although she’s still registered to vote at Lake Santeetlah.

Savannah voted in Buncombe County in 2018 and 2020. Her Facebook profile says she lives in Fairview. Another post by Savannah from May 5 of this year says she moved to Indianapolis for a job, although she’s still registered to vote at Lake Santeetlah.

Kaylee does not appear to have an active Facebook profile and has no voting history prior to mailing in an absentee ballot for the Nov. 2 Lake Santeetlah election from the Thunderbird Trail address.

In the “notes” section of the county’s property card for the Thunderbird Trail address, it says “house burnt 2019 total loss.”

Indeed, when SMN visited the property on June 9, a small crew of laborers were working on the exterior of the house, which did not appear to have a front door and appeared to have an unfinished interior.

“It would be rather difficult to live in a house that burned to the ground and its

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“Folks should follow the law and I filed my voter challenges to ensure that occurs.”

— Diane Simon

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Smoky Mountain News

The outcome for councilmember Tina Emerson would be different if she were to be found to be unqualified.

“Since the election is certified and the person has been sworn in, then if they are found to not be qualified for office then [removal] is a process by the council, not the board of elections,” Bell said.

Gerry Cohen told SMN on June 13 that if a registration challenge against an elected official is successful, the council could simply declare the seat vacant, since an elected official has to be qualified to vote for the office they hold.

According to Bell and NCSBE attorneys, absent a local act — SMN couldn’t find one — any council vacancy would be governed by NCGS 160A-63 and left to a deeply divided town council to fill.

In addition to the voter residency challenges, there are other potential consequences that could arise for anyone deemed to have fraudulently registered.

Voting fraudulently is a felony, and upon conviction, felons are neither allowed to hold elected office nor to vote until their active sentences are complete.

As to the council votes taken by an elected official before they’re deemed to have been unqualified to hold their seat, there’s nothing “automatic” about rescinding or disregarding those votes, but it’s likely such circumstances could expose those votes — and their consequences — to legal challenges.

“In a town like Lake Santeetlah where less than 30 folks voted in the last municipal election, the registration and voting of non-residents threatens to change the outcome of elections and influence important community issues,” Simon said.

June 15-21, 2022

ow that Simon’s eight separate voter challenges have been filed with the Graham County Board of Elections, it’s up to the board to conduct a preliminary hearing and determine if there is probable cause for further proceedings.

Director of the Graham County Board of Elections Teresa Garland, however, has been elusive as to when that might preliminary hearing happen.

When contacted for an interview by The Smoky Mountain News on June 8, Garland replied by stating that SMN “may collaborate with the Editor of the Graham Star.” Pressed for clarification on that statement several times, Garland offered none. Garland did not respond to further requests for an interview, so SMN visited the Graham County Board of Elections on June 9.

A knock at the door produced no answer, but later, a woman appeared from a side door to take delivery of a refrigerator. When told SMN was looking for Teresa Garland, the woman initially said she “hadn’t seen her,” but then confirmed she herself was Teresa Garland.

Garland declined to conduct an interview at that time, referring questions to her board chair Juanita Colvard. Garland did say that she had no idea when the preliminary hearing might be scheduled. Colvard did not return a call from SMN. Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, did offer some insight into what would happen if the voter challenges filed by Simon are successful.

First, the voters would be purged from the voter rolls in Graham County and could be referred to District Attorney Ashley Welch for prosecution, as has happened with Mark

Meadows and his wife. Welch recused herself from that matter, and the SBI hasn’t yet released any further information on Meadows.

However, in the case of Lake Santeetlah, even if all eight challenges are successful, the results of the Nov. 2 election wouldn’t change.

“These challenges are post-election, and the process carried out in the fall for the municipal election was without [successful] challenge and the board reviewed and certified the election,” Bell said. “So that stands.”

Bell said that there wouldn’t be any “redo” of the election even if voter registration fraud is proven after the election, nor would there be any “recalculation” of vote totals to reflect the fraudulent votes.

“I know of no circumstance where we’ve done that,” she said.

Instead, no matter the outcome of the challenges, it’s likely Gross and Mitchell would remain on council since their qualifications to vote and to serve are not at issue.

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replacement is still under construction, without a certificate of occupancy,” Carlton told SMN on June 10.

In her challenge to Dean Hutsell’s registration Simon provided photos from late November 2021 and early January 2022 showing the Thunderbird Trail house in varying stages of reconstruction.

A building permit issued by Graham County in August 2020 for the Thunderbird Trail reconstruction lists the Hutsells’ address as the Lambeth Walk property in Buncombe County.

The Hutsells’ listing in the Lake Santeetlah residential directory provides the Lambeth Walk address in Buncombe County, just as the Emersons’ listing shows their Swancroft Lane address in Mecklenburg County.

Dean Hutsell’s Nissan was registered to his veterinary practice address in Buncombe County in 2021.

In April, 2022, Dean Hutsell executed a deed of trust in Buncombe County and used the Lambeth Walk address.

“The Hutsells’ vacation home burnt down years ago, and the new home is still under construction, and the Emersons are only in town occasionally,” Simon said. “Folks should follow the law and I filed my voter challenges to ensure that occurs.”

Dean and Linda Hutsell did not respond to a request for comment.

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June 15-21, 2022

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Bear injures campers at Elkmont

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A bear has been euthanized after it broke into a tent occupied by a family of five and their dog, injuring a 3-year-old girl and her mother.

The incident occurred at approximately 5:20 a.m. on Sunday, June 12, at Elkmont Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The father was able to scare the bear from the tent and campsite, but only after several attempts. The family left to seek medical attention, leaving a note at the campground office to report the incident.

Both mother and daughter sustained superficial lacerations to their heads.

The male bear weighed about 350 pounds, unusually high for this time of year. This suggests that the bear previously had consistent access to non-natural food sources, said Chief of Resource Management Lisa McInnis.

“In this incident, the bear was likely attracted to food smells throughout the area, including dog food at the involved campsite,” McInnis said. “It is very difficult to deter this learned behavior and, as in this case, the result can lead to an unacceptable risk to people.”

Campground hosts alerted park officials of the incident at about 8:50 a.m.

Rangers closed the immediate area, interviewed the father of the involved family along with other campers, and

collected information such as bear tracks and other markers to identify the bear.

Then they set traps and monitored the site for bear activity.

A male bear matching the physical description of the attacking bear entered the campsite where the incident had occurred. He exhibited “extreme foodconditioned behavior and lack of fear of humans, boldly entering the trap without wariness,” according to a press release.

Biologists matched the bear to the one responsible for the attack using physical measurements and descriptors along with observed bear behavior. The bear was humanely euthanized Monday, June 13.

Park staff concluded that the bear’s behavior was not consistent with predatory behavior but rather with food conditioning. Human-bear conflicts peak in late May and June when natural foods, like berries, are not yet available. Food and garbage smells in developed areas like campgrounds and picnic areas attract them. Campers should be sure to follow proper food storage regulations to prevent encounters.

Though rare, bears can attack humans, causing injury or death. If attacked by a black bear, fight back with any object available and remember that the bear may view you as prey. For more information about bear safety, visit bearwise.org. To report a bear incident in the park, call 865.436.1230.

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Saturday, June 18 • 5PM • Flying Cloud Food Truck Outside on the Green Bring your chairs, blankets, etc., and spread out!

Adults $15 / Children 6-16 $7.50 / Under 6 Free

Cherokee police chief resigns After just shy of a year on the job, Cherokee Police Chief Josh Taylor announced June 13 that he would resign from the post.

“It has been my honor to serve my community and the people I care so much about,” Taylor said in a statement. “We have accomplished a lot of great things this past year, but it is time for new adventures. I appreciate all of you and thank you for your understanding.”

A former U.S. Air Force munitions inspector and Iraq War veteran, Taylor had previously served as chief of Tribal Alcohol Law Enforcement before taking the chief of police job on July 27, 2021. During an interview in March, he told The Smoky

Mountain News that he was working to change what he saw as a dysfunctional status quo in the police department marked by a lack of leadership and work ethic.

Accomplishing that goal had proven to be “a fight,” he said in the interview.

The CIPD announced Taylor’s resignation on its Facebook page, and an outpouring of comments lamented his departure and lauded the direction the department had taken during Taylor’s time at the helm.

In his public statement, Taylor thanked Principal Chief Richard Sneed, Vice Chief Alan “B” Ensley and Tribal Council for understanding and supporting his decision to resign.

— By Holly Kays, Staff Writer

Tee off against homelessness and hunger

before Aug. 26 at haywoodpathwayscenter.org or by visiting Pathways at 179 Hemlock St. in Waynesville.

For more information or to become a sponsor, contact Mandy at Pathways (828.246.0332) or Allison at Community Kitchen (828.593.9319).

Join the Haywood Pathways Center and the Community Kitchen for their third annual charitable golf outing on Friday, Sept. 9, at Springdale Country Club at Cold Mountain in Canton. Both Pathways and Community Kitchen are independent, self-funded nonprofits that provide essential emergency services for people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in Haywood County. Proceeds from the event allow for the continuation of services to some of the county’s most vulnerable citizens. Cost is $150 per golfer, or $600 for a team of four.

Golfers will enjoy a breakfast from Holy Cow food truck (Pathways’ social enterprise) as well as driving range access, greens fees for 18 holes, carts and lunch at Springdale’s Rocky Face Tavern. Tournament is captain’s choice, with shotgun start at 9 am. Register

Haywood Habitat annual meeting open to public Haywood Habitat will conduct its Annual Meeting on Tuesday, June 22, at noon. The meeting will be held at Waynesville First United Methodist Church in the Faith Classroom and is open to the public. The past year’s events and milestones will be reviewed, and new board members and officers will be voted on and lunch will be served. For more information, see the organization’s website www.haywoodhabitat.org or call 828.452.7960.

news June 15-21, 2022

Smoky Mountain News

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‘Every level of leadership failed’ Report highlights bungled aftermath of sexual abuse claims at teen rehab center

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER eadership at Unity Healing Center in Cherokee failed to properly investigate or report allegations that an employee of the federally run rehab center for Native American teens had sexually abused one of its residents in fall 2016, a newly disclosed report concludes.

The quality assurance review was completed by third-party consulting firm Milam Consulting in May 2020 and released last week in response to a 2019 Freedom of Information Act request from The Smoky Mountain News. It paints a scathing picture of incompetence, disregard for chain of command and a toxic workplace culture that created a “perilous environment” for staff and residents alike.

“The review found that multiple staff at Unity failed to comply with mandatory abuse reporting requirements,” reads a statement from the U.S. Indian Health Service, which operates the center. “Unity Health Center staff did not recognize and report signs of possible abuse and suspicious behavior, and that left our patients vulnerable. The IHS acknowledges that it did not handle this incident appropriately.”

One of five healthcare facilities under the jurisdiction of the Indian Health Service’s Nashville Regional Office, Unity is the only such facility that focuses solely on Native American youth ages 13-17. Teens typically stay at the residential facility for 80-90 days, and treatment is aimed at “breaking the cycle of addiction and restoring hope and wellness to Native American youth, their families and communities,” according to the facility’s website.

Though heavily redacted, the newly released review backs up the version of events related in SMN’s August 2019 story about the sexual abuse allegations and in the June 2019 Wall Street Journal article that brought the situation to the public eye.

Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

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ALLEGATIONS SURFACE

Unity was in crisis for years before the events of fall 2016, with former employees describing a chronically understaffed workplace where employees regularly came to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol and behaved in ways inappropriate to a professional environment.

When staff became concerned about the relationship between a 47-year-old maintenance worker and a 16-year-old resident, the situation came to a head.

SMN’s previous reporting established that the employee in question was Nathanial 12 “Bunsey” Crowe, a member of the Eastern

Band of Cherokee Indians who had worked at Unity more than five years when the alleged incidents occurred. Crowe’s name is redacted in all but one instance in the 484-page Milam report. The names of the resident and the former employees who reported their concerns are also blacked out.

Former Unity employees who spoke to SMN in 2019 said that, while they had been concerned for some time about Crowe’s behavior toward the girl in public spaces, giant red flags arose when, in September 2016, security footage showed Crowe and the girl walk into the bathroom adjoining her room and remain there for about four minutes. Though anti-ligature attachments prevented her from killing herself, the teen was taken to the hospital later that month after attempting to hang herself, the teen’s former therapist Tawna Harrison told SMN. The Miram report references additional concerning interactions. It refers to “at least two separate episodes” of two people, whose names are redacted, being alone in the bathroom for four to five minutes with the door shut.

Unity leadership also viewed video of a male entering a resident’s room and remaining there for “30 seconds to one minute.” Around the same time, a Unity staff member found a “romantic” letter that the resident had written to the employee.

Though the names of the parties involved are redacted, the report’s executive summary makes it clear that sexual abuse allegations centered around interactions between the single staff member — who SMN’s investigation found to be Crowe — and the teenage resident.

When interviewed in 2019, Crowe disputed the allegations, saying he and the girl were never alone with the door closed. He said that he’d entered the bathroom to fix an electrical outlet that residents reported was emitting shocks, and that the bathroom door was open with another employee standing outside when the girl came in to point out the outlet causing the problem. The Miram report reached a different conclusion, stating that the resident and employee were alone in the bathroom and that the door was closed.

In 2019, Harrison told SMN that Crowe gave the girl extra attention compared to the other residents, stopping by to chat, playing cards, and holding her hand in the hall, swinging it up playfully up and down like one might do with a child. While Crowe said he never showed the girl anything but simple kindness, the report backs up Harrison’s version of events, stating that the employee “altered his behavior and normal work patterns to place himself in close proximity to [redacted].”

While the report found Crowe’s behavior violated boundaries, he has not been found

concerns in writing to Ms. Slee and Capt.

Ruff, but at the time of this review no such documentation had been located.”

Rife with errors or missing completely, guilty of a crime or even charged with one — documentation at Unity was so inadequate and determining his guilt or innocence was that the consultants had a hard time connot the goal of the review. The goal was to structing a timeline of events. The minimal identify what Unity and IHS leadership got actions that leadership did take only compliwrong when responding to the allegations, cated those efforts further. Despite a lack of and how to ensure those mistakes never hap- expertise and objectivity, Unity leadership pen again. took it upon themselves to investigate the allegations internally, and multiple staff accessed and viewed the security footage in AILURE OF LEADERSHIP question. This served both to taint the quality The report doesn’t mince words when of interviews and to violate HIPPA guidelines.

Law enforcement didn’t learn about the summing up the situation at Unity.

“Virtually every level of leadership failed allegations until May 2017, when to take action despite numerous opportuni- Christopher Herndon, a therapist at Unity ties to intervene and provide corrective who arrived on staff after September 2016, reported it to the OIG’s office upon hearing action,” it says.

At the time of Crowe’s alleged actions, staff members talk about the apparently three women held the top spots at Unity. unresolved incident. Around the same time, Tiara Ruff was its CEO, Tracey Grant was its tribal law enforcement received an anonymous report regarding Unity Healing Center in Cherokee is alleged sexual abuse at Unity.

“Protecting vulnerable a rehabilitation center for Native American youth run by the Indian [redacted] and protecting Health Service. Holly Kays photo persons who may be falsely accused are not incompatible goals,” the report says.

“Ironically, the path to achieving both goals is identical.

Securing the safety of the preservation of [redacted] documentation, creating space for objective evaluation of information, and deferring to trained professionals are essential tasks.”

By the time Miram conducted its investigation, key information — certain docuclinical director and Cynthia Slee was the mentation as well as copies of the security supervisory social services assistant. The videos central to the allegations — was simreview found that all three failed to take the ply not available. The report also states that both the EBCI and the OIG declined to share allegations seriously.

“Unity leadership dismissed the actions of information gathered over the course of their the staff member as non-sexual and deter- own investigations.

EBCI Public Information Officer Breanna mined that the alleged victim was pursuing the [redacted] staff member who was ulti- Lucas countered that assessment, saying that mately not able to resist the advances of the the tribe “eagerly provided” the consultants alleged victim,” reads the report summary. as much information as it could in light of “The alleged victim who was powerless and laws protecting the privacy of underage victhe most vulnerable was deemed to be the tims. The Office of Family Safety “acted swiftly to protect the victim” after hearing the alleproblem.”

Multiple social services assistants inter- gations and had “multiple conversations” viewed for the report said that, prior to 2019, with the consultants as they prepared the they hadn’t received any training on how to review.

“After years of issues at this Indian Health report abuse allegations. At the time, they understood only that they should report con- Services managed facility, we are heartened cerns to their immediate supervisor — not to to see the agency finally take responsibility, local authorities and the Office of the seek an outside evaluation, and take new Investigator General, as they are trained to steps to address the many problems,” Lucas said. do now.

Unity’s local leadership are not the only “It was difficult to quantify the degree to which front line staff (SSAs) reported frustra- ones who failed to respond appropriately. In tion with respect to the reported failures of fall 2016, Grant and Ruff conducted a Root Ms. Slee, Capt. Ruff and Ms. Grant to effec- Cause Analysis at the request of the tively manage concerns or issues reported to Governing Board overseeing Unity. The RCA them,” the report states. “Multiple SSA staff was not a response to the sexual abuse allegareported they were not aware of any mecha- tions, and while the report redacts language nism to effectively access higher level man- explaining what prompted it, in 2019 a foragement without fear of repercussions from mer Unity employee told SMN that the RCA Ms. Slee. Despite their fears some front-line was a reaction to the resident’s suicide staff reported they specifically submitted attempt.

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EXIT FROM UNITY

NEW SAFEGUARDS

Smoky Mountain News

New leadership at Unity and the Nashville Area Office, as well as measures instituted throughout IHS related to sexual abuse prevention and required reporting training, have resulted in “great strides towards improving quality and patient safety” at Unity, according to an IHS statement.

Dr. Beverly Cotton replaced Ketcher as Nashville Area Director in January 2019, quickly directing Unity Leadership to review its policies and procedures, and ordering the review that has now been released to SMN. Joni Lyon has served as Unity CEO since April 2019.

Unity is now working to implement recommendations in the Miram report, including enhanced communications with investigative entities, training modules that emphasize safety and reporting, and supporting the learning process for both clinicians and support staff. Last year, an area-level committee was established to review incidents of misconduct and substandard performance.

IHS has also implemented new measures servicewide. These include making sexual abuse prevention training mandatory annually for all contractors and employees, establishing a 24-hour hotline for reports of suspected abuse within an IHS facility or by an IHS staff member, updating policies to include more stringent professional standards, and updating guidance on traumainformed care and protection against sexual abuse and exploitation.

Regardless of whether sexual abuse occurred in 2016, the subject’s “behavior and the impotence of the system in which he worked created an extremely perilous environment,” the report said. Sexual abuse will never be 100% preventable, it says, but the right decisions and actions can minimize the risk and create safe environments where vulnerable teenagers can receive the care they need without being exploited.

“It is exceedingly difficult for sexual abuse or exploitation to occur in an environment where there is healthy and effective communication and respect for boundaries,” the report said. “The absence of healthy and effective communication, and disregard for boundaries is a breeding ground for sexual abuse and exploitation.”

June 15-21, 2022

It does not appear that Crowe ever received official discipline due to his alleged actions. He told SMN he left Unity of his own volition in March 2019 so that he could run for Tribal Council.

However, the report indicates that a fourweek transfer to Mashpee Wampanoag Health Service Unit in Massachusetts was not, as Crowe told SMN in 2019, a preplanned detail to help get the facility ready for accreditation. The Miram report states that Facilities Engineer Allen Bollinger told consultants that Ruff sent Crowe to Mashpee because his “inappropriate behavior” meant he could not be on property at Unity.

However, she did so without informing the IHS Nashville Area Office of the “actual reason” for his reassignment, the report says.

Crowe was never charged criminally related to the allegations of 2016, and while he did not win his bid for elected office, he did find a new employment opportunity within tribal government, working as housing monitor for the Housing Production Office.

“While we cannot publicly discuss personnel issues, our first priority is always the safety of our employees and those they serve,” Lucas said in response to a question about Crowe’s employment. “As such all employees are subject to background checks that consider all factors legally permissible under employment law as well as the rigorous enforcement of policies that ensure a safe and healthy workplace environment.”

Crowe did not return a request for comment.

Grant, Slee and Ruff have since left IHS employment as well.

Grant was the first to go, working at Unity through July 31, 2019. The report described

her as a “passive and conflict-avoidant leader” whose “failure to hold staff member accountable communicated a clear message that competent performance was neither necessary nor valued.”

Ruff, whose “problematic behavior was manifested in withdrawal, silence, inactivity and indifference” according to the Miram report, was allowed to remain on the IHS payroll through her retirement on Jan. 1, 2021.

However, she was transferred away from Unity in August 2018 and kept in non-supervisory positions until retiring.

Slee, who according to the report “attempted to compensate for her lack of training, lack of knowledge, lack of skill and lack of qualifications by assuming an authoritative role in which she focused on highlighting the errors or deficits of others,” was allowed to continue working at Unity through June 8, 2020.

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In minutes from a January 2017 Governing Board meeting Dr. Michael Toedt, then Chief Medical Officer of IHS, praised the RCA’s quality. However, after reviewing the document “it was difficult to appreciate which components of the RCA were considered to be high quality,” the Milam report said.

The document contained content, grammar and spelling errors, with no dates or signatures showing when it was initiated, how meetings were held or who participated in those meetings. Glaringly, the Root Cause Analysis did not identify any root causes, and the section that should have outlined a plan of action was “essentially left blank.”

Then-Nashville Area Office Director Martha Ketcher was also missing in action — despite being responsible for activities related to the Governing Board and according to meeting minutes present at the Sept. 27, 2016, meeting when the necessity of an RCA was first discussed. Ketcher was included on several emails, but there was no documentation that she took any action related to the crisis at Unity, the report found.

“Lack of awareness or any documented interest from the NAO Director with respect to the services and care being provided to Indian Country at Unity was unambiguous and appeared to reflect a gross lack of institutional control at the highest level,” the report said.

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A large crowd gathered for the first annual Juneteenth Celebration at Lake Junaluska last year.

Donated photo

Dr. Tiffany Jackson performs with the Catamount Singers.

Donated photo

Songs of Freedom

Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

Local churches celebrate Juneteenth through gospel music HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER n June 19, 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas were told of their freedom — two months after Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox, Virginia, and over two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed.

While many Black communities around the country have celebrated Juneteenth every year since, it officially became a national holiday on June 17, 2021. This year at Lake Junaluska, the Smoky Mountain District of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church will host its second annual Juneteenth celebration with gospel music by Dr. Tiffany Jackson, the Catamount Singers and the Community Gospel Choir, as well as food trucks and family activities.

“Our mission for the celebration is to worship inclusively, educate our communities on its racial history, initiate critical conversations towards reconciliation, and celebrate African American freedom and culture,” said D’Andre Ash and Dr. Keith Turman, co-chairs of the Smoky Mountain District Justice and Reconciliation Team.

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r. Tiffany Jackson discovered her gift for singing and her love for music growing up in Connecticut, where she attended a Black church, sang gospel music and learned the hymns of praise and worship.

“That’s where it began for me, when I started to understand the beauty of music and the power of music in the church essentially,” said Jackson.

Early on, Jackson’s mother recognized a talent in her daughter that exceeded the norm for a Sunday singer and enrolled her in voice lessons. It was there that Jackson was introduced to music outside of her own cultural experience, where she learned the styles of music that would take her around the world, and eventually, to the mountains of Western North Carolina.

“By the time I was a junior in high school, I started to sound like a young, budding opera singer,” said Jackson. “It was really not a plan. It was just sort of like, wow, my voice sounds different than everybody else’s. It had this sort of more Eurocentric, operatic sound, and that was how things started to shape up for me in terms of that classical path.”

After getting a bachelor’s degree at the University of Michigan and completing graduate studies at Yale, Jackson went on to have an extensive, lauded singing career that spans both the classical and jazz genres. She honed her craft in the classical arena with

D

Want to go?

The Juneteenth Celebration at Lake Junaluska will take place from 1-5 p.m. Sunday, June 19 at the Nanci Weldon Memorial Gym. For more information visit www.smokymountaindistrict.org/post/ smoky-mountain-districts-juneteenth-gospel-celebration-16499584 14

the Houston Grand Opera Studio and then sang with orchestras and symphonies in Norway, Slovenia and Germany, among other countries. She has been a featured soloist with numerous symphony orchestras and has performed in premier festivals. In 2005, she was the soprano soloist in Joseph Hadyn’s Paukenmesse at Carnegie Hall.

In the jazz world, Jackson is known for her interpretations of the music of Billy

will hit the stage at the Bardo Arts Center beginning in January of 2023.

“When I got my professional studies degree at Manhattan School of Music, I arrived at a full circle moment where I came back around to focusing on American genres of music,” said Jackson. “I grew up singing gospel and jazz, and I came back around to that. Now I sing all the genres and my position at the university is a dual role of focus-

“Our mission for the celebration is to worship inclusively, educate our communities on its racial history, initiate critical conversations towards reconciliation, and celebrate African American freedom and culture.”

— D’Andre Ash and Dr. Keith Turman

Strayhorn and Duke Ellington. She can be heard on recordings with Emmy Award winning pianist, composer and educator, Dr. Rex Cadwallader in “A Balm in Gilead” and “Sweet Perfume in an Alabaster Jar.” In addition to her singing credits, Jackson is a fitness competitor and sports nutrition specialist. She appeared on “America’s Got Talent” as the “Necessary Diva,” the operasinging bodybuilder in 2011.

At the Juneteenth celebration, Jackson will perform pieces from her one-woman show “From the Hood to the Ivy League,” an autobiographical, multimedia mix of story and song based on three key pillars in her life — gift, passion and purpose.

“This is the story of a girl who was born and raised in the inner city, in what they call the projects, who elevated from a lowly space in life to a powerful position where now she’s inspiring other young people who may not have all the amenities that some kids do,” said Jackson.

Now, Jackson teaches at Western Carolina University, where a full performance of “From the Hood to the Ivy League”

ing, not just on Eurocentrism, but on American music and on a lot of music that has been influenced by African American composers and African American influence in the evolution of American music genres.”

When Jackson came to the area, she was excited to learn that Lake Junaluska was hosting a Juneteenth celebration and it wasn’t long before Keith Turman, pastor at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville reached out to Jackson to see if she’d be willing to perform.

“I didn’t just want to make Juneteenth a singular experience for myself; I thought the students at WCU should also be a part of it,” said Jackson. “Because Juneteenth is a newly formed national holiday in the country, I just thought that my students should be a part of it in some way.” he Catamount Singers are a small ensemble of singers that Jackson directs at WCU. She has been working with the group on singing soulfully.

“To sing with soul means to sing with feeling, sing with truth, any of their own per-

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together with folks of different denominations, different religions and for it to be a movement that springs from our Methodist tradition, but that invites and includes others. We hope to initiate conversations.”

Jackson admits that it wasn’t long ago when she learned about Juneteenth. In recent years, a study of The 1619 Project led her to a fuller understanding of enslaved people in American history, how Juneteenth was born and what it means today.

“Slavery did not only affect Black people. Of course, it hurt us directly, but I feel like it also has hurt the entire world, the entire country,” said Jackson. “It has made a lot of people rich, and it has given lots of people generations of wealth and security, for sure. But when I’m talking about hurt, I’m talking about the ugliness of racism and caste systems. I’m talking about how people have pre-dispositions for hatred that has been passed down from generation to generation, the intergenerational racism, how that has harmed all of us.”

While Juneteenth has its roots in freedom from chattel slavery, Jackson sees the holiday as an opportunity for everyone to

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sonal struggles that they’ve had themselves, to find a way to filter the trauma through the music,” said Jackson. “That’s been my sole purpose in this ideal of soulful singing.

The audience can expect a group of white kids singing soulfully, and honestly, with power and with truth, and an understanding of what Juneteenth is.”

The ensemble will be performing songs as a group, as well as solo performances, with music spanning genres from soul and blues to bluegrass. There will be some Aretha Franklin pieces, as well as songs from major motion picture “Harriet Tubman.”

Though Jackson has only been teaching at WCU for one year, she already feels a valuable connection with the area, and her students.

“That’s the strength of being at Western Carolina is these kids weren’t born with a silver spoon in their mouths,” said Jackson.

“Most of the white kids that I’ve taught in Connecticut, they’re very wealthy. Teaching these kids at WCU has been a joy for me because I can relate to them, and they can relate to me. We both have this one thing in common — we did not grow up with lots of

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Dr. Jackson just finished her first year teaching at Western Carolina University. Donated photo

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he idea for a Juneteenth celebration at Lake Junaluska grew from the efforts of the Smoky Mountain District Justice and Reconciliation Team that was formed in the local Methodist organization to take on the work of understanding and healing discrimination in Western North Carolina.

“The mission for the Justice and Reconciliation Team is to celebrate, educate, worship and initiate,” said Ash. “We hope to celebrate diversity with this Juneteenth event being kind of a visual manifestation of what our mission is. We hope to celebrate diversity and to educate folks on racial history and disparities that exist between races. We hope to worship

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celebrate this country’s freedom from the institution of slavery and to continue to fight for freedom from racism and hatred.

“Racism is not something that only hurts black people, it hurts all of us,” said Jackson. “It puts all of us in a position where we are tribalized, where we feel like we have to choose a side and where we’re conflicted because of how our parents felt or how our grandparents felt. For me, Juneteenth is more than just about celebrating freedom for Black people. It should be about all of our freedoms and understanding how we’re all linked together. The freedom of one group of people also means the freedom of another as well, whether people were physically or emotionally or psychologically in bondage, I think that Juneteenth should be about everybody celebrating freedoms and healing.”

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money and resources. We still have our talents, our gifts, and our passions to find purpose in our lives.”

June 15-21, 2022

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————————————————————————————— 120 N. Main St. • Waynesville 828.452.0526 • affairsoftheheartnc.com

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Smoky Mountain News June 15-21, 2022

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Community Almanac

Smoky Mountain News

Slanted Window Tasting Station cuts the ribbon The Franklin Chamber of Commerce was proud to welcome the Slanted Window Tasting Station to the community and the chamber family with a recent ribbon cutting celebration. The Slanted Window Tasting Station is located at 587 Harrison Ave. Macon County’s first and only local vineyard to bottle wine experience, Slanted Window Wines are crafted from decades old vines at SenAmore Vineyards in the ancient Appalachian Mountains.

Wanting to offer a taste to locals and passersby alike, the Slanted Window Tasting Station was born. Blazing the trail for Western North Carolina winemaking, dedication to the craft and love for the land is transformed in every bottle. From European style red and white wines to Pyment (a co-fermentation of honey and grapes), Slanted Window a wine that will satisfy every palate.

If wine isn’t for you, there is local North Carolina beer and bourbon tastings. To pair everything, an Italian born chef has curated a menu of delectable charcuterie boards, salads, sandwiches, and more.

Stop by for a visit or visit slantedwindow.com.

Junaluska announces Summer Worship Series and events Lake Junaluska will host outdoor, lakeside Sunday worship services led by inspirational visiting preachers from June 26 through Aug. 14 as part of the Summer Worship Series.

“Lake Junaluska continues to be a place where people find healing and hope as we continue to move through challenging times,” said the Rev. Rebecca Mathis, director of advancement. “We look forward to welcoming back community members and guests this summer and coming together in worship and prayer at the Summer Worship Series.”

The services will be held at 9 a.m. at the lakeside tent near Stuart Auditorium. A limited number of chairs will be available under the tent.

Attendees also are welcome to bring their own chairs.

Eight visiting preachers will take part in the Summer Worship Series:

■ Sunday, June 26 – The Reverend Dr. Samuel H. Moore Jr., an ordained elder in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, has served numerous churches and on committees such as the Black Methodist for Church Renewal Committee of the WNCUMC.

■ Sunday, July 3 – The Reverend Dr. Audrey Warren is the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Miami, Florida, and co-author of “Fresh Expressions: A New Kind of Methodist Church for People Not in Church.”

■ Sunday, July 10 – Dr. Edgardo Colón-Emeric is dean of Duke Divinity School, an associate professor and director of the Center for Reconciliation.

His work explores the intersection of Methodist and Catholic theologies, and Wesleyan and Latin American experiences.

■ Sunday, July 17 – The Reverend Paul Christy is the senior pastor of First United Methodist Church Hickory.

■ Sunday, July 24 – The Reverend Dr. Mark Teasdale is the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

■ Sunday, July 31 – The Reverend Sally Campbell-Evans is pastor of congregational care at Hyde Park UMC in Tampa, Florida.

■ Sunday, Aug. 7 – The Reverend Dr. Elaine Heath retired from Duke Divinity School to lead Neighborhood Seminary, a nonprofit that she cofounded to provide theological, practical and spiritual formation for lay people to know how to help their neighborhoods.

■ Sunday, Aug. 14 – The Reverend James A. Harnish, retired pastor, is a facilitator for the Institute of Preaching at Duke Divinity School and author of books including “Extraordinary Ministry in Ordinary Time: An Invitation to Renewal for

Pastors” and “Easter Earthquake: How Resurrection Shakes Our World.”

Many of the visiting preachers for the Summer Worship Series will spend additional time at Lake Junaluska to serve as Theologians In Residence.

As Theologians In Residence, they will offer personal and interactive experiences such as devotions, discussions, prayer walks and workshops throughout the summer. The events are free and open to anyone seeking inspiration and new ideas for ways to do church. Church members, laity, ministers and those not part of a church are all welcome and encouraged to attend.

For more information about the Summer Worship Series or Theologians In Residence program, visit lakejunaluska.com/summerworship.

Highlands Biological Foundation opens North Campus After years of planning, fundraising, and construction, the Highlands Biological Foundation (HBF) officially dedicated the North Campus of the Highlands Biological Station on Sunday, June 5, during a huge community celebration. Surrounded by blooming mountain laurel along the banks of Lindenwood Lake, hundreds of community members gathered at the North Campus’s native pollinator garden to celebrate the momentous occasion

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and honor the numerous donors who made the project possible. Among these guests were Western Carolina University Chancellor, Dr. Kelli Brown, and Highlands Mayor, Patrick Taylor, along with those who played major roles in the creation of the North Campus such as Hutch Kerns of Kerns Landscape Architecture and Justin Hicks of Bryson Enterprises.

HBF’s former Director and current Project Coordinator, Sonya Carpenter, noted that the early stages of this project began nearly a decade ago.

“We have been working as a community and as a team to build this beautiful garden that is now so full of life. Now is the opportunity for the garden to give back to us in so many ways,” said Carpenter.

HBF’s Past-President, Julia Grumbles, noted that this community space has intergenerational value as it’s used for children’s nature camps, family picnics, meeting and event space, and so much more. She gave a heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the project over the years.

Grumbles served as HBF’s President during the planning and construction of HBS’s North Campus.

Carpenter recognized Grumbles as the “puzzle master” of the project. “She was there volunteering her time through all the phases — from the initial ideas, to the design development, every donor event and construction accomplishment — she was there with her strong leadership, careful planning, and enthusiasm. Without her vision, we would not be standing here today,” added Carpenter.

The North Campus boasts an upgraded boardwalk through the wetlands surrounding Lindenwood Lake, a pollinator garden designed to provide excellent habitat for our local wildlife with over 10,000 native individual plants, and a new, innovative, outdoor teaching pavilion featuring a green roof. The space serves as a new door to the Station’s beautiful campus and it’s HBF’s hope that all who live or visit Highlands will come enjoy it.

Events for summer learning program The Jackson County Public Library is hosting Sylva’s own Professor Whizzpop at 10:30 a.m.

Friday, June 17, and Hula Hooping with Kelly Jewell-Timco at 3 p.m. on Wednesday June 22.

Both events are in the Community Room. These programs are part of the Summer Learning Program. Anyone interested in the Summer Learning Program can register by coming to the Youth Services Desk on the first floor of the library, go to fontanalib.org/summer, or download the Read Squared app.

Professor Whizzpop describes this summer’s program as follows: “Have a whale of a summer with Professor Whizzpop’s all new summer reading program for 2022!! There’s giggles galore, madcap magic and plenty of barnacled books as Professor Whizzpop encourages your eager readers to READ! We’ll fill your library with laughter and wonder as we meet the world’s only acrobatic goldfish, mis-make a mermaid and narrowly avoid becoming a shark snack ... we will even shoot a real-life pirate out of a real life cannon! It’s guaranteed to amaze, amuse, engage and enthuse your library audience!”

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Rep. Pless bullies his way over local leaders

Burr, Tillis should support gun control To the Editor: This is an open letter to Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis.

What happened in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, N.Y., in the last two weeks are egregious crimes, even in war zones, according to the Geneva Convention. There is absolutely no justification for any 18-year-old to be able to purchase AR-15-style weapons and several 30-bulllet capacity magazines of ammunition when he has to be 21 to purchase a handgun or drink alcohol. Even 21 is a compromise for those purchases because scientific research shows the adolescent brain is not fully developed until about the age of 25. The last two areas to develop are impulse control and judgement, so 18-year-olds are not ready for military style weapons unless they are in the controlled military environment where they are trained and supervised in their use.

About 90% of our citizens are in favor of background checks. About 80% favor red flag laws. And 67% of rank-and-file NRA members (not the Executive Board owned by the gun manufacturers) agree with sensible gun regulation. Even the Second Amendment supports regulation of ownership. Do you know what the first four words of the 2nd Amendment are? “A well regulated Militia…”, and that was when the most advanced technology was a

become a part of the GOP playbook, trying to turn nonpartisan local elections into partisan battles. As one Haywood municipal leader said after the bill was introduced, being Democrat or Republican doesn’t matter when it’s time to fix a pothole. Waynesville Alderman Julia Freeman, the lone Republican on the Waynesville board, had this to say about the effort to turn local elections partisan: “When you look at the country and the division, when you get down to local municipalities, I don’t think it’s a positive step forward.”

Indeed.

Advocates for making school Editor board elections partisan often point toward issues like Critical Race Theory and what is being taught in public schools. But local school boards don’t make decisions about curriculum, which comes down from the state. Haywood County School Board Chairman Chuck Francis and the entire board came out strongly against a similar measure introduced by former state Rep. Michele Presnell (R-Yancey) in 2017 that would have made Haywood’s school board partisan.

“We’re here to educate the children, not to apply to partisan politics, but do what’s best for the child,” said Francis in 2017.

Francis recently changed his voter registration from Democrat to Republican, and now he’s changed his tune regarding partisan elections — I think.

Here’s what he said regarding whether he supports Pless’ bill: “The real answer is yes and no. Yes, because it gives the

Scott McLeod

“Arrogant.” “Out of control.” “Power hungry.”

I’ve heard all these words — and worse — used to describe Rep. Mark Pless, R-Haywood since he’s filed two bills in the state legislature that would drastically change local politics and municipal powers in Haywood County.

One of those bills would make all municipal and school board elections partisan while the other would strip towns of their ability to exercise planning jurisdiction on parcels near their borders. Both were filed without the support or consent of locally elected leaders. In fact, leaders in all the towns named in the bill have said they don’t support Pless’ actions.

Pless apparently doesn’t care.

“They are having a hard time understanding that I don’t answer to them. They’re not my boss … It’s a matter of standing up for the people who sent us down here,” Pless told The Smoky Mountain News after getting blowback from the bill that would do away with extra-territorial jurisdiction.

What’s interesting — and what Pless seems to forget — is that all these aldermen coming out against his proposals are also elected officials. They are also voters. They — as voters — are indeed Pless’ boss. At least that’s how most of us think the system works — voters and taxpayers go to the polls, cast a vote, and then the legislators, aldermen or school board members will hopefully act responsibly and carry out their campaign promises.

Pless, however, seems to think his role as a state legislator means he can simply run roughshod over local elected leaders, their own status as an elected official and their views on issues affecting how their towns should be governed be damned. Apparently, it’s only Pless’ views that matter.

Let’s first look at the partisan elections bill. This has

LETTERS muzzle loading single-shot rifle.

Banning assault style weapons and extended magazines does not impinge on the gun rights of owners of other types of guns. Those things were banned from 1994-2004 when Republicans allowed it to expire. No black helicopters landed in your front yard, no SWAT team broke into your homes to confiscate your guns. Since the ban expired, mass killings have tripled and in almost all events with double-digit casualties, the weapon was an AR-15 style weapon.

There is a significant group of gun owners in North Carolina that agree to limits on the type of guns that can be used, to the number of bullets that can be in the chamber of the gun, even the type of bullet that can be used, and to where and when they can use that gun.

These people are the people who have hunting licenses and no one is screaming about Second Amendment rights.

Think about this, ducks and deer and other game have more protection from gun violence than our children do. How can you possibly justify that? Really, ducks and deer are protected without complaint, from the violence of AR -15 style weapon and bullets, but our children and grandparents can’t be!

How can that be pro-life? How can that make sense?

When are you both going to do something to give our children at least as much protec-

voter a little more insight on how you would approach educational issues. With nonpartisan, you could always say, ‘I want to do what’s best for the children.’ Well, what is that platform? The voter is not informed a lot of times, and [partisan elections] make it easier to check a box and expect a certain outcome. You know that a certain person has certain beliefs.

The downside is, you could possibly be held accountable by a party for your actions that may not go down the line of the party platform, even though you would support what’s best for the kids.”

Huh? Really, yes and no? Take a stand, Chuck.

As for the bill stripping Haywood’s towns of their extraterritorial jurisdiction authority, Pless again seems to be advocating for some mystery citizens that he says are complaining to him. ETJ allows towns to enforce zoning ordinances on areas just outside their municipal boundaries, and to do so those towns must allow residents from those areas to serve on planning and zoning boards. Most of the developments affected by ETJs want to eventually be annexed and get town services, so in most instances the relationship between developers and the town is not as adversarial as Pless claims.

This bill would also cost Haywood County government about $150,000 due to increased inspection and planning work, says County Manger Bryant Morehead. So if the bill passes, seems county taxpayers will have to foot the bill for Pless’ folly. As a former county commissioner, one would think Pless would have the foresight to talk about all the ramifications the bill would have before filing. Apparently not.

Arrogant. Out of control. Power hungry. Yeah, I’d say those descriptions fit Pless’ recent actions.

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

tion as ducks and deer? Is your inaction related at all to the fact that you, Sen. Burr, rank number two in the Senate for the amount of money you have received from the NRA at $6.98 million over your career? And you, Sen. Tillis, has the fact that you already rank number four in the Senate in NRA money at $4.42 million in your career that is half as long Sen. Burr’s affected your decision making? Surely our children are worth more than ducks and deer and NRA money.

If you want my vote in the future, Sen. Tillis, you will have to show me you think so.

You, Sen. Burr, need to show me that you have at least some concern and feel some responsibility to your constituents to do the right thing on the way out the door.

Jane Harrison Haywood County

We need to enact stricter gun laws To the Editor: I am a recent resident of the lovely state of North Carolina and am truly honored and grateful to live here. Yet I am also a citizen of America, and as such I need to believe that our elected officials — including senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis — are working for the people they represent and are cognizant of the wishes of the majority of Americans.

The majority of us want common sense changes to the gun laws that will further protect and serve us. We don’t need to keep antiquated gun laws that no longer meet the needs of the public.

When cars became unintended killing machines, laws were passed to protect us by requiring seat belts. When 9/11 occurred, security requirements made air travelers feel secure. To be sure there was some inconvenience and patience was required on our part, but both law changes saved countless lives without hampering us.

Our country is devolving into a wild wild west, when outlaws governed and people lived in fear because there was no protection against bullies. Wealthy special-interest groups and selfish power junkies hold government elected officials hostage. Why? Whose interest is being served?

There is too much irrational propagandized rhetoric around the consequences of stricter gun ownership. People are reacting to jargon and perceived negative possibilities.

Instead, let’s act to obtain positive results. It is a practical act of love, like some parental rules that teenagers rail against, but which are necessary to protect them from harm.

Choose life, not guns, and support a gun law change that will keep its citizens safe.

Thank you for your kind consideration to this matter.

Cheryl Buchignani Waynesville

So what’s the big deal about plastics?

Stephen Wall

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Smoky Mountain News

smaller and smaller particles called micro- or nano-plastics and remain in the environment for thousands of years. They are now found in microscopic size in almost all our food, water and air. Just last month, lung biopsies done on surgical patients in California found micro-plastics deep in lung tissue of the majority of patients. We now find plastic particles in virtually all newborns’ umbilical cord blood. Is this a problem?

Not at all — if you believe the chemical industry spokespeople and politicians who receive millions of dollars in campaign contributions from the chemical companies and industry associations.

Let it be said that some uses of plastics have helped humanity and probably will for some time. However, most of these things can be produced with plant materials that do decompose and do not pose a threat to the environment and our health.

Throwaway /single-use plastics are also massively polluting the oceans, croplands and the air we breathe. When micro plastics are found in snow samples high in the Himalayas and in the deepest areas of the Pacific Ocean, something is wrong.

Studies show a shocking increase in pregnancy miscarriages and falling sperm counts in American men that are both strongly associated with the endocrine (hormone) disturbing agents found in many plastics. Certain cancers and metabolic diseases like diabetes are also strongly suspected to be related.

A more comprehensive survey of current research into the health dangers of plastics can be found in this article — link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12403022-00470-8.

The research points to PBA, used to stiffen plastics into bottles, and phthalates, used to soften plastics into films, bags, etc., causing disruptions of hormonal function.

This can lead to malformed sexual organs in newborns and may be related to the 30 percent increase in pre-term births since 1980 as well as many other genetic and metabolic problems..

Finally, a brief mention of the wellknown situation of massive plastic pollution of the seas. There will soon be one pound of plastics for every two pounds of fish in the oceans. Eight million tons per year are being dumped into our seas. How will this affect our health and the safety of our food supply?

It is up to the human inhabitants of the Earth to decide — is this beautiful planet to be preserved? Is the health of its inhabitants — human and otherwise — to be protected? Or do we turn our eyes away and increasingly treat the earth like one giant overheated garbage dump? Join one of the many organizations dedicated to preventing this from being our children’s future.

(Dr. Stephen Wall practiced pediatrics in Haywood County for 30 years. He is a member of the Western North Carolina Climate Action Coalition.)

June 15-21, 2022

he towns of Waynesville and Canton have recently joined hundreds of other communities in declaring a need to dramatically reduce the use of throwaway/single-use plastics.

Lurking behind these issues is the effect of changing world weather patterns on our region.

Thousands of folks see the mountains as a refuge — a place of mild weather and natural beauty — Guest Columnist and want to be here.

There are many factors contributing to climate change: burning coal and natural gas for electricity; the 1.4 billion vehicles in the world that burn gasoline. But perhaps one connection that doesn’t get enough attention — in my humble opinion — is the increase in plastic production.

In the year 1950, at the beginning of the “plastic age” about 1.7 million tons of plastic was produced annually in the world. By 2018 that figure was 350 million tons per year. What lies ahead? The transition to electric vehicles is gradually taking shape (Norway and other countries soon will outlaw new gas-powered vehicles). Electric generation by solar and wind is now cheaper than coal and natural gas.

As a result, the oil/gas industries, Russia oligarchs and Saudi princes are responding as expected to changing energy demands.

To maintain their extraordinary profits as the demand for oil, gas and coal products changes over the next decades, the fossil fuel multi-nationals are planning an enormous expansion of plastic production. The heat and gas generated in the processing of petroleum into plastics will become an even bigger factor in the heating of the planet.

But what’s the big deal, many people might ask? It’s just some more plastic water bottles, some more little throwaway bags. If you clean up streams and roadways for Haywood Waterways you might get grossed out by the smelly, ugly plastic trash pulled out of our streams and riverbanks. But why worry so much?

Well, actually there is a lot to worry about, like birth defects, pregnancy miscarriages, diabetes, cancers, falling sperm counts and an astonishing list of medical dangers connected to the now overwhelming presence of plastics in our environment.

Every day in the United States, about 300 million single-use plastic bags and over 300 million plastic drinking bottles are used. Haywood County alone generates — conservatively — 5 million single-use plastic bags a year! (An important overview can be found at singleuseplastics.plasticpollutioncoalitionresources.org) Ninety percent of these items are not recycled in any way. They break down into

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Taking the leap Food truck celebrates lineage, the independent spirit

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR t was just about four years ago when Jeremiah Chatham decided to put down the hammer and pick up a spatula.

“I was helping build homes for a buddy of mine. But, I was becoming burnt out on doing that for a living,” Chatham said. “It was around New Year’s. Time to make new resolutions, you know? So, I turned to my wife and said, ‘I’m going to buy a food truck.’ And she said okay.”

And with that simple vote of confidence, Jeremiah and his wife, Jennifer, set out on a rollicking journey of putting everything they had — money, blood, sweat and tears — into what has now become The Rice Wagon, an alreadybeloved culinary staple of Western North Carolina featuring Hawaiian-inspired cuisine.

“The first thing with The Rice Wagon is that I want anybody who has ever been to Hawaii to try our food and go, ‘You got it right,’” Jeremiah said. “The flavors are distinctly Hawaiian, and I think people value that uniqueness we bring to the table. And I’m going to make sure you’re fed — you’re not going to come here and leave hungry.”

In terms of locations, The Rice Wagon has a permanent food truck parked behind Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City.

There’s also another mobile truck that stops into the Innovation Station in Dillsboro and other locations as far out as Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin, Motion Makers Bicycle

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Shop in Cherokee, and select locations in Asheville.

Hailing from Hawaii, Jeremiah is part Korean and part Filipino, both rich, vibrant cultures with a keen focus on cuisines filled with flavor and style, as evidenced by the intricate and robust menu curated by The Rice Wagon. Growing up in Hawaii, Jeremiah found himself becoming a troubled teenager, one without any real direction or purpose in life.

“Our high school had a program where you could go to culinary school instead of taking Jeremiah Chatham regular classes,” Jeremiah reflected. “And I had a teacher who told me to go to culinary school or else I wouldn’t be able to graduate. I went into the program and really liked what I was doing, ultimately graduating with a high school degree, which included a culinary certificate, too.”

At first, Jeremiah found himself working mostly in the front of the house at restaurants and for catering groups, waiting tables and managing what was going on in the dining area. Although he enjoyed working in the food/beverage industry, something wasn’t really clicking in the way he had hoped.

“I had to step away from everything and

Feeling hungry?

With one permanent food truck and one mobile vehicle, The Rice Wagon can be found at an array of places around Western North Carolina.

As of now, the trucks will be present at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City (from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, 5 to 8 p.m.

Monday and Thursday) and Innovation Station in Dillsboro (1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Friday).

For more information and/or to find out about times and locations, you can go to facebook.com and search “The Rice Wagon Bryson City.” You can also call 828.593.9931 or email thericewagon@gmail.com.

The Chathams have also launched Moon Goddess Burgers & Shakes, a brick-and-mortar spot near the entrance to Deep Creek in Bryson City. Operating hours are 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday to Tuesday. then got out of the industry completely, where I went and started building houses for a while,” Jeremiah said.

But, it was a weird twist of fate — Hurricane Matthew battering the Eastern Seaboard in 2016 — that led Jeremiah back into the kitchen. Initially, he thought he had signed up for a front of house catering gig that was part of a FEMA contract to feed hundreds of National Guard troops being deployed into disaster areas nearby.

“I get onsite and they’re like, ‘Oh, by the way, you’re the chef.’ There I am in this kitchen with this group of guys with years of experience cooking,” Jeremiah chuckled. “But, I found

that I was not only able to keep up with them, I was able to keep coming up with new, creative ways to make dishes with the limited ingredients we had to feed hundreds of these troops every day.”

And it was that seed of inspiration and initiative found at that FEMA camp that planted itself in the back of Jeremiah’s mind, slowly growing and blossoming just under the radar of his intent. Skip ahead a couple years and the decision was finally made to take the leap and launch The Rice Wagon.

“First off, I’d like to say that food trucks are way harder than everyone thinks they are. The perfect owner for a food truck is someone who likes to cook, can fix vehicles, and is wellversed in camping,” Jeremiah noted. “It’s all about the hours of food preparation involved with each day, all of the endless repairs on the vehicle itself, and all of the proper packing needed to prevent all of these moving parts from shifting while in motion.”

But, regardless of the immense time and massive effort put forth to turn his dream into a reality, Jeremiah hasn’t taken one day for granted in The Rice Wagon. Each customer is another opportunity to shine, another justified reason as to why it’s all worth it.

“I remember those early days, when I sat out in the food truck for hours on end and sold nothing. It was hard at first to get people to try our products,” Jeremiah said in a humbled tone. “And nowadays, we’ll just be hammered with orders. We close at 8 p.m. and there’s always that 7:59 p.m. customer. Most people in our industry might not like that 7:59 customer.

But, I do, because I can’t tell you the amount of days I was just hoping for that one 7:59 customer — this is what I love doing, and I want to share it with everyone.”

HOT PICKS

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Ode to the girl from the North Country, the one who loved horses

I

The “Summer Music Series” will continue with Americana duo Somebody’s Child at 7 p.m.

Thursday, June 23, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

2

The 4th annual Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival will return June 18-19 to the Shelton House in Waynesville.

3 4 5

The 23rd annual Taste of Scotland & Celtic Festival will be held June 17-19 in Franklin.

Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host Circus Mutt (Americana/folk) 7 p.m. Thursday, June 16.

my truck in Waynesville to head back to the North Country to see family. In some wild coincidence, I was going to pass right by the hospital she was in while driving through Virginia. Thus, this past Thursday afternoon, I found myself walking into the ICU at the University of Virginia medical facility Charlottesville, immediately greeted by Adam, Sue, Adam’s sister, Jenny, and Steph’s best friend, Sarah.

All beloved faces in my corner of this planet. Hugs and tears. Lots of those. Memories rehashed. As incredibly tough as it was, I will be forever grateful to have been able to walk into Steph’s room in the ICU, to hold her hand and say goodbye to my friend, to tell her how much she meant to me, and how she’ll always hold a place in my heart of hearts.

Steph was a beacon of light and purity in this world, someone who never met a stranger, and who you never, ever forgot, even if you met just once. I miss and love my friend very much. We all do.

We’ll always remember her deep passion for horses, and for all creatures, truth be told. As it’s been stated before, there are those who drive around the turtle in the road, and then there’s Steph, who’d, like clockwork, pull over and make sure the turtle was placed safely to the side. That’s just the kind of person she was.

Wherever you are in this endless, cosmic universe, Steph, I know you’re out there, somewhere, probably going for a jog on the astral plane. I see you and hear you, and will continue to as long as the leaves turn colors every fall in the Adirondacks, so long as good friends gather in the name of hearty conversation and genuine connection in this all too crazy world.

Editor’s Note: Currently, there is a special Go Fund Me campaign to help raise much needed aid to help assist Adam and his young children with this new, unknown landscape they’re learning to navigate. To donate, please go to gofundme.com and search “Stephanie (Wilkins) Van Nortwick.”

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finally rendezvous and catch up with her a couple years ago.

It was the summer of 2020 and I was up in the Adirondacks, as was she, Adam and their two young kids. Adam had to head back to their home in rural Virginia, but Steph remained at the lake house, the same place where that sacred dock where we’d dream is still anchored. We hugged and talked for hours. It was like I had just seen her yesterday, which is the hallmark of a lifelong friend.

You felt comfortable, loved and accepted, all attributes Steph radiated into the universe. We went on the boat with the kids and Adam’s parents, Sue and Miles (second parents to me as a wayward teenager). Cruising around the lake with the wind in our hair, we reconnected, all while I felt such a genuine appreciation for all of the friendships present on that boat.

And when I received the message about the tragic car accident and Steph’s worsening condition last Wednesday morning, my heart sank and I immediately felt sick, wanting to throw up and just pace around the apartment, not really knowing what to do or say.

In that exact moment, I was packing up

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June 15-21, 2022

first got word about Steph Wilkins while sitting in the kitchen at an old flame’s parents’ house in the small, desolate Adirondack Mountain town of Tupper Lake, New York.

It was the high school winter formal of 2001 and I was in 10th grade. My date that night ran track and field with Steph (who was a grade above us).

The plan was to meet Our beloved Steph. up with her and the rest of the friend group and their dates, all heading for the dimlylit Tupper Lake gymnasium, now decorated with hand-cut snowflakes and longforgotten radio hits of the emerging millennium.

Also that night I met Steph’s date, Adam Van Nortwick, who was the best track and cross-country runner in the North Country (with school records that still stand to this day). I’d known Adam since I was in middle school, seeing as we were fiercely competitive on the track and on the trail for our respective high schools.

He was just down the road from Tupper Lake at Saranac Lake, while I attended Northeastern Clinton an hour north. Turns out, in person and away from the starting line, he was an upstanding guy, one who I had an awful lot in common with. Kindred spirits in every way possible.

From that night onward, I had two new friends, Steph and Adam. Soon after that, I started dating a girl in Saranac Lake, teammates with Adam. Double dates and weekend get-togethers overtook the remaining days, weeks and months before we all graduated and headed in seemingly every direction for college.

Steph and Adam are, and will forever remain, pillars of not only my existence, but also how I view and want to grasp the world — with kindness, gratitude and passion for everyday life (all core values for Steph). After high school, they created this incredible life together, one filled with so many beautiful souls. Lord, that wedding of theirs back in f 2007 was one for the ages.

I was lucky enough to be part of their friend group in those early years running around Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake,

where we’d either be competing in track races or (mostly) wandering around the vast Adirondacks, going swimming, camping or simply sitting on the dock at Adam’s parents’ house on the lake and talking about plans for the future.

We were teenagers then, but have remained friends ever since. It’s never been lost on myself or anyone how much of a bright light Steph was in this world. And that laugh, it was so unique and beloved.

Although we hadn’t been able to cross paths in several years (even though we kept in touch), it meant the absolute world to me to

The 13th season of Concerts on the Creek will continue with Arnold Hill (rock/jam) from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 17, at Bridge Park in Sylva.

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

Asheville 828-274-8822 Waynesville 828-407-4034 Sylva 828-586-9333 Reynolds Mountain 828-785-5825

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arts & entertainment

Celebrating 20 Years

On the beat

Thank You to Our Friends Near & Far.

Somebody’s Child.

Marianna goes Americana OPEN WEDNESDAY – SUNDAY: 9-4 FROG LEVEL • DOWNTOWN WAYNESVILLE

66 COMMERCE STREET • (828) 452-6200

Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

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The “Summer Music Series” will continue with Americana duo Somebody’s Child at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

For 10 years, Ashley Claxton and Cola Williamson have been filling the venues of Western North Carolina with their intrepid sounds. While minimalistic, these Smoky Mountain troubadours seamlessly blend both acoustic and electric melodies with renowned vocal harmonies.

By melding a variety of sounds, which are often described as “alternative folk” or “Americana,” Somebody’s Child offers dynamic, high-energy performances that are calculated, organic and compelling.

The show is free and open to the public.

Other performances scheduled at the library this summer include Dusk Weaver, Lee Knight, Granny’s Mason Jar, and Liz Nance.

For more information, call 828.488.3030 or visit fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

Concerts On The Creek The 13th season of Concerts on the Creek will continue with Arnold Hill (rock/jam) from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 17, at Bridge Park in Sylva.

Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, but donations are encouraged. Dogs must be on a leash. No alcohol, smoking or coolers are allowed in the park.

These concerts are organized and produced by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Sylva and the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department.

For more information, call the chamber at 828.586.2155, visit mountainlovers.com or Concerts On The Creek’s Facebook page.

Interested in learning the dulcimer?

Bryson City community jam

The Pic’ & Play Mountain Dulcimer Players will be resuming in-person jam sessions at the St. John’s Episcopal Church basement fellowship hall in Sylva.

The group welcomes all beginners and experienced dulcimer players, including mountain (lap) dulcimer and hammered dulcimer players. Songs played include traditional mountain tunes, hymns and more modern music. The group meets at 1:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturday of every month in the basement of St. John’s.

For more information, call Kathy Jaqua at 828.349.3930 or Don Selzer at 828.293.0074.

A community jam will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 16, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, or anything unplugged, are invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of the Sawmill Creek Porch Band.

This program received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment of the Arts.

828.488.3030.

On the beat

• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host karaoke at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, a “Lip-Sync Battle” June 17, Pride Party Drag Show 10 p.m. June 24 and Pleasantly Wild June 25. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

828.246.0350 or boojumbrewing.com.

• Concerts On The Creek (Sylva) will host Arnold Hill (rock/jam) June 17 and Rewind House Band (hits/oldies) June 24 at Bridge Park in Sylva. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, but donations are encouraged. 828.586.2155 or mountainlovers.com.

ALSO:

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host Slocan Ramblers (bluegrass) 5 p.m. June 18. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7.50 for children. 828.369.4080 or coweeschool.org/music.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host Roscoe’s Road Show 7 p.m. June 18. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 or curraheebrew.com.

• Fontana Village Resort Wildwood Grill will host Doug Wilhite (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m.

June 17, Guided By Pigs 6 p.m. June 18 and Wesley Earwood (singer-songwriter) 6 p.m.

June 25. Free and open to the public.

800.849.2258 or fontanavillage.com.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will host Curtis Blackwell & The Dixie Bluegrass Boys (Americana) June 17 and Southern Highland

host Somebody’s Child (Americana) 7 p.m.

June 23. Free and open to the public.

828.488.3030 or fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Municipal Surf Group June 17, Arnold Hill (rock/jam) June 18, Syrrup 3 p.m. June 19, Laura Thurston 5:30 p.m. June 21, Life Like Water (Celtic/jam) June 24, Blackwater Voodoo Band June 24, Gin Mill Pickers 3 p.m.

June 26 and Elysium Park Band 5:30 p.m.

June 28. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.454.5664 or froglevelbrewing.com.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Open Mic Night with Ivor Sparks every Wednesday, Steve Heffker (singer-songwriter) June 17 and 25, Twelfth Fret (Americana) June 18, The Dirty French Broads (Americana/folk) 5 p.m. June 19, Scott James Stambaugh (singer-songwriter) June 24 and George Ausman 5 p.m. June 26. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host Kansas (classic rock) 7:30 p.m. June 25. Tickets start at $42.50 per person. For tickets, caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.641.9797 or nantahalabrewing.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host Circus Mutt (Americana/folk) June 16 and Tim McWilliams (singer-songwriter) June 23. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.

• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Outlaw Whisky (country/oldies) June 25. All shows begin at 6 p.m. at the gazebo in downtown. Free and open to the public. franklinnc.com/pickin-on-the-square.html.

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Music Bingo” with Hibiscus Sunshine at 7 p.m. every Wednesday and Tina Collins (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. June 18. All events are free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.

• Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro (Dillsboro) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public.

828.586.1717 or facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host The UpBeats (soul/indie) June 18 and The Maggie Valley Band (Americana/indie) June 25. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Trivia Night at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday, Old Time Jam 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, a “Fleetwood Mac Tribute Show” w/Andrew Thelston Band (rock/jam) June 17 and The Maggie Valley Band (Americana/indie) June 24. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. rathskellerfranklin.com.

• Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will host Firecracker Jazz Band June 18 and The Swingin’ Richards July 2 at KelseyHutchinson Park on Pine Street. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• The Scotsman (Waynesville) will host The Carter Giegerich Trio (Celtic/bluegrass) from 2 to 5 p.m. every Sunday and Eireann’s Call (Celtic/rock) June 30. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 or scotsmanpublic.com.

• SlopeSide Tavern (Sapphire) will host Seth & Sara (Americana/folk) June 16. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public.

828.743.8655 or slopesidetavern.com.

• Southern Porch (Canton) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends.

828.492.8009 or southern-porch.com.

• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) “An Appalachian Evening” live music series will include Darin & Brooke Aldridge June 25, Buncombe Turnpike July 2, Chatham Rabbits July 9, Appalachian Roadshow July 16, The Jeff Little Trio July 23, Aubrey Eisenman & The Clydes July 30, The Wildmans Aug. 6, Nu-Blu Aug. 13, Pretty Little Goat Aug. 20 and The Kruger Brothers Aug. 27. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or click on stecoahvalleycenter.com.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host semiregular live music on the weekends.

828.743.3000 or theuglydogpub.com.

• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Cliff Williamson June 15, Macon County Line June 16, Brian Ashley Jones (singer-songwriter) June 17, Rock Holler June 18, Blake Robinson June 23, GenePool June 24 and Carolina Freightshakers (rock/oldies) June 25. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.

• Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host Bridgett Gossett (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. June 26 and Darren Nicholson (Americana/bluegrass) 6 p.m. June 30. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 or valleycigarandwineco.com.

• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host Ricky Gunter (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. June 19, The Lads 6 p.m. June 25 and Twisted Trail 3 p.m. June 26. Free and open to the public.

828.926.7440 or valley-tavern.com.

June 15-21, 2022

• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company (Maggie Valley) will host an Open Mic Night 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.734.1084 or elevatedmountain.com.

Band (bluegrass) June 24 at Town Square on Main Street. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

arts & entertainment

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host a semi-regular acoustic jam with the Main Street NoTones from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Free and open to the public. For more information, click on blueridgebeerhub.com.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 9:30 p.m.

828.456.4750 or facebook.com/waternhole.bar.

Smoky Mountain News 23

On the street arts & entertainment

For more information, click on sheltonhouse.org or call 828.452.1551.

Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling Shelton House.

Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend

Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

The fourth-annual Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend Arts & Crafts Festival will return June 18-19 to the Shelton House in Waynesville.

A fundraising event for the preservation of the historic home, also known as “The Museum of NC Handicrafts,” there will be artisans and demonstrations onsite, as well as food trucks/vendors and live Appalachian music on the front porch.

Performers include Cold Mountain Bluegrass, Bean Sidhe, Alex Travers, Ginny McAfee, Lorain Conner, Chris Minick, Logan Childers and Sadie Wicker & Friends.

Free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated. Bring your lawn chairs.

The Cherokee Bonfire & Storytelling will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays through Oct. 31 at the Oconaluftee Islands Park in Cherokee.

Sit by a bonfire, alongside a river, and listen to some of Cherokee’s best storytellers. The bonfire is free and open to the public. There will be no bonfire events in September.

For more information, call 800.438.1601 or click on www.visitcherokeenc.com.

• Women of Waynesville 10th anniversary party will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at the Event Barn on Gaddis Branch Road in Maggie Valley. A beloved nonprofit in Haywood County, the event will be celebrating and recognizing current and former members, invited guests, and honored partners. RSVP by June 10 to womenofwaynesville@gmail.com.

ALSO:

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WE ARE ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

The 23rd annual Taste of Scotland & Celtic Festival will be held June 17-19 in Franklin.

The festival is a celebration of the heritage brought to these mountains, that of the Scots and Scots-Irish, along with celebrating the historic relationships with the Cherokee.

The Taste of Scotland & Celtic Festival celebrates the history and heritage of our area and encourages everyone to participate.

Scottish foods, music, clan parade, vendors and crafters, Highland Games competition, herding dog demonstrations, and more.

Friday, June 17 (downtown Franklin) • 6 p.m. short downtown Franklin parade from town hall to the Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub. Spectators are welcome to join in behind the bagpiper.

• 6:30 p.m. Ceilidh — a ceilidh in Scotland is a party. They will be fashioning the ceilidh as such with food and drink available for purchase. Local musicians and

singers will take turns entertaining the crowd. Lawn chairs encouraged.

Saturday, June 18 (Macon County Fairgrounds) • 9 a.m. Gates open, $5 charge for anyone over age 6.

• 10 a.m. Opening ceremony.

• 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Highland Games under the leadership of Scott Medlin, Cherokee demonstrations and dancing, children’s games, vendors, clans, live music and symposiums.

• 6 to 9:30 p.m. Ticketed Concert, $10.

Performances by Wild Blue Yonder, Jacobites

By Name, and Tuatha Dea. Sunday, June 19 (First Presbyterian Church) • 10 a.m. Kirkin’ O’ the Tartans.

• 3 p.m. Arts Council concert with internationally renowned fiddler Andrew Finn Magill.

For a full schedule of events, click on facebook.com/tasteofscotlandfestival.

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• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. For more information on upcoming events, wine tastings and special dinners, click on waynesvillewine.com.

• A free wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday and 2 to 5 p.m. every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturdays at the Bryson City

Wine Market. Select from a gourmet selection of charcuterie to enjoy with your wines. Educational classes and other events are also available. For more information, call 828.538.0420.

• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City.

Full service all-adult first-class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or click on gsmr.com.

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June 15-21, 2022

A stage production of Robert Harling’s tender story, “Steel Magnolias,” will be held at 7:30 p.m. June 17-18, 24-25, 30 and July 12, and at 2 p.m. June 19, 26 and July 3, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

Have you ever tried to pick a magnolia blossom only to find it turns brown and bruises easily? “Steel Magnolias” is the true essence of southern ladies: beautiful and fragile as a magnolia on the outside, but tough as steel on the inside.

HART is bringing to life six such beautiful magnolias, transforming the Fangmeyer Theatre into Truvy’s beauty salon in Natchitoches, Louisiana. This poignant true story became iconic in 1989 with an all-star film after debuting off Broadway two years prior.

It is often hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time and depicts women we all know and love in our own circles of family and friends. “Steel Magnolias” has something for men and women alike.

For men, it is a peek into the mystique of the beauty parlor where they are not allowed but can gain a greater understanding of the women in their lives. For women it is that space where they have always been allowed to express their true feelings and in this neighborhood salon, they all share a powerful bond of friendship.

To make reservations, call the HART Box Office at 828.456.6322 or go to harttheatre.org to make reservations online.

HART Box Office hours are from 1 to 5 p.m.

Tuesday-Saturday.

serving size : ab out 50 p ag es

arts & entertainment

HART presents ‘Steel Magnolias’

Nutrition Facts

• “Footloose: The Musical” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. June 24-25, July 1-2 and 8-9 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 866.273.4615 or click on smokymountainarts.com.

ALSO:

• A stage production of the beloved tale “Alice in Wonderland” will be held on select dates throughout this spring at the Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee. The production is an original work by Havoc Movement Company that will be joining the Cherokee Historical Association for the spring season. To purchase tickets, click on cherokeehistorical.org/alice-in-wonderland.

Smoky Mountain News

• “Quirky Comedy & Cocktails” will take place at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 18, at Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro in Dillsboro.

Showcasing the finest stand-up Jackson County has to offer. Admission is $10.

828.586.1717 or facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.

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June 15-21, 2022

arts & entertainment

On the wall Want to learn food photography?

The Jackson County Public Library will be hosting Asheville journalist/photographer Jon Page at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Lazy Hiker Brewery & Mad Batter Kitchen in Sylva.

Page will be talking about and demonstrating food photography techniques from his recent book “The Craft Brewery Cookbook.”

Page is currently an Jon Page assistant editor of Craft Spirits Magazine, which is a digital publication from the American Craft Spirits Association.

Previously, he was the managing editor of All About Beer Magazine. As well, his writing and photography has been featured in numerous publications, including All About Beer Magazine, Bay Nature, Craft Beer & Brewing Magazine, Oakland Magazine and Wildlife in North Carolina.

Space is limited for this free class. To register, either call the library at 828.586.2016 or

• “Living With Pride,” an exhibit dedicated to the Southern Appalachian LGBTQIA+ experience, will run through June 26 at Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. The showcase will present contemporary works that celebrate the unique, diverse sense of pride and some of the challenges the LGBTQIA+ community faces while seeking equality. The artwork expresses authentic, diverse viewpoints from the LGBTQIA+ experience unique to Southern Appalachia and Western North Carolina. For more information, click on haywoodarts.org.

email Allyson Coan at acoan@fontanalib.org to register. City Lights Bookstore will also be on hand with copies of Page’s book for sale.

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 (fontanalib.org).

Stecoah Drive-About Tour The annual “Stecoah Arts & Crafts Drive About Tour” will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

June 24-25 at featured studios in Bryson City, Stecoah and Robbinsville.

With their studios open to the public, the self-guided driving tour highlights artisans who have built a livelihood with their creative talents. Media include pottery, beeswax lanterns and pillar candles, original paintings and drawings, fiber, quilts, photography, artisan cheeses and more.

The tour includes: Gallery Zella, Local Handmade Pottery, and Stecoah Artisans Gallery, Wehrloom Honey & Essentials, Junk N Style, and Hunting Boy Wood Carving.

For more information, click on stecoahvalleycenter.com.

• “Thursday Painters” group will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays at The Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Free and open to the public. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Participants are responsible for their own project and a bag lunch. For more information, call The Uptown Gallery at 828.349.4607 or contact Pat Mennenger at pm14034@yahoo.com. See more about Macon County Art Association at franklinuptowngallery.com and like, follow and share the Uptown Gallery on Facebook.

• Dogwood Crafters’ “Designing and Transferring Your Original Rug Hooking Pattern” class will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 22, at the Masonic Lodge in Dillsboro. Participants will learn how to design a simple mat and how to transfer the pattern onto backing.

Teachers will provide each student with drawing papers, pencil, sharpie, crack stop and a 20-by-30-inch piece of linen. Limited to 10 participants. Class fee is $35. Register by calling 828.586.2248 or stop by Dogwood Crafters. Deadline to sign-up is June 15. dogwoodcrafters.com.

• A “Foreign Film Series” will be held at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. Each month, on the second and fourth Friday, two movies from around the globe will be shown.

This program is in the Community Room and is free of charge. Masks are required in all Jackson County buildings. To find out what movie will be shown and/or for more information, please call the library 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. To learn more, click on fontanalib.org.

• WNC Paint Events brings you “Paint & Sip.” This is a two-hour event, and you leave with your painting. Anyone 21 and up are welcome. Events will be held at the following locations once a month: 828 Market on Main (Waynesville), Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva), BearWaters Brewing (Canton), Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) and the Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin).

26 wncpaint.events.

• Farmer’s Market (with artisans) will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through October at 117 Island Street in Bryson City. Stop by the old barn by the river for local, homegrown produce, as well as baked goods, jellies and preserves, authentic crafts, and more. Food truck, picnic tables and live music. Leashed pets are welcome. Outdoor event. 828.488.7857.

Smoky Mountain News

‘Cultivating Collections’ exhibit at WCU

ALSO:

‘Queen of Hearts’ by Thermon Statom.

Western Carolina University will showcase its newest exhibition, “Cultivating Collections,” through July 29 in the Fine Art Museum at the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.

In this multi-year series, student researchers work closely with the museum’s curator to gather information about the artwork in the permanent collection and determine future collecting directions.

This year’s exhibition highlights three areas of the collection — vitreographs, glass, and works by Black artists. The pieces on view convey the stories of bold innovators and speak to the importance of Western North Carolina in the history of glass and printmaking.

The “Cultivating Collections” series began in 2019 with WCU students enrolled in Exhibition Practicum, an annual course designed to familiarize students with the intricacies of museum spaces. Students developed an exhibition from start to finish by interviewing artists, selecting works

for display, and writing labels about the museum’s objects.

Since 2019, students have continued this curatorial work, focusing each year on a new area of the collection, which includes over 1,800 works in a wide range of media by artists of the Americas.

Input from students brings a fresh perspective to the museum’s holdings and unlocks the potential for the museum to create a more diverse and inclusive collection.

This year’s exhibition showcases the combined curatorial efforts of 19 students who participated in the 2021 and 2022 Exhibition Practicum classes.

“Cultivating Collections” through July 29, with “Cultivating Collections: Glass” on extended view through Dec. 9. Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday, and until 7 p.m. on Thursday.

For information, call 828.227.ARTS or visit bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

On the shelf

Join us for an

Author Event

Final installment of ‘After Ever After’ trilogy

human, feminine and masculine, city and wild, future and past, to integrate that forbidden magic that the heroines first encountered in Book I, then faced more deeply in Book II. In Book III, they must heal their children’s traumas and return this magic to their kingdoms and queendoms, in the hopes that their peoples will evolve and unite, rather than condemn them.

Thomas Crowe

I

Author Mindi Meltz will present the final book in her “After Ever After” trilogy, “The Queen’s Rain,” at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

The book entwines the threads of animal and

photographs from Stone Mountain, Georgia, the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and Mount Oglethorpe, all located in Georgia. Many of the locations familiar to many or all of us are included in this book and we will know them immediately from Masa’s pictures and Martin’s accompanying narrative: Nantahala Gorge, Grandfather Mountain, the Shining Rock Wilderness, some great shots of Chimney Rock, the observation tower on Mount Mitchell, Whiteside Mountain, Bridal Veil Falls, and Cullasaja Falls. Viewing and reading in this book is like taking an extended vacation abroad. Only in this case it’s all in our own back yard.

No one is better at taking people on expedition trips in our region than Brent Martin. His own personal forays into these mountains and his group trips with the Alarka Expeditions part of his business have served him well and positioned him as “the man” in terms of getting to know in more explicit and intimate detail the place in which we live. Martin, like Masa, “had a vision — a goal, an ideal, or a mission; something spiritual or supernatural for his life here in the North Carolina hills.” Or, as

he writes in his Conclusion to the book: “Masa certainly had a fascination and obsession with wild places, whether real or perceived. Some of them were truly wild, such as Three Forks, and some were losing their wildness [mainly to human encroachment and development]. One is left to wonder if his work was celebration, lamentation, pleas for help, or all of the above. Or was it simply art — an obsession with craft and quality, born of ambition, that made the most mundane of landscapes at once magical and full of light!”

In Martin’s personal narrative style, for which he is well-known, he describes a trip down from Highlands to his home in Cowee past Bridal Veil Falls, which is one of the most familiar and often visited place destinations in our region: “On the dash down the gorge every afternoon of the week, I pass several Masa photo landmarks, including Bridal Veil Falls. The river looks wild and pristine, but like the Nantahala and any other number of Appalachian rivers, it’s altered. But it still looks wild and to a great degree is wild, despite the damming of the river in Highlands for Lake Sequoyah and the multitude of RV parks and septic systems along its shores.”

Martin is always looking for the beauty in places, but he is also attentive and finely tuned to those things that exist to threaten and destroy the pristine and beautiful spots in our Southern Blue Ridge Mountains landscape. In that sense he is both artist and conservationist, playing both roles via his books and his position with the Bartram Trail Conservancy. Always the watchdog and the artist. Brent Martin and Hub City have done us all proud in gifting us with this lovely large-scale hard-cover book full of Masa’s fullpage black and white photographs that give us a peek into this region’s past as well as its heritage. We can all learn a lot about ourselves from knowing the natural history of this place we call “home.” And George Masa’s photos and Brent Martin’s descriptions and commentary are a perfect place to start.

Thomas Crowe is a regular contributor to The Smoky Mountain News and author of the multiaward-winning non-fiction nature memoir Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods.

In addition to the “After Ever After” trilogy, Mindi Meltz is the author of two more novels, “Beauty” and “Lonely in the Heart of the World,” all published by Logosophia Books. Originally from the coast of Maine, she lives in an off-grid home in the mountains of Western North Carolina with her husband, cats and goats.

To reserve copies of her books, please call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.

Circles in the Stream

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Asheville and surrounds. These geographic areas and places include The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Highlands Plateau, Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains, Chimney Rock, and Hickory Nut Gorge. In a chapter titled “Outliers,” we see

signing his new book

June 15-21, 2022

n my recent passion and ongoing interest in reviewing books by local and regional authors, I am offering here, yet another from our cache of talented writers that are close to home. In this case, it’s a book just released in the month of June by regionally heralded Hub City Press in Spartanburg, S.C., just over the North Carolina line. The book is “George Masa’s Wild Vision”

by Brent Martin, who is founder of Alarka Institute and Writer current executive director of the Blue Ridge Bartram Trail Conservancy. He is the author, previously, of several books of poetry and non-fiction and resides in Macon County. As someone who has served on boards of many conservation organizations here in the Southeast and is head of a wilderness expeditions business, he knows these mountains as well as anyone and has devoted the better part of a lifetime to protect and steward our Southern Appalachian mountains.

“George Masa’s Wild Vision” is a book that features the photographs of George Masa, who came to America in the early years of the 20th century from Japan, arriving here in 1906 or 1907 and taking up residence in the orbit of Asheville. Masa’s eventual knowledge of our region and his photographs became a critical piece for the argument to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In a more contemporary sense, none other than author Charles Frazier — of “Cold Mountain” fame — put him in his top 10 list of important Appalachian artists, writers, and musicians. Brent Martin explores the photographic locations Masa visited, using first-person narratives to describe the landscapes that Masa came to love, interpret and protect. Or as Martin states in his Introduction to the book: “Masa’s artistic journey was into the soul of some of the oldest mountains on earth — a creative rendering of their light, their magnificence, their lushness, and their need of a voice to ensure their protection for generations to come. It was a love affair of place.”

“George Masa’s Wild Vision” is organized into chapter sections according to specific areas of particular regions of the Southern Appalachians — all within easy distance of

PAUL KOPTAK

arts & entertainment

One man’s vision of the Southern Appalachians

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Members of the expedition team descend from Mt. Everest’s south summit. Lhotse is in the background.

Arbindra Khadka/National Geographic photo

Measuring the top of the world Tuscola alum leads Everest expedition

BY HOLLY KAYS OUTDOORS EDITOR aker Perry’s family arrived in Haywood County almost by accident. They’d been living in Bolivia, where his parents operated a nonprofit today called Curamericas Global, when political problems forced them

B

to leave. His grandparents had a house at Lake Junaluska, so not knowing where else to go, the Perry family moved in.

Now a National Geographic Explorer who recently led an expedition to install the world’s highest weather station on Mt. Everest, Perry considers his childhood in Haywood County pivotal to forming him into the scientist he became. He was a multi-sport athlete at Tuscola High School, and he credits the teachers and coaches who mentored him

in the years following his fourth-grade arrival in 1984 with guiding him toward the opportunities that followed.

And then, there are the mountains themselves. From his home in Lake Junaluska the surrounding peaks spread in a panorama, and even as a young child Perry found weather — and especially snow — mesmerizing. He loved to sit outside, watching the clouds roll in.

“If snow was in the forecast, I was setting my tent up in the backyard and camping out in it,” he said. “I can’t tell you exactly why.

Everybody thought I was pretty strange.”

Decades later, he can still rattle off the dates and accumulations of the major snowstorms of his youth. In high school, Perry once got sent to the principal’s office for playing his weather radio in chemistry class, unable to ignore the winter storm on its way.

Another time, his coach yelled at him for playing poorly during a basketball game after he found out Perry had been to Cataloochee Ski Area in the hours before the contest. What the coach didn’t know is that the athlete hadn’t done any skiing — he’d merely walked around to see how much snow the most recent storm had dropped there.

Weather conditions could vary drastically across the county, and that fascinated Perry.

Often, the northwest section around Fines Creek and the Smokies would get hammered while Waynesville and Lake Junaluska received barely anything. It’s a phenomenon called northwest flow snowfall, and it would eventually become the topic of Perry’s Ph.D. dissertation.

Perry’s obsession would transform into a career.

EXPEDITION TO EVEREST Contrary to what one might expect, the base of Mount Everest is mostly devoid of snow.

“You’re just camping on grit and cold glacier ice,” said Perry. “There’s not much snow around.”

That’s disappointing to the little kid inside him, who still roots for a blizzard. But last month, Perry was at Everest as the leader of an elite team with a singular purpose — to bring the mountain’s existing network of high-elevation weather stations up to 28,904 feet. He had to suppress his desire for snow, which would have compromised the mission.

The May 2022 National Geographic and

Rolex expedition built on a previous undertaking in 2019, when Perry was on the meteorology team for a National Geographic/Rolex trek that installed five high-elevation weather stations on Everest. At 27,600 feet, Balcony Station was the world’s highest until severe weather knocked it out of commission.

“The vertical scale is just mind-boggling up there,” Perry said. “You’re close to the same elevation as what airplanes cruise at on some flights. It’s so high up there, and having that panorama is really incredible.”

This year, the team returned to perform needed maintenance on the lower four stations and replace the Balcony Station with a new, higher unit at Bishop Rock.

Even for experienced mountaineers like

National Geographic Explorer Baker Perry takes an acclimatization hike on Lori Peak.

Baker Perry/National Geographic photo

Perry and his team of scientists, explorers and Sherpas, it was a massive undertaking. May on Everest is not springlike. At Base Camp, elevation 17,598 feet, highs sit in the 30s with lows in the teens. Up at Camp 4, elevation 26,000 feet, daily temperatures range from -20 to just above 0 degrees.

The thin air presents even bigger challenges.

“The limited oxygen just makes everything that much harder physically, and slower too,” said Perry. “And it impacts your body’s ability to recover, and especially sleep at night.”

Installing a typical weather station requires wiring six wires per sensor, a slow process that takes between a half and a full day to complete. If they expected to put a functioning weather station at 28,000-plus feet, the team needed a machine that would work in extreme temperatures and be light enough to be carried up the mountain, strong enough to withstand the elements and simple enough for the team to assemble with gloved hands and the limited amount of time that their oxygen tanks and energy levels allowed.

Working out the engineering took time, but after hammering out the details and practicing the assembly process, the team was ready to go.

In 2019, the crew spent a total of five weeks at Base Camp or above,

The expedition team constructs the weather station at Bishop Rock.

Arbindra Khadka/National Geographic photo

summit attempt was not going to work.

“We had to make a really difficult call whether to try to go a day sooner, which meant a much bigger push in skipping Camp 3, or delaying, which would mean having to go back down to Base Camp and resupply and then coming back up and

another a Sherpa who sustained a knee injury.

Besides, school was still in session. Perry is a professor in Appalachian State University’s Department of Geology and Planning, and trekking didn’t stop him from teaching. He recorded and delivered lectures along the way, uploading his students’ final grades from inside his tent.

outdoors

findings. With an even higher station now in place, they hope to deepen their understanding even further.

One surprising — and troubling — discovery has been the magnitude of solar intensity atop Everest and its impact on snow melt.

“The models that predict future glacier behavior, they’ve assumed that there’s no melt occurring unless air temperature is above freezing,” Perry said. “That is not the case, and that has big implications for future projections of water resources.”

ROUBLING The snow and ice on Everest is not pure DISCOVERIES — it contains pieces of dirt and rock that absorb solar radiation and heat up the From his childhood frozen water around them. Due to all the hiking Haywood County reflection from light-colored snow and ice, to his career climbing observations from the Everest weather stamountains, it’s obvious tions are measuring solar radiation levels that Perry loves the outhigher than what Perry would expect to see doors. But Everest, he at the very top of the atmosphere. Even said, is challenging. with air temperatures as low as -14 degrees, “It’s a longer expedisnow is melting. tion, so to be honest The team has also documented concernthere’s a lot of suffering ing signs much lower on the mountain. The and uncomfortableness,” monsoon season between June and he said.

September is responsible for 70-80% of the It’s worth it, though, if annual precipitation at Everest, but at Base the reward is a window A wintry view spreads from Everest Base Camp. Arbindra Khadka/National Geographic photo Camp, nearly all of that monsoon moisture into one of the world’s is falling as rain, with temperatures in the least understood and mid-to-upper 30s. most important environ“That’s just a really bad sign for the ments. future of those lower “The models that predict future glaciers in glacier behavior, they’ve assumed particular,” Perry said. that there’s no melt occurring The unless air temperature is above researchers hope to see freezing. That is not the case.” the data improve — Baker Perry weather forecasting on the mountain as well, cutting down on climber “Mountains are these casualties. critical water towers,” he “We’re reasonably confident that about said. “They have snow and 25% of the unexplained deaths on Mt. ice that is stored up high Everest over the years have been related to that sustains downstream weather, in particular winds,” he said. “In communities for water many cases, people actually just get blown resources. Globally, we’re off the mountain and they’re never seen talking a billion and a half again.” dealing with crowds and traffic jams,” Perry people, or thereabouts, that live downBetter weather forecasts would help said. “And so we decided to go for it.” stream from these water towers.” climbers make better decisions about when That ended up being a good call. Everest During the summer months, seasonal to climb and when to wait. has gotten crowded in recent years, but it snowmelt sends that moisture downhill.

In the years ahead, Perry plans to conwas still early enough in the season that the Climate change poses a real danger for the tinue building the network of observation team had the route to themselves. They people, plants and animals that depend on stations on the world’s tallest mountains, made good time, but fierce winds imposing that water — should warming temperatures though he’s also working with the Nepalese a wind chill of -40 degrees jeopardized the cause those reservoirs to shrink or disapgovernment to eventually transfer responsitrip’s success. pear, the communities below could find bility for the efforts on Everest. Though “That’s where I had to make the tough themselves without the water they need to ASU is currently responsible of operating decision to remain at Camp Two to free up survive. and maintaining the weather stations, the resources, both oxygen and Sherpa, to maxDespite the vital role tall mountains like plan is for Nepal’s Department of imize our chances of success and putting in Everest play in water dispersal, little is Hydrology and Meteorology to eventually that highest station,” Perry said. known about the mechanisms driving take over.

Perry said he was disappointed to lose change on their slopes and summits.

There’s plenty of work to do, but first his chance to summit Everest, but he’s glad “At the highest elevations there just are Baker Perry Perry has another mountain to climb. In he stayed.

As team leader, he was responsinot weather stations to allow us to fully was a multiJuly, he’s headed to Peru for another ble for ensuring the expedition’s success, understand the processes that are driving sport athlete National Geographic expedition to install a and from his position at Camp 2 he ended that change,” Perry said. at Tuscola weather station — though compared to up managing evacuations for two expediSince the first expedition to Everest in High School.

Everest, it will be an easy climb. tion members — one a colleague from the 2019, Perry and his co-investigators have Donated photo The mountain is only 21,000 feet tall.

U.K. who had a frostbitten finger and published more than 10 papers on their 29

and while they’d planned a similar schedule this time around, an unexpected push past Camp 3 shaved a week off the trip. The team had already left Base Camp when the weather forecast began to deteriorate, and when they arrived at Camp 2 it became obvious that the originally planned date for their

T

June 15-21, 2022

Smoky Mountain News

outdoors

FACES

OF

HAYWOOD

Laurel Falls is so crowded as to be impassible on a busy summer day in 2021. NPS photo

“I

t is a great privilege to live and work in these beautiful Appalachian mountains that I have called home my entire life.

The sense of community you feel, see, read about, and experience at every turn is infectious. That experience reaches beyond friends and neighbors and deeply into the local business community. We’re all here because we want to be. Because the mountains called us here, or kept us here. Having a local, dedicated, and effective Chamber of Commerce is a critical role in nurturing that sense of community for local small businesses.

The Haywood Chamber of Commerce has been an integral part of Sparksmith since it was established here in 2016. My business has grown from a basement side hustle to a thriving business, with many thanks owed to the Chamber. Their resources, efforts, engagements, and connections have provided me with opportunities I would not otherwise have.

Roadside parking banned at Laurel Falls

Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

Sparksmith was presented with the invaluable opportunity to work with the Asheville Venture program. This was a direct result of the Chamber’s efforts to collaborate, in a forward-thinking manner, with the Asheville Chamber. This year-long, no-cost mentorship program provided much needed guidance and advice in the early years of my business.

Ongoing efforts, like the Young Professionals of Haywood, Chamber Connects, and the Leadership Haywood class have been excellent networking opportunities and a means of both personal and professional growth. Connecting with fellow local business owners and entrepreneurs has been a wonderful addition to my repertoire of professional development tools.

For all of these The Haywood Chamber opportunities the Chamber of Commerce has been an has provided, I am eternally integral part of Sparksmith grateful. The dedication and since it was established enthusiasm of the good folks here in 2016. at the Chamber is a Brannen Cunningham true asset to Sparksmith, LLC Haywood County and all who work and live here. I’m excited for what the future holds and look forward to seeing all that the Chamber does to foster responsible growth within our local community. Thank you for all you do!

“

828.456.3021 HaywoodChamber.com 30

With more than 100 cars typically parked outside the parking lot at Laurel Falls in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — mostly along the roadside — park staff are taking measures to eliminate these practices through Sunday, Oct. 30.

For the next five months, unofficial roadside parking will be blocked with temporary barriers such as traffic cones. Visitor use management strategies such as permanent roadside parking barriers, parking reservation systems and shuttle systems continue to be considered as a part of the Laurel Falls Trail Management Plan Environmental Assessment.

Laurel Falls Trail is one of the park’s

”

most popular trails, resulting in extreme congestion, crowding at the falls and unsafe conditions along Little River Road.

Roadside parking obstructs traffic flow and creates blind spots for motorists, causing a significant safety hazard, and it also damages adjacent habitats, road edges and erosion.

Visitors planning to hike Laurel Falls should avoid arriving at peak times between 10 a.m. and 3 a.m. and should research an alternative trail in case parking is not available. The park contains more than 800 miles of trail, and the Backcountry Office is open daily to help with trip planning, in person or via phone at 865.436.1297.

MountainTrue marks 40 years with hiking challenge Hike 40 miles this summer and help MountainTrue celebrate its 40th birthday.

Hikers collect pledges from friends and family for each mile hiked through the end of September. Participants of all experience levels can sign up to hike or sponsor a hiker. Funds raised will go toward MountainTrue’s mission of championing resilient forests, clean water and healthy communities in the Southern Appalachians.

For more information or to sign up, visit mountaintrue.org/40-years-40-miles-hike-a-thon.

Backpack Black Balsam Learn how to backpack with an overnight trip from REI, with an excursion planned for June 25-26 in the Sam Knob/Black Balsam area.

Participants will explore meandering trails and scenic overlooks while keeping an eye out for the critters that call this area home, spending the night at a secluded campsite near a cascading stream. Along the way, REI experts will discuss the essentials of backpacking, including setting up a proper campsite, loading a pack correctly, filtering water and camp cooking techniques, as well as insight into the region’s history and ecosystem.

Cost of $275 includes transportation, gear, dinner, breakfast, hot beverages and trail snacks. Space limited. Sign up or view other outdoor offerings at rei.com/events.

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June 15-21, 2022 Smoky Mountain News 31

outdoors

Writer takes residence in the Smokies Splash into reading at Bryson City library

Bakersville, North Carolina, resident Sue Wasserman is taking her place as this year’s Steve Kemp Writer in Residence at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park following a two-year pandemic delay.

“After waiting for more than two years to come to the Smokies for this residency, I am tremendously excited both to start on this work I’ve been planning and also to be an ambassador for GSMA,” said Wasserman. “Having a walk and dinner with Steve Kemp to kick things off was truly awesome — especially given our shared love of nature and writing — and I’m ready to immerse myself in the rhythm of this

Maggie. Between the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains rests one of the best golf courses in North Carolina

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Smoky Mountain News

June 15-21, 2022

It’s “Oceans of Possibilities” this summer at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City, with a marine-themed summer reading program offering activities throughout the season.

Camp activities for kids 5-13 are offered Thursdays at 11 a.m., with children learning about surfers and enjoying a water day outside Thursday, June 23. Participants should wear bathing suits and bring sunscreen and towels.

Wednesdays at 11 a.m. is Preschool Story Camp. This week, kids will go fishing and play in the water, with bathing suits, sunscreen and towels a necessity.

The Summer Movie Series will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesdays, with free popcorn to accompany the film. Call ahead to find out which movie will be playing.

Throughout the summer, kids can register to read 20 minutes per day to earn prizes.

Contact Tara Pioth with questions at 828.488.3030, ext. 130 or tpioth@fontanalib.org.

While hiking Cucumber Gap Loop in the Smokies, Sue Wasserman stands under an enormous massive root ball.

Join today for access to our beautiful amenities.

Contact Caitlin Bledsoe at 828-926-4831 for information.

golf | fish | hike | raft | dine | play | stay

magical environment.”

Funded by the Great Smoky Mountains Association, the annual residency is designed to help writers of any medium connect in a meaningful way with the park, providing space to focus on craft in a retreat-like setting that will hopefully inspire some of his or her best work. The program is named for 30-year GSMA veteran Steve Kemp, who retired in 2017 after directing the publication of hundreds of written works to support the park.

During her residency, Wasserman will focus on three key projects with an overarching theme of Perspectives on Nature: “Six

Weeks in the Smokies,” a series of essays and images based on her experiences and personal introspection in the park; “HikeOoh,” a series of nature-inspired haikus that may culminate in a poetry book; and a “Perspectives Quilt,” for which Wasserman plans to collect ideas and viewpoints from many different individuals — park staff, park visitors, artists and craftspeople, schoolchildren, and members of different racial and/or cultural backgrounds — to be printed onto fabric with accompanying images, stitched into a quilt by local artisans and shared with the public.

Wasserman will also supplement her work by participating in many “edutainment adventures” with GSMA and park staff throughout her residency, the first of which was the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in April.

A writer, nature photographer, teaching artist and book editor, Wasserman spent more than 20 years in corporate communications and public relations, which allowed her to self-publish and promote two books: “A Moment’s Notice” and “Walk with Me: Exploring Nature’s Wisdom.” Her work has previously been featured in the New York Times, Southern Living, American Style and the Atlanta Journal Constitution, as well as in GSMA’s own Smokies Life journal. smokiesinformation.org/writersresidency.

ThePriintHauss.c . co om m

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The native mountain camellia has one of the largest blooms of any shrub in the U.S. Holly Kays photos

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Meet the mountain camellia See one of the most rare and beautiful Appalachian shrubs in bloom during a pair of events offered this month.

■ Beginning 10 a.m. Saturday, June 25, amble through the forest with renowned mountain camellia expert Jack Johnston along the mighty Chattooga River. Whether you’re a mountain camelia devotee or a newcomer to these mysteriously beautiful shrubs of the tea family, you’ll come away richer in plant knowledge — and have fun

while doing so.

■ See mountain camellias in a landscaped setting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 29, on private land in Otto. Johnston will also lead this excursion through the recovering forest property he has shaped with the help of exceptional knowledge and creativity.

Cost is $45 for each excursion, both of which are offered through Alarka Expeditions. Register at www.alarkaexpeditions.com/upcoming-events.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Fletcher became North Carolina’s first BearWise business during a ceremony held Thursday, June 9.

Brewery representatives received official signage from N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission officials signifying their commitment to securing trash, limiting potential attractants for black bears and serving as ambassadors to the surrounding community.

BearWise is a program developed by black bear biologists and supported by wildlife agencies across the Southeast to provide sound information and smart solutions to help people, neighborhoods and communities prevent conflicts and keep bears wild. Learn more at bearwise.org.

Fishy field guide hits bookstores

Smoky Mountain News

A new field guide dedicated to the aquatic residents of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is now on bookshelves.

“Fishes of the Smokies” by debut author Grant Fisher takes readers on a deep dive into the park’s 2,900 miles of rivers and streams. Fisher applied years of research and working experience as an employee of the National Park Service to write the most comprehensive field guide available dedicated to the park’s waters. Intuitively organized and small enough to fit in a pocket, the guide includes detailed photography and key details for each featured species.

“Through working in the Smokies, I always observed that one of the topics visitors seemed to know the least about, but be quite interested in, was fish,” said Fisher. “I think that most readers will be surprised to

learn that the Smokies are home to so many different fish. A casual stroll or drive in the park reveals many small streams, but I believe very few people actually expect them to hold such diversity.”

Edited by Great Smoky Mountains Association Publications Associate Aaron Searcy and published

by GSMA, with an introduction by National Park Service Supervisory Fishery Biologist Matt Kulp, the book is the newest addition to GSMA’s popular line of pocket-sized field guides. It is available for $14.95 at park visitor center bookstores or online at smokiesinformation.org.

June 15-21, 2022

First BearWise business named in Fletcher

33

outdoors

Fire Mountain has become a popular destination since opening in 2017.

Swain TDA photo

Fire Mountain closed for OneWheel event Fire Mountain Trails in Cherokee will be closed Friday, June 17, and Saturday, June 18, for the second annual WheelScorcher OneWheel Event.

WheelScorcher is a downhill, multi-run, enduro format race using OneWheel, an electric skateboard. Following the event at Fire Mountain, a streetstyle competition will take place Sunday, June 19, at the

Cherokee Skate Park.

Fire Mountain Trails will reopen for bike and foot traffic June 19. WheelScorcher competitors will be organizing at the Cherokee Fairgrounds, and according to Fire Mountain administrators are always willing to show the public how OneWheels work.

More information about the event is available at wheelscorcher.com.

June 15-21, 2022

Speed dating for food sales offered at WCU

When life throws you a financial challenge, you’ve proven you have what it takes to ace it. Now it’s time to tackle your retirement savings at AceYourRetirement.org

A grower-buyer event from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, at Western Carolina University’s Health and Human Services Building aims to offer a meetup space for local growers and food artisans to talk to shops, restaurants and food buyers about selling their products.

A speed-dating format will allow all parties at the event to meet each other and assess suitable matches for procurement and sales, introducing a diversity of growers and food producers to the unique food outlets in this region.

The free event will be cohosted by WCU and EmPOWERING Mountain Food Systems, a four-year N.C. Cooperative Extension project to increase farm and food business income funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission, N.C. State University and the Cherokee Preservation Foundation.

Space is limited. Sign up at bit.ly/3zwbFiD. For more information, contact Laura Lauffer at 828.359.6926 or lwlauffe@ncsu.edu.

Smoky Mountain News

N.C. announces strategy for PFAS chemicals

34

Puzzles can be found on page 38 These are only the answers.

The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality has announced an action strategy for PFAS, a class of widely used, long-lasting chemicals whose components break down very slowly over time. Because there are thousands of PFAS chemicals with myriad uses, studying potential health and environmental risks is difficult.

The DEQ Action Strategy contains three priorities — protecting communities, protecting drinking water and cleaning up existing contamination. These priority areas include actions to identify health and exposure risks, develop the science needed to set enforceable limits and steps to minimize future PFAS pollution.

In consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services and the

Secretaries’ Science Advisory Board, DEQ is working to create a list of PFAS compounds most prevalent in North Carolina. The agency will propose groundwater, surface water and drinking water standards for these chemicals and initiate rulemaking for those with available scientific data. For compounds without required data, DEQ will work with academic partners to develop the data needed to set standards.

While standards are being developed, DEQ will offer technical assistance to permittees who take early action and choose to reduce their PFAS releases through materials substitution, pollution control and treatment, and other techniques.

The DEQ Strategy for PFAS Action is online at deq.nc.gov/media/30108/open.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Cowee School Farmer’s Market will be held from Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m., at 51 Cowee School Drive in Franklin. The market has produce, plant starts, eggs, baked goods, flowers, food trucks and music. For more information or for an application, visit www.coweeschool.org or call 828.369.4080.

• Haywood County NAACP will hold its monthly meeting at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Canton. Members will discuss plans for Juneteenth and ongoing work with regard to schools.

All people of good will are welcome to attend.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • FUR’s fifth annual “Wet Your Whiskers” fundraiser will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Wells Event Center at 33 Events Center Way, just off N. Main Street in Waynesville. Learn more or purchase your tickets at www.furofwnc.org. For more information about FUR, visit the website or call Syd at 847.826.5431.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS • Swain County Caring Corner Free Clinic is open Thursday’s 4-9 p.m. at Restoration House (Bryson City United Methodist Church). Office hours are Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9 a.m.-noon. Call 828.341.1998 to see if you qualify to receive free medical care from volunteer providers.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Paul Koptak will be hosting a book reading and signing for his latest work, “Circles in the Stream,” from 13 p.m. Saturday, June 18, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. Koptak is Professor Emeritus at North Park Theological Seminary and author of the “NIV Application Commentary: Proverbs.” Free and open to the public.

828.456.6000 or blueridgebooksnc.com.

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at 308 North Haywood St. in downtown Waynesville. Over two dozen artisans selling handmade and vintage goods. Special events will be held when scheduled. mountainmakersmarket.com.

• Drake Software will host a tribute to summer community concert at Moss Valley Venue in Franklin. Rumors — Fleetwood Mac Tribute will be play June 22. Another group, to be announced, will play Aug. 19. Concerts are free, everyone in the community is invited to attend. For more information call 828.349.5700.

• Quilt Art by the Shady Ladies will be presented from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon-4 p.m.

Sunday, June 24-26, at the Folkmoot Center in Waynesville. Admission is $5, there will be a raffle quilt and boutique. For more information find the Shady Lady Quilting Group on Facebook or visit folkmootusa.org.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host a semiregular acoustic jam with the Main Street NoTones from 7-9 p.m. on Thursdays. Free and open to the public. For more information, click on blueridgebeerhub.com.

• Concerts On The Creek (Sylva) will host Arnold Hill (rock/jam) June 17 and Rewind House Band (hits/oldies) June 24 at Bridge Park in Sylva. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, but donations are encouraged. 828.586.2155 or mountainlovers.com.

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host Slocan Ramblers (bluegrass) 5 p.m. June 18.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $7.50 for children.

828.369.4080 or coweeschool.org/music.

• Fontana Village Resort Wildwood Grill will host Doug Wilhite (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. June 17, Guided By Pigs 6 p.m. June 18 and Wesley Earwood (singer-songwriter) 6 p.m. June 25. Free and open to the public.

800.849.2258 or fontanavillage.com.

• Storytime takes place at 10 a.m. every Tuesday at the Macon County Library. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will host Curtis Blackwell & The Dixie Bluegrass Boys (Americana) June 17 and Southern Highland Band (bluegrass) June 24 at Town Square on Main Street. All shows begin at 6 p.m.

Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• Toddler’s Rock takes place at 10 a.m. every Monday at the Macon County Library. Get ready to rock with songs, books, rhymes and playing with instruments. For more information visit fontanalib.org or call 828.524.3600.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host Circus Mutt (Americana/folk) June 16 and Tim McWilliams (singersongwriter) June 23. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. innovation-brewing.com.

• Waynesville Art School will host Outer Space Themed Art Play (ages 3-6) from 10:45 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturdays June 11,18, 25. Registration is required, $25. waynesvilleartschool.com.

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Music Bingo” w/Hibiscus Sunshine at 7 p.m. every Wednesday and Tina Collins (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. June 18. All events are free and open to the public. innovationbrewing.com.

KIDS & FAMILIES

• Waynesville Art School will host Teeny-Tiny House (ages 8-14) summer camp from 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. June 20-24. Registration is required, $275. wayesvilleartschool.com.

A&E

• Paint and Sip at Waynesville Art School will be held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 7-9:30 p.m.

To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit PaintAndSipWaynesville.com/upcoming-events.

Registration is required, $45.

• Mountain Makers Craft Market will be held from noon

• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host Somebody’s Child (Americana) 7 p.m. June 23. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 or fontanalib.org/brysoncity.

• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Outlaw Whisky (country/oldies) June 25. All shows begin at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown. Free and open to the public. franklinnc.com/pickin-on-the-square.html.

• Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will host Firecracker Jazz Band June 18 and The Swingin’ Richards July 2 at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park on Pine Street. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• The Scotsman (Waynesville) will host The Carter Giegerich Trio (Celtic/bluegrass) from 2-5 p.m. every

Smoky Mountain News

Sunday and Eireann’s Call (Celtic/rock) June 30. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 or scotsmanpublic.com.

• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) “An Appalachian Evening” live music series will include Darin & Brooke Aldridge June 25, Buncombe Turnpike July 2, Chatham Rabbits July 9, Appalachian Roadshow July 16, The Jeff Little Trio July 23, Aubrey Eisenman & The Clydes July 30, The Wildmans Aug. 6, Nu-Blu Aug. 13, Pretty Little Goat Aug. 20 and The Kruger Brothers Aug. 27. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or click on stecoahvalleycenter.com.

• Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host Bridgett Gossett (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. June 26 and Darren Nicholson (Americana/bluegrass) 6 p.m. June 30. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 or valleycigarandwineco.com.

FOOD AND DRINK • “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. For more information on upcoming events, wine tastings and special dinners, click on waynesvillewine.com.

• Take a trip around the world with 4 different wines every Friday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 11a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Bryson City Wine Market. Pick from artisan Charcuterie Foods to enjoy with wines. 828.538.0420 • Cooking classes take place at the McKinley Edwards Inn from 6-8:30 p.m. on Thursday nights. To reserve your spot call 828.488.9626.

35

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 participants how to design a simple mat and how to transfer the pattern to a backing. Cost is $30, register

by June 15. To register, call Dogwood Crafters at 828.586.2248.

• Waynesville Art School will host Painting with Palette Knife (mini-workshop) from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, June 25.

Registration is $75. waynesvilleartschool.com.

• Dogwood Crafter Co-op will host “Make a Poplar Bark Basket” from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. June 29, at the Dillsboro Masonic Lodge. Craftsman Joe Williams will show participants how to turn one piece of poplar bark into a basket. Cost is $30, register by June 20. To register call Dogwood Crafters at 828.586.2248.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES • “Thursday Painters” group will be held from 10 a.m.3 p.m. on Thursdays at The Uptown Gallery in Franklin.

Free and open to the public. All skill levels and mediums are welcome. Participants are responsible for their own project and a bag lunch. 828.349.4607 or pm14034@yahoo.com.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • “Footloose: The Musical” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. June 24-25, July 1-2 and 8-9 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 866.273.4615 or click on smokymountainarts.com.

• “Quirky Comedy & Cocktails” will take place at 8 p.m.

Saturday, June 18, at Quirky Birds Treehouse & Bistro in Dillsboro. Showcasing the finest stand-up Jackson County has to offer. Admission is $10. 828.586.1717 or facebook.com/quirkybirdstreehouse.

• A stage production of the beloved tale “Alice in Wonderland” will be held on select dates throughout this spring at the Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on cherokeehistorical.org/alice-in-wonderland.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • A Vaya Health Class - PTSD: Invisible Scars - will be held from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 15, in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room.

Register for this in-person class at www.vayahealth.com/calendar/ or call the library at 828.524.3600.

• Dogwood Crafters Co-op will host “Carve a Spirit Face” from 1-5 p.m. June 16, at the Dillsboro Masonic Lodge. Well-known woodcarver Ron Yount will share the skills and techniques used in carving a “spirit face” in locust bark. Cost is $18, register by June 9. To register, call Dogwood Crafters at 828.586.2248.

• Waynesville Art School will host Sketching Everyday Life with Pen (mini-workshop) from 1-5 p.m. Saturday, June 18. Registration is $75. waynesvilleartschool.com.

• Dogwood Crafter Co-op will host a class on designing and transferring original rug hooking pattern from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. June 22, at the Dillsboro Masonic Lodge. Master rug hooker Claudia Lampley will show

Outdoors

• Women’s stand-up paddleboard sessions are offered beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 25, at Wolf Lake, as well as 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, at Lake Glenville.

The group will meet at Cullowhee Recreation Center.

Cost is $30 per person. Registration is required either in-person at the recreation center in Cullowhee or Cashiers, or online at jcprd.recdesk.com/community/program. Youth under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

• Nature and Nurture: The Voorhees Family Artistic Legacy will be on display at the Baker Visitors Center through Sept. 5. For more information call 828.665.2492 or visit ncarboretum.org.

• Head to the Spring Creek Community Center near Max Patch 4-5 p.m. Saturday, June 18, to recap, celebrate and recognize the positive changes that have taken place on the iconic site over the past year. The June 18 event will include a presentation from CMC, the ATC and the Forest Service focusing on this restoration effort.

• Head to the Highlands of Roan Saturday, June 18, for a variety of outings and an afternoon social showcasing conservation efforts during the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s annual June Jamboree event.

All events are free, but pre-registration is required due to space limits. For more details and registration, visit appalachian.org/June-Jamboree-2022.

• Darnell Farms will host Summer Splash Saturday, June 18. There will be vendors, crafters, artists, hayrides, live music, demonstrations, special activities and foods. More information at www.darnellfarms.com/happenings/, or at Darnell Farms Facebook.

Market WNC PLACE

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!

Rates: • • • •

• •

• • • • • •

$15 — Classified ads that are 25 words, 25¢ per word after.

Free — Lost or found pet ads. $6 — Residential yard sale ads.* $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m.

Monday for your ad to run again FREE Legal Notices — 25¢ per word $375 — Statewide classifieds run in 170 participating newspapers with 1.1+ million circulation. (Limit 25 words or less) Boost Online — Have your ad featured at top of category online $4 Boost in Print Add Photo $6 Bold ad $2 Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4 Border $4

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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 36

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Announcements

HOOPER REUNION July 9th! All cousins invited, covered dish luncheon of Absalom and Clements Hooper. Text Barbara 706-581-2016 for Location.

MV COMMUNITY GARDENS Yard Sale at the MVUMC Barn, June 11th 7 AM - 2 PM 4192 Soco Road Maggie Valley; All SURFHHGV EHQH¿W WKH good works of the MV Community Gardens and the MVUMC Ministries. (828) 9266050 banksjanetbm@ gmail.com

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HELP WANTED AMICI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT, WAYNESVILLE Looking for reliable kitchen help including line cooks and dishwashers.

Also need hostesses and servers for busy restaurant. Needed Tues.-Sat. Great hours.

Contact Mary Anne, (954) 743-6880 amicisncbookkeeping@gmail.com

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WNC MarketPlace

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Haywood Co. Real Estate Agents 147 Walnut St. • Waynesville 828-456-7376 • 1-800-627-1210

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Real Estate Announcements PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise ‘any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination’. Familial status includes children under 18 living with parents or legal guardians and pregnant women.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate in violation of this law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.

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June 15-21, 2022

Mountain Creek Real Estate • Ron Rosendahl - 828-593-8700

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management • Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com RE/MAX Executive - remax-waynesvillenc.com remax-maggievalleync.com • The Real Team - TheRealTeamNC.com • Ron Breese - ronbreese.com • Landen Stevenson- landen@landenkstevenson.com • Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com • Mary & Roger Hansen - mwhansen@charter.net • David Willet - davidwillet1@live.com • Sara Sherman - sarashermanncrealtor@gmail.com • David Rogers- davidr@remax-waynesville.com • Judy Meyers - jameyers@charter.net

Smoky Mountain Retreat Realty • Tom Johnson - tomsj7@gmail.com • Sherell Johnson - Sherellwj@aol.com

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE

828.452.4251 ads@smokymountainnews.com WNC MarketPlace

37

SUPER

CROSSWORD

LUCKY COMPLEMENT ACROSS 1 Statesman Kefauver 6 Psi follower 11 Very top 15 "Dancing Queen" quartet 19 Political muscle 20 Plain -- (obvious) 21 You, to a Quaker 22 -- rock ('70s genre) 23 "... the Sorcerer's Stone," "... the Chamber of Secrets," etc.

26 Carpentry file 27 Mr. Chips player Peter 28 Desert of the Southwest 29 Harm's way 30 Fashion line?

32 Solon of Athens, Thales of Miletus, etc.

35 "Casino Royale" actress Green 38 Director Howard 40 Sinusitis-treating doc 41 Bullring cries 42 Hawikuh, Cibola, etc.

47 Since Hector was -48 Lilt syllable 51 Allow access to 52 Stole third, perhaps 53 Rhine tributary 55 Adorable sorts 57 Like tornado winds 59 WWII prez 61 C1, C2, etc.

63 Mao -- -tung 64 "Beetle Bailey" dog 67 Hope that one may 69 Uber rival 70 Great Pyramid of Giza, Colossus of Rhodes, etc.

75 "Very funny!"

77 Heavenly

78 Gin fruit 79 Paranormal skill, in brief 82 "Infant," "whining schoolboy," etc.

85 Albeit, for short 87 Boxer's combo 89 Singer Franklin 90 Photo badges, e.g.

92 Rockies ruminants 95 Diarist Nin 96 "My Gal --" 97 -- Mawr, Pennsylvania 99 Envy, gluttony, etc.

102 Trilogy, often 103 Furious 104 Little peeve 105 See 25-Down 106 Red, orange, etc.

112 Barber's sprinkle-on 115 Jetson tyke 116 Criticize petulantly 118 "Eh Cumpari" singer Julius 122 Petri dish stuff 123 100-meter hurdles, high jump, etc.

126 Romantic outing 127 Provo's state 128 "... his wife could -- lean" 129 Justice Dept. employees 130 Plum pit, e.g.

131 Makes illegal 132 Acting Buddy 133 Number of items in each set featured in this puzzle DOWN 1 2 3 4 5

Imitate Shutter strip Bullring bull Italian coins Shag or bob

6 Siouan language 7 Witty sayings 8 These, in Acapulco 9 Actress Davis 10 Extremely light porous solid 11 Words before clinking glasses 12 45 player 13 "A mouse!"

14 Marks, as a ballot 15 Consents (to) 16 Bugle noise 17 Elementary 18 Abundant 24 Anjou and Bosc 25 With 105-Across, singer of the 1960 #1 hit "I'm Sorry" 29 Before printing, for short 31 Bovine noises 33 Dandy guy 34 "Orfeo ed Euridice" composer 35 Brilliant success 36 Looks at 37 Driving a car 39 Browns' org.

43 Third of IX 44 2002 scandal company 45 PC pic file 46 Rated most likely to win 47 Sharp range ridges 48 Minutia 49 Moray milieu 50 The "A" of PDA: Abbr.

54 Sacred Egyptian cross 56 Cost to cross 58 Brit's "Inc." 60 Size again 62 Hood for a monk 65 Be rife (with) 66 Consecrate

68 71 72 73 74 75 76 80 81 83 84 86 88 91 93 94 98 100 101 102 103 106 107 108 109 110 111 113 114 117 119 120 121 123 124 125

Acid artisan Hops kiln FedEx, say Hugs, in a billet-doux Of kidneys Actor Lukas Indian tourist city Sty dwellers Sheriff's band "Wow!" Partner of Wells Outmoded USN jr. officer Justice Antonin Family Sulky mood Veer, as a ship Many an orphan, in time "Therein lies --" Sawed logs 12 in a year Digests a digest, say Pool film Furious Channel airing hearings Detox place Epsom -Molten flows Minos' island Musical pitch "As seen --" Eye affliction The "A" of PGA: Abbr.

Nerve center JFK guess Dijon denial

ANSWERS ON PAGE 34

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38

www.smokymountainnews.com

June 15-21, 2022

WNC MarketPlace

Great Smokies

STORAGE LLC Call 828.506.4112 greatsmokiesstorage.com 434 Champion Drive, Canton, NC 28716 21 Hollon Cove Rd, Waynesville, NC 28786

www.wncmarketplace.com

June 15-21, 2022

WNC MarketPlace

39

WAYNESVILLE OFFICE 74 North Main Street | (828) 634 -7333 Get details on any property in the MLS. Go to beverly-hanks.com and enter the MLS# into the quick search.

4BR, 5BA, 1HB | $1,395,000 | #3829686

June 15-21, 2022

Dogwood Lakes | 1BR, 1BA $165,000 #3826066

$389,000 | #3778948

4BR, 2BA, 1HB $449,000 | #3783254

4BR, 4BA, 1HB $849,900 | #3777103

Junaluska Highlands | 4BR, 5BA $1,100,000 | #3660973

Smoky Mountain News

3BR, 2BA $450,000 | #3573183

3BR, 2BA $749,900 | #3774025

CALL TODAY (828) 634-7333 40