Smoky Mountain News | August 18, 2021

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August 18-24, 2021 Vol. 23 Iss. 12

Residents file class action suit against Mission Page 12 Down Home NC terminates local organizers Page 16

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CONTENTS On the Cover: As students across Western North Carolina return to school this week, many local school boards are still debating whether to enforce mask mandates. With the exception of Haywood County and Transylvania County Schools, all other school systems in the region are requiring masks for students, staff and visitors. (Page 8) Students and staff at Shining Rock Classical Academy are required to wear masks in the classroom. Hannah McLeod photo

News DWA narrowly survives contentious hearing ..............................................................6 Some used lockdown to reach educational goals ................................................10 Residents file class action suit against Mission Health ........................................12 Canton Labor Day will go on, with restrictions ........................................................14 Zoning change could result in sale of Waynesville parcels ................................15 Down Home NC fires local organizers ......................................................................16 Sylva faces $2 million road repair ................................................................................19 Labor market impacts college hiring season ............................................................19

Opinion There is no middle ground with Covid ......................................................................20 A new generation’s Saigon moment............................................................................21

A&E Qualla Arts and Crafts turns 75 ..................................................................................22 A review of Basil’s War and World Travel ..................................................................29

Outdoors August 18-24, 2021

Sylva, Cherokee to partner on trails plan ..................................................................30

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Downtown Waynesville Association narrowly survives contentious hearing

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR he Downtown Waynesville Association has been in the fight of its 36-year political life since Waynesville aldermen refused to renew the group’s contract back in June, but after a highly unusual special called meeting on Aug. 12 where the DWA narrowly avoided the death penalty, aldermen have decided to give the beleaguered organization yet another chance, putting the group on life support for 90 days.

Founded in 1985, the Downtown Waynesville Association administers the Town of Waynesville’s Municipal Service District (MSD) and directs revitalization activities. It’s funded largely through an additional property tax levied on properties in the district.

The DWA’s longtime executive director, Buffy Phillips, had recently come under scrutiny for a litany of management, performance and transparency concerns and barely survived an attempt to remove her from the position in 2018.

With the expiration of the DWA’s five-year contract imminent, Waynesville aldermen held a public comment session on April 27 to gather community input regarding the organization’s performance.

It was there that a group of concerned business owners said it would compete with the DWA through the RFP process for the right to manage the MSD. That group later disappeared, but the problems raised by the group didn’t, so Alderman Anthony Sutton requested five years’ worth of the group’s public records — financial statements, meeting notes and other documents that state law requires public bodies to retain.

Sutton’s request largely mirrors a public records request made by The Smoky Mountain News more than a month prior.

Then, as now, SMN’s request has gone unfulfilled.

That meeting also revealed confusion as to whether or not the executive director had announced her retirement; a story published in The Mountaineer on March 27 said Phillips had made the announcement at the DWA’s most recent meeting.

Phillips didn’t return multiple calls from SMN seeking confirmation, and when board members Leigh Forrester, Olivia Carver and chair Carolyn Brunk were reached, they refused to comment on Phillips’ status.

In June, aldermen revealed that the DWA was the only group to submit a proposal to manage the MSD, but the proposal was riddled with incomplete sentences as well as inaccurate and outdated information, including listing a board member who was deceased, an elected official who had been voted out of office more than 18 months prior, and letters of support from 2016.

The proposal did, however, include Phillips’ resignation letter.

6 Sutton made clear that the proposal was

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Waynesville Town Manager Rob Hites (center) joins Waynesville aldermen at an Aug. 10 meeting. Cory Vaillancourt photo insufficient when he addressed the board that night.

“I have lots of questions about the proposal, also the fact that I still haven’t received all the minutes that were requested,” Sutton said. “I would propose that we do a joint meeting of the entire board of aldermen and [DWA] officers and that we prepare questions and have them readily available for the executive staff to answer at the time of the meeting, because right now I do not feel comfortable proceeding with negotiations with them, as is.”

That’s what brought the board of aldermen together with some of the DWA’s board on Wednesday, Aug. 12, at the Waynesville Recreation Center, where Sutton started out with a scathing review of the documents he had been able to obtain from the DWA. Grasping a thick binder with dozens of colorful post-it notes hanging off its edges, Sutton launched into a scathing summary of what he’d found — or rather, not found — within it.

He began by asking the most basic questions of the board. Who’s on the board? How many are on the board? How often do you meet? What’s your quorum?

Brunk, owner of the Oak Park Inn and chair of the DWA’s executive board, replied with a series of conflicting answers and a general lack of knowledge over who, exactly, was or is on the group’s board.

Sutton asked when the last time the board met, because he hadn’t received meeting minutes since at least April. He also asked about the search committee responsible for hiring the new executive director, and the number of people the group had interviewed. First, the answer was zero, then it was one, then, two.

Brunk also said that she’d received three resumes in the last week, but hadn’t yet interviewed them.

“Until we have a contract it’s really hard to bring someone in,” Brunk said, noting that without assurance the group would even be in existence in the coming months, some candidates were reticent to apply.

Sutton then directed his attention to the meeting minutes in his binder, which he said were “rife with inaccuracies,” noting issues that were raised in meetings that were never followed up on (including an executive director succession plan), minutes from meetings approved by board members who weren’t present at the meeting for which minutes were being approved, and a missing financial audit for 2019 that wasn’t completed until 2020.

“It’s been the last year-and-a-half to two years that things have been slipping,” Brunk told Sutton. Brunk’s been on the board for years, and became chair last year.

Brunk said specifically in response to document requests made by The Smoky Mountain News that she went into the DWA’s office, expecting to find the records readily at

hand, and discovered they weren’t there.

The DWA is a public body subject to the same public records and open meetings laws as municipal governing boards, says Frayda Bluestein, the David M. Lawrence Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government at the School of Government at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

In North Carolina, the remedy for a public records request that isn’t fulfilled is in a court of law, and guidance provided by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources says that records of the sort that have been requested by Sutton and SMN — meeting minutes, agenda packets and the like — are to be retained permanently by the custodial organization.

Statutes also provide criminal penalties for the destruction of records, which could mean trouble for the DWA if they’re not available for production. Board members can also be held personally liable.

“As a board you have a responsibility to know what is going on in your organization and get that info to us regularly,” Sutton told Brunk.

Reading from North Carolina General Statutes, Sutton said that the DWA has to account, very specifically, for how it spends its money, and that he’d seen no accounting whatsoever — another violation of state statute.

Although many members professed a

— Alderman Jon Feichter

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Mayor Pro Tem Julia Boyd Freeman seconded Sutton’s motion, opening up the issue for board discussion that included an especially lenient back-and-forth Q & A session with DWA members.

“It makes a lot of sense,” said Morgan Beryl, the new executive director of the Haywood County Arts Council who serves as an institutional representative on the DWA board. “I mean, from a governmental streamlined perspective of sharing resources, using the same systems, if this is one of your most important assets, your Main Street, I think it makes sense for you all to have a pretty large amount of oversight on what’s happening in that arena, and I think as long as the Main Street program is protected and administrated appropriately, I think that’s the most important thing for Waynesville. That’s my personal opinion.”

Alderman Jon Feichter did not agree, calling it a “fairly monumental step” to assume control of the MSD from the DWA and citing his family’s long history of involvement with the group even as he acknowledged the relative disarray within the organization.

“Obviously there is a huge problem and has been a huge problem for quite some time,” Feichter said.

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“I would prefer us to enable the reconstituted DWA to move forward with the changes and a new director. And let’s see where we are a year from now, holding out the notion that we can always bring it in-house if we need to.”

Some of the DWA’s failures are the responsibility of the board of aldermen, according to Feichter, who with Freeman and Mayor Gary Caldwell has served on the board for five years or longer — in some cases, much longer.

Feichter said he opposed Sutton’s motion and asked if the DWA could be given more time to straighten out its act.

“Taking the step of bringing this in-house is not warranted at this point in time,” Feichter said. “I would prefer us to enable the reconstituted DWA to move forward with the changes and a new director. And let’s see where we are a year from now, holding out the notion that we can always bring it inhouse if we need to.”

Former longtime Alderman LeRoy Roberson, who was voted out in 2019, was also in attendance, agreed with Feichter, and asked for two more years.

“But it’s been five years of disfunction,” Sutton said.

When it came time for Mayor Caldwell to speak, it appeared as though Sutton might have a majority for his motion, saying that the organization had been “going downhill for quite some time,” and reflecting on the DWA’s most recent street festival.

“I came out Friday night to see how that concert [interim executive director] Beth [Gilmore] was putting on. She done a great job, but she done a great job by herself,” Caldwell said. “There was nobody helping her. She was there alone and her husband [Assistant Chief of Police Brandon Gilmore] was out putting up cones and stuff and our guys, the Town of Waynesville crew, helped set all this up, so it makes sense that it be brought in house – because we do it anyway.”

Alderman Chuck Dickson was noncommittal and said he wasn’t quite ready to vote for Sutton’s motion that night, but that he might be convinced to do so. Freeman said she hadn’t gotten the answers she’d hoped to receive.

After another appeal from Feichter and several minutes of DWA members begging for a reprieve, Freeman rescinded her second on Sutton’s motion and proposed a 90-day window for the DWA to correct its inadequacies, including planning for an executive director and completing a strategic plan.

Freeman also expressed dismay that most of the board, including Vice Chair Jonathan Key, weren’t even present at the all-important meeting.

Brunk then offered to resign from the board if her presence could be seen as an obstacle to preserving the DWA’s legacy.

Caldwell subsequently appointed Sutton to the DWA’s board, replacing former Mayor Gavin Brown, who was still listed as the Town of Waynesville’s institutional member even though he lost the November 2019 General Election to Caldwell and has since left town.

Freeman and other aldermen then agreed to loosen up the 90-day “probation” window, saying it wasn’t meant to be a hard and fast deadline, but went on to demand that the DWA report to the board of aldermen monthly for the immediate future.

Sutton’s motion to bring the MSD under town control then died without the requisite second.

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deep admiration for Phillips personally and professionally, they didn’t hesitate to throw her under the bus for nearly every concern raised by Sutton.

“We didn’t know that 90 percent of what Buffy was doing was in her head and not on paper and not in a file,” said Brunk, who with the DWA board is charged with oversight of the DWA’s executive director, administration and activities.

Citing “institutional issues that cannot be resolved within the [existing] board,” Sutton then made a motion to bring the MSD under town control, which would leave the DWA as an organization without a mission and, more importantly, without funding.

Under Sutton’s proposal, the MSD would be administered by a town-appointed board like the cemetery committee. It would run the MSD’s Main Street program and benefit from the town’s professional recordkeeping services and document preservation protocols. The executive director would be a town employee, and a cost savings would likely be realized due to economies of scale in health insurance coverage and payroll operations.

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Shining Rock begins school year in new, permanent home

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER he quiet calm of a bright summer morning dissipates like dew off the freshly manicured lawn upon entering Shining Rock Classical Academy. Inside, the back-toschool energy is palpable.

At the front office, one student is getting checked out, another is waiting for the receptionist to walk him back to a classroom, and before they can leave a tiny, pigtailed girl wanders around the corner asking the woman behind the front desk if she is in the right place.

Something about the matching uniforms make all these children look like they are ready for more than just school. In their khaki pants and zip up hoodies over polos, they almost look like they are ready for adventure, an appropriate look for a school focused on experiential learning.

Shining Rock Classical Academy is experiencing more than its normal share of back-toschool excitement this year as the 2021-22 school year will be the first spent in its brandnew building off Russ Avenue.

After a little over a year at the Wilson and Shackford buildings on the grounds of Lake Junaluska, the public charter school secured the temporary campus at 1023 Dellwood Road. In 2020, the Shining Rock Board of Directors agreed to move forward with a permanent location. The Russ Avenue property was secured, and Shining Rock entered a partnership with BC Construction Group and Premier Financial to begin construction of the new school.

Groundbreaking took place last October, which began the 10-month process to get students in the school doors this August.

“All along for Shining Rock, what we wanted to try and do was to have a perma8 nent facility. We’ve always had a really good

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August 18-24, 2021

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working relationship with the lake, with the Dellwood Property, but that was a lease,” said Head of School Josh Morgan. “This was an opportunity for us to have a permanent home and a permanent facility.”

In addition to a full-size gymnasium, the school building hosts grades K-9. Currently, the school has four kindergarten classes, three classes in each grade first through seventh and two classes each in eighth and ninth grade. The former Dellwood location is being used for the Shining Rock Classical Academy Pre-K program for 3- and 4-year-olds.

“We saw a real need for Pre-K programs in the community and we are excited to help fill that need with our Pre-K program,” said Morgan.

The bottom floor of the new school building is home to elementary grades, and as he passes each classroom, Morgan is greeted with excited waves from the students within. In one kindergarten classroom, students are lined up at the door, most of them sporting some sort of camouflage printed accessory.

“They’re undergoing ABC boot camp. One letter each day for 26 days,” said Morgan.

Upstairs are middle school and early high school grades. Though the school currently only serves students through ninth grade, the plan is to add one more grade level each year as those ninth graders move through their high school career. According to Morgan, plans are already in the works for a second wing of the new building, as the school continues to add more students.

The beauty of the property is especially noticeable on the second floor of the building. Every classroom seems to boast a picturesque view of smoky, green mountains out its several windows. The natural light is abundant, and Morgan is excited to demonstrate one of his favorite features.

Special classes, like art, have their own, permanent rooms in the new building.

Previously those teachers took materials with them and went into the classroom of each group of students they were teaching. In the new building the art room is complete with tables and materials. Morgan pops his head into the room, already lit almost completely with natural light and demonstrates the dimmable lights.

“That’s one of my favorite parts. Not only does it allow us to conserve some energy, but it also allows us to use natural light and not be bombarded by fluorescents all the time,” he said.

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES Shining Rock Classical Academy has one full-time counselor, as well as one full-time nurse that both assist in maintaining students’ mental health.

Morgan says the school takes a serious approach to all-around health, of which mental health is an important part. Students get to move around a lot throughout the day, take breaks for snacks, and receive at least some of their learning outside each day.

In addition to the full-time school counselor, the school partners with several mental health resources in the county to ensure Shining Rock students get the type of help they need, when they need it.

As Morgan walks back down the uppergrades hallway, we pass a student standing alone outside a classroom door.

“Everything OK?” Morgan asks.

“Yes, I’m just cooling off,” the student replies in a tone that suggests Morgan knows exactly what he means.

“Good job, use your strategies,” Morgan says.

Further down the hall Morgan remarks

that this is an example of what he means when he talks about mental health and all-around health. Students should be empowered to use tools they have, and know work for them, to keep their mind and body healthy.

COVID-19

Though the total number of students attending Shining Rock Classical Academy this year does not reach the full capacity, over 600 students, for the new building, Shining Rock currently occupies every classroom, partly in an effort to help spread students out during this time when social distancing is necessary. Social distancing is just one way the school aims to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The school has also decided to mandate masks, at least for now, for students, staff and visitors to the building.

According to Morgan, the school decided to mandate masks because local, state and national health officials were all recommending public schools do so.

“We wanted to make this school year as normal as possible,” said Morgan. “By wearing masks, encouraging outdoor education whenever possible and spreading kids out, we will be able to have a less disruptive school year. Less cases and less quarantining.”

According to Morgan, eight days in the school has already had more COVID-19 cases this year than all of last year. There have been 11 COVID-19 cases among students and staff, resulting in 67 individuals in quarantine protocol as of Aug. 16.

“If the school year had been starting up at the beginning of July, we probably wouldn’t have been wearing masks,” said Morgan.

But, cases in the community have risen significantly since July with Haywood County Health and Human Services reporting 73 daily cases, and 206 cases in the last seven days.

Because the guidelines laid out in the StrongSchoolNC Public Health Toolkit worked so well for the school last year, Shining Rock Classical Academy has decided to follow its guidelines again for the 2021-22 school year. The decision was made in conjunction with local health officials.

MACON

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HAYWOOD

SWAIN Swain County Schools will start the year with a mask mandate, reversing a previous decision to make masks optional for the 2021-22 school year.

At the July 29 Swain County School Board meeting, the board had decided to make masks optional for all students, staff and visitors. In making this decision, the board made it clear that the decision was based on current conditions and was subject to change if COVID-19 transmission rates grew to dangerous levels in the community.

According to Swain County Public Health Director Alison Cochran, that time has come.

Cochran presented the latest COVID-19 information to the school board and the board questioned Cochran about social distancing and quarantine requirements for students and staff when masks are required versus when they are not.

The big takeaway was that when students are consistently masked, symptom-free students are not required to quarantine after having close contact with a COVID-positive peer. When masks are optional, students that have been within six feet of a COVIDpositive peer would have to quarantine for the appropriate amount of time, or until they receive a negative COVID-19 regardless of whether they are experiencing symptoms.

When the board asked Cochran what her level of concern was, she said that because cases are sharply increasing and students and teachers are about to return to classrooms where they are in close contact, indoors there is reason for concern. Cochran said that all the public health directors she had spoken with were recommending their school board follow CDC and state guidelines.

The board took Cochran’s advice. Board member Kimberly Carpenter made a motion to start the school year requiring masks indoors for all students, staff and visitors.

The motion passed unanimously.

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Smoky Mountain News

The Haywood County School Board originally voted to make masks optional on July 27. At that meeting, local health officials recommended the board begin the year with a mask mandate according to the guidelines laid out by North Carolina Health and Human Services, or devise standards of transmission and infection rates that would determine the need for temporary mask mandates in the future. Fourteen parents spoke in favor of optional masks, while two pleaded with the board to require masks.

One of those two parents advocating for a mask mandate, Natasha Bright, returned on Aug. 9 and presented a petition to the board asking to start the school year with universal masking. At the time of the Aug. 9 meeting the petition had more than 600 signatories.

On Aug. 13, the school board held an emergency school board meeting to discuss the issue again. By that time, the petition to start the year with universal masking had

over 800 signatures. At the meeting the school board issued a strong statement asking students to wear masks while indoors but did not enact a mask mandate.

“While masking is still a choice, the Haywood County Schools Board of Education, Haywood County Health and Human Services and Haywood County Schools administration strongly recommend the use of masks in indoor settings at this time,” said Chairman Chuck Francis during the meeting. “Masking is also requested at outdoor events if social distancing is not possible.”

According to the statement, since the board’s action on July 27, COVID-19 cases have significantly increased with several clusters developing in the county. One cluster was connected to the school system’s maintenance department.

“There have been several conversations between Board of Education members, Haywood County Schools Administration and Haywood County Health and Human Services Officials,” said Superintendent Dr. Bill Nolte. “We want to have in-person learning this year. In-person learning is clearly the best learning situation for most students.

We are concerned the increasing and rapid spread of COVID-19 coupled with low mask wearing rates could result in uncontrolled spread at school, numerous quarantines and an inability to have in-person school.”

While masking is still a choice, the Haywood County Schools Board of Education, Haywood County Health and Human Services and Haywood County Schools’ administration strongly recommend the use of masks in indoor school settings at this time. The board of education reserves the right to make masking mandatory if necessary.

Shining Rock Classical Academy, the only charter school in Haywood County, decided to follow guidance from the governor, as well as state and local health officials and mandate masks for all students, staff and visitors in its school.

August 18-24, 2021

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER s COVID-19 cases rise, in large part due to the spread of the new Delta variant, school boards across the state are opting to mandate masks for students and staff. y On July 21, Gov. Roy Cooper issued guidr ance for K-12 public schools in North g Carolina, recommending universal masking for all students, staff and visitors. The recommendations leave the decision to mandate masks up to local school boards. y As of Aug. 17, over half of North f Carolina’s 115 school districts have mask mandates in place, according to the N.C. School Board Association. The remaining districts are leaving the decision up to parents.

In The Smoky Mountain News coverage area, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties have all decided to mandate masks in schools, while Haywood County remains the sole school board to keep masks an option for individual families.

Macon County Schools had originally planned to start the year without a mask mandate. At the July 22 meeting, Superintendent Dr. Chris Baldwin said that because mask mandates would be a local decision as of July 30, he had been in regular conversation with Macon County Health Director Kathy McGaha.

As of July 22, based on the level of COVID-19 transmission in Macon County, McGaha did not recommend starting the school year off requiring face coverings.

However, Baldwin said that they would continue to monitor COVID transmission rates in the community and would discuss parameters and thresholds regarding what level of transmission within the community and schools would require the need for temporary face covering requirements.

On Aug. 16, due to rising levels of transmission within the community, and after lengthy discussion, the Macon County School Board voted 3-2 to require masks indoors for students and staff. Board members Melissa Evans and Tommy Cabe voted against the mask mandate.

Masks are now required inside school facilities and school transportation. Masks will not be required outside, or during vigorous physical activity. The mask mandate will be re-evaluated weekly.

Baldwin expressed concern about the ability to keep schools open if masks were optional due to quarantine requirements.

At the Aug. 16 meeting, McGaha recommended starting the year with a mask mandate due to rising cases and higher transmission rates in the county. McGaha noted that anyone within 6 feet of a positive COVID patient for 15 minutes or longer is considered a close contact. If both parties are masked, asymptomatic close contacts do not have to quarantine. If one or both parties are unmasked the close contact has to quarantine regardless of symptoms.

Because the meeting was virtual, parents and community members had their remarks read aloud by the board attorney during a public comment session that lasted over an hour. In addition to parents and community members, Congressman Madison Cawthorn, R-NC, addressed the board virtually to implore the board to make masks optional.

“I know that you are here to reconsider instituting a mask mandate on the school and the children throughout this next school year. And I understand the main reason you’re probably doing that is because we had unelected bureaucrats who serve at the favor

of our North Carolina’s governor, who are trying to force their will upon you, they’re trying to make your life difficult by saying that, ‘oh, if just one student is found to have COVID-19, then we’re going to have force that entire class to go into quarantine.’ I understand that sounds difficult, but my friends, the superintendent of the schools in your county works for you, they don’t work for the governor. They do not work for the bureaucrats in Raleigh. And so I ask, please stand up and do the hard thing,” he said.

Cawthorn said that while the decision to make masks optional may be unpopular, and the board may receive some backlash, “the people at Raleigh can’t arrest all of us. They can’t come shut all of our schools down.”

However, according to the governor’s orders, the decision to require masks is a local decision, not one the board could face legal trouble for.

He also spoke out against mask mandates at school board meetings in Buncombe County and Transylvania County this month. Buncombe County School Board voted to require masks, but Transylvania decided to keep masks optional.

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As COVID cases rise, schools reverse mask decisions

“We wanted to make this school year as normal as possible,” said SRCA Head of School Josh Morgan. “By wearing masks, encouraging outdoor education whenever possible and spreading kids out, we will be able to have a less disruptive school year.

Less cases and less quarantining.”

According to Morgan, eight days into the year the school has already had more COVID19 cases this year than all of last year. There have been 11 COVID-19 cases among students and staff, resulting in 67 individuals in quarantine protocol as of Aug. 16.

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“I think it solidified it for me, just seeing how heroic healthcare workers were during the pandemic, and I kind of wished that I could already be there,” she said. “I wished I could have fast-tracked into nursing school and into a hospital and that I could have been one of those nurses on the front lines. I 100% wish I could have done that.”

WCU WELCOMES MORE OLDER STUDENTS

Associate Director of Distance Learning Tony Miller said he’s seen an increase in the number of distance learning students and the average number of credits each student takes since the pandemic hit. Holly Kays photo

Smoky Mountain News

August 18-24, 2021

Pandemic pivot Some used lockdown to reach educational goals

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER aitlyn Nelson was three-and-a-half months into living her Australian dream when the Coronavirus Pandemic hit, forcing her and her partner to cut short their plans for a yearlong adventure driving their van around the Pacific continent.

They’d saved up for two years to make it happen, Nelson, 32, building up her portion of the fund with hard-earned dollars from long hours and double shifts in the service industry. A Waynesville native, she’d spent the previous four years as a server at Boojum Brewing Company, also taking a job at Tupelo Honey in Asheville as she ramped up her efforts to build the adventure fund.

“It was tough juggling that schedule, but I’d always had a travel goal in mind, and that allowed me to push through those long hours and doubles,” she said.

Waitressing is hard work, but it’s a job you can pick up and put down as life unfolds and geography changes. For Nelson, it allowed her the freedom to see the world.

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PIVOT TO NURSING Then COVID hit. She returned from Australia with no job, no plans and two weeks of post-travel quarantine to slog through.

10 That left a lot of time to reflect, and as she was

journaling Nelson found a worksheet tucked into her notebook that a former therapist had given her years earlier, designed to help her figure out how her skills and passions might translate into a career.

She filled out the worksheet, and the result was clear.

“Everything pointed to nursing,” she said.

Almost immediately, she started looking into programs.

It wasn’t the first time Nelson had declared her desire to become a nurse. Years ago, she entered Florida State University as an undergraduate desiring some sort of medical career. She eventually settled on nursing and was accepted to FSU’s program. But she never finished, exiting the program a year later to finish her degree in family and child sciences instead.

“I don’t know if I got FOMO of my other friends whose classes were getting easier as they were seniors and mine were getting harder, or if I was burnt out,” she said. “It was just a mixture of things, because nursing school is just very tough and very taxing.”

Either way, she said, “my heart wasn’t in it” at the time — though even after graduation nursing hung in the back of her mind, a possibility she toyed with off and on for years.

She kept her scrubs and her books, getting rid of them less than two years ago during a pre-Australia purge of her possessions.

Now, Nelson will need a new pair of scrubs. After finishing up some prerequisites over the past year, this fall she’s starting Western Carolina University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, based in the Biltmore Park campus in Asheville. It’s a continuously operating foursemester program — no summers off — so if all goes as planned, she’ll graduate in December 2022.

It’s a daunting challenge, but Nelson feels like she’s ready. The pandemic had a lot to do with that.

Nelson isn’t the only one to feel that desire. WCU’s ABSN program, which is geared toward adults who already have a bachelor’s degree, has seen a massive spike in interest since the pandemic hit. It had 67 applicants for 35 spots in the 2019-2020 school year, and that figure grew 33% to 89 applicants in 2020-21. Meanwhile, application volume for 2021-22 has nearly doubled compared to 2019, with 128 people applying for a slightly expanded 45 spots.

“As I listened to the new ABSN students who started today — I heard them say that during COVID they realized the impact the nurses had and they wanted to have an impactful life,” said Interim School of Nursing Director Marguerite Murphy. “Some said they needed a profession where they could get a job.”

For many people, the pandemic’s onset was like a giant pause button, halting the ceaseless flurry of activity that frequently characterized pre-pandemic life. Some people got laid off. Some had their hours cut.

Others saw their jobs switch to a work-from-

Nelson smiles for a headshot photo for the nursing program she begins this fall at Western Carolina University. Donated photo home model or got hit with a two-week quarantine after exposure to the virus.

“Having that time where I couldn’t go anywhere and I couldn’t do anything, it gave me time to sit with that and actually sit with myself,” said Nelson. “I was already in a really reflective place and a place of processing. It gave me that time.”

Others, it seems, had similar experiences.

The 2020-21 academic year saw the most WCU undergraduates age 25 or older of any of the last 10 years, as counted by either percentage

of the student body or absolute numbers. The 2020-21 student body included 10,517 undergraduates, of whom 1,879 — or 17.9% — were 25 or older, meaning that they’re following a path other than the traditional post-high school degree. The figure edges the 1,698 such students who enrolled in 2019-20, which was at that time the highest absolute number since 2011, and it exceeds the 17.5% of the overall undergrad population claimed by students 25 and older in 2013-14, which previously had the highest percentage of the last 10 years.

Meanwhile, the share of graduate students age 25 and older actually fell in the 2020-21 school year even as it rose in absolute numbers, with the 3,062 students in that demographic accounting for 68.5% of total graduate enrollment compared to 70.2% in 2019-20. That’s the highest number in the last 10 years, but the lowest percentage of overall graduate enrollment.

While WCU saw an overall increase in enrollment last year, that increase did not come from first-time, full-time freshmen, whose ranks plummeted 14.5%. Instead, the growth came mainly from distance learners and graduate students, whose populations grew 5.45% and 1.65%, respectively.

Enrollment figures for the 2021-22 school year won’t be released until after Sept. 3.

DISTANCE LEARNERS THRIVE There is significant overlap between WCU’s distance learning population and its over-25 population, with about 85% of people enrolled in the distance learning program falling into the 25-and-up demographic, said Associate Director of Distance Learning Tony Miller. His program saw increased interest during the pandemic, with enrollment growing from 2,450 in fall 2019 to 2,594 in fall 2020.

“We had people who were changing careers and kind of just moving on, trying to get some more security, and they also had the time to do it because maybe they were laid off or what have you,” Miller said. “And then we also saw an increase in the amount of courses current students were taking.”

Most distance learning students are adults pursuing a degree piecemeal as they juggle the responsibilities of work, marriage or kids, so it’s common for them to take just a few credits per semester, or to take semesters off when “real life” gets too busy to accommodate their school schedule. But during the pandemic, Miller said, fewer students took time off, and many of them increased their course load, enrolling nine or 12 credits at a time. The exception to the rule were students who work in public service professions like emergency medicine, policing and disaster management — their workload increased during the pandemic, and many of them took fewer classes than they had previously.

“The majority of it though,” he said, “has just been students taking advantage of their downtime or the work-from-home part of the time to basically say, ‘This is a great time to finish out my degree and possibly get some security.’”

Distance learning grew through both the fall and spring 2020 semesters, said Miller, and it’s on track to jump by multiple percent-

FUNDRAISER TO BENEFIT PAWS news

Nelson greets a kangaroo during her 2020 excursion, her van Sheila in the background. Donated photo age points this fall, though exact fall enrollment figures are not yet available.

“People see it as an opportunity,” he said.

“It’s an economically affordable and convenient way to finish the degree and still manage the work-life balance, and I think that’s what appeals to the adult students getting their degree.”

Due to the N.C. Promise Tuition Plan and the fewer fees charged to online students, distance learning costs about $66 per credit hour, meaning that an entire bachelor’s degree could come in under $5,000.

‘IT INSPIRES THE HELPERS’

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emergency like the Coronavirus Pandemic awakens an instinct that dwells naturally the kinds of people who seek out health and public safety careers.

“I think it really inspires the helpers,” she said. “Healthcare professionals or people who work in medicine, I think they’re naturalborn helpers. To see something play out like that, I think you kind of get your calling in a very real way.”

Nelson has maintained her divorce with the service industry since returning from Australia, though she notes that the Thirsty Monk isn’t far from the Biltmore Campus where she’ll be taking her classes. It’s a flexible job that she could always go back to — “like riding a bike,” she said.

But while she’s trying not to rule out the possibility, should the situation call for it, Nelson doesn’t foresee herself getting back on that particular kind of bike. She currently works in a vaccine support position at the Haywood County Department of Health and Human Services, and she was offered the chance to keep her job on a part-time, remote basis after starting school. It’s a dream set-up, and Nelson is ready to start thinking about the future rather than the past.

“Travel nursing is the plan, obviously,” she said, dreaming of a future career working with women and children in developing countries.

“I’m ready to focus forward,” she said, “rather than going back.”

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August 18-24, 2021

While non-traditional students flocked to online programs like WCU’s amid the pandemic, institutions like Haywood Community College had to pivot as the virus’s onslaught severely complicated most of the college’s continuing education and certificate programs.

“For a continuing education group that’s never really ran classes online, we pivoted pretty quick, and we put a lot of classes online that we never had,” said HCC Dean of Workforce Continuing Education Doug Burchfield. “That was important to keeping our public safety groups up to date on everything that they needed. That was a big deal for us. That was a big lift from not only my department, but our distance learning group.”

Burchfield had to reduce class sizes and cut certain offerings completely in order to prioritize resources and allow for virus safety precautions. Overall, the continuing education program saw enrollment drop by about 15 percent — “about average” for continuing education programs during the pandemic, Burchfield said. Nationwide, community colleges have seen significant dips in overall enrollment since the pandemic hit.

Some of the continuing education programs that did continue through the pandemic saw a marked increase in interest, mostly on the public safety side. The basic law enforcement training program usually enrolls 11-13 students, Burchfield said, but the most recent offering drew 19 students.

Similarly, the latest EMS program enrolled 14 people, more than typical.

“When there’s a pandemic going on, folks are running toward it,” Burchfield marveled.

Nelson thinks that’s because a global

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Residents file suit against Mission Health

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS EDITOR group of Western North Carolina residents has filed a class action lawsuit against Mission Health System and its parent corporation HCA Healthcare, claiming the health care giants are operating a monopoly that violates North Carolina’s antitrust and consumer protection laws.

According to the lawsuit, HCA has monopoly market power across seven counties — 90.9% in Yancey County; 90% in Madison; 86.6% in Buncombe; 85.4% in Mitchell; 78.7% in Transylvania; 76.4% in McDowell and 74.7% in Macon.

The plaintiffs — William Alan Davis, Richard Nash, Will Overfelt, Jonathan Powell, Faith Cook and Katherine Button — claim the monopoly market share in the seven WNC counties allows the healthcare system to charge more than twice the average cost for services.

Mission Health was the last nonprofit healthcare system in the region until it was purchased by HCA in 2019. Dr. Ron Paulus, who was Mission’s CEO during the purchase, claimed HCA would be able to pour more financial resources into rural healthcare. Opponents of the $1.5 billion sale, however, feared a takeover from the for-profit conglomerate would lead to higher costs and lower quality care.

The plaintiffs claim that is exactly what has happened since HCA took over, despite efforts by the Attorney General’s Office to ensure the purchase agreement protected the welfare of residents in Mission’s coverage areas. The purchase agreement, which had to receive approval from Attorney General Josh Stein, included a provision for an independent monitor to be the watchdog to ensure HCA/Mission was meeting its obligations of the agreement.

Gibbons Advisors was hired as the independent monitor firm and has held public input meetings across Mission’s coverage area. Those meetings have often been tense, with residents expressing frustration over changes made under HCA’s ownership and not getting the answers they need.

However, Mission’s monopoly allegedly goes farther back than the HCA purchase.

The class-action suit claims Mission has operated its hospital system as a monopoly since 1995 when it merged with its only competitor in the region — St. Joseph’s Hospital. Since the merger, the lawsuit asserts that Mission became the only inpatient general acute care hospital provider in Buncombe and Madison counties.

“From 1995 until 2016, Mission was immunized from antitrust liability by a state statute under which it was issued a Certificate of Public Advantage (“COPA”).

COPAs are a form of regulation in which a hospital is permitted to operate as a monopoly in exchange for subjecting itself to state oversight,” the lawsuit reads. “In 2016, after years of lobbying by Mission executives, the State repealed the COPA, leaving in place an 12 unregulated monopoly. Once that repeal

Smoky Mountain News

August 18-24, 2021

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occurred, both Mission and any later purchasers of its assets, including HCA, lost any immunity from suit under the antitrust laws.”

According to the suit, after the COPA was repealed and before HCA purchased Mission assets, Mission engaged in “improper restraints on competition” by enforcing unlawful terms and arrangements with private payers, including commercial health plans and third-party administrators of selfinsured plans.

Examples listed as improper restraints include tying all or nothing arrangements, gag clauses and other anti-competitive terms

according to a large commercial dataset, HCA is charging more than two times the state average for a C-section without complications.

Another claim in the suit says that HCA has been cutting costs and staff “at an alarming rate” to maximize profits and has reduced rural access to services by consolidating services at its flagship facility in Asheville. This point has been a major complaint in the western counties with Missionaffiliated hospitals, especially Angel Medical Center in Franklin and Highlands-Cashiers Hospital on the Plateau.

“HCA cannot deny the negative effects

the past four years as we have struggled against a for profit hospital taking over our community hospital? Where were you when we stood outside Angel with our signs trying to keep Labor and Delivery open for our young families? Or when doctors began leaving? Or when I tried to get local elected officials to join me in questioning the sale and what would happen under a for profit hospital corporation (HCA) with a rather interesting track record?” Scott said, referring to Sen. Kevin Corbin, R-Franklin. Corbin represents the region in the General Assembly.

Scott added that legislators showed little support when he and Highlands Mayor Pat

Mission Health and its parent company HCA Healthcare now face a class action lawsuit claiming the health system has a monopoly in the region.

and negotiating devices. The lawsuit claims that these practices increased the prices of hospital services, insurance premiums, and copays or deductibles paid by residents in Mission’s 18-county WNC service area.

HCA reported revenue of $51 billion in 2020 with a net income of $37 billion. The lawsuit asserts that HCA — the world’s largest for-profit hospital chain — has been subject to about 20 prior Federal Trade Commission antitrust proceedings in the past and purchased Mission knowing full well of the monopoly it held in the region.

“When HCA purchased Mission’s assets effective January 2019, HCA did so precisely because of Mission’s outsized ability to dictate prices and other contract terms to its customers,” the lawsuit states.

The suit also claims HCA continued these improper restraints in its agreements with commercial health plans and thirdparty administrators after purchasing Mission and has also refused to fully comply with a rule enacted by President Donald Trump’s administration to increase transparency in healthcare pricing.

“Were HCA to comply and reveal to consumers and regulators the true prices that it charges, the public would know that HCA/Mission’s prices for key services are by far the highest in North Carolina,” the lawsuit reads.

For example, the lawsuit claims that

that unregulated hospital monopolies inflict on our Nation’s healthcare system. Indeed, in 2018 — while it was negotiating its takeover of Mission — HCA complained to an agency in Florida about a competitor’s ‘monopolistic dominance,’ stating that ‘patients suffer from lack of access to care in their community,’ they ‘have little to no healthcare provider choice,’ and ‘this type of monopolistic environment within the healthcare market stifles innovation and breeds a culture that negatively impacts the cost and quality of care.’”

The lawsuit came as no surprise to Franklin Mayor Bob Scott, who had major concerns about how HCA’s purchase of Mission hospitals would impact his town’s rural hospital and local services. Even before the purchase, Scott and many others in Macon County were outraged when Mission decided in 2017 to shut down Angel Medical Center’s labor and delivery unit. That closure forced expectant mothers to either drive 25 minutes over the mountain to Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva or drive over an hour to deliver at Mission Hospital in Asheville.

Scott called out elected leaders on Facebook after the lawsuit became public, claiming they hadn’t done enough to protect residents from Mission and HCA practices to this point.

“Sen. Corbin, where have you been for

Taylor traveled to Raleigh to voice their concerns to Stein and his staff. While he’s been told by other local and state officials to “butt out” and that the mayor doesn’t have any business intervening in the hospital’s business deal, he hopes the lawsuit brings more attention to what’s going on at Mission facilities.

“Now perhaps we can get some help. I am afraid it may be too late. Folks from all over Western North Carolina have sounded the alarm,” Scott said. “What is a mayor to do? Sit on his hands while health care is shifting from our town to a metropolitan area? I remain adamant to stay in this fight until I am confident that our residents will continue to receive the finest medical care as possible without having to be flown somewhere else.”

Though Scott didn’t feel like he or the community had the support from Corbin, the senator issued a joint statement with Rep. Brian Turner and Sen. Julie Mayfield on Aug. 10 after the lawsuit was filed.

“While we are still reviewing the complaint, we applaud these citizens for taking action. The summary reflects what Western North Carolina individuals, doctors, and businesses have reported experiencing since HCA purchased Mission Health: higher costs, downgraded quality of care, and reduced access to health care, especially in rural areas,” the statement read.

“HCA’s practices are particularly

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troubling because they acquired a non-profit hospital with a regulated monopoly in Asheville, leaving no realistic alternatives for many types of care in the region. HCA promised to maintain quality of care in the Mission Health purchase agreement and it is time for them to fulfill that promise by competing fairly and focusing on patients.”

In a conference call with the media Aug. 10, State Rep. Brian Turner and State Sen. Julie Mayfield said they support the lawsuit and applaud the plaintiffs for raising important issues.

“People are glad someone is finally paying attention, and a group of folks had the courage to step up and take on this issue,” Turner said, adding that Mission is the region’s largest private employer, impacting many residents’ lives and livelihoods.

“This lawsuit is not the be-all, end-all, fix-all of the problem,” Mayfield said. “But we do hope it is a strong step in the right direction in addressing many issues and concerns we have heard.”

Both Mayfield and Turner said that in the more than two years since for-profit HCA purchased the hospital system, they’ve not heard from a single patient, physician or staffer who’s had a positive word to say about the changes.

HCA has been the defendant in other similar lawsuits. According to The New York Times, HCA paid out $95 million in criminal penalties after pleading guilty in December 2020 to charges that it obtained some of its money by cheating government healthcare programs. The criminal complaints were filed in federal court in Florida, Texas, Georgia and Tennessee and claim that HCA “intentionally misidentifying marketing expenses as reimbursable patient costs, haggling with home care agencies to strike illegal deals, and claiming on a reimbursement form that idle space in a hospital was being used for patient care.”

The $95 million was just a partial judgment within a larger criminal and civil investigation into HCA’s business practices.

In total, HCA agreed to pay $840 million in criminal and civil penalties, making it the largest fraud settlement in American history.

Mission Health Spokesperson Nancy Lindell issued the following statement to the media: “Once we have been served with the lawsuit, we will respond appropriately through the legal process. We are committed to caring for Western North Carolina as demonstrated through more than $330 million in Charity Care and uninsured discounts we provided in 2020, expansion of hospital services including the opening of the North Tower, a new Pediatric ER, and securing land for a new 120-bed behavioral health hospital. Further, we have invested in our colleagues with onboarding nearly 1,200 new members this year and providing more than $3 million in student loan and tuition reimbursement in 2020. Mission Health is committed to the health and wellbeing of every person who comes to us for care and we are proud of our dedicated hospital teams that are facing the many challenges of this pandemic and the exceptional care they have provided to our patients.”

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Canton Labor Day will go on, with restrictions

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR f there’s one thing you can say about Canton’s elected officials, it’s that they’re thorough.

After more than five hours of open, public debate, Canton’s board of aldermen/women thinks it has found a way forward with regard to the town’s historic annual Labor Day festivities.

“If we’re going to have this, there are sacrifices we’re going to have to make,” said Alderwoman Kristina Smith during the Aug. 12 meeting, which came on the heels of a three-hour back-and-forth with Haywood County Medical Director Dr. Mark Jaben on Aug. 9.

On Aug. 9, Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers broke a rare tie to join Smith and Alderman Tim Shepard in voting to have the festival.

Alderman Ralph Hamlett and Mayor Pro Tem Gail Mull were opposed.

The Aug. 12 meeting was not about “if,” it was about “how.”

“Can we deliver a Labor Day that’s worthy of the name?” Smathers asked.

Assistant Town Manager Lisa Stinnett presented the board with two options based on the conversations with Jaben for ensuring the safety of the historic, family-friendly event as COVID-19 numbers again surge after a quiet summer.

Smith and Shepard motioned for the

Smoky Mountain News

August 18-24, 2021

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Spectators swarm Canton’s downtown during the September, 1946 Labor Day parade.

The Log photo

more restrictive of the two options, which would limit capacity and eliminate several of the attractions — like the Kids Corner — but after a 45-minute recess, the board unanimously approved a hybrid solution that will allow the event to proceed.

“While it pains me greatly, I think it’s the best way to move forward,” Smith said.

The final outcome appears to be a compromise between aldermen who voted to have the festival, and those who didn’t.

Although the Monday parade will contin-

ue, all musical events on Monday will be cancelled, however the Ingles Ultimate Air Dog Show, food trucks and car show will all take place as planned.

The good news is, Sunday’s full schedule will continue, although there will be no gospel singing (due to the close quarters), no VIP tent and none of the normal activities for children.

Attendance at the Sunday performances will be limited to 2,500 — a far cry from the usual 7,000 to 10,000 spectators the events usually draw. The events will also be ticketed, with admission priced at $10.

In making the decision to cancel Monday’s musical acts, including bluegrass legend Doyle Lawson, the Town of Canton leaves more than $13,000 on the table of terms on non-refundable deposits.

“It’s one of those things where we’re trying to provide this during a difficult time,” Shepard said. “This gives us the best options to be able to do that and control what we can control.”

At no point were masking or vaccination requirements for attendees discussed.

Instead, the town encourages visitors to act responsibly when they arrive.

Parameters for the 114th annual Canton Labor Day Festival are still fluid and remain subject to change.

For the most up-to-date information on the festival, visit www.cantonlaborday.com.

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828.246.9135 haywoodhabitat.org

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR pair of undeveloped parcels at the southwest corner of Asheville Highway and Howell Mill Road have undergone a zoning change that will clear the way for more badly needed residential development.

“This property is in a prominent location in one of the gateways into our town,”

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Zoning change could result It’s Always Sipping Season in sale of Waynesville parcels The change is a win/win situation, or perhaps a win/win/win situation under the right circumstances.

The previous zoning would have allowed such uses as landfills or trucking operations. Such businesses aren’t bound by appearance standards — a troublesome proposition, as the property does indeed serve as one of the eastern gateways to Waynesville. It also abuts Raccoon Creek,

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Smoky Mountain News

and is right across Old Asheville Highway from Junaluska Elementary School.

The new Raccoon Creek Neighborhood Residential zoning designation carries relatively high appearance standards. A planning board staff report dated April 19 suggests “architectural and site design should be of the highest quality.”

The final win could come if residential development ends up occupying the site, which has access to drainage, water and electric service. Right now, zoning would allow for up to 10 units per acre, or up to 16 with a special use permit.

At 10 acres, the site is comparable to the former BI-LO location on Russ Avenue, which is 8.8 acres and will soon host approximately 200 residential units.

The property is listed for sale with Billy Case of Beverly Hanks for $1.95 million. A listing on www.realtor.com says the site is under contract and that a contingency sale is pending. The contingency contract couldn’t immediately be confirmed, as a call to Case’s cellphone has a voicemail message stating that he’s out of town without access to phone or email.

If the property does indeed end up hosting residential development, it would join another residential project further west on Howell Mill Road, announced this past March.

That project, helmed by nonprofit developer Mountain Housing Opportunities, would contain more than 80 units of affordable housing, with the cheapest one-bedroom unit going for $388 a month and the most expensive three-bedroom unit renting for $963 a month.

August 18-24, 2021

Byron Hickox, a zoning and land use administrator in Waynesville’s Development Services department.

The parcels, located in the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, total just over 10.4 acres and were once part of the Waynesville Industrial Park, but were deeded to the Haywood Advancement Foundation in 1999.

In 2006, they were sold to the current owner, Glenn Tolar, at which time the parcels were graded into relatively flat condition by the North Carolina Department of Transportation during the Howell Mill Road widening project.

A report from Hendersonville-based WGLA Engineering says the parcels have been for sale for four years. Despite the premium usually paid for developable land in Western North Carolina, part of the reason these parcels haven’t yet sold could be the zoning designation of CommercialIndustrial.

Commercial-Industrial is the only classification in the town’s zoning system that allows no residential use, as it’s intended to support heavy commercial, manufacturing, warehousing and storage.

Toler originally approached the board in March about the rezoning, but delayed the hearing to entertain other options. Over the summer, Toler returned to ask for the rezone. Currently, there is no developer or site plan attached to the parcels.

The planning board approved the change for the parcels to Raccoon Creek Neighborhood Residential at its Aug. 26 meeting, and a unanimous vote by Waynesville aldermen made it official on Aug. 10.

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Dr. John Highsmith

www.TeethTomorrowAsheville.com

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news

Down Home N.C. fire local organizers

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR ver the past few years, political action group Down Home North Carolina has made a name for itself in Western North Carolina by championing issues important to working families, but a recent spate of staff firings in the midst of a unionization drive by its employees — along with allegations of hush money — suggests Down Home doesn’t practice what it preaches when it comes to standing with workers.

“Over the last year I’ve spent so many hours in addition to work hours demanding transparency and accountability from an organization that demands transparency and accountability from people in power,” said Jesse Lee Dunlap, a (former) community organizer with Down Home’s Haywood County chapter. “It’s pretty whack that they are saying that the three people that were let go aren’t working, because we work our butts off and we’re trying to hold Down Home to the ideals that it professes to have.”

Dunlap, along with Haywood-based statewide organizer Chelsea White-Hoglen and another organizer based in Alamance County were unceremoniously terminated late last week. Dunlap found out when they couldn’t get into their company email account and then received an email saying they were terminated with cause, citing “performance history.”

The “with cause” stipulation means Dunlap won’t be eligible for unemployment

Smoky Mountain News

August 18-24, 2021

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benefits. White-Hoglen, mother of a newborn and a four-year employee of Down Home, said she’d been given the same reason for termination.

Both Dunlap and White-Hoglen say the terminations are unwarranted, and stem from animosity by Down Home North Carolina Co-director Todd Zimmer.

Dunlap said they’d filed several formal grievances against Zimmer, including one about a policy that states that grievances against Zimmer would be investigated by Zimmer.

White-Hoglen said she’d received a written disciplinary warning from Zimmer about her performance giving her until September to meet certain deliverables, but was given an unachievable corrective plan and was terminated after filing grievances against Zimmer for creating a hostile work environment and failing to follow Down Home’s own rules about performance feedback.

That, and the feeling of being overworked, led to a unionization campaign by Down Home that began last fall. As the effort progressed, Dunlap says Zimmer agreed to voluntarily recognize the proposed union while at the same time hiring a “union-busting” attorney to stymie the effort.

“We’ve been a headache as far as that goes, trying to assert our rights, fighting for our rights within a workers’ rights organization,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap and White-Hoglen both received

First responders ‘Tired, frustrated, angry, fearful’ The resurgent Delta variant of COVID-19 has created a dangerous situation across the country and across the state, and now Western North Carolina’s first responders are speaking out.

“After months of decline, the State of North Carolina is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations,” said Sarah Henderson, Haywood County’s health director. “The Delta variant, which is now the predominant strain of COVID-19 in North Carolina and in the U.S., is more aggressive and much more transmissible than previously circulating strains, and we know that our unvaccinated population is at greatest risk.”

Henderson’s comments came during an Aug. 17 press conference held in conjunction with the county’s emergency services department, Haywood Regional Medical Center and Haywood County Health and Human Services Department, but they largely echoed what Henderson and others told Haywood Commissioners on Aug. 16.

“We are tired, we are frustrated, we are angry and we are fearful of what lies ahead,” Henderson said. “If we continue the path we’re on, we will fail.”

Pre-vaccine, Haywood’s EMS call volume peaked at 1,058 calls in January — until 1,309 people placed calls in July, a 24% increase. Currently, EMS is down four full-time paramedics, a condition EMS Director Travis Donaldson called unsustainable.

Wait times at HRMC have exceeded two hours on at least one occasion and have exceeded one hour on “many” occasions, according to a Haywood County press release. On Aug. 16, one ambulance waited four hours for a bed at HRMC. As of press time, multiple patients were waiting for admission.

formal severance agreements, each containing a provision that they’re equating to “hush money.”

Although Dunlap uses “they/them” pronouns, the agreement refers to Dunlap throughout as “she,” and offers Dunlap $10,000 so long as “she will not disclose to anyone other than members of her immediate family, her attorney, or her financial advisor who will agree to keep such matters confidential, any and all facts relating to the negotiations leading up to this Separation Agreement, the terms and contents of this Separation Agreement, the amounts to be paid under this Separation Agreement, and the circumstances leading thereto.”

White-Hoglen was offered more than $20,000. Both Dunlap and Hoglen have refused to sign the agreement, and therefore forfeited the money.

“I refused the money because for one, I didn’t have time to seek legal counsel,” White-Hoglen said, noting that the agreement was received in the morning but had to be signed and returned by 5 p.m. the same day. “I also wanted to be able to tell my story.”

The firings leave Down Home without any organizers in the entire western part of the state. At one time, the group was very active in both Haywood and Jackson counties, opposing the proposed Haywood County jail expansion while also advocating for a living wage and calling for Medicaid expansion.

These conditions aren’t much different in Jackson County, where Dr. Ben Guiney, an ER doctor at Harris Regional and a Sylva commissioner, said during an Aug. 12 commission meeting that people who aren’t vaccinated should stay home, and people who can’t stay home should wear a mask.

“Take care of people around you, take care of your community, take care of us in the hospital that are seeing this surge coming,” Guiney said. “If you are vaccinated, you’ve got your armor on and you can feel a sense of security, but make sure you’re still taking care for your kids who are unable to be vaccinated.”

Unlike during the winter surge, the hospitals were already seeing a pretty high level of non-COVID traffic prior to the arrival of the Delta variant. Trying to care for those with non-COVID injuries and illnesses on top of the growing number of unvaccinated and seriously sick COVID patients has the local healthcare system “pushed to the breaking point,” Guiney said.

“In this current state of surge, the cases, the hospitalizations and suffering we’re seeing is limited to the unvaccinated,” he said. “Again, this, for the unvaccinated, is your pandemic.”

More than 90% of COVID-19 admissions are unvaccinated people. At Harris, the COVID-positive patient count is ranging from 9 to 17, but has been as high as 21.

There is, however, a silver lining.

“The good news is that if you’re vaccinated, you’re protected from the Delta variant. The other good news is that vaccination is going up,” Guiney said. “People are starting to get the message, mainly because they are starting to know folks that get sick, are winding up in the hospital, and they are realizing they need to get vaccinated because this is real.”

Between Aug. 2 and Aug. 17, people receiving a first dose of vaccine in Jackson County grew by 7,074, according to state data, making it the most-vaccinated county in the westernmost seven

The timing of the firings and the fact that Dunlap and White-Hoglen were designated as the union’s bargaining unit representatives could spell big trouble for Down Home; White-Hoglen said that the first collective bargaining contract negotiations between Down Home’s administration and its workers took place at 3 p.m. on Aug. 11.

By noon on Aug. 12, both had been terminated.

Alan Jones, an organizer with the United Steel Workers, has been helping Down Home’s organizers navigate the unionization process, with plans to incorporate the group as an entity distinct from USW 507 in Canton. He said that he’s requested information from Down Home for review, and that the findings of the investigation could lead to next steps with the National Labor Relations Board.

White-Hoglen said whatever comes of the process, she wouldn’t stop advocating for the issues that led her to become a community organizer in the first place.

“If anything, this makes me feel much more dedicated because to have these injustices in an organization that’s dedicated to fighting for social and economic justice, it just shows how nefarious they are,” she said.

“We cannot give up.”

Down Home North Carolina Co-directors Todd Zimmer and Dreama Caldwell both failed to return multiple messages from The Smoky Mountain News seeking comment for this story.

counties with 56 percent of residents at least partially vaccinated and 50 percent fully vaccinated. By contrast, state data showed only 40 percent at least partially vaccinated as of Aug. 2.

That increase is partly because the state is now capturing all federal vaccinations such as Indian Health Services into its data.

Jackson and Swain counties have a significant number of residents who are also tribal members, and their vaccinations were not previously counted in state data. However, said Jackson County Deputy Health Director Anna Lippard, there has also been a “drastic increase” in vaccinations, with a 635% increase in vaccinations administered through the health department between July 1 and Aug. 13.

Between Aug. 2 and Aug. 17, Swain County’s partial vaccination rate climbed five percentage points to 38%, while Macon increased four percentage points to land at 53% partially vaccinated. Meanwhile, Haywood, Graham, Cherokee and Clay counties saw more modest gains of 1 or 2%.

New vaccinations won’t help much with this current surge, because it takes six weeks for two-shots to become fully effective.

In both India and Great Britain, the Delta variant caused a surge in cases that kept growing for about two months before starting to recede. If the same holds true for North Carolina, cases will continue to grow for the next three weeks or so before starting to go back down.

While daily new cases are now largely between 4,000 and 6,000 statewide, the number of deaths associated with those cases is far lower than it was last winter when daily new cases were of a similar magnitude. In February, daily new cases fluctuated mostly between 2,000 and 5,000, while daily deaths hovered mainly between 30 and 60. During the first week of August, new cases also wavered between 2,000 and 5,000 daily, but deaths stayed in the teens.

— Staff reports

• • • • •

Waynesville promotes Gilmore to assistant chief

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During the Town of Waynesville’s Aug. 10 regular meeting, Police Chief David Adams announced that Lt. Brandon Gilmore would be promoted to the position of assistant chief. Gilmore, a native of Alamance County, has served with the town of Waynesville since 1999 and holds a degree from Western Carolina University.

Currently, Gilmore serves as head of the SWAT team and K-9 unit. The Waynesville Police Department has not had an assistant chief in recent memory. Chief Adams, formerly of Franklin, was hired to replace retiring chief Bill Hollingsed in January 2020.

Smoky Mountain News

N.C. Department of Transportation officials are inviting everyone to a public meeting from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, to discuss proposed improvements to U.S. 23/74 in Haywood County.

The meeting will be held in the Harrell Center Auditorium at the Lake Junaluska Conference Center, 710 Lakeshore Drive.

Proposed improvements include replacing the two bridges on U.S. 23/74 over Richland Creek, widening the two bridges over Blue Ridge Southern Railroad, and reconfiguring the interchange with U.S. 19 including the addition of a bridge to replace the existing left side entrance.

A video rendering, maps and project details are available on the NCDOT project webpage. Transportation officials will detail recent adjustments to the plans, including a drastic reduction in the time needed for detours. They will also be available to answer questions and receive comments.

Interested people can attend at any time during the meeting People may also submit comments by calling 984.205.6615 and entering project code 2219, or by emailing smoky-mt-expressway@publicinput.com or sending comments by regular mail to Garrett Higdon, NCDOT Highway Division 14, Project Manager, 253 Webster Road, Sylva, N.C. 28779.

August 18-24, 2021

Public input needed on DOT project

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news

Our Choice: A Life or Death Matter Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. —William Wordsworth, 1798

A

growing majority of Americans report anxiety about extreme weather. Scott McLeod’s editorial in the Smoky Mountain News (Aug. 4-10) describes his July vacation in the Rockies, where dense smoke from western fires is harming people’s health.

The end of bearable life on Earth is in sight— before today’s babies reach middle age. The IPCC report is latest of a series of dire warnings.

Don’t the children we love deserve a better world than this?

Local projects such as those recommended in previous “Triple-win” articles, while necessary, are not sufficient. Nations must enact, not merely promise, major changes to lessen the effects of climate change this year. Economists remind national leaders that the cost of switching to sustainable energy is minor compared to nations’ economic and political collapse if the major polluters, including the USA, fail to do their part.

WHAT’S THE HOLDUP?

Smoky Mountain News

August 18-24, 2021

Too little political will among elected officials, too much emphasis on profits among top corporate executives, and disinformation. Nations and corporations know the necessary solutions, yet most apply them piecemeal, if at all. See the Union of Concerned Scientists report “Climate Disinformation” on corporate suppression of fos-

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sil fuel damage. A 2018 Republican-led House panel condemned Russian online disinformation, persuading some to think climate change is a “liberal hoax.”

WHAT EACH OF US CAN DO: We all have family memories of trauma--poverty, war, natural disasters. Among our good memories are those about ancestors who overcame those challenges. We live in a remarkable world because of their actions. As their heirs, we have the power to overcome the worst crisis humanity has ever faced.

To succeed, we must urge elected leaders to act now. Only by addressing the realities of climate change in 2021 can we ensure that the USA remains a strong, independent nation of healthy, prosperous people.

Preventing planet warming above 1.5 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) requires public and private projects on the scale of the US and Britain’s World War II programs. See the Climate Reality Project article “Why Is 1.5 Degrees the Danger Line for Global Warming?”

1. Call on Governor Cooper, your state senator and your representative to support rapid transition to solar energy. Urge them to stop pipelines and fracking, which have damaged people’s health and devastated communities while worsening climate change. Remind them of safe energy sources.

For example, North Carolina is number 3 in the

US in solar production. We can add more jobs while providing clean electricity statewide.

Building solar power plants is less expensive than building or maintaining gas/oil/coal-fired.

Electric vehicle costs are also dropping rapidly.

2.Contact President Biden, our two US Senators Burr and Tillis, and your representative in Congress to support a) taxing the wealth of the richest .1 percent, b) ending “subsidies” for fossil fuels, and c) starting a comprehensive jobs-infrastructure-sustainable energy program. More well-paying jobs in infrastructure and renewable energy, with re-training for American miners and other displaced workers, is the keystone of President Biden’s economic recovery action; see the White House link below.

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TRIPLE-WINS: 1) Today’s children can expect a normal lifespan.

2) More people will earn sustainable wages and enjoy good health.

3) We are happy when we choose conservation over destruction, optimism over despair.

RELATED SOURCES • AirNow.gov: Data on local air quality • Climate Reality Project: “Why Is 1.5 Degrees the Danger Line for Global Warming?” www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/why-15degrees-danger-line-global-warming • The Hill: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/376248-russia-used-social-

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media-to-wage-us-energy-misinformationcampaign?rl=1 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: “Climate Change 2021” www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_SPM.pdf National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA): “Understanding Climate Normals” www.noaa.gov/explainers/understanding-climate-normals NBC News: Polls on climate change www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-thepress/global-warming-perceptions-statesmore-americans-accept-fault-n1265213 Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): “Cost of Building Power Plants in Your State” www.nrdc.org/cost-building-power-plantsyour-state Sierra Club: www.sierraclub.org/north-carolina/blog/2021/05/nc-was-solar-leader-howdo-we-move-back-ranks Union of Concerned Scientists: www.ucsusa.org/climate/disinformation The White House: www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statementsreleases/2021/07/28/fact-sheet-biden-harrisadministration-issues-proposed-buy-american-rule-advancing-the-presidents-commitment-to-ensuring-the-future-of-america-ismade-in-america-by-all-of-americas/ — By WNC CAC member and column editor Mary Jane Curry • mjcinwnc@gmail.com

Sylva faces $2 million road repair F

A sketch made during the Aug. 12 meeting shows approximately where the proposed soil nail walls, shown in red and blue, would go. Donated photo

Proposed repairs will include soil removal to reduce the slope’s steepness and construction of two 15-to-20-foot soil nail walls below the road, one at each slope failure. Steel reinforcements — the “nails” — would be go into the slope at a horizontal

angle, each one about 45 feet long.

“That reinforces the slope and makes it almost like a fishbowl and really captures Allen Street,” said Rich Adams of Wurster Engineering.

If nothing is done, Bradshaw said, the

August 18-24, 2021

A trouble spot that appeared last spring is more severe than the area near Bobwhite Lane, requiring closure of a portion of the road since April 2020. Holly Kays photo

slope will likely continue to move. Allen Street is a perfect example of the “slope stability triangle” of steep grades, poor-quality soil and high moisture content, Adams said.

“These slopes really are kind of a perfect storm of issues that have come up to create the failures that we’ve got,” he said. “They’re a little bit steeper than what we’d like to see for the type of soil we’ve got, the way that soil is piled up there on top. And the quality of the soils really being fill, there’s 5 to 15 feet of fill over some softer residual soil before you get into good, competent soils.

Then when you add the rainfall we’ve had in Western North Carolina over the last eight to 10 years, that kind of sets off just a perfect storm of the three legs of the triangle that sets off these slope failures.”

The work will likely take six to seven months to complete, said Bradshaw, and though the contractor would coordinate with homeowners to ensure they’re able to get out while traveling to and from work, Allen Street will be blocked for periods of time during the day when construction is happening.

The Aug. 12 discussion included only the proposed solutions and the estimated costs, and while the board reached a consensus to continue moving ahead with plans to repair the street, it has not yet discussed a concrete plan for funding. That conversation is scheduled to occur at the Aug. 26 meeting.

On June 10, town commissioners unanimously approved a resolution requesting $750,000 in state contingency funds, with $250,000 apiece requested from the N.C. House, N.C. Senate and N.C. Secretary of Transportation. That request was based on the assumption that the road repair would cost about $1.5 million, so the state and the town would each shoulder half the cost.

Most if not all of the town’s share of the repair was to come from fund balance.

As of press time, the town had not yet received a response to its request.

news

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ixing ongoing landslide issues on Allen Street could cost up to $2 million — an amount equivalent to more than 40% of the town’s current budget — Sylva commissioners learned during a discussion at their Aug. 12 meeting that lasted over an hour.

The narrow, winding street has two areas of cracked pavement, including a 150-foot portion above Bryson Park that features such significant vertical displacement that both the road section and the park have been closed since spring 2020. The town has been working with Asheville-based Kessel Engineering Group to complete engineering and geotechnical analyses of the situation, but more recently it selected Greenville, South Carolina-based Wurster Engineering and Construction Inc., to do the work and Asheville-based Civil Design Concepts for pre-construction consulting and contracting. Though the board knew the fix would be expensive — upward of $1 million, at least — Aug. 12 marked the first time they received a specific estimate.

“It is not our intention to show you at this juncture the absolute least possible cost for delivery of said project,” said Patrick Bradshaw of Civil Design Concepts. “Really, our impetus is to try to describe without simply overinflating it the magnitude of the project. I think it would be very fair to say at this point that based on market conditions and reflections of the market we’re probably between $1.7 and a $2 million project here.”

Bradshaw presented the board with a formal estimate totaling $1.95 million. Of the 18 line items in the estimate, three are responsible for more than half the total cost.

Grading of the areas below both slides, including offsite soil disposal, will cost $300,00, and repair of the north side above Bryson Park will cost $370,000, while repair of the south side at Bobwhite Lane will cost $349,000.

Labor market impacts college hiring season

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Greater competition in the local and regional job market, together with salary escalation for service-level positions, have made recruitment more challenging, Ford and Causby said. Some people have chosen not to return to the workforce due to “COVID-related factors,” and the lower number of applicants means it’s taking longer to fill each vacancy.

“Of most concern is the reduced number of qualified applicants, particularly in housekeeping and skilled trades, which affects facility care and maintenance,” they wrote.

“Academic offerings and student services are being covered.”

Meanwhile, Haywood Community College Director of Human Resources Sara Phillips said she’s not seeing a huge disparity in the applicant pool, which is “mostly consistent” with what’s been the case in years past.

As of Aug. 5, HCC had 10 full-time vacancies and 18 part-time vacancies, compared to five full-time and 19 parttime openings at the same time in 2019. Despite the higher number of full-time vacancies this year, Phillips said that the number is in line with what she’s seen historically.

Summertime usually features more openings as the college gears up for the fall semester.

Likewise, though Southwestern Community College does not keep records on current openings, vacancies don’t appear to be any higher than in a typical fall semester, said Director of Public Relations Tyler Goode. Likewise, the college is not seeing an out-of-line spike in retirements and resignations. During the 2020-21 academic year, 19 people retired or resigned. While that’s up from the 14 that left the college in 2019-2020, it’s less than the 21 retirements and resignations in 2017-2018 or the 25 in 2016-2017.

Still, colleges are seeing the effects of the tight labor market.

“We have a comprehensive recruitment process and given the market conditions right now, we are moving through those steps at a quicker, but still thorough, pace,” Phillips said. “We’ve also added a few different tactics to our advertising lately, such as heavier posting on social media, posters at targeted locations and asking our employees to share opportunities out widely with their networks.”

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Smoky Mountain News

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER mid a nationwide struggle to fill open positions in a multitude of sectors, higher education institutions in Western North Carolina say they’re not experiencing more vacancies than is typical as they navigate their most hiring-heavy season of the year. However, in some instances filling those vacancies is taking longer than in years past.

“While it appears we are recruiting at a much higher rate in 2021, it is not significantly different than 2019,” said an emailed response written by Western Carolina University Vice Chancellor for Human Resources and Payroll Cory Causby and Director of Employee Relations, Talent Acquisition and Development Nancy Ford. “The difference is in the number of applicants. As of Aug. 12, we have seen a 24% decrease in the number of applicants over 2019.”

As of Aug. 12, WCU was advertising for 39 staff positions and 49 faculty positions, a total of 88. At that same time in 2019, the total was just slightly less, at 79 — 34 staff positions and 45 faculty positions.

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

There is no middle ground with COVID W

Letter made curious, inaccurate claims To the Editor: When I first read Jim Gaston's letter to The Smoky Mountain News claiming to champion independent thinking in rigorous pursuit of the truth, I was impressed by the shear amount of effort he spent supporting his ideas, quoting medical findings from history, theories detailing the proper role of government, a quote from Mark Twain, and predicting the imminent slide of American society towards a totalitarian state. Then I read Scott McLeod's piece above it, and the implication that the way forward in the democratic process is to allow the publishing of lies and the corrective responses that follow. Mr. McLeod is right that ideas that result in a discourse are the stuff of a vibrant and healthy democracy, and that even the most outrageous and ridiculous diatribes are a good place to start.

A piece that claims to be about truth and socially beneficial public policy does itself no favors by the support of a litany of lies. Mr. Gaston has an agenda: my guess is that he dislikes goverment requiring him to exercise concern for the welfare of his fellow Amercans.

But truth is clearly not his concern, even though he claims otherwise. He labels the Centers for Disease Control, a federal agency

Parents who are opposed are not going to be happy that the board is, at least as a gesture, validating the seriousness of a public health crisis they perceive as a hoax and recommending masks, which they perceive as an attempt to “control them.” Instead of seeing the vaccine, masks and social distancing as a multi-faceted effort to keep people safe and bring the pandemic under control, they perceive any attempt at safety measures to be a violation of their freedoms to do whatever they want, regardless of the consequences to other people, including their fellow citizens, neighbors or even family Columnist members.

It has taken me a good while to come around to this conclusion, but it has become evident that while there are two “groups” in this country, there are not two sides. Let’s not pretend that this opposition to the vaccine and to wearing masks is anything other than a malignant outgrowth of Trumpism, for lack of a better term, which is itself the consequence of years of manipulation by rightwing media. There is not one source they trust that is not part of the right-wing media propaganda machine. A Venn diagram of people who oppose the vaccine and masks and those who believe the election was stolen from Trump is a perfect circle.

If this were an argument over two opposing political philosophies or the proper role of government in American life, then you could make the case for two sides. But it isn’t. It is an argument over the existence of objective reality — Biden won the election, COVID-19 is a real virus that has killed hun-

Chris Cox

ith the Delta variant raging across the state and school systems in every direction hurriedly moving to mask mandates for students before school begins, the Haywood County Board of Education called an emergency meeting on Friday afternoon … to do nothing. Unless creating the illusion of having done something counts.

Here’s what they did in this “urgent” meeting. They discussed the seriousness of the virus and the increase in numbers of COVID-19 cases in Haywood County among schoolage children from last year to this year. Then they voted unanimously to recommend that Haywood County students wear a mask at school, but leaving it as an option and hoping that parents would be “responsible” in making the right decision for their children.

What is abundantly, painfully obvious is that a depressingly high number of parents in Haywood County (and around the country) have already made it clear that not only are their children not vaccinated — only four percent of Haywood County teenagers, according to Public Health Director Sarah Henderson — but under no circumstances will they be wearing a mask at school. “Recommending” an option that you already know a significant percentage of the population fiercely opposes is simply posturing. It will be given no consideration whatsoever and will, if anything, be an occasion for scorn and derision from all sides.

In effect, the board has managed to anger both groups in what amounts to a colossal failure of nerve, an empty exercise. Parents who favor a mask mandate are frustrated because Haywood County is now one of the only school systems in the area that is not requiring students to wear masks, putting students at a much higher risk with the virus surging and area hospitals overflowing with COVID-19 patients.

LETTERS with a 2020 budget of $6.6 billion, as “corrupt and compromised.”

The truth is that the CDC is the premier scientific organization in the U.S. entrusted with the huge and important responsibility to safeguard the health of our population, and our citizenry benefits in many ways from its efforts. Want to know who provides important funds for states to distribute to local health departments for their programs? Do you get a flu shot every year? Did you vaccinate your children against childhood diseases so they could go to school without fear of contracting horrible infections? Thank the CDC for all of this and more. There is not a single person that grows up in the U.S., including Mr. Gaston, who has not benefited from the effort of the CDC. Mr. Gaston continues the falsehoods by claiming the CDC is somehow associated with a study “proving” masks don’t stop the spread of COVID. Here is the truth: CDC guidelines currently advise all people to mask up in public areas reporting high levels of COVID transmission (including the place where this newspaper has its primary readership). This will “maximize protection from the delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others” (CDC).

Mr. Gaston goes on to claim that the COVID vaccine doesn’t prevent catching or spreading the virus. Here is the truth: less

dreds of thousands of Americans, hospitals are currently filled with people sick with the delta variant, etc. — or the absolute belief in and commitment to countless conspiracy theories and a rogue’s gallery of nutcases or charlatans with a YouTube account.

That so many of our friends, neighbors and family members have fallen under the sway of the latter is monumentally depressing and alarming, but I will tell you this much: after four years of arguing about it, I’ve given up. I’d no more argue over whether the vaccine and masks help slow the spread of the virus or whether Biden won the election or whether what happened on Jan. 6 was an insurrection than I would argue whether there is such a place as Italy, or if rain is wet, or if books contain words.

There may be room for compromise between two competing political philosophies or an opportunity for thoughtful, rational discussion, but there can be no compromise between reality and utter nonsense, no rational discussion with people who are willing to believe anything that comes across the rails on the crazy train.

The Haywood County School Board’s vote to remain mask-optional amounts to an effort to find middle ground where none exists. It was an appalling act of cowardice that has literally put the health of our children at risk and the school year in jeopardy. Yes, everyone has a right to an opinion and a right to be heard, but leaders have the responsibility to evaluate these opinions rationally and make judgments based on actual science and the guidance of the leading experts in the field. In this instance, the board has failed miserably to meet that responsibility.

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

than 1 percent of those who have been vaccinated are catching COVID (this is called “breakthrough” infection), and the infections are, as a rule, much less damaging to the victim. Almost 100 percent of new infections are folks who are not vaccinated, and because of them, the virus has mutated to be orders of magnitude more infectious and deadly. The pandemic is gaining ground because of the simple and truthful fact that those who think like Mr. Gaston and avoid the shot are providing a fertile breeding ground for the virus to continue to evolve and grow more transmittable and destructive.

Mr. Gaston mistates the lessons learned about masks from the 1918 Spanish Flu studies, which are that masks need to be designed, fabricated, and worn carefully in order to be effective against transmission, not that they just don’t work. The Great Barrington Declaration is one idea about how to best deal with a pandemic, and it is neither the only or the prevailing view. In fact, the World Health Organization and the American Public Health Association, among others, have declared that this point of view is “dangerous and lacks a sound scientific basis” (Wikipedia). These ideas are apparently a product of Libertarian thinking, which has it that government should let viruses run wild among populations of ordinary people, so that when the virus has had its way and millions are dead, those that remain possess herd immunity.

Speaking for myself, I prefer to take a few painless shots rather than have folks I know gather weeping at my deathbed. I’d also rather spend a few minutes hearing about your experience getting the shot than making plans to disrupt my routine in order to attend your funeral.

Mr. Gaston’s ideas about the Constitution and its role in our lives are especially curious to me because of the nonsensical assertion that it should not be about “keeping citizens safe from a disease.” So to be clear, it was OK for the U.S. during World War II to go to war and in the process, 407,000 of our military and civilian citizens perished. COVID has already killed over 621,000 of us, and we should do almost nothing to stop or prevent that? While Mr. Gaston views that as a wise response ensuring the freedom of the citizenry, I call it what any sane individual that has any recognition for the needs of others: a gross exercise of neglect and a complete lack of basic human compassion.

In addition, it is ironic and truly bizarre that he and other so-called freedom lovers do not recognize that the basic characterization of a true dictatorship is not a goverment that provides help to combat a deadly pandemic, it is a goverment that does little to nothing when faced with widespread human suffering and dire economic hardship.

Rick Wirth Bryson City

A new generation’s Saigon moment

BY WILLIAM H ITE G UEST COLUMNIST

facebook.com/smnews

August 18-24, 2021 Smoky Mountain News

“You have all the watches, but we have all the time.”

— Taliban adage It’s official; Afghanistan is lost, overrun by the Taliban in eight days. As I sat watching and listening, I grew angrier and angrier. This is my generation’s Saigon moment.

I’m not ex-military or a foreign service officer, but as a concerned citizen I follow our foreign policy closely and have followed the war in Afghanistan since its inception in 2001. What I’ve seen in the last several days is nothing short of a tragedy.

President Biden will undoubtedly be blamed for the Taliban victory. In the short run, I think that’s appropriate. He went on TV a month ago and told America and the world that the Taliban wouldn’t be victorious overnight, that the Afghan government’s 300,000 troops should blunt any Taliban offensive, that we wouldn’t be evacuating Americans from rooftops as we did in Vietnam. He was dead wrong. As a longstanding U.S. senator who served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, his experience should have informed a better perspective. As President, surrounded by the smartest people our universities can produce, he should have listened to those good people’s counsel.

Yet when the long story of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan is written, it will lay the blame at the feet of far more people than President Biden. President Trump was the first to proclaim a complete U.S. withdrawal and instructed then-Secretary of State Pompeo to force the Afghan government to begin a peace process with the Taliban in Qatar. That effort was always doomed to failure; the Taliban have never been and are not now honest brokers.

They’re opportunists whose underlying radical Islamist theology does not permit shared governance, a negotiated peace, rule of law, girls’ and women’s rights, or even TV. We should also remember two other U.S. Presidents. While President Obama’s handling of Afghanistan involved a surge of troops to weaken the Taliban’s position, his administration largely kicked the can down the road. Perhaps as the first African American president, a Democrat, and a liberal with a professorial air, he did not want to have to deal with the blowback of regional instability produced by a U.S. withdrawal. Still, after the assassination of Al-Qaeda founder and 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011, one had to wonder if the U.S. mission in Afghanistan had changed. Why were we still there?

Of all the administrations bearing responsibility for our failure in Afghanistan, perhaps George W. Bush deserves the most blame. The critical juncture at which Afghanistan no longer mattered to U.S. pol-

icymakers was our initiation of war with Iraq in March 2003. Our attention immediately flipped from the “war on terror” to Saddam Hussein and his non-existent weapons of mass destruction. I remember the vote in the U.S. Senate authorizing military force in Iraq. One by one the senators approved the use of force, giving the Bush administration carte blanche to invade. I remember thinking of all the history lessons about the hubris of two-front wars.

The same happened to us; not even a year and a half into our occupation of Afghanistan, we redirected resources away from that country, from its nascent institutions, from its much-needed infrastructure, and our national disinterest did not go unnoticed by the Taliban.

These successive U.S. administration failures do not stand alone though.

Geopolitics played a role. Afghanistan is in a rough neighborhood, landlocked and surrounded by Iran, Pakistan, China, and plenty of “-Stans” (Russia’s sphere of influence).

Russia provided intelligence support and materiel to the Taliban, and China’s and Iran’s influence in Afghanistan’s internal politics probably requires a top-secret security clearance. The worst offender in this new Great Game was Pakistan, which served as a seasonal home base for the Afghan Taliban. Skirmishes and battles were to the Afghan summer what baseball and beach trips are to Americans—just what you do when summer arrives. When winter came, the Taliban fighters simply migrated over Pakistan’s numerous mountain passes into familiar and friendly territory where U.S. forces could not go.

Certainly, much of Afghanistan’s woes are the fault of Afghans. Its democratically elected government has been corrupt since the beginning. It’s a country with no history of participatory democracy, one steeped in tribal identity. Votes were bought with promises or free flowing American cash, and the newly established government proceeded to dole out patronage to erstwhile warlords. The recent revelation that 300,000 Afghan troops may have actually counted as few as 60,000 is evidence of Afghan military leaders bilking international backers for monies.

Perhaps the take home message is that there are not simple answers to complex problems. Pre-packaged cable news sound bites and whose “fault it is” arguments belie the more fundamental challenges of democracy building and mission creep. As citizens of an advanced, secure democracy, we would do better by others if we learned more about the world. So watch and read about it, and be angry, very angry; but also channel that anger to learn about it, study it, and to become an informed citizen. And then demand of our elected officials accountability. Only then might we avoid another Saigon — or a Kabul.

(William Hite lives in Waynesville.)

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Qualla Arts and Crafts turns 75

In 1946, McKinley Ross was elected to serve as president of the new Qualla Arts and Crafts Association. (Courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.)

he Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual will be celebrating its 75th anniversary with an Open Air market, exhibition, and a new book detailing its history from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 21, in Cherokee.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the founding of Qualla Arts and Crafts, one of the oldest Native American artisan cooperatives in the U.S. In spite of the challenges confronting the nation in 2020, the cooperative is thriving.

Originally founded as Qualla Arts and Crafts Association, the co-op formed after a series of meetings that brought together Eastern Band craftsmen, tribal leaders, and teachers from the Cherokee Boarding School.

From the start, the group focused on the economic value of forming an organization that would give artisans a “place for ready sale.” At a meeting held on Aug. 23, 1946, the group signed a Constitution and By-Laws and elected its first officers. A typed list recorded the names of 59 charter members. In 1955, the group incorporated and adopted the name it has today: Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc. Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual not only saves and preserves valued objects, it likewise encourages and preserves the cultural traditions and processes that make these objects possible.

The 20-year-old Open Air market is one event that helps these preservation efforts. The market will feature the work of a dozen artisan members who will demonstrate their craft and share their work with the public. All work will be for sale. Qualla Arts and Crafts membership

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standards are rigorous. To become a member, an individual must be an enrolled member of the Eastern Band.

Applicants turn in an artist statement, family connections, and three samples of their work to be judged by the board of directors.

Once past the preliminary round, candidates are required to demonstrate their work in person before the board. Work is judged on elements of authenticity, originality, elements of art, design, knowledge, degree of difficulty, and marketability. Currently, the co-op has over 300 members.

A new exhibit, “Reclaiming our History: Photographs from the National Archives,” features photographs collected as part of a “digital repatriation” project funded by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation in 2019.

The project supported research into the collections of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board preserved by the National Archives and Records Administration in their Atlanta and Washington, D.C., facilities.

The project allowed for research into these and other repositories to find images related to Eastern Band artisans and for copies to be made. These and other rediscovered photographs are now in the archives of Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc. Most have been hidden away in the National Archives for decades and have not been seen before.

Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual commissioned scholar Anna Fariello to write a history of the cooperative. That history, now in print,

will be available at the celebration. Fariello worked with the co-op on three previous books documenting Cherokee basketry, pottery, and carving.

The author explained her approach to writing the book that included as much factual documentation as possible. “I’ve included many names and dates,” she wrote, “hoping to tell

Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual not only saves and preserves valued objects, it likewise encourages and preserves the cultural traditions and processes that make these objects possible. the full story of one of Cherokee’s most significant and cherished cultural institutions.”

The book contains a chapter on the co-op’s 59 charter members. With assistance from the EBCI Enrollment Office, staff was able to verify their names, birth and death dates along with their community, and a photograph if one was available. Like the exhibition, the book showcases many of the photographs “found” at the National Archives.

In preparation for the 65th anniversary in

2011, co-op staff pulled down boxes and boxes of old records from the attic where staff found material dating back to the formation of the co-op.

In the intervening years, and with grants from the Cherokee Preservation Foundation and Traveling Archivists Program, the co-op organized these records into an archive that has yielded important historical information that shed light on the events leading up to the cooperative and its first years of operation.

When planning the 65th anniversary celebration, discussions centered on just what date would be best noted as the actual anniversary date of Qualla Arts and Crafts. On Aug. 23, 1946, the group met. While Agency Superintendent Joe Jennings still presided, it was at this meeting that the Constitution and By-Laws were read “paragraph by paragraph.”

It is interesting to note that, at the time (the mid-20th century) many people still spoke Cherokee as their first language. While the meeting was conducted in English, McKinley Ross translated the entire conversation into Cherokee before taking a vote.

The approved documents were signed and officers elected. Nominated without opposition, the group elected McKinley Ross as its first president. It was a close race for vice president between William Crowe and Bertha Craig, with Crowe receiving the most votes.

Craig was then elected as Secretary-Treasurer.

About the co-op, pottery maker Cora Arch Wahnetah said, “It has helped me and helped my people.”

On Aug. 23, 1946, the Qualla Arts and Crafts Association was formally organized.

More importantly, it was on this date that the organization came under the direction of the artisans it proposed to represent.

For more information, go to www.quallaartsandcrafts.com.

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

I don’t want to look at the past and be sad, there were plenty of good times and more to be had

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The fifth annual “Hook, Line & Drinker” festival will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

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The Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 21 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Historic Shelton House in Waynesville.

Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host a “Led Zeppelin Tribute” with The Andrew Thelston Band at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20.

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Grammy-winning multi-platinum country artist Bryan White will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at the Colonial Theater in Canton.

A production of “The Last Romance” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19-21, and at 2 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

Asheville 828-274-9220 Waynesville 828-454-9156 Sylva 828-586-9333 Drs. Chambers, Baechtold, Haldeman, Pratt, Chambers, Hogue, Blackman, Wyble & Chadwick

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

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from most of those familiar faces amid “all this,” somewhat alone and on my own for the last year-and-a-half. Truth be told, it was probably both.

For a lot of us folks who live alone (and work alone, for the most part), the pandemic and shutdown was rough (as it was on so many levels for everyone).

Being alone in a one-bedroom apartment in a quiet downtown for weeks last year was difficult, but I was able to find solace in writing, listening to music (and learning to play guitar), disappearing into the depths of Mother Nature for hiking and trail running.

And yet, you still had to circle back to silent apartment, to your thoughts, memories and moments lying in the rearview mirror, for good or ill. Each day left to your own devices was another day to — whether you wanted to or not — peel back the layers of your existence (past, present, future) like an onion with the core so damn deep it would take an eternity to unravel it.

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August 18-24, 2021

ike clockwork, the garbage truck shook me awake at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. Picking up the dumpster from the pizza joint next door and flipping it up and over the roof of the massive vehicle.

Eyes open and stare at the old ceiling tiles of the old apartment in the old house in downtown Waynesville. Grey skies and raindrops. The sounds of the air-conditioner in the other room. The buzzing of the cell phone with reminders of the day’s obligations. Kick off the comforter and hop into the morning.

The start of a new week. A new me, perhaps, eh? The core and foundation remains solid and aware. The branches of the tree of oneself constantly stretching outward, up, around, you know?

My mindset is a lot clearer, more focused this morning, compared to foggy and remote the last few days, as if a small boat floating along the coastal shores, caught in a storm, but I can still see the comfort of land and lights in the not-too-far-away distance.

It was Saturday when I felt odd and beside myself. With two weddings that afternoon, it was a rush to get myself together and presentable, to “get to the church on-time.” One at 3 p.m. in the backwoods of Bethel. The other at 5:30 p.m. in downtown Waynesville.

Weddings have always tugged a little harder at my heart and soul than other social gatherings do, which is no surprise for an old-soul, hopeless romantic like myself.

To boot, as a self-proclaimed “extroverted loner,” I also find myself dipping in and out of interactions and the buzz of the space at these most ancient of celebrations.

Maybe it was being in the presence of unrelenting love between two human beings, extended family and friends sharing in the unforgettable moment, the sincere emotion of the occasion. Maybe it was being away

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You push through and hope to reach the other side. It’s that idea of happiness and sadness, where the true sense of self comes with embracing both ends of the emotional spectrum, to appreciate when you smile as much as you appreciate the ability to cry — to feel the purity of what it means to be human, in essence.

And the key to immersing yourself in what makes you sad (people, moments, situations) lies in how you’re able to eventually emerge from the sadness, to not get stuck like so many folks do — for months, years, maybe the rest of your life. You can be sad.

You can acknowledge that you’re sad. But, what are you going to do to finally climb back over that wall into the bright light of your true and happy self?

Thus, all of that sadness and grief within me reared its ugly head on Saturday afternoon. All of those people, moments and situations of (past, present, future) that I’d been mulling over during the isolation of last year (and this year, too) came to a head, seemingly as I crossed over the threshold of the backwoods pavilion and of the reception hall in downtown.

It was this intense, whirlwind bottleneck of emotions and imagery chaotically floating across my field-of-vision, dancing along my dashboard when I find myself aimlessly cruising the backroads of Western North Carolina to cleanse the feelings within.

Images of beloved faces long gone and femme fatales that still hold onto a piece of me wherever they may roam these days.

Faces still traversing this earth, wondering if they’re happy, if they’re loved — if they maybe think of me in the same regard, too.

Maybe that’s what weddings are meant to do for those in the audience observing the scene unfolding before them. Maybe it’s meant to be this litmus test for where you currently stand in your life. And the fact the gatherings this past weekend were some of the first real hints of “normalcy” after so much confusion and loneliness.

That said, do you want to grasp something similar to what’s unifying before your eyes? Of course. So, then, what are you going to do about it? Not sure, at the moment.

But, I won’t stop pushing forward — head held high, with a light stride.

And don’t forget you’re loved — by someone, somewhere. We all are. If anything, make sure the face in the mirror is loved from within, for that matters most when stepping out the front door and interacting with the world swirling around you.

Each person is like a magnet. With humans, however, positivity attracts positivity, negativity attracts negativity. Yes, sadness happens. But, don’t let it define you or prevent you from moving forward. The rainstorm ends and the sunshine reappears. As cheesy as that old adage is, it’s also truth.

The garbage truck shook me awake at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday. Eyes open and stare at the old ceiling tiles of the old apartment in the old house. The buzzing of the cell phone with reminders of the day’s obligations. Kick off the comforter and hop into the morning.

The start of a new week. The branches of the tree of oneself constantly stretching outward, up, around, you know?

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

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arts & entertainment

On the beat Lee Knight.

Knight celebrates ‘75+1’ A special 76th birthday performance by beloved folklorist, storyteller and musician Lee Knight will take place at 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 18, at City Lights Bookstore in downtown Sylva.

Knight, who performs on guitar, banjo and dulcimer, is a regular performer for workshops, Elderhostels, festivals and camps. He has participated in artist-in-residence programs for the North Carolina Arts Council and other arts groups across the Southeast.

He also leads hikes and canoe trips, and guides whitewater rafts.

Most recently, he was a guest artist at the

Smoky Mountain News

August 18-24, 2021

• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host an open mic from 8 to 10 p.m. every Thursday.

Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 or www.balsamfallsbrewing.com.

• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host karaoke at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and In Flight Aug. 21. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.246.0350 or www.boojumbrewing.com.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Bob Zullo (guitar/vocals) Aug. 28. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Limited seating.

Reservations required. Ticket price and dinner menu to be announced. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Concerts on the Creek (Sylva) at Bridge Park will host SKA City (ska/rock) Sept. 3. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

Sponsored by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. www.mountainlovers.com.

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.369.4080 or www.coweeschool.org.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host semiregular live music on the weekends.

828.634.0078 or www.curraheebrew.com.

• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public.

828.734.1084 or 24 www.elevatedmountain.com.

Kronos Quartet’s 2019 Festival in San Francisco, celebrating the songs of iconic American folk singer and activist, the late Pete Seeger.

Free and open to the public. Due to the confined space, masks will be required to attend. For more information, call City Lights at 828.586.9499.

Bryan White.

Bryson City community jam A community jam will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, anything unplugged, are invited to join. Singers are also welcome.

The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of the Sawmill Creek Porch Band. The music jams are offered to the public each first and third Thursday of the month — year-round.

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.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will be held at the Town Square from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with Sycamore Flats Aug. 20 and Trudition Aug. 27. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Gin Mill Pickers Aug. 20, KC Johns Aug. 21, John Friday Aug. 27, Brad Heller & The Fustics Aug. 28, Aunt Vicki 2 p.m. Aug. 29 and Drum Circle Aug. 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

ALSO:

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host The Knotty G’s Aug. 22 and Shane Meade Aug. 29. All events are free and begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.innovation-brewing.com.

COUNTRY STAR ROLLS INTO CANTON Grammy-winning multi-platinum country artist Bryan White will perform at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 28, at the Colonial Theater in Canton. White will be joined by openers Andrea Pearson and Ronnie Call. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.countrysoulevents.com.

Aug. 20, Prophets of Time Aug. 27 and the “Two-Year Anniversary Party” at noon Aug. 29. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Wyatt Espalin Aug. 20 and 29 (at 4 p.m.), Aly Jordan Aug. 21, Kate Thomas 4 p.m. Aug. 22, Aces Down Aug. 27 and Somebody’s Child (Americana) Aug. 28. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.538.0115 or www.mtnlayersbeer.com.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends.

828.641.9797 or www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host “Bluegrass with Blue” Aug. 20 and 27, and Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs Aug. 28. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 888.905.7238 or www.noc.com.

• Lake Junaluska Conference Center will host the Haywood Community Band “Under The Big Tent” at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 29. Free and open to the public.

• “Pickin’ on the Square” (Franklin) will host Empty Pockets (variety) Aug. 21 and Outlaw Whiskey (country) Aug. 28. All shows start at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. Located on Main Street. www.franklin-chamber.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Hot Mess Aug. 21 and Brother Aug. 28. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• 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. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host a “Led Zeppelin Tribute” w/Andrew Thelston Band

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the week-

ends. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com • Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will be held at the Kelsey-Hutchinson Park from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with ZuZu Welch Aug. 21 and A Social Function Sept. 4. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org.

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

828.492.8009 or www.southern-porch.com.

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

828.743.3000 or www.theuglydogpub.com.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends.

828.526.8364 or www.theuglydogpub.com.

• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.

• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host Ricky Gunter 6 p.m. Aug. 21. 828.926.7440 or www.valley-tavern.com.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host karaoke on Thursday nights and semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 3 p.m. 828.456.4750 or www.facebook.com/waternhole.bar.

• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends.

828.743.6000 or www.whitesidebrewing.com.

On the beat arts & entertainment

Mountain Heritage Day performers announced

The Grascals.

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Smoky Mountain News

mountain swing with down-home humor.

• At noon, the Apple Blossom Cloggers, a dance troupe of 7 to 9 years old girls, join Whitewater Bluegrass Company for lively clogging demonstration, followed by presentation of the Mountain Heritage Awards at 12:15 p.m. to an individual and organization in recognition of work within Southern Appalachian history, culture and folklore.

• The Queen Family starts picking at 12:45 p.m. Known as master musicians and experts in regional lore, the Queen Family were honored with the 1999 “Mountain Heritage Award” and the 2001 “BrownHudson Award” by the North Carolina Folklore Society.

• Phil and Gaye Johnson at 1:30 p.m. play guitar and sing an acoustic blend of bluegrass, folk and favorites. The prolific songwriters and storytellers from Polk County travel across the country to perform and are among the longest running repeat performers at Mountain Heritage Day. • The Grascals, three-time Grammy nominees and two-time IBMA “Entertainer of the Year,” perform at 2:15 p.m. The Bailey Mountain Cloggers will join the Grascals at 3:30 p.m. for foot-stamping and high stepping mastery that is a perennial of Mountain Heritage Day. • At 3:45 p.m. the Merle Monroe Band will bring their mix of Bill Monroe-style bluegrass with Merle Haggard’s style of songs of the common man (hence the name) to the stage for their own brand of bluegrass, gospel and traditional country.

For more information and updates, visit www.mountainheritageday.com.

August 18-24, 2021

When Mountain Heritage Day makes a triumphant return to the Western Carolina University campus in Cullowhee on Saturday, Sept. 25, it will come with a full day of live music.

The annual festival of Southern Appalachian traditions and culture is renowned as a showcase of bluegrass, oldtime and traditional music, as well as family activities, vendors and the region’s finest arts and crafts. The 2020 festival was an abbreviated, virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have the perfect lineup for us to get back in front of a live audience. Many of our favorites are returning and we get to welcome some new artists, too,” said Christy Ashe, WCU special events director and festival chair. “We will be following COVID-19 protocols and are actively encouraging everyone to get vaccinated, so we can actually return to being together in this celebration.”

Ashe announced the schedule for the Blue Ridge Stage: • Summer Brooke & Brayden kick off the music at 10 a.m. Known for leading the IBMA award-winning Mountain Faith Band, the popular brother/sister bluegrass virtuosos graciously provided the concert for 2020’s Mountain Heritage Day virtual performance.

• When Whitewater Bluegrass Company performs at 11 a.m., it will mark a major milestone, as it will be their 25th time playing at Mountain Heritage Day. More or less founded at WCU in 1982, the band blends its own brand of bluegrass, country ballads and

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arts & entertainment

On the stage

On the street

HART’s ‘The Last Romance’

‘Hook, Line & Drinker’ festival returns

A sweet, romantic comedy to warm your heart, a production of “The Last Romance” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 19-21, and at 2 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

Written by the same author of HART’s hit “Over the River and Through the Woods,” “The Last Romance” will feature three of HART’s most popular actors, Lyn Donley, Stephen Gonya, and making her sensational return to the HART stage, Suzanne Tinsley.

“The Last Romance” is by three time Tony Award winner Joe Dipietro.

In the current play, a widower named Ralph decides to take a different path on his daily walk — one that leads him to an unexpected second chance at love. This feel good comedy is just what audiences need as they see Ralph regain a happiness that seemed all but lost.

Reservations may be made by calling the HART Box Office at 828.456.6322 or by going online to www.harttheatre.org.

Presented by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, the fifth annual “Hook, Line & Drinker” festival will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

The festival includes fly fishing guides and fishing industry vendors, food trucks, children’s activities, clean water advocates and local craft beer vendors. Live music will be provided by The Carolina Soul Band.

Free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.hooklinedrinkerfest.com.

BLUE RIDGE HERITAGE WEEKEND Celebrating the arts, crafts, music and history of Haywood County and greater Western North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Heritage Weekend will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 21 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Historic Shelton House in Waynesville. Live music, craft vendors and food trucks, with craft beer available onsite. For more information, visit www.sheltonhouse.org.

August 18-24, 2021

On the table • The “BBQ & Brews Dinner Train” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Craft beer pairings with a meal, and more. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.

• “Dillsboro After Five” will take place from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in downtown Dillsboro. Start with a visit to the Jackson County Farmers Market located in the Innovation Station parking lot. Stay for dinner and take advantage of late-hour shopping. www.mountainlovers.com.

Smoky Mountain News

ALSO:

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• There will be a free wine tasting 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.

• The “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 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 www.gsmr.com.

Ready for the ‘Island Escape’?

Held on the grounds of the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre, the “Island Escape” celebration will be held from 6 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 28, in Waynesville.

You will feel the vibrations coming from the Latitude Adjustment Steel Band with Hawaiian torches lighting the way. Then, there’s a moment when you are there for Mehealani’s Polynesian Entertainment direct from Atlanta, Georgia, featuring top Hawaiian hula, fire dancing, and much more.

This evening of music and dancing will also include a delicious “Castaway Supper” catered by Arlene Cotler of Asheville. There will even be an auction for a specially designed hand carved piece of glass art by Lisa Hoffman.

A well-known local artist, Hoffman’s works can be seen in the Renwick Gallery of American Art, the White House, the Robert Wyland Gallery in Hawaii and Alaska Ocean Island Visitors Center, just to mention a few.

The piece to be auctioned is called “Family Reunion of Humpback Whales.”

“Island Escape” will be an indoor/outdoor event with plenty of fresh air. The Fangmeyer Theatre doors will be open to create the feeling of being in Hawaii offering the fresh air as if you were on the beach at Waikiki.

For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.456.6322 or visit www.harttheatre.org.

Greening Up The Mountains The 24th annual Greening Up the Mountains festival will return from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, in downtown Sylva.

GUTM is a heritage arts festival that celebrates the arrival of spring through traditional and contemporary forms of Appalachian art, music, food, and beverage, which honor our community and local artisans.

Sponsored by the Town of Sylva and the Main Street Sylva Association, GUTM enjoys crowds upward of 12,000 attendees and has 175 vendor booth spaces.

In addition to a variety of arts, crafts, and

food vendors, attendees can enjoy a 5k run, youth talent contest, beverage arts featuring local craft breweries, and live music throughout the day. www.greeningupthemountains.com.

• Mountain Makers Craft Market will be held from noon 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. www.mountainmakersmarket.com.

ALSO:

• 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 St., 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 a strolling musician. Leashed pets are welcome. Outdoor event. Current Covid-19 safety protocols will be followed and enforced. 828.488.7857.

arts & entertainment August 18-24, 2021

Smoky Mountain News

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arts & entertainment

On the stage Want to paint, sip craft beer?

These grants support artists in all disciplines with funding for projects that will have a significant impact on the advancement of their professional artistic careers.

The “Artist Support Grant” program is managed through a partnership with local arts councils to serve artists in Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. Funding is provided by the North Carolina Arts Council.

Artists at any stage of their careers, emerging or established, are eligible to apply for grants in all disciplines, such as visual art and craft, traditional art forms, music composition, film/video, literature and playwriting and choreography and dance.

Types of fundable projects include the creation of new work, purchase of equipment and materials, and professional development workshops.

Complete funding guidelines and applications are available online at www.coweeschool.org. Grant awards generally range from $500-$1,000. Applications must be received by Sept. 30. This year, they will also offer an online application.

Informational workshops for interested artists will be offered online and in person. Visit www.coweeschool.org for updated workshop dates and times. For more information, contact Laura Brooks at maconheritagecenter@gmail.com or 828.369.4080.

The “WNC Paint Night” will return to local breweries in Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties.

With step-by-step instructions, you will paint yourself a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

This is pure fun to do while you sip on something tasty at the brewery.

Events will be held at the following locations: Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 19, Sept. 16, Oct. 14, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9; and Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 18, Sept. 29, Oct. 27, Nov. 17 and Dec. 22; BearWaters Brewing (Canton) from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 2 and 30, Nov. 12 and Dec. 23.

Space is limited. Reserve your seat by texting Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560. To learn more, visit the Facebook page @paintwnc or Instagram @wnc_paint_events.

‘Artist Support Grants’ available

August 18-24, 2021

The Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin is currently seeking applications for “Artist Support Grants” for 2021–22. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30.

H A Y WO O D • C O U N T Y

Fair August 26-29

Country Nights & Carnival Lights

Smoky Mountain News

THURSDAY Bingo Night, Cow Patty Bingo, Tractor Obstacle Course FRIDAY Pickin' with Mountain Bridge, Cake Walk, Rodeo SATURDAY Tractor Pull, Mile High Band + Cloggers, Natural Beauty Contest, Ricky Gunter Concert SUNDAY Cowboy Church, Truck Pull, Haywood Idol

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Creating Community Workshop The next installment of the Creating Community Workshop will be held at 10:30 a.m.

Saturday, Aug. 21, in the Atrium of the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

Helen Vance will show participants how to make a "collage notecard book" using basic materials. These books are perfect for scrapbooking and preserving memories.

Participants should bring photographs and/or other memorabilia they would like to include in their book.

This program is free of charge. The workshop is limited to 10 participants. Call the

• Gayle Woody’s work is now on view through the end of August at the Rotunda Gallery, located in the Jackson County Public Library in downtown Sylva. Currently, Woody focuses her work on printmaking, ceramic tiles and book making. Open by appointment, BarkWood Studio is one stop on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, a new online site that promotes craft, craft artists, and cultural tourism in 25 Western North Carolina counties. www.blueridgeheritage.com/destinations/barkwood-studio.

• A showcase of art by Gosia Babcock will be on display in the Meeting Room through the end of August at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Visit to take a closer look, but call ahead to make sure the Meeting Room is open to the public when you plan to visit.

828.524.3600.

ALSO:

• Art by Jackson County author/storyteller Gary Carden will be on display through the end of August at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 828.524.3600.

• “A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art,” an exhibit at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian (located in Cherokee), features over 50 works of art in a variety of media by over 30 Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation artists. The exhibition highlights the use of the written Cherokee language, a syllabary developed by Cherokee innovator Sequoyah (circa 1776–1843). Cherokee syllabary is frequently found in the work of Cherokee artists as a compositional element or the

library to register at 828.586.2016.

This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the JCPL, a member of Fontana Regional Library (www.fontanalib.org).

subject matter of the work itself. The exhibition will be on view at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee through Oct. 31.

Learn more by visiting www.mci.org.

• The Folk Art Center in Asheville has opened its Main Gallery exhibition showcasing the Graduating Class of 2021 of Haywood Community College's Professional Crafts Program. The showcase will run through Aug. 22. It is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.craftguild.org or call 828.298.7928.

• The “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 www.franklinuptowngallery.com and on Facebook.

• The Haywood County Arts Council’s “Art Works @ The Library,” a collaborative program between the Haywood County Public Library system and the HCAC, is currently showcasing works by artist Cayce Moyer at the Canton Library. Working in traditional and mixed media, Moyer blends the worlds of high-brow and low-brow work. Classically trained at Savannah College of Art and Design, her portfolio includes drawing, painting, sculpture, illustration, graphic design, murals, and set prop painting for theatre and TV.

On the shelf

Voted #1 in Haywood County

Jeff Minick

I

Hunter intended Basil’s War as a serious historical novel, a spoof on spies and intelligence, or a more general comedy. The blurb describes the novel as “a classic espionage

“Basil, how’s the drinking?” the general asked.

“Excellent, sir,” Basil replied. “I’m up to seven, sometimes eight, whiskies a night.”

thriller,” but that seems a stretch.

Basil’s War is entertaining, but compared to Hunter’s Swagger series, it seems sort of pointless.

••• Now for a change of pace.

We live in a time when coronavirus mandates limit travel abroad, when vacations to Italy or a college semester spent in France are waylaid by restrictions having to do with the virus. With the exception of America’s southern border, where we are apparently admitting thousands of refugees testing positive for the virus, most countries have placed restrictions on travel.

Of course, there is a way to travel abroad without masking up, taking the jab, or emptying your bank account. Instead, you can hop in your car, hit the local bookstore or public library, return home, and visit the Punjab, the Great Wall of China, or the Tower of London buoyed by your imagination while seated in the comfort of your own living room.

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Smoky Mountain News

The big brass dispatch Basil to Nazioccupied Paris to snap photos of a 19th century manuscript, The Path to Jesus, believing that traitors are using this religious tract as part of a book code, a way of communicating secrets both about the Nazis and the Soviets. During this mission Basil parachutes from a plane with no previous training. Later, badly injured, he flies a German aircraft back to Britain without ever having piloted a plane, where he survives a crash into a tree. He undergoes a series of other harrowing adventures, setting off a kerosene bomb in the middle of Paris, evading numerous German attempts to capture him, and flinging himself at one point from a moving train.

Basil is a witty, charismatic character, a cynic about human nature, daring, and always, or almost always, behaving with the instincts of a fox in escaping his pursuers.

The Nazis chasing after him are almost equally skilled in their pursuit, which adds tension to the story.

Nonetheless, Basil’s War left me dissatisfied. The plot was overly complicated — I had to reread several passages and even then found they didn’t make a lot of sense. Even worse, I couldn’t discern whether Stephen

In other words, you can read your way into travel and adventure.

Which brings us to Anthony Bourdain’s posthumously published World Travel: An Irreverent Guide (Harper/Collins Publishers, 2021, 472 pages).

With edits and additions by Laurie Woolever, Bourdain’s long-term literary associate and friend, World Travel gives us this famous chef ’s takes on the many countries he visited around the world, their special features, and especially the food and drink beloved by their people.

World Travel is definitely a dipper book, meaning it invites us to explore its contents at random rather than paging through it cover to cover. Readers should simply visit whatever countries they wish and enjoy the culinary delights mentioned by Bourdain.

In his pages on New Orleans, for example, a city has always entranced me, Bourdain writes, “There is no other place on earth even remotely like New Orleans. Don’t even try to compare it with anywhere else. Even trying to describe it is tricky, as chances are, no matter how much you love it, you don’t really know it.” Having visited New Orleans twice, I agree wholeheartedly with Bourdain’s take on the city. On both of my visits I fell in love with New Orleans, and yet I never came close to knowing it.

Countries other than the United States visited by Bourdain on his culinary adventures ranged from Uruguay to Tanzania, from Israel to Laos. His travels to all of these places and the food he enjoyed remind us of the beauty, customs, and diverse cultures of other countries.

If you want to savor the delights of exotic countries and cuisine, read Anthony Bourdain’s World Travel.

(Jeff Minick reviews books and has written four of his own: two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust On Their Wings, and two works of nonfiction, Learning As I Go and Movies Make the Man. minick0301@gmail.com)

August 18-24, 2021

’ve long been a fan of Stephen Hunter’s novels, particularly his series about Bob Lee Swagger. Swagger is a sniper, reflecting Hunter’s interest in firearms, and I’ve reviewed several Swagger novels for The Smoky Mountain News. I’ve also recommended the movie “Shooter,” a fine film where Mark Wahlberg plays the part of Swagger.

So when I came across Hunter’s latest novel in my public library, I snagged that gift like a kid after chocolate and brought it home Writer with me.

Basil’s War (The Mysterious Press, 2021, 270 pages) gives us Basil St. Florian, a spy and agent extraordinaire who has led, to put it mildly, a rambunctious youth. He’s an upper class Brit who drinks whiskey to excess and who loves to bed women, including movie actresses like Vivien Leigh. He’s been shot and tortured, and at one point he beat a man to death with a cricket bat.

To give an impression of Basil, we have this exchange with a superior officer during an important briefing:

arts & entertainment

Doubling up: a review of Basil’s War and Bourdain’s World Travel

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

In a 2018 photo, Jordan Smith of Mainspring Conservation Trust looks out from a 5,462-foot view atop the Blackrock property. Holly Kays photo

Planning for adventure

vation easement. Originally purchased for development prior to the 2008 recession, the property contains stunning views and some gravel roads — but no houses.

Sylva, Cherokee to partner on trails plan

MOVING TOWARD THE

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he highest-elevation mountain bike trail on the East Coast is on the path from concept to reality after the Cherokee Tribal Council and Sylva Board of Commissioners approved an agreement to begin a joint master planning process for the 912 acres of ridgetop land.

“This is a novel partnership that I think is good for both the Town of Sylva, the EBCI and the region, for co-developing this trail sys-

T

The property features sweeping mountain views. Donated photo

tem,” EBCI Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Joey Owle told the Sylva Board of Commissioners Aug. 12.

The 912 acres includes the 441.5-acre Blackrock Creek Tact owned by the Town of Sylva and the 471-acre Shut-In Creek Tract owned by the tribe. The two purchases are connected down the midline like a pair of butterfly wings, the exterior portions of those wings almost completely connected to other conserved lands.

A complex agreement involving Sylva, Jackson County, the EBCI, Mainspring Conservation Trust, The Conservation Fund and private donors resulted in the property’s 2019 purchase and placement under a conser-

BIG PICTURE Both the tribe and the town made their purchases with the idea of building a trail system and backcountry recreation amenities on the land, and in February both the town board and the EBCI Planning Board gave a thumbs-up to a trail system concept put forward by the Nantahala Area Southern Off Road Bicycle Association.

The town had originally hoped to develop additional trails at its existing Pinnacle Park property — which is adjacent to the 441.5acre Blackrock tract — in concert with the trail system at Blackrock, but development at Pinnacle Park was put on hold due to concerns about sensitive ecological communities there.

“Because of some of the things with unique aspects of Pinnacle Park, we were in the position where we weren’t getting our approval from (the N.C. Land and Water Fund) to move forward, so we asked Land and Water just to approve Blackrock, which is on the other side of the ridge and goes hand-inhand with Shut-In,” Sylva Commissioner Ben Guiney told his fellow board members Aug. 12. “They were kind enough to do that.”

The properties’ proximity, combined with Cherokee’s expertise in trail building — as shown by the immense popularity of its Fire Mountain Trail system — made collaboration

between Cherokee and Sylva a logical approach as the two governments move their respective projects toward the next phase.

“It’s advantageous to work together, because the design for the trail system crosses boundaries in a few locations,” Owle told Tribal Council Aug. 5. “We don’t want to move forward on Shut-in Creek and then have all this opportunity above us that’s undeveloped. This lays it out so that we work together for this specific purpose, but once it gets into the construction phase, we can move separately.”

According to the agreement, the town and the tribe will issue a joint request for proposals seeking a master plan for a trail system covering the two tracts. Once a vendor is selected, the tribe will pay the up-front cost of the master plan with the town on the hook for half that price tag. Owle told Council that the plan is expected to cost about $40,000, with each government paying $20,000. Both governments hope to fund the construction phase largely from grants, with Sylva planning to lean on its Fisher Creek Fund for costs not covered by grant funding.

The resulting master plan will be a “big picture plan, not just for the trail,” Guiney told the town.

“We’ve got our trail concept there, but what’s going to happen with access and safety and a number of things?” he said. “This is why you pay someone to come up with all of those answers.”

Nantahala SORBA’s plan for Blackrock and Shut-In would add 13.1 miles of new trail to the existing 3.4 miles that currently exist on those properties. Those trail miles would connect to the 9 miles of trail that already exist in Pinnacle Park. The planned design would accommodate a variety of users, from bikers to hikers, featuring the wider turns and milder grades that are critical for mountain bikers but omit the berms and jumps that bikers love and hikers hate. A stacked loop system would place easier loops with wider trails closer to the trailhead and harder loops with narrower trails farther in the backcountry.

ISSUES OF ACCESS It’s an exciting plan, but as bike community leaders seek to make it a reality, access will likely prove the biggest hurdle. Even though Sylva owns the Blackrock tract, there is no vehicular access to the property from town.

And even the existing trails at Pinnacle Park sometimes attract too many users for the small parking lot to accommodate — additional build-out will require additional parking.

The master plan will include answers to questions surrounding parking, access and emergency response, Guiney and Owle told their respective governments.

Both governments had questions about how public access to the proposed trails might affect those who already live in the area.

Residents of Fisher Creek Road, which leads to Pinnacle Park, have

‘Year of the Trail’ planned for 2023

Glamp in the Great Smokies

Smoky Mountain News

“We’re not at that point of scoping the community,” Owle told Council. “We’re just wanting to do a design. And we would need that design to then take to the community to show what we’re proposing.”

Regarding ecological concerns, Commissioner David Nestler said that having a completed master plan might make such issues easier to address.

“With a plan, we have the advantage of doing a much more limited biodiversity study,” said Nestler. “We could have someone come in and just look where the trails are proposed and make sure we’re not disturbing any plant species. In some ways it’s good to go ahead and get a study like this done and have a master plan, because that can help make things like those biodiversity studies go a lot quicker.”

Sylva approved the request unanimously, and Tribal Council did so by an overwhelming majority. All Tribal Council members voted yes save for Painttown Representative Dike Sneed, who voted no, and Chairman Adam Wachacha, who was absent.

With approvals in hand from both governments, Guiney said he hopes to move forward with an RFP in September and select a company toward the end of the month. Hopefully, a plan would be complete by the beginning of 2022. Sylva and Cherokee could then begin looking for grant funding opportunities throughout that year.

August 18-24, 2021

expressed displeasure about the increased traffic volume that now uses the narrow, rural road, and residents of tribal land near the newly conserved property are likewise nervous as to what creating a high-profile trail there might do to their neighborhood.

The recent explosion of use at Max Patch underscores the urgency of such concerns — the U.S. Forest Service recently implemented new regulations at the popular recreation area after overuse led to myriad issues, including roadside parking of such magnitude that local residents found themselves wondering if an ambulance would be able to get through in an emergency.

“Shut-In, it’s just a single gravel road.

There’s three houses on it. I don’t know how they would feel with as much about traffic as what this could bring,” said Wolfetown Representative Bo Crowe, urging Owle to sit down with the residents before moving forward.

In the Sylva meeting, there was also discussion about potential environmental impacts, and whether there were any plans to do a botanical survey like the one that had been recommended for Pinnacle Park before moving forward with the master plan.

To both concerns, Guiney and Owle emphasized that the request is only for approval to begin a master planning process. Once a specific plan is created, the discussion about potential impacts will be more fruitful.

outdoors

Sylva’s Blackrock Creek tract (in red) and Cherokee’s Shut-In Creek property (in orange) abut thousands of acres of conserved land. Donated map

The N.C. General Assembly has declared 2023 to be “Year of the Trail” in North Carolina, marking it as a year to showcase, promote and celebrate trails in the state.

“Understanding the benefits trails and greenways bring to our North Carolina communities through increased economic activity, bike and pedestrian transportation, improved citizen health, and the conservation of our natural resources, I thought it was time to showcase these incredible state assets,” said Rep. Hugh Blackwell, R-Burke County, one of the bill’s sponsors, in a press release.

“Designating 2023 as the Year of the Trail in North Carolina is the perfect way to do that.”

The bill passed the House unanimously on May 5, with the Senate approving it 39-1 on Aug. 10. Republican Sen. Carl Ford, who represents Rowan and Stanley counties, was the sole no vote.

The legislation encourages North Carolinians to “take advantage of their local and regional trail networks, do their part to further enhance North Carolina’s trail networks and pay tribute to everyone who has labored to maintain and enlarge these public amenities.” During 2023, it states, organizations and jurisdictions will offer special programming, festivals and events highlighting various types of trails

across the state. The N.C. Great Trails State Coalition supports the designation and will spearhead plans for the year.

The House budget provides even more support for North Carolina’s trails with an appropriation of $29.25 million for a Complete the Trails Fund, to be managed by the N.C. Trails Program within the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

Rep. Dean Arp, R-Union County and senior chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, Erin Pare, R-Wake County, and Blackwell have taken the lead on this funding effort.

North Carolina is not the first state to declare a “Year of the Trail,” with Ohio and Indiana doing so in 2018 and 2021, respectively. However, N.C. is the first to announce the designation with extensive plans to showcase, promote and celebrate the trails. Special trail programs and events are planned throughout 2023 for all 100 counties, with a goal to increase awareness of trails and boost local trail use and tourism. Trails are instrumental to North Carolina’s $28 billion outdoor recreation industry, the sixth largest in the nation.

The year 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1973 North Carolina Trails System Act, which created North Carolina’s Trails Program. The program is housed in the Division of Parks and Recreation and is assisted by the North Carolina Trails Committee.

— By Holly Kays, outdoors editor

Go camping in style with the inaugural Great Smokies Eco-Adventure Aug. 29-31 near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, a multifaceted fundraising event for Discover Life in America.

DLIA is partnering with the award-winning hiking company A Walk in the Woods to present the event, which will include glamping at A Walk in the Woods’ luxurious off-grid camp near Cosby, gourmet food and drink, guided nature hikes and live music.

All-inclusive tickets are $950, with proceeds supporting DLiA and its All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory project. Buy a ticket at www.dlia.org.

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outdoors

Closures at Waynesville pool Lack of staffing has prompted the Waynesville Recreation Center to close its water park and constrain hours for the lap pool.

The water park, which reopened May 2020 with hours six days per week, has been open on Saturdays only since May 8 of this year due to staffing issues. Now, it will be closed completely until further notice.

Meanwhile, the lap pool will now close at 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays, though it will maintain its hours of 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Since reopening after the pandemic’s arrival, the rec center has been closed on Sundays.

828.456.2030.

Spur to see traffic delays

Effort begins to clean up Fontana campsites On Tuesday, Aug. 10, 14 volunteers converged on Fontana Lake to clean up dispersed campsites that had been trashed by frequent use from neglectful users.

The cleanup came thanks to a $2,600 grant that the Tennessee Valley Authority awarded to Outdoor Mission Community.

The Spur between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge will see daily temporary, single-lane closures 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Aug. 16-19 and Aug. 23-26 for routine maintenance.

Temporary closures will occur on both the southbound and northbound lanes. The road will remain open for travel, but motorists should anticipate delays, reduce speeds and use extra caution.

Updated road conditions for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are posted at www.nps.gov/grsm and SmokiesRoadsNPS on Twitter.

Parkway motorcycle crash causes fatality

August 18-24, 2021

A 74-year-old Georgia man is dead following an Aug. 8 accident on the Blue Ridge Parkway north of Old Fort.

At 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, Parkway dispatch received a report of a single motorcycle collision near milepost 348.5. Rangers and local rescue crews arrived and performed CPR on George Wayne Harkins, of Senoia, Georgia, who had been driving the motorcycle.

Harkins was riding north with a group of motorcycles when he lost control in a curve and left the roadway. He died at the scene as a result of his injuries.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death on the Parkway. For safe driving tips, visit www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/driving-safety.htm.

28 Walnut St. Waynesville

828.456.3021

HaywoodChamber.com

Business of The Month: Frankie’s Italian Trattoria 1037 Soco Road Maggie Valley, NC 28751 828-926-6216

Smoky Mountain News

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OMC co-director Jamie Shackelford saw the need for the grant after a canoe camping trip last summer at the height of the pandemic.

“We were shocked at the trash that campers left behind — a full size innerspring mattress, along with comforters and other rotting fabrics, as well as a metal hammock stand,” she said.

Volunteers from HIGHTS and the Youth Conservation Corps helped pick up trash

Go trout racing Wooden trout will race down the Pigeon River to win their owners prizes and raise money for a pair of local nonprofits at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11, at Bearwaters Brewing in Canton.

Trout are one for $5 or five for $20, with prizes including a Tommy Thomas bamboo fly rod, four tickets to Smoky Mountain Water Park, a Publix gift card, cash, a youth bike, a rain barrel and more.

All proceeds will support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Haywood County’s mission to help youth reach their potential and Haywood Waterways Association’s mission to protect and improve the county’s waters.

Purchase tickets at www.haywoodwaterways.org. Contact 828.476.4667 or info@haywoodwaterways.org with questions. Participants need not be present to win.

Run like a superhero

PLAQUE PROVIDED BY

32

Volunteers work to clean up a trashed campsite. Donated photo

last week, with Haywood Community College, First United Methodist Church of Waynesville and OMC supplying adult volunteers to supervise, drive boats and haul refuse to landfills and recycling centers. The group removed 1,200 pounds of bagged trash, 400 pounds of Styrofoam, six broken lawn chairs, more than 20 empty fuel cans, many metal tent poles, sleeping bags and melted plastic objects.

Other organizations have been working to clean up Fontana, including a shore cleanup led by Fontana Marina each November and a semiannual cleanup of campsites within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park led by the Benton MacKaye Trail Association. But OMC is the first group to take responsibility for the dispersed campsites on U.S. Forest Service land at the lake.

On Saturday, Oct. 16, OMC will organize a second cleanup at Fontana and is currently seeking volunteers. To participate, email outdoormissioncommunity@gmail.com or text 336.583.9932.

Dress up as your favorite superhero while honoring the real-life superheroes of the ongoing pandemic during the 14th annual Asheville Brewing Super Hero 5K/Super Villain 10K presented by Black Orthodontics on Saturday, Sept. 11, in downtown Asheville.

The race will start and finish at Rabbit Rabbit, the new event space next to Asheville Pizza, stepping off at 8:30 a.m.

Participants are encouraged to dress up as a favorite superhero, whether that be one from a movie or comic book or a local superhero who stepped up this past year when they were needed most.

All agencies, organizations and businesses in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson and McDowell counties who provided services and kept businesses running during the pandemic are eligible for 20% off the registration fee and can participate by submitting a short enrollment form, which once approved will result in a discount code participants can use while registering.

The names of participating organizations will also be posted on the event website and at Rabbit Rabbit on event day for everyone to see.

The race is capped at 1,000 participants, with online registration open through Sept.

9 or until full. Organized by Glory Hound Events. Register at www.imathlete.com.

Ray captures an autumn scene on the Cullasaja River. outdoors

Peter Ray photo

‘A Mountain of Wonder’ Author and photographer Peter Ray will discuss his book The Cullasaja: A Mountain of Wonder, at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Ray will share his photos from the Cullasaja River, and the book will be available for purchase before and after the program. 828.524.3600.

828.452.3727

Meet the neighbors Join a Blue Ridge Parkway ranger for an evening of getting reacquainted with your natural neighbors on the Parkway during this week’s Fridays at the Folk Art Center session, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 20, at the Folk Art Center in Asheville.

This interactive and inspirational evening will take a look at the amazing resources found right in Asheville’s backyard and help participants get reacquainted with their love of the outdoors.

The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 on the Parkway. No restrooms will be available during this outdoor program. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

Human impact on the Southern Apps

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August 18-24, 2021

Owen Carson. Donated photo is also sitting president of the N.C. Invasive Plant Council and enjoys gardening, climbing and exploring the outdoors with his wife and two children.

Sponsored by Kathleen and Jim Milby, this free lecture is part of the Zahner Conservation Lecture Series, with weekly installments offered at 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sept. 9 at various locations. www.highlandsbiological.org 828.526.2221.

Learn how trails are made

Get an inside look at the history of the Western Carolina University trail system at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 25, at the Team Development Course Outdoor Classroom at the beginning of the trail.

Josh Whitmore, the trail’s original creator who is now a pro athlete and guide for cyclists and climbers, will discuss how the trails were built, covering stakeholders, funding sources, permits, contracts, professional work, volunteer coordination, policy development and important considerations for multi-use trail management anywhere.

Restrooms are at the WCU Picnic Shelter through the tunnel. An informal ride from the trailhead at the N.C. Center for the Advancement of Teaching will begin at 5:30 p.m., so participants are encouraged to bring a bike.

The presentation is offered as part of Nantahala Area Southern Off Road Bicycle Association’s regular monthly meeting. nantahala.area.sorba@gmail.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

A lecture exploring human-caused changes to the Southeastern U.S. over the past century will be offered at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 26, at the Highlands Community Building in Highlands.

Owen Carson of Equinox Environmental will present “Supremacy or Stewardship?

An Exploration of Modern Day Anthropocentrism.” He’ll explore the lasting ecological changes caused by human activities in the region and more recent attempts to mitigate, restore and prevent further large-scale destruction of natural habitat.

Carson has worked with Equinox for the past decade, providing ecological and botanical expertise in support of environmental planning, design and restoration projects in the Southern Appalachians. He

Real Experience. Real Service. Real Results.

33

outdoors

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Smoky Mountain News

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34

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

Registration for the PGA Jr. League’s fall season at the Lake Junaluska Golf Course is open through Aug. 23.

The program has leagues for children 13 and under and for youth ages 14-17.

Golfers of all skill levels are encouraged to participate.

Practices and matches will be held on Monday evenings August through November at the golf course.

Golfers will develop skills like putting, chipping and team play through four matches as well as instruction sessions.

The $250 registration fee includes practice, matches and a uniform kit.

Scholarships available. Contact Charlie Carswell with questions at 828.734.3957 or

A coach helps a young golfer during a previous PGA Junior League season. Lake Junaluska photo charlie@carswellgolf.com. Register at www.pgajrleague.com/sign-up.

Enter the county fair Time is running out to enter the 2021 Haywood County Fair, with exhibit drop-off and on-site registration coming up 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24, at the Dogwood Event Center within the fairgrounds.

Except for livestock and baking contests, entries will be judged from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 25. Participants will see how their entries did when the fair opens to the public at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26. Entry pickup is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30, with entries unclaimed after that time considered abandoned and discarded, with any prize money forfeited.

Fair events will take place from Wednesday, Aug. 25, through Sunday, Aug. 29. From carnival rides and livestock shows to clogging performances and a tractor pull, the packed schedule offers a variety of events.

For a full schedule, visit www.smokymountaineventcenter.org/fair-2021.

Hunt safe A free hunter safety certification course will be offered 6-9 p.m. Aug. 25-26 at Haywood Community College.

Offered by HCC’s Department of Arts, Sciences and Natural Resources in partnership with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the course will be held in room 3322 of building 3300. In addition to firearm safety, it will cover ethics and responsibility, conservation and wildlife

management, wildlife identification, survival and first aid, specialty hunting, and tree stand safety.

Face masks required. Participants must come both days to get certified. Free and no age limits, though participants must pass a written test without assistance. The certification is accepted in every state and province in North America.

Pre-registration required at www.ncwildlife.org. The course will repeat Sept. 15-16, Oct. 13-14 and Nov. 3-4.

Weigh in on Haywood’s recreation planning An update to the 2007 Haywood County Recreation Master Plan is underway, with a survey now available to take public input.

The survey is conducted by Haywood County in partnership with Canton, Clyde, Maggie Valley, Waynesville and the Lake Junaluska Assembly. Two public meetings to be held over the next two months, together with the survey results, will help define short-term and long-term strategies for program development in Haywood County. Updating the plan will allow the county to pursue grants and other funding opportunities.

Check @haywoodrecreation on Facebook for updates regarding meeting schedules. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete and is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/haywoodcorecsurvey.

Direct questions to Ian Smith at Ian.smith@haywoodcountync.gov or 828.452.6789

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • The Jackson County Branch of the NC NAACP will hold its August Membership Meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21. The meeting will be held online. The topic for discussion is, "Congressional Redistricting and Voter Suppression: Updates and New Initiatives.” Email jcnaacp54ab@gmail.com to receive instructions to join online.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS • The Vein Center at Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) is holding a free vein education session from 56 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26. Dr. Al Mina and Dr. Joshua Rudd will lead the session. Interested community members are asked to register for by calling 828.452.VEIN (8346). Space is limited; RSVP required.

• The Macon County Public Library and Beyond Bending Yoga are teaming up to offer free yoga during the pandemic. All classes at the library are free to the public and will be held outdoors as weather permits. Register to help ensure safe social distancing. This class is accessible to new and seasoned yogis.

GROUPS AND MEETINGS • The Gem & Mineral Society of Franklin will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at First Christian Church in Franklin. The group will be holding an election of officers followed by a presentation on Montana sapphires by club member Tom Parker.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Author and photographer Peter Ray will discuss his book The Cullasaja: A Mountain of Wonder, at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 19, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Ray will share his photos from the Cullasaja River, and the book will be available for purchase before and after the program. 828.524.3600.

THE SPIRITUAL SIDE • First Baptist Church in conjunction with sister Haywood County churches will be hosting a “Community Back to School Prayer Rally” and “Fill the Bus event” at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22. The worship event will focus on prayer through word and song for our school leaders, teachers, school staff, students, and their families as they all transition into the 2021-2022 academic year.

Contact Reverend Christi Hollifield at 828.456.9465.

SUPPORT GROUPS • Al-Anon, for families and friends of alcoholics, meets every Monday night from 7-8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 77 Jackson St., Sylva. Enter at front of church through the door to the left of the sanctuary; meeting is first door on the right. The Church requests that you wear a mask if you are not vaccinated.

• Narcotics Anonymous meetings are back "live" in-person after a year of being on Zoom only. Local meetings are 12 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at Sylva First United Methodist Church in downtown Sylva. Entrance at back of building. Also Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. at Cullowhee Methodist Church and Saturdays 6 p.m. at Cullowhee Methodist Church. Meetings in Haywood County, Macon County and Swain County have reopened as well. ncmountainna.org.

KID’S ARTS • Voices in the Laurel Children's Choir will begin its 26th season on Aug. 23, at Long's Chapel UMC. No

Smoky Mountain News

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com experience necessary. The choir is open to all children in grades rising Kindergarten through 12th grade. An easy audition is required for grades 3-12. For more information or to register, contact Operations Manager, Keisha Goodman at voicesinthelaurel@gmail.com or by calling 828.699.4005. www.voicesinthelaurel.org

• “Pickin’ on the Square” (Franklin) will host Empty Pockets (variety) Aug. 21 and Outlaw Whiskey (country) Aug. 28. All shows start at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. Located on Main Street. www.franklinchamber.com.

• Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will be held at the Kelsey-Hutchinson Park from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with ZuZu Welch Aug. 21 and A Social Function Sept. 4. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host Ricky Gunter 6 p.m. Aug. 21. 828.926.7440 or www.valley-tavern.com.

FOOD AND DRINK • There will be a free wine tasting 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.

A&E

• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host In Flight Aug. 21. All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 or www.boojumbrewing.com.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Bob Zullo (guitar/vocals) Aug. 28. All shows begin at 7 p.m.

Limited seating. Reservations required. Ticket price and dinner menu to be announced. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Concerts on the Creek (Sylva) at Bridge Park will host SKA City (ska/rock) Sept. 3. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

Sponsored by the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. www.mountainlovers.com.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will be held at the Town Square from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with Sycamore Flats Aug. 20 and Trudition Aug. 27. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Gin Mill Pickers Aug. 20, KC Johns Aug. 21, John Friday Aug. 27, Brad Heller & The Fustics Aug. 28, Aunt Vicki 2 p.m.

Aug. 29 and Drum Circle Aug. 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host The Knotty G’s Aug. 22 and Shane Meade Aug. 29. All events are free and begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Lake Junaluska Conference Center will host the Haywood Community Band “Under The Big Tent” at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 29. Free and open to the public.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Hot Mess Aug. 21 and Brother Aug. 28. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host a “Led Zeppelin Tribute” w/Andrew Thelston Band Aug. 20, Prophets of Time Aug. 27 and the “Two-Year Anniversary Party” at noon Aug. 29. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host Wyatt Espalin Aug. 20 and 29 (at 4 p.m.), Aly Jordan Aug. 21, Kate Thomas 4 p.m. Aug. 22, Aces Down Aug. 27 and Somebody’s Child (Americana) Aug. 28. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or www.mtnlayersbeer.com.

• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host “Bluegrass with Blue” Aug. 20 and 27, and Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs Aug. 28. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 888.905.7238 or www.noc.com.

• Bryson City Wine Market will host weekly wine flight tasting events from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The market will also serve wine by the glass from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

• The “BBQ & Brews Dinner Train” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Craft beer pairings with a meal, and more. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.

• “Dillsboro After Five” will take place from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in downtown Dillsboro. Start with a visit to the Jackson County Farmers Market located in the Innovation Station parking lot. Stay for dinner and take advantage of late-hour shopping. www.mountainlovers.com.

• The “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 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 www.gsmr.com.

Outdoors

• Learn the “why” behind the Southern Appalachians’ incredible diversity of salamander species during a lecture at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at the Highlands Biological Station in Highlands. Part of a series of free lectures offered weekly on Thursday evenings through Sept. 9. www.highlandsbiological.org 828.526.2221.

• The Friends of the Lake 5K Road Race and Walk is coming to Lake Junaluska on Saturday, Sept. 4, with discounted registration and t-shirts available to those who sign up by Thursday, Aug. 19. Cost is $30 for adults — or $25 before Aug. 19 — and $15 for students 18 and younger. Register at lakejunaluska.com/run.

• A walking tour of Bryson City will discuss the town’s history of community development, city planning and tourism, 10 a.m. to noon Friday, Aug. 20. Free, with registration requested and donations welcome. Sign up at www.mountaintrue.org/event/bryson-city-downtownwalking-tour.

• Enjoy a virtual visit from world-renowned nature photographer Thomas Mangelsen, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, through the N.C. Arboretum. Free courtesy of The North Carolina Arboretum Society, with registration required and capacity limited. Sign up at bit.ly/3jzFW6B and submit questions for Mangelsen in advance to adulteducation@ncarboretum.org.

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 • Join a Blue Ridge Parkway ranger for an evening of getting reacquainted with your natural neighbors on the Parkway during this week’s Fridays at the Folk Art Center session, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at the Folk Art Center in Asheville. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 on the Parkway. No restrooms will be available during this outdoor program. Bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

• Registration for the PGA Jr. League’s fall season at the Lake Junaluska Golf Course is open through Aug. 23. The $250 registration fee includes practice, matches and a uniform kit. Scholarships available. Contact Charlie Carswell with questions at 828.734.3957 or Charlie@carswellgolf.com. Register at www.pgajrleague.com/sign-up.

• Time is running out to enter the 2021 Haywood County Fair, with exhibit drop-off and on-site registration coming up 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 24, at the Dogwood Event Center within the fairgrounds. www.smokymountaineventcenter.org/fair-2021.

• Get an inside look at the history of the Western Carolina University trail system at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25, at the Team Development Course Outdoor Classroom at the beginning of the trail. An informal ride from the trailhead at the N.C. Center for the Advancement of Teaching will begin at 5:30 p.m., so participants are encouraged to bring a bike. nantahala.area.sorba@gmail.com • A free hunter safety certification course will be offered 6-9 p.m. Aug. 25-26 at Haywood Community College. Face masks required. Free and no age limits, though participants must pass a written test without assistance. Registration required at www.ncwildlife.org.

The course will repeat Sept. 15-16, Oct. 13-14 and Nov. 3-4.

• A lecture exploring human-caused changes to the Southeastern U.S. over the past century will be offered at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at the Highlands Community Building in Highlands. www.highlandsbiological.org 828.526.2221.

• Hike the Palmer Creek Trail at 8 a.m. Aug. 28, with the Haywood County Parks and Recreation. Guided by Phyllis Woollen & Vickey Watson. Hikes are $10 per hike, paid at registration.

• The Haywood County Fair will be held Aug. 26-29 at the Smoky Mountain Event Center, with online registration open through Aug. 16. Volunteers are needed to help with take-in for the Home Economics Division III, which includes preserved foods, home furnishings, clothing and crafts, on Tuesday, Aug. 24. Call 828.456.3575 or visit www.smokymountaineventcenter.org/fair-2021 for more information and online registration.

Market WNC PLACE

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FRONT DESK AGENT PT/FT Waynesville motel looking for a front desk agent. Duties includes taking guest reservations, check-in guests, assisting with guest needs and ensuring a high quality experience. Apply in person at 79 Liner Cove Road, Waynesville, NC 28786. daysinnmanager@outlook.com THE JACKSON COUNTY DEPARTMENT Of Social Services is recruiting for an Income Maintenance Caseworker. This position is responsible for intake, application processing and review functions in determining eligibility for Family and Children’s Medicaid.

Above average communication, computer and work organizational skills are required. Work involves direct contact with

the public. Applicants should have one year of Income Maintenance Casework experience.

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R E A DY T O B U Y O R S E L L?

C A L L T O DAY !

Jeanne Forrest

BROKER

828-571-0515

jeannesellswnc@gmail.com

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate- Heritage • Carolyn Lauter - carolyn@bhgheritage.com

Beverly Hanks & Associates- beverly-hanks.com

The Original Home Town Real Estate Agency Since 1970

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Haywood Co. Real Estate Agents

Brian Noland RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL PROFESSIONAL

bknoland@beverly-hanks.com

828.734.5201

74 North Main Street Waynesville, NC 28786

828.452.5809

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Billie Green - bgreen@beverly-hanks.com Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com Anne Page - apage@beverly-hanks.com Jerry Powell - jpowell@beverly-hanks.com Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither - esither@beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey - mikestamey@beverly-hanks.com Karen Hollingsed- khollingsed@beverly-hanks.com Billy Case- billycase@beverly-hanks.com Laura Thomas - lthomas@beverly-hanks.com John Keith - jkeith@beverly-hanks.com Randall Rogers - rrogers@beverly-hanks.com Susan Hooper - shooper@beverly-hanks.com Hunter Wyman - hwyman@beverly-hanks.com

• Rob Roland - robroland@beverly-hanks.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com • • • •

Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com Rick Border - sunburstrealty.com Steve Mauldin - smauldin@sunburstrealty.com Randy Flanigan - 706-207-9436

EXP Realty • Jeanne Forrest - ashevillerealeat8@gmail.com

Keller Williams Realty - kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • The Morris Team - www.themorristeamnc.com • Julie Lapkoff - julielapkoff@kw.com • Darrin Graves - dgraves@kw.com

Lakeshore Realty

• Phyllis Robinson - lakeshore@lakejunaluska.com

Mountain Dreams Realty- maggievalleyhomesales.com

• Lyndia Massey- buyfromlyndia@yahoo.com

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

KAREN HOLLINGSED BROKER ASSOCIATE

• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

(828) 734-6222

RE/MAX Executive - remax-waynesvillenc.com

KHOLLINGSED@BEVERLY-HANKS.COM

Once a client always a friend

Amanda Cook Williams

• Tom Johnson - tomsj7@gmail.com • Sherell Johnson - Sherellwj@aol.com

828.452.5809

BROKER

828.

243.1126

Follow Amanda Williams Real Estate on Facebook

RESIDENTIAL BROKER ASSOCIATE —————————————

(828) 400-4825

amandawilliams@beverly-hanks.com

Smoky Mountain Retreat Realty

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE

MOUNTAIN REALTY

828.452.4251

71 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC

828-564-9393

www.wncmarketplace.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

• • • • • • • • •

74 N. Main St. Waynesville, NC

Dan Womack

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

ads@smokymountainnews.com August 18-24, 2021

WNC MarketPlace

37

SUPER

CROSSWORD

E-Z DOES IT ACROSS 1 Not dozing 6 Rock band boosters 10 Make of the XK-E, in brief 13 Leading nun 19 Adage 20 Irrational suspicion 22 Dark-haired man 23 Cracker consumed to become a fraternity member?

25 Against: Prefix 26 Dry stretch 27 Sessions with mediums 29 Vidalia, e.g.

30 Cochlea site 33 Comment when pointing out your aunt's child?

35 Ducky insurance company?

40 Bloody -- (cocktails) 44 Wee child 45 Spanish pronoun 46 German poet who founded a ketchup company?

50 -- Minor (Little Bear) 53 Keyless, in music 54 Marilyn of old movies 55 Was a snitch 59 Kindly 61 Shoplifts or embezzles 63 Three-horse wagon 64 Lead-in to byte 66 Cap required to be worn to gain entry?

68 Author Nin 72 Be liable to 74 Big antelope 75 Teal relatives 76 Impudent actress who played Cleo?

81 -- bad example

83 Furtive observation 84 Having some replacement parts?

86 Hybrid citrus 91 Perilous stuff to skate on 93 Lethargy 95 Nomadic sort 96 Iraqi, say 97 Walk just beyond a northern Austrian city's border?

99 Pick, with "for" 102 Stir-fry tidbit 104 Dumbbells 105 Many-time golf champ Nick 106 Small squirt of a zerocalorie drink?

111 With 37-Down, fin-footed mammal 113 "Tiny Dancer" singer John 114 Road show groups 118 Uncrowded 124 Sadness 126 Classic figure-skating painting?

129 Sculpted torso, maybe 130 White rat's condition 131 Chavez of labor 132 "Plus" qualities 133 Vote "for" 134 The whole nine yards 135 Additional DOWN 1 In amongst 2 Lose power 3 Allies' foe 4 Eagle cousin 5 Persian Gulf ruler 6 Fitting 7 -- tai 8 Whizzes

9 Of right mind 10 Wrist or hip 11 Letter after G, spelled out 12 Eye steadily 13 It airs "The Conners" 14 Witch's "vehicle" 15 Bugs is one 16 Lure 17 Watery, as a membrane 18 Unit of lyrics 21 Gp. backing guns 24 Had a bite 28 Heavily built 31 "Better Call Saul" airer 32 Chicago mayor -Emanuel 34 Some low clouds 35 Melville captain 36 Grand party 37 See 111-Across 38 Oscar winner Hathaway 39 Event for artisans selling wares 41 They follow pis 42 Gossip spreader 43 Fathered, as a foal 47 Nastase near a tennis net 48 Chomsky of linguistics 49 1983 Woody Allen role 51 Beef dish in a sour cream sauce 52 Make right 56 Spirit 57 Wrings (out) 58 Astonish 60 Gator cousin 62 IRS form info 65 Spin -- (emulate SpiderMan) 67 Raw beef fat 68 Assist in evil

69 Have a bite 70 High peaks, in Italian 71 Menzel who voiced Elsa in "Frozen" 73 Fixes text 77 He drew Li'l Abner 78 Rioter's haul 79 How a loss may be marked 80 Nada 82 Root for poi 85 "Far out!"

87 Grand party 88 Old film actor Jannings 89 Give for a bit 90 Tiny pasta 92 Roger of film review 94 Dull routines 98 Mao -- -tung 99 City in west Texas 100 Aviators 101 Aquarium favorites 103 Windpipe 107 Rich dessert 108 Animal nose 109 Actor Peter O'-110 Fitness program with Latin music 112 Hearth waste 115 -- gow (casino game) 116 City of central Sicily 117 Actress Loretta 119 Tempo 120 TV's Trebek 121 Corrode 122 Sky twinkler 123 Biblical prophet 125 Craven of horror films 127 Prefix like "equi-" 128 Celebrity gossip site

ANSWERS ON PAGE 34

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PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Hous-

SUDOKU Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, Answers on 34 the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

38

www.smokymountainnews.com

August 18-24, 2021

WNC MarketPlace

ing 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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Yard Sales LARGE ESTATE SALE IN SYLVA! Large collection of antiques - furniture, dish-ware, crates, crocks, quilts, and 1940’s era business equipment, as well as near-new lamps, pottery, newer furniture, kitchen items, dishes, lawn equipment, and tools. Unique valuable “knick-knacks;” beveled mirrors, framed prints and other artwork; Nascar collectors’ hats, matchbox cars, and programs, and a large assortment of Harley-Davidson items/ memorabilia. ALSO, a pristine ‘94 model BMW R1100RS motorcycle one owner, only 24,000 miles. Sale begins at 8 am on Saturday August 21 - 131 Fisher &UHHN 5G ¿UVW GULYH on left after turning off of Skyland Drive) in Sylva. (828) 508-0703 slickmartha1@gmail. com

LISTED AT $489,000 - SOLD FOR $510,000

96 Evergreen Galax Lane, Maggie Valley

UNDER CONTRACT IN 3 DAYS

LISTED AT $649,000 - SOLD FOR $675,000

43 Stone Hill Trail, Maggie Valley

138 Kylie Lane, Waynesville

UNDER CONTRACT IN 11 DAYS

UNDER CONTRACT IN 11 DAYS

“I Specialize in Log Home Sales and Placed Every Cabin I Have Listed This Year

UNDER CONTRACT in 11 days or less!”

Pamela Williams 614 Dicks Trail, Waynesville

289 Laurel Ridge Rd, Canton

BEVERLY-HANKS.COM www.wncmarketplace.com

August 18-24, 2021

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BROKER ASSOCIATE EMAIL: PAMELAWILLIAMS@BEVERLY-HANKS.COM CELL: (803) 528-5039 OFFICE: (828) 452-5809

WNC MarketPlace

39

HUGE 20 YEAR

ANNIVERSARY SALE DON'T DELAY PRICING IS

GOOD TILL AUGUST 28

20 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SALE

LARGEST INVENTORY OF LUXURY VINYL FLOORING IN WNC. COME AND SEE!

Smoky Mountain News

August 18-24, 2021

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40

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