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

Sept. 21-27, 2016 Vol. 18 Iss. 17

WCU faculty closely monitoring $2 million Koch gift Page 15 NOC paddler sets sights on 2020 Olympic medal Page 42

CONTENTS On the Cover: As the elk population in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park continues to grow, more of the herd is wondering outside the park boundaries and causing numerous problems for local farmers. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission recently spent $19,000 to built a two-mile long fence around a Maggie Valley dairy farmer after seven dead elk were found on the property.

(Page 6) Scott Nielsen photo

News State candidates speak at Macon County forum ......................................................3 Candidate forums scheduled throughout WNC ........................................................5 Cherokee to keep gifted vans from Redskins ..........................................................10 Waynesville annexes charter school property ..........................................................12 Haywood County passes development ordinance ................................................13 WCU faculty closely monitoring $2 million Koch gift ............................................15 SCC burn building needs to be replaced ................................................................19 Wrecker service denied location in Sylva ..................................................................20 Education News ................................................................................................................23

Opinion N.C. leaders remain – indignantly – on wrong side of HB2 ................................24

A&E WNC goes to Bristol for the weekend ......................................................................28

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NOC paddler sets sights on 2020 Olympic medal ..............................................42

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State candidates speak to Macon residents

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR very election cycle, the Macon County League of Women Voters aims to educate its community about local and state candidates and the issues impacting the region by hosting political forums.

The League — a nonpartisan citizen engagement organization — kicked off its candidate forum series last week with an opportunity to meet the state candidates vying for a chance to represent Macon County.

Republican Kevin Corbin and Democrat Randy Hogsed are running for N.C. House District 120 — a seat left vacant with the retirement of Rep. Roger West, R-Marble.

Democrat Jane Hipps of Waynesville is challenging Republican incumbent Sen. Jim Davis for the District 50 Senate seat.

Davis was the only invited candidate who declined the League’s invitation to the forum citing his busy schedule. In a written statement, Davis said he decided early on in his campaign for a third term to limit his forum engagements to the ones being held at Southwestern Community College on Oct. 11 and Western Carolina University’s forum on Oct. 22.

The three candidates attending the forum were asked to introduce themselves and were given three minutes each to answer four questions submitted by the community.

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This is Hipps’ second attempt to unseat Davis. In 2014, Davis defeated Hipps with 54 percent of the vote in the district. While Hipps received the majority vote in Haywood, Swain and Jackson counties, Davis took the majority in Cherokee, Clay, Graham and Macon counties.

“I’m running to protect our mountain values — we work hard, play hard and we take care of one another,” Hipps said at the forum. “Jim Davis hasn’t taken care of our mountain people — he’s voted for tax breaks for special interests.”

Hipps said Davis — along with other Republicans in the Legislature — passed measures that added additional tax onto services like car repairs and haircuts.

As a former educator, she said restoring public education funding was one of her main goals.

VOTER ID LAW Candidates were asked their opinions about the controversial voter ID laws passed in 2013 that required all voters to show ID at the polls. The laws also cut back on early vot-

said. “I’m glad they repealed that suppression and I’m glad everyone has the right to vote.”

Corbin had a slightly different take on the legislation. He said it might be difficult for some people to get a proper photo ID, but that didn’t mean the law was suppressive. He said something should be done to help those people acquire their ID instead of overturning the law.

“I believe the most people should be included in the process as possible,” Corbin said. “I do believe in voter ID — you have to have ID to cash a check or do almost anything.”

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Creating jobs is always a major issue for candidates running for state office, especially those representing rural areas in Western North Carolina.

Hipps said the Republican-led legislature has made several decisions in the last few years that have negatively impacted the region’s ability to create jobs and build new infrastructure. By choosing not to expand Medicaid and accept federal money to do so, Hipps said Western North

In 2013, the state cut off millions of dollars of funding to the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center after the Office of the State Auditor released a report showing a lack of oversight within the nonprofit. Hipps said a scaled back rural center meant less grant funding available to WNC for improving water and sewer infrastructure and roads and bridges.

Hipps also said improving broadband internet service in the region was crucial to attracting more businesses and jobs. She said she was excited about the North Carolina Next Generation Network, which

“We need to identify infrastructure projects to put our region back in good economic footing where we can compete for jobs.”

— Randy Hogsed

CANDIDATE INTRODUCTIONS September 21-27, 2016 Left to right: Kevin Corbin, Jane Hipps and Randy Hogsed speak at a League of Women Voters’ forum in Franklin. Jessi Stone photos ing days and put an end to same-day registration and early registration for high-school students. The U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently struck down the law, stating that there was evidence that “because of race, the legislature enacted one of the largest restrictions of the franchise in modern North Carolina history.”

Hogsed agreed with the federal judges’ ruling that the Voter ID laws were racially discriminatory and intentionally targeting African American voters. He also pointed to the state’s congressional districts that were recently declared unconstitutional due to gerrymandering and the state’s infamous bathroom bill HB2.

“There’s no place in our state legislature for racist legislation,” he said.

Hipps said the Voter ID laws made it harder for elderly, disabled and college students to vote.

“To me, that’s voter suppression,” she

“I’m fiscally conservative but there’s certain things we need to do as a society and education is one of those things.”

— Kevin Corbin

Carolina lost the opportunity to create more than 23,000 good-paying jobs in the healthcare industry while providing care to 500,000 people.

According to Hipps, the legislature’s cuts to public education have resulted in a reduction of teaching and teaching assistant positions in the North Carolina — not to mention teachers leaving for better paying teaching jobs in other states.

is a partnership of municipalities, leading research universities and chambers of commerce that encourage private sector providers to bring high-speed connectivity to the region.

“If we want to level the playing field with Charlotte and Raleigh, we’ve got to have broadband access here,” she said.

Corbin agreed that the lack of broadband and cell service is one of the most important issues facing the region right now. Macon County commissioners have recently charged the planning board with identifying underserved areas in the county and looking at ways to get broadband and cell service to those areas. Corbin said the next step was for commissioners to have a meeting with all the local telecommunications providers to see what can be done. He said he would take the same kind of approach to looking for solu-

Smoky Mountain News

Corbin, owner of Corbin Insurance in Franklin, is well known in Macon County. He served five terms on the school board and has served as a county commissioner for six years. With his commissioner term coming to an end this year, Corbin said he decided to run for Rep. West’s seat with West’s endorsement.

Though Corbin, 54, considers himself a fiscal conservative, he prides himself on being able to reach across party lines to do what’s best for Macon County. For example, when he was first elected to the school board, he said the schools were in desperate need of being upgrades and renovations. Corbin worked with the county commissioners to create a 15-year plan to bring school facilities up to standard and that plan has been completed.

“It’s not about certain issues — it’s about how do we work with people,” he said. “I took some heat from the right side of my party, but it was the right thing we do.”

Hogsed, 53, is less familiar to the Macon County community because he was born and raised in Andrews. He served in the U.S. Army for four years before returning to Andrews where he now owns a real estate business. While he wouldn’t consider himself a politician, Hogsed said he decided to run for office in hopes of reversing some of the Republican-led policy decisions being made in Raleigh.

“The most important issue is climate change — the climate I intend to change is at the state capital,” he said.

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tions if he is elected to the House of Representatives.

“I don’t know the answers yet, but I think the single biggest issue in Western North Carolina is broadband access — businesses need it, people need it,” Corbin said.

For the past two years, Corbin has served on the Rural Infrastructure Authority, a 15member committee under the Department of Commerce that provides grants for rural water and sewer, business expansion and other infrastructure projects.

“If we want to level the playing field with Charlotte and Raleigh, we’ve got to have broadband access here.”

— Jane Hipps

Food Fact vs Food Fiction:

Smoky Mountain News

September 21-27, 2016

A note on "Pollanisms" (i.e. journalist Michael Pollan's "Food Rules") and why we need to be critical thinkers about nutrition messages from "eaters" that have no education in food, nutrition, agriculture or farming.

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"Don't eat anything with more than 5 ingredients" - This has resulted in brands trying to "clean up" their list of ingredients, often dropping vitamin and minerals or additives that may preserve taste or color that serve a food safety purpose because, well...it would add too many ingredients!

I can think of foods that have 5 ingredients or less that I wouldn't recommend you eat on a daily basis (shortening, potato chips, bacon) and I can think of ingredients that have more than 5 ingredients that are a good nutritional choice like whole grain cereals (with vitamin and mineral enrichment packages).

"Don't eat anything that won't rot" - The act of rotting or spoiling has as much to do with how food is handled, stored and packaged as the food itself. Indeed, nuts and seeds, a perfectly healthy food with beneficial fats, will last for quite some time if stored properly, if not they will acquire a rancid flavor. The same is true of grains like brown rice, oats, barley and quinoa that contain vitamins, minerals and fiber.

These grains will not "rot" as long they are stored appropriately. Does this make nuts, seeds or grains a bad nutritional choice?

Bottom Line: Be a critical thinker! Simplistic nutrition messages like this often don't hold true and may not be the best advice for your health.

On the authority, Corbin said he went to bat for Macon County businesses Brasstown Beef and Tektone to receive grants to help them expand and create new jobs.

Hogsed said he has a plan to put together “Team 120” — a committee of 120 people in the district from different walks of life — to work on improving the economy.

“We need to identify infrastructure projects to put our region back in good economic footing where we can compete for jobs,” he said.

“Then we develop a plan to move those projects forward — let’s finally get something done.”

While Western North Carolina can boast a great quality of life, Hogsed said it’s not enough to attract jobs unless public education, healthcare and infrastructure can compete with major cities.

PUBLIC EDUCATION Public education has been a hotly debated issue in the last several years as Republicans argue they’ve increased education spending year over year for teacher raises and Democrats argue that the money is being funneled away from traditional public schools to charter schools and private school vouchers.

As someone who has served on the local school board and seen the per-pupil state allocation for education decrease over the years, Corbin said public education is near and dear to his heart.

“North Carolina has made a lot of improvements but more needs to be done,” he said.

If elected, Corbin said he would introduce a bill during his first month in office to increase funding for K-12 schools. Macon County is home to two K-12 schools in Highlands and Nantahala. The schools are more expensive to operate, but the legislature doesn’t understand why those small schools can’t be closed down and consolidated in Franklin.

Corbin said he had plans to take the speaker of the House on a drive through Macon County so he can better understand the logistical problems of transporting those

students from Highlands or Nantahala to Franklin. He said Davis has already agreed to introduce a similar bill in the Senate and if Hipps is elected he’ll ask her to do the same.

“I’m fiscally conservative but there’s certain things we need to do as a society and education is one of those things,” Corbin said.

Corbin would also like to see the General Assembly live up to its promise of providing local counties with 40 percent of the education lottery revenue. Under Democrat control, the legislature was only providing 17 percent of the funding to counties for infrastructure and now under Republican control, Corbin said it has increased to 23 percent.

Hogsed said he didn’t understand how legislators could say they’re for public education when they are budgeting millions of dollars to charter schools that don’t have the same oversight as traditional public schools.

“We have to provide our students with the ability to bloom, to grow and produce right here where they’re planted,” he said.

Hipps also said public education funding is not heading in the right direction. While new teachers are being paid more than their predecessors, she said other teachers are not being paid fairly. Hipps said teachers are also dealing with fewer textbooks, fewer assistance from teacher assistants and larger class sizes.

“We’re diverting money to charter schools without accountability — we don’t know what those children are getting,” she said.

“People are saying this is going to be the biggest civil rights divide that we’ve had in a long time.”

SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS

Hogsed said he supports the rights provided to citizens under the Second Amendment, though he isn’t sure many people have read or understand what the amendment says about the right to bear arms. And while he may have the know-how to operate an assault weapon because of his military training, he said it didn’t mean everyone should be able to use one. He added that keeping guns out of the hands of people with mental illnesses was the real issue that needed to be addressed.

“I’m not a proponent of violence, but I am a proponent of people being able to protect themselves,” he said.

Corbin, who has a concealed carry permit, said he is a huge supporter of Second Amendment rights. However, he said he would like to see more training required before people are able to get a concealed carry permit.

“It’s not strong enough. People need to understand more about the responsibility of having a gun and storing those guns,” he said.

Hipps said she owns guns and strongly believes in people’s rights to carry a weapon as long as they undergo background checks and secure their guns to keep them out of children’s reach. She is not in favor of allowing guns in bars or on playgrounds.

“We need background checks to make sure people don’t have mental illness, or on a no fly list because we don’t want guns in the hands of terrorists,” she said.

Upcoming political forums and debates

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JACKSON COUNTY The Cashiers-Glenville Sunday Social will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at the Glenville Community Center on N.C. 107. Meet Rep. Joe Sam Queen, DWaynesville), Jackson County Commissioners Mark Jones and Vicki Greene, State Senate Candidate Jane Hipps, D-Waynesville, District Court Judge Candidate Kim Carpenter and Mountain Area Democrats and Friends.

Western Carolina University’s Public Policy Institute and Department of Political Science and Public Affairs will sponsor a series of candidate debates in the next two months.

The first debate will be held at 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 23, with opponents for the U.S. House of Representatives District 11 — incumbent Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, and challenger Rick Bryson, D-Bryson City.

Candidates in the N.C. House of Representatives District 119 race — incumbent Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, and

Rick Bryson

Jane Hipps

Mark Meadows

Jim Davis

The Mountaineer will be holding a forum featuring candidates for state legislature and Haywood County commissioner on Thursday, Sept. 29, and a forum for District Judge and school board candidates on Tuesday, Oct. 4. Both forums will be held in the Haywood Historic Courthouse in downtown Waynesville. The doors will open at 6 p.m. and the event will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m.

The Smoky Mountain News will host a candidate forum for Haywood County commissioner candidates and state legislature candidates on Thursday, Oct. 20, at The Folkmoot Friendship Center in Historic Hazelwood. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a meet and greet with all the candidates and tours of the Folkmoot Center offered by the Folkmoot Board of Directors. The forum begins at 7 p.m. in the auditorium.

SWAIN/CHEROKEE Joe Sam Queen

Mike Clampitt

challenger Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City — will debate at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12.

Candidates for the N.C. Senate District 50 seat — incumbent Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and opponent Jane Hipps, D-Waynesville, will debate at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27.

All three debates will be held in Room 204 of the Health and Human Sciences Building on WCU’s West Campus. Doors open at 6:15 p.m.

MACON COUNTY The Macon County League of Women Voters is holding a forum for Macon County commissioner candidates at noon Thursday, Oct. 20, at Tartan Hall in Franklin.

Democrat candidates Bobby Kuppers

A Jackson County commissioner candidate forum will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, and Swain County commissioner candidates will speak at 8 p.m. at the Chief Joyce Dugan Cultural Arts Center at Cherokee Middle School, 150 Ravensford Drive, Cherokee.

A second forum will be held at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 13, to give residents a chance to question their state level candidates running for the Senate District 50 and House District 119 seats.

Questions originating from members of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee will be given first priority and as time permits questions from the general public will be presented. This non-partisan forum is organized by Occupy WNC and The Canary Coalition and is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters, Smoky Mountain Times, The Sylva Herald, and Radio Stations WRGC and WBHN.

I-40 improvements coming to mountains Recent construction improved safety between Asheville and Tennessee on Interstate 40.

The N.C. Department of Transportation is beginning a two-year project to improve the surface and bridges on a seven-mile stretch of I-40 between Exit 20 and Exit 27. Exit 20 is the exit for U.S. 276, and exit 27 leads to U.S. 74 and marks the beginning of the Great Smoky Mountain Expressway.

Crews will be working at night with one lane closed in each direction from 7 p.m. until 7 a.m. when all lanes will be reopened for daytime traffic. Starting on Friday, Sept. 30, Harrison Construction Company of Knoxville will set up lane closures during the day with an option to work nights as well. There will be no permanent lane closures in 2016.

Crews will begin with pavement work throughout the remainder of 2016 or until asphalt plants close down for the winter. They will be milling out asphalt, then paving it back in both directions, adding an inch and a half over all lanes and the shoulder. Upgrades to the bridges and their sub-structures are expected to begin in the spring of 2017.

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(828) 524-2156

Smoky Mountain News

Franklin Ford agrees to sell every new Ford at actual dealer factory invoice cost!

September 21-27, 2016

Southwestern Community College will hold a series of political forums beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, with Jackson County Board of Commissioner candidates — Democrat incumbents Vicki Greene and Mark Jones and Republican challengers Ron Mau and Mickey Luker.

Candidates for N.C. Senate — Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and challenger Jane Hipps, D-Waynesville, will debate at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 11. N.C. House candidates Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, and Mike Clampitt, R-Bryson City, will debate at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25.

All debates will take place in the Burrell Building Conference Center.

HAYWOOD COUNTY

Maggie Valley Sanitary District has asked its customers to conserve water until further notice because of a potential water supply shortage. The sanitary district sent out a letter asking its customers to cut down on their consumption although no penalties will be applied for noncompliance.

In an attempt to reduce usage by 5 percent, the sanitary district asks residents to repair leaky faucets and toilet valves, only wash full loads of laundry and dishes, cut down on their shower time, refrain from washing automobiles and using a water hose to clean off sidewalks and driveways.

news

and Charlie Leatherman and Republican challengers Karl Gillespie and Paul Higdon will all be attending.

f you are undecided or just want more information about the Nov. 8 election, there are plenty of opportunities to get to know the candidates. Here is a schedule of upcoming candidate forums. (If any group has a forum planned that is not listed, please email news@smokymountainnews.com or call Jessi at 828.452.4251.)

Maggie calls for water conservation

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A group of elk wade in the Oconaluftee River during fall leaf season. Michelle Kloese photo

“It would look like Donald Trump’s wall,” she said.

Both Parrott and Carter emphasized that they’re not anti-elk, per se. They both grew up in the area and both have a love and respect for wild animals. But elk are different, they said — because of their size, because of their lack of fear of humans and because they’ve only so recently become part of the picture. Before elk were reintroduced in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 2001, they’d been absent from the region for 200 years.

“I’m not saying anybody’s right or wrong,” Parrott said. “I’m just saying you have to understand what people have dealt with to understand why they have such strong opinions and things have escalated the way they have.”

APPLAUDING THE ELK

Existing with elk

Smoky Mountain News

September 21-27, 2016

Growing elk population triggers landowner conflicts, land conservation efforts

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER lk may be the most polarizing animal in Western North Carolina right now, but William Carter has kept a closer eye on the issue than most. Carter makes his living off a small mountain farm in the Jonathan Creek area, sharing a property line with the Ross dairy farm — that family’s elkrelated struggles have earned them plenty of unwanted time in the local spotlight.

As the elk population has grown, Carter’s found himself wondering what the future holds for his acres of beans, pumpkins and cattle pasture.

“I haven’t had any damage yet, but it’s coming. It’s increasing,” Carter said, standing in the shade of a large cherry tree as he packed baskets full of this year’s harvest of greasy beans. “I’m seeing more elk, more elk.

As of yet I’ve kept them harassed off, and that’s a job in itself. It takes time and effort for me to do.”

In the never-ending business of running a farm, each second of daylight is a precious resource. So, while hours spent mending the torn-down fences and riding a four-wheeler around to scare the elk away haven’t been a financial burden, they’re tasks that use up working hours he can’t spare.

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NOT IN THE BUDGET

But all that’s small potatoes compared to what would happen if the herd of elk over at the Ross farm broke into his bean patch.

Carter doesn’t expect it would take that long for a passel of 500- to 700-pound animals to 6 finish off his 2 acres of beans, filling their

bellies with the lion’s share of his yearly revenue.

“It wouldn’t cut into me,” he said. “It would do me in.”

Carter was in his 20s when the elk were first released in Cataloochee. If somebody had asked his opinion then, he said, it would probably be different than it is now. Elk are amazing animals, and he would have appreciated all that their return to the Smokies represented. But nobody asked his opinion before the elk were released, a fact that still negatively colors his view on the animals today. And these days any favorable feelings he has about them are balanced by years of experience living and farming among them — and it’s not all rainbows and unicorns.

“They’re not figured into my budget,” he said. “It’s everything I can do to keep my cows here and have enough grass just for them.”

Carter compares the impact of the ranging elk herd to that of turning his 30 cows loose on Jonathan Creek to feed wherever they please. The landscape of farm-studded Appalachia just isn’t suitable for large, freeranging animals like elk, he believes.

The Ross family has been back and forth with wildlife managers for years about their elk-related issues, reporting crop damage and fence damage and harried dairy cows.

All that came to a head this winter, when seven elk were shot on the property (see story on page 7). Following the incident, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission funded a 2-mile-long fence around the farm to prevent similar situations in the future. It seems to be working well for the Ross farm, but Carter says he’s seen more elk on his land

since — foiled from entering the Ross fields, he said, they’ve been skirting the property line to end up in his neck of the woods.

So what happens when the day comes — and Carter is sure it will — that elk damage threatens his livelihood? He’s got a daughter in college and another coming up behind her — elk in the bean patch could have quite tangible implications. But killing an elk, he said, is the last thing he wants to do.

“I have the right (to shoot) just as soon as it’s in my field and it’s doing damage,” he said. “I have that right. Is that what I want to do? No.” Down the road from Carter, Brooke Parrott is wrestling with similar concerns.

She and her husband don’t grow commercial products on their 20 acres, but they do keep livestock, tend a garden and try to create a peaceful, healthy environment for their children to grow.

Elk have complicated that picture.

Several years ago, the elderly family dog was stomped to death right in front of her.

Another dog got its eyeball and teeth kicked out.

“I chose to live on a large tract of land for a way of life, to have farm animals to enjoy, and yet I’m having to keep my dogs chained up, keep close eyes on my kids, because they (elk) are very large animals, and they’re dangerous,” Parrott said.

But what can she do about it? The Wildlife Commission may have erected a fence around the Ross property, but would that even make sense for her family’s hobby farm? It would be expensive, and it would alter the feel of the land.

Kim Delozier, the Smokies biologist who spearheaded the reintroduction effort and now works for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, has heard stories like Parrott’s and Carter’s many times before.

“You really enjoy helping those people that don’t want to kill them. They just don’t want their property impacted in a negative way,” Delozier said. “That’s the people that’s the easiest to help.”

Delozier worked with landowners back when he was with the park, and now that he’s with the Elk Foundation he partners with the state on projects to benefit the elk population and reduce conflicts with humans. He’s no stranger to the issues that can arise when the enormous ungulates wander onto private land, but Delozier is a believer that those issues can — and should — be worked out.

“For a long time, we lost a lot of species here, and it’s really because of bad decisions that people made,” he said. “We killed too much and we destroyed too much habitat.

Because of that we lost some species, and elk was one of those. I think it’s our responsibility to see which ones we can bring back and restore them.”

Elk aren’t the only species the park’s brought back over the years. River otters, peregrine falcons and the ill-fated red wolves all had their own reintroduction programs.

Co-existence with elk has its challenges, Delozier said, but they’re native here. They belong here. They occupy a niche in the environment that would go empty without them.

And people love to see them. Elk viewing is a big draw in Haywood County, with visitation to the Cataloochee area of the park, where they were reintroduced, skyrocketing from 65,400 in 2000 to 214,000 in 2003, following the 2001 reintroduction. Visitation has since slid back down to around 90,000, still substantially higher than before the elk came.

Tourism, in turn, puts money in the pockets of county residents, both directly — through revenues to local stores and hotels — and indirectly, through the $260 that visitor spending saved each Haywood County resident in taxes this year. If the population grows to a point that it’s huntable,

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER hese days, bovines — not elk — are the only cows wandering around the Ross dairy farm in Jonathan Creek.

That’s a first since the elk initially meandered outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park following their 2001 reintroduction.

Located close to Cataloochee Valley, where the elk were released, the Ross farm and its acres of perfect elk habitat quickly became a favorite hangout for the large ungulates as their populations pushed outside park borders.

That preference hasn’t sat well with the Ross family, whose members have become outspoken critics of the elk endeavor and of the herds of 30 to 40 animals that have regularly traversed their property, tearing down fences, eating crops and running the cattle.

No more, thanks to a $19,000, 2-mile-long, 6-foot-high fence that the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission installed around the property. The Wildlife Commission paid for the fence with state money originating from hunting license sales, with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation reimbursing the organization for $1,900 of the cost.

“It seems to be working really, really well,” said Justin McVey, district biologist for the Wildlife Commission.

No elk have been spotted on the property since.

T

WINTER ELK DEATHS IN JONATHAN CREEK That’s a relief to the Wildlife Commission, because the scene on the Ross farm this winter aroused the ire and consternation of Commission biologists, as well as of many in the general public.

Members of the Ross family shot and killed four elk in January and February, The Smoky Mountain News reported at the time, but documents from a public records request SMN filed afterward revealed that the body count totaled seven.

Landowner Ralph Ross declined to comment on the new information or the success of the fencing installed since.

It started the evening of Friday, Jan. 29, when landowner Ralph Ross left a message on McVey’s office phone that he had shot three elk, according to McVey’s written report. McVey and Tanner Baldwin, senior wildlife officer, visited the farm the following Tuesday, after McVey had retrieved the

message and was able to contact Ross.

There, they found three elk carcasses lying in the field — a young male, a bull elk and a female calf, according to Baldwin’s written report.

“Both carcasses were in a middle state of decay,” McVey wrote in his report, con-

Wildlife Commission staff walk the Ross farm after learning that elk had been shot there for damaging crops. NCWRC photo

tinuing on to describe that decay in exacting detail.

The following day, Wildlife Commission staff met with Ross and his sons Ferguson and Hank to hear their account of what had happened, according to Baldwin’s report. Ferguson told Baldwin that he had fired the shots from the front of his brother Hank’s home. The elk had been running the cattle around, Ferguson told Baldwin, so he went inside to retrieve his weapon. When he returned, the elk had moved on to grazing the winter wheat crop — the wheat would be harvested in the spring to feed the livestock through the season. He shot one of the elk, but the rest of them stayed put, leading him to shoot two more.

The carnage angered some members of the Commission staff. After hearing the results of Baldwin and McVey’s visit, Brad Howard — private lands coordinator for the Commission — fired off an email underscoring that tension.

“This is getting out of control very quickly,” Howard wrote in a Feb. 2 email to multiple Commission staff members in managerial and supervisory positions.

“Our belief is that Mr. Ross is basically ‘spite killing’ for lack of a better description. In my opinion, he needs to provide more evidence that he shot the elk ‘in the act of doing damage;’ elk simply being in his pasture is not doing damage.”

week,” David Cobb, chief of wildlife management for the Commission, replied to Howard’s email. “For the record, I agree with you, unless he can show demonstrable depredation, he should be charged.”

Investigators, however, decided against pressing charges. Instead, Commission staff decided to look for solutions, with McVey and Mark Williams, a conservation technician, heading out to the Ross farm Feb. 12 to consider fencing options to keep the elk out, according to a Feb. 12 email McVey wrote.

As they walked the property, Williams noticed a dead bull elk in the woods, on the other side of the pasture fence, McVey wrote. Williams continued exploring the area and called out that he’d found a buried elk, too.

Further investigation revealed three areas of “freshly disturbed” dirt, according to McVey’s report, with each area exhibiting elk hair on the surface. An elk hoof and lower leg protruded from the ground in one of the areas and McVey found a spot where puddled blood had soaked into the dirt.

“The tracks from machinery led down to Steve Ross’s dairy where there was a front-end loader that looked like it would have made the tracks and been able to bury the animals,” McVey wrote.

Smoky Mountain News

S EE EXISTING, PAGE 8

Two-mile fence keeps elk off dairy farm following winter shooting of seven animals

September 21-27, 2016

From where Carter sits, elk are a net negative, economically speaking.

“It’s great if it’s not affecting your life, but they need to figure some way to compensate the people that are on a daily basis having to deal with the elk,” he said.

If he were getting some financial compensation for the headache of dealing with elk or — if it should someday come to that — damage they cause his crops, he’d be much more OK with their presence. After all, the government let them loose, so shouldn’t the government be responsible for the headaches they cause producers?

“I understand that completely, that feeling,” said Justin McVey, district biologist for the Wildlife Commission. “Some states are set up that they do pay damages. North Carolina is one that had not, and I don’t foresee that changing. That’s a big funding thing.”

Sometimes, though, damages are in the eye of the beholder. What’s unacceptable to one person may be allowable to another.

And sometimes the pent-up frustration of years of elk encounters builds to a point that each subsequent incident, however minor, elicits a reaction disproportionate to the actual damage. Previous encounters with elk eating crops from a field or tearing down fences come to bear on the present — when, perhaps, all the animal is actually doing is standing in the pasture — and anger rises quickly.

McVey recalls one time when, after a landowner complained that elk were eating all his hay, he set up an exclusion cage in the field — a section of fence to keep elk out for the purpose of evaluating the difference between vegetation inside the cage and vegetation outside the cage.

“There was no difference,” McVey said.

“There’s no doubt that they do damage, but I don’t know that the severity is there,” he continued. “I think that the fact that it’s elk doing it just exacerbates the problems.”

There’s been some research done on the topic, with a 1995 paper from Dennis Austin and Philip Urness of Utah State University looking at the effect that grazing from “wild ungulates” — the category includes deer, elk and moose, among others — have on the grain yield of winter wheat.

The study concludes that “despite high utilization percentages” foraging didn’t significantly decrease overall grain yields.

“It’s almost like the wheat responds,” McVey said. “It’s like being mowed — it grows better.”

So, perhaps even a mowed-down section of winter wheat won’t actually translate to damage if you wait till spring to measure.

The question is, if your livelihood depends on how well your cattle are fed, do you just

No elk allowed

McVey’s report had indicated that he was skeptical that significant damage had occurred.

“I saw no evidence of damage to the wheat, but it was only a few inches high,” McVey wrote. “I did not notice very many hoof prints.”

At the time, the Wildlife Commission was preparing to vote on — and ultimately passed — a rule change that would pave the way for an elk-hunting season in the future. A public hearing on the issue held in January had drawn a couple hundred people and swells of opinion.

“I do not need to tell you how this relates to timing of activities this and next

news

tourist dollars could be expected to grow even more.

“Elk really are valuable for the local economy, for tourism, for wildlife viewing and hopefully in the future for a huntable population,” Delozier said.

S EE NO E LK, PAGE 9 7

news

EXISTING, CONTINUED FROM 7 trust that it will be OK and keep breathing easy as elk graze the fields?

“I’m not a beef farmer — I’m a grass farmer,” Carter said.

Success raising beef depends on success growing grass.

Smoky Mountain News

September 21-27, 2016

DEFINING DAMAGE

8

Which leads to the question — what is damage? State law says that if an animal is in the act of damaging property, it’s the property owner’s right to shoot it. But the law doesn’t define damage.

“Eating a blade of grass in your yard might not be damage, but eating grass on a man that’s growing grass for a living is damage,” Carter said.

But even that perspective isn’t universal, Delozier said. He remembers working with one landowner who would have taken the definition even further.

“He said, ‘Look, the elk have been walking around the edge of my yard eating my apples. They’ve even been stepping on my weeds,’” Delozier recalled. “His interpretation of ‘damage’ was stepping on his weeds.”

“It’s gray,” McVey said. “It’s a really bad rule.”

At one point long ago, McVey said, the law defined “damage” as anything valued at more than $50. That was more concrete than the current statute, but still gray. For instance, what if an elk knocks down a length of fence that doesn’t cost money to repair but requires hours to put back up?

How do you calculate the cost of the labor?

“We’re always looking at all our wildlife

William Carter packages beans as he discusses his fears for the havoc an expanding elk herd could wreak on his farm. Holly Kays photo

rules and trying to make them more clear and more impactful,” McVey said. “I believe there are some discussions going on to try to improve those rules.”

But that’s easier said than done, said Brad Howard, private lands program coordinator for the Wildlife Commission.

“Situations with wild animals are unpredictable and varied,” he said. “You can never write something on paper that can accommodate and account for every situation that wild animals might throw at you.”

And elk are not the only animal to which the depredation law applies. If you define “depredation,” you’re defining it for all North Carolina’s wildlife species.

“I’m hesitant to go too far down that road because there are so many scenarios and situations that play out across the state of North Carolina,” Howard said. “This doesn’t just apply to a local issue.”

But something more concrete than the existing statute would make things a lot easier for Capt. Mitchell Kirkland and the wildlife enforcement officers who work under him.

“It can make it hard to enforce,” Kirkland said. “That’s because it comes down to deciding what is depredation, what isn’t depredation. What has that monetary value that actually spells out ‘yes, it’s OK to take

the life of that animal?’”

There have been scenarios in North Carolina in which someone claimed depredation after shooting an animal, Howard said, only for the investigation to reveal that no damage had actually occurred. People have been criminally charged for such offenses, he said. But in cases where there is real damage, there’s no clear-cut legal threshold to say what’s worth an elk’s life and what is not.

From Kirkland’s standpoint, the process works much better when landowners approach his staff before things get to the point of loading a gun. Then they can work on some non-lethal measures to solve the problem, like fencing or loud noises. The landowner can document the situation with photographs, and if it gets to the point that gunshots are necessary, a timeline has been established to aid officers in their investigation.

“If a person takes it (the elk) and they haven’t jumped through the hoops to get there, it doesn’t look good on their end because they haven’t made any effort to do anything other than shoot it,” Kirkland said.

And logistically, if an elk is shot without a depredation permit, the landowner is left with the unpleasant task of burying 700 pounds of dead animal. If they’ve gone

“I’m not saying anybody’s right or wrong. I’m just saying you have to understand what people have dealt with to understand why they have such strong opinions and things have escalated the way they have.”

— Brooke Parrott

through the process to obtain a depredation permit, the meat can actually be put to use.

“We don’t want to see any animal be taken unnecessarily, so learning how to balance the needs of the animals with the lives of the people is tough,” Kirkland said.

For his part, Carter emphasizes that he has no wish to kill an elk. But he’s afraid that he may someday be forced to.

“Even when the elk stomped my dog right in front of my face, I didn’t want to kill them,” concurred Parrott.

GUIDING THE FUTURE Parrott’s home is located at a spot that biologists have praised as textbook elk habitat, offering grassy fields, scrubby young forest and a water source — an elk smorgasbord. That kind of open habitat is a rare commodity in the Smokies region, at least when it comes to public land — acreage in Western North Carolina tends heavily toward mature forest.

So, for Delozier and his partners in the Wildlife Commission, the goal is to increase that open acreage in places besides the Parrotts’ backyard or the Ross’ pastures.

“Elk utilize the forested areas quite a bit so they can survive and do relatively well, but where there are openings, kind of a mosaic habitat, they will thrive,” he said.

The Conservation Fund has been a stalwart ally toward that goal. To date, the organization has purchased 959 acres of land near Maggie Valley — enveloping Sheepback Mountain and abutting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — for the Wildlife Commission. The effort’s been helped along by $1.5 million from the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund, as well as contributions from the elk foundation and other public and private funding sources. By the end of the year, The Conservation Fund expects to convey an additional 955 acres and is talking to more landowners about purchasing another 600 acres for eventual conveyance to the Wildlife Commission.

“Where suitable, we’re going to be creating wildlife habitat in various stages, even if it’s just thinning and burning,” McVey said.

Eventually, the area will include the hodgepodge of meadows, scrub and mature forest that elk thrive on.

Other elk habitat projects are also underway. McVey started working on an endeavor in the 12 Mile area — east of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and south of the Tennessee border — about four years ago. Some overgrown fields have been reclaimed as meadow, and there’s one area of about 250 acres that he’s hoping to thin and burn to create some savannah-like young forest habitat. In addition, the U.S. Forest Service is currently in the planning phase of a logging project in that neck of the woods, and creation of new elk habitat will be one of the project’s foremost goals. And, over the last several years the Elk Foundation has been funding prescribed burning projects to open habitat within the park itself.

The hope is that a nucleus of safe, desirable habitat on public land will pull elk away

NO E LK, CONTINUED FROM 7

ANIMAL OF THE PEOPLE

NO CHARGES FILED

Howard is the first to admit that his emailed reaction to the elk killings was fiery and strongly worded, rather unequivocally stating that the Ross men were probably not within their rights to fire the shots. With more than half a year elapsed since the incident, Howard has a different view. Calling the deaths “spite killing” was “a poor choice of words,” he said.

“That comment was in sheer frustration at the inability to protect the elk, for lack of a better word, because we weren’t sure how to do it,” Howard said.

“Ultimately after the full investigation it was a poor choice of words. I think the landowners were as frustrated on one side of the situation as we were on the other.”

Frustration isn’t in short supply when it comes to the elk, said William Carter, who farms land adjacent to the Ross family. His neighbors are good people and hard workers whose livelihood depends on the grass they grow to feed the cows that they milk, he said — he’s confident that they did only what they had to do.

“They took no enjoyment in shooting elk, and if they wanted to shoot elk they could have cleaned house over there,” Carter said.

Investigators concluded that the killings fell within the Ross family’s legal right to kill wildlife caught in the act of damaging property, and no charges were filed.

Despite his initial reaction to the news, Howard said he’s happy with the decision and the progress that’s been made since.

“Ultimately our agency made a decision and we are all behind it,” Howard said. “We decided to really become even more engaged and say, ‘Let’s see how we can work with you guys.’ We’ve never done fencing on that scale, and it’s thus far been successful.”

Mike Carraway, district supervisor for the Wildlife Commission, said he hopes to see that success continue and the Wildlife Commission’s relationship with the Ross family and other farmers in the area grow in its collaborative spirit.

“We’ve worked really hard to try to resolve some of these issues so people can live with elk,” Carraway said. “The Wildlife Resources Commission is working with landowners to try to resolve some of these issues so we don’t get to the point where people are shooting elk anymore.”

9

Smoky Mountain News

Even with all the hassle, Parrott said, having the elk around isn’t all bad. The wonder of spring calving season, for instance, isn’t lost on her or her family.

“It’s nice that you can sit on the porch and see they still have spots and their legs are shaky,” she said. “There are good things that we experience too, but as they get older we deal with the destruction.”

Spread your circle wider, to the community and region and nation as a whole, Delozier said, and it’s even easier to identify the positive impacts the elk population yields. At the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, elk account for the biggest share of calls from visitors and travel writers — last year, the TDA even put out a travel guide specifically designed to tell visitors where to go to see an elk. Those people come with their families and their dollars and in turn bolster all sorts of local businesses.

Transcending dollars and cents, the elk reintroduction is downright emotional to many people.

During last month’s dedication of the new Waterrock Knob Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Conservation Fund Chairman Mike Leonard teared up as he addressed the crowd, describing how elk have been spotted roaming the newly conserved, one-of-a-kind property.

“I don’t want to choke up, but elk have returned up here for the first time in more than a century,” he said. “That is an incredible restoration story. That is happening.”

Statements like that are good news to Delozier, who is well aware that the elk population will survive only as long as there are people who want it to. The species has disappeared once, and it could disappear again.

“The people are really the ones that are going to decide what we have and what we don’t have,” he said. “Overall, I’m very encouraged that elk have a lot of support — not just in the park but really across the state of North Carolina.”

Maintaining that support, he said, will require asking hard questions and dealing headon with the very real conflicts that the reintroduced population brings.

“Ignoring the problems, obviously you’re not going to win,” Delozier said. “I think having open lines of communication, better relationships will be better for the landowners, for all people involved, and definitely for the elk.”

SMN’s Feb. 17 report that only four elk had been killed on the Ross farm was based on repeated conversations with Wildlife Commission personnel that continued through Feb. 16. But the discovery of public records putting the number at seven speaks more to the pitfalls of remote communication than to intentional deception, multiple Wildlife Commission staff members said in follow-up interviews.

“I don’t think there was ever any deliberate attempt to hide numbers or anything like that,” Howard said. “I think there was just a lot of confusion as to how many had definitely been determined were shot versus ‘We think there might have been.’ I think some people were reluctant to say, ‘It was this.’”

Elk-related issues are inherently hot-button, and when the first dead elk were found on the Ross farm, Wildlife Commission leaders knew that a media storm would follow. They routed all communication on the issue through Raleigh in an effort to control the message. However, at the time the Wildlife Commission’s public information officer was still new to the job and a Wildlife Commission Lieutenant who had never even seen an elk before or set foot on the Ross farm was given the task of fielding media calls.

“I don’t think the individual in Raleigh was intentionally trying to mislead,” Howard said. “I think he was worried he would disclose something he shouldn’t disclose.”

There’s still some anger in the community over the killings. With the total elk population estimated at 150, seven elk represent a significant proportion of that — 4.7 percent.

“To kill three elk, it just kills me,” Brevard resident Robert Hunter said at a public hearing held this month on a different elk issue, referring to the three elk shot Jan. 29. “I killed three elk in my time, but I went to Wyoming to get them and they cost me more than a good beef did, too.”

So far this year, eight elk have been reported dead — seven due to depredation on Ross property and from an unrelated vehicle collision. The number is about equivalent to elk mortality at this time last year. Between January and October 2015, seven elk were reported dead, though only one death was due to depredation. Of the rest, one was euthanized due to disease and five died following car crashes. In total, 15 elk were reported dead in 2015, though only two from depredation.

But, Howard said, when it comes to what happened on the Ross farm, body count isn’t the most important consideration.

“The numbers mattered somewhat less than the extent to which they (the Ross family) were within their right to do it,” he said.

September 21-27, 2016

from crops and fences and conflicts with cars and guns, resulting in a more stable elk population and a reduction in damages on private farms.

“I think having that land and having the public’s acceptance of elk are going to be key to the successful conservation of elk in North Carolina,” McVey said.

The fact that elk are now part of the equation will likely mean that openings, once created, will stay open with substantially less human intervention.

“Elk were part of the landscape before, and elk was a species that helped maintain the openings,” Delozier said. “When elk were gone, you didn’t really have anything to keep those areas open.”

Parrott hopes that forest management efforts will improve the situation, but she also believes a positive future for the elk herd will require another initiative — a hunting season.

“They’re smart. They know there’s nothing out there that’s going to hurt them,” she said. “I think opening a hunting season would at least change the behavior of the animals so they’re more like a wild animal.”

Right now, Parrott said, they’re barely wild.

It’s not uncommon for her to come home and find one standing in her driveway, utterly unfazed when she lays on the horn.

“They’re not wild,” Carter agreed. “They’re far from being wild. They’ve been humanized right here. You can pull your vehicle out and they’ll stick their head in your window.”

Delozier doesn’t disagree with any of that. In fact, he said, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation would love to see an elk season happen someday — down the road, when the population has grown enough to sustain it. Earlier this year, the Wildlife Commission amended its rules so that a hunting season could be implemented once biologists give the go-ahead.

“It would definitely increase fear in any animal,” he said. “It happens with bears, too, in areas where they’re hunted versus areas where they’re not hunted. A hunted population of anything is much less visible and wilder than a population that is not.”

But for now, the status quo is what folks like Parrott and Carter will have to deal with.

Habitat projects take time, and it will likely be a while before the elk population grows to a point that a hunting season — even a strictly limited hunting season — makes sense.

REASONS FOR DISCREPANCY

news

A cow and calf graze the field above Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee. Greg W. Passmore photo

news

Cherokee council votes to keep vans gifted from Washington Redskins Resolution to cut ties with NFL team still in effect

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER pair of Mercedes-Benz vans that The Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation once bestowed upon the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians will remain with the tribe, Tribal Council decided earlier this month — almost exactly one year after it originally voted to cut ties with the organization and send the vans back from whence they came.

On Sept. 10, 2015, Council passed a resolution declaring the term “redskins” to be “offensive and hurtful” to Native American people and causing “direct harmful effects” to their “public health and well-being.”

Therefore, the resolution said, it would immediately cut ties with the football team, the Foundation and all representatives of those organizations, and also join Native American tribes across the country in calling on the team to change its mascot.

Following passage of the resolution, the vans — which had been given to senior centers in Snowbird and Cherokee County — were

W We’re e’re on a Roll.

New jobs posting p ever everyy week. we eek.

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Smoky Mountain News

September 21-27, 2016

A

taken back to Cherokee with the intent of returning them to D.C. But the vans weren’t sent back, and in the meantime other groups of tribal members were using them. That didn’t sit well with the senior citizens from outlying areas of the Qualla Boundary to whom they’d originally been gifted, spurring Snowbird/Cherokee County Council representatives Adam Wachacha and Brandon Jones to introduce the resolution passed Sept. 8.

“The senior citizens didn’t take too kindly to knowing they were being used when the intent was that they be taken back to D.C.,” Wachacha told council. “When I had discussions about the vans at first, it was, ‘If you’re going to take them, please replace them with something,’ and that never happened.”

“It’s not a matter of where they came from to our seniors — it’s a matter of them not being able to have them,” Jones agreed. “They just want to be made whole and have their vans back.”

The resolution faced fierce opposition from Councilmember Teresa McCoy, of Big Cove.

“Tribes across the country have sent stuff back — refused playgrounds, refused assistance, refused help,” she told council. “I think Mr. Snyder (Dan Snyder, owner of the

WE W E ARE ARE LOCATED LOCATED A AT T 777 CASINO CASINO DRIVE. DRIVE. APPLICANTS APPLICANTS CAN CAN PARK K ON ON LEVEL LEVEL 1 IN THE CASINO G GARAGE. ARAGE.

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If you have already submitted your application, it will be considered active for 6 months from the date of application. To qualify, applicants must be 21 years or older (18-21 years eligible for non-gaming positions), must successfully pass an RIAH hair/drug test and undergo an investigation by Tribal Gaming Commission. Preference for Tribal members. This property is owned by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, managed by Caesars Entertainment. The Talent Acquisition Department accepts applications Mon. - Thur. from 8am - 4:30pm. Call 828.497.8778, or send resume to the Talent Acquisition Department , 777 Casino Drive, Cherokee, NC 28719 or fax resume to 828.497.8540.

Washington Redskins) needs to get a message clearly back from this tribe that we don’t want to have anything to do with that name.”

McCoy said that she certainly doesn’t want to begrudge the seniors their vans and would hope council would fund some new ones if the request were brought up during the budget process. Or, she said, what if the tribe sold the Mercedes vans and used the money to purchase different vehicles for the seniors?

“I think they would probably feel better knowing we gave them a gift rather than hav-

it, so they were not utilizing that van anyways,” Lambert said of the Cherokee County seniors. “I’d say a lot of that mileage was bringing it from where it came from to here.

There’s two vans down there (in Snowbird) and I guess if Cherokee County needs one we can give them one of the ones in Snowbird or find one somewhere else.”

However, Wachacha said, comparing the Mercedes vans to the ones currently in Snowbird isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison. The Mercedes vans had large cabs, step outs and other features that made them more accessible to seniors.

“The 15-passanger vans that Snowbird also has, there’s lots of complaints on them,” he said.

As far as returning the Mercedes vans, though, Lambert said it might not be as simple a proposition as councilmembers imag-

Cherokee Tribal Council House.

Holly Kays photo

“It’s not a matter of where they came from to our seniors — it’s a matter of them not being able to have them. They just want to be made whole and have their vans back.”

— Councilmember Brandon Jones

ing to take something that represents scalping,” McCoy said.

Chairman Bill Taylor, of Wolfetown, disagreed.

“Whether you trade them or sell them, you’re still benefitting from them,” he told McCoy. “It doesn’t matter which way you go about it. You’re still benefitting from them.”

Most of the councilmembers seemed to feel that if the vans were going to sit in a tribal parking lot anyway, the seniors might as well get some use out of them — regardless of where they came from.

“I agree with what Teresa (McCoy) is saying, but a free van is as free van to me,” said Councilmember Alan “B” Ensley, of Yellowhill.

Principal Chief Patrick Lambert, meanwhile, told council that from his point of view the issue had been mostly resolved. Snowbird had already been given another van, he said, and it was questionable whether Cherokee County needed its own.

“After having had that van in their possession for two years, it only had 5,000 miles on

ined. They’re titled in the tribe’s name, so a formal transfer of ownership would need to be involved.

“I’m willing to figure out who we could return ownership of those to,” he said. “I’m not sure we can. We can’t just go there and park it in a parking lot.”

Leading up to the vote, McCoy again voiced the opinion that keeping the vans would be the wrong decision.

“Leaders across the country that accepted gifts from Dan Snyder were impeached by their tribes,” she said.

Nevertheless, the majority of council voted in favor of keeping the vans, with Councilmember Anita Lossiah, of Yellowhill, the sole nay vote — McCoy abstained.

“The intent is just to make the community whole until we do bring something down,” Wachacha said following the vote. “They get tired of hearing something’s coming and never making it down. Like my dad used to say, we get tired of just getting the crumbs from the tribe.”

Legal aid offered at Jackson library

World wars round table group to meet at WCU

Applicants sought for recreation board

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The Haywood County Board of County Commissioners is seeking applicants for two positions on the Haywood County Recreation Advisory Board.

One vacancy is for District 1, which includes the townships of White Oak, Cataloochee, Crabtree, Fines Creek and Iron Duff. The other vacancy is for District 4, which includes Clyde. Applicants must live in the district to be eligible. Each term will last for three years.

Application forms may be downloaded from the Online Services section of the county website, www.haywoodnc.net or picked up from the County Manager’s Office, Haywood County Courthouse, Third Floor, 215 North Main Street, Waynesville, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Completed applications may be returned to the County Manager’s Office or attached to an email to Candace Way, ecway@haywoodnc.net. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 5.

828.452.6625.

Guide services on Lake Glenville, Lake Chatuge, Bear Lake, Lake Fontana

September 21-27, 2016

Operation Barbarossa, Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II, will be the topic of discussion as the Carolina Round Table on the World Wars meets at Western Carolina University on Thursday, Sept. 22.

Richard L. DiNardo, professor for national security affairs at the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, Virginia, will give a presentation titled “Operation Barbarossa at 75: Some Observations.” His talk will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Cardinal Room of A.K. Hinds University Center.

The event is free and open to everyone.

828.227.3908 or dorondo@wcu.edu.

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Legal Aid of North Carolina is partnering with the Jackson County Public Library to hold a free back-to-school legal clinic from noon to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21, at the library in Sylva.

The clinic will be broadcast live via videoconferencing software to clinic locations throughout North Carolina. Legal Aid’s education attorneys designed the clinic to teach public school students and their parents, guardians and community partners about state and federal education law, and to empower them to advocate effectively for students’ rights in the school system.

The clinic is free and open to all members of the public, but advance registration is required because seating is limited at most locations.

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Waynesville annexes charter school property

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER he Town of Waynesville’s area increased by 2.82 acres last week with the annexation of a parcel at 1023 Dellwood Road that Alderman Gary Caldwell said was “part of our growth.�

Turns out, that growth comes at the expense of town taxpayers.

The parcel, which is home to Shining Rock Classical Academy, is tax-exempt per state law and thus will pay no property taxes.

Additionally, annexation will save the charter school almost $18,000 in initial water and sewer hookup fees, and also allows the school to pay much lower municipal rates for water and sewer service than it would have paid outside city limits.

According to Director of Public Services David Foster, the rate for municipal water customers is $1.48 per 100 cubic feet, and the rate for municipal sewer customers is $1.50 per 100 cubic feet.

Were Shining Rock not annexed into the town limits, the school would have paid $2.55 and $2.83 for those services, respectively.

Foster went on to say that if the school’s utilization of those services was high enough, it may even qualify for a discounted rate. However, he opined that he didn’t think the school’s consumption would rise

legal requirement for those outside the corporate limits of the town who wish to avail themselves of the town’s water and sewer services.

Indeed, the town did have the option to refuse annexation of the parcel but still provide all those services to the school at the higher rates because the property is within the town’s ETJ (extraterritorial jurisdiction).

Instead, a standing-room only crowd of

September 21-27, 2016

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to that level.

Back on Aug. 8, Executive Director of the Lake Junaluska Assembly Jack Ewing submitted a petition to aldermen requesting voluntary annexation of the parcel, which is a

Shining Rock parents watched the Board of Aldermen vote unanimously to welcome the parcel into Waynesville proper at a tremendous cost savings to the school.

There was no public opposition to the annexation voiced during the meeting.

Alderman LeRoy Roberson said during the meeting that he felt the parcel met all necessary requirements for annexation.

Alderman Jon Feichter cited the precedent of the nearby Bojangles restaurant, and Alderman Julia Freeman called it “a win for all of us.�

Mayor Gavin Brown — who once served on the Haywood County School Board — said that he had philosophical differences with charter schools, but would not let that influence his feelings on the annexation issue.

Brown also said the annexation decision wasn’t an attempt to rekindle the town’s desire to annex Lake Junaluska, which owns

the Shining Rock parcel and also sits just across the street from it.

Despite the fact that the parcel won’t contribute to the tax base of Waynesville — where taxpayers just experienced a nearly 10 percent hike in property tax rates to fund the hiring of eight additional firefighters — the town does gain an additional utility customer, albeit at a rate lower than it could have demanded.

Feichter, however, feels that the annexation does still hold some benefit for the town. “Though I realize the town doesn’t profit financially quite as significantly as it ordinarily might, I do believe we realize several important benefits — both direct and indirect — that make the annexation worthwhile,� he said. “The most direct, tangible benefit to the town is the acquisition of a new, large utility customer — one we might not have without the annexation — and the increased revenue that comes with it.�

Another less tangible benefit Feichter thinks the town will realize is that by paying lower water and sewer rates, Shining Rock will have more money to spend on students. “That is, I believe, a win-win that helps all of us in the long run,� he said. “Although I was never any good at algebra, I think that formula is: new customer for the town plus reduced revenue paid for water and sewer equals a win for the students.�

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September 21-27, 2016

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT with the separation distances specified in STAFF WRITER the ordinance.

Children, the elderly, the ill, the mentalCounty Manager Ira Dove said that the ly challenged and the incarcerated in reciprocity provision was essential due to Haywood County all have at least one thing the ordinance’s primary purpose of protectin common: in the event of an emergency or ing vulnerable populations. evacuation, they might not be able to move “If we don’t make that reciprocal,” he to safety quickly or efficiently. said, “then we fail in that purpose.”

That was the motivating factor behind The high-impact ordinance was the Haywood County’s new high-impact development ordinance — to protect these vulnerable populations from the possibly adverse effects of asphalt plants, chemical facilities, companies dealing in explosives, hazardous materials handlers, landfills, mining or extraction operations and combustible or flammable bulk fuel storage facilities.

The ordinance — passed unanimously by the Haywood County Board of Commissioners Sept.

“Being reactive is not the best way to 20 — imposes setapproach this.” back, separation and screening require— Mark Swanger, Commission Chairman ments for such facilities while also setting a minimum distance from streams. county’s first step toward land-use planThese requirements are intended to ning. The county does not have any zoning maintain adequate spacing between highrestrictions on property outside municipal impact developments and schools, child boundaries and until recently, residents care operations, day care centers, hospitals, have wanted to keep it that way. nursing homes, retirement or assisted living A handful of complaints last year facilities and correctional institutions. regarding unwanted development in rural The greatest separations stipulated are areas of the county prompted the commisfor fuel storage operations, landfills, mining sioners to conduct a survey to see if the operations and chemical and explosives majority of residents would support more facilities; setback requirements specify a land-use planning regulations. minimum distance from the property line A telephone survey of 800 randomly for all structures, and screening requireselected residents was commissioned by the ments call for berms, fencing, vegetation or county and carried out by Western Carolina walls to present a visual barrier.

University’s Public Policy Institute. To comAlthough any high-impact development missioners’ surprise, two-thirds of those currently in use need not adhere to the ordisurveyed said they would support a comnance except in cases of expansion or signifmon plan for land development. icant changes to existing structures, Commissioners also passed an ordiCommission Chairman Mark Swanger nance regulating where outdoor shooting pointed out the importance of the ordiranges can be developed following communance for future development. nity concerns about an indoor shooting “Being reactive is not the best way to range being built in the Francis Farm comapproach this,” he said during the meeting. munity. While commissioners couldn’t do Also included in the ordinance is a recianything about the indoor range already in procity provision that requires protected progress without a zoning ordinance, they entities — like schools — that choose to set did feel like outdoor ranges would cause up shop near a pre-existing regulated entity safety issues and warranted more regula— like an explosives plant — to comply tion.

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Haywood County high-impact development ordinance passes

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WCU faculty closely monitoring $2 million Koch gift

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Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. A Shot Above photography

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER estern Carolina University faculty tasked with overseeing a $2 million gift from the Charles Koch Foundation had their work cut out for them when they collectively rolled up their sleeves last February.

Their marching orders: prevent the mega donor from hijacking the marketplace of ideas on campus.

No other university had attempted this type of faculty oversight before. The Koch Foundation funds more than 50 centers like the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise being launched at WCU.

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“It is extremely rare. I think it might be unique,” David McCord, a psychology professor and past chair of the faculty senate, said of the committee’s charge. “In most places it is a done deal, done in the dead of the night.”

Koch influence on college campuses has proliferated over the past decade. The centers serve as incubators for libertarian economic ideas — a worldview defined by limited government, unfettered free markets, nominal regulation and laissez-faire capitalism.

Of the 53 Koch-funded centers housed on university campuses across America, none face the level of scrutiny and oversight that the one at WCU will.

Morrison-Shetlar called a “multi-tiered approach.”

One task force set the stage for how the center will operate, coming up with checks and balances to monitor it. Another is vetting the contract between WCU and the Koch Foundation to root out signs of undue influence on academics. And yet a third will tackle a policy rewrite to tighten up on the process for creating new centers and taking outside money.

Faculty who opposed the Koch money may have lost the war, but they won a critical battle along the way.

“I think it says something about the faculty and administration side,” said Erin McNelis, a math and computer science pro-

But to get there, faculty members realized they couldn’t wordsmith the operations and output of the center itself. Instead, they focused on laying the groundwork for a robust advisory board to provide real oversight of the free enterprise center once it got off the ground.

“It is quite important,” said Bill Yang, chair of the faculty senate who led the committee’s work. “What is the role of the ongoing advisory board? What is their role in terms of checks and balances? What should they be doing, how will they be appointed, how many, who should they be? Those were the deliverables.”

After meeting every other week for three months, the committee charged with crafting oversight mechanisms for the center reached the finish line last semester, putting out its final recommendations in April.

Wes Stone, the engineering and technology program director at WCU, said the task force was cognizant of underlying concerns

S EE PRECEDENT, PAGE 16

DRAFTED FOR THE TEAM To ensure faith in the process, the committees could not be stacked with faculty who support free enterprise ideology.

Provost Morrison-Shetlar, who crafted the list of committee members in concert with

S EE KOCH, PAGE 17

What is the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise?

The center’s mission states: To provide economics research and thought leadership on issues pertaining to economic development in North Carolina, the region, and beyond, by conducting scholarly inquiry, policy analysis, educational activities and community outreach on the role of free enterprise in a flourishing society.

A $2 million gift from the Charles Koch Foundation spread over five years will support the center. It would become one of more than 50 such centers funded by the Koch Foundation on college campuses nationwide.

Dr. Edward J. Lopez, the BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism, would serve as the director.

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WCU faculty set new precedent for standing up to political influence of big donors

KOCH MONEY

September 21-27, 2016

“There are a lot of faculty concerns around this proposal,” said Dr. Bill Yang, WCU’s faculty senate chair and an engineering professor. “We wanted to address those.

How can this be operated in a way to address all these concerns? If we are going to do this center, we are going to do it right.”

Faculty members have lauded administration for giving them a seat at the table. That wouldn’t happen at most universities.

“I think it is a sign that faculty voices are appreciated here. It is a compliment for Western,” said Chris Cooper, department head of Political Science and Public Affairs. “At the university at large, I think there is an appreciation of diverse viewpoints and faculty governance. I think we can see that in this process.”

Three working groups of faculty are scrutinizing different aspects of the Koch gift and the new center, a process Provost Alison

fessor. “Faculty have gotten better at being engaged with aspects of the university that involve curriculum and the integrity of our programs. And Chancellor Belcher has always reached out to faculty, and in my opinion, has been quite transparent in how he handles things.”

The battle scars from the Koch fight may never fade completely, but David McCord is proud of WCU for the inclusive faculty process that came out of the controversy.

“At most universities there is nothing like this degree of openness,” said McCord, who was chair of the faculty senate last year when the Koch controversy blew up. “We have a chancellor who actually puts his actions where his words are and he was willing to be open and inclusive of faculty input, which is just not the norm.”

Faculty also deserves credit for speaking up when they feared the integrity of their university was at stake.

“We didn’t know how it was going to come out, but we knew it was big enough that faculty needed to tune in, pay attention and weigh in on what they thought about this,” McCord said. “It got a great deal of attention by faculty, and the chancellor listened.”

That sentiment was echoed on all sides of the aisle.

“WCU is and has always been an institution that values free speech and debate from its community,” said Bill Studenc, WCU’s director of communications and public relations.

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BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER firestorm over a $2 million gift from political operative Charles Koch ignited the campus of Western Carolina University last fall in a rare but heated clash between faculty and university leadership.

Critics feared WCU would be used as a propaganda hub for Koch’s libertarian economic philosophies. An on-campus think tank called the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise would stray into political advocacy disguised as academia — a model employed by the Koch Foundation at dozens of universities nationwide.

But to reject the money and quash the center would be tantamount to academic censorship. Dr. Edward J. Lopez, the rainmaker behind the Koch gift, would be muzzled from pursuing ideas of his choosing.

So Chancellor David Belcher decided to take the money. WCU’s trustees approved.

Faculty lost. Lopez won. Koch added another tentacle to its vast academic network.

And the flare-up died down. Or so it seemed.

In reality, all is not quiet on the Western front.

Faculty wasn’t lulled into complacency.

Lopez isn’t marching Edward J. Lopez toward the center’s launch. And Koch hasn’t sent a check yet.

Instead, Western’s faculty has been diligently plugging away at what some might say faculty does best: holding meetings.

When Chancellor Belcher bucked the faculty senate by taking the Koch money, he did so with a caveat. A broad-based faculty task force would help shape how the gift came down, a move Belcher hoped would slake or at least temper faculty concerns.

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September 21-27, 2016

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PRECEDENT, CONTINUED FROM 15 among faculty that led to the formation of their committee in the first place.

“To ensure this center doesn’t become a mouthpiece for any particular group,” Stone said.

Coming up with a tangible way to accomplish that goal is another matter.

The task force flirted with big philosophical questions and bantered over lofty ideals.

But it was tough to translate those ethereal goals of academic freedom and scholastic integrity into tangible marching orders.

“Compromise is a part of the puzzle almost any time that faculty members come together to dissect and debate important academic matters,” said Brandon Schwabb, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, who served on the committee as well. “I think it would be fair to say that there was debate, discussion and compromise on just about every point in the process leading to the board’s recommendations.”

Schwabb said the task force “worked well together in the spirit of academic and professional collegiality.”

The visionary for the center, Edward J. Lopez, BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism in the economics department, has long-standing ties to the Koch academic network. Lopez’s career in ideas has positioned him as a well-known proponent of free enterprise ideology.

Most Koch-funded university centers act as a clearinghouse for speakers, seminars, policy papers and research that advance the free enterprise school of thought. And that’s exactly what the faculty committee didn’t want to see happen.

“You need to expose the students to a wide environment of theories, you have to have inclusiveness,” Yang said. “You cannot have one single mind in this thing and not have students exposed to the opposing view.”

When funding university centers, the Koch Foundation stipulates that a faculty member serve as the director. At WCU, that will be Lopez.

While Lopez will have wide discretion to operate the center, he’ll be required to share an annual report on the center’s activities.

Theoretically, the oversight board could be triggered to lean on Lopez if things seem skewed.

“They could hammer on the director and say ‘Look, you got too many of this.’ It should be a balanced view,” Yang said. “The ongoing advisory board can look at the operations and say, ‘Are all these activities too narrowly focused.’”

The advisory board would stop short of directing research topics or conclusions. That would impede academic freedom — the one tenet held paramount by both sides in the Koch money debate.

“You have to ensure academic freedom for one thing,” Yang said. “We are all for it, we are all for academic freedom. Everybody is on the same page,” Yang said.

ACADEMIC FREEDOM Academic freedom cuts several ways, however.

“The students’ academic freedom is 16

Members of the faculty senate at Western Carolina University discuss a $2 million gift from Charles Koch Foundation. Becky Johnson photo important, so they need to be exposed to the wide, full scale of this thing,” Yang said.

There’s also the academic freedom of individual professors, like Lopez, to consider.

They should be free to pursue research topics of their choosing.

The committee talked extensively about requiring the center to present a diverse range of viewpoints.

“Whatever we come up with could be a good example for how we establish our centers. If you are establishing a center, what things do you have to follow?”

— Bill Yang, faculty senate chair

“Concerns about perspective and a narrow focus, or limited view, arose. Question was raised whether it is the Center’s obligation to invite speakers of different views,” according to minutes from one of the faculty committee meetings.

The minutes reflect a consensus that, yes, a “diversity of viewpoints” was critical, not only in the name of “scholarly inquiry” but also “to address the dissent and concerns surrounding the proposed center.”

But the discussion was far from over. The issue recurred again and again in the meeting minutes.

“The exposure and examination of competing theories and viewpoints as necessary center activities were discussed at length,” according to the minutes from another meeting.

“The point on advocating for scholarly inquiry by inviting and encouraging diversity of viewpoints is discussed at length,” read the minutes from yet another meeting.

To ensure balance, however, would academic freedom for some be compromised in

KOCH MONEY an attempt to preserve it for others?

“A concern is raised whether or not this would impede upon center faculty’s academic freedom in pursuing the research of their choice,” according to the minutes.

Still, the committee ultimately concluded the center’s oversight board should hold the center accountable for presenting multiple viewpoints, and not become a policy shop for one economic perspective.

“I think everyone on the committee agreed it was a controversial issue and there were legitimately multiple sides of the issue.

We all tried to make sure we were fair to a diverse set of viewpoints,” said Chris Cooper, director of the Political Science and Public Affairs Department.

There was one litmus test the task force kept coming back to: “Does this serve our unique mission?” Cooper said. “I think Western is unusually attuned to its mission.

We are here to serve the people of Western North Carolina.”

A ROBUST BOARD While the committee agreed oversight measures were needed to thwart the center from promoting a single school of thought, the question was how. At the end of the day, that job will fall to an advisory board, so its make-up would be critical.

“It was really about setting up the composition of the ongoing board and ensuring there was a broad constituency in place to maintain the integrity of the center,” Stone said.

Advisory boards are all too often a team of yes men, quick to rubber-stamp their director’s annual report and get on with the chicken salad croissant.

McCord hopes that won’t happen at WCU. “It is necessary we maintain a vigilant and active engagement with the activities of the center,” McCord said.

To guard against a rubber-stamp advisory board, the faculty committee carefully crafted

the board’s composition and how its members will be appointed.

Here’s how the 11-member advisory board will be composed, based on the structure laid out by the faculty task force: • Five advisory members will come from off-campus, including “members from local and regional communities.”

• Six members must hold faculty rank.

• Of those six, three will be elected by faculty at large through the faculty senate election process.

• Of those six, no more than three can be from the same college.

It was a monumental move to set aside three seats on the advisory board for faculty to be elected at-large, and ensures at least some of the advisory board members can’t be hand-picked by the center’s director.

As for the other eight who are appointed, there are three layers of decision-making that will buffer the director’s influence over who’s on his own advisory board.

The process is laid out this way: the advisory board names a nominating committee, the nominating committee “seeks broad input from the university community” when crafting a list of possible contenders, the faculty senate must be “involved throughout the nomination process” and finally the provost makes the appointments based on the list from the nominating committee.

A year ago, Lopez likely couldn’t envision the co-opting of his advisory board with open faculty elections. As a goodwill gesture last fall, Lopez floated the idea of inviting a single faculty member from outside the College of Business to serve on his advisory board, according to an email from Darrell Parker, dean of the business college, to the provost.

But Parker pointed out the hypocrisy of putting faculty from outside the business school on the center’s advisory board.

“If similar treatment was included for other centers like the Cherokee Center, Ed (Lopez) would be open. If Senate’s posture was that only potential thought that is seen as conservative needs faculty governance involvement, that would be problematic,” Parker wrote.

At the end of the day, Lopez ended up with not just one but a minimum of three faculty members from outside the business school on his board, a separate caveat that was written into the advisory board structure.

Lopez is quite likely alone in this scenario — the only one out of 53 Koch-funded centers on American university campuses with so little control over who ends up on his advisory board.

When asked if he felt like his center is being subjected to a double standard, or whether his colleagues from across campus are unfairly meddling in his academic pursuits, Lopez didn’t offer a direct response.

Lopez went on record supporting the oversight recommendations that came out of the faculty committee.

“We ultimately agreed on a set of recommendations that fulfill the charge we were given. That charge was to ensure that the Center is in alignment with Western’s policies, mission, strategic directions and core

S EE PRECEDENT, PAGE 18

KOCH, CONTINUED FROM 15

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“We have a chancellor who actually puts his actions where his words are, and he was willing to be open and inclusive of faculty input, which is just not the norm.”

— Dr. David McCord, former faculty senate chair

Coming next week: Before WCU signs on the dotted line to accept a $2 million gift from the Charles Koch Foundation, a team of faculty has been word smithing language in the gift agreement to ensure there are no undue strings attached. event for free enterprise economics professors, most with Koch ties and underwriting.

The students secretly recorded numerous panel discussions, which they posted to the internet under the hashtag #kochileaks.

The Koch Foundation funds academic centers on 53 campuses, which were described as the front line of the larger Koch political network aimed at reshaping national political policy.

“When we think about a university center, there’s all this intellectual activity happening and there’s an opportunity to leverage it over and over and over again,” Ruger said. “We’ve got a constellation of network organizations that are focused on applying what comes out

of universities to change the world, and so that’s sort of the core of the partnership: money plus the network.”

McCord said this is the reality that the faculty task forces were up against.

“The Koch network has their own strategic plan that they have clearly articulated and implemented brilliantly, which is to convert people to their vision of society,” McCord said. “It is not to broadly educate people, it is not to prepare critical thinkers, it is to prepare like-minded thinkers to fit their mold.

They have a lot of money and they are paying us to do it for them.”

Nonetheless, faculty has taken the measure of oversight they were given, embraced their chancellor’s olive branch and run with it.

Faculty says Belcher is sincere in his desire to give faculty a voice. It’s a pattern he’s shown repeatedly, not just with the Koch money blow up.

“This reflects very highly of Western’s administration. There has been a very concentrated effort to make sure that shared governance is practiced here,” Stone said. “By ensuring that faculty have a seat at the table, it was a further testament to shared governance.”

With the faculty review process now wrapping up, Lopez can finally get on with the mission of opening the center.

“As I’ve said before, everyone involved wants this to have a positive impact on people’s lives. Ultimately the work of the Center will speak for itself, and I look forward to getting to work creating research and outreach opportunities for Western’s students and faculty,” Lopez said.

To opponents of the Koch funding, the faculty task forces are simply trying to make the best of a bad situation. Their fears of WCU becoming a pawn in Koch’s political empire aren’t merely a conspiracy theory.

That strategy has been repeatedly documented: to push libertarian policies into the marketplace of ideas via a network of academic scholars. The Koch Foundation has pledged $170 million to universities over the next five years for various free enterprise endeavors on their campuses, from underwriting professorships to buying pizza for student free enterprise clubs. That’s on top of $130 million in university spending over the past decade.

Charlie Ruger, the director of university investments for the Charles Koch Foundation, spelled out the strategy behind universitybased think tanks at an April conference of the Association of Private Enterprise Education.

“The idea behind these centers is to bring the ideas out of the academy and apply them across social institutions to achieve this cultural change,” Ruger said in a panel discussion.

“It’s not just bringing together groups of

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Smoky Mountain News

ANY PORT IN A STORM

September 21-27, 2016

“This is designed to be a rigorous, facultyfowned, faculty-driven process,” MorrisonShetlar said. “But I believe that the steps our faculty are taking in the development of the center will ensure maximum faculty engagement, protect academic freedom and guard against any negative curricular impacts.”

John Marvel, a professor of management in the College of Business, said those on the committees took their roles seriously.

“What we are very clear on is we have a subset of the faculty evaluating this on behalf of the whole faculty. We are trying to be as open as possible,” Marvel said. “I think that reflects a very positive view of the administration and a very positive view of the faculty.”

Lopez, the BB&T Distinguished Professor of Capitalism in the economics department and the visionary for the center, was complimentary of the process as well.

According to those who participated in the process, Lopez was open and conciliatory throughout. Lopez could have thrown up his hands and walked away from his vision for a center given the oversight being foisted on it, but he didn’t. f Cooper, a task force member, said Lopez deserves credit for how he engaged in the process.

Lopez said the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise will be better for it. It has been “a very positive experience for the University and for the Center as well.”

“We had many discussions over the span of three months. These were honest and thor-

professors although that’s a critical piece of what we do. It’s about, you know, helping wring every last drop of liberty-advancing value out of every single activity that happens at every single one of these centers.”

Ruger didn’t realize his comments would end up in print. Student activists with an organization called UnKoch My Campus slid into the conference, an annual networking

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McCord, didn’t hold back.

The committees were weighted with faculty seen as neutral at best, if not outright skeptical, when it came to the Koch money.

Some committee members were reluctant to get dragged in to the process, however.

McCord was only half-joking when he said chosen members had to be cajoled and coerced into serving.

“My initial thought was probably similar to a lot of other people’s, which was a little bit of trepidation of the politically charged potential this one raised,” said Wes Stone, director of the Engineering and Technology program. “But I welcomed the opportunity openly. Here as faculty we don’t always get the easy choices to make, so we take on the challenge.”

Once the faculty committees were sanctioned, administration largely got out of the way.

ough discussions,” Lopez said in a written statement when asked to reflect on the process for this article.

Lopez said he was proud of the work the task force did and has “tremendous respect” for its members.

Yang, current chair of the faculty senate, led both task forces by virtue of his faculty senate leadership role.

Diligent, thorough, analytical and polite, Yang was well-suited to shepherd the committees’ work. He’s a big fan of policy, not in the stickler sense, but rather as a beacon to keep the work on course.

“We were following university policy — not only WCU policy but also the state university system policy. What we really looked at is to follow these established university policies,” he said.

Yang points to university policies on the books that triggered some of the faculty oversight. Several years ago, faculty witnessed big money from an outside donor cross the line of academic integrity, and crafted a policy to keep it from happening again. Specifically, the BB&T Foundation wanted to dictate the ideological bent of the professor hired with its $1 million gift and stipulate course readings.

WCU faculty objected vigorously to allowing an outside donor to influence what and how students were taught. The condition was dropped from the terms of the gift, and faculty meanwhile got to work on a policy for gifts with curriculum impacts.

The Koch gift marks the first time the policy has actually been triggered, despite several big gifts since then. None apparently met the litmus test of having potential curriculum impacts that would trigger the policy.

A third faculty task force is working on the periphery of the two main task forces to refine the university’s gift policy. Its goal: to shore up a loophole that became apparent during this process. The gift oversight policy is triggered only when a gift has curricular impacts, but what constitutes curriculum impacts and who decides if a gift rises to that level?

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PRECEDENT, CONTINUED FROM 16 values. We took that charge seriously, delivering a structure for the Center that is fundamentally sound,” Lopez said.

Stone admits if he was Lopez, he would have “felt a little micromanaged” at first.

“But if I were him I would be more comfortable in the result, knowing there was a lot of scrutiny put into this,” Stone said. “If someone does have a question, there are protections in place to say, ‘Look, we have a structure to make sure a conflict of interest doesn’t take place.’”

“In the end I think the result was a very strong message that this is something that will stand the test of time,” Stone said.

The committee tried to divest the idea for a free enterprise center from the baggage of Koch money.

The idea was to create a model for an advisory board that could be applied to any center or institute that comes along.

“Whatever we come up with could be a good example for how we establish our centers,” Yang said. “If you are establishing a center, what things do you have to follow?”

September 21-27, 2016

CARRYING WATER The mandate for a robust advisory board, providing oversight and checks and balances rather than mere moral support, is not seen at other Koch-funded university centers.

According to minutes of the faculty committee meetings, Lopez questioned whether the phrase “checks and balances” should appear in the cover letter for the committee’s recommendations. The mere suggestion of “checks and balances” implies that checks and balances are in fact needed.

While it’s rare for a professor to have oversight foisted on them by colleagues from other departments, some believe it is justified.

“All scholarly products emanating from the center will have the brand of WCU, a brand that we all share,” said McCord.

An analysis of the advisory boards for

Koch-funded university centers show a pattern of quid pro quo board appointments among a network of like-minded free enterprise scholars. The directors of Koch-funded university centers serve on each other’s advisory boards, host each other’s book talks, author papers together and go to the same conferences and seminars.

Following the trail of who serves on whose advisory boards is a circular exercise that eventually leads back to the starting point.

• Ben Powell, director of Texas Tech University’s Free Market Institute, serves on the board for other Koch-funded centers at Troy University and the University of Louisville.

• Josh Hall, director of the Center for the Study of Free Enterprise at West Virginia University, sits on the board of other Kochfunded centers at Troy and Arizona State.

• Scott Beaulier, who’s directed two Kochfunded free enterprise centers of his own, including Troy in Alabama, serves on the advisory board for Koch-funded centers at Texas Tech, University of Louisville and Arizona State.

And so the pattern continues.

None of the 10 advisory board members for the Koch-funded center at Troy University in Alabama are from Troy. None of them are even from Alabama.

All 10 are free enterprise economists with ties to the Koch academic network and affiliated with Koch-funded centers of their own at their home universities.

Incidentally, Troy’s Johnson Center for Political Economy is headed up by Steve Miller, who was on WCU’s economics faculty until two years ago.

Lopez queried his counterparts from other Koch-funded centers about how they structure their advisory boards during an Association for Private Enterprise Education conference in Las Vegas in April, an annual networking event for free enterprise economics professors.

Students with UnKoch My Campus went to the conference and secretly recorded numerous panel discussions, including one called

Farmer Appreciation Dinner

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Hosted by The Swain County Farmland Preservation Advisory Board

KOCH MONEY “Establishing a Successful Academic Center.”

“I wonder if the panel or anybody else in the room could talk about, Steve, you mentioned you set up an advisory board,” Lopez asked from the audience, according to the audio recording. “I think that one thing about the advisory board is it could be the source of advocacy for the mission.”

Or, “it could go the way of being, the membership being, sort of, strategically selected, and the advisory and advocacy roles, you know, going towards the oversight and enforcement roles, and, you know, really having a governing structure that instead of supporting the center is limiting it,” Lopez said.

Panelist Steve Gohmann, the director of the Koch-funded Center for Free Enterprise at the University of Louisville, took the question. He said his strategy was to select and stack his own advisory board before it could be done for him.

“I’ve decided I’d better have an advisory

board in place before I have a new dean who says, ‘Hey I’m going to put together an advisory board, here’s what we’re going to do,’” Gohmann replied. “You just want to have some people that are in your court, and you want to set it up. Don’t let somebody tell you to set it up, because if somebody tells you to set it up then it’s their choice of who’s on the board, not yours. And that’s, you don’t want to be there.”

Gohmann said he hand-picked two other free enterprise scholars from Koch-funded centers at other universities for his board.

“And really the advisory board, all they’re gonna do is look at the annual report and say, ‘Yeah, it looks good,’” Gohmann said. “So it’s really just a protection thing for me, and it’s not anything where they have to do any work, unless something comes up.”

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Not everyone is convinced that the oversight board the faculty task force put in motion will cure the free

Monday, September 26th at 6PM

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Former Faculty Senate Chair David McCord (center) and current Faculty Senate Chair Bill Yang (right). Becky Johnson photo

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Ruger lamented that professors with “classical liberal sympathies are outnumbered” on university campuses. Professors who disagree with the free enterprise school of thought are “actively taking the opportunity to fight against liberty, against freedom,” Ruger said. The Koch Foundation hopes to counter that imbalance, Ruger said.

“So, when we go to build new academic institutions in partnership with the universities, we’re doing it because in order to, you know, make a dent, we’re gonna need to have a disproportionate impact,” Ruger said during a panel discussion at the conference.

McCord said it could be impossible to align their two missions, setting the stage for a constant push and pull.

“Our mission, what we are here for, is not the same as what the Kochs’ mission is,” McCord said. “We know from the outset that that they want to line the center up with their own mission. We want to ensure the alignment with our mission.”

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Smoky Mountain News

enterprise center of Koch political influence. First and foremost, the advisory board is supposed to ensure “the activities of the center are aligned with the university’s mission.”

But the two could be mutually exclusive, postulated Dr. David McCord, a psychology professor.

“Our mission and strategic plan is built around the idea that our students will be broadly and deeply educated and will be much better critical thinkers when they leave than when they arrived here,” McCord said.

But the Koch political network is systematically using universities as a clearinghouse and recruitment ground to push libertarian economic policies out into society.

McCord’s theory seems to be supported by comments made by the Charles Koch Foundation’s director of university investments, Charlie Ruger, during the Association of Private Enterprise Education conference in Vegas this spring.

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September 21-27, 2016

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR ast month Macon County commissioners said they wanted a second opinion on the remaining lifespan of the first responder training center at its Southwestern Community College campus.

Engineers said the prognosis was clear — the building needs to be replaced within the next 12 to 18 months.

An engineering report performed for SCC last year came to the same conclusion, but commissioners voted to hire their own engineering consultants to see if there was any hope of extending the life of the building before they decide whether to invest the money needed to replace it.

The burn building replacement is on SCC’s priority list to receive funding from the Connect N.C. Bond that was passed by referendum earlier this year. Revenue from the bond can cover 100 percent of renovation projects, but counties are required to pay a portion of new construction projects.

SCC estimates replacing the burn building would cost $2 million — bond revenue will pay for $1.5 million and Macon County would have to contribute another $500,000.

At the commissioners’ request, Construction Science and Engineering Inc., has reviewed documents pertaining to the burn building and did a visual survey to estimate the remaining service life of the structure.

The burn building is a three-story precast concrete and masonry brick structure

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Do you prefer to manage your rental property yourself?

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Engineers say burn building needs to be replaced

supported by a slab on grade concrete foundation. It was constructed around 1990, and live fires are used in the building for firefighter training. The tower is located in a flood zone and the area around the structure floods several times a year.

According to documents from SKA Consulting Engineers, the firm that designed the structure, the service life of the building has been exceeded and repairs would not eliminate the need to replace the building.

CSE’s conclusion is similar to the results from SKA’s 2015 report.

“Specifically, the deterioration of the masonry brick shelf that supported the concrete panels at the north and south walls could result in a partial failure of the precast concrete panel,” SKA’s report stated.

Macon commissioners specifically asked CSE to examine whether remedial work could be performed to extend the building life by 10 years. CSE reported that it could not propose or recommend a repair with any degree of engineering certainty to extend the building’s life by 10 years.

“The building is subject to harsh conditions that will result in further deterioration of the masonry brick walls and recast concrete panels. CSE is doubtful any proposed remedial work would extend the service life of an additional 10 years,” the report said.

Until the building can be replaced, CSE recommended live burns be limited to the two rooms currently used on the first and third floor.

Commissioner Gary Shields, who also serves on the SCC Board of Trustees, said commissioners needed to figure out their next move. He added that the county needed to work closely with SCC to ensure the new building would meet the requirements outlined in SCC’s first responder training curriculum.

Since so many first responders outside of Macon County travel to Franklin to use the burn building, Commissioner Ronnie Beale said the board might want to consider implementing a fee for outside agencies using the facility to recoup some of the local expense.

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news

Wrecker service denied location in Sylva

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER vacant lot along the gateway to Sylva from Dillsboro will stay empty for a while longer following the town board’s decision to deny a request from Whittierbased C&D Towing and Wrecker Service to use the property for an impound lot.

To place the lot there, C&D would have needed a conditional use permit from the town. Board members denied it based on their finding that the use would injure the value of adjoining properties and wouldn’t fit the character of the area. The vote came after a unanimous decision by the Sylva Planning Board to recommend denial of the permit.

“The planning board didn’t feel that the towing or wrecker service fit the character of that neighborhood,” Town Manager Paige Dowling told the board. “The concern was

A

“Certainly this is a valuable service to our community, but I think there’s a better home for this type of business.”

Daniel Smith, owner of C&D Towing and Wrecker Service, makes his case for a conditional use permit to the Sylva town board. Holly Kays photo “Eighty percent of your wrecks in the town of Sylva happen during the day, during business hours,” he said. “It’s not like you’re going to be in and out of there with highway wrecks, county wrecks.”

The only reason his business wants the lot, he said, is that town ordinance requires towing and wrecking services to have an impound lot in town if they’re to be on the rotation list to tow

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THE ORIGINAL

September 21-27, 2016

— Richard Harper

expressed that it was the entrance to town from Dillsboro.”

Located in a B1 zoning district, the 3.89acre property abuts homes set in the town’s most restrictive residential zoning district, and those property owners came out to tell the town board why they shouldn’t have to share their property lines with an impound lot.

“Our concerns would be that you would have these vehicles coming in at night, early morning hours with the lights and the noise of getting a vehicle off there to the impound area, and I think it’s going to have a net negative to that area,” said Keith Clark, whose family owns an undeveloped parcel in the area that he said they hope to build on some day.

“My two primary objections are in regard to the negative impact it will have on the property value as well as the negative impact it would have on my 78-year-old mother’s well-being,” added Jill Tarr, who owns a home with her mother along the road that loops behind the property. Tar told the board that the loud noises associated with a wrecker service would harm her mother’s health, as sleeping is already difficult for her.

But Daniel Smith, owner of C&D, told the board that those concerns wouldn’t be relevant to the actual use.

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Smoky Mountain News

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY SATURDAY, SEPT. 24 Join us for free samples of tasty treats created from our local apples, pumpkins and a kershaw squash.

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The market will remain open during the fall through October.

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September 21-27, 2016

wrecks within town limits. In a follow-up interview, Smith said he was hoping that getting on that list would boost his business by familiarizing people with the C&D name — three other wrecker services already have lots in town.

“I felt it would have helped us more to get people in Sylva to know us,” he said. “They get to know those guys in town because they’re always there. They always see them, where we’re not on that rotation so your name’s not as popular in town.”

When he approached the planning department about getting a lot, Smith said, he was told that there were two possible locations. The property out near the Dillsboro entrance to town seemed a good bet because it had a history of use as an impound lot and already had fencing and sidewalks around it. Smith said he didn’t believe the use would actually be that disruptive to the surrounding area, as only four or five cars would likely be there at any one time, and most of the traffic would occur during business hours.

However, he said, he wasn’t surprised by the board’s denial.

“You’re not going to convince anybody that it’s a good idea to put wrecks beside their property.

How do you convince them of that?” he said after the decision. “Nobody wants the fire department behind their house till their house is on fire.”

C&D is eying another possible location, along Skyland Drive, but Smith isn’t sure they will apply for that permit — he feels it would just amount to the company paying a $300 application fee only to be told no again.

“They’re requiring you to have a lot in city limits, but then they don’t want to let you put one nowhere,” Smith said in a follow-up interview.

However, following the hearing town board members told Smith they wished him well in his search for a space, echoing a comment made by adjoining property owner Richard Harper during the hearing.

“Certainly this is a valuable service to our community,” Harper said, “but I think there’s a better home for this type of business.”

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news

The fourth annual Prayer Walk hosted by Drugs in Our Midst, will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25.

The walk will begin on the corner of South Main and Academy Streets in Waynesville near First Baptist Church. Prayer stops will be at downtown churches, the Haywood County Historic Courthouse and the Open Door Ministry in Frog Level. Walk ends at First United Methodist Church on Haywood Street. Wear your church shirt or bring your church banner. Bus transportation is available for those unable to walk the route.

Call Jean Parris at 828.648.1358.

21

news September 21-27, 2016 Smoky Mountain News

Come enjo enjoyy all the crafts craafts fr from om oover ver 200 vendors.

Theree will be 40 demon demonstrations, strations, vendors. Ther music stages,, and gre great mu sic & dance on two stages eat food. It’ll be a fun time for the whole family.. See the entertainment schedule at family FFolkSchool.org/FallFestival. olkSchool.org/FallFestival.

1100 am - 5 pm • AAdults: dults: $5 Ages 12-17: $3 Under 12: FREEE • O One FFolk olk lk School S h l Road R d Brasstown, Br asstown, NC 28902 • 1-800-365-5724 22

Education Macon County 4-H recently visited Fire and Lights Glass Studio in Otto to make their own beautiful glass sun-catchers. This project was one day in their summer long learning and adventure program called Summer Relief.

During Summer Relief, local volunteer and businesses help provide fun learning activities to expand local youth’s horizons.

SCC receives more than $525,000 from ARC

economy by expanding manufacturing training programs and bolstering rural w-fi capabilities. www.southwesterncc.edu.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded a grant worth $527,379 to Southwestern Community College for its “Pathways to Employment, Education and Training for Automotive and Related Industries” program in Jackson, Macon and Swain Counties.

SCC will use the funding to develop pathway training for careers in advanced automotive manufacturing.

The award was part of a nearly $1.8 million investment by ARC to strengthen North Carolina’s

WCU ranked again among best in South

• Longtime educator Gary Shields has been appointed to his second term on Southwestern Community College’s board of trustees. His new term runs through June 30, 2020. A Macon County native and Vietnam War veteran, Shields spent 37 years as an educator, including 21 years as principal of Franklin High School.

ALSO:

• Paul Holt was recently sworn in for a new term as a member of Southwestern Community College’s board of trustees at the Jackson Campus in Sylva. Holt has served on the board since 1968, including five terms as chairman. He’s currently chairman of the board’s finance and campus improvements committee.

• Ed Broadwell of Asheville, a retired banking executive, was recently re-elected to a second one-year term as chairman of the Western Carolina University Board of Trustees by a unanimous vote. Broadwell has been a WCU trustee since 2009 and served as the board’s vice chair for two years.

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Haywood administrators Western Carolina complete safety training projects move forward Haywood County Schools’ principals and other after board action administrators participated in a School Safety and

4-H makes glass sun catchers

• Thirty-nine students earned their associate degrees, diplomas or certificates from Southwestern Community College this summer. Among the graduates, two earned Cum Laude honors (3.50-3.69 GPA) while six were named Magna Cum Laude (3.70-3.89 GPA) and three were Summa Cum Laude (3.904.00 GPA). Two graduates are New Century Scholars.

Smoky Mountain News

Western Carolina University has maintained its status as one of the top universities in the South in two categories in the 2017 edition of the U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” guidebook released this month.

The guidebook lists WCU as 13th among “top public regional universities” in the South, the university’s same ranking as last year. The publication also has WCU tied with two other schools at No. 37 on a list of the “best regional universities” in the South.

The “best regional universities” category includes 653 public and private higher education institutions that offer a wide range of bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and that tend to attract most of their students from surrounding states.

The annual rankings are based on a variety of indicators, including assessment by administrators at peer institutions, graduation rates, retention of students, faculty resources, average class size, student/faculty ratio, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving. visit.wcu.edu and tours.wcu.edu.

SCC students receive $5,000 scholarships The State Employees’ Credit Union Foundation has awarded scholarships to two Southwestern Community College students.

Jonathan Hendricks of Penrose and Debra Cumbie of Dillsboro were each awarded a $5,000 SECU Foundation Community College Scholarship.

Both scholarship recipients will use their scholarships in pursuit of degrees at SCC. Cumbie is in the Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN) program while Hendricks is in the Physical Therapist Assistant program.

The scholarships are funded solely by the membership of the State Employees’ Credit Union. www.ncsecufoundation.or or www.southwesterncc.edu.

Crisis Management Training last month at Haywood Community College’s Regional High Tech Center.

“We really appreciate local law enforcement and emergency management personnel who keep us up-to-date on the latest procedures for responding to crisis situations,” said Dr. Anne Garrett, Superintendent of Haywood County Schools.

Dr. Bill Nolte, Associate Superintendent said the school system has participated in this type of training since the 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado. “We have walked through many scenarios including, active shooters and bus hostage situations. The trainings have been helpful when we have experienced threatening situations. We want to prepare for the worse and hope for the best,” he said.

A modern home for Western Carolina University’s natural science programs, a medical office building to be located near the Health and Human Science Building and a more powerful signal for the university’s FM radio station took additional steps toward becoming reality Friday, Sept. 2.

The WCU Board of Trustees selected a firm to lead the construction of a new natural sciences building approved by voters as part of a $2 billion statewide referendum in March; ratified the sublease of about two acres on the university’s West Campus for the medical offices project; and authorized the lease of roughly nine acres of land on Brown Mountain for the potential development of a new FM radio tower.

SCC gala nets more than $55,000 for scholarships After raising more than $55,000 at last month’s Bluegrass, Blue Jeans & Bling gala, the Southwestern Community College Foundation is now on the home stretch in its “March to a Million” for the Student Success Campaign.

The campaign has surpassed the $850,000 mark in an effort to raise more than $1 million that will be primarily used to support student scholarships. The most ambitious fundraising effort in SCC history, the Student Success Campaign is an effort to bridge the gap between scholarship need and availability.

More than 170 students apply each year for scholarships through the SCC Foundation, but fewer than one-third of those receive assistance due to limited resources. www.southwesterncc.edu/foundation or contact Kathy Posey at k_posey@southwesterncc.edu or 828.339.4227.

Whittier student receives SUBWAY scholarship Alyssa Cable of Whittier has been awarded an educational scholarship from SUBWAY restaurants through the Peter S. Slomianyj Scholarship Fund.

The fund is named for the president of Chapel Hill-based North Carolina Subway Group, Inc. Cable is a freshman at Southwestern Community College in Sylva and received a $1,000 SUBWAY scholarship. She is a graduate of Swain County High School.

SUBWAY scholarships are awarded annually and administered by the North Carolina Community Foundation. There have been 75 individual scholarship awards since the fund was established in 1995. www.subwaync.com/scholarships.

Nursing students receive scholarships The Judy Moore Scholarship Endowment Committee has awarded two scholarships for $1,000 to Carrie Doster and Gosia Tiger.

Awards are given for tuition, books, room and board and any other directly related educational expenses to candidates who qualify and are enrolled in nursing degree programs. Doster is enrolled at Western Carolina University and her career goal is to earn her BSN and possibly a Nurse Practitioner degree in the future.

Tiger attends Western Carolina University and her career goal is to complete her BSN and Nurse Practitioner degree. She is employed at Angel Medical Center.

The endowment was established in 1997 in memory of Judy Moore RN who through her devotion to the nursing profession was an inspiration to fellow nurses, patients and leaders in the community.

828.524.6564.

24

Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

N.C. leaders remain – indignantly – on wrong side of HB2

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ordinance banning businesses from discriminating against gay, lesbian or transgender customers — affording them the same protections currently in place against discrimination based on race, age, religion and gender — that the uproar started. The most controversial part of the ordinance allowed transgender people to use the bathroom of the sex they identified with rather than what was on their birth certificate.

Legislative leaders quickly called a special session in March to pass HB2 and Gov. Pat McCrory (R) just as quickly signed it. The law prevents Charlotte — and the rest of the state’s municipaliEditor ties and counties — from expanding anti-discrimination protections for gays, lesbians and transgender people. HB2 also bars transgender people from restrooms aligned with their gender identity and ordered public schools and universities to make sure that students use restrooms corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates.

The new offer from legislative leaders makes it apparent that they finally recognize the economic havoc they’ve wrought upon the state. They are looking for a way out but are too damn obstinate to just repeal HB2, which has been likened to an answer in search of a problem.

Look, the most emotional supporters of HB2 are those wor-

Scott McLeod

hen it comes to HB2, our state’s Republican leadership will eventually prove to be on the wrong side of history.

Just give it some time.

Until then, however, the fallout from the so-called “bathroom bill” continues to reverberate around the nation and the state as hundreds of millions of dollars — perhaps billions — are sucked from the North Carolina economy. Our citizens and our communities are being forced to pay a steep price for this legislative intransigence at the same time we are beginning to work our way out of this stubborn recession.

The most recent fallout comes from the NCAA and Atlantic Coast Conference, both organizations cancelling plans for playoff games previously scheduled for North Carolina. Add to that the businesses who have looked elsewhere — remember PayPal’s plans for 400 jobs and a global operations center in Charlotte that went aground in April right after the law was passed — and the concerts and performances that have been yanked.

But our conservative state leaders and the liberal Charlotte City Council are staring each other down like schoolyard kids afraid to admit who’s wrong.

House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, and Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, announced on Sunday that they would rescind HB2 if the Charlotte City Council would rescind its ordinance passed back in February. A majority on the Charlotte City Council is refusing the offer.

Remember it was in February after Charlotte passed its

ried about creepy sexual deviants who may slip into bathrooms and harm our daughters. In the first place, when my daughters were of the age that something untoward could have happened in a public bathroom, either my wife or I accompanied them.

And no one supporting HB2 has been able to document a single instance where allowing transgender people to use the bathroom of their sexual identity has caused any problems.

It’s the classic straw man fallacy. In this case, our socially conservative state legislators used the Charlotte ordinance to whip up fears that if they did not pass HB2 that women and children were going to be in danger. It was a ridiculous, overthe-top reaction to the city council’s ordinance.

Emotions aside, the bigger issue here is about discrimination, which is real and should be against the law. Charlotte’s leaders — local leaders elected by the citizens of that city — chose to pass a law that in reality would have had very little effect. It was more symbolic.

One day, protections for gays, lesbians and transgender people from sexual discrimination will be the law of the land.

At that time, HB2 will show up in history books as a painful relic, a nasty symbol of the transformational struggle of a more enlightened society.

Unfortunately, we are not yet that society. The General Assembly, though, can take a giant step forward by rescinding HB2.

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

There are plenty of good reasons to vote for Hillary “I do not like thee, Doctor Fell, The reason why – I cannot tell; But this I know, and know full well, I do not like thee, Doctor Fell.”

— nursery rhyme

BY MARTIN DYCKMAN G UEST COLUMNIST illary Clinton and Donald Trump both have their liabilities, but his are so much more numerous and serious than hers that the race should not be nearly as close as it seems to be.

If you’re for Trump because you agree with what you think he stands for, or if you just can’t bear to vote for any Democrat, or if you simply admire his chutzpah, or if you sympathize with his bigotry, so be it.

More likely, though, you are simply one of those people “who feel that the government has let them down, the economy has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures, and they’re just desperate for change.”

Those words are in quotes because it was Hillary Clinton who spoke them — in the same speech in which she made that ill-chosen reference to half of Trump’s people as deplorable.

The media largely ignored the second part, however. I’m beginning to think that it’s part

H

of the conspiracy against her.

The point is that Clinton sincerely feels your pain. Trump merely pretends to. He hasn’t proposed the slightest remedy for the political system’s tilt to wealthy and powerful people like those who would stiff you $600 for a lifesaving drug.

To reclaim our government, we need to counter the power of their money. Clinton speaks to that by vowing to rid the country of the curse of Citizens United. Trump never mentions that.

Clinton is capable, qualified, intelligent and experienced.

Trump is the most morally unfit, unprepared and untrustworthy candidate ever to seek the presidency. He’s made a life’s work out of ripping off people with ventures such as his misnamed “university.” He is exuberantly ignorant of everything a president should know. He’s a narcissistic bully whose expressed admiration for tyrants like Vladimir Putin is fair warning of how a President Trump would abuse power.

And yet the race is competitive.

So if you’re thinking of voting for Trump simply because you don’t like or trust Clinton, please do yourself, your children and your country a favor. Ask yourself why.

The emails and the Benghazi “witch hunt,” as Colin Powell called it, have been blown hugely out of proportion. Neither disqualifies

The point is that Clinton sincerely feels your pain. Trump merely pretends to. He hasn’t proposed the slightest remedy for the political system’s tilt to wealthy and powerful people like those who would stiff you $600 for a lifesaving drug. her or remotely justifies electing someone as deplorable as Trump.

Is it because she isn’t charismatic like Barack Obama or a charmer like Ronald Reagan? This isn’t about first place on a reality show. The presidency is deadly serious business. The “likeability” issue reeks of misogyny.

Or is it simply because she’s your Dr. Fell?

You don’t like her, but you don’t know why?

Here’s why. The right wing has in fact been persecuting her for more than 25 years, never distinguishing between valid criticism and slander. They detest her because she might actually get good things done. The relentless drumbeat has taken such a toll that many people think Trump is more truthful even though the factcheckers find more than half of his campaign statements to be false or outright lies and more than half of hers to be true or mostly true.

The Citizens United decision, a trophy of the right wing conspiracy, was about her.

As the case went to the court, the question

was only whether a professional propaganda shop named Citizens United could legally distribute a video attacking Clinton during her 2008 presidential race. Chief Justice John Roberts turned that into a pretext for giving corporations a blank check to corrupt our country.

Trump’s new deputy campaign manager, David Bossie, comes to his campaign straight from Citizens United.

According to Yahoo.com/news, Trump’s questionably charitable foundation gave $100,000 two years ago to Bossie’s Citizens United Foundation, which that same year filed a groundless lawsuit against the New York attorney general who’s pursuing Trump’s phony “university.”

Citizens United says the lawsuit was to try to stop the official from getting at donor information and had nothing to do with the Trump dispute. So they say.

It would be poetic justice if

F

Remember when you were ‘16 going on 17?’

Chris Cox

W

(A version of this article first appeared as a ContextFlorida column on the FloridaPolitics website. Martin Dyckman, a retired journalist, can be reached at dyckmanm@bellsouth.net.)

Smoky Mountain News

Hillary Clinton became the president whose Supreme Court appointees overturned the Citizens United decision.

And that’s more than reason enough to vote for her.

until the impulse passed.

This went on for a few years until I turned 12, when something strange and inexplicable happened. I was sitting there on that same brown tweed sofa playing with my GI Joe with the Kung Fu grip, barely aware of the movie playing in the background until Liesl’s big scene with Rolfe in the gazebo.

You know the one, where she sings about being 16 going on 17, and they sort of chase each other around a tree, and then a terrible storm materializes out of nowhere, so, of course, they dash into the gazebo and start dancing.

But before that, when Liesl looks up at Rolfe with those eyes — those stormy blue eyes — I must have dropped my GI Joe, leaving him marooned on the carpet and at the mercy of our opportunistic cockapoodle, because every particle of my attention was now focused on Liesl — Liesl, Liesl, Liesl — and I dropped down on both knees and watched her twirl and sing in that gazebo, my eyes about three feet away from the television.

“What are you doing?” my mother said.

“You are blocking the TV.” I could hear, but not process, her words. I found that I was skewered and held there like a shish kabob, run completely through with a longing I had never known and a jealousy I could not have fathomed just one day before. Why, this sudden intense hatred of Rolfe, the singing Nazi? Was it his betrayal of Liesl and the entire Von Trapp family, which I knew was to come? Was it his allegiance to Hitler? No, no it was not. It was because Liesl seemed to adore him, and not me.

I already knew that life was unfair. I did not know that it was also cruel. I could not have known that this entire sad tableau would play out again and again in high school, when all of the beautiful girls on whom I developed debilitating crushes would invariably prefer the company of the Nazis who roamed the halls of our high school like the Gestapo in their jackboots and varsity football jerseys.

I never again complained about watching “The Sound of Music,” especially the parts featuring the luminous Liesl. When I heard that the actress Charmian Carr, who played Liesl, had passed away over the weekend, I could, once again, hear the sound of the music, and I could feel that old longing of a tender heart and remember that there is still a place somewhere in us all where we will always be 16 going on 17.

(Chris Cox is a writer and teacher. He can be reached at jchriscox@live.com.)

September 21-27, 2016

hen I was 16 years old — going on 17 — I had a poster of Stevie Nicks, the mystical, utterly bewitching lead singer of Fleetwood Mac, on my bedroom wall. I sometimes tell people that she was my first schoolboy crush, but that is not entirely true. Now that I have reached an age where I no longer worry all that much about whether my friends and rivals perceive me to be cool — they don’t Columnist and I’m not — I am free to admit the embarrassing truth that my first real crush was on Liesl Von Trapp, the oldest daughter of Captain Von Trapp and the most beautiful girl in all of Austria — the most beautiful girl anywhere — right around the time of the second World War. Like so many of the world’s great love stories, this one started out innocently enough. The first time that my mother forced us to watch “The Sound of Music,” I was probably not yet 10, and I was no more impressed with the lithe and lucious Liesl then I was with the ridiculously attired Von Trapp boys, who, through no fault of their own, were forced to wear the most degrading outfits I had ever seen young men wear.

Their outfits had been made out of curtains!

Just one day in our school in those clothes, and they would have gone running home to the Baroness with bloody noses and a chorus of vile epithets ringing in their pointy ears.

In truth, I was put off by the entire movie. Every time it seemed like it was about to get interesting, they would break into song and I would flop off of the sofa and writhe on the floor in disgust. The captain seemed like a pretty able man. Why not turn him loose on Hitler and get this show on the road with some explosions or airfights or something? Who wants to marry a wayward nun anyway? Who wants to marry, period?

Since “The Sound of Music” was my mother’s favorite movie and since in those days we got three channels and the only movies I can remember airing on a regular basis were “The Sound of Music” and “The Wizard of Oz,” we were forced to watch it about three times each year. I learned the words to most of the songs in spite of myself and would sometimes catch myself in the tub singing, “Doe, a deer, a female deer,” before submerging my head underwater

25

tasteTHEmountains Taste the Mountains is an ever-evolving paid section of places to dine in Western North Carolina. If you would like to be included in the listing please contact our advertising department at 828.452.4251 BLOSSOM ON MAIN 128 N. Main Street, Waynesville.

828.454.5400. Open for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Mild, medium, to hot and spicy, our food is cooked to your like-able temperature.

Forget the myth that all Thai food is spicy.

Traditional Thai food is known to be quite healthy, making use of natural and fresh ingredients, paired with lots of spices, herbs, and vegetables. Vegetarians and health conscious individuals will not be disappointed as fresh vegetables and tofu are available in most of our menu as well as wines and saki chosen to compliment the unique flavors of Thai cuisine.

September 21-27, 2016

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

mitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available. Call-ahead seating available.

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ 6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef owned and operated. Our salads are made in house using local seasonal vegetables. Fresh roasted ham, turkey and roast beef used in our hoagies. We hand make our own eggplant and chicken parmesan, pork meatballs and hamburgers. We use 1st quality fresh not preprepared products to make sure you get the best food for a reasonable price. We make vegetarian, gluten free and sugar free items.

Call or go to Facebook (Breaking Bread Café NC) to find out what our specials are.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. Family-style breakfast seven days a week, from 8 am to 9:30 am – with eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and oatmeal, fresh fruit, sometimes French toast or pancakes, and always all-you-can-eat. Lunch every day from 12:00 till 2 pm. Evening cookouts on the terrace on weekends and Wednesdays, featuring steaks, ribs, chicken, and pork chops, to name a few. Bountiful family-style dinners on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with entrees that include prime rib, baked ham and herb-baked chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The evening social hour starts at 6 pm, and dinner is served

Mon.-Thurs.

11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Closed Tues.

Sun. 12-9 p.m.

starting at 7 pm. So join us for mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view.

Please call for reservations.

CHURCH STREET DEPOT 34 Church Street, downtown Waynesville.

828.246.6505. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Mouthwatering all beef burgers and dogs, hand-dipped, hand-spun real ice cream shakes and floats, fresh handcut fries. Locally sourced beef. Indoor and outdoor dining. facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot, twitter.com/ChurchStDepot.

CITY LIGHTS CAFE Spring Street in downtown Sylva.

828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tasty, healthy and quick. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more.

Outside patio seating. Free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly.

Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com.

THE CLASSIC WINESELLER 20 Church Street, Waynesville. 828.452.6000.

Underground retail wine and craft beer shop, restaurant, and intimate live music venue.

Kitchen opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday serving freshly prepared small plates, tapas, charcuterie, desserts. Enjoy live music every Friday and Saturday night at 7pm. www.classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter.

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

828.926.1820 Open everyday but Tuesday 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet. Instead our waitresses will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want. So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service.

FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE 44 Church St., Downtown Waynesville 828.456.1930 Serving lunch 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Frogs Leap is a farm to table restaurant focused on local, sustainable, natural and organic products prepared in modern regional dishes. Seasonal menu focuses on Southern comfort foods with upscale flavors. www.frogsleappublichouse.com.

GUADALUPE CAFÉ 606 W. Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.9877.

Open 7 days a week at 5 p.m. Located in the historic Hooper’s Drugstore, Guadalupe Café is a chef-owned and operated restaurant serving Caribbean inspired fare complimented by a quirky selection of wines and microbrews.

Supporting local farmers of organic produce, livestock, hand-crafted cheese, and using sustainably harvested seafood.

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

MON.-SAT. 11 A.M.-8 P.M.

Smoky Mountain News

34 CHURCH ST. WAYNESVILLE 828.246.6505 Mtwitter.com/ChurchStDepot C facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot

32 Felmet Street (828) 246-0927

APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

Open for Breakfast MON.-SAT. 8 A.M. 3 E JACKSON ST. • SYLVA, NC

26

Sandwiches • Burgers • Wraps

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LIVE MUSIC TUESDAY NIGHTS! 7-9 P.M.

Upcoming Bands: Sept. 27 & Oct. 4 Kim Smith SAGEBRUSH OF CANTON 1941 Champion Dr. Canton

207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde

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

Real Local Families, Real Local Farms, Real Local Food

828-646-3750 Sun-Thur 11 AM - 10 PM Fri-Sat 11 AM - 11 PM

tasteTHEmountains Open nightly for dinner at 4 p.m.; Friday through Sunday 12 to 4 p.m. for lunch.

Daily luncheon special at $6.99. Worldfamous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome. Take-out menu. Excellent service and hospitality. Reservations appreciated.

JOEY'S PANCAKE HOUSE 4309 Soco Rd Maggie Valley.

828.926.0212. Open daily 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., closed Thursdays. Joey’s is a family style restaurant that has been serving breakfast to the locals and visitors of Western North Carolina since 1966.

Featuring a large variety of tempting pancakes, golden waffles, country style cured ham and seasonal specials spiked with flavor, Joey's is sure to please all appetites.

Join us for what has become a tradition in these parts, breakfast at Joey’s.

JUKEBOX JUNCTION U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel. 828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Monday through Saturday; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner. The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

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

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

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

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

SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE 1941 Champion Drive. Canton 828-6463750 Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Carry out available. Sagebrush features hand carved steaks, chicken and award winning BBQ ribs. We have fresh salads, seasonal vegetables and scrumptious deserts. Extensive selection of local craft beers and a full bar. Catering special events is one of our specialties.

SMOKEY SHADOWS LODGE 323 Smoky Shadows Lane, Maggie Valley 828.926.0001. Check Facebook page for hours, which vary. Call early when serving because restaurant fills up fast. Remember when families joined each other at the table for a delicious homemade meal and shared stories about their day? That time is now at Smokey Shadows. The menus are customizable for your special event. Group of eight or more can schedule their own dinner.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN SUB SHOP 29 Miller Street Waynesville 828.456.3400. Open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. A Waynesville tradition, the Smoky Mountain Sub Shop has been serving great food for over 20 years. Come in and enjoy the relaxed, casual atmosphere. Sub breads are baked fresh every morning in Waynesville. Using only the freshest ingredients in home-made soups, salads and sandwiches. Come in and see for yourself why Smoky Mountain Sub Shop was voted # 1 in Haywood County. Locally owned and operated.

TAP ROOM BAR & GRILL 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville.

828.456.3551. Open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, the Tap Room Bar & Grill has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Full bar and wine cellar. www.thewaynesvilleinn.com.

PAPERTOWN GRILL 153 Main St., Canton. 828.648.1455 Open 7 days a week 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Serving the local community with great, scratch-made country cooking. Breakfast is served all day. Daily specials including Monday meatloaf, chicken and dumplings on Thursdays and Friday fish.

THE HEALTHY WAY 284 A North Haywood Street, Waynesville.

828.246.9691. Open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Monday through Friday. Welcome to the healthy way! Shake it to lose it!! Protein shakes, protein bars, teas and much more.

Our shakes and protein bars are meal replacements.

PASQUALE’S 1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday.

Classic Italian dishes, exceptional steaks and seafood (available in full and lighter sizes), thin crust pizza, homemade soups, salads hand tossed at your table. Fine wine

TRAILHEAD CAFE & BAKERY 18 N Main Street, Waynesville.

828.452.3881 Open 7 days a week Monday-Saturday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You will find a delicious selection of pastries & donuts, breakfast & lunch along with a fresh coffee & barista selection. Happy Trails!

ITALIAN CUISINE

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Smoky Mountain News

MOUNTAIN PERKS ESPRESSO BAR & CAFÉ 9 Depot St., Bryson City. 828.488.9561.

Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With music at the Depot. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Life is too short for bad coffee. We feature wonderful breakfast and lunch selections.

Bagels, wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and quiche with a variety of specialty coffees, teas and smoothies. Various desserts.

MEDITERRANEAN

September 21-27, 2016

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

828.586.3555. Open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Handtossed pizza, steak sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts. All made from scratch.

Beer and wine. Free movies with showtimes at 6:30 and 9 p.m. with a Saturday matinee at 2 p.m. Visit madbatterfoodandfilm.com for this week’s shows.

and beer selection. Casual atmosphere, dine indoors, outside on the patio or at the bar. Reservations appreciated.

MON-SAT: 7 A.M.-8 P.M. SUN: 8:30 A.M.-3 P.M.

jukeboxjunctioneat.com 27

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Smoky Mountain News

Finding the root of your rhythm WNC goes to Bristol for the weekend

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER The RPMs hovered around 4,000, the truck huffing and puffing up the steep hillside.

Approaching Sam’s Gap (elevation 3,760 feet) on Interstate 26, I wondered if my old GMC Sonoma (aka: “Grace”) would be able to reach the crest before stalling out and rolling back down into rural Madison County. With Asheville and greater Western North Carolina fading into the rearview mirror, the blazing Friday afternoon sun began to fall behind the Bald Mountains nearing the Tennessee state line.

Some four years ago, Grace and I were barreling down this same road, but in the opposite direction, with Waynesville in our crosshairs — an unknown community at that time, as I relocated from Upstate New York to Haywood County for work. And now, here we are, pushing towards Bristol, Tennessee, before nightfall, in an effort to cover the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion later that evening, and also the Western Carolina University/East Tennessee State University football game the following afternoon.

ment (within my first hour being in town) was to interview Balsam Range, and to cover their album release party for the acclaimed “Papertown” at the Colonial Theatre in Canton. And during those four years since then, the band has grown, professionally and spiritually, to where now the quintet continues to spread their message of Western North Carolina culture into seemingly every far corner of this country. And I also find myself, within that same timeframe and process, planting deep roots of my own being into the rich and bountiful soil of Southern Appalachia.

Watching Balsam Range up there, captivating yet another crowd, it’s surreal to see just how far they’ve come, from personal obstacles to simply taking to the open road each and every weekend, playing hundreds of shows a year, all while holding down full time jobs back home — in the office, on the farm, or in the studio.

TELL IT FROM THE MOUNTAIN Cruising into downtown Bristol, State Street was abuzz with thousands of music lovers, proud locals, and those lucky enough to just stop and say they were “passing through and happened to come across all of this.” As the state line of Tennessee and Virginia is drawn right down the middle of State Street, so is the mayhem, with the raucous nature of the festival leaning more to the southern side than the northern side of the centerline.

Turning a corner, the Country Mural Stage suddenly appeared. Bluegrass legend Larry Sparks was finishing up his set while Balsam Range were tuning up their instruments backstage. The 2014 International Bluegrass Music Association “Entertainer of the Year” winners, the Haywood County natives have seemingly won every award at the IBMAs over the better part of the last decade. But, that doesn’t mean it is “old hat” to them to once again be nominated in several key categories at this year’s ceremony, kicking off next week in Raleigh.

“Ah, it’s just great to be able to do what we get to do, day-in-and-day-out,” Balsam Range bassist Tim Surrett said in his usual humbled tone. “And being here, headlining this stage at Bristol, well, it’s just an honor.”

When I first stepped foot in Haywood County in early August 2012, my first assign-

Attracting 13,863 fans to the massive Bristol Motor Speedway, Southern Conference foes Western Carolina University and East Tennessee State University met head-to-head at the legendary track, with ETSU pulling out the win. Garret K. Woodward photo

KEEP POUNDING Entering the enormous parking area for the Bristol Motor Speedway, beads of sweat slid down eager faces flocking into “The Last Great Colosseum,” climbing up the endless steps to their seats. Feeling like a pan on a stove moments before you drop an egg into it, the scorching football field played host to its second college football game in as many weeks.

Although the previous University of Tennessee versus Virginia Tech matchup brought in just under 160,000 people in attendance, the WCU game hovered somewhere around onetenth of that for their head-to-head with ETSU. “We’ve played big games in big stadiums before — Tennessee, Alabama,” said WCU Coach Mark Speir. “And our players know how to not get distracted in those situations. Our

Bluegrass legend Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Rambles at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion last weekend in on the Tennessee/Virginia border. Garret K. Woodward photo only focus for this game is ETSU and how we can come out of this game with a victory.”

When I initially arrived in Western North Carolina, Speir was entering his inaugural season at the helm of the Catamounts in 2012. At that time, the team was in the basement of the Southern Conference, posting a 1-10 (0-8 SoCon) record in 2011. And during his short tenure, Speir has brought the team to prominence, with 7-5 (2014) and 7-4 (2015) records in recent years. To put that in perspective, the Catamounts finished in ninth place in the SoCon in 2012, but second in 2014 — an impressive feat for a program thought to be left in the dust by a once disenchanted alumni and student fan base, only to now have large crowds of “Catamount Nation” packing E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee.

“Certainly the expectations have changed. It’s a fun process, and it’s a hard process, to build a consistent team that’s winning,” Speir said.

“We’re a team right now that our opponents know that they’d better prepare or they’re going to get beat. The entire ‘Catamount Nation’ has been unbelievable, where everyone has created such a supportive and positive atmosphere. We’re 11-1 at home over the last couple years — every year we’re building towards that SoCon championship.”

In their first Southern Conference football action since 2003, ETSU has been chomping at the bit to gain some traction as a legitimate football program in Southern Appalachia and the greater Southeast. Following the kickoff, WCU held court as they went up and down the field, ultimately garnering a 21-3 advantage heading towards the end of the first half. But, with 00:04 left, ETSU crossed the end zone, with the scoreboard reading 21-10.

The second half didn’t fare much better, with ETSU coming out of the gates ready to take possession. The Buccaneerss scored two unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter, up 3424 before WCU rallied, making it 34-31 before the last seconds on the game clock ticked away.

WCU walked away without a win, though the two programs each held their heads high — shining examples of coming back from the brink. They’re both ready now more than ever to compete and hoist glory above them — the blood, sweat and tears they shed each day, on the field and in the classroom.

ONWARD AND UPWARD

Pulling out of the Bristol Motor Speedway, I merged onto the state highway, ultimately hitting the onramp for Interstate 26 East. Back to North Carolina. Back to Haywood County.

Back to Waynesville. Back to all that is familiar, all that is (now) home.

Cresting over Sam’s Gap, I thought about the last time I found myself throwing Grace into a lower gear on this downhill, in 2012, when I was 27 and in search of the next step — whatever and wherever that meant.

I thought of Balsam Range, and also of Western Carolina University. I tapped the brakes on the curves, pushing down the pedal on the straight-aways. A lot has changed in the last few years, for all of us, and all for the better, as the people, places and things of Western North Carolina continue to evolve, create, and, ultimately, find solid ground in a modern era of uncertainty and doubt. Whatever the case — whether it be bluegrass or football, or even journalism — we’re all immersed in the natural beauty and wonder of our own backyard, something that also has radiated outward to any and all curious enough to see what “we’re all about.”

Daydreaming and cruising back into Western North Carolina, I could see Asheville in the distance down below, as elusive and mesmerizing as that first time I laid eyes on it as some lost New Yorker looking for a place to call my own.

My gaze soon drifted to the nearby mountain ridges dotted with orange and red bursts among the green leaves of a summer quickly retreating — change is ah-coming, get ready for it, y’all.

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

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Smoky Mountain News

HOT PICKS 1 2 3 4 5

SATURDAY, SEP. 24 3 P.M.

September 21-27, 2016

I teared up immediately.

The moment I heard John Lennon’s voice in the latest documentary about The Beatles, the Ron Howard directed “Eight The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Days A Week — The Touring The Russ Wilson Trio (jazz/swing) at 7:15 p.m.

Years,” my vision became blurry, Saturday, Oct. 1. my thoughts scattered, as I pondered a modern world with The eighth annual “ColorFest: Dillsboro Fine Lennon still alive — the ambasArts & Crafts Fair” will be held from 10 a.m. to sador of hope, love, and the 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, in downtown Dillsboro. promise of a better tomorrow.

No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host The Entering the Fine Arts Colby Deitz Band (bluegrass/Americana) at Theatre in downtown Asheville 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23. this past Sunday afternoon, it became quickly apparent I would The 42th annual John C. Campbell Folk be one of the few in attendance School’s Fall Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 under the age of, perhaps, 60. p.m. Oct. 1-2 in Brasstown.

The Beatles are beloved by all, by any age or demographic, but, Nantahala Brewing Company (Bryson City) will they will — always — be owned host Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/bluegrass) by my parents and their peers. at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23.

I’ve never known an existence without The Beatles. My parents do, and yet, I never will. And that’s not a bad 1964, she was a 15-year-old starry-eyed thing. Far from it. The point of The Beatles is teenager with ambitions to take over the world. All seemed possible, all was possible, to practice and perpetuate love, understandregardless of what your parents, the media, ing, and what it means to not see color — and the town limits of where you lived only friendship and companionship. might have said otherwise.

Thus, taking a seat at the Fine Arts And she grew up, like everyone else who Theatre, I found myself amid, as my mother experienced the 1960s did. They went to colwould say, her “vintage.” And I was happy to lege, got jobs, had kids, bought cars, bought be amongst company that knew the “real deal,” that were once teenage girls and boys in homes, only to gain weight and lose hair, search of safe haven in the midst of the tumul- only to think about retirement instead of never-imagined dreams. She grew up, and tuous 1960s, nationally and internationally. became my mother. My little sister and I My mother is 67 years old, and when would pile into my mother’s 1992 grey/blue The Beatles first broke into “The States,” Toyota Corolla and hit the open road, a castaking the stage on Ed Sullivan on Feb. 9,

Bookstore

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

sette of The Beatles cranked on the stereo, onward to destinations unknown, although that usually meant the nearby playground or farmer’s market or city beach or spending the day with my late grandparents.

But, like The Beatles, my mother, being the flower child (Class of 1966) she was, never stopped believing in the power of “you and me and us,” where she’s still on the frontlines of local political protests, marches, and also raising my niece (her granddaughter) with the same love and joy she discovered in the records of The Fab Four of “John, Paul, George & Ringo” — the gospel for a generation lost in the midst of losing their president, their friends to Vietnam, and their family dynamic in the crossover from “yesterday to tomorrow.”

Watching “Eight Days A Week,” I kept looking around at the anonymous faces around me. All that grey and white hair, all those wrinkles and protruding bellies, their heads all bobbed, their feet all tapping during each song performed during the film, as if (if ) they tapped hard enough, they’d find themselves in this space — that “Wizard of Oz” moment — where they knew, and hoped to get back to familiarity and innocence, for, as you know, “there is no place like home.”

Immersing myself in the film, I kept thinking how incredible of a prism the flick is, in terms of projecting our 2016 woes and concerns through. We have just as much bullshit and misunderstanding — discrimination and paranoia, sadness and confusion — back then as we find ourselves trudging through today and, well, seemingly tomorrow.

The Beatles were the melodic answer to the John F. Kennedy Assassination, to the escalating Vietnam War, to the Martin Luther King Jr., Bobby Kennedy and Malcolm X assassinations of 1968, and to the troubles above and beyond when the band finally called it quits in 1970.

The Fab Four will forever remain the soundtrack to humanity. It’s in our power as modern-day citizens as to which side of public opinion — solidarity or dissent — the songs fall upon. John Lennon preached peace, love and understanding, and he sincerely meant it. So did Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. What remains is how we as a 21st century society push ahead — how do we reflect on our past transgressions and successes, and also push ahead with a head full of knowledge and the ambition to make actual change (positive change) in our backyard — our town, our state, our country, our world?

And so, as I sauntered out of the theatre, I kept looking up into the gloomy rainclouds hovering atop downtown Asheville. I kept thinking how beautiful rain is, and also how glorious that first ray of sunshine will be when it finally breaks through the darkness, radiating down onto earth, only to kiss my cheek — just like my mother — when all I needed (and need) is some sign that all is OK, all will work out, all will find its footing in this all too big, beautiful and haphazard world, just as long as you and me (and you, and you, too!) never give up on the greatest gift that was ever given — tomorrow.

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

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On the beat arts & entertainment

Piano maestro in Haywood

Gov’t Mule to rock Harrah’s Legendary rock-n-roll act Gov’t Mule will perform on Friday, Sept. 30, at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. The band is fronted by six-string ace Warren Haynes, who has been named to Rolling Stone magazine’s “Greatest Guitarists of All-Time” list. Blackberry Smoke will open the performance at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, visit www.harrahscherokee.com.

Smoky Mountain News

September 21-27, 2016

Claire Lynch to play Cataloochee Ranch

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Acclaimed bluegrass singer-songwriter Claire Lynch will perform on Sunday, Oct. 2, at Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley.

Long recognized and praised as a creative force in acoustic music, Lynch is a pioneer who continually pushes the boundaries of the bluegrass genre. In 2014, she won “Song of the Year” for “Dear Sister” at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards. She also won the IBMA for Female Vocalist of the Year in 2013 and was a 2012 recipient of the United States Artists Walker Fellowship. Her career has been decorated with many other accolades, including two Grammy nominations and previous IBMA Female Vocalist of the

Year awards in 2010 and 1997.

Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Music begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets, which include dinner, are $75, and reservations are required. This show will sell out.

828.926.1401.

Franklin welcomes Charley Pride Country legend Charley Pride will perform at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Pride is known for his hits “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’” and “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone.”

Tickets start at $48. www.greatmountainmusic.com.

As part of the Haywood County Art Council’s “Young Artist Concert Series,” renowned young pianist Ji will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. Starring in Android’s latest “Monotune” commercial, Ji has appeared as soloist with orchestras including the Toronto Symphony, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Nashville Symphony, Bangor Symphony, Fairfax Symphony, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Charlotte Philharmonic, Victoria Symphony, New Haven Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, and the Brevard Festival Orchestra.

Winner of the 2012 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, Ji made recital debuts at Merkin Concert Hall and the Kennedy Center on the Young Concert Artists Series to rave reviews. He has given recitals and educational outreach programs throughout the U.S. at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, the Harriman-Jewell Series, Philadelphia’s Morning Musicales, the Buffalo Chamber Music Society, Mary Baldwin College, the Brownville Concert Series, La Jolla Music Society, San Diego’s Mainly Mozart Festival, the Morgan Library and Museum, St. Vincent College, the Evergreen Museum and Library, the Port Washington Library, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Ji has also performed in four-hand recitals with Marika Bournaki at the Seoul Art Center and with Charles Wadsworth in a chamber music program of Charles Wadsworth and Friends.

Highlights of the 2016-2017 season

include recitals at the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach, the National Gallery of Art, the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Iowa State University, the Haywood County Arts Council, Mexico’s Centro Nacional de las

Ji will hit the stage Sept. 30 at HART.

Artes, the Honest Brook Music Festival, Saint Martin’s Abbey Church, and a concerto performance with the Westchester Philharmonic.

Tickets are $25. Proceeds will benefit programming at the HCAC. To purchase tickets, call 828.452.0593. www.haywoodarts.org.

Music, fall camping at Barnaroo The annual Barnaroo fall music festival will be held Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Franny’s Farm in Leicester.

The celebration is a grassroots youth-inspired music festival perpetuating the support, growth and development of local/regional music. The family friendly music festival features Yarn, Folk Soul Revival, Shake It Like A Caveman, Goldie & The Screamers, Porch 40, Andrew Scotchie & The River Rats, Travers Brothership, and more.

In the spirit of youth music development, the festival will return a percentage of proceeds to the Asheville Music School. The festival will also feature local/regional crafters, local eats, food trucks and craft beer. Overnight camping is allowed.

Tickets are $20 for a day pass, $75 for a weekend pass with camping. Children under the ages of 12 are admitted free. www.ashevillebarnaroo.com.

Americana act Yarn will headline Barnaroo on Oct. 1.

On the beat

• BearWaters Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host live music at 6 p.m. Sept. 22 and 29. www.bwbrewing.com.

• City Lights Bookstore (Sylva) will host Butterfly Rose (Americana/folk) at 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 1. 828.586.9499.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Dulci Ellenberger (singer-songwriter) Sept. 23, Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Sept. 24 and Ray Biscoglia & Grant Cuthbertson (jazz) Sept. 30. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. There will also be a performance with The Russ Wilson Trio (jazz/swing) at 7:15 p.m. Oct. 1, with tickets $34.99 per person, which includes dinner. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Derailed Bar & Lounge (Bryson City) will have music at 7 p.m. on Saturdays.

828.488.8898.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host The Myxx Sept. 23 and Mercer & Johnson (bluegrass) Sept. 24. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Heinzelmannchen Brewery (Sylva) will host Henry Wong (acoustic/folk) at 6 p.m. Sept.

22. www.yourgnometownbrewery.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Sept. 28, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Sept. 29, Megan Saunders & The Driftless Sept. 24 and Trippin Hardy Oct. 1. All events begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• The Music in the Mountains (Bryson City) concert series will host The Kelley Family Band (bluegrass/gospel) Sept. 24 and Sleepy Andy Tracy (Americana) Oct. 1. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com.

• Maggie Valley Rendezvous will host Stone Crazy Band (classic rock/pop) at 8 p.m.

Sept. 23. 828.921.0201.

• Nantahala Brewing Company (Bryson City) will host Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/blue-

• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host The Colby Deitz Band (bluegrass/Americana) Sept. 23, Humps & The Blackouts (psychobilly) Sept. 24 and Russ T. Nutz (rock/country) w/Sex Knuckle (hard rock) Sept. 30. All shows are free and begin at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.nonamesportspub.com.

ALSO:

• The Oconaluftee Visitor Center (Cherokee) will host a back porch old-time music jam from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 1. All are welcome to come play or simply sit and listen to sounds of Southern Appalachia.

• The “Pickin’ On The Square” (Franklin) concert series will continue with The Remnants (rock) Sept. 24 and The Band Intermission (bluegrass) Oct. 1. All shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. A community jam begins at 6:30 p.m. www.franklinnc.com or 828.524.2516.

• Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company (Sapphire) will host a jazz brunch with Tyler Kittle & Friends from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sundays. 828.743.0220.

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic with Jimandi at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays, “Funky Friday” with Bud Davis at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Isaish Breedlove (Americana) at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

• The Stompin’ Ground (Maggie Valley) is now open for live mountain music and clogging at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

828.926.1288.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host a “Bluegrass Mix-Up” night at 7 p.m. on Thursdays. 828.743.3000.

• The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host a weekly Appalachian music night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesdays with Nitrograss.

828.526.8364 or www.theuglydogpub.com.

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host The Scoundrels Sept. 24 and The Colby Deitz Band (Americana/bluegrass) Sept.

30. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 828.456.4750.

• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host a bassoon faculty recital with Tia Wortham at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 27 in the Coulter Building. Free. www.wcu.edu.

Smoky Mountain News

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host The Colby Deitz Band (bluegrass/Americana) Sept. 24 and The Remnants (rock) Oct. 1. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City) will host Andalyn 3 p.m. and The Whiskey Sticks 7 p.m. Sept. 23; The Bayou Diesel Band 11 a.m., The Freeway Revival 3 p.m. and The Pioneer Chicken Stand Band 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 during their Guest Appreciation Festival. All shows are free. www.noc.com.

September 21-27, 2016

• The “Friday Night Live” concert series at the Town Square in Highlands will host Cross Creek Sept. 23 and Mountain Dulcimers (bluegrass/mountain) Sept. 30. Both shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. www.highlandschamber.org.

grass) Sept. 23 and Redleg Husky (Americana) Sept. 30. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

arts & entertainment

• Andrews Brewing Company will host Scott Shuttleworth Sept. 23, Somebody’s Child Sept. 24, Heidi Holton (blues/folk) Sept. 30 and Gauge Persuaders Oct. 1. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

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September 21-27, 2016

arts & entertainment

On the street Folkmoots hosts Middle Eastern dinner Folkmoot USA and Western Carolina University’s Office of International Programs and Services will host a Middle Eastern Friendship Dinner, the first in a series of friendship dinners and dances scheduled throughout the fall of 2016.

The dinner will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, in the cafeteria of the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. Students from the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Libya and Iraq, will prepare a delicious traditional meal of lamb, chicken, rice, vegetables and hummus. Activities for the evening will include Middle Eastern dance, Arabic writing and learning to eat with one hand.

Tickets for this event can be purchased in advance, which are $15 for adults, $10 for kids, at www.folkmoot.org or by calling 828.452.2997. Tickets will also be available at the door, $18 for adult, $10 for kids.

Folkmoot’s year-round programming initiatives have been made possible by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina and the Cherokee Preservation Foundation. Folkmoot is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating

many cultures in one community. The Folkmoot Friendship Center is located in the Historic Hazelwood School at 112 Virginia Avenue in Waynesville.

Vintage trailer open house The Southern Vintage Trailer Friends, members of the national group the Tin Can Tourists, will be hosting their annual fall rally from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Stonebridge Campground in Maggie Valley.

There will be over 50 restored and period decorated vintage trailers open to the public for viewing. The group likes to give something back to the communities where they camp, and will be holding an open house for the restored campers.

Admission to view the trailers is $5 for adults and free for children under the age of 8. All proceeds will benefit the Haywood County Water Association “Kids In The Creek” educational program. The second fundraiser will be a pancake breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. and will be complete with sausages, eggs and pancakes for $5.

Proceeds from the breakfast will benefit Boy Scout Troop 318. www.southernvintagetrailers.com.

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Mountain Heritage Day this year will be a quilting exhibit by the Smoky Mountain Quilters Guild at the nearby Ramsey Regional Activity Center.

Mountain Heritage Day is part of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina, with www.blueridgemusicnc.com a convenient way to find festivals, concerts, jam sessions and plenty of singing and dancing to the traditional music of Western North Carolina. To learn more about WCU’s premier festival, visit www.mountainheritageday.com or call 828.227.3039.

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WAYNESVILLE – The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will host the first of two public meetings for the 2016 Comprehensive Master Plan on Thursday, September 22, at the Waynesville Recreation Center.

It will take place from 4 to 7 pm and will be a drop in format.

Just drop by any time between 4 to 7 pm at the Waynesville Recreation Center located at 550 Vance Street in Waynesville. For more information please call 456-2030 or email rlangston@waynesvillenc.gov

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Smoky Mountain News

Celebrating Southern Appalachian culture through concerts, living-history demonstrations, competitions and awards programs, Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, on the campus in Cullowhee.

A free family-oriented festival, the event is in its 42nd year, having started as Founders’ Day on Oct. 26, 1974, at the inauguration ceremony of Chancellor H.F. Robinson, and became known as Mountain Heritage Day the following year. The festival has become renowned as a showcase of mountain music, family activities, the region’s finest arts and crafts, and vendors offering ethnic, heritage and festival food.

Rain or shine, the festival brings history to life and fun to thousands. Shuttles will operate throughout the day, with stops at designated free parking and attraction locations. An added feature held in conjunction with

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WCU’s Mountain Heritage Day

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RECREATION CENTER 550 Vance St. • Waynesville • 828.456.2030

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On the street Chef Ricardo Fernandez will be hosting a Mountain Cooking Club class, “Open fire grilling, the Argentine way,” at 3 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Wildcat Ridge Farm in Clyde.

The menu for this class will include charred calamari and shrimp salad, grassfed grilled beef duo, fresh nectarine roses, and numerous sides.

Class fee is $70 plus a $1 Mountain Cooking Club 2016 membership fee. To reserve your space, mail a check (payable to Ricardo Fernandez) to Suzanne Fernandez at 3553 Panther Creek Road, Clyde, N.C., 28721. Reservations con-

ALSO:

• The Franklin Chamber of Commerce “Mingle On Main” will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at the downtown gazebo. Refreshments and food will be available. Sponsored by Duke Energy.

828.524.3161.

• The “Hunter’s Mountain Ride” will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, starting at The Factory in Franklin. A benefit for the Men’s Teen Challenge of the Smokies, the poker run is for trucks, Jeeps, 4x4s and motorcycles. Entry fee is $25 in advance, $30 day of the event. To register, email bringingit2life@gmail.com.

• The Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau will host a fundraiser from 5 to 9 p.m. Sept. 2425 at Fairfield Lake in Sapphire. Called “Old Balderoo,” the event is in the same location as the Symphony Under The Stars event put on by the Cashiers Rotary Club. Saturday bands will feature country and bluegrass with the award winning Kurt Thomas Band and three other groups. Sunday will feature jazz with the world-famous Tommy Dorsey Orchestra headlining and two other acts.

There will be fireworks display on both nights

Roktoberfest in Sylva Heinzelmännchen Brewery will host their “Roktoberfest Release Party” from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at the brewery in downtown Sylva.

There will be brats, kraut and Black Forest chocolate cake for a suggested donation of $10, while it lasts. Proceeds will go to the Community Table.

The brewery is located at 545 Mill Street. www.yourgnometownbrewery.com. at the conclusion of the music around 9 p.m.

This is a family-friendly event. www.bgcplateau.org/oldbaldaroo.

• The Peanuts Pumpkin Patch Express will depart at noon and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 1 and 2 at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad train depot in Bryson City. Peanuts characters in costume, children’s activities, and more. For more information and ticket rates, call 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

RONNIE

MILSAP

• The Darnell Farms Corn Maze will be open through Nov. 1 on U.S. 19 at the Tuckasegee River Bridge in Bryson City. Besides the maze, there will also be a pumpkin patch, picnic area, farm fresh products, hayrides, and other activities. 828.488.2376.

FREE BIRTHDAY BASH OUTDOOR CONCERT

• A wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m.

Sept. 24 and Oct. 1 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. $5 per person. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.586.6300.

Saturday, October 1 at 7pm Open to all ages.

Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the show!

• A free wine tasting will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 24 and Oct. 1 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

No coolers please

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

• The ceremonial Cherokee bonfires will run from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Oct. 1 Spend an evening with the Cherokee people by a roaring fire. Listen as Cherokee storytellers in period dress from the 17th century spin tales of days gone by, myths and mysteries passed down through the ages and talk of the history. Learn Cherokee survival skills and experience the dance. Your hosts will provide light refreshments, which include marshmallows for roasting and drinks. Guests sit by the fire near the Oconaluftee riverside enjoying a unique and entertaining experience. The events are free and open to the public. www.visitcherokeenc.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

• The annual Macon TRACS Blue Jean Ball will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Macon County Fairgrounds in Franklin.

Barbecue, live music, silent auction and more. Proceeds benefit the Macon TRACS operation expenses. 828.349.6262 or www.macontracs.org.

firmed upon receipt of payment.

828.246.7465 or chefricardos@gmail.com.

September 21-27, 2016

• The Drive Away Hunger “Blue Plate Special” will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Andy Shaw Ford in Sylva. A benefit for The Community Table, a nonprofit food pantry, the organization is teaming up with Shaw and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort for the event. Test-drive a new car with a $30 donation, which will be matched

by Shaw and Harrah’s Cherokee. There will also be a raffle, snacks, coffee and donuts by Dunkin’ Donuts, root beer from Heinzelmannchen Brewery, as well as a “Car-B-Que” lunch or dinner-to-go. To place an order, call 828.586.6782.

arts & entertainment

Mountain Cooking Club

Offer valid at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel. Valid for new member sign ups only. Must be 21 or older to enter casino floor and to gamble, and must present a valid state or federal photo ID upon request. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. An Enterprise of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. ©2016, Caesars License Company, LLC.

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On the street

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The John C. Campbell Folk School’s Fall Festival will be Oct. 1-2 in Brasstown. Garret K. Woodward photo

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Smoky Mountain News

gospel, Celtic, French, and blues songs with the audience. Appalachian cloggers and Morris dancers will also hit the stage with their intricate footwork.

Children can enjoy pony and wagon rides, as well as a drum circle. Local community and nonprofit groups will offer tasty foods like barbecue, assorted wraps and sandwiches, ribbon fries, kettle corn, ice cream, and fried apple pies.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for ages 1217 and free for children under 12. Parking is free, but donations will be accepted by/for students from the Tri-county Early College, who will supervise the lot.

For a full schedule of events, visit www.folkschool.org/fallfestival.

Bosu’s wine, small plates MyHaywoodRegional.com

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The 42th annual John C. Campbell Folk School’s Fall Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1-2 in Brasstown.

This popular celebration of Appalachian culture features over 240 juried and non-juried craft exhibitors, selling items such as jewelry, pottery, wood, metalwork and baskets. More than 40 artisans will demonstrate traditional and contemporary crafts including weaving, spinning, blacksmithing, and pottery.

Throughout Fall Festival weekend, music will flow through the trees from two performance stages. The spacious Festival Barn stage, and the intimate Shady Grove stage near the Craft Shop, will showcase diverse music and dance performers. Talented regional musicians will share old time, country, bluegrass,

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There will be a “Secret Wine Bar Night” and small plates by Chef Jackie served from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23 and 30 (both drop in), at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville.

The “Wine Dinner in the Pacific Northwest” will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 ($70, by reservation). The Secret Wine Bar at Bosu’s will host Chef Jackie’s “BYOB Dinner” at 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 27 ($50, by reservation). www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

@SmokyMtnNews

On the wall

The Jackson County Public Library, in partnership with the Jackson County NAACP, will host a special screening of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) documentary “Selma: The Bridge to the Ballot,” the true story of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march.

The screening will be held at 6 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 29, at the library.

Immediately following the movie, there will be a Q&A session led by several members of the Jackson County NAACP. Narrated by Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer, the documentary by the SPLC’s Teaching Tolerance project tells an important story not touched on by the Hollywood feature — the true story of the forgotten heroes of the fight for voting rights, the courageous students and teachers in Selma, Alabama, who stood up against injustice despite facing intimidation, violence and arrest.

By organizing and marching bravely, these activists achieved one of the most significant victories of the civil rights era — passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The film is a powerful reminder that each person has the ability to bring about social change.

Despite this victory, only about six in 10 eligible citizens exercised their right to vote in

the 2012 presidential election. That means approximately 90 million voters did not cast ballots. Voter turnout dropped to a 72-year low in 2014. A key to increasing voter turnout is encouraging young people to vote.

Research shows that when young people vote, they are more likely to vote later in life — helping to ensure a new generation of active and engaged voters.

The film is the eighth classroom documentary produced by Teaching Tolerance.

Four previous films have been nominated for Academy Awards, and two — “A Time for Justice” and “Mighty Times: The Children’s March” — have won the Oscar in the short documentary category.

For more information, call 828.586.2016 or click on www.fontanalib.org.

Do you believe in the ‘American Dream’?

The documentary “Dream On” will be screened at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

In an epic road trip, political comedian John Fugelsang retraces the journey of Alexis de Tocqueville, whose study of our young country in 1831 came to define America as a place where anyone could climb the ladder of economic opportunity. Following in the Frenchman’s footsteps, Fugelsang speaks with fast-food workers and retirees, prisoners and entrepreneurs, undocumented immigrants and community organizers about their hopes, dreams, and daily struggles.

The film explores whether the optimistic spirit of the American Dream that Tocqueville observed is alive and well in the twenty-first century, or whether George Carlin was right when he famously quipped “It’s called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.” www.pppdocs.com/dreamon.

arts & entertainment

Selma documentary to be showcased

September 21-27, 2016

188 W. Main Street Franklin, NC

828.349.BEER Colby Deitz Band

September 30 Karaoke with T&J Entertainment

Smoky Mountain News

September 24

October 1 The Remnants LazyHikerBrewing.com

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arts & entertainment

On the wall ‘Life and Times of Herbert Creecy’ Susan Robert will host the gallery talk “The Life and Times of Herbert Creecy, Abstract Expressionist Artist (1939-2003)” at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at The Bascom in Highlands.

In conjunction with The Bascom’s exhibition, Herbert Creecy: Major Paintings (Sept.

25 through Jan. 8), Robert, who knew Creecy as a friend and fellow artist, will explore not only his career, but also the art world during his lifetime. She will discuss Creecy’s work as well as the paintings of some of the iconic artists who were also working during the same period.

Robert is a lawyer and professional artist

with a BFA from the Atlanta College of Art. Her paintings are represented at Sandler Hudson Gallery, Atlanta and Ann Connelly Fine Art, Baton Rouge. Robert’s works have been shown in many solo exhibitions and are represented in private collections. Her works are included in numerous permanent and private collections. In addition to The Bascom’s permanent collection, her works are included in the permanent collections of the High Museum of Art and Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Georgia. She is a frequent lecturer at colleges and universities. In 2011, Robert gave a lecture at The Bascom in conjunction with the exhibition, “Frank Stella: American Master.”

Tickets are $10. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 828.526.8811 or visit www.thebascom.org.

Smoky Mountain News

September 21-27, 2016

Fall, art comes alive at ColorFest The eighth annual “ColorFest: Dillsboro Fine Arts & Crafts Fair” will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, in downtown Dillsboro.

Within the festival, over 40 juried artisans will line Front Street. The artists will be located only a short walk from the entertainment stage. Live Appalachian music will also be scattered throughout the celebration.

ColorFest is produced by the Dillsboro Merchants Association, in partnership with Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. This project received support from the Jackson County TDA, Champion Credit Union, and the Jackson County Arts Council, North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. www.visitdillsboro.org.

Art scholarship dinner, cookbook

Mountain Faith will perform Sept. 27 in Sylva.

In their ongoing efforts to successfully fund a $15,000 endowed scholarship with Southwestern Community College (SCC), the founders and board members of Catch the Spirit of Appalachia will host their 10th Annual scholarship dinner.

The event will be held at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 27, in the Burrell Building on the campus of Southwestern Community College in Sylva. Featured entertainers for evening will be acclaimed bluegrass act Mountain Faith. Opening for them will be the storytelling and spontaneous artwork of the Ammons Sisters.

The dinner menu includes chicken casserole with rice, spring pea medley, broccoli salad, corn pudding, strawberry pretzel salad, strawberry nut cake and yeast rolls, all recipes from local cooks and published in the new release, Catch the Taste of

Appalachia Cookbook, which will be on sale at the dinner. This full color 240-page cookbook has recipes not only from the heritage of the Blue Ridge Mountains (Appalachian, African American, and Cherokee), but also from other ethnic groups such as Asian, Italian, and Mexican.

Once Catch the Spirit of Appalachia’s endowed scholarship is in force, priority will be given to students who are applying to the community college in the study of the arts and the environment.

Tickets for the dinner are on sale now.

They are available online at www.storiesofmountainfolk.com, and in person at the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce.

Tickets are $25, with all proceeds going to the scholarship. For more information about purchasing tickets for the dinner, call 828.631.4587.

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On the wall arts & entertainment

• Paint Nite Waynesville will be held at 7 p.m. on Fridays at the Mad Anthony’s Bottle Shop & Beer Garden. Grab a pint of craft beer and get creative. $20 per person. Group rates available. Sign up at Mad Anthony’s or call host Robin Smathers at 828.400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.

• The “Octoberfest Arts & Crafts Festival” will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Highlands United Methodist Church. Live demonstrations, artisan crafts, food vendors, and more. All proceeds go to the church’s new Faith & Fellowship Center.

828.526.3376.

• Laurey-Faye Dean will be the featured artist with a live demonstration and discussion at “The Potter’s Wheel” series from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 24 at The Wild Fern in Bryson City.

• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will host live music, hors d’ouevres, wine and newly unveiled art collections.

Artists featured from 3 to 7 p.m. Sept. 30 are Jo Ridge Kelley, impressionist painter; and Brian Hannum, fine art photographer. $25 per couple, which can be applied toward purchase of $100 or more. www.greatsmokies.com.

ALSO:

• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City. A new project every week. $20 per child, with includes lesson, materials and snack. To register, call 828.538.2054.

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Smoky Mountain News

• The “Photography of Bayard Wootten” exhibit will be on display through Nov. 23 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Wootten was a female pioneer in the field of photography from the early 1900s to 1950s, when men dominated the field. All 35 photographs in this exhibition are of North Carolina subjects, which are on loan through from North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives at UNC-Chapel Hill.

September 21-27, 2016

• Art historian Karen Britt will present “Mosaics in the Middle East” at 5 p.m. Sept.

27 at the Large Lecture Hall at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. www.wcu.edu.

• The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. An afternoon of creativity and camaraderie. Supplies are provided, or bring your own. Beginners are welcome as well as those who already enjoy this new trend. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 828.524.3600.

• “Stitch,” the community gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meet at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org. reclaim your weekend

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visitnc.com/parks

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arts & entertainment

On the stage

Musical to kick off WCU Mainstage theater season

Smoky Mountain News

September 21-27, 2016

The musical ‘Resident Alien’ will be performed Sept. 22-25 at WCU. Donated photo

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A new musical written by a Western Carolina University faculty member about a Russian family’s emigration to the U.S. will open the 2016-17 Mainstage theater season of Western Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen in Cullowhee.

“Resident Alien,” the story of the fictional Berdichevsky family’s experience in assimilating in their new home country, will be presented Thursday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 25, in WCU’s Hoey Auditorium. Show times are 7:30 p.m., except for a 3 p.m. matinee on Sept. 25.

The musical is the creation of Katya Stanislavskaya, director of WCU’s Musical Theatre Program. Having fought for many years to survive the iron grip of Russian communism, the Berdichevskys come to America hopeful that their new country will provide the opportunities they desire. Sasha,

a literary scholar and professor, and Sveta, a musician and professor, are parents of young daughter Nastya, who misses the known realities of her former home and whose massive culture shock coincides with her coming of age, said Jayme McGhan, director of the School of Stage and Screen.

“Resident Alien” won the prestigious Weston New Musical Award in 2015 and was later presented as a staged reading for the Josefina Niggli New Works Reading Series at WCU. Stanislavskaya said she was inspired to create the musical during a writing retreat in New England.

Tickets for “Resident Alien” are $22 for adults; $16 for WCU faculty and staff, and seniors; and $7 (advance) and $10 (day of show) for students. Tickets are available online at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or by calling 828.227.2479.

Mayan play, exhibit at WCU

Individual tickets are $24 for adults/seniors, $20 for WCU faculty/students, and $8 for students/children. They can be purchased online at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or by calling the box office at 828.227.2479.

The Fine Art Museum at WCU will also host a reception for its exhibit “The Language of Weaving: Contemporary Maya Textiles” on from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, in John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. The exhibit runs through Friday, Nov. 11, and is part of “Maya Explorations at Bardo Arts Center,” which will coincide with the stage performance.

The 2016-17 Western Carolina University Galaxy of Stars Series will continue with “Tzakbu: Queen of the Maya,” a theatrical performance written and directed by Hiram Marina. The play, featuring actors from Chiapas, Mexico, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at the Bardo Arts Center on campus.

The production recreates the life of Tzakbu, who was a queen, wife, mother and governor of the Mayans. The performance will be spoken in authentic Mayan language and each audience member will receive a program booklet that includes scene synopsis translations. It is not recommended for children under the age of 6.

• Comedian Eric O’Shea will perform at 9 p.m.

Sept. 23 in the UC Illusions (Room 309) at Western Carolina University. www.wcu.edu.

ALSO:

On the stage ings, / Bless us through the nights,” Carden Storyteller, playwright, author and artist wrote in a poem.

Gary Carden will host the one-man dinner In recent years, Carden also received the show “Blow the Tannery Whistle” on Sunday, North Carolina Award for Literature, the Sept. 25, at Sneak E Squirrel Brewing in state’s highest honor, for his body of work, Sylva. The dinner begins at 7 p.m. with the which includes poetry, short stories and performance to follow thereafter. plays about the mystical people and places “When I was a child, I awoke each mornaround Western North Carolina. ing to the mournful wail of our tannery Tickets are $20 per person. The dinner whistle,” Carden said. “It was a long will include prime rib, one pint of craft beer ‘WOOO’ that lingered in the coves and and dessert. To RSVP, call 828.586.6440. hollers of Jackson County for several moments. I would hear my grandmother’s feet hit the floor and shortly afterwards, the kitchen would be filled with the sounds and smells of breakfast.”

Carden is an award-winning Appalachian author, playwright and folklorist. He was written several books, including the Appalachian Bestiary, which details some of the creatures featured in Appalachian lore, and Outlander, which tells the story of Horace Kephart.

“Blow the tannery whistle! / Blow it sweet and clear. / Tell the world around us / That we’re all still here. / Send it cross the Writer Gary Carden will perform a one-man dinner mountains! / Echo from the theatre show in Sylva on Sept. 25. Garret K. Woodward photo heights. / Wake us in the morn-

Fangmeyer Theater open house The Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville is finally ready to show off its new second main stage, the Daniel and Belle Fangmeyer Theater, at an open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday Sept. 24.

The public is being offered free tours of the new facility, which has been under construction for two years.

HART’s Executive Director Steve Lloyd proposed the expansion to his board in 2010.

Architects Joe Sam Queen and Sarah Queen were engaged to design the new facility, which was envisioned as a flexible space that could be reconfigured for a variety of per-

formance events. Fundraising began a year later and ground was finally broken in September 2014 and a major gift from Daniel and Belle Fangmeyer helped insure the project’s success. The new space is in the same style as HART’s existing space, the Performing Arts Center at the Shelton House.

HART christened the new building in August with the Cirque Du HART fundraiser, but the plan was always to have an open house for the public as soon as the building was complete. The $1.2 million expansion has been mostly paid for through donations from HART patrons. HART is the number one attraction in Waynesville and the new facility will make it possible for the organization to expand its programming. www.harttheatre.org.

A G U A R A N T E E D G R E AT N I G H T O U T

Claire Lynch ~ Sunday, October 2 38 SPECIAL

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Join us for a memorable night of music, food and fun on Sunday, October 2 at 7:00 pm, p with music beginning at 8:30. Tickets for dinner and the show are $75. Call us at (828) 926-14 0 1 f o r r e s e r va t io n s .

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Smoky Mountain News

OCTOBER 7

September 21-27, 2016

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arts & entertainment

Do you hear that tannery whistle?

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Books

Smoky Mountain News

A rollicking debut novel with a Hemingway twist n December 1922 Hadley Hemingway set out from Paris to join her husband Ernest, then a newspaper reporter and an unpublished writer of short stories, in Lausanne, Switzerland. With her Hadley took a valise filled with her husband’s stories, including the carbon copies. While still in the Gare de Lyon in Paris, Hadley stepped away from her baggage to buy a bottle of Evian water.

In that short time a thief stole the valise and with it all but two of Hemingway’s early Writer stories. Hadley never forgave herself for her carelessness, and Hemingway, unable to believe that his wife had packed everything in the suitcase, actually returned to Paris to their apartment to search fruitlessly for remaining pages of poems and stories.

Though Hemingway later said the theft was probably for the best in that it rid him of the dross of his youthful writing and forced him to dig deeper into his ideas regarding style and subject matter, that valise and its cargo of writing would today be worth their weight in gold.

In The Hemingway Thief (Seventh Street Books, 2016, 238 pages, $15.95), Shaun Harris tells the story of four men in the wilds of Mexico who band together to search for Hemingway’s missing manuscripts, brought into that country long ago by the man who had stolen them. There is Grady, a former cop and now owner of a dilapidated hotel; Ebbie Milch, a descendant of the original thief and a grafter himself; Digby, who goes by many names and who has killed many men; and the narrator, novelist Henry “Coop” Cooper, who has struck gold in the publishing world by

Jeff Minick

I

become involved with Milch when he is badly beaten by two men in search of a rough draft of Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, which Milch has stolen from a crook and a rare book dealer, Thandy. Digby, who until that time seems little more than the hotel’s concierge, turns out to be the key man in the quartet with his knowledge of the countryside, his understanding of the cartel operations, and his coolness under fire.

From that point on, The Hemingway Thief takes readers on a wild ride through the brutal, blood-stained mountains and mesas of a Mexico where the cops and soldiers are on the take, where drug cartels rule and the men who operate them operate by a bizarre code of honor, where life is as cheap as a set of plastic cups from WalMart. Coop, who castigates himself all the time for writing romance novels, mistrusts his own masculinity and as a lark joins the expedition to track down the manuscripts mentioned in the draft of A Moveable Feast. Soon he discovers hidden reservoirs of strength hidden within, suffering the harsh environment of the Mexican outback, facing death every day, mistrustful of his comrades and hunted by several enemies, including La Donde, a female assassin who The Hemingway Thief by Shaun Harris. Seventh Street never fails to take down her target.

Books, 2016. 238 pages.

Adding to the fun of this action-packed novel are the humor and the many references to Hemingway. Coop, for example, often referreassess his career and his life. There he ences movies and television shows to make his befriends Grady, who becomes his drinking points to others, illustrations that often sail partner and confidant. The two of them publishing a series of vampire romance novels.

Ashamed of his writing — he is, after all, a romance novelist — Coop travels to Mexico to

Protecting your freedom to read The Jackson County Public Library and Fontana Regional Library will join with the American Library Association to celebrate Banned Books Week Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. The annual observance honors the freedom to read and highlights cases in which that freedom has been challenged or limited.

By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harm of censorship and demonstrates the value of free and open access to information and ideas.

Nationwide, books of all types have been challenged, which means that an individual or a group has asked that it be removed (banned) from a library’s shelves so that it is not available to readers. The American Library Association keeps statistics about the numbers of books challenged or banned each year, but most cases are not reported. Over the years, challenged books have ranged from children’s picture books to the Bible to fiction and nonfiction for all ages.

Libraries in Macon, Jackson, and Swain Counties have created displays of books that have been challenged or banned in other

communities across the country. The goal is for readers in Western North Carolina to celebrate their right to read those books and any other books they choose. www.fontanalib.org.

Folk school poetry showcase The John Campbell Folk School and N.C. Writers Network West are sponsoring The Literary Hour, an hour of poetry and prose reading at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at Keith House on the JCFS campus in Brasstown.

Poets Mary Ricketson and Glenda Beall will be the featured readers, both of which are well-established poets in the mountain area.

Beall’s poems, essays and short stories have been published in numerous literary journals and magazines including, Reunions Magazine, Main Street Rag Poetry Journal, Appalachian Heritage, Journal of Kentucky Studies and online, Your Daily Poem, Muscadine Lines: A Southern Journal, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, and Wild Goose Poetry Review.

past the heads of his listeners, and Harris brings various pop songs and contemporary artists into the story. Grady, who unlike Coop has seen his share of fistfights and gunplay, brings a droll wit to the page. After a car accidentally strikes Dell, a murderous thug who is about to kill Grady and Coop, Milch asks Grady what killed Dell. “Lack of situational awareness,” Grady says.

Some of the humor depends more on circumstance and description than on sharp dialogue. Near the end of the book, when a marijuana cultivator, Dutch, drives Grady, Coop, and Milch to the last stop in their search for the suitcase, Harris makes their bumpy ride an act of comedy: “It was only a 15-mile drive, but Dutch thought it would take about an hour. The road was a smattering of dust and rubble spread over a series of rocky shelves that looked like they’d been under mortar attack for the last twenty years. Dutch manhandled the gearshift with gusto, turning the wheel like he was steering a teacup at Disney World. My tailbone slowly made its way toward my brainstem, and I knew I would be at least half a foot shorter by the time we got to the camp.”

Those familiar with Hemingway’s life will find little new here, but may still take pleasure in revisiting parts of Papa’s life, especially scenes and figures from A Moveable Feast.

Harris also has some fun with readers by taking his titles for the four parts of the book from Hemingway’s short stories: “In Another Country,” “The Killers,” “A Clean, WellLighted Place,” and “The End Of Something.”

The Hemingway Thief is Shaun Harris’ first novel. It’s a fine book, a rollicking adventure story that keeps the reader intrigued, laughing, and turning the pages.

(Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher.

Reach him at minick0301@gmail.com.)

Her poems have been anthologized in The Southern Poetry anthology: Volume VII: North Carolina 2014, Lights in the Mountains, The Best of Poetry Hickory Series, 2011, Kakalak: North Carolina Poets of 2009, and Women’s Spaces, Women’s Places, among others. Her poems have won awards in the James Still Poetry Contest and the Clay County NC Poetry Contest.

Ricketson has been writing poetry 20 years. She is inspired by nature and her work as a mental health counselor. Her poetry has been published in Wild Goose Poetry Review, Future Cycle Press, Journal of Kentucky Studies, Kentucky Review, Lights in the Mountains, Echoes Across the Blue Ridge, Freeing Jonah, Red Fox Run, and her chapbook I Hear the River Call My Name. Her new collection of poetry, Hanging Dog Creek, was recently published by Future Cycle Press.

She is a Cherokee County representative to North Carolina Writers Network West, and president of Ridgeline Literary Alliance.

She won the gold medal for poetry in the 2011 Cherokee County Senior Games/Silver Arts and silver medal for 2012 and 2013, and first place in the 2011 Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest 75th anniversary national poetry contest.

The event is free and open to the public.

Discussion on effects of coal Dr. Alan Lockwood will speak at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 28, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

Lockwood is a professor emeritus of neurology and nuclear medicine at the University of Buffalo. He is the lead author of a Physicians for Social Responsibility report on coal’s adverse health effects that was the basis for his book The Silent Epidemic: Coal and the Hidden Threat to Health.

The event is co-sponsored by WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility and The Canary Coalition. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact info@canarycoalition.org or call 828.631.3447. www.canarycoalition.org.

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• The “Books On Tap” fundraiser will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at Lazy Hiker Brewing Company in Franklin. Finger foods, 50/50 raffle, and more. Tickets are $25 per person in advance, $30 at the door.

Tickets include two glasses of craft beer or two glasses of wine (soft drinks and water also available). Buy your tickets at the Friends of the Library Book Store, Macon County Public Library and Lazy Hiker Brewing Company. All proceeds benefit Macon County Public Library.

ALSO:

• Katherine Soniat will read her latest collection of poetry at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. In her beguiling new collection, Bright Stranger, Soniat invites readers to celebrate the unfinished and unsure. The poems in this volume to not demand or offer certainty, existing instead in the spaces between the real and the imagined, between past, present and future. They explore the human connection with nature, contemplating loss in the erosion of rock spires and rebirth in the blossoming of an amaranth.

Smoky Mountain News

• Nancy McIntyre will read from and sign her novel Rush of River Over Rock at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. The book is the story of a part wolf/dog, found badly injured in the mountains of Western North Carolina, and the woman who gives him a home. McIntyre has lived in the mountains of North Carolina on and off all her life, always returning to them. She now lives in a small cabin with no electricity or running water, adjacent to the Black Mountain range. 828.586.9499.

September 21-27, 2016

• Tim Barnwell follows up his popular book, Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas, with Great Smoky Mountains Vistas, which will be presented at 3 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 25, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. In the new release, Barnwell combines panoramic photographs from overlooks in and around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, aerial photographs of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, and articles on popular area attractions and activities to create this unique and comprehensive guidebook.

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Dreaming of Toyko Following competition in Rio, NOC paddler sets sights on 2020 Olympic medal

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER uch of America spent Aug. 5-21 with eyes glued to a television, cheering on athletes from all corners of the country as they represented the red, white and blue in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

For the community of paddlers whose nucleus is the Nantahala Outdoor Center, one Olympic dream demanded especially rapt

M

Smolen takes on the whitewater course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rob van Bommel/Sportscene photo

attention — that of 23-year-old kayaker Michal Smolen, a whitewater slalom favorite who cut his teeth on the waters of the Nantahala River. William Irving, president of NOC, well remembers his first experiences watching Michal paddle. At the time, Irving was the high performance director for USA Canoe/Kayak and Smolen’s father Rafal was the newly hired national team coach.

“He had a very young son at the time who was on the junior national team who showed a lot of promise and progress,” Irving recalled.

That young son was Michal, and over the years Irving saw him paddle against some of the best in the business.

“He was competing with our top Olympians and being very competitive,” Irving said. “He immediately came on our radar as one of our up-and-coming top athletes.”

Smolen probably would have made it to the Olympics in 2012, Irving said, if his citizenship status hadn’t gotten in the way. Born in Poland, Smolen wasn’t officially a U.S. citizen at the time the London Olympics came around — the paperwork arrived six months after the games. But the games at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were on the horizon, and Irving, then in his new position with NOC, took notice.

“We stepped up as a sponsor of his to provide for him the opportunities to attend all the camps he really needed to go to, to progress and get back up to a medal-winning type of athlete,” Irving said.

Going into the games, things were looking good. Smolen had trained hard, and all the reports listed him as a top medal contender.

Irving traveled down to Rio to support Smolen and Team USA as a whole, spending about 10 days total in Brazil — the team was there 25 days, some of the first to arrive at the Olympic site.

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A conversation with Michal Since the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Michal Smolen has been hopping continents to finish out the post-Rio racing season, but The Smoky Mountain News caught up with him for an email conversation about paddling, Olympic dreams and the value of American citizenship.

SMN: Where did your love for kayaking begin?

Smolen: At the NOC when I was around 10. I moved to Sylva at that age and my father was the coach for the Nantahala Racing Club. I was excited to try kayaking but after my first experience I was a bit frightened. I took up swimming instead and got really competitive right away. I liked swimming, but at some point I got tired of it and I wanted to try kayaking again at the age of 13. This time it stuck and I felt much more comfortable in the water. At that point I also knew that I wanted to be really good at the sport, so I started taking my training seriously.

SMN: How did paddling on the Nantahala River prepare you for the career you now have?

Smolen: It really was the perfect place for me to get invested in the sport. I was one of many kids at the Nantahala Racing Club and I enjoyed training in such a cool atmosphere. We were all very competitive and I made long-lasting friendships while doing what I loved.

SMN: Though you’d hoped to compete in the 2012 Olympics, the process of obtaining American citizenship moved too slowly to allow you to represent the United States in London. How did it feel to walk onto the 2016 Olympic Team as an American citizen?

Smolen: It was an emotional moment for me and my father as we walked together. We’ve been through so much — he has been my coach from the start — and to share the experience was something truly special. When he was a competitive kayaker he was close to making the Olympic Team in Poland twice but missed out, so it’s really a big accomplishment to be the first in my family to go.

SMN: What was on your mind as you went into your final performance in Rio? Smolen: The day before the final was probably one of the hardest days in my career. Everything was winding down to the 90 seconds that I’ve been preparing for for years. The anxiety was rough, and I did everything I could to stay calm and focused. I think my preparation was good, but I just had the worst luck the day of my semi-final.

SMN: How do you feel about the outcome?

Smolen: When I finished the semi-final and realized that my race was over I was devastated. I couldn’t believe that my dream of an Olympic medal was over then and there. Over the last few weeks I’ve had time to take a step back and reflect on the whole experi-

ence. I think it really was just bad luck, as my performance would have been good enough for the finals without my penalties. I’ve also come to realize that the Olympic competition is just one competition and I can’t put all of my energy and focus into something that’s so many years away. I need to make sure that I also use every experience along the way to become a better competitor so that when the Olympics come I’m feeling more prepared.

SMN: You’ve kept busy since Rio. What have you been up to?

Smolen: Yes, too busy! After the closing ceremonies I was home for four days and then I was off to Europe for the last two World Cups of the season. I decided to stay in Europe after these races to visit my family and have a bit of a vacation. I’ve also decided to do some fun races this fall as I’ve missed the opportunity to do so in previous years because of my training. I’ll be competing at the Extreme Kayak World Championships in three weeks and I’ll be going to New Zealand for my winter training.

SMN: Are you planning to try for another Olympic adventure in 2020?

Smolen: Yes, and perhaps another one after that. Now that I have experienced competing at the Olympics I know what to expect next time. My ultimate career goal is to be on the podium at the Games, so I’ll work very hard in the next four years to make that dream come true!

Input sought on Waynesville Rec’s master plan

A dinner to say “thank you” to farmers will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at the Swain County Senior Center.

In addition to getting fed, farmers will have access to representatives from the Swain Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service, N.C.

The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department is looking for input to guide a now-forming 10-year master plan, planning a drop-in public meeting 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Waynesville Recreation Center.

The Comprehensive Master Plan will decide the department’s direction over the next decade. A short online survey is now open for rec department users to share their thoughts.

Access the survey by clicking the red star at www.waynesvillenc.gov. Rhett Langston, rlangston@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030.

Cooperative Extension, Farm Service Agency and N.C. Forest Service to ask questions.

Hosted by the Swain County Farmland Preservation Advisory Board with support from the N.C. ADFT Trust Fund.

RSVP by Friday, Sept. 23, to Cayle Aldridge, 828.488.8803, ext. 3105.

Get the scoop on Arboretum happenings The latest on upcoming N.C. Arboretum projects and pro tips on gardening will be offered up at the N.C. Arboretum Society’s annual membership meeting, 6-8:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 30.

N.C. Arboretum.

The Society’s executive director George Donated photo Briggs will discuss the Arboretum’s latest projects and programs, and Debby Roos of Chatham County Cooperative Extension will give a pictorial overview of North Carolina pollinators and planting suggestions. Attendees will have the first access to purchase of the Arboretum’s firstever book featuring stunning imagery of Arboretum grounds.

Free, with light refreshments offered and food for purchase before the event.

Registration required by Friday, Sept. 23, at www.ncarboretum.org/joingive/membership/events or 828.665.2492.

September 21-27, 2016

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First Groups tee off at 1 p.m.

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Smoky Mountain News

it hadn’t been for four seconds’ worth of “It’s not like you can go to a gym and penalties — he’d been clean in the heats — train in their sports,” Irving said. “You have he would have been in eighth place. to be on the actual whitewater you’ll be “I was devastated,” Smolen said. “I competing on.” couldn’t believe that my dream of an The whitewater itself — and pretty Olympic medal was over then and there.” much everything else — was beautiful, But, Irving said, sometimes that’s the Irving said. The water was chlorinated, way it goes. The preparation lasts all day, shining to a crystal-clear blue. Every day every day, for four years, but the race itself was sunny. The venue was gorgeous. And is over in 90 seconds. Small things can tip interest was high from the Brazilians, for the scale in big ways. The lightest of touches whom whitewater slalom isn’t a well-known on a gate can result in a penalty that sport. destroys hope of a medal. Gate arrange“It was great to see the enthusiasm and ments change from race to race, and the excitement from the Brazilians down there,” slightest miscalculation can drop a paddler Irving said, “just from their being able to who places first in the heats to tenth in the host the games and being able to catch a new sport for them that they are now really hooked on.”

Unfortunately, things went less smoothly when the races began, starting when Smolen broke the boat he’d arrived with. Olympic paddlers use custom-made boats with weights and densities tailored to their individual preferences and styles, and it took Smolen a while to get used to his replacement vessel.

“He was never really comfortable in the Michal Smolen (right) and William Irving grin following Smolen’s boat until the last two gold medal win at the 2015 Pan American Games. Donated photo or three training sessions,” Irving said. semi-finals.

Then, in one of the heats his seat came “That’s the way it goes,” Irving said. “It’s unbolted — that’s a problem, because not always predictable. You can’t always kayakers use their lower bodies to move the predict where you’re going to hit.” boat left and right.

What you can do, though, is prepare for “Despite having his seat loose, he did all you’re worth. And for the next four really well in the heats,” Irving said. “We years, Smolen will be moving forward based were really pleased with what his position on his favorite quote, uttered by legendary was leading into the semifinals. He was very football coach Vince Lombardi smooth, very clean, very focused.”

— “Winning isn’t everything, but making In the semifinals, though, something the effort to win is.” changed. The pressure was high and the In the month since Rio, he’s competed in course difficult. The upstream gates, the two World Cups in Europe and in two most challenging part of a slalom course, weeks will paddle in the Extreme Kayak were placed close together, making it hard World Championships in Austria. Then, it’s to accumulate much momentum. off to New Zealand for winter training.

“He took it too cautiously, and he just He plans to have an Olympic medal to did not have that same pop where the his name sooner rather than later. upstream gates were — that’s really where “He is so young and has so much in most athletes win the races. It’s how quickly front of him that this is going to be chalked they can get their boat turned around and up to a great learning experience,” Irving up through the gate,” Irving said. “Michal said. “We expect that he has many more was not quite as fast with his upstream gate, world championship medals in him, and we which is normally where he is the fastest.” expect that he’ll be a leading contender for Smolen needed to be in the top 10 to the medals in Tokyo.” make it to the finals, and he came in 12th. If

outdoors

Farmers to be appreciated with food

to the Top 3 Teams

AWARDS for closest to par or Par 3 & Longest Drive 43

outdoors September 21-27, 2016

Bust a biological record Hustle to find as many species as possible at Pink Beds Picnic area in the Pisgah National Forest with the Pink Beds Bioblitz, kicking off at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 23, and winding down at 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24.

Things will start off Friday with nighttime walks, including mist netting for bats and attracting moths and nocturnal insects with a white sheet. The bioblitz will come back bright and early at 8 a.m.

Saturday, with sessions to search for birds, mushrooms, fish and more.

The goal of the bioblitz is to identify as many different species as possible with each walk. All ages and experience levels are welcome.

The event will be held together with a celebration of National Public Lands Day next door at the Cradle of Forestry in America. That event will feature guided walks, gardening for biodiversity and service projects.

Both the Pink Beds BioBlitz and the National Public Lands Day celebration are free with no registration required.

Courtney Long, 828.877.3130.

Located along U.S. 276, about 25 miles south of Waynesville.

For a full schedule, visit www.pinkbedsbioblitz.wordpress.com.

Fish like a girl A women-only fly-fishing weekend will be held Oct. 21-23 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education and Davidson River Campground in Transylvania County.

All skill levels are welcome, with the weekend broken down into five skill-building sessions. Sessions include stream ecology, basic equipment, knot tying, fly-casting and lure presentation, with Sunday featuring a fishing opportunity on the Davidson River where experienced instructors will offer one-

on-one instruction. $125 registration fee covers instruction, fishing equipment, weekend camping and light lunch on Saturday. Some partial schol-

arships are available.

Offered through the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Becoming an Outdoors Woman program.

Space is limited. Register with B.B. Gillen, bb.gillen@ncwildlife.org or 919.218.3638.

Fly fishing museum to honor hall of famers The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians will Western North Carolina hold a double celewaters offer ample bration for its Fly opportunity for world- Fishing Hall of class fly fishing. Fame induction ceremony and Jackson TDA photo grand re-opening 15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, with a ribbon-cutting for the new location held at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at the Swain County Chamber of Commerce.

The museum’s inaugural hall of fame inductees include Jim Casada, Walter Cary, Wanda Taylor and Phil Bracewell. The event will include lunch, the induction ceremony, a tour of the museum and dessert.

After finishing out its first year of existence in Cherokee, the museum moved to share a building with the Swain County Chamber of Commerce this summer following discussion among tribal leaders about ending the 25-year lease it had granted the museum and the Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, which were sharing a tribally owned building. The museum decided to leave when space became available in Bryson City, and the Cherokee Chamber also moved elsewhere.

Following its re-opening, museum hours will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with no admission charged.

Seating for the Hall of Fame celebration is limited, with tickets $35 for adults and $20 for kids under 16. RSVP to 828.488.3681 or info@flyfishingmuseum.org.

Learn to reel in a big one Kids will get a chance to learn the basics of angling with a fishing day held 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Ralph J. Andrews Campground in Glenville.

Rods and bait will be provided for catchand-release fishing, and children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. $5. For ages 5-15 and organized by Jackson County Parks and Recreation.

Register through Sept. 23 at Jackson County recreation centers, 828.293.3053 or 818.631.2020; or online, jcprd.recdesk.com.

Run wild with Ocoee whitewater The Tennessee Valley Authority’s annual drawdown of the Blue Ridge Reservoir in North Georgia will provide for a full week of whitewater releases along the Middle Ocoee River Sept. 24 to Oct. 2.

The river will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each weekday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the bookending weekends. Daring paddlers can head out to test their skills solo, and Nantahala Outdoor Center is planning a menu of ways to help paddlers get the most out of the week.

NOC will host a race training day taught by Adriene Levknect, Canoe & Kayak’s 2016 Female Paddler of the year, and Chris Hipgrave, 2014 USCA Downriver National Champion, on Saturday, Sept. 27, and a five-day river paddling class for intermediate kayakers will be offered Sept. 26-30, with whitewater guaranteed. Private instruction is also available. www.noc.com/events/ocoee-river-drawdown-week.

ARCHERY SEASON GEAR

Smoky Mountain News

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gram a lot longer than us.”

Since its launch five months ago, 533 producers and more than 700 beekeepers have registered.

BeeCheck allows beekeepers to map their hives, with the companion DriftWatch allowing producers of high-value specialty crops to map their sites, offering an easy reference for pesticide applicators. To be notified of aerial spraying within a mile of their apiary, beekeepers can also register with the department’s Plant Industry Division for a $10 fee.

BeeCheck and DriftWatch are available at www.ncagr.gov/pollinators.

September 21-27, 2016

BY HOLLY KAYS for Fish and Wildlife’s southeast region. “We STAFF WRITER need everyone’s help to ensure this species is ed wolves will be removed from the around for future generations. We’re on the majority of the five-county area of eastright road, but we have a great deal of work ern North Carolina where they now to do with our state partners, landowners, exist in the wild, following a Sept. 12 deciconservation groups and others.” sion from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

According to Defenders of Wildlife, endAfter nearly two years evaluating the feaing reintroduction efforts for the fewer than sibility of continuing reintroduction efforts 45 wild red wolves in existence is further — the reintroduction program was susevidence of Fish and Wildlife’s “consistent pended in the meantime — Fish and Wildlife concluded that recovery in the wild is possible if “significant changes” are implemented. Meanwhile, environmental groups are decrying the decision as “disastrous” and a “devastating blow” to a highly endangered animal.

Over the next year, Fish and Wildlife will “move quickly to secure the captive population of red wolves, which we know now is not sustainable in its current conRed wolf. USFWS photo figuration.” The question of sustainability had largely hinged on genetic issues from interbreeding with coymismanagement” of the red wolf recovery otes and conflicts with landowners. Red program. wolves will be allowed to stay on at the Dare “Never before has the U.S. Fish and County Bombing Range and Alligator River Wildlife Service so directly turned its back National Wildlife Refuge, where stable on an endangered species recovery effort,” packs exist on federal lands. said Jamie Clark, CEO and President of

By October 2017 Fish and Wildlife will Defenders. “The agency is essentially giving determine where additional experimental up on the red wolves in the wild today, with wild populations could be reintroduced. In vague promises of reintroduction efforts the same timeframe, Fish and Wildlife will elsewhere, sometime in the future.” complete a comprehensive Species Status Instead, Clark said, Fish and Wildlife Assessment and five-year status review for should resume red wolf releases in the existthe red wolf to guide future recovery planing area, reinstate coyote management and ning. The review will examine whether the establish new release sites. red wolf is a “valid, listable entity” the press “It has been 25 years since the last time release said, adding that the red wolf ’s histhe agency was bold enough to start a new torical range has been “a relatively consiswild population (in Great Smoky tent source of debate.”

Mountains National Park), and a reasonBolstering captive populations will also able observer would conclude that it may be be a priority, as the existing 29 captive another 25 years before they are brave breeding pairs are not enough to sustain the enough to try again anywhere in the population — at least 52 are needed, the Southeast,” said Ron Sutherland, conservarelease said. tion scientist for Wildlands Network. “The “We believe the actions we’ve outlined goal of the Endangered Species Act is to today chart the correct path to achieve sucrecover endangered species in the wild, not cess,” Cindy Dohner, the regional director protect them forever in zoos.”

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Serve the Smokies Smokies supporters from Tennessee to North Carolina will make their mark on the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with a day of service in recognition of National Public Lands Day on Saturday, Sept. 24.

On a trail rehabilitation project along the Forney Ridge Trail, volunteers will work alongside the park trail crew from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., hiking about 2 miles over steep, rocky terrain. Litter patrols will inspect overlooks around Clingmans Dome and Foothills Parkway West 9 a.m. to noon, and an exotic plant removal project will be underway at

Registration is required for service projects with Logan Boldon, logan_boldon@partner.nps.gov or at 865.436.1278. www.neefusa.org/public-lands-day.

Get rooted in the mountains’ past

Rooted in the Mountains, a collaborative symposium integrating indigenous and local knowledge with health and environmental issues, will be held Thursday and Friday, Sept.

22-23, at Western Carolina University’s Health and Human Sciences Building.

Highlights include screening of the documentary “Cameron,” which chronicles the Cherokee War of 1776, and Nadia Dean of Otto will sign copies of her book A Demand for Blood, on which the film is based.

Brett Riggs, WCU Sequoyah Distinguished Professor of Cherokee Studies, will give the keynote address, and the event will also include a field trip to Judaculla Rock and a session titled “Importance of Time from a Cherokee Perspective” by Tom Belt, WCU Cherokee Language Program coordinator, and T.J. Holland, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Volunteers work along the Forney Ridge Trail. NPS photo Indians’ cultural resources supervisor.

Elkmont 9 a.m. to noon. In addition, hands-on $75, with tribal elders, as well as WCU activities and displays promoting Leave No students and faculty, admitted free.

Trace principles will be out at the Oconaluftee Lisa Lefler, 828.227.2164. and Sugarlands visitor centers. rootedinthemtns.wcu.edu.

September 21-27, 2016

Tom Branch Falls. Donated photo

Hike Deep Creek Breathtaking waterfalls and historic features will reward hikers who join Friends of the Smokies for a 13.4-mile hike on the Deep Creek loop of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Tuesday, Sept. 27.

The hike’s a strenuous one, heavy on the mileage and including 1,900 of elevation

Live up the past in Cataloochee An all-day hiking tour featuring on-site storytelling in Cataloochee Valley will be offered Friday, Sept. 23, through Western Carolina University’s Office of Continuing and Professional Education.

Asheville author Wayne Caldwell will lead “A Day in Big Cataloochee” in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, regaling participants with his tales of the valley’s history and culture and visiting several of the historic structures still there. The day will end with a 2-mile hike to the Palmer Chapel Church, where Caldwell will read from his 2007 novel Cataloochee. $69, with registration at conferences.wcu.edu or 828.227.7397.

Woman dies following fall in the Smokies

Smoky Mountain News

A woman perished following a fall at the Newfound Gap parking lot in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park last week.

Marguerite Root, 85, was sitting on a parking lot guardrail Monday, Sept. 12, taking pictures with her family with the moun-

46

gain. Danny Bernstein, outdoor enthusiast and writer, will lead the hike. $20 for members and $35 for nonmembers, with a one-year membership included.

Funds go toward trail rehabilitation in the park. Sign up at hike.friendsofthesmokies.org.

tain views in the background when she fell backward off the rock wall to the stone walkway below. Root, who was visiting from Ohio, fell 8 to 9 feet and lost consciousness.

National Park Service rangers and Cherokee Tribal EMS responded to the scene, transporting Root to the Cherokee Indian Hospital in Cherokee. She never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Sales strong for Smokies plates Sales of North Carolina Friends of the Smokies license plates brought in $118,240 to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the second quarter of 2016.

In 2015, plate sales in North Carolina generated more than $438,000, with sales raising more than $4.3 million since the program launched in 1999. Proceeds fund critical projects on the North Carolina side of the park, including ginseng protection, hiring Appalachian Trail Ridgerunners and the Parks as Classrooms program.

Plates cost $30, with $20 of that going directly to the North Carolina Smokies, and can be purchased independently of plate expiration dates. www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • A celebration of Haywood County Library’s 125th anniversary is scheduled for 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at the Fines Creek Library.

• Legal Aid of North Carolina is partnering with the Jackson County Public Library to hold a back-to-school legal clinic from noon-1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept.

21, at the library in Sylva. Advance registration required: 586.2016.

• The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will host a public meeting for its 2016 comprehensive master plan from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Drop-in format.

456.2030 or rlangston@waynesvillenc.gov.

• HART will hold an open house for its new, second main stage – the Daniel and Belle Fangmeyer Theater – between 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, in Waynesville.

• The Jackson County Public Library and Fontana Regional Library will join with the American Library Association to celebrate Banned Books Week Sept. 25 to Oct. 1. The annual observance honors the freedom to read and highlights cases in which that freedom has been challenged or limited. www.fontanalib.org.

• The Community March Against Drugs in our Midst prayer walk is at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25, starting at the corner of South Main and Academy Streets.

648.1358.

• Haywood Library’s 125th birthday will be observed from 3-5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Maggie Valley Library. Cake, refreshments and raffle.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • A Facebook Class will be offered at 5:55 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. 586.2016.

• The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a seminar entitled “How to Write a Business Plan” from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Sept. 22, in Clyde. Part of the Business Startup Series. 627.4512 or SBC.Haywood.edu.

• “The Importance of Time and Place” is the theme for Western Carolina University’s seventh annual symposium, Rooted in the Mountains: Valuing Our Common Ground, that will be offered on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 22-23, at WCU’s Health and Human Sciences Building. $75 registration; WCU students and faculty as well as Eastern Band tribal elders will be admitted free.

Info, schedule or to register, visit rootedinthemtns.wcu.edu or call 227.2164.

• The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a seminar entitled “Basics of Bookkeeping” from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 27, in Clyde. Part of the Business Startup Series. 627.4512 or SBC.Haywood.edu.

• Haywood County Tourism Development Authority will meet at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Bethea Welcome Center at Lake Junaluska.

• “Mingle on Main” will be presented by the Franklin Chamber of Commerce from 5-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the downtown gazebo. Hot dogs, chips and drinks as well as networking, displays and doorprizes.

524.3161.

• The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a seminar entitled “Marketing Your Business” from 6-9 p.m. on Sept. 29, in Clyde. Part of the Business Startup Series. 627.4512 or SBC.Haywood.edu.

• “Ask a Small Business Attorney Day” is from 9 a.m.-1

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Haywood Community College’s Small Business Center in Waynesville. Chase Wells of M. Chase Wells, PLLC, and the HCC Small Business Center will provide 30-minute, one-on-one appointments for small businesses. Pre-registration required: 627.4512 or kmgould@haywood.edu.

• A program entitled “Leading in the 21st Century” will be offered from noon-1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Waynesville Library. Sign-up required: 356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • A “Books on Tap” event is scheduled for 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, at Lazy Hiker Brewing Company in Franklin. Finger food, activities and 50/50 raffle. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Tickets available at Friends of the Library Book Store, Macon County Public Library and Lazy Hiker. Proceeds benefit Macon County Public Library.

• Bluegrass/Americana act Well Strung will perform during “The Bascom Night” from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at Satulah Mountain in Highlands. The evening is catered New Mountain Events. $250 per ticket. Proceeds go to programming at The Bascom, a visual arts center in Highlands. www.thebacom.org.

• Full Spectrum Farm, which coaches autistic men and women, will hold a “Starlight Night” fundraiser at 5 p.m. on Sept. 24 at 1185 Wayehutta Road in Cullowhee.

Music, kids’ tent, hayrides, petting zoo, farm tours, barbecue and silent auction. $25 per person or $50 per family. 293.2521 or www.fullspectrumfarm.org.

Donations can be sent to: Full Spectrum Farm, P.O. Box 3101, Cullowhee, NC 28723. A PayPal option is available on the website.

• Southern Vintage fs will be showcased from 11 a.m.3 p.m. on Sept. 24 at Stonebridge Campground in Maggie Valley. Tickets are $5 per person; kids under eight get in free. Proceeds benefit Haywood Waterways Association’s youth education programs. www.southerinvintagetrailers.com. Boy Scout Troop No. 318 will host a breakfast fundraiser from 9-11 a.m. Cost is $5.

• The Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau will hold a two-day music concert fundraiser entitled “Old Balderoo” from 5-9 p.m. on Sept. 24-25 on Fairfield Lake in Sapphire to help area kids with education and activities. Bands on Saturday are country and bluegrass including the Kurt Thomas Band. Sunday features jazz with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and two other bands.

Fireworks at the conclusion both nights. www.bgcplateau.org/oldbaldaroo.

• Mountain Faith will perform at Catch the Spirit of Appalachia’s 10th annual scholarship dinner at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at Southwestern Community College’s Jackson Campus in Sylva. Proceeds benefit Catch the Spirit’s scholarship through the SCC Foundation. Tickets: $25. 631.4587.

• Drive Away Hunger & Blue Plate Special fundraiser is scheduled for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Andy Shaw Ford in Sylva. Each test drive nets $30 for the Community Table. Choice of chicken or pork barbecue from Harrah’s available for $7 donation. ctofjackson@gmail.com.

• A fundraiser for Marianna Black Library’s new library campaign fund is scheduled for 5-10 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at Zaxby’s in Sylva. Ten percent of sales in that span will be donated to the fund.

• A Middle Eastern Friendship Dinner will be offered by

Smoky Mountain News

Folkmoot and Western Carolina University’s Office of International Programs and Services from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, in the Folkmoot Cafeteria in Waynesville. Meal will prepared by students from countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Libya and Iraq.

Advance tickets: $15 adults; $10 kids. Available at folkmoot.org or by calling 452.2997. Tickets at the door: $18 adult; $10 kids. Info: info@folkmoot.org.

• The annual Macon TRACS Blue Jean Ball will be from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at the Macon County Fairgrounds in Franklin. BBQ, live music, silent auction and more. Proceeds benefit the Macon TRACS operation expenses. 828.349.6262 or www.macontracs.org.

• Haywood County Tourism Development Authority is now offering smaller, single replicas quilt trail blocks for purchase. The blocks are priced at $65 each with 85 percent of the proceeds being donated to raise funds to build the new Haywood County Animal Shelter.

944.0761 or stop by 1110 Soco Road in Maggie Valley.

HEALTH MATTERS • A DivorceCare series for separated or divorced men and women begins Sept. 21 at First Alliance Church in Franklin. 13-part series runs from 6:30-8 p.m. www.franklincma.com, 369.7977 or scott@franklincma.com. www.divorcecare.org.

• Blue Mountain Urology and Haywood Regional Medical Center will offer prostrate screenings on Sept. 24. $20.

Schedule an appointment: 452.9700.

• Southwestern Community College’s health fair is from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at the SCC Macon Campus in Franklin. American Red Cross blood drive as well as exhibits from each of SCC’s 15 health sciences programs. Community vendors. j_gunter@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4305.

• Acupuncture clinic for Haywood County veterans are scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on Sept. 28 at Blue Ridge Natural Health in Waynesville. First come, first served.

356.5577 or www.blueridgenaturalhealth.com. www.facebook.com/WesternRegionalRecoveryRally.

• “The Healing Oils of the Bible” program will be offered on Wednesday, Sept. 28, in Maggie Valley.

Register: 508.0904.

• Alan H. Lockwood, MD, will speak at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at City Lights bookstore in Sylva.

He is lead author of “Physicians for Social Responsibility” report on coal’s adverse effects, which was the basis for his book “The Silent Epidemic: Coal and the Hidden Threat to Health.”

• The College of Health and Human Sciences at Western Carolina University will host a panel presentation on stroke treatment and recovery, with multiple opportunities for open dialogue and interaction between participants from 4-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Health and Human Sciences Building in Cullowhee. Info or to pre-register: 227.3381 or pjparker@wcu.edu.

• Anger Management will be the subject of a program sponsored by the NAMI Appalachian South (National Alliance on Mental Illness) at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept.

29, at Memorial United Methodist Church in Franklin.

369.7385.

• A Medicare 101 class is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• A “Cancer Transitions: Moving Beyond Treatment” program will be offered from 1-3:30 p.m. on Fridays starting Sept. 30 through the end of October at Harris Regional Hospital. Register: 844.414.DOCS.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • Haywood County Recreation Department will offer its

47

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: ■ Complete listings of local music scene ■ Regional festivals ■ Art gallery events and openings ■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers ■ Civic and social club gatherings 14th annual Fitness Challenge starting Oct. 3. Cost is $10 per person for a total of 24 visits to any of 16 fitness locations in the county. Kickoff event is from 5:306:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 3, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Other opportunities to pick up the passes are Tuesday, Oct. 4 at Waynesville Wellness; Oct. 5 at Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde; Oct. 6 at Urban Athletic Training Center in Canton and Oct. 7 at the Fitness Connection in Waynesville.

POLITICAL • A Panel Speaking Event is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sept. 22 at The Weinhaus in Asheville. Featured will be the Green Party, Cecil Bothwell and Carl Mumpower. nathanbphillips@gmail.com or 313.694.9240.

• Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher will speak to members of the NAACP at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept.

24, at Jones Temple A.M.E. Zion in Waynesville.

• Cashiers-Glenville Sunday Social is from 4-6 p.m. on Sept. 25 at Glenville Community Center. Meet Rep. Joe Sam Queen, Jackson County Commissioners Mark Jones and Vicki Greene, N.C. Senate candidate Jane Hipps and district court judge candidate Kim Carpenter. Live music, BBQ, chili and hot dogs.

• North Jackson County Republican Party will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, at party headquarters at 60 West Sylva Shopping Center between Sylva and Dillsboro. 743.6491 or jacksonctygop@yahoo.com.

• Candidates for the Jackson County Board of Commissioners will participate in a debate at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at Southwestern Community College’s Jackson Campus. SCC students in Dr. Bucky Dann’s Social Problems class will ask questions of the candidates. Other upcoming debates at SCC will feature candidates for the local N.C. Senate race (Oct. 11) and N.C. House race (Oct. 25). www.southwesterncc.edu.

• Highlands Mayor Patrick Taylor has coffee and an open public discussion with Highlands residents from 11 a.m.-noon on the last Friday of each month at Hudson Library in Highlands. www.fontanalib.org or 526.3031.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Cookin’ the Books will be held at noon on the last Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Public Library. A book club focused on cookbooks. All members choose a recipe from the book and bring it to share. The group will discuss the good and bad aspects of the chosen cookbook. 356.2507.

• Miriam Herin will present her second novel, “A Stone for Bread,” at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, in the Susan Todd Lounge in the Harrell Center at Lake Junaluska. clauser@charter.net.

• Poets Mary Ricketson and Glenda Beall will be the featured speakers at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, at

wnc calendar

the John Campbell Folk School in Brasstown. Part of “The Literary Hour” sponsored by the JCFS and N.C. Writers Network West.

• Nancy McIntyre will read from and sign her novel Rush of River Over Rock at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. 586.9499.

• Katherine Soniat will read her latest collection of poetry at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. 586.9499.

• Author and photographer Tim Barnwell will present “Great Smoky Mountains Vistas” at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 25, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

456.6000 or blueridgebooks@ymail.com.

• Cookin’ the Books is at noon on Wednesday, Sept.

28, at the Waynesville Library. Book club focused on cookbooks. 356.2507.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • A KonMari Indoor Sale is scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, in the banquet room of the Haywood County Senior Resource Center.

• Doreyl Ammons Cain will offer Still Life Pastel Painting class from 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Sept. 29 at the Sylva Senior Center. 293.2239.

• The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players to join games at 1:30 p.m. each Tuesday at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 926.6567.

KIDS & FAMILIES

September 21-27, 2016

• Clyde Elementary PTA is hosting a Community Fall Fest from 5:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29. More than 20 local vendors, DJ, inflatables, cake walk, prizes/candy and games covered by $15 wristband per student. Book fair. For purchase: raffles, dunk tank, food, face painting and photo booth. All the community is invited.

• A Tuesday Library Club for ages 5-12 meets at 4 p.m. each Tuesday (except for the fifth Tuesday on months that occurs) at the Canton Library. Hands-on activities like exercise, cooking, LEGOs, science experiments and crafts. 648.2924 or kpunch@haywoodnc.net.

• A youth photography program will be offered for ages 12-16 on Tuesday afternoons in September and October at The Bascom in Highlands. Private lessons are also available. For complete listings of dates, times and topics, or to register, click on www.thebascom.org or call 526.4949.

• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City.

A new project every week. $20 per child, with includes lesson, materials and snack. To register, call 828.538.2054.

Smoky Mountain News

• A T-Shirt making program for teens will be offered at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• A short moderate-to-strenuous “Salamander Hike” will be offered by the Haywood Waterways Association and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Purchase Knob. Guided by one of the park’s experts on salamanders. RSVP by Thursday, Sept. 22: christine@haywoodwaterways@gmail.com or 476.4667.

• The N.C. Wildlife Resource Commission’s Youth Deer Hunting Day will be held for ages 15 and under on Saturday, Sept. 24. www.ncwildlife.org/nhfd.

• A family friendly event to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day is scheduled for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard. Interactive exhibits, demonstrations and more. Info: lee.sherrill@ncwildlife.org or 877.4423.

• Highlands Biological Foundation will hold “Take a Child Outside” Festivities and Nature Center’s 75th 48 Anniversary from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the

Highlands Nature Center in Highlands. www.highlandsbiological.org/foundation or 526.2221.

• Kids Fishing Day for ages 5-15 is scheduled for Sept. 24 through the Jackson County Recreation Department. $5. Register by Sept. 23. 293.3053, 631.2020 or www.facebook.com/jacksonrecreationandparks.

• Magical Morning at the Library is at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Waynesville Library.

Magician and balloon artist Mark DeVerges will perform.

• A Junior Ranger: River Ramble ranger-guided program is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Thursdays through Sept. 27 at the Oconaluftee River Trailhead.

• A “Junior Ranger: Smoky Mountain Elk” ranger-guided program will be offered at 5:30 p.m. on Sundays through Oct. 23 at the Palmer House at Cataloochee Valley.

• A “Junior Ranger: Porch Program” is offered at 1 p.m. every Friday through Oct. 28 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center Porch near Cherokee.

KIDS MOVIES • A family movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. every Friday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• A children’s movie will be shown at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, at Macon Library in Franklin.

• A family movie will be shown at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Family adventure is about a mysterious egg that hatches on the shore of a nearby loch. Info, including movie title: 488.3030.

• Free kid’s movie showing at The Strand on Main on Saturday Sept. 24 at 10:30 a.m. Call for title.

283.0079.

• “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” will be playing Friday, Sept. 23 at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at Mad Batter Food & Film in Sylva. Free. 586.3555.

• Family story time for ages zero to six years old is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. each Tuesday at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

A&E FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS • Nantahala Outdoor Center’s Guest Appreciation Festival is Sept. 23-25. Bargain-priced gear, free shuttles to whitewater releases and a variety of family-friendly outdoor games. www.noc.com/events/guest-appreciation-festival-gaf.

• Hispanic Heritage Month will be celebrated with a party from 4-8 p.m. on Sept. 24 at Bridge Park in Sylva. Traditional dance, authentic food from different regions, fresh juices, live music, Latin dance workshops, games and activities for children.

• The 42nd annual Mountain Heritage Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. www.mountainheritageday.com or 227.3039.

• The “Octoberfest Arts & Crafts Festival” will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Highlands United Methodist Church. Live demonstrations, artisan crafts, food vendors, and more. All proceeds go to the church’s new Faith & Fellowship Center. 526.3376.

• The annual Barnaroo fall music festival will be held Sept. 30-Oct. 2 at Franny’s Farm in Leicester. The celebration is a grassroots youth-inspired music festival perpetuating the support, growth and development of

local/regional music. Tickets are $20 for a day pass, $75 for a weekend pass with camping. Children under the ages of 12 are admitted free. www.ashevillebarnaroo.com.

• Forest Festival Day and John G. Palmer Intercollegiate Woodsmen’s Meet is scheduled for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah Forest. 877.3130. www.cradleofforestry.com.

• The eighth annual ColorFest, Dillsboro’s Fine Arts & Crafts Fair, is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Oct. 1, in Dillsboro. 586.3511 or www.visitdillsboro.org.

• The 43th annual John C. Campbell Folk School’s Fall Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1-2 in Brasstown. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for ages 12-17 and free for children under 12. Parking is free, but donations will be accepted by/for students from the Tri-county Early College, who will supervise the lot. www.folkschool.org/fallfestival.

• The 104th annual Cherokee Indian Fair is Oct. 4-8 in Cherokee. angehern@nc-cherokee.com or 359.6473.

Parade will be held on Oct. 4.

FOOD & DRINK • There will be a “Secret Wine Bar Night” and small plates by Chef Jackie served from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23 and 30 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville.

• The “Wine Dinner in the Pacific Northwest” will be at 7 p.m. Sept. 22 ($70, by reservation). The Secret Wine Bar at Bosu’s will host Chef Jackie’s “BYOB Dinner” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 ($50, by reservation). www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

• Chef Ricardo Fernandez will be hosting a Mountain Cooking Club class, “Open fire grilling, the Argentine way,” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25, at the Wildcat Ridge Farm in Clyde. Class fee is $70 plus a $1 Mountain Cooking Club 2016 membership fee. To reserve your space, please mail a check (payable to Ricardo Fernandez) to Suzanne Fernandez at 3553 Panther Creek Road, Clyde, North Carolina 28721.

Reservations confirmed upon receipt of payment.

246.7465 or chefricardos@gmail.com.

• Highlands on the Half-Shell will be presented from 4:30-dark on Oct. 2 in the meadow behind Valentine house the Highlands Nature Center in Highlands. $75 for members; $100 for nonmembers. www.highlandsbiological.org/foundation or 526.2221.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • A new musical written by a Western Carolina University faculty member about a Russian family’s emigration to the U.S. will open the 2016-17 Mainstage theater season of WCU’s School of Stage and Screen. “Resident Alien,” the story of the fictional Berdichevsky family’s experience in assimilating in their new home country, will be presented Thursday, Sept. 22, through Sunday, Sept. 25, in WCU’s Hoey Auditorium. Show times are 7:30 p.m., except for a 3 p.m. matinee on Sept. 25. Tickets: $22 for adults, $16 for WCU faculty and staff and seniors; $7 (advance) and $10 (day of show) for students. Tickets available at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or by calling 227.2479.

• Comedian Eric O’Shea will perform at 9 p.m. Sept.

23 in the UC Illusions (Room 309) at Western Carolina University. www.wcu.edu.

Fine and Performing Arts Center. Play is written, directed and produced by Hiram Marina, a Mexican playwright and director. $24 for adults; $20 for WCU faculty/staff and $8 for students/children. Tickets can be purchased at the Bardo Center box office or at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

• As part of the Haywood County Art Council’s “Young Artist Concert Series,” renowned young pianist Ji will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30, at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. Tickets are $25.

Proceeds will benefit programming at the HCAC. To purchase tickets, call 452.0593. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Country legend Charley Pride will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets start at $48. www.greatmountainmusic.com.

• The Highlands Performing Arts will present “The PHAT (Phantom) Pack” at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, in Highlands. Event will be followed by a GALA Dinner at 7 p.m. at the Highlands Falls Country Club. Tickets available at highlandspac.org or by calling 526.9047.

• Grammy nominee Claire Lynch (singer-songwriter) will perform bluegrass at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2, at Cataloochee Ranch. Dinner served at 7 p.m. Tickets are $75 and include dinner and the performance.

Reservations required: 926.1401.

• An afternoon of jazz featuring the Branford Marsalis Quartet with special guest Kurt Elling is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center in Cullowhee. Tickets range from $25-35 and are available at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 227.2479. Info: 227.7028 or foa.wcu.edu.

• Highly esteemed bluegrass band Blue Highway will be on stage Friday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. $40. 283.0079.

• .38 Special will hit the stage at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, at Harrah’s Cherokee. www.harrahscherokee.com.

OUTDOOR MUSIC • The “Friday Night Live” concert series at the Town Square in Highlands will host Cross Creek Sept. 23 and Mountain Dulcimers (bluegrass/mountain) Sept.

30. Both shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. www.highlandschamber.org.

• The Nantahala Outdoor Center (Bryson City) will host Andalyn 3 p.m. and The Whiskey Sticks 7 p.m.

Sept. 23; The Bayou Diesel Band 11 a.m., The Freeway Revival 3 p.m. and The Pioneer Chicken Stand Band 7 p.m. Sept. 24 during their Guest Appreciation Festival.

All shows are free. www.noc.com.

• The “Pickin’ On The Square” (Franklin) concert series will continue with The Remnants (rock) Sept. 24 and The Band Intermission (bluegrass) Oct. 1. All shows are free and begin at 7:30 p.m. A community jam begins at 6:30 p.m. www.franklinnc.com or 828.524.2516.

• The Music in the Mountains (Bryson City) concert series will host The Kelley Family Band (bluegrass/gospel) Sept. 24 and Sleepy Andy Tracy (Americana) Oct. 1. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. www.greatsmokies.com.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS

• The Country’s Family Reunion Roadshow will host a live performance at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets start at $24 each. www.greatmountainmusic.com or call 866. 273.4615.

• A “Knot Tying 101” class will be offered Sept. 29 at the Jackson County Recreation Center in Cullowhee.

293.3053, 631.2020 or www.facebook.com/jacksonrecreationandparks.

• Western Carolina University (Cullowhee) will host a bassoon faculty recital with Tia Wortham at 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 27 in the Coulter Building. Free. www.wcu.edu.

• The Mountain Artisan Series resumes at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Waynesville Library.

Experience the talents of local artists and performers.

356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.

• “Tzakbu, The Red Queen” will be featured at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, as part of the Galaxy of Stars Series at Western Carolina University’s John W. Bardo

• The Gem and Mineral Society of Franklin will meet at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, September 29, at the Robert C. Carpenter Community Building on US 441 South.

Installation of Officers will be followed by a covered dish dinner.

• The Jackson County Genealogical Society will lead attendees on a trip back in time by sharing memories and stories of the Revel and Sylva in the 1960s on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. 273.7619.

• The Smoky Mountain Quilters Guild will hold its biennial quilt show from Thursday through Saturday, Sept. 22-24, at Western Carolina University’s Ramsey Regional Activity Center in Cullowhee. Admission is $7 per day; free to students, faculty and staff members.

347.6276 or www.smokymtnquilters.org.

• Laurey-Faye Dean will be the featured artist with a live demonstration and discussion at “The Potter’s Wheel” series from noon to 5 p.m. Sept. 24 at The Wild Fern in Bryson City.

• The N.C. State Fiction Contest is accepting entries for its 2016 competition. The contest, is free to enter and open to all North Carolina residents. Writers have until Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016, to mail their work to N.C. State Fiction Writing Contest, Campus Box 8105, English Department, N.C. State University, Raleigh, N.C., 27695-8105. go.ncsu.edu/fictioncontest.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES

• Susan Robert will host the gallery talk “The Life and Times of Herbert Creecy, Abstract Expressionist Artist (1939-2003)” at 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at The Bascom in Highlands. Tickets are $10. 526.8811 or www.thebascom.org.

• The Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University will host a reception for its exhibit “The Language of Weaving: Contemporary Maya Textiles” from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center in Cullowhee.

Exhibit runs through Nov. 11.

Fineartmuseum.wcu.edu.

• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will host live music, hors d’ouevres, wine and newly unveiled art collections.

Artists featured from 3 to 7 p.m. Sept. 30 are Jo Ridge Kelley, impressionist painter; and Brian Hannum, fine art photographer. $25 per couple, which can be applied toward purchase of $100 or more. www.greatsmokies.com.

• Haywood County Arts Council will host several artists from the WNC Design Guide through Oct. 2.

• An art exhibition featuring the work of the late Joel Morris, a Western Carolina University alumnus, will be on display through Sept. 16 at the Fine Art Museum at WCU in Cullowhee. 227.3591 or fineartmuseum.wcu.edu.

• The “Photography of Bayard Wootten” exhibit is on display through Nov. 23 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

• An exhibition entitled “This is a Photograph: Exploring Contemporary Applications of Photographic Chemistry” is on display at Penland School of Crafts near Spruce Pine. 765.6211 or penland.org/gallery.

• “Don’t Breathe” will be showing at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23 and again on Saturday, Sept.

24 at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m., and 11 p.m. The movie will continue to be screened on Sunday, Sept.

25 at 12:30 p.m. and Sept. 26-Sept.29 at 7 p.m. at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. 283.0079.

• “Nina” will be playing at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24 at Mad Batter Food & Film. Free. 586.3555.

• A screening of the documentary entitled “Selma: The Bridge to the Ballot” is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. 586.2016.

• A new documentary entitled “Dream On” will be shown at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29, in the Macon County Public Library’s Meeting Room in Franklin. Documentary is about a political comedian named John Fgelsang who retraces the journey of Alexis de Tocqueville and interviews undocumented immigrants and community organizers about hopes, dreams and daily struggles. 1:39. www.pppdocs.com/dreamon.html.

• “Masterminds” will be shown at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, at 2 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1 and again at 12:30 p.m., 2:45 p.m., and 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2. Also playing during the week at 7 p.m. Oct. 3-Oct 6. at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. 283.0079.

• Adult movie time, 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Jackson County Public Library. Call for title of movie.

586.2016.

• A Leave No Trace – Master Educator class will be offered through Landmark Learning on Sept. 21-25 in Cullowhee. Learn the principles of LNT and become equipped to teach your own two-day trainer courses.

293.5384 or main@landmarklearning.edu.

• Informal hawk watches will be conducted through the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society from Sept. 2125.

• The N.C. Arboretum Society’s annual membership meeting is from 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30.

Registration required by Friday, Sept. 23: www.ncarboretum.org/joingive/membership/events or 665.2492.

• A workshop entitled “A Day in Big Cataloochee” is scheduled for 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, in the Cataloochee Valley of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. $69. Info and register: conferences.wcu.edu or 227.7397.

• The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians has moved to Bryson City and is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Monday through Saturday. The Inaugural Hall of Fame Celebration and luncheon is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24.

FlyFishingMuseum.org.

• A trail rehabilitation project will be underway from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, as part of National Public Lands Day at Clingmans Dome, Elkmont and the Foothills Parkway West. RSVP required: logan_boldon@partner.nps.gov or 865.436.1278.

• An all-ages bike trial event featuring natural and man-made obstacles is scheduled for Saturday, Sept.

24, at Nantahala Outdoor Center near Bryson City.

Classes range from beginner to pro. Registration fee is $20. Online registration is open through Sept. 23 at

• National Public Lands Day and Pink Beds BioBlitz is at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 at Cradle of Forestry near Brevard. 877.3130 or www.cradleofforestry.org.

• National Hunting and Fishing Day will be celebrated from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sept. 24 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard. www.ncwildlife.org/pisgah or 877.4423.

• A program entitled “National Public Lands” is scheduled for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah Forest. 877.3130. www.cradleofforestry.com.

• Annual meeting of the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the Civic Center in Highlands. Following the meeting will be a presentation on the Golden Eagle Project by Christine Kelly of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. www.ncwildlife.org.

• Informal hawk watches will be conducted by the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society through Sept. 26.

Led by Brock Hutchins. www.highlandsaudubonsociety.org.

• The public is invited to offer comment through Sept.

26 for projects through the Southwestern Rural Planning Organization. www.regiona.org/rpo or Rose Baugess, 125 Bonnie Lane, Sylva, NC 28779 or rose@regiona.org. Committee meeting is at 5 p.m. on Sept. 26 at the Boiler Room Steakhouse in Franklin.

• A Wilderness First Aid class will be offered through Landmark Learning on Sept 26-27. Comprehensive medical course; national standard for outdoor trip leaders. 293.5384 or main@landmarklearning.edu.

• A race-training day for paddlers will be taught by Adriene Levknect, Canoe & Kayak’s 2016 Female Paddler of the Year, on Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Nantahala Outdoor center to coincide with the

7TH ANNUAL MEETING - SEPTEMBER 22 & 23, 2016 WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, CULLOWHEE, NC

Outdoors

JOIN US for our ANNUAL INTERDISCIPLINARY MEETING that integrates Traditional Knowledge with health & environmental issues.

• A seminar on lure techniques is offered at 7 p.m. every Tuesday at Dream Catchers Fishing Supply at 21 Steeple Road in Sylva. 443.890.5014.

• Comments are now being accepted through Oct. 14 by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission on proposed elk depredation rule changes. The proposed amendment requires landowners who take a depredating elk without a Commission-issued depredation permit to report the take to the Commission within 24 hours of the kill. Proposed amendment is available at www.ncwildlife.org/Proposed-Regulations. Send comments to: regulations@nc-wildlife.org or Kate Pipkin, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1701.

ROOTED

UNTAIN HE MCO IN lT o m S r mon G u ro uing O Va

und

• A bird walk along the greenway is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Sept. 21 in Franklin. Meet at Big Bear Shelter parking area. Sponsored by Franklin Bird Club.

Franklinbirdclub.com or 524.5234.

• “Looking for the ‘Good Ol’ Days,’” a ranger-guided program, is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sundays through Oct. 23, at the Mountain Farm Museum at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee.

• “Porch Talk – Salamanders of the Smokies” – a ranger-guided program – is offered at 2 p.m. on Mondays through Oct. 24 at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center Porch near Cherokee.

• A ranger-guided Smokemont History Walk is offered at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays through Oct. 25, near Cherokee.

This year's theme:

“THE IMPORTANCE OF TIME & PLACE”

SUBMIT A PAPER OR POSTER!

For more info go to rootedinthemtns.wcu.edu or email Dr. Lisa J. Lefler at llefler@email.wcu.edu

Smoky Mountain News

• A touring exhibition of work by artist Wendy Maruyama is on display at the Penland Gallery in Penland. www.penland.org.

• “Pele: Birth of a Legend” will be playing at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22 at Mad Batter Food & Film.

Free. 586.3555.

www.noc.com/events/gaf-bike-trials. Day-of registration is open at 8 a.m.

September 21-27, 2016

• Art historian Karen Britt will present “Mosaics in the Middle East” at 5 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Large Lecture Hall at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. www.wcu.edu.

• “Café Society will be playing at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21 and Thursday, Sept. 22 at The Strand at 38 Main in Waynesville. 283.0079.

• A “Logging in the Smokies” ranger-guided program is offered at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays through Oct. 26 at the Smokemont Nature Trail in the Smokemont Campground.

wnc calendar

• Submissions are now being accepted for the 2017 edition of Milestone, the biennial art and literary review published by Southwestern Community College.

Open to residents of Jackson, Macon, Swain counties and the Qualla Boundary – as well as SCC students and alumni. Info and submissions (by Dec. 5): tknott@southwesterncc.edu or bkeeling@southwesterncc.edu. Info: 339.4314 or 339.4325.

FILM & SCREEN

49

wnc calendar

Tennessee Valley Authority’s annual drawdown of the Blue Ridge Reservoir (Sept. 24-Oct. 2). www.noc.com/events/ocoee-river-drawdown-week.

• A bird walk along the greenway is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Sept. 28 in Franklin. Meet at Salali Lane.

Sponsored by Franklin Bird Club. Franklinbirdclub.com or 524.5234.

• A women’s introduction to fly fishing program is scheduled for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education in Brevard. Open to female participants 12 and up. www.ncwildlife.org/pisgah or 877.4423.

• Bark in the Park is scheduled for 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 2, at Mark Watson Park in Sylva. K9 Bingo, a performance by Disk Dogs and owners Bob and Donna Bradley. Demonstration by gun dog and more. www.wcdfa.org.

• A Leave No Trace - Trainer class will be offered through Landmark Learning on Oct. 3-4. Introductory class designed for educators, guides, agency employees or other outdoor folks. 293.5384 or main@landmarklearning.edu.

FARM AND GARDEN • A Farmer Appreciation Dinner is set for 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26 at the Swain Senior Center. Hosted by the Swain county Farmland Preservation Advisory Board. RSVP by Friday, Sept. 23: 488.8803, ext. 3105.

• Local farmers can stop by the Cooperative Extension Office on Acquoni Road from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every fourth Friday to learn about USDA Farm Service Agency programs in the 2014 Farm Bill. Info: 488.2684, ext. 2 (Wednesday through Friday) or 524.3175, ext. 2 (Monday through Wednesday).

September 21-27, 2016

FARMERS MARKET • A community tailgate market for local growers is open from 3-7 p.m. every Wednesday at The Village Green Commons in Cashiers. 734.3434, info@villagegreencashiersnc.com or www.villagegreencashiersnc.com.

• Haywood Historic Farmers Market is held from 8 a.m.-noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the parking lot of HART Theatre in Waynesville. 280.1381 or haywoodfarmersmarket@gmail.com or waynesvillefarmersmarket.com • The Original Waynesville Tailgate Market is from 8 a.m.-noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 171 Legion Drive in Waynesville (behind Bogart’s). 456.1830 or vrogers12@att.net.

• The Jackson County Farmers Market will be on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon at Bridge Park located in Sylva. Info: 393.5236. jacksoncountyfarmersmarket@gmail.com or website jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org.

Smoky Mountain News

• The ‘Whee Farmer’s Market is open from 4 p.m. to

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: ■ Complete listings of local music scene ■ Regional festivals ■ Art gallery events and openings ■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers ■ Civic and social club gatherings dusk every Tuesday at the corner of the N. Country Club Drive and Stadium View Drive in Cullowhee, behind the entrance to the Village of Forest Hills off Highway 107 across from Western Carolina University. 476.0334.

• Franklin Tailgate Market is from 8 a.m.-noon every Saturday at 203 E. Palmer Street in Franklin. Info: collins230@frontier.com.

• The Cashiers Tailgate market is open from 1 p.m.- 5 p.m. on Wednesdays at the United Community Bank on N.C. 107 South. 226.9988 or blueridgefarmers@gmail.com.

• The Franklin Farmers Tailgate Market is from 8 a.m.noon on Saturdays on East Palmer Street across from Drake Software in Franklin. 349.2049 or alan_durden@ncsu.edu.

• Swain County Farmers Market will be open from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Fridays through Oct. at the barn on Island Street in Bryson City. 488.3848 or Christine_bredenkamp@ncsu.edu.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • The Mountain Heritage Day 5K will tour the Western Carolina University campus at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24. Held in conjunction with the Mountain Heritage Day Festival’s offerings of live music, local vendors and great food, the race will raise money for the WCU Sport Management Association Scholarship Fund. $10 for students; $15 for non-students; $20 dayof with registration beginning at 6:45 a.m. www.mountainheritageday.com.

• The Power of Pink 5K will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Haywood Regional Fitness Center, raising money for breast cancer screenings. The event will include a 1-mile Honor/Memory/Survivor Walk, and dogs with leashes, tags and up-to-date shots are allowed to participate. $30 5K; $20 for those running as part as a team; $10 for the walk; $10 for dog registration. www.gloryhoundevents.com/event/power-of-pink-5k.

$

92

20’x20’ $

160

• The Naturalist Trail Race will challenge runners with 25K and 50K distances along the Bartram Trail on Saturday, Oct. 8. Organized by Outdoor 76, the race will begin in downtown Franklin and head to Wallace Branch to climb Wayah Bald. The 25K race involves 7,000 feet of climbing and the 50K route climbs more than 10,500 feet. $65 for the 25K and $80 for the 50K with registration limited to 100 racers total. www.ultrasignup.com.

• The Parker Mathis 5.1K Run/Walk will take off at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, from Iotla Baptist Church in Franklin, raising money for the Parker Mathis Memorial Scholarship Fund. $25, with day-of registration available at 9 a.m. www.active.com.

• The Pumpkin Run 5K will provide a mid-fall run at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, on the Little Tennessee Greenway in Franklin. Held in conjunction with the same-day PumpkinFest downtown, the run will benefit the Macon/Jackson County Habitat for Humanity. $20 online registration, with day-of registration beginning at 8 a.m. www.active.come.

• The Conquer the Mountain Half Marathon will be held Saturday, Nov. 5, from the Tassee Shelter of the Little Tennessee Greenway in Franklin. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the Smoky Mountain Pregnancy Care Center to fund medical needs at SMPCC clinics and other needs to allow the organization to carry out its mission. $45 or $60 for a two-person team. David Linn, 828.421.7637 or briningit2life@gmail.com.

HIKING CLUBS • Carolina Mountain Club will have a 10.4-mile hike with a 1,300-foot ascent on Sept. 21 from Big Creek to Walnut Bottom. 404.731.3119 or djones715@aol.com.

• Blue Ridge Parkway rangers will lead a moderate, two-mile round-trip hike at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, to the top of Little Bald Mountain. Meet at the Pisgah Inn (Milepost 408.6). 298.5330, ext. 304.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have an all-day, 8.5mile weekend hike on Sept. 24 to Herrin Knob, Mt. Hardy and Green Knob. Elevation change of 2,000 feet.

For info, contact leader Dave Wetmore at 577.0648 or dwetmore@comporium.net.

• The “Hunter’s Mountain Ride” will be at 10 a.m.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 4.4-mile Youth

ONE MONTH

FREE WITH 12-MONTH CONTRACT

828.506.4112 or 828.507.8828

50

• The Bethel Half Marathon and 5K will send runners through the rolling farmlands of Bethel on Saturday, Oct. 8. The race is sanctioned by the Asheville Track Club with race times submitted to the ATC Grand Prix Series. $25 for the 5K and $40 for the half-marathon, with prices rising $5 for day-of registration. Register

by Sept. 20 for a guaranteed t-shirt size. www.imathlete.com.

• The Cherokee Harvest Half Marathon and 5K will be Saturday, Oct. 1, starting at the Acquoni Events Center in Cherokee. $30 for 5K; $50 for half marathon.

Register at www.imathlete.com through Sept. 29.

Great Smokies Storage 10’x20’

Saturday, Oct. 1, starting at The Factory in Franklin. A benefit for the Men’s Teen Challenge of the Smokies, the poker run is for trucks, Jeeps, 4x4s and motorcycles. Entry fee is $25 in advance, $30 day of the event.

To register, email bringingit2life@gmail.com.

Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

Partnership Hike on Sept. 24 at Max Patch Loop. 800foot ascent. Info or reservations: 606.5188 or janonan59@gmail.com.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will lead an easy fourmile hike along the Nantahala River at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24, as part of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Family Hiking Day. RSVP required: 369.7352.

• Hot Springs Community Learning Center and Hot Springs Mountain Club will lead a two-mile hike on Sept. 24 near Hot Springs. RSVP required: 622.3704.

Group will leave Hot Springs at 11 a.m.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will lead an easy twomile hike at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, to Big Laurel Falls. RSVP required: 369.1983.

• Carolina Mountain Club will have a 6.2-mile, halfday hike on Sept. 25 to Buck Spring Trail Uphill. 1,200foot ascent. Info or reservations: 777.5806 or bevmacdowellhappy@gmail.com.

• A Friends of the Smokies’ Classic Hike is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 27, to Deep Creek. 13.4 miles; ascent of 1,900 feet. Led by outdoor enthusiast and author Danny Bernstein. $20 for members of the Great Smoky Mountains Association; $35 for new members. www.hike.friendsofthesmokies.org.

• A hike from Bradleytown to Campground will be led by rangers at 9 a.m. on Oct. 1, 15 and 29, at the Smokemont Baptist Church. Easy two-hour stroll.

OUTDOOR CLUBS • The Jackson County Poultry Club will hold its regular meeting on the third Thursday of each month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office. The club is for adults and children and includes a monthly meeting with a program and a support network for those raising birds. For info, call 586.4009 or write heather_gordon@ncsu.edu.

• The North Carolina Catch program, a three-phase conservation education effort focusing on aquatic environments, will be offered through May 15. The program is offered by the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department. Free for members; daily admission for non-members. 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov.

• An RV camping club, the Vagabonds, camps one weekend per month from April through November. All ages welcome. No dues or structured activities. For details, write lilnau@aol.com or call 369.6669.

• The Tuckaseigee River Chapter No. 373 of Trout Unlimited meets at 6:30 p.m. on second Tuesday of the month at United Community Bank in Sylva. Dinner is $5.

• The Cataloochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited meets the second Tuesday of the month starting with a dinner at 6:30 p.m. at Rendezvous restaurant located on the corner of Jonathan Creek Road and Soco Road in Maggie Valley. 631.5543.

Puzzles can be found on page 54.

These are only the answers.

PRIME REAL ESTATE Advertise in The Smoky Mountain News

ANNOUNCEMENTS

MarketPlace information:

TRUCKLOAD MATTRESS SALE 50-80% Off Retail, ALL NEW & NC MADE, Financing & Delivery Available.

Call or Text 828.552.0955

The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.

AUCTION

Rates:

AUCTION, Online Only, Restoration Equipment, Vehicles, Office Equipment & Much More, Monroe, NC - Union County, Begins Closing September 26th at 12pm, Iron Horse Auction Company, Inc., ironhorseauction.com, 800.997.2248, NCAL3936

■ Free — Lost or found pet ads.

■ $5 — Residential yard sale ads, ■ $5 — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $15 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2.

If your ad is 10 words or less, it will be displayed with a larger type.

■ $3 — Border around ad and $5 — Picture with ad or colored background.

■ $50 — Non-business items, 25 words or less. 3 month or till sold.

■ $300 — Statewide classifieds run in 117 participating newspapers with 1.6 million circulation. Up to 25 words.

■ All classified ads must be pre-paid.

EQUIPMENT AUCTION, Bulldozers, Motor Grader, Trucks, Backhoes, Excavators, Loaders, Fork-Lift, Cotton-Module-Builder ONLINE ONLY AUCTION, Bidding Ends SEPT. 27 @ 7:00PM - Maysville, NC www.HouseAuctionCompany.com 252.729.1162 NCAL#7889

Classified Advertising: Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com

BUILDING MATERIALS

WAYNESVILLE TIRE, COO

R

Di

sC Ov ER E

ATR

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING

INC.

PE

Serving Haywood, Jackson & Surrounding Counties

HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

Offering:

MAJOR-BRAND TIRES FOR CARS, LIGHT & MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCKS, AND FARM TIRES.

Service truck available for on-site repairs JEFF & DEBBIE MCCALL, OWNERS

MON-FRI 7:30-5:00 • WAYNESVILLE PLAZA

828-456-5387

363-23

ACORN STAIRLIFTS. The affordable solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1.800.291.2712 for FREE DVD and brochure.

ALL THINGS BASEMENTY! Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing, Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and Mold Control.

FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1.800.698.9217 SAWMILLS FROM ONLY $4397.00Make & Save Money with your own bandmill- Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship!

FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com 1.800.578.1363 ext.300N

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, INC Free Estimates & Competitive rates. References avail. upon request. Specializing in: Log Homes, remodeling, decks, new construction, repairs & additions.

Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson.

Licensed/Insured. 828.631.0747 or 828.508.0316 SAFE STEP WALK-IN TUB. Alert for Seniors. Bathroom falls can be fatal. Approved by Arthritis Foundation. Therapeutic Jets. Less Than 4 Inch Step-In. Wide Door.

Anti-Slip Floors. American Made.

Installation Included. Call 800.807.7219 for $750 Off.

CARS A-1 DONATE YOUR CAR For Breast Cancer! Help United Breast Foundation Education, Prevention, & Support Programs. Fast Free Pickup - 24 Hr Response - Tax Deduction 855.306.7348 SAPA CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!!

Top Dollar! Free Towing From Home, Office or body Shop. All Makes/Models 2000-2016. Same Day Pick-Up Available! Call Now: 1.800.761.9396 SAPA HIGH RISK DRIVER? Had a DUI? Stop paying too much for R-22, FR-44, or similar HighRisk Car Insurance! Call our FREE hotline today & SAVE money!

888.591.1852

MOTORCYCLES CRAZY BOB’S BIKER STUFF Jackets, Chaps, Vests, Helmets, Rain Gear, Saddlebags, Sissy Bar Bags, Tool Bags, Stickers, Patches. We also got you covered with 50 Sizes of Tarps: Heavy Duty Silver, Brown & Green, Blue & Silver, Blue & Camo.

1880 Dellwood Rd., Waynesville 828.926.1177 RUN YOUR CLASSIFIED In 101 North Carolina newspapers for only $375 for a 25-word ad.

Call this newspaper or 919.516.8009 for details.

EMPLOYMENT

AVAILABLE POSITIONS • ADULT SERVICES Meridian Behavioral Health is currently recruiting for the following positions in Adult Services: • Psychiatric Nurses and Clinicians for ACTT Services (Assertive Community Treatment Team) • Employment Support Professionals for Supported Employment Services • Clinicians and Peer Support Specialists for REC Services (Recovery Education Center) • Peer Support Specialists for PACE (Peers Assisting in Community Engagement) • Peer Support Specialist for Early Recovery Team • Clinician for Integrated Care • Clinician/Team Leader for CST (Community Support Team) • Community Partner Clinician • Clinician for Early Recovery Team (ERT) Please visit the employment section of our website for further information about any positions listed and apply directly by submitting an application and resume. www.meridianbhs.org AVAILABLE POSITIONS • CHILD SERVICES Jackson County Psychological Services is now partnered with Meridian Behavioral Health Services. We are currently recruiting for the following positions in Child Services: Clinicians for Outpatient Services • Clinicians for Day Treatment Services • Clinicians for Intensive In-Home Services • Clinicians for DJJ population • Qualified Professionals for Intensive In-Home Services Please visit the employment section of our website for further information about any positions listed and apply directly by submitting an application and resume. www.meridianbhs.org

R

WNC MarketPlace

EMPLOYMENT B.H. GRANING LANDSCAPES, INC Now hiring for the position of crew member - the grass is growing and so is our business come join our team. Full-time year round work, competitive wages, good work environment.

Please call 828.586.8303 for more info or email resume to: roger.murajda@bhlandscapes. com

www.smokymountainnews.com

September 21-27, 2016

AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING – Get FAA Technician certification.

Approved for military benefits.

Financial Aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 866.724.5403.

52

EMPLOYMENT FTCC Fayetteville Technical Community College is now accepting applications for the following positions: Senior Financial Aid Technician, Associate Degree Nursing Instructor, Automotive Systems Technology Instructor (10-month contract).

For detailed information and to apply, please visit our employment portal at: https://faytechcc.peopleadmin.com/ Human Resources Office Phone: 910.678.7342 Internet: http://www.faytechcc.edu An Equal Opportunity Employer NUCLEAR POWER Paid Training, great salary, benefits, $ for school. Gain valued skills. No exp needed. HS grads ages 17-34. Call Mon-Fri 800.662.7419.

GINGER SNAP - APPEARS TO BE A CATTLE DOG, PERHAPS MIXED WITH JACK RUSSELL OR SOME OTHER BREED OF SMALL TERRIER. SHE IS REALLY CUTE, AND IS STILL A PUPPY AT ABOUT 5 MONTHS OLD. SHE AND HER BROTHER, TATER, HAVE NOT HAD A LOT OF SOCIAL EXPERIENCE SO TAKE JUST A LITTLE TIME TO TRUST NEW PEOPLE, BUT THEN WARMS UP QUICKLY. SAGE - ONE OF A LITTER OF SIAMESE MIX KITTENS ABOUT THREE MONTHS OLD. HE HAS BEAUTIFUL BLUE EYES AND CHOCOLATE POINTS, WITH A FEW FAINT STRIPES. THE KITTENS ARE STILL A BIT SHY WITH PEOPLE, BUT ARE QUICKLY LEARNING THAT PETTING & FEEDING ARE 2 BIG BENEFITS TO HUMAN CONTACT!

EMPLOYMENT FULL TIME SAFETY/OPERATIONS COORDINATOR - HAYWOOD PUBLIC TRANSIT Applicants are required to pass a DOT physical, Drug Test, Criminal Background Check and have an excellent driving record. A CDL license with a P-Endorsement will be required within 90 days of hire and must be maintained. Must be 21 yrs. of age to obtain a CDL license. Must have safety experience, understand or have experience in preventative vehicle maintenance. Must maintain a current DOT physical.

High School Diploma/GED required. A degree in Public Service with experience in Safety and Transportation helpful.

Computer skills required- Word, Excel. Must maintain records for State reporting. Must work directly with vendors, maintenance facilities and staff. Applications will be taken at Mountain Projects, Inc., 2251 Old Balsam Rd, Waynesville 28786 or 25 Schulman St, Sylva, 28779 or you may go to our website www.mountainprojects.org and fill out an application online. Pre-employment drug testing required.

MEDICAL BILLING Trainees Needed Dr's & Hospitals need Medical Office Staff! No Experience Needed! Online Training gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. careertechnical.edu/nc 1.888.512.7122 REGIONAL/OTR, CONCORD, NC Area, Class A CDL, 18 months exp, .42-.45/mile, excellent benefits, weekly home time. Apply: www.bahexpress.com, 800.RUN.4BAH, Willie ext 143 HEALTH CARE NAVIGATOR PERMANENT PART TIME CLAY & MACON COUTIES Mountain Projects is currently accepting applications for a Health Care Navigator to assist consumers with eligibility & enrollment assistance on the Health Insurance Market Place.

Bachelor’s degree with experience in Human Services, and /or Health Care preferred. Applicants must have reliable transportation, valid NC driver’s license. Must be willing to work flexible hours. Out of area travel may be required. Must pass 20 hours on-line certification training. Applications will be taken at Mountain Projects, Inc., 2251 Old Balsam Road. Waynesville, NC 28786, 25 Schulman St. Sylva, NC 28779, or you may download an application on line at: www.mountainprojects.org Pre-employment drug testing required. EOE/AA.

EMPLOYMENT GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS RAILROAD IN BRYSON CITY Is currently hiring! We currently have vacancies for Customer Service Rep. - Sales, Crown Host, First Class Server, Line Cook, Parking Attendant, Reservationist, and Special Event Staff.

Earn train passes, retail & food discounts, passes to area attractions and more!

Full Job Descriptions and Applications are Available at: www.gsmr.com/jobs You may also get an application from the Bryson City Depot.

DRIVER TRAINEES Paid CDL Training Stevens Transport will cover all costs! No Experience Needed! Earn $800 per week!

Local CDL Training!

1.888.748.4137 drive4stevens.com HEALTH CARE NAVIGATOR TEMPORARY PART TIME HAYWOOD & JACKSON COUNTIES (1) Haywood County (1) Jackson County. Mountain Projects is currently accepting applications for two (2) Temporary Part Time positions to assist consumers with eligibility & enrollment assistance on the Health Insurance Market Place. Bachelor’s degree with experience in Human Services, and /or Health Care preferred. Applicants must have reliable transportation, valid NC driver’s license. Must be willing to work flexible hours. Out of area travel may be required. Must pass 20 hours on-line certification training. Applications will be taken at Mountain Projects, Inc., 2251 Old Balsam Road. Waynesville, NC 28786, 25 Schulman St. Sylva, NC 28779, or you may download an application on line at: www.mountainprojects.org Pre-employment drug testing required. EOE/AA. THE NAVY IS HIRING Top-notch training, medical/dental, 30 days vacation/yr, $ for school. HS grads ages 17-34. Call Mon-Fri 800.662.7419 SAPA CNA’S NEEDED Canton Area. Monday - Friday 8a.m. - 4p.m. and Monday - Fri. 4p.m. - 8p.m. In-Home Care.

Sign-On Bonus. For more info 828.524.6444 TRAIN AT HOME For A New Career As An Accounting Assistant! Call for more Info about our Online Training Program! Learn to process Payroll, Invoices & more! Job placement assistance when completed! HS Diploma/GED required. 1.888.407.7063 SAPA

EMPLOYMENT PART-TIME DRIVER HAYWOOD PUBLIC TRANSIT Applicants are required to pass a DOT physical, Drug Test, Criminal Background Check and have a clean driving record. A CDL license with a P-Endorsement will be required within 90 days of hire. Must be 21 yrs. of age to obtain a CDL license. Must be able to bend, lift and push a wheel chair, learn to operate lift equipment, assist elderly and disabled passengers. High School Diploma/GED required.

Detailed paper work and good communications skills required.

Hours of operation 6:00 am 5:30 pm including split shifts.

Up to 29 hours per week.

Applications will be taken at Mountain Projects, Inc., 2251 Old Balsam Rd, Waynesville 28786 or 25 Schulman St, Sylva, 28779 or you may go to our website www.mountainprojects.org and fill out an application online. Pre-employment drug testing required.

FINANCIAL BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

SAPA SOCIAL SECURITY Disability Benefits. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1.800.670.4805 to start your application today!

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT LEASE TO OWN 1/2 Acre Lots with Mobile Homes & Empty 1/2 Acre + Lots!

Located Next to Cherokee Indian Reservation, 2.5 Miles from Harrah’s Cherokee Casino.

For More Information Please Call 828.506.0578

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on an equal opportunity basis.

3.5 ACRES ON THE SOUTH’S Best Trout Fishing River. $14,900!

350 ft of US National Forest Frontage! Call today 1.888.270.4695.

Fantastic Investment!

HOMES FOR SALE

FURNITURE COMPARE QUALITY & PRICE Shop Tupelo’s, 828.926.8778.

HAYWOOD BEDDING, INC. The best bedding at the best price!

533 Hazelwood Ave. Waynesville 828.456.4240 HIGH RISK DRIVER? Had A DUI? Stop paying too much for R-22, FR-44, or similar HighRisk Car Insurance! Call our FREE hotline today & SAVE money!

888.591.1852 SAPA

BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor, Locally Owned and Operated mcgovernpropertymgt@gmail.com McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

REPOSSESSED MOBILE HOMES. Move in ready. No rent option, but buying could be cheaper than rent!

Owner financing on select homes with approved credit.

336.790.0162

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400 Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

OFFICE HOURS: Monday & Wednesday 8:00am - 4:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

Phone# 1.828.273.3639 TDD# 1.800.735.2962 This is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

MOBILE HOMES FOR RENT

VACATION RENTALS FLAGLER BEACH FLORIDA Oceanfront Vacation Rental, Tripadvisor Award, Furnished Studio, 1-2-3 BR’s, Full Kitchens, WiFi, TV, Pool. Seasonal Specials.

1.386.517.6700 or www.fbvr.net

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT CLIMATE CONTROLLED STORAGE FOR YOU 1 Month Free with 12 Month Rental. Maggie Valley, Hwy. 19, 1106 Soco Rd. For more information call Torry

828.734.6500, 828.734.6700 maggievalleyselfstorage.com

LAWN AND GARDEN BORING/CARPENTER BEE TRAPS No Chemicals, Poisons or Anything to Harm the Environment.

Handmade in Haywood County. 1 for $20, 2 or More for $15 each.

828.593.8321

WANTED TO BUY

PERSONAL

CASH FOR UNEXPIRED Diabetic Test Strips! Free shipping.

Best Prices & 24 hr payment!

Call 1.855.378.1147 www.TestStripSearch.com Habla Español.

NICE PLACE TO STAY Looking for a live-in Girlfriend, To do light housework. Compensation of Room/Board + Small Salary. 2/BR in a nice neighborhood. For more info call Donnie at 706.335.6496.

DIABETIC TEST STRIPS NEEDED. We buy SEALED - Unexpired Diabetic Test Strips. Top $$$ Guarantee. EXTRA money for your Extra Boxes. Expedited payment!

Call today 1.800.250.4599.

A LOVING MARRIED COUPLE Seeks to adopt. Will be a full time Mom and hands-on Dad. Financial security. Expenses PAID. Call 1.800.790.5260 Ask for Adam or Christa.

828.506.7137

aspivey@sunburstrealty.com

www.amyspivey.com

Beverly Hanks & Associates • • • • •

beverly-hanks.com Ann Eavenson - AnnEavenson@beverly-hanks.com Randy Flanigan - RandyFlanigan@beverly-hanks.com Michelle McElroy - MichelleMcElroy@beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig - MarilynnObrig@beverly-hanks.com Brooke Parrott - BrookeParrott@beverly-hanks.com

• • • •

Catherine Proben - cproben@beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither - EllenSither@beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey - MikeStamey@beverly-hanks.com Pamela Williams - PamelaWilliams@beverly-hanks.com

Emerson Group • George Escaravage - george@emersongroupus.com

EMERSON

——————————————

GROUP

George Escaravage BROKER/REALTOR 7 BEAVERDAM ROAD - SUITE 207

ASHEVILLE, NC 28804 | WWW.EMERSONGROUPUS.COM

828.400.0901 george@emersongroupus.com

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com • Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com • Rick Boarder - sunburstrealty.com EXP Realty • Rob Roland - rroland33@gmail.com

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answers on page 50

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Answers on Page 50

Water was not always taken for granted

O

ld-time mountaineers often picked their home and church sites according to the location and purity of springs. They were connoisseurs of water.

Asheville writer Wilma Dykeman recorded in her book The French Broad (1955) that:

George Ellison

When the buyers for the Great Smoky Park were appraising some of the small landholdings one old fellow would come down from his little farm each day.

“When’ll you be agetting to my place,” he’d demand of the buyers.

“We’ll be up there as soon as we can,’ they’d reply.

“I’m just aiming to make sure you see my Columnist spring,” he said.

“You’d have to see it afore you could know the worth of my place.”

Once a family’s spring was located, the women would sometimes line its sides and bottom with shards of quartz and other sparkling stones. Catching a shaft of light through an overhanging hemlock, the spring would glow in the dim light. It was a place of enduring sustenance and beauty.

We tend to take the everyday things in

delivering their sermons.

That was my original ending and I should leave it at that. But I can’t refrain from adding this blurb praising the virtues of Swain County spring water that appeared in the July 16, 1910, edition of the Asheville Gazette News:

BACK THEN life for granted — that is, until one or more of them are no longer available. Water is one such item. The recent dry spell has brought that fact home again.

For 25 years we relied upon a spring situated at the base of a hemlock just outside the kitchen door that required a dipper. For the last 15 years we have used a gravity flow system whereby fresh water gathered in barrels from a spring up on the mountainside is piped into the house via standard hot-and cold-water systems.

The spring outside the kitchen door was diverted underground by salamanders and crayfish a long time ago. And the spring up on the mountainside has been bone dry for over a week. We can use water from the creek in front of the house externally. But there’s none that’s fit to drink.

Our recourse is to haul decent water from a spring that, to my knowledge, has never gone dry. It’s located several miles outside Bryson City adjacent to Cold Springs Baptist Church on the Cold Springs Road.

The church, which also served as schoolhouse, was organized on May 2, 1851. The first court in Swain County was held in the church’s meeting house on June 28, 1871.

One suspects that Elders Sherill, Gibson, Ammons, Mingus and others among the

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church’s earliest pastors enjoyed a draft of cool, clear mountain water before and after

ns etera ary V rvice t i l i M All t se ive urren and c s will rece h r it e memb dmission w ir e a h t E FRE y ID, and e r i a e t c i re v Mil s w i l l t $15! e i l i m fa jus s for ticket

I will leave it at that.

(George Ellison is a naturalist and writer. He can be reached at info@georgeellison.com.)

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September 21-27, 2016

vs

The pure, invigorating water distilled in the heavens and poured from cool clouds is percolated through the unadulterated terra-firma and reimbursed from many mountain springs, producing a health-building beverage conveyed by gravity to the inhabitants of Bryson City. In the last few years about $30,000 has been spent on a waterworks system, which conveys the excellent supply of pure freestone water, from its freely flowing founts in the forests of the somber Smokies. The supply is abundant and the quality unsurpassed, so that so far as Bryson Christina Smith and son Aiden fill a container with City’s water is concerned she is unexpure mountain spring water from the historic Cold celled by any other town her size in the Springs — just as Bryson City area residents have old North State.

vs 55

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