Smoky Mountain News | October 6, 2021

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

October 6-12, 2021 Vol. 23 Iss. 19

INSIDE: BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

CONTENTS On the Cover: Municipal elections tend to have a low voter turnout even though town governments have the most impact on the everyday lives of residents. The towns of Canton, Maggie Valley, Sylva, Franklin and Bryson City all have contested elections on Nov. 2, and The Smoky Mountain News has interviewed the candidates so voters can make an informed decision at the polls.

Information on Bryson City candidates will be published next week. (Page 10)

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Cherokee kicks off new Council term ........................................................................18 PAC seeks Cawthorn indictment over knife incident ............................................20 Republican field solidifies in NC-11 ............................................................................21 New convention center opens in Cherokee ............................................................22 Green Hill cemetery tours rub some the wrong way ............................................25

ACCOUNTING & OFFICE MANAGER: DISTRIBUTION: CONTRIBUTING:

Opinion

CONTACT

So many good things in one place ............................................................................26 Reminders of humanity after a grueling day ..............................................................27

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

A&E Futurebirds fly into the Salvage Station ....................................................................28 ‘Love is always stronger than fear’................................................................................37

Outdoors Parkway logs first bear attack in at least 25 years ................................................38

SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779 P: 828.631.4829 | F: 828.631.0789 INFO & BILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786 Copyright 2021 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ Advertising copyright 2021 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Smoky Mountain News is available for free in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and parts of Buncombe counties. Limit one copy per person.

Additional copies may be purchased for $1, payable at the Smoky Mountain News office in advance. No person may, without prior written permission of The Smoky Mountain News, take more than one copy of each issue.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

SUBSCRIPTION:

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

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Harris Breast Center sponsors Breast Cancer Awareness events Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital are taking a stand against breast cancer. All women — mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, grandmothers and friends — should know their risk, recognize the signs and symptoms and understand the importance of self-checks and early detection.

Throughout October, Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital will join hundreds of other businesses, organizations, celebrities and professional athletic teams in celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Launched in 1985 through a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries, Breast Cancer Awareness Month aims to raise awareness and help fight the disease through early detection:

October 6-12, 2021

• The annual Tree of Hope celebrations will be held virtually due to COVID-19 throughout the month of October at Harris Breast Center in Sylva, Swain Community Hospital, and Harris Medical Park of Franklin. While visiting any of these locations, everyone is invited to place a card on the tree in memory or in honor of someone facing cancer of any kind. The tree will be on display through the end of October. The opportunity to place a card on the tree will be available throughout the month.

A virtual card option is available to fill out at MyHarrisRegional.com/breast-center/tree-of-hope. A team member will place a card on the Tree of Hope for online submissions.

• Patients can conveniently schedule a mammogram during special events at Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital. Carol Van Cleve, the hospitals’ Breast Care Nurse Navigator, will be stationed in the front lobby of Harris from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 14, in the lobby of Harris Breast Center at the Medical Office Building from noon to 4 p.m. Oct. 22 and in Swain’s lobby from 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 26.

• A Breast Cancer Support Group meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, at the Medical Office Building located at 98 Doctors Dr., Sylva. A Swain Community Hospital Support Group meeting will be held from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 26 in the lunchroom of Swain Community Hospital. Attendees must wear a mask.

• A Breast Cancer Walk will take place Oct. 29 at the Harris Medical Office Building located at 98 Doctors Dr, Sylva. Details around time to come. Visit the events tab at MyHarrisRegional.com/Events to learn more.

Smoky Mountain News

Like most cancers, early detection of breast cancer is key to successful treatment and recovery. So if you are over the age of 40 or have a family history of breast cancer, and have never had a mammogram, call 844.414.DOCS today to schedule your baseline scan. And once you start, don’t stop.

Perform monthly self-exams, and no matter how busy life gets, make time for your annual mammogram. It could save your life.

3D mammography is available at Harris Regional Hospital while Swain Community Hospital and Harris Medical Park of Franklin both offer digital mammograms.

Both facilities will offer 3D mammography later this year.

The breast care experts at Harris Breast Center suggest that women over 40 years of age get a mammogram once a year to aid in the earliest possible detection of breast cancer.

To schedule a mammogram, call the Harris Regional Hospital Scheduling Department at 828.586.7950 to sched4 ule. Learn more at myharrisregional.com/breast-center.

Get Your Mammo It’s an hour that could save your life

BY ALLISON JOHNSON MD, S URGEON, HAYWOOD B REAST CENTER According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S., behind only skin cancers. In fact, the ACS puts the average risk as a one in eight chance that a woman will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. And according to the World Health Organization, breast cancer is now the most common cancer globally, claiming 12 percent of new cancer cases. Breast cancer is also the second leading cause of cancer death in women, superseded only by lung cancer.

So, that’s some not-sogood news. How about some good news? Those death rates have been steadily dropping.

Statistics show that the overall death rate from breast cancer decreased by one percent each year from 2013 to 2018. Now, the question is “why?” Well, Dr. Allison Johnson the decreases have been associated with several factors, including better treatments and earlier detection through screenings.

Here’s some more good news. You can get screened by scheduling a simple, routine mammogram. A mammogram takes only about one hour, once a year, but it’s benefits can last much longer. Mammograms help detect breast cancer

earlier than waiting for symptoms to appear. That’s an incredibly important weapon in the fight against breast cancer because that early detection can result in an easier and more effective treatment if cancer is discovered.

While there are certain risk factors for breast cancer – including lifestyle-related risks, as well as some risk factors you cannot change, like your family medical history – some breast cancer patients have no risk factors or even any symptoms. And 85 percent of breast cancer cases are in women with no family history of the disease. That’s why early detection is so vital to finding and treating breast cancer.

If you are a woman 40 and older, you should be including an annual mammogram in your yearly health journey. If you are at higher risk, you may need to begin annual screenings sooner. Some of those risk factors include genetic mutations, having dense breasts, certain reproductive histories, being overweight after menopause, a family history of breast and ovarian cancer, a personal history of radiation therapy or hormone replacement therapy, a history with the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) and a lack of physical activity.

As with other health issues, it’s important to have a discussion with your trusted provider about your lifestyle and risks and to determine the right time for you to begin annual breast cancer screening.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so if you haven’t already scheduled your mammogram for the year, now is a great time to get it on your calendar and get the peace of mind that comes from taking charge of your health. It’s one hour a year that could save your life.

If you would like to schedule a mammogram or talk with a provider about your breast health, call 800.424.DOCS (3627) or visit the “Find a Doctor” tab at myhaywoodregional.com. For more information on breast cancer and mammograms, visit breastcancer.org and cdc.gov/cancer/breast.

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6 Tips to Nurture Literacy in Children

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· SUSANNA SHETLEY ·

Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

ears ago when I was a mom to very young boys and blogging almost daily, I wrote a post about fostering literacy in kids. Not only had I been a language arts teacher and a reading instructional coach, but I had closely observed my own children and expereimented with a variety of strategies.

Those little boys are now 12 and 9. They both enjoy reading, albeit very different genres. I fully believe a lot of the work I put in when they were young is paying off now that they're older. Below are the original six tips I inlcuded in that blog post, although I've added some new details and storylines. If you're the parent of young ones, these tips will hopefully help instill a love of books and a joy of reading.

1). Be a model reader. Our children absorb everything we do, the good and the bad. If Mom and Dad are reading, young minds will become curious about books.

This curiosity will peak their interest in reading. When my boys were little, they loved when we read together and they still do! My older son loves historical fiction and so we often read the same book at the same time so we can talk about it.

My younger son and I will take turns reading a middle grades novel. Many moons ago when we returend from a trip to Disney World, I bought my older son a kid-friendly Walt Disney biography and myself the adult version. We enjoyed reading the two books and talking about the amazing man that created the Disney empire.

2). Increase vocabulary and background knowledge: Enrich your child's vocabulary by constantly talking to your children about the world around them.

Expose them to as many different experiences as possible.This will allow them to make connections when reading and en-

hance comprehension. As a teacher and now as a mom, I've learend that background knowledge is paramount when it comes to comprehension, so let's help our children be better readers by offering them as much life experience as possible.

3). Be spontaneous and creative. Read at the park, on the porch, in the car, wherever you can. When on a summer trip to the beach or a lake, designate an

hour every afternoon to turn off the technology and read. Listen to books on tape/CD when driving for long periods of time. Give children bookstore gift cards so they can pick out their own books. Always let them know the feel a book in their hands, but also take advantage of virtual literature.

4). Always have books around. Visit libraries and bookstores often so that your children can see people of all races, ages and socioeconomic statuses reading books. This will teach them that reading is cool beyond their own home. Furthermore, the amazing public library system we have in our country makes it impos-

sible for parents to say, “We just don’t have access to books.” Yes, you do! We all do. A library card is free, the books are free, learning is free, yet so important to a full life.

Graphic Designer Jessica Murray (from left), SMN News Editor Jessi Stone, Staff Writer Hannah McLeod, Digital Media Specialist Susanna Shetley and Amanda Singletary (not pictured)

6). Implement early intervention, if needed: If you feel like there’s something off with your child’s progress, dig deeper and inquire further. As with all things in life, early intervention is key. Whether it’s in the early years with language development or in kindergarten with phoneme knowledge, figure out what’s going on and provide your child the correct intervention.

Rumble is a weekly e-newsletter created by women, for women and about women. It is published by The Smoky Mountain News and delivered to your inbox each Thursday. The goal is to offer readers a beautifully curated email that will inspire and motivate women to live their best lives. By hearing the challenges and successes of other women, we hope you will find an opportunity to live, love, learn and grow in your own unique way.

Books have been an integral source of happiness and education throughout my entire life. Most of the time, I'm reading a tangible book while at the same time listening to multiple titles on Audible. I even enjoy listening to books while exercising. I get that not everyone ultimately loves reading but as the primary adult in our children's lives, we can do everything we can to make that a reality.

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5). Watch your children closely and know them as readers. What do they enjoy reading? When do they enjoy reading? Are they struggling with a reading skill? Do they favor a particular genre? All of this information will help you foster a love of books and reading in your child. It will also help you and others when buying books for your children as gifts.

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Subscribe: smokymountainnews.com/rumble 8

Want to know more about newsletter advertising, sponsored content or advertising on this page email Susanna Shetley at susanna.b@smokymountainnews or call 828.452.4251

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Race for town hall Sylva board race draws four candidates for two seats

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER his November, Sylva voters will have their pick of four candidates to fill two seats up for election on the town board.

Incumbents Mary Gelbaugh and Barbara Hamilton will face challengers Natalie Newman and Carrie McBane to earn the job of shepherding Jackson’s county seat through the next four years.

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Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

As the pandemic continues, Sylva businesses are grappling with a labor shortage and economic uncertainty while also facing massive disruption from the impending N.C. 107 project. If elected, what policies or resources would you support to bolster the local economy?

BARBARA HAMILTON Hamilton said she’s “willing to do anything to support the business owners,” who have met unforeseeable challenges over the last few years. However, she’s unsure what specifically the town can do to help, and even less sure of what measures the town could fund given other challenges like finding $2 million to fix Allen Street.

“We’re trying to find funds to even run the town. It’s kind of a nightmare for us, because what do you do?” she said. “We don’t have the solutions. We’re looking everywhere we can and looking into every aspect we can, but so far, I mean, Allen Street is a really difficult situation for us, and it has to be fixed.”

MARY GELBAUGH If re-elected, Gelbaugh would continue looking for grants and other opportunities to help the town better support the business community. She would also continue to make herself available to discuss these issues with any citizens wishing to talk. Ultimately, though, resourcefulness and strong work ethic will be critical to pulling through these tough times.

“I hope that my role in Sylva, my role in the community helps people see how important work ethic is and where you can go from there,” she said. “Sometimes it’s not a matter of how many employees, but the quality of your employees. I employ about 20 people, and so teaching them how to work is critical to your operation being successful.”

NATALIE NEWMAN With the recent appointment of Bernadette Peters as Sylva’s Main Street economic development director and Tiffany Henry as Jackson County’s economic development director, Newman believes things 10 are headed in the right direction. If elected,

she said, would actively look for new ideas and resources to aid the town.

“I think sometimes it’s easy to only look at what’s put in front of you versus going outside of that box and researching what kind of resources and things you can do,” she said. “In my free time sometimes I look to see what other areas that are similar to us, what they’re doing, because I think that’s a good place to start.”

The Confederate soldier statue has become a flashpoint over the past year as a symbol of conflict over how to view the town’s history and current identity. How do you feel now about the position you took on this issue last year, and if elected, what will you do to help heal the division this debate revealed?

GELBAUGH Gelbaugh opposed removing the statue and said that she stands behind that vote, though ultimately it’s a county issue that the town doesn’t get to decide. She was saddened by the deep divisions that resulted and said that mending those relationships would be a priority over the next four years — hopefully through meaningful, in-person conversations rather than social media exchanges.

“It’s up to us to show respect to one another and love one another despite the things that we do or don’t agree on about each other,” she said. “To me it’s a bigger issue than the Confederate soldier. It’s about self-respect and about caring for one another.”

NEWMAN Newman spoke against the Confederate statue during last year’s public hearings, and while she still opposes it, she’s no longer focused on removing it. She wants to see the community heal from that debate and believes that milestones like the Harriet Tubman statue’s arrival, Sylva’s first Pride Parade and collaboration with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians on Pinnacle Park signal a move in the right direction. Last summer changed her — in a good way, she said.

“It takes more energy to hold grudges and to be upset with people than it is to understand that sometimes people are just not going to agree with you, but you can still come together and have conversations,” she said. “In those conversations I realized we just disagreed. We don’t dislike each other, necessarily.”

HAMILTON As the mother of a Marine Corps veteran, Hamilton sees the statue as a memorial to the sons Jackson County mothers lost in the Civil War. She stands by her vote to let the statue remain downtown. Going forward, community members need to do a better job of listening to each other and being slower to anger over political issues.

“I have a few (people) that I can honestly

Meet the candidates NATALIE NEWMAN Newman, 29, works as a property manager and has owned Natalie Nicole Boutique and Salon in downtown Sylva for four years.

Originally from Roxboro, she moved to Western North Carolina in 2011 and bought a house in Sylva in 2015. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from Western Carolina University as well as a master’s degree in entrepreneurship, also from WCU. Newman lives with her partner and their 8-month-old daughter. She is seeking her first elected office.

Top three priorities if elected: See the Allen Street project through, address housing and labor shortage issues and be a listening ear for people in the community.

MARY GELBAUGH Gelbaugh, 42, was born and raised in Sylva but left for a few years to do seasonal outdoors work in Colorado and Wyoming. Holding a degree in travel and tourism, she’s been back in Sylva since 2006 and now works fulltime for Wilson Family Chiropractic, also co-owning Dillsboro River Company with her husband Adam, with whom she has two young children. She is seeking her third term on the board.

Top three priorities if elected: Completing the sidewalk project on Skyland Drive, supporting businesses adversely affected by the N.C. 107 project, and improving affordable housing options.

BARBARA HAMILTON Hamilton, 77, was born in Bryson City,

say that I can sit down with them — and I did the other day — and we can talk even though we have opposite ideas about things,” she said. “But we don’t get mad.

And we don’t just say, ‘No, it’s got to be our way or no way.’ We try to listen to each other. We need more of that.”

As a small town, Sylva is in the unique position of owning more than 1,500 forested acres. What should the town do over the next four years to develop recreation opportunities on this property?

NEWMAN Outdoor recreation opportunities are important for tourists and locals alike, and Newman believes that the Pinnacle Park and Blackrock projects should be a priority. She’s particularly excited about the town’s recent agreement with the Eastern Band of

raised in Chicago and returned to the mountains as an adult. She and her husband Joe, with whom she has two adult children, have lived in Sylva for 50 years.

Hamilton worked as a registered nurse for more than three decades, including 25 years at Harris Regional Hospital. She is seeking her third term on the board.

Top three priorities if elected: Support the police department, secure funding for Allen Street and improve low-income housing options.

CARRIE MCBANE McBane, 48, grew up in South Florida and has lived in North Carolina for the past 16 years, working in the restaurant industry for most of that time.

She has also been Down Home North Carolina’s western region community organizer in Jackson County and a 2020 census worker, and she’s currently a hospitality team member at Bear Lake Reserve. She sits on the boards for Meridian Behavioral Health Services and Blue Ridge Health Services. McBane first ran for office in 2019, when she tied Ben Guiney in that year’s town board race, ultimately losing in a coin toss. McBane declined an opportunity to interview for this story.

LUTHER JONES Jones, 72, originally filed to run in this year’s race but pulled out of the campaign due to health and family issues. That decision came after the deadline to remove his name from the ballot, so he will still be listed as a candidate on Election Day. Jones encourages voters who may have considered voting for him to find another suitable candidate.

Cherokee Indians to collaborate on master planning for the trail system hopes to continue that relationship in the future. That said, she acknowledges the challenge of reconciling outdoor recreation opportunities with the needs of trailside communities like Fisher Creek.

“I am a big believer in balance and finding a compromise that works for everyone to make everyone comfortable,” she said. “Can you make everyone happy? No. But I think as long as you’re putting the effort in to show people that we’re doing everything in our power to not put you out, I think you can make it happen.”

HAMILTON Expanding outdoor recreation opportunities is important, especially during a pandemic, when people are looking for outdoor spaces to socialize

F

GELBAUGH As an outdoor industry business owner with a degree in travel and tourism, Gelbaugh appreciates the value public lands can bring to a local community. She sees the trail plans for Pinnacle Park and the Blackrock Tract as a “win-win” — but said quality communication will be key to success. Additional development will impact law enforcement and emergency services, and already residents of the Fisher Creek neighborhood are reporting issues at the Pinnacle Park trailhead.

Installing security cameras and creating new entries to the property are possible solutions.

“Ultimately communication is going to be the best thing,” she said. “We have to communicate with everyone that’s involved to handle those circumstances.”

HAMILTON Virtual meetings make quality community difficult. It’s hard to have a quality conversation when you can’t look a person in the eye as you’re talking to them, or when a dropped connection kicks you off the meeting mid-sentence.

“I for one would like to back to in-person,” Hamilton said. “(We can) wear masks, we can social distance — I’ve said that all along. And we’ve also got that new system that we have ordered that should be coming, so that we can use that to let everybody see what’s going on in our boardroom.”

GELBAUGH Recent police efforts to eliminate drug houses in town have helped ensure that existing homes in Sylva function as safe family residences.

“I’m optimistic that this is evolving right before our eyes — we just don’t necessarily realize it,” she said. “I can visualize one particular neighborhood where that has happened. I smile and think about it. There’s small children safely playing in that neighborhood now, and that was not the case a year ago.”

While she was sorry to turn down the senior housing development that came before the board this spring, she stands by her position that the proposed location was not right for that project, basing her opinion on the time she invested in researching the matter and talking with the people poised to be affected.

HAMILTON The town and the county are currently discussing a potential partnership to create a low-income housing facility in Sylva, and Hamilton hopes to help shepherd that project through. She also supports smaller-scale projects like the five homes Mountain Projects is building on Second Street using “sweat equity” provided by the members of the local workforce who will ultimately own them.

Like Gelbaugh, she voted against the senior housing development on Skyland Drive, and while the additional housing units would have been good for the town, she believed the proposed location was not right for the project.

NEWMAN There aren’t any easy answers, but Newman thinks a series of seemingly small moves like Mountain Project’s development on Second Street can have a cumulatively large impact. She was also in favor of the nixed senior living development proposed for Skyland Drive this year. As a property manager, she too frequently finds herself on the phone with people whose unsuccessful housing search has left them on the verge of tears.

“We want to make sure we’re respecting our area and people’s space and things like that, but also we need to respect the people who live here and that they need somewhere to live,” she said.

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GELBAUGH The remote format has allowed board members to fulfill their responsibilities without going beyond their comfort zone regarding COVID-19, and it has improved members’ attendance. As the parent of two children dealing with remote learning, the virtual format has made it easier for Gelbaugh to balance her personal and professional life.

However, she acknowledged, board members never see each other now, and the absence of friendly conversation before and after the meetings makes membership less personable. Gelbaugh said she’d be willing to go back to in-person meetings once her follow board members are comfortable with it.

Affordable housing is an issue regionwide, and Sylva is no exception. What can the town board do to improve that situation locally?

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Sylva stands alone in the western seven counties in that, with the exception of an outdoor meeting in April, its board has not met in person since the pandemic began.

Do you support the ongoing remote format?

In your opinion, when should in-person meetings resume?

NEWMAN While she’s happy to move back to an inperson format once board members want to, Newman said she doesn’t think the board should be “rushing into it” and doesn’t believe that the virtual format hinders the town’s ability to do business.

“My entire master’s degree was an online program — everything was remote,” she said. “My job as a property manager is 90% remote. So I’m used to the remote world, and I definitely don’t mind it. I think there’s a lot of benefits to remote.”

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safely. However, Hamilton has “mixed feelings” about some of the development discussions due to Fisher Creek residents’ concerns regarding traffic, vandalism and parking issues at Pinnacle Park.

“We need recreation areas for people to be able to do these things,” she said. “I don’t like it that they feel overcrowded and worry about the traffic, but I think we need to come together and try to work together and try to solve these things instead of just saying, ‘It can’t be done.’”

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news BearWaters Brewing, located beside the Pigeon River in Canton, was decimated by flooding in August but has since reopened. Cory Vaillancourt photo

Canton’s future at stake in upcoming election

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR scant three months ago, when candidates filed for the upcoming municipal elections, the Haywood County town of Canton was facing the usual set of local issues not much different from any other smalltown Western North Carolina government.

That all changed on Aug. 17, when the region awoke to receding floodwaters that had decimated Cruso, killing six, and inundated downtown Canton for the second time in 17 years.

But the issues on Canton’s agenda can’t reasonably be separated into “pre-flood” and “post-flood.” As recovery continues amidst planning for the future, the legacy of Tropical Storm Fred will leave its watermark on nearly every item the mayor and board will consider in the coming years.

“Before the flood, we had worked very hard on pushing the Canton comeback,” said Mayor Zeb Smathers. “The next step, for me, was how do we build a hometown of tomorrow, a place that you can live, go to school, have recreation opportunities and call your own, whether you’ve lived here your whole life, or just got here.”

Smathers again runs unopposed, practically guaranteeing him his second term as Canton’s mayor.

Alderwoman Kristina Smith was the top vote-getter in 2017, beating James Markey by a wide margin. Smith and Markey joined the board, but Markey later resigned before moving outside town limits. Tim Shepard was appointed to serve out the remainder of Markey’s term.

Both Smith and Shepard hope to retain their seats. Matt Langston, a music producer originally from Laurens, South Carolina, has also entered the race, setting up a crucial election where three candidates vie for two seats.

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Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

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The eventual winners will have plenty of issues to tackle, perhaps the most immediate being the future of the town’s most basic functions — routine government activity, and public safety. Town hall was flooded out, as was Canton’s police and fire services. All are now operating out of an ad-hoc assemblage of trailers, basements and donated office space.

“The thinking right now that I support is evaluating not just how or when, but if we should put them right back where they were,” said Smith, a San Antonio, Texas native with a degree in communications from LenoirRhyne. “I think the important thing to acknowledge is that just because we had it somewhere for a long period of time, doesn’t mean that it has to stay that way.”

Smith as well as Shepard both said they’d entertain rebuilding the facilities higher — atop a parking garage, maybe — or moving them to a different area of town altogether, but both cautioned that the amount of state and federal funding available would be an important factor.

Langston said he was in downtown Canton after the flood, helping to clean up, and that the experience opened his eyes to the kind of destruction that can occur. Like Smith and Shepard, Langston thinks funding will eventually decide the issue.

“I feel like I need a lot more information in front of me to be able to give a healthy response to that,” said Langston, who has a music business degree from Montreat College. “It all kind of depends on where money’s coming from and how all the FEMA stuff is going to play out.”

Bolstering the resiliency of town services is central to what Smathers called “the Canton comeback.” Over the past six or more years, the town has experienced a revitalization in terms of its downtown business sector.

If Canton’s going to continue moving for-

The eventual winners will have plenty of issues to tackle, perhaps the most immediate being the future of the town’s most basic functions — routine government activity, and public safety.

Town hall was flooded out, as was Canton’s police and fire services. ward, the effects of the flood can’t be allowed to interfere.

“I think that we continue to do the things that have been working for us,” said the Franklin native Shepard, a science teacher at Pisgah High School with an MSW from Western Carolina University. “That’s by offering the façade grants and those kinds of things for new businesses when they open and trying to incentivize and motivate business owners to improve their business fronts and their businesses as much as we can.”

For Smith, working on economic development remains one of her favorite parts of serving on the board. She’s also supportive of the town’s incentive program, but for Langston, it’s more about the attractions the town can offer.

“I’m a big outdoors guy and this entire area is ripe with agritourism,” he said. “I would love to see Canton become a place that can benefit from that influx of tourism. I was just at a meeting this morning with all the small businesses in downtown corridor.

They’re in the process of forming a 501(c)(3) and getting their ducks in a row.”

Langston was speaking specifically about Chestnut Mountain Park, a 400-something acre mountain biking preserve located at the edge of town. It’s expected to become a regional attraction once it opens, and will need more lodging, dining and entertain-

ment resources to support it.

“That’s something that we’re gonna need to step up and let people know what is available in Canton,” said Smith, a marketing strategist for a technology company. “So if people get as far as Chestnut Mountain, if they go five more minutes down the road we have a lot of economic development that has happened that they can enjoy.”

Although not town-owned, Chestnut Mountain plays into the town’s long-term outdoor recreation strategy as is now of heightened importance, since the town’s recreation park has basically been destroyed.

All three candidates stressed the importance of making the park more floodresilient, like River’s Edge Park in Clyde; the flood-prone area is now a park that’s not only expected to experience periodic flooding but is designed to withstand it.

The final piece of the puzzle — one that has been and will continue to be a headscratcher — is the town’s historic Colonial Theatre. Since 1932, the Colonial has occupied a prominent place in downtown Canton, but just like the municipal building across the street, it took on several feet of Pigeon River water.

After coming under town ownership, the theatre served as a magnificent venue for weddings, parties and the occasional concert, but never really regained its full potential. Instead, it simply became a line-item in the town’s budget, neither flourishing nor failing but just kind of existing in a sort of municipal limbo.

Consideration was even given to leasing or selling the property, but ultimately the town decided to redouble marketing efforts and look at other ways to make the venue profitable.

Now, the future of the Colonial is even more uncertain. Unlike town hall, moving the Colonial or “building up” isn’t an option.

“If we can keep it and figure out how to mitigate the flooding within it, if we have another flood like that, then I would like to keep it and proceed with the plan that we had in place, which is to look at getting a digital projector and a proper screen so that we can show movies and we can have organizations host larger events,” Smith said.

Shepard is also supportive of finding ways to mitigate flood damage to the building.

Langston, who spent years as part of a touring band, sees opportunity for the Colonial, and Canton as a whole.

“I come from a world of live shows, live entertainment, bands and programming, and I absolutely love that kind of stuff,” he said. “It is an incredibly important and powerful community builder. In terms of how to move forward with that building, I’d love some more information or kind of what the ins-and-outs of that situation are. Obviously, we can’t stop floods from happening, but I think that having a building that’s that beautiful and historic and just having the town sit on it is an absolute waste. I think that it either needs to be used for something or repurposed, maybe with somebody who has the financial ability to sustain it.”

The Canton municipal election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Early voting begins Oct. 14.

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Franklin candidates: Town is moving in the right direction

town prioritizing improvements to its current infrastructure while also looking for opportunities to expand pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure in town limits.

“There’s an action plan within the pedestrian and bike plan — (Town Planner) Justin (Setser) has done a good job prioritizing those,” he said. “We need some money for certain projects and as a grant writer that’s something I would want to help with.”

RITA SALAIN • Age: 69 • Hometown: Franklin • Education: Appalachian State, University of South Carolina • Professional background: Worked for the Department of Public Health in S.C. and Georgia; owned and managed a consulting practice for 20 years focusing on rural health, primary care and maternal and child health; building, developing and evaluating systems of care and improving access to care.

• Public service: Perinatal health and rural health boards, Decatur Book Festival, active volunteer and board member with Mainspring Conservation Trust.

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• Age: NA • Hometown: Franklin • Professional background: Part-time director at Cowee School, founded a consultancy practice to help with economic development and planning projects throughout WNC • Education: College in Puerto Rico, graduated from Southwestern Community College and Western Carolina University; Master’s in Public Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill

Stacy Guffey remembers as a kid taking trips with his granddaddy to Main Street in Franklin once a week.

“He’d go pay his bills and buy groceries at Mason’s, we’d eat breakfast and lunch, grab an ice cream at the drugstore and pick up prescriptions,” he recalled. “I just remember all the activity happening on Main Street. It was a time when people could open a business and make a living off of it.”

It’s that childhood fondness for the town he grew up in and his commitment to public service that made him want to serve on the Stacy Guffey town council.

“My family has been here for generations and instilled in me that it’s good to give back to the place that’s given so much to us and this seemed like the right opportunity,” he said.

It’s his first run for public office, but he’s been involved in many important projects in Macon County. Guffey served on the original Friends of the Greenway board that started the county greenway project and helped establish the Arts and Heritage Center at the old Cowee School. He served as a county planner for five years and did advocacy work for smart growth in Macon County and now he serves on the boards for Mainspring Conservation Trust and Nikwasi Initiative.

“I’ve been in public service for over 20 years now and have been involved with a lot of things in Franklin. A couple years ago I realized a long-term dream of purchasing a building in downtown Franklin,” he said.

He works in the upstairs portion of the building while the Scottish Tartan Museum is housed below. One of his goals, if elected, is to encourage more multi-use of the historic buildings on Main Street, which would be good for local businesses and create additional housing units above the shops.

Growth is going to be a major issue for Franklin, and a recent housing study found that already Franklin needs several hundred housing units to meet the current demand.

Guffey said the shortage will have implications for people wanting to live in Franklin as well as businesses trying to hire labor.

“The number one issue is growth over the next few years. A lot of people are moving out of urban areas, especially Atlanta, and we need to be prepared for the good and bad that comes with it,” he said. “We need to look at ways to encourage our downtown development. A lot of people come here for that reason — they are looking for things to do in town and they look for walkability so we need to work on that.”

Guffey would also like to see a focus on promoting local small businesses that keep money in the community as opposed to working on recruiting big chains that send their revenue out of the community.

“I’ve heard complaints that we bend over backward trying to recruit big chains to Franklin, but I’d like to see us work hard for local businesses as well,” he said.

As a planner, Guffey is happy to see the

Smoky Mountain News

STACY GUFFEY

• Public service: Nikwasi Initiative Board of Directors, Rotary Club, Scottish Tartan Museum board, Mainspring Conservation Trust Board

October 6-12, 2021

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS EDITOR he tone of this year’s Franklin Town Council election is much different than it was four years ago, making for a quieter and more cooperative campaign season for the community.

Though five candidates are running to fill three seats, they all agree that the future of the town will be in good hands no matter who gets elected on Nov. 2. Incumbent Councilmember David Culpepper is running for a second term on the board while the other candidates are all hoping to join the board for the first time. Councilmember Jack Horton is leaving his seat on the board to run (unopposed) for mayor. Councilmember Barbara McRae’s seat has been vacant since her death in March after a long battle with cancer.

The three candidates with the most votes will claim the three seats on the board. In addition to new board members and a new mayor, Franklin recently hired a new town manager — Amie Owens — to replace Summer Woodard who left in June for a town manager opportunity in Reidsville.

Rita Salain grew up within the Franklin town limits. Her grandfather was once mayor of Franklin and also served as a Macon County commissioner.

“I love Franklin. It was a great place to grow up and now to age. I believe public service is the highest form of service,” she said. “I thought with my experience working all over the rural South — in many southern rural towns — that I had seen a lot about how places do very well by working together. I wanted to serve, there was an opportunity to serve so I threw my hat in the ring.”

After graduating from Franklin High Rita Salain School, she attended App State and graduated from University of South Carolina with a degree in public health. Salain spent most of her career working in public health in S.C. and Georgia, but always kept a close eye on her hometown of Franklin.

“I was never more than three or four hours away and I came home as much as possible. We’ve owned a house here for 20 years,” she said. “In March 2020, just as the pandemic was hitting, we came home to Franklin for good and I couldn’t be happier to be here.”

Salain said she thinks the town is doing well in many aspects but that there is always room for more improvement. She’d like to see a closer working relationship between the town government and the small business community, including Main Street merchants as well as businesses throughout the town limits.

If elected, she said she’d like to help the town look for more resources and opportunities that would help retain and grow small businesses. She’d also like to see a plan in place

S EE FRANKLIN, PAGE 14 13

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October 6-12, 2021

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FRANKLIN, CONTINUED FROM 13 for recruiting specific businesses on Main Street when a building becomes available.

“I want to see us focus on growing small businesses. These businesses are the heart of any community,” she said.

Salain would also like to see the town to keep focused on keeping up its appearance.

The town has struggled with getting abandoned and dilapidated structures cleaned up through a lengthy legal process. The town has a minimum housing standard ordinance, but the enforcement process takes time, which is why the town council added a new code enforcement officer position to this year’s budget.

“I want us to invest in making the place look better. We have ordinances that need to be used to take care of some of the junk issues. It’s a hazard,” she said. “I want to see us work on things like infrastructure like better sidewalks. There are grants for that but we’ve got to be looking for the money and actively engaged in the process.”

Salain said she’s glad to see the town council focusing on improving recreational opportunities for residents and visitors, including the disc golf course and the future skatepark to be located at the old Whitmire property. If elected, she wants to find more ways for the town to implement priorities listed in the bike and pedestrian plan, which will also take looking for funding sources.

“We have a lot of good plans in Franklin, we just need the execution of our plans,” she said.

Just like many others in Franklin, Salain has an eye on the current Angel Medical Center facility that will soon be replaced by a new hospital on U.S. 441. No one knows what HCA Healthcare plans to do with the old hospital building, but no one wants to see it remain empty.

“Someone said we didn’t have a role in what happens to the building, but I think we do. It’s a big part of the town and has a big footprint in town. Maybe if we have a plan that has some legs to it, HCA would be interested in listening,” she said. “Waynesville is turning their old hospital into housing units.

We need to identify our needs and figure out how that building can meet our needs. Health care is an economic engine — we don’t want to lose our providers and we need more mental health resources.”

DAVID CULPEPPER • Age: 43 • Hometown: Franklin • Education: Franklin High School; bachelor’s degree in public relations/communications from WCU • Professional background: Owner of Culpepper’s Otto Depot • Public service: One term as Franklin Town Councilmember

As a local business owner and family man, Culpepper came into his first term on the town council with a lot of big ideas for how to improve the aesthetic and infrastructure in Franklin.

He saw these goals as a way to attract more 14

families to live in Franklin, entice more entrepreneurs to start businesses and improve outdoor recreation opportunities for everyone.

“Before I got elected, I was involved in the bike and pedestrian project and was a cheerleader for new sidewalks and greenway connectivity and we’ve advanced that,” he said. “I wanted to see the Whitmire property used as a park and somehow that has magically happened. It’s been a wild ride.”

Though these were goals, at times Culpepper wondered if he’d ever see movement on the projects. He wanted to see the Whitmire property at least be accessible to residents instead of having a no trespassing sign on it, but now as he gets ready to run for a second term, the property has a public disc golf course and the town is in the process of planning a skatepark on the property.

Greenway connectivity was also a big priority for Culpepper and David Culpepper now there is a connection under the bridge from the river over to the Macon County Greenway. While the town originally considered doing the project, the county took over and completed it last year. In the end, Culpepper said he was just happy to see it get done whether it was the town or the county getting credit.

“The county did a great job on the greenway connection, and I hope we continue to have future collaborations with the county,” he said. “Our relationship has been better with the county, and I think that will continue.”

Culpepper said his biggest challenge during his first term was learning the processes and learning that government work can be slow — patience and cooperation are key to moving anything forward.

“I would get stressed and want to get stuff hammered through, but I had to adopt a zen attitude and that has helped a lot. Now if we’re in opposition or have differing opinions, I automatically assume they have that opinion for good reasons and that makes the job a whole lot easier when I assume everyone’s doing their best,” he said.

If elected to a second term, Culpepper said he will continue to push for “more livability” for residents of Franklin to ensure they get their money’s worth for living in town.

“When you pay taxes, you may not be happy about it but if you feel like you get some value on the double taxation of living in town — sidewalk connectivity, extra recreation right outside the door, something to point to where you know where your tax money is being spent — that’s important,” he said.

Coming out of the pandemic, Culpepper has seen more families moving out of the cities and into towns like Franklin, which means the town needs to be ready to accommodate the needs of these families and not just tourists and retirees. Thinking of Franklin as a retirement community hasn’t helped younger families who’ve seen labor and delivery at Angel Medical Center close and medical providers moving out of the community.

Beautification and redevelopment efforts in Franklin are top priorities for town council candidates. File photo “We don’t have enough demand to justify a labor and delivery unit but not having one makes it hard to attract younger families, so we have a chicken and egg situation,” he said.

Even if he doesn’t get elected to a second term, Culpepper said he feels comfortable with the way the town is going and feels good about all the candidates running for office this year.

“No one has their guns drawn and there’s nothing crazy going on,” he said. “I’m still motivated to run and do good things, but I feel like we are going in the right direction. If elected, I’ll continue to focus on livability and having a town that attracts younger folks.”

JIMBO LEDFORD • Age: 45 • Education: Trade school for plumbing • Hometown: From Oregon; has lived in Franklin for 18 years • Professional background: Owner of Jimbo’s Plumbing, owner Altered Frequencies (music venue) • Public service: Coaching youth soccer and softball, helping organize fundraisers for charities When Jimbo Ledford ran for town council four years ago, his intentions may have been somewhat confrontational after butting heads with the board on a few issues. He wanted to plan a music and beer festival for the Whitmire property and got turned down.

He wanted to facilitate more outdoor recreation plans for the Whitmire property and was denied. He felt like every idea he brought before the board was ultimately shot down.

Even though he didn’t win the 2017 election, Ledford stayed involved in the town meetings, working to facilitate different events in town and opening his own music venue. Four years later, he’s seen many of the projects he advocated for moving forward.

“Probably what’s changed is my understanding of the way things work and the complexity of local government. I’m also in a dif-

ferent place in my life — I don’t have any chips on my shoulder and my attitude toward life has changed,” he said. “Now I think I’m just excited about the way Franklin is heading.

We’ve got some good people involved in leadership and I just want to be part of the team.

The winds of change are finally happening and I want to try to help adjust our sails.”

Ledford said he’s thrilled the disc golf course was approved for the Whitmire property and supportive of the skatepark project being located on the same property. He’s excited about the beautification efforts being done near the Nikwasi Mound through a collaborative effort by the town, county, Nikwasi Initiative, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Mainspring Conservation Trust. And just like other candidates and residents, he’s pleased by the increased efforts to install new sidewalks and repair the old ones.

“I like that we’re talking more about the sidewalks on Main Street and put the protrusions out so pedestrians can be seen and cars know to slow down. These seem like basic things but for years it didn’t seem like anyone saw the crosswalk on Main Street at all,” he said.

If elected, Ledford Jimbo Ledford said he would continue to push for more bike and pedestrian projects as outlined in the town’s bike/pedestrian plan.

He knows finding the funding for these projects is always the challenge, but he’s willing to be part of the communication and collaborate with others in order to make it happen.

Ledford said he’d also like to see the town council discuss the River Overlay District zoning that was proposed a few years back.

There was initial opposition to the plan to set some standards around the Little Tennessee River running through town, but Ledford thinks it’s still an idea worth pursuing.

“I’d love to see more sidewalks, greenway connections and some sort of riverwalk. I know people don’t like ordinances, but we

FRANCES SEAY

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Losing Barbara McRae in March was a major loss for the community and the Franklin Town Council. Wanting to ensure her influence would carry on in town leadership, Francis Seay said a group of women who worked closely with McRae reached out to her to encourage her to run for town council.

“The group talked about who might be good to take her place and they thought of me. Barbara was so dedicated and intelligent.

I don’t think I have that, but I appreciated the thought and I prayed about it,” Seay said.

“When I filed to run no one else had signed up yet so I started reading the board minutes and looking over the budget and thought I’d give it a try.”

Seay grew up in Franklin, graduated from Western Carolina University and was immediately hired as a kindergarten teacher with Macon County Schools — a position she still holds 33 years later. She has a vested interest in the town as well as the future generations of the county.

“I’ve had a few things I’ve thought need some improvement, and one of the words I’ve been using a lot is proactive — I want to be proactive,” she said.

As she drives around the outskirts of

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October 6-12, 2021

• Age: N/A • Hometown: Franklin • Education: Franklin High School, Western Carolina University • Professional background: Kindergarten teacher for 33 years at Macon County Schools • Public service: Coaching youth sports, served on Macon County Academic Foundation; coordinated local benefits, active church member.

Franklin, Seay sees a lot of empty storefronts in the shopping plazas, and she’d like to see those areas of town get as much attention as the downtown Franklin businesses.

“I’m hoping to help recruit businesses to come to Franklin and use the resources we have and the federal recovery money coming to the town and decide the best ways to use it,” she said.

Improving the “social climate” in Franklin is another goal Seay has if elected. While COVID brought many activities to a standstill, she wants to ensure families have things to do in town whether it’s the many festivals put on by the town, movie nights and live music. She said the progress being made on the Whitmire property — a disc golf course and skatepark — is promising and she’d like to see a playground and picnic tables added to the outdoor space.

Seay’s other top priority is crime and safety. While she thinks the Franklin Police Department is run well, she thinks there are certain ordinances that could be better enforced to clean up some well-known empty houses that have turned into hotspots for drug activity. With the rising number of people experiencing homelessness and suffering from addiction, Seay said the town needs to start working on creating more options for people to get help.

On the safety front, Seay agrees with other candidates that more sidewalk connections are needed, and old sidewalks need to be Frances Seay replaced for safety and liability reasons.

“Our sidewalks need some work and I want to have a conversation about it. Do we need new money to get it done? Is our maintenance department stretched too thin? It’s a liability for the town if someone gets hurt but new sidewalks would also add to our curb appeal,” she said.

As a public school teacher for over 30 years, Seay said she thinks she has a good perspective of what young families in Franklin are dealing with and can be a voice for them on the town board. Tourism is an important part of the economy, but Seay said it shouldn’t be the only industry Franklin focuses on.

“And also, I want to see another woman on the board to bring a female perspective,” she said. “I have a 6-year-old niece and I want her to have something to stay in Franklin for.

There’s not a lot of job opportunity here right now.”

From her research of the budget, Seay said the town’s finances appear to be well-managed and she believes that will continue with the new town manager in place. She understands the money needed to maintain the town’s infrastructure, including the water and sewer system. She also knows personnel, fire and law enforcement are expensive line items, but they are crucial services.

“Some people are always against taxes, and I’m against raising taxes for no reason, but if you can raise taxes in increments — small increases over time and for a purpose — raising taxes isn’t a bad thing to better the town and the services.”

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have to decide what’s going to happen to our town and figure out how we want to get there,” he said.

He sees the role of a councilmember as a facilitator and wants to make town hall a more inviting place for people to come with their ideas and where they can be pointed in the right direction instead of being shot down.

“I’m a good team player and work well with others. I’ve always been a good problem solver and a good No. 2 guy,” he said. “I want to be hands on, I can listen and bring new ideas to the table and I’m not coming in with an agenda. I’m coming in with an open mind.”

One priority that hasn’t changed for Ledford is his passion for encouraging more high school graduates to pursue a trade career instead of a traditional four-year degree. As a plumber, he has seen the severe shortage of tradespeople and the impact it’s having on the local economy.

When asked how the town could help facilitate that goal, he said Grainger — a major trades supplier — has a step-by-step plan aimed at local governments, public school systems and community colleges working together to implement more trade programs locally.

“I’d still like to get trades back in the schools. It should be a priority in our country and state because there’s no generation to follow behind us,” he said.

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From left: Twinkle Patel, Jeff Lee, John Hinton and Jim Owens.

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f b c a s i ment. Campgrounds are not smart growth. i We want to see homes built,” said Hinton. y Both Owens and Patel voiced the importance of the town’s Unified Development a Ordinance in fostering growth and develop- t ment. The town planner and the planning board are currently working to draft the d t town’s first ever UDO. “I think one of the keys to us continuing to be able to develop new businesses, and resi- t dences for that matter, in Maggie Valley is to t complete the UDO,” said Owens. “It’s been a r long time getting that done. It’s not an easy task, I understand that. But, in order to give develop- w ers, both residential and commercial, the tools c they need to develop a property that falls within t y our ordinances, this is critical to me.”

Though candidates agreed growth is a good thing for Maggie Valley, the pool split s over the issue of food trucks. At the agenda P setting meeting Oct. 4, the board of alder- w men approved the food truck pilot program o to run through December 2021. The pro- t gram is intended to gain insight on how food o trucks may impact Maggie Valley, before the town makes a decision about food trucks in f t the valley.

Patel voted to approve the food truck pilot h program. Patel was also responsible for ensuring a food truck workshop with the town t board, staff and residents to hear concerns on s both sides of the issue, as well as details for H implementing a food truck prot gram.

October 6-12, 2021

Four candidates vie for two seats in Maggie Valley

Smoky Mountain News

BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER our candidates will compete for two open spaces on the Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen in municipal elections this November.

On Monday, Oct. 4, The Smoky Mountain News hosted a forum for all four candidates in the Maggie Valley Town Hall.

Incumbent Alderwoman Twinkle Patel is among the four candidtaes competing for one of two spots. She was appointed to her seat in 2019 after Alderman Mike Eveland won the race for mayor. The other vacancy came when Alderman Clayton Davis chose not to seek a third term.

Patel will compete against Jeff Lee, currently serving as chairman of the Maggie Valley Planning Board, John Hinton and Jim Owens.

Patel graduated from Western Carolina University with degrees in accounting and entrepreneurship. She has served on the project oversight board for the Soco Road project in 2015, the planning board in 2018 and 2019, and on the TDA board for the past four years.

Patel also serves as an ambassador for a nonprofit national hotel association.

“I am doing this because I want to contribute to my community, using my background knowledge and ability to be objective,” she said.

Lee works as an occupational therapist in Maggie Valley, having earned his degree from 16 the Medical University of South Carolina. He

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has been a resident of Maggie Valley for 25 years and is also a veteran.

“It was an honor to serve, and I appreciate all the veterans who are in attendance today,” he said.

In addition to his work as an occupational therapist, Lee owns Fantasy Golf and Game Room in Maggie Valley.

“As you can tell, I love Maggie valley and look forward to helping us move Maggie Valley forward,” said Lee. Hinton is running on the slogan “open, fair-minded leadership for Maggie Valley.”

He has been retired for five years, prior to which he spent 30 years with a major automotive supply company. During that time he managed over 350 drivers. Hinton has served on the board of the North Carolina Trucking Association for over 25 years and is a board member of the Maggie Valley United Methodist Church. He is a team leader in the risk-taking mission, serving homebound folks with food delivery, errands, transportation, yard maintenance and more. Hinton is a member of the Waynesville Elks Lodge and has been in Maggie Valley since 2011.

“I’m retired. Alderman will be a full-time position for me,” said Hinton.

Owens, a U.S. Navy veteran, has made Western North Carolina his home for the last 20 years, living in Maggie Valley for the last seven. Prior to retirement, he spent 45 years working in the travel and tourism industry.

Most recently, he worked as vice president of Biltmore Estate for 14 years. He also worked as vice president for SeaWorld of Florida, and SeaWorld of San Diego. Owens founded, and was the first chairman of the Tourist Industry Retail Merchants Association.

“My entire career has been spent working in tourism, small business and resorts, helping those businesses grow in a smart way,” said Owens. “I believe in Maggie Valley. I’m running for alderman to use my experience and my expertise to promote and protect Maggie’s heritage and incredible natural beauty. I’m running for alderman because the residents deserve and expect the highest quality services for the taxes we all pay. We must remain focused on our future. I believe if I’m elected, I can make a positive difference for Maggie Valley.”

The first question of the forum was about growth and investment in Maggie Valley. As the tourism industry in WNC remains strong, the opportunities for growth in the valley are abundant. Ghost Town in the Sky will likely open up shop in the town again and several other developments are on the horizon. Each candidate noted that while growth is important — and likely inevitable — smart, responsible growth is what Maggie Valley needs.

Hinton stated that in the 2020 census, Maggie Valley was the fastest growing town in Haywood County.

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between the 2010 and 2020 census, as well as to have the lowest property tax rate in Haywood County. He agreed with the other candidates that employee retention is important. He would also like to prioritize projects that will enhance visitation like greenways, or additional cleanup of Soco Road.

“Managing our money correctly and making sure that we are spending it in the right place to keep Maggie Valley the way that we all love Maggie Valley is important to me,” said Owens.

In closing statements at Monday’s forum, each candidate expressed final thoughts on why they are the best person for the job of alderman.

“Maggie Valley needs to look for ways to strengthen our economy, provide even better quality of life to our residents, support our town staff and employees, and build on our local and existing assets. I am a job creator and business savvy. I understand we can’t fight growth, but I can work with developers and have input to have that balanced growth that includes more green space and preserving our natural beauty,” said Patel. “We need to support our rural landscape by continuing to beautify our town. We need to help existing businesses so they can thrive and stay open seven days a week. And we need to build a future for our town with smart balanced growth while maintaining that small town charm that is so important to us.”

“As a 25-year resident and business owner, I have been supporting and growing Maggie Valley. I’m proud to say that I am supported and endorsed by the current four aldermen,” said Lee. “You can tell by my experiences I’m as well-qualified to serve Maggie Valley as all of them. I thank you in advance for your support and vote.”

During his closing statements, Hinton called out what he saw as “leadership at its worst,” during an Aug. 17 meeting when the board voted to allow class A, B and C recreational vehicles in RV Planned Unit Developments. Previously, the board had discussed allowing PUD status for RV parks, only if vehicles were restricted to class A. “Open dialogue, open board, no allegiance to anybody, no endorsements by anybody, open leadership,” said Hinton. “That’s what this is about — the control. Doing the right thing for the taxpayers, doing the right things for the employees, doing the right thing for the people that come to work and play in Maggie Valley.”

“Maggie Valley needs a full-time leader working for you, and I’ll be that full-time alderman. I ask for your vote and here’s why.

I have a 45-year track record in tourism, hospitality and resort management. That’ll translate to help Maggie grow but grow smart. I’ll promote and protect Maggie Valley heritage and its incredible beauty,” said Owens. “We need a board that listens to the concerns and the ideas from both residents and businesses to navigate both the opportunities and the challenges, aldermen will need to use due diligence, consistent standards and transparency. I’ve been blessed with a very rewarding career, and now I’m anxious to use that experience to give back to the community that we all love.”

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Hinton agreed with the other candidates that the pilot program was a good idea for gathering information, however he is concerned about the impact food trucks will have on local restaurants.

“I don’t think that the food trucks are part of smart growth,” said Hinton.

Patel on the other hand said that food trucks offer a different, often cheaper experience than traditional restaurants and therefore won’t demonstrate dangerous competition for local restaurants.

Owens didn’t take a strong stance one way or the other but said the pilot program was a good idea and that he was anxious to see the results, saying that ultimately the decision would be up to residents of Maggie Valley.

Lee was in support of food trucks, saying that in a free enterprise system residents should have the option of food trucks. He noted that as long as these trucks are permitted correctly, food trucks will be an addition to Maggie Valley and hopefully help tourism.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Maggie Valley was one of very few towns in WNC that did not hold virtual meetings. Instead, the town pivoted to hold meetings in the Town Hall pavilion where social distancing was possible and required masks when necessary.

The four candidates all agreed that the town board handled the pandemic, and meetings during COVID-19 responsibly. However, they differed in their opinions of other procedural duties of the board.

Patel argued for upgraded technology to facilitate access to the board and its business by the public. According to Patel, the board could broaden its reach through technology and thereby generate more input and understanding from town residents. Lee noted that if the board uses more technology to keep residents updated, they could likely reach a younger demographic of residents.

“The technology is there and to me, that’s a priority. We need to get more word out to the general population,” said Owens.

The last question of the forum asked candidates to speak about their budget priorities.

Patel’s priorities are to raise compensation for town staff to keep their pay competitive. She would also like to see lower taxes for residents and businesses where possible.

“All our taxes went up this year and can we prevent that? No, we can’t prevent rising costs and inflation. However, we must see that we don’t see an increase every single year. We must lower it,” said Patel.

Lee stressed the importance of being good stewards of taxpayer money and agreed with Patel on the importance of keeping town staff with competitive pay. One of Lee’s main priorities is seeing the Soco Road project through, saying “pedestrian safety is just one of my heartbeats.”

Hinton agreed that staff pay is important for the town of Maggie Valley and stressed the importance of fiscal responsibility when handling taxpayer money.

“We need to be leery of some developers that may come in here looking for concessions on some of their developments,” said Hinton.

Owens noted that Maggie Valley was fortunate to have had a 48% population growth

I look forward to serving the people of Haywood County again.

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Cherokee kicks off new Council term

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians marked the start of a new Tribal Council term this week, with 2021 election winners sworn in and new officers selected Monday, Oct. 4. Through 2023, Big Cove Representative Richard French will serve as chairman and Birdtown Representative Albert Rose will serve as vice chairman.

The brand new Harrah’s Cherokee Convention Center hosted an inauguration ceremony for the newly elected Tribal Council and Cherokee School Board representatives, featuring performances of “Cherokee National Anthem” and “Morning Song” from the New Kituwah Academy Singers. Associate Justice Brenda Pipestem administered the oath of office for the three new school board members, and Chief Justice Kirk G. Saunooke administered the oath of office for all 12 Tribal Council members, three of whom represent a change in membership from the 2019-2021 Council.

Teresa McCoy has returned to her seat representing Big Cove after Perry Shell opted not to run for re-election. Former chairman Bill Taylor defeated Chelsea Saunooke to claim one of the Wolfetown seats, and T.W.

Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

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Price Saunooke is beginning his first term on Tribal Council after overcoming Tom Wahnetah in the Yellowhill race.

After serving two terms as chairman, Snowbird/Cherokee County Representative Adam Wachacha will no longer lead the horseshoe after a move to reappoint him to the seat resulted in only three yes votes.

French, who is now starting his fourth term on Tribal Council, secured the support of the remaining nine Council members.

Likewise, Yellowhill Representative David Wolfe was not reappointed to the vice chairman’s seat after losing narrowly to fifth-term member Rose — each man received six votes in support, but due to Tribal Council’s weighted voting system Rose prevailed 56-44.

“I just want to thank everyone for your faith and your confidence in me being your chairman. I want to thank Dave and Adam for the great job they’ve done to move this tribe forward over the last four years,” said French.

Tribal Council kept Michelle Thompson as English clerk, Beloved Woman Myrtle Driver as Indian Clerk, Sally Arch as interpreter and Bobby Taylor as door marshal.

During a round-robin opportunity for comments that followed

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Surrounded by his family on Oct. 4, Richard French takes an oath of office for the new Council term. Later that morning, his fellow representatives elected him Council chairman. Holly Kays photo

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the votes, Tribal Council members offered a glimpse into the issues they hope to pursue over the next two years. Many of the members emphasized their desire for professionalism, cooperation and respect from their fellow representatives, as well as a focus on moving the tribe and its business interests forward.

“I just look forward to doing what I can for this tribe, and all the enrolled members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and not only that, for Western North Carolina and for the Southeast,” said T.W. Saunooke.

“This tribe, as I see it, we are a conglomerate that is moving forward within this nation. I have talked a lot through campaigning about moving into a piece of Tsa-La-Gi worldwide.

We are a national powerhouse.”

Over the next two years, Rose said, tribal leaders will need to make an effort to be present in Washington, D.C., Raleigh and other parts of Indian Country, and to rebuild some of the relationships that lagged during the early part of the pandemic, when travel was difficult. Closer to home, he wants to ensure that tribal projects run on time and on budget.

“This tribe, as I see it, we are a conglomerate that is moving forward within this nation. I have talked a lot through campaigning about moving into a piece of TsaLa-Gi worldwide. We are a national powerhouse.”

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Smoky Mountain News

“I think sometimes that we get ahead of ourselves, and we get taken advantage on these projects continuously overrunning by millions of dollars,” he said. “We’ve got to stop that. That’s one of the things I want to really work hard on.”

Taylor added that his priority will be ensuring that Indian preference laws are followed, and McCoy said she will seek legislative changes to improve Council members’ accountability to their communities.

“I am for term limits,” she said. “If somebody doesn’t bring that in, let me know. I’ll be glad to bring that in. I support recall. In Ordinance 161-Elections, I want our tribe to be able to step up just like they did in that alcohol referendum and recall any one of us that gets out of line.”

The new Tribal Council terms run through early October 2023, and the Council’s first lawmaking session is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 11. In Cherokee, the month of October is Annual Council, meaning that sessions will be scheduled throughout the month to handle any legislation submitted by representatives or walked in by tribal members.

“We’ve got to move this tribe forward,” said French. “We’ll keep going forward and not backwards, and that’s what I’m looking forward to in this position is doing the best thing for the tribe and for the enrolled members of this tribe.”

October 6-12, 2021

— T.W. Price Saunooke, Yellowhill

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PAC seeks Cawthorn indictment over knife incident

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR nother incident involving Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-Hendersonville, possessing a weapon where it’s prohibited drew renewed outrage from many on the left, but the failure of the Henderson County Sheriff ’s Office to charge Cawthorn for the offense hasn’t stopped one group from seeking alternative means by which to discipline him.

“We believe Madison Cawthorn thinks he’s above the law and he needs to be held accountable,” said David Wheeler, president of FireMadison.com, a PAC dedicated solely to the ouster of Cawthorn from Congress. “It doesn’t appear that any elected law enforcement official in Western North Carolina wants to enforce the law against him.”

In February, Cawthorn was caught attempting to board a flight at Asheville Regional Airport with a firearm in his carryon bag. Cawthorn’s office said the Glock was “erroneously” stowed in the bag, and TSA officials said it was likely Cawthorn would face some sort of sanction over the incident.

Last month, Cawthorn continued his tour of local boards of education meetings, speaking out against mask mandates in schools. Jay Carey, one of several Democratic candidates running against Cawthorn, was also at the meeting and noticed something unusual — a 4.4-inch tactical dagger stowed behind and beneath the seat of Cawthorn’s wheelchair.

Carey photographed the holstered blade at the Sept. 13 meeting because possession of concealed weapons is explicitly prohibited by North Carolina General Statute 14-269, which states, “It shall be unlawful for any person willfully and intentionally to carry concealed about his or her person any bowie knife, dirk, dagger, slung shot, loaded cane, metallic knuckles, razor, shuriken, stun gun, or other deadly weapon of like kind, except when the person is on the person’s own premises.”

A subsequent statute, 14-269.2, says it’s a Class 1 misdemeanor “… for any person to possess or carry, whether openly or concealed, any BB gun, stun gun, air rifle, air pistol, bowie knife, dirk, dagger, slungshot, leaded cane, switchblade knife, blackjack, metallic knuckles, razors and razor blades (except solely for personal shaving), firework, or any

Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

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sharp-pointed or edged instrument … on educational property.”

Wheeler subsequently sent a letter to Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin asking for an investigation, but Cawthorn has yet to be charged with any crime.

Griffin didn’t address a request for an interview with The Smoky Mountain News, and instead forwarded a statement saying his office was aware of the allegations, but also that statutes “allow for officer discretion concerning most misdemeanor offenses” that consider “the totality of the circumstances to include the intent of a person.”

The statement went on to compare Cawthorn’s actions to those of a person who inadvertently brings a knife to a high school football game. Such instances, the statement says, are usually addressed with a verbal warning and the removal of the person or weapon from school district property.

“The Sheriff is a good man but I think he’s playing politics again. Did Sheriff Griffin even interview Cawthorn about this crime or ask him whether he was carrying a loaded gun, which I believe he was? If anyone else brought a 4.4-inch dagger to a football game or a meeting that included a highly charged discussion of issues we would not be politely let go, we would be walked out in handcuffs and stuffed in the back of a squad car with zero chance of explaining away our actions,” Wheeler said.

“Cawthorn could walk down 7th Avenue in Hendersonville with guns blazing and he’d get off with a warning. The idea of a U.S. Congressman being allowed to wheel about the country with concealed weapons and trying to take a gun on a plane and not facing any consequences is pure politics at its worst, and exactly why Cawthorn must be fired by the voters.”

Wheeler said that on Sept. 22 he handdelivered documents to the Henderson County clerk of courts, addressed to the grand jury, requesting “a serious criminal matter.”

NCGS 15A-628 states that a grand jury may “investigate any offense as to which no bill of indictment has been submitted to it by the prosecutor and issue a presentment accusing a named person or named persons with one or more criminal offenses if it has found probable cause for the charges made.

An investigation may be initiated upon the

Rep. Madison Cawthorn speaks to the Henderson County Board of Public Education, with a knife stowed beneath his chair. Jay Carey photo concurrence of 12 members of the grand jury itself or upon the request of the presiding or convening judge or the prosecutor.”

Wheeler also said that a parallel letter was delivered to the Polk County Clerk of Court because Cawthorn attended a similar meeting there, immediately after speaking in Henderson County. Buncombe County, Wheeler said, is next.

In a Sept. 19 interview with New York Magazine, Cawthorn said he’s “always got a hunting knife” on his person.

Henderson County Clerk of Superior Court Jay Tyler Ray did not return multiple calls from The Smoky Mountain News seek-

ing to confirm that the court had indeed received Wheeler’s request and also seeking more information about the process for and the timeline of such requests.

When Cawthorn’s campaign was reached for comment, Cawthorn said he wasn’t overly concerned with Wheeler’s actions.

“I’m focused on serving my constituents. I do not pay attention to the left’s latest political witch hunts. They only exist to smear me, and they’re attacking me because my message is a threat to their agenda,” Cawthorn said.

“The people of Western North Carolina know I’ll keep fighting for them every day; they have my back and that’s all that matters.”

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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR s the filing period for the 2022 midterm elections draws near, moves are being made on the Republican side of the field that could impact how much competition incumbent Rep. Madison Cawthorn, RHendersonville, will ultimately face.

First came word from a retired Henderson County Sheriff that he’d endorse retired U.S. Army Col. Rod Honeycutt, one of five candidates — including Cawthorn — seeking the GOP nomination next spring.

Erwin is a respected and influential Republican and had previously been a big backer of Cawthorn.

“Last election I made a big mistake and now I am trying to correct my mistake. It was the biggest mistake in my political career.

NC11 deserves more than just sound bites and platitudes,” said George Erwin. “We need a servant’s heart that has the interests of ALL in NC11. Not just Republicans, Democrats, unaffiliated or Libertarians, but ALL.” The endorsement, first reported by WPVM on Oct. 1, shouldn’t come as a surprise. Shortly after the Jan. 6 insurrection, Erwin began criticizing Cawthorn on social media and in the press, calling him a “show horse” and questioning his support for law enforcement.

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EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS HAYWOOD COUNTY Haywood County Senior Resource Center, 81 Elmwood Way. Open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. To request an absentee ballot, call the Haywood County Board of Elections at 828.452.6633.

JACKSON COUNTY Jackson County Board of Elections, 876 Skyland Dr. Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. To request an absentee ballot, call the Jackson County Board of Elections at 828.586.7538.

MACON COUNTY Macon County Community Building, 1288 Georgia Road. Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. To request an absentee ballot, call the Macon County Board of Elections at 828.349.2034.

SWAIN COUNTY Swain County Board of Elections, 1422 Hwy. 19 South. Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. To request an absentee ballot, call the Swain County Board of Elections at 828.488.6463.

Curves to Cure What Ails You

Smoky Mountain News

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR unicipal elections in Western North Carolina will be held in some jurisdictions on Tuesday, November 2, but in-person early voting will take place beginning Thursday, Oct. 14.

Through Saturday, Oct. 30, sites across Western North Carolina will be open to those who want to cast their ballots in advance of Election Day. No reason is needed for those who wish to use what is called “In-Person Absentee Voting” or “One-Stop Absentee Voting,” and voters can alternatively make their selections by mail as well.

Vote-by-mail ballots are currently available. Request yours by calling your county board of elections office, or by visiting ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail.

The last day to register to vote is Friday, Oct. 8. To check your registration, to find your polling place — some have changed, especially in flood-ravaged Haywood County — or to view all the races you’re eligible to vote in, visit vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup.

We are open to continue providing essential services to our

October 6-12, 2021

In-person early voting for municipal elections begins next week

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS news

Republican field solidifies in NC-11

“It’s time to send an adult to Washington that has real experience, real leadership ability and produces real results,” Erwin said in his endorsement of Honeycutt. “I am tired of the hate speech and vitriol and want real results that produce for ALL in NC11.”

Two days later, another Republican candidate announced he was suspending his campaign to further the ultimate goal of removing Cawthorn from Congress.

“With myself and three others challenging Cawthorn in the primary, the vote is split so that he will still probably emerge as the victor,” said Eric Batchelor, a Haywood County Sheriff ’s deputy who announced his candidacy in late July. “I have met with two of the three remaining candidates and they understand the consequences of our high numbers as well. I believe one or more of them will do the right thing and suspend their run as well, creating much more favorable odds to beat Cawthorn in the primary.”

Batchelor was wounded in the line of duty back in 2020, and after almost a year of rehab recently returned to regular duty.

“I am basing my decision on conversations with the other candidates, and seeing that their campaigns are so much further developed than mine,” Batchelor said in an Oct. 3 email.

“Things may have been different if I had not tried to keep a full-time job while campaigning, and it is a lesson learned for the future.”

The future, for Batchelor, could involve another run for elected office.

“I have learned a lot and someday when I am ready to hang up my badge, gun, and medical bag, I will look for the right opportunity again,” he said. “I’ll be back.”

On the Democratic side, seven candidates remain in the race.

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New convention center opens in Cherokee

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER fter three years and $330 million, a new hotel tower and convention center is now open at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee.

About 150 people gathered beneath the large porte-cochère outside the lobby for the ribbon-cutting Friday, Oct. 1, with both tribal and casino leaders celebrating the project’s completion as a significant achievement and important move toward diversifying tribal revenue streams.

“As we continue our growth and completion, it further solidifies us here in Cherokee as we continue to be the leaders in Western North Carolina, and not just Western North Carolina, but throughout state,” said Harrah’s General Manager Brooks Robinson.

The 19-story hotel tower is the casino’s fourth, bringing the resort’s room count from 1,108 to 1,833 rooms. Dubbed The Cherokee, it features Guy Fieri’s Cherokee Kitchen + Bar, from the celebrity chef of the same name, as well as a 24-seat full-service Starbucks and lobby bar.

“We are able to walk on the ancestral land that our family has walked for thousands years,” said Tommy Lambert, chair of the Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise Board. “So ‘The Cherokee’ is us. We are ‘The Cherokee.’

And that’s what I want people to remember about the name when they go by it. Don’t just

take it for granted that it’s a simple name, the name of a town. It’s not. It’s the name of a nation, the name of a people.”

The hotel contains 725 rooms, including 70 suites, The newly opened expansion as well as a fitness center at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and an outdoor pool on the Resort includes 83,000 square second-floor terrace between the hotel tower feet of convention space and and the convention center 725 hotel rooms. Holly Kays photo featuring sweeping mountain views. Guests desiring private pool access can reserve one of the two 800square-foot poolside suites, complete with full kitchens.

The rooms, designed by the developer DreamCatcher Hotels, use a design concept rooted in earth tones with accents of burnt sienna, golden hues and charcoal grey, along with a mix tion ballroom, 26 meeting spaces and an challenge. Harrah’s hoped to hire 450-500 of eucalyptus and walnut woods.

Adjacent to the hotel tower is the new exhibition hall, with a new 2,000-space park- new positions associated with the expansion, but as of the ribbon-cutting 250 jobs were three-story Cherokee Convention Center, fea- ing deck directly adjacent to it.

In his remarks, Sneed made it clear that still open. The casino has seen an uptick in turing 83,000 square feet of meeting and convention space — more than tripling the cur- he sees the convention center as distinct from applications since it raised its wages and rent rentable convention space at Harrah’s the casino’s current operations — it’s an began offering sign-on bonuses this spring, Cherokee. The center includes a 32,000- entirely new business that will attract an but it’s still hard to find employees.

“We’ve been very creative to adjust hours square-foot ballroom, as well as a pre-func- entirely new clientele to Cherokee, he said.

Throughout his time in office, Sneed has repeatedly emphasized the inevitable arrival of competition in the gaming industry and the resulting need to diversify the tribe’s revenue streams. This project is an opportunity to do that, he said.

“When we first talked about this project, there were a lot of naysayers actually, saying, well, this is just more gaming. But this is not,” he said. “This is convention busi“10 Months Helping Families in the Smokies ness — it’s an entirely differ- Joined by members of Tribal Council, Principal Chief Richard With Home Financing, and 10+ Years in the Sneed cuts the ribbon on the expansion. Holly Kays photo ent business altogether.”

Mortgage Industry! I Am Here to Help With Even before it was anyYour Home Buying Goals. Contact Me Today!!” where near completion, Sneed said, the con- of operation and also utilize our part-time vention center had been booking events and help to fill in for positions,” he said. “So while we may be down we’re definitely doing all we hotel rooms for years in the future.

“This just shows the demand for conven- can to cover as many shifts as we can.”

Tribal Council first approved the project tion business but also for here in what I would say is one of the most beautiful places in January 2017, giving the TCGE the green light to take out a loan of up to $250 million. that God has ever created,” he said.

In an interview after the ceremony, Ground broke in 2018, the same year that Robinson said there were nearly 50,000 hotel Tribal Council approved a retail project that, room bookings for the next two fiscal years while a separate endeavor from the convenAmber Patterson BRANCH MANAGER NMLS#113578 828.476.9218 associated with the new hotel, as well as anoth- tion center expansion, intersected with that Robin A. Smathers LOAN COORDINATOR 828.400.9560 er 50,000 “likely” bookings. Despite the fact project’s physical space. When the TCGE that the project was planned long before any- came back to Council last year asking for an Amber-Patterson.com | 367 Dellwood Rd | Suite A-1 | WAYNESVILLE body had heard of COVID-19, booking num- additional $80 million in funding, it said that bers are on track with initial projections, he the retail project’s arrival required a complete Allied Mortgage Group Inc. (NMLS #1067) corporate office is located at 225 E. City Avenue, Suite 102, Bala Cynwyd, Pa 19004 (610) 668­2745.

The content in this adver sement is for informa onal purposes only. This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend. All redesign of the expansion project, adding $30 said. loans are subject to underwri ng guidelines and are subject to change without no ce. Allied Mortgage Group is not affiliated with any government agency. Loan programs may not be available in all states. Total finance charges may be higher over the life of the loan as a result of refinancing. million to the cost. Escalating costs for labor “We expect our occupancy level to continLicensing: Georgia Residen al Mortgage Licensee # 21510, Illinois Residen al Mortgage Licensee # MB.6760705, Kansas Licensed Mortgage Company License # MC.0025018, Massachuse s Mortgage Lender License #ML1067, Licensed Mortgage Banker by the New and materials also contributed to the overue to be very high,” he said.

Hampshire Banking Department, Licensed by the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance License #9501070, Licensed Mortgage Banker ­ NYS Department of Financial Services, Licensed Mortgage Lender ­ Rhode Island Licensed Lender # 20112755LL, Staffing, however, has been more of a run, the TCGE said.

California Finance Lenders Law License #6038575. Full licensing is found at www.nmlsconsumer.org. Photo credit: Darrell Moore

Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

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Mortgage Mommy

Canton police chief retires news

Shawn Gaddis, chief of the Canton Police Department since March 2018, has announced his retirement, according to an email sent to The Smoky Mountain News by Canton Town Manager Nick Scheuer.

The email, which was sent at 4:18 p.m. on Sept. 30, thanked Gaddis for his service to the town.

Captain Scott Sluder will serve as interim chief for six months, at which time further personnel will be made, according to Scheuer. No other details were immediately available.

Although not explicitly stated, it appears that Gaddis’ retirement and Sluder’s promotion are both effective immediately.

Here’s the full email from Scheuer: “Town of Canton Police Chief Shawn Gaddis announced his retirement today. The Town thanks Chief Gaddis for his dedication, experience and commitment to public service.

Shawn served with distinction, and we wish him the very best in future endeavors. Police Captain Scott Sluder will be promoted to Interim Police Chief with a 6-month probationary term. At the end of this period, we will evaluate personnel determinations. Scott Sluder has been an invaluable member of the Canton Police Department and we look forward to his leadership and continued excellence.”

Smoky Mountain News

Macon County Public Health will delay plans to begin giving COVID-19 boosters to eligible persons due to a number of COVID19 positive staff.

This delay will not affect persons who wish to call and schedule their initial COVID-19 vaccinations or who need to schedule a COVID-19 test. Those who are eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 booster vaccination who do not wish to wait are encouraged to contact local pharmacies who may be able to provide this service during this delay. Pfizer booster vaccines will instead begin Oct. 15 at Macon County Public Health.

The Pfizer booster is only available to those who received their initial vaccines with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination, and have certain conditions. However, all over the age of 65 who had the Pfizer vaccine, as their primary COVID-19 vaccinations are eligible.

The booster vaccine is available at no cost to those who are eligible, regardless of their insurance status.

To register and schedule an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, call 828.349.2081.

October 6-12, 2021

Pfizer boosters delayed in Macon

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Etched in stone Cemetery tour regs rub some the wrong way

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ack near the end of 2018, the cemetery was the focus of intense controversy when a regularly scheduled cleanup of Green Hill quickly turned into a nightmare, both for the town and for people who have relatives interred there.

Despite abundant signage and an ordinance in place since 2009 prohibiting all “trinkets, toys, shells, glass vases, jars, tin cans, sand, or other artificial material” except for cut or artificial flowers, visitors were shocked to see prohibited mementoes removed from the grounds and haphazardly piled in heaps.

Two-dozen speakers at a Dec. 13, 2018, town meeting called the whole thing “disrespectful” and “despicable,” but the cleanup was-

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Tour historic Green Hill Cemetery The Town of Waynesville will host its annual Green Hill Cemetery tour at 4 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 9. The tour will feature local reenactors in period costume telling tales of some of Waynesville’s most prominent citizens, including Stephen Shelton, a Civil War veteran and Haywood sheriff who built the Shelton House (portrayed by Mike McLean) and D.M. Killian, an early proponent of industrialization and electrification (portrayed by Chip Killian). Ann Melton will discuss the art of Asheville monument dealer W.O. Wolfe, and Lorna Sterling will present the history of Green Hill Cemetery itself. In the event of rain, the tour will automatically be rescheduled to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16. A free shuttle from the American Legion will begin at 3:15 p.m.

For more information, call the town’s Historic Preservation Commission at 828.452.0401.

Smoky Mountain News

he first known reference to Green Hill Cemetery appears in a Haywood County deed dating to 1826, when Thomas Love, brother of Waynesville founder Robert Love, sold a section of land to a man named Ezekiel Brown.

Excluded from the sale were 8 acres that would be conveyed to the trustees of the county’s first school, Green Hill Academy.

Included in the acreage was a pre-existing graveyard.

At the time, less than 100 people lived in Waynesville and growth remained minimal though the Civil War. In 1871, when the town formally incorporated, population had doubled. The next decade, population doubled again. By 1900, there were more than 1,300 residents and through World War II, Green Hill remained the primary cemetery for Waynesville’s white population.

According to Green Hill’s National Register of Historic Places registration form, the cemetery “developed within the artistic tradition of Appalachian graveyards” influenced not only by race, ethnicity and social status, but also by the melancholy allegory of a people focused intently on both the misery of life in this world and the reward of eternal

October 6-12, 2021

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS E DITOR aynesville’s historic Green Hill Cemetery has long been a centerpiece of the community, but of late it’s been at the center of controversy. After a botched cleanup prompted a closer look at management of town-owned cemeteries, restrictions on tours were implemented due to complaints of disrespectful behavior. Now that the town has resumed hosting its annual cemetery tour, public response has been generally positive, but due to Green Hill’s role as an active cemetery where burials still take place, the event will be an important test of how the community should utilize the cemetery.

life in the next.

Some of the more distinctive monuments can be traced to Asheville stonecutter William Oliver Wolfe, from whom his son Thomas drew inspiration for his debut coming-of-age novel “Look Homeward, Angel.”

In 1949, a specific section of Green Hill Cemetery was dedicated for veterans. For the past four years, local ROTC units have partnered with the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion to decorate more than 500 of those gravesites as part of the national “Wreaths Across America” in December.

Today, the cemetery sits on almost 26 acres of land and contains thousands of gravesites including some of the most prominent people ever to call Haywood County home over centuries, people like actor Gig Young, U.S. Senator William Howell Smathers (1937-43), congressmen James Moody (1901-03) and Edward Robeson, Jr. (1950-59) and perhaps most famously, United States Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Carl Mundy (1991-1995).

Between its historic pedigree, its commanding views of the surrounding countryside, its oft-haunting memorials and its prominent residents, Green Hill Cemetery draws plenty of attention from tourists and locals alike. But not everyone appreciates that attention.

I can see how [tours at smaller graveyards] might be distasteful to some people. I totally understand that. I think Green Hill is somewhere firmly in the middle, where it is used by the public. Some people go and walk up there.

I’s a place to go and reflect place to go be meditative and solemn.”

For Randy Mathis, who was active during the 2018 controversy as a member of the Green Hill Cemetery Committee and as the first chairman of the town’s Cemetery Committee, the issue is much more of an emotional one; his 4-year-old son rests permanently in Green Hill.

“They raped his grave,” Mathis said, noting that he’d built a small sandbox and filled it with sand from his travels across the world to places like Israel and Jordan. The sandbox was removed by town staff, according to Mathis.

Mathis disagrees with Hickox and thinks the Cemetery Committee should be a bit more restrictive in the types of activities allowed at Green Hill.

“I’m even against you know when the Boy Scouts, they used to go over and do the rubbings, even though you’re doing it with charcoal you’re still rubbing on a tombstone,” Mathis said. “That, you know, that can damage them.”

He also said that he didn’t think the process by which approval for the tour was given, and cited Cemetery Committee member Sharon Franks as saying she’d heard absolutely nothing about the tour.

Franks, however, was not a member of the Cemetery Committee when the request was made, voted on and passed, per draft minutes from the July 20 meeting.

When the town posted a flyer on its Facebook page announcing the forthcoming tour, most responses were positive and expressed an eagerness to participate in the tour, which will feature several locals serving as reenactors to tell the stories of those buried there.

The Green Hill Cemetery Committee’s Facebook page, run by Mathis, had a predictably different response: protest the tour.

“I’ll do it until the day I’m dead,” Mathis said.

news

Green Hill Cemetery

n’t the only thing to draw ire from the public.

Commercial entities had been holding cemetery tours that many complained were also disrespectful, with some leveling claims that people were traipsing over gravesites or sitting on funerary art. Perhaps most shocking was the allegation that some “new-age” tour groups were attempting to communicate with the dead and sprinkling various substances on gravesites.

A few concerned citizens quickly organized an ad-hoc group called the Green Hill Cemetery Committee, and were instrumental in pushing the town to establish its own Cemetery Committee.

With the help of aldermen, the newly established town Cemetery Committee then revised the existing cemetery ordinance, which in addition to addressing the cleanup/memento issue, also addresses the issue of tours.

Now, an entire chapter of Waynesville’s Code of Ordinances is devoted to cemetery regulation. Section 18-26 of the ordinance regulates tours, and lays out three stipulations.

History tours and other events “designed to promote the appreciation of our culture or history” are expressly permitted, however commercial tours or tours after dark are not.

Permission for such activities must be given by the town more than 30 days prior to the event.

The ordinance doesn’t specify how, or by whom, permission is to be granted, but on June 2 of this year, the town’s Historic Preservation Commission discussed the feasibility of holding a tour in the cemetery on Oct. 9.

According to town ordinances, the Historic Preservation Commission is charged with conducting educational programming “with respect to historic districts and landmarks within its jurisdiction.”

On July 14, Byron Hickox, a town land use administrator who also serves as the town’s staff representative on the Historic Preservation Committee, sent a letter to the town’s Cemetery Committee as an “official request from the Historic Preservation Commission to the Cemetery Committee to approve this event for the dates mentioned above.”

Draft minutes from a July 20 Cemetery Committee meeting show a motion to accept the request passed unanimously, with the stipulation that everyone stay on the paved road or walkways.

“I think it’s to highlight the importance of Green Hill Cemetery, its age and the prominent Waynesvillians buried there,” Hickox said of the HPC’s decision to continue the tours.

The Oct. 9 tour will be the sixth in seven years, but since COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 2020 tour, this will be the first to take place under the revised cemetery ordinance.

“In some places, cemeteries are completely private. Maybe they’re privately owned, whereas this is a public cemetery. I think you’d have a hard time justifying it being gated and locked and closed to the public when it is a public property,” said Hickox, who is not a voting member of the HPC. “Maybe in bigger cities where you’ve got thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people interred there, they almost have a park-like setting and

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

So many good things in one place T

Warning on archives is just too much To the Editor: One can find treasures in the most improbable places. For me, the Letters to the Editor captures the flavor, thought, and concern of local residents. Whatever the tenor, whether amusing, strident, or irreverent, the letters offer the spectrum of current concerns.

There is seldom universal agreement, but the crux of the matter is that opinions are not just possible, they are encouraged.

Contrast local opinion with the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Incomprehensibly, the federal employees on the Archives staff have posted a warning sign above founding documents, including a copy of the United States Constitution. They warn that our Constitution “may reflect racist, sexist, ableists, misogynistic/misogynoir, and zenophobic opinions and attitudes; Be discriminating towards or exclude diverse views on sexuality, gender, religion and more; Include graphic content of historical events such as violent death, medical procedures, crime, wars/terrorists’ acts, natural disasters and more; demonstrate bias and exclusion in institutional collecting and digitization policies.”

Further, it states that the document is “outdated, offensive and insensitive.” Staff wishes to “forewarn audiences of content that may cause intense physiological and psychological symptoms.”

er. Canton leaders, including Mayor Zeb Smathers and members of the town board, wanted to let people from around the region know that the mill town was still very much alive and well after the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred had wreaked havoc on it and the outlying communities of Cruso, Bethel

The crowd at the Grit and Grace benefit, with the Evergreen paper mill in the background. Jeff Delannoy photo

Scott McLeod

he socket wrench felt comfortable in my hands, which was a good thing: a quick look in a nearby box revealed dozens of large bolts with washers awaiting the attention of our crew. I’ve always enjoyed tools, working with my hands, building or putting things together.

It was around 10 a.m. last Saturday morning, the sun heating up on this early fall day as about a dozen people assembled the superstructure for the sound system in Sorrells Street Park in Canton. I had never done this before and so was fascinated and also enjoying doing something outside on such a gorgeous day. Members of Haywood County’s own Balsam Range were also there lifting and building, as was Smoky Mountain News Writer Cory Vaillancourt.

The metal speaker stands, more like mini oil derricks, required bolting together successive pieces of fabricated metal that were then raised by a motor on the back of the structure.

We’ve all seen them at concerts, but I had never helped assemble one. Cool process, and it took lots of hands to pull it off.

That Saturday morning group was just a sampling of the tremendous volunteer effort that came together to organize the Grit and Grace benefit concert by Balsam Range and Amanda Platt and the Honeycutters later that evening. The stage and the sound system were donated by Pisgah AVL with help from John Holder and Chad Stewart. They were hoping for help assembling it. Help came.

And that’s really what this benefit concert was all about, people helping people. Our arts writer Garrett Woodward and Balsam Range’s Buddy Melton hatched the idea of a show that would help flood victims but also to bring people togeth-

Editor

and Clyde.

And so people got to work. Thanks goodness I had planned a visit to my dentist’s office for a cleaning when this was just a kernel of an idea. Hygienist and Clyde Lions Club member Laura Inman said the club, and the Cantons Lions Club, would probably help. What an understatement.

Inman and Max Bumgardner of the Canton Lions Club embraced the idea and their club members jumped in. They were responsible for many of the tasks required for pulling off such a large event, from collecting and counting cash dona-

LETTERS If this evaluation of the documents which guarantee our freedoms is accurate, then one must expect that the Letters to the Editor page will soon carry a warning label. The same must apply to all printed matter, movies, TV, etc.

Where will government correctness and repression end? Thomas Jefferson said that “A government that is big enough to give you everything that you want is a government big enough to take away everything that you have.”

Don’t let them confiscate your freedoms.

Kathryn van Heyningen Franklin

GOP actions weaken republic To the Editor: Republicans keep claiming that Democrats are destroying the country. They use emotionally laden words like “socialism” and “communism” in ways that are ridiculous and silly.

In reality, Republicans are the ones who are trying to destroy our democratic republic with voter suppression and other ways to steal elections. More than 20 Republican-led states have passed voter suppression laws designed to make it more difficult for folks who are not affluent white folks to vote. In some states, they have passed laws allowing Republican

tions to toting trash cans and putting out water, getting portapotties and dumpsters and masks donated, even working feverishly to get an alcohol permit into the Raleigh ABC office a hair’s breath before the deadline. Law enforcement showed up, and Piney Grove Methodist fed all the volunteers barbecue, keeping spirits up and people energized.

It was one of those events that reinforces how much I love living in a small town and in this particular place.

People needed help, they needed their spirits lifted, and people step up, no questions asked. As I watched the Lions Club members walking through the crowd with buckets, I saw people reaching into their pocketbooks and pockets and tossing money into the kitty.

Including the credit card donations collected by the Celesa Willett and the United Way, all told about $36,000 was raised that evening, all going to help people in Haywood County who suffered as a result of Tropical Storm Fred and its devastating floodwaters.

This was indeed a rare event: people were generous, they shared music with friends and strangers, and they helped individuals and a community heal. Not much more to say except a heartfelt thanks to all who volunteered and all who attended and were a part of a memorable celebration.

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

legislators to throw out election results if they don’t like the outcome.

Republicans are not interested in governing as demonstrated under four years of Trump. Try to find any legislation that was for the benefit of the general public, such as infrastructure, education, or renewable energy.

Their only interest appears to be grabbing and keeping power at all cost.

Not only are Republicans obsessed with power, but they also have no use for actual facts and science. Instead of evaluating what works in curbing the COVID pandemic, they promoted false information and hairbrained cures that had no basis in facts or reality.

From drinking bleach to taking horse dewormer, they came up with one fanciful suggestion after another instead of promoting those actions that have been proven to actually work, like wearing masks and getting vaccinated.

They seemed content with exposing adults and kids to COVID with the risks of hospitalization and even death. Even if one “recovers” from the acute effects of COVID, the “long haul” cases have mental and medical problems that persist for months if not years or for their lifetime.

When they don’t get their way, Republicans around the country have resorted to violence and intimidation. They have harassed school officials, school board members, and even assaulted people in public places trying to get people to wear masks.

I am reminded of a line in a book by Isaac

Asimov, “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”

Norman Hoffman Waynesville

Texas abortion law appears unconstitutional To the Editor: The anti-abortion law enacted by Texas appears strong and worrisome. But, is it really strong? This major question lingers: where will the “bounty money” come from?

The Fourteenth Amendment may be relevant. It states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the protection of the laws.

Somewhere in the Fourteenth Amendment there must be a legal basis to challenge the Texas law. Read it once more. Then decide what you think about the law itself cast up against the Constitution. Each of us has feelings about the abortion controversy. But, we must follow the Constitution or amend it.

Dave Waldrop Webster

Reminders of humanity after a grueling day

Susanna Shetley

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Smoky Mountain News

all of the participants get through the grueling 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.

Throughout the day, I followed him on the Ironman tracker app, watching his times mile by mile and observing his tiny avatar bounce across the screen.

After about 13 hours, the tracker told me he was only a couple miles from the finish line. It had been a long, nerve-wrenching day for everyone. I knew how much finishing the race meant to him and how defeated he would feel if he failed to accomplish it. When I saw his figure cresting the hill to come down the shoot and across finish line, I screamed and yelled and rang my bell, along with hundreds of other spectators. The look on his face is unforgettable.

The night after the race, Matthew could barely move his legs. When he tried to eat two potato chips, he almost vomited, so there was no celebratory food or libations.

He slept like a rock and the next day felt much better. He woke up ravenous and with just a little soreness in his lower legs and feet.

Not everyone went home victorious.

Some of the racers were pulled from the water during the swim. I watched them cry as they slumped their shoulders and sat in the medic tent, awaiting further instructions. Other participants experienced equipment failure or wrecks on the bike portion and were forced to stop. Some folks became physically ill and couldn’t keep going.

Another group of racers finished after the allotted 17 hours and therefore weren’t technically announced as an Ironman.

There was one “cheerleader” named Stuart Kirk who became famous throughout the day and made an impact on many. He was a big burly, bearded guy wearing a kilt and workman’s gloves and seemed to appear everywhere. He was an Ironman himself and knew what encouragement meant to him during his race. Afterward on the Facebook forum, he wrote the following.

“Becoming an Ironman isn’t something that happens in 17 hours. It happens in the 6+ months beforehand. It’s your sacrifice, it’s your family’s sacrifice, it’s the lost sleep for training, the lost time with friends. If being an Ironman is a cake, the race is just the frosting. Still, go out there and bust your ass. You and your family did the hard work. Don’t waste this moment.”

When thinking of humanity as a whole, it was alive and well in Indiana. Not only was it inspiring to watch the many dedicated, talented athletes, but it was also uplifting to be among a swarm of kind and supportive people along the route. It felt almost utopian. I know that my experience in Muncie is not everyday reality, but it is certainly nice to stumble into a situation where you are reminded there is still so much good in the world.

(Susanna Shetley is an editor, writer and social media specialist at The Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living and Mountain South Media. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)

October 6-12, 2021

n today’s unpredictable, chaotic world, we’re in search of anything that offers hope for humanity.

Years ago when I first met my boyfriend, Matthew, he was training for two upcoming triathlons, a sprint distance at Lake Lure and an Olympic distance in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, I knew very little about triathlons. Never did I think I would participate in triathlons myself or that Matthew would one day be an Ironman. Fast-forward four years and all that has changed.

About six months ago, Matthew’s son suggested he do a full Ironman race.

Prior to that, the longest distance he’d completed was a Half-Ironman of 70.3 miles. When he mentioned the full Ironman to me, I was fully supportive.

Columnist I’d watched him train for the 70.3 race and knew he could do the full if he put his mind to it.

He registered for Ironman Indiana and during the following months trained hard.

Saturday and Sunday mornings weren’t spent lazily enjoying coffee. Instead, he was in the water, on a bike or on his own two feet swimming, biking and running long distances. During the week, he was up at 4:15 a.m. training before waking up the kids or getting ready for work.

Last weekend we drove the seven-hour drive to Muncie, Indiana, for him to complete his first full Ironman. The moment we walked into registration at Horizon Convention Center in downtown Muncie, the atmosphere was electric. It takes a unique human being to commit to such a feat. Along with the full Ironman, there was also a 70.3 race. Combined, over 2,000 athletes were in the area for Saturday’s events.

The morning of the race we awoke at 4:30 to ensure Matthew had time to eat breakfast and digest food before heading over to the race site. It’s true that nutrition is the fourth leg of a triathlon. Once we arrived to the Prairie Creek Reservoir, the place was abuzz with triathletes from around the globe. The nerves and excitement were palpable, even to a bystander such as myself.

As the day unfolded, I watched these athletes swim, bike and run their hearts out. As a spectator, I stood on the sidelines to not only cheer on Matthew but also every other racer who came by. I rang my cowbell, clapped and yelled encouraging words.

With the majority of the bike and run being on barricaded rural midwestern roads, it was hard to see Matthew during the race but there were nutrition and restroom stations set up along the route. He will attest that the people at the stations and other committed support personnel helped

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Smoky Mountain News

Givin’ it the old college try

SMN: And that’s what I hear from a lot of longtime musicians and bands. They all say the key to being successful in the music industry is, “don’t quit.”

DW: Yeah. I mean, some people had told us that after that decade mark [things would start to happen]. You know, it’s true, even for regular businesses. Things just started happening.

I remember people [would tell us to] “just keep going.” And we were probably eight or nine [years together] at that point. That’s just one of those things [where we thought] it wouldn’t happen to us. But, as soon as we hit the decade mark, things started to fall into place a little bit.

Then, we released [the album] “Teamwork” two months before the pandemic actually hit.

But I think we’re now starting to see the result of all that [momentum], getting back on the road in a more consistent way these last few months. We’re selling out pre-sale tickets everywhere, which hasn’t ever really happened, to be honest with you.

And I think that’s a result of “Teamwork” leading into “Bloomin’” with Carl, as well.

Those two releases and everything else that we’ve done the past decade or more is the reason we’re doing what we’re doing today, which is staying afloat and staying busy.

Daniel Womack of Futurebirds

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR n its new four-song EP, “Bloomin’,” Athens, Georgia-based rock outfit Futurebirds tapped Carl Broemel to not only produce the album, but also collaborate, as heard on the powerhouse track “Blue Eyed Girl.”

Guitarist for rock juggernaut My Morning Jacket, Broemel is yet another step onward and upward for the ‘Birds — arguably the wildest, most intriguing and invigorating ensemble in America right now. Some 12 years into its coast-to-coast musical odyssey, the ‘Birds remain a steadfast, ever-evolving entity of sonic textures and lyrical aptitude.

And it’s that “hell or high water” mentality the ‘Birds have retained at its core since its inception that lies at the foundation of

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Want to go?

Rising rockers Futurebirds and Moon Taxi will perform at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, on the outdoor stage at the Salvage Station in Asheville.

Sparkle City Disco will kick off the show. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 day of show (general admission).

For more information and/or to purchase, go to www.salvagestation.com and click on the “Events” tab. this current, bountiful chapter for the band — a raucous stage presence and intricate artistic purpose of unlimited possibility and potential.

Smoky Mountain News: Futurebirds were lining up for a breakthrough year in 2020. New album. National tour. Then, the shutdown. What’s

been your big takeaway with that, and with live music slowly coming back?

Daniel Womack (guitarist): Personally, I’ve just been reflecting a lot, honestly. On just what we’ve gone through these past 12 years as a band. We’ve been touring relentlessly pretty much the whole time until 2020.

And [during the shutdown], I’ve been going through pictures, going through memories. It was the first time in a long time that I’ve been like, “Wow, we’ve really been through a lot.”

We’ve been through all the clichés of van life and being a band on the road for the past decade.

And feeling successful for the first time also, in a way that we had never been.

Everything was so crazy during the pandemic.

But, for some reason, we stayed afloat, and even thrived at certain points.

I think if it weren’t for putting in the groundwork and the road work that we did for the past decade — building relationships with our fans — then [our post-pandemic survival] wouldn’t have even been possible.

SMN: After all the blood, sweat and tears, everything is now starting to come into focus.

DW: Absolutely. We’ve very grateful as to how it’s going right now, that level of gratitude that we’ve got. For many years, it wasn’t like that. I remember there’d be 50 people or whatever [at a show]. Now, it’s consistent [sold out concerts] all over the Southeast and up into New York. It’s motivating and energizing — we’re always looking at the next level, which is part of our nature.

And yet, all of us did at some point — deep down — knew that this was where it was going, and that we were capable of this. You’re never certain, but that’s part of the reason we’re here — we never quit.

It has taken a decade or so to get to this point as to what’s actually happening. There have been so many ups and down, peaks and valleys, during that decade, too. But, if you can make it to the other side, I think you’re good to go. Everything starts building on itself.

We have a long way to go. We have a lot of work to do. But we’re stoked that this is the case. It’s good now, but it’s just the beginning — this next level is just the beginning.

“And yet, all of us did at some point — deep down — knew that this was where it was going, and that we were capable of this.

You’re never certain, but that’s part of the reason we’re here — we never quit.”

— Daniel Womack

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Billy Strings winning the IBMA ‘Entertainer of the Year.” (photo: Garret K. Woodward)

Ode to the bluegrass awards, ode to a sea change

F

The Mountain High Music, Craft & Car Show will take place Saturday, Oct. 9, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

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The Ricky Gunter Band will perform at a flood relief benefit on Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds, alongside Tricia Ann, Ryan Perry Band, Kayla McKinney, Shooting Creek, J Creek Cloggers, Gene Pool, and Shane Aikens.

2

Americana/folk singer-songwriter Woolybooger will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville.

3 4

Elevated Mountain Distillery and Feline Urgent Rescue (FUR) will co-sponsor the Moonshine & Felines fundraiser, which will be held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at the distillery in Maggie Valley.

5

show, it was an eerie scene. Usually it’d be a sold-out affair, where everyone is in tuxedos and black dresses or rhinestone (i.e. Doyle Lawson). But, the venue was less than half full, with most of the prime real estate in terms of front row seating empty. Thus, I found myself in the half-full front row reserved for “Entertainer of the Year” nominees.

Throughout the showcase and live broadcast, there were several key moments. Alison Krauss being inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. As too were The Stoneman

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The third annual Smoky Mountain Arts Festival will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 9, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 10 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oct. 11 under the big tent behind Gallery Zella in Bryson City.

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October 6-12, 2021

inishing my beer and burger, I emerged from the depths of Jimmy V’s bar in the lobby of the Sheraton hotel in downtown Raleigh last Thursday evening. In a sport coat, dress shirt and bolo tie, I headed for the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

That evening was the 32nd annual International Bluegrass Music Association award show.

Normally, the red carpet would be lined the entire way with marquee stars and record label executives. But, in this current era of the pandemic, the red carpet was a ghost town, with barely anyone stepping up to the bar during the cocktail hour in the lobby of the center.

Grabbing a bourbon on the rocks, I turned around and noticed my ole buddy C.J. Lewandowski on the patio. Lead singer/mandolinist for the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, the East Tennessee group was up for “Entertainer of the Year” later that night.

We shook hands and caught up, ultimately realizing we hadn’t seen each other in almost two years, which is wild, considering we’d cross paths often backstage at music festivals and running around in the same social circles.

So, I ask him, what it is about bluegrass that simply pulls so deep within you?

“It’s real. There’s very little between you and an audience member when you’re up there onstage — it’s you, your voice, your instrument, and a microphone that just carries that sound,” Lewandowski said. “And there’s nothing else — it’s just raw and real.

And that’s what we want. We’re talking about things on that stage that we can’t talk about in person. So, it’s good to connect, and that’s what people need right now.”

Entering the auditorium for the award

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Family, who also performed (with 83-yearold banjoist Roni and 87-year-old mandolinist Donna onstage). And a fiery cover of “Eastbound and Down” by the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys all decked out in suits formerly owned by late country star Mel Tillis.

Haywood County’s own Balsam Range was awarded its third “Song of the Year” honor for “Richest Man.” It was another feather in the cap for the legendary bluegrass quintet, who have also taken home “Entertainer of the Year” and “Album of the Year” twice in both categories over the years.

“I think the ‘Song of the Year’ award is incredibly important. We’ve worked really hard over the last 15 years to select songs that impact people and represent us well,” said Balsam Range lead singer/fiddler Buddy Melton. “A good friend of ours, [the late] Tony Rice told me one time, ‘great music and great songs are timeless.’ To me, this award means we can hopefully live on through our music.”

But, perhaps the most poignant — more so eye-opening — moment of the award show came at the end of the night with the “Entertainer of the Year” going to 29-yearold guitar sensation Billy Strings.

Now, to those in the know, it’s no surprise at all to see Billy & Co. pick up this recognition. As of late, they are the biggest string band on the planet. They’re the future of the “high, lonesome sound,” and of its survival. Billy has brought legions of new fans and the curious alike into the bluegrass world, whether they realized it or not.

And it’s wild to think of when Billy Strings rolled through Haywood County just four years ago to play the Cold Mountain Music Festival in Lake Logan. I was well-aware of him by that point. I knew this dude had “it,” and alerted my friends to catch his early afternoon slot (which was sparsely attended).

He blew the doors off CMMF, then simply wandered into the crowd to make friends. Now? He’s packing out arenas across the country and selling out world-class stages like Red Rocks — all while converting a whole new generation of music freaks into lifelong bluegrass lovers.

Many bluegrass purists and elitists tend to forget that, well, the “Father of Bluegrass” himself, the late Bill Monroe, was, in all seriousness, a rebel. When he first combined New Orleans Dixieland jazz with blues and gospel into this whole new thing he called “bluegrass,” he was a rebel, and way beyond his time.

And Monroe never ceases to be influenced by any and all sounds coming from any and all directions — country, rock, jazz, pop, etc. He was a sponge. Always listening.

Always absorbing. Always picking something new up to put into his own toolbox for later use, which is something of a kindred spirit when you place Strings right next to Monroe.

Strings winning “Entertainer of the Year” represents a sea change, a seismic shift in the bluegrass world. The next chapter of the “high, lonesome sound” is right here and now. As they say, “you’re either on the bus or you’re off the bus.” And the Strings bus right now is blasting down that endless cosmic highway of melody and intent.

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

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

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On the beat arts & entertainment

‘A Musical Journey of Water and Light’

Balsam Range.

The Bardo Arts Center (BAC) Performance Hall will open the fall 2021 season with a brand-new production, “Seeing Sound: A Musical Journey of Water and Light,” which will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 14-15 at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

This unique immersive experience offers an answer to the question: if we could see sound, what would we see?

“Seeing Sound” is an original BAC produc-

‘Mountain High Music, Craft & Car Show’

October 6-12, 2021

The Mountain High Music, Craft & Car Show will take place Saturday, Oct. 9, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

The daylong event will include a music festival, several craft vendors and a car show.

The music schedule is as follows: Mountain Faith Band w/KornBread Kreek (11 a.m.), Blue Highway (2 p.m.), clogging exhibition and show (4:15 p.m.) and Balsam Range (7:30 p.m.).

In terms of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), Balsam Range

Victoria to play Innovation Singer-songwriter Anna Victoria will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Innovation Station in Dillsboro.

The performance is free and open to the public. To learn more about Anna Victoria, visit www.facebook.com/annavictoriamusic.

For more information and a complete schedule of events at the brewery, visit www.innovation-brewing.com.

Bryson City community jam Smoky Mountain News

has taken home “Entertainer of the Year” (2014, 2018), “Album of the Year” (2013, 2017), “Song of the Year” (2011, 2015, 2021) and “Vocal Group of the Year” (2014, 2015), aside from several individual honors with Buddy Melton named “Male Vocalist of the Year” (2014, 2018) and Tim Surrett “Bass Player of the Year” (2018).

Admission to the all-day music festival is $55. The car show and craft fair are free to attend. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.smokymountainarts.com or call 828.524.1598.

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

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

The music jams are offered to the public each first and third Thursday of the month — year-round. The next jam will be Oct. 21.

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

828.488.3030.

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tion that synthesizes live music across genres into light. Each note creates its own color that will be registered by an LED that first shines its light into water, allowing the rippling reflections of color to project into the space.

“Seeing Sound” is a collaboration across the different departments in Belcher College, along with members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI),

who are coming together to celebrate the miracle of water as interpreted through music and light. The production is also pulling technical resources from the WCU School of Stage and Screen, artists from the WCU School of Art and Design, and musicians/composers from the WCU School of Music.

Synesthesia is a condition in which individuals often experience stimulation in multiple senses when an experience is meant to only stimulate one. For example, often individuals say they can "see music as colors" when they hear it.

This idea sparked an incredible process that led to “Seeing Sound: A Musical Journey of Water and Light,” where all audiences will have the opportunity to truly see music transformed into color before their eyes. The production will feature a wide variety of musicians across a broad spectrum of genres, offering something for almost anyone to enjoy.

Find tickets and further information at arts.wcu.edu/seeingsound. The BAC Box Office can be reached at 828.227.2479 and will reopen with ticket sales at 10 a.m.

Oct. 1. Masks are mandatory at all WCU in-person events, which include Bardo Arts Center.

J.J. Hipps.

Ready for ‘Apple Jam’?

Presented by Adamas Entertainment and The Smoky Mountain News, the inaugural “Apple Jam” music gathering will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, in The Smoky Mountain News parking lot at 144 Montgomery Street in downtown Waynesville.

Hitting the stage will be beloved local singer-songwriter Chris Minick (4:30 p.m.), regional blues/rock guitar wizard J.J. Hipps (6 p.m.) and Asheville alt-country/indie sensation Gold Rose (7:45 p.m.).

The show is free (with a suggested donation of $15). Craft beer and a food truck will also be onsite. Lawn chairs and blankets are allowed.

For more information, contact Smoky Mountain News Arts & Entertainment Editor Garret K. Woodward at garret@smokymountainnews.com.

Ricky Gunter.

Gunter wins two Josie Music Awards Marshall native and country music performer Ricky Gunter walked away from the Country Tonite Theater in Pigeon Forge,

Tennessee, on Sept. 17, with two big awards.

Each year, the Josie Music Association hosts an awards competition for independent artists. Last year, 38,000 submissions from a variety of categories resulted in almost 1,000 nominations across a broad range of musical styles and genres. Gunter won Vocalist of the Year in the country/male category, and also won the all ages vocal competition.

Gunter will next appear at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds on Thursday, Oct. 7, alongside Tricia Ann, Ryan Perry Band, Kayla McKinney, Shooting Creek, J Creek Cloggers, Gene Pool and Shane Aikens.

The event, a benefit for victims of the recent floods that impacted Haywood County, begins at noon and is a partnership between the Ricky Gunter Band and Hillbilly Jam. Call 828.734.4317 or visit www.facebook.com/rickyguntermusic.

On the beat

• “Pickin’ on the Square” (Franklin) will host live music Oct. 9 and The Band Intermission (variety) Oct. 16. All shows start at 7 p.m.

Free and open to the public. Located on Main Street. www.franklin-chamber.com.

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

• Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com.

BLUES, ROOTS AT FROG LEVEL Americana/folk singer-songwriter Woolybooger (above) will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. Dubbed “music to grow your hair out to,” the Murphy, North Carolina, musician is well-regarded for his mix of blues and roots music into a unique Southern Appalachian tone. Free and open to the public.

828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

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

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

ALSO:

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Sheila Gordon (piano/vocals) Oct. 9 ($10 show cover) and Joseph Hasty (guitar/vocals) Oct. 16 (dinner/show is $57 per person). All shows begin at 7 p.m.

Limited seating. Reservations required.

828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Elevated Mountain Distilling Company will host an Open Mic Night 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public.

828.734.1084 or www.elevatedmountain.com.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will be held at the Town Square from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with Frank & Allie (Americana/folk) Oct. 8 and Silly Ridge Roundup Oct. 15. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Nick Colavito Oct. 8, Woolybooger Oct. 9,

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

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

828.743.3000 or www.theuglydogpub.com.

• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Blackjack Country Oct. 7, TNT Oct. 8, Karaoke w/Joel Oct. 14, Jason Lee Wilson & James County Oct. 15 and Carolina Freighshakers Oct. 16. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.

• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host Bohemian Jean (classic rock/Americana) 6-9 p.m. Oct. 9. 828.926.7440 or www.valley-tavern.com.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host karaoke on Thursday nights, an Oktoberfest celebration 8 p.m. Oct. 9 and Humps & The Blackouts “Halloween Extravaganza” 9 p.m. Oct. 30. 828.456.4750 or www.facebook.com/waternhole.bar.

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

828.743.6000 or www.whitesidebrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Yard Karaoke 7 p.m. Oct. 8 and Scoundrel’s Lounge Oct. 23. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Scoundrel’s Lounge Oct. 22. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Maggie Valley Pavilion will host the Haywood Community Band at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17. Free and open to the public. Bring your own lawn chair. Donations accepted.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 or www.mtnlayersbeer.com.

Smoky Mountain News

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

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host Anna Victoria (singer-songwriter) Oct. 10. All events are free and begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host “Hotel California: A Salute to the Eagle” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7.

Tickets start at $18, with priority seating available. For more information and to pur-

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

828.492.8009 or www.southern-porch.com.

October 6-12, 2021

• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host karaoke at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, trivia at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends.

All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 or www.boojumbrewing.com.

Syrrup 2 p.m. Oct. 10, Smooth Goose Oct. 15, Sugar & The Cubes Oct. 16 and Gin Mill Pickers Oct. 17. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will be held at the Kelsey-Hutchinson Park from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with Nitrograss (bluegrass/Americana) Oct. 9 and Rockbillys Oct. 16. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org.

chase tickets, click on www.smokymountainarts.com.

arts & entertainment

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Shane Meade & The Sound (rock/soul) 8 p.m. Nov. 5. 828.641.9797 or www.nantahalabrewing.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

arts & entertainment

On the street

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HART play, painter combine forces When the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (HART) in Waynesville needed a custom-painted portrait of an actor with his six-foot invisible rabbit friend, local painter Barbara Brook hopped to the task.

Working on a 5-foot canvas, Brook created the hero Elwood P. Dowd and pal Harvey on a scale to complement the family library stage set. Brook bookends her rabbit piece with her solo painting show at HART, on display in the mainstage lobby during the run of the play.

The production of “Harvey” will hit HART’s mainstage at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15-16, 21-23 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 17 and 24.

Brook says she started the oil painting with a traditional "family portrait” arrangement, using a photo of the lead Jack Heinen and the imaginary Harvey. "He’s a real rabbit, just a giant one," said Brook. “The portrait looks like the actor, and I chose a dark background to give it a classical feel."

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for playwright Mary Chase, the play “Harvey” has a reputation as a comedy, and offers a view on the impact of mental illness before medications were prevalent.

It was made into a 1950s movie starring Jimmy Stewart and Josephine Hull. Hull originated the role on Broadway and won an

‘Moonshine & Felines’ ‘Fall Reflections’ by Barbara Brook.

Oscar for her film performance as Elwood’s sister Veta, who grows increasingly disturbed by her brother’s behavior.

Originally an oil painter, Brook took up watercolors 30 years ago, when her interest was sparked by her grandmother’s self-portrait.

Utilizing a glazing technique that brings luminosity to the work, Brook's paintings have earned recognition and numerous awards.

Brook teaches classes locally in watercolor and in Batik painting, which involves “resist painting” with wax and watercolors on textured rice paper. She is a member of the Southern Watercolor Society, the Watercolor Society of NC, the Transparent Watercolor Society of America, and serves on the Board of the Haywood County Arts Council.

For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on www.harttheatre.org.

Elevated Mountain Distillery and Feline Urgent Rescue (FUR) will co-sponsor the Moonshine & Felines fundraiser to benefit the cats and kittens of FUR. The event will be held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at the distillery in Maggie Valley.

For $30, folks can enjoy a fun evening of music with dinner courtesy of Wolf Street Bistro, a silent auction, raffles for unique, locally sourced goodies, and a 50/50 raffle. Then, the Ryan Perry Band will take the stage at 8 p.m. (admission is included in the ticket price).

Sponsorships are also available for $125 and include two entry fees, two meals, two tickets to the Rick Perry concert (and recognition at the event).

Elevated Mountain Distillery is located at 3732 Soco Road in Maggie Valley.

FUR’s annual meeting will kick off the event at 4:30. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at www.furofwnc.org.

All proceeds benefit Feline Urgent Rescue of Western North Carolina, a nonprofit dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming of abused, abandoned and neglected cats.

For more information about FUR, visit or call 844.888.CATS (2287).

Triple-Win Climate Solutions: Readers tell how they mitigate climate change Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. —William Wordsworth, 1798

J

an Jacobson, Haywood County, is the first to respond to our request for readers’ actions to mitigate climate change. Ms. Jacobson has made numerous, easy changes, she writes, “to lessen my impact on our planet.” Her response below includes lists of what to do and information on buying.

Please send us your own climate-mitigating solutions for an upcoming column to mjcinwnc@gmail.com. Subject line: My climate project.

IN THE BATHROOM:

• Bar soap, bar shampoo, bar hair conditioner, deodorant in glass container, and dental tabs instead of toothpaste. As always, buying locally is best.

To see the range of options, check these US sources: Eco Roots has zero-waste everything for personal grooming, from shampoo to dental floss to razors. ecoroots.us/collections/gifts-ideas-for-bathbody • "Meow Meow Tweet" meowmeowtweet.com No shipping fee for orders over $40.00.

• The Earthling Company has low-waste skin care, soaps, shampoos, conditioners, theearthlingco.com/pages/about-the-earthling-com

• I buy toilet paper, tissue, paper towels from Who Gives a Crap. They make products from 100 percent recycled paper in recycled paper packaging: us.whogivesacrap.org

LAUNDRY:

My laundry detergent is from DROPPS. Pods are packaged in cardboard. Locally, you can buy cardboard/paper-packaged dishwasher detergent on the natural/organic shelves of supermarket kitchen-laundry aisles.

KITCHEN AND SHOPPING:

• Cloth bags for groceries/produce (no-brainer!)

• Buy nothing that comes in plastic 'netting' ? clementine oranges, potatoes, onions, etc.

Take your own reusable, washable mesh bags for each type of food.

• I use only diluted Dr. Bonner's soaps and re-use a spray-type bottle. Same with white vinegar and water. Do not purchase any cleaning products in spray-type or pump-type bottles.

• My stainless garbage can with insert eliminates plastic garbage bags. I haven't used plastic garbage bags since January 2020. To absorb moist food, line with biodegradable newspaper. Better yet, invest in a composter if you have a yard. See how-to videos by First United Methodist Church Waynesville at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocwv2_hente&li st=plhx3f3va161segxwjp62sbaje0xjrvmie&in dex=3

FOOD AND DRINK:

I buy wine from the US instead of buying wines shipped from European or other countries.

RECYCLING:

Hearing aid batteries and all others can be recycled. I collect my discards into a jar. When it's full, I take it to a county convenience center.

CLOTHING AND OTHER FABRICS:

My daughter lives in a part of New York where they have a fabric recycling area, so I take fabric (t-shirts, old linen, etc.) to her and she drops it off for me. And, she belongs to a "We Buy Nothing" group; if someone is done using something,

HAYWOOD COUNTY RECYCLING:

“There are no tipping fees on regular household waste hauled into our Materials Recovery Facility [off Jones Cove Road on Recycle Road]. No tipping fees are charged for tires or appliances.” Open Monday-Saturday 7 a.m.-5 p.m. See www.haywoodcountync.gov/314/Materials-Recovery-Facility • Lists of other items to recycle: www.haywoodcountync.gov/322/recycling-in-haywoodcounty • Note: Staples office supplies also takes used batteries, electronic devices, and most larger electronics including fax machines and even coffee brewers. For the complete list, go to www.staples.com/sbd/cre/marketing/sustainability-center/recycling-services/electronics/

they post a notice on their Facebook page and give it away. This is for people who don't want to buy more stuff and who want to avoid throwing more stuff in the trash.

See WNC Climate Action Coalition for other Triple-win articles and more: wncclimateaction.com Editor Mary Jane Curry, co-founder WNC Climate Action Coalition; and Climate Reality® Leader MJCinWNC@gmail.com

On the street

FREE

ESTIMATES

arts & entertainment

• The “Haunted School” will be held from 7 p.m. to midnight Oct. 8-9, 15-16, 22-23 and 29-31 at the Fines Creek Community Center.

Admission is $10 per person. Must be age 13 and up to enter without an adult. The Haywood County government has issued a required mask mandate while inside all county buildings as of Aug. 2, so all visitors must wear a mask. If you don’t have one, one will be provided for you. There will also be temperature checks on both you and our monsters to ensure your safety. Social distancing may add time to your wait, so please be prepared and patient. All proceeds support local scholarship funding and community needs. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/nchauntedschool.

HaywoodBuilders.com 100 Charles St. WAYNESVILLE

ALSO:

your friendly, local blue box — smoky mountain news

• Mountain Makers Craft Market will be held from noon to 4 p.m. the first Sunday of each month at 308 North Haywood Street in downtown Waynesville. Over two dozen artisans selling handmade and vintage goods.

Special events will be held when scheduled. www.mountainmakersmarket.com.

On the table • The “BBQ & Brews Dinner Train” will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car.

Craft beer pairings with a meal, and more.

For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.

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

828.631.3075.

Smoky Mountain News

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

October 6-12, 2021

• Farmer’s Market (with artisans) will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays through October at 117 Island Street in Bryson City. Stop by the old barn by the river for local, homegrown produce, as well as baked goods, jellies and preserves, authentic crafts, and more. Food truck, picnic tables and a strolling musician. Leashed pets are welcome. Outdoor event. Current Covid-19 safety protocols will be followed and enforced. 828.488.7857.

• The “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

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Smoky Mountain News

October 6-12, 2021

arts & entertainment

On the wall

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Open call for ‘Milestone’ submissions Submissions are now being taken for the 2021 edition of the Milestone, the biennial art and literary review published by Southwestern Community College.

Milestone showcases the creative expressions of local writers and visual artists. The periodical is representative of the abundance of talent in the region and seeks to foster creative potential by providing artists an opportunity to gain public awareness.

All residents of Jackson, Macon and Swain counties and the Qualla Boundary, as well as SCC students and alumni, are eligible.

Only unpublished work may be submitted.

Prose should not exceed 2,000 words, and should be limited to two pages in length.

Writers may submit more than one work.

All writing must be double-spaced and submitted in paper format or via email. In addition, each page must be numbered, and the author’s name, address, telephone number and email address should be included on the last page of each submission.

Visual artists and photographers may submit only black and white copies of original artwork and must also include name, address, telephone number, email address, title of work and photo caption (if applicable) on the back of each submission. Artists and photographers may also submit more than one work.

First- and second-place prizes will be awarded in three categories: poetry, prose (short story or nonfiction works) and visual arts, including photography. In addition, one cash prize will be awarded for cover art.

Literary submissions must be postmarked

by Dec. 3, 2021, and sent to SCC Milestone, Attn. Hannah Sykes; 447 College Drive; Sylva, NC 28779 or via email to milestone@southwesterncc.edu.

Submissions in visual art must be postmarked by the same date and sent to the same address, Attn. Hannah Sykes or via email to milestone@southwesterncc.edu.

For more information, contact Hannah Sykes at 828.339.4463 or h_sykes@southwesterncc.edu.

Smoky Mountain Arts Festival The third annual Smoky Mountain Arts Festival will be held from noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 9, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 10 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 11 under the big tent behind Gallery Zella in Bryson City.

There will also be a free reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10. This art expo and art competition will feature paintings, photography, jewelry and pottery by the best local artistic talent in the Great Smoky Mountains alongside internationally renowned artists.

In addition, a dozen emerging community artists will showcase their artwork from the Swain Arts Center. Visitors are encouraged to browse and vote for the “People's Choice” award in four categories. Live music will also be provided by Frank & Allie and Joseph Camuglia.

The event is rain or shine. Free and open to the public. For more information, go to www.greatsmokies.com and click on the “Events” tab.

Torn paper painting class Hosted by artisan Wendy Cordwell, a “Torn Paper Painting” workshop will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, at the Haywood County Arts Council in downtown Waynesville.

Creating a torn paper painting involves several steps. First, you draw and paint your image on a wooden panel.

Next, you paint A work by assorted papers in Wendy Cordwell. colors needed using fluid acrylic paints.

These papers can be from old books, music, maps, etc. Using these papers, you tear tiny pieces and glue them onto your painting one at a time. Once you have completed the painting, you varnish it to preserve it.

For more information, click on www.haywoodarts.org.

A work by Tom Lotshaw.

HCAC wildlife art showcase Presented by the Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC), the exhibit “Bear, Elk, Trout — Oh My!” will run through Oct. 30 at the HCAC in downtown Waynesville.

HCAC artist members were tasked with exploring the diversity and abundance of Western North Carolina’s unique ecosystem through the wildlife that calls it home.

The variability in elevation, climate, soils and geology in the Southern Appalachian region accounts for at least 80 species of amphibians and reptiles, 175 species of terrestrial birds, 65 species of mammals and at least 25,000 species of invertebrates.

The exhibit will include local animals of all kinds, in a variety of mediums from photography to sculpture. Each piece will include a brief paragraph which discusses the animal’s special habitat, elevation where it can be found, food sources, or why it is unique to the WNC area.

“This exhibit really meets all three prongs of HCAC’s mission, which is to promote artists, art education, and innovation in art,” said Morgan Beryl, HCAC’s executive director.

Appropriately, the exhibit is sponsored

by Appalachian Wildlife Refuge, a local nonprofit saving orphaned and injured wildlife.

Gallery goers who would like to support the wild ones are challenged to bring an easy to pick up item to donate that will help care for the wildlife in need. A complete wish list can be found on the refuge’s website: www.appalachianwild.org/wishlist.

A demonstration for the exhibit is planned with Wendy Cordwell from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, at the HCAC. Cordwell, a participating HCAC artist member, will demonstrate a torn paper painting technique. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Artist Kelly Lay is currently displaying her “Macro Photography Message in Prisms” work at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. The library is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Free and open to the public.

themes of labor and endurance in his video art practice with metaphoric references to African American identity, history, and experience. Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and until 7 p.m. Thursday. arts.wcu.edu/jeffersonpinder.

• To elevate the Dillsboro experience for the month of October, local businesses will be celebrating with “Dillsboro’s Downhome Harvest.” The community is inviting artisans to set up a booth in front of businesses from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The Great Smoky Railroad will be arriving daily at 1:15 p.m. There will be “walking scarecrows,” face painting, trickor-treating, and more. If interested, contact Connie Hogan at chogan4196@gmail.com.

ALSO:

• The “Jefferson Pinder: Selections from the Inertia Cycle” exhibit is currently on display at the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. Pinder focuses on

• An art contest (ages 5 years and up) will be held through Oct. 14 at the Marianna Black library in Bryson City. A fun night complete with face painting for children and other activities will also take place during the “Gallery Night” event from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19. The theme of the contest is “It’s a Beautiful World.”

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

On the stage

some dark times as well.

“If I could have the audience take away one thing from this play, it would be that finding that empathy and compassion for another person, despite our differences, is the key to mankind surviving,” Kinter said.

HART requires all patrons to wear a mask while at the theatre. Tickets are available by visiting www.harttheatre.org or by calling the HART box office at 828.456.6322 from 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. This show is suitable for all ages.

ONLY $18.99* PER YEAR! Subscribe at smliv.com and use promo code 2021WOW for

Want to learn theater?

This fall, there will be a slew of theater classes offered by the HART Arts Academy through Nov. 3 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

Adult classes include directing, beginner tap, and musical theater vocals. Kids classes include a wide-range of dancing, acting, singing, directing and improvisational courses.

Learn more about these opportunities and sign up for classes by visiting www.harttheatre.org, clicking on the “Kids at Hart” tab and scrolling to “Classes & Camps” page. Masks and social distancing will be required for all courses.

The Mountainside Theatre in Cherokee will host the world premiere of “Dracula: The Failings of Men,” written by debut playwright Benedetto Robinson.

The production is an original work by Havoc Movement Company, which will be joining the Cherokee Historical Association for the fall season.

The show features a cast packed with livestunt powerhouses as well as aerial effects that have been designed to bring the vam-

pires to (supernatural) life.

The story begins as a ghost ship washes ashore near London in 1897 and an ancient evil goes searching for blood. “Dracula” is an action-horror reimagining of the classic Bram Stoker novel as an immersive show.

The audience will literally walk alongside Ada Van Helsing as she battles against the darkness in this high-action adaptation.

Masks will be required for all attendees.

Performances will run through Oct. 31.

Tickets are $30 or $20 for enrolled members. VIP Experiences are available for an extra $20. www.cherokeehistorical.org/dracula.

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Smoky Mountain News

Dracula hits the big stage

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October 6-12, 2021

Bringing her immortal words to the big stage, a production of “The Diary of Anne Frank” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7-9 and at 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.”

These simple words written by a 13-year-old girl in the height of World War II have become an essential part of how we remember one of the darkest times in human history. “The Diary of Anne Frank” illuminates the coming-of-age of a passionate, funny, and complex girl in the face of religious persecution.

“Anne’s story leaves the audience with a lot of hope in a time when people are maybe feeling very hopeless,” said Director Julie Kinter. “Anne is unbeaten by what's going on in the world outside of the annex. She has nightmares, she knows her friends have been taken and died, but she finds in herself a resilience and a purpose in spite of it all.”

Frank’s true personality is fleshed out in this adaptation written by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, which took unedited diary entries to show the true hope and spirit of Anne Frank. “The Diary of Anne Frank” has a little bit of everything with really funny moments, beautiful and sweet moments, and

arts & entertainment

‘The Diary of Anne Frank’

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Smoky Mountain News October 6-12, 2021

arts & entertainment

On the shelf

Jeff Minick

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she had grown to love over the years, and tells her aunt she hopes to be more and more like her.

“Why would you want to be more like me?”

Aunt Linda had asked, taken aback.

“Because you’re … wonderful.”

“Oh, honey.” Aunt Linda had reached over a hand so birdlike and frail that it nearly broke Maggie’s heart. She gently squeezed Maggie’s fingers. “Don’t you realize that I could say exactly the same thing about you?”

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“But never forget that love is always stronger than fear,” Maggie says near the end of The Wish, a lesson which she has spent a lifetime learning and which she passes along to Mark as well as to the rest of us.

The Wish is set in 2019, and one unintended effect of the book comes with its portrait of New York City just before the COVID-19 virus slammed into the United States, closing down churches, restaurants, businesses, and schools. In case we’ve forgotten, life was different then. Maggie’s other helper in the art gallery, Luanne, gives her two tickets to see “The Nutcracker” at Lincoln Center, and after that performance Maggie and Mark join “the festive crowds as they poured onto Broadway.” On another day, they go ice-skating at the Rockefeller Center and at Mark’s request, they then take a look at some of the department store window displays on Fifth Avenue before heading to St. Patrick’s Cathedral to listen to a choir performing for Christmas.

The writer’s accounts of these places and events — the throngs of people, the holiday spirit, the bustling sidewalks and busy streets — are a reminder of what we have lost in the last 21 months. Though probably unintended by Sparks — he makes no mention of the pandemic at the end of The Wish — the contrast between then and now, between who we were and what we have become, is glaring.

The Wish is a fine novel that left me with a wish of my own. Having read the above descriptions of life as it was lived less than two years ago, I wish we as a people would come together, repair our fractured culture, revive our dreams and our celebrations, and practice love rather than fear.

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

Seeking Justice for Brenda Joyce Holland

October 6-12, 2021

Meanwhile, she befriends a young man, Mark Price, whom she’s hired to work in the art gallery she and another artist own. He’s a recent college graduate, hopes someday to marry his college sweetheart and enter seminary, and is, Maggie discovers, a remarkable young man who is polite, kind, and sensitive. As the two of them become friends during this Christmas season in New York City, a deep trust grows between them, and Maggie is soon sharing with Mark the story of her long-ago crisis and her first love.

When her parents discovered she was pregnant, she tells Mark, they sent Maggie across the country to Ocracoke Island to live with her Aunt Linda, a former nun. There Maggie is looked after as well by her aunt’s friend and co-worker, a midwife. Though she at first despises the quiet life on the island — it’s the Christmas season with few tourists — Maggie eventually grows to love her aunt and the care and concern she exudes for her.

She also befriends Bryce Trickett, a homeschooler hired

by Aunt Linda to act as a tutor for Maggie.

Bryce is handsome, funny, and easygoing, and hopes to be off to West Point the next summer to enter the military academy. With Bryce’s patient help, Maggie’s academic performance improves. At the same time, Bryce and his mother begin teaching her photography, an interest that will become her lifelong passion. And despite her pregnancy, the two teens fall in love with each other.

To say more about the plot of The Wish might spoil the ending.

As we tour her past and her present, we find in Maggie much to admire, particularly her courage as a teenager beset by immense troubles and her fortitude as she nears the end of her life. Others who know her feel this same admiration. At one point in the story, for example, she returns as an adult to revisit Ocracoke and her Aunt Linda, whom

will be presenting his book

Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks:

True crime book has Haywood connection John Railey will read and sign his new true crime book, The Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks, at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

In the summer of 1967, 19-year-old Brenda Joyce Holland disappeared. She was a mountain girl from Canton who had come to Manteo to work in the outdoor drama, “The Lost Colony.”

Searching for the truth of her unsolved murder, this island quest for discovery includes séances, a suicide and a supposed shallow grave. Journalist John Railey cuts through the myths and mistakes to finally arrive at the long-hidden truth of what happened to Holland that summer on Roanoke Island.

828.456.6000 or www.blueridgebooksnc.com.

arts & entertainment

‘Love is always stronger than fear’ here are at least three reasons why Nicholas Sparks has sold over 100 million copies of his books and seen 11 of them made into movies.

First, Sparks knows his audience, mostly women, who want romance-dramas where the main characters overcome obstacles and find “true love” and a “soul-mate.” Next, his novels can be easily turned into film scripts. And finally, he generally keeps the writing free of cursing, obscenities, and soft-core porn.

My library offers novels that fit this last category, and Writer after glancing through some of them, their hot and heavy descriptions of sexual encounters were at times laughable.

For lack of a better word, the novels I’ve read by Sparks might be described as “sweet.” I don’t mean to imply saccharine. Instead, the main characters are likeable, many of them are talented, and most of them remind me of people in my circle of friends and family. If they suddenly jumped off the page and assumed human form, they’re the kind of men and women with whom I’d like to share a cup of coffee or a glass of wine.

Which brings me to the author’s most recent novel, The Wish (Grand Central Publishing, 2021, 387 pages).

Here we meet Maggie Dawes, a wellknown travel photographer who at age 36 is diagnosed with cancer and who after a three-and-a half year struggle with the disease is given just months to live. This death sentence sets her to contemplating her past, mistakes she’d made, relationships she’d damaged, and the pregnancy at age 15 that changed her life forever.

JOHN RAILEY

AUTHOR

743 HAYWOOD RD. WEST ASHEVILLE ISISASHEVILLE.COM 828.575.2737

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Some trails are still closed as a result of last week’s bear attack on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

NPS photo

While bears typically avoid humans and don’t exhibit aggressive behavior, on rare occasions attacks do occur.

Melissa McGaw photo (top) and Warren Bielenberg photo (below)

Two injured in

bear encounter Parkway logs first bear attack in at least 25 years

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER rail closures and food prohibitions are expected to remain in place on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville through the end of the week after a bear attack sent two people to the hospital last week.

The attack occurred on Wednesday, Sept.

29, as a man, a woman and their dog shared a picnic on a grassy hill near the Folk Art Center, at Milepost 382 of the Parkway in Asheville. The dog, which rangers described as a shepherd-type breed, wasn’t on leash as Parkway rules require. When it sensed the bear nearby it ran toward it, barking loudly, which prompted the bear to react.

The bear attacked repeatedly, with the man fighting it off to let the woman and dog get into the vehicle. Once all three were inside, the bear continued to attack and climbed on top of the car. One person received bites and

T

scratches to the head and hand, as well as a dislocated shoulder, while the second person received minor scratches. The dog was unharmed. The couple drove themselves to Mission Hospital in Asheville, where they were treated for their injuries and then released. No charges were filed for the off-leash dog violation, which carries a $50 fine.

The sex of the bear was not determined, but it did not have cubs with it at the time of the incident. It was young but not a yearling, according to witness descriptions, and weighed approximately 200 pounds. Because the bear was not marked with an ear tag or radio collar, it’s impossible to know for sure if the bear had been involved in previous incidents or not, said Parkway spokesperson Leesa Brandon.

THE EUTHANASIA DEBATE From Thursday, Sept. 30, through Monday, Oct. 4, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission biologists and Parkway staff monitored the area in an attempt to locate the bear, planning

to euthanize it should they find it and match it to DNA samples collected on-site.

“Staff at the Wildlife Commission and the Blue Ridge Parkway do not take lightly the decision to euthanize a bear, but because this particular bear was very aggressive, it is likely to repeat the behavior and presents a serious public safety concern,” reads a Wildlife Commission blog post.

However, this position spurred vocal opposition from the nonprofit group Help Asheville Bears, which published an online petition against the bear’s euthanization. By 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, the petition had gathered more than 6,600 signatures from people all across the country.

“The situation here is that humans broke the law and yet the bear will pay the steep price,” the petition reads. “Flip that scenario around. Seems unfair doesn’t it? Just because humans had an unfortunate encounter with nature does not mean that blame shifting is in order to save face.”

Opponents of euthanization have urged the Parkway to instead relocate the bear or send it to a wildlife sanctuary, but according to the Wildlife Commission neither is a good option. Due to their remarkable homing ability, relocated black bears either return to their original home range or get hit by a car in the attempt. Meanwhile, adult wild black bears don’t do well in captivity, experiencing extreme mental and physical issues that make that option inhumane, the Wildlife

Commission blog post said. If the bear is captured and positively identified, it will be humanely euthanized and sent to a lab to determine if any factors such as disease or health contributed to its aggressive behavior.

The bear appears to have been spared its fate for now, with wildlife officials removing traps placed in the area Oct. 4 without having located the animal. However, the Parkway will retain forensic evidence gathered last week in case it is needed to identify the bear in the future.

While active efforts to locate the bear are over, trail closures and picnicking restrictions will remain in place through Friday, Oct. 8.

Currently, the Mountains-to-Sea Trail is closed from the intersection with the Visitor Center Loop Trail near Milepost 384 to Riceville Road Bridge at Milepost 382, and the Folk Art Center Nature Loop Trail is also closed, along with all trails accessed from Bull Mountain Road. Picnicking is prohibited between the Asheville Visitor Center and adjacent parking areas near Milepost 384 and the Haw Creek Overlook near Milepost 380.

RARE AGGRESSION While it’s common for bears to bluff charge, pop their jaws, huff or stomp their feet when they encounter a dog — whether on or off leash — this bear’s extremely aggressive response was abnormal, Brandon said.

F

Be BearWise

Learn to fly fish Learn to fly fish — or sharpen your skills — with Haywood County Parks and Recreation this month.

Dates are Oct. 8, 15, 16 and 22.

Beginner classes will be held from 10 a.m. to noon each day below the Lake Junaluska dam, and intermediate classes will be 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Cost for each series is $10. Register with Ian Smith, ian.smith@haywoodnc.gov.

Hunt safe A free hunter safety certification course will be offered 6-9 p.m. Oct. 13-14 at Haywood Community College.

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

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

Pre-register required at www.ncwildlife.org.

The course will repeat Nov. 3-4.

outdoors

Stay smart during deer season Blackpowder season for white-tailed deer is now open in the mountain region, meaning that hunters, hikers and others using game land this time of year should pay attention to safety rules.

The four primary rules of firearm safety are: always point the gun in a safe direction, treat every firearm as if it were loaded, keep your finger out of the trigger guard and off the trigger until ready to shoot; and be sure of your target, as well as of what is in front of and behind it.

Deer hunters must wear blaze orange, and non-hunters using game lands are also encouraged to wear blaze orange so that hunters and other users can easily see them.

Blackpowder season is Oct. 4-16, and gun season is Nov. 22-Dec. 11.

October 6-12, 2021

Become A Member Today!

Contact Membership Director Caitlin Bledsoe for more info — 828-926-4831

Smoky Mountain News

withdraw as soon as they view the threat is gone,” said the Wildlife Commission post on the Sept. 29 incident. “However, the bear in this situation did not withdraw but With fall temperatures falling, bear activcontinued to attack the victims, despite the ity is increasing. People can protect themcouple taking appropriate actions (calling selves and bears by following the six their dog, rather than physically retrieving BearWise Basics to reduce potential contheir dog, and retreating away from the flicts. bear to the safety of their vehicle).”

• Never feed or approach bears.

Though bear attacks are extremely rare, • Secure food, garbage and recycling.

Western North Carolina is now home to • Remove bird feeders when bears are active. more bears and more humans than ever • Never leave pet food outdoors. before — increasing the opportunity for • Clean and store grills. these types of conflicts to occur.

• Alert neighbors to bear activity.

A recently completed study from Joseph Bears’ appetites are biologically proClark, a research ecologist with the grammed to go into hyperdrive in the fall University of Tennessee and U.S. Geological because they need to put on a thick layer of Survey, estimated that in 2018, the fourlife-sustaining fat before they turn in for the state mountain area was home to more than winter. During this time, bears must consume 14,000 bears, half of which live in North 10 times as many calories as they need durCarolina. That represents a seven-fold ing the spring and summer, which means increase over the 1,000 bears estimated to finding 20,000 calories a day or more. To find live in Western North Carolina in 1980. those extra calories, bears will often forage Over the same period, human populaoutside of their normal ranges, venturing tions have increased drastically, with near homes, campgrounds and trails, and Buncombe County’s population sitting at trying to cross busy highways to find food.

164% of the 1980 census level and North Learn more at www.bearwise.org. Report Carolina’s statewide population at 180% of Blue Ridge Parkway bear encounters by callthe 1980 census. ing 828.298.2491 or stopping by the nearest Temporary human populations are up Visitor Center. as well. While the 15 million people who visited the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2019 — In fact, she could not recall a single incithe last complete year before the pandemic dent of a bear attacking a human on the — is 11.9% higher than the 13.4 million Blue Ridge Parkway. No such incident has who did so in 1980, the change in visitation occurred for at least 25 years, and she is not is significantly more drastic when looking aware of any bear attacks prior to that date. specifically at the Pisgah District in Western However, bear activity has been high North Carolina. In 1988, the first year for this year, with a temporary closure at which location records are available, 3.2 Pisgah Campground this spring resulting million people visited that section of the from a nuisance bear that had successfully Parkway, but by 2019 that figure had increased 38% to 4.4 million.

When bears get used to people — and, especially, to their food — they eventually lose their natural fear of humans and are more likely to end up involved in an incident that could result in harm to humans, bears or both. The Folk Art Center and many portions of the Parkway are nearby neighboring communities, increasing Western North Carolina's the likelihood of bears receiving regular exposure to humans black bear population has and human foods. Practicing increased significantly over the “BearWise Basics” — securthe last 50 years. ing attractants like trash, keepWarren Bielenberg photo ing pets on a 6-foot, nonretractable leash and refraining obtained food rewards from campers. That from feeding or approaching bears — can bear was captured and hazed, and there prevent or resolve most human-bear conhaven’t been any further problems at the flicts. campground.

These reminders are especially critical Nearby Great Smoky Mountains during the fall, which in addition to being National Park has also seen some concernan extraordinarily busy season for Parkway ing bear incidents over the past year. An tourism is a critical feeding period for autopsy recently determined that a backbears. During this time, bears typically country death that occurred in September spend 20 hours per day eating in order to 2020 was the result of a bear attack, and in put on the thick layer of fat they need for June a bear was euthanized after it attacked successful hibernation. With bears on the and injured a 16-year-old girl sleeping in her move looking for food and more people vishammock at a backcountry site near Cosby, iting the park, fall offers a higher potential Tennessee. for human-bear encounters than do other “When bears act defensively, they will seasons.

1819 Country Club Drive Maggie Valley, NC

M AG G I E VA LLEY C LU B . CO M 39

outdoors

Peregrine falcon story gets an airing Dive into the fascinating world of one of the largest, fastest, most powerful falcon species at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8, at the Folk Art Center in Asheville.

A Blue Ridge Parkway ranger will speak on peregrine falcons, and how this predator of the sky was nearly lost but has now returned to its original aerial hunting grounds in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

The program is the last installment of this year’s weekly “Fridays at the Folk Art Center” series. The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 of the Parkway. The program will be held outdoors, and participants should bring a chair or blanket to sit on.

Bathrooms will not be available.

828.298.5330, ext. 302.

Organic gardening 101

were removed from North Carolina roadsides this September during the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Fall Litter Sweep, bringing the yearly total to 10 million pounds — nearly breaking the annual record of 10.5 million set in 2019.

“I was amazed there was so much trash in the creek,” Students from Haywood Community College and said Laura Green, Haywood Early College collect trash in Richland Creek. a Big Sweep volunHaywood Waterways Association photo teer. “We live in a beautiful place and This year’s Big Sweep event in Haywood I can’t understand why people don’t do the County removed a whopping 3,100 pounds right thing and keep the water clean.” of trash from county streams with the help In addition to the usual trash, like plasof a record 62 volunteers. tics and glass, Big Sweep volunteers also Meanwhile, more than 418,000 pounds found car parts, a coffee maker, bedding, 12

Smoky Mountain News 40

tires and several shopping carts. Trash in the streams discourages activities like hiking, fishing and paddling that make Haywood County so attractive for tourism.

This pollution has the potential to harm an industry that contributes $204 million annually to the county’s economy and supports 1,900 jobs.

Big Sweep is an annual countywide stream cleanup effort. This year cleanups were held on Richland Creek from Depot Street to Lake Junaluska, lower Allens Creek, along Howell Mill Road, Jonathan Creek, Clyde and Maggie Valley. A variety of local partners supported the effort.

The DOT’s statewide litter sweeps are typically held in the last two weeks of April and September, with residents throughout the state participating in local efforts to clean up North Carolina’s roadways.

Haywood Waterways Association will host more cleanups focused on local waterways throughout the year. For more information, contact Christine O’Brien at 828.476.4667, ext. 11, or christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com.

Clean up Hominy Creek Help clean up Hominy Creek at Chestnut Mountain Park in Canton 8:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 8.

Volunteers will meet at the Chestnut Mountain Park parking lot to sign waivers and then cross the bridge together onto the property. If more than 10 people come, volunteers will split into groups to follow the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy’s COVID-19 guidelines. Space is limited to 20 volunteers.

Snacks and supplies provided. Sign up with Christine O’Brien at 828.476.4667, ext. 11, or christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com.

October 6-12, 2021

Learn the basics of organic gardening during a Zoom class 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 19.

The session will cover soil preparation, insect and disease control, weed control and how to encourage beneficial insects. Hosted

by Haywood Cooperative Extension Horticulture Agent Sam Marshall, the session will feature Craig Mauney as presenter.

Sign up by Saturday, Oct. 16, at bit.ly/3oorSRg. Cost is $10.

Cleanup efforts remove tons of litter

Great Smokies

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

outdoors

Explore the Smokies’ African American history Get a peek into current research efforts regarding African American history in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during a pair of upcoming virtual events offered Thursday, Oct. 14, and Friday, Oct. 22.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is partnering with Western Carolina University and University of North Carolina Asheville to offer these programs, which will begin with a 30-minute talk on African American history in the park. Facilitators will then lead an open discussion about current research and upcoming projects.

“In the heart of these mountains, you can find an African American doctor who served his community for 40 years, Job Corpsmen who continued the legacy of the CCC by building roads and trails that we enjoy today, and sacred burial grounds that date back to the 1860s,” said Science Communicator Antoine Fletcher. “Better understanding this unique African American experience helps us better share the full history of the Appalachian mountains.”

While African Americans have been in the Great Smoky Mountains region since at least the early 16th century, knowledge of their presence is relatively low. The park is conducting this research effort to better understand the untold history of the African American experience in southern Appalachia.

Times for the sessions are yet to be determined. For additional details and registration, visit www.nps.gov/grsm/learn/historyculture/town-hallevents.htm. The research is supported by Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountains Association.

A young girl dresses in a Valentine’s Day costume. Blount County Library photo

Air tour comment period extended

Cades Cove road reopens Cades Cove Loop Road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is now

open following a three-week closure for road resurfacing.

The preventative pavement treatment was applied to help maintain the heavily used road in good condition and to extend its life after the asphalt surface was com-

pletely rehabilitated in 2010. The project was completed on time, allowing the park to reopen the popular area for the busy October season. Bryant Lands Development was the project’s contractor, with APAC Harrison leading the paving operations.

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October 6-12, 2021

A draft plan for managing air tours in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is now available for public comment through Wednesday, Oct. 13.

The original Oct. 3 comment deadline was extended by 10 days due to an error discovered on the project website.

The draft plan would authorize up to 946 air tours per year on defined routes. That figure is the average number of air tours conducted by two operators from 2017 to 2019. The Smokies is one of 24 national parks currently developing an air tour management plan in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration.

View project documents and submit comments at parkplanning.nps.gov/greatsmokymountainsatmp.

Discovery revises timeline for human presence in North America

Long before the sand dunes formed at White Sands National Park, ice age teenagers left their footprints in the mud, only to be discovered thousands of years later. Karen Carr illustration

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Smoky Mountain News

Fossilized footprints found in New Mexico’ White Sands National Park have revealed evidence of human occupation there beginning 23,000 years ago, thousands of years earlier than previously thought.

The footprints were buried in multiple layers of gypsum soil on a large playa in the park, and seeds embedded with the footprints were radiocarbon dated and analyzed to establish their age. The discovery dramatically extends the range for coexistence of humans and Ice Age megafauna, confirming that people were present in North America before the major glacial advances at the height of the last ice age closed migration routes from Asia.

The findings are detailed at www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abg7586 in the journal Science.

828.452.4251 susanna@mtnsouthmedia.com

41

outdoors

Explore the Benton MacKaye Trail this October The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of Benton MacKaye’s proposal to build the Appalachian Trail.

Ingles Nutrition Notes written by Ingles Dietitian Leah McGrath

October 6-12, 2021

LOOKING FOR LOCAL AT INGLES MARKETS Once the weather starts to cool down and fall makes an appearance; you may think that you can no longer support local farmers and food makers - that couldn't be further from the truth! You can shop local all year around at Ingles Markets. Be sure and look for our LOCAL food tags and seek out some of these local items you can find at Ingles all year around: • Laura Lynn milk - Primarily sourced from dairy farmers within 150 miles of Asheville, Laura Lynn milk is pasteurized at our MILKCO facility in West Asheville and shipped out to all Ingles stores.

• Hickory Nut Gap meats, sausage and meat sticks (Fairview) • Sunburst Trout (Waynesville) • Sunny Creek Farm sprouts (Tryon) • Annie's Breads (Asheville) • City Bakery (Asheville) • Condiments from Firewalker Hot Sauce, Crooked Condiments, Biscuit Head and more.

• Beers and Ciders from Asheville Brewing, Sierra Nevada, Highland Brewing, Pisgah Brewing, Boojum Brewing and many more!

• Frozen savory pies from Potpie • Sunshine Sammies Ice Cream Sandwiches • Buchi Kombucha • Coffee from Pisgah Roaster, Appalachian Coffee Company and Dynamite Coffee Roasters

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN Ingles Market Corporate Dietitian

@InglesDietitian Leah McGrath - Dietitian 800.334.4936

Smoky Mountain News

Ingles Markets… caring about your health

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

Donated photo

In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Benton MacKaye’s famous essay that birthed the Appalachian Trail, the Benton MacKaye Trail Association is offering an October Hike Fest Schedule to include 22 of the BMT’s best hikes.

Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park area include the end of the BMT at Big Creek to the end of the A.T. Smoky Mountain Section at Davenport Gap; the BMT Road to Nowhere, “Tunnel to Nowhere” to Campsite #74 and in the Fontana Dam. For more information about this month’s hiking opportunities, visit bmta.org or contact Joy Forehand at jwfbrga@gmail.com.

Golf for a good cause The inaugural Putts Fore Paws supporting the Cashiers Highlands Human Society will be held at the peak of leaf season Monday, Oct. 11, at the Cullasaja Club in Highlands.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. with a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start. Prizes will be given for overall lowest score (with handicap), closest to the pin and longest drive. A hole-in-one on a designated hole will win a car thanks to Hammond & Mitzi Rauers and Franklin Ford.

Sign up soon to be one of the 20 foursomes admitted to the tournament. Registration is $800 per foursome and $400 of that is a tax-deductible contribution to CHHS. Registration includes green fees, cart fees and boxed lunch, as well as a “doggy bag” of goodies.

Learn more or register at www.chhumanesociety.org/puttsforepaws.

‘Walk from home’ to end Alzheimer’s A Walk to End Alzheimer’s event planned for Saturday, Oct. 9, in Asheville, will now be held in a “walk from home” format due to prevalent COVID-19 cases.

Participants are invited to walk in their local neighborhood, using the Walk to End Alzheimer’s mobile app to track their walk on a route map, including an augmented

reality start and finish line. The app will feature a prerecorded Opening and Promise Garden Ceremony, and access to an augmented reality Promise Garden where they can select and personalize a flower representing their connection to the disease and plant it among others. The Promise Garden at 300 Executive Park in Asheville will also be open for viewing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sign up at act.alz.org/asheville or call 800.272.3900.

Run the Smoky Streak The Smoky Streak to Health fun walk and 5K/10K will step off at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva.

This free race from Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital will offer prizes for the best overall male and female runners and for the top three age division winners for each distance. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m., with races beginning at 9 a.m. to follow a new route around the mountains. A fun walk will be held on the high school track.

Halloween costumes are encouraged. Register at www.runsignup.com/race/nc/sylva/smokystreaktohealth.

facebook.com/smnews 42

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • The sixth Annual Green Hill Cemetery Tour will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, at Green Hill Cemetery off of South Main Street in downtown Waynesville. In case of rain the event will be rescheduled for 4 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 16.

• Live Forgiven Church will host a curbside grocery giveaway from 12:30 to1:15 p.m. Oct. 10, at 45 Crown Ridge Road, Sylva NC. Simply show up or send a friend to pick up safely packed shelf stable groceries, produce and eggs. This event is open to anyone who can use a little extra help. For more information, email FoodMinistry@LiveForgiven.Life

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Two forums will be held to share WCU’S need For an update to its campus master plan and allow for public feedback. The forums will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26 at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87084192045 (Meeting ID: 870 8419 2045 ), and 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Oct. 27, at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82762416951 (Meeting ID: 827 6241 6951). The latest campus masterplan can be seen by visiting info.wcu.edu/masterplan.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • Jackson County Veterans Office will host a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 15 at Bridge Park in Sylva.

• The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Haywood and surrounding area residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on Saturday, Oct. 9, at Pack Square Park. Check-in opens at 9 a.m. with an Opening Ceremony at 10 a.m., but the walk route will open at check-in time to allow teams to start walking when they are ready. To sign up as a walker or Team Captain or to learn more about becoming a sponsor of Walk to End Alzheimer’s — Asheville, visit act.alz.org/Asheville or call 800.272.3900.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS • Franny’s Farm will host Goat Yoga from 10:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 3 and Oct. 24, at Franny’s Farm, 22 Franny’s Farm Road, Leicester. It is a beginner level class with breathing, stretching, petting goats and being present to receive the present of goats nibbling your clothes, jumping on your back or maybe even napping on your mat.

THE SPIRITUAL SIDE • A “Celebration of Life” will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Oct. 7 beside the Lake Junaluska Chapel. The celebration, which will be held outside the chapel under the white tent, honors loved ones who passed away this year. Free to the public and will include special music and readings. Refreshments will be provided. To RSVP or for more information, call 828.452.5039.

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

• Narcotics Anonymous meetings are back "live" in-person after a year of being on Zoom only. Local meetings are 12 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at Sylva First

Smoky Mountain News

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com United Methodist Church in downtown Sylva. Entrance at back of building. Also Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. at Cullowhee Methodist Church and Saturdays 6 p.m. at Cullowhee Methodist Church. Meetings in Haywood County, Macon County and Swain County have reopened as well. For more details visit ncmountainna.org.

A&E

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Sheila Gordon (piano/vocals) Oct. 9 ($10 show cover) and Joseph Hasty (guitar/vocals) Oct. 16 (dinner/show is $57 per person). All shows begin at 7 p.m. Limited seating. Reservations required. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

• Friday Night Live (Highlands) will be held at the Town Square from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with Frank & Allie (Americana/folk) Oct. 8 and Silly Ridge Roundup Oct. 15. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Nick Colavito Oct. 8, Woolybooger Oct. 9, Syrrup 2 p.m. Oct. 10, Smooth Goose Oct. 15, Sugar & The Cubes Oct. 16 and Gin Mill Pickers Oct. 17. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public.

828.454.5664 or www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Blackjack Country Oct. 7, TNT Oct. 8, Karaoke w/Joel Oct. 14, Jason Lee Wilson & James County Oct. 15 and Carolina Freightshakers Oct. 16. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.2488.

• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host karaoke on Thursday nights, an Oktoberfest celebration 8 p.m. Oct. 9 and Humps & The Blackouts “Halloween Extravaganza” 9 p.m. Oct. 30. 828.456.4750 or www.facebook.com/waternhole.bar.

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

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

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

• The “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. For more information and/or to register, call 800.872.4681 or click on www.gsmr.com.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS

• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host Anna Victoria (singer-songwriter) Oct. 10. All events are free and begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Waynesville Art School offers “Make Art & Play” for 45 year olds from 3:45 to 4:45 on Tuesdays. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit www.waynesvilleartschool.com/register-for-classes

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Yard Karaoke 7 p.m. Oct. 8 and Scoundrel’s Lounge Oct. 23. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Waynesville Art School offers “Kinder Artists” for 6-7 year olds from 3:45 to 4:45 on Mondays. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit www.waynesvilleartschool.com/register-for-classes

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Scoundrel’s Lounge Oct. 22. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Maggie Valley Pavilion will host the Haywood Community Band at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17. Free and open to the public. Bring your own lawn chair. Donations accepted.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Shane Meade & The Sound (rock/soul) 8 p.m. Nov. 5. 828.641.9797 or www.nantahalabrewing.com.

• “Pickin’ on the Square” (Franklin) will host live music Oct. 9 and The Band Intermission (variety) Oct. 16. All shows start at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public.

Located on Main Street. www.franklin-chamber.com.

• Saturdays On Pine (Highlands) will be held at the Kelsey-Hutchinson Park from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with Nitrograss (bluegrass/Americana) Oct. 9 and Rockbillys Oct. 16. Free and open to the public. www.highlandschamber.org.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host “Hotel California: A Salute to the Eagle” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Tickets start at $18, with priority seating available. For more information and to purchase tickets, click on www.smokymountainarts.com.

• Waynesville Art School offers “Shining Minds” for 1012 year olds from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit www.waynesvilleartschool.com/register-for-classes • Waynesville Art School offers “The Hatter’s Tea Party” for 8-`16 year olds from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit www.waynesvilleartschool.com/register-for-classes • Waynesville Art School offers “Puppet Theater” for 816 year olds from 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Fridays. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit www.waynesvilleartschool.com/register-for-classes • Waynesville Art School offers drawing for adults class from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Mondays, and 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays. Painting class for adults from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. To learn more and register call 828.246.9869 or visit www.waynesvilleartschool.com/register-for-classes

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES • An art contest (ages 5 years and up) will be held through Oct. 14 at the Marianna Black library in Bryson City. A fun night complete with face painting for children and other activities will also take place during the “Gallery Night” event from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19.

43

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: n n n n

Complete listings of local music scene Regional festivals Art gallery events and openings Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers n Civic and social club gatherings • Witches Walk Workshops will be held at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Uptown Gallery, Franklin’s downtown gallery. The gallery is located at 30 E Main Street, Franklin. The workshops are designed to help participants prepare a unique hat to be worn during Franklin’s Pumpkinfest.

Outdoors

• Join the second season of the Highlands Biological Foundation’s virtual book club delving into All We Can Save, edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katherine K.Wilkinson, with meetings 4-5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, through Nov. 18. Sign up by contacting paige@highlandsbiological.org or 828.526.2623. www.highlandsbiological.org.

• Haunted School will be open from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Oct. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 29-31, at the Fines Creek Community Center. Admission is $10 per person. Must be 13 and up to enter without an adult. All visitors must wear a mask.

• Learn to fly fish with Haywood County Parks and Recreation this month. Dates are Oct. 8, 15, 16 and 22.

Beginner classes will be held from 10 a.m. to noon each day below the Lake Junaluska dam, and intermediate classes will be 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Cost for each series is $10. Register with Ian Smith, ian.smith@haywoodnc.gov.

• A free hunter safety certification course will be offered 6-9 p.m. Oct. 13-14 at Haywood Community College. Face masks required. Free and no age limits, though participants must pass a written test without assistance. Registration required at www.ncwildlife.org.

• Dive into the fascinating world of one of the largest, fastest, most powerful falcon species at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 8, at the Folk Art Center in Asheville at Milepost 382 of the Parkway. The program will be held outdoors, and participants should bring a chair or blanket to sit on. Bathrooms will not be available.

828.298.5330, ext. 302.

• Help clean up Hominy Creek at Chestnut Mountain Park in Canton 8:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 8. Space is limited to 20 volunteers. Snacks and supplies provided.

Sign up with Christine O’Brien at 828.476.4667, ext. 11, or christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com.

• The Western Carolina chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will host a Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday, Oct. 9, at Pack Square Park in Asheville, with options also planned for virtual participation. Check-in starts at 9 a.m. with an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. and the walk beginning at 10:30 a.m. Sign up at act.alz.org/Asheville or call 800.272.3900.

• The Jackson County Coon Hunters Association is planning a day full of activity on Saturday, Oct. 9, at 44 Oak Hill Drive in Sylva. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Hunters Trade Day will offer the opportunity to trade or sell hunting and camping supplies such as dog boxes, tracking systems, collars and apparel. Matthew Bryson, 828.508.6465.

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Pamela P Williams

RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BROKER ASSOCIATE

CELL: (803) 528-5039 OFFICE: (828) 452-5809 EMAIL: PAMELAWILLIAMS@BEVERLY-HANKS.COM

www.wncmarketplace.com

• Ron Rosendahl - 828-593-8700

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management • Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

RE/MAX Executive - remax-waynesvillenc.com

NOW RECRUITING FOR: Estate Concierge, Membership & Activities Coordinator, Catering & Conference Services Mgr, Sales Mgr, Asst F&B Mgr, Banquet Server, Host, Server, Busser, Bartender, Sous Chef, Cook, Asst Pastry Chef, Dishwasher, Reservations Specialist, Front Desk Supervisor, Front Desk, Bellman, Night Audit, Housekeeping, Laundry, Cosmetologist, Spa Attendant, Massage Therapist, Spin Instructor, Graphic Designer, Banquet Supervisor.

Mountain Creek Real Estate

October 6-12, 2021

• • • • • • • • •

remax-maggievalleync.com The Real Team - TheRealTeamNC.com Ron Breese - ronbreese.com Landen Stevenson- landen@landenkstevenson.com Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com Mary & Roger Hansen - mwhansen@charter.net David Willet - davidwillet1@live.com Sara Sherman - sarashermanncrealtor@gmail.com David Rogers- davidr@remax-waynesville.com Judy Meyers - jameyers@charter.net

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

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE

828.452.4251 ads@smokymountainnews.com WNC MarketPlace

45

SUPER

CROSSWORD

OPENING FROM PAUL ACROSS 1 Prickly plant 7 Seaport in Argentina 14 Aim high 20 Musician using reeds 21 The Who's "The Kids Are -" 22 "Frozen" studio 23 Less pudgy 24 Bertie created by Wodehouse 25 Piddling 26 Like adults 28 "Oops, I'm at fault here" 30 -- Angeles 31 -- Paulo, Brazil 33 Hairy "Addams Family" cousin 34 Locker-room motivator 39 Is distressed over 46 Declare 47 Opposite of 60-Across, in France 48 Pantry insect 49 Java holders 50 Looked like 53 Ontario metropolis 55 Loses control 56 Baba au -- (alcoholic cake) 57 Sportscaster Albert 59 Declare 60 Direction of sunrise 61 Crack pitcher 62 Explosive stuff 63 Actor Holm 65 NYT staffers 66 "You think I didn't already know that?"

72 Put down, to a hiphopper

75 Hoppy brew 76 Ltd., in the U.S. 77 U.S. spy gp.

78 Gelatin in petri dishes 82 Put into effect 84 By -- of (due to) 86 Sturdy -- oak 88 Geography class spinner 89 Like the sky's color 91 A long time from now 94 Sound off 95 Sendai sash 97 Former U.N. chief Kofi 98 Last Greek letters 99 Popular Christmas hymn 102 Paramount 103 Suffix for hexa104 Canonized Mlle.

105 Note below la 106 Title song lyric followed by the first words of seven answers in this puzzle 111 Group that had a #1 hit with 106-Across 118 Be a pilot 119 Gory film 122 Most parched 123 Small finger 124 Exit ramp 125 Restlessness 126 Precipitates pellets 127 Brings in from abroad 128 Human DOWN 1 Pepsi, e.g.

2 Cain's sibling 3 Fuel that can get shoveled 4 Crystal-hitting sound 5 Exploiter 6 Sauntered

7 Grassy yards 8 Baseball's Matty or Felipe 9 Stage object 10 Fleur-de- -11 T-man, e.g.

12 Organized crime 13 "Give it --" 14 Owns, as an error 15 Noon nap 16 Exam for jrs.

17 Actress Swenson 18 Smell terrible 19 Bronte's Jane 27 Stir-fry pan 29 Outward appearance 31 Passable 32 Fall seasons 34 Out of style 35 Justice Kagan 36 Entreaties 37 Seduces 38 Gets older 39 Ballet skirt 40 Diane who hosted a longtime NPR show 41 Actor Bert 42 Ram into 43 Sound off 44 Not married 45 Pre-Soviet rulers 47 Actor Milo 51 Formed an upward curve 52 Airport part 54 Ditty 58 Brand of eye drops 61 Hole tool 62 Mom's forte, for short 64 Alicia of "Falcon Crest" 67 Stable feed 68 Fey of "Date Night" 69 Contest hopeful 70 Investor Carl

71 Journalist Cronkite 72 Messing of "Will & Grace" 73 Relative via marriage 74 Spa hot spot 79 Extort from 80 The "A" of James A. Garfield 81 Shortstop Pee Wee 83 Large town 85 "Correct me -- wrong" 86 Comic Meara 87 Asterisk 88 Forrest played by Tom Hanks 90 Toasted people, e.g.

92 Playwright William 93 Bungled 96 Nuptial ring 100 "OK already!"

101 Safe place 102 Weep 105 Feudal workers 106 Flaps one's gums 107 Demonic 108 Trig topic 109 Grab hold of 110 Italian wine town 111 Marvel hero 112 Lift to test the weight of 113 Obama cabineteer Duncan 114 Arena level 115 Meadows 116 Gas brand in Canada 117 Anna of "Nana" 120 Dada artist Jean 121 -- -cone

ANSWERS ON PAGE 42

STORAGE SHEDS

WHY RENT WHEN YOU CAN OWN FOR LESS? 828.633.0043

From $150/mo.

2011 Smokey Park Hwy. Candler, NC 28715 1 mile east of exit 37 I-40 on left at stop light

www.WarrensShedsAndCarports.com

gold city gold city storage storage call 800 713 7767 goldcitystorage.com

5 Acres of Outside Storage 10 Units of Inside Storage Electronic Access 9410 Sylva RD HWY 441 franklin, NC

status includes children under 18 living with parents or legal guardians and pregnant women.

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

Rentals

TIMESHARE CANCELLATION EXPERTS. Wesley Financial Group, LLC. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019.

Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare!

Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 844-213-6711

Automotive

A-1 DONATE YOUR CAR, RUNNING OR NOT!! FAST FREE PICKUP. Maximum tax deduction. Support United Breast Cancer Fdn programs. Your car donation could save a life. 888641-9690

SUDOKU Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, Answers on 42 the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

46

www.smokymountainnews.com

October 6-12, 2021

WNC MarketPlace

Entertainment CABLE PRICE INCREASE AGAIN? Switch to DIRECTV & Save + get $100 visa gift card! Get More Channels For Less Money. Restrictions apply, call now! 1-888-5202338

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Brian K. Noland & Catherine Proben BROKER ASSOCIATES

Wanted to Buy

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FREON WANTED: We pay $$$ for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. CerWL¿HG 3URIHVVLRQDOV &DOO 312-291-9169 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com

See all of our listings at: beverly-hanks.com/agents/nolan nd-proben

Noland-Proben T Teeam | The #1 Beverly-Hanks Te Team 2018 8 • 2019 • 2020

FEATURED LISTIN NGS

PUBLIC NOTICES

IMPORTANT TO YOU IN ONE EASY PLACE

MLS# 3763518| $725,000 | 3 BR | 2 BA

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Public Notices are important to your daily life. We bring the notice to you.

FAST

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SEARCH LOCAL

CONVENIENT OR

STATEWIDE

MLS# 3779108 | $645,000 | 3 BR | 2 BA

MLS# 3783254 | $524 4,800 | 4 BR | 2.5 BA

One level living at its best. A custtom-built KRPH ZLWK D VSOLW ȵRRU SODQ EHDXWLIXO NLWFKHQ DQG JUHDW URRP ZLWK ȵRRU WWR FHLOLQJ ȴUHSODFH %HLQJ VROG IX IXOO\ O\ IX IXUQLVKHG G

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It's your right to know.

Find public notices in your local newspaper - in print and online and also search notices from across the state at:

WWW.NCNOTICES.COM www.wncmarketplace.com

MLS# 3790296| $519,900 | 3 BR | 3.5 BA

MLS# 3783494 | $519 9,000 | 3 BR | 3 BA

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October 6-12, 2021

WNC MarketPlace

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Smoky Mountain News October 6-12, 2021