Smoky Mountain News | October 14, 2020

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October 14-20, 2020 Vol. 22 Iss. 20

Election could remake Haywood Commission Page 11 National parks visitation explodes in WNC Page 30

Robust rebound

WNC tourism numbers are encouraging

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover As Western North Carolina moves into the fall tourism season, communities finally have a full picture of how the COVID-19 Pandemic impacted room tax revenues throughout the summer months. Despite the state being under a Stay at Home order, visitors flocked to the area to escape the crowds and get back to nature. (Page 6) Susan Macon/Macon Green photo

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News Election could remake Haywood Commission...................................................11 Early voting starts Oct. 15 ......................................................................................15 Full slate of candidates in Beaverdam school board race...............................17 Tribe modifies operations amid COVID-19 surge .............................................20 La Crosse Encephalitis cases confirmed in Haywood .....................................21

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WNC tourism numbers show quick recovery A worker at Guadalupe Cafe in Sylva serves up dessert. Jackson TDA photo

Sales tax collections up compared to last year Sales tax collections from March to July, year-over-year Haywood

Jackson

Macon

Swain

TOTAL

July 2020 .........................$4,162,504 .......$3,327,578.......$2,938,634.......$873,688..........$11,302,405 July 2019 .........................$3,541,770 .......$2,846,953.......$2,637,862.......$751,195..........$9,777,780 % change ........................17.5%...............16.9% ..............11.4% ..............16.3% ..............15.6% June 2020 ........................$3,370,348 .......$2,521,142.......$2,209,686.......$623,732..........$8,724,909 June 2019 ........................$3,228,036 .......$2,475,218.......$2,404,733.......$580,756..........$8,688,743 % change ........................4.4%.................1.9% ................-8.1%...............7.4% ................0.4% May 2020.........................$2,677,543 .......$2,206,654.......$1,789,758.......$434,559..........$7,108,514 May 2019.........................$2,988,926 .......$2,234,904.......$2,291,412.......$552,620..........$8,067,862 % change ........................-10.4% .............-1.3%...............-21.9%.............-21.4%.............-11.9% April 2020........................$2,981,479 .......$2,362,014.......$1,851,613.......$455,351..........$7,650,457 April 2019........................$3,186,695 .......$2,275,538.......$2,071,753.......$500,762..........$8,034,748 % change ........................-6.4% ...............3.8% ................-10.6%.............-9.1%...............-4.8%

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2020

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER hen North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper gave the order to close bars and restaurants back on March 17, that was only the beginning of a series of blows the Coronavirus Pandemic would inflict upon the state’s leisure and hospitality industry.

Soon after, hotels and major attractions also closed; coupled with travel restrictions to and from other countries, states and counties, all of a sudden there was nowhere to go, and nothing to do.

But it was about much more than skipping the annual family vacation, or missing out on a weekend trip to see your favorite band in a new city — leisure and hospitality is one of North Carolina’s biggest economic engines, especially in the mountainous west.

During calendar year 2019, visitors pumped more than $26.7 billon into the state’s economy, up more than 5 percent from 2018, according to the N.C. Department of Commerce.

That spending, in turn, drives employment. Department of Commerce stats say that more than 520,000 North Carolinians were employed in the leisure and hospitality sector of the economy in 2019. In our western counties of Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain, there were almost 13,000 employed in that sector.

As 2020’s shutdowns progressed through early spring, local businesses, state legislators and municipal governments took their best guess as to how badly tourism would be affected, especially since sales tax collections and per-night room occupancy taxes are 6 closely tied to spending by tourists.

W

Data collected by various state agencies with regard to room occupancy taxes and sales tax collections are robust, apples-toapples sets collected over many years, providing a reliable barometer of economic activity within seasonal and historic contexts.

There’s typically a two- or three-month lag in reporting of the data to allow time for collection, processing and publication, so numbers through June or July — when Gov. Cooper’s “dimmer switch” approach to reopening provided some businesses a little light at the end of the tunnel – are just now becoming available.

Those numbers detail not only the extent of the damage to the leisure and hospitality sector, but also the rebound that’s ensued.

Room occupancy data reported by county tourism development authorities show generally good news, suggesting that the pandemic wasn’t as bad as it could have been, businesswise.

Sales tax data show pretty much the same thing, with collections in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties for March through July of 2020 actually topping numbers for those same months during pre-pandemic 2019.

That’s not to say that the economic effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic are over. Many lives have been destroyed, and many businesses will never reopen; next week, The Smoky Mountain News will explore the economic devastation visited on some local businesses as a result of prolonged shutdowns, but for now, here’s a county-by-county explanation of how one of Western North Carolina’s most important industries has fared thus far.

March 2020 .....................$2,759,508 .......$2,042,249.......$1,682,601.......$437,751..........$6,922,109 March 2019 .....................$2,503,674 .......$1,834,550.......$1,594,577.......$342,685..........$6,275,486 % change ........................10.2%...............11.3% ..............5.5% ................27.7% ..............10.3% 2020 total (March-July) ..$15,951,383 .....$12,459,637.....$10,472,293.....$2,825,081.......$41,708,394 2019 total (March-July) ...$15,449,101 .....$11,667,163.....$11,000,337.....$2,728,018.......$40,844,619 % change ........................3.3%.................6.8% ................-4.8%...............3.6% ................2.1%

Source: North Carolina Department of Revenue, The Smoky Mountain News https://www.ncdor.gov/news/reports-and-statistics/monthly-sales-and-use-tax-statistics

n North Carolina, sales tax is charged on a variety of items – everything from food to hotel rooms – and collected by the seller, who then remits the funds to the state.

Detailed data on collections are compiled by the North Carolina Department of Revenue and Sales tax collections tracked by the county where the tax was collected, providing a good indicator of local spending and per-night room on common items. Tourists also pay these taxes when they visit, so their presence or absence is occupancy taxes are noted in cold, hard numbers. The most recent closely tied to data provided by the NCDOR, though July, shows how the mountain counties of Haywood, spending by tourists.

Jackson, Macon and Swain weathered pandemic shutdowns through the months of March, April, May, June and July of this year. The sales tax rate in these counties is and has been 7 percent, except for Macon County, where it’s 6.75 percent. Here are the relevant takeaways, based on a comparison to the same five months in 2019:

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• March was unaffected by the pandemic, for the most part, even though shutdowns began occurring halfway through the month.

• The downward slide in sales tax collections began in April, except in Jackson County.

• All four counties hit rock-bottom in May. • The rebound began in June, except in Macon County.

• All four counties were back in the black by July.

• July showed huge increases – double-digit – in all four counties.

• The rebound shows gains above and beyond the losses incurred during the dark days of May, except in Macon County.

• The rebound also shows Haywood, Jackson and Swain counties to be ahead of where they were in 2019. Macon County was off by 4.8 percent, year-over-year.

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER hings were looking bleak for the tourism industry — for all industries, really — as coronavirus shutdowns and stay-athome orders fell into place this spring, but six months into the pandemic, the outlook for Jackson County’s biggest business is downright rosy.

“Both the hotels and the Airbnbs are thriving to a level that we have not seen in our entire history, and we do not expect it to slow down anytime soon,” said Nick Breedlove, director of the Jackson County Tourism Development Association.

T

A RECORD SUMMER

In the last few months, revenues from Jackson County’s 4 percent room tax have posted wild swings compared to the same month last year. Here’s how revenues from 2020 look as a percentage of those collected in 2019.

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February — 122.08 percent March — 53.34 April — 23.18 May — 85.18 June — 153.43 July — 140.68 August — 171.85 September — 122.53

ties at the resort are open — with stringent health and safety protocols in place — but the Chef ’s Stage Buffet, Cherokee Events Center, Casino Valet and Hotel Fitness Center remain closed.

Meanwhile, the resort’s hotel, which contains 1,108 rooms, has been almost completely full this summer, with 99.55 percent occupancy in the 98,146 room nights available between June and September. The occupancy rate was slightly higher last year, at 99.9 percent of 134,960 room nights, despite more rooms being available in 2019 — renovations in the Mountain Tower decreased the number of available rooms this year.

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Breedlove said he expected tourism to rebound, but not so soon.

“We were not expecting this level of visitation this quickly, because to be honest we started our marketing campaign very slowly and cautiously,” he said.

Around Memorial Day, the TDA launched its first, very limited, ad campaign since the pandemic began. The theme was “Dream of Your Next Trip” and it encouraged visitors to keep Jackson County in mind as they started to think about future travel.

“We didn’t spend a lot of money, but the results are far beyond what we expected,” said Breedlove.

That’s not to say that the tourism industry didn’t take a hit this spring. It certainly did.

Occupancy tax collections were down significantly for March, April and May — 53.3 percent, 23.2 percent and 85.2 percent of 2019 levels, respectively. In April, unemployment in Jackson County spiked to 11.6 percent, more than double the 4.6 percent reported

October 14-20, 2020

In the three months since the fiscal year began July 1, said Breedlove, the TDA has pulled in a full 75 percent of its budgeted revenue for the entire year. Airbnbs and VRBOs are pulling in double and triple the business they were last year, and hotels are posting occupancies 10 and 20 percent higher than the same period in 2019.

Occupancy tax, a 4 percent tax collected on overnight lodging reservations, is one of the handiest metrics for measuring tourism levels in the county. Since the TDA formed in 2012, it has never collected more than $200,000 in occupancy taxes in a single month. But this year, it broke that barrier in both July and August.

State reports are one month off in their labeling of collections — June stays are reported in July, July stays in August, and so on — so this analysis refers to revenue data based on the month it was collected rather than on the month it was reported.

Collections for August stays were a whopping 71.8 percent higher than for the same month last year, totaling $228,851. In terms of dollar amount, collections for July stays were actually larger — $233,601 — though that number represented a smaller but still robust 40.7 percent increase over the same month last year. The $187,832 collected for June stays marked a 53.4 percent increase from collections the previous June.

Those figures don’t include overnight stays at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort or at other hotels on the Qualla Boundary, as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a sovereign nation and therefore exempt from county taxes. The casinos were closed completely for two months and have been operating at reduced capacity since reopening to the general public May 28 The reduction in occupancy has spurred a decrease in overall casino visitation, though there does still appear to be a strong demand to use the facility. Between June and September, total visitation came in at 59 percent of 2019 levels. Most games and ameni-

The depths and heights of 2020

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Rural allure, strong hospitality sector set Jackson County up for success amid pandemic

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Swain summer tourism dollars up 37 percent

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR he Coronavirus Pandemic hasn’t stopped the Swain County Tourism Development Authority from having another recordsetting year in occupancy tax revenue.

The Swain County TDA collects a 4 percent occupancy tax on all overnight accommodations and that funding is used to market and promote the county’s number one industry — tourism. Back in March when Gov. Roy Cooper placed the entire state under a “Stay at Home” order to prevent the spread of the virus, local governments weren’t sure how it would impact local businesses and tourism dollars, but to their surprise, overnight stays in Swain have not only held steady, but saw a huge increase during the summer months.

“The 2020 N.C. Stay Home order (due to COVID-19) earlier this year was unprecedent-

ed in the tourism industry. It was nearly impossible to forecast occupancy tax and tourism recovery once the lodging ban was lifted in May,” said Mary Anne Baker, executive director of the Swain TDA. Despite the uncertainty, Baker has been happy to report numbers each month to the TDA board that have far exceeded expectations.

During the TDA board’s Sept. 23 meeting, she reported that preliminary August numbers showed the TDA brought in $186,000 in room tax collections when they had only budgeted for $92,000. When the final numbers came in, the county was up to $193,737. To compare, the Swain TDA brought in $117,000 in August 2019. She said about 45 percent of that income was coming through AirBnb and VRBO rentals.

Swain County’s revenue was down slightly

JACKSON, CONTINUED FROM 7

due to COVID-19, even as several others have opened or expanded.

However, said Edwards, many businesses have had to adjust their model in order to stay afloat, with restaurants especially pivoting to emphasize takeout options and online ordering and businesses that had relied on large events to make their money having to find new and creative ways to bring in revenue. Visual cues, such as reconnoitered floor plans designed to facilitate social distancing, amply available hand sanitizer and signs reminding visitors of masking requirements, have been key to helping visitors feel safe and willing to take their vacation in Jackson County.

The days are getting colder and shorter, but both Edwards and Donaldson say they’re feeling good about the winter ahead.

“I anticipate the winter months to be as busy, or busier, than previous years, unless COVID gets significantly worse in our mountain region,” said Donaldson. “There is pentup demand, and people are ready to enjoy themselves as safely as they can, and we are well positioned for guests to do that. Often our winters are mild enough to continue getting outside to hike, dine out, fish and in general just enjoy Mother’s Nature’s largest theme park.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is currently forecasting a mild winter for the Southeast, said Breedlove, which should help matters. That said, it’s likely to be a rough winter for restaurants.

The TDA is currently working on a campaign to support those restaurants by building consumer confidence in dining out.

“We want to support our restaurants now and drive great business to them,” he said.

“That way they will survive the winter and be there for our visitors to visit next year.”

T

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2020

prior to the pandemic. Certain industries and certain types of workers suffered more than others, and continue to do so.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the overall picture is a positive one. Despite the massive shortfalls in occupancy collections this spring, total collections for the 12 months between October 2019 and September 2020 are up 19.1 percent over the previous 12-month period. The county’s tourism and business leaders say that Jackson County’s status as an established tourism destination in a rural area positioned it perfectly to thrive during this new era.

“All the national research from every conference we’ve attended even as of this week has shown that the number one vacation choice right now for people is rural areas,” said Breedlove. “That is where people are looking to vacation. They want to get out of the crowded cities.”

Jackson isn’t alone, said Breedlove — tourism organizations across the mountain region are seeing the spike.

The directors of both the Cashiers and the Jackson chambers of commerce said that their membership rolls have actually increased during the pandemic. The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce has increased from 402 members March 1 to 409 members today, with the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce adding 27 new members in 2020.

“I will have to say that our chamber businesses have made it through the crisis thus far in an unexpected kind of good way,” said Stephanie Edwards, director of the Cashiers chamber. “I’m not aware of any business that has actually had to close its doors. And I know that’s not true in other parts of the country.”

Likewise, Julie Spiro Donaldson of the Jackson chamber said that the summer months were better than expected and could 8 name only two businesses that have closed

LASTING CHANGE Jackson County’s position is looking much better than expected as the pandemic

(about 6 percent) from last year during the month of May — 2019 May collections were $81,962 compared to $77,064 in 2020.

However, June saw a 23 percent increase over last year, July saw a 52 percent increase and August saw a 66 percent increase.

“The spike in visitation over the last six months was not expected. We knew there would be pent-up demand, but we did not anticipate that a large amount of people would be venturing out to take short, regional trips for leisure, or for longer trips where visitors can ‘work from home,’” Baker said.

While the pandemic forced many businesses to shut their doors, it hasn’t stopped

tourists from flocking to the great outdoors.

With Swain County being located in close proximity to so many natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities, it’s been an ideal place for visitors to hike, bike, visit waterfalls, swim, fish and partake in other outdoor adventures while social distancing.

Baker said the largest gains have been realized in lodging, more specifically in remote cabins or lodging that do not require the guest to have contact with people outside of their traveling party.

“Our abundance of natural resources and remote cabins are meeting visitor demands to be able to recreate outdoors where they feel they can safely social distance,” she said.

“Campgrounds and RV Parks are also experiencing increases along with most retailers and shopkeepers.”

Restaurants, attractions and some outfitters are still operating under reduced occupancy as regulated by the state. Next week, The Smoky Mountain News will take a closer look at how the pandemic has impacted individual businesses and whether the growth in overnight stays translated into more revenue for downtown retailers.

continues, but Edwards emphasized that the experience is likely to leave a lasting mark on the region — but in a good way.

“I think we’re never going to get back to the pre-COVID situation,” she said. “We have more people living here, more people coming here, and I think that’s going to continue in a very positive way.”

Prior to the pandemic, rough estimates put Cashiers’ year-round population at around 1,500 people, with that population swelling to 25,000 or more as second-home owners returned to the mountains every summer. However, said Edwards, many of those summer residents are planning to stay through the winter months this time around, and anecdotally the chamber has heard that more people are moving to the area, enrolling their kids in school and getting set up to work remotely. Similarly, the northern and central part of the county is seeing a significant number of new residents, said Donaldson.

“We have people that are interested in moving to our area, because they feel safer in a small town and they really want to be able to enjoy more of their life outside,” she said.

“They love the outdoor adventure that we have to offer here in Jackson County.”

A portfolio of large construction projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars has also contributed to Jackson County’s overall success during the pandemic, said Jackson County Economic Development Director Rich Price. At the southern end of the county, High Hampton Inn is undergoing massive renovations, and at the northern end there’s the $250 million expansion underway at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. Western Carolina University has several large projects underway, including the $110 million Apodaca Science Building, with more student housing under construction nearby.

Meanwhile, Southwestern Community College is building a $21 million health sciences building.

“Those construction projects carry a lot of multiplied spending throughout the county,” said Price. “They drive overnight stays certainly throughout the midweek, but it’s pumping a lot of dollars into the economy.”

In addition to failing to derail current projects, the pandemic does not appear to have reduced interest in new ones, he added.

“Our call volume and the interest in new projects and new developments is probably as strong as it has ever been,” he said.

Price acknowledged that despite the positive indicators, it hasn’t been an easy year, especially for the food and beverage industry.

But he hopes to see that prognosis improve even further as Jackson County — together with Swain, Macon and Graham Counties, as well as the Qualla Boundary — prepare to implement a $2 million grant awarded by N.C. State and funded by Walmart. The funding will help the region build up its retail, tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors in the wake of COVID-19. Called the CREATE BRIDGES program, the grant aims to bring partners together to pilot a process to help the region build its capacity to strengthen these sectors, which are vital to providing jobs and business opportunities in the rural economy.

All in all, it’s a happier story than one might have anticipated six months ago, but, Breedlove said, it’s a story that’s still being written. Even as the TDA has been raking in record receipts, it’s refraining from spending that money — yet.

“Depending on who you talk to, it feels like we’ve been in this pandemic so long it feels like we’re in the recovery phase right now,” he said. “But truthfully we’ve been fortunate not to have a true first wave like many cities have experienced. So while it feels like we’re recovering and our economy and our businesses are slowly getting back on their feet, we don’t know if there’s a first wave that’s coming. We want to have sufficient cash flow to weather the storm.”

Swain County TDA room tax collections • • • •

2019 2020 May ...............$81,964 .............$77,064 June...............$119,322 ...........$146,542 July................$140,751 ...........$213,496 August...........$117,018 ...........$193,737

Haywood tourism emerges from pandemic nearly unscathed

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TOURISM RECOVERY But as has been the story for the past few years now, it was once again Clyde’s zip code that posted the most impressive numbers, surpassing pre-COVID projections of $10,908 by collecting $15,588.

Part of that success has to do with geography. Centrally located, the town of Clyde is small and has few lodging accommodations per se, but its surrounding area has seen strong growth in the development of unique, niche dwellings on sprawling parcels — as opposed to the multi-unit mom-and-pop or chain hotels in Maggie Valley and Waynesville.

“Far and away, ‘vacation rentals’ had the lead,” Collins said, referring to the category into which many of Clyde’s accommodations

fall. “For instance, in May it was 70 percent.

In May of last year, it was like 29 percent.”

Collins said that the new fiscal year — which began on July 1 — is already off to a record-breaking start; projections still take into account the potential for coronavirusrelated downturns through June of 2021, but the $173,533 collected in July was well above the COVID-influenced $91,000 projection, and well above July’s 2019 collections of $155,000.

“I went back and checked the historical chart that I have, and it’s the biggest collection ever,” Collins said.

That’s right — as the Coronavirus Pandemic continued to affect jobs, wages, travel, meetings, conventions, weddings, bars, restaurants and concerts across the world, the nation, the state and the county, Haywood logged its best tourism month in history, helping to ease the economic sting while laying a strong foundation for future visits by people who didn’t come to Haywood County for any of those reasons.

“The most interesting thing to me is we got people here who are not the traditional market that we see. These people were new and had not been here before,” Collins said.

“We know for a fact that people came here to work remotely, because we got a lot of phone calls about that. We got people who came here to let their kids do virtual school, because we got calls about that.”

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jections of $46,000.

Canton actually beat pre-COVID projections of $27,000 by collecting $30,000 for the year.

The two biggest zip codes, Maggie Valley and Waynesville, were both close to preCOVID collection estimates as well; Maggie reported $180,907 in collections against $181,828 in pre-COVID projections, and Waynesville showed $118,612 in collections versus $119,763 in pre-COVID projections.

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for March, April, May and June as pandemicrelated shutdowns became more common.

For example, March had originally been projected to bring in more than $58,000 in room occupancy taxes, but that estimate was subsequently lowered to $21,000.

Receipts for the month indicated collections of $27,000 — far below that $58,000 pre-COVID estimate, but well above worstcase pandemic projections.

April was even more severe, with preCOVID projections of around $68,000 revised down to just $3,500. That month outperformed COVID projections slightly, with $5,500 in collections.

May’s pre-COVID projection of $104,000 was revised down to $16,000, but almost $59,000 was collected for the month.

June not only outperformed diminished projections of $36,000, but almost outperformed the original pre-COVID projection of $143,000, with $136,000 in collections.

Those numbers, coupled with stronger than usual collections last summer and fall, mean that at the end of the fiscal year on June 30, yearly collections fell short of preCOVID estimates by just $27,000 out of more than $1.1 million.

Within the five Haywood County zip codes that are tracked for room occupancy the results were mixed, but only Lake Junaluska had a severe downturn, collecting $35,000 for the year against pre-COVID pro-

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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER uring the summer and fall of 2019, room occupancy tax data collected by Haywood County’s Tourism Development Authority suggested that the county was on track for another strong year, perhaps its best ever.

“I think we had some new events that contributed to that,” said Lynn Collins, executive director of the Haywood TDA. “Overall, we were having a really good year.

Color season went into November, and we had a good January and February for ski season. And then …”

And then, the Coronavirus Pandemic hit.

But as it turns out, not even a global public health crisis could stop the juggernaut that is Haywood County’s tourism industry.

Year-end data — from July 2019 through June 2020, provided by the Haywood TDA — show that through June, collections were off by just 2 percent from normal yearly estimates made long before the pandemic emerged.

“The whole of Western North Carolina fexperienced that,” Collins said. “I think because of the type of destination that Western North Carolina is, people felt comfortable coming here.”

Like many other county-level TDAs, Haywood clamped down on spending and revised its pre-COVID projections downward

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Pandemic impacts Franklin’s tourism revenue

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BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR he Town of Franklin is one of the many local governments that saw a decrease in its occupancy tax revenue this year due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In addition to Macon County collecting a room tax, the Town of Franklin also collects its own 3 percent tax on accommodations within the town limits. While Franklin gets its fair share of visitors looking for outdoor adventures, the town doesn’t have as many shortterm rentals within the town limits as others do, which could be why the Franklin TDA has seen a decrease in revenue this summer.

“The Franklin Tourism Development Authority experienced a decline in local occupancy tax like many other municipalities and counties. However, due to the TDA’s healthy fund balance the TDA was able to balance and close out fiscal year 2019-2020 in better financial health than other towns and counties,” said Summer Woodward, town manager.

According to the TDA’s reports, the anticipated budget for 2019-20 was $140,000 but the total revenue collected due to COVID-19 was $115,935.34. The TDA’s total expenses were at $118,665, which means $2,729 had to be used from the TDA’s $152,631 fund balance to balance the budget.

The town’s tourism numbers rely heavily on downtown events and festivals, which have obviously taken a hit during the pandemic. To ensure safety of residents, visitors and businesses, the town decided early on to cancel its popular fall Pumpkin Fest, an event that brings thousands of people to Macon County. The town also recently placed a moratorium on issuing permits for people to use the gazebo downtown for community events.

Franklin also benefits from Appalachian Trail thru-hikers that flood the area during the beginning of their journey in March and April, but with the AT Conservancy urging hikers to postpone their trips until after the pandemic, those numbers were also down.

Thru-hikers — who are mostly camping — also don’t contribute as much to the room tax revenue as other demographics of visitors coming to Macon County. Franklin only

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had room tax collection numbers through June since reports are issued a month or two after the fact. If the numbers in other counties are any indication, Franklin could see a boost in July and August numbers.

Even though room tax numbers were down this summer, Woodard said Franklin did experience an influx of visitors to downtown despite the pandemic and the town went out of its way to decorate for fall and welcome them. Some local businesses have suffered while others have adapted, flourished and grown during COVID-19.

Woodard has been surprised at the number of new businesses opening in Franklin during these uncertain times.

“Tourism-related businesses have experienced hardships due to COVID-19. Hotels and motels, restaurants and retailers have all had to re-adjust to a new normal,” she said.

Next week, The Smoky Mountain News will take a closer look at how the pandemic has impacted individual businesses and whether the growth in overnight stays translated into more revenue for downtown retailers.

October 14-20, 2020

FY 2018-2019 FY 2019-2020 July ...............$15,894.85 ......$17,886.04 August..........$12,353.78 ......$14,413.61 September....$14,636.43 ......$12,866.27 October.........$18,173.60 ......$19,422.94 November .....$13,471.11 ......$10,692.08 December .....$7,878.56 ........$7,013.79 January.........$3,999.90 ........$6,966.05 February .......$6,630.27 ........$6,479.11 March ...........$10,302.99 ......$4,085.98 April..............$10,830.29 ......$707.20 May...............$14,666.32 ......$4,265.21 June..............$14,915.56 ......$11,137.06 Total .............$143,753.66 ....$115,935.34

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BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER ongtime commissioner and current Chairman of the Haywood County Board of Commissioners Kevin Ensley is seeking re-election to his seat, as is fellow Republican Brandon Rogers.

Challenging them are two Democrats, Leah Hampton and David Young. Both are running their first campaigns for elected office, and both have plenty of ideas as to how the county could better address not only the relatively recent issue of the Coronavirus pandemic, but also many of the legacy issues affecting residents in recent years.

Voters can choose any two of the candidates for the commission, which is currently controlled by Republicans by a four-to-one margin.

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As a county, we were relatively proactive when the Coronavirus Pandemic emerged in mid-March. With the benefit of hindsight, how do you feel we did in responding to it?

Kevin Ensley: We were about right. I feel like we listened to our health professionals.

We also listened to the public because we had contacts from folks who were concerned about the vacationers coming into our area and staying, so we went ahead and kind of shut that down for a period of time. What we needed was guidance from the state and the federal government on what protocols we should be doing, like wearing masks and social distancing. Now that we know what our protocols are, even for restaurants, they can work in such a way to make sure that we keep quelling the virus. I hate that that’s become a political issue. It really shouldn’t be because we trust our doctors and the CDC to be able to give us the information on how we can keep this at bay, and that’s what they do.

Leah Hampton: I’m really proud of the county health department officials. This was unpredictable in every possible way. Overall, I think we have done better than most counties in the region. I think we have been more respectful of the science, but the reality of being a community that has a lot of tourists does mean that we’ve had some who’ve come here from out of state who have maybe violated quarantine. I think there’s been some look-

Meet the candidates Kevin Ensley • Age: 59 • Residence: Iron Duff • Experience: Four-term commissioner Leah Hampton • Age: 47 • Residence: Waynesville • Experience: First campaign Brandon Rogers • Age: 49 • Residence: Bethel • Experience: One-term commissioner David Young: • Age: 43 • Residence: Haywood County • Experience: First campaign

ing away from stuff that we could have been far more careful about. Hindsight is 20/20.

I’m sure it’s been a challenge for local law enforcement and I wouldn’t begin to criticize what I think they’ve tried to do but I think we’ve reached a point where everybody knows this is real. It took six months and if we get to a point where, for example, the governor is issuing a real strong lockdown or something, I think we have to abide by it.

Brandon Rogers: Hindsight is always 20/20 and you learn a whole lot, especially when you have a pandemic hit like this. None

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Election could remake Haywood County Board of Commissioners

of us had ever seen something like this before so I guess looking back, I wouldn’t have changed anything that we did. I feel like we were proactive and took the right steps and the measurements that we did, and I feel like that it was a big part of why we didn’t have any more cases than we did. Unfortunately since then, we have had some deaths and our numbers have went up, but I’m not sure what we could have done differently.

David Young: I think we got off to a really good start implementing some of the things you’ve talked about, hindsight being what it is. I would love to have seen a strong educational push at the beginning about masks, about social distancing, explaining how that stuff works at the nuts-and-bolts level. A lot of people get lost in the scientific jargon. They look at a journal of medicine entry and don’t know how to get through the abstract. If somebody had broken that down and explained it in layman’s terms — “this is why we want you doing these things” — I think maybe the pushback we’re experiencing now wouldn’t have happened.

And the pandemic isn’t going away on Nov. 4, or in December, maybe even months after that. How will we continue to manage this?

Leah Hampton: My understanding is that that county tax revenues have not taken the hit we anticipated. There’s been a hit, but it has not been as big. I think it has been a good faith effort. This is one of the few advantages to having a Republican-con-

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HAYWOOD, CONTINUED FROM 13 trolled county commission is they are extremely fiscally-minded and so there have been some investments. And I think there are some rainy day funds available plus state and federal funds. People in this community have to be healthy and businesses in this community are going to continue to struggle and are going to need help. And I think we have to have a very real conversation at the county level and even at the individual municipal level about what kind of sacrifices those governments can make and what kinds of incentives we can offer to preserve not just businesses but facilities so that people have jobs to go to.

Brandon Rogers: We have to let our businesses operate on a normal basis, but I feel like what’s most important is the “three W’s.”

We’ve got to wear a mask, we’ve got to keep our distance from each other and be sure we’re washing our hands and keeping ourselves clean. If we do those three things, I feel like that’s the most important, but we have to let our businesses continue to run.

David Young: I don’t envy the guys at the local level. County government is second up from the bottom. We are at the bottom of a hill and we have to wait for the feds to kick stuff down the hill, then it hits the state and loses that momentum and then we have to wait for it to come down from the state to the county level. So, it’s going to depend a lot on what happens above us, what we’re able to afford to do. I think we can still do the education. I think we can still keep a mask mandate in place. I think we can still keep social distancing in place. I think this is going to get worse as we enter flu season, as we enter the colder months and more people are pushed to congregate inside. I think we need to be incredibly vigilant because 215,000 dead people is not something to play around with.

Kevin Ensley: I think that there’s a lot of good news. We got the funds from the federal government which helped pay for some of the extra costs we had but since the protocols have been in place our county, I don’t know if you heard but June was the highest sales tax we had ever received. So I feel like the economy for our area, anyway — I know nationally, it might not be up where it needs to be — I think in our area it’s doing great. Our occupancy tax was the highest in July it’s ever been. I feel like that industry has come back.

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The pandemic has also exposed the highspeed internet problem — it’s not a luxury or a convenience anymore. Kids are sitting in cars outside fast food restaurants and firehouses, doing their homework. What can you do to help?

Brandon Rogers: This is one of my top three issues. We, we are a Tier 3 county [as designated by the state, meaning among the most prosperous], which restricts us from getting certain funding from a state or federal level. One of the first steps we could do is work with our legislators, both from a state and federal level and be sure that we get appropriate funding to fix it. We just need to continue to work with them to get to proper funding so that we can fix it, even if it’s getting broadband through satellite services. We got kids that drive to the community center or Taco Bell to sit in the parking lot to do their homework. It shouldn’t be that way.

David Young: I would absolutely push to have that law [that restricts local governments from providing internet services] overturned. That was a bad law. You can follow the money and see why that law passed. It doesn’t prohibit municipalities from offering broadband. It makes it very difficult for them to offer broadband. There are loopholes, there are work-arounds. I think we should be looking at that. We should have the county attorney, and the different municipalities should have their town attorneys looking at those options. The only thing that’s going to work to get these bigger companies, these high-speed providers in here is if we’re already building the infrastructure, if we’re already showing that there is a market and that we’re willing to go after that market if they’re not.

Kevin Ensley: We’re continuing to work on broadband. We have a committee that meets. It’s really frustrating. And I feel like Haywood Electric Membership Corporation can be a big part of that solution. I’ve heard rumblings that they’re maybe going to start getting on board. One of the strengths that we have in our county for broadband would be to have wireless towers put in. I personally have Skyrunner, which is where I get my internet. We’ve talked about maybe working with them to find sites. I know we’re putting a site in to try to help the Lake Logan area on the south end of the county and if we put that sat that site there, we would be willing to partner with either

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We’ve had several people that looked at our area, loved our area, but unfortunately going back to broadband and other issues that we have here in these mountains they decided to go elsewhere. I feel like we can sweeten them a little more to do a better job. We have drawn the attention of some big key players and matter of fact, we’re talking to some now.

Seems like we get right there where we’ve about got them and then they make a decision to go elsewhere. So we’re close. We just need to do a little more work.

And then, there’s homelessness, which is becoming a bigger and bigger issue here.

What’s the role of county government in addressing that problem?

Leah Hampton: I think that there are organizations in the community, private organizations and nonprofit organizations that do a great deal in that regard. I think we stand in their way a little bit. I think the community response is one that is kind of kneejerk and doesn’t really think about the data of how these programs can work and can truly help people. I would like to see county government assisting those organizations.

Maybe it doesn’t even have to necessarily be financially but the short answer is no, we are not busing people out of Haywood County and if I lose this election because I’m not going to discriminate against homeless people, so be it.

Brandon Rogers: That’s a tricky question.

I feel like when you talk about our homeless situation, I’m not so sure that government should play a part in that. I would hope that our faith-based programs and churches would take care of that. I just don’t feel like government has much of a place other than when funding is available that comes down from the state or the federal level that has to pass through us. Of course, we have to approve that kind of thing, but I feel like the help there should be more from faith-based programs in church.

David Young: Stable housing is the foundation for everything. If you have a substance use disorder and you’re in unstable housing, your chances of recovery plummet. If you have a mental health issue and you’re trying to manage it and you’re in unstable housing, your chances of managing it plummet. Health issues, disabilities, poverty, domestic issues, all those things just get amplified when you’re in an unstable situation. We need to get people off the streets and into stable housing. If it has to be a hotel room for a couple of months, that’s better than a parking lot. That’s better than a park bench. That’s better than a tent out in the woods. We need to start moving people into their own homes. That’s one of the reasons I’m running. In the 20 years I’ve been here, rent has gone up, utilities have gone up, taxes have gone up, fees have gone up. Wages are the same. Wages haven’t budged in 20 years. And we’re wondering why people who were struggling when rent was $600 a month 20 years ago are now out on the streets when rent is $1,200 a month, and they’re still making $2.13 an hour as a server.

Kevin Ensley: I know they’re working on a low barrier shelter, and I think that’ll help with town of Waynesville. Also, I’ve noticed with the low barrier shelter that we have, it seems like to me that that’s helped that community by giving these folks a place to stay and maybe giving them a linkage to treatment. They told me one of the girls got a job, you know but was staying in the shelter. She got her feet back under her and she was able to get a job. I want to feel like it’s helped calm the neighborhood down as far as these people aren’t wandering around everywhere. I know there’s still homeless people, but I think it gives a segment of the homeless people somewhere to stay. And it helps them get on their feet to where they can get back and get a job and maybe even get into housing that they can pay for. I’d like to see that move forward as much as we can.

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Let’s talk about economic development.

Recently we spent some money on infrastructure, to make a vacant parcel more attractive to developers. What do you think the role of the county should be in encouraging economic development like that?

David Young: I love the free market. I obviously have some capitalist blood in me.

The free market does not work in rural areas.

It’s the exact same reason Charter’s not going to pay $200,000 to run a high-speed internet line up the side of a mountain for 20 houses.

Their payoff is 50 years and they don’t care.

They don’t want those customers. They’re not going to take on that investment once that happens. I think you have to have a quality of life metric — what is available here for businesses? What is available here for residents? If private industry isn’t willing to step in to fill those deficits, I think it becomes the responsibility of government to make sure that we have an industrial park that is marketable. We paid for that land. We’re still paying for that land, and it’s sitting unused and

empty. If we have to pay $150,000 to run a sewer line to sell a multimillion-dollar parcel of land that’s a pretty easy math problem for me.

Kevin Ensley: Being a land surveyor, any time we’re dealing with land issues or ordinances, especially water and sewer expansion, I really know where most of those lines already are and potential places where they could be. I know when we were looking at the Highway 209 corridor, I knew that there was a possibility that we could get sewer down through there because we needed it for the truck stops and the school. It kind of gives me a leg up on all those top issues. You know, the more water and sewer expansion we have, the better we can do economic development or workforce housing or affordable housing to where people can carve their lots a little bit smaller and you can get more density on the property.

Leah Hampton: There’s other ways to do it. For example, if we place conditions on things like that. So if you want this extension or if you want this property to be approved, well that needs to be a win-win situation, right? I think the definition of win-win situation for a lot of people on the current commission is purely fiscal and purely fiscal for a very narrow portion of people in the county.

My instinct would have been to lean against voting for it until I knew more about what the conditions being placed on the company that would be doing this were, for example, requiring that their build meet LEED standards, requiring that they employ a certain number of people, making sure that they were contributing a fair amount of tax so that the roads into that facility water and sewer, all that kind of stuff, that we’re getting a return on investment.

Brandon Rogers: I feel like we have made some major strides in helping attract some businesses over the last three or four years now. Unfortunately, the packages are a little more eye-catching in bordering counties.

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Skyrunner or a telecom to be able to place their equipment on those towers.

Leah Hampton: There was a committee that did a lot of research on this, but they’re kind of stymied in two ways, one by some statewide limitations but then also by the pandemic, which limits some of their ability to implement some of their objectives right now. There are grants available from multiple organizations that could help with buying materials and laying cable. There are community centers in the county that have good internet. We have the library for example, right? I think if we have a tiered approach looking at building on what that committee has done — first priority would be making sure that educators and students in the region can get internet for classes, as long as they need it. We don’t meet certain qualifications with Tier 3, so we can’t get those dollars. We’ve been mislabeled there.

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499,000 North Carolinians will lose their health coverage You will lose coverage for pre-existing conditions You will lose your unlimited maximum benefit You will lose mandatory coverage for prescription drugs; pediatric care to include dental; preventive care and chronic disease management; emergency services, hospitalization, mental health and addiction services, pregnancy and newborn care; ambulatory services; rehabilitative services and devices.

You will lose coverage for ages 18-26 on parent’s plan.

You will lose protections from predatory insurers selling junk plans that put limits on coverage for the most expensive conditions like cancer or trauma and do not cover pre-existing conditions.

You will lose your rural hospitals as the uninsured cannot pay for the emergency care they receive.

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BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER his year’s race for the Haywood County School Board has had a lot of interest with 12 candidates running for five open seats, including the seat for chairman. Current Chairman Chuck Francis originally had a competitor, but he later dropped out of the race.

The Smoky Mountain News covered the race for the Waynesville district last week and this week features the candidates running for the Beaverdam District — Magnolia Brown, Danny Miller, Tausha Forney, Randy McDowell and current board members David Burnette and Ronnie Clark.

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Meet the candidates David Burnette • Age: 60 • From: Canton • Occupation: President and CEO Telco Community Credit Union Ronnie Clark • Age: 52 • From: Canton • Occupation: Shift Manager Evergreen Packaging Tausha Forney • Age: 40 • From: Waynesville • Occupation: Program Director Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center

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Magnolia B. Thomas • Age: 74 • From: Bethel, Pitt County, NC • Occupation: retired Teacher, Principal and Assistant Principal Danny Miller • Age: 62 • From: Haywood County • Occupation: retired Teacher, Coach, Principal and Assistant Principal

October 14-20, 2020

Randy McDowell • Age: 64 • From: Haywood County • Occupation: retired from Evergreen Packaging, currently E.C. school bus driver for Haywood County Schools Chuck Francis (chairman) • Age: 64 • From: Haywood County • Occupation: Agricultural sales

the children I work with at the Pigeon Community Center. We have an afterschool program so I see them every day. I see what their parents go through, I see the disconnect or the struggles they have getting information.

I also am connected because we talk to the teachers there so I see their struggles, I see their disconnects, I know what they need also.

I decided to run because I feel like I can help connect those folks and connect people to the things they need through the school board, because I see the school board as an opportunity to serve the community. I believe that’s what the school board is in place for, is to make sure the community gets what they want from the education system in their county.

Magnolia B Thomas: Well my husband lived all his life in Haywood County, except when he was away in the Army, he went to

S EE B EAVERDAM, PAGE 18

Smoky Mountain News

The Smoky Mountain News: What is your connection to Haywood County Schools and why are you running for Haywood School Board?

Chuck Francis: I want to continue with the hard work and dedication of our school system. They have become a top school system throughout the state and I would like to continue that progress toward becoming number one. I have a long history with HCS, I’ve been on the board now for 20 years, the chairman now for 16. I started out because I had three kids in the school system, and now they’re grown and I’m starting all over again with the grandkids as they enter the school system.

David Burnette: I attended Bethel Elementary, Bethel Junior High and Pisgah Senior High, and graduated in 1978. My wife Teressa attended Patton Elementary, North Canton Elementary, Canton Junior High and Pisgah High, graduated in 1980. Both of our Children Byron Burnette and Bianca Burnette attended HCS. Byron graduated from Pisgah in 2005, Bianca graduated from Pisgah in 2012. Our grandson Landon Burnette is in kindergarten at Clyde Elementary. I am currently a member of the Haywood County School Board. I also serve on the building and grounds Committee. Our son Byron works for HCS as the principal at Clyde Elementary.

I am running for the Haywood County School Board to continue to serve the citizens of Haywood County. I enjoy serving on the School board. It is an honor and privilege to serve as a Board Member. My only agenda is to help make our schools the best that they can be. My goal is that every student gets the best education possible. It is also important that all staff have the best place to work and provide for their families.

Ronnie Clark: I am currently on the School Board. I was elected in 2016 and serve as Chairman of the Finance Committee and on the Special Issues Committee. I raised 4 boys who went through our School System and graduated Pisgah High School. I am also a graduate of Pisgah High School and a native of Haywood County.

Tausha Forney: I was born and raised in Haywood County so I came through HCS. I went to Junaluska Elementary and graduated from Tuscola in 1998. That was my earlier connection, and now my connection is through

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Full slate of candidates in Beaverdam school board race

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October 14-20, 2020

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B EAVERDAM, CONTINUED FROM 17 Vietnam. My brother, or son, was five years old when mom died. So, he started out my brother, ended up my son. He’s a graduate of HCS. I’m running for Haywood County School Board to support success in the diversity of our faculty and other adults in the HCS. We have a number of Black students.

When I grew up, I had teachers I could look up to that were my own race. I think it’s important for Black and white students to both see that there are Black adults who can help them wherever they go along the way.

My first teaching job was at Erwin High School in Buncombe County. I was on a faculty of around 80 teachers and I was the only Black teacher the kids had from kindergarten through ninth grade. I taught chemistry. I got my teaching certificate, my B.S. degree from Elizabeth City State in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. I got two master’s from Western Carolina University, one in education and one in administration. I also got my Ed.S. from WCU. Danny Miller: I’m a product of the school system, both of my children attended school here, and I have five grandchildren grades first through seven in this school system. I worked in the system for 22 years, the last 14 as an elementary and high school principal. The reason I’m running is I feel like I can bring a unique perspective to the board, having those experiences. Now is the time that people need to step up and make themselves available.

Randy McDowell: I graduated from Pisgah High School, and all my kids graduated from Pisgah. I’m running for the school board to enact some kind of change to get equal rights for all kids, not just minority kids, but all kids regardless of race or social status. Get some diversity training, some sort of mentoring program set up because Haywood County needs a change. We’ve sat silently here for years and years without a voice and I think we need a voice in what goes on in our school system.

How well do you think Haywood County Schools has responded to the Coronavirus

Pandemic? If applicable, what would you have liked to have seen done differently?

Chuck Francis: I think given the limitations we’ve been given, by folks over us, we’ve done as well as we could. I think that the governor’s office has limited us on what we can and cannot do, for good or bad. But we’ve responded with what we were given. The closing in March was not our decision, we didn’t have a vote or make any decision on that. I think we probably lost an opportunity for another month or two of instruction in person since we’re such a remote county compared to other parts of the state. We could have watched the numbers in Haywood County and if they started to creep up then we could have closed the schools down, but we weren’t given that option. However, the governor did give us an option on reopening the schools which I thought was odd.

But of course, it’s always easy to Monday morning quarterback.

David Burnette: I think HCS has responded extremely well to the pandemic. COVID19 is unchartered waters for everyone. The entire staff has gone above and beyond the call of duty to adapt to the changes. They have continued to educate our students remotely and are now working to return to in person education. Our staff served meals to our students in our communities during the whole pandemic. They served food for pick up all summer and thus far this fall. I thank every staff member for their hard work and dedication throughout this pandemic.

Ronnie Clark: I think we responded very well to this unexpected and unique situation.

Everyone in the school system has worked very hard to make the best of this situation.

The School Board met 23 times (mostly on Google Meet) from March until August to keep up with the changes the state and federal government made each week. During this time, the school system served over a million meals to feed the children of Haywood County and our teachers taught virtually to keep the children on track.

Tausha Forney: I think that they have done a great job offering families choices, and not

mandating “every child must do this.” I think that is an excellent start. I would like to see more information in Spanish. I know our Spanish families are so far behind in a couple of areas. First, getting information because the school doesn’t release it in Spanish. Also, as far as schooling at home, a lot of our Spanishspeaking families, the parents don’t read and write English like the children do, so there is no help for the kids doing homework at home.

So that is a huge thing, because most of those kids are already in ESL (English as a second language). It tempers the way they’re learning, and it frustrates them and their parents more than it really should. I know everybody has a huge level of frustration right now but, I think theirs is just compounded by the fact that it’s just kind of inaccessible to them. I would like to see that dealt with immediately.

Magnolia B. Thomas: Well I know that what they have done so far is keep students away from school for a while. Which is a good thing. We don’t need to be gathering in groups and going out. I don’t have anything right now that I can say that they should have done differently, I think they’re doing an excellent job.

Danny Miller: Having been in the system, I think it’s a major accomplishment that they were able to put a device in the home of every student, along with some hotspots for those kids that didn’t have internet access. I do feel though that wasn’t 100 percent successful because we’ve worked with some of our grandchildren here, and it was sketchy at best. I don’t think that’s a school system issue though, I think our community is going to have to step up and make broadband internet more available in our county. We’ve really put our children, unintentionally, in a disadvantageous position by not having that available to them. There are so many ways to use that in education now if it’s available. But I think the school system did a great job getting devices to them and I think they’ve come up with a really great plan to get the younger students in the building every day. They need to be there, they are not computer savvy and ready to use those devices to learn from. However, the

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older students are, so a mix of distance and face-to-face learning can work for them.

Randy McDowell: I think they responded very well. In my personal opinion I don’t think we should have gone back to school yet, not because of what the school system is doing, but because of what people in this county are doing. Everybody’s not wearing masks. I drive the E.C. school bus for Haywood county and I see so often parents will send their kids to school sick, and I’m afraid this is going to happen with this COVID-19. But as far as preparation for COVID-19, I think the school system is doing a very good job.

Did you agree with the punishment given to Dr. Nolte earlier this year regarding his Facebook post? Why or why not? What impact did that decision have on you deciding to run?

Chuck Francis: Because this is a personnel issue and I am a current member of the board, I can’t really answer this question.

But, in a broad sense I think it was an unfortunate situation at best. On the other hand, it gave us an opportunity to look from within individually and as a school system. It’s given us an opportunity to look at bias and bullying in our schools from a different perspective than we have previously.

David Burnette: I think the school board handled the situation with Dr. Nolte correctly. An investigation took place to examine the whole of the body of work of Dr. Nolte’s tenure with Haywood County Schools. The investigation found no pattern of bias or racism. In fact, it is fair to say that Dr. Nolte’s career with Haywood County Schools has been one of exemplary service and community-mindedness. Furthermore, Dr. Nolte upon recognizing the post was hurtful to others, removed the post and quickly apologized. In our world today, the highest mark of the character is to recognize a mistake, apologize and seek forgiveness. This decision had no impact on my decision to run for the school board. I had already committed to run for another term.

Ronnie Clark: I did not vote on his punishment due to having back surgery on that day.

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brought forth what was going on around here. I’ve been wanting to run for school board for three or four years because of some incidents that I’ve found out about that I didn’t agree with regarding personnel. This right here just kind of pushed me over the edge. I think it was time for somebody to jump in. In order to enact change you have to get outside your comfort zone and that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m trying to enact some kind of change. People of Haywood County don’t think we have a problem, but there is definitely a problem in the HCS system.

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October 14-20, 2020

What is the number one thing you want voters to know, before heading to the voting booth, about why they should vote for you?

Chuck Francis: Given the trying times that we’re going through right now, experience is going to be key. The chairmanship is one that leads the board and allows and encourages discussion on all issues. I think I’ve done a good job of allowing board members to express their individual ideas and opinions and then as a board, as a group, to come to a consensus.

David Burnette: I am dedicated to providing every child the best education possible.

Ronnie Clark: As a parent, I know our children need a strong future. I will use my business education, work experience, and School Board experience to keep our students successful. As the chair of the School Board finance committee we have given all the teachers and staff a raise.

Tausha Forney: The number one thing that I want people to know is that I am part of this community, I am this community. My family has been here for generations. We are important to the history of this community. I want to make sure that everybody in the community is heard. That folks are taken care of, that folks feel like they have agency over their education, that kids are safe, and feel safe going to school, that teachers know somebody is there to listen and help them out. I just want folks to know that I am here for the community, and just to make sure that the students are heard.

Magnolia B. Thomas: That I am for education. I’ve been in education for 38 years. I have a lot to offer, in terms of personnel, subject matter etc. Every year the state sends an outline of courses to be taught. But they don’t send the details, and I think talking to other board members about the details of what needs to be taught in our schools would be important. Whatever I can do to help.

Danny Miller: Well I think I’ve had successful experience as a teacher, coach and principal in grades pre-k through high school. I love the process, I love school staff and students. I’ve always operated from the position that every adversity comes with an opportunity to improve. And I feel like those experiences can make me an asset to that improvement.

Randy McDowell: Well, kids aren’t just a part of my life, kids are my life. I’ve been a youth league basketball coach in Haywood County for 45 years. I’m part of the Canton Michelin Network, I work with the Backpack association, I’ve been a youth choir director, I’m in the men’s booster club at my church. I personally think I am the best person for this job because I always put kids first. Kids are my number one priority in everything I do.

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The punishment was within the School Board policy for an event that disrupts the school system. I want to continue to have the opportunity to help our students and that is why I am running for re-election. However, this event helped bring to my awareness other race issues within our school system. I have talked to School Board Chairman Chuck Francis for authorization to start a diversity committee (may eventually be called something else) after the election, if I am re-elected. I have already asked some members of our community to participate in this diversity committee so we can discuss issues that our minority children are dealing with and come up with realistic, doable solutions.

Tausha Forney: I know that the school board did what they thought was best for a couple of reasons, I know that Dr. Nolte is under contract. I know that it would have cost the school system money to change that contract and I know that is not something that HCS can afford right now. However, I also know that the decisions that were made rippled through the community and people that didn’t have a lot of faith in the school system protecting their children because of difference, was exacerbated. Those folks felt like they had been ignored already, so when the decisions to deal with Nolte were made as they were, it kind of made it clear that their children weren’t cared for, that their voice wasn’t heard, that they wouldn’t be protected. So that pushed me to run for school board because I heard that, I heard folks say those things to me. I felt like I could step in that place and be their voice on the school board and make sure they’re heard going forward. That was my deciding factor.

Magnolia B. Thomas: I had an interview with Dr. Nolte five years before I retired, and he seemed like a decent person. But I read his notice on Facebook and I think that started things. From what I’ve heard he has decided to have diversity training for Haywood County Schools personnel, so that is a good thing, we need that. From what I gather he is trying to do the right thing and I hope it works for him.

As far as my decision to run, I was in a meeting with the NAACP, and they were saying there were no black candidates for the Haywood County School Board. That struck me, I sat there thinking to myself about how much experience and knowledge I have in education, 38 years worth, and thought maybe I should run. I think I have expertise in education. I was an educator at the high school level, I was an assistant principal and a principal in Buncombe County.

Danny Miller: I’ve given that question a lot of thought, and I feel like since I’m not privy to all the information that went into the decision it would be inappropriate to second guess what the board did. I just don’t know what information they based their decision on, so I think it would be unfair to kind of Monday morning quarterback them by saying what they should have done. And it has nothing to do with why I’m running at all.

Randy McDowell: I don’t think he got a punishment. I think he got a two-week vacation. As long as he holds good to the things he promises to do this school year, then I’m good with the things that happened. I think it

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BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER Many tribal offices are closed or operating at reduced levels this week following what Principal Chief Richard Sneed called an “exponential increase” in COVID-19 cases among tribal members.

To date, 295 positive COVID-19 cases have been identified on the Qualla Boundary, and of those 84 — 28.47 percent — were diagnosed between Oct. 5 and Oct. 12. As of Oct. 12, 90 cases were considered active, of which five were currently hospitalized, while 202 were considered recovered and three people had died. An additional 210 people were direct contacts of people with COVID-19 and were under quarantine at home.

“While that number is staggering and we do want to modify our plans to help reduce the spread of COVID-19, I do want everyone to know it is not the EBCI tribal government or businesses that are causing this sharp increase in positive cases,” said Sneed in an Oct. 10 Facebook post. “The EBCI contact tracing team has been working with individuals who test positive and it has been consistently demonstrated that the spread of COVID-19 in our community can be traced to family groupings and other large gatherings, such as churches and social gatherings, where individuals are in close proximity to others while not wearing face coverings.”

Diagnoses thus far have been concentrated among younger people, with 70.85 percent of cases appearing in people under the age of 50.

On Oct. 9, the EBCI Public Health and Human Services Division announced a COVID-19 cluster associated with services held at the Big Cove Pentecostal Holiness

Church between Sept. 17 and Oct. 7. People who attended church services during those dates and tested positive for the disease are isolating in their homes, PHHS said.

During modified operations this week, critical functions will remain operational “to the extent possible,” said Sneed, including public safety, public health, senior citizen and homebound meal services. However, childcare centers including Dora Reed, Big Cove Daycare, Recreation Day Camps, EBCI Youth Center and Snowbird Youth Center will be closed. Cherokee Central Schools will remain fully virtual. Tribal leaders will to evaluate the situation this week and announce further plans Saturday, Oct. 17.

The tribe entered Phase 3 of its reopening process on Thursday, Oct. 1, authorizing movie theaters, meeting and event spaces to resume operations at limited capacity.

However, in his Oct. 10 statement Sneed emphasized that business operations are not driving the current uptick in cases and that there are no plans to close tribal borders or businesses at this time.

Sneed urged tribal members to follow the three Ws — wash hands, wear a mask and wait 6 feet apart — and to cooperate with contact tracing efforts from the Cherokee Indian Hospital. Direct contacts will receive a call from 1.844.628.7223 and people who test positive through the hospital will receive a call from a number starting with 828.359.

“If you receive a call from either of these numbers, I implore you to cooperate and answer their questions to the fullest extent of your ability,” said Sneed.

The EBCI COVID-19 hotline can be reached at 1.828.497.3743.

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Tribal government modifies operations amid COVID-19 surge

La Crosse Encephalitis cases confirmed in Haywood Haywood County Health Director Patrick Johnson recently confirmed that two residents of Haywood County has been diagnosed with La Crosse Encephalitis Virus (LACV).

The patients, one of whom required a hospital stay, are recovering well at home.

“This is an unfortunate reminder that all residents in our community need to take precautions to reduce exposure to mosquitos and prevent mosquito bites,” said Johnson.

The mosquitoes that spread LACV are most active during the daytime. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “the best way to reduce your risk of infection with LACV or other mosquito-borne viruses is to use insect repellent (containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535), wear long sleeves, long pants and socks or stay indoors while mosquitoes are most active. Mosquitoes can lay eggs even in small amounts of standing water.”

Some suggestions include emptying standing water from flowerpots, buckets, barrels and tires. Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths often.

La Crosse encephalitis virus is maintained in a cycle between the eastern tree-

hole mosquito and vertebrate hosts in deciduous forest habitats. Humans can become infected with LACV from the bite of an infected mosquito. However, humans rarely, if ever, develop high enough concentrations of LACV in their bloodstreams to infect feeding mosquitoes. Humans are therefore considered incidental hosts for LACV. Many people infected with LACV have no apparent symptoms. Those who become ill, usually within 5-15 days of exposure, may experience fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. Some of those who become ill will develop severe neuroinvasive disease (disease that affects the nervous system) which often involves encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) and can include seizures, coma, paralysis and, in rare cases, long-term disability or death.

There is no specific antiviral treatment for LACV infection. Most often people are hospitalized, and care is based on symptom management.

If you or a family member has symptoms of LACV disease or any symptoms causing you concern, promptly consult a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis.

Early voting starts Oct. 15 arly voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 15 through Oct. 31. Early voting sites in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area will include:

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Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters who are in line at 7:30 p.m. will still be allowed to vote, no matter how long the line is. Voter identification is not required.

Vote only at your precinct, which can be found by visiting https://vt.ncsbe.gov/reglkup. You can also find a sample ballot listing all of the races in which you’re eligible to vote.

Do not visit polling sites to determine the status of your absentee ballot. Visit https://northcarolina.ballottrax.net/voter.

Registering to vote on Election Day is not an option in North Carolina.

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$500 Bonus Cash (PGM #13844) + $1,000 Trade-In Assistance Bonus Cash (PGM #30632). Not all buyers will qualify for Ford Credit financing. 0% APR financing for 60 months at $16.67 per month per $1,000 financed regardless of down payment (PGM #21188). Trade Assist available to customers who currently own or lease a 1995 or newer vehicle who trade-in or have a lease expiring from 30 days prior to through 90 days after new retail delivery. Customer must have owned or leased the trade-in vehicle for a minimum of 30 days prior to the sale date of the new vehicle. Not available on Hybrid & Plug-In Hybrid. Residency restrictions apply.

For all offers, take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford dealer’s stock by 11/3/20. See dealer for qualifications and complete details.

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Medication Disposal Boxes.

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Affordable HousingPromoting Home Ownership

Pick up your free lock box at the Swain County Health Department

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Separating news and facts from opinions A

Socialist America has done pretty well

To the Editor: Recent letters have railed against a Democratic plan to make America into a “socialist country.” History shows that part of that plan has already succeeded. In the proceeding 75 years Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, clean water legislation, housing subsidies, disabilities protections, and welfare in various forms have all become part of American life. These programs and a hundred more like them have formed the basis of our modern American society.

Since the days of President Franklin Roosevelt, conservative Republicans have fought against each of these progressive programs. If given the chance, these Republicans probably would eliminate every one of them.

For example, President Trump’s lawyers will present their case to the Supreme Court in November to eliminate health care for over 20 million Americans and eliminate protection for over 100 million Americans with preexisting conditions. Trump’s cut to Social Security payroll taxes will bankrupt Social Security in a matter of a few years.

Ask yourself: do you want to eliminate your grandparent’s Social Security? Are you able to make up the money they will need? Do you have a pre-existing medical condition?

Will you be able to obtain health coverage and how much will it cost? Do you or someone you know receive food stamps? Are you going to be able to help buy groceries they need?

Are you going to be able help feed their children? More than half of food stamps go to

Sorry, those won’t get printed. If you won’t stand behind your opinions, our newspaper won’t stand behind it.

Believe it or not, there’s actually a code of ethics developed by the Society of Professional Journalists (www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp) that I find myself re-reading sometimes when someone accuses us of being unfair or biased. It’s pretty standard fare, but just like some religious people like to read the Bible and some lawyers and lawmakers read the Constitution, this code of ethics can be reassuring.

That code notes the difference between news and opinion, and — as we do here and as almost all newspapers do — recommends clearly delinEditor eating the two. It’s second nature for print journalists to make that distinction, where you have columnists who print opinions and journalists who report objectively.

But a lot of readers don’t understand that line, which in our industry is more like a sacred wall. It’s a hard and fast fact in almost all newsrooms at all legitimate newspapers in this country. We don’t print opinions in the news pages, only on the editorial pages.

Scott McLeod

message came back to me from an advertiser via one of our ad reps. He said we needed to quit running so many “liberal” articles.

This newspaper has been my life and a 21-year labor of love, so I always listen intently to criticisms and critiques.

Especially in cases like this, where I’ve known the business owner for years and know he’s no dummy. I feel certain the criticism is of our opinion pages, where the overwhelming number of letters this election season has been in favor of Democratic candidates for Congress and the state legislature or from those against President Trump.

The news business has never been simple. You’re open to attacks for what you cover and for what you choose not to cover, for how you report on a particular issue and for how you treat certain individuals.

But here’s the truth, which may be news to some people: we don’t edit or refuse to publish submitted letters to favor any political ideology. The prevalence of letters supporting certain candidates or causes are indicative of the letters we get via email, snail mail, and those which walk in the front door and are handdelivered. If anyone sends a letter in and it meets our criteria — isn’t crude or vulgar, doesn’t attack a private individual or business, and if it’s not libelous — we print them. All of them.

Often letters come across my desk that are anonymous.

feed children.

Do you remember when our rivers and streams were terribly polluted? Without the social legislation that protects them, do you think we can rely on the “good will” of the polluters to do the right thing?

“Failed Democratic socialists” are proposing to care for our family, neighbors and our planet by increasing access to affordable health care, creating millions of good-paying jobs in renewable energy, supporting our teachers and investing in our schools, creating a more just criminal justice system, and continuing to protect all American citizens no matter the race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs.

I am proud to live in the country that we have become. I am hoping that we can make a great country even better.

Louis Vitale Franklin

Do you really want Biden?

To the Editor: On a full-page ad in the October 7 edition of The Smoky Mountain News, Joe Biden supporters cited their reasons for being Biden supporters. Mistakenly, their reasons have nothing to do with Joe Biden’s agenda.

Better health care? Biden wants government control where bureaucrats determine what procedures and medical aid you are allowed. The VA System was a national disaster for decades. Trump fixed it. Biden’s free healthcare covers legal U.S. citizens but also all illegals. The Affordable Care Act, a Biden/Obama

Now, that doesn’t mean that the sources we use in our news stories aren’t voicing their opinions. Of course they are. And our reporters take the utmost care to quote them accurately and to make sure those words aren’t taken out of context.

That’s what trained journalists do, as opposed to so many television talking heads and many internet blog sites that don’t delineate clearly between fact and opinion.

Of course, there is some subjectivity in what we choose to cover. We have to make choices, as all news sources do, and readers are invited to look for biases in those decisions. I always enjoy looking at the same stories as they are covered by different news sources, in particular the Wall Street Journal versus the New York Times. Those are arguably the two best newspapers in the country, and one leans conservative while the other leans liberal. It’s an exercise I would recommend to anyone who is looking to really see both sides of a hot political issue.

In the end, our mission on our news pages is to be fair and accurate, and on our opinion pages to be a space where different viewpoints are welcome and encouraged. We take pride in providing a public square where opinions are debated and ideas are tested.

So send us your opinions. We sincerely want to hear them and want to print them.

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

LETTERS disaster, caused people to lose their favorite plan and doctors, costs escalated.

More high-paying good jobs? Trump’s administration increased over 500,000 manufacturing jobs and has already stated plans to increase these numbers. U.S. factories closed during the Obama-Biden administration and then reopened in other parts of the world.

Obama Biden’s “shovel ready jobs” was an absolute failure with Obama laughingly admitting that maybe the jobs were not shovel ready. Under Biden’s Green New Deal thousands of jobs will be lost as the “deal” controls and closes numerous businesses and industries they deem un-green and regulates just about every business and industry.

Best education? Biden is against school choice.

Security and safety? Riots, vandalisms and looting have raged unchecked in Democratrun cities whose leaders then vote to defund police. Joe does not denounce any of this.

Freedom and justice for all? Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, raised thousands of dollars to provide bail for individuals arrested for violent actions during the recent rioting. Many of these same individuals were seen back on the streets promoting and engaging in lawless behavior.

Joe Biden, a 47-year member of Congress, turns out to be a multi-millionaire on a congressional salary? Biden plagiarized speeches using material from others without attribution, was accused of plagiarism in law school then claimed he graduated top in his class when he was at the bottom half. His claims of

attending law school on a full academic scholarship are untrue as are claims to have graduated from undergraduate school with three degrees. These circumstances do not sound like character and integrity to me.

The American voter has a choice to make between our constitutional way of life or socialism. A Biden presidency pigeonholes Americans into government designed slots; your children and grandchildren will come under more government control eventually leading to the herd mentality. We should not relive history but should learn from it. The elite members of the USSR communist party lived very well but most of their citizens struggled to merely survive. Let’s not lose that right of freedom of choice and true freedom of choices.

Bill Adams Glenville

I will be voting for Cal Cunningham To the Editor: I received several campaign ads for Thom Tillis over the past several weeks. The ads say “I’ve cut your taxes before — and I’ll cut your taxes again, and again, because you deserve to keep more of your hard-earned money.”

First, my federal taxes (Jobs Act of 2017) were barely cut because I am not in that wealthy group that actually benefitted from those tax cuts.

Second, our current U.S. debt exceeds $23 trillion. I am not sure what Thom is smoking, but how will we ever recover from the current astronomical debt by cutting taxes again?

Third, Majority Forward, a nonprofit organization reminded us that Tillis, “bragged” about thwarting Medicaid expansion in North Carolina when he was Speaker of the N.C. House. North Carolina is one of only 14 states that did not expand Medicaid.

By not expanding Medicaid in North Carolina, hundreds of thousands of people go without health insurance. Most do not have enough money to cover treatment at hospitals. Several rural NC hospitals have had to close because Thom would not expand Medicaid.

As a senator, Thom voted to abolish ACA. So obviously he is not concerned about the middle class and below to provide healthcare coverage. We need healthcare coverage now, more than ever, with COVID 19 pandemic (which Trump says will magically disappear). This pandemic has killed over 200,000 people in the last six months and is rapidly killing more people.

My vote will be for Cal Cunningham, a military veteran who will fight for all North Carolinians, not just the wealthy.

Please exercise your right to vote in this election. Your vote counts. But only vote once (not twice as Trump suggests).

Ron Rokstool Maggie Valley

Step 1: When you learn that lots of Democrats will vote absentee, declare mailin ballots invalid. Don’t worry that that’s a lie. Just keep saying it.

Step 2: Get Republican legislators, governors, and federal court judges to make it hard to cast mail-in votes.

Step 3: On Election Day, when most Republicans will have voted and many Democrats will not, declare victory.

Step 4: After Election Day, as mail-in ballots are counted and Democratic numbers rise, initiate a bunch of lawsuits. The resulting chaos will cause the Supreme Court to step in, as it did in 2000.

Step 6: Get another Republican-friendly justice on the Supreme Court by Election Day so that the Court will hand Trump the election.

Step 7: If these steps fail, call on the militia groups that Trump has been encouraging. Get them to shoot anyone who challenges your attempt to steal the election.

That’s how they do it in so-called Third World countries, and that’s how Republicans are doing it in 2020. Sound paranoid? Just watch.

Emily Wright Highlands

JOE SAM QUEEN IS WORKING FOR OUR HEALTHCARE

“I’m married to Dr. Kate Queen, so I

know just how important our rural hospitals are to our community.

I’ll invest in our rural hospitals and be a voice for our rural healthcare.”

-Joe Sam Queen

Vote for indoor pool With Biden, we’re for Jackson County headed for a Black Hole To the Editor:

To the Editor: If you’re a Republican planning to steal the election, here’s how you do it.

In the State House Joe Sam will, • Bring back $4 Billion paid by North Carolinians to the federal government to improve our rural hospitals • Get our healthcare workers the protective equipment they need • Bring more healthcare jobs to to Haywood, Jackson, and Swain counties

Smoky Mountain News

How the GOP will steal the election

As a Jackson County resident, I am excited to vote for the indoor pool at the Jackson County Recreation Center. This pool could be used for so many activities such as swimming, pool parties, exercise classes, water aerobics, SUP yoga, and serve the needs of many people who suffer from medical conditions and injuries.

The indoor pool could also be used for educational purposes, such as, lifeguard training, water aerobics, swimming lessons and surrounding school systems for diving and swimming competition. This would provide an indoor pool for Smoky Mountain High School swimming teams to have a place to practice and compete with other schools and groups.

When schools and groups outside of the county come and compete in Jackson County, this could bring many guests who probably would have an overnight stay and spend money which could benefit the local economy.

The facility would create jobs, such as, front desk checkers, lifeguards, instructors for swimming, water aerobics, and rehab therapists to work with those with medical conditions.

I am happy to support the bond referendum because of the many opportunities it provides for both young and old residents of the county. The Aquatics Center will cost the county $20 millioin, but each resident will pay .0226 per $100 of property tax. This will only be a very small increase for every property owner in the county. For me it will increase my property tax less than $70 and look how everyone can benefit from this new facility. What a deal this is? I want a healthy and happy Jackson County.

Fred Hinson, Cullowhee

October 14-20, 2020

To the Editor: Recently we have read about the discovery of the universe black hole by astronomers. The United States is about to enter a black hole of our own if Joe Biden and Kamala Harris win the presidential election. Here is what Biden said about us: “Voters don’t deserve to know my stance on court packing.” We shouldn’t be surprised at that attitude since Biden was a part of the Obamacare fiasco where Democrat Nancy Pelosi told Congress to vote now and find out what is in the law later.

Kamala Harris happily said this: “These protests they’re not going to stop” … maybe a threat meaning unless you voters vote me in?

To learn more about what a Biden presidency has in store for voters and the country, read the Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force Recommendations. This socialist/communist manifesto will put the country into a black hole for decades. The plan is to destroy prosperous capitalism, constitutional freedoms, lifestyle choices and put government in charge of every industry, individual and institution.

Voters beware. These Democrat candidates care nothing for us. The only crave for the chance to re-seize power over us and the country.

Carol Adams Glenville

JOESAMQUEEN.COM Paid for by Friends of Joe Sam Queen

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A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Want to tune in?

‘Papertown Roots Radio’ with Tim Surrett is hosted from 7 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday on WPTL, which is broadcasted on 101.7 FM and 920 AM. You can also stream the radio station and any of its programs from anywhere in the world by clicking on www.wptlradio.net.

The station is located at 133 Pisgah Drive in Canton. For more information, call 828.648.3576.

Bluegrass legend Tim Surrett behind the microphone of WPTL during his twice-weekly show ‘Papertown Roots Radio.’ (photo: Garret K. Woodward)

TURN UP THE RADIO Canton station remains a cherished community gem

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER ot far from Main Street in Canton and the bright lights of the nearby football stadium is an unassuming one-story commercial building along Pisgah Drive. With a couple of vehicles in the parking lot last Thursday evening, a lone light radiates from the front window of WPTL. Walking into the beloved community radio station, it’s as if one simply stepped back in time. Old-school wall paneling, large metal office desks and a plaid couch adorn the front room. Endless shelves of 45 and 78 rpm records are situated in the back.

With the smell of fresh barbecue sandwiches and French fries from one of the station’s advertisers wafting from a nearby table, a familiar voice echoes from behind the studio microphone and down the hallway. It’s Tim Surrett.

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“We’re about one pot-bellied stove away from a feed store in here,” Surrett chuckled between commercial breaks on his twice-weekly show “Papertown Roots Radio.” “This is a small business and a small-town hangout — and that’s what we want.”

Bassist and dobro player for bluegrass act Balsam Range, Surrett is part of a Haywood County act that have become legends in recent years, as seen by the group’s numerous radio hits, chart-topping albums and International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, including “Entertainer of the Year” (2014, 2018) and “Album of the Year” (2013, 2017). In 2018, Surrett was awarded the IBMA for “Bassist of the Year.”

Normally, Surrett and his bandmates would be on the road, performing onstage seemingly every weekend, a hectic schedule of hundreds of dates each year that the band has known since its inception in 2007. But, with the current pandemic and utter standstill in the music industry, Surrett was looking for something else to do in his free time, a passion project of sorts.

“I just got to missing this music, where it almost becomes a sacred thing to you,” Surrett

“There’s a sense of community that centers around this station. For many people, this station is their ‘cup of coffee’ to start the day. For me, when I come in, I get fired up about the music and you just want to play it for other people.”

— Tim Surrett

said, noting his format of classic country, bluegrass and gospel selections. “And even more than that, it’s this interaction with friends, whether if they stop in the studio to pick a tune or request a song on our Facebook live stream.”

From 7 to 9 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday, Surrett grabs the microphone and rolls right into the program. Alongside Surrett is his nephew, Carter Ball, a senior at Pisgah High School, who helps Surrett with the technical side of things, on top of reminding him when to take a commercial break.

“There’s a sense of community that centers around this station. For many people, this station is their ‘cup of coffee’ to start the day,” Surrett said. “For me, when I come in, I get fired up about the music and you just want to play it for other people.”

That deep community spirit is something that’s resided at the core of WPTL since it first went on-air in 1963. Between broadcasting local high school sports, folks calling in during the flea market program or the endless hours of timeless melodies radiating out to the farthest hollers of Haywood County, WPTL is a lifeline for a region that puts neighborly love and support at a premium.

“The original social media was the community radio station. People love this station.

They tune in all day. Why change something that’s working?” said Terryll Evans, owner of WPTL. “When we acquired the FM frequency, it allowed us to expand more into the county.

We’re broadcasting more sports and more music, expanding our online streaming and mobile app, too — we’re not just a Canton station, we’re a Haywood County station wholeheartedly.”

Only the second owners of WPTL in its long and storied history, Evans’ father purchased the station in 1978, ultimately relocating Terryll and her family from Florida to Western North Carolina the following year.

“If this station disappeared, I think you’d lose a lot — local sports, connectivity, knowing what’s going on in your town,” Evans said.

“This station is part of everyone’s life here. We don’t even know who we’re touching out there while we’re on-air. And that’s what I love about it — we stay true to our roots.”

Sitting in the studio, one immediately observes and appreciates the lost art of community radio, something that’s a two-way street of sincerity and joy between Surrett and his thousands of listeners. With many tuning in from across the country and around the world, it’s that familiar voice or particular song that makes the distance from their hometown feel that much closer.

“I grew up in this town. I played ball in this town. So, to be able to do this radio program has been such an honor and full circle kind of thing for someone like myself who was raised with WPTL playing in our house,” Surrett said.

“I love talking to the folks tuning in, playing those songs we all love — it’s just fun, and it means so much to so many people.”

Pineville, Kentucky. (photo: Garret K. Woodward)

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Winter’s cold, spring erases, and the calm away by the storm is chasing

gazing out the window onto empty farm fields and by old barns, ancient tree lines and manmade bodies of water, all serene and picturesque amid the rural countryside of East Tennessee.

In that space, my mind started to drift, as it does like clockwork when pushing down the gas pedal and soaking in whatever mesmerizing landscape rolls past my windshield. It was crazy to think that afternoon might be the last time I see Andy, my best friend of all cosmic time and space, before he becomes a father.

For the last couple years, he and his wife, Ashley, have been trying to have a child of their own. It’s been a very rough road, and tough for me to watch my friends go through such hardship from over the ridge in Carolina.

But, here they are, within days of her due date, Andy circling around Knoxville, trying to remain as close to home as possible for when the moment happens that they need to rush to the hospital to welcome the new bundle of joy.

Andy and I met back in 2013 at the nowdefunct Tipping Point Brewing in downtown Waynesville. It was trivia night, but I was glued to the TV watching hockey. I was sporting a Montreal Canadiens shirt and he had on a Pittsburgh Penguins hat. Apparently, we were the only hockey nuts in Haywood County and immediately became friends.

For the next year or two, we’d watch hockey and football on his giant TV and grill out at his place in Hazelwood. It was a semidaily ritual of sorts, these two dudes, both from above the Mason-Dixon Line, trying to find footing in Western North Carolina. I’d lived in Waynesville for about a year and it was nice to finally have a real deal friend, especially being so far from home and all things familiar.

Eventually, Ashley and Andy crossed paths at a Halloween party in Knoxville.

Love at first sight. I might have never believed it before, but they remain living proof of that magical interaction that forever

changes the trajectory of your life. He soon moved to Knoxville and they began their lives together.

A few years later, I was asked to be the officiant for their spring 2017 wedding, something that remains one of the great honors of my life. And now, the next bountiful chapter of their lives is just hours or days away.

Throughout the pandemic and shutdown, it was, and remains, difficult not seeing them pretty much at all, especially since I live by myself and am used to that kind of social interaction on a regular basis.

Thus, it meant a lot to meet up with Andy at Schulz Brau for some brats and beers, conversation about nothing and everything and whatever lies in-between. In a world of madness and confusion, nothing grounds you more than a chat with your ole buddy over some cold suds.

Sitting in the courtyard of the brewery, it was sporadic glances at the big-screen to see the updated football scores and jovial banter. He showed me photos of the newly

painted forest scene on the walls of the nursery and how far long Ashley was. It was wild to see the images of what will become their new reality.

But, mostly, it was just surreal to think of time and how quickly it passes. It felt like yesterday when we first crossed paths and became friends back in Waynesville. Skip ahead some seven years and he’s going to be a dad, and a damn good one, too. All of those memories squeezed within those two anchor points: game-day tailgating, Fourth of July celebrations, holiday dinners, hiking, fishing, road trips, etc.

And, in that moment, all I could do was shake my head in awe, to be sincerely grateful to partake in those endless memories that are held closely, more so as the years (and the planet) seem to move faster and faster. One always needs be reminded of what’s really important in the grand scheme of things: friendship. Oh, and German beer and brats for good measure, too.

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

October 14-20, 2020

wakening in the hotel room in downtown Pineville, Kentucky, it took me a moment to realize where I was this past Sunday morning. I found myself up in the small mountain town on Saturday night for a music showcase at the nearby Laurel Cove Amphitheater of emerging acts from just down the road in Lexington.

Lacing up my boots covered in some of that Kentucky mud from the downpour at the amphitheater the previous evening, I bounced down the creaky old inn stairs and out onto the town square, which was silent due to it being mid-morning with most folks still in church.

Cranking over the engine of the rusty, musty truck, it was back onto U.S. 25E towards the Cumberland Gap Tunnel and over the state line into Tennessee. But, instead of making my way southeast and back to my humble abode in Western North Carolina, it was a quick turn of the wheel fdown Route 33 to Knoxville.

It was now just past noon on Sunday.

And there’s only one thing to really do at a time like that: watch football and drink beers with your best friend. Although Andy had been informed that I would be in his vicinity that day, his phone was off and went straight to voicemail.

He was probably sleeping in after a long work day. No matter, we’d already made plans to meet at Schulz Brau Brewing in downtown Knoxville for the 1 p.m. NFL kickoff, not to mention the endless German brats and liter glasses of craft ales.

Cruising down Route 33, I took my time meandering towards Knoxville. The foliage was bursting with color, the leaves trickling down onto the cold, wet pavement. I kept

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arts & entertainment

This must be the place

Smoky Mountain News

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On the street arts & entertainment

• The Maggie Valley Festival Grounds will host a drive-in concert series with Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires (rock/Americana) Nov. 5 and Keller Williams & Friends (jam/acoustic) Nov. 13. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com.

• Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. www.nantahalabrewing.com.

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2020

Maggie Valley Fall Arts & Crafts Show The 29th annual Maggie Valley Fall Arts & Crafts Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 17-18 at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds.

There will be something for everyone on your list from seasonal items, yard art, paintings, photography, pottery, wooden bowls, furniture, jewelry, handmade furniture to goat milk soaps, and much more.

In addition to a wide selection of unique arts and crafts, there will be a variety of festival foods available for purchase.

No admission. Donations appreciated.

The proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Haywood County Animal Shelter. Parking is free.

For more information, contact the Maggie Valley Chamber at 828.926.1686 or visit www.maggievalley.org.

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

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends and Arnold Hill (rock/Americana) Oct. 23.

All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

• The Ghost Town in the Sky parking lot (Maggie Valley) will host a drive-in concert series with St. Paul & The Broken Bones (soul/rock) on Oct. 29. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Shane Meade & The Sound Oct. 17. All shows begin at 7 p.m. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Shane Meade & The Sound Oct. 16 and iliveinoblivion Oct. 24. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

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• The Smoky Mountain Event Center in Waynesville will host a drive-in concert series with Goose (jam/rock) Oct. 17, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (jam/rock) Oct. 24 and The Marcus King Trio (rock/jam) Oct. 27. All shows begin at 6:45 p.m.

Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by the Asheville Music Hall, tickets are available at www.ashevillemusichall.com.

• The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) will host two upcoming events. There will be a sun spirit faces in clay art class with Jan Kolenda from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 21. There will also be an Cherokee artist demonstration with Tara McCoy from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 23. For more information or to sign up for these events, visit www.haywoodarts.org.

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong.

Drive-in concert series The Smoky Mountain Event Center in Waynesville will host a drive-in concert series with Goose (jam/rock) Oct. 17, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (jam/rock) Oct. 24 and The Marcus King Trio (rock/jam) Oct. 27.

All shows begin at 6:45 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Social distancing and Covid-19 protocol will be in place. More shows will be announced in the coming weeks.

Hosted by the Asheville Music Hall, tickets are available at www.ashevillemusichall.com.

ALSO:

• The Blue Ridge Heritage Craft & Quilt Exhibit will be held through Oct. 31 at the Haywood County Arts Council on Main Street in Waynesville. www.haywoodarts.org.

• The “Haywood County Medical Exhibit: 1870-1950” will be held at The Shelton House in Waynesville. The showcase will run through October. Admission is $7 adults. $5 students. Children ages 5 and under free. Admission includes Shelton House. 828.452.1551 or www.sheltonhouse.org.

• A trunk show featuring the jewelry of Debbie Skelly will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC). www.haywoodarts.org.

• There will be “Spooky Storytelling” with master storyteller Tim Hall around the fire pit in front of the Storytelling Center of the Southern Appalachians at 140 Fry Street in downtown Bryson City. The storytelling will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October, weather permitting.

Look for the yellow house with fall decorations and benches just down the tracks from the train depot (behind the train museum). Free. Donations welcomed.

• There will be a free wine tasting from 2 to 5 p.m every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075.

Apple Harvest Daze Downtown Waynesville’s Main Street will play host to the Apple Harvest Daze event from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, October 17.

“What is traditionally called the Apple Harvest Festival has been renamed for 2020 due to multiple changes put in place due to

COVID-19,” said Haywood County Chamber of Commerce President CeCe Hipps. The annual event is sponsored by the chamber.

“We are trying to balance safety guidelines with the goal of helping Main Street businesses and the craft vendors, many of whom are local artists and entrepreneurs,” said Hipps.

This year there will stanchions down the middle of Main Street — which will be closed to traffic — and booths will be located against the sidewalks and spaced out according to COVID recommendations. Foot traffic will be routed one way on both sides of the stanchions.

Vendors and volunteers will wear masks, and volunteers will work to ensure visitors wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines. There will also be multiple hand-sanitizing stations on Main Street and masks will be available for those who don’t have them.

“We welcome visitors to our community and ask them to help us protect our community, visitors, artists, volunteers and staff,” said Hipps. “Older and more vulnerable patrons will be encouraged to shop from 9-11a.m. and after 3 p.m.”

There will also be signage in and around Main Street and the downtown area of Waynesville promoting state guidelines and the 3 W’s — wear a mask, wait for others so you can social distance, and wash hands frequently.

On the shelf

DURING ELECTIONS

Jeff Minick

S

Kiss My Cupcake also revealed to me the meaning of “contemporary romance.” The characters are modern, there’s a spicy sex scene or two, and profanity makes up part of the dialogue.

Kiss My Cupcake also tells of the admirable struggle of two young people pur-

MEAN MORE BOOKS FOR THE LITTLE ONES!

This year the jars will be

BIDEN, TRUMP, & SNOOPY Come in to "VOTE" with your money for a good cause.

Magazines - Newspapers 428 HAZELWOOD Ave.

Waynesville • 456-6000 OPEN Mon.-Sat. 9AM to 3 PM

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Smoky Mountain News

suing a vocation and seek to pull their own weight in reaching their goals. Of her family Blair tells Ronan: “Our goals just don’t align. I want to do what I love, not necessarily what’s going to make me the most money. And maybe that’s naïve, or shortsighted or whatever, but it’s how I feel. So I avoided the parental disappointment by going in a completely different direction and now here I am, eking out a living, but doing it on my own.”

Next, men, especially the young, should occasionally read books such as Kiss My Cupcake. The author goes back and forth with first-person narrative between Blair and Ronan, and young men confused by women their age will receive some excellent instruction in the thoughts and feelings of females.

At one point, for example, Blair becomes extremely upset when Ronan has broken contact with her for a couple of days, and conjures up in her mind all sort of wild spec-

MORE "VOTES"

October 14-20, 2020

o why would a guy approaching 70 select for review a “Contemporary Romance” about the owner of a cupcake and cocktails café falling for the owner of the axe throwing sports bar next door?

Was I sick of reading about politics? Did I need an escape from the news I find daily online: presidential race, masks, social distancing, and snarky editorials? Did I just want a book that might whisk me away to a brighter place?

Affirmative.

In Kiss My Cupcake (Forever/Hachette Book Group, 2020, 357 pages), Helena Hunting brings together two characters — Blaire Galloway and Ronan Knight — and lets fly with the sparks of rivalry and romance.

Though opposed by her eccentric family, who own a number of major restaurants, Blaire has gone her own way and opened the shop of Writer her dreams, a bakery and café where she serves up cocktails along with her amazing cupcakes. She has just gotten her business underway when Ronan Knight takes over his ffamily’s old tumble-down bar next door, remodels it, and turns it into a noisy nightfclub, the Knight Cap. These two entrepreneurs become instant rivals and enemies, competing for customers, with each trying to outdo the other by sponsoring various events from poetry slams and comedy acts to karaoke and rock bands. Underlying this contest is an undeniable romantic and sexual tension that first manifests itself in snarky comments and practical jokes.

But when Dick and Bobby’s, one of a chain of highly successful restaurants, opens across the street, Blaire and Ronan find themselves unlikely allies in the fight to keep their enterprises alive. They begin to cosponsor their entertainments, especially on holidays, and this new partnership brings them closer together.

To say more of the plot would reveal too much.

Now for a few observations.

Helena Hunting offers readers humor and a lively wit throughout her story. The dialogue of the characters is crisp, and many of the situations and snappy comebacks brought me a laugh. Some of the tags that end the chapters — “Stop trying to make everyone happy.

You’re not beer,” “A balanced diet means a fbeer in one hand and a cupcake in the other,” “If life gives you lemons, add tequila and salt,” and others — also brought a smile.

If you’re looking for an escape from this weird year, you can find it here

ulations, including the possibility he’s fallen in love with the hostess of a television show featuring restaurants.

Freud’s famous question “What do women want?” finds some answers in Kiss My Cupcake.

Finally — and I’m not sure this was Hunting’s intention — the most commendable character in Hunting’s novel is Ronan’s grandfather. Ronan was 20 when his parents died in a car crash, and his grandparents consoled and watched over him afterwards.

Married for over 60 years — they met as teens in the bar now owned by Ronan — Gramps still reveres his newly-deceased wife and appreciates Ronan for taking care of him as he ages.

The contrast between Gramps and the other characters in Kiss My Cupcake is glaring.

Whereas nearly all the others are looking for money or sex, Gramps found his life’s love managing the bar and in his wife. Blair’s family is wealthy but is also bedbug crazy, and Ronan’s two brothers are out to make vast amounts of money as fast as they can, but only Gramps sees the bigger picture and the truly important things of life.

Enjoy!

••• With many students either homeschooling this year or doing at least part of their classes via distance learning, some parents are looking to supplement to their children’s education.

As we enter the final stages of this election year, now might be the perfect time to have the gang take a look at our Constitution.

If you Google “the Constitution for kids,” you’ll find plenty of sites that explain that document to young students and even to those in high school. You can also find a copy of the Constitution online, of course, and might consider reading it aloud over the course of several days with your older students.

If nothing else, you’ll give the kids a claim to fame. I suspect they’ll be among a minority of Americans who’ve actually gone through that document.

(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)

arts & entertainment

Good reads: romance, cupcakes, and the Constitution

we put out 3 jars to raise money to buy every child in Head Start a book.

Affairs of the Heart

—————————————————————————————

120 N. Main St. · Waynesville 828.452.0526 affairsoftheheartnc.com

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

National parks visitation explodes in WNC On a Saturday in July 2020, cars line both sides of Newfound Gap Road near the trailhead for Alum Cave Trail. NPS photo

Smokies seeks public input on congestion management

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER or Western North Carolinians who see the outdoors as a safe haven when life gets hard, perhaps the most distressing part of the pandemic’s early days was the domino-like succession of closures in the region’s parks, forests and other open spaces.

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11, and less than two weeks later the Great Smoky Mountains National Park took the monumental step of announcing a two-week closure of all trails and roads. The Blue Ridge Parkway shut down its southernmost section in coordination with the Smokies’ March 24 closure, and by mid-April both the Parkway and the U.S. Forest Service had issued additional closures that effectively curtailed access to most federal lands regionwide.

But compared to the pandemic itself, the closures were short-lived. The Smokies began its first phase of reopening May 9, with many closures in the Parkway and national forests lifting the following week.

F

RECORD-BREAKING SUMMER IN THE SMOKIES Once the gates opened, the visitors arrived — in record numbers, according to preliminary National Park Service statistics. While overall visitation to Park Service sites was down this summer — the 100.9 million people who visited one of the 421 sites between June and August represented just 79 percent of the number who did so during the same period last year — the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the southern portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway saw explosive growth in use.

In the Smokies, monthly visitation topped 1.5 million in June, July and August. June and August of 2020 were the busiest on record, and July was the third busiest.

This year, parkwide June visitation was 4.5 percent higher than in June 2019. Likewise, July visitation was 7 percent higher than the same month last year and August represented a whopping 9.4 percent increase over 2019.

September figures have not yet been released.

“Many National Park Service sites don’t see that amount of visitation in a year,” said Smokies spokesperson Dana Soehn. “We’re seeing it each month.”

In 2019, the Smokies was the nation’s most-visited national park when it logged a record-high 12.55 million visits, while secondplace Grand Canyon National Park had less than half that figure, at 5.97 million. While the Smokies experienced record-breaking summer visitation this year in the midst of COVID-19 and despite the fact that several campgrounds and recreation areas were closed through June, the same could not be said of Grand Canyon, where visitation between June and August of 2020 came in at

Be heard A series of facilitator-led online meetings with Great Smoky Mountains National Park managers will seek to gain input on solutions to congestion issues at nine popular areas of the park.

Meetings will be held 2 to 4:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19; 6 to 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20; 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22; and 6 to 8:15 p.m. Thursday, Oct 22. Participants must register by Oct. 14 at https://tinyurl.com/grsmves.

In the lineup of outlying areas, the Fontana Road entrance saw the biggest jump percentage-wise, with the 53,056 visits it logged between June and August representing a 58.67 increase over the same period last year. In raw volume, Deep Creek experienced the largest change, with 219,461 visits between June and August compared to 179,134 last year — that’s an upswing of 22.5 percent, or 40,327 visits.

Also in North Carolina, Cataloochee — which remained closed through early June due to a road project — saw a modest 4.32 percent uptick from 2019 numbers between June and August, though on its own August showed a 19.6 percent jump in visitation from the same month last year.

In the same June through August period, Big Creek saw visitation jump by 27.79 percent, while Balsam Road was the only North Carolina entrance other than Oconaluftee to post a decrease, with 5,875 fewer visits recorded this summer than in 2019, an 18.64 percent decrease. The counter at the 20 Mile entrance was not functional this year.

SMOKIES SEEKS ANSWERS TO CONGESTION ISSUES

All those visitors have had a positive impact on the economies of the surrounding communities, but the increased use — part of a trend that’s been ongoing since 2009 — has also posed a challenge for park managers. Next week the Smokies will host a series of online workshops to seek public input on how these issues could be addressed at specific sites throughout the park.

“We look forward to working hand-in-hand with our local communities and visitors from across the country to thoughtfully address growing challenges associated with extremely high visitation,” said Smokies Superintendent Cassius Cash. “Congestion at the most visited park in the nation is complex, but we believe by working together, we can find solutions that help us continue to protect the park and provide better experiences for millions of visitors.”

Increased use, especially at outlying areas like Big Creek, has resulted not only in congestion but also in erosion and vegetation damage along roads and parking areas, said Soehn.

“Congestion issues at popular destinations across the park are very complex, and each site is very unique. None of them are easy congestion problems to solve,” said Soehn. “We don’t think there’s a one size fits all approach that will work in all sites across the Smokies, and that’s why we really want to work with the users and local communities connected to some of these congestion hotspots, so we can specifically talk through issues related to those sites and brainstorm potential solutions that will be unique to those areas.”

Community members will In a pre-pandemic scene from July 2019, visitors have four opportunicrowd the rocks around Laurel Falls. NPS photo ties to participate in a

just 40 percent of 2019 levels.

However, the pandemic does appear to have influenced which areas of the park people are seeking out.

“We had people trying to find areas to hike that would not be as crowded,” said Soehn.

“We had higher use across the park at some of these secondary entrances.”

Outlying entrances experienced the largest increases in visitation, while the park’s main North Carolina entrance — Oconaluftee, located near Cherokee — saw an overall decrease this summer, with visitation in June coming in 11.8 percent below that of June 2019, recovering slightly to a 5 percent decrease in July and then to a 0.3 percent decrease in August.

Conversely, the Gatlinburg entrance saw moderately higher use than it did last summer, with increases over the same month last year ranging from a nearly flat 0.7 percent in June to a robust 9.5 percent in August.

Visitation jumped significantly at the Townsend entrance, which leads to Cades Cove, with combined visitation June through August representing a 19.1 percent leap over 2019 figures.

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VISITORS FLOCK TO SOUTHERN PARKWAY SECTION On the Blue Ridge Parkway, visitation rode a steady downward slide this summer compared to 2019 numbers. Visitation was 2.3 percent lower in June, 14.6 percent lower in July and 17.6 percent lower in August.

However, the Parkway is a long road â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 469 miles to be exact â&#x20AC;&#x201D; winding from its southern terminus just south of the Oconaluftee

S EE STORY, PAGE 33

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Smoky Mountain News

two-hour, facilitator-led online meeting with park managers. Meetings will be held 2 to 4:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19; 6 to 8:15 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 20; 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 22; and 6 to 8:15 p.m.

Thursday, Oct 22.

During the workshops, participants will learn about the current state of park visitation and congestion management strategies used on public lands worldwide. In small online groups, they will then be asked to provide input on how to solve congestion issues at Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Deep Creek, Big Creek, Rainbow Falls, Grotto Falls, Alum Cave, Chimney Tops and Laurel Falls.

Participants must register by Oct. 14 at https://tinyurl.com/grsmves.

The park is open to considering a variety of options, said Soehn â&#x20AC;&#x201D; everything from timed entries to shuttle systems to apps that let people know when parking lots are full. At especially popular areas like Alum Cave and Chimney Tops, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not uncommon for people to park along both sides of the road for a mile past the trailhead once the parking lot fills up.

Brian K. Noland and Catherinee Prob en

October 14-20, 2020

â&#x20AC;˘ March 17 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Great Smoky Mountains National Park closes its visitor centers in response to the pandemic. â&#x20AC;˘ March 18 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Blue Ridge Parkway closes its Asheville visitor center. The Smokies suspends reservations for group gatherings as well as the on-site payment option for various park campgrounds. â&#x20AC;˘ March 24 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Smokies announces closure of all park accesses after experiencing extremely high visitation during the first two weeks of the pandemic. On the same day, the Blue Ridge Parkway closes its southernmost 14 miles, which terminate in the park, to coordinate with closures in the Smokies and on the Qualla Boundary. â&#x20AC;˘ April 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Smokies announces that its closure, originally intended to end on April 6, would continue until further notice. â&#x20AC;˘ April 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Blue Ridge Parkway closes its northernmost 13 miles, which terminate in Shenandoah National Park, to coordinate with closure decisions at that location. â&#x20AC;˘ April 13 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The U.S. Forest Service announces a long list of road, facility and trail closures in the Pisgah National Forest. â&#x20AC;˘ April 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Blue Ridge Parkway announces additional closures that include its entire length west of Asheville. â&#x20AC;˘ May 9 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; While many facilities remain closed, some roads and trails reopen in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Blue Ridge Parkway reopens its southernmost 14 miles. â&#x20AC;˘ May 15 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Forest Service reopens some trails and roads and lifts dispersed camping restrictions in some areas. The Blue Ridge Parkway reopens gates in many locations, including its entire length west of Asheville.

outdoors

A timeline of closings (and reopenings)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It creates a less safe environment for the users getting to the trailhead, and we also have experienced more people that park in unstable shoulders not designed for parking and they either get stuck or they slip off some of the steep shoulders and we have to have them get towed out,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roadside damage that occurs whenever people park on these nondurable areas.â&#x20AC;?

The Smokies has been facing congestion issues since the 1990s, but at that time the problem was mainly confined to Cades Cove.

The park did some studies looking at how to improve transportation flow in that area but then put the project on hold. In the last decade, congestion has become an issue at destinations throughout the park, not just at Cades Cove.

With information gathered from next weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meetings, the park hopes to better understand the type of experience people want to have at the locations in question. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to take the ideas that come from these workshops and put them through a feasibility assessment to see if there are some things that we can try as a pilot in 2021 to relieve congestion,â&#x20AC;? said Soehn.

The process would be similar to that being used to evaluate recent changes to vehicle-free periods in Cades Cove, she said. This year, the Smokies launched a pilot program that makes Wednesdays off-limits to cars in Cades Cove but allows them all day Saturday, a change from the previous policy of prohibiting vehicles during the morning only on both Wednesdays and Saturdays. The vehicle-free periods are intended to give cyclists a chance to ride the loop more safely and enjoyably.

The park is now examining the results of the pilot study to determine whether the change should become permanent.

Simple changes identified following next weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s meetings could be piloted as early as next year, while other proposals might require more time to study and gather funding. Soehn said that forthcoming funds from the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law Aug. 4, could aid the efforts. The act dedicates $9.5 billion over five years to address deferred maintenance issues on federal lands, and while that money can only be used to replace existing facilities, it could serve as a springboard to give improvement projects a boost. For example, a repaving project funded through the Great American Outdoors could prompt a discussion about finding additional funding to wrap a traffic flow improvement component into the project.

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outdoors

Venture into the Arctic A display of 50 powerful paintings showcasing the most remote and wild corners of the Canadian Arctic is on display through Jan. 3 at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville.

“Into the Arctic” is a project from Canadian painter Cory Trépanier, who completed four purposeful expeditions over a decade in order to paint the scenes. This traveling exhibit is a time capsule of some of the planet’s most spectacular yet fragile landscapes. Traveling only with a pack full of

painting, filming and camping gear, Trépanier traversed more than 40,000 kilometers, through six Arctic National Parks and 16 Arctic communities, to a biosphere so remote and untouched that most of its vast landscape has never been painted before.

Trépanier is a recipient of the Stefansson Medal, the highest award of The Explorers Club of Canada, and is a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

Entrance to the exhibit is free with the arboretum’s standard $16 parking fee. Face coverings are required for visitors age 5 and older.

MountainTrue works to protect and instill appreciation for Western North Carolina’s wild places, such as this view from Pilot Cove. MountainTrue photo

N

Two new lifeguard instructors certified in Waynesville

Smoky Mountain News

October 14-20, 2020

Two lifeguards at the Waynesville Recreation Center have been officially certified as American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructors.

Brandon Anderson is the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department’s lead lifeguard, and Ben Williams is a fulltime Lead Lifeguard Brandon Anderson and fulltime lifeguard Ben Williams complete their lifeguard at the pool. With the certification complete, Anderson and Williams can offer requirements to become lifeguard instructors.

Donated photo instruction to members of the public and aquatics staff.

“They are the pinnacle of water safety Waynesville Recreation Center on an asand I’m proud of their accomplishments,” needed basis, with CDC guidelines said Luke Kinsland, aquatic supervisor for observed. To set up a time, contact the Waynesville Recreation Center. Kinsland at lkinsland@waynesvillenc.gov Lifeguard courses are offered at the or 828.456.2030.

32

Gather with MountainTrue MountainTrue will hold its annual gathering in a virtual format this year, slated for 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, via Zoom.

During the gathering, the group will recognize its outstanding volunteers and reflect on a year of hard work and big wins. In addition to

Be BearWise With temperatures falling, bear activity is increasing, and biologists with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission are reminding people to protect themselves and bears by following the six BearWise(r) Basics to reduce potential conflicts.

• Never feed or approach bears.

• Secure food, garbage and recycling.

• Remove bird feeders when bears are active.

• Never leave pet food outdoors.

• Clean and store grills.

• Alert neighbors to bear activity.

Kephart’s writings compiled in new book Several years of research, compilation and collaboration by two writers from Western Carolina University have resulted in a scholarly book about Horace Kephart, a pivotal and sometimes controversial figure in the region from the early 20th century.

The University of Tennessee Press recently published Horace Kephart: Writings, a collection of magazine articles, unpublished manuscripts and correspondence, edited by Mae Miller Claxton, professor of English, and George Frizzell, retired archivist of Special Collections at Hunter Library. Kephart, an outdoorsman, writer and advocate for establishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park who lived from 1862 to 1931, is best known for his books Camping and

learning about major projects and accomplishments, attendees will have the chance to jump into small group discussion about ongoing and recently completed projects — and the winner of a raffle for a handmade canoe or kayak will be announced.

Attendance is free, but membership is required. The annual cost of MountainTrue membership is $35. Sign up and get the Zoom link at www.mountaintrue.org/annual-gathering-2020. Raffle tickets are $10 apiece or three for $20.

Bears’ appetites are biologically programmed to go into hyperdrive in the fall because they need to put on a thick layer of life-sustaining fat before they turn in for the winter. During this time, bears must consume 10 times as many calories as they need during the spring and summer, which means finding 20,000 calories a day or more.

To find those extra calories, bears will often forage outside of their normal ranges, venturing near homes, campgrounds and trails, and trying to cross busy highways to find food.

Learn more at www.bearwise.org.

Woodcraft and Our Southern Highlanders.

However, his writings were far from limited to those two works.

Horace Kephart: Writings has nine chapters, each accompanied by an introductory essay by a notable Appalachian scholar providing context and background. The book is organized by seven distinct themes to tackle biographical information, as well as his frequent writing topics, such as the outdoors, firearms, Southern Appalachian culture, fiction, the Cherokee, the Boy Scouts and formation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Appalachian Trail.

A collection of Kephart belongings, including camping and fishing gear, photographs and documents, is held by WCU through Hunter Library and the Mountain Heritage Center, with a digital exhibit available online.

Horace Kephart: Writings is available online and at local bookstores.

STORY, CONTINUED FROM 31

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October 14-20, 2020

Haywood water among state’s cleanest

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Smoky Mountain News

Haywood County water treatment plants received top honors among the 55 plants honored statewide with the N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award for surpassing state and federal drinking water standards in 2019.

The Waynesville-Allens Creek and Maggie Valley Sanitary District plants were two of eight facilities to receive the “Gold Star” honor, which recognizes systems that have received the award for 10 consecutive years.

In addition to Waynesville and Maggie Valley, Asheville’s Mills River and William DeBruhl plants, Robbinsville’s Rock Creek plant Weaverville’s Ivy River plant and Hendersonville received the N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award.

Every year, awards are given to systems that demonstrate outstanding removal of individual particles, which can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth.

While all drinking water systems must meet strict state and federal drinking water standards, these systems met performance goals that are significantly more stringent than state and federal standards. In 2019, nearly 2.3 million North Carolina residents were served by these award-winning plants.

outdoors

Visitor Center in the Smokies to its northernmost point in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park.

While many areas of the Parkway saw decreases in visitation this year, use exploded on its 57 southernmost miles, between U.S. 276 and Cherokee.

In June, visitation at those locations was up 51.96 percent over June 2019, and while things calmed down a bit over the next two months, that section continued to post increases over last year’s figures, with an 18.19 percent hike between July 2019 and July 2020 and August showing a modest 2.4 percent increase over the same month last year.

“Universally we’re seeing more people trying to look for outdoor activities, and certainly the Parkway provides those opportunities for people of all ages and capabilities,” said Parkway spokesperson Leesa Brandon. “You can go for a scenic drive or you can go for a strenuous hike, and everything in between.”

Historically, the North Carolina section of the Parkway has been the most popular, typically attracting twice as many visitors in a given year as is the case for the longer but lower-elevation Virginia portion. Despite the pandemic, said Brandon, “historically popular” areas in the southernmost portion continued to be popular this year, though she added that overall summer visitation hasn’t deviated too strongly from typical patterns.

“There’s definitely some rich park experiences, especially at the southern end, in a time where people are looking for more and different things to do outdoors,” she said. “If they haven’t been on the Parkway in a few years, this could be an opportunity for them to do that.”

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outdoors

Forest covers land in the Waynesville watershed that just four decades ago featured large amounts of clear cuts and bare earth. Holly Kays photo

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Hike the Waynesville Watershed A 4-mile hike exploring the Waynesville Watershed will embark at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21.

The group will meet at the town’s water treatment plant and return by 1 p.m., led by Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department Program Supervisor Colt Miller and Haywood Waterways Association Director Eric Romaniszyn. During the hike, which is rated as moderate to strenuous, Romaniszyn will share his knowledge of watersheds.

The event is part of Haywood Waterways’ “Get to Know Your Watershed” series of outdoor recreation activities. Hikers should bring lunch and water, and be prepared to hike through mud and one small stream. No pets. Space is limited to 10 people and social distancing guidelines must be observed.

Free for Haywood Waterways members with a $5 donation requested from nonmembers.

October 14-20, 2020

Hike Pilot Cove Bob Gale of MountainTrue will lead a 4-mile educational hike along the Pilot Cove Loop Trail in the Pisgah National Forest on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The hike will offer breathtaking views of fall foliage with glimpses of the monarch butterfly migration possible. The trail begins in a lesser-known area of the forest and winds upward among brightly colored sourwood and blackgum trees. After opening up onto a beautiful rocky outcrop, the trail travels through

recently logged forest as well as much older sections of forest. The trail features some steep inclines, but the group will make frequent stops to rest and look at the various flora and fauna.

Group size is limited due to the pandemic.

Hikers should bring appropriate clothing, lunch and trail snacks, water, sunscreen and a camera. No pets.

Cost is $5 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Sign up at www.mountaintrue.org/event/fall-scenic-hike-3.

Clay shooting tourney raises money for the Smokies Smoky Mountain News

Friends of the Smokies raised $53,000 to support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the second annual Smokies Cup, held

34

Puzzles can be found on page 30 These are only the answers.

Sept. 17-19 at the Biltmore Sporting Clays Club.

“The Smokies Cup was the biggest, most successful shoot held at Biltmore Sporting Clays Club so far this year,” said Rob Powell, a Friends of the Smokies board member. “It took a lot of extra work by staff and volunteers to pull it off with social distancing. We had heavy rain the first day but they kept us pretty dry. My grandson said he had ‘never had a better time.”

Thirty teams competed in the clay shoot throughout the three-day event, which was bolstered by a laundry list of 19 sponsors.

Proceeds will benefit programs and projects that help ensure America’s Laura Webb, a Friends of the Smokies board member, most-visited national park is preparticipates in the Smokies Cup Sporting Clays served and protected for generaTournament. David Huff photo tions to come.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • North Carolina MedAssist is partnering with Swain County Health Department to host a Mobile Free Pharmacy event. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at West Swain Elementary School (4142 US-19) Bryson City) and is open to any individual or family needing OTC medications. Participants must be at least 18 years old to receive medicine. Everyone will receive up to eight OTC medicine items free of charge.

• The Jackson County Branch of the North Carolina NAACP meeting scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, will not be meeting face to face, but online. Email jcnaacp54@gmail.com to receive instructions to join online.

• The Town of Waynesville will conduct its bi-annual Cemetery Clean-up beginning Nov. 9. Cemetery staff will begin tagging items to be removed on Oct. 12, items not removed by Nov. 9, will be removed by Town Staff and stored for 60 days. For additional assistance, contact the Public Works Office at 828.456.3706.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Western Carolina University will host Open House on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a new outdoor format to meet safety protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Preregistration for Open House and more information are available by going to openhouse.wcu.edu or by calling the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 828.227.7317 or toll-free 877.928.4968.

• Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth & Enrichment will be offering an online High Impact Leadership Certificate from Monday – Friday, Nov. 9-13, with live instruction, activities and interaction. The program will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day with breaks throughout. Online spots are limited to 24. The registration fee is $849. The nonprofit rate is $649. For more information and to register, visit pdp.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7397.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS • Waynesville Yoga Center presents “Calm Kids Yoga,” a 30 day at-home yoga program. The program will take place from Oct. 19 – Nov. 17 with Zoom calls at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 19 and Tuesday, Nov. 17. Each week will focus on a theme to cultivate feelings of calm within, and every day participants will receive an email with an activity or idea on how to engage their child in a yoga or mindfulness practice. For more information, or to register, visit www.waynesvilleyogacenter.com.

Smoky Mountain News

n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com

• The 29th annual Maggie Valley Fall Arts & Crafts Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 17-18 at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. No admission, donations appreciated. The proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Haywood County Animal Shelter. Parking is free. For more

Outdoors

information, contact the Maggie Valley Chamber at 828.926.1686 or visit www.maggievalley.org.

• The Blue Ridge Heritage Craft & Quilt Exhibit will be held through Oct. 31 at the Haywood County Arts Council on Main Street in Waynesville. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Arnold Hill (rock/Americana) Oct. 23. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m.

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

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host Shane Meade & The Sound Oct. 17 and iliveinoblivion Oct. 24. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For more information and a complete schedule of events, click on www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The Maggie Valley Festival Grounds will host a drivein concert series with Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires (rock/Americana) Nov. 5 and Keller Williams & Friends (jam/acoustic) Nov. 13. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com.

• The Smoky Mountain Event Center (Waynesville) will host a drive-in concert series with Goose (jam/rock) Oct. 17, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (jam/rock) Oct. 24 and The Marcus King Trio (rock/jam) Oct. 27. All shows begin at 6:45 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at www.ashevillemusichall.com.

• The Ghost Town in the Sky parking lot (Maggie Valley) will host a drive-in concert series with St. Paul & The Broken Bones (soul/rock) on Thursday, Oct. 29. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. www.thegreyeagle.com.

• The Haywood County Arts Council will host a sun spirit faces in clay art class with Jan Kolenda from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 21. There will also be a Cherokee artist demonstration with Tara McCoy from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 23. www.haywoodarts.org.

• There will be Spooky Storytelling with “master storyteller” Tim Hall around the fire pit in front of the Storytelling Center of the Southern Appalachians at 140 Fry Street in downtown Bryson City. The storytelling will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October, weather permitting. Look for the yellow house with fall decorations and benches just down the tracks from the train depot (behind the train museum). Free.

Donations welcomed.

FOOD & DRINK

A&E

two including a wide array of delectable finger foods.

Come by any day for a glass of wine and a Taste of the Market Plate. https://bcwmarket.com.

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

828.631.3075.

• Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville is offering lunch on Saturdays, “Lunch with us” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring fresh seasonal menu with outdoor seating, weather permitting. 828.452.0120 or www.waynesvillewine.com.

• Bryson City Wine Market offers a new flight line-up of wines to enjoy from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. The Wine Market also offers market plates for

• The third annual Outdoor Economy Conference will take place entirely online, but instead of occupying a single day it will instead span an entire month.

Sessions will be held noon to 4 p.m. every Thursday in October, with the theme being “The Future of Outdoors.”

In addition to presentations, the online format will include ample networking time with peers and presenters alike. Attendees will have access to all conference materials for six months and can purchase an allaccess pass or a-la-carte session tickets. Learn more at www.outdooreconomy.org.

• Every Friday in October, 3-to-5-year-olds and their parents are invited to participate in the Knee High Naturalist outdoor education program from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Mountain Retreat and Learning Center in Highlands. The program is free, but attendance is limited to 10 people each session, so registration is required at 828.526.2623.

• Friends of the WNC Nature Center will host four evening events in October and November that will feature opportunities to learn about red wolves, gray wolves and coyotes. Wolf Howl programs 6 to 8 p.m.

Oct. 16 and Nov. 6 will be geared toward adults, and kid-friendly Junior Wolf Howl programs for families will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 9 and Oct. 30. To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, ticket quantities for the Wolf Howl events are limited. Prices for the Junior Wolf How range from $10 to $18 and Adult Wolf How prices are $20 to $35. Purchase tickets at www.wildwnc.org/events.

• Bob Gale of MountainTrue will lead a 4-mile educational hike along the Pilot Cove Loop Trail in the Pisgah National Forest on Saturday, Oct. 17. Group size is limited due to the pandemic. Hikers should bring appropriate clothing, lunch and trail snacks, water, sunscreen and a camera. No pets. Cost is $5 for members and $15 for nonmembers. Sign up at www.mountaintrue.org/event/fall-scenic-hike-3.

• A 4-mile hike exploring the Waynesville Watershed will embark at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. The event is part of Haywood Waterways’ “Get to Know Your Watershed” series of outdoor recreation activities.

Hikers should bring lunch and water, and be prepared to hike through mud and one small stream. No pets.

Space is limited to 10 people and social distancing guidelines must be observed. Free for Haywood Waterways members with a $5 donation requested from nonmembers.

• MountainTrue will hold its annual gathering in a virtual format this year, slated for 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, via Zoom. Attendance is free, but membership is required. The annual cost of MountainTrue membership is $35. Sign up and get the Zoom link at www.mountaintrue.org/annual-gathering-2020. Raffle tickets are $10 apiece or three for $20.

FIND US AT

35

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: n n n n

Complete listings of local music scene Regional festivals Art gallery events and openings Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers n Civic and social club gatherings • A free seminar on controlling kudzu will be held online 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15. The program is offered by Macon County Cooperative Extension.

Register at www.eventbrite.com/e/controling-kudzutickets- 121561823687. Contact Christy Bredenkamp with questions at clbreden@ncsu.edu.

• Haywood County Recreation and Parks is offering an 8-week course on fly tying with instructors Tommy Thomas and Ray Sugg. Class will begin on Oct. 26 for 8 consecutive Mondays from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Folkmoot Center located at 112 Virginia Ave, Waynesville. Cost is $50 and includes the course book.

Tools and materials provided. Class size is limited to 15. To register contact the Recreation Department at 828.452.6789.

• A display of 50 powerful paintings showcasing the most remote and wild corners of the Canadian Arctic is on display through Jan. 3 at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville. Entrance to the exhibit is free with the arboretum’s standard $16 parking fee. Face coverings are required for visitors age 5 and older.

HIKING CLUBS • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 6mile hike, elevation change 600 ft. to Mingus Mill on Saturday, Oct. 17. The club will meet at Bi-Lo at 9 a.m.

Call Leader Gail Lehman, 524.5298, for reservations.

Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take an easy 3-mile hike, elevation change 300 ft. to Jones Creek on Sunday, Oct. 18. The club will meet at Westgate Plaza at 2:00 p.m. Call leader Kathy Ratcliff, 526.6480, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 5mile hike, elevation change 600 ft., from Jones Gap on the NC Bartram Trail to a spur trail up White Rock Mountain on Saturday, Oct. 24. The club will meet at 145 Main St., #1 Nails in Highlands at 9 a.m. Call Leader Robin Lurie, 954.632.7270, for reservations.

Visitors are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 6mile hike, elevation change 600 ft., to Camp Branch off Wayah Road on Saturday, Oct. 24. The club will meet at Westgate Plaza at 8:30 a.m. Call leader Katharine Brown, 421.4178, for reservations. Visitors and dogs on a leash are welcome.

• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4.5mile hike, elevation change 600 ft., from Deep Creek to Indian Creek in Smoky Mountains National Park on Saturday, Oct. 31. The club will meet in the Bi-Lo parking lot at 9 a.m. Call leader Gail Lehman, 524.5298, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.

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SUPER

CROSSWORD

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16 Ninth-century emperor called "the Pious" 17 Priestly robes

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80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 95 96 97 98 99 100 102 103 104 105 106 110 111 112 114 115 116 118 119 120 122 123 124 125 126 127

Clickable list "Sign me up" Artist Salvador Position of stressful responsibility Like some spicy food Slope -- -poly Tex-Mex dip, informally K thru 12 Gulf nation -- Lanka Boozing sort -- -cone Protein-making stuff Car club inits.

Utmost degree Like many a prayer candle Mingo player on "Daniel Boone" Past Oil or vinegar bottles What ":" means in analogies Irksome type Racket-raising Arthur Nova, e.g.

Gives it some gas Falco with four Emmys Store away Classic perfume brand "I'm c-c-cold" "I smell --!"

Tooth doctor's org.

Land in eau Govt. media monitor Boise's state: Abbr.

Roman 7 EarthLink or MSN rival

ANSWERS ON PAGE 26

Home Goods

Announcements

Yard Sales

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SUDOKU Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 26 the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

38

www.smokymountainnews.com

October 14-20, 2020

WNC MarketPlace

Thank You, Health Care Workers and All Other Essential Employees

ORDER AHEAD AT KFC.COM OR PICK UP AT OUR DRIVE - THRU

Waynesville • 667 Russ Ave. LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED

1153 Russ Ave. • Kmart plaza Waynesville

Don’t wait to have your annual mammogram.

Our technology includes 3D mammography. Breast imaging that offers better accuracy and few callbacks can be life-saving, especially for women with dense breast tissue. A 3D mammogram can improve cancer detection by 40%.*

October 14-20, 2020

Your Health.

Our Heroes.

Thank You, Haywood County School Employees!

To schedule your 3D mammogram, call 828.452.8999

Schedule your 3D Mammogram with us.

Smoky Mountain News

Learn about our safety procedures at MyHaywoodRegional.com

*breastcancer.org 39

October 14-20, 2020 Smoky Mountain News

Originally fOunded in 1978, Haywood Healthcare Foundation has served the citizens of Haywood County for more than four decades.

We love our community and want all stakeholders to feel they have access to the healthcare they need. Our mission is to improve the health status of Haywood County, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s individuals and families through educational programs, grants, scholarships, and leadership opportunities.

haywoodhealthcarefoundation.org 40