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November 6-12, 2019 Vol. 21 Iss. 23

School demands illegal payment for public records Page 8 Annual Council focuses on language preservation Page 10

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: The industrial hemp business is booming in WNC as growers, processors and retailers clamor to get in at the ground floor, but the currently legal smokable hemp product has created unintended challenges for law enforcement officers who can’t distinguish between hemp and marijuana. Gaia Arise Farms Apothecary in Waynesville sells smokable hemp and other CBD products. Cory Vaillancourt photo

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Outdoors Waynesville woman sets record with LeConte hike ..............................................32

CLARIFICATION

November 6-12, 2019

The story “Sylva to revisit food truck rules” printed in the Oct. 30 issue of The Smoky Mountain News included a public comment made during an Oct. 24 town meeting stating that food truck vendors at Concerts on the Creek are not currently advertised along with the participating bands but should be. The story should have clarified that food truck vendors are already included by name on Concerts on the Creek press releases and Facebook events, and that all posters and flyers for the events include the words “food trucks.” The Smoky Mountain News regrets the omission.

CONTACT SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779 P: 828.631.4829 | F: 828.631.0789 INFO & BILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786 Copyright 2019 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ Advertising copyright 2019 by The Smoky Mountain News.™ All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Smoky Mountain News is available for free in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain and parts of Buncombe counties. Limit one copy per person. Additional copies may be purchased for $1, payable at the Smoky Mountain News office in advance. No person may, without prior written permission of The Smoky Mountain News, take more than one copy of each issue.

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Community searches for homelessness solutions ....................................................4 Early voting numbers are low ..........................................................................................5 Shining Rock demands illegal payment for public records ....................................8 Annual Council focuses on language preservation ................................................10 Security upgrades underway at Jackson Schools ..................................................12 Animal shelter estimates within Jackson’s budget ................................................12 Republican seeks N.C. Chief Justice seat ................................................................14 N.C. Chief Justice Beasley speaks in Haywood ....................................................15

A conversation with guitar legend Jimmy Herring ..................................................22

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November 6-12, 2019

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Community searches for homelessness solutions BY J ESSI STONE N EWS EDITOR wide-ranging forum held last week at Frog Level Brewing to discuss Haywood’s homeless population revealed deep divisions about how to treat a vulnerable and visible segment of the population. Business owners and some residents are upset and outraged over the issues that have arisen from a growing number of homeless people in the community while the other side is trying to focus on providing much-needed services to that segment of the population. More than 125 people packed the brewery to hear what the candidates running for Waynesville mayor and aldermen seats had to say about the ongoing issues in Frog Level and other parts of town. The problems in Waynesville have been mounting for the last couple of years — more people loitering around Open Door before and after meals are served, people urinating and defecating behind businesses, more syringes being found in the area and more drug-related crimes — but a recent stabbing in Frog Level on Oct. 19 brought the complaints to a head, giving Frog Level Brewing owner Clark Williams the idea for a community forum. By the end of the night, the main takeaway was that none of the candidates could point to one guaranteed solution. Before a solution can be identified, Mayor Gavin Brown said, it’s important for residents to understand that homelessness is only a symptom of a much larger societal problem — the homelessness issues in Haywood County stem from addiction and mental illness, people not having jobs and housing and a lack of resources to help people access these essentials needed to survive and thrive. Several pointed fingers at The Open Door Ministries located in Frog Level or Haywood Pathways Center in Hazelwood for bringing more homeless people and crime to the community. Wanda Brooks, who owns a building across from Pathways Center — which she briefly operated as a bar several years ago — said she’s been ignored despite complaining about Pathways since before it opened.

Smoky Mountain News

November 6-12, 2019

“It’s decreased my property value, they’ve broken into my building, broken into the building, left their needles on my property,” she said. Brooks said Pathways allowed sex offenders to stay there until she went before the county commissioners to complain. She also has a problem with the 90-day residency requirement to get into Pathways and said people should be required to be a resident for a year before they can get into the shelter. She said she called two different counties claiming to be looking for shelter for a homeless family, and Brooks said both times she was directed to Pathways even though the family wasn’t from Haywood. “That’s not acceptable,” she said. Another resident, Candace Cope, said she moved to Waynesville two years ago and was surprised by the conditions in Frog Level. “It’s unacceptable for hard-working business owners to be placed at risk by the clientele showing up at the Open Door. They deserve to have Frog Level enhance the town,” she said. Cope then asked candidates if they would support moving Open Door outside of the town limits. Most candidates and other stakeholders agreed that moving Open Door would not solve the problem and would probably only make matters worse. As Rev. Chris Westmoreland with Longs Chapel United Methodist pointed out, Frog Level is where people are in need and that’s where Open Door Ministries needs to minister to them. Moving the soup kitchen out of town would only make it harder for people in need to find their next meal. “We have a moral imperative to do what we do in Frog Level,” he said. “We want to help be part of the solution, but what’s not negotiable is taking care of those people. If you want to see the problem get a lot worse, take the nonprofits and churches out of the equation.” “You have to have resources where they’re needed,” said Alderman candidate Anthony Sutton. “My father taught me that you respect everyone regardless of their circumstances. You can’t push marginalized

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Clark Williams, owner of Frog Level Brewing, asks a question during a public forum held at the brewery to discuss the growing homelessness issue in Haywood County. Jessi Stone photo people out of the community and make them more marginalized.” On the other hand, Alderman candidate Joey Reece said it was never a good idea to place these types of services within one of the town’s three main business districts. “Show me anyone that thinks it’s a good idea to locate these services — no matter how needed — in their business districts?” he said. “We can’t let good intentions cloud good judgment and this is not good judgment. Let us not forget, this is more than a public health crisis, it’s a public safety crisis and that’s what we’re not addressing.” Mandy Haithcox, the executive director of Pathways Center, tried to explain the conundrum staff has when trying to honor the residency policy while also honoring their duty to help those in need. Last year, 78 percent of intakes were Haywood County residents and this year that number has increased to 93 percent. She said if someone doesn’t have a Haywood County ID, they still try to work with them to provide three emergency shelter night stays, but the per-

son has to go through a criminal background check and an eight-panel drug screening. There’s still the reality of having to turn people away. “We’re trying to balance being a Christian agency wanting to take care of folks knowing they’re standing in front of you needing something and having to respect the fact we have the policies we have for a reason because we promised that’s what we do,” she said. Monica Leslie stood up from the crowd to offer a perspective from someone who has actually found themselves in a homeless situation. Leslie said she was born in New York but raised in Haywood County. She is a recovering addict and was able to stay at Pathways Center for 90 days before moving to another county. When it didn’t work out and she lost everything, she came back to Pathways but was denied because she was no longer a Haywood County resident. Now she’s living on the street. While she does take advantage of the occasional free dinners

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Election Day results came in Tuesday evening after press time. For election results, check www.smokymountainnews.com. Hazelwood, Waynesville’s third largest precinct, showed just 35 voters as of 10:36, compared to 832 in 2015. Allens Creek, the fourth largest precinct in Waynesville, reported 51 voters as of 10:42. In 2015, AC saw 681 votes. In Maggie Valley, where three aldermanic candidates seek two seats and two mayoral candidates hope to replace Mayor Saralyn Price, 80 people had shown up to vote on Election Day at the Ivy Hill precinct through 11:20 a.m.

Then there are the private developments occurring in town with new apartment complexes being built at the former BI-LO property on Russ Avenue and a new apartment complex on Plott Creek. While these are not considered affordable housing, the additional units will still ease the lack of housing options while also producing more tax income for the town coffers. Sheriff Greg Christopher and representatives from Pathways, Open Door and the N.C. Harm Reduction Coalition were also on hand to answer questions from the community and talk about initiatives already underway to help solve these issues. As long as people continue to think the problem is homelessness, Brown said, the worse the problem is going to get because the underlying causes of homelessness — housing, wages, food security, addiction, having more mental health resources — are not being addressed.

JERKY - A CONVENIENT SOURCE OF PROTEIN It used to be that meat jerky was something that was primarily purchased by hunters, campers, fishermen and military soldiers as a convenient, portable and satisfying snack. With the advent of low carbohydrate (low carb) diets like Whole30, Keto and Paleo, more of the general public has looked to find snacks that are high in proteim - and the spotlight is on jerky. At your local Ingles Market you can find a variety of types of jerky made from beef, chicken, turkey, and even trout (from Sunburst Trout - in the meat section).

Here are some food facts about jerky:

is made by cutting lean meat or poultry into strips, • Jerky seasoning it and then smoking, cooking and then drying it. does not require refrigeration. • Jerky Americans were known to take jerky on long trips, • Native it was called "charqui" which means "burnt meat". ounce of jerky typically has approximately 13 grams of • An protein (depending on the type of meat) and is low in fat typically around 1 gram of fat. One of the drawbacks to jerky is often the amount of sodium. If you are sensitive to sodium or have high blood pressure or heart disease be sure and check the amount of sodium and look for reduced sodium jerky. Source: North American Meat Institute meatpoultrynutrition.org

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at Pathways and the services through Open Door, she still has nowhere to go at night. “What do you do when you’re on the street and your homeless and you don’t have an ID? The homeless shelter in Haywood County doesn’t accept the homeless,” she said. “The only places that are safe enough to go to sleep are public places, but you aren’t allowed to sleep there so what do you do?” Alderman Jon Feichter, who is running for re-election, pointed out the importance of having more affordable housing options in order to get people off the streets and into a more stable position. It’s something the town has been working toward with several successes — the old hospital will soon be renovated into affordable units for elderly and veterans, Mountain Projects is building affordable units on Allens Creek and Habitat for Humanity is building a new subdivision in Chestnut Park.

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November 6-12, 2019

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER s of press time, early voting had ended in North Carolina but Election Day was in full swing, and with several competitive races across the region, turnout up through lunchtime was still hard to gauge. “Early voting was pretty much in line with last time,” said Lisa Lovedahl, director of the Jackson County Board of Elections. “It might be a little bit higher, but when you’ve only got a couple thousand voters to begin with, you don’t see large swings.” At the conclusion of early voting, Jackson County had seen 115 voters, 101 of them in the municipality of Sylva. “So far seems about the same as last time,” said Judy Fritts with the Macon County Board t of Election. “We changed the one-stop location from the courthouse to Georgia Road, which might have influenced turnout, but it’s about the same, even though there are a few more candidates on the ballots this year.” Fritts said that through the early voting period, 399 Macon County voters had availed themselves of the opportunity, 238 of them from Franklin. There are no contested races in Swain County, but Board of Elections Director Joan Weeks said that 36 people had cast early votes anyway, compared to 120 during the same period in the last municipal election. Reports from the Haywood County Board of Elections showed that 803 people had voted early in the county, compared to 715 in the 2017 election. Although that’s more than 10 percent higher than last time, some of that can be attributed to the fact that eight Waynesville candidates are on the ballot this year. At 10:20 a.m., elections officials at

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Early voting, Election Day totals mixed

Waynesville’s largest precinct, WS-1, reported 92 voters. Mayor Gavin Brown, along with Aldermen LeRoy Roberson, Jon Feichter and candidate Anthony Sutton were gathered at the library, holding signs and shaking hands. In the 2015 election, WS-1 counted 1,864 votes by the end of the day. Waynesville’s second largest precinct, WS-2, reported 82 voters as of 10:30 a.m., a far cry from the precinct’s 2015 total of 1,513 votes. Alderman Gary Caldwell, running for mayor against Brown, was there, along with Brown’s daughter Kim.

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Abundant Labs now operating in Canton Hemp processing plant helping growers move their product

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR bundant Labs CEO Chip Miller looked like a college chemistry professor as he started drawing diagrams and compound percentages on the blackboard while trying to explain what it is the new enterprise is doing in Canton. The Abundant Labs partners announced this summer they would be opening the $12 million state-of-the-art hemp processing facility in the old NEO Corporation building off I40 in Canton and has now been in production for a month. It’s an exciting new venture for Miller and the rest of the growing staff, he said, but there is still so much misinformation around the budding industry of hemp. Part of Abundant Labs’ mission is to educate the community about the industry and all the beneficial products being made from the medicinal plant. “The biggest challenge in this industry is the misinformation,” said Phil Ferguson, another Abundant Labs partner and a local real estate broker. “The education of the general population is critical to understanding the benefits of the plant.” Ferguson, a Haywood County native, has long been fascinated with the history of hemp — Hemphill Bald for example — and the benefits the plant has provided to people of Western North Carolina. Hemp seed was grown in these parts to support the World War II effort and the first diesel train engine was designed to run off hemp oil. “With all the benefits, it never made sense to me why it was made illegal, so I’ve kept studying it,” Ferguson said. “I was definitely the hemp enthusiast of the group.” Miller brings to the table a background in banking and finance, but through the process of bringing the investing partners together and leading the day-to-day operations, he’s also become well versed in all the scientific processes behind the business. Back to Miller’s etchings on the blackboard — Abundant Labs receives hemp biomass at its facility from different growers and uses it to make a specific product for a client, which will either be a full spectrum extract or a CBD isolate from the plant. This is where it gets a little confusing for people, but first you have to understand the many components of the hemp plant. The hemp flower is made up of hundreds of cannabinoids, though their focus is on the big ones — CBD, CBG and CBN. THC is also a cannabinoid that’s in the plant and one of the main ones Abundant Labs is asked to extract from the plant before creating the final product for a client. A full spectrum extract captures all of the available compounds from the trichomes and 6 leaves behind the undesirable fats, waxes and

Smoky Mountain News

November 6-12, 2019

Abundant Labs CEO Chip Miller explains hemp extraction processes used at the facility in Canton. Jessi Stone photo Abundant Labs takes hemp biomass and produces full spectrum extracts and isolates for clients (below). Donated photo lipids from the plant. A full spectrum extract maintains those other cannabinoids that work together to heighten the effects on the body for those taking the product. The final result is a crude oil that businesses can use in a wide range of products. The CBD isolate, on the other hand, takes the process a step further by isolating only the CBD cannabinoid. The final product is a powder that contains only pure CBD. Miller said the extraction process starts with using an ethanol solvent to begin separating the parts of the plant — waxes, fats and lipids are removed. Those waxes and lipids can then actually be sold separately and used to produce salves and other wax-based products. Then there is a distillation process to further separate the components — the terpenes come out at a certain temperature and then other cannabinoids at a higher temperature. “The full spectrum product is the end result of that process,” Miller said. “With that, we can create an isolate and separate just the CBD and that’s the powder product.” The emerging industry is still experiencing growing pains as regulations are still rolling out, and the public is still learning about what’s legal, what’s illegal and what exactly they’re buying when they purchase a CBD oil or other hemp products. The percentages of CBD shown on the packaging can be deceiving, according to Miller. When you buy a 30 milliliter bottle of CBD oil, most of that is going to be the carrier oil — hemp seed oil, olive oil or some other essential oil — and the rest will either be the full spectrum extract or some kind of CBD isolate.

“We do our own testing in house so we’re sure of what we’re making. We’ve also tested products off the shelf and find out it’s not what it says it is,” Miller said. “There’s a chase to the bottom in the industry — everyone is trying to get into the market with the cheapest product possible and it’s a consumer beware market right now, but our specific customers are focused on long-term quality.” Abundant Labs is a business to business company as not to compete with their clients. A majority of their clients thus far are wellestablished retailers who want to add value to their existing products by introducing a

hemp component. Miller said Abundant Labs is able to produce a 99.2 percent pure CBD product. Other key players at Abundant Labs include Gary Hughes, owner of WNC Urban Farms and the farmer who holds the industrial hemp grower license that enables the processing center to operate in North Carolina; Chief Science Officer Stephen Nerlick, who worked at a large blood lab before joining Abundant Labs; and Operations Manager Gary Hughes, who is an electrician and has experience working on large equipment. The Smoky Mountain News wasn’t allowed to take photos within the production facility because so much of the equipment has been fabricated specifically for their processes and they don’t want their trade secrets to be exposed. Ferguson said their staff is also working on water soluble products as some of their clients are interested in different liquid products, including a dairy farm that’s interested in adding CBD to milk. Abundant Labs has found that the powder product works better in hot drinks while the liquid product works better for cold drinks though it adds a little different taste. “The terpenes give it the taste and smell, but we can remove about 95 percent of that,” Miller said. “But some clients want that taste and smell. There’s a beer manufacturer actually looking into using terpenes to market a hemp beer.” Other industries looking to infuse hemp into their products are makeup companies — Miller said CBD has been shown to reduce inflammation, which would make for a great eye cream. Athletes are looking to CBD products to reduce pain and inflammation but it has to be completely free of THC so it doesn’t show up in a drug test (even though hemp already contains 0.3 percent or less of THC). Another part of their business is to help the increasing number of growers in the state move their biomass after the harvest, which has been a main concern for farmers interested in getting into the hemp business. However, Abundant Labs’ equipment and processes require larger batches than some local farms can currently provide. Each batch is different and parameters have to be altered each time. From start to finish, the process from hemp to final product takes two to three days. “We feel like we have a social responsibility to help farmers,” Ferguson said. “But most of the hemp farms around here are small and we really need at least 500 pounds to do the extraction process — not 100 pounds,” Ferguson said. As Abundant Labs ramps up production, Miller said the number of employees will also grow. While they currently have a dozen employees, he said that number is expected to grow to 45 in the next couple years. Several of the company’s employees are specifically skilled in different aspects of the business but there’s also room employees to be trained on the job for the lab’s specific processes.

Legislature to ban smokable hemp in N.C. Hemp growers push for alternative solutions

Legislators and law enforcement wanted to keep smokable hemp illegal, but that language didn’t make it into the final version signed into law.

Smoky Mountain News

“Definitely education and technology would be a plus,” she said when asked about possible solutions to the problem. “The cart got ahead of the horse a bit. Regulations are necessary, however our hope is that we are able to have some lead time to sell the current crop and plan for the future. I am at a Hemp Industries Association (meeting) In Charlotte and the whole industry is working on solutions.” The North Carolina Industrial Hemp Growers Association has also been lobbying for an alternative solution to banning the smokable product. Executive Director Blake Butler was just leaving the same Hemp Industries Association meeting on Monday

November 6-12, 2019

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR emp has only been legal in North Carolina for a couple of years, but already the plant is presenting an issue in the criminal justice system that the legislature is still trying to iron out. Hemp is from the cannabis plant, and if hemp and marijuana are laid out side by side it’s almost impossible tell the difference between the two. They look the same and smell the same, but the hemp doesn’t have the THC concentration that produces the high like marijuana. That means law enforcement officers also have a hard time distinguishing between the two plants — as do police dogs. “I foresee problems in the future. I’m surprised we haven’t had any problems yet, but the major problem I see occurring is with our dogs that are trained on marijuana and they will indicate on marijuana and hemp,” said Macon County Sheriff Robbie Holland. “In the future when we look for K-9s, we’ll have to make sure they’re not trained to detect marijuana. That’s not what we prefer to do but that’s how it is with today’s times.” Not being able to distinguish marijuana from hemp makes it more difficult for law enforcement and prosecutors to build a case. Holland said the N.C. State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) lab won’t distinguish between the two plants when it involves minor charges — it has to rise to the level of felony charges. “It will definitely make it difficult, but so

far we’ve had no cases of this and no failed prosecutions because of it but we’re ready for it,” he said. North Carolina joined 33 other states in legalizing Industrial hemp with the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill, which spurred the creation of the Industrial Hemp Pilot Program. According to the original legislation, the idea was to allow farmers to begin growing industrial hemp as a way “to promote and encourage the development of an industrial hemp industry in the State in order to expand employment, promote economic activity, and provide opportunities to small farmers for an environmentally sustainable and profitable use of crop lands that might otherwise be lost to agricultural production.” Now there are more than 630 farmers growing hemp on about 8,000 acres and 3.4 million square feet of greenhouse space, including Appalachian Growers in Macon County and Gaia Arise Farm in Canton. There are also more than 400 licensed processors in the state, including a new processing facility in Canton — Abundant Labs. Abundant Labs currently employs a dozen people with plans to grow to more than 40. Appalachian Growers employs up to 50 people during harvest season and Gaia Arise Farm will soon open a retail store in downtown Waynesville. Suffice it to say the industry is booming in Western North Carolina. But with growth also comes growing pains. Those within the industry have compared it to the “Wild West” where anything goes right now as state and federal agencies try to rein it in with new regulations. Legislators and law enforcement wanted to keep smokable hemp illegal, but that language didn’t make it into the final version

when contacted for an update. “Our outreach efforts have included working on House members and appealing to the governor. As this point, I hate this has been thrown back and forth but we’d still like to see some stand-alone legislation for hemp so all our provisions are not hidden in the Farm Act. That would be a better way to approach it,” he said. Butler said the SBI is currently looking at a short list of vendors provided by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) that can potentially develop such a field test, but it could still be another four to six months before one is chosen. In the meantime, hemp farmers are concerned the ban will leave them holding on to a bunch of product they can’t move. “We don’t want to start our program with any kind of ban on a compliant plan. The federal law is specific that if it’s 0.3 percent or less THC, it’s an agricultural commodity and they’re still trying to treat it like a psychoactive drug,” he said. “This just popped on law enforcement’s radar this year and we need a chance to address it.” The federal government is also working on regulations for hemp and related products. Just last week the U.S. Department of Agriculture released proposed interim rules on how hemp can be produced. The ruling includes provisions regarding the land where hemp is produced, testing the levels of THC, disposing of plants not meeting necessary requirements, licensing requirements and ensuring compliance with the requirements of the new part. Butler said the proposed interim rules from USDA will be open for 60 days of public comment before a final vote. He said there is still a lot of concern about the strict testing protocols that could still be burdensome on southern hemp growers trying to move their product across state lines. Stuart Titus, CEO of Medical Marijuana Inc., the first publicly-traded cannabis company in the U.S. and the first to sell hemp CBD across state lines and international borders, stated in a press release that the new regulations had received bipartisan support and would “soon become the fire that will ignite hemp to again become the crucial cash crop it once was when our country was founded.” Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp Inc., the largest industrial hemp processing center in the western hemisphere and future producer of KING OF HEMP pre-rolls — the first trademark registration for hemp cigarettes — said the industry has come a long way since the decades-long ban on hemp. “From lifting the ban to the first harvest in 80 years, we will now gain clarity on an array of hemp-specific policies such as safety and quality control standards. Growers, especially small farmers, will benefit from the expansion of crop insurance, standards and infrastructure that can be built out based on the sheer certainty that comes with uniform regulations,” he said. “We’ve also been working to educate law enforcement. They are frustrated and we get it. We’re trying to satisfy their concerns but what they need is a reliable, mobile field test and that’s not there yet.”

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Abundant Labs in Canton is one of many processing facilities started up following the legalization of industrial hemp in North Carolina. Donated photo

signed into law. In the meantime, growers and suppliers have been able to sell smokable hemp. Customers can walk into the Gaia Arise Farms Apothecary on Depot Street in Waynesville and purchase a small baggie of smokable hemp or a “hemp stick” that looks nearly identical to a marijuana joint. This raises a number of questions. Can I carry this around on me? Can I smoke this hemp in the car? What happens if I get pulled over and the officer thinks it’s pot? How can I prove it’s hemp? Will I get arrested? These are good questions, but unfortunately no one really has a direct answer. Some law enforcement weren’t even aware smokable hemp is currently legal. When contacted for comment on the issue, Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran said he didn’t think it was legal and hadn’t been notified by the N.C. Sheriff ’s Association to the contrary. “I’ve received no notification that it’s legal,” he said. “We do have a drug store in Bryson City selling CBD oils, but with the Farm Act I thought they pulled smokable hemp out. That’s one thing we were all opposed to.” Efforts to ban smokable hemp continue in Raleigh. Senate Bill 315, which would update the Farm Act to ban smokable hemp as of June 2020, is still working its way through committees in the General Assembly. A vote was expected next week before the measure goes to Gov. Roy Cooper’s desk for final authorization. Lori Lacy, co-owner of Appalachian Growers in Macon County, understands law enforcement’s frustrations as the industry works on navigating the new frontier, but she also sees other ways of smoothing out the process without a blanket ban on smokable hemp. She said the technology exists to distinguish between hemp and marijuana — it just needs to be made available to law enforcement and/or the SBI lab’s hands.

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Shining Rock demands illegal payment for public records BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER Editor’s note: This is the ninth in a series of stories on Haywood County’s public charter school, Shining Rock Classical Academy, which has been beset by a host of academic and organizational problems since opening in 2015. espite a long history of illegal meetings, improper closed sessions and complaints about transparency, the story of Shining Rock Classical Academy’s efforts to conceal its expenditures of taxpayer money has just entered an alarming new chapter. After months of ignoring more than a dozen public records requests filed by The Smoky Mountain News, the troubled charter school now says it won’t fulfill the requests until it gets a check for $1,537.50. The requests were lodged long before any such billing was ever mentioned; there’s no record of the board passing any billing policy and SRCA Head of School Joshua Morgan and Board Attorney David Hostetler refused multiple requests for comment. According to a number of open records experts, the demand for payment is an egregious violation of state law. “It’s moronic,” said Mike Tadych, an attorney with Stevens, Martin, Vaughn and Tadych, a Raleigh-based law firm that also advises the North Carolina Press Association. “I’m afraid you’re rapidly approaching the point where you’re just going to have to sue them.”

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aintaining transparency in local government is a priority so important to democracy that lawmakers in all 50 states have for decades now have deemed it worthy of enshrinement in statute. So-called “sunshine laws” cover everything from when and where public meetings take place to when those meetings can enter closed sessions to which documents produced by a governing body are public, and how citizens can access them. Public records laws apply to public bodies. Section 143-318.10(b) of the North Carolina General Statutes defines a public body as “ … any elected or appointed authority, board, commission, committee, council or other body of the State, or of one or more counties, cities, school administrative units, constituent institutions of The University of North Carolina or other political subdivisions or public corporations in the State that (i) is composed of two or more members and (ii) exercises or is authorized to exercise a legislative, policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative or advisory function.” While that definition obviously includes 8

towns and counties, it also includes school boards, whether they’re elected public school boards or appointed public charter school boards. The reasoning is, if public bodies are going to use public funds — taxpayer money — they should be transparent in how and why they do that. Despite having an unelected board, public charter school Shining Rock Classical Academy has received and spent around $3 million in taxpayer money since its inception in 2015, and is a public body per NCGS. As such, Shining Rock is also subject to North Carolina’s public records law, which was first codified in 1935. Any North Carolina citizen can request any public record from any public body without having to say why they want the records, or what they’ll do with them. When making requests, the media is afforded no special status above and beyond that of any other citizen. According to NCGS 132-1(a), public records are “all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, Joshua Morgan electronic data-processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received pursuant to law or ordinance in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions.” There are some important exceptions to this rule, like certain information contained in personnel files, criminal investigations, economic development discussions and trade secrets. Section (b) of that same statute, however, says that public records are “the property of the people” and that “it is the policy of this State that the people may obtain copies of their public records and public information free or at minimal cost unless otherwise specifically provided by law. As used herein, ‘minimal cost’ shall mean the actual cost of reproducing the public record or public information.” Of course, public bodies can and have used the “actual cost” provision in attempts to thwart legitimate public records requests. Earlier this year, the N.C. town of Youngsville tried to charge a reporter $70,000 after the reporter submitted a public records request for emails and text messages related to the retirement of the town’s police chief. That figure dropped to $15,000 after pushback, but it’s still a tall order for the tiny

Shining Rock has refused to divulge how much taxpayer money was spent on a failed building project. Cory Vaillancourt photo Wake Weekly, a newspaper with a circulation of just 5,000 copies a week. Unfortunately, the system is slanted toward public bodies in that their refusal to comply with public records requests or attempts by public bodies to charge fees in excess of those permissible by state law requires the requestor to do one of two things — lawyer up, or shut up. ince before it even opened in 2015, Shining Rock began to establish a pattern of violating sunshine laws, and to date has never been held accountable. In July 2015, the school violated closed-session laws pertaining to property acquisition. In October 2017, the school violated public meeting notice requirements for a special called meeting that ended with the resignation of founding Head of School Ben Butler. In January 2018, it did the exact same thing. This past June, the board did it again by not providing adequate notice of a meeting in which board attorney David Hostettler dismissed multiple allegations of improper disciplinary procedures by the school’s theninterim head, Joshua Morgan. Hostettler notified the parents who filed the grievances of his decision by letter, long after the meeting was over, and later admitted to SMN that the legal violation was an “unintended oversight.” A month after that, in July, a separate SMN story revealed that Shining Rock has the highest percentage of unvaccinated students in Haywood County; when asked for a copy of the school’s policy on removing unvaccinated students if a measles case is diagnosed, Shining Rock never replied. Not everything Shining Rock’s governing board does is illegal, but even recent tactics suggest they’re not above skirting the law to obscure transparency.

An Aug. 1 special called meeting agenda said the board would consider adopting an electronic communications policy. That policy wasn’t available anywhere on Shining Rock’s website. SMN requested it, but it wasn’t delivered until less than 48 hours before the meeting and was never otherwise publicly available for viewing. Although the board was prepared to vote on an item the public had never seen, the policy was tabled because a portion of it violated the board’s own existing policy. Later in that same meeting, Shining Rock held a three-hour closed session for a purpose not recognized by N.C. law, “facilities.” That closed session came just hours after Shining Rock filed a thick packet of paperwork with Waynesville’s Development Services Department. As first reported by The Mountaineer, the documents outlined plans for a multi-million dollar new facility, even though there had never been any mention of one on any meeting agenda, ever. Like the electronic communications policy, the development documents weren’t otherwise publicly available for viewing before the meeting, but they likely involved significant taxpayer expense in their creation — architectural renderings and a tree study, for example. Whatever the amount of taxpayer funds expended on the project, it was all for naught. Four days later, during another special called meeting, Morgan reported a significant decline in enrollment — which negatively affects the amount of taxpayer funding — and the board subsequently voted unanimously to cease all discussions on the new facility project. The question of the amount, though, still hasn’t been answered. Following the Aug. 1 meeting, SMN lodged a number of projectrelated public records requests on Aug. 7.

“These people appear intractable. They’re still a public agency, and if they don’t want to be a public agency, then they should stop taking taxpayer money and become a private school. The way I read that email is, ‘Well, you’re not going to sue us, so we’ll do what we want.’” — Mike Tadych, attorney with Stevens, Martin, Vaughn and Tadych

would have been incurred by the public agency if a request to reproduce a public record had not been made.” Morgan’s probably justified in his request for the cost of the copies — a few cents each, maybe — but not much else. “This language has been interpreted to allow only the cost of the actual reproduction of records, and should not include the time it takes for the employees and other custodians to identify and review the records before they’re copied,” Bluestein said after reviewing Morgan’s email. “The authority to charge a higher service charge is limited to excessive staff time making the copies and in these days with electronic records, excessive IT time searching servers to identify responsive records. There is no authority to charge for the time it takes the attorney determine what can be released.” That would render moot Morgan’s attempt to charge $300 an hour for Hostettler to go through the documents. Of note, the town attorney in the Youngstown case quoted the same $300 an hour figure to “expedite” Wake Weekly’s public records request. That’s more than double what he charges the town, according to the N&O, but details of Hostettler’s billing arrangements haven’t been delivered to SMN as requested. N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein’s 2019 Open Government Guide appears to be in accord with Bluestein’s opinion and cites the

same statutes she does, but goes into a bit more detail about what “actual cost” actually means. “The law does not give examples of actual costs but it does say that actual cost may not include costs the agency would have incurred if the copy request had not been made,” reads the guide, which is available online. “This means that under most circumstances, fees may not include the labor costs of the agency employees who make the copies.” Stein’s opinion undercuts Morgan’s attempt to charge $50 an hour for time spent by administrators as well as by board members, who aren’t even paid for their service anyway. Press Association Attorney Mike Tadych agreed with Bluestein, further opining that “excessive staff time” has been suggested by case law to be four hours, not Morgan’s offer of half an hour. Tadych also pointed out that “actual cost” should be fact, not fancy. “You can charge ‘actual cost,’ but it has to be actual cost, not just, ‘Here’s what we decided,’” he said, pointing out that he’d be surprised if secretaries and other clerical personnel at the school actually make the $25 an hour Morgan’s trying to charge for their time. Public records provided by Shining Rock earlier this year show only three part-time office staffers — one making $17 an hour, and the other two making $15 an hour. Even as an administrator, Morgan’s oneyear contract provides for a salary of $75,000 a year, which when divided by the 2,040 hours a full-timer would work during a year comes out to $36.76 an hour, not the $50 he’s asking. All in all, Morgan estimated that SMN’s cumulative requests that remain unfulfilled would require “1 hour of clerical, 10 hours of administrative, and 4 hours of attorney time,” to total $1,537.50. That price takes into account the free half-hour of time from each. Backing out the prohibited 3.5 hours of attorney’s fees would shave $1,050 from the bill, and deducting the non-excessive halfhour of clerical time would scale it back by another $12.50. Regarding the 9.5 hours of administrative time, that estimate comes from more than a dozen independent public records requests, not from one large task, and should be itemized independently for each request instead of as a lump sum that arose only because of Shining Rock’s months-long refusal to fulfill any of those requests in a timely manner, as each was submitted. Backing out that prohibited $50 an hour charge for 9.5 hours of administrative time would shave the final $475 off the bill sent in Morgan’s email and bring the balance to zero. Ironically, Morgan didn’t charge for the one thing he could legally charge for — the actual cost of the copies themselves. “These people appear intractable,” said Tadych. “They’re still a public agency, and if they don’t want to be a public agency, then they should stop taking taxpayer money and become a private school. The way I read that email is, ‘Well, you’re not going to sue us, so we’ll do what we want.’”

Smoky Mountain News

lmost three months after SMN’s public records requests were made and Shining Rock said the records would be provided “upon payment of any fees as may be prescribed by law” but then failed to provide a copy of any fee schedule, one finally materialized in the form of an email from Morgan on Oct. 30. “As permitted by law, the school will assess reasonable costs to comply with public records requests that require an excessive amount of staff time,” reads the email, which also demanded a certified check for $1,537.50 before any work on gathering the records would begin. “These costs may include but are not limited to the following: Copy costs, Staff, Administration, and/or board member time used to gather and prepare documents [and] attorney fees associated with determining what records or portions of records are not public,” Morgan continued. Reasonable costs are permitted by law, according to the David M. Lawrence Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government at the University of North Carolina’s School of Government, Frayda Bluestein, but most of what Morgan’s trying

to charge for doesn’t fall under the classification of “reasonable.” Although he says the first half hour of time is free, Morgan proposes after that to charge $25 an hour for staff time, $50 an hour for administration or board member time and $300 an hour for attorney time. NCGS 132-6.2(b) states in part that “ … no public agency shall charge a fee for an uncertified copy of a public record that exceeds the actual cost to the public agency of making the copy. For purposes of this subsection, ‘actual cost’ is limited to direct, chargeable costs related to the reproduction of a public record as determined by generally accepted accounting principles and does not include costs that

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another one of Shining Rock’s consultants — a group called Leaders Building Leaders, and one of its associates, Katy Ridnour. Shining Rock’s board then held the transparency workshop, and in doing so demonstrated why it was a good idea — yet again, the school failed to provide proper public notice of the meeting per NCGS 143-318.12, thus making it the school’s second illegal meeting in less than six months and its fourth in two years. Six weeks after the Aug. 7 public records requests were made, SMN sent a similar follow-up email. Shining Rock never replied. Shortly after that, an additional request was made, this time for supporting documents related to the board’s Sept. 25 regular meeting. As with the electronic communications policy, none of the documents were available to the public before the meeting. That request was not fulfilled before the meeting. On Oct. 18, the same request was made for the board’s regular Oct. 23 meeting because none of the documents were available to the public before the meeting. That request was fulfilled a little over an hour prior to the meeting. Within that same Oct. 18 request, an additional request for accounting documents relating to the expenditure of taxpayer monies on yet another Shining Rock contractor also went unanswered; on Oct. 16, the Charlotte News & Observer reported on a mass exodus of leadership at TeamCFA, a Charlotte-based consultancy with 17 charter schools clients in North Carolina, including Shining Rock. More than a dozen requests, most of which are more than three months old, remain unfulfilled. No word had been received by SMN on when to expect them, until an Oct. 30 email revealed that the school had been ignoring the requests since August while scrambling to craft an illegal fee structure designed to thwart them.

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The first was for all closed session meeting minutes of any Shining Rock board or committee, dating back to Aug. 1, 2018. Such minutes could provide insight into discussions of the expenditure of taxpayer monies in furtherance of the ill-fated facilities plan and are required by law to be recorded accurately. The Mountaineer asked Shining Rock for the same thing, but according to their story published Aug. 5, “ … SRCA board members said they did not have anything to provide.” Also requested by SMN were copies of all project-related correspondence between Shining Rock’s board, board members, employees or staff and any board-retained attorney. The next request was for all public records that show the amount of taxpayer funds expended on the facilities project, and copies of all checks written to any entity connected with the project. Two more requests included all correspondence relating to the creation of the proposed electronic communications policy, and a year’s worth of correspondence between the school and its board regarding how it deals with the media. Several more separate requests were made at that time, including all documents related to the board’s relationship with its attorney, Hostettler — contracts, fee arrangements, billing procedures, invoices and copies of checks. After several emails requesting confirmation of the receipt of those Aug. 7 requests, Shining Rock finally responded six days later, writing “We have received your public records request and will respond as promptly as possible, upon payment of any fees as may be prescribed by law [emphasis theirs].” That same day, SMN requested a copy of the fee schedule, since none was known to exist and prior public records requests — some substantial — had been adequately fulfilled by Shining Rock with no mention of any fees. Shining Rock never replied. Around that same time, Morgan publicly called for a “media reset” in response to claims that Shining Rock was being treated unfairly by SMN and The Mountaineer, both of which had reported extensively on Shining Rock’s illegal meetings and lack of accountability in how it spends taxpayer money. After meeting with publishers and editors of both papers, along with North Carolina Press Association Attorney Mike Tadych via FaceTime, the school then announced that it would temporarily suspend board operations until board members could attend an upcoming workshop on transparency law, led by its attorney, Hostettler. Three weeks after the Aug. 7 records requests were made but still weeks before the Sept. 15 workshop, a follow-up email was sent by SMN requesting a projected timeline for the delivery of the requests, as well as a copy of the school’s public records release policy and a copy of the public records fee schedule. Shining Rock never replied. At that point, an additional public records request was filed, this time for all contracts and copies of all checks written to

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Annual Council focuses on language preservation BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER n the wake of a June 27 joint resolution from the three Cherokee tribes that declared the native language to be in a state of emergency, this year’s Annual Council sessions in Cherokee revealed language preservation to be a priority for tribal members of all backgrounds and political persuasions. Occurring over multiple sessions held in October of each year, Annual Council differs from typical Tribal Council sessions in the higher frequency of meetings and the ability of any tribal member to walk in with proposed legislation for Tribal Council’s consideration. This year, Annual Council sessions were held Oct. 14, 17, 28 and 31, with an organizational meeting on Oct. 7. During that time, Tribal Council passed four separate resolutions that, once ratified, will result in millions of dollars in appropriations to support Cherokee language programs. “As it stands today, we are producing zero new fluent speakers,” Amber Ledford, an adult language learner who co-sponsored a resolution seeking $15 million in language funding, told Tribal Council Oct. 28. “The average age of our living fluent speakers is 67 years old. Yes, we may have programs in place right now. But we need more. As it was announced through Tri-Council, we are officially in a state of emergency. So what do we do now? I hope every one of you guys up there have thought about that.”

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A TICKING CLOCK

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Ledford submitted the resolution in conjunction with three other Cherokee language learners — Sharri Pheasant, Matt Tooni and Cree Rockwood — as well as Tribal Council Chairman Adam Wachacha. As part of their appeal, the group brought with them a board bearing the names of all 205 fluent Cherokee speakers still alive today. They’re aging, with an average of 19 passing away each year. Despite all of the money and energy the tribe has been pouring into language preservation, not a single fluent speaker has been created, the group said. That means something needs to change, and change fast — otherwise, the Cherokee language is set to be extinct among the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians in less than 11 years. In 2004, the Eastern Band opened the Cherokee immersion school New Kituwah Academy, which works to foster fluency in young children. Now, a new program called Cherokee Adult Language Learners is attacking the problem from the opposite angle, recruiting young adults and paying them to learn the language as their full-time job. The CALL Program is now in its second year and accepts four to five students annually. “We could focus on creating strong, fluent adults who can not only teach others, but we would be creating a larger village of speakers who are able to stay in the language out in public, who are able to stay in the lan10 guage at home, and then also raise our chil-

dren as first language speakers, sort of creating this snowball effect of our language being spoken in more places,” said Ledford, a CALL participant. As originally presented, the resolution called for creation of a new division within the tribal government dealing with language, culture and history, setting aside $15 million with a 10-year commitment for continued funding. “My heart is in this for the long run,” said Tooni, CALL participant and co-submitter of the resolution. “I don’t want to be the one to say, ‘That was the language my grandparents spoke.’ I don’t want to be that. But I want to be the one to say, ‘Yes, I speak the language my grandparents spoke.’” In addition to expanding the language teaching programs, said Pheasant, the tribe must invest in recording equipment and media personnel to record all the Cherokee language speakers alive today, so that their vocabularies, pronunciation and usage can be preserved for future generations of learners. “We’re trying to learn all the ways that they’re saying it, not just one, because not just one of them’s right,” said Pheasant. “If they were raised by their parents and grandparents speaking that way, then it’s right, and we all need to recognize that too. There’s no one way to speak it. That’s why we need to be recording all of it.”

NO TIME TO WASTE Principal Chief Richard Sneed spoke in support of the concept but suggested that Tribal Council table the resolution for now so that a plan could first be developed as to how the $15 million should be spent. Additionally, he questioned whether language preservation work would be better carried out through a grassroots effort funded by the tribal government rather than by a formal governmental division, as stated in the original resolution. “My request to the CALL group would be that the resolution be tabled until we can get the comprehensive plan developed,” said Sneed. “If it’s passed today, we don’t have a plan in place. The ask is to set aside $15 million, but we don’t have a plan for what that’s going to be used for.” Sneed said he’s shooting to hold a two-day language symposium in mid-November, which would serve as the basis for development of a comprehensive language preservation plan, likely to be ready by mid-January. That plan would allow for the development of a list of positions, costs and measurable benchmarks in the quest to save the Cherokee language. “We have to think past step one,” said Sneed. “This is step one. So where is the money going to come from in the future?” Perhaps the tribe should look at giving language programs a designated allocation from gaming proceeds, Sneed said. But more research will be needed to determine exactly how that allocation should be designated. However, Tribal Council declined to table the resolution. “Today’s not the day to put something on hold,” said Councilmember Richard French,

Surrounded by his fellow Cherokee language learners, Matt Tooni (top) addresses Tribal Council regarding the group’s request for $15 million in funding to support language preservation programs. A bulletin board (above) displays the names of the 205 fluent Cherokee speakers remaining among the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Language learner Sharri Pheasant points to photos of the same board taken in previous years, when it was much more full. EBCI images

of Big Cove. “Holding something and let’s see what the plan is sometimes never evolves, but if you put something like this in place, then that plan has to come together.” “I don’t think $15 million is too much to ask,” agreed Councilmember Boyd Owle, of Birdtown. “I think this is a perfect example of putting your money where your mouth is.” Vice Chief Alan “B” Ensley also expressed his support for passing the resolution now. “Once this resolution passes, like the chief said, it does need a plan and I understand what he’s saying and somewhat agree with him, but on the other hand when something is passed it’s going to create a reaction,” he said. “Knowing that money’s there, that’s going to energize this committee and all the groups to generate that plan. That will cause a reaction and hopefully get more speakers involved.” While Tribal Council passed the resolution unanimously, it did so after making one significant amendment. At Sneed’s request, the body voted to strike the section stating

that the funding would be used to create a new tribal division. As passed, the resolution sets the funding aside but leaves the structure fluid until a plan can be developed. “It may take several generations to regenerate, if we ever do, to the point where we have 100 percent Cherokee speakers (on Tribal Council),” said Councilmember Perry Shell, of Big Cove. “It won’t be in my lifetime. So this is a drop in the bucket.”

APPOINTING AN AUTHORITY

While undoubtedly the biggest-ticket item of the bunch, the resolution was far from being the only piece of legislation Council considered last month related to language preservation. Later the same day, the body considered a resolution submitted by Bo Lossiah on behalf of the Cherokee Speakers Council requesting that Tribal Council sanction the council as the official organization charged with repre-

REACHING THE CHILDREN

While zero no votes were cast for the other language-related resolutions, a fourth resolution submitted by Sneed on Oct. 31 elicited some difference of opinion. l The resolution requested that Council amend the tribe’s organizational chart to create the position of language training specialist within the Human Resources Division. f The action would not require adding any new employees to the tribal payroll — Sneed proposed to move a position currently titled “Retail Development Specialist” from the

Editor’s note: This story was reported using online meeting videos, as Tribal Council’s April decision to ban non-Cherokee media from its chambers prevents The Smoky Mountain News from attending in person.

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But Oct. 28 was not the end of Annual Council efforts to preserve the Cherokee language. During the next session, held Oct. 31, Snowbird resident and Cherokee speaker Gil Jackson submitted a resolution requesting $140,000 in annual funding for an afterschool program that teaches language, culture and arts to enrolled children attending Graham County Public Schools. The money would run through the nonprofit Snowbird Cherokee Traditions, which officially formed about six years ago. For the past 20 years, the group has operated a summer language camp, with the afterschool program launching this year. “The (Cherokee) Preservation Foundation has been really good to us in that they funded us for several years, and they kept saying, ‘When are you going to get on your own?’” said Jackson. “I think they were a little tired of funding us year after year after year. That’s not really what the purpose of the foundation’s about. They are generally supposed to provide seed money and go from there.” Currently, the afterschool program has temporary headquarters in an old house, but the tribe is paying to have another building rehabilitated as its permanent home. The tribe’s involvement in that respect spurred the nonprofit to seek tribal funds for operating costs. There are currently 35 kids in the program, said Jackson, with more likely once the new space is ready. The resolution passed 11-0, with Wachacha abstaining due to the fact that he sits on the nonprofit’s board. “I appreciate Gil what you do down there, as well as what you do for the people down that way and the programs,” said Owle. “You’re a tremendous asset to anything that y takes place down that way.”

Commerce Division to the Human Resources Division and then retitle it for the role. The language training specialist’s job would be to teach and promote use of the Cherokee language among tribal officers, employees and the community. “In keeping with our efforts to not only preserve but to proliferate the Cherokee language, one of the initiatives I have as part of this administration is to provide Cherokee language training for employees,” said Sneed. Sneed anticipates pulling two or three employees at a time from each tribal department, creating cohorts that will progress through a language program together. Councilmembers who objected to the resolution did so not due to the content but due to the timing. “We thought that symposium was going to happen, and that was a commitment from Tribal Council that anything that would happen with that $15 million was going to come out of that symposium,” said Vice Chairman David Wolfe, of Yellowhill. “I’m guessing the chief has had a change of heart in that process.” Sneed replied that he has not had a change of heart. The language specialist position is separate from anything to do with the $15 million, he said. It would be housed within the Human Resources Division and not within any yet-to-be created language position. “I think if we could move forward with it, we could already have it ready to rock and roll whenever we have that plan,” said Councilmember Chelsea Saunooke, of Wolfetown. The resolution passed, but with opposition. Five members voted to table it, while six elected to pass it. Due to the weighted vote system, however, the actual vote counts were not that close — the move to table failed by a vote of 32-61. The resolution then passed in a mirror-image vote, prevailing 61-32. In favor of passage were Councilmembers Albert Rose and Owle, of Birdtown; Bo Crowe and Chelsea Saunooke, of Wolfetown; Richard French, of Big Cove; and Bucky Brown, of Snowbird. In favor of tabling were Councilmembers Tommye Saunooke and Dike Sneed, of Painttown; Tom Wahnetah, of Yellowhill; Wachacha and Wolfe. Councilmember Perry Shell, of Big Cove, was absent. Sneed has not yet ratified the resolutions but said he supports council’s actions. “I am pleased Tribal Council passed the resolutions forwarding the work of promoting, teaching and advocating for the Cherokee language,” he said in an emailed statement. “The programs, individuals and partners working towards this issue are extremely dedicated, passionate and steadfast in their work to preserve the Cherokee language. I am proud of their effort and am honored to work with them to try new things, implement best practices and work collaboratively so we can ensure that our children, grandchildren and Cherokee tribal citizens will once again speak our God-given indigenous language.”

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senting the Eastern Band on “all matters regarding language, translations, traditions and culture.” All dialects and speakers are represented in the group, said Lossiah. Formalizing the group’s status will be an important part of moving forward with the language preservation efforts launched through the $15 million resolution Council had passed earlier that day, said Sneed. “This group would be a key component and really a foundation in those discussions,” he said. “I just rise in support today and ask members of Tribal Council to support this resolution.” Tribal Council did just that, voting unanimously in favor of the measure.

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Security upgrades underway at Jackson Schools BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER fter 2018’s deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, county and school system officials in Jackson County put their heads together to come up with a plan to reduce the chances of such a tragedy someday happening locally. After more than a year of planning and research, the school system is now getting close to implementing the more complex of those safety measures. The safety upgrades have been divided into two separate projects: ensuring that every school has a single point of entry for students and visitors, and increasing the number of security cameras installed on each campus. In 2018, commissioners appropriated $27,000 for the school system to engage John Cort of Asheville-based Cort Architectural Group to come up with plans to bring all eight school buildings in Jackson County’s system to a single-point-of-entry design. Schools across the country have been going to singlepoint-of-entry systems in recent decades, as these types of entrances are easier to monitor and guard against unauthorized entry. Four of the buildings required only minor work to become single-point-of-entry facilities, with that work completed during the last school year. However, the other campuses — Smoky Mountain High School, Fairview Elementary School, Smokey Mountain Elementary School and the campus housing Blue Ridge School and Blue Ridge Early College — required more extensive changes.

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Animal shelter estimates within budget BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER t could cost less than originally anticipated to build a new 10,000-square-foot animal shelter facility in Jackson County, according to the most recent architectural estimates. “Right now we’re coming in around $3.1, $3.2 (million), and our original budget was looking around $3.6,” County Manager Don Adams told commissioners during an Oct. 29 meeting. “The actual estimated cost for the building itself falls within the placeholder number we saw going back to January.” The animal shelter will be built as part of a larger effort to overhaul the 19-acre property currently home to the Jackson County Green Energy Park. The artisan facilities currently on site, which provide workspace for glass blowers and blacksmiths using energy partially supplied by methane emitted from the defunct landfill on site, will remain. However, a walking trail and dog park will

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Cort estimated the work would cost $2.5 million, and commissioners voted to appropriate that amount. The plan is to install swipe card readers at doorways other than the main entrance so school staff can still use those access points. “As you can imagine, you’re building a large number of walls on these campuses and relocating entry points,” Assistant Superintendent Jake Buchanan told commissioners during an update provided at their Oct. 29 meeting. “Keeping in ADA compliance and all these things was not a small task.” For “the better part of a year,” the school system met with local law enforcement, emergency management, fire chiefs and code enforcement to develop the plans before submitting them to the two state agencies — the N.C. Department of Insurance and the N.C. Department of Public Instruction — that are required to review them, Buchanan said. That review process is now all but complete. “He (Cort) saw no reason why we wouldn’t be able to go out to bid on that project on Dec. 2,” said Buchanan. Construction will likely begin in January and is expected to last for about 18 months, meaning that the security upgrades should be complete by mid-2021. However, there are some variables at play. Principally, the fact that the project involves work on four separate campuses, the most distant of which are separated by 37 miles of winding mountain roads. The

school system will set up the bid process so that contractors can give their prices for individual schools or provide a quote to complete the work all four campuses. In addition to restricting access points in its school buildings, Jackson Schools is working to install 134 additional security cameras across its eight campuses, mostly in interior spaces. That work is a continuation of securi-

also be constructed, as well as an innovation center and maker’s space to be run by Western Carolina University. And, the site will become home to a long-awaited animal shelter facility to replace the dilapidated building currently in use along Airport Road in Cullowhee. An initial master plan presented in January put the total cost of the project at $12 million, with a placeholder number of $3 million plugged in for the animal shelter. Updated estimates delivered in April gave the total project cost as $3.6 million — $4.3 million, including 20 percent contingency — with $3 million still standing as a placeholder number for construction cost. But the newest estimates from the architectural firm McMillan Pazden Smith put the cost of construction and site work at $2.7 million, with a total project cost of $3.3 million, or $3.5 million including contingency. The figure includes $312,700 for fixtures, furnishings and equipment. Inflationary costs are included as well, said Adams. Current plans call for a prefabricated metal building with a pitched roof. At its zenith, the structure will be 21 feet and 10 inches high, with an eave height of 10 feet. The main entrance will be located on the northeast corner, with doors along both the north and east faces of the building. This lobby area would directly face the circular

drive planned for the main campus, pointing toward the top of the property away from the road. “This is not an exorbitant building,” said Adams. “It’s a prefab metal building. We can put on add-ons to make it better. It just depends on budgeting.” Commissioners will have that discussion during a work session planned for 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12. Adams has been updating the board on the project at nearly every meeting this fall and reminding members of the timeline for making final decision on its scope and budget. “I’m trying to give this board information as we go through these meetings so you don’t feel like you’re being asked to make a multi-million-dollar decision based upon one meeting,” he said during an update at the Oct. 15 meeting. Adams’ goal is to put the project out to bid in the spring, awarding the contract sometime in early summer. From there, the animal shelter will take about one year to build. But for that to happen, Adams needs commissioners to make some final decisions on the project’s direction this month. The board is expected to take a vote at its next regular meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25. Before construction can begin, the staffed recycling center currently located at the top of the Green Energy Park property

Construction will likely begin in January and is expected to last for about 18 months, meaning that the security upgrades should be complete by mid-2021. ty monitoring upgrades already underway. Last year, Jackson Schools replaced 10 outdoor cameras and eight indoor cameras. The district also added a dozen 4K cameras to cover all single-entry points, as well as about six other cameras in random locations throughout the school system and large monitors in the lobby of each school so visitors know they are being watched. In 2018, commissioners appropriated $400,000 for security cameras and monitors. “What we’ve worked on the last six, nine

months is building our own internal capacity to be able to install those cameras ourselves,” said Buchanan. “Those projects will be going on at the same time now that we have staff that are trained up to install those cameras, so it will make the dollar go much farther than if we hired one of those companies to do it.” The technology surrounding security cameras has advanced dramatically in recent years, said Buchanan, with some programs actually having the ability to identify weapons from security footage — the system knows the difference between, for example, a long arms gun and an umbrella and will send out an alert when a weapon is detected. “Not only are we adding more cameras, but we’re adding smart cameras in locations that are considerably more expensive. But we’re being strategic in where we place those to get the most bang for our bucks,” said Buchanan. To further support school safety, with the 2018-19 budget commissioners committed an annual $667,000 to hire four new school resources officers, a juvenile detective and six student support specialists. During a May budget presentation, Superintendent Kim Elliott told commissioners that the student support specialists have kept busy and have been making an impact, with the six new positions seeing an average of 572 students since coming on the job. “That has just been a tremendous, tremendous addition to our schools, and we’re grateful for that,” said Buchanan.

must be moved elsewhere. The SRC attracts a substantial amount of vehicular traffic, which the county wants to remove from the site before embarking on its effort to create a pedestrian-friendly campus on the hill. Original plans called for a new SRC site at the bottom of the property, but that would have required construction of a $500,000 retaining wall. The county is currently under contract for a $325,000 land purchase along Haywood Road, intending to move the SRC there instead. However, Dillsboro’s town board has come out in strong opposition to the location, and all four commissioners that The Smoky Mountain News was able to reach for comment said they would be in favor of an alternate location, should a suitable one be found. The county’s due diligence period extends through Nov. 20, and it has already paid $3,250 in earnest money. “As we’ve talked about this information that’s been trickling in, we’ve been able to glean some thoughts and be able to prepare our thoughts about questions we may have as we get to November to really hone in on this in depth to make some final, hard, fast decisions,” Chairman Brian McMahan said as Adams concluded his Oct. 29 presentation. “This is stuff for us to take and make sure we review in depth so we are fully comfortable when it’s time to make the decisions.”

Suicide expert to speak at WCU

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Western Carolina University will welcome Thomas W. Joiner Jr., one of the world’s leading authorities on suicide, to speak as part of its doctor of psychology program’s speaker series. Joiner’s talk, “Why People Die By Suicide,” will be presented at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Blue Ridge Hall conference room. The talk is free and open to the public. Joiner is a clinical and research psychologist at Florida State University. His “Joiner Framework” for suicide risk assessment is the most robust, evidence-based and widespread system of its kind now in use. For more information, contact David McCord, WCU professor of psychology, at 828.227.3363.

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Swain history presentation

Toy Run comes to Haywood

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The 2019 Haywood County Motorcycle Parade and Toy Run will be held Saturday, Nov. 9 and will traverse all municipalities in Haywood County. This year’s event is being dubbed The Great Reversal by event organizers. For 27 years, the parade and toy run has originated in Canton and traveled east to west. This year’s event will begin in Maggie at the Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center and travel west to east ending at Sorrells Park in Canton. Registration will open at 10 a.m. and end at 11:45 a.m. with the parade beginning to move at noon. In Waynesville, the parade will move along South Main Street from Exit 98 of the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway, through downtown Waynesville and along North Main to Lowes where the ride will rejoin the Expressway and exit into Clyde. The parade will not travel along Russ Avenue this year in order to reduce congestion in that area. In the 27 years of the parade’s existence, $192,600 has been raised and distributed to nonprofits serving children in Haywood County. In additions, new toys have filled panel trucks throughout the history of the parade.

November 6-12, 2019

Curtis Blanton will give a presentation entitled “A History of Shaped Note Singing and the Shaping of Church Music In Appalachia” at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 7 during the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society meeting. Shaped note singing took on its American form in the 1790s. By 1861, there were more than 200 different shape-note tune-books printed in the United States. This presentation will show how shaped notes were conceptualized in New England, how it came to Appalachia and the dynamic impact that it played in worship services of yesteryear. The presentation will be held at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center, 45 East Ridge Drive, Bryson City. This is free and open to the public.

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Republican seeks N.C. Chief Justice seat BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER is name is Newby, but he’s far from new — Justice Paul Newby was first elected to the North Carolina Supreme Court in 2004, and was subsequently reelected to another eight-year term in 2012. As that term nears its end in 2020, he’s not only seeking re-election, but election as the court’s chief justice. Newby is the lone Republican of the seven justices. As the “first among equals” chief justice, he’d be responsible for setting the tone of the court and also serve as the head of the state’s judicial branch of government, responsible for more than 6,000 employees. “The judicial branch impacts your life in more ways than you can imagine,” said Newby. “Very, very important ways. The judicial branch and particularly the Supreme Court will ultimately say what the state Constitution says. We’re the final say on that. Our court is designed to protect fundamental rights and freedoms, and yet a court that has the power to protect also has the power to take away.” Balancing those powers probably isn’t easy when you’re outnumbered 6-to-1, but Newby’s victory over incumbent Chief Justice Cheri Beasley would be a decisive one for N.C. conservatives, if he can pull it off; as the role of the chief justice also extends into advocacy for administrative and procedural refinement of the system itself, Newby or Beasley will have an enduring influence on contemporary debates over bail reform, juvenile justice and how to handle the opioid crisis.

Smoky Mountain News

November 6-12, 2019

here are a number of pressing issues in the North Carolina justice system and none more pressing, according to

Newby, than the efficiency of the system as a whole. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said. “We need to move cases through the court system in a more rapid pace. We’ve got

cally be charged as adults, the result of a successful “raise the age” campaign earlier this year. That’s an important step but not a broad one, Newby said, citing opportunities to bet-

North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby hopes to expand Republican influence on the state’s highest court. Donated photo

“Being informed about judicial philosophy is vital in casting an informed vote for judges.” — Paul Newby

to figure out how best to do that so justice can be served in a prompt manner. If you look at other issues, some of these are related to justice delayed, and they’ve got to do with folks that are being detained in our local jails that don’t need to be there.” Starting next month, 16 and 17-year-olds who commit crimes will no longer automati-

ter utilize drug courts across the state. “There seems to be a culture of hopelessness as people turn to drug abuse,” he said. “I think we need to admit that the drug situation is a significant problem. You get both a mental health situation as well as the situation with folks on the lower end being in jail. You get folks in jail that really ought not be

there at all.” Revisiting the state’s criminal code may also be an option, to ensure that the crimes listed therein actually require incarceration and can’t be dealt with outside the criminal justice system. To that end, bail reform is another avenue for improvement. “It’s something we absolutely need to look at,” Newby said. “The purpose of bail is to make sure somebody shows up for their hearings. Well, are they a risk of flight or are they a threat to the community? Those are the two factors and only those two factors [that should be considered].” As currently constituted, the justice system doesn’t fully buy into the idea that not everyone arrested for simple drug possession needs to post a bond. “Don’t get me wrong. I believe that folks that commit serious crimes need to experience the punishment that goes with them. But it’s expensive for counties, who have to hold the person in jail and pay all the incidental expenses with regard to that,” he said. “And frankly, people in the county system don’t have access to the treatment options in the state system, which again, justice delayed is justice denied.” Much of that denial also stems from the delays involved in accessing the justice system; as litigants become more sophisticated, they’re increasingly choosing to represent themselves, to file their own paperwork and to conduct their own research. Some of that comes from the relatively new availability of resources online, but some of it comes from everyday people being priced out of the system. “The legal profession needs to be inspired to think of ways that our legal services can be more accessible,” said

Newby. “My mom was a school teacher, my dad was an hourly worker. When I went to work, I was shocked. My parents couldn’t have paid any of the legal bills I would’ve sent out there to my clients.” Finding better ways to serve existing needs is critical, he said. “It’s an opportunity for us to remember the nobility of our profession — our calling to protect fundamental rights and freedoms to help people truly exercise and enjoy the rights of life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Newby said. “Every lawyer who practices is involved in that. As I give oaths to new attorneys, I emphasized the high calling, and I think that part of being a chief justice is to inspire folks to do better.” Chief Justice Cheri Beasley isn’t even Newby’s biggest obstacle to victory — both

candidates have to focus on educating voters as to the existence of judicial races. Called “downcard” races because they usually appear at the bottom of the ballot, they don’t get nearly as much attention as more high-profile legislative races. Additionally, judges can’t campaign like legislators, who opine on all manner of issues. That makes it difficult for judicial candidates to annunciate their legal viewpoints. Since it’s a partisan election, voters can gain some insight into who, exactly, they are voting for even if they’re not familiar with the candidates, but that can sometimes be a double-edged sword; as with other 2020 races, results will no doubt be influenced by the popularity (or lack thereof ) of the country’s top Republican,

President Donald Trump. Still, casting an informed vote in judicial races is of the utmost import, according to Newby. “Electing the wrong judges could mean that the judges would not only tell you what a statute means, they could reinterpret it to say, ‘This is what we want it to mean, so we’re ruling this way,’” Newby said. “People can vote for judges that are more activist in philosophy, or they can vote for those who truly believe in judicial self restraint. Being informed about judicial philosophy is vital in casting an informed vote for judges, and truly, it is our responsibility to be sure that citizens who respect the separation of powers and who understand the limited role of the judicial branch are elected as judges.”

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revoked for the inability to pay fines or show up for court. These clinics provide more localized access for people who often can’t get to courthouses or who are unfamiliar with navigating their bureaucracies. Beasley also highlighted another major issue facing every county in North Carolina, the opioid crisis. By expanding the availability of recovery courts in each county, Beasley says, the court system can also be a part of the road to recovery out of this public health crisis. Similar to the School Justice partnership and the Faith Justice Partnership, the drug (or recovery) courts are a partnership between health Superior Court Judge Bradley Letts introduces North care, rehabilitaCarolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley tion systems last week before she spoke to Haywood Democrats. and the court system. Donated photo Recovery courts are a separate court where instead of simply portation nonexistent. imprisoning people with addiction, the Beasley fed off the enthusiasm shown to court works collaboratively with treatment her by the Democratic party in their headproviders, social services and mental health quarters. She ended her speech by remindspecialists to benefit the participant. This ing attendees not to forget the judges when not only reduces crime, but, more importhey went to the ballot box and asked that tantly, effects real change in the lives of Haywood citizens let her know if she can be addicts. of service.

ARTS & CRAFTS CHRISTMAS SHOW

November 6-12, 2019

BY HANNAH MCLEOD CONTRIBUTING WRITER he small room of the Democratic headquarters for Haywood County was packed Oct. 31 for a speech by the Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court Cheri Beasley. Beasley has served on the N.C. Supreme Court since 2012 and was appointed as chief justice by Gov. Roy Cooper in March 2019. She is seeking re-election in 2020. This year marks the 200th year of the North Carolina court, and to mark the occasion Beasley and the other justices on the bench are holding court around the state. This accessibility fits in well with the vision Beasley has for the future of the North Carolina court system. In the bulk of her speech to Democrats of Haywood County, Beasley outlined initiatives she is seeking to implement into the court system. The School Justice Partnership is an effort on the part of school systems and the court system to reduce the number of suspensions, expulsions and referrals to the justice system. This is a vital component to North Carolina’s Raise the Age Legislation. North Carolina was the last state to mandate that 16- and 17-year-olds will not be automatically charged as adults. Early results of increasing communication and awareness between schools and courts show significant decreases in referrals to juvenile court as well as increases in graduation rates. Another important aspect of increasing access to the courts that Beasley supports is the Faith Justice Partnership. This program brings faith and justice leaders together to use houses of worship, often vacant for many days throughout the week, to host driver’s license restoration clinics and expungement clinics. These are both technicalities that people fall behind on, which can lead to an accumulation of unnecessary fees. More than one million North Carolinians have had their driver’s licenses

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N.C. Chief Justice Beasley speaks in Haywood

Another way Beasley intends to make the courts more accessible to more people is by modernizing technology. Updating software will make work easier and more efficient for court workers, as well as more available to those moving through the court system. In a day and age when people can pay utility bills and nearly everything else online, Beasley thinks residents should be able to pay civil court costs online too. This will especially make a difference to citizens in rural communities, where the courthouse can be several miles away and public trans-

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Community Almanac Festival funds given to clinic Franklin’s All Saints Episcopal Church has donated $2,700 — half the proceeds from its Sweet Corn Festival — to the Community Care Clinic. The other half of the proceeds will go to a variety of outreach projects in the community. The Community Care Clinic provides free health care to adults and children who cannot afford medical insurance and who do not qualify for Medicaid or Medicare. The Sweet Corn Festival has been hosted by All Saints for over 20 years but this is the first year that all the proceeds will be going to outreach projects in the community. Executive Director Cathy Stiles, (from left) The donation will be utiRev. Jonathan Stepp, Clinical Director Patricia lized toward purchasing Smith and Senior Warden of All Saints Lee medications, vaccines and Berger look at the clinic’s medicine supplies. medical supplies for patients. Through June of this year the Community Care Clinic had served 443 unduplicated patients during 951 office visits. It is located at 1830 Lakeside Drive, within the Macon County Public Health Department. Visit www.communitycareclinicfranklinnc.org or call 828.349.2085.

Evergreen gives $200,000 in grants The Evergreen Foundation recently provided $201,500 in second quarter funding to 12 nonprofit agencies providing programs and services for individuals with behavioral health, substance abuse and intellectual/developmental disabilities. • AWAKE received a $1,000 sponsorship for its Pop A Cork fundraising event. • Macon TRACS received a $1,000 sponsorship for their Blue Jean Ball. • The Arc of Haywood County received $20,500 toward the purchase of a van for their group home for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. • The Hinton Rural Life Center received $12,500 to incorporate substance use awareness and prevention in their Safe and Healthy Home initiative. • The 30th Judicial District DV/SA Alliance received $10,000 as a partial match for a Governor’s Crime Commission. • Western Carolina University Foundation received a $5,000 scholarship for a young man with intellectual and developmental disabilities to attend the University Participant Program at WCU. • Webster Enterprises received $8,000 to cover some of the costs of a new HVAC system in their vocational training facility. • HIGHTS received $50,850 to cover a youth specialist position. • Youth Villages received $20,000 in match funding to provide case management for youth as they exit foster care. • HERE in Jackson County received $45,000 to provide winter shelter for individuals with severe mental illness.

• Center for Domestic Peace received $17,670 to cover the crisis hotline for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. • Disability Partners received $10,000 toward an electronic medical record program.

Smoky Mountain News

Initiative offering in-house and off-site educational arts opportunities and advocating for enhanced quality of life. • Blue Ridge Mountains Health Project was awarded $8,500 to increase free preventive dental services and dental health education for low-income residents. • Community Care Clinic of Highlands-Cashiers was awarded $9,740 to increase free health care services for uninsured, low-income residents. • Counseling and Psychotherapy Center of Highlands was awarded $3,750 to supplement fees paid by individuals, families and couples. • Gordon Center for Children was awarded $8,500 to offset the cost of supervision, snacks and supplies during its free afterschool program. • Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust was awarded $1,500 to support its Kids in Nature programs. • Highlands Community Child Development Center was awarded $8,500 to purchase instructional supplies and install coded door locks. • Literacy Council of Highlands was awarded $8,500 for its free afterschool programs. • Pisgah Legal Services was awarded $8,500 to expand free civil legal assistance and advocacy to low-income people who live and work in and around Highlands. • REACH of Macon County was awarded $2,500 to implement a 24-hour crisis textline for victims of domestic and sexual violence and human trafficking, and to promote the availability of services. To make a donation, visit www.HighlandsCommunityFund.org.

• Renew Bryson City will host a community meeting about understanding the impacts of trauma from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Presbyterian Church, 311 Everett St., Bryson City. Learn how adverse childhood experiences impact their future and how to stop the cycle. The event is free. Reserve your spot by Nov. 5 by calling 828.488.4455.

Hospice House moves forward

• As Haywood Habitat for Humanity embarks on building its 51st house in Haywood County, the nonprofit is looking for 30 more members to help celebrate 30 years of building affordable homes. These Haywood Hope Builders are committed monthly donors helping to sustain Habitat’s mission. To join, visit haywoodhabitat.org and commit to a monthly gift in an amount you choose (minimum is $5 per month). For more information, call 828.452.7960.

New ministry in Swain Christian Acts Church is a brand new ministry opening in the old church building at 255 East Alarka Road, Bryson City. Church service times are 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served after the morning service. Refreshment donations are welcomed. The little mountain church has been newly renovated with an eye toward ministering to people and serving the Lord. Much interest has been expressed in the prolife/pro-family outreach that will be a focal point of ministry. Pastor Melanie Jean Garuffi is a former United Methodist and Church of the Nazarene minister. Christian Acts Church is nondenominational and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, contact Pastor Melanie at 828.488.2432.

Highlands Community Fund awards grants The Highlands Community Fund has awarded 10 grants totaling $62,490 to local nonprofit organizations supporting programs benefiting the Highlands community and residents. The Mildred Miller Fort Charitable Fund also supports grantmaking in Highlands. • The Bascom was awarded $2,500 for the Highlands Community Education and Outreach

Paoletti’s Restaurant in Highlands recently hosted its fourth ‘Peaceful Journey’ charity dining event to benefit Hospice House Foundation of WNC. Rachel Friday and Jeff Schenck, Highlands residents and dedicated supporters of HHFWNC, were Honorary Chairs of Peaceful Journey IV, which raised $60,000. All four ‘Peaceful Journey’ dining events, philanthropically hosted by Paoletti’s Restaurant and supported by the community, have raised a combined net total of $420,000 in support of HHFWNC. SECU Hospice House in Franklin will become the only free-standing inpatient hospice facility in North Carolina west of Asheville. To date, $3,950,000 — 88 percent of its $4.5 million campaign goal — has been raised and construction is 30 percent complete. To learn how you can support this important regional initiative, contact HHFWNC’s President, Michele Alderson, at 828.524.6375.

• Western Carolina University’s Society of Professional Journalists will present a chili cookoff at 5 p.m. Nov. 13, at Homebase, 82 Central Dr., Cullowhee to raise money for the Homebase program. Compete in the chili cookoff and join the conversation about food insecurity in the region. $5 per bowl and chili sampling.

ALSO:

• The International Essential Tremor Foundation support group will be meeting at 2 p.m. Wednesday Nov 20, at the Jackson County Senior Center room #135. Learn coping skills and available products to help. • The Hands on Jackson Advisory Committee would like to thank everyone that participated in the second annual Hands on Jackson Oct. 3 event. This collaboration was focused on providing assistance to neighbors in need through mobilizing community volunteer teams of all skill levels and matching them with volunteer projects. Over 200 volunteers participated and a total of 33 projects were completed that ranged from yard cleanup, construction of stairs and ramps, gutter cleaning, etc. for those in need.

• Robin Myer, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina for 27 years, will retire in May 2020, he announced recently. An executive search committee, composed of BBBS of WNC Board of Directors members, has contracted with Walker Wilson Consulting, a WNC-based firm, to launch a nationwide search for Myer’s replacement.

Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Can you put a value on what we provide? D

few thousand). Surely there’s some overlap in those numbers, but that’s around 36,000 people a week who interact with our newspaper and our website. The Smoky Mountain News Facebook page, where we post our news stories and other important releases that come our way, is about to hit 30,000 followers. We’re pretty proud of the independent, unique brand that we’ve built over these two decades. We think the news stories, the opinions, the arts and entertainment news and our outdoors section provide a lot of valuable information to the citizens of our region. The SMN Editor news package, as a whole, is unique. And I think it has value to many, many people who read it on a regular basis. So we decided to ask for contributions from those who appreciate our content and can afford to pay for it. If you visit our website, you’ll see the pop-up that asks for a contribution. Most will ignore it, some may even find it insulting or think it a money-grubbing attempt to line our pockets. But here’s the truth — there are thousands of people who

Scott McLeod

oes the information we provide each week — information that we have been producing free for the last 20 years — have a value? I am asking that question of all of our readers. At our inception in June 1999, we were not so unusual in the newspaper world. We decided to give the paper away, our revenue source being the advertisers who wanted to get their message to our readers. That remains a relatively common model in our business, and you can look around the world and around Western North Carolina and find other print media who do the same. We’re not going to change now and start charging for the print version of the newspaper like most of our competitors, even though our product is at least as good and often better than that produced by our competitors. That just wouldn’t be a smart business decision. Besides, I personally appreciate the fact that some people who want to read about this region likely can’t afford a newspaper subscription or wouldn’t pay via a credit card if our website had a paywall. So we’ll keep chugging along with what we do. This week we’ll put out 16,000 free print papers around the four-county region we cover, and we’ll log somewhere around 20,000 unique web visitors over the next seven days (give or take a

Compassion needed for homelessness BY J ESSE-LEE DUNLAP G UEST COLUMNIST After last Tuesday’s town hall forum at Frog Level Brewing, I found myself shocked and dismayed by the number of folks who without any shame stood up in public and asked city officials to move homelessness out of their eyesight. I also found myself very proud of my mayor and other community members who stood up for our homeless population. Mayor Gavin Brown correctly pointed out that moving resources for indigent folks out of the city limits is not helpful in addressing the root issues of homelessness and would only “kick the can down the road.” In contrast to the two people who first stepped up to request Open Door be moved and prided themselves on being residents for two whole years, Chris Westmoreland pointed out that the Open Door has been serving the community for 30 years and would continue to do so in the current location, literally and figuratively meeting people where they are. My shock and dismay in the last six days has transitioned to pity and compassion. I feel very sorry for these folks who want to pretend like hardships don’t exist for others and I feel sorry that these folks only value other humans by what they produce and consume. Every person I work with and spend time with at the Open Door enriches my life and is a blessing to our community even though they have nothing tangible to offer. Not only that, but the best church service in Haywood County happens at the Open Door every Sunday. Separation from the folks who experience poverty is completely an illusion. We are all connected. And the discomfort of seeing someone in poverty when you walk down to Frog Level (or pretty much anywhere in America these days) should be a catalyst to help, to connect. Another thing I am proud of Mayor Brown for is pointing out that we do not need more police, that we have a more-

than-adequate amount of law enforcement officers in relation to our population. If we address the public health side of things, the public safety concerns will take care of themselves, the police burden will be lightened and with no additional cost to taxpayers. Asheville PD keeps saying that they cannot police themselves out of homelessness but continue to ineffectively throw resources toward policing (for example, increasing foot patrols by 400 percent) and criminalizing poverty. I’m glad to know Gavin won’t take us down that road. Where resources need to go is toward places like Pathways and Open Door. A friend of mine from the Netherlands visited our town this summer and while he was here, he gave a presentation at the Folkmoot Center on the Dutch model of Harm Reduction. Bert Tigglers worked in harm reduction for 20 years in the city of Utrecht. What the Utrecht town council decided to do after watching homelessness and associated drug use rise to an alarming degree is to comprehensively address people’s needs — they fed, housed and medically treated their homeless population and at one third the cost of incarceration (by the way, it costs nearly $90 a day to house someone at the Haywood County Detention Center). When you go to Utrecht, you do not see any homeless people, and it’s not because they moved them out of the city — it’s because they provided the necessary resources not just to survive but to thrive. While educating someone about facts regarding homelessness, I am not sure how to cultivate compassion from folks. We have solutions in front of us that would be more effective and cheaper than jail, so I’m hopeful that we will pick one that lifts up Waynesville and Haywood County as a whole, and that whole includes our homeless folks. (Dunlap lives in Haywood County and works for the North Carolina Harm Reduction Caolition. jesselee@nchrc.org)

find us at: facebook.com/smnews

live here and thousands online who have been reading our content for 20 years. Over the years countless of readers have told me many times how fortunate our region is to have a paper like SMN. The staff here works extremely hard every day to produce a quality newspaper and top-notch website. Both have won many, many journalism awards over the years. The stories, the print newspaper, the website and the Facebook and Twitter presence require a lot of resources. So we are making the ask. We aren’t a nonprofit like National Public Radio, but we did take a cue from other free, for-profit news entities who have asked their readers who can afford it to make a contribution to supplement the revenue we get from advertisers. In this age of cultural divisiveness and political upheaval, we believe a moderate voice that adheres to important journalistic principles is much needed in this region. We hope our readers think the same. We want to produce more in-depth reporting, more longform journalism, more storytelling that makes a difference. This region is changing fast, as is the news business, and we’ll be here to write about it. If you value our brand of journalism and are a loyal reader, we’d like you to put a value on what we provide. (Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com)

Moving Open Door won’t solve anything

To the Editor: I keep trying to grasp how a brewery can be the voice for a community battling addiction. Don’t call it a homeless issue. The homeless at Pathways aren’t using or committing crimes. What people are seeing on the streets and what they’re upset about are the addicted and the mentally ill. Homelessness is just a symptom of addiction and mental illness. Breweries and bars aren’t to blame, obviously. But, it is ridiculous to think that someone that produces alcohol and is a veteran himself doesn’t understand addiction. Veterans are a large percent of our homeless population. Many of them have PTSD, and they used alcohol or drugs to cope with flashbacks and panic attacks. Why is that? Not once in any of these articles or comments have I seen a list of totally free therapists, rehabs, doctors, free prescription programs, and other programs for our addicted. People that can’t pass a drug test need help. That’s where our focus should be. Moving the soup kitchen a few blocks away from where it is now will do what? It will further create an imagined fear of our homeless. I walk through Frog Level twice a day just to get to work to feed my family. I’ve never had a crime committed against me by a homeless person. I’ve had people throw cans of beer at me from a car, I’ve had police officers harass me just for walking through the neighborhood at 4:30 a.m. making me late for work at 5 a.m. in Hazelwood. I have never in my life seen a bunch of people so afraid of the poor as I have lately. I’m sad, ashamed of my community, and sickened over it. Hating our addicted, our poor and our homeless won’t solve anything. Moving the soup kitchen doesn’t change anything other than the bar can better cater to people with imagined fears. This is manipulation for money, and such a shame. How so many people find it credible and factual to slap labels on the poor and yet serve the poison to the people to make them sicker is beyond me. Is he really the person you want to listen to and speak for you? There are some loud supporters of this hatred, you know the type, to put exclamation points after every sentence. I’m calling on you all to get vocal when you see them get loud. Do not be silent while this happens. Irene Tyli Waynesville

A sweet reminder of fate

Susanna Shetley

facebook.com/smnews NEIGHBORHOOD HOME SITES FOR SALE • Greens at Iron Tree- Walking neighborhood, play ground, grilling area. $40,000 to $66,000 • Hyder Mtn. Acres- Tanglewood lane 1.04 acres, great view $45,000 • Smoky Mtn Retreat at Eagles Nest- Large range of views and prices.

November 6-12, 2019

• Smoky Mtn. Retreat at Ridgewood Estates- Larger Home sites. • Smoky Mtn Retreat at Laurel Heights- Above Maggie Valley CC • Forest Highlands/Ascot Club- Fantastic Restaurant w/ view, Indoor Lap Pool $95,000 Home site is prices to sell. • Crystal Tree- Neighborhood of High end Homes $55,000 • Sweetwater Farms- almost 5 acres with driveway and level building pad $87,900 I CAN HELP WITH BUILDERS, FOUNDATIONS AND FINANCING. LARGER TRACTS AVAILABLE.

Smoky Mountain News

and sound. I know what it feels like to manage grief. After my parents’ house fire, which destroyed every childhood relic I owned, and the death of my mom followed by a divorce, loss is a common feeling to me. But, it’s one thing when I’m dealing with it and another thing entirely when I’m watching my son grieve. Granted, it’s only a stuffed animal, but to a child, it’s much more. Their dad had been parked in the back lot of Massie Furniture when we moved items from one car to another so I started thinking maybe someone found the bear and turned it in to a nearby business. My plan was to walk around and ask business owners if they’d seen a small brown bear. Early on a Monday morning, six days after she went missing, I walked around the empty parking lot at Massie’s. My mind reflected upon the extreme rain and cold we’d had over the last week. I looked along the side of buildings and in shop windows hoping maybe a storeowner set her up on a ledge. No luck. As I walked back through the parking lot toward The Smoky Mountain News office, something caught my eye, under leaves and jammed against a wooden beam separating two parking spots. “No way,” I thought. I ran over and bent down and there she was. Wet, dirty, cold and covered in leaves but nonetheless, she was intact, even still had her ribbon around the neck. There were only two wooden beams in the entire parking lot and luckily, she’d fallen near one of them, as opposed to the open cement that covered 95 percent of the lot. The feeling I had seeing her there is indescribable, and the look on my child’s face when I handed him his bear was invaluable. My boyfriend said it reminded him of those stories like Corduroy or Edward Tulane where stuffed animals have grand adventures before returning home to their rightful owner. Who knows? Perhaps Savannah Bear did come alive and experience downtown Waynesville for almost a week before she was found. I don’t know. I’m just grateful she is OK. Time really does fly. No one feels that as strongly as a parent of young children. My big boy will be 11 in January. It’s been many years since he took Savannah Bear in his tiny chubby hands, but that stuffed animal has been by his side through good and bad, happiness and heartache. He’ll undoubtedly grow less and less dependent on her, but she will always be important to him. I know there are unbelievers out there but for me, when things like this happen, it solidifies my faith in a higher power and trust that goodness and light still exist. Here’s to many more years with sweet Savannah Bear. (Susanna Shetley works with Smoky Mountain News, Smoky Mountain Living and Mountain South Media. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com)

opinion

y two boys are children of divorce. That’s a phrase I never thought I’d say. But then again, life never really unfolds in the way we intend. And when things go awry, we can only shift and adapt. When the divorce happened, my primary goal was to soften the blow on my children. Their dad and I try our best to create structured routines and transitions so as not to upend their everyday norms and schedules. The boys have wardrobes at both houses, so the only items that go back and forth are sports gear, backColumnist packs, lunch boxes and all their precious lovies. I’m sure you had a lovey when you were a child, or perhaps you have a son or daughter who has one. Maybe it’s a blanket or a doll or a monkey or a teddy bear. Whatever it is, the child relies on the comfort item when sad, sick or lonely. Both of my boys have a small collection of lovies. For my older child, one of them is a well-loved worn little teddy bear named Savannah Bear. My sister, who is named Savannah, gave it to him when he was just a toddler and this bear soon became a favored stuffed animal. As my son grew, his other lovies became too bulky or baby-ish to take on a flight or long road trip. If he had to pick one, he’d pick Savannah Bear. She was small and easily fit in his travel bag. When he came back from his dad’s last week, I unpacked their stuff and the following conversation ensued. Me: “Where’s Savannah Bear?” My son: “I don’t think she got packed this time.” Me: “I definitely packed her. I always pack all the lovies if you stay with daddy more than one night.” My son: “I never saw her over there. Where is she then?” Uh-oh. I texted their dad to see if Savannah Bear was at his house. Nope. We both looked in our cars, in beds and under couches. Nothing. I thought back to when we transferred their things. Their dad met me at my office. I was on a call while getting stuff out of my trunk. It was all a little chaotic. After thinking about the exchange, I convinced myself that Savannah Bear fell out in the street and was run over by a car or thrown in a dumpster. The following morning, after we’d realized she was missing, another conversation happened. My son: “Maybe Savannah Bear slid under the drivers’ seat in daddy’s car.” Me: “Maybe. I’m just not sure. For some reason, I feel like she’s going to be OK.” My son: “I hope so.” I prayed and pleaded we’d find her safe

Rob Roland Realtor/Consultant/SFR

828-400-1923

RobRolandRealty.com Residential · Land · Commercial

tasteTHE mountains

Mon/Wed/Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday/Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Closed Tuesday

Sunday 12-9 p.m.

Sandwiches • Burgers • Wraps 32 Felmet Street (828) 246-0927

Carver's

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT since 1952

Daily Specials: Soups, Sandwiches & Southern Dishes

Featured Dishes: Fresh Fried Chicken, Rainbow Trout, Country Ham, Pork-chops & more

Breakfast : Omelets, Pancakes, Biscuits & Gravy!

Breakfast served all day! OPEN DAILY 7 A.M. TO 8 P.M. SUNDAY 8 A.M. TO 8 P.M. CLOSED TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 2804 SOCO RD. • MAGGIE VALLEY

November 6-12, 2019

828.926.0425 • Facebook.com/carversmvr Instagram- @carvers_mvr

Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. Dine-In ~ Take Out ~ Delivery

Smoky Mountain News

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAYS!

Large Cheese Pizza $ 9.95 + tax 11AM to 9PM

243 Paragon Parkway | Clyde

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997. Open Monday through Friday. Friendly and fun family atmosphere. Local, handmade Southern cuisine. Fresh-cut salads; slow-simmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts. Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily. Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available. Call-ahead seating available. BOOJUM BREWING COMPANY 50 N Main Street, Waynesville. 828.246.0350. Taproom Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Gem Bar Open Tuesday through Sunday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Enjoy lunch, dinner or drinks at Boojum’s Downtown Waynesville restaurant & bar. Choose from 16 taps of our fresh, delicious & ever rotating Boojum Beer plus cider, wine & craft cocktails. The taproom features seasonal pub faire including tasty burgers, sandwiches, shareables and daily specials that pair perfectly with our beer. Cozy up inside or take in the mountain air on our back deck." BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch daily 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner nightly at 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Wine Down Wednesday’s: ½ off wine by the bottle. We specialize in handcut, all natural steaks from local farms, incredible burgers, and other classic american comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available. CHEF’S TABLE 30 Church St., Waynesville. 828.452.6210. From 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday dinner starting at 5 p.m. “Best of”

serving size : ab out 50 p ag es

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CHURCH STREET DEPOT 34 Church Street, downtown Waynesville. 828.246.6505. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Mouthwatering all beef burgers and dogs, hand-dipped, hand-spun real ice cream shakes and floats, fresh handcut fries. Locally sourced beef. Indoor and outdoor dining. facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot, twitter.com/ChurchStDepot. CITY LIGHTS CAFE Spring Street in downtown Sylva. 828.587.2233. Open Monday-Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasty, healthy and quick. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, espresso, beer and wine. Come taste the savory and sweet crepes, grilled paninis, fresh, organic salads, soups and more. Outside patio seating. Free Wi-Fi, pet-friendly. Live music and lots of events. Check the web calendar at citylightscafe.com. THE CLASSIC WINESELLER 20 Church Street, Waynesville. 828.452.6000. Underground retail wine and craft beer shop, restaurant, and intimate live music venue. Kitchen opens at 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday serving freshly prepared small plates, tapas, charcuterie, desserts. Enjoy live music every Friday and Saturday night at 7pm. www.classicwineseller.com. Also on facebook and twitter. COUNTRY VITTLES: FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT 3589 Soco Rd, Maggie Valley. 828.926.1820 Winter hours: Wednesday through Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family Style at Country Vittles is not a buffet. Instead our waitresses will bring your food piping hot from the kitchen right to your table and as many refills as you want. So if you have a big appetite, but sure to ask your waitress about our family style service. EVERETT HOTEL & BISTRO 16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934. Open daily for dinner at 4:30 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday Brunch from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; dinner from 4:30-9:30 p.m. Serving fresh and delicious weekday morning lite fare, lunch, dinner, and brunch. Freshly prepared menu offerings range from house-made soups & salads, lite fare & tapas, crepes,

RESTAURANT

Am ount per Serving Calories 0

Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Set in a distinguished atmosphere with an exceptional menu. Extensive selection of wine and beer. Reservations honored.

specialty sandwiches and burgers. Be sure not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials. Followed by a tempting selection of desserts prepared daily by our chefs and other local bakers. FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA 243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde. 828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 12 to 8 p.m. Real New Yorkers. Real Italians. Real Pizza. A full service authentic Italian pizzeria and restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge. Dine in, take out, and delivery. Check out our daily lunch specials plus customer appreciation nights on Monday and Tuesday 5 to 9 p.m. with large cheese pizzas for $9.95. FIREFLY TAPS & GRILL 128 N. Main St., Waynesville 828.454.5400. Simple, delicious food. A must experience in WNC. Located in downtown Waynesville with an atmosphere that will warm your heart and your belly! Local and regional beers on tap. Full bar, vegetarian options, kids menu, and more. Reservations accepted. Daily specials. Live music every Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. Open Mon.-Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. FROGS LEAP PUBLIC HOUSE 44 Church St., Downtown Waynesville 828.456.1930 Serving dinner 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Frogs Leap is a farm to table restaurant focused on local, sustainable, natural and organic products prepared in modern regional dishes. Seasonal menu focuses on Southern comfort foods with upscale flavors. HARMON’S DEN BISTRO 250 Pigeon St., Waynesville 828.456.6322. Harmon’s Den is located in the Fangmeyer Theater at HART. Open 5:309 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday (Bistro closes at 7:30 p.m. on nights when there is a show in the Fangmeyer Theater) with Sunday brunch at 11 a.m. that includes breakfast and lunch items. Harmon’s Den offers a complete menu with cocktails, wine list, and area beers on tap. Enjoy casual dining with the guarantee of making it to the performance in time, then rub shoulders with the cast afterward with post-show food and beverage service. Reservations recommended. www.harmonsden.harttheatre.org

Country Vittles

Nutrition Facts

828-476-5058

10% OFF for LOCALS 20

Taste the Mountains is an ever-evolving paid section of places to dine in Western North Carolina. If you would like to be included in the listing please contact our advertising department at 828.452.4251

% Daily Value * 0%

Reg ional New s

100%

Op inion

100%

Outd oors

100%

Art s

100%

Entert ainm ent

100%

Classified s

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* Percent Weekly values b ased on Hayw ood, Jackson, M acon, Sw ain and Buncom b e d iet s.

& GIFT SHOP

Featuring a Full Menu with Daily Specials PRIVATE DINING ROOM AVAILABLE FOR EVENTS Monday-Sunday 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Closed Tuesday

3589 SOCO RD. MAGGIE VALLEY

828.926.1820

tasteTHE mountains HAZELWOOD FARMACY & SODA FOUNTAIN 429 Hazelwood Avenue, Waynesville. 828.246.6996. Open six days a week, closed Wednesday. 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday brunch 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Breakfast until noon, old-fashioned luncheonette and diner comfort food. Historic full service soda fountain. J. ARTHUR’S RESTAURANT AT MAGGIE VALLEY U.S. 19 in Maggie Valley. 828.926.1817. Open for dinner at 4:30 Tuesday through Sunday. World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. JOEY'S PANCAKE HOUSE 4309 Soco Rd Maggie Valley. 828.926.0212. Open seven days a week! 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Joey’s is a family-friendly restaurant that has been serving breakfast to locals and visitors of Western North Carolina for decades. Featuring a large variety of tempting pancakes, golden waffles, country style cured ham and seasonal specials spiked with flavor, Joey's is sure to please all appetites. Join us for what has become a tradition in these parts, breakfast at Joey’s. KANINI’S 1196 N. Main St., Waynesville. 828.452.5187. Lunch Monday-Saturday from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., eat in or carry out. Closed Sunday. A made-from-scratch kitchen using fresh ingredients. Offering a variety of meals to go from frozen meals to be stored and cooked later to “Dinners to Go” that are made fresh and ready to enjoyed that day. We also specialize in catering any event from from corporate lunches to weddings. kaninis.com

MAGGIE VALLEY CLUB 1819 Country Club Dr., Maggie Valley. 828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine. Open seasonally for lunch and dinner. Fine and casual fireside dining in welcoming

MAGGIE VALLEY RESTAURANT 2804 Soco Road, Maggie Valley. 828.926.0425. 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Daily specials including soups, sandwiches and southern dishes along with featured dishes such as fresh fried chicken, rainbow trout, country ham, pork chops and more. Breakfast all day including omelets, pancakes, biscuits & gravy. facebook.com/carversmvr; instagram @carvers_mvr. MOUNTAIN PERKS ESPRESSO BAR & CAFÉ 9 Depot St., Bryson City. 828.488.9561. Open Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. With music at the Depot. Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Life is too short for bad coffee. We feature wonderful breakfast and lunch selections. Bagels, wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and quiche with a variety of specialty coffees, teas and smoothies. Various desserts. PIGEON RIVER GRILLE 101 Park St., Canton. 828.492.1422. Open Tuesday through Thursday 3 to 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday noon to 9 p.m.; Sunday noon to 6 p.m. Southerninspired restaurant serving simply prepared, fresh food sourced from top purveyors. Located riverside at Bearwaters Brewing, enjoy daily specials, sandwiches, wings, fish and chips, flatbreads, soups, salads, and more. Be sure to save room for a slice of the delicious house made cake. Relaxing inside/outside dining and spacious gathering areas for large groups. RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley 828.926.0201 Home of the Maggie Valley Pizzeria. We deliver after 4 p.m. daily to all of Maggie Valley, J-Creek area, and Lake Junaluska. Monday through Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Thursday: 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. country buffet and salad bar from 5 to 9 p.m. $11.95 with Steve Whiddon on piano. Friday and Saturday: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 to 8 p.m. 11:30 to 3 p.m. family style, fried chicken, ham, fried fish, salad bar, along with all the fixings, $11.95. Check out our events and menu at rendezvousmaggievalley.com SAGEBRUSH STEAKHOUSE 1941 Champion Drive, Canton

828.646.3750 895 Russ Ave., Waynesville 828.452.5822. Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Carry out available. Sagebrush features hand carved steaks, chicken and award winning BBQ ribs. We have fresh salads, seasonal vegetables and scrumptious deserts. Extensive selection of local craft beers and a full bar. Catering special events is one of our specialties. SPEEDY’S PIZZA 285 Main Street, Sylva. 828.586.3800. Open seven days a week. Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 3 p.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Family-owned for 30 years. Serving hand-tossed pizza made to order, pasta, subs, gourmet salads, calzones and seafood. Also serving excellent prime rib on Thursdays. Dine in or take out available. Located across from the Fire Station. TAP ROOM BAR & GRILL 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville. 828.456.3551. Open seven days a week serving lunch and dinner. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, the Tap Room Bar & Grill has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Full bar and wine cellar. www.thewaynesvilleinn.com. VITO’S PIZZA 607 Highlands Rd., Franklin. 828.369.9890. Established here in in 1998. Come to Franklin and enjoy our laid back place, a place you can sit back, relax and enjoy our 62” HDTV. Our Pizza dough, sauce, meatballs, and sausage are all made from scratch by Vito. The recipes have been in the family for 50 years (don't ask for the recipes cuz’ you won't get it!) Each Pizza is hand tossed and made with TLC. You're welcome to watch your pizza being created. WAYNESVILLE PIZZA COMPANY 32 Felmet Street, Waynesville. 828.246.0927. Open Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday noon to 9 p.m.; closed Tuesdays. Opened in May 2016, The Waynesville Pizza Company has earned a reputation for having the best hand-tossed pizza in the area. Featuring a custom bar with more than 20 beers and a rustic, family friendly dining room. Menu includes salads, burgers, wraps, hot and cold sandwiches, gourmet pizza, homemade desserts, and a loaded salad bar. The Cuban sandwich is considered by most to be the best in town.

MON.-SAT. 11AM–8PM

34 CHURCH ST. WAYNESVILLE 828.246.6505 twitter.com/ChurchStDepot

THANK YOU, HAYWOOD COUNTY,

FOR VOTING US

#1 BURGER! facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot

Wine • Port • Champagne Cigars • Gifts

828-452-6000

20 Church Street Downtown Waynesville

classicwineseller.com MONDAY - SATURDAY

10:00AM - 6:00PM

AT BEARWATERS BREWING Tue-Thurs 12- 9 p.m • Fri-Sat: 12- 10 p.m. Sunday: 12- 9 p.m. • Monday: Closed

101 PARK ST. CANTON 828.492.1422 PIGEONRIVERGRILLE.COM

828-246-6996 429 Hazelwood Avenue Waynesville

828-456-1997 3 E JACKSON ST. • SYLVA, NC

www.CityLightsCafe.com

blueroostersoutherngrill.com Monday-Friday Open at 11am

Real Local Families, Real Local Farms, Real Local Food

Monday, Tuesday Wednesday Thursday, Friday Saturday Sunday Brunch

7:30am to 4pm Closed 7:30am to 4pm 8am to 4pm 9am to 3pm

Smoky Mountain News

APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde

November 6-12, 2019

MAD BATTER FOOD & FILM 617 W. Main Street Downtown Sylva. 828.586.3555. Open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. with Sunday Brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Handtossed pizza, house-ground burgers, steak sandwiches & fresh salmon all from scratch. Casual family friendly atmosphere. Craft beer and interesting wine. Free movies Thursday through Saturday. Visit madbatterfoodfilm.com for this week’s shows & events.

atmosphere. Full bar. Reservations accepted.

A&E

Smoky Mountain News

Jimmy Herring. Drew Burke photo

A conversation with guitar legend Jimmy Herring BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER ongtime guitarist for legendary rock act Widespread Panic, Jimmy Herring’s sole focus as a musician is — and has always been — about creating an inclusive melodic platform with his electric six-string, by which he and other musicians onstage can stand atop and swirl around each other with ease. First coming to prominence in the Atlanta music scene of the late 1980s, Herring hailed from the school of cosmic thought that is the late Colonel Bruce Hampton. The duo (alongside Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Sipe) formed the iconic Aquarium Rescue Unit, a jazz fusion group that blurred the lines not only between melodies, but also what it truly means to explore a soundscape, and just simply let go. Now 57, Herring is once again taking his bountiful solo endeavors on the road between Widespread Panic tours. With his latest band, The 5 of 7, Herring is sharing the musical wisdom and hard-earned truths of Hampton with audiences around the country and overseas. And it’s that knowledge from the Colonel

DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF–

JUST PLAY that Herring holds close to his heart and his attitudes toward playing, especially with this new project, where all the other musicians involved have at one time or another also played and collaborated with Hampton. It’s about suspending your restless mind, your perceived notions of live performance, and to be present in the moment you find yourself currently immersed in. And when one can channel that Zen zone of no expectations with no limitations — a space Herring pursues and happily inhabits on a nightly basis — a true sense of endless sonic possibility comes to fruition. Smoky Mountain News: Every member of this new group has played at one time with the late Colonel Bruce Hampton. Right out of the gate, you have this camaraderie that is pretty priceless. Jimmy Herring: It is. And you know, the fact that we’ve all worked with Bruce, I wouldn’t call it a prerequisite. It didn’t have to be that way, but if it could be that way, it was a good thing in my mind. Because once you played with him and the other people that have played with them, even if it wasn’t at the same time, you share something in common with them. It’s sort of like an extended family, you know? Bruce would teach you about things with-

“Get out on the road and things will go wrong and you can’t let it ruin everything ... you’re playing for the cause, and the cause is not playing for the wrong reasons.” — Jimmy Herring

out actually saying, “OK, I’m going to teach you something now.” He led by example and you just had to be open and alert. And one of the things you learned from him is, “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Get out on the road and things will go wrong and you can’t let it ruin everything. That’s one of the things I like about working with people that had been with him, because nothing breaks them — you’re playing for the cause, and the cause is not playing for the wrong reasons. SMN: Well, I was watching some recent clips of The 5 of 7. And even though it is “your band,”

Want to go? Jimmy Herring & The 5 of 7 will hit the stage at 8:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at The Orange Peel in Asheville. Roosevelt Collier will open the performance. Tickets are $25 in advance, $27 day of show. For more information and/or to purchase tickets, click on www.theorangepeel.net. For more on Jimmy Herring, go to www.jimmyherring.net.

it comes across very diplomatic. Is that what you intend for when fronting your own project? JH: Yes. I’ve never really liked the idea of my name being out in front of anything. I’m kind of uncomfortable with that. The idea is that we’re all there. We all have the travel, we all have to be away from our families. So, to me, I just look at it like we’re all equal. I’m the oldest guy — a lot older — but at the same time, they know that their opinions are just as valid as anyone else’s. Everybody gets to play and you play as long as you have something say. Nobody goes, “OK, you can take solo, but it’s only going to be 16 bars.”

SMN: To your point, legendary bassist Ray Brown once said, “It’s not about playing too fast or playing the solos, but to get a good sound and play in tune.” Do you take anything away from that statement as a guitar player? Jimmy Herring: Absolutely. I see that as a musical statement that doesn’t pertain to any particular instrument. And a lot of us look at music that way. Nobody really cares about your “bitchin’ technique” if you don’t sound good and make things feel good. Sure, there’s going to be times when things are out of tune. And that’s all relative to “being in tune,” because guitars are probably never in tune — the instrument’s nature is probably never going to let it be totally in tune. Sounding good and being in tune, I would put that way above technique or anything like that.

SMN: And one of the beauties of improvisational music or improvisation within a structured song is that it eliminates complacency. JH: Yeah. Every night when we go onstage, what we’re shooting for is to have it be different than it was the night before. We try to approach everything with no preconceived notion other than playing those songs. And when the improvised sections come in the music, all bets are off. Anything can happen — that’s the idea.

Editor’s Note: To stream this entire conversation, go to YouTube and search: “Jimmy Herring Garret K. Woodward.”

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

Roads that we abandon and others that we take

Western Carolina University’s First Thursday OldTime and Bluegrass Series will feature the Pressley Girls, who will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, at HomeBase located on 82 Central Drive in Cullowhee.

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hen I lace up my running shoes lately, I’ve found that I usually The monthly “Cherokee Heritage Day” will need to add a windbreaker on continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, top of my normal running at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. attire. It’s that time of year “Urinetown: The Musical” will be staged Nov. 7again, my favorite spot on the 10, by the students and faculty of Western calendar. The air is colder, Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen. the leaves have fallen, and yet the sun’s rays still warm the A production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame: face — that calm before the The Musical” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. storm of holidays and family Nov. 8-9 and 15-16 at the Smoky Mountain obligations. Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Growing up on the Jackson County Americana/rock act Arnold Hill Canadian Border, this period and Chris Pressley (country/roots) will hit the meant winter was just around stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at Nantahala the corner, too. Almost like Brewing in Sylva. clockwork, the first snowfall of the season would be Halloween that is Hanover, New Hampshire. I rememnight, or shortly thereafter. Nothing like runber those games well, mostly he and I throwning around your neighborhood in search of ing the pigskin around on the field after the bite-sized candy, your thick winter coat over final score was tallied. your superhero or ghost costume. During middle school and high school, My father also reveled in this time of the right now was when I’d be running through season, too. Each Saturday morning, our the woods and fields of my native North family would pack into the Plymouth miniCountry during the final cross-country races van and head for Dartmouth College (2.5 hours from my home) to watch an Ivy League of the fall. All of those frozen mornings football game. Frozen seats and hot chocolate throwing on my running gear (short-shorts, a singlet, toque and gloves) emblazed with sipped carefully, the chants of the “Big “Northeastern Clinton Central School.” Green” faithful in hopes of another victory. I was incredibly competitive back in those With a very blue-collar upbringing, my days. Running was all I thought about and dad always had this fascination with Dartmouth and the vibrancy of the stadium, trained for. My father yelling at me from the sidelines of some high school course to “get students, campus, and the picturesque town

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This must be the place

that guy up there, go get’em.” Racing through the muddy backwoods of the Adirondack Mountains or alongside the frigid waters and rocky shoreline of Lake Champlain, always in search of a bid to compete at the New York State championships. Later in my teenage years, I got more interested in girls than sports. And soon, just around early November 2001, I got myself a girlfriend, more so a “high school sweetheart.” She lived over an hour away from me, way up in the depths of the majestic, ancient Adirondacks. Every Saturday, I’d jump into my crappy 1989 Toyota Camry and make the trek down Route 3 to a small town just outside of Saranac Lake, New York. I looked forward to that drive along Route 3, especially once the leaves had fallen. You would be cruising along this desolate mountain route and could see ridges and peaks way out on the horizon, almost like ocean waves heading towards you from destinations unknown. I’d pick her up at her parent’s house and we’d motor over to Lake Placid, maybe go ice skating in front of the Olympic Center or grab a cup of coffee in downtown. We would meander the cold brick sidewalks and look into the windows of expensive restaurants, imagining what it would be like to be older, to actually have a disposable income and go on a “real date.” While attending college in Connecticut, we’d all be excited to soon make our “triumph return” to our respective hometowns for Thanksgiving, usually the first time each year any of us would get a chance to see our friends and family. The dorm rooms, hallways and classrooms would be antsy, this sense in the air that we were capable of anything, whether it be our own eventual career aspirations or — usually — how to finally get into that bar around the corner with our fake IDs. And just before the turkey and gravy was served, we’d be readying ourselves for final exams that semester. I would escape the campus after class and simply cruise around the backroads and small New England towns just outside of New Haven and within a stone’s throw of the Long Island Sound. Drifting along U.S. 1 without a care in the world, my old pickup truck would ease its way into quiet seaside communities, sometimes stopping at a random beach found by happenstance. Sitting on my tailgate, a mighty wind would push off the Atlantic Ocean, making me clutch my warm jacket that much tighter, a smile never leaving my face thinking about how wild and wondrous this all too big and beautiful world truly is. And now, at age 34, all of those sentiments and memories still run through my thoughts and actions, especially with the holidays just around the corner. Though my friends and family back home are over 1,100 miles away, I do think of them often, and also about those days spent running around Upstate New York and New England. It’s as if time itself is one single, solitary moment, this fabric of space and chance by which I can just reach out and touch it — embracing the road to the here and now, and never once forgetting the precious nature of each day above ground. Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

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On the beat In Your Ear celebrates 25 years To properly mark its 25th anniversary, In Your Ear Music Emporium will host a party at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at the store on Main Street in Sylva. Alongside live music, there will also be giveaways, food and drinks. An after-party will be held at the nearby Papermill Lounge. In Your Ear would like to thank the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, The Papermill Lounge, Nantahala Brewing, Mad Batter, The Cut Cocktail Lounge, City Lights Bookstore, Baxley’s Chocolates, Balsam Falls Brewing, Balsam Falls Eatery, Melissa’ Backstreet and Regina Nicole’s Boutique. For more information, call 828.586.6404.

New Arnold Hill album, show

November 6-12, 2019

Popular Jackson County Americana/rock act Arnold Hill will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at Nantahala Brewing in Sylva. The band will be featured alongside Chris Pressley (country/roots). With a lyric-driven style in the realm of alternative/Americana, the trio combine multiple harmonies with a unique sense of musical flavors and styles. Arnold Hill’s latest album, “Back to Life,” is now available for purchase and/or streaming on all online music services. The show is free and open to the public. www.arnoldhillband.com.

Old-time bluegrass at WCU

The Pressley Girls. Western Carolina University’s First Thursday Old-Time and Bluegrass Series will feature the Pressley Girls, who will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, at HomeBase located on 82 Central Drive in Cullowhee. The First Thursday concert series is free and open to the public. Pickers and singers of all ages and experience levels are invited to take part in the jam session which starts at 8 p.m. This session is also open to those who just want to listen. The Pressley Girls (twin sisters, Katie and Corie Pressley) were born and raised in

Brasstown. They are an authentic Appalachian duet that focuses on tight harmony and lyrical meaning. The duo performs a wide range of music including folk, bluegrass, gospel and country. Admiring the Louvin Brothers, classic country singers, and traditional folk musicians, they hope to bring transcendent genuine music back to the world. For more information, call 828.227.7129 or click on mhc.wcu.edu. For more on the Pressley Girls, visit www.thepressleygirls.com.

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• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host an acoustic jam with Main St. NoTones from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 7 and 14. Free and open to the public. www.blueridgebeerhub.com.

• Boojum Brewing Company (Waynesville) will host a bluegrass open mic every Wednesday, an all-genres open mic every Thursday and Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters (alt-country/rock) Nov. 16 ($5 cover at door). All shows begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.boojumbrewing.com.

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• Elevated Mountain Distilling Co. (Maggie Valley) will host Stone Crazy Band (Classic rock/pop) from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 8 at 3732 Soco Road. Free and open to the public. Fuego food truck will be onsite.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Nov. 6 and 13, and a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Nov. 7 and 14. There will also be performances by Seth Brand 7 p.m. Nov. 16 and Neil Gregory Johnson 3 p.m. Nov. 17. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host an open mic night at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, Dirty Dave & The Pony Express Nov. 8, Brother Smith Nov. 9 and Gopher Broke Nov.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host the “Stone Soup” open mic night every Tuesday, Shayler’s Kitchen Nov. 8, Bird in Hand (Americana/folk) Nov. 9, Aly Jordan Nov. 15 and Wyatt Espalin Nov. 16. All shows are free and begin at 7 p.m. www.mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com. • Nantahala Brewing (Sylva) will host Chris Pressley w/Arnold Hill 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 and Geoff & Scott 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free. www.nantahalabrewing.com. • Pub 319 (Waynesville) will host an open mic night from 8 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday. Free and open to the public. www.pub319socialhouse.com. • Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Mike Chaet Nov. 8, Blue Jazz Nov. 9, Angela Faye Martin Nov. 15 and Eric Hendrix & Friends Nov. 16. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.

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• Salty Dog’s (Maggie Valley) will have Karaoke with Jason Wyatt at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays, Mile High (classic rock) 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays, and a Trivia w/Kelsey Jo 8 p.m. Thursdays. • Satulah Mountain Brewing (Highlands) will host “Hoppy Hour” and an open mic at 6 p.m. on Thursdays and live music on Friday evenings. 828.482.9794 or www.satulahmountainbrewing.com. • The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com. • The Ugly Dog Pub (Cashiers) will host Bluegrass Thursdays w/Benny Queen at 6:30 p.m. and Somebody’s Child (Americana) 9 p.m. Nov. 8. • The Ugly Dog Pub (Highlands) will host Bluegrass w/Nitrograss Wednesdays at 7 p.m., The Snozzberries 9:30 p.m. Nov. 8 and Geoff & Scott 8 p.m. Nov. 15. • The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic Night” on Mondays, karaoke on Thursdays and semi-regular music on Fridays and Saturdays. All events at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.456.4750. • Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host Doug Ramsay Nov. 8. Shows are at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.743.6000 or www.whitesidebrewing.com.

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• Isis Music Hall (West Asheville) will host Adair Arbor & Jesse Barry (Johnny Cash tribute) 7 p.m. Nov. 6, Frank & Allie Lee w/Emily Schaad, John Hermann & Meredith McIntosh (old-time/roots) 8:30 p.m. Nov. 6, Jon Shain & FJ Ventre (Americana/blues) 7 p.m. Nov. 7, Rod Picott (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. Nov. 8, Amy Steinberg (pop/rock) 8:30 p.m. Nov. 8, Donna Hopkins w/The Ain’t Sisters (rock/soul) 7 p.m. Nov. 9, Brian Ashley Jones Trio & The Jamie McLean Band (alt-country/Americana) 9 p.m. Nov. 9, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer w/Beth Lee (Americana/old-time) 6 p.m. Nov. 10, Frankie Gavin w/Tommy McCarthy & Louise Costello (Celtic) 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10, Tuesday Bluegrass Sessions hosted by Stig & Friends 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12, Chris Frisina & Earleine (folk/acoustic) 7 p.m. Nov. 13 and Sawyer Fredericks w/Beth Bombara (folk) 8:30 p.m. Nov. 13. www.isisasheville.com.

• Mad Anthony’s Taproom & Restaurant (Waynesville) will host The Dusty Travellers 7 p.m. Nov. 16. All shows are free and open to the public. 828.246.9249.

November 6-12, 2019

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Chris Wilhelm & Friends Nov. 8, Smoky Blue Rain Nov. 9, Scott Stambaugh Nov. 15 and Alma Russ 3 p.m. Nov. 17. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. www.froglevelbrewing.com.

16. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

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• Andrews Brewing Company (Andrews) will host the “Lounge Series” at its Calaboose location John Emil Nov. 8, The Knotty G’s Nov. 9, Joey & Friends 4 p.m. Nov. 10, Robert Ferguson Nov. 15, Kaleb Garrett 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16 and Alma & Friends 4 p.m. Nov. 17. All shows are free and begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.andrewsbrewing.com.

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November 6-12, 2019

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On the street WNC Civil War Roundtable The next meeting of the Western NC Civil War Roundtable will be Monday, Nov. 11, at the Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. The roundtable is pleased to welcome Phill Greenwalt, who will speak on Prospect Hill, the Slaughter Pen and other aspects of the Battle of Fredericksburg. The evening’s agenda begins at 5 p.m. with a meet and greet dinner at the Tap Room within The Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. Dinner will be followed with a social at 6:30 p.m. The meeting and free presentation will commence at 7 p.m. in the Mountaineer room on the second floor of The Waynesville Inn. Fredericksburg, Virginia was the site of a bloody battle in December 1862. Although often seen as a very one-sided and unfortunate affair, with thousands of Union casualties lost for no gains, the early stages of the battle were quite different and the fighting hung in the balance for many hours. Charging across fields that became known as the Slaughter Pen, Union soldiers drove against Stonewall Jackson’s Confederates including many North Carolinians. Eventually the Union men were pushed back but not before coming close to breaking through the Confederate lines near Prospect Hill. About 4,500 casualties occurred in the area and five Union men won the Medal Honor for their actions that day. Greenwalt is currently a Supervisory National Park Ranger of the Shark Valley District of Interpretation and Visitor Services of Everglades National Park. Prior to his current position, he spent seven years a historian with the National Park Service at

George Washington Birthplace National Monument and Thomas Stone National Historic Site. He started with the National Park Service as a historical interpreter intern at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. He has also had the honor to be on official details for the Sesquicentennial of the surrender at Appomattox Court House and the Bicentennial of the Battle of Fort McHenry and the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner. Greenwalt is the co-author of Bloody Autumn: The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864, Hurricane from the Heavens: The Battle of Cold Harbor, and Calamity in Carolina: The Battles of Averasboro and Bentonville. He is a full-time contributor to the Emerging Civil War blog, website, and publishing house. Phill graduated from George Mason University with a M.A. in American History and also has a B.A. in history from Wheeling Jesuit University. More information can be found at wnccwrt.blogspot.com.

Cherokee Heritage Day The monthly “Cherokee Heritage Day” will continue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. All day hands-on activities and fun for the whole family. Different activities each month that incorporate Cherokee culture, including storytelling, painting, corn shuck doll making, making clay heartshaped medallions, stamped card making, dance or music. Free and open to the public. The “Cherokee Heritage Day” is the second Saturday of every month. For more information, visit www.visitcherokeenc.com.

Folkmoot Friendship Center. Patrick Parton photo

‘Cultural Crash Course: A Refugee’s Journey’ The next installment of the “Cultural Crash Course” series will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. Join local experts for Folkmoot’s series, Cultural Crash Courses, featuring lectures on a variety of current cultural issues, including global politics, race, immigration, gender, climate change, technology and multiculturalism. While immigration is currently at the center of policy debates, little attention has been given as to how and why refugees flee their home countries and make the journey into the unknown. From Syria to El Salvador, Dr. Cyndy Caravelis, Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal

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Justice at Western Carolina University, will discuss the formal and informal processes of a refugee’s journey towards resettlement. Content will be presented as a 45-minute community lecture followed by questions, answers and discussion. Cultural Crash Courses are sponsored by Western Carolina University and the Town of Waynesville. Tickets for Cultural Crash Courses are $10. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the lecture begins at 6 p.m. Limited seating is available. Please purchase Cultural Crash Course tickets in advance by calling 828.452.2997 or purchas- M ing electronically at www.folkmoot.org. W Parking is available in the back of the M Folkmoot building for year-round events. h Folkmoot’s year-round programming ini- F tiatives have been made possible by the Community Foundation of Western North M Carolina and the Cherokee Preservation F Foundation. Folkmoot is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating many cultures in one M community.

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On the street

William Ritter.

Featuring live music from Running Wolfe and the Renegades, the Fines Creek Dance Night will be held Saturday, Nov. 16, at the Fines Creek Community Center. Dance will be from 7 to 10 p.m. ($5 admission), with dinner ($7 a plate) beginning at 6 p.m. Chicken and dumplings, green beans, corn, dessert and a drink. Cake walk and 50/50 raffle. The music will be traditional country

and rock, with live clogging, line dancing, two-step, swing and mountain dancing. All proceeds go to FCCA in supporting scholarships, community needs, and the Manna Foodbank. For more information, visit www.fb.me/finescreekorg.

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Fines Creek Dance Night

Hazelwood School, along with a “passing the torch” theme of sharing traditional culture from generation to generation. The evening begins with a guest presentation by local historian Alex McKay. Heavy hors d’oeuvres are included in the ticket price in the center’s dining hall, during which McKay will speak about the history of the town. The event then shifts to Queen Auditorium, just down the hall, where Waynesville’s Bob Plott will serve as Master of Ceremonies. The Plott family has deep roots in Haywood County, and Bob is an award-winning historian, author and educator, as well as a breeder of Plott Hounds. He’ll guide guests through a program that includes a talented lineup of mountain artists: • North Carolina Folk Heritage Award recipient Bobby McMillon has performed broadly as a singer and storyteller. He’s appeared at the Smithsonian’s Festival of American Folklife, the A. P. Carter Memorial

November 6-12, 2019

Folkmoot is partnering with the Mountain Memories organization and Waynesville’s own Bob Plott to launch the Mountain Memories performance series at historic Queen Auditorium on the Folkmoot campus. The series opens with “Mountain Memories No. 1: A Hazelwood Gathering” at Saturday, Nov. 16, at the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville. Doors open at 6 p.m. with food and beverages available in the cafeteria. The “Mountain Memories” show starts at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. In the spirit of radio variety shows of years past, each “Mountain Memories” performance follows a loose theme, but together they promote traditional Southern Appalachian culture in an accurate and positive way through music, dance and storytelling. “Mountain Memories No. 1: A Hazelwood Gathering,” features a focus on the history of the town and historic

tant sites from Cherokee history whose significance is in danger of being lost to time. “My biggest hope is to tell the stories and protect those sites,” Littlejohn said. “We literally go past them every day. I wish that people would visit the sites, feel what happened there, and then use the stories in their own lives. I think that anybody that realizes something happened right there gives them a deeper understanding of things that are happening now.” Parking is available in front and behind the historic Hazelwood School for all Folkmoot events. Tickets are $20 and available for both events at www.folkmoot.org. Folkmoot’s year-round programs are supported by Vincintus Haywood, Town of Waynesville, the Mountaineer, VisitNCSmokies.org, The Smoky Mountain News, the Cherokee Preservation Foundation, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area and the Mast General Store. Folkmoot is a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating many cultures in one community. The Folkmoot Friendship Center is located in the Historic Hazelwood School at 112 Virginia Avenue in Waynesville. Staff can be reached by phone at 828.452.2997 or by email at info@folkmoot.org. A second Mountain Memories show, “A Mountain Christmas” is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 14 at Queen Auditorium.

arts & entertainment

Folkmoot ‘Mountain Memories’ series

Festival, national storytelling conferences, and the Festival for the Eno, where the stories and music of his family members from Cocke County, Tennessee, and Yancey County found broad appeal. McMillon will present traditional ballads, stories and string tunes. • Bakersville native and Western Carolina University graduate William Ritter plays banjo, fiddle, guitar, and other “stringed things.” With interests that lie in the direction of old apple trees and mountain humor, Ritter will share the stage with McMillon for traditional ballads. • Aaron Ratcliffe is a native of Haywood County’s Big Stomp Mountain. A champion flatfoot dancer, superb singer, guitar player and fiddler, he now teaches at Appalachian State University. Ratcliffe will perform traditional music and dances of Haywood County, sometimes accompanied by Ritter. • Cherokee storyteller and musician Matthew Tooni, a native of Painttown community on the Qualla Boundary, is an awardwinning recording artist and a member of the Medicine Lake Traditional Dancers, a heritage dance group descended from the Raven Rock Dancers, founded in the 1980s by Walker Calhoun. • As a teller of Cherokee stories for more than 30 years, Kathi Littlejohn is reaching a new audience with her YouTube video series “Cherokee History & Stories: What Happened Here,” in which she visits impor-

• The “Polar Express” will depart on select times through Dec. 31 from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot. www.gsmr.com.

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November 6-12, 2019

arts & entertainment

On the wall HCC Fiber works at Asheville exhibition Current Haywood Community College professional crafts fiber student Miranda Heidler and graduates Mitsu Shimabukuro and Hannah Watson currently work in the “Of Threads, On Place” exhibition at the Asheville Area Arts Council. This selection of historical and contemporary textiles will run through Nov. 29 and is located at The Refinery Creator Space at 207 Coxe Avenue in Asheville. The event is open to the public and free of charge. According to www.ashevillearts.com, the exhibition partners archives to reveal the cultural impact cloth and making have played in our region. Participating archives include work from the Smith-McDowell House, Western Regional Archives and Ramsey Library Special Collections and University Archives at UNC-Asheville. HCC’s Professional Crafts program is a two-year commitment, focusing on all aspects of becoming an independent craft professional. In addition to sharpening their technical and artistic skills, students also create a marketable line of work, plan a studio and become familiar with the craft market. Mandatory coursework includes photography of finished pieces for gaining entrance into craft shows, creating a business plan, and designing and building a studio tailored to fit production needs. Spring registration is currently underway. For more information about registration, visit www.haywood.edu or email hcc-advising@haywood.edu. www.ashevillearts.com.

• The “Holiday Heritage Arts” festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at Southwestern Community College’s Bryson City campus. Shop from a large selection of handcrafted items including pottery, holiday decorations, knitted items, jewelry, and more. Kids crafts: ornament decoration, raku firing and printmaking demonstrations. Free. ncheritageartsfestival.wordpress.com/holiday. • The Brasstown Woodturners Guild will meet at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Hayesville High School. Drive around the back of the school to the wood shop where the meeting will be held. Visitors are always welcome. The club usually meets in Hayesville the first Saturday of every month. The guest presenter for November will be Steve Cook. He will be demonstrating how he embellishes wood turnings. There is a $10 fee at the door. For questions, call John Van Camp at 706.896.9428 or Don Marks at 828.524.6282. • The “Fused Glass Christmas Ornament” workshops will be held Nov. 6-9 at 247

Stonehouse Pottery.

‘It’s a Small, Small Work’ exhibit

Pottery studio supports nonprofits Stonehouse Pottery in Balsam will be doing an Open Studio Tour and Sale the first Sunday of each month to help support our local nonprofits. Each month highlights a different artist and that artists chooses his or her nonprofit. Stonehouse Pottery and the artist then give a portion of the proceeds as a donation to that nonprofit. For the month of November, artist David Stone has chosen Memory Care, Haywood Clinic, as his nonprofit. Stone has early onset Alzheimer’s and has shown significant improvement in his disease through the rehabilitation process of working in clay. www.stonehousepots.com.

The Haywood County Arts Council annual show, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will be held through Jan. 4 in HCAC Gallery & Gifts in Waynesville. The 2019 exhibit will feature 60 artists and almost 240 individual works of art for sale. The show provides a unique opportunity for budding artists to exhibit their work, as well as the opportunity for more seasoned artists to test their boundaries. All pieces submitted are exactly 12” or smaller in every dimension, including base, matting, and frame. All art work is for sale, priced at $300 or less, and must have been created in the last two years. Commission will be the gallery’s usual 60 percent (artist) to 40 percent (HCAC) split. The Haywood County Arts Council’s small work show was launched in 2008 to demonstrate that original artwork is affordable and fun. Most businesses, homes and apartments can accommodate smaller works of art — and the show promotes buying local and regional work to help support artists in Western North Carolina. For more information, www.haywoodarts.org or 828.452.0593.

Sunnyside Road in Waynesville. Hosted by the Haywood County Arts Council, instructor will be Gayle Haynie, with the class held at her studio. Cost is $50 for HCAC members, $55 for non-members. To register, call Haynie at 706.273.4629 or email gayle@glassbygayle.com.

Enrolled EBCI members will be given preference. Mediums can include, but are not limited to, paintings (oil, acrylic, pastels, watercolor) photography, fiber arts, metal, mixed media and sculpture. Email legendweaverstudios@gmail.com if you want the formal “Call to Artists” application and information.

artists, at any stage of development, and in the medium of your choice. Cost is $25 per class. There will also be a Youth Art Class from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Cost is $15 per class. Contact Morgan at 828.550.6190 or email bmk.morgan@yahoo.com.

• Nancy Barnard’s oil on canvas art will be on display during the month of November at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

• The Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center is pleased to present, “Resounding Change: Sonic Art and the Environment.” This exhibition will be on display through Dec. 6. It features sound-based artwork that encourages visitors to listen more closely to the natural world and to think about how sound is being used in a time of environmental crisis. bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

• The Museum of the Cherokee Indian’s exhibit, “People of the Clay: Contemporary Cherokee Potters,” features more than 60 potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation, and more than one hundred works from 1900 to the present. The exhibit will run through April.

• “Travel Painting Studies” by Haidee Wilson will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. Cost is $35 for HCAC members, $40 for non-members. To register and/or for a full list of supplies needed, call HCAC at 828.452.0593. • Cherokee Indian Hospital is issuing a “Call to Artists” for the new Analenisgi Inpatient Unit. The mission is to create community pride and ownership using a variety of culturally significant, healing art mediums.

ALSO:

• The Weekly Open Studio art classes will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville, Instructor will be Betina Morgan. Open to all

• A “Beginner Step-By-Step” adult painting class will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. There is also a class at 6:30 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at Balsam Fall Brewing in Sylva. Cost is $25 with all supplies provided. For more information or to RSVP, contact Robin Arramae at 828.400.9560 or wncpaintevents@gmail.com.

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On the table arts & entertainment

Habitat for Humanity ‘Chili Cook Off’ The “Chili Cook Off ” will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Habitat for Humanity Restore in Sylva. Bring you best chili recipe and compete for the title of best chili in Jackson County. Awards will be given for People’s Choice, Best Chili and Best Decorated Table. Don’t forget to give your chili an appropriate name. Contestants must provide table, stove, utensils, and ingredients needed to make you

award winning chili. Chili will be cooked on site on the covered porch at the Habitat For Humanity Restore. Turn in time is 12:30 p.m. Entry fee is $20 for individuals (up to four people per team) and $40 for businesses (as many on your team as you like). tasting cups will be available to the public for $5, allowing you to taste all the chili’s and vote for your favorite. All proceeds go to support Habitat for Humanity projects. To register, call 828.788.4044.

Estate Planning Estate Administration Trustee Services If you have limited mobility, contact us about an in-home visit. The Law Offices of

Bryson City Wine Market

Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville will host an array of wine tastings and small plates throughout the week. • Mondays: Free tastings and discounts on select styles of wine that changes weekly. • Thursdays: Five for $5 wine tasting, with small plates available for purchase from Chef Bryan’s gourmet cuisine in The Secret Wine Bar. • Wednesday-Saturday: The Secret Wine

• The “Raid the Fridge” dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at Harmons’ Den Bistro on the campus of the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. The bistro will empty the fridge and Chef Christy will create several delicious dishes. Cost is $20 per person. Bottled wine specials and a cash bar. As well, bring your tupperware to take home whatever is left. For reservations, call 828.456.6322.

ALSO:

• A free wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 9 and 16 at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075. • Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.

828-452-2221

Smoky Mountain News

Bosu’s tastings, small plates

• “The Wines of Languedoc, France” will be a tasting and gourmet meal presented at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at The Classic Wineseller. Cost is $52, all-inclusive. To RSVP and/or learn more about the menu, call 828.452.6000.

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Norris Professional Building 177 North Main St., Waynesville www.norrisandassoc.com www.norriselderservices.com

November 6-12, 2019

A wide array of tastings and events will soon take place at the Bryson City Wine Market. • “Wines for the Holiday Table” will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7. Wines fit for a holiday feast. From turkeyworthy reds to crowd pleasing whites; discover the best wines to pair with holiday meals. • “Wehrloom Honey Mead Tasting” event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14. An unforgettable line-up of well crafted locally made meads. Try a warm pumpkin mead. Free event. • “Yoga and Mimosas” with yogi Susan King will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 16. Come sip and stretch the morning away. Cost is $10 per person. • “Cheers to bubbles” will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21. From Champagne to Prosecco and Cremant to Cava. Raise a glass, and explore the many styles and tastes of sparkling wine. To RSVP, email bcwinemarket@gmail.com.

Bar will be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. • Fridays: The Secret Wine Bar will be open for drinks and small plates from 5 to 9 p.m. • Saturdays: Champagne cocktails from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Secret Wine Bar will be open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be a free wine tasting from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information and/or to RSVP for ticketed events, call 828.452.0120 or email info@waynesvillewine.com.

Jeffrey W. Norris

On the stage arts & entertainment

WCU presents ‘Urinetown: The Musical’

HPAC to screen ‘Madame Butterfly’

Smoky Mountain News

November 6-12, 2019

The Highlands Performing Arts Center will screen live via satellite the MET Opera’s production of Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” at 12:55 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. Anthony Minghella’s vividly cinematic staging returns to cinemas, featuring soprano Hui He in the devastating title role. Pier Giorgio Morandi conducts one of opera’s most beautiful and heartbreaking scores, with a cast that also includes tenor Piero Pretti as Pinkerton, baritone Paulo

Szot as Sharpless, and mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong as Suzuki. A young Japanese geisha who clings to the belief that her arrangement with a Visiting American naval officer is a loving and permanent marriage — this is one of the defining roles in opera. The story triggers ideas about cultural and sexual imperialism. The lyric beauty of Puccini’s score, especially the music for the thoroughly believable lead role, has made the production timeless. There will be a pre-opera discussion beginning at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are available at www.highlandspac.org or at the door.

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“Urinetown: The Musical,” a story of citizens joining together to fight for the cause that unites them, will be staged Nov. 7-10, by the students and faculty of Western Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen. The production is part of the school’s 2019-20 Mainstage season. Shows are set for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7-9, and at 3 p.m. Nov. 10 in WCU’s Hoey Auditorium. With music and lyrics by Mark Hollman and book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, “Urinetown” takes place in a city with a terrible water shortage caused by a 20year drought, which has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens are forced to use public facilities that are regulated by a single company that profits by charging admission. But then, a hero decides that he’s had enough and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom. Apart from its humorous side, the musical “is truly a show about community and what can happen when people join together to fight for a good cause,” said Kate McCosh, a WCU student who is assistant director for the production. “The show also contains pertinent environmental themes that emphasize the importance that we only get one planet, and we need to work together to care for it.” The cast of “Urinetown” includes 28 WCU students from across various programs in the School of Stage and Screen. The production is being presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International and is being directed and choreographed by Ashlee Wasmund, director of WCU’s programs in musical theatre and dance, with music direc-

tion by Kristen Hedberg, assistant professor of musical theatre. The show is not recommended for children younger than 10. Tickets are $20 for adults; $15 for seniors 65 and up, and WCU faculty and staff; and $10 for students. More information and ticket purchases are available at arts.wcu.edu/urinetown.

‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’

film’s Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz. A full two-act live stage show. Tickets are $17 for adults, $12 for students. To purchase tickets, call 866.273.4615 or visit www.greatmountainmusic.com.

Presented by the Overlook Theatre Company, a production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame: The Musical” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8-9 and 15-16 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. From the Academy Award-winning team of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz comes a lushly scored retelling of Victor Hugo’s epic story of love, acceptance and what it means to be a hero. Based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” showcases the

Tickets also may be purchased at the box office of John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center by calling 828.227.ARTS or coming by the box office Tuesdays through Fridays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. or on Thursdays between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets also will be available at Hoey Auditorium beginning one hour prior to each performance.

• There is free comedy improv class from 7 to 9 p.m. every Thursday at Frog Level Brewing in Waynesville. No experience necessary, just come to watch or join in the fun. Improv teacher Wayne Porter studied at Sak Comedy Lab in Orlando, Florida, and performed improvisation with several groups. Join Improv WNC on Facebook or just call 828.316.8761.

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Books

Smoky Mountain News

A look at The Best Loved Poems of the American People wo years ago in December, I vowed to read the 11-volume set of Will and Ariel Durant’s The Story of Civilization in 12 months. Unlike resolutions made for New Years and Lent, some of which I break before the sun has set, I read those fat books one after the other and finished the final page with time to spare. Since then, I have considered other such literary treks: the plays of Shakespeare, some of which I have read and taught; the Bible, where I have read the New but not all of the Old Testament; Marcel Writer Proust’s In Search Of Lost Time, which I have twice started and twice put aside when only halfway through the first of the seven novels. All seemed daunting not in terms of the required effort, but because time and obligations have of late shackled me. But this past week inspiration struck. I was visiting my sister in Winston-Salem. In the eclectic selection of books on a shelf in my bedroom was a duplicate of The Best Loved Poems of the American People, an anthology I’d browsed in my adolescence but hadn’t thought of in decades. For the next two days, I enjoyed looking at various verses in that collection. Many of the poets — Keats, Elizabeth Browning, Shelley, James Whitcomb Riley — were familiar to me, but many others were strangers. Some I looked up online — John Bennett, Alice Carey, Louisa Fletcher — where I found some biographical details about them and even better, more of their poems. In this collection we find no modernists, no T.S. Eliot, whose work appeals to me, or Ezra Pound, whose poems are mostly unfamiliar, or any poets published in the last hundred years. Robert Frost once said of “free” verse that it was like playing tennis without a net, and in The Best Loved Poems of the American People we find net, ball, and racquets in place. Meter, form, and rhyme count for these prac-

Jeff Minick

titioners of verse. I also looked into the history of the book itself, and learned that The Best Loved Poems of the American People was published in

1936, in the depths of the Great Depression, a risky time to put out a fat compilation — 575 poems in 670 pages — when so many families were battling to put soup and beans on the table. I also discovered this collection is still in print and has in the last 83 years sold more than 1,500,000 copies. Here is a mountain — make that a hill — I can conquer. In the next year, I will read aloud — poetry demands a spoken voice — these poems,

Thomas book signing, reading Jen Thomas will present her historical young adult novel, Our Hearts are the Same, at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Kate, the plantation owner’s daughter, and Adamina “Addie,” the recently freed slave girl form a beautiful friendship during a treacherous time of havoc. It is 1869, the Civil War is over, and Savannah, Georgia, is looking to be restored again after considerable mayhem. Kate’s relatives are as opposed to this friendship as Addie’s are encouraging. Together, and through unimaginable tragedy, they take life one day at a time being the best of friends and determined not

two or three of the short ones daily, one a day of the longer ones, like “The Charge of the Light Brigade.” This task will take only minutes every morning, but will bring, or so I hope, some real benefits. First, like so many Americans, I read little poetry. When I was teaching English literature to seminars of homeschooling students, writers from Richard Lovelace to Emily Dickinson, from Edna St. Vincent Millay to Seamus Heaney, were our daily bread and meat. But with those classes now in my past, I tend to go to history, biography, and fiction for my reading. A return to verse will do me good. Then, too, a dose of poetry every day may strengthen the rhythm and cadence of my own sentences. Other writers have used such works as the King James Bible or the plays of Shakespeare as springboards for their writing. Perhaps poetry will lead me through a similar gymnasium of exercise. Moreover, I will make the acquaintance of writers long gone to graveyards who still have some sage advice for me and for other readers. Here, for example, is R.L. Sharpe’s “A Bag of Tools:” Isn’t it strange That princes and kings, And clowns that caper In sawdust rings, And common people Like you and me Are builders for eternity?

Each is given a bag of tools, A shapeless mass, A book of rules; And each must make— Ere life is flown— A stumbling block Or a steppingstone. The stanza below from Rollin J. Wells’ “Growing Old” expresses my own sentiments as I wend my way into old age, especially the line “A little more real the things unseen:” A little more leisure to sit and dream, A little more real the things unseen, A little nearer to those ahead, With visions of those long loved and dead; And so we are going where all must go— To the place the living may never know. Finally, in part because of its age, in part by design — the Doubleday editor was Hazel Felleman, the writer of the “Introduction” Edward Frank Allen — The Best Loved Poems of the American People will also counterbalance what I read online every day, a task performed both for purposes of work and from curiosity. The madness of our time — the weird cultural issues, our nasty and bitter politics, the snarky anonymous attacks — will not be found in this volume. These poems speak of the ancient verities: faith, romance, motherhood, friendship, patriotism. They will remind me of the world I believed in as a boy so long ago. They will offer a haven of truth, comfort, and sanity in our present storm of lies and lunacy. Maybe these poems will even inspire me to become a better person, like the wise old owl in Edward Hersey Richards’ short verse by the same name: A wise old owl lived in an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard: Why can’t we all be like that bird? Right now mine is a party of one. Feel free to join the festivities. (Jeff Minick is a writer and teacher. minick0301@gmail.com)

to let tensions tear them apart. Some girls go through a lifetime and do not find this bond within a friendship. Meet Kate and Addie, the girls who defied the odds. To reserve copies of Our Hearts are the Same, call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.

said of the book, “A superbly crafted sequel, Long Light sets the stage on fire for the finale of Paige L. Christie’s series — a story that engages and upends the very fabric of myth and stereotype.” To reserve copies of any of The Legacies of Arnan series, call City Lights Bookstore at 828.586.9499.

New Legacies of Arnan novel

• Monthly Poetry Reading at Panacea Coffeehouse in Waynesville. Last Saturdays every month at 2 p.m. Bring your poetry, essays and writings to share. Be sure to order drinks and snacks and tip the staff of Panacea. For more information, contact poevampyre@gmail.com.

Paige L. Christie will present the latest in her Legacies of Arnan series, book three, Long Light, at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Janny Wurts, author of the Wars of Light and Shadow series

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Mission accomplished Waynesville woman sets record, raises trail rehab money with LeConte hike

It was still pitch black during the first of Nancy East’s and Chris Ford’s three Mount LeConte summits on Friday, Oct. 25. Donated photo

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he first time Nancy East visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it was the 1990s and she was in veterinary school. But those squeezed-in backpacking excursions provided the catalyst for her later decision to move to Western North Carolina, and 25 years later, East finished hiking all 850 miles of trail running through the park’s 816 square miles of land. East, 47, reached that milestone over Labor Day weekend, but the Waynesville resident swiftly found herself in need of a new challenge. “I wanted to do something for the park, especially for the trails, but do more than writing a check of my own,” she said. So, East decided to tackle the Tour de LeConte.

PLANNING THE ATTEMPT It’s not a decision that many have made. Completing the challenge requires hiking all six trails leading to Mount LeConte — a total of 44 miles by East’s count — within a 24hour period. Only 35 people are known to have done it. East wanted to do the hike as a fundraiser, setting up a donation portal through Friends of the Smokies where folks could give money toward rehabilitation efforts along Trillium Gap Trail, which is one of the routes to LeConte. Launched this spring, the two-year effort is supported by the Trails Forever program, a partnership between the park and Friends of the Smokies. The program aims to

rehabilitate high-use and high-priority trails using private donations. With a maintenance backlog valued at $235.9 million as of September 2018, the park often lacks the federal funding it needs to address important issues like trail degradation. At the outset, East had two goals — to raise at least $5,000 and to post the fastest known time for a female hiker. She achieved both. As of press time, the hike has raised $6,691.70, and with a time of 16 hours and 13 minutes, East broke the record she’d set out to. She didn’t do it alone. East completed the hike alongside Chris Ford, 51, a retired Air Force veteran who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. The two met through a hiking MeetUp group they’re both part of — they hike well together. With the leaderboard containing a record time for male hikers of 10 hours and 3 seconds, set by Dave Worth in August 2011, Ford didn’t post the fastest time on the men’s side. But he and East together set the fastest known time for a mixed-gender hiking team. While moving, they set an average speed of 2.91 miles per hour, with an overall average speed of 2.73 miles per hour. For pretty much anybody, 44 miles in a day is a lot of miles. In the weeks preceding the hike, East and Ford trained. Each week, they’d go on a long hike of 30 miles or more, along with a “shorter” hike of 10 to 15 miles and some weight training in the gym. Conditioning her feet was the main thing, said East. “My legs felt strong the whole time, but my feet definitely had to get toughened up to that kind of mileage,” she said.

HIKING IN THE DARK Regardless of what kind of shape you’re in, it takes a while to hike 44 miles, so East and Ford got started early — like, 12:45 a.m.

early. “It was nutty,” she said. “And that was the hardest thing for me psychologically.” After waking up from where they’d camped at Greenbrier Campground, the two ate some breakfast and drove to Cherokee Orchard, starting out on the Bullhead Trail by 2 a.m. For East, Bullhead has long been the hardest of the six trails on the day’s itinerary. It’s 6 miles long with an elevation gain of 1,600 feet, and the wildfires of 2016 left it exposed to the sun and wind. In training hikes, done during sunnier parts of warmer days, East had found the trail hot and difficult, it was cool in the pre-dawn hours, the city lights of Gatlinburg spread out below. “We just zipped up it, and it was wonderful,” said East. “It set a nice stage for the hike, knowing that one was over.” By 4:18 a.m. they were on top of LeConte, where they took a seven-minute break to refill water bottles, use the bathroom and eat a quick snack before descending once more, this time via the Boulevard Trail. Heading downhill, the cool air was a problem, causing East’s legs to cramp. A thick fog rolled in, but they pressed on, making it down to Newfound Gap by 7:08 a.m., where they’d left Ford’s car. From there, they stocked up on snacks and drove to the next trailhead, starting on Alum Cave Trail at 7:31 a.m. Despite having already hiked 14 miles that day, they finished the 5-mile trail just seven minutes slower than they had during a training hike the previous week, on fresh legs. Once more atop LeConte, the

The hikers met some llamas on their way up Trillium Gap Trail. Donated photo

Take a hike The Tour de LeConte is a challenging endeavor even for seasoned hikers, but those interested in attempting the feat can learn a lot by reading Nancy East’s account of her experience and FAQ page on her blog, www.hopeandfeathertravels.com. LeConte stories, including the leader board for the Tour de LeConte, are available at www.lecontelog.blogspot.com.

Hike Indian Creek

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Awarded Aw

CCIM Designatiion

Certified Commercial Investment Member Fall colors are vibrant in the Smokies this time of year. Donated photo series, with proceeds supporting Trails Forever, a trail rehabilitation partnership between Friends and the park. Hikes are $20 for Friends members and $35 for new or renewing members. Sign up at www.hike.friendsofthesmokies.org.

Help Smokies trails

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BALSAM RANGE

ART OF MUSIC FESTIVAL DEC 6-7 Lake Junaluska, NC

The fundraiser associated with Nancy East’s and Chris Ford’s Tour de LeConte effort is still open at www.friendsofthesmokies.org/product/nancyeast-chris-ford-fundraiser. Donations of all sizes are welcome. “It doesn’t have to be a big amount,” said East. “We just need every person who loves the Smokies and loves LeConte to donate less than 10 bucks.”

East hikes the Alum Cave Trail. Donated photo didn’t want to slow down her friend’s pace. By this time, East and Ford were in the final stretch, just a handful of miles away from completing the challenge they’d set out to conquer. Their spouses were supposed to come and pick them up, and seeing them waiting there, partially hidden beneath umbrellas, was the day’s biggest reward. “It was one of those life moments you never forget,” said East. “The way the trail ends, there’s a long stretch that you could see that trailhead, so as we got closer we could kind of start making out those umbrellas and then the shape of those bodies, and then we realized, that’s them. So that was really special.” East slept hard that night and enjoyed the Chick-fil-A salad and milkshake her husband had brought her. But she’s already itching for the next challenge. “I need to regroup and think about it more, but something I’m sure will pop into my head,” said East. “I just need a good, long hike to figure it out.”

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Smoky Mountain News

At 8.9 miles, it’s the longest trail of the six, and by the time they started it East and Ford had been awake for 12 hours, having hiked nearly 30 miles in that time. Around 1:45 p.m., the rain rolled in and fatigue was beginning to take its toll — at one point around 2 p.m., East recalls, she couldn’t even do the basic math in her head needed to figure out how much more hiking they had to do. “Mentally I was definitely starting to get a little fuzzy, but as far as mental attitude I was positive and felt like we were both really in good spirits the whole time,” she said. “I think that’s so key.” But if East’s spirits needed a boost, they got it when she summited LeConte for the final time that day. At the top of the mountain was her best friend, Diana Laursen, waiting in the drizzle for the hikers to arrive. “It was this gift from the heavens coming out and greeting us,” East recalls. She hugged her friend, took a picture, and was soon on her way once more. Laursen didn’t hike down with them — she

November 6-12, 2019

two repeated their quick routine of bathroom break, water refills and snack time before taking the Rainbow Falls Trail down for their second descent, this time with the sun risen and the peak fall colors fully visible. It was while hiking Rainbow Falls that East felt the cramping in her legs subside and her spirits begin to lift. They “cruised” down the trail, before long reaching the parking lot to start their final ascent via Trillium Gap Trail at 11:44 a.m.

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outdoors

A 10-mile loop hike on Tuesday, Nov. 12, will explore various forest types and old farmsteads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park while supporting trail rehabilitation there. Steve Pierce will lead this excursion on the Thomas Divide, Indian Creek, Deeplow Gap and Stone Pile trails. Pierce is a retired teacher from Marion who has hiked all the trails in the Smokies, summited 40 peaks above 6,000 feet, reached the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, hiked the Salkantay route to Machu Picchu and walked the Camino Portuguese to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The hike is offered as part of Friends of the Smokies’ Classic Hikes of the Smokies

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Celebration of life planned for NOC co-founder A celebration of life for Aurelia Turpin Kennedy, co-founder of the Nantahala Outdoor Center, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, at NOC near Bryson City. Kennedy passed away at the age of 84 at her home in Wesser on Saturday, Sept. 14, surrounded by friends and family. She was a wife, mother, grandmother and explorer, one of several early area boaters and one of the first women to paddle a canoe through Nantahala Falls in 1954. In 1972, longtime friend Horace Holden reached out to Aurelia and her husband Payson Kennedy,

presenting an opportunity to start an outdoor adventure company on the Nantahala River. The Kennedys packed up and moved from Atlanta, Georgia, to the North Carolina mountains, founding the NOC.

Aurelia Kennedy was a pioneering paddler in Western North Carolina. Donated photo

“Known for her energy and her unusual

range of talents, Relia is even better identified by a consistent set of expectations and ideals that she brings to any endeavor, to find art in every activity, to honor the spirit in any pursuit, and to seek simplicity and frugality as essential paths to true appreciation of what really matters,” said long-time NOC staffer Joe Huggins. Aurelia is survived by her husband Payson, a brother, two daughters, two sons, five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and friends around the world. All are invited to attend the Nov. 16 gathering with stories and remembrances, as well as a Thanksgiving dish to share. NOC will provide a main course of turkey and dressing. Attendees are asked to RSVP at www.aureliakennedy.app.rsvpify.com. Donations can be made in Aurelia’s memory through the North Carolina Community Foundation for the Kennedy Endowment Fund at www.nccf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate or by sending a check to The North Carolina Community Foundation, 3737 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 460, Raleigh, NC 27612.

Learn about Kids in the Creek 828.452.4251

Smoky Mountain News

November 6-12, 2019

jeff@mtnsouthmedia.com

Christine O’Brien of Haywood Waterways Association will talk about a program that’s been getting kids out exploring local streams since 1999 during a presentation at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, at Rendezvous Restaurant in Maggie Valley. Kids in the Creek is held each September, taking Haywood County eighth graders on a field trip to learn about their watershed through a variety of activities, including hands-on fish and aquatic bug collection. O’Brien will speak as part of Trout Unlimited Cataloochee’s regular monthly meeting. A social hour will precede the presentation beginning at 5:30 p.m. and including a swap meet in which participants are invited to bring used or new items for sale or trade.

Drought weakens statewide A new drought map released Thursday, Oct. 31, shows conditions normalizing throughout the state for the first time since an Oct. 3 map listed nine counties as experiencing severe drought with 48 counties in moderate drought. Severe drought has disappeared from the new map, with the number of counties in moderate drought down to 17. An additional 50 counties are listed as abnormally dry. Counties in moderate drought include Cherokee, Clay and Macon, with the remainder of the western and central counties categorized as abnormally dry. While it was published Oct. 31, the map is based on data gathered through 8 a.m. Oct. 29, meaning that it does not include

N.C. Forest Service is urging North Carolinians to remain vigilant in reducing wildfire risk. While recent rains have brought relief, a spate of warm, dry days with winds could quickly dry forest The latest drought map was published fuels once more. Oct. 31 based on data gathered Always build through 8 a.m. Oct. 29. N.C. Drought Monitor map campfires in existing rings when possible the effects of heavy rains the region saw and clear a safe area around them of at least Oct. 29 to Oct. 31. 15 feet. Never leave campfires unattended, When severe drought conditions were and ensure they are completely out before first announced Oct. 3, it marked the first walking away. Check the weather and local time since April 25, 2017, that severe regulations before burning yard debris, and drought had occurred in North Carolina. be careful when removing ashes or coals Despite the improving conditions, the from stoves and fireplaces.

Stock the Pigeon The Cataloochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited will hold its last trout stocking event of the fall season at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 15, on the West Fork of the Pigeon River. Volunteers are invited to bring a clean 5-gallon bucket and a friend to help stock around 1,500 pounds of fish from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Waders are also recommended. The job will take about three hours to complete, with at least 25 volunteers needed. It’s the Wildlife Commission’s responsibility to stock the river, but having a volunteer force to help allows the fish to be dispersed more evenly along the river, resulting in a more enjoyable fishing experience. The group will meet at a parking lot that’s past Lake Logan and before Sunburst Campground off of N.C. 215, across from the shooting range. Volunteers are encouraged to bring a rod for fishing afterward. tucataloochee427@gmail.com.

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Help out at Tremont A volunteer workday will be held starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont near Townsend, Tennessee. All ages and ability levels are encouraged to come help out with a variety of projects on campus, both indoors and outdoors. Volunteers will be treated to a homemade lunch in Tremont’s dining hall. Free, with registration required by Nov. 6 online at http://gsmit.org/event/volunteer-work-day-2019.

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Three upcoming projects could affect travel on the Blue Ridge Parkway over the coming weeks. n A project to repair severe edge rutting on the Asheville portion of the Parkway, miles 385 through 397.5, will continue into the winter as weather conditions allow. Traffic will be restricted to a single lane during this time. n Preventative maintenance work on 20 bridges in North Carolina, mileposts 220 through 469, is underway. Traffic in these areas will be restricted to a single lane. n Boom axe operations will be conducted along the Parkway’s entire length to help control vegetation growth. Work will be conducted between U.S. 74 and N.C. 25 Jan. 9-16, N.C. 191 to Buck Springs Tunnel Feb. 3 to March 16 and mileposts 423.5 to 412 as well as N.C. 215 to U.S. 276 in February. Both lanes of the Parkway will be closed to all activity, including hiking, in active work zones. Affected sections for all projects close at 8 a.m. each weekday and reopen daily at 4:30 p.m.

Smoky Mountain News

Parkway sections will close for maintenance

November 6-12, 2019

An agribusiness webinar series will be offered this month through the Small Business Center at Haywood Community College, with sessions offered 3 to 4:15 p.m. on Tuesdays, Nov. 5, 12 and 19. The series is designed for the specific needs of farmers, value-added processors, beverage manufacturers, food service businesses and other such businesses. Sessions will focus on planning, resources and marketing. Free. Register at sbc.haywood.edu or call 828.627.4512.

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Stare into the stars

Stay safe during hunting season

Smoky Mountain News

November 6-12, 2019

It’s hunting season in Western North Carolina, and non-hunters are encouraged to be proactive about ensuring their safety while in the woods. Wear bright-colored clothing, such as neon or hunter orange, to make yourself more visible, and avoid neutral colors. Dogs should also wear a bright-colored vest or bandana. n Make noise to alert hunters of your presence. Talk, whistle or sing, and if you hear shooting, raise your voice to let hunters know you’re around. n Know your own comfort level — if hunting makes you uneasy, do some research to find out where it’s not allowed and hike there instead. Fees from hunting licenses go to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, which helps maintain wildlife habitat and many roads in the national forests. Seasons and regulations are posted at www.ncwildlife.org/hunting/ hunting-in-north-carolina.

A stargazing event beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, will offer a high-elevation look into the skies above Purchase Knob in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Astronomy Club of Asheville will lead this night sky exploration, with visitors likely to see many celestial wonders including star clusters, binary systems, the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies. The event, to be held rain or shine, will begin with an indoor presentation at the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center on what can be seen in the night skies during November. The learning center is located at 5,000 feet in elevation, so visitors should bring warm layers. Free, but limited to 45 parking permits. Reserve parking permits at https://bit.ly/328v18S or by calling 828.497.1907.

A telescope peers into the unobstructed view from Purchase Knob. NPS photo

Help out in Panthertown Enjoy fall colors in Panthertown Valley while helping to keep the trails maintained with a string of upcoming workdays in the Nantahala National Forest near Cashiers. Trail steward Charly Aurelia will lead the excursions, with trail maintenance activities occurring during a group hike from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dates are Sunday, Nov. 10, with Nantahala Area SORBA at the Rattle Snake Knob Trailhead; and Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Salt Rock Gap Trailhead. Tools, safety gear and a safety orientation will be provided, with volunteers expected to wear closed-toed shoes and long pants and to bring water, snacks and a bag lunch. The group will hike about 5 miles on easy-to-moderate trails while doing some trail corridor clearing and tread and drain work. RSVPS are not necessary, but appreciated. No experience required. friends@panthertown.org or 828.269.4453.

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Slopes open at Cataloochee The Nov. 3 opening is on the early side for Cataloochee, whose season typically begins in the first or second week of November, with a record early opening of Oct. 31 set in 2012. The last couple years have seen later opening dates, with the first runs made on Nov. 11 in 2018 and on Nov. 20 in 2017. Continued investments in snowmaking technology allow the ski area to get the most out of the winter, with an average season length of 125 days. Hours and rates are posted at www.cataloochee.com.

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Cataloochee Ski Area became the first ski resort on the East Coast — and one of 11 nationwide — to open for the 2019-2020 season with the first tracks made as of 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 3. The ski area began making snow at 10:57 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, putting down a base of 2 to 8 inches on three slopes from mid-station down, with some bare spots present. Sunday featured daytime skiing, with the slopes closing once more Nov. 4-8 in advance of a planned reopening Saturday, Nov. 9. Tube World in Maggie Valley remains closed.

Snowmaking at Cataloochee Ski Area began on Thursday, Oct. 31. Cataloochee photo

Help with Special Olympics A planning meeting for the Haywood County Special Olympics Spring Games will be held at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. All interested volunteers and coaches are encouraged to attend. Volunteers are needed to take the lead or assist in track and field, motor sports, bowling and swimming. Tim Petrea, tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov or 828.456.2030.

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Bog burn aims to boost plant populations

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Smoky Mountain News

Comments are sought on a proposal to conduct prescribed burning on about 25 acres in the Dulany Bog wetland complex in Jackson County, with a deadline for submission of Friday, Nov. 8. The authorization, sought by the Nantahala Ranger District on the Nantahala National Forest, would be in effect for up to 10 years. Burn treatments would be conducted every two to three years during the dormant season, generally between Oct. 15 and April 15, with roads, water bodies and topographic features used to contain the fire. Hand tools would be used in areas where these features are absent, with lines treated to prevent erosion following burns. The project aims to enhance conditions

for two rare plant species — the federally threatened swamp pink and the regionally sensitive Southern Appalachian purple pitcher plant. Both plants require partial to full sun, but species such as mountain laurel, rhododendron, red maple and eastern white pine are crowding them out. While it would take many repeated burns to achieve a more open wetland complex, the initial burns should positively impact the plant species, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The burns would take place across multiple jurisdictional boundaries, including land managed by the U.S. Forest Service, Highlands Biological Station and N.C. Plant Conservation Program. Submit comments to commentssouthem-north-carolina-nantahala-nantahala@fs.fed.us; by fax to 828.369.6592; or by mail: USDA Forest Service, 90 Sloan Road, Franklin, NC 28734.

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November 6-12, 2019

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COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Haywood Hospice and Palliative Care will host a memorial service from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Memorial Chapel of Lake Junaluska to honor loved ones who have died in the past year. • The Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department will host a planning meeting for the Haywood County Special Olympics Spring Games at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Info and reservations: tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov or 456.2030. • A fair housing awareness session is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 14 in the Jackson County Department on Aging – Heritage Room. An HUD representative will give a presentation on fair housing and be available for Q&A. 631.2283. • Canton First Baptist Church will honor veterans with “Celebrate Freedom, Canton” featuring King’s Cadence at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, in Canton. Contemporary gospel quartet. Featured speaker is Rev. Eric Hill, former Army Sergeant. 648.2367. • Reservations are being accepted for a Thanksgiving meal at Lake Junaluska. Thanksgiving at Lake Junaluska is Nov. 27-29. Lakejunaluska.com/thanksgiving or 800.22.4930. • Bingo Night is at 6 p.m. on the second Saturday at the Fines Creek Community Center. 25 cents per game. Info: www.fb.me/finescreekorg or 593.7042. • The Jackson County Department of Public Health is seeking input from the community: http://health.jacksonnc.org/surveys. Info: 587.8288. • Cat adoption hours are from noon-5 p.m. on Fridays and noon-4 p.m. on Saturdays at 453 Jones Cove Road in Clyde. Adoption fee: $10 for cats one-year and older. Check out available cats at www.petharbor.com. 452.1329 or 550.3662.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center will offer a series of seminars for existing and aspiring business owners in November at the Jackson Campus in Sylva and the Franklin Chamber of Commerce. Registration required. Full listing, details and sign-ups: http://bit.ly/2ncPnyf. • The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer an Agribusiness webinar series from 3-4:15 p.m. on Tuesdays, through Nov. 19, designed with the specific needs of current and prospective agribusinesses in mind. Info and registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512. • A Cultural Crash Course: “A Refugee’s Journey” will be presented from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 at Folkmoot in Waynesville. Dr. Cyndy Caravelis, Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Western Carolina University, will present a 45-minute community lecture followed by questions, answers and discussion. Tickets: $10. Folkmoot.org. • Registration is underway for the spring semester at Haywood Community College in Clyde. www.haywood.edu, hcc-advising@haywood.edu or 627.2821. • The Small Business Center at Haywood Community College will offer a free Agribusiness webinar series from 3-4:15 p.m. on Tuesdays through Nov. 19. Designed with the needs of current and prospective agribusinesses in mind. Info and registration: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512. • The Small Business Center at Haywood Community

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. College will offer a webinar on “Working with Angry Customer Behaviors in Your Small Business” from 9-10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Info and reservations: SBC.Haywood.edu or 627.4512. • Registration is underway for a workshop focusing on “Building Cultural Competency and Diversity within Nonprofits” that will be offered through Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth and Enrichment from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, at WCU Biltmore Park in Asheville. Can be taken as a standalone or as part of the Certified Nonprofit Professional Program. Registration: $89 for the workshop or $300 for the CNP course fee. pdp.wcu.edu, jcthompson@wcu.edu or 227.3070.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • The Haywood County Motorcycle Parade and Toy Run is set for Saturday, Nov. 9, and will traverse all municipalities in the county. It will start at Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center and end at Sorrells Park in Canton. Breakfast from 8-11 a.m.; registration at 10 a.m. and parade starts at noon. Funds raised go to 501(c3) organizations serving children in the county. • Jackson County Bands are holding a citrus sale fundraiser through Nov. 14 for the bands of Jackson County Public Schools. https://tinyurl.com/y62cnj2l. • A Chili Cookoff will be held at 5 p.m. on Nov. 13 at HomeBase, 82 Central Dr., in Cullowhee. Competition for the best chili at Western Carolina University; conversation about food insecurity in the region. Guest speakers include Smoky Mountain News journalist Cory Vaillancourt and Carolina Public Press managing editor Frank Taylor $5 per bowl and chili sampling. Proceeds go to HomeBase and SPJ. • Tickets are on sale now for the Festival of Trees, which is set for 5:30-9 p.m. on Nov. 21, at Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville. Presented by Kids Advocacy Resource Effort. Tickets are $75 per person or $550 for a table of eight. Tickets available at www.KareHouse.org or 456.8995.

HEALTH MATTERS • The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson city. Appointments: 488.3030 or redcrossblood.org. • Al-Anon, a confidential support group for friends and family members of alcoholics, meets at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays at Grace Episcopal Church in Waynesville. 440.724.5994. • A Sabai-Sabai Trunk Show is set for 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com. • Thomas W. Joiner, one of the world’s leading authorities on the issue of suicide, will speak at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Blue Ridge Hall conference room at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Topic is “Why People Die by Suicide.” Info: 227.3363. • Parkinson’s Support in the Mountains meets at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, in the Heritage Room of the Jackson County Department on Aging, 100 County Services Park in Sylva. Dr. Emory Prescott, a speechlanguage pathologist, will speak on enhancing brain health with natural botanicals. • Co-Dependents Anonymous, a support group for those wishing to create more fulfilling relationships with

themselves and others, will meet from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Friendship House, 566 S. Haywood St., in Waynesville. http://coda.org. • The Haywood Chapter of Survivors of Suicide Loss meets from 6:30-8 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the Fellowship Hall of Hazelwood Presbyterian Church in Waynesville. Info: 910.528.0169. • The WNC Ostomy Support Group will meet from 6-7 p.m. every second Monday at the Jackson County Center Cooperative Extension’s Meeting Room, 876 Skyland Dr., Suite 6, in Sylva. Group is for people living with a urostomy, ileostomy, colostomy or a continent diversion. Facilitated by Certified Ostomy Nurses. • A “Get Covered Haywood!” Affordable Care Act Event is set for 12:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Waynesville Library Auditorium. Learn about your insurance options and meet with a certified navigator to enroll. Appointments: 452.1447. Walk-ins also welcome. • “Your Amazing Newborn” class will be offered from 79 p.m. on Nov. 7 at Haywood Regional Medical Center in Waynesville. Focusing on abilities, behavior, appearance and reflexes of your new baby. Pre-registration required: MyHaywoodRegional.com/ParentClasses or 452.8440. • A pair of lectures on Creating a Medicinal Kitchen Garden will be held from 2-4 p.m. on consecutive Fridays, Nov. 8 and 15, in the Waynesville Library Auditorium. Presented by Kate Bailey, RN and owner of Lost Cove Herbs. Adults only. • An Essential Oil class will be offered at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva at 6 p.m. on Nov. 12. Learn home to enhance your health through the addition of essential oils. Call or text Wende Goode at 246.2256 to reserve your space at class and receive a free trial sample of oil tailored to your personalized health need. Lacking sleep, digestive issues, mood imbalance, pain. Limit of 12 participants. Call even if you are unable to attend class but still interested in learning more and receiving a sample. • An Essential Oil class will be offered at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City at 4 pm on Nov. 13. Presentation on personalized health care through the addition of essential oils. Call or text Wende Goode at 246.2256 to reserve your space at class and receive a free trial sample of oil tailored to your personalized health need. Lacking sleep, digestive issues, mood imbalance, pain. Limit of 12 participants. Call even if you are unable to attend class but still interested in learning more and receiving a sample. • An Essential Oil class will be offered at Lazy Hiker/Mad Batter Kitchen in Sylva at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 13. Lacking sleep, digestive issues, mood imbalance, in pain. Call or text Wende Goode at 246.2256 to reserve your space at class and receive a free trial sample of oil tailored to your personalized health need. Limit of 12 participants. Call even if you are unable to attend class but still interested in learning more and receiving a sample. • Grace Church in the Mountains will present “Resilience: The Biology of Stress & The Science of Hope” at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 13, in Waynesville. A onehour documentary on the science of Adverse Childhood Experiences and the birth of a new movement to treat and prevent toxic stress. Light supper included; childcare provided. Register: gracewaynesville.com/resilience-rsvp.html.

Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: ■ Complete listings of local music scene ■ Regional festivals ■ Art gallery events and openings ■ Complete listings of recreational offerings at regional health and fitness centers ■ Civic and social club gatherings started. Pre-registration required: MyHaywoodRegional.com/ParentClasses or 452.8440. • Gentle Yoga for Cancer is offered from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Haywood Breast Center in Waynesville. Info: myhaywoodregional.com/yogaforcancer or 452.8691. • On the third weekend of each month, Maggie Valley Wellness Center hosts donation-based acupuncture appointments. $35-55. 944.0288 or maggievalleywellness.com. • “Nourishing You” – an introductory “Yoga for Cancer” class, is offered from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Haywood Breast Center in Waynesville. Taught by Kim Mulholland, Mindful Yoga for Cancer Duke Integrative Medicine Trainer. Info: 452.8691 or MyHaywoodRegional.com/YogaforCancer. • A Community Acupuncture Clinic is held on the third weekend of each month at 461 Moody Farm Road in Maggie Valley. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 1-4 p.m. on Sunday. Sliding scale cost is $35-$55. Offered by Barbara Dennis, a Licensed Acupuncturist and Registered Nurse. • Jackson County Department of Public Health is offering diabetes self-management education as well as medical nutrition therapy. Info: 587.8240 or http://health.jacksonnc.org/wic. • The Haywood County Senior Resource Center holds a dementia caregivers support group from 4:30-6 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday each month in Waynesville. 356.2800 or www.haywoodseniors.org. • “Riding the Waves of Cancer” meets from 2:30-4 p.m. on Thursdays at the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center. Physician referral from an oncologist or cancer doctor is required: Myhaywoodregional.com/yogaforcancer. 452.8691. • Codependents Anonymous (CoDA) meets at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays at the Friendship House on Academy Street, behind and adjoining the First United Methodist Church of Waynesville. Group of persons desiring healthy and fulfilling relationships. 775.2782 or www.coda.org. • The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood donors due to an emergency shortage. To schedule an appointment or donate, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 800.RED.CROSS (800.733.2767). • The Jackson County Senior Center will offer a Caregiver Education Class at 10 a.m. on the third Monday of every month in the Board Room of the Department of Aging in Sylva. 586.5494.

• The International Essential Tremor Foundation support group meets at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the Jackson County Senior Center, Room 135, in Sylva. Learn coping skills and available products to help. Info: 736.3165 or teddyk1942@gmail.com.

• The Haywood County Dementia Caregivers' Support Group has change the location of its meetings. The group will meet at the Haywood Senior Resource Center (81 Elmwood Way, Waynesville). The meetings are scheduled from 4:30 PM until 6:00 PM on the fourth Tuesday. 926.0018.

• “Breastfeeding A-Z” class will be offered from 7-9 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Haywood Regional Medical Center in Waynesville. Focusing on techniques for proper latching and comfortable positions for a baby and mom to get

• Community First Aid and CPR classes are offered from 6-10 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at Haywood Community College in Clyde. Info: 564.5133 or HCC-CPRraining@haywood.edu.

• Yoga Nidra, a six-week series of guided meditation for the deepest relaxation, is set for 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Saturdays, through Nov. 16, at Sylva Yoga studio in downtown Sylva. Cost: $15 per class. Register on Facebook or www.sylvayoga.com.

• Nutrition counseling and diabetes education are offered through Macon County Public Health in Franklin. 349.2455.

• Warm Restorative Yoga + CBD Oil will be offered from 6:45-7:45 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $15. Info and registration: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Western Carolina University’s student-run, Mountain Area Pro Bono Physical Therapy Clinic will be open from 6-8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays of each month. 227.3527. • National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) holds a support group for family, friends, and those dealing with mental illness on the 1st Thursday of each month in the 2nd floor classroom at Haywood Regional Medical Center at 6:30 p.m. • HIV and syphilis testing will is offered during normal business hours at Jackson County Health Department. • A support group for anyone with MS, family & friends meets monthly at 6:45 p.m. on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at the conference room of Jackson Co. Library in Sylva. No Fee, sponsored by National MS Society. Local contact: Gordon Gaebel 828-293-2503. • “Laughing Balsam Sangha,” a meeting for Mindfullness in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, meets will meet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays at 318 Skyland Drive in Sylva. Included are sitting and walking meditation, and Dharma discussion. Free admission. 335.8210, and “Like” them on Facebook. • A “Walk With A Doc” program is scheduled for 10 a.m. each Saturday at the Lake Junaluska Kern Center or Canton Rec Park. myhaywoodregional.com/walkwithadoc.

• The Haywood County Health & Human Services Public Health Services Division is offering a Night Clinic from 4-6:30 p.m. on the third Monday of every month in Waynesville. Services include family planning, immunizations, pregnancy testing, STD testing and treatment. Appointments: 452.6675. • The Jackson County Department of Public Health will offer a general clinic from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 587.8225. • A Food Addicts Anonymous Twelve-Step fellowship group meets at 5:30 p.m. on Mondays at Grace Church in the Mountains in Waynesville. www.foodaddictsanonymous.org. • Big Brother/Big Sister, a one-evening preparation class for children who are about to greet a new baby into their family, is offered for children ages 3-10 at Haywood Regional Medical Center. 452.8440 or MyHaywoodRegional.com/ParentClasses.

• A support group meeting for those with Parkinsons Disease and their caregivers will be held at 2 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800. • A Tuesday Meditation Group meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Franklin.

RECREATION AND FITNESS • Sons of the American Legion will present a Turkey Shoot at 9 a.m. every Saturday from through April at 171 Legion Dr. in Waynesville. $2 per round; refreshments provided. Weather permitting. 456.8691.

• The Sacred Self: An evening of Breathwork will be offered from 6-7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $15. Info and registration: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com. • Creating Yoga Practices for Children will be offered from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $35 in advance or $40 day of. Info and registration: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com. • Sunrise Flow + Ground will be offered from 7-8:15 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 18, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $15. Info and registration: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com. • Yoga for Back Care will be offered from noon-1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $15. Info and registration: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com. • Rumba and line dance lessons will be offered this fall through the Waynesville Parks and Recreation Department. Rumba classes are from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Line dancing is offered from 2-3 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more info and date ranges, call 356.7060 or 550.3170.

SPIRITUAL • Registration is underway for an Interfaith Peace Conference that will be held Nov. 21-24 at Lake Junaluska. Theme is “The Arts of Peace” featuring an exploration of the arts of the Abrahamic faiths. Syrian violinist Mariela Shaker, Jonathan Homrighausen, Laurie Wohl and others will guide the conversations. Lakejunaluska.com/peace or 800.222.4930.

POLITICAL • Jackson County Commissioners will hold a special meeting at 2 p.m. on Nov. 7 in the Justice & Administration Building, 401 Grindstaff Cove Road, Room A201, in Sylva. Purpose is to discuss “Millennial Apartments Erosion Update” and for an executive session for Real Property G.S. 143-318.1(a)(5). • Joe Sam Queen will kick off his 2020 campaign for the N.C. House with an event from 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Balsam Fire Department, 36 Mt. Pleasant Church Road in Sylva. www.joesamqueen.com or 452.1688. Music by Cullowheezer. • Jackson County Commissioners will hold a Work Session at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Justice Center in Sylva. • Jackson County Commissioners will hold a special meeting at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the Justice Center in Sylva. • Jackson County Commissioners will hold a regular meeting at 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 25, at the Justice Center in Sylva. • Jackson County Planning Board: 6 p.m. on Nov. 21 in the Jackson County Public Library Community Room. 631.2261.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • Paige L. Christie will present the latest in her Legacies of Arnan series, book three, Long Light, at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. To reserve copies of any of The Legacies of Arnan series, please call City Lights Bookstore at 586.9499. • Jen Thomas will present her historical young adult novel, Our Hearts are the Same, at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. To reserve copies of Our Hearts are the Same, please call City Lights Bookstore at 586.9499. • Courtney Lix will share stories of the women featured in her book “No Place for the Weary Kind: Women of the Smokies” at 6 p.m. on Nov. 21, at Folkmoot, 112 Virginia Ave., in Waynesville. Part of the Southern Storytellers Series. Hear about women who possessed the tenacity and perseverance to survive in the remote Smokies of days past. Tickets: $18 in advance. Folkmoot.org or 452.2997.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • An “Extended Care Planning Educational Seminar” is set for 1-2 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Waynesville Library, 678 S. Haywood St., in Waynesville. Led by Tim Vannoy, CLU, ChFC, CFP; regional sales director for OneAmerica. Light lunch provided. Registration required: Kathleen.olsen@haywoodcountync.gov. • The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players to join games at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• The “Polar Express” will depart on select times through Dec. 31 from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot. www.gsmr.com. • Mother Goose On the Loose early childhood curriculum will be featured in a Reading Adventures Storytime program that’s offered at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Blends rhyming with movement, storytelling, simple songs, music and sensory play. 488.3030. • Waynesville Art School offers the Young Artist Program in the afternoons for 5-6 year old, 7-8 year old, 9-12 year old. Intro to Printmaking and Evening studies in arts is offered for 13-19 year old. Waynesville Art School is located at 303 N. Haywood Street. Info: 246.9869, info@waynesvilleartschool.com or visit WaynesvilleArtSchool.com for schedule and to register. • Mountain Wildlife offers wildlife education programs for schools and organizations in Western North Carolina, free of charge. If you are interested in having them visit your group contact them at blackbears66@gmail.com, 743.9648 or visit the website at www.mountainwildlifedays.com.

KIDS FILMS • “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil”, will be shown though Nov. 7 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or www.smokymountaincinema.com for times, pricing & tickets. Info. on Facebook or 246.0588. • The Highlands Biological Foundation will offer a series of nature-themed films and documentaries shown at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of March in Highlands. For info on each show, call 526.2221. • A family movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. every Friday at Hudson Library in Highlands. Info: www.fontanalib.org, www.readingpaws.org or 526.3031.

• Book Club is held at 2 p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800 • A Hand & Foot card game is held at 1 p.m. on Thursdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800. • Senior Sale Day is on the third Friday of every month at the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore. Patrons 60 and older get 20 percent off all purchases. Proceeds benefit the Sylva Library. • Pinochle game is played at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800. • Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800. • A Canasta card game is set for 1 p.m. on Mondays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800. • A Parkinson’s Support Group is held at 2 p.m. on the last Wednesday of each month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

KIDS & FAMILIES • STEAM Club will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 19, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Hands-on program to engage elementary and middle school students in the sciences, evolving technology and more. 488.3030, ext. 130. • A Knee-High Naturalists program will be offered to ages 3-5 from 10-11 a.m. on Fridays, through Nov. 22, at the Highlands Nature Center. Led by Paige Engelbrektsson, the nature center’s education special-

A&E SPECIAL EVENTS & FESTIVALS • To properly mark its 25th anniversary, In Your Ear Music Emporium will host a party at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at the store on Main Street in Sylva. Alongside live music, there will also be giveaways, food and drinks. An after-party will be held at the nearby Papermill Lounge. 586.6404. • A celebration of the craft and skill of the Southern Appalachians will be held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Cradle of Forestry in America near Brevard. Horseshoes, garden walk, banjo music, demonstration of blacksmithing, fiber arts and more. • The “Holiday Heritage Arts” festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at Southwestern Community College’s Bryson City campus. Shop from a large selection of handcrafted items including pottery, holiday decorations, knitted items, jewelry, and more. Kids crafts: ornament decoration, raku firing and printmaking demonstrations. Free admission. ncheritageartsfestival.wordpress.com/holiday.

Smoky Mountain News

• Mothers Connection, an ongoing social gathering for mothers and their babies, meets from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays excluding holidays at Haywood Regional Medical Center. 452.8440.

• Buti Yoga + Bubbles will be offered from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $15. Info and registration: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• Down Home Haywood holds its monthly community meetings at 2:30 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month at Canton Presbyterian Church. Tackling issues like healthcare, wages, housing and more. chelsea@downhomenc.org.

ist. Stories, walks and activities. Location is at 930 Horse Cove Road in Highlands. 526.2623.

November 6-12, 2019

• Adult Children of Alcoholics and Dysfunctional Families (ACA) meets at noon on Saturdays at the First United Methodist Church Outreach Center at 171 Main St. in Franklin. 407.758.6433 or adultchildren.org.

• Sunrise Flow + Ground will be offered from 7-8:15 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, at the Waynesville Yoga Center. Cost: $15. Info and registration: 246.6570 or WaynesvilleYogaCenter.com.

• The Jackson County NAACP meets at 10 a.m. on the third Saturday each month at Liberty Baptist Church in Sylva.

wnc calendar

• A support group for persons with Multiple Sclerosis as well as family, friends and caregivers meets at 6:45 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in the conference room of the Jackson county Public Library in Sylva. 293.2503.

FOOD & DRINK • A “Wines for the Holiday Table” event will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, at Bryson City

wnc calendar

Wine Market, 1161 Main Street in Bryson City. Discover the best wines to pair with your holiday meals. 538.0420. • A “Wehrloom Honey Mead Tasting Event” will be offered from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 14, at Bryson City Wine Market, 1161 Main Street in Bryson City. 538.0420 or bcwinemarket@gmail.com.

• Free cooking demonstrations will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Saturdays at Country Traditions in Dillsboro. Watch the demonstrations, eat samples and taste house wines for $3 a glass. All recipes posted online. www.countrytraditionsnc.com.

• “Yoga and Mimosa’s” will be offered from 9:3010:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Bryson City Wine Market, 1161 Main Street in Bryson City. Sip and stretch. 538.0420 or bcwinemarket@gmail.com.

• A game day will occur from 2-9 p.m. every third Saturday of the month at Papou’s Wine Shop & Bar in Sylva. Bring dice, cards or board games. 586.6300.

• “Cheers to Bubbles” is from 6-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, at Bryson City Wine Market, 1161 Main Street in Bryson City. 538.0420. Explore the many styles and tastes of sparkling wines. RSVP to bcwinemarket@gmail.com and save $5. Classes are $30 per person at the door. Finger foods provided by McKinley Edwards Inn.

• A wine tasting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville. Free with dinner ($15 minimum). 452.6000.

• The “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec 31 at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first-class car. Wine pairings with a meal and more. 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com. • 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 preminting. 452.0120 or www.waynesvillewine.com. • Bryson City Wine Market offers flights from 4-7 p.m. on Fridays and from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays. Flight of four wines for $5. • Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville will host five for $5 Wine Tasting from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Come taste five magnificent wines and dine on Chef Bryan’s gourmet cuisine. 452.0120 or www.waynesvillewine.com.

November 6-12, 2019

• Secret Wine Bar is hosted by Bosu’s in Waynesville on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Contact for more information and make reservations. 452.1020. • A free wine tasting will be held from 1-5 p.m. on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Bosu Wine Shop in Waynesville. 452.0120 or www.waynesvillewine.com. Bosu’s will host a Cocktails & Lunch on Saturday’s. Serving house-made champagne cocktails from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. www.waynesvillewine.com • A free wine tasting will be held from 2-5 p.m. on Saturdays at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. www.papouswineshop.com or 631.3075. • “Brown Bag at the Depot” – an opportunity to gather with neighbors – is at noon every Friday at Sylva’s newest park at the corner of Spring and Mill Street along Railroad Ave. For info, contact Paige Dowling at townmanager@townofsylva.org.

newsdesk crafts

Smoky Mountain News

• Graceann’s Amazing Breakfast is 8-10 a.m. every Tuesday in the Sapphire Room at the Sapphire Valley

Community Center. $8.50 for adults; $5 for children. Includes coffee and orange juice. 743.7663.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • Western Carolina University's First Thursday OldTime and Bluegrass Series will feature the Pressley Girls, who will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, at HomeBase located on 82 Central Drive in Cullowhee. 227.7129 or mhc.wcu.edu. For more on the Pressley Girls, www.thepressleygirls.com. • “Urinetown: The Musical,” a story of citizens joining together to fight for the cause that unites them, will be staged Nov. 7-10, by the students and faculty of Western Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen.Shows are set for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7-9, and at 3 p.m. Nov. 10 in WCU’s Hoey Auditorium. The show is not recommended for children younger than 10. Tickets are $20 for adults; $15 for seniors 65 and up, and WCU faculty and staff; and $10 for students. More information and ticket purchases are available at arts.wcu.edu/urinetown or 227.ARTS • Overlook Theatre Company, a production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame: The Musical” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8-9 and 15-16 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Tickets are $17 for adults, $12 for students. 866.273.4615 or www.greatmountainmusic.com. • The Highlands Performing Arts Center will screen live via satellite the MET Opera’s production of Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” at 12:55 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. There will be a pre-opera discussion beginning at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are available online at www.highlandspac.org or at the door. • Tickets are available now for a performance of “A Christmas Carol,” which will be on stage at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, in the University Center Theater at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Tickets: $5 for WCU students, $10 for non-WCU students and WCU faculty and staff and $15 for general admission. Available at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 227.2479. • Tickets are available now for Holidays at the University Center, which will be held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 4-5, in the University Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Tickets: $5 for WCU students, $10 for non-WCU stu-

dents and WCU faculty and staff and $15 for general admission. Available at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 227.2479. • Tickets are on sale now for the Balsam Range Art of Music Festival, which is Dec. 6-8 at Lake Junaluska. The award-winning bluegrass group will perform alongside other top bluegrass and acoustic musicians. Lakejunaluska.com/balsamrange or 800.222.4930. • Tickets are on sale now for the second session of the Mountain Memories Performance Series: “A Mountain Christmas,” set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, at Queen Auditorium at Folkmoot in Waynesville. Storytelling, music and dance. Tickets: $20; available at Folkmoot.org. • Tickets are available now for a performance by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, which is set for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13, in the University Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Tickets: $5 for WCU students, $10 for non-WCU students and WCU faculty and staff and $15 for general admission. Available at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu or 227.2479.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • The “Fused Glass Christmas Ornament” workshops will be held Nov. 6-9 at 247 Sunnyside Road in Waynesville. Hosted by the Haywood County Arts Council, instructor will be Gayle Haynie, with the class held at her studio. Cost is $50 for HCAC members, $55 for non-members. To register, call Haynie at 706.273.4629 or email gayle@glassbygayle.com. • Nationalism will be the focus of the next Global Spotlight Series event, set for 4 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, at Western Carolina University’s Forsyth Building, Room 101. Info: 227.3860 or jsschiff@wcu.edu. • Travel Painting Studies will be offered from 10 a.m.12:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 at the Haywood County Arts Council Gallery and Gifts, 86 N. Main St., in Waynesville. Cost: $35 for members; $40 for nonmembers. Sketching and painting techniques. All levels welcome. 452.0593. • Curtis Blanton will present “A History of Shaped Note Singing and the Shaping of Church Music in Appalachia” at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 7 at the meeting of the Swain County Genealogical and Historical Society, which is held at the Swain County Regional Business Education and Training Center, 45 E. Ridge Dr., in Bryson City. • The Brasstown Woodturners Guild will meet at 9:30 a.m. Saturday Nov. 9, at the Hayesville High School. Drive around the back of the school to the wood shop where the meeting will be held. Visitors are always welcome. The club usually meets in Hayesville the first Saturday of every month. The guest presenter for November will be Steve Cook. He will be demonstrating how he embellishes wood turnings. There is a $10 fee at the door. If there are any questions, please contact John Van Camp at 706.896.9428 or Don Marks at 828.524.6282.

• Phil Greenwalt will speak on the Battle of Fredericksburg at the meeting of the Western North Carolina Civil War Roundtable, which is Nov. 11 at the Waynesville Inn Golf Resort and Spa. Meet and greet dinner at 5 p.m.; social at 6:30 p.m.; presentation at 7 p.m. wnccwrt.blogspot.com. • Tickets are on sale now for the opening of the Mountain Memories Performance Series, which kicks off with “A Hazelwood Gathering” at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, at Folkmoot in Waynesville. A focus on the history of the town and historic Hazelwood School. Presentation by local historian Alex McKay, heavy hors d’oeuvres. Storytelling, music and dance. Tickets: $20; available at Folkmoot.org. • Reservations are being accepted for the annual Master Gardener Wreath-Making Event, which is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Cooperative Extension Office, 589 Raccoon Road, Suite 118, in Waynesville. Sessions are from 9:30 a.m.-noon and 13:30 p.m. Cost: $25 for one 16-inch wreath (materials included). Additional wreaths are $20 each. To reserve your spot, send a $25 check to Extension-Wreath Workshop, 589 Raccoon Road, Suite 118, Waynesville, NC 28786. Questions: mgarticles@charter.net or 456.3575.

ART SHOWINGS AND GALLERIES • “Travel Painting Studies” by Haidee Wilson will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville. Cost is $35 for HCAC members, $40 for non-members. 452.0593. • The next SADC pop-up gallery, titled “The Blending of Tradition and Modernity in Culture Groups,” will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at Viva Arts Studio in Sylva. The exhibition will feature artists of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, who offer perspectives on the blending of tradition, culture and modernity from a wide variety of contexts and experiences. • The Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center is pleased to present, “Resounding Change: Sonic Art and the Environment.” This exhibition will be on display through Dec. 6. • Cherokee Indian Hospital is issuing a “Call to Artists” for the new Analenisgi Inpatient Unit. The mission is to create community pride and ownership using a variety of culturally significant, healing art mediums. Enrolled EBCI members will be given preference. Mediums can include, but are not limited to, paintings (oil, acrylic, pastels, watercolor) photography, fiber arts, metal, mixed media and sculpture. Please email legendweaverstudios@gmail.com if you want the formal “Call to Artists” application and information. • The Haywood County Arts Council annual show, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will be held through Jan. 4 in

Puzzles can be found on page 45 These are only the answers. 1.

4. #3 - free flier

HCAC Gallery & Gifts in Waynesville. The 2019 exhibit will feature 60 artists and almost 240 individual works of art for sale.

• Applications are being accepted for artists who want their work included in monthly gallery exhibits or retail spaces through the Haywood County Arts Council. HaywoodArts.org or GalleryGifts@HaywoodArts.org. • The Museum of the Cherokee Indian has recently opened a major new exhibit, “People of the Clay: Contemporary Cherokee Potters.” It features more than 60 potters from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and Cherokee Nation, and more than one hundred works from 1900 to the present. The exhibit will run through April 2020. • New artist and medium will be featured every month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

FILM & SCREEN • “Dispatches from the Gulf 3: Has the Gulf of Mexico Recovered from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill” – a new documentary narrated by Matt Damon – will be shown at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7, in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room in Franklin. 524.3600. • “Zombieland: Double Tap”, is showing through Nov. 7 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or http://smokymountaincinema.com/ for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info. on Facebook or 246.0588. • “Terminator: Dark Fate”, is showing through Nov. 14 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit fandango.com or http://smokymountaincinema.com/ for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info. on Facebook or 246.0588.

• “Last Christmas”, is showing through Nov. 7-14 at Smoky Mountain Cinema in Waynesville Plaza. Visit www.fandango.com or http://smokymountaincinema.com/ for showtimes, pricing & tickets. Info. on Facebook or 246.0588. • “Doctor Sleep”, is showing at The Strand on Main from Nov. 8 – Nov. 21 in Waynesville. 38main.com. • The Second Tuesday Movie Group meets at 2 p.m. in the Waynesville Library Auditorium. For info, including movie title: 452.5169.

• The Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host a stargazing event at 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, at the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center. Led by the Astronomy Club of Asheville. Reservations: https://tinyurl.com/y3o3cpuk. • The Cataloochee Chapter of Trout Unlimited will hold its last trout stocking event of the fall season at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, on the West Fork of the Pigeon River. Bring a five-gallon bucket and waders. Meet at the parking lot past Lake Logan and before Sunburst Campground off N.C. 215. Tucataloochee427@gmail.com. • A celebration of life for Aurelia Turpin Kennedy, cofounder of the Nantahala Outdoor Center, will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, at NOC near Bryson City. RSVP: www.aureliakennedy.app.rsvpify.com. Donations in her memory accepted at nccf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate or N.C. Community Foundation, 3737 Glenwood Ave., Suite 460, Raleigh, NC 27612. • RSVPs are being accepted for the Haywood Waterways Association annual membership meeting, which is set for 6-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at Lambuth Inn, 55 Lambuth Dr., in Lake Junaluska. Holiday buffet dinner is $15 per person, collected at the door. RSVP deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 26: Christine.haywoodwaterways@gmail.com or 476.4667.

FARM AND GARDEN • Garden workdays are held from 3 p.m. until dusk every Wednesday at Cullowhee Community Garden, 65 S. Painter Road. Weeding, mulching, general garden maintenance. 587.8212. • The Haywood County Plant Clinic is open every business day at the Haywood County Extension Center on Raccoon Road in Waynesville. Master Gardeners are available to answer questions about lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and more. Info: 456.3575. • Local farmers can stop by the Cooperative Extension Office on Acquoni Road from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every fourth Friday to learn about USDA Farm Service Agency programs in the 2014 Farm Bill. Info: 488.2684, ext. 2 (Wednesday through Friday) or 524.3175, ext. 2 (Monday through Wednesday). • The Macon County Poultry Club of Franklin meets at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the Cooperative Extension Office on Thomas Heights Rd, Open to the public. 369.3916.

HIKING CLUBS • The Nantahala Hiking Club will have its general meeting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 8 in the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

• A guided excursion of the Waynesville Watershed is set to start at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 6, at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Fee: $8. Sign up: 456.2030 or tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov. • Opportunities to enjoy the fall colors while keeping trails maintained will be offered in work days from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Rattle Snake Knob Trailhead and Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Salt Rock Gap Trailhead. RSVP: friends@panthertown.org or 269.4453.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

HCC-ADVISING@HAYWOOD.EDU HAYWOOD.EDU 828.565.4125

WOMEN IN BUSINESS WOMEN IN BUSINESS LUNCHEON

Dr. Barbara Parker

Haywood Community College President

Tuesday, November 19

11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. Wells Event & Reception Center 33 Wells Events Way, Waynesville Parker is a native of Haywood County and a product of Haywood County Schools. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education K-12 from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Parker earned a Master of Arts in Special Education, a Master of Arts in School Administration, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Carolina University.

Smoky Mountain News | November 6, 2019

A weekly newspaper covering Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina.

Smoky Mountain News | November 6, 2019

Published on Nov 6, 2019

A weekly newspaper covering Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina.

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