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

December 21-27, 2016 Vol. 18 Iss. 30

Road project could impact Walnut Street charm Page 5 New law stops TVA’s ban of Fontana houseboats Page 17

CONTENTS

STAFF

On the Cover: Businesses, nonprofits, service organizations, churches and individuals all across the region are stepping up to make Christmas brighter for the less fortunate. The Smoky Mountain News provides a snapshot of some of the selfless acts occurring around Western North Carolina. (Page 6) Haywood County Sheriff’s deputies received a large anonymous donation of toys for the department’s Cops and Kids Christmas gift program. Donated photo

News Park works to assess post-fire situation ......................................................................3 Controversial sanitary district policy suspended ......................................................4 Russ Avenue project could impact Walnut Street charm ......................................5 Franklin Chamber to purchase new building ............................................................11 Jackson schools hope to land 0 percent loan ........................................................12 Lead prompts permanent monitoring at SCC ........................................................14 Raleigh Round up ............................................................................................................14 Waynesville police win SWAT competition ..............................................................16 New law stops TVA’s ban of Fontana houseboats ................................................17

Opinion WOW wraps up fifth year of giving back to community........................................21

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Scott McLeod. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . info@smokymountainnews.com Greg Boothroyd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . greg@smokymountainnews.com Micah McClure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . micah@smokymountainnews.com Travis Bumgardner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . travis@smokymountainnews.com Emily Moss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . emily@smokymountainnews.com Whitney Burton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . whitney@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Bradley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jc-ads@smokymountainnews.com Hylah Birenbaum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . hylah@smliv.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jessi Stone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jessi@smokymountainnews.com Becky Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . becky@smokymountainnews.com Cory Vaillancourt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . cory@smokymountainnews.com Holly Kays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holly@smokymountainnews.com Garret K. Woodward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . garret@smokymountainnews.com Amanda Singletary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com Scott Collier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . classads@smokymountainnews.com Jeff Minick (writing), Chris Cox (writing), George Ellison (writing), Gary Carden (writing), Don Hendershot (writing), Susanna Barbee (writing).

CONTACT WAYNESVILLE | 144 Montgomery, Waynesville, NC 28786 P: 828.452.4251 | F: 828.452.3585 SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779 828.631.4829 | F: 828.631.0789

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INFO & BILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786

A&E A Conversation with Ron Gallo ....................................................................................24

Outdoors

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Global village rallies for rescue in Nepal ....................................................................34

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December 21-27, 2016

Welcome to the first day of winter ................................................................................47

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Park works to assess post-fire situation T

Trail, Twin Creeks Trail, Bull Head Trail, Rainbow Falls Trail, Trillium Gap Trail, Baskins Creek Trail, Grapeyard Ridge Trail from Campsite 32 to Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, Noah Bud Ogle Nature Trail, Cove Hardwood Nature Trail and Sugarlands Horse Concessions Trails.

The conditions of individual trails have not yet been assessed, but some of the harderhit ones — Chimney Tops, Bull Head and Sugarland Mountain — could be closed for quite some time.

“Anything in the Roaring Forks area is still closed right now, and to be honest with you we don’t know when it will open,” Ranger Brad Free said in a video posted on the park’s Facebook page. “A lot of this won’t happen until the first of the year. When you get ready to make your plans for spring break, contact us and we’ll probably have a lot of these trails open by that time.”

The park is the last entity in Western North Carolina to maintain a fire ban following the drought and subsequent fire season.

However, Free said, trails on the North Carolina side of the park, as well as in the Cosby and Greenbrier areas, are open and untouched by fire.

• No park structures were damaged by flames, though some guardrails did need to be replaced and high winds caused a tree to fall on a bathroom facility in the Elkmont area, Soehn said.

In some instances, that positive outcome proved hard to believe. For example, Free said, it’s extraordinary that the Noah Bud Ogle cabin near Gatlinburg survived.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “The fire burned all around this 100-year-old structure, didn’t even touch it.”

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER Cherokee firefighter has pled guilty to federal charges for intentionally starting seven wildfires on the Qualla Boundary between 2010 and 2014, which cost the Bureau of Indian Affairs a total of $106,700 to extinguish.

Raymond Swayney, who was a firefighter for the BIA, set the fires so that he could get paid for helping to put them out, according to court documents. He did not act alone, court documents say, but Swayney is the only person named in the case.

“Swayney and others set fires in the wildland areas of the EBCI reservation with the hope that they and others would

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• Some animals perished in the fire, but the fire is not expected to have an impact on overall populations.

“A lot of these animals are smart. When the fire was coming in, they moved out to safer ground, for sure,” Free said. “The neatest thing about all this is they’re coming back.

A lot of the turkeys, bears, squirrels are coming back and looking for food after this fire. It wasn’t a really hot fire in the valleys so the food is there for them.”

There has been an increase in bear activity in the Wears Valley, Cades Cove and Greenbrier areas, he said, likely a result of displaced bears foraging in these unburned areas.

One Facebook user asked whether the famous synchronous fireflies of Elkmont would face any fire-related adversity, to which the park responded that, “The fires did not burn through the Elkmont area. The firefly

be called in to fight the fires and thus be compensated by funds from the BIA,” reads a bill of information filed in court.

According to court documents, Swayney pled to “conspiracy to commit offense to defraud the United States – timber set afire.” The original charges, before the plea, had included a charge of “explosives used in commission of felony.” That charge was dismissed following the plea.

The fires Swayney pled guilty to starting include: • Creek Fire, which started on March 5, 2010, burned 2 acres and cost $5,800 to extinguish.

• Boar Fire, which started March 10, 2010, burned 2 acres and cost $1,200 to extinguish.

• Possum Fire, which started May 21, 2011, burned 142 acres and cost $20,400 to extinguish.

• Soco Fire, which started Nov. 21, 2012, burned 144 acres and cost $29,000 to extinguish.

• Drama Fire, which started April 6, 2013, burned 7.8 acres and cost $15,500 to extinguish.

larva (sic) are safely overwintering beneath the soil.”

• The public can help the park figure out how the fire might have impacted plant and animal distributions using the iNaturalist app. The app allows users to record sightings and observations, which scientists can then use in their research.

• Despite the recent rains, a fire ban is still in place in the Smokies. No campfires, grills, wood fires or charcoal fires may be used anywhere in the park, including in established frontcountry campsites. However, gas camp stoves are allowed at designated park campsites.

The park is the last entity in Western North Carolina to maintain a fire ban following the drought and subsequent fire season. Burn bans have been lifted in the Pisgah and Nantahala national forests, the Blue Ridge Parkway, N.C. State Parks and individual counties.

• Kituwah Fire, which started Feb. 25, 2014, burned 120 acres and cost $13,000 to extinguish.

The charges do not pertain to the wildfires that ripped through Western North Carolina this fall. Swayney was originally indicted for the charges he eventually pled guilty to in May, long before the 2016 wildfire season began.

Swayney was released on bond in June, but Judge Dennis Howell issued an Aug. 31 order that Swayney be detained “pending further proceedings” after finding that Swayney had violated the conditions of his release by making threatening statements to witnesses in the case.

Therefore, Swayney was incarcerated during the 2016 wildfire season that included 15 fires burning 756 acres on the Qualla Boundary. Two Cherokee men have been arrested on charges of starting at least some of those 15 fires.

Anderson Wildcat, Jr., 27, faces one charge of second-degree arson and Craigan Stan Wildcat, 35, faces nine charges of second-degree arson. They have not yet entered a plea but have a court date scheduled for Dec. 21.

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Smoky Mountain News

Firefighter pleas guilty to arson in Cherokee

In a matter of hours, strong winds swept the fire from the Chimney Tops down into Gatlinburg, leaving a trail of devastation that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is now working to assess. NPS map

December 21-27, 2016

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER he smoke has cleared from the Chimney Tops 2 Fire, which escaped the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Nov. 28 to cover more than 17,000 acres and result in 14 deaths, but park officials are just beginning the daunting task of dealing with the aftermath.

While only about 2 percent of the 816square-mile park was affected by the flames, the windstorm that fanned the fire to such devastating strength covered the entire park, resulting in downed trees and safety concerns throughout. The main road through the park, U.S. 441, was closed from Nov. 28 through Dec. 9, and even when the park reopened 20 trails stayed closed.

Inspecting miles and miles of backcountry trail in the wintertime is no easy task, and complete information as to the status of affected trails is not yet available.

Assessments are also continuing as to how the fires could impact populations of fish, wildlife and plants.

Here’s what officials do know: • The mass of firefighters that initially responded to the blaze have gone, with the U.S. Forest Service’s Southern Area Red Team transferring management to the park on Thursday, Dec. 15. According to park spokeswoman Dana Soehn, there are still some smoldering, smoking spots within the fire perimeter, but the area is almost completely contained. High winds swept through the area once more on Saturday, Dec. 17, but recent rains had wet the area enough to prevent the gusts from resurrecting the fire.

• The park reopened four previously closed trails on Dec. 16 — Huskey Gap Trail, Sugarland Valley Nature Trail, Gatlinburg Trail and quiet walkways along Newfound Gap Road between the Sugarlands Visitor Center and Newfound Gap. However, as of press time 14 more trails were still closed due to fire or storm damage: Chimney Tops Trail, Road Prong Trail, Cove Mountain Trail, Sugarland Mountain Trail between Mt. Collins Shelter and Little River Road, Rough Creek Trail, Old Sugarlands

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Walnut Street charm could be casualty of Russ Avenue widening

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER lthough many property owners and residents have lauded what they call a “much needed” widening project on Waynesville’s most heavily travelled artery, they’ve universally decried the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s plans for Russ Avenue as detrimental to one of the town’s most aesthetically significant corridors.

Walnut Street runs north from North Main Street to the foot of Russ Avenue before snaking eastward, where it rejoins North Main. Along the way, it plays host to historic homes, huge trees and brick walls that confer upon the area a unique character not found in other quarters of town.

“In as much as Waynesville has a historic neighborhood, Walnut Street is it,” said Charles McDarris, owner of two Walnut Street properties.

McDarris, along with two dozen other concerned citizens, attended a meeting of the Waynesville Board of Aldermen Dec. 13 to voice their concerns about the project, which has generated substantial discord. At issue is the potential for Walnut Street widening that would result in dramatic changes to the neighborhood.

Waynesville Mayor Gavin Brown said that he and other aldermen had received numerous complaints about NCDOT’s plan, which prompted him to take the unusual step of altering the meeting’s agenda beforehand, allowing for about an hour’s worth of unofficial public comments intended to help the town board take a formal position on the project.

McDarris also appeared at the Dec. 7 meeting of the Town of Waynesville’s Historic Preservation Commission. His two properties — referred to as the Stringfield residences at 28 and 52 Walnut Street — have been refurbished and contain many of the original interior and exterior features that make them distinctive today.

Smoky Mountain News

December 21-27, 2016

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Water under the bridge?

Controversial sanitary district policy suspended

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER n unpopular policy put forth by the Junaluska Sanitary District requiring landlords to co-sign for their new tenants’ water service has been suspended after tensions between property owners and elected officials reached a boiling point.

Landlords had much to complain about at 4 the Dec. 15 sanitary district board meeting

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and made allegations of illegality, mismanagement and obfuscation regarding the policy and the way it was passed without public input.

Sanitary district officials denied all three allegations and stressed that they were glad to receive input from the public on the policy.

The policy, which would allow the district to hold landlords responsible for the unpaid balances of their tenants and prevent water service from being restored until such balances were paid, was implemented to keep the water district from losing money. JSD General Manager Josh Nickol said the district had lost more than $16,000 over the past two

There are a few ways citizens can still voice their opinions on the Russ Avenue widening project.

• Public comment will be accepted by NCDOT through Jan. 13; call 828.631.1146 or email Wanda Austin at whaustin@ncdot.gov.

• The Town of Waynesville’s regularly scheduled board meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 16 S. Main St. • The Town of Waynesville’s Historic Preservation Commission will meet at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, also at 16 S. Main St.

The project has been in the works since at least 2006. Waynesville’s four-year study of possible improvements for Russ Avenue was finished in 2010 and resulted in recommendations meant to alleviate traffic and make allowances for future growth on Russ from the railroad bridge near O’Reilly Auto Parts on up to the Great Smoky Mountains Expressway interchange.

However, when NCDOT officials presented its plan to Waynesville Development Services Director Elizabeth Teague, she found that a portion of Walnut Street had been included in the proposal, despite what Teague said was “specific” instruction against such inclusion.

“It’s been on our radar screen since 2008

or 2009,” Brown said. “The area we are discussing tonight [Walnut Street] is very new, and has not even been discussed by this board. It’ frustrates me like it does you that maybe DOT and their consultants just got ahead of themselves.”

Brown stressed that while the town wouldn’t be the deciding authority on what sort of work — if any — is done on Walnut Street, he said the town could be “influential” in the decisionmaking process, imploring homeowners to contact NCDOT with their opinions.

“What we’re going to do is, we do have a meeting on the 10th [of January] and comment has to be in by the 13th. I’m going to ask for the board’s consent that we fully look at this issue from the town’s perspective.”

He said the town would take a stance consistent with the town’s land design standards, pedestrian plan and the coments of the community at the Jan 10. meeting.

The Historic Preservation Commission also appears poised to take a stand on the issue; the commission’s meeting agenda for its Jan. 4 meeting lists one business item as “discussion of a resolution to NCDOT regarding concerns about the inclusion of a portion of the Spread out Historic District in the Russ Avenue Historic plan.”

Given that commission chair Sandra Owens told the town aldermen that the commission was “definitely not in favor” of the Walnut Street section of the project, it’s likely the commission will take the same position as the town.

years due to unpaid water bills above and beyond the security deposits it collects from customers.

The board passed the measure Oct. 31, but landlords said they weren’t notified until late November, if at all. Landlords were further incensed that they hadn’t known about the proposal before it was passed and weren’t given an opportunity to address it.

Nickol said that the board had been working on the proposal for six months in regularly scheduled board meetings, which are open to the public but sparsely attended.

“Should we come to every single meeting, just to protect ourselves?” said Dr. George Freeman, whose wife owns two rental properties in the district. Freeman was among more 10 in attendance at the meeting in the

cramped district office — all of whom opposed the proposal.

Nickol said that the objective of the proposal wasn’t to go after landlords, but that lost revenue affects everyone in the district.

Homeowners at the meeting wanted to know how tenants could rack up delinquent balances above the $200 security deposit when average monthly water bills are usually well under $100, and also stated that they didn’t have the debt collection measures available to the district.

One property manager in particular, Michele Rogers, co-owner of Select Homes, even said she thought it was coercive to force homeowners to enter in to what is essentially a contract, against their will.

Conversely, she also opined that

Maps of the proposed NCDOT Russ Avenue widening project on display prior to a recent Waynesville Board of Aldermen meeting. Cory Vaillancourt photo He told the commission that he’d received a letter from NCDOT that informed him a “significant potion” of the front yard of his buildings would fall victim to a new lane of traffic, a bike lane, and new sidewalks taking with them a 120 year-old maple tree and a 100 year-old brick wall.

Many of the structures in the area date to the 1920s, with several significantly older.

When commission member Alex McKay addressed the town aldermen, he said the list of names of original homeowners reads like a “who’s who” of town history.

“Seventeen houses are on this affected area of Walnut Street, and 16 of those are contributing factors to the historic district,” McKay said.

Speak out

— the sanitary district’s attorney — Rogers asked why the district didn’t simply charge a varying deposit based on individual applicants’ credit score, like the power company does. Smith said it was against the law and when Rogers asked which law, Smith shot back with, “I’m not here to be queried.”

Rogers said she had previously contacted N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper’s office about the policy but a representative told her that the AG couldn’t get involved in the matter, and suggested she reach out to a local attorney.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Find Peace on Earth

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even well qualified customers who didn’t necessarily need a co-signer would be turned away if landlords wouldn’t sign.

Rogers manages more than 300 rental properties in Haywood County, 71 of which get water service from the Junaluska district.

Worried that the policy would instead encourage tenants to skip out on paying the final months of their bill, she’s been one of the most visible and vigorous opponents to the policy, which she said would affect both the tenants and the owners of the properties she manages.

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The Care and Treatment of Cattle Based on a visit to Brasstown Beef (supplier for Ingles Markets) For entire post: http://inglesinfoaisle.com/dirty-boots-and-the-basics-of-beef

Customer notices posted to a corkboard in the Junaluska Sanitary District office Dec. 15.

Cory Vaillancourt photo

Note: USDA regulations require that if animals are given antibiotics there must be a withdrawal period www.foodinsight.org/Fact_Sheet_FDA_s_Approval_Process_for_Food_Animal_Antibiotics before that animal can enter the food supply. This is an established amount of time that it takes for an antibiotic to clear the animal’s system. Each antibiotic has a specified withdrawal period which must be observed to ensure safe food supplies.

Tim also explained that the cattle are given vaccines to protect them from diseases.

It could devastate a farm or ranch if disease spread through a herd and made animals sick or caused their death. ”You would protect your child or your pets from diseases with vaccines, right? ”

Smoky Mountain News

“I understand that the meetings are open to the public, but what they should have done is invited landlords and property owners to give input before passing the policy,” Rogers said. “Had they done that, people would not have been so upset. I mean, especially when you pass something that affects people’s finances.”

In one heated exchange with Burt Smith

But that may no longer be necessary — at least for now.

Near the end of the Dec. 15 meeting, the board suspended the co-signing portion of the policy. The district will still charge a $200 deposit — the highest in the county, said Rogers — for new service, and will now cut off service after 30 days of delinquency.

“I’m grateful they gave us the opportunity to speak, but this would have been better beforehand,” Rogers said. “Some board members were open to hearing our concerns, but I feel like some, including their attorney, were very frustrated.”

Rogers said that when talking to Nickol about the suspension of the policy, he stressed that it was a “temporary” move, meaning property owners and sanitary district officials will have to find some way to protect the district from loss without burdening property owners in the process.

The district intends to bring the policy up again for discussion at what could be a contentious meeting Jan. 19.

“I made a big deal out of this not to make a big deal out of it, but to protect my clients, who are the homeowners,” Rogers said.

December 21-27, 2016

Junaluska Sanitary District General Manager Josh Nickol said the district had lost more than $16,000 over the past two years due to unpaid water bills above and beyond the security deposits it collects from customers.

Tim Dietz, Ridgefield Farm's Ranch Manager and Steve Whitmire, owner of Brasstown Beef, are both proud of the fact that Ridgefield Farm is GAP 4 (Global Animal Partnership www.globalanimalpartnership.org) and BQA (Beef Quality Assurance www.bqa.org) certified.

These certifications address the humane treatment of animals. Since Brasstown Beef clearly advertises their beef has “no antibiotics”, I asked Ridgefield’s ranch manager Tim Dietz what would happen if one of the “feeder” steers got sick and needed antibiotics. “If an animal is sick they would be separated from the herd and identified with a special ear tag so it doesn’t spread to the others. It’s so important to us to have an on-call vet who can help us address these things quickly. If the animal ends up needing antibiotics, then they get that care but then we sell them at auction and they don’t remain on the farm. Our priority is to have healthy cattle and a healthy herd and to try and prevent illness.”

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Christmas giving in WNC

Smoky Mountain News

December 21-27, 2016

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hristmas is a time of year when communities band together to help others in need, and there’s definitely no shortage of the giving spirit in Western North Carolina. Businesses, nonprofits, service organizations, churches and individuals all across the region take on projects to spread holiday cheer whether it’s feeding the hungry, clothing the poor, providing toys for children or offering companionship for the elderly. While it would be impossible to highlight every example of Christmas giving in our fourcounty coverage area, here is a snapshot of selfless acts happening around us.

Filling the table

deputies at the Jackson County Sheriff ’s Department.

Derico has had some eye-opening encounters during her years on the delivery route.

“I met this one man that was just sitting on his couch,” Derico recalled.

“He had no TV, no radio, nothing — he was just sitting there. It’s heartbreaking to realize what we truly do have.”

For some people, the Christmas Day visits prove life-changing.

“We are a churchbased group, but we don’t use it as a time to push our religion,” Derico said.

“We have had people come to ask questions, become part of our faith and we even had people who have not committed suicide because we came to see them.”

They’ve made friends, too. Derico thinks of one older lady, in particular, who she and her cousin Volunteers at Webster Baptist Church enjoy the fruits of their labor after delivering Christmas meals met while delivering a to homes throughout the area. Donated photo meal to her home in the Scotts Creek area.

“We continue going back and seeing her throughout the year,” Derico said. “She and my cousin visit and call each other all the time.”

Volunteers are welcome to help pack When she was an 11-year-old being pulled and deliver meals on Christmas Day. Each away from her new Christmas toys, Derico route typically takes about three hours to didn’t understand the importance of these

BY HOLLY KAYS complete. personal connections the way she does now.

STAFF WRITER To help out, contact coordinator Caitlin But before long, she came to believe that aitlin Derico was 11 years old when her Derico at 828.506.2297. there could be no truer way to act out the family’s Christmas tradition shifted www.websterbaptist.net. meaning of Christmas. from stockings to service.

“It’s a time where you’re with your family.

That Christmas, Caitlin’s father Ken Derico announced, the family would spend the day turkey, ham, stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn, It’s a warm time, but most of all it’s a time of delivering Christmas meals they’d prepared to green beans and a roll. Plus, dog biscuits for giving,” she said. “Even though we live in this people in the community. The concept was the canines. For the last five years, inspired by Caitlin’s recently deceased grand- the ministry has also included “This is what being a Christian is parents, who were known for their love of stockings for people in the nursabout. It’s not about going, ‘Look cooking and feeding people. Ken thought this ing homes who don’t have families. The gifts include a variety of would be a fitting way to honor them. at me, look what I did,’ or any of hygiene and snack items such as At 11, Caitlin wasn’t so sure. that stuff. It’s about just loving on “I was not excited about giving up my deodorant, soap, mixed nuts and oranges.

Christmas,” she recalled. our neighbors and being a part of The church spends about a Fast forward 11 more years, and Caitlin, 22, is now coordinating what’s grown to be a month and a half to plan, adversomething bigger than ourselves.” hefty ministry run by Webster Baptist tise and fundraise for the project, — Caitlin Derico Church in Jackson County, which the Derico with the edibles coming through family attends. It’s the 11th year of the min- a combination of monetary and istry and Derico’s first year as coordinator, a food donations. Then, about 50 volunteers day and age where most people get Macs and must join forces to prepare and deliver the iPhone 7s, giving your time to someone role her father passed on to her.

“Right now we have one full freezer chest meals. Each delivery route takes about three means a lot more.”

Derico is married now, with a 2-year-old full of just turkey, and it overgrows the whole hours to complete and typically includes six daughter who will grow up with the church,” Derico said. “We’ve been very thank- to seven houses.

“We try to keep them (routes) small so their Christmas Day meal route as a consistent part ful that someone donated a larger smoker grill to us, but before that we used to take the food stays warm and so we’re able to spend of her life. She can think of no better way to teach her daughter — or the community at big square white oven cookers and we used to more time with them,” Derico explained.

She believes that time spent is, in many large — what it means to be a disciple of the put them all over the church. We had to space cases, an even bigger gift than the food itself. one after whom Christmas is named. them out so we didn’t blow circuits.”

“This is what being a Christian is about,” Year one produced 30 meals, cooked and The delivery routes capture homes served by delivered throughout the Sylva area, but Meals on Wheels, shut-in individuals and Derico said. “It’s not about going, ‘Look at these days the count sits at about 350, with assisted living centers — people who often me, look what I did,’ or any of that stuff. It’s each meal cooked, packed in to-go boxes, and don’t have anyone to be with on Christmas. about just loving on our neighbors and being delivered while still warm. This year’s menu is The church also sets up a buffet for on-duty a part of something bigger than ourselves.”

Church delivers meals and companionship on Christmas Day

Lend a hand

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BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER It’s bittersweet.

“I really would hope that this program would expire,” said Tom Knapko. “But, that hasn’t been the case with increasing need for these baskets.”

President of the Waynesville Rotary Club, Knapko is gearing up for the 20th year of their “Christmas Basket Program,” which provides a basket full of food for less fortunate families around Haywood County.

Combing forces with the Haywood Rotary and Waynesville-Sunrise Rotary, the organizations are a much-needed force to chip away at the hunger needs of our neighbors.

“We go out and deliver to all the hoots and hollers of Haywood County,” Knapko said. “And you do find yourself at homes with dirt floors or no running water. And to see that these days, with maybe a $500,000 home just down the road, is eye-opening to say the least.”

When Knapko and his wife moved to Haywood County from Fort Myers, Florida some 20 or so years ago, he presented the Christmas basket idea to the Waynesville Rotary Club.

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Meeting a need

“My rotary club back in Fort Myers had been doing the basket program for years,” Knapko said. “And we figured it could be something of value that could fill a need in Haywood County.”

The funds for the baskets come from year-round fundraisers by the Rotary Clubs, and also tax deductible donations from folks around the community. In its first year (1997), the program donated 100 baskets, with 504 baskets sent out in 2016.

To date, the program has put together 7,056 baskets and raised $153,530 towards the initiative.

“Christmas is about trying to give something to where a need is.”

— Tom Knapko, Waynesville Rotary Club president

The names of the families are gathered from the club’s highly successful backpack campaign, which provides weekly food packs to hungry children in Haywood County.

Local social workers and school counselors also let the club know who is in need each holiday season.

From there, General Manager Jeff Henderson at Ingles Market in Waynesville puts together a volunteer team to gather and pack the baskets. Able to feed a family of four, each basket contains a variety of items, including canned ham, yams, greens, bread

Waynesville Rotary members Wells Greeley (left) and Tom Knapko load up food boxes to deliver to local families for Christmas. Along with the Haywood Rotary and Waynesville-Sunrise Rotary, the Waynesville Rotary spearheads the annual ‘Christmas Basket Program.’ Jessi Stone photo

CHRISTMAS GIVING IN WNC rolls, apples, corn and a pie.

“Christmas is about trying to give something to where a need is,” Knapko said. “I don’t want or need anything, and it’s great when what we’re doing is appreciated by

those who need the aid.”

Knapko encourages people to look into the Christmas food basket and backpack programs, and hopefully be able to make a donation or join the club and volunteer time to help around the community.

“The main thing right now is to keep the club large enough and excited enough to get the funds in and serve those families that need us,” he said.

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER hat sometimes gets lost amidst the blizzard of radio, television and internet advertising so ubiquitous this time of year is that Christmas is not solely a season of getting, but also a season of giving.

One local service group hasn’t lost sight of that, and last week, members surprised local shoppers by giving them a most unexpected gift.

Women of Waynesville is a nonprofit organization founded in 2012. Dedicated to supporting Haywood County women and children, it raises funds throughout the year for organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the Haywood Schools Foundation, Mountain Projects and the Pigeon Multicultural Development Center, and has donated $11,000 toward such causes in 2016 alone.

Last weekend, WOW members spied on shoppers lining up at the layaway counters at Walmart and Kmart over the course of two days.

“It was exciting to watch, as families approached,” said WOW board member Katie Higgs. “We would approach them, strike up a conversation and try to determine what they were there for.”

Once they were able to identify parents purchasing Christmas presents for children, WOW members stepped in to help pick up the tab.

Women of Waynesville members Becca Swanger and Katie Higgs help a mother of six buy Christmas gifts for her children.

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Donated photo

December 21-27, 2016

WOW helps pay off Christmas layaway purchases

Smoky Mountain News

Western North Carolina has lagged in its recovery from the Great Recession. In a county like Haywood where 17.6 percent of the population lives in poverty and wages haven’t kept pace with housing costs, every little bit counts.

“We just wanted to help people during the holidays and advance our mission of supporting women and children in Haywood County,” Higgs said. “Also, although we make many donations throughout the year to organizations like REACH where we don’t always get to see the impact, one of the reasons our members voted to do this is they wanted to be able to observe that direct impact.”

In a larger sense, WOW hopes to continue making a positive impact on the community as well as making appearances on Santa’s notso-naughty list.

“All the money we raise stays here locally,” Higgs said. “Any organization or nonprofit that supports women and children in Haywood County, we try to support them.” 7

“Most were very gracious and very grateful,” said Higgs. “Some were confused about what we were trying to do or who we are, so that gave us a great opportunity to spread our message.”

Over the course of two days, WOW spent a little over $1,000 on about a dozen shop-

pers, giving them $100 — or sometimes less, if their layaway balances were lower.

“People were buying everything from electronic learning materials to bicycles,” Higgs said.

Although national economic indicators have generally been trending upward,

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Bryson City bar donates to family resource center

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR he local dive bar in a small town usually gets a bad rap, but Mickey’s Pub in Bryson City tries to redeem itself every Christmas by giving back to the community.

For the fourth year, Mickey’s hosted a Jell-O Wrestling Competition last weekend to raise money for the Swain County Family Resource Center.

It may not be your typical heartwarming Christmas fundraiser, but the results speak for themselves. Bar Manager Becky Smiddy said the bar donated $2,600 to Toys for Tots in Franklin during the first two years of the fundraising event. Last year Smiddy decided to keep the money in the community and donated all proceeds to the Swain County Family Resource Center.

Between last year and this year, they raised about $1,400. The resource center is part of the Swain County Department of Social Services and provides a number of services to families in need.

“Jell-O wrestling was something we thought would be a fun and enjoyable event that was out of the normal,” Smiddy said. “We always have a great turnout. We also raised $1,060 last month for the local firemen for food and supplies.”

Smiddy said Mickey’s doesn’t just give back to the community during Christmas — patrons and employees help give back to the community all year long with various fundraisers and donations.

“We buy a ton of Girl Scout cookies every year and any school fundraiser candies and such. We’ve raised money for a little girl facing a corrective surgery from a birth defect a few years ago when Hank Williams III came to play — for free,” she said. “We also sent supplies and donations to Gatlinburg a couple of weeks ago during the wildfires.”

Afton Roberts, a Bryson City native and pub patron, said Mickey’s doesn’t get enough credit for everything it does for the community. She says it’s just one of many local businesses in Bryson City that step up to help others when needed and it’s just one of the things she loves about Christmas in a small town.

“As long as I can remember everyone from the school system to the small businesses have collaborated yearly on doing some form of event that would either donate money to people in need during Christmas time or even collect shoe boxes full of much needed items and given to the elderly at all the nursing 8 homes,” she said.

Community helps fulfill a boy’s birthday wish

Smoky Mountain News

December 21-27, 2016

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Ashton Zari, 7, of Franklin, poses for a picture with Ronald McDonald during his stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus, Ohio, while he receives treatment for a kidney disease.

Donated photo

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR shton Zari turns 7 on Christmas Eve, and even though he is in Columbus, Ohio, seeking medical treatment, his only birthday wish is for his community members back home in Macon County to make a donation to a great cause.

Ashton — son of Amanda and Anthony Zari of Franklin — has a kidney disease and is in need of a transplant. Instead of asking anything for himself, he’s raising money for the Ronald McDonald House where he’s been stay-

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CHRISTMAS GIVING IN WNC ing while he undergoes testing and treatments.

One wouldn’t know how sick Ashton is to see him smiling and playing with his siblings and asking others to support his cause. In a heartwarming video posted on a Go Fund Me page, Ashton explains why his goal is to raise $5,000 for RMH this year.

“I will be 7 and I want your help,” Ashton

said in the video. “We raised $3,000 last year — I want to raise $5,000 before Dec. 1.”

Since getting sick about three years ago, Ashton and his family have raised money every year for RMH, a nonprofit organization that houses families in a home-like setting while being close to the hospital. Ashton said he’s spent 26 nights at RMH in Ohio in the last year. While it cost about $100 a night to house a family, RMH only asks families to pay $20 a night — though no one is ever turned away for not being able to pay.

“I think this place is awesome. I’ve been staying here lots of nights — this place feels like my home,” he said.

Thanks to the community, Ashton has surpassed his fundraising goal — to date he has raised $5,662. That’s enough to pay for 283 overnight stays at RMH. In addition to donations, community members have also been sending birthday and Christmas cards to Ashton in Ohio. One class at Franklin High School included a bunch of jokes in their card that have kept Ashton laughing during his stay.

Ashton’s mom Amanda Zari and her two other small children have been staying at RMH for the last several weeks with Ashton while his dad Anthony Zari — a school resource officer at Franklin High School — is working. He plans to join his family over the holiday break. He’s proud of his son’s giving spirit as well as everything the community has done for his family.

“I was raised here in Macon County and went to Franklin High School and it’s amazing and wonderful to see the community come together — the sheriff ’s department and the wives of the deputies — to help us,” Anthony said. “And to see how many people care and are willing to step up and to do something to help others.”

To donate to Ashton’s cause, visit https://www.gofundme.com/Ashtons-birthday-wish.

Crabtree General brings Christmas to Franklin

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR rabtree General Store & Coffee Vault in Franklin has recently transformed into a Christmas headquarters.

It’s a perfect place for Christmas, with a vast candy selection and classic toys on display. Santa Claus has made a stop there for the past two Saturdays as local children come to sit on his knee and share some cookies with him. Crabtree General Store also acts as a drop-off spot for letters to Santa.

“We’ve set up a Santa mailbox, and when the kids visit they write a letter that gets sent to Santa with their Christmas wishes,” said store manager Tim Crabtree. “Then we — I mean Santa — respond to all of those letters.

Those letters also include a handwritten note from one of the elves.”

Hundreds of children in local schools write letters to Santa that are sent to the North Pole through the mailbox at Crabtree General Store.

“It takes me — I mean Santa — quite a bit of time to respond to each and every letter,” Crabtree said.

“It’s just that time of year to help out and our family really likes to do as much as we can to make other people smile.”

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— Tim Crabtree, Crabtree General store manager

Santa Claus has made multiple appearances at Crabtree General Store in Franklin to meet with local children. Donated photo The Cookies with Santa events are completely free for families to come have their pictures made with Saint Nick, but the general store does accept donations that are given to KIDS Place. KIDS Place is a local nonprofit

that provides assistance to child abuse victims in Macon County.

Crabtree General Store also has supported the Macon County Sheriff ’s Office’s Shop with a Cop program for several years.

Donations allow the sheriff ’s deputies to provide Christmas gifts for local families in need at Christmastime.

When asked why his business goes above and beyond to help the community at Christmas, Crabtree said it’s a family tradition.

“It’s just that time of year to help out and our family really likes to do as much as we can to make other people smile,” he said.

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Dear Citizens of Jackson County, Recent wildfires across Jackson County, while challenging to conquer, have provided our emergency service workers with countless blessings.

While wildfires seemed to rage across some of our County and ravaged other areas of Western North Carolina, the citizens of Jackson County facilitated a drive to help our emergency service workers in any way they could.

Donations poured into a staging area set up in Dillsboro to aid the fire relief efforts. Many citizens found themselves with a sense of thankfulness and appreciation and subsequently wanted to do their part to help. Their help was welcomed and abundant. Our seven volunteer fire departments, two rescue squads, 911 dispatchers, local law enforcement, two EMS services, fire marshal, NC and US Forest Service and Jackson County Emergency Management team were all witness to the donations provided and each benefited from the generosity. In addition to many items donated, numerous people provided prayers and well wishes for all involved. Such generosity and sincere thankfulness deserves a special thank you from us to you, the great citizens of Jackson County.

On behalf of Sheriff Chip Hall and Emergency Management Director Todd Dillard, the emergency service workers in Jackson County extended a heartfelt thank you to our community.

Sincerely,

December 21-27, 2016

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Smoky Mountain News

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT ety of ways and keep each other advised — STAFF WRITER with descriptions and photos of shoplifters omething about the holidays always — via an existing email network, but have brings out the best — and worst — in recently added an additional means by people and Santa Claus is the unqueswhich to place the wayward on Santa’s tioned arbiter thereof. naughty list.

Buffy Phillips, executive director of the In cooperation with the Town of Downtown Waynesville Association, says Waynesville, the DWA will now issue she’s heard of more shoplifting from DWA mobile alerts about shoplifters via the members this year than she can ever town’s “CodeRED” emergency services remember. announcement system.

“Maybe it’s the holiday season, or maybe the merchants are more on top of things,” she said.

Phillips isn’t sure if there’s more shoplifting taking place, or it’s just being more widely reported because of security upgrades some merchants have recently made, including cameras and special merchandise tags.

Additional preventive measures focusing on education communication have also been undertaken to help downtown businesses safeguard against shrinkage.

“The police department always has one person that’s willing to come speak with merchants about counterfeit money and shoplifting — what to look for,” she said, describing video footage of a shoplifter examining an item with one hand as a diversionary tactic, while deftly pocketing merchandise with the other.

“We are seeing some real professionals on A Christmas tree adorned with police tape sits atop the entrance film,” she said in a of Waynesville Town Hall. Cory Vaillancourt photo. recent email to DWA members. “Many of them are repeat customers.”

CodeRED is an internet-based notificaAccording to the National Association tion system created by Florida-based comfor Shoplifting Prevention, more than 2 pany Emergency Communications million Americans are caught shoplifting Network. The system, which has been mareach year, but are caught just once for every keted to governments and municipalities 48 attempts. Professional shoplifters make since 1998, is currently utilized by more up 3 percent of all shoplifters, but cause 10 than 3,000 state and local governments in percent of what Fortune magazine estiCanada and the U.S. and gives users like the mates is $32 billion in losses per year for Town of Waynesville the ability to commuretailers in the U.S. alone. nicate emergency or disaster conditions Whether professional or amateur, across multiple platforms. shoplifters working Waynesville may want Despite the jolly crimson color invoked to think twice about making Main Street in the system’s name, for shoplifters it doestheir destination. n’t bring presents, but rather alerts local Merchants remain connected in a varibusiness owners to their presence.

December 6, 2016

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Shoplifters make downtown Waynesville’s naughty list

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Waynesville firefighters recognized Two special awards, the Firefighter of the Year and the First Responder of the Year were presented at Waynesville’s annual firefighters dinner on Dec. 10.

The Firefighter of the Year for 2016 was Chad Brown. Brown has served with the fire department for seven years.

“Each year the Firefighter of the Year award is presented to the firefighter, chosen by their peers, who honors the commitment and character of the firefighter acting in the highest tradition of the Waynesville Fire Department,” said Fire Chief Joey Webb.

The First Responder of the Year was Phillip Messer. Messer has served for 13 years as a first responder for Waynesville.

“With a year already seeing an increase in calls for the fire department from last year, he is definitely counted on as a valuable resource,” Webb said.

Volunteer firefighters were presented with their annual payment for their participation on calls. Webb explained that individuals are only compensated $10.40 per fire call and $4 per medical response call.

Sylva church to sponsor blood drive First United Methodist Church in Sylva is sponsoring a blood drive in conjunction with the American Red Cross from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan 28, in the Asbury Room of the church.

“There is an urgent need for blood during the holidays, said Mary Corsair, event coordinator. “Please consider donating blood on this day. It is the gift of life.”

Blood donors may call 800.733.2767 or visit redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment in advance, or come to the site during the appointed hours.

First United Methodist Church is located at 77 Jackson St., in downtown Sylva.

828.586.2358.

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Members of the Haywood County Sheriff ’s Office and fire departments were recently recognized by students from Haywood Christian Academy for their service.

The elementary students prepared and delivered baked goods and a “Thank You” banner to officers and firefighters, who expressed their gratitude and appreciation in return. “(The workers) almost had me in tears talking to the kids about how they care about them and are always there for them day or night, no matter what,” said Brooke Rochester with HCA. HCA is a private Christian school offering kindergarten through 12th grade in Clyde.

Jessi Stone photos

Moving on up

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR ranklin Chamber of Commerce staff and members are excited about taking a vacant building and turning it into their new home.

Currently cramped in the same 2,400square-foot building on Palmer Street the chamber has occupied since 1969, the staff is now envisioning what it will do with the 8,000 square feet of space at the new location at 98 Hyatt Road.

“Won’t this be one of the nicest chamber

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buildings you’ve ever seen?” Linda Harbuck said as she walked through the former Simple Elegance building. After serving as the executive director of the chamber for 40 years, she’s looking forward to having a spacious new office instead of being confined to a makeshift office in the basement of the Palmer Street office.

The new building is two stories with a high-vaulted ceiling and plenty of natural light coming through skylights and large glass windows at the front entrance. The downstairs has plenty of room for staff offices, a brochure display area, and Franklin souvenirs and gifts. A curved stairway leads up to additional offices, a boardroom and other space that would be ideal for networking events and

December 21-27, 2016

Franklin chamber gets a new building

training seminars for members.

The U.S. 441 frontage will hopefully give the chamber office, which also serves as the visitor information center, more visibility as tourists drive through the area. Cindy Cavender, director of membership and special events, said visitors had a hard time finding the welcome center on Palmer Street, but the new highway location would make it easier to direct people downtown.

“The DOT says that 19,000 cars a day pass by this intersection and the bulk of the traffic counts bypass downtown,” Cavender said.

“Our goal is to get people to our members so this will be a better location that will allow us to direct people toward Main Street.”

A unique hallway that winds through one side of the building will also prove beneficial in the chamber’s mission to promote its members while also helping visitors identify activities to do while they’re in town. The hallway with small nooks on each side proba-

bly served as interior design samples when Simple Elegance occupied the building, but now it will serve as rental space for area attractions.

“Twelve out of 14 spaces are spoken for already,” Cavender said about the small rental spots. “When visitors come in to ask us what there is to do around here, we will be able to actually show them.”

The space has already been leased out to attraction businesses like the Sky Valley Country Club, the Historic Cowee School, Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, The Fun Factory, a co-op of the gem mines, Scottish Tartans Museum, Highlands Aerial Park and more.

The chamber will also be leasing out four small offices upstairs at an affordable monthly rate. Cavender said the 78- to 198-squarefoot offices are perfect for business start-ups or entrepreneurs who need a small space. The cost would also include wireless internet and electricity. The building has a back stairway entrance that would allow tenants to come and go as needed whether the downstairs chamber offices are open or not.

The chamber still has to close on the building and do some minor renovations before it can move in, but with roadway work starting soon on Palmer Street, the chamber wants to be in its new space as soon as possible.

“Our goal is to be in here by spring — we’d love to be in May 1 but we’ll have to wait and see,” Cavender said.

Chamber President Frank Montgomery, a general contractor and owner of The Montgomery Company, said the 460-plus members are excited about the opportunity the new facility will afford them. The chamber set up a nonprofit entity — Franklin Chamber of Commerce Community Enrichment Foundation — in order to purchase the property. That way, members can make a tax-deductible donation to the purchase by sponsoring a room or space in the attraction hallway.

“I am extremely excited about what has been accomplished this year with the chamber and the acquisition of a fantastic facility that is second to none,” Montgomery said.

For more information about the new chamber building, call Cavender at 828.524.3161.

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Franklin Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Linda Harbuck and Chamber President Frank Montgomery show someone around the soon-to-be new chamber office and welcome center off U.S. 441.

Smoky Mountain News The Franklin Chamber of Commerce’s new facility located at 98 Hyatt Road will be a drastic improvement over the current small space on Palmer Street. Jessi Stone photos 11

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Jackson schools hope to land 0 percent loan

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER ackson County is hoping to save $2.3 million on the cost of completing critical repairs in Jackson County Public Schools through a loan program that would lend the $9 million needed at 0 percent interest.

“This is what I consider to be extremely good news,” Jackson County Manager Don Adams told commissioners at their Dec. 13 work session.

The program, called the Qualified Zone Academy Bond program, entices private banks to grant 0 percent loans to school districts by offering them a federal tax credit instead of cash interest payments. It’s a federal program, but each state has its own application process for schools to navigate.

“It’s an excellent, excellent deal, and the school and finance on both sides have been working very hard on it,” Adams said.

Last week, commissioners voted unanimously to apply to get qualified from the state to receive such a loan. The school board is expected to take a similar vote at its Dec. 20 meeting, which had not happened as of press time. If the state approves the applications — separate applications will be submitted for each school where the money would be spent, six in all — and allocates loan capacity for the $9 million,

Smoky Mountain News

December 21-27, 2016

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the next step would be to find a bank that is interested in the tax credits to be gained from participation. At that time, a public hearing would be held before commissioners voted on actually borrowing any money.

“There are multiple steps,” Adams told commissioners. “This is the first.”

All along, commissioners had been planning to pay down the debt using sales tax revenues earmarked for public school capital projects. They figured on taking out a 15-year loan with an interest rate between 3 and 3.5 percent. The majority of the sales tax revenue stream would go to paying down the debt. However, scoring a 0 percent interest loan would free up $270,000 in the first year alone, saving a total of $2.3 million over the 15-year term.

Jackson County pays off its debts using level principal amortization, which means that payments are larger earlier in the loan term and smaller later in the loan term so as to minimize the amount of interest paid.

Likewise, the annual savings through QZAB would be larger in the early years, when the overall payment would be larger, and smaller in the later years, when the overall payment would be smaller.

The savings would free up debt capacity to address other needs in school facilities.

“We are positive about the QZAB opportunity,” said Jackson Schools

Superintendent Michael Murray. “Any time we can work with the county to save dollars, everyone benefits.”

The school district hasn’t yet figured out where it would most like to see the additional debt capacity used, Murray said.

However, there will likely be no shortage of opportunities to put it to use.

The state of school facilities has been a recurring concern in Jackson County, with Murray’s yearly budget presentation to commissioners including multi-million-dollar capital requests for the last couple years running.

In 2015, Murray asked for $3.3 million in capital funding, mainly for nuts-andbolts expenditures such as replacement of aging roofs and heating systems, though some line items for new or renovated athletic facilities were included in the ask.

Commissioners funded $2.4 million of the request — as much as they wanted to, they said, they couldn’t go any higher.

The 2015 request was based on what was listed for year one of a five-year plan Jackson Schools had adopted to get school facilities up to snuff. The total cost of implementation was estimated at $14.6 million.

When Murray returned to discuss the 2016 budget with commissioners, he was firm in his message that the county couldn’t afford to push off the timeline any further.

“There’s some point where you say it’s just not right to have kids sitting with buckets in classrooms,” Murray told commissioners in January, alluding to the issues schools had been having with leaky roofs.

Commissioners got the message. In March, they gave the school system the goahead to start tackling the problems identified in the five-year plan, passing a resolution that declared their intention to pay for the projects from the county fund balance but later take out a loan to pay themselves back for the expenses. The idea was to minimize the amount of interest to be paid while also letting the schools get to work immediately.

While the five-year plan mostly listed replacements to roofs, water pipes and heating systems, it also included some athletic expenditures such as an artificial turf football field, a resurfaced track and a new baseball field. Commissioners told the school system to hold off on those projects, allocating only enough money to cover critical building needs.

With one exception. Last year, the school system landed a $200,000 grant from the NFL to install an artificial turf football field, one of only 17 grants awarded nationwide. Commissioners wound up allocating more than $400,000 toward the $894,000 total cost. The field was completed in August.

The QZAB loan is not a done deal. In addition to getting the school and county boards behind it and gaining state approval, Jackson will have to find a bank willing to offer such a loan.

“Once we get qualified, then we still have to have a bank that wants tax credits,” Adams said. “Tax credits, they’re only good if you make profits. If you don’t make a profit then a tax credit doesn’t do you any good. There’s not a lot of banks in this market.”

However, he said, the county has identified a bank willing to work with it and is hopeful the deal will pan out.

Regardless of the outcome, the QZAB process will not affect the timeline of repairs in the schools. Those projects are already underway after commissioners gave the school board the go-ahead to start last year. The only question is by which mechanism the county will pay itself back for the expenditures now coming out of its fund balance.

“The beauty of it is two-fold,” Adams said. “It allows us to accomplish what our original task was. It’s sort of a safety net if you call it that and hopefully it will allow us to plan for future projects that will have to be discussed and approved by both boards.”

Detectives with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office are looking for two men they believe to be involved with a breaking and entering that occurred in rural Haywood County.

Deputies responded to a call Dec. 12 in regard to breaking and entering in the Max Patch community.

Upon arrival, deputies met with the homeowner and found a Justin Crompton number of items were missing, including a gold 2008 Ford F350, several guns, cash and jewelry.

Detectives are currently working with Buncombe County law enforcement in an attempt to locate Justin Blake Crompton, 21, of Nicholas Alderman Leicester, and Nicholas William Alderman, 26, of Alexander, on charges of felony breaking and entering and larceny of a vehicle.

Detectives believe the suspects could possibly be driving the stolen Ford with North Carolina plate BX4924. If anyone has any information on this incident, contact Haywood County Sheriff’s Office Crimestoppers at 877.922.7463.

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Haywood County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an alarm call around 8 p.m. Dec. 10 in the Eagles Nest community.

As detectives processed what turned out to be a breaking and entering crime scene, officers with the Waynesville Police Department, who assisted deputies on this incident, noticed a suspicious vehicle driving down Eagles Nest Road.

When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled. WPD officers were able to locate the suspicious vehicle in a wooded area about 3 miles from the residence shortly thereafter where they found the stolen property from the Eagles Nest residence.

Officers later located one male suspect, Richard Lee Cagle, 26, of Waynesville, and charged him with felony burglary-forcible entry, larceny, possession of stolen property and misdemeanor criminal damage to property. Cagle was given a $10,000 bond.

After Haywood County Sheriff’s Office detectives seized the truck, they found more stolen items inside. Only, these items were missing from a separate breaking and entering/larceny incident that occurred in the Shingle Cove area Dec. 1.

As a result, two days later Jesse Alan Lee, 25, of Waynesville, was arrested and charged with felony breaking and entering, felony larceny after breaking and entering and felony possessing/concealing stolen property. Lee was given a $10,000 secured bond.

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December 21-27, 2016

Two arrested in Waynesville break in

if left untreated ANwillinch Are you take the at risk for whole foot. diabetes?

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Suspects sought in Max Patch break-in

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The Raleigh Roundup Strange legislative year draws to a close

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER t’s been a bizarre year in North Carolina’s state legislature, and that hasn’t led to the state looking good in national media headlines.

But after four special sessions (and counting), the legislature appears to be finally winding up while addressing the same issue that brought international scorn and widespread business boycotts to the Old North State earlier this spring.

During 2016’s first special session — a one-day affair in April — legislators passed the controversial “HB2” in response to an ordinance passed by the Charlotte City Council Ordinance in February.

Ordinance 7056 prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender and sexual orientation by city contractors, by passenger vehicles for hire and in public accommodations — namely, bathrooms.

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The Republican-led legislature responded by stating that the ordinance effectively prohibited single-sex bathrooms. Conjecture — but not a lot of proof — led to many believing that men would begin entering women’s restrooms en masse, simply by claiming that they “identified” as a female on that particular day, and vice versa.

As spring turned to summer and then to fall, HB2 was met with outrage and ridicule and led to companies like PayPal and DeutcheBank as well as artists like Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam refusing to bring their businesses and performances to North Carolina.

States like California, New York and Washington even banned publicly funded travel to the state, and Lake Junaluska suffered at least one conference cancellation, to the tune of $17,000.

Republican Gov. Pat McCrory was demonized on many fronts for his support of the bill, which may have cost him re-election Nov. 8. As Donald Trump and a host of Republicans were swept into office amongst a generally anti-incumbency tide, McCrory was left behind by a total of 10,277 votes out

of more than 4.6 million cast — a 0.22 percent margin.

While it’s difficult to say if HB2 contributed to his defeat, with a margin so slim, it probably did not help.

Since his crushing Nov. 8 loss, McCrory’s called three additional special sessions, ostensibly to handle urgent business, but

also apparently to settle some scores.

Last Wednesday, legislators agreed to the pressing business of creating a $201 million funding package designed to help victims of two biblical-scale natural disasters — October’s Hurricane Matthew, and November’s wildfires, which scorched tens of thousands of

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December 21-27, 2016

Lead contamination prompts permanent monitoring at SCC Sediment pond, monitoring wells and ongoing testing necessary

Smoky Mountain News

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER imply removing contaminated dirt from the Southwestern Community College shooting range won’t be enough to close out a lead removal project that’s been in the works since April 2014, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality announced this month.

The DEQ is asking SCC to install four monitoring wells and a sediment retention pond on the site, with soil testing and sampling to be continued on a permanent, ongoing basis.

“The lead levels did come back high, so that’s not something that we expected to see after having removed so much of the contaminated soil,” said Jamie Kritzer, public information officer for the DEQ. “Anytime that happens you want to move with an abundance of caution to make sure you’re doing everything in the best interest of protecting public health and the environment.”

Lead cleanup on the shooting range began after an April 2014 funding request for shooting range upgrades led to the disclosure that an estimated 60 tons of lead had accumulated in the berm at the end of the 30-year-old range. The range sees heavy use from law enforcement professionals and students for training and qualifying activities.

While lead remediation is not required on shooting ranges that are still in active use, testing revealed lead concentrations as high as 73 times the amount considered safe in an area downhill from the range.

The plan was to remove the contaminated soil, treat it for disposal and haul it away. SCC contracted with the environmental consulting firm ECS Carolinas to oversee the project and Salisbury-based Containment Control, Inc. to treat and 14 remove the soil. This fall, an estimated 350 tons of soil were

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excavated and disposed of in a Charlotte landfill, taking about 5 feet off the surface of the affected area.

But follow-up testing showed that, while the soil excavation had significantly reduced the level of lead contamination, concentrations were still high — about 10 times the concentration considered acceptable.

With the Tuckasegee River flowing just downhill from the range, the DEQ thought it best to take those still high levels seriously.

“What we’re attempting to do is get more and better information about where this lead contamination may be moving,” Kritzer said. “In other words, does it present any kind of concerns to the nearby Tuckasegee River? If there’s runoff from the site, does it present any kind of groundwater concerns if there are well users down-gradient? It’s just sort of being as safe as we possibly can.”

Generally speaking, lead contamination doesn’t spread easily. It tends to bind with the soil and resists degradation.

However, when concentrations get too high water can drive lead particles deeper and deeper into the soil, a process called leaching. Leaching can present an especially high risk when the contaminated area is nearby a body of water — and, in the case of the SCC shooting range, the contaminated area is just uphill from the Tuck.

“There may be a need for more monitoring wells if we see something that’s unusual,” Kritzer said. “The geology in the mountains is a little more complex than it is in the coastal plain, so knowing where the water moves beneath the ground is a little more tricky.”

The DEQ’s plan is to install a cap — made of synthetic liner, clay soil or both — along the bottom of the excavated area and then to engineer the area to create a sediment retention pond that would capture any lead-contaminated runoff coming from the shooting range. Because lead is a heavy metal, Kritzer said, any contamination would settle to the bottom and could then be dredged out periodically.

The monitoring wells, each about 50 feet deep, would then be installed to get an idea of how far below the ground

contamination persists and how — or if — it is interacting with groundwater. That information would then be used to determine whether additional contaminated soil must be excavated.

The DEQ is making recommendations on the project, but the agency is not funding remediation. That responsibility falls to Jackson County, which owns the property leased for the shooting range and is also the funding source for capital needs at the community college.

At this point, it’s unknown how much it might cost to implement all of the DEQ’s recommendations, or how long it might take to complete. A civil engineer would need to design the sediment pond and cap. SCC President Don Tomas told commissioners last week that the four wells are estimated to cost about $14,400 to install.

“That’s a good deal,” responded Commissioner Mickey Luker.

Tomas said that the ongoing monitoring cost would be “pretty insignificant,” likely consisting of an annual round of sampling and testing. The sediment pond would also have to be dredged periodically and the material bleached and disposed of.

It’s possible that the recommendations could be implemented without the county allocating any additional funding, Tomas added. In July, commissioners approved bids totaling $237,000 for CCI to treat and remove the soil and ECS to oversee the project. However, of those funds only about $105,000 has been paid out thus far. When invoices for this phase of the project are settled, about $100,000 is expected to remain in reserve.

Work to install the monitoring wells would likely begin in January, Tomas told commissioners. According to Kritzer, the DEQ would like to see the wells installed within the first quarter of 2017.

“This firing range is very useful to the community and to local law enforcement,” Kritzer said, “so the intention is to continue using it but at the same time let’s do what we can to protect public health.”

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Make this Christmas the stuff of legends.

December 21-27, 2016

December 2–31, Fridays and Saturdays, from 5–10 p.m. (closed Dec. 23–24) Stroll under the lights through festive, interactive displays featuring ancient Cherokee Christmas legends.

Or come for our 40-ft. Christmas tree, a visit with Santa, our Christmas Carnival and Christmas Parade, and a spin on our synthetic ice rink. There’s plenty of inexpensive entertainment (cash only), and admission is free. Grab your little elves and join us at 545 Tsali Blvd., in Cherokee, NC.

Smoky Mountain News

acres across drought-ravaged Western North Carolina.

That package includes $29 million earmarked for short-term housing for those who literally found their homes under water, and $25 million for wildfire-fighting costs and habitat restoration. The money comes from $1.5 billion in the state’s emergency reserves and will not require a tax increase, and supplements $300 million previously approved by Congress.

Around the same time, bizarre rumors began circulating that McCrory was planning to add two associate justices to the N.C. Supreme Court in response to Wake County Judge Mike Morgan’s unexpected victory at the polls, which swung the court to a 5-4 Democrat majority.

Morgan’s victory surprised many across the state because he’s an African American Democrat who beat a well-known white Republican incumbent in a year that saw Republicans make statewide gains everywhere except the governor’s mansion.

While that petty political scheme never materialized, another one soon popped up to take its place.

Back in 1999 when Al Gore “lost” a hardfought presidential election to George W. Bush, urban legends had it that disgruntled staffers of president Bill Clinton, on leaving the White house for the last time, stole each and every “W” key off each and every keyboard in the place.

McCrory’s version of the stunt was to hamstring his successor in a much less childish, much more constraining way. With the passage of HB 17, McCrory stripped N.C.’s future governors of their right to appoint the heads of several important departments, including the Department of Transportation and the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources.

Those posts, along with others, are now subject to the confirmation of a Senate that was elected in districts so hopelessly gerrymandered that a federal court has ordered a redraw and do-over election in 2017.

Furthermore, McCrory cut the amount of appointees in the state’s executive branch from around 1,500 to less than 500, despite increasing them when he took office in 2013.

But these moves by McCrory are only the beginning. The state’s county boards of elections will no longer feature two members of the governor’s party and one of the minority party, instead becoming an even two-and-two. The governor will also henceforth lose the ability to select appointees for the UNC system’s board of trustees and the state Board of Education in favor of the legislature and the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

And as for that pesky HB2?

Charlotte City Council unexpectedly repealed its own non-discrimination ordinance Dec. 19. Not-so-coincidentally, McCrory announced a special session for Wednesday, Dec. 21, during which it’s widely speculated that HB2 will be repealed.

However, based on the way things have gone this year under the dome in Raleigh, anything could still happen; N.C. Attorney General and Governor-Elect Roy Cooper’s swearing-in isn’t scheduled until Jan. 1.

VisitCherokeeNC.com | 828.359.6490 15

aynesville Police Department’s Special Response Team recently returned home from the SWAT Round-Up International competition in Orlando with multiple awards.

The team not only won the Best Small Agency Award (agencies under 100 sworn members), but also won the Top National Team, which is given to a team outside of Florida.

Matthew B. Weathersby, former chairman of the SWAT Roundup International board, wrote a letter to Waynesville Town Manager Rob Hites to express the importance of the awards. While winning the Top Small Agency award for the second time this year is a huge accomplishment, Weathersby said the Waynesville team gained the respect of all in attendance when it finished as the Top National Team.

“The teams in this category included agencies from seven states and eight international teams. One of these agencies in this category was the Houston Police Department, which is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the country,” he said. “To finish as the Top National Team, Waynesville had to finish ahead of Houston in the final event, the grueling obstacle course. Their final overall standing was finishing an amazing 13th out of 64 teams.”

Waynesville Police Chief Bill Hollingsed said his team was the smallest agency ever to

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December 21-27, 2016

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Waynesville police win SWAT competition

Smoky Mountain News

THANK YOU!

Friends of the Smokies recognizes and thanks these partners for their cash, in-kind gifts and event sponsorships of $250 or more during the last calendar year to help preserve and protect Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Photos by Sam Hobbs

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compete in the SWAT Round-Up International competition. The competition included 63 teams from nine states; eight different teams from five different foreign countries and the NASA SWAT and US Air Force McDill AFB Emergency Response Teams.

SWAT Round-Up International began as a means to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas among agencies. SRI has now evolved into an international showcase for special operations teams from across the United States and Europe. “More than just a training event or intense competition, SWAT Round-Up is a sum that is greater than its parts. Ultimately, it is an opportunity for operators across the globe to come together as one to learn from each other,” Hollingsed said. “The brotherhood shared with teammates will extend to fellow operators as teams train, compete and push each other to the extreme.”

Training for 2016 was conducted by nationally renowned instructors and included numerous relevant courses for SWAT and SRTs. Each of the five competition events geared for simulation of real life scenarios and intended to challenge the team as a unit.

Events also emphasize weapon expertise and physical fitness. The events focus on officer rescue, hostage scenarios and other similar incidents that help teams prepare for actual scenarios.

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Members of the Waynesville Police Department Special Response Team push through a grueling obstacle course. Donated photo

“I've had the opportunity to personally interact with your team members on numerous occasions and have always been impressed with their professionalism, demeanor and tactical skills,” Weathersby said of the Waynesville team. “Your city and Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Fletcher Warehousing Fontana Village Resort Foundation For The Carolinas Google Great Smoky Mountains Association Great Smoky Mountains Employee/Alumni Association Green Line Media Haywood County TDA Hemlock Inn Hi-Wire Brewing Company HomeTrust Bank Insurance Service of Asheville Intentional Growth Center Mast General Store Mayfel's Montreat College

its citizens should be extremely proud of your police department and its SWAT team.

In a world filled with uncertainties, your community should sleep well knowing that they are protected by such a dedicated and highly trained team.”

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New law stops TVA’s ban of Fontana houseboats

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Tennessee Valley Authority staff members meet with houseboat owners at Alarka Boat Dock in Swain County to discuss future fees and regulations. File photo

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Commissioner David Monteith also testified before the subcommittee.

“Who would have thought this would happen about eight months ago? I’m so proud of my Fontana floating family who came together and fought,” said houseboat owner Scott Faulkner upon hearing the news.

In addition to forcing hundreds of families to move from their homes on Fontana, Meadows said the TVA’s sunset policy would have negatively impacted local economies that rely on the revenue local businesses get from houseboat owners.

“The TVA’s decision to ban floating cabins has already had devastating effects for hundreds of hard-working owners and the surrounding economy in my district — even well before the 30-year timeline expires,” Meadows said. “The federal government has a bad habit of getting involved in the lives of taxpaying families without seriously evaluating the consequences. This case is a classic example. I am thrilled to see the amendment become law, and while there is work to be done, I hope that this measure can play a small role in sending a message that this kind of government overreach will not be tolerated.”

While the new law allows the existing permitted houseboats to stay, TVA’s policy stating that no new houseboats can be added still stands. TVA staff is also still working toward implementing new permitting and annual fees for floating homeowners, which means they still have work to do.

“Our fight isn’t over after this law is official, as the TVA will be imposing new regulations and fees,” Laura Sneed said. “It’s our understanding that they (TVA) tried to add language to our bill which would allow them to penalize us up to $100 per day for noncompliance (up to $10,000 per year per house in fees) but Congressman Meadows put a stop to that. I think that just gives us a peek at what we’re about to be facing and we need to keep the pressure up and fight them hard.”

December 21-27, 2016

BY J ESSI STONE N EWS E DITOR ore than 350 families received an early Christmas present last week when President Obama signed a bill into law that will allow them to keep their floating homes on Fontana Lake.

Floating homeowners were shocked back in May when the Tennessee Valley Authority Board voted to adopt a new policy that would place a 30-year sunset provision on all 1,800 floating homes on TVA reservoirs.

Houseboat owners, local government officials in Swain and Graham counties and U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, all tried to convince the TVA to reverse its decision but the board wouldn’t budge. The TVA claimed floating homes were causing safety and environmental problems, though little proof of that was shown in the TVA’s environmental impact report.

Rep. Meadows and other North Carolina congressmen then introduced an amendment last month to a larger bill — the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (WRDA) — to allow existing floating homes to stay on TVA lakes. The bill made it through Congress and Obama signed it into law last Friday.

“This is a moment to celebrate the best of the American system and way of life,” said Erik Sneed, a Fontana houseboat owner.

“You can count on a great party at our place this spring to celebrate.” Cherokee residents Erik and Laura Sneed were a driving force behind the floating homeowners fight to keep their property investments on the lake.

Laura started the Facebook group “Fontana Families for Floating Houses” to keep owners in the loop on TVA meetings, Meadows’ efforts in Washington, D.C., and fundraising efforts to pay for a legislative consultant. She also traveled to D.C. in September to give testimony on the issue before the Subcommittee on Government Operations, which Meadows chairs. Swain County

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Smoky Mountain News

December 21-27, 2016

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Health

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Hospitals host state’s top healthcare leaders Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital, both of which are part of Duke LifePoint Healthcare, hosted a visit by Dr. Eugene Washington, Chancellor for Health Affairs for Duke University and President and CEO of Duke University Health System.

During his visit to Sylva, Washington joined in an informal discussion around delivering high-quality, innovative healthcare services close to home, the driving force behind Duke LifePoint Healthcare.

Also participating in the discussion were Steve Heatherly, CEO of Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital; David Belcher, chancellor of Western Carolina University; Don Tomas, president of Southwestern Community College; Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville; Brian McMahan, chairman of the Jackson County commissioners; and a number of community leaders.

Wound Care Center partners with Healogics Through a partnership with Healogics, Haywood Regional Medical Center is able to offer a new and comprehensive center offering specialized wound care.

Services include wound consultation, evaluation, diagnostic, treatment, non-invasive vascular studies, specialty wound dressings, bio-engineered skin grafts/substitutes, compression therapy, treatment of wound, skin and bone infections including antibiotic therapy, negative pressure wound therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Patients may also have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials and multi-center studies.

828.452.8594 or www.myhaywoodregional.com/woundcare.

Harris Cardiology opening Jan. 9 Harris Cardiology, a full-service cardiology practice located on the second floor of Harris Regional Hospital alongside Harris Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, will be opening Jan. 9.

The practice will be open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 828.586.7654.

Dr. Francis Nullet, a board certified cardiologist, began caring for cardiology patients in the hospital this month and will start seeing patients in the outpatient setting at Harris Cardiology when the practice opens next month.

HRMC recognized by March of Dimes Haywood Regional Medical Center has been recognized by the March of Dimes for its work to give babies a healthier start in life.

HRMC earned the recognition after successful-

ly reducing the number of elective inductions and cesarean deliveries performed before 39 completed weeks of pregnancy to less than 1 percent.

“The last weeks of pregnancy are important, as babies aren’t just putting on weight; they are undergoing important development of the brain, lungs and other organs,” says Edward R.B. McCabe, MD, Ph.D., March of Dimes senior vice president and chief medical officer. “We commend Haywood Regional Medical Center for being a champion for babies with their improvement efforts.”

Jones retires from nursing career Betty Jones recently retired from Smoky Mountain Mental after more than 40 years of service in mental health services.

“I can’t think of anyone who has more experience or a better attitude and work ethic. Betty has been highly valuable to myself and Appalachian Community Services,” said Brandon Ray, director of nursing. “It is honestly hard to put into words or capture the value of someone’s lifetime work in an email.”

Jones started working for Smoky Mountain Mental Health in July 1973 and retired in 2002 only to return three weeks later to do patient assistance for Meridian. Then she went on with Smoky Mountain Mental Health back at The Balsam Center in November 2006 where she played an integral part in the opening of the psychiatric clinic.

Jones was named the National Medical Assistant of the Year in 2015.

Hospitals helping sign people up for insurance Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital are again providing resources for individuals enrolling in health insurance through the federal Health Insurance Marketplace this year.

Now through Jan. 31, certified staff will be available on-site at the hospitals, as well as via phone and email, to help individuals find a healthcare coverage option through the Marketplace that fits their needs and budget.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Harris Regional Hospital at 828.586.7355 or Swain Community Hospital at 828.488.4055.

Certified Application Counselors can also be reached by email at harrisregionalhospital.CAC@lpnt.net or swaincommunityhospital.CAC@lpnt.net, or at www.GetEnrollmentHelp.com.

Mission COO among top hospital leaders Dr. Jill Hoggard Green, chief operating officer for Mission Health and president of Mission Hospital, is among the top female hospital leaders in the nation, according to a new ranking.

Becker's Hospital Review released the 2016 edition of its list of 130 Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know, featuring Hoggard Green and other highly accomplished female leaders. All recipients have demonstrated outstanding leadership and management throughout their careers, leading initiatives to improve their individual organizations' quality, operational and financial performance, as well as the wellbeing of the communities they serve.

Brackett earns national safety credential Tiffany Brackett, director of quality and regulatory for Harris Regional Hospital and Swain Community Hospital, was recently recognized as a Certified Professional in Patient Safety by the Certification Board for Professionals in Patient Safety.

Brackett also serves as the hospitals’ patient

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• Sonshine Yoga Ministries’ four-week yoga series to celebrate the Advent season will conclude with the last class on Dec. 22 at Waynesville Country Club – Blue Ridge Room, 176 Country Club Dr., Waynesville. Sign-up begins at 6:15 p.m. and class will be held from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. www.sonshineyoga.com.

ALSO:

• The American Red Cross urges eligible donors to give the gift of lifesaving blood or platelets. www.redcrossblood.org or 800.RED.CROSS. • A prenatal breastfeeding class will be held at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 12 at Haywood County Health and Human Services – Training Room 102. All pregnant mothers-to-be and support persons are welcome. Class is free but registration is required. Call 828.356.2207 or 828.452.2211.

• Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center will hold an American Red Cross Lifeguard Training Certification course Jan. 17, 19, 21, 24 and 26. The Saturday, Jan. 21, class will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and all other dates will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Course fee is $235 for fitness center members, $255 for non-members. Call 828.452.8056 in advance for further advisement prior to registering.

• Mission Hospital has earned recognition as one of the nation’s Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals by Truven Health Analytics, a leading authority on clinical quality. Mission Hospital is one of only two hospitals in the Carolinas to receive the recognition. safety officer. She earned this credential in part by passing a rigorous, evidence-based examination that tests candidates on their competency in patient safety science and application. Brackett is trained as a registered nurse and holds a Master of Science in Nursing. She has led the hospitals’ regulatory, accreditation and survey readiness initiatives for the past two years. www.cbpps.org.

Harris provides resources for advance directives Harris Regional Hospital provides the community with resources to create a living will, commonly known as advance directives.

Members of the LifePath Palliative Care team can assist the community with completing the ‘Five Wishes’ document to inform family and friends of one’s preferences related to personal, spiritual, medical and legal choices at the end of life. Appointments are available 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday through Friday.

828.586.7713 or www.myharrisregional.com/5wishes

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

Traditions help us deal with change, loss ince my mom’s passing in August, many people have given me books and resources to help with the grief. They’ve all been helpful in different ways, but there was a passage that struck a chord in my heart and has been on my mind continually.

It said, “When you lose a parent, you lose your past; when you lose a spouse, you lose your present; when you lose a child, you lose your future.”

After I read it, I sat in the quiet for a long time. Those words sunk in and helped me realize why my dad, sister, and I are experiencing grief in different ways. While we’re all struggling in our everyday lives without her, my sister and I often say, “Remember when mom …”

Columnist or “Mom would have loved …” or “Mom used to do it this way or that way.”

But I see my dad’s daily loneliness, his sadness over entering an empty house, reaching for the phone only to realize he can’t call her, the missing chair at the table or on the dance floor while my sister and I have a partner.

We’ve lost our mom. Our dad lost his soul mate. Both are terribly hard. Just different.

With the passage from the grief book in mind, it’s no wonder I’ve been thinking a lot this holiday season about my childhood Christmases. They always seemed to start with the Asheville Christmas Parade. My sister and I grew up dancing and twirling the baton so inevitably each year we were significantly underdressed as we leaped or twirled our way down Patton Avenue.

Once the parade concluded, my family would go to the former Three Brothers Restaurant and sip hot chocolate until we warmed up. My dad was friends with the owners, so they always gave us extra, extra whip cream.

Susanna Barbee

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The media is just not doing its job To the Editor: Have we ever seen such hypocrisy? The Russians have now hacked the 2016 election, really? Liberal news media are now very concerned about the Russians destroying our democratic process.

Wasn’t it the media (CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC), among others, whose “journalists” tried to control the results of the election with biased and skewed reporting against the right? Where was this deep concern when the American people were trying to get objective information about the presidential election?

The Federal Communications Commission has publically stated the press are public trustees. The FCC continued that “broadcasters may not intentionally distort the news and that rigging or slanting the news is a most heinous act against the public interest.”

Controlling the news and slanting the facts or reporting innuendos are not portions of a democratic process any more than “hacking” by another country.

Where is the evidence the Russians hacked the election? The media owes the public this truth. If we cannot trust the information we

We always got our Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. In early childhood, we had an artificial tree which we adorned with entirely too much tinsel and popcorn. My mom was never one to care about an intricately decorated tree with a color scheme. She just wanted us to have fun decorating it, and that we did!

Elves on the Shelves weren’t available for adoption in those days, but we had our own daily ritual that excitedly pulled my sister and me out of bed each morning. Individual Advent calendars hung on our doorknobs, and every night, my dad would write poetic riddles on small sheets of paper that sent us around the house on scavenger hunts to find small gifts like flavored lip gloss, a pair of Christmas socks, or a box of candy. We loved the gifts, of course, but the thrill of the search was the most fun part.

My dad was an English major, so the riddles were festively creative and always rhymed. I wish I still had those little pieces of paper.

Another ritual was lighting all of the candles on the coffee table. We didn’t have tea lights or Yankee Candles or Scentsy warmers or essential oil diffusers. We just had old-school candles shaped like reindeer, snowmen and Santa Clauses. We would watch the flame burn while eating snacks and waiting until 8 p.m. on the dot when “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” or “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” came on the TV. Because I’m sure as you remember, if you missed the one night these movies came on, you were sorely out of luck.

There was no Netflix or Amazon Prime to make the movies correspond with the family’s schedule.

On Christmas Eve, my sister and I slept in her “big bed” which I later realized was only a double but seemed so big when I was a tiny girl. She and I would whisper and giggle late into the night until one little blonde head and one little brown head finally fell fast asleep.

receive from mainstream media and the content of the news is controlled or skewed, we are no longer operating as a democracy anyway.

Let us protect all aspects of the democratic process, not just the portions that agree with personal opinions or bias.

Claudia Knipe Waynesville

Mainstream media has lost its credibility To the Editor: Nothing in a recent letter (“Please, just check the facts,” Dec. 14, The Smoky Mountain News) rings true, factual and correct or adds any genuine evidence to support the assertions made.

I don’t know about alt-right (or alt-left) people since those are “politically correct” labels whose meanings constantly shift depending on who you are talking to or whether one political stripe or the other is more susceptible to online scams (my sense is that it is evenly distributed among the population).

It used to be the case when we had three television network news shows, several radio news networks, hundreds of authentic news-

Bright and early the next morning, we pulled our parents out of bed completely unaware of their lack of sleep. With all of our hair disheveled, our teeth unbrushed, and pajamas on, we tore into our gifts. We squealed over Cabbage Patch Dolls and bicycles and Strawberry Shortcake figurines. Despite their exhaustion, my parents watched with utter joy and contentment. And as a mom myself, I now understand why.

I’ve realized since August that when your childhood is quintessential in all the right ways, losing a family member is so hard.

But the memories are so very precious and serve as a beacon of light for me as I make my own way and create my own story in this lifetime.

It seems so strange that my mom won’t be here for Christmas when she was the cornerstone of everything related to the day and embodied the spirit of the season.

This week, my dad started a new tradition by picking up the boys from school and taking them one at a time to buy a Christmas gift for me, their dad, and their brother. I met with him last night over coffee, and he has detailed lists of the various gifts he’s gotten the grandchildren, asking me to assess if all seems adequate and fair. Throughout our time of grief, he’s demonstrated the most beautiful combination of deep grief and hopeful optimism. I admire him so much for this.

As these final days before Christmas come and go, a lot of folks are on my mind. Those who longingly lament the past, those who struggle for a new daily normal, and those who ache for a future that will never be.

The holidays are a hard batch of weeks for those with grieving souls, but they are also a time to honor, remember, and hope.

Like my dad, I hope to find a harmony between the dark and the light, and having two sweet little boys who are creating their own childhood memories, I’ll do my best to make that happen.

Susanna Barbee can be reached susanna.barbee@gmail.com.

papers and a number of high-quality weekly news magazines that most of them made profits, though not huge, for their respective parent companies. If they didn’t they went out of business.

Of course, that was when readers/viewers/listeners trusted them and had a reason to trust them — because they reported the facts.

Since what passes for an educational system no longer trains young men and women to actually think, why shouldn’t they be taken in by fake news, whether it be from the regime or some bipolar con man?

Speaking of con men, neither Jestin Coler or Paul Horner are reputable sources for citing financial figures as they both are paid liars and as such have no credibility.

Just two fairly recent cases where the mainstream media (MSM) was caught with their fake news pants down are the Rolling Stone Magazine/University of Virginia false rape scandal and the Duke University men’s lacrosse team false rape scandal. Interestingly, in both incidents the msm relied upon single source information — always a bad thing whether it be in the news or intelligence businesses. Do an Internet search to check the authority and factuality of these two examples, unless you are just too lazy to do the work.

You can invariably tell a “letters-to-the-edi-

tor-charlatan.” They always lead with personal insults (ad hominem attacks), which are the safe space of someone who has no clue about what they’re talking about. Anger, the irrational road to false confidence, which leads directly to boorishness and disordered ideations, often follows closely thereafter.

And yes, the prime hideout from truth and reality for the forward comrades crowd is the false narrative; a fallaciously written script purposely made to twist the facts of a situation to the false meme that progressives are right and anyone who does not agree with them is wrong. These charlatans will always use non-existent facts and outright lies to construct the delusion du jour and you, gentle reader, can be assured that the meme will change, often constantly, as these charlatans are always exposed as they struggle irrationally and impotently to draw the intellectually wary into their nets.

Acquiring knowledge has always been a personal responsibility because despite the angry screechings of the kindergarten crowd, human nature does not change. Therefore, a close, skeptical reading of letters to the editor is essential to wending your way closer to the Truth. Merry Christmas.

Carl Iobst Cullowhee

WOW wraps up fifth year of giving back to community “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

– Margaret Mead

Jessi Stone

I

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

828.454.5400. Open for lunch and dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Mild, medium, to hot and spicy, our food is cooked to your like-able temperature. Forget the myth that all Thai food is spicy. Traditional Thai food is known to be quite healthy, making use of natural and fresh ingredients, paired with lots of spices, herbs, and vegetables. Vegetarians and health conscious individuals will not be disappointed as fresh vegetables and tofu are available in most of our menu as well as wines and saki chosen to compliment the unique flavors of Thai cuisine.

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; slowsimmered soups; flame grilled burgers and steaks, and homemade signature desserts.

Blue-plates and local fresh vegetables daily.

WAYNESVILLE’S BEST BURGERS

Brown bagging is permitted. Private parties, catering, and take-out available. Call-ahead seating available.

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Lunch served 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; Monday through Saturday.

Dinner 5 to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Closed on Sunday. We specialize in hand-cut, 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.

BREAKING BREAD CAFÉ 6147 Hwy 276 S. Bethel (at the Mobil Gas Station) 828.648.3838 Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Chef owned and operated. Our salads are made in house using local seasonal vegetables. Fresh roasted ham, turkey and roast beef used in our hoagies. We hand make our own eggplant and chicken parmesan, pork meatballs and hamburgers. We use 1st quality fresh not pre-prepared products to make sure you get the best food for a reasonable price. We make vegetarian, gluten free and sugar free items. Call or go to Facebook (Breaking Bread Café NC) to find out what our specials are.

BRYSON CITY CORK & BEAN A MOUNTAIN SOCIAL HOUSE 16 Everett St.,Bryson City. 828.488.1934.

Open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday brunch 9 a.m. to

Retail Retail

Restaurant Restaurant

LIVE LIVE Music Music

FRIDA FRIDAY, AY, DECEMBER 23 @ 7:15PM 7 Joe Cruz: piano, vocals Beatles, Beatles, El Elton ton Jo John, hn, Ja James mes T Taylor aylor + Mo More re

SATURDAY, SA AT TURDA AY, DECEMBER 24 2 Closing at 5PM in Observance of Christmas Eve MON.-SAT. 11 A.M.-8 P.M.

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

December 21-27, 2016

R e se r v e a Reserve att 8 828-452-6000 28-452-6000 Paid in part by Haywood County www Tourism www.visitncsmokies.com .visitncsmokies.com T ourism o 828-452-6000 8 28-452-6000 classicwineseller.com classicwineseller.com 20 NC C 20 Church Church Street, Street, Waynesville, Waynesville, N

We’ll feed your spirit, too.

Smoky Mountain News

t’s my favorite quote. I remind myself of it every time I’m feeling helpless or hopeless about the state of the world in which we live.

As negativity and our own shortcomings begin to bog us down, it’s easy to become cynical and give up on the things we believe in, but that mentality is a self-fulfilling News Editor prophecy we need to avoid. Instead, we need to ask ourselves what we can do in our own backyard to make it a better place.

As I scroll through the last year’s worth of posts on the Women of Waynesville Facebook page, I can honestly say that our small and spunky nonprofit has made its mark this year in Haywood County. For an organization that is only five years old, I am constantly amazed at what we’re able to pull off. Please allow me to brag for a moment.

Through our fundraising efforts, our group of about 30 women has helped seven other Haywood County nonprofits and given away more than $11,000 this year to meet our mission of helping women and children.

WOW raised more than $6,000 with our “Bachelors Ball for Belles Auction” fundraiser in February. We were able to contribute $2,000 of that to the Haywood Schools Foundation through the Mardi Gras Ball fundraiser by supporting our WOW member Angie Franklin’s queen candidacy.

The other $4,000 raised from the bachelor auction went to the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center in Waynesville to fund student scholarships for their summer enrichment program.

Thanks to a $5,000 grant we received from Pilot Travel Centers, we were also able to give $4,000 to Mountain Projects’ Share the Warmth campaign to assist women and children with heating costs this winter. Champion Credit Union helped us double that gift by matching 100 percent of our donation.

We gave the remaining $1,000 to Haywood Habitat for Humanity by sponsoring a Women Build Day on a job site.

On. Nov. 19, our membership showed up to Habitat’s Walton Woods site and finished the interior painting for the first house being built in the subdivision. We’re so thrilled to work alongside the new homeowner who will be moving into the

home right before Christmas.

Lastly, WOW received a $1,000 community grant from Wells Fargo that we put toward our first “Layaway Christmas Angels” mission. Small groups of WOW members staked out the layaway counters at Walmart and Kmart last weekend and approached people that were in line to pick up their kids’ Christmas gifts. Families were surprised and grateful for the help and WOW members enjoyed spreading some holiday cheer to those in need.

Thanks to one of our WOW members, we received a $5,000 grant from Pilot and another member helped us get a $1,000 grant from Wells Fargo. Our $4,000 donation to Mountain Projects was doubled thanks to matching funds from Champion Credit Union. These are the types of community partnerships and relationships that WOW wants to continue to build.

When we’re not giving financially to other organizations, we offer volunteer “womanpower” to other nonprofit benefits like the Haywood Healthcare Foundation’s Power of Pink 5K, Main Street Mile, Spookmoot and more.

We have what is called our “stealth missions” where we can provide muchneeded clothing, food or other necessities to women who have exhausted other possibilities. We want to fill that gap between what the other nonprofits, government entities and churches are doing in the community.

That’s what I love about WOW — we’re moldable, we can help other nonprofits, we like our unusual and exciting fundraisers, none of the money we raise goes to salaries and we enjoy what we do. We work hard and we play hard. We are a support system for our members and our community. And we are here to stay.

Wow’s founder and president Nikki White is resigning for some muchdeserved R&R and I will be taking the helm in 2017. While our group will no doubt miss her enthusiast leadership, we’re pushing onward and looking forward to outdoing ourselves next year.

We know we can’t do it all on our own.

It takes the generosity and support of our business community and partnerships with our local nonprofits. We appreciate everyone who has helped us fulfill our mission this year and we hope everyone finds a way this holiday season to make someone else’s life a little brighter.

If you want to become a member, make a donation or otherwise partner with our organization, visit www.womenofwaynesville.org, follow us on Facebook or email us at womenofwaynesville@gmail.com.

(Jessi Stone, along with being the incoming president of WOW, is news editor at The Smoky Mountain News. jessi@smokymountainnews.com.)

tasteTHEmountains

Cataloochee Ranch 119 Ranch Drive, Maggie Valley, NC 28751 | CataloocheeRanch.com | (828)926-1401

21

Ring In 2017

tasteTHEmountains

AT

The Rendezvous RESTAURANT & LOUNGE At the Maggie Valley Inn

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. Family-style breakfast seven days a week, from 8 am to 9:30 am – with eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and oatmeal, fresh fruit, sometimes French toast or pancakes, and always all-you-can-eat.

Lunch every day from 12:00 till 2 pm.

Evening cookouts on the terrace on weekends and Wednesdays, featuring steaks, ribs, chicken, and pork chops, to name a few. Bountiful family-style dinners on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with entrees that include prime rib, baked ham and herb-baked chicken, complemented by seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts. We also offer a fine selection of wine and beer. The evening social hour starts at 6 pm, and dinner is served starting at 7 pm. So join us for mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view.

Please call for reservations.

Hors d’Oeuvres Buffet 9 p.m.–Midnight Midnight Champagne Toast Dancing and Party Favors Midnight Breakfast Buffet

MUSIC BY

Stone Crazy $139 PER COUPLE INCLUDES ROOM Single Rates Available Reservations Recommended

Smoky Mountain News

December 21-27, 2016

70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley • 828.926.0201

NEW YEAR’S DAY BRUNCH 10:00am - 3:00pm

Featuring: Black Eyed Peas, Greens, Pork, Roast Beef Carving Station, Breakfast Items, Omelette Station, Salad Bar & Much More

325-7

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.

FERRARA PIZZA & PASTA 243 Paragon Parkway, Clyde.

828.476.5058. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 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.

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 hand-cut fries. Locally sourced beef. Indoor and outdoor dining. facebook.com/ChurchStreetDepot, twitter.com/ChurchStDepot.

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

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

JOEY'S PANCAKE HOUSE 4309 Soco Rd Maggie Valley.

828.926.0212. Winter hours: 7 a.m. to 12 p.m., closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Joey’s is a family style restaurant that has been serving breakfast to the locals and visitors of Western North Carolina since 1966. Featuring a large variety of tempting pancakes, golden waffles, country style cured ham and seasonal specials spiked with flavor, Joey's is sure to please all appetites. Join us for what has become a tradition in these parts, breakfast at Joey’s.

NEW YEARS 2017

324-38

SPECIAL NYE MENU SERVING ALL WEEKEND

$12.95 Per Person

Risotto Cakes - Beef Tenderloin - Truffle Grilled Salmon Stuffed Smoked Portabello Manicotti - Dark Chocolate Mousse

Drink, Tip, Tax Not Included

Reservations Recommended

70 Soco Road, Maggie Valley • 828.926.0201 22

3p.m., Full Menu 3 to 9 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, specialty sandwiches and burgers. Be sure not to miss the bold flavors and creative combinations that make up the daily Chef Supper Specials starting at 5pm every day.

Followed by a tempting selection of desserts prepared daily by our chefs and other local bakers. Enjoy craft beers on tap, as well as our full bar and eclectic wine list.

LIVE MUSIC

Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Saturday 12 p.m.-10 p.m.

Closed Tues.

Sun. 12-9 p.m.

CLOSED CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY 32 Felmet Street (828) 246-0927

by PMA - Positive Mental Attitude Starting at 10 pm

GROUP PACKAGE $60 Includes dinner for two, Champagne toast & general admission Reservations Recommended regular menu available

Beautiful Downtown Sylva 828.586.3555

tasteTHEmountains JUKEBOX JUNCTION U.S. 276 and N.C. 110 intersection, Bethel.

828.648.4193. 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Serving breakfast, lunch, nd dinner. The restaurant has a 1950s & 60s theme decorated with memorabilia from that era.

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

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

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

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

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

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

PASQUALE’S 1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Open for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday. Classic Italian dishes, exceptional steaks and seafood (available in full and lighter sizes), thin crust pizza, homemade soups, salads hand tossed at your table. Fine wine and beer selection. Casual atmosphere, dine indoors, outside on the patio or at the bar.

Reservations appreciated.

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.

TRAILHEAD CAFE & BAKERY 18 N Main Street, Waynesville.

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

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.

Real New Yorkers.

Real Italians. Real Pizza.

Dine-In ~ Take Out ~ Delivery

An Authentic Italian Pizzeria & Restaurant from New York to the Blue Ridge.

Just to serve you!

Featuring: Calzones · Stromboli Subs · Pasta and More NOW OPEN

Mon.-Sat. 11 am to 9 pm · Closed Sundays

243 Paragon Parkway | Clyde

828-476-5058

MEDITERRANEAN

Christmas cookies, pastries & desserts Breakfast - Lunch - Coffee - Donuts & More Monday - Saturday 7-4 | Sunday 9-3 18 N Main St. in the heart of Waynesville

828-452-3881

ITALIAN CUISINE

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

1863 S. Main Street • Waynesville 828.454.5002 Hwy. 19/23 Exit 98 LUNCH & DINNER TUES. - SUN.

www.CityLightsCafe.com

www.pasqualesnc.com

Nutrition Facts serving size : ab out 50 p ag es Am ount per Serving Calories 0 % Daily Value * Tot al Fat 0g

207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde blueroostersoutherngrill.com Monday-Friday Open at 11am

Real Local Families, Real Local Farms, Real Local Food

0%

Reg ional New s

100%

Op inion

100%

Outd oors

100%

Art s

100%

Entert ainm ent

100%

Classified s

100%

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

Happy Holidays from Our Family to Yours!

Ask about our holiday catering

Smoky Mountain News

APPÉTIT Y’AL N L BO

828-456-1997

December 21-27, 2016

Ask us about our 10% Discount for Waynesville Locals

895 Russ Ave. • Waynesville

828-452-5822

Closed Christmas Day Sun.–Thurs. 11–10 • Fri. & Sat. 11–11 23

24

A&E

Smoky Mountain News

‘All of the freaks have gone to bed…’

A conversation with Ron Gallo

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER It’s about time.

It’s about time someone kicked us all in the ass when it comes to the power and swagger (and social responsibility) of rock music. It’s been awhile since I came across a melodic entity that truly made me immediately blurt out, “Who in the hell in this? And why am I just hearing about this right now?”

Ron Gallo knocked me on my ass. Just when I’m growing weary of day-in-day-out rock acts wandering down the same well-worn paths of song themes and live performance antics, Gallo’s (already) infamous “Please Yourself ” YouTube video documents a guerilla attack of hard rock and 1970s New York punk attitude.

In the short film, the singer wanders down an alley in downtown Nashville (Lower Broadway) doing spoken word, only to jump onto the back of a moving pickup truck (already filled with his band mates) as the power trio stops and performs in the middle of a busy intersection to shock and awe John and Jane Q. Public.

And what remains are the lyrics, which is where Gallo truly shines. In that spoken word video intro (aka the song “All the Punks are Domesticated”), that talent and aptitude

RG: I want to see the freaks get recognition. I want to see all the money and power and freedom return to the most honest, fearless, weird, love-filled, contributing humans. We all know them. Basically, I want to start a hot new trend where the world is not completely backwards.

GKW: Where do you draw inspiration from for a song?

RG: Observation of myself and taking small scenes or occurrences that I witness in passing, and seeing what they say about the world that we live in. I’m interested in making songs that expose and talk about things that people know exist, but don’t necessarily acknowledge, and finding the humor in it. Songs that might make people turn inward and take responsibility for the world around them, ones that empower, or liberate, but in a lighthearted, digestible way.

Ron Gallo. comes to the forefront, “I will be forgotten in two generations/What will have been my big mark?/A couple little tears dangling in the dark/An impressive collection of digital remarks/An apple falls at the park/Where your body lay/Deep within the clay/It’s just another day/Where all of the punks are domesticated, all the freaks have gone to bed…”

There is such a sense of urgency and honesty in his work, one might surmise that in the coming years it will only become more apparent that Ron Gallo is a torch bearer of rock-n-roll, and all of what that entails — social change through artistic performance, valuing art at a cerebral level, and, most importantly, never forgetting the beauty and potential of the face in the mirror.

Garret K. Woodward: What I first heard your music, it felt like the instruments weren’t the only things plugged into the electricity. You and the band were as well. Where does that emotion and passion come from? What are you channeling?

Ron Gallo: Music is just an outlet for the truths that I want to live by. That allows every song and performance to come from that same place. For a lot of my musical pursuit, I didn’t always live or create with intent, but when I realized that was a thing, I started to feel like I was finally channeling myself — and that’s all you can do.

GKW: How do you want to contribute to the music industry, or be different from it in your approach?

GKW: What are you seeing out there these days when you take a gander at the landscape of the music industry? Everything is changing so rapidly, for good or ill. Where are we at, and where are we going?

RG: I spent way too much time trying to figure out how to navigate it, and the conclusion I made was to surrender to it and focus on what you make and nothing else. The music industry is a joke. How much illusion and game playing goes into creating a career out of your “art,” people need to see something validated by

internet numbers before they will buy in to it, there needs to be some mythology or story — branding — it’s weird and the opposite of the point. If you look at what is most popular today, it confirms one thing — that world is ill.

I’m not interested in playing any those games or creating illusions. I think that’s been a huge part of the music industry, and the world, for quite some time now, and somehow just being ourselves and frankly not giving a shit about the industry might very well be the reason it starts to pay attention to what we do, and that’s a beautiful and funny thing. It’s time for a mass wake up, and I think it’s the artists’ responsibility to do so.

I want to see the freaks get recognition. I want to see all the money and power and freedom return to the most honest, fearless, weird, love-filled, contributing humans. We all know them. Basically, I want to start a hot new trend where the world is not completely backwards.

— Ron Gallo

Want to go?

Nashville hard rocker Ron Gallo will hit the stage at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, at The Mothlight in West Asheville. The Nude Party and The All Arounders will also be performing. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 day of show. 828.252.5433 or www.themothlight.com.

Gallo’s latest album, “Heavy Meta,” will be released on Feb. 3 on New West Records. You can find the record and other information on his music at www.rongallomusic.com.

GKW: What has all that touring and recording shown you about your music, your philosophy, your goals in music?

RG: It has been incredible to see any response that this music has affected or touched someone, inspired them to think or live a certain way, to empower themselves, to be their weird self, to examine their innards, to feel rejuvenated or excited for the future, to be fearless or think they see truth in it. When someone genuinely was impacted by what you do, it is the only thing that matters outside of the love for creating it. That is what I do it for. This is not for my own ego, personal gain or personal enjoyment even, it feels like a mission and one I am grateful to be on with great people.

GKW: What has a life playing and creating music taught you about what it means to be a human being?

RG: That the only point of life is to remember what you really are and it’s none of this. So, music for me has been a way to align my inner and outer purpose in life, figure out what I am and [what the] music [is, and] to try and do that all together.

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

“What I do feel when this part of the calendar rolls around is restlessness. I don’t want presents. I don’t want eggnog or cookies. Heck, I don’t even want a tree, either.”

‘Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy.’

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GIVE THE GIFT OF RELAXATION

December 21-27, 2016

But, I’m not sad either.

Even with that Charlie Brown quote in the headline to emphasize my thoughts on the impending Christmas, I still find myself somewhere in the neutral zone. Sure, I’m a positive thinking and focus-driven person, but why-oh-why do I find myself more of a loner when the inclusiveness of the holiday season taps my shoulder?

And I find that somewhat odd, seeing as I have fond memories of Christmas as a child in the North Country of Upstate New York.

Frozen backyards covered with snow.

Throwing another log into the woodstove as the frigid arctic winds from Canada licked at the windows of the old farmhouse. A dining room filled with family and friends, the smell of my grandmother and mother’s cooking wafting from the kitchen. A large tree in the corner, chopped down proudly by my father and I right after Thanksgiving, endless presents underneath, teasing our desires with their joyous possibilities.

Part of me thinks that perhaps my atarms-length interaction with Christmas as an adult comes from the mere fact I really don’t have any direct family connection to the holiday anymore. I haven’t lived in the North Country since 2012. That old farmhouse was sold in 2007. My grandmother passed away in 2001. And my father and I haven’t chopped a tree down together since I was a freshman in high school.

What I do feel when this part of the calendar rolls around is restlessness. I don’t want presents. I don’t want eggnog or cookies. Heck, I don’t even want a tree, either. I do have a two-and-a-half-year-old niece,

drank, we dash back to our cars and return to our daily lives, which for many of us seems too self-serving from an outsider’s perspective. I swear a large part of my Garret K. Woodward photo apprehension of Christmas results from seeing such hypocrisy at the dinner table and around the numerous holiday gatherings we all find ourselves at.

I suppose what I do wish for, if there is a Santa Claus up there Legendary Nashville singer-songwriter and somewhere, is that we do find finger-picker Thom Bresh will perform at 6 inner peace as the temperatures p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Balsam drop, our internal gates lowered Mountain Inn. just enough this time of year to The Lazy Hiker Brewing “New Year’s Eve see into the real depths of our Bash” will host Porch 40 (rock/funk) on souls, for good or ill.

Saturday, Dec. 31, in Franklin.

As Christmas nears, I find myself becoming more of a loner Americana/bluegrass act Ol’ Dirty Bathtub will than a lover. I think if I ignore perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, at The Cut the holidays, then I won’t Cocktail Lounge in Sylva. They will also be acknowledge the increasing disperforming at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at tance and time between the foggy Innovation Brewing in Sylva. memories in my head and the current situation of my soul’s No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host endless dilemma of stability and funk/soul act Darren & The Buttered Toast will curiosity — the solution residing perform a special New Year’s Eve showcase somewhere out there on that at 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. horizon I’m always chasing.

The Cherokee Lights & Legends Christmas will I guess it’s just the age-old be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 30-31 at the urge of a gypsy soul, eh? The Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. more that tradition and familiarity tries to mark its territory though, which is a bright spot when thinkaround me like a hound peeing on an old ing of reasons to put in the time, energy and maple tree, the more I tug and pull at my money to make the long trek back to roots, in hopes of finding fertile ground Plattsburgh, New York. elsewhere.

Sure, I love my family: mom, dad and lit“You have unfinished business,” a friend tle sister. But, as the sands of time slowly seep told me recently. She was right. I’m distractthrough the hourglass of our demise, I find I ed with whatever it is that I’m supposed to would rather disappear than reappear back to be doing, rather than honing in on people, where it all began. Maybe it’s also trying to places and things around me. Eyes aimed only remember the good times, and not be ahead. Some people just ain’t made for cozy reminded first-hand just how much older my comfort, for their soul stands by the side of folks have gotten since I took off for college the road, thumb out, waiting for the next (and for good, as I had aimed to do) in 2003. unknown ride into the dusty distance of a I’ve been on my own — living, working starry, cold prairie night. and simply being alone — for many years Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

arts & entertainment

This must be the place

now. And when that “warm and fuzzy” holiday ooze bubbles up from the ground beneath your feet, I find myself heading for the hills.

Running further into the desolate woods of my mind, the trees and birds sing in unison the timeless words, “Christmas time is here/We’ll be drawing near/Oh, that we could always see/Such spirit through the year…”

I mean, why can’t that Christmas spirit transcend the entire year that will soon follow? We all shake hands, kiss babies, hug friends and family, but, once the last gift is opened, the last drop of after-dinner coffee

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arts & entertainment

On the beat

Bresh to play Balsam NYE Legendary Nashville singer-songwriter and finger-picker Thom Bresh will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Balsam Mountain Inn. The event will be part of the “Songwriters in the Round” series at the inn, which will also include performances by Henry Hipkens, Casey Kelly and Leslie Ellis. The son of Nashville icon Merle Travis, Bresh is known for his 1970s country hits “Homemade Love,” “Sad Country Love Song” and “Hey Daisy (Where Have All The Good Times Gone).”

The inn began the series over 15 years ago and modeled it after similar performances at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe. Balsam’s performers are most often the Nashville-area songwriters who pen lyrics performed by country and western stars. Many performances feature Grammy and CMA award winners, and all include writers of many top-ranked songs.

The evening will also include a full buffet dinner. $87 per person. www.balsammountaininn.net or 800.224.9498.

JAZZ SERIES AT SOUL INFUSION Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro (Sylva) will host The Infinite Guest Jazz Series at 7 p.m. Jan. 3. The popular series is led by acclaimed saxophonist Tyler Kittle (pictured).

828.586.1717 or www.soulinfusion.com.

Ken Voltz photo

A concert of contemporary and traditional Christmas music will be performed at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 23, at the First Baptist Church in Waynesville.

One of the most talented worship bands in the area, 100 South Main plays a wide range of styles that include acoustic and electric guitar, bass, banjo, man-

dolin, violin, cello, keyboards, drums and percussion.

Contemporary Christmas music will include songs by Big Daddy Weave, Casting Crowns, Sidewalk Profits, David Crowder, Down Here and Reliant K. The band cordially invites everyone to attend this free concert. A love offering will be collected to benefit the Waynesville Middle School Clothes Closet and Food Pantry.

828.456.9465.

Porch 40, craft beer NYE

Smoky Mountain News

December 21-27, 2016

Waynesville Christmas concert

The Lazy Hiker Brewing “New Year’s Eve Bash” will host popular Western North Carolina act Porch 40 (rock/funk) on Saturday, Dec. 31, in Franklin.

In recent years, Porch 40 has opened up for the likes of Blues Traveler, Marshall Tucker Band and REO Speedwagon. Tea 4 Three will open at 8 p.m. with Porch 40 onstage at 10 p.m.

The food truck will also be open late.

828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

SYLVA GETS THE FUNK Popular funk/soul act Darren & The Buttered Toast will perform a special New Year’s Eve showcase at 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at No Name Sports Pub in Sylva. Admission is $3 at the door. www.nonamesportspub.com.

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On the beat arts & entertainment

GET IN THE TUB Americana/bluegrass act Ol’ Dirty Bathtub will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, at The Cut Cocktail Lounge in Sylva. They will also be performing at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at Innovation Brewing in Sylva. Both shows are free and open to the public.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Joe Cruz (piano/pop) Dec. 23 and 30.

Both show are free and open to the public.

The “Jazz It Up” on New Year’s Eve dinner special on Dec. 31 will include a four-course meal and music by Peggy Ratusz & Richard Shulman ($70 per person). All events begin at 7 p.m. 828.452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

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

828.488.8898.

ALSO:

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host The Mistletoes (jazz) Dec. 23, Zorki (singer-songwriter) Dec. 30 and a “New Year’s Eve Bash” with Porch 40 (rock/funk) and Tea 4 Three Dec. 31. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m.

828.349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• No Name Sports Pub (Sylva) will host Jacob Green (soul/folk) Dec. 23, Bender Kills (rock/blues) Dec. 30 and Darren & The Buttered Toast (funk/soul, $3 cover) Dec. 31.

All shows are free and begin at 9:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. www.nonamesportspub.com.

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

• Sazon (Cullowhee) will host Folk Songs (world music) at 7 p.m. Jan. 6.

828.293.9443 or www.sazoncullowhee.com.

• Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro (Sylva) will host The Infinite Guest Jazz Series at 7 p.m. Jan. 3. 828.586.1717 or www.soulinfusion.com.

• The Strand at 38 Main (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” night from 7 to 9 p.m. on Saturdays. All are welcome. 828.283.0079 or www.38main.com.

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

828.526.8364 or www.theuglydogpub.com.

• The Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host Andrew Rickman (acoustic/rock) Dec. 23, DJ Night Dec. 30 and New Year’s Eve with Chris Monteith (Elvis tribute) Dec. 31.

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

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Smoky Mountain News

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will have an Open Mic night Dec. 21 and 28, a jazz night with the Kittle/Collings Duo Dec. 22 and 29, and a New Year’s Eve Party with Bird In Hand (Americana) and Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/bluegrass) Dec. 31. All events are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.innovation-brewing.com.

• The Rendezvous Restaurant at Maggie Valley Inn will host Stone Crazy Band (classic rock/pop) from 9 p.m. to midnight Dec. 31 for its New Year’s Eve Party. Make a reservation by calling 828.926.0201.

December 21-27, 2016

• The Cut Cocktail Lounge (Sylva) will host the “Live Soundtrack to Silent Movies” ham dinner at 7 p.m. Dec. 24, Ol’ Dirty Bathtub (Americana/bluegrass) 8 p.m. Dec. 30 and a New Year’s Eve Dance Party Dec. 31.

828.631.4795.

• The Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host Phillip John Brooks (singer-songwriter) Dec. 30 and a New Year’s Eve Bash Dec. 31. All shows are free and begin at 8 p.m. www.rathskellerfranklin.com.

Affairs of the Heart

————————————————————————————— 120 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC • 828.452.0526

324-44

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arts & entertainment

On the street

Kephart showcase at WCU

Smoky Mountain News

December 21-27, 2016

A showcase on the life and times of Horace Kephart will be on display through March 31 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University.

In 1904, Kephart was 42-yearold librarian when he came to Western North Carolina looking for a fresh start in the Southern Appalachian wilderness. Over the next 27 years, his numerous articles and books captured a disappearing culture, provided practical advice for generations of outdoor enthusiasts, and spearheaded the movement to establish the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

828.227.7129.

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Children’s NYE ‘Pajama Party’ There will be a “Pajama Party” for kids on New Year’s Eve Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

The event will start at 11 a.m. and a snowflake will be dropped at noon (not midnight). The program will feature books, games, music, crafts, and light refreshments. Children and parents are encouraged to come in their pajamas.

828.524.3600 or www.fontanalib.org.

On the street arts & entertainment

Bryson City NYE

December 21-27, 2016

Swain County will be hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration on Dec. 31 in downtown Bryson City.

Sponsored by the Swain County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, this free, family-friendly event will take place on Fry Street with parking available at the Swain County Administration Building. In addition to an outdoor movie, plan on a hot chocolate station, bubble machine and kids activity area.

Live music is a big part of the event with two regional acts performing: opening act Grandpa’s Cough Medicine and headliner Ashley Heath.

“We are thrilled to add this event to our calendar,” said Karen Proctor Wilmot, chamber executive director. “I hope our locals and visitors alike will join us as we ring in the New Year in downtown Bryson City.”

828.488.3681 or visit www.greatsmokies.com.

• A wine tasting will be held from 2 to 5 p.m.

Dec. 24 and 31 at Papou’s Wine Shop in Sylva. $5 per person. www.papouswineshop.com or 828.586.6300.

Smoky Mountain News

• A free wine tasting will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. Dec. 24 and 31 at Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville. www.waynesvillewine.com or 828.452.0120.

• The Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host a wine tasting on Wednesdays and a craft beer tasting on Thursdays. Both events run from 4 to 8 p.m. There will also be tapas from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. www.classicwineseller.com.

ALSO:

• 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.

reclaim your weekend

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visitnc.com/parks

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arts & entertainment

On the wall

WATERCOLORS ON DISPLAY AT IT’S BY NATURE

December 21-27, 2016

Cullowhee watercolorist Craig Forrest will showcase a 15-piece collection of new works throughout the month of December at the It’s By Nature gallery in downtown Sylva.

828.631.3020 or www.itsbynature.com/upcomingevents.

Introduction to rag quilting

Jo Ridge Kelley.

Smoky Mountain News

‘It’s a Small, Small Work’

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The Haywood County Arts Council’s (HCAC) latest exhibit, “It’s a Small, Small Work,” will run through Dec. 31 at its Gallery & Gifts showcase room in downtown Waynesville.

The 2016 exhibit features 60 artists and almost 200 individual works of art for sale, which provides a unique opportunity for budding artists to exhibit their work alongside seasoned professionals.

The small work show was launched in 2008 in response to a declining economy and to demonstrate that original artwork can be affordable. 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. www.haywoodarts.org.

A beginners rag quilting class will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the Jackson County Extension Center in Sylva.

Ann Gill-Johnson of Sew Easy Girls and an Extension and Community Association (ECA) member will instruct the class. Basic sewing skills are needed to participate.

Course cost is $5 per person. To register and get the supply list, call 828.586.4009.

• Laurey-Faye Dean will be the featured artist with a live demonstration and discussion at “The Potter’s Wheel” series from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 24 at The Wild Fern in Bryson City.

ALSO:

• The Adult Coloring Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Fridays in the Living Room of the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. An afternoon of creativity and camaraderie. Supplies are provided, or bring your own. kmoe@fontanalib.org or 828.524.3600.

• “Stitch,” the gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meets at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org.

On the tree

The Polar Express train excursion hits the tracks through Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Jan. 1 at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad train depot in Bryson City.

In 1985, Chris Van Allsburg wrote The Polar Express, a story of a magical train ride on Christmas Eve. The train takes a young boy to the North Pole to receive a special gift from Santa Claus.

The excursion comes to life as the train departs the Bryson City depot for a journey through the quiet wilderness for a spe-

a nine-hole mini-golf course, face painting, balloon animals, the opportunity to create a Par-T-Pet (similar to a Build-a-Bear®) and free cotton candy and popcorn. There will also be a New Year’s Eve fireworks show.

Admission is free to the celebration.

Skating and photos with Santa are both $5, with most activities inside the Exhibit Hall at $7. www.visitcherokeenc.com.

Cherokee Lights & Legends cial visit at the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, guests on board will enjoy warm cocoa and a treat while listening and reading along with the magical story. Santa will also be on board to meet and greet with children and guests.

Ticket prices begin $42 for adults, $28 for children and free for infants. Prices vary for all groups with other trip packages. For more information or to purchase tickets: 800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

The Cherokee Lights & Legends Christmas will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 30-31 at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds.

This special Christmas event invites families to stroll under the lights through fun, interactive displays that tell ancient Cherokee Christmas legends. You can also see the lighting of the 40-foot Christmas tree, have a visit with Santa, and take a spin on the synthetic ice rink.

Families will also find a bonfire with Cherokee storytelling, two bouncy houses,

arts & entertainment

Polar Express rolls into Bryson City

• The Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation gift-wrap project will be held through Dec. 24 at Mast General Store in downtown Waynesville. Organizers are in need of donated wrapping materials and volunteers to work three-hour shifts at Mast General Store.

Shoppers can bring their purchases to the gift-wrapping table in the lobby and volunteers will box and wrap the holiday gifts for a donation to Sarge’s.

To donate wrapping materials, bring the items to Sarge’s Adoption Center, 256 Industrial Park Drive in Waynesville, from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Supply donations may also be taken to Mast General Store. To sign up to help gift wrap at Mast General Store, visit www.sargeanimals.org/mast-general-giftwrap or call 828.400.5713.

ALSO:

December 21-27, 2016 Smoky Mountain News 31

32

Books

Smoky Mountain News

A fresh look at the life of Evelyn Waugh ifty years ago this past spring, on Easter Sunday, Evelyn Waugh died of a heart attack in his home in Combe Florey, England.

Both during his lifetime and in the years following his death, Waugh’s literary reputation underwent several transfigurations.

Though Waugh was regarded in mid-life as one of the greatest writers in the English language of his time, his later work was attacked by many critics as being out of step with the times. In the 1980s, with the BBC production of Brideshead Revisited, Writer Waugh’s star once again began an ascent to place him rightfully among the literary geniuses of the twentieth century. Decline And Fall, A Handful of Dust, Brideshead Revisited, his World War II trilogy, Sword Of Honour: these and most of Waugh’s other writings have not only stood the test of time, but are well worth a visit from readers unfamiliar with his work.

In addition to collections of his letters, journals and essays, several biographies of Waugh have appeared in the last 40 years. (If you are looking for wit and humor, I particularly recommend The Letters of Nancy Mitford and Evelyn Waugh). These biographies — the two volume set by Marin Stannard, the Christopher Sykes and Selina Hastings biographies, the accounts of his life by several relatives — are all worthy of the attention of Waugh’s readers.

If, however, you are looking for a readable and updated examination of this author’s life, you might turn to his latest biographer, Philip Eade, and his splendid book Evelyn Waugh: A Life Revisited (Henry Holt and Company, 2016, 404 pages, $32).

In taking readers through Waugh’s life, Eade steers away from analyzing Waugh’s books, focusing instead on the major events of Waugh’s life and the influences of his family

Jeff Minick

F

We see him deftly make his way through the world of the Bright Young Things of the 1920s, which he would satirize in his novel Vile Bodies. Though crushed emotionally from a failed first marriage — his wife, who was also named Evelyn, deserted him to become the lover of another — he eventually married Laura Herbert, a young woman who became the mother of his seven children, one of whom died in infancy. Though middle-aged and with a family, Waugh fought in the Second World War and continued to write until his death in 1966.

Though I have read much by and about Evelyn Waugh, I enjoyed Eade’s look at Evelyn Waugh’s personal life.

In some anecdotes, both here and in the other studies, Waugh comes across as a monster, out to insult and terrorize those around him, including his family and friends. He had a reputation for being conservative (he was), for Evelyn Waugh: A Life Revisited by Philip Eade. Henry Holt and despising the modern Company, 2016. 404 pages. world (he did), for misanthropy (mixed opinand friends. Eade takes us from Waugh’s ions here), and for a sharp tongue and acerbic youth, when he felt his father and older broth- wit that could, as his son Auberon Waugh er were bound together in a way that excluded once wrote, “quail” even generals and chancelhim, to his time as a dandy at Oxford where lors of the exchequer. Once, when asked by a he performed poorly in his studies but carried friend how as a convert to Catholicism he away material and ideas that would serve him could be so nasty, Waugh responded: “You well in his later writing. have no idea how much nastier I would be if I

was not a Catholic. Without supernatural aid I would hardly be a human being.”

Yet as Eade demonstrates, Evelyn Waugh was extraordinarily generous to his friends, to many of his fellow writers, and to various Catholic charities. He wrote letters commiserating with friends who suffered divorce, bad reviews and other personal setbacks. (Eade doesn’t mention it, but Waugh gallantly defended Earnest Hemingway’s Across The River And Into The Trees when many reviewers savaged that novel). When Catherine Watson, an American Catholic convert who was married with five children, came to visit Waugh with her lover, the novelist Graham Greene, she wrote ahead to Waugh and asked if the visit would “embarrass” him. He replied, “Please believe that I am far too depressed by my own odious, if unromantic, sins to have any concern for other people’s. For me it would be a delight to welcome you here.” Her visit was a success and helped strengthen Waugh’s friendship with Greene.

Eade corrects some of the distortions about Waugh’s character by mining new documents, letters and unpublished memoirs.

Alexander Waugh, Evelyn’s grandson, is now editor-in-chief of the Oxford University Press’s Complete Works of Evelyn Waugh, with the first of 43 volumes due out in 2017. Alexander Waugh encouraged Eade to write this biography “to mark the half-centenary of his grandfather’s death” and generously shared with Eade “the most comprehensive Waugh study archive in the world.” These papers have shed light on Waugh’s obsessive love for Teresa ‘Baby’ Jungman, his relationship with his first wife, and his dealings with Alastair Graham, an intimate from his Oxford days who likely served as the model for Sebastian in Brideshead.

In his Preface, Philip Eade writes that his is not a “critical” biography, “but aims to paint a fresh portrait of the man by revisiting key episodes throughout his life and focusing on his most meaningful relationships.” In this endeavor Eade has admirably succeeded.

(Jeff Minick can be reached at minick0301@gmail.com.)

Merry Christmas from Smoky Mountain News

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December 21-27, 2016

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Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

To save a life Global village rallies for high-altitude rescue in the mountains of Nepal Judy Seago (left) and Jerry Parker pose among the prayer flags draped at the highest point of the 128-mile trek, 17,768-foot Thorung La Pass. Donated photo

“I was hooked,” he said.

This time around, the adventure began with a Jeep ride from BesiSahar to Chamje, a 20-mile distance that required four hours to traverse. The Jeep narrowly skirted cliffs towering above deep valleys, the vehicle loaded with more people than seemed safe. Then, at Chamje, they began walking. Chamje sits at an elevation of 4,675 feet, but the altitude would eventually increase to a whopping 17,768 feet mid-trek at the Thorung La Pass — that’s more than two-and-a-half times as high as Clingmans Dome — before beginning its decline.

“Statistically half the people that cross that pass will have some degree of mountain sickness, and about two people a year die,” Parker said.

WITNESSING THE SPECTACULAR

BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER Judy Seago almost left the United States without packing a stethoscope.

Seago, a pediatrician, was headed to Nepal on a honeymoon trek with her new husband Jerry Parker, a pharmacist. Medical missions weren’t part of the itinerary for the Jackson County couple — it was supposed to be all about exploring the miles-high mountains of Nepal’s Annapurna range.

But that didn’t stop Parker, 66, from packing an extensive medical kit that included everything from antibiotics to electrolyte salts

to rubber gloves, or from urging Seago, 57, to bring her stethoscope. You never know when you might encounter someone in need of medical attention, he figured. So Seago consented to pack the medical supplies with the understanding that she’d stick to treating people in her area of expertise, the 18-and-under age bracket.

That was that, and on Oct. 14 the couple flew to Nepal to begin their 28-day adventure, 19 days of which would be spent trekking the Annapurna Circuit. Parker had been there once before, when he did the 12-day Annapurna Sanctuary Trek in 2008.

Trekkers and guides at the Thorung Phedi teahouse join forces to move Akiho on her makeshift litter. Jerry Parker photo

The risk didn’t deter Parker or Seago. The scenery was “beyond spectacular,” Parker said, adding that, “Words probably fail me in some sense.”

The beginning of the trail almost reminded him of the Smokies. It was “lush, green, verdant, lots of water,” Parker said, with familiar-looking trees such as birches, pines and “humungous” rhododendrons filling the forest. The snowcapped peaks and bare-rock formations in the distance, however, gave away the game. This was not North Carolina.

The ancient trail, too, had a character of its own. Long used as a salt trading route between Nepal and Tibet, the path was thousands of years old. Parts of it were paved with locally available rock, which just happened to be marble.

“It was like walking on the interior of a cathedral,” Parker said.

As they reached the 10,000-foot mark, the trees disappeared. They’d eventually descend the other side to encounter a landscape completely different than the beginning of the trek— dusty, dry, with little vegetation.

THE INJURY Parker and Seago were just settling down to take a nap at Thorung Phedi to prepare for what they’d been warned would be the hardest day of the whole trek — a 9-mile day that would have them climb more than 3,000 feet to Thorung La before descending more than 5,000 feet to their shelter for the night — when it happened.

Just about 15 minutes down the trail from Thorung Phedi, a pair of blue sheep began to fight on a slope. Below the sheep, a 40-yearold Japanese woman named Akiho was trekking solo. The sheep knocked loose a rock that gathered enough speed as it rolled down the mountain to snap Akiho’s tibia and fibula and shear the flesh from her calf.

“When we first heard that someone had broken a leg we were just thinking, oh, a broken leg, they fell down,” Seago said. Then, she saw the patient.

“There was just no skin,” Seago recalled.

“It was just the raw muscle and tissue, and you’re like, this is not just a broken leg. This is more serious.”

An Israeli solider on the trek was the first to respond, stopping the more serious bleeding using a tourniquet fashioned from his ripped-up shirt and Akiho’s trekking pole before she was moved to the village on a litter.

The tourniquet probably saved her life, Parker said, but it also posed a problem.

“My biggest worry was when to take that tourniquet off or to loosen it up, because I don’t know how long you can leave a tourniquet on and still have a viable leg,” Seago said.

Seago’s pre-travel declaration that she wouldn’t be treating anyone over 18 vanished instantly when she saw Akiho. She hadn’t done much trauma work since her medical rotations in the 1980s, but she took the lead on the triage, yelling at Parker to fetch this or that from the medical bag he’d so carefully packed. Akiho had been delivered to the guides’ bunkhouse, a darkened barn-like building full of bunk beds.

“It was kind of cramped because there were all these beds. The light was not good and you were just crawling around doing the best you can,” Seago said.

An Italian geriatrician and an English physician assistant, also on the trek, materialized to offer help. The first order of business was to bandage the leg to keep the wound moist and the tissue viable. They boiled water, sterilizing both the fabric and the water used to wet it, and covered the wound with the bandages.

“She was shivering and about to go into shock,” Parker said. “So we took her sleeping bag and wrapped her up in the sleeping bag.”

They gave her the broadest-spectrum antibiotic they could find in the medical bag and got out the rehydration salts that Parker had packed. She’d lost an enormous amount of blood, but they had no needle to run an IV. Instead, they added the salts to 3 liters of water, which they coaxed Akiho to drink.

Through all of this, the only pain medication Akiho had taken was a few Tylenol pills that a German trekker had given her at the site of the accident. It took a while to locate anything stronger, but finally the English P.A. discovered some tramadol, a synthetic opiod that finally provided some relief.

“After a while, people kind of left somewhat,” Seago said. “I stayed because that’s what we do when we have a sick baby. We stay with them until someone comes and takes them away to a better place for care.”

EVACUATION BY HELICOPTER As it turned out, the transition of care would involve a lot more than simply keeping things stable while a trauma team arrived.

For starters, Akiho, an experienced trekker and resident of San Francisco, had no travel insurance. Rescue helicopters in Nepal won’t fly unless they’re guaranteed payment. So, the owner of the teahouse — that’s what lodgings for trekkers along

F

Smokies road closed for bridge repairs Bridge — visitors will be able to park at the Noland Creek Trailhead just before the bridge. Hikers and horseback riders will be allowed to walk across the bridge to access the Lakeshore Trail Trailhead, approximately 0.8 miles from the bridge.

the route are called — contacted the Japanese embassy on his satellite phone.

They needed to speak with Akiho and with a doctor — Seago — before they’d call for a helicopter. This required moving Akiho into the cold courtyard where reception was better. Even so, the calls kept getting dropped, and every new call involved a whole rigmarole of getting connected to the right person once more.

The whole time, the clock was ticking. It was already 2 p.m., and the tourniquet had been on for nearly two hours. The helicopter ride would take about an hour each way, and helicopters didn’t fly after 4 p.m. due to the dangers darkness and high winds pose in the mountains.

Finally, the embassy agreed to send a helicopter. In the meantime, Seago did her

vanished with the helicopter mostly belonged to the teahouse owner, and they represented a significant value to him, though he later told Parker that he was happy to have played a part in the rescue despite the monetary loss it represented.

It was about a quarter to five when the helicopter left, nearly three hours past the time that Parker and Seago had originally intended to be asleep. They tried to transition back to their original plan for the afternoon, but for Seago at least, it wasn’t easy.

“I did not sleep well that night, and I think it was just being nervous about crossing the pass and worrying about altitude sickness and worrying about her (Akiho) some as well,” Seago said, “Wondering, what’s the status of her leg? Is she going to be OK?” As it turned out, they made it over the pass just fine, with neither of them getting altitude sickness — unless the mild headache that Seago experienced counts.

But they wouldn’t get news about Akiho until a couple weeks later, when they finished their trek and managed to track down the hospital where she was staying.

The incident became something of a legend along the trail. Seago and Parker were hiking in peak season, running into the same 50 or so people repeatedly over the course of their trek.

“Every place we stopped along the way, people had heard about the Japanese woman and they’d be talking about it,” Seago said.

Whenever they ran into anyone with any kind of medical expertise, she’d always want their opinion as to how that kind of situation should be handled, if she should have done anything differently.

So, when they finally saw Akiho again, the happy ending they witnessed was an immense relief.

“She had two operations and she was going to have to go to Japan for more, but there she was all smiles,” Parker said. “The first thing she said to Judy was, ‘Oh, it’s the woman who saved my life.’”

The road to recovery isn’t over for Akiho. Japanese doctors found a bone infection that wasn’t treated in Katmandu, and she’s expected to be in the hospital for another three months.

But she’ll keep her leg, and the prognosis for recovery is good. And that’s all thanks to the global community that came together that day on the Annapurna Circuit.

“It takes a village,” Parker said. “It was a global village at that moment of many nationalities, races, genders — everything — working together for one person.”

Smoky Mountain News

best to attend to Akiho, constantly checking her vital signs and monitoring the condition of her leg.

“I had been telling her that when the transport team got there, there would be a nurse, they’d put in an IV, they would give her some pain medicine, because that’s what I’m used to,” Seago said.

But that’s not quite what happened.

The helicopter did come with a doctor, which in itself wasn’t normal — typically just the patient and whomever they’re hiking with fly to the hospital. The doctor had only come along because Akiho was hiking alone.

“He doesn’t have any gloves on. He’s working around with the leg and the blood,” Seago said. “He just kind of looks at her and puts on a makeshift splint. He just picks something up. It was just a little piece of wood that he found lying around and starts wrapping gauze around it.”

They picked Akiho up — mattress, sleeping bag, and all — loaded her in the helicopter and flew away. The materials that

A POSITIVE PROGNOSIS

December 21-27, 2016

Seago communicates with the Japanese embassy by satellite phone. Jerry Parker photo

outdoors

Part of Lakeview Drive in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Bryson City will be closed through Saturday, Dec. 24, to allow for bridge improvements.

The road is closed past Noland Creek

35

outdoors

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Cruso - 3BR, 3BA, $159,900 #3236469

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December 21-27, 2016

Canton - 3BR, 2BA, $117,900 #589941

Smoky Mountain News

Laurel Ridge Country Club

36

4BR, 5BA, $899,950 #590923

Wildlife proposals open for comment Significant changes proposed include: ■ Establishing the 1,925-acre William H. Silver Game Land in Haywood County as a six-day-per-week game land with an introductory either-sex deer season.

■ Redefining “youth” as anyone under 18

Winter falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Holly Kays photo

Rain barrels discounted for Christmas

Electric vehicle stations coming to Jackson Jackson County will be getting three new electric vehicle charging stations thanks to a grant from Duke Energy.

Two stations will be installed in Sylva and one in Dillsboro, with Duke paying up to $5,000 for the purchase and installation of each charging port. The amount should cover the cost, according to a press release from Duke.

What Dad REALLY Wants for Christmas.

HUNTING & OUTDOOR GEAR | FIREARMS | ARCHERY

Overall, the program this year awarded more than 200 stations to 83 cities, counties and organizations for a total of $1 million, increasing the number of public electric vehicle charging stations in North Carolina by 30 percent. The awards cover 50 of North Carolina’s 100 counties.

The program stems from a 2015 settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and environmental groups. The EPA lawsuit had claimed that Duke Energy violated the federal Clean Air Act at some of its coal-fired power plants in North Carolina. The electric vehicle charging program was one of many stipulations included in the settlement.

Christmas Bird Count coming in Haywood Novice and expert birders alike will join forces to count as many birds as possible in the Balsam area of Haywood County Friday, Dec. 30.

Part of the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count project, birders on Dec. 30 will divide into four sections, each with its own leader and assigned coverage area. Most groups will start around 7 a.m. and finish at dusk, around 5 p.m. The goal is to count as many identifiable birds as possible before the day is over. After the count, participants will gather at Bocelli’s in Waynesville to reflect on the results of the day.

Participants must have their own binoculars, and field guides are handy to bring as well. Email Don Hendershot at ddihen1@bellsouth.net to be assigned a group and meeting place.

Last year’s count attracted 19 participants who recorded 65 species, including 10 redcrossbills, the only crossbills reported in North Carolina. Observations also included red-breasted nuthatch, golden-crowned kinglet, black-capped chickadee and a tanager species that participants believed — but couldn’t confirm — to be a scarlet tanager.

HOME TECH

December 21-27, 2016

Santa can bring a rain barrel for a discounted price through Dec. 31, part of an effort from the Haywood Waterways Association to increase participation in water conservation efforts.

Rain barrels capture water that falls from the sky for use in gardening and landscaping, reducing dependence on other sources such as wells.

Typically $90 apiece, barrels are now discounted to $81.

Purchase at the Haywood Cooperative Extension Office in Waynesville or online at

www.haywoodwaterways.org/mdc.html.

828.476.4667.

years old and allowing youth to participate in youth either-sex deer hunts, Youth Deer Hunting Day, Spring Youth-only Wild Turkey Season, Youth-only Delayed Harvest Trout Water Season and any youth hunts on game lands.

■ Eliminating the use of paper big game harvest record sheets. Instead, hunters would report big game harvest by phone or online. Adoption of the proposal would complete the conversion from paper to electronic harvest reporting, a process that began with wild turkey harvest reporting in 2003.

The full proposal is available at ncpaws.org/PAWS/WRC/PublicComments/ PublicEntry/ProposedRegulations.aspx.

Written comments can be submitted online at ncpaws.org/paws/wrc/publiccomments/publicentry/proposedregulations.asp x, at the public hearing, through email to regulations@ncwildlife.org or by mailing to Rules Coordinator, N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, 1701 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699.

The 19 wildlife commissioners will vote on the proposals at their Feb. 16 meeting.

Approved proposals would take effect Aug. 1.

outdoors

A public hearing seeking input on this year’s round of proposals from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will be held 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at the Haywood Community College auditorium, with written comments accepted through Feb. 1.

The Kitchen Shop and

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Smoky Mountain News

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(828) 452-7672

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outdoors

Hikers embark on a First Day hike up Chimney Rock Park Road. Donated photo

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Local Program Committee Meeting at the Waynesville Recreation Center Smoky Mountain News

Every year, N.C. State Parks celebrates the New Year with an offering of First Day Hikes at each park in the system, and this year is no exception. Check out the events planned for Jan. 1 at state parks in Western North Carolina.

■ Chimney Rock State Park. A 7-mile night hike will explore the park as soon as the New Year dawns, starting at Old Rock Café at midnight and climbing 1,200 feet along Chimney Rock Park Road to the top of Chimney Rock itself before returning to the starting place by 3 a.m.

Warm clothes and a light are a must, with the event cancelled in case of inclement weather. 828.625.1823.

■ Gorges State Park. A casual 2-mile hike

will leave from the park visitor center at 10 a.m. to take in the Bearwallow Overlook and the Upper Bearwallow Falls observation deck. Hot cocoa will make the cold weather a bit warmer.

828.966.9099.

■ Grandfather Mountain State Park. A 2mile hike will travel the Tanawha Trail from 9:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with the excursion switching over to a snowshoe hike in case of snow. Some snowshoe pairs will be available for first arrivals, through participants should bring their own if they have them.

Bring snacks and water.

828.963.9522. www.ncparks.gov/north-carolina-firstday-hikes.

Improvements coming to Massey Branch Access HAYWOOD COUNTY

Major reconstruction is underway at the Massey Branch Boat Access Area on Santeetlah Reservoir, meaning the area will be closed through Feb. 1, 2017.

The work aims to enhance recreation opportunities, with a major component of the project including replacing the final concrete section of the existing boat ramp. During reconstruction, the reservoir elevation will reach the allowable limit of 9.9 feet below full pond to allow for the improvements.

The project is a collaboration of the U.S. Forest Service, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and Brookfield Smoky Mountain Hydropower. It is being implemented in accordance with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission-approved recreation plan of 2006.

January 16th at 6:00 PM All persons interested in being a part of this committee are strongly encouraged to attend, promote, enlist other volunteers, and discuss major program needs

WAYNESVILLE 38

Ring in the New Year with N.C. State Parks

Feel free to share on your social media to help recruit anyone interested in being on the committee. Please make plans to attend and bring others who wish to make a commitment to our Haywood County Special Olympics Program.

PARKS AND RECREATION 828.456.2030 or email tpetrea@waynesvillenc.gov

Fire damage cloases Whitewater Falls The Whitewater Falls area of the Nantahala National Forest, near Cashiers, will remain closed indefinitely due to severe wildfire damage.

The 23-acre Whitewater Fire was among the smaller of the nearly 30 fires that burned through tens of thousands of acres in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forest this fall, but the fire completely destroyed the staircase and access facility to the Whitewater Falls observation deck.

The terrain is steep, rendering the site

unsafe and dangerous to the public, the U.S. Forest Service decided. Both Whitewater Falls and the Foothills Trail that connects to the falls are included in the closure.

“I regret the impact that this closure causes for the 75,000-plus people who visit this site every year. However, safety must be our first consideration,” said District Ranger Mike Wilkins.

Before rehabilitation can begin, the Forest Service must secure funding. It is working with the Federal Highways Administration toward that end.

The fire, which began in early November, cost $60,000 to fight. Its cause is still under investigation.

WNC Calendar COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Mike Wolf, Frank Fritz and their team are excited to return to North Carolina. They plan to film episodes of the hit series AMERICAN PICKERS throughout the region this fall. If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send us your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: americanpickers@cineflix.com or call 855.old.rust.

BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Haywood Community College will hold two additional days of registration for its spring semester on Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 4-5. Payment due by the end of Jan. 5. Classes start Jan. 9. www.haywood.edu.

• Registration is underway for an American Red Cross Lifeguard Training Certification course that starts Jan. 17 at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center in Clyde. Course fee is $235 for members and $255 for nonmembers. 452.8056.

FUNDRAISERS AND BENEFITS • The Sarge’s gift wrap project will be underway during regular store hours til Dec. 24 at the Waynesville Mast General Store. Bring purchases to the gift-wrapping table and get your gift wrapped for a donation to Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation. Sign up to help wrap: www.sargesanimals.org/mast-general-gift-wrap.

400.5713.

• The Canton Senior Center Advisory Council is holding a raffle for a “Basket of Gifts and Gift Certificates.”

Tickets are $5 and may be purchased from council members or at the Senior Center (648.8173). Drawing is on Friday, Dec. 30, at the Senior Center. Need not be present to win.

• Save the date: Mardi Gras Ball benefit for the Haywood County Schools Foundation is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, at Laurel Ridge Country Blub. Sponsored by Entegra Bank.

VOLUNTEERS • REACH of Macon County, which also serves Jackson County, will hold a two-day volunteer training from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Jan. 5-6. Twenty hours of training required for volunteers at a domestic violence agency in the state. Info: 369.5544.

• Haywood Regional Medical Center is currently seeking volunteers of all ages for ongoing support at the hospital, outpatient care center and The Homestead. For info or to apply: 452.8301 or stop by the information desk in the hospital lobby. If specifically interested in becoming a hospice volunteer: 452.5039.

HEALTH MATTERS • The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Dec. 28 at the Lowe’s in Waynesville. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.RED-CROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Dec. 28 at the First United Methodist Church in Sylva. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.RED-CROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 1:30-6 p.m. on Dec. 29 at Evergreen Packaging in Canton. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.REDCROSS (800.733.2767).

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 12:30-5 p.m. on Dec. 29 at First Baptist Church in Franklin. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.REDCROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 9:15 a.m.-1:45 p.m. on Dec. 30 at Swain County High School in Bryson City. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.RED-CROSS (800.733.2767).

• The American Red Cross will have a blood drive from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 at Lake Toxaway Fire & Rescue. www.redcrossblood.org/bloodapp or 800.REDCROSS (800.733.2767).

• A prenatal breastfeeding class for pregnant mothersto-be and support persons will be offered at 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 12 at the Haywood County Health and Human Services in Waynesville. Registration required: 356.2207 or 452.2211.

• Assistance with Marketplace Open Enrollment is available through Mountain Projects. Enrollment through the Affordable Care Act is currently open and lasts until Jan. 31. 452.1447 or 800.627.1548.

• A support group meeting for those with Parkinsons Disease and their caregivers will be held at 2 p.m. on the last day Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Senior Resource Center.

• A support group for anyone with Multiple Sclerosis, family and friends meets at 2 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in the Heritage Room at the Jackson County Senior Center in Sylva. Sponsored by Greater Carolinas Chapter of National MS Society. Info: 293.2503. Offered in cooperation with the Southwestern Commission Agency on Aging.

• A monthly grief support group sponsored by The Meditation Center meets at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at The Meditation Center at 894 East Main Street in Sylva. Info: www.meditatewnc.org or 356.1105.

• Inner Guidance from an Open Heart will meet from 68 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at The Meditation Center at 894 East Main Street in Sylva.

Info: www.meditate-wnc.org or 356.1105.

• Dogwood Insight Center presents health talks at 6:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month.

• Free childbirth and breastfeeding classes are available at Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva. Classes are offered bimonthly on an ongoing basis. Register or get more info: 586.7907.

• Angel Medical Center’s diabetes support group meets at 4 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month in the AMC dining room. 369.4166.

Smoky Mountain News

12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at the SECU Hospice House in Franklin. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

• “ECA on the Move!” – a walking program organized

by Jackson County Extension and Community Association – meets from 9-10 a.m. on Mondays through Thursdays. It’s an effort to meet the American Heart Association’s recommendation of 10,000 steps per day. 586.4009.

• 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 • Registration is underway for ZUMBA! Classes, which will be offered from 6-7 p.m. starting Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Canton Armory. $5 per class or early bird special of $60 for all 15 classes. 648.2363 or parks@cantonnc.com.

• Tai chi is offered from 10:45-11:45 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at Haywood Regional Health and Fitness Center. It’s also offered from 1-2 p.m. on Thursdays. Taught by Bill Muerdter. For info about the classes or HRHFC memberships and offerings, call 452.8080 or visit MyHaywoodRegional.com/Fitness.

• Ultimate Frisbee games are held from 5:30-8 p.m. on Mondays at the Cullowhee Recreation Park. Organized

by Jackson County Parks & Recreation. Pick-up style.

293.2053 or www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

• The Wednesday Croquet Group meets from 10 a.m.noon at the Vance Street Park across from the shelter.

For senior players ages 55 or older. 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Pickleball is from 1-3 p.m. on Tuesdays through Thursdays at First Methodist Church in Sylva. $1 each time you play; equipment provided. 293.3053.

• Cardio Lunch class will meet from noon-1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 16 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Flexible Fitness class will meet from 4:30-5:15 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 16 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members.

456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Pump It Up class will meet from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 16 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members. 456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• Pickle ball is offered from 8 a.m.-noon on Mondays through Fridays at the Waynesville Recreation Center.

456.2030 or www.waynesvillnc.gov.

SPIRITUAL

• A free weekly grief support group is open to the public from 12:30-2 p.m. on Thursdays at SECU Hospice House in Franklin. Hosted by Four Seasons Compassion for Life Bereavement Team. 692.6178 or mlee@fourseasonscfl.org.

• A Christmas Eve-Eve service entitled “Hope is Born” will be offered by Vine of the Mountains church from 78:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, at its current location of 112 Virginia Ave. in Waynesville. www.thevine.cc

• A monthly grief processing support group will meet from 4-5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month at the Homestead Hospice and Palliative Care in Clyde.

452.5039.

• First United Methodist Church of Sylva will hold three Christmas services: A contemporary service at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24; a traditional service at 8 p.m. on Dec. 24; and an 11 a.m. service on Dec. 25. 586.2358.

• A Men’s Night Out will take place at 6:30 p.m. on the third floor of the hospital. on the first Wednesday of each month at The Meditation Center at 894 E. Main St. in Sylva. www.meditatewnc.org or 356.1105.

• A free, weekly grief support group will meet from

39

POLITICAL • A swearing-in ceremony will be held for incoming N.C. General Assembly member Mike Clampitt at 2 p.m. on Jan. 7 on the second floor of the Swain County Heritage Museum in Bryson City. Clampitt is the first Republican

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 House member from the 119th District’s Swain County in more than 100 years.

AUTHORS AND BOOKS • The Theme Team Book Club will be presented by the Waynesville Library from 2-4 p.m. on the first Friday of each month. Pick any book from a chosen them; each participant gets a chance to discuss his/her book. Signup required: 356.2507 or kolsen@haywoodnc.net.

• Canton Book Club meets at 3:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• Cookin’ the Books will be held at noon on the last Wednesday of the month at the Waynesville Public Library. A book club focused on cookbooks. All members choose a recipe from the book and bring it to share. The group will discuss the good and bad aspects of the chosen cookbook. 356.2507.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES • The Mexican Train Dominoes Group seeks new players to join games at 1:30 p.m. each Tuesday at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 926.6567.

• Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina – an effort to help area residents commit to a healthier lifestyle, will meet from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

• Haywood County Senior Resource Center is looking into starting a weekly Euchre Card Group. If interested, contact Michelle Claytor at mclaytor@mountainprojects.org or 356.2800.

• A Silver Sneakers Cardio Fit class will meet from 1011 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Waynesville Recreation Center. For ages 60 and above. Cost is regular admission fee to the rec center or free for members.

456.2030 or tplowman@waynesvillenc.gov.

• 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 • Senior croquet for ages 55 and older is offered from 9-11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Vance Street Park in front of Waynesville Recreation Center.

Free. For info, contact Donald Hummel at 456.2030 or dhummel@waynesvillenc.gov.

• A Hand & Foot card game is held at 1 p.m. on Mondays 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 10 a.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

356.2813.

• Hearts is played at 12 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville.

356.2813.

wnc calendar

• Mah Jongg is played at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays at Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2813.

KIDS & FAMILIES • Registration is underway for Haywood County Public Library’s “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” program, which starts Jan. 10 at the Waynesville and Canton Libraries. For each 100 books read, children receive a prize. At 1,000 books, children receive a free book and have a favorite book placed in the library collection in his/her honor. Storytimes are at 11 a.m. on Jan. 10-12 at the Waynesville Library and 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 10 and 12 and 6 p.m. on Jan. 12 at the Canton Library.

648.2924 (Canton) or 356.2511 (Waynesville).

• A Winter Reading Challenge started Dec. 15 at Haywood County libraries. Stop by any county library for a reading bingo card. Complete challenge by Feb. 1.

December 21-27, 2016

• A program called “Imagine”, an art program for children 8-12 meets at 2 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Jackson County Public Library. Program contains art, writing, and drama. 586.2016.

• Rompin’ Stompin’, an hourlong storytime with music, movement and books, is held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays and at 11 a.m. on Fridays at Canton Library. For ages zero to six. 648.2924.

• Crafternoons are at 2:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• Library Olympics will be held at 2 p.m. on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. Children age 5 and up get active through relay races, bingo, mini golf.

586.2016.

• “Plug in and Read” – a digital story time – is offered for ages 4-6 and their caregivers at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at the Waynesville Library.

648.2924.

• Get Moving, a program for children ages 5-12 to encourage children to live a healthy life through exercise and healthy eating, will be held on the first Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m. at the Canton Public Library. 648.2924

• A Tuesday Library Club for ages 5-12 meets at 4 p.m. each Tuesday (except for the fifth Tuesday on months that occurs) at the Canton Library. Hands-on activities like exercise, cooking, LEGOs, science experiments and crafts. 648.2924 or kpunch@haywoodnc.net.

Smoky Mountain News

• Stories, songs and a craft are offered for ages zerosix (and caregivers) at 10:30 a.m. each Tuesday at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• The Canton Library offers a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) program each month. At 4 p.m. on third Tuesday. Children ages 612 are welcome to attend. Please call 648-2924 for more information.

• Construction Zone! will be held at 4 p.m. at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the Canton Library. The library will supply the LEGO® building blocks, you supply the imagination! For children ages 6-12. For more information, please call 648.2924. Continues on the 4th Wednesday of the following months.

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• “Art Beats for Kids” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays at the Charles Heath Gallery in Bryson City.

A new project every week. $20 per child, with includes lesson, materials and snack. To register, call 828.538.2054.

• Full STEAM Ahead, a program for children ages 5-12 to allow them to explore science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics through fun hands-on activities. Program open to the first 15 participants, at 4 p.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at Canton Public Library. 648.2924.

• Family Story Time is held on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 0-6. Stories, songs, dance and crafting. 648.2924.

• Rompin’ Stompin’ Story Time is held on Thursdays

at 10:30 a.m. and Fridays 11 a.m. at the Canton Public Library. Ages 0-6. An hour long story time full of music and movement. 648.2924.

• Storytimes are held at 10 and 10:40 a.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• After-School Art Adventure will be on from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. on Tuesdays at The Bascom in Highlands.

For ages 5 to 10, Art Adventure is a class that explores the creative process of drawing, painting, printmaking, clay, sculpture, fiber art, and crafts by utilizing a variety of media. The students will investigate some of the most popular techniques and theories in art history and will be exposed to contemporary as well as folk art traditions. Tuition is $40 for a fourclass package. www.thebascom.org.

ONGOING KIDS ACTIVITIES AND CLUBS • Fun Friday, everything science, is held at 4 p.m. on Fridays at Jackson County Public Library. 586.2016.

• Teen Coffeehouse is at 4:30 p.m. on the first, third, and fourth Tuesday at Jackson County Public Library.

Spend time with other teens talking and sharing. 12 and up. 586.2016.

• Rock and Read is at 11 a.m. on Tuesdays at Jackson County Public Library. 586-2016.

• WNC Martial Arts will hold karate classes from 67:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at the Old Armory in Waynesville. For more info, contact Margaret Williams at 301.0649 or mvwilliams39@gmail.com.

• Book Buddies for ages 0-3 is from 9:30-10:15 a.m. on Tuesday at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

• Page Pals for ages 3-5 is from 10:30-11:15 a.m. on Tuesday at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

• Story time and kids can make their own piece of art

from 10 a.m.-noon every Saturday during the Family Art event sponsored by the Jackson County Arts Council at the Jackson County Farmers Market located at the Community Table, downtown Sylva. On the first Saturday of each month, there is a scavenger hunt with prizes. 399.0290 or www.jacksoncountyfarmermarket.org.

• Art classes are available for kids 10 and older from 4:15-5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Bascom in Highlands. $15 per class. 787.2865 or www.thebascom.org.

• Art Adventure classes are taught for ages 5-10 from 3:30-4:45 p.m. on Wednesdays at the Bascom in Highlands. Theme: metal. Instructor: Bonnie Abbott. $20 per month. 787.2865.

• Free, weekly, after-school enrichment classes are offered by the Bascom and MCAA from 3-5 p.m. on Thursdays at Macon Middle School through a grant from the Jim McRae Endowment for the Visual Arts. To register, contact Bonnie Abbott at 743.0200.

•A Lego club will meet at 4 p.m. every fourth Thursday of the month, at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Library provides Legos and Duplos for ages 3 and up. Free. 488.3030.

•A community breastfeeding information and support group meets from 10:30 am.-noon on the first Saturday of each month in the main lobby of the Smoky Mountain OB/GYN Office in Sylva. Free; refreshments provided. For information, contact Brandi Nations (770.519.2903), Stephanie Faulkner (506.1185 or www.birthnaturalwnc), or Teresa Bryant (587-8223).

• Science Club is held at 3:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month for grades K-6 at the Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

• A Franklin Kids’ Creation Station is held from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturdays at uptown Gallery in Franklin.

Snacks provided. $20 tuition. 743.0200.

• SafeKids USA Blue Dragon Tae Kwon Do School offers defense training with after-school classes Monday through Friday and Saturday mornings.

627.3949 or www.bluedragontkd.net.

• A Lego Club meets at 4 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of the month at Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.

Legos and Duplos provided for ages three and up.

488.3030.

• Teen time 3:30-4:30 p.m. Thursdays at Waynesville Library. A program for teens and tweens held each week. Each week is different, snacks provided. 3562511 • Homework Help, 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays for students in grades 2 through 6, Canton Branch Library. Former schoolteacher turned Youth Services Librarian Katy Punch offers homework help on a first-come, firstserved basis. Katy, 648.2924.

• Adventure Club on Tuesdays 3:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. for grades K-2 at the Macon County Public Library. 524.3600.

• Children’s craft time, fourth Wednesday, 3:45 p.m. at Cashiers Community Library. 743.0215

KIDS MOVIES • A Christmas movie featuring famous puppets will be shown at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. Info, including movie title: 524.3600.

• A family movie will be shown at 10:30 a.m. every Friday at Hudson Library in Highlands.

• Family story time for ages zero to six years old is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. each Tuesday at the Canton Library. 648.2924.

• The Lazy Hiker Brewing “New Year’s Eve Bash” will host popular Western North Carolina act Porch 40 (rock/funk) on Saturday, Dec. 31, in Franklin.

Tea 4 Three will open at 8 p.m. with Porch 40 onstage at 10 p.m. The food truck will also be open late.

349.2337 or www.lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• The “Jazz It Up” on New Year’s Eve dinner special at the Classic Wineseller on Dec. 31 will include a fourcourse meal and music by Peggy Ratusz & Richard Shulman ($70 per person). 7 p.m. 452.6000 or www.classicwineseller.com.

FOOD & DRINK • Legendary Nashville singer-songwriter and fingerpicker Thom Bresh will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Balsam Mountain Inn. The event will be part of the “Songwriters in the Round” series at the inn. The evening will also include a full buffet dinner. $87 per person. www.balsammountaininn.net or 800.224.9498.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • Tickets are on sale now for a presentation by Step Afrika! with spoken-word artist Kyla Lacey, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20, in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. Part of the Arts and Cultural Events series. $20 for non-students; free for students. Pre-registration required: tcbowers@catamount.wcu.edu (students) or hensley@wcu.edu (non-students).

• Soul Infusion Tea House & Bistro (Sylva) will host The Infinite Guest Jazz Series at 7 p.m. Jan. 3. The popular series is led by acclaimed saxophonist Tyler Kittle (pictured). 586.1717 or www.soulinfusion.com.

HOLIDAYS • The Polar Express train excursion hits the tracks through Dec. 24 and Dec. 26-Jan. 1 at the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad train depot in Bryson City800.872.4681 or www.gsmr.com.

• Cherokee Lights and Legends Christmas will be celebrated from 5-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday Dec. 30-31. Enjoy interactive displays of Cherokee legends, ice skating, a 40-foot Christmas tree and more at the Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. 800.438.1601.

Admission free with fees for activities.

• Visit with Santa from noon-4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24, at The Factory in Franklin. 349.8888 or FranklinFun.com.

• A Children’s New Year’s Eve Pajama Party will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31, at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin. 524.3600.

• A New Year’s Eve Celebration will be held in downtown Bryson City. Outdoor movie, a hot chocolate station, bubble machine, kids activity area and live music by Grandpa’s Cough Medicine and Ashley Heath. 488.3681 or www.greatsmokies.com.

• Popular funk/soul act Darren & The Buttered Toast will perform a special New Year’s Eve showcase at 10

• Learn how to make a rag quilt from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Dec. 28 at Jackson County Extension in Sylva. $5.

Registration required: 586.4009.

• The Dusty Pallet is the newest art gallery in Franklin. The studio is located in downtown at 52 East Main Street. Are you ready for a paint party? For only $35, the gallery provides everything you need to create your own masterpiece. Watch for our days and times at their website, www.thedustypallet.com. Call and schedule your group at 524.5676. The shop is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Have A HollyJolly

C hristmas!

• Cribbage is at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the Maggie Valley Inn. 410.440.7652 or 926.3978.

• An Antique, Vintage & Handcrafted Flea Market starts at 8 a.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 3029 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. Bring your own table/tent. Spaces rent for $10 a day or $25 for all three days.

• Haywood County Arts Council is inviting artist members to participate in its annual Artist Member Show.

Download a show contract/inventory sheet from www.haywoodarts.org. Send completed forms to gallery@haywoodarts.org or P.O. Box 306; Waynesville, N.C. 28786.

• Paint Nite Waynesville will be held at 7 p.m. on Fridays at the Panacea Coffeehouse. Grab a cup of coffee, glass of wine or pint of craft beer and get cre-

DR. COY BROWN

Smoky Mountain News

• A concert of contemporary and traditional Christmas Music will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 23, at First Baptist Church of Waynesville. A love offering will benefit Waynesville Middle School Clothes Closet and Food Pantry. 456.9465.

CLASSES AND PROGRAMS • Laurey-Faye Dean will be the featured artist with a live demonstration and discussion at “The Potter’s Wheel” series from noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 24 at The Wild Fern in Bryson City.

December 21-27, 2016

• Music and Clogging is held from 8-10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays at the Stomping Ground at 3116 Soco Road in Maggie Valley. 926.1288.

A&E

wnc calendar

• A Lego Club meets the fourth Thursday of the month at 4:30 p.m. at Jackson County Public Library. 5862016.

p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31, at No Name Sports Pub in Sylva. Admission is $3 at the door. www.nonamesportspub.com.

828.456.3211 www.smokymtneye.com ACCEPTING MAJOR MEDICAL & VISION INSURANCE PLANS DON’T FORGET — YOU MAY PURCHASE CONTACTS WITH YOUR HSA

From Hwy. 19/23 take Exit 104 towards Lake Junaluska; continue 1/2 mile to Haywood Medical Park on the left.

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wnc calendar

ative. $20 per person. Group rates available. Sign up at Panacea or call host Robin Smathers at 400.9560. paintnitewaynesville@gmail.com.

• The Wild Fern is hosting several local potters at the studio throughout the year. Stop by to see works from the potter’s collection and chat with these talented artists as they create on the wheel and share their unique styles. 736.1605 or info@wildfernstudios.com.

• The Jackson Rangers Camp 1917 will hold monthly meetings at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at the Barkers Creek Community Center. Members are being sought to participate in honor guard graveside events and honor Confederate soldiers. The Confederate Rose, a ladies auxiliary group that supports active members, meets at the same time and location. 736.6222 or jrcamp1917@hotmail.com.

• “Stitch,” the community gathering of those interested in crochet, knit and needlepoint, meet at 2:30 p.m. every first Sunday of the month at the Canton Public Library. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.haywoodlibrary.org.

• A community art group meets at 10 a.m. every Wednesday at the Hudson Library in Highlands.

828.526.3031.

• The “Photography of Bayard Wootten” exhibit is on display through Nov. 23 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.

• A writer’s group meets at 1 p.m. every Thursday at Hudson Library in Highlands. 526.3031.

• An exhibition entitled “This is a Photograph: Exploring Contemporary Applications of Photographic Chemistry” is on display at Penland School of Crafts near Spruce Pine. 765.6211 or penland.org/gallery.

December 21-27, 2016

GALLERIES • “Recent Work” Craig Forrest, Cullowhee watercolorist, will present a 15 piece collection of new works at It’s By Nature gallery in downtown Sylva. Show will run throughout the month of December. 678 West Main Street, Sylva.

631.3020 or itsbynature.com/upcomingevents • A three-month ceramics exhibit at the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum is currently in Cullowhee. Fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or 227.3591.

• “Contemporary Clay,” curated by Heather Mae Erickson, is an exhibition that examines the evolving, expanded field of clay and ceramics. It will run through Dec. 16 in the Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University. www.wcu.edu.

• The exhibit “Emissaries of Peace: 1762 Cherokee & British Delegations” features Cherokee clothing, feather capes, beads, and other artifacts. It is currently on display at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian and also available for travel. www.cherokeemuseum.org or bduncan@cherokeemuseum.org.

• Artist Melba Cooper will be exhibiting her stunning

Smoky Mountain News

series of paintings, “POLLINATION,” at Cullowhee Mountain Arts’ (CMA) Studio in downtown Sylva. www.cullowheemountainarts.org/up-in-the-studioevents or 342.6913.

• The Sew Easy Girls meet from noon-3 p.m. on the first Monday of every month at the Jackson County Cooperative Extension Office’s conference room. Learn how to sew. 586.4009.

ART SHOWINGS AND

• The Haywood County Arts Council’s exhibit entitled “It’s a Small, Small Work” is on display through Dec. 24 at 86 N. Main Street in Waynesville. Sixty artists and nearly 200 individual works of art for sale. www.HaywoodArts.org.

• New artist and medium will be featured every month at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville. 356.2800.

• As part of the Arts Council’s Integrated Arts initiative, a sampling of works by renowned Macon County sculptor Nelson Nichols (www.nicholssculpture.com) will be displayed at this event. Executed in stone, bronze, and wood, Nichols’ sculptural body of work reflects his unique style, Spiritual Expressionism, encompassing anatomical/figurative pieces in classical realism, a series of abstract interpretations, a series illustrating universal/spiritual concepts, and an environmentally inspired series including sculptures of endangered/threatened species. Admission is by donation; $7 is suggested. arts4all@dnet.net or 524.ARTS (2787).

• Cullowhee watercolorist Craig Forrest will showcase a 15-piece collection of new works throughout the month of December at the It’s By Nature gallery in downtown Sylva. 828.631.3020 or www.itsbynature.com/upcomingevents.

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• A classic Christmas movie will be shown at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City. Movie is about a man who spent a lifetime giving up on his own dreams in order to keep life in his small town humming. For info, including movie title: 488.3030.

• Adult movie time, 6:30 p.m. Mondays at Jackson County Public Library. Call for title of movie. 586.2016.

MUSIC JAMS AND GROUPS

• A showcase on the life and times of Horace Kephart will be on display through March 31 in the Mountain Heritage Center at Western Carolina University. The Mountain Heritage Center’s Kephart Collection is composed of 127 objects, including Kephart’s tent, sleeping bag, backpack and the writing desk. The exhibit will display many of these objects in a campsite setting. 227.7129.

• Free one-on-one technology help is offered every Tuesday and Thursday morning at Hudson Library in Highlands. Call 526.3031 to make an appointment.

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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

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• Golden Aires singing group practices at 9:15 a.m. every fourth Wednesday of the month at Jackson County Department on Aging/Senior Center in Sylva. Secular and religious music. Performances given at area nursing homes. Musical instruments also welcome.

586.5494.

• Old-time music jam from 1-3 p.m. the first and third Saturday of the month at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on U.S. 441 outside Cherokee. November through April is just the third Saturday. 497.1904.

• A community music jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month at the Marianna Black Library in Downtown Bryson City.

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

• Cruso Circle Play & Jam, 7 p.m. every Tuesday, Cruso Community Center and Friendship Club in Cruso. www.facebook.com/crusocircleplayjam.

• Pick and Play Dulcimer Group of Sylva meets at 1:30 p.m. on the first, third and fifth Saturday of every month in the fellowship hall of St. John’s Episcopal Church. 293.0074.

• The Franklin Early Music Group meets every Monday at 9 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. 369.5192.

• The Nikwasi Dulcimer Players meet every Thursday afternoon from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Franklin. All are welcome.

524.1040 or 524.2294.

Outdoors • Blue Ridge Parkway is seeking public comment about a proposed policy for allowing only heat-treated, bundled and sealed firewood. Comment is accepted through Jan. 7 at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/blriheattreatedwood.

• The Balsam Christmas Bird Count will be held from approximately 7 a.m.-dusk on Friday, Dec. 30. The area will be divided into four sections, with each section

leader designating a starting place and time.

Participants will meet at Bocelli’s for dinner afterward.

Sign up: ddihen1@bellsouth.net. www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmasbird-count.

• Registration is underway for ski/snowboard lessons at the Cataloochee Ski Resort. For ages 8-up. Sundays for five weeks: Jan. 8, 22, 29, Feb. 5 and 12. Lesson is from 1:30-3 p.m.; lift ticket valid from 12:30-4:30 p.m.

Lift only: $109; lift and lesson: $135. 293.2053 or www.rec.jacksonnc.org.

• Registration is underway for a fly rod building class that will be taught by Tommy Thomas, former president of the National Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Classes are from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Feb. 7 at Haywood Community College. Cost: $350 – all materials included. 565.4240 or clschulte@haywood.edu.

• The Tuckaseigee River Chapter No. 373 of Trout Unlimited meets at 6:30 p.m. on first Tuesday of each month from September through May at United Community Bank in Sylva. Dinner is $5.

• The Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians has moved to Bryson City and is open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Monday through Saturday.

FlyFishingMuseum.org.

FARM AND GARDEN • Registration is underway for the third annual Appalachian Farm School, aimed at those who run or are considering running their own agriculture-based business. Offered through Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center, the school will be held from 6-9 p.m. each Tuesday from Jan. 10-Feb. 28.

Register or get more info: www.southwesterncc.edu/sbc, t_henry@southwesterncc.edu or 339.4426.

• 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.

• A community tailgate market for local growers is open from 3-7 p.m. every Wednesday at The Village Green Commons in Cashiers. 734.3434, info@villagegreencashiersnc.com or www.villagegreencashiersnc.com.

• The Jackson County Farmers Market will be held 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays at the Community Table building on Central Street in Sylva until outdoor hours resume at Bridge Park in March. The market will be held one weekend each in January and February. Info: 393.5236. jacksoncountyfarmersmarket.org.

Puzzles can be found on page 46.

These are only the answers.

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PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS Meridian is seeking Peer Support Specialists to work within a number of recovery oriented programs within our agency. Being a Peer Support Specialist provides an opportunity for individuals to transform their own personal lived experience with mental health and/or addiction challenges into a tool for inspiring hope for recovery in others. Applicants must demonstrate maturity in their own recovery process, have a HS Diploma or GED, valid driver’s license, reliable transportation and have moderate computer skills. If you are seeking some basic information about the role of Peer Support Specialists within the public behavioral health system, please go to NC Peer Support Specialist Certification Site: http://pss.unc.edu/ You do not have to be a certified peer support specialist prior to employment. For further information about these positions, visit the employment section of our website at: www.meridianbhs.org If interested, apply by completing the mini application and submitting your resume.

FINANCIAL BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

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to see what others are saying!

44

IN-HOME AIDE Must have a High School Diploma/GED, Valid NC Driver’s License, Available Transportation, Effective Oral Communication & Skills. Flexible Hours M-F, up to 15hrs. a Week. Duties Include Assisting Elderly in Their Home w/ Light Housekeeping and Errands. Applications Will be Taken at Mountain Projects, Inc., 2251 Old Balsam Rd., Waynesville, NC 28786, or You May go to our Website: www.mountainprojects.org EOE/AA

EMPLOYMENT

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2177 Russ Avenue Waynesville NC 28786

74 North Main St. • Waynesville 828.452.5809 375-07

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All dwellings advertised on equal opportunity basis.

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Marilynn Obrig

Haywood County Real Estate Agents

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mobrig@Beverly-Hanks.com

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Beverly Hanks & Associates

Dan Womack BROKER

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Phone # 1-828-456-6776 TDD # 1-800-725-2962 Equal Housing Opportunity

ROB ROLAND 828-400-1923

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Find the home you are looking for at www.robrolandrealty.com Residential · Land · Commercial

ERA Sunburst Realty - sunburstrealty.com • Amy Spivey - amyspivey.com • Rick Boarder - sunburstrealty.com Haywood Properties - haywoodproperties.com • Steve Cox - info@haywoodproperties.com Keller Williams Realty kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • Julie Lapkoff - julielapkoff.yourkwagent.com • Yvonne Kolomechuk - yvonneksells.yourkwagent.com

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find us at: facebook.com/smnews

• • • • • •

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com Brian K. Noland - brianknoland.com Mieko Thomson - ncsmokies.com The Morris Team - maggievalleyproperty.com The Real Team - the-real-team.com Ron Breese - ronbreese.com Dan Womack - womackdan@aol.com

smokymountainnews.com

SFR, ECO, GREEN

This is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

• George Escaravage - george@emersongroupus.com

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty

Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400

Phone# 1.828.273.3639 TDD# 1.800.735.2962

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• Bruce McGovern - shamrock13.com

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

Monday & Wednesday 8:00am - 4:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

• • • •

Mountain Home Properties

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS

OFFICE HOURS:

beverly-hanks.com Ann Eavenson - AnnEavenson@beverly-hanks.com Randy Flanigan - RandyFlanigan@beverly-hanks.com Michelle McElroy - MichelleMcElroy@beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig - MarilynnObrig@beverly-hanks.com Brooke Parrott - BrookeParrott@beverly-hanks.com

Emerson Group

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• • • • •

December 21-27, 2016

PROFESSIONAL MEETING SPACE Located in Waynesville, Holds up to 90 People. Suitable for Seminars, Parties, Family Gatherings, Worship, Ect. Kitchen Area, Wifi/ Screen. For More Information and Rates for ROOM 1902 Call 828.454.7445 or 828.551.8960

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WNC MarketPlace

LEASE TO OWN 1/2 Acre Lots with Mobile Homes & Empty 1/2 Acre + Lots!

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For More Information Please Call 828.506.0578

HOMES FOR SALE BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor, Locally Owned and Operated mcgovernpropertymgt@gmail.com McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

Rob Roland Realty • Rob Roland - rroland33@gmail.com

TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE 828.452.4251 | ads@smokymountainnews.com 45

www.smokymountainnews.com

December 21-27, 2016

WNC MarketPlace

Super

46

CROSSWORD

FALLING RAIN ACROSS 1 Runs in 8 Swiss skyline sight 11 Open a tad 15 Since 19 Pork in a pastry case, perhaps 20 Copa’s city 21 McEntire of Nashville 22 Sorvino of “WiseGirls” 23 Rod used by a bartender 24 Meted out 26 Apple line 27 Itchy skin problem 28 Ski resort near L.A. 30 Set fire to 32 Suffix with Mideast 33 Horror-film lab assistant 35 Runner-turned-lord Sebastian 36 Swab brand 38 Hack off 39 Treasury secretary Jack 40 Pops’ moms 42 Give credit where credit — 44 Growl like a mad dog 46 Unlucky day for Caesar 48 “Mass — Minor” (Bach work) 50 Dirties 52 Opera piece 53 Did very little 55 Growl like a mad dog 56 “Speed up,” in mus.

57 Oceans 58 Puccini title role 59 San Jose, Costa —

60 Show people to seats, informally 61 Approach boldly 63 Sing softly 64 Straighten, as a twisted hose 66 Prevent, in court 68 — Solo (sci-fi role) 69 Simian “King” 71 Oslo loc.

72 — guilt trip on 73 — -cone (cold treat) 76 Heelless shoes 77 12-step support group 79 Detox center 81 Skier’s hut 84 C times III 86 Modest response to praise 87 Skier’s locale 88 “Whatever — Wants” 89 Cymbal pair in a drum kit 91 Cruel Roman emperor 92 Broncos great John 93 Tell- — (exposes) 94 Vodka brand, briefly 95 That, to Juanita 96 “A Death in the Family” novelist James 97 Hunts for 99 Decode 101 East — (country of Asia) 103 LP letters 106 “Dear” man 107 Girasol, e.g.

109 Lyricist Gershwin 111 “The Lion King” lioness 112 Female hare 113 Metal bars 115 More hammy

117 Actor Elba 119 Like both-sex colleges 120 Examination 123 Early Greeks 125 Writer Bronte 126 Sultry singer Horne 127 Actor Wallach 128 Recluse 129 Not including 130 Castle trench 131 Notes before mis 132 Placed a burden on

45 Racial equality org.

47 1920s-’30s art style 49 An EEG records it 51 Bluish gray 53 Craving 54 “Explorer” of kiddie TV 55 Hog’s sound 62 Rough in texture 65 Old Cambodian leader Lon — 67 Zenith rival 70 Swearwords 73 Bathroom stall outlet DOWN 74 California wine area 1 Lager brand 75 Do as bid 2 Go to sleep 76 Cruet cousin 3 “The Office” actor 78 A-bomb trial 4 To be, to Brigitte 80 Fashion mag since 5 Often-iced injury 1945 6 Rail holder 81 Like Mozart music 7 Message from a pulpit 82 Golfer’s ace 8 Meccan, e.g.

83 Dander and dust, 9 Spring bloom often 10 Hoi — 85 Dial up 11 Chichi 90 “— shame” 12 767, e.g.

96 ISP choice 13 ‘60s prez 98 Bar fixture?

14 Pizza cut edges, e.g. 100 Pencil topper 15 Exiled Idi 102 Actress Hemingway 16 Much like 104 Grosse —, 17 Many Handel works Michigan 18 Fall right onto one’s 105 Bollixed (up) mug 108 Chapel song 25 Port on the Black Sea 110 Like acrobats 29 Vocational college 114 Extolling poems 31 Driver’s rte. displayer 115 Louver strip 34 Propane, e.g.

116 Osiris’ wife 36 Pielike cheese-and118 Light coin bacon dish 121 Prefix with 81-Down 37 Prefix with confer122 California’s Santa ence — River 41 Light meal 124 “... good witch — 43 Scrip writers bad witch?”

answers on page 42

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LAWN AND GARDEN HEMLOCK HEALERS, INC. Dedicated to Saving Our Hemlocks. Owner/Operator Frank Varvoutis, NC Pesticide Applicator’s License #22864. 48 Spruce St. Maggie Valley, NC 828.734.7819 828.926.7883, Email: hemlockhealers@yahoo.com

LAWN AND GARDEN BORING/CARPENTER BEE TRAPS No Chemicals, Poisons or Anything to Harm the Environment.

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WEEKLY SUDOKU Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Answers on Page 42

The naturalist’s corner

BY DON H ENDERSHOT

Welcome to the first day of winter Your Cold Side Time to make tracks In winter’s first snow.

Breathe in the first blast Of winter’s cold.

Touch winter As winter touches you.

It is your cold side.

Your side Of short days and long nights. nd welcome to the shortest day and longest night of the year. There will be approximately 9.5 hours of daylight today (Dec. 21) and 14.5 hours of darkness.

The good news — tomorrow the days will begin getting longer. And tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow, at a seemingly petty pace till one day in March we look up and it’s 7 p.m. and still daylight.

But these days of long nights have always had an imprint on the human psyche. No one knows for sure how far back into prehistory winter solstice celebrations occurred,

A

but the oldest documented celebration is the Indian celebration of Sankranti that dates back between 20,000 and 30,000 years.

Some of the greatest architecture of ancient cultures is associated with the solstices and/or equinoxes. Newgrange, a megalithic site in Ireland, was constructed in 3,200 B.C. This precedes Stonehenge by about 200 years. Maeshowe, another megalith aligned with the solstice, was constructed on the Orkney Islands around 2,500 B.C. Perhaps the main irony connected with this season of short days and long nights (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) is the fact that we are about three million miles closer to ole Sol now than in the dog days of summer. Our winter solstice is the time we are tilted farthest from the rays of the sun. Because of this tilt the sun never appears very high above the horizon nor stays above it very long. Solstice literally means, “standing-still-sun,” and for about a week around the winter solstice the sun appears to rise at nearly the same point on the horizon.

Solstice celebrations from around the world have been woven into our current winter celebrations. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Three

Stonehenge at dawn on the winter solstice. creative commons photo Kings Day, etc., the idea of Yule logs, evergreens and gift giving are all holdovers from solstice celebrations. So regardless of the “official” holiday you celebrate this month, know that (especially in the northern hemisphere) before there was Jesus, before there was Mohammed and before there was Buddha, there was acknowledgement and

observation of the winter solstice. And there was celebration of the rebirth of day and the rekindling of the sun’s warmth.

And tomorrow the earth will once again begin to roll towards that warmth and light.

The ancient Cherokee believed evergreens were created to remind us summer will return.

According to Cherokee myth, when the plants and trees were created by the Great Sun they were asked to stay awake for seven days and seven nights. But by the third day most of the small plants and many of the trees had succumbed to sleep.

On the seventh dawn the Great Sun stepped out of his wigwam and looked down. Only the laurel, pine, spruce, fir, cedar and hemlock were still awake. The Great Sun was pleased and said, “You shall be given a gift. All of the other plants and trees will lose their leaves and sleep the winter long, but you shall never lose your leaves. You will provide a shelter to the birds and animals during the harshest winds, and you will remind the people that even during the darkest times something remains. You shall be evergreen.”

Happy Solstice!

Don Hendershot is a writer and naturalist. He can be reached at ddihen1@bellsouth.net.

December 21-27, 2016 Smoky Mountain News 47

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Smoky Mountain News December 21-27, 2016