Smoky Mountain News

Feb. 20-26, 2013 Vol. 14 Iss. 38 Western North Carolina’s Source for Weekly News, Entertainment, Arts, and Outdoor Information www.smokymountainnews.com

Swain High ‘fight club’ busted

Page 4

Haywood Courthouse maples face the ax

Page 5

Junaluska’s

Crossroads Lake residents contemplate past, present and future path

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CONTENTS On the Cover: Lake Junaluska residents consider annexation by Waynesville, for good or ill. (Page 6)

News Haywood courthouse trees to be torn down. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Macon emergency vehicles to be equipped with new defibrillators . . . . . . . 4 Swain students caught partaking in organized “fight club” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Jackson County unveils final flag design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Schools coming down hard on threats of violence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Jackson edges closer toward police in elementary schools . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Parking lot money source of controversy in Sylva . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Haywood chamber reveals new logo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Trials and tribulations continue for Maggie Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Haywood Board of Commissioners approve room tax hike . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Cherokee woman pleads guilty in connection to toddler’s death . . . . . . . . 14 Finding the “bear” necessities in Cherokee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Opinion Taking the ball of opportunity and running with it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

A&E Tarzan radio broadcast reenactment from WCU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Outdoors February 20-26, 2013

Tuckasegee River becomes more user friendly, accessible. . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Back Then Crossing paths with more than you bargained for . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 WAYNESVILLE | 34 Church Street, Waynesville, NC 28786 P: 828.452.4251 | F: 828.452.3585 SYLVA | 629 West Main Street, Sylva, NC 28779 P: 828.631.4829 | F: 828.631.0789 I NFO & B ILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786 smokymountainnews.com | wncmarketplace.com | wnctravel.com Contents © 2013 The Smoky Mountain News. All rights reserved. ™

Smoky Mountain News

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fa February 20-26, 2013 Smoky Mountain News

Waynesville (828) 452-2101 • Valle Crucis • Boone • Hendersonville Asheville, NC • Knoxville, TN • Greenville • Columbia, SC • MastGeneralStore.com

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New defibrillators carry big price tag in Macon

BY ANDREW KASPER STAFF WRITER acon County emergency vehicles will soon be equipped with new state-of-the-art cardiac defibrillators.

Commissioners voted 3 to 2 this week to spend nearly $400,000 on 12 pieces of the live saving equipment. One will be placed in each of the county’s ambulances, and two will be placed in the county vehicles of medical staff. They will replace existing defibrillators, some of which are 10-years-old.

“The equipment we have now is reaching the end of its life,” said David Key, the county’s emergency services director. “In life safety you always want to have reliable equipment, the newer equipment is going to be more reliable.”

Key said the defibrillators were the best on the market would make emergency situations more manageable for residents. Made by a company called Zoll, they not only deliver shocks to restart the heart, but also come with a slew of other functions to monitor vital stats such as blood pressure, pulse and carbon dioxide levels.

But the purchase was not passed without controversy. Fiscal conservatives on the county board, Ron Haven and Paul Higdon, voted against the measure.

They instead proposed buying the defibrillators in increments for budgeting purposes, rather than a lump sum.

They also questioned why the vital equipment wasn’t on a more gradual replacement schedule.

“I’m not against providing that care.

It’s a matter of financing,” Higdon said before his nay vote. “Every department in here could use a half-million dollar upgrade tomorrow.”

However, Commissioner Ronnie Beale pointed out that this was not a typical funding request, but rather a matter of the health of local citizens and possibly the difference between life and death.

The county plans to borrow the money at a very low interest rate.

Also, emergency medical staff pointed out that only purchasing some of the equipment new would leave some ambulances with substandard equipment when responding to emergency calls.

Also, the supplier included incentives to purchase all the equipment at once, including three free automatic CPR devices and a trade-in amount for the county’s old equipment.

“If it was for anything beside the safety and welfare of the citizens we wouldn’t be having this discussion,” Beale said. “I know it’s a lot of money but let’s go ahead and give these folks and our citi4 zens the best opportunity to survive.”

So long, courthouse maples

Smoky Mountain News

February 20-26, 2013

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Eleven sugar maple trees that encircle Haywood County’s historic courthouse in Waynesville will be chopped down. The trees are diseased or dead and pose a safety risk to the courthouse and passersby. Caitlin Bowling photo

Commissioners vote to cut iconic downtown trees deemed unsafe

BY CAITLIN BOWLING STAFF WRITER he Haywood County Board of Commissioners voted to cut down the stately maples trees that grace the grounds of the historic courthouse on Main Street in Waynesville this week, citing concerns that the trees are on their last leg.

The board considered cutting down the trees in 2007, citing their poor health, but received backlash from residents, who pleaded with the county to spare the trees.

But after six years, the issue has resurfaced.

“Some constituents had mentioned to board members that they didn’t look safe,” said Commissioner Chairman Mark Swanger.

The county commissioned Arborist Bill Leatherwood of Hendersonville to evaluate the health and safety of the 12 trees that encircle the old courthouse. Upon inspection,

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Leatherwood labeled seven of the trees — all sugar maples — with high hazard ratings, meaning they could likely cause harm to a person or property. The remained four sugar maples posed less risk but Leatherwood still recommended cutting them down before their condition worsened.

After reviewing Leatherwood’s comments, the board of commissioners was adamant that the trees needed to be cut down ASAP. “I have realized how serious the issue is,” said Commissioner Kevin Ensley. “We need to move as fast as possible.”

The large maples on the courthouse lawn serve as a shady gathering place during downtown festivals, parades and street dances. It could take decades for new trees planted in their place to claim the same iconic status.

Only one tree, a red spruce, has little or no risk of falling or having large limbs dislodge and will remain part of the courthouse’s landscape.

The other 11 trees are anywhere from 40 to 100 years old, Leatherwood estimated. About 20 years ago, they were topped, which is the practice of removing whole treetops.

“It develops a very weak tree when you do

that,” Leatherwood said. “It creates a hazard.”

Since then, little or no work was done to try to save the trees from deteriorating. Improper care has caused the trees to have cracks, decay, root problems, cankers and weak branch unions. These problems, mixed with a strong, precise gust of wind, could cause the trees to fall over or for limbs to detach, possibly hurting a passerby or the courthouse itself.

“Trees like humans have an expected life span. The overall neglect to properly maintain these trees has shortened this and now makes it necessary to remove them and start over.

The hazardous conditions make this matter of extreme urgency for several trees as they are a liability to the county,” Leatherwood’s analysis stated.

Leatherwood said he did not go into the project wanting to get rid of the trees. In fact, he has a picture of his great-great grandfather William H. Leatherwood sitting under maple trees outside the courthouse in the late 1890s or early 1900s.

“It’s not what people wanted to hear and it’s not what I wanted to say,” Leatherwood said.

In his report, Leatherwood admitted that the maples that his great-great grandfather reclined under were likely replaced in the 1970s and encouraged the county to replant new trees.

“Replacing these trees doesn’t stop the history of the maples on the courthouse lawn; it only allows it to continue in a safe and healthier environment,” the report stated.

Waynesville resident and former county commissioner Mary Ann Enloe was a staunch supporter of keeping the trees in 2007.

“Yes, in fact, I said, ‘They could cut down the trees on the day that my hearse rolled by,’” Enloe said.

But after reading Leatherwood’s report, even she has switched sides — now simply advocating to replace the trees that will be lost.

“I guess they can’t be salvaged,” Enloe said.

“No grass can grow under those trees. Some of the trees are diseased. I understand.”

After voting to fell all the trees, Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick, feeling a pull on his heartstrings, motioned to save one of the 11 doomed maples. Kirkpatrick said his grandmother would not be happy to find out he voted to dispose of the trees so he wanted to keep just one.

However, none of the other commissioners felt the same way.

“Apologize to your grandmother for me,” said Swanger after Kirkpatrick’s motion failed.

County leaders did agree, however, to send the wood from the maples to Richard Reeves, who runs a firewood assistance program for the needy in Haywood County.

The county plans to replace the dying and dead trees and already has a landscaping plan in place, but the commissioners will have to review and possibly tweak it now that the trees are definitely coming down. It is unknown if the county will plant one tree for each of the 11 it plans to chop down and where the new trees will be placed.

Sparring or fighting?

BY CAITLIN BOWLING STAFF WRITER wain County School administrators began an internal investigation Friday after videos surfaced of a “fight club� among ninth grade boys in the gym locker room at Swain County High School.

Cell phone videos show the teens using boxing gloves, and sometimes their fists, to hit each other. Boys, two or three at a time, wrestled on the floor and took swings at one another in the locker room when they were supposed to be changing clothes after their physical education class.

The videos became viral among Swain high school students and eventually landed in the hands of school administrators, who then used them to find boys involved in the “fight club.� As of press time Tuesday, the school had suspended nine students, all ninth graders, for 10 days.

It is unknown if the school system will take disciplinary action against any other students or staff. “We have an internal investigation going on of both students and staff,� said Steve Claxton, a spokesman for the school system.

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The inquiry will continue “as long as it takes to get to the bottom of it.�

However, the investigation could take a while if people refuse to talk. “The kids are being very closed lipped about it,� Claxton said.

It is unclear how the boys had time to hold bouts when students are supposed to get only five to seven minutes to change before their next class. Claxton would not say if the kids were supervised, or were supposed to be watched by an adult, during that time.

One of the suspended students, ninth grader Josh Hampton told television news station WLOS that the physical education teacher that period, David Outlaw, knew about the fighting and told the boys not to take videos or else he would get in trouble.

Hampton also told WLOS that the fights had been going on for a month.

High school administrators in a statement Friday denied that any staff members knew about the boys’ fights. But Claxton modified the comment Monday, stating “All we can say is that school personnel that we have interviewed said that they did not know about it.�

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Swain high schoolers suspended for unsanctioned “fight club�

When reached by phone, Outlaw, who is also the high school soccer coach, apologized for not being able to comment, saying that the school was handling the press on the issue.

Although Hampton spoke on WLOS, when asked for comment, Hampton’s mother, Sharon, said they weren’t doing any more media interviews.

However, she commented on Facebook in defense of her son. “My son was suspended... They were not fighting ... They were boys being boys boxing.. NOT FIGHTING... This is being blown way out of proportion as usual,� Sharon Hampton wrote in her post.

Two camps have emerged in conversations on social media sites about the story: those who feel the boys were way out of line and those who view the organized, friendly sparring as a legitimate sport, albeit unsanctioned by the school.

Former superintendent and current county commissioner, Robert White, said he was shocked to hear about the “fight club� at the high school. “It’s disturbing that this situation has occurred,� White said.

But White said, at first glance, the situation may be portrayed as worse than it was. “It is going to take more than a little effort to get to the bottom of this,� White said. “I am not saying that this is exaggerated, but it is possible.�

White said he is confident the current superintendent and the high school principal will look into the matter and take proper disciplinary action against those involved.

Jackson salutes its new flag Jackson County is no longer a bannerless government. County commissioners selected an official county flag this week from a pool of a dozen designs submitted by high school, community college and university students. The chosen design is

by Southwestern Community College graphic design student Jessica Waldron.

County Manager Chuck Wooten hopes to have the image replicated on county publications, flown outside the county administration building and a traveling version to represent Jackson County at statewide county gatherings.

The quest to find a flag began more than a year ago when 13-year-old aspiring eagle scout David Hopkins came before commissioners and pointed out the county didn’t have a flag. “We have to really recognize him for pointing commissioners down this path,�

Wooten said, who was also on the flag committee.

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Lake Junaluska at a crossroads: continuing coverage A four-part series in The Smoky Mountain News will explore the future path of Lake Junaluska in the countdown to a monumental decision facing the 765-home community surrounding the campus of a Methodist Conference and Retreat Center in Haywood County.

Smoky Mountain News

February 20-26, 2013

THIS WEEK: • Delve into the philosophical viewpoints of homeowners and the pros and cons of each option.

• Also, how Lake Junaluska’s unique identity was shaped, how it has evolved and where it is going.

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COMING UP: • Careful what you wish for: The town of Waynesville weighs whether it wants to absorb Lake Junaluska and exactly what it would be biting off as the proud new owner of crumbling water and sewer lines.

• Spending money to make money: The Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, which is interlocked both physically and through tradition with the residential neighborhoods circling it, is remaking its own future with dramatic changes to its campus in hopes of attracting more business.

• Survey says: Play-by-play coverage of homeowners’ survey results and the myriad votes by the Lake Junaluska task force, the community council, and board of directors, plus Waynesville town aldermen.

• All in the bill: If the Lake is absorbed into the town of Waynesville, it needs the OK from the General Assembly. What would merger legislation look like?

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One foot in the past, one in the future, Junaluskans weigh the worth of their identity

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER hen Ken Zulla hung up his IRS badge and retired to the well-groomed mountain hamlet of Lake Junaluska more than a decade ago, monthly sojourns to the local feed-and-seed store weren’t on the radar for his Golden Years.

But soon after settling in, Zulla and his wife, Evelyn, naively agreed to pinch-hit feeding the lake’s five resident swans when the last crew of volunteers became too old to do it anymore. Now, fetching 300 pounds of cracked corn concoction each month and filling the swan buckets are part and parcel to the Zullas’ life at the lake — with no hope of abdicating the duty until they get too old themselves.

It’s also a badge of honor.

“When we look at our home, we look at the whole lake as being our home,” Zulla said.

That’s a commonly held view at this 765-home community colonized by retired Methodist ministers and boasting more doctorates than a small college.

There’s no such thing as a passive bystander. Volunteering is a requisite. Philanthropic giving is engrained — from donations for grounds beautification to shoring up operations of the Methodist Conference and Retreat Center at Lake Junaluska’s core.

Homeowners’ social calendars are packed with book clubs, monthly dinners, guest lecturers, food drives, a regular newsletter — a smattering of intellectual and cultural offerings rare for a community this size.

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The players

PROPERTY OWNERS: A survey was mailed to all 811 Lake Junaluska property owners last week, with a robust response rate so far. There are 765 homes at Lake Junaluska.

About half are lived in yearround by their owners. Surveys also went to owners of lots and a handful of commercial entities on the grounds.

Junaluskans have a strong sense of civic pride and duty for their community, like Ken and Evelyn Zulla who are among the crew of volunteer swan feeders at the lake.

Becky Johnson photo

Bragging about life at Junaluska is a favorite topic for Dr. Kenneth M. Johnson in his volunteer role narrating boat tours on the lake for summer visitors.

“There are enrichment opportunities galore at Lake Junaluska,” Johnson said. “And I don’t know of any town or any community that does as much in terms of volunteerism and financial support.”

As the residents of Lake Junaluska contemplate whether to permanently hitch their future to the nearby town of Waynesville, some Junaluskans are torn over giving up their sense of pride. They question whether the sense of ownership that makes their community so unique could somehow be eroded if absorbed by Waynesville.

“The fear was we’ll lose control,” Ken Zulla said. “It is a big concern to the people of Lake Junaluska.”

At least that’s where the Zullas stood nine months ago when a task force first set out to weigh the pros and cons of joining Waynesville, or perhaps forming their own town, or simply staying as they are — as a highly functioning homeowners association that already looks and feels like a town in many ways.

But now, their minds have changed.

“I don’t see the Junaluskans in any way becoming less involved in their community,” Evelyn Zulla said.

“Lake Junaluska is going to be Junaluska whether it is part of the town of Waynesville or not,” Ken added.

Last week, hundreds of Lake Junaluska homeowners got a survey in the mail asking them to weigh in on which of the three paths

S EE M ERGE, PAGE 8

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LAKE JUNALUSKA FUTURE TASK FORCE: A 13-member, appointed task force that has studied the ins and outs of the options with the intensity and thoroughness of NASA space shuttle inspectors. Consists primarily of Lake Junaluska residents, with two Lake Junaluska officials and one Waynesville official.

LAKE JUNALUSKA COMMUNITY COUNCIL: A seven-person body elected by Lake Junaluska homeowners to address neighborhood issues and represent residential interests. The council parleys with the Conference and Retreat Center, which manages public works and carries out residential services paid for through homeowners fees.

LAKE JUNALUSKA ASSEMBLY BOARD OF DIRECTORS: A 32member body that oversees big picture operations for the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. Its members consist mostly of Methodist Church leaders and appointments, with just a handful of local residents or community leaders. It is considered the “official” decisionmaking body for the Lake Junaluska community and holds the definitive “vote.”

WAYNESVILLE BOARD OF ALDERMEN: The five-member elected town board must decide if it wants Lake Junaluska. One public hearing was held already to gauge the views of the town’s current populace, but town residents did not show up.

N.C. GENERAL ASSEMBLY: If Lake Junaluska leaders decide to become part of Waynesville, and if Waynesville agrees, state lawmakers would have to consecrate the deal.

Language for a bill is already in the drafting stages, so it would be ready to roll if it’s ultimately needed. A bill’s chances of passing in Raleigh hinge on how strong and loud the call is from all the other players here.

Junaluska’s choices: the abridged version Option 2: Become its own brand-new town

PROS: • FINANCIAL SAVINGS This is the cheapest option, thanks to economies of scale. Residents would fork over town property taxes, but it would buy them all the services and amenities they currently pay for through their homeowners’ fees, which would go away. Plus, the town would pick up the tab for $10 million in critical infrastructure repairs — the elephant in the room being antiquated water and sewer lines — that are needed in the coming decade.

• BIG BROTHER TO LEAN ON The headaches of street sweeping, snow plowing, trash pick-up, police protection, fixing potholes — and did we mention fixing those crumbling water and sewer lines? — will be someone else’s problem now.

• MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN As far as towns go, Waynesville’s a nice one. Given the typical demographics of Lake Junaluska residents — well-educated, upper-middle class and philosophically progressive — Waynesville is seen as a town that reflects their own ideals. A merger wouldn’t exactly be plowing new ground. Waynesville and Lake Junaluska have had a symbiotic relationship for the past century.

PROS: • SELF RULE Does 1776 ring a bell? Lake Junaluska residents would be their own elected leaders, ensuring every decision affecting the community is what it wants for itself. What to charge for property taxes, what zoning and planning rules to enact, or what streets get paved each year would be made at the local level.

• SENSE OF PRIDE Junaluskans could easily maintain their shared identity, common spirit and community engagement.

• PERKS Being a town would make it eligible for a cut of state sales tax revenue, state grants, state funding for street and sidewalk maintenance and others benefits being a real town afford.

CONS: • BIG TO-DO LIST A new town would need to elect a board, hire staff, find a building to serve as “town hall,” buy computers and phones, create a budget and start collecting taxes fast to provide the same high level of services Lake residents are accustom to.

• SHOULDERING RISK ALONE The onus of meeting the town’s needs falls on comparatively fewer backs. A small hiccup for a large town could be a deafening blow for a tiny one, such as the huge capital cost associated with water and sewer line repairs.

• GET YOUR CHECKBOOK READY This option is most expensive.

There are no economies of scale when trying to deliver a full suite of town amenities to such a small number of residents.

(There are roughly 800 homes.)

• LEGISLATIVE DEAL KILLER The General Assembly has arduous rules and requirements for new towns trying to incorporate.

PROS: • IF IT AIN’T BROKE Lake Junaluska already walks like a town and talks like a town. In fact, residents enjoy more services than some bona fide towns do. Why add a layer of municipal bureaucracy?

• BEEN THERE, DONE THAT Junaluskans are comfortable with their current structure as a sophisticated homeowners association. Fees paid by property owners fund public works and services. An elected community council serves as a sounding board Lake Junaluska for issues and conalready walks like cerns. The system has worked for decades. a town and talks • COME TO MOMMA Founded a century like a town. In fact, ago as a Methodist residents enjoy summer retreat, Lake Junaluska is no more services than longer a church some bona fide enclave. But the burgeoning residential towns do. Why add neighborhoods that circle Lake Junaluska a layer of municipal today are still inextribureaucracy? cably linked to the Methodist conference and retreat center at its core — physically, historically and spiritually. Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center manages residential operations, reinforcing the generational ties many homeowners have for the Methodist retreat.

CONS: • MONEY PIT Junaluska residents would see a steep hike in the existing fees they pay in order to fund the expensive infrastructure repairs the lake needs during the next decade — first and foremost replacing outdated water and sewer lines.

The community has no fall back other than its own wallets.

• NO REPRESENTATION Lake Junaluska residents rely on the good will and graces of the Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center to do right by the surrounding neighborhoods.

An elected community council passes along the issues, concerns and priorities of the residential community to the Lake Junaluska public works administration to carry out, but at the end of the day, is only an advisory board. While the conference and retreat center has rarely, if ever, clashed with the residents’ wishes, there are no guarantees.

February 20-26, 2013

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Smoky Mountain News

CONS: • LOSS OF IDENTITY Junaluskans are steeped in pride for the place they call home. Their community spirit has a long lineage, dating back to the founding of the Methodist conference and retreat center a century ago. The Methodist ties and shared affinity for the Christian retreat at the community’s core still run deep. With a big brother to look after them, will Lake Junaluska residents slowly lose their sense of ownership and commitment? Will Junaluskans identity and allegiances, even if subconsciously, be muddied if they become Waynesvillians?

• CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Lake Junaluska is home to 638 registered voters. Waynesville has 6,652 registered voters. Lake Junaluska’s voice in the political process could make it a small fish in a big pond.

• GET IN LINE Waynesville leaders have made clear that if the lake becomes part of the town, it will be treated the same as everyone else. Their needs won’t be put at the bottom — but nor will they be put at the top. To quote Town Manager Marcy Oneal: “They would simply all become town of Waynesville projects and be slotted in line accordingly.”

• NO GOING BACK If Lake Junaluska marries itself to Waynesville, there would be no annulments.

Option 3: Stay the same

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Option 1: Join the town of Waynesville

Lake Junaluska photo

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Countdown to decision time

Several boards and bodies will formally vote in coming weeks on whether Lake Junaluska should become part of Waynesville, form its own town or continue as a sophisticated homeowner’s association. Here’s a look at who will be weighing in and when.

FEBRUARY 22 Public hearing by Waynesville leaders.

11 a.m. at new town hall.

FEBRUARY 26 Waynesville Board of Alderman votes.

7 p.m. at town hall.

Alternate date first week of each month.

FEBRUARY 28 Property owner survey results announced.

7 p.m. at Harrell Center at Lake Junaluska.

FEBRUARY 28 Lake Junaluska task force votes.

7 p.m. at the Harrell Center at Lake Junaluska.

MARCH 5 Lake Junaluska Community Council votes.

4 p.m. at Junaluska Welcome Center

MARCH 8 Lake Junaluska Board of Directors votes.

No time specified.

MARCH 13 General Assembly deadline for bill to be introduced. Vote by state lawmakers by late summer.

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M ERGE, CONTINUED FROM 6 they favor. Participation has been high — with 30 percent promptly filling them out and sending them back in the first few days.

To call it a hot topic would be an understatement. Everyone is prying, albeit politely, into how their friends and neighbors responded to the survey. Some are telling, some aren’t.

Dr. Rev. Bill Lowry has found himself on the receiving end of the query more often than most.

“People ask me and I say, ‘I’m a historian. I live in the past,’” Lowry quipped.

But indeed, it’s Lowry’s anointed role as master Junaluska historian that makes his view so particularly intriguing. Lowry revels in the underbelly of Junaluska history — both figuratively and literally given the time he spends in the basement vaults where centuryold records are kept dating back to Junaluska’s founding.

Lowry’s mum, for now, given the friends he has on both sides of the issue.

“I know a couple of people who are ready to go to war to stop the annexation with Waynesville,” Lowry said. “The issue is identity. The issue is nostalgia. It is an emotional issue.”

EVOLUTION OF THE TIMES

Smoky Mountain News

February 20-26, 2013

Junaluskans are pondering their future — perhaps ironically, perhaps by design — on the eve of the lake’s 100th anniversary.

“We are making a decision that will set the path for the next 100 years,” said Dr. Bill King, a member of the task force charged with studying the ins and outs of the various options.

During celebrations this summer, Lake Junaluska will remember its early days when droves of well-off Southern Methodists arrived by train to worship on the shores of the mountain-ringed lake.

Booming sermons were delivered from the pulpit in the iconic Stuart Auditorium, the first building to go up on the grounds in 1913.

From a big-top roof to dirt floors, it paid homage to the old-fashioned camp revival tents — but a rugged, country revival Lake Junaluska was not.

But first, back up a few years. In Lake Junaluska’s infancy, there was no lake, just a patchwork of fields, pastures and farm houses.

The vision of a summer retreat for well-to-do families of Methodist ministers and church leaders was cut from whole cloth.

Its founders bought up 1,200 acres and embarked on a lofty and grandiose development plan: a towering dam to make a lake, a colossal auditorium, two hotels, roads and even water and sewer lines. The backbone of that first campus still defines Junaluska a century later.

The homes quickly followed. And by the 1920s, a summer enclave of Methodist ministers and their families had spread along the lake shore.

For the first several decades, ties with the Methodist church were universal among homeowners. But when it moved toward a year-round community in the 1960s, homeowners with no affiliation to the church gradually began moving in.

“There are people now who build here or 8

Dr. Bill Lowry, a retired Methodist minister and historian, often ponders the evolution of Lake Junaluska since its formative early years a century ago. Becky Johnson photo

move here just because it is a fabulous place to live,” Lowry said.

While the Methodist roots of Lake Junaluska have been watered down in recent decades, its lineage as a summer church retreat remains surprisingly strong.

Lowry is sometime asked, “Do you have to be a retired Methodist minister to live at Lake Junaluska?”

“I say, ‘No, the place is lousy with Methodist ministers, but you don’t have to be one,’” Lowry said.

One long-time homeowner at the lake, Dr. Bill King, is asked so frequently whether he’s a retired minister, he offers as a disclaimer out of the gate when introducing himself.

His father was a minister, and his son is one, but he isn’t.

“Luckily, it skipped a generation,” King joked.

Growing up in the 1940s and ‘50s, King spent his summers at Lake Junaluska, a heritage shared by many of the lake’s homeowners today. Summer days were filled with swimming and boating on the lake, hiking up Eagle’s Nest and Utah mountains, loitering by the jukebox at the soda shop on the lake shore, and the ubiquitous ice cream socials turning out hand-cranked, homemade batches in front yards of neighborhood homes.

“It was a great place to be in the summer.

You could leave home in the morning and come back in the evening and tell your parents where you’d been and that was it,” King recalled.

King gestured out the front window of his living room on a hillside overlooking the lake, rattling off the names of childhood friends from those youthful summer days who are now full-time Junaluska retirees like himself.

“Right up here on the top of this hill are second- or third-generation homeowners. We grew up here as children. They were all preachers’ kids, and we all knew each other,” King said.

That generational camaraderie still binds the Junaluska community together. But it’s hard to say how long those ties will persist, especially as more and more homeowners move there simply because Junaluska is a nice place to live.

“This used to be exclusively thought of as a church summer resort, and now, that has changed. Now it is a year-round place of residence,” King said.

And that begs the question: would being absorbed by Waynesville hasten that departure from Junaluska tradition and identity?

“Today, some people feel like they are moving to a home in the mountains. I feel like I am living in the mountains — and at Lake Junaluska,” King said. “Whether we are annexed by Waynesville or not doesn’t really affect that.”

PRUDENCE VERSUS PASSION A faction of residents disagree, however.

Just how many won’t be known until survey results are announced at the end of February.

But a movement has emerged in recent weeks among those who would instead prefer to form their own town — a brand-new town of Lake Junaluska.

“You maintain your identity more clearly it seems to me,” said Dr. Kenneth M. Johnson, who retired to Junaluska full-time 19 years ago.

Johnson admits joining Waynesville is the easiest — and cheapest — option. Lake Junaluska residents are staring down $10 million in repairs to their aging and neglected infrastructure, most notably $3 million in “critical” repairs to their crumbling water and sewer lines.

Going it alone would mean bearing the burden alone, and that would cost more than joining the town of Waynesville and letting it pick up the tab.

But the risk of losing what makes Junaluska special is simply not worth it to Johnson.

“I think it would definitely affect people subconsciously. In other words, we would feel this is not the same. We would feel it. And it wouldn’t be the same,” Johnson said.

Johnson remembers the day he moved in, when a “fellow Junaluskan” brought him a hot, bubbly pot pie.

“We’ve discovered a fellowship that is so rich and so rare,” Johnson said. “In a sense, we are a fellowship of kindred spirits.”

Johnson is — you guessed it — a retired Methodist minister.

The idea of forming its own town has seemingly gained traction at the 11th-hour. Lowry said many assumed there were only two viable options: staying the same or being absorbed by Waynesville.

While he’s playing his own cards close to his vest, he did offer up what he called “his private opinion expressed publicly.”

“I have some strong feelings about its identity,” Lowry said.

“But I am realistic enough to realize we are at a crucial point. We have got to do something.”

Ron Clauser, chairman of the task force that has studied the issue for the past nine months, uses an analogy harkening back to his career in the insurance business.

“How is the risk spread?”

Clauser asked.

Some fear Junaluska could become insolvent if it tries to continue as an island unto itself.

But Johnson heeds caution.

“If we merge, it is a done deal,” Johnson said. “You can never go back. That’s the ringer for me.”

‘INEXTRICABLY LINKED’

It’s no accident Lake Junaluska sits at Waynesville’s doorstep. Waynesville’s business community made sure of it more than a century ago.

When its founders were casting about for an idyllic spot in the mountains to build a Christian summer retreat, “there was a lot of competition,” Lowry said.

Waynesville businessmen sealed the deal by committing $100,000 if the retreat was built here instead of elsewhere.

“They knew it would bring in a lot of people and a lot of business,” Lowry said.

But building the retreat came at a steep price — equivalent to more than $10 million by modern standards.

“They incurred unbelievable debt,” Lowry said. “Sooner or later the chickens have to come home to roost.”

By the early 1930s, Junaluska declared bankruptcy, unable to pay off its debt.

“At this point, Lake Junaluska should have ceased to exist,” Lowry said.

But a great hue and cry went up within the Methodist Church — a call to arms to “Save Junaluska” that in many ways still echoes today for the columns of admirers who open their wallets and volunteer their time in the name of Junaluska.

Waynesville businessmen were once again among those who came to the rescue.

“The histories of Lake Junaluska and Waynesville are inextricably linked,” said Jack Ewing, the director of Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. “There are several times in Lake Junaluska’s history that it would not have survived if it had not been for the people of the town of Waynesville coming to the rescue financially.”

But the opposite is equally true.

“Lake Junaluska has been good for Waynesville since its inception,” said Henry Foy, a long-time former

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“All the options have their advantages and disadvantages. If it hadn’t been that way, we wouldn’t have needed a task force at all,” Clauser said.

There have been countless public forums, community meetings and question-andanswer sessions. Audio recordings, minutes and video feeds gave homeowners access to all the same high-level data the task force had.

“It is a very healthy process. It is not a dictatorial process. It is very comprehensive,” Johnson said.

In-fighting has been nonexistent. Rational discourse, objectivity and thoughtful analysis have led the day.

It’s likely a testament to the type of folks who call Junaluska home.

“The interaction and participatory nature of this community is second to none. We try to develop consensus on things that are important,” Johnson said.

Even the property owners’ survey that was sent out was vetted by a focus group, careful to

Becky Johnson photo

“I have enjoyed being a part of the total community. I think it is kind of seamless from Waynesville to Junaluska for some people.”

orizons H g n i s ur N r u o E x p a nd Y

February 20-26, 2013

The cabin where Dr. Bill King spent his boyhood summers stands beside his current residence at Junaluska.

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mayor of Waynesville. “Lake Junaluska is a vibrant part of our community.”

When Ron Clauser moved to Lake Junaluska in the 1990s, he was expecting a Lake Junaluska address. But his particular street fell under the jurisdiction of the Waynesville post office, and that meant a Waynesville address.

“When I found that out, I was actually disappointed,” Clauser said. He even contemplated getting a PO Box at the Junaluska post office so he could have a Junaluska address.

In the end, however, Clauser’s affinity for neighboring Waynesville has been a pleasant surprise, from attending church in Waynesville to being a season ticket holder at Haywood Arts Regional Theatre.

Like Clauser, King has also immersed himself in his larger Waynesville environs since retiring full-time to the Lake, whether its his role on the Waynesville Public Art Commission or simply eating at restaurants in town.

— Dr. Bill King, long-time Junaluskan

DUE DILIGENCE

The past nine months have been a case study of self-determination. Reams of studies have analyzed Lake Junaluska’s roads, the state of its water and sewer lines, and public services, like police and trash pickup. Reports crunched the numbers on what each option would likely cost the average homeowner: paying in to town taxes or going it alone?

detect any semblance of leading questions or embedded bias.

Ewing, the director of the conference and retreat center operations, said it is fitting to be asking these questions at the lake’s centennial juncture.

The Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center has its own share of challenges. It’s lost money eight of the past 10 years. This year, the Lake is launching a massive, multi-year overhaul of its most outdated buildings — from hotels to auditoriums to dining halls — that are still stuck in the ‘60s and ‘70s. The investment should attract more groups booking the venue for conferences and retreats, which make up the vast majority of its business.

“Both of those entities — the residential component and the conference and retreat center — are thinking strategically,” Ewing said.

“We are trying to find solutions for the immediate future but also the best way to be organized and to be funded for the next century.”

Smoky Mountain News

“I have enjoyed being a part of the total community,” King said. “I think it is kind of seamless from Waynesville to Junaluska for some people.”

For much of its history, Lake Junaluska was seen as a private enclave. Gates at the entrance even required paid admission for outsiders.

But that divide has long since been bridged.

“Good gracious we are part of Waynesville.

We can’t change that,” Lowry said.

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From rap lyrics to bathroom graffiti, schools get tough on threats from students

BY ANDREW KASPER STAFF WRITER n a new state of high alert, schools face tough choices when confronted by a threat from a student: is it a precursor to real violence or simply the empty words of imprudent children?

School officials were forced to make that call only days after the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting last December. Two students at Macon Middle School were in the bathroom together and decided to write on the wall that a similar event would take place at their school, school officials reported. The boys, ages 13 and 14, even provided a specific time and date.

Another student reported the message to school faculty, and soon, the school was shutdown and the middle school-aged culprits were found, arrested and sent to a juvenile detention center, said Macon County Sheriff Robbie Holland.

They were charged with felony counts of communicating threats of mass destruction and even coughed up a confession, Holland said. Their cases are currently pending in court.

“Both boys admitted to their actions,” Holland said. “And said it was nothing more than a prank.”

Although Holland was sympathetic to them he said the world has changed, in the new age of school shootings, and threat of violence shouldn’t be taken lightly.

“You hate to use kids as an example, but we felt we had to do that,” Holland said.

And even though the pencil scribbles on the bathroom wall took minutes to wipe off, the alleged prank is bound to leave a lasting mark on the teens’ educational future.

Smoky Mountain News

February 20-26, 2013

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Most likely they will be excluded from returning to Macon Middle School or any school events, said Macon School Superintendant Jim Duncan. And, if they become convicted felons, reentering any part of the public school system could be difficult — although a supervised home school setting or attending a publicly-run alternative school could be possibilities.

In situations such as this, Duncan said the administration is a put in a difficult place deciding how to handle two students who made a juvenile mistake. Moreover, neither had been so much as suspended in the past, but their actions caused widespread fear among parents and students.

The day following the incident was the highest day of absenteeism since the school year began, with concerned parents keeping their students home from school.

“That is the line that we walk everyday in the public school system,” Duncan said. “The very minute you don’t take something like that serious you run the risk of it being real, and then you can’t say you’re sorry enough.”

RAP LYRICS GONE AWRY Meanwhile, parents of a Waynesville Middle School student Caleb Webb, 14, claim the administration went too far in suspending their special needs son for violent rap lyrics.

According to the parents, their son had written a verse of rap lyrics and posted them to a social media site over winter break. The lyrics made mention of walking into the club with a .38 magnum.

His parents said the posts were read by several of Webb’s classmates, although they were not intended as threats to anyone. But

Counties hammered with requests for more school resource officers

BY ANDREW KASPER STAFF WRITER he Jackson County Sheriff ’s Office made a pitch to commissioners this week for four additional sheriff ’s deputies to be placed in four of the county’s elementary schools — Fairview, Cullowhee Valley, Scotts Creek and Smokey Mountain Elementary.

Counties and school districts nationwide have been weighing the merits of adding more armed “school resource officers” in schools. While historically placed in high schools and occasionally middle schools — primarily to keep crime at bay within the student population — the trend of putting officers in elementary schools to guard against outside threats is plowing new ground.

Swain County was one of the first jurisdictions to add 10 officers to its elementary schools in the wake of the Sandy

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“That is the line that we walk everyday in the public school system.”

— Jim Duncan, Macon School Superintendant

after Webb returned to school from break, he was called into an assistant principal’s office and told that his lyrics, and similar messages sent to the phones of two classmates, were inappropriate.

He was not suspended, but, later that day, Webb returned to his classes and reportedly talked about going to an uncle’s house to get an AK-47 and threw balled up pieces of paper at classmates saying that each one was like a bullet.

The school system did a risk assessment for Webb, along with his own therapist, and he was deemed a low risk for violence against others, according to documentation provided by the parents. Regardless, he was suspended for the remainder of the school year for “communicating threats.”

What frustrated Webb’s parents was that much of their son’s behavior could be attributed to his Asperger’s disorder. Many of the Asperger symptoms are characterized by a difficulty to know what is socially appropriate and when to stop certain behavior.

“He gets angry and he’ll say things off the wall because he has Asperger’s,” said Mark Webb, Caleb’s father. “It may be his feelings, but it may be perceived in a different way.”

The family obtained a lawyer and appealed their case to the school board and superintendant, which reduced the suspen-

Hook Elementary massacre in Connecticut. The Macon County Sheriff ’s Office plans to follow suit and request two additional officers in the upcoming budget, one possibly to be placed in an elementary school. Macon currently has four officers in public schools.

“With public support, and support of commissioners, we feel the time to act is now,” said Major Shannon Queen.

In Jackson County, there are currently officers assigned to Smoky Mountain High School, Blue Ridge School in Cashiers and the alternative school.

Queen said additional officers would be used to settle custody disputes on school grounds, help in the case of a medical emergency and as an extra resource for school faculty, students and their parents. He said the potential for an officer to stop, or mitigate, a mass shooting or other violent event would be also be a benefit.

The cost of placing those deputies in the schools would be about $317,000 for the first year, with the startup costs of vehicles and equipment factored into that figure, according to Queen. Each additional year would cost more than $180,000 to staff the officers in the schools.

The presentation to commissioners was not an official request for funding for the school system. The school board has not voted on the measure yet, said Superintendant Mike Murray. However, Murray said he was directed by the school

sion to 20 days.

But the situation made Mark Webb concerned about how administrators are reacting to any type of violent speech, especially in the age of easily replicable social media and in cases of special needs children.

“It opened my eyes,” Mark Webb said.

“That when you do an investigation like this you have to have more than social media and text messages before you start suspending them for communicating threats.”

CROSS BURNING CASE

PENDING

Meanwhile, three Tuscola High Students, charged with felonies for burning a cross in the yard of a house where a biracial classmate was having a sleepover, have remained in school pending convictions. If an alleged crime is committed off-campus, policy allows suspected students to stay in school until they are convicted in court.

One of the three pleaded guilty in court last week, and now 17-year-old Matthew Wyatt Mitchell will be kicked out of school due to his status as a convicted felon. He could appeal to the school board for an exception, but “I have never seen that leniency applied to a felon,” said Haywood Superintendent Dr. Anne Garrett.

When it comes to threats, however, Garrett said there is not a “one-size-fits-all policy,” but each case has to be assessed on its own merits.

Official school guidelines have suggested punishments, but principals, administrators and the school board have discretion.

For example, when a bomb threat was called into Tuscola High School earlier this year, the student responsible for the threat was expelled. But the six-year-old who brought a knife to school was handled very differently.

“You’re talking about a six-year-old,” she said. “We’ve had a pretty safe year other than the bomb threat.”

board to make the pitch to commissioners, along with Queen, and gauge their response.

However, the school has other priorities that need funding, such as a leaky roof and an inadequate technology budget — both topics discussed at the same meeting following the request for more school resource officers. The county manager at the meeting asked Murray if additional officers were the school board’s highest priority.

“School safety always has to be a high priority,” Murray responded. “But I’m also going to share some things with you about a leaky roof.”

To replace the leaky roof at Cullowhee Valley School is expected to cost about $1 million dollars.

Commissioner Chairman Jack Debnam said he was not convinced that additional officers in elementary schools was the correct response to the mass shooting in Connecticut.

He said he would like to research a bit more about what other school districts are doing for added security and was also open to the idea of physical security measures such as door locks and video entry. He said he would also like to consider making mental health resources more available to students.

“Everybody is worried about the safety of the children,” Debnam said. “But I just don’t know if the school resource officers are the answer.”

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The convenience store alone, Mountain Breeze Mart, added six employees, Ensley said.

But the plan backfired. Ensley learned in late December she would get no grant money at all because of discrepancies found between the original application and the subsequent letters.

The town board members voted to withdraw Ensley’s application.

Roberson said key components of the application were completed incorrectly, especially relating to Speedy’s Pizza. The grant application submitted by Ensley stated that the restaurant had nine employees while the letter submitted later said the pizza joint employed 11, Roberson said. Also, Roberson said that neither the managers nor the owners of Speedy’s had signed the application as required. Ensley countered that the signature in question was of the restaurant’s financier and business partner.

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“Some of the other designs focused on trying to depict what we have in the community,” Bittmann-Neville said.

It’s not that the board didn’t like the other designs, but once the new logo was presented, it was the clear winner.

“As soon as we saw it, we knew it was us,” Gould said. “It was fresh. Classic and earthy.”

Benefit-t-t-ting Kids in the Creek Saturday, February 23, 11:30 am Lake Junaluska Assembly Beach (next to swimming pool)

Bonfire and hot chili lunch ($5) to follow Suggested donation: $20, $5 students, or raise sponsors for your own plunge

Prizes awarded to top fundraisers and best costumes!

100% of proceeds benefit Kids in the Creek Education Program

Smoky Mountain News

Roberson said the discrepancies in Ensley’s application could give the town bad standing with the Main Street grant program and put the town at risk to be ineligible for future funding. During the past 10 years, the town as received nearly $200,000 in similar grant funding, Roberson said.

“The main point for the town is what the town stands to lose by not addressing this issue,” Roberson said. “It would be disservice to the whole town, not just to one property owner.”

Ensley is upset, however.

“I feel I was taken advantage because I’m a woman; I’m old; and apparently, the people think I’m not too smart,” Ensley said.

Ensley said she is now in debt.

“It’s not them that’s in trouble. It’s me that’s in trouble,” Ensley said.

Ensley was also perturbed that another property owner in Sylva, who applied for a Main Street grant, got to keep his money.

David Schulman got $16,000 to perform pressure watching, window replacements and other façade repairs to the buildings he rents downtown.

Ensley questioned the economic development benefits of pressure washing downtown buildings.

BY CAITLIN BOWLING STAFF WRITER he Haywood County Chamber of Commerce debuted a new logo this week, showing off more than a year of work to craft a design that represents the business organization’s role in the county.

The brown and green logo still features Western North Carolina’s greatest natural asset — the mountains. But the silhouette of a ridgeline and the lettering are more fluid, less rigid than the blue mountains and font of the previous logo.

“We definitely wanted it to convey that we are a very innovative chamber, that we are very active, that we represent Haywood County and Western North Carolina in a very effective and efficient manner,” said Nyda Bittmann-Neville, a chamber board member and marketing and branding specialist who helped pick the new logo.

The idea of a new brand came up at the board’s annual retreat in 2011. So the board hired Waynesville-based Insight Marketing to create a new logo and brand. The chamber’s board of directors agreed that the former logo, which is at least eight years old, was outdated and was not reflective of what the organization is and does today.

February 20-26, 2013

BY ANDREW KASPER STAFF WRITER fter spending $200,000 to build a new parking lot shared by five downtown Sylva businesses, the property owner lost a state grant she was initially promised to help with the cost.

The new parking lot initially qualified as a job creation project under the N.C. Main Street grants program. But Jean Ensley, the property owner who built the new parking lot, is upset the grant was rescinded for what she calls a technicality.

Town officials, who originally supported her application, claim Ensley didn’t dot her I’s and cross her T’s when applying for the grant.

The disputed grant is part of a state program intended to revitalize Main Streets in small towns and create jobs. Ensley, an 84year old Sylva resident, submitted an application to help build a new parking lot shared by five businesses — Speedy’s Pizza, Family Dollar, an insurance company, a barbershop and a convenience store. The bigger, nicer parking lot would attract more customers and in turn lead to job creation, Ensley’s application stated.

While the Main Street grants come from the state, applications are administered Andrew Kasper photo at the town level.

Ensley claims she was told by the town she would receive a two-toone match in funds. Ensley was banking on a $47,000 grant to help offset the $200,000 cost of the new parking lot.

But this winter, Ensley was told by Town Manager Paige Roberson that she was only awarded $22,000. Roberson said $200,000 was way above the initial project costs that Ensley submitted.

“The estimate for cost of work on the parking lot was $68,000,” Roberson said.

“When the work was finished, she brought receipts to the town for $200,000.”

But Ensley claimed that the initial project cost estimate was based on only completing the front half of the parking lot. And after learning she was eligible for the grant money, she decided to do the entire site. However, that didn’t make a difference, Ensley said.

Ensley tried to persuade town board members and also gathered letters from the five businesses leasing from her, as well as the contractor who did the work, claiming the new parking lot helped increase business. She sent the letters off to Raleigh in an effort to plead her case and augment the grant amount.

After the parking lot was complete, Speedy’s Pizza added several jobs, so did the insurance company, Western & Southern Life.

“We are an advocate for business success,” said Katy McLean Gould, marketing and communications manager for the chamber. “We find we are a great connector.”

Chamber employees and business professionals who participated in the process of finding a new logo wanted something that showed what the group does. It helps attract people to the county, sponsors events and ties businesses together, among other things. The new logo adds to those goals, Gould said.

“It enhances our mission, which is to create and sustain a successful business environment,” Gould said.

Other logos brought to the table included leaves and hands connected but just weren’t right.

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Rescinded grant miffs downtown Sylva property owner

New logo captures essence of Haywood Chamber

www.haywoodwaterways.org

828-476-4667 Hosted by: 11

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Last week in Maggie: meeting melee, man banned from town hall and legal threats volleyed

BY CAITLIN BOWLING STAFF WRITER heated argument and near fight between two Maggie Valley residents — one of whom is banned from town hall — disrupted the town’s board of aldermen meeting last Tuesday.

A festering dispute between Maggie resident Joe Maniscalco and town employees who feel they have been harassed by him in recent months erupted at the meeting.

Maniscalco has been accused of harassing the town staff through emails and handwritten letters and has been banned from town hall unless he has a police escort.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, former alderman and Maggie resident Colin Edwards took Maniscalco to task.

“He has terrorized the staff, everybody here,” Edwards said. “The employees of Maggie Valley are great employees.”

Maniscalco, who was in audience of the meeting, continued to interject, denying Edwards’ comments, and eventually got up from his seat until the two ended up arguing with their faces inches apart from each other.

Police Chief Scott Sutton, former policewoman and Alderwoman Saralyn Price, and a couple of audience members separated the two before either laid a hand on the other.

Maniscalco later said that he repeatedly contacted town employees because he could not get answers to his questions.

“They don’t respond to my faxed letters.

So therefore, I have to write a second and third letter,” Maniscalco said. “They are always finding reasons not to respond.”

Town Attorney Chuck Dickson had advised town staff not to reply to Maniscalco’s messages after he threatened to sue the town.

February 20-26, 2013

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But Maniscalco said he only threatened a lawsuit after town employees ignored his letters.

“They try to word it like I go to town hall and threaten people,” Maniscalco said. “I speak my piece. I speak my rights.”

In the emails and faxed, handwritten letters to town hall employees and the aldermen, Maniscalco accused them of corrupt practices and inappropriate behavior, even accusing one of watching porn on a town computer during work hours.

Following a barrage of letters from Maniscalco, the board of aldermen met in closed session on Nov. 13 to talk about what, if any, action to take. In the end, all the board members agreed to mail a letter to Maniscalco asking him to contact the Maggie Valley Police Department or Aldermen Phillip Wight or Mike Matthews to accompany him if he wanted to visit town hall. And if Maniscalco wanted to request any information, he needed to do so using the police department as a middleman, the letter stated.

Months later, Maniscalco was sent another letter — this time from Police Chief Sutton.

The letter stated that Maniscalco failed to follow the terms of the first letter.

“You are banned and trespassed from further visits to Maggie Valley Town Hall, unless your presence is authorized,” the letter read.

It reiterated that Maniscalco must be escorted to and around town hall.

“Failure to comply with the terms of this letter may have definite legal consequences for you, including the possibility of criminal arrest,” Sutton wrote.

A month later, Maniscalco appeared before the town board asking why he is banned and why the police delivered the letter, which warns of legal action. Maniscalco

“Failure to comply with the terms of this letter may have definite legal consequences for you, including the possibility of criminal arrest.”

— Letter from Maggie Valley Police Chief Scott Sutton to resident Joe Maniscalco

noted that the second letter came a day after he announced his intent to run for the board of aldermen.

Maniscalco said he is being unfairly singled out and picked on because of his New York Italian accent and not being “from here.”

DeSimone said he authorized the police chief to send the letter after Maniscalco neglected to follow the terms of the initial

November letter.

Aldermen Wight and Matthews said they were unaware a second letter was sent and condemned it.

“The next letter (that went) out speaks of criminal charges and sounds over the top to me,” Wight said, adding that he any further concerns about Maniscalco should have come back to the whole board.

Although he agreed to send the first letter, Wight said the influx of letters from Maniscalco to the town did not rise to the level of harassment or terrorization.

“It wasn’t threatening. It was accusatory,” Wight said. “Joe has not hurt anybody.”

Matthews questioned the mayor’s authority to send the letter without prior approval from the town board.

“I stand by my authority,” DeSimone replied.

Alderwoman Price sided with DeSimone, saying that the first letter warned Maniscalco that further action would be taken if he did not comply.

“He violated that. He came up here more than one time without police or you all,” Price told Matthews and Wight.

The board went into closed session at the end of the meeting but was split on whether to rescind Sutton’s letter.

The origin story The bad blood between some Maggie Valley resident Joe Maniscalco and some town leaders and employees can be traced back nearly four years when Maniscalco claims his gated, luxury, mountaintop home was wrongfully annexed into the town limits. Maniscalco last year appealed to the town to undo the annexation of his property, claiming it was wrongfully annexed in 2009.

The Maggie Valley Board of Aldermen last February voted 3 to 2 to de-annex Maniscalco. The matter had to be approved by the state General Assembly, but legislators never voted on it.

Maniscalco remains in the town limits, which means paying town property taxes. He has both supporters who think he’s been treated unfairly and critics who think his claim is unfounded.

Read The Smoky Mountain News recount of the matter at www.smokymountainnews.com/news/item/6602-maggie-man-wants-out-in-bid-to-undoannexation.

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“Maybe they weighed the pros and cons,” Kirkpatrick said.

Commissioners emphasized at the meeting that even if the state approves the increase, it does not become automatic. It would give the county the option of hiking the room tax, but county leaders will still have to vote to actually up the tax and would be required to hold a public hearing at that point.

“It would give Haywood County the authority to consider increasing it, but there would have to be additional action,” Swanger said.

If the lodging tax is increased, the commissioners will create a new committee, subordinate to the overall TDA board, to review applications for the new pot of money. The special committee would make recommendations on which projects to fund, but final approval would be up to the TDA. Based on proposed language, county commissioners also would have some input over what projects get funded, although it is unclear from the draft version exactly how much.

February 20-26, 2013

BY CAITLIN BOWLING STAFF WRITER f anyone opposes an increase in Haywood County’s overnight lodging tax, they did not make their enmity known at Monday’s board of commissioners meeting.

The Haywood County Board of Commissioners unanimously, and without protest, agreed to send a bill to the North Carolina General Assembly asking the legislature to approve a 2 percent increase in the county’s lodging tax.

It would bring in an additional $450,000 a year and would be earmarked specifically for tourism-related capital projects, such as a tournament-caliber softball complex already being floated as a possible use for the money.

N.C. Sen. Jim Davis, R-Franklin, and N.C. Rep. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, have both told commissioners that they will support the bill.

The county currently tacks a 4 percent tax onto overnight lodging bills, but if approved, the tax could go up to 6 percent. It currently brings in $900,000, which is used for tourism promotions and initiatives.

Proponents portrayed the lodging tax increase as a win-win-win. It would fund special projects that the county can’t afford otherwise, help the economy by bringing in more tourists and not cost property owners anything.

“I think it is a good move,” said Commissioner Bill Upton, adding that the whole county benefits from the economic impact of tourism.

While a 6 percent lodging tax is common in coastal counties, Watauga County is the only other county in the mountains with a 6 percent room tax, the maximum allowed by the state. Jackson, Swain and Buncombe are all at 4 percent.

While there has been early talk of building a sports complex centered around ball fields, how to spend the dedicated pot of money would be vetted and decided by the Tourism Development Authority in the future.

“That could be anything from entertainment venues to doing capital improvements at the (county) fair grounds or festival grounds in Maggie Valley,” said Lynn Collins, executive director of the Tourism Development Authority. “There are just all types of things.”

The idea is similar to what Swain County did last year. The lodging tax was increased from 3 to 4 percent with the extra revenue set aside for special projects, such as a cultural heritage museum, whitewater paddling features on the Nantahala and helping the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad restore a steam engine.

Nonprofits and for-profit businesses could both apply to the Haywood TDA for a slice of the new funding. Collins said the money could even be an incentive for a business owner contemplating expansion.

Chairman Mark Swanger said he has not heard much opposition to the increase.

“I have not had one phone call,” Swanger said, adding that only three people out of about 25 “voiced reservations” about the increase at a meeting of Maggie Valley lodging owners.

The lack of resistance to the proposal is surprising given past outcries from lodging owners when Haywood County tried to up the tax. They argued that the increased tax would deter tourists from coming to Haywood County because they would not want to pay such a high tax. There are often similar protests in other counties when room tax hikes are proposed.

However, this time around, lodging owners seem to have taken a different stance, saying most visitors pay no attention to the tax rates.

Lodging owners who sit on the TDA board said last week that projects funded by the additional revenue would help their bottom lines by luring more visitors to the county.

Commissioner Kirk Kirkpatrick said he was surprised not one person got up to speak against the proposal.

JOHN HAMEL M.D.

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Conviction in toddler’s death just ‘one step’ on the families’ road to justice DSS COVER-UP CASE

STILL PENDING

“It is the prayer of the Littlejohn family that change will happen, helpless children will be protected and lives will be saved.”

February 20-26, 2013

— statement by the family of Aubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohn

Smoky Mountain News

BY B ECKY JOHNSON STAFF WRITER woman was sent to jail for nine years this week for her role in the death of toddler who likely succumbed to hypothermia on the floor of a single-wide trailer one bitterly cold night in Swain County two years ago.

Ladybird Powell of Cherokee pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, two counts of felony child abuse and extortion.

Powell was the child’s great-aunt. She was originally entrusted with the care of the toddler by the child’s mother, but when the mother tried to get the child back, Powell refused, demanding she turn over thousands of dollars.

More than two dozen family members of deceased Aubrey Kina-Marie Littlejohn attended the Swain County court hearing Monday, in what was a highly emotional retelling of the tragic events the night of her death. Aubrey died when she was 15-months-old.

Aubrey was dressed in only a T-shirt and diaper when she was put to bed on a mattress on the floor that night. The trailer that was so cold witnesses recalled being able to see their breath, according to a summary of the circumstances surrounding Aubrey’s death presented in court by Assistant District Attorney Sybil Mann.

In preparation for trial, Mann had prepared a doctor’s testimony that hypothermia was the cause of death within a “reasonable 14 medical degree of certainty.”

Ladybird Powell (above) pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 15-month-old baby, as well as felony child abuse. Jasmine Littlejohn (left) cries in court Monday as prosecutors recount the events the night of her baby's death, who was in the care of her great aunt. Becky Johnson photo

A

“Children who are 15 months of age, as Aubrey was, aren’t able to escape cold temperatures or put on warm clothing. They are entirely dependent on their caregiver for their wellbeing,” Mann said in court.

Aubrey’s short life in the care of Powell was not a good one, according to Mann’s summary of the case. Aubrey was malnourished and didn’t receive routine medical care or immunizations. She was underdeveloped from being strapped into a car seat or left in a baby pen for long periods of time. There were also signs of physical abuse.

Powell also pleaded guilty to the possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia that were found in her trailer the night of Aubrey’s death.

Powell was originally charged with second-degree murder in the case. The plea deal to a lesser charge avoided what could have been a risky jury trial for prosecutors based on circumstantial evidence, while still putting Powell away for a minimum of nine years.

Aubrey’s mother Jasmine Littlejohn, 22, said she has drawn strength from her family during the two-year ordeal of bringing Powell to justice for Aubrey’s death.

“It has been really hard and really tough. I am thankful for my family. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have been strong enough to make it through everything,” Littlejohn said.

Littlejohn cried through most of the court proceedings Monday, and said she is keeping the memory of Aubrey alive for her other two children, including her four-year-old daughter.

“She sees pictures. She goes to the grave.

She knows she is her angel sister in Heaven,” Littlejohn said.

Family members suspected Powell of negligence and abuse while Aubrey was in her care, but were intimated by, and even fearful of, Powell. Family members appealed to the Swain County Department of Social Services (DSS) to intervene and remove Aubrey from Powell’s care on several occasions, but to no avail.

“This was a big step but just one step along the way,” Littlejohn said of Ladybird’s conviction. “DSS does need to be held accountable.”

Following Aubrey’s death, Swain DSS was the subject of a nearly yearlong probe by the State Bureau of Investigation for retroactively doctoring records to hide any negligence on their part, according to law enforcement records.

Two Swain County social workers are now facing felony indictments for an alleged cover-up, namely obstruction of justice and forgery for doctoring and concealing records.

In addition, the family of Aubrey has filed a civil lawsuit against Swain DSS. The suit claims wrongful death and blames DSS for gross negligence for failing to intervene or heed evidence Aubrey was not in a safe home.

“The next step in the family’s journey will be to bring justice to those employees of Swain County’s Department of Social Services, who may have contributed to her death and were involved in the shameless cover up of their own failures to protect this loving and innocent child from abuse,” according to a written statement issued by the family through their attorney, David Wijewickrama of Waynesville.

Wijewickrama said systemic change is needed not only within Swain County DSS, but to the policies and procedures of DSS agencies statewide.

“It is the prayer of the Littlejohn family that change will happen,” according to the family’s statement. “They want the current system to be overhauled so that these avoidable, unforgiveable negligent acts, needless abuse and otherwise preventable deaths can finally be stopped once and for all.”

Aubrey was an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, as was Powell. Cherokee does not have its own department of social services to handle child welfare cases, but instead relies on the social service agencies of neighboring counties.

Following the death of Aubrey, Cherokee leaders are working to create their own child welfare agency to handle cases on the reservation and involving tribal children.

“I hope something does happen for other children on the reservation,” Littlejohn said.

Cherokee entertains idea of bear sanctuary T

“There is no soil. There’s no trees. There’s no grub,” said tribal member Janice Anders.

“They need our protection.”

If shut down, however, it begs the question: where would the bears go and what would happen to them?

At the same meeting, a resolution was put forth to create a wildlife sanctuary and animal rehabilitation center, which could house the bears. A tribal member hoping to operate the sanctuary has asked to lease property from the tribe to house it.

Tribal Council Member Diamond Brown said he supports the idea of a sanctuary for the bears since the animals could never survive on their own.

“We can’t turn these bears out to the wild,” Brown said, adding that he would like to see a large enclosure with lots of room and plant life. “Wouldn’t it be nice if you had an acre for each?”

Principal Chief Michell Hicks wrote a letter to Tribal Council in support of an animal refuge and stricter standards for the bear zoos.

“We need to create a more animal friendly environment for these animals,” Hicks said in the letter.

However, just three years ago, Hicks spoke out in support for the bear zoos and said he did not think the condition of the zoos was inhumane as PETA repeatedly stated.

The animal activists organization has

protested in Cherokee before and recently released a video from inside Chief Saunooke Bear Park showing workers making derogatory comments about Native Americans and bears gnawing on metal bars until their teeth snapped.

Because of that video, Walker introduced the resolution asking that the bear zoos be shut down. One enrolled member said the

ed the tribe to remove the animals from the bear zoos immediately.

“I think those animals need to be taken care of now,” Walker said.

Walker and other supporters have already contacted places in Tennessee and North Carolina that would be willing to take bears from the three parks.

“We don’t need to give anybody any more time to think about anything other than release them,” “We can’t turn these bears out to said enrolled member Peggy Hillthe wild. Wouldn’t it be nice if you Kerbow.

After some discussion, both had an acre for each?” resolutions were tabled until the council could hold a work session — Tribal Council Member Diamond Brown, to review its current policies speaking in support of a sanctuary for regarding caged animals. former zoo bears The only restrictions specifically for legally obtained, caged tribe would not even be considering such bears require owners to flush the animals’ measures if the video was not released. cages once a day with water and once every “You all would not be doing this if that two months with disinfectant; the bears undercover video did not come out,” said should receive adequate food, may not be Missy Crowe, an enrolled member. “This is restrained with collars, chains or stakes, and not the first time PETA came to Cherokee.” should be held in an iron- or steel-barred Last Thursday’s council meeting was the cage that is at least eight feet by 12 feet by first time an enrolled member had formally six feet. The maximum fine for violating the decried the bear zoos and asked Tribal standards is $5,000.

Council to take action. While Hicks recomHill-Kerbow called Cherokee’s standards mended that any caged animals remain very minimal. where they are until the tribe figured out “We should have stellar standards,” Hillwhat to do with them, Walker said she want- Kerbow said.

news

BY CAITLIN BOWLING STAFF WRITER ribal Council for the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has postponed any action that would ban bear zoos from the reservation for good.

A few tribal members called on Tribal Council last week to revoke the business licenses for any private establishments that display caged animals for profit on the reservation and force those establishments to release the animals.

It was the latest twist in a four-year controversy over bear zoos in Cherokee that have evoked the wrath of animal rights activists for the deplorable conditions the bears are kept in, including an undercover video sting by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. One bear zoo, Chief Saunooke Bear Park, racked up so many federal warnings and violations that federal inspectors last month fined it and suspended its license to display bears to the public until corrections were made. There are two other sites on the reservation that display caged bears.

“It hurts me. It shames me that I drove by those places day-by-day,” said Amy Walker, a 71-year-old enrolled member who brought concerns to Tribal Council last week.

“We of all people should be able to relate to the suffering,” the resolution stated.

At Chief Saunooke, 11 bears are kept in concrete pits.

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Opinion

Smoky Mountain News

By chance, by sea, bye bye

hirty-five years ago, I moved into my first dorm room and this small-town lad had high hopes of the excitement and new people he would meet at this big university hundred of miles from his sleepy town. I surveyed the 60 or so inhabitants at the Introductory Floor Meeting that day and noticed a few “possibilities” for friends and a bunch of “forget-its.”

Among the latter was a short, loud, monied know-it-all, Jewish guy from New Jersey — “Nothing in common here, I thought.

People like this annoy me.” But as might have been guessed, I’d soon sing a different tune. Once the partying and shenanigans began, we found our vast differences to be great compliments, and the next semester, we moved into a house off campus together with three other guys and the “Moose Breath Columnist Club” was born.

I left Syracuse University a year later for West Virginia University while “Moosie” stayed on to graduate there, but I took with me an unlikely friendship that would endure during these many years and regularly surprise me, if given half a chance. In the three and a half decades since, we’ve shared successes and defeats, births and deaths, marriages and divorces and the rest of what life threw at either of us. Sometimes years would pass between face-times, but it only took a moment at each occasion to renew our bonds and start the laughter and the scheming once again.

It should therefore not have come as a big surprise when he called me this past Christmas and asked if I wanted to go sailing on his new boat in the British Virgin Islands in three weeks. I knew my passport had expired and told him I’d check everything out and see what I could do. The next day I found my old passport and went to the courthouse to check on a Quick Renewal. “Three weeks to be safe ...” said the woman at the desk, “or you can go to Atlanta and get it quicker in person.”

Neither was a great option for me, so I went online to find an e-solution to my international identity problem. I found PassportExpress, who said they could get me my new papers in one week for an extra $150. I wanted to see my old pal and clicked “Proceed.” Next came flights to coordinate with the St. Thomas to Tortola ferry schedule. Once again, fate gave me a wink, and I found one flight that landed 45 minutes before the last ferry of the day at 5 p.m. So with a flurry of online purchases and a little luck, it looked like a go — if everything worked as planned.

John Beckman

T

Downtown Sylva needs some help To the Editor: Tourism, tourism and tourism are the three most important words to line the struggling businessmen’s pockets and the county tax collector coffers. One must ask, who were the folks in Dillsboro responsible for tar and feathering plus running the single most important revenue producing train out of the city in the first place?

Sure, there is the downturn in the economy a few years back that can be blamed for the lack of the all-illustrious tourist. However, after taking a leisurely stroll in downtown

Sleet began falling as I left Cullowhee before dawn for the Charlotte airport and followed me and my jumpy nerves most of the way, hoping no accident would slow my pace and nothing would throw a glitch my way. I checked in with new passport in hand just as the icy rain began to hit the terminal. Once on board, the captain announced that we would need to de-ice the plane and would be delayed about 45 minutes for takeoff. My thoughts went to the perfectly timed ferry connection, minus the perfection. When we finally landed I raced off the plane, hailed the first cab and told her to “step on it.” I arrived at the ferry dock at 5:15 p.m. with little hope, but once again, chance smiled at me when I was told that “the ferry would be running an hour late due to mechanical problems, we apologize for any inconvenience.” Safe again. Karma or dumb luck, I’ll take it.

The ferry finally arrived on “Island Time,” and we floated from U.S. St. Thomas into Soper’s Hole on Tortola just as darkness did the same over the tropical harbor. I spotted Moosie and his son motoring the dingy toward the dock for my pick-up. A quick trip through customs (Tortola is British), and I was climbing into the dingy with my friends, headed toward YOLO (You Only Live Once), a Lagoon 450 catamaran as she sat patiently on her mooring ball. With quick and welcoming introductions to the guys’ girlfriends and the captain on board, we were celebrating times old and new and toasting crazy good luck, the serendipity from years ago and the great week of sun and sail that lay ahead well into the gently rocking Caribbean night.

The next day, we set sail through Sir Francis Drake Channel toward Trellis Bay on the east end of the island for the Full Moon Party, which just by coincidence happened to be its huge fat orb that night. After dinner on board and the fall of darkness, we all loaded into the dingy and puttered across the bay toward the beach bars, bonfires, stilt-dancing “Jumbies” and calypso bands for some serious sand dancing with folks from around the world.

Just for laughs, I had packed a ridiculously loud, electricorange, shag vest a friend had given me as a gag at Christmas.

At their urging, I wore it that night to the beach bash and wound up meeting dozens of strangers as a result, sharing 10 times that many laughs before the night was done. I met a young couple from Charleston, S.C., there teaching a sailing school who commented on my fashions.

As it turned out, they had an interest in organic farming, so we traded emails and invites for visits to each others’ lives when we got back stateside. “Sounds great,” we agreed. With

Sylva yesterday one word came to mind to describe the town: shabby. We are not talking shabby chic here, just plain and simply shabby. There was not a window that I looked in that did not need cleaning. Let’s put it plain and simple again: the windows in every shop were dirty.

So now we have shabby and dirty to describe our little town. We can now move on to the peeling paint on some very nice mill/woodwork on a few historic looking buildings, the peeling window film on a few windows, and the peeling plaster in one restaurant’s outside seating area. The window displays? What can one say other than cluttered, dusty, and lacking creativity. Nothing says I want to shop here like junky, cluttered,

probably 300 people assembled with the common goal of dancing, drinking and laughing, it was easy to find a place to have fun and someone to share it with.

And so it was to be for the next six luck-filled days: pulling into each port for the last or perfect buoy, or finding the ideal evening venue as we checked off island after island, sails open wide each day, and our mouths the same each night. From the wave-cut Baths and Caves of Virgin Gorda, to Pelican Island, Anegada’s Cow Wreck beach, Willy T’s & the Soggy Dollar Bar (so named because there is no dock and boaters must anchor and swim in, drink, and swim back out), the sights were everchanging ocean paradises. We saw sailboats of all sizes and shapes and mega-yachts measuring 300 feet and costing more than $100 million. (Don’t forget to add in 10 percent per year for maintenance. This sea-faring stuff can be an expensive hobby.)

I was always the last one to turn in at night, swimming in the thoughts and sights of the day under starry skies, and one of the first to rise with the sun for a different swim in the turquoise blue surrounding our boat. I wasn’t about to spend my ship time sleeping. During the few quiet hours, there was interesting reading aboard of sailing guides with hints of BVI’s history. (Google William Thornton, or Blackbeard and Dead Chest Bay, or wrecks of the Caribbean and U.S. Purchase of Virgin Islands for some great recounts).

All too soon, departure day from the palms and warm blue arrived. I loaded into the dingy one last time for the splash to the ferry dock and the air trip home. Having to admit that our time together had ended, we traded hugs, goodbyes and seeyou-soons. On the drive back from Charlotte, I thought about all the last week had brought my way, how chance had played the strong hand in it, and I was just lucky enough to be the card holder during it all.

I got up the next morning and went back to work, sea legs and all, and tried to set the Caribbean aside and get back to my mountain-not-beach life. I was catching up on things pretty well when I received an email a couple days later from Full Moon Lynn, from the Charleston Sailing School.

Circumstances were bringing her and a friend to Asheville and could they come by the farm to see what we’re doing? Without hesitation, I shot back “Sure, BVI friends always welcome!”

They showed up Friday night, and we had great time talking and laughing late into the night and sharing like old-time friends, even though we had met only days ago by chance, on an island 3,000 miles away. It’s interesting to me that a “fatefull” sail with a fluke-found friend has already expanded the circles I travel in within a week, and that serendipity, chance, and happenstance may deserve more credit than many care to admit, if given an opportunity to display their magic touch.

John Beckman is a farmer, builder and writer in Cullowhee. He can be reached at beckmanmtn@frontier.com.

LETTERS dusty and tacky window displays.

Once you make the mistake of entering a few shops and one restaurant, you walk out with another descriptive word: dingy. I understand times are hard; however, a few gallons of paint and creative lighting will make considerable improvements. I feel like some of these business owners have lost that pride of ownership that they surely had when they started their business.

I feel the town and the county are more interested lending money to start-up or oncefailed businesses then lending money to improving the appearance of the downtown or

for that matter making improvements to the downtown. They would rather spend money on a study to attract tourism than spend money on completing the paving of bricks on the sidewalks. They need a comprehensive color scheme for downtown; they need a volunteer day or two to sandblast, pressure wash, tear down (like worn out awnings and decayed wood), and paint and clean the downtown shops. This town needs a coming together, a happening, something like an old-fashioned barn rising, and leadership.

I won’t waste your time or mine in describing Mill Street. Anyone who has ever driven or had the unfortunate experience of walking down Mill Street knows exactly how to describe that place. We have the most

beautiful library/courthouse in the state.

Once a tourist takes a few pictures of the steps leading to the library, it is time to leave and head for the N.C. 107 fastfood alley. Harsh but true.

I’m sorry, but I don’t have time or the energy to start on the Jackson County Ghost Town of Dillsboro. Well, other than to say they got what they deserved from their greedy elected leadership. I’m all for the train returning to Dillsboro. However, I’m totally against using taxpayer dollars in bringing it back.

Frank Parrish Sylva

Obamacare will drag down health care

Macon County may need second pay study

The Smoky Mountain News encourages readers to express their opinions through letters to the editor or guest columns. All viewpoints are welcome. Send to Scott McLeod at info@smokymountainnews.com., fax to 828.452.3585, or mail to PO Box 629, Waynesville, NC, 28786. sive overhaul Springsted recommends.

Thus, my suggestion for a second opinion from professionals.

The announcement by Springsted that 55 percent of employees are paid below the minimum salary rate of the proposed pay grade schedule has certainly put Macon County commissioners in a difficult position. Most county employees are now wondering if they are among the 55 percent that are being underpaid based solely on Springsted’s study. I hope county commissioners take the time necessary to assure themselves the proposed increase in the county’s payroll is proper.

Vic Drummond Franklin

We need sanity in gun debate To the Editor: As a gun owner, parent, teacher and American, I believe that there is no legitimate reason for civilians (such as myself ) to own weapons capable of firing more than 10 shots before reloading. A 30-round mag (typical of AR15 or AK47-type assault rifles) can do as much or more damage as a hand grenade.

Also: • Hunters don’t need 11 shots in a row, unless they’re hunting wild hogs, and a couple guys with 10 rounds each will do the job.

• There are already too many assault weapons in circulation. We need to stop adding to the problem. I am not advocating the confiscation of legally owned weapons.

Instead I am advocating that a finite amount of them are in circulation, as opposed to an infinite amount, growing every year.

• As for pistols, 10-shot max mag as well.

Self-defense seldom requires a shoot-out.

• Civilians have no rational reason to own or use armor-piercing, incendiary and tracer ammo.

• As for the 2nd Amendment, it was written at a time when you couldn’t fire more than two bullets per minute from a muzzle-loading rifle. Our technology has far outpaced our laws.

• The NRA is a lobby for the paranoid and U.S. gun corporations. When Congress banned assault rifles some years ago, all it did was ban the import of foreign weapons, while U.S.-made assault rifles continued to flood the streets with the NRA’s blessing.

• Finally, the president needs to make it clear, that he will not go after legitimate hunting rifles, shotguns that hold six or fewer rounds, etc. Americans do have a legitimate concern about a slippery slope of once you ban

Beware plastic power strips, and many thanks To the Editor: It is hard to believe it was a month ago that our little house in Waynesville burned.

Through the shock, sadness, transition and confusion, two things have remained consistent in our minds. First, how very blessed we are to live in a community so caring and responsive, with friends, family, and neighbors’ support. Second, how very important it is to tell everyone how to avoid the simple, innocent act that caused the fire. Please know that I would not bother writing this if it did not seem it could help others.

Our home caught on fire from a plastic power strip, the type you plug in several devices to keep things safe. It has been explained to us that unfortunately those plastic devices, most often made in China, are not subject to the same safety regulations as those made here in the U.S. Furthermore, it is more a question of “when” it may cause a fire rather than if. The recommendation from several trained sources, both fire personnel and investigators alike, is to discard plastic strips and replace them with metal ones made in the U.S. It is a precaution well worth the extra expense.

We wish to express our deep gratitude and respect for the brave people, both staff and volunteers, that responded to the fire at our home, as well as those who tried reviving our elder kitty taken in his sleep by the smoke. You truly are a blessing to this community. We also want to thank our amazing neighbors for responding quickly, and then opening their homes and hearts to us. Thank you all for making Waynesville such a unique and special place to call home! Our house will be restored, our lifestyle simplified, and our hearts and souls left open by the grace we have

Smoky Mountain News

To the Editor: I believe Macon County’s commissioners need to closely analyze and thoroughly discuss the results and proposals made in the recent compensation and classification study before any changes are made to the county’s compensation plan.

I suggest that county commissioners obtain a second opinion from another consultant on classification and compensation, prior to committing to the significant increases in employee compensation proposed by the Springsted study. Those increases could result in an annual cost estimated at between $613,000 and $1.13 million for taxpayers. Would those additional expenditures be appropriate when the U.S. economy could be headed for another recession this year?

Without question, county employees deserve competitive compensation for their services in order to maintain a stable and productive workforce. That compensation includes both salaries and benefits that should be considered together in a compensation package. Instead, Springsted has split salaries from benefits in its analysis.

As well as providing county employees with competitive compensation, it is also important to protect the interests of taxpayers by getting the best value for taxpayers’ money by not overcompensating county employees. I am not convinced Springsted’s study meets the dual goals of equity for county employees and for taxpayers.

I believe a major flaw of the study was the poor selection of the market used for establishing a new pay scale. Three of the ten North Carolina counties/cities used in the “market” are more than 200 miles away. Meanwhile local towns, nearby counties, and local private sector companies were ignored.

I am not a compensation consultant.

However, I have made my own analysis of 42 Macon County jobs using salary data obtained independently. My “amateur” analysis shows some salary adjustments may be appropriate for county employees, but does not indicate the need for the mas-

LOOKING FOR OPINIONS

some things, it’s easier to ban more things.

I understand big boys and their toys, but these “toys” are inherently too dangerous. Weapons designed for mass killing can be and have been used for just that. It’s time to end the insanity.

Some people are stockpiling guns and ammo, and rather than “prepare” for civil war, we should be spending our time, money and energy to prevent such a catastrophe.

Look at Iraq, Syria, Libya and Afghanistan. Once a war begins, every child, every family in every neighborhood is at risk, and forgiveness is something we are all too short on. Prevention is the key to peace and stability. We need to come together as a community for our common good, not be divided for the profit of some and the paranoia of others.

Fear can drive us insane. Yes, I want to protect my family, but taking on the sheriff ’s department, the state or the feds never ends well for trigger-pullers. Prevention. Sanity.

We need to pull together as a community for the good of all our children.

Dan Kowal Franklin

February 20-26, 2013

To the Editor: Recently, after a serious falling accident, I experienced medical treatment from our local health care system at HighlandsCashiers Hospital and at Asheville’s Mission Hospital. Doctors and nurses at HighlandsCashiers Hospital saved my life and I spent 10 days in Mission’s ICU getting well.

My treatment and care at both hospitals was, in my opinion, the best there is. Highly qualified doctors, nurses, staff and specialists in both hospitals exhibited the utmost in professionalism and impeccable care.

It saddens me to think that our children and grandchildren will never know this quality of health care. As Obamacare unfolds, we are seeing how, with this onerous law, the federal government dominates the system and we will watch as the quality of medical care declines. Government is inserted into what should be strictly a patient/doctor system. As bureaucrats in government agencies dictate how doctors and hospitals treat us, good doctors will leave the primary care profession and hospitals, especially emergency rooms, will be overrun with more patients than they are equipped to handle.

Obamacare requires continuing higher taxes to support the increase in commitment to such things as free access to contraception, sterilization and the abortion drug Ella.

As Obamacare expenses kicks in, either Medicare spending will be cut or deficits will rise. Because of Obamacare’s unrealistic mandates, businesses are opting out of providing employer-based insurance and insurance companies are raising premiums. It is estimated that families will pay an average of $20,000 annually for medical insurance under Obamacare. So there you have it for families — higher taxes and health care expense, a decline in health care quality, and the federal government dominating one-fifth of our economy.

It angers me that our Congress passed Obamacare under backroom pressure pushed on faltering members and even bribes to fund state wish lists were granted to those who continued to hold out their vote. The U.S House of Representatives voted in favor of the bill after being told by Speaker Nancy Pelosi that “we have to pass the bill to find out what is in it!” Would you sign on to any legal document, contract or

even your child’s permission slip for a school trip without knowing what is in it? I don’t think so. Yet members of Congress did just that. They passed the bill and now agency bureaucrats throughout government like the Department of Health and Human Services and the IRS are writing the details of the “law” we have to follow.

It encourages me that individual states are refusing to be bullied by the federal government. Many, including North Carolina, have rejected the state-based insurance exchanges that require funding states do not have. We can hope that these sovereign states and voters will demand that Congress delay, repeal or reform Obamacare and replace it with a patient/doctor centered, non-federally dominated, market-based plan.

Carol Adams Glenville

S EE LETTERS, N EXT PAGE 17

received. We are grateful to be part of this community, and hope to ‘give back’ in the ways we can to support it.

Starr T. and David Hogan Waynesville

doing business, and while I appreciate the rush to get Newfound Gap Road open again, I can’t feel sorry for the businesses who have taken this measure to protect their investment.

David Redman Sylva

Weakened slope laws could prompt lawsuits

We have to decide which side we’re on

To the Editor: This is an open letter to the Jackson County Planning Board and county commissioners. Things to consider: • We have an existing steep slope ordinance.

• Mudslides are not covered by insurance in N.C. • Changes being considered to make the present ordinance more “user friendly” could weaken it.

• Finally, we live in an increasingly litigious society.

If someone loses his/her home to a mudslide in Jackson County that might not have occurred except for a weakened steep slope ordinance, will our county tax dollars be used to defend present planning board members and county commissioners, or will these individuals be responsible for their own defense? This issue has become even more personal to me as I pay thousands of dollars to clean up a mudslide on my property that is not covered by homeowner’s insurance.

Craig N. Green Sylva

To the Editor: Well over a half century ago, the infringements, abridgments and usurpations of government against our liberties ordained in the Bill of Rights began.

Recently, this has accelerated to an intolerable assault on our Constitution, individual freedoms, and personal prosperity.

Reasonable, freedom-loving individuals see the dangers posed by the centralization of government power and realize the powermania and greed of the few that chart this course must be reined in. Unfortunately, the seeming ignorance and apathy of millions of Americans may not make this possible in our immediate future.

The authoritarian government, and opportunistic demagogues, are currently taking advantage of the emotions created by the heinous events perpetuated by seeming mentally ill individuals. Claiming ‘the interest of [so-called] safety,’ these demagogues have accelerated their assault on the 2nd Amendment, which states “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Why? The 2nd Amendment answers that question as it also states “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state.” Thomas Jefferson once said, “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.” The 2nd Amendment was established as a safeguard against tyranny.

All citizens’ natural rghts, which predate any government, cannot, nor should not be taken away by any human agency.

However, these liberties must be constantly defended. Which side are you on? Are you on the side of collectivism and tyranny or on the side of individual freedom and liberty?

What about your neighbors — find out where they stand.

Most importantly, contact the sheriff, peace officers and public servants of your county/municipality and ask them “where do you stand?” Will they obey their oaths of office to which they swore to protect and defend the Constitution? Will they refuse to obey unconstitutional and unlawful orders that affect one or more of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution? Demand honesty and accountability.

Despite any shortcomings, the constitutional republicanism that we have in America has made us the best and brightest secular hope for all the peoples of the earth.

Let us always “breathe free” and keep the “golden door” of opportunity open. Our republic will endure so long as the Creator of all things wills it, and the people have the courage and faith to defend it.

Carl Iobst Cullowhee

Smoky Mountain News

February 20-26, 2013

LETTERS, CONTINUED

18

Ball fields bad use of tourism money To the Editor: Why on earth tap the tourism development funds in Haywood County for a ballpark that won’t result in increased revenues in the tourism marketing pot? Cherokee has tried with their expensive sport complex in Whittier and, as I recall, there’s not much revenue being generated for the tribe as a result although it was sold on the basis of softball and baseball tournaments coming there.

Tourism leaders can speak all they want, but where are the statistics to confirm increased revenues will be reality? This is grasping at the proverbial “straw” to find business for the tourism entities in the county.

Sounds like a happy day for local baseball fans, but a strikeout for the tourism folks.

On another issue, if I owned a business in Cherokee my insurance policy would include a rider for loss of revenues due to a “act of God.” During my years at Marineland of Florida this was one of the most important aspects of our annual insurance policy. It came to bear fruit many times with tidal programs along A1A, hurricanes forcing closing of the business, etc.

This is a “safe rather than sorry” part of

tasteTHEmountains Taste the Mountains is an ever-evolving paid section of places to dine in Western North Carolina. If you would like to be included in the listing please contact our advertising department at 828.452.4251 AMMONS DRIVE-IN RESTAURANT & DAIRY BAR 1451 Dellwwod Rd., Waynesville.

828.926.0734. Open 7 days a week 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Celebrating over 25 years.

Enjoy world famous hot dogs as well as burgers, seafood, hushpuppies, hot wings and chicken. Be sure to save room for dessert. The cobbler, pie and cake selections are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.

ANTHONY WAYNE’S 37 Church St, Waynesville. 828.456.6789.

Open for lunch Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; open for dinner Thursday-Saturday 5 to 9 p.m.; and Sunday brunch 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Exceptional, new-American cuisine, offering several gluten free items.

BLUE ROOSTER SOUTHERN GRILL 207 Paragon Parkway, Clyde, Lakeside Plaza at the old Wal-Mart. 828.456.1997.

Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. 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.

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

BRYSON CITY BAKERY AND PASTRY SHOPPE 191 Everett St., Bryson City. 828.488.5390 Offering a full line of fresh baked goods like Grandma used to make. Large variety to choose from including cakes, pies, donuts, breads, cinn-buns and much more. Also serving Hershey Ice Cream. Open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

CATALOOCHEE RANCH 119 Ranch Dr., Maggie Valley.

828.926.1401. Mile-high mountaintop dining with a spectacular view. Join us for cookouts on the terrace on weekends and Wednesdays (weather permitting) and family-style dinners on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Social hour starts at 6 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m.

Our bountiful family-style meals include prime rib, baked ham, and herb-baked chicken; cookouts feature steaks, ribs, chicken and pork chops, to name a few. Every dinner is complemented with an assortment of seasonal vegetables, homemade breads, jellies and desserts, and we offer a fine selection of wine and beer. Breakfast is also served daily from 8 to 9:30 a.m., and lunch from 12 to 2 p.m.

Please call for reservations.

CITY BAKERY 18 N. Main St. Waynesville 828.452.3881.

Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Join us in our historic location for scratch made soups and daily specials. Breakfast is made to order daily: Gourmet cheddar & scallion biscuits served with bacon, sausage and eggs; smoked salmon bagel plate; quiche and fresh fruit parfait. We bake a wide variety of breads daily, specializing in traditional french breads. All of our breads are hand shaped. Lunch: Fresh salads, panni sandwiches. Enjoy outdoor dinning on the deck. Private room available for meetings.

BOGART’S 35 East Main St., Sylva. 828.586.6532.

Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Serving classic American food and drink in a casual environment. Daily lunch and dinner specials. Children’s menu available. Call for catering quotes. Private room available for large parties. Accepts MC/Visa, Discover and American Express.

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.

BOURBON BARREL BEEF & ALE 454 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, 828.452.9191. Dinner nightly from 4 p.m.

Closed on Sunday. We specialize in hand-cut, all natural steaks, fresh fish, and other classic American comfort foods that are made using only the finest local and sustainable ingredients available. We also feature a great selection of craft beers from local artisan brewers, and of course an extensive selection of small batch bourbons and whiskey. The Barrel is a friendly and casual neighborhood dining experience where our guests enjoy a great meal without breaking the bank.

CORK AND BEAN 16 Everett St., Bryson City. 828.488.1934.

Open Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy organic, fair-trade, gourmet espresso and coffees, a select, eclectic list of wines, and locally prepared treats to go with every thing. Come by early and enjoy a breakfast crepe with a latte, grab a grilled chicken pesto crepe for lunch, or wind down with a nice glass of red wine. Visit us on Facebook!

HERREN HOUSE 94 East St., Waynesville 828.452.7837.

Lunch: Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday Brunch 11 a. m. to 2 p.m.

Enjoy fresh local products, created daily.

Join us in our beautiful patio garden. We are your local neighborhood host for special events: business party’s, luncheons, weddings, showers and more. Private parties & catering are available 7 days a week by reservation only.

CORK & CLEAVER 176 Country Club Drive, Waynesville.

828.456.7179. Reservations recommended. 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Tucked away inside Waynesville Inn, Cork & Cleaver has an approachable menu designed around locally sourced, sustainable, farm-to-table ingredients. Executive Chef Corey Green prepares innovative and unique Southern fare from local, organic vegetables grown in Western North Carolina. Full bar and wine cellar. www.waynesvilleinn.com.

tasteTHEmountains FRYDAY’S & SUNDAES 24 & 26 Fry St., Bryson City (Next To The Train Depot). 828.488.5379. Winter hours 11.30 to 6.00 Thur & Sun. 11.30 to 7.00 Fri & Sat. Fryday's is known for its Traditional English Beer Battered Fish & Chips, but also has burgers, deep fried dogs, gyro, shrimp, bangers, Chip Butty, Chicken, sandwiches & a great kids menu.

Price friendly, $3-$10, Everything available To-Go or call ahead Takeout, Credit Cards accepted. Sundaes has 24 rotating flavors of Hershey's Ice Cream making them into floats, splits, sundaes, shakes. Private seating inside & out for both locations right across from the train station & Pet Friendly.

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

Lunch Sunday noon to 2:30 p.m., dinner nightly starting at 4:30 p.m. World-famous prime rib, steaks, fresh seafood, gorgonzola cheese and salads. All ABC permits and open year-round. Children always welcome.

Take-out menu. Excellent service and hospitality. Reservations appreciated.

LOS AMIGOS 366 Russ Ave. in the Bi-Lo Plaza.

828.456.7870. Open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Enjoy the lunch prices Monday through Sunday, also enjoy our outdoor patio.

MAD BATTER BAKERY & CAFÉ Located on the WCU Campus in Cullowhee.

828.293.3096. Open Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 2

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

828.926.1616. maggievalleyclub.com/dine.

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

OLD STONE INN 109 Dolan Road, off Love Lane.

828.456.3333. Classic fireside dining in an historic mountain lodge with cozy, intimate bar. Dinner served nightly except Sunday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Signature dinner choices include our 8oz. filet of beef in a brandied peppercorn sauce and a garlic and herb crusted lamb rack. Carefully selected fine wines and beers plus full bar available.

Open year round. Call for reservations.

FRIDAY 2/22

72289

LIZ &Folk AJ& Rock NANCE SATURDAY 2/23

BLANE FOWLER Contemporary & Christian Thursday Feb 21st • 8pm Adam Bigelow & Friends

Friday Feb. 22nd • 8pm DJ beta

S PRING S TREET, D OWNTOWN S YLVA

CREPES, PANINIS, SOUPS, SALADS, GOURMET PASTAS WINE & BEER

CityLightsCafe.com

Saturday Feb. 23rd • 8pm Jamunkatrons Tues.- Fri. 11a-9p & Sat. 12 noon - ‘til

628 E. Main Street • Sylva 828.586.1717 • soulinfusion.com 72414

ITALIAN

MEDITERRANEAN

STEAKS • PIZZA CHICKEN • SEAFOOD SANDWICHES

PASQUALE’S 1863 South Main Street, Waynesville. Off exit 98, 828.454.5002. Opend for lunch and dinner seven days a week. 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 indoor, outside on the patio or at the bar.

Reservations appreciated.

———————————— OPEN FOR LUNCH & DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK 1863 S. MAIN ST. WAYNESVILLE 828.454.5002 HWY. 19/23 EXIT 98

RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT AND BAR Maggie Valley Inn and Conference Center 828.926.0201 Bar open Monday thru Saturday; dining room open Tuesday thru Saturday at 5 p.m. Full service restaurant serving steaks, prime rib, seafood and dinner specials. Live music Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Four-Course Wine Dinner

SOUL INFUSION TEA HOUSE & BISTRO 628 E. Main St. (between Sylva Tire & UPS). 828.586.1717. Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday noon -until.

Scrumptious, natural, fresh soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps and desserts. 60+ teas served hot or cold, black, chai, herbal.

Seasonal and rotating draft beers, good selection of wine. Home-Grown Music Network Venue with live music most weekends. Pet friendly and kid ready.

With guest Chef Denny Trantham

February 20-26, 2013

LUCIO'S RESTAURANT 313 Highlands Road, Franklin.

828.369.6670. Serving Macon County since 1984. Closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Lunch Wednesday-Friday 11:30 a.m. until.Dinner Wednesday-Saturday 5 p.m. until. Owned and operated by Tanya and Dorothy Gamboni. Serving authentic Italian and continental cuisine including appetizers, pastas, poultry, veal, seafood, steaks and homemade deserts. Selection of wine and beer. Lunch and Dinner menus.

Wednesday and Thursday nights only. 1 appetizer and 2 selected entrées with unlimited salad and Lucio’s famous garlic rolls for $24.95. Winter Special: half-off house wines, Friday and Saturday only. luciosnc.com

p.m. Earth-friendly foods at people-friendly prices. Daily specials, wraps, salads, pastries, breads, soups and more. Unique fare, friendly service, casual atmosphere and wireless Internet. Organic ingredients, local produce, gourmet fair trade and organic coffees.

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117 Main Street, Canton NC 828.492.0618 • SidsOnMain.com Serving Lunch & Dinner

MON.-THURS. 11 A .M. TO 9 P.M. • FRI. & SAT. 11 A .M. TO 10 P.M. SUNDAY BRUNCH 11 A .M. TO 2:30 P.M. 72569

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Smoky Mountain News

Jungle king swings into WCU

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD STAFF WRITER cold wind howls through the campus of Western Carolina University as the screams of a young woman echo from a nearby building.

The voice is Stefani Cronley and her attackers are a gang of apes.

A sophomore theater major, Cronley is rehearing her characters for the upcoming radio recreation of “Tarzan of the Apes.” The show will be performed in front of a live audience at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26 at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center.

“It’s a great experience, something totally different from any type of training I’ve done before,” she said. “It’s all for the ear, so it’s more about working with your voice and trying to channel every emotion into it.”

The WCU reenactments of classic radio shows — now in its fifth year — conjure the “golden age of radio,” where the power of imagination and adventure come together through a collaboration of words and sounds.

“It can be challenging to create an antagonist who isn’t a character, and create it from sound effects,” said Steve Carlisle, director and associate dean of the Honors College at WCU. “It’s about establishing that in the minds of the people in the audience and those listening to it on the radio.”

The projects involve four departments and three colleges at the school. Each show features a live orchestra and sound effects, which are only performed once in front of an audience. All of those participating in the broadcasts receive support from artist-in-residence funds from the College of Fine and Performing Arts in partnership with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra

A

and Carol Grotnes Belk Endowment.

“We’re bringing together all of these different departments, which can be very tough to do,” Carlisle said.

“It’s all about putting students, faculty and members of the community together and be involved in a project.”

With this year being the centennial year for “Tarzan of the Apes,” writer/producer Don Connelly contacted Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. about his plans for a hourlong radio show based on the 1932 radio serials written by Burroughs. Head of the communication department at WCU, Connelly was thrilled when those in charge of Burroughs legacy allowed the project to come to fruition.

“One thing lead to another, and I cannot tell you how excited I was when we got the call that the board of directors of the company had approved the project,” Connelly said.

Not to be confused with the cozy Disney versions of the jungle character, this program will focus on the back-story of Tarzan and his love interest, Jane.

“Our story spans from when Lord and Lady Greystoke are put ashore in Africa by a mutinous crew until the time when Tarzan and Jane

“You have to put everything into your voice ... You have to think about the emotion of the scene and put all of that into your voice so that somebody else can picture it.”

Want to go?

The radio reenactment of “Tarzan of the Apes” will be performed at 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 per person and can purchased at the box office. Proceeds will be used to fund scholarships in participating academic departments.

828.227.2479 or www.bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

— Dave Evanoff, voice of Tarzan

Artists/vendors sought for regional festivals

Several festivals around Western North Carolina are encouraging local artists and vendors to sign up for celebrations and events throughout 2013.

• The 16th Annual Greening Up the Mountains festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in downtown Sylva.

Applications are now being accepted for vendors, demonstrators, crafters, and environmental groups. The event centers around the theme of supporting local businesses, providers and residents as the best way to create a sustainable economy, and invites demonstrations, booths and educational displays from environmental

groups, “green” initiatives and those focused on learning and sustaining traditional mountain crafts and arts. Applications will be accepted through April 15, but space is limited and early registration offers a reduced application fee. www.townofsylva.org or greeningupthemountains@gmail.com or 828.506.3419.

• Haywood County Arts Council is seeking Blue Ridge National Heritage area artists with a passion for the traditional aspects of pottery and clay making for an exhibit to coincide with the Appalachian Lifestyle Celebration on June 8 in downtown Waynesville. The celebration commemorates all things local from crafts to food to music and dance. It’s a heritage themed event demonstrating various historical and cultural educational and entertainment opportunities. Interested artists should e-mail photograph samples of their work for jurying to info@hay-

meet,” Carlisle said.

Brian Gastle, the literary researcher for the project, points to Burroughs as a pioneering author who was the first writer to transition his works into comic strips, radio, film and television. “‘Tarzan of the Apes’ was first published in 1912 and over the last 100 years there is not one element of popular culture that Tarzan has not been a part of worldwide. Everyone knows about Tarzan,” he said.

Sitting in the recent rehearsal, one is immediately transported into the dense and dangerous jungle. The eerie sounds of wild animals only add to the tense story of the Greystoke’s harsh existence in the unforgiving landscape. Soon, they birth a son, Tarzan, only to fall victim to a gang of apes, ultimately leaving the toddler to become part of the animal kingdom. Cronley, who plays Lady Greystoke and Jane, was attracted to the parts because they were derived from the original version of “Tarzan.” For her, the experience ties together her current studies and future aspirations of working in the film industry.

“The emotional things behind doing the parts is a big challenge and it supplements what I’m learning in the classroom right now,” she said. “It’s so great to be able to use all of our skills to get in touch with the emotions.”

Showcasing the roles of Tarzan and William Clayton, Dave Evanoff, assistant professor of analytical chemistry at WCU, enjoys the challenge of performing for an audience by focusing on provoking their imagination with spoken word.

“You have to put everything into your voice, and it doesn’t matter if you’re an animated person,” he said. “You have to think about the emotion of the scene and put all of that into your voice so that somebody else can picture it.”

Music director Bruce Frazier composed an entirely fresh score for the production. The Carol Grotnes Belk Professor of Commercial and Electronic Music at WCU, Frazier wanted his music creations to focus on the tone of fantasy and adventure that resided in Burroughs’ stories.

“My inspiration for the music is the awe and wonderment of the jungle,” he said. “It is a setting that is both majestic and sinister, and the music reflects this dichotomy. It is into these surroundings that Jane enters and the story is transformed into one of love and passion.”

woodarts.org by Feb. 25 and be of work created in the last 12 months. Selected artists will be asked to create up to three art pieces for the June 2013 exhibition. Work must be for sale. www.visitncsmokies.com/events.

• Regional fine artists are being recruited to show and demonstrate their art form at the 5th Annual ColorFest “Art & Taste of Appalachia” this fall. The selected artists artwork will be displayed in a shop in Dillsboro from Sept. 5 until the culminating art festival on Oct. 5, and also featured on www.colorfestartblog.com. The festival is produced by Catch the Spirit of Appalachia in partnership with the Dillsboro Merchants Association and Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, with support from the Jackson County Arts Council and North Carolina Arts Council. www.spiritofappalachia.org or 828.293.2239.

• The 56th annual “Pancake Day” will be from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville. Volunteers will be serving unlimited buttermilk/buckwheat pancakes alongside prize-winning sausage, bacon and freshly brewed coffee. Tickets are $7 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Sponsorships are available for $100 to $500.

828.452.2628.

• The Sylva Rotary Club will be hosting the “Charles McConnell Memorial Rotary Pancake Breakfast” from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Friday, March 15, at the First United Methodist Church in Sylva. With the recent passing of Rotary Club member Charlie McConnell, all monies raised will be in his memory, going to an endowed scholarship at Southwestern Community College in his name. All you can eat pancakes, sausage and hot and cold beverages will be served. Take out for businesses will be avail-

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Charlie Way (right) serving pancakes in 1979 at the annual “Pancake Day” at the First United Methodist Church in Waynesville. This year’s celebration takes place on Feb. 26. able. Tickets are $5 for the event and donations will be accepted. www.sylvarotaryclub.org or 828.339.4600.

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Cooks of all things chocolate will square off at the “Sixth Annual Chocolate Cook-Off ” from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Feb. 23, at the Bryson City Presbyterian Church. Don’t miss the chance to weigh in on the “People’s Choice Award.”

The Friends of the Marianna Black Library will host this tasty event to help raise money for the library. Proceeds have gone to help pay for the Summer Reading Program, new equipment, better children’s programming and new books and DVDs. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for children ages 4 to 16 and Friend’s Members. www.fontanalib.org/brysoncity or 828.488.0580 or 828.488.0480.

Smoky Mountain News

Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation has launched its annual pet photography contest.

Categories include Best in Show, dog, cat, puppy, kitten, photographers under the age of 12, Sarge Rescue, other (for animals other than a dog or cat), and Super Shooters (people who have previously won first place). The winning photos will be featured in the glass cases on the first floor of the Haywood County Library.

Photos must be the original work of an amateur photographer. Entry cost is $10 for each photo submitted and funds go toward the foundation’s work.

Beth Brown of Beth Brown Photography and Sarge’s Ellen Schattie will judge the entries. The awards ceremony will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 13, at Bocelli’s Italian Eatery in Waynesville. The “Best in Show” winner will receive a free photo sitting at Brown’s studio in Maggie Valley. First and second place winners will receive gift certificates for Bocelli’s, along with a Sarge monogrammed tote bag.

arts & entertainment

WNC flipping for pancakes

For instructions on how to enter and to get entry forms go to www.sargeandfriends.org or call 828.246.9050.

Deadline for all entries is Monday, March 25.

21

arts & entertainment

Rescheduled Hoss Howard Band benefit concert is Feb. 23 The Hoss Howard Band will perform a benefit concert at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Cullowhee Valley School.

Local merchants and musicians have donated door prizes and other items to be raffled off, including a guitar worth $2,500. All proceeds from the event will benefit the school’s seventh-grade trip to YMCA Camp Greenville. The concert was originally scheduled for Jan. 25 but was rescheduled as a result of inclement weather.

Tickets cost $10 per person and are available at Cullowhee Valley School and the Western Carolina University box office located in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. Box-office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

3-in-1 show unites acclaimed Christian singers in Franklin

February 20-26, 2013

Brandon Heath, Mandisa and Laura Story, popular and acclaimed recording artists, will take the stage at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 24, at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin.

Dove Award winner and Grammy-nominated artist, Brandon Heath, Mandisa, and

Dove and Grammy award winner, Laura Story, have partnered with international relief and development organization Food for the Hungry.

Heath is one of Christian music’s most beloved and respected artists and has delivered some of Christian music’s most thoughtproving anthems, including “Give Me Your Eyes” and “Your Love.” Mandisa began her road to fame when she competed on season five of “American Idol” where she finished in ninth place. Story’s latest single, “Blessings,” reached number one on the Billboard Christian Songs chart and was recently awarded a Grammy Award. Tickets start at $22. www.greatmountainmusic.com or 866.273.4615.

Clarinetist to be featured at WCU Visiting Clarinetist Brian Hermanson will give a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in the Coulter Building at Western Carolina University.

As a custom clarinet reed maker, Hermanson also will be conducting reedmaking workshops with WCU students during his visit the campus. Vance Reese, a pianist who currently works with the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Chorus and the Asheville Lyric Opera, will accompany Hermanson on all the evening’s selections. The featured work will be selected pieces by Johannes Brahms.

828.227.7242.

Whimzik wows with eclectic music, performance art combo

Glenn Kastrinos (background) and Kjelsty Hanson (foreground) in turtle mask. The Cullowhee duo is part of Whimzik, a music/dance performance group.

Terry Clark photo

Whimzik will be having a DVD release performance at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva.

The group includes Glenn Kastrinos, a multiinstrumentalist who plays flutes, whistles, guitar and octave mandolin in the Celtic and Scandinavian tradition, and Kjelsty Hanson who plays bodhran and is a mask performance artist.

Whimzik has been performing for 10 years in North America, New Zealand and Sweden. They bring creative exuberance to their performance and hope to awaken a sense

of wonderment in the audience.

To start off the show, a group of children ranging in ages from 7 to 11, that have taken a mask making and performance workshop with Hanson, will perform. The children have named their group “That’s a good one!”

The DVD was produced and directed on Western Carolina University’s campus. It includes collaborations with Arledge Armenaki, Bruce Frazier and students from the stage and screen department and music school.

The event is free and open to the public.

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A nationally known pottery instructor and traveling clay expert will hold demonstrations from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4 p.m.

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Stories about life in the good old-days of Haywood County will be told by a local â&#x20AC;&#x153;keeper of historyâ&#x20AC;? at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at Lake Junaluska.

A program called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Haywood County Around 100 Years Ago, According to Ernestineâ&#x20AC;? will be shared by Ernestine Upchurch.

Upchurch, whose Maggie Valley lineage can be traced to 1790, is well known for her expertise in local history.

The topic is timely given the 100th anniversary this year of Lake Junaluska.

The program is part of the monthly â&#x20AC;&#x153;Live and Learnâ&#x20AC;? series put on by the Junaluskans. It is free and will be held in the Bethea Welcome Center.

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Smoky Mountain News

The Highlands Annual Chili Cook-off will be from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at the Highlands Community Building.

There will be live music, dancing and, of course, great chili, salsa and cornbread to sample. This year, all competitors that make Chili will be offered $25 to help offset the cost. Prizes will be $100 or more in value.

Tickets are $20 at the door. If you are interested in being a competitor please call 828.526.2112. visitor@highlandschamber.org.Â

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WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY | SA AT TURDAY Y,, A P R I L 6 She focuses primarily on wheel-throwing and hand-building, and includes functional objects in her creations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I find it rewarding and challenging to make pots people will use. In my home growing up, handmade objects held special value,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were gestures of consideration and love. I continue to find objects a dwelling place for intention and association.â&#x20AC;?

A collection of her work is on exhibit in the Star Lobby of the Bardo Arts Center, adjacent to the WCU Fine Art Museum. Her visit is supported by the Randall and Susan Parrott Ward Endowed Fund for Ceramics and the Godfrey Fund for the Business of Crafts.

All events are free and open to the public.

828.227.3595.

Sylva artist depicts love What was Haywood like between earth and sky 100 years ago?

A new art exhibit featuring work from painter Greg McPherson will be on view through March 6 at the Rotunda Gallery at the Jackson County Courthouse in Sylva.

McPherson will be exhibiting a series of paintings called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Furrow.â&#x20AC;? Each piece is named for a star in the constellation of Virgo, which traditionally represents fertility and is the sign of McPhersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s muse.

McPherson is an adjunct faculty in the School of Art and Design at WCU. He also owns and directs the Skinny Gallery in Sylva. www.jacksoncountyarts.org.

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Books

Smoky Mountain News

1967 novel sheds light on obscure mass drowning

n recent years, I have become interested in an obscure incident that occurred in Jackson County in 1882 — the accidental drowning of 19 chain gang convicts who were working on Cowee Tunnel near Dillsboro. Who were they? Where did they come from? Where are they buried? The details are sketchy, and outside of a few basic facts, most of the stories have been passed down by oral tradition.

Writer Recently, some of my friends have suggested that I should read John Ehle’s 1967 novel, The Road. In essence, they suggested, Ehle’s painstaking research defines the setting of an amazing event: the construction of the railroad in the Swannanoa Valley by the Western North Carolina Railroad — the same entity that constructed the Cowee Tunnel.

My friends were right. After reading Ehle’s epic novel, I know that this astonishing feat — the building of the Swannanoa Tunnel (which many had judged to be impossible) used hundreds of convicts, both male and female. The majority of the laborers were AfricanAmericans. Poorly fed, working 12-hour shifts (24 hours a day) and subjected to inhumane working conditions, the work force was decimated by pneumonia, floods that burst through the tunnel walls and cave-ins that buried workers under tons of rock and soil. Many attempted to escape and were summarily shot. I also read a bit of One Dies, Get Another, by Matthew J. Mancini, which is a comprehensive history of the practice of “leasing” convict labor. The railroad companies, such as Western North Carolina Railroad, simply ordered convicts, much as they would order supplies like gunpowder and railroad ties.

The Road is more than a graphic account of a three-year ordeal in which the Western North Carolina Railroad struggled with daunting obstacles to complete seven tunnels. The novel’s protagonist, Weatherby Wright, a man obsessed with a mission, resembles other driven figures like Col. Nicholson (Alec Guiness) in “The Bridge on the River Kwai,” or Brian Sweeney (Klaus Kinski) in “Fitzcarraldo.” All are

Gary Carden

I

brilliant, gifted men who gradually become “unhinged” when their implacable obsessions lead them to commit acts that cannot be rationalized or forgiven. All are builders and shapers, determined to beat and mold the world into a shape that they have imagined. Weatherby Wright is driven to make “the road” a reality, even if it costs him his own sanity and possibly his soul.

Arriving in Henry Station near Swannanoa, Weatherby is charged with the responsibility of building a railroad that will pass through seven tunnels. He has inadequate funding, no housing for the labor force, no medical facilities and an inadequate food supply. Operating on credit and the good will of the natives, he attempts to become self-sufficient. He attempts to supplement the basic food (mush, coffee and fatback) by planting his own gardens and raising chickens, pigs and cattle. When he exhausts his supply of crossties, he begins to make his own; and when the use of gunpowder for blasting the tunnels proves expensive and inadequate, he “experiments” with a newly-developed substitute, nitroglycerine. It proves to be highly dangerous but very effective. When it becomes evident that he cannot meet his deadline for completing this three-year project, he doubles the work shifts. That means that the day crew of 150 chain gang workers finishes their shift and passes the “night shift” on their way home.

At some point, Weatherby begins to feel that the mountain that he is penetrating with his rails is a sentient thing — an old woman who has become increasingly angry at this intrusion and she marshals her forces to defeat him. When the ceaseless drilling and blasting injures her, drawing blood and breaking her bones, she unleashes floods and caveins. After nearly dying from an accident that left him with a broken leg, Weatherby becomes increasingly paranoid, watching “the old woman.” The work crews survive a devastating fire and a series of floods that springs from the walls of the tunnel. Weatherby is constantly threatened by Raleigh with cancellation of the project and the withdrawal of money and equipment as the railroad becomes unpopular,

New book combines constellation mythology, astrophysics Western Carolina University astronomy professor Paul A. Heckert combines ancient constellation mythology and modern astrophysics in his recently released book, The Hunter and the Scorpion.

denounced by political opponents. Each time that the completion of the project is threatened, the beleaguered Weatherby conceives of yet another imaginative way to meet his deadline.

Perhaps the most provocative decision is when Weatherby decides to literally haul an engine to the top of the mountain, position it on the opposite side of the tunnel and begin simultaneous drilling from both the east and the west. At some point, Weatherby become a kind of folk hero. Convicts, mountain natives and local tradesmen are caught up in

The Road by John Ehle. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1967. $24.95 — 401 pages Weatherby’s dream: to complete this awesome project and send loads of produce out of the mountains and into the world. In effect, their hopes for a meaningful life is dependent on the railroad. Suddenly everyone is there, farmers, convicts, mules and oxen, all struggling up the mountain. Certainly, this tense ascent up a mountain turnpike is one of the most memorable events in The Road. But there are other remarkagle images: a burning boxcar filled with female convicts, careening down the mountain

In mythological lore, Scorpius, the Scorpion, pursues Orion, the Hunter, as they roam across the night sky. Heckert said his book begins with the tale of those constellations and then transition to the science behind the life cycle of the stars.

“Eventually, I build up to the idea that the atoms in our bodies were manufactured by stars,” he said. “Everything around us that’s not hydrogen or helium had to be manufactured in the stars.”

25

at midnight; an unforgettable Christmas program with convicts assuming roles in a Nativity scene; and a crucifixion with recently deceased convicts in fire-lit crosses; a cave filled with rattlesnakes; and a midnight orgy in the in the dark woods surrounding the convict’s quarters.

However, the final obstacle to the completion of the Swannanoa tunnel proves to be insurmountable. When pneumonia and influenza sweep through the work force and the company doctor advises closing down the entire operation, Weatherby does the only thing he can do. He chooses to keep working.

When the number of deaths steadily increases, representatives from Raleigh arrive to shut down the operation, return the surviving convicts to the prisons and, finally, to request Weatherby’s resignation. He agrees, packs his bags and goes home to Morganto, where he has a neglected wife and son. It seems of little consequence that a few months later this project is completed by other workers and engineers.

The Road contains a complex subplot that deals with Weatherby’s relationship with his wife and son, his neighbors, his assistant, a man named Cumberland, a perverse mountain man named Plover who seems to be part poet and part Old Testament prophet, and Plover’s daughter, a tantalizing mountain nymph named Henry Anna who seems to become a kind of muse for Weatherby.

Henry Anna bears a slight resemblance to a popular Appalachian stereotype — the innocent, intelligent and illiterate mountain girl who is “rescued” from a life of grinding poverty and ignorance by a well-educated “outlander.” It is to John Ehle’s credit that Henry Anna chooses to remain un-rescued. And what about Weatherby? At the end of this novel, he seems depleted or “used up.” He has definitely lost interest in “the road.”

Thanks to John Ehle I have a better understanding of the victims who died in the cold waters of the Tuckaseigee in 1882. Some of them may have been with Weatherby in Swannanoa. They may have been there through no fault of their own since it was astonishingly easy to end up on a chain-gang in 1882. There were some new laws on the books that seemed to be designed to trap unsuspecting African-Americans. Loitering and vagrancy could send you to the chain gang. Having no visible means of support. There was even something called “destructive mischief ” which sounds like vandalism.

Heckert said he hopes the book’s integration of mythology and modern science will appeal to readers who would not ordinarily have an interest in astronomy. His goal in writing the book was “to help readers grasp abstract astrophysical concepts by connecting them to the more easily grasped constellation lore and direct visual observations.”

The book is available on Amazon Kindle. rholcomb@wcu.edu or 828.227.3086.

26

Outdoors

Smoky Mountain News

Float, boat or fish the Tuck

and west fork of the Tuckasegee have their own list of new boat put-ins, docks, fishing piers, primitive campsites and trail portages around dams.

Many of the new river access areas are geared not just toward paddlers but to fisherman as well, who fly fish from drift boats or simply need somewhere to park before taking to the water in their waders.

And one of the more overlooked, but possibly the most popular watersports on the Tuckasegee River is tubing — a favorite pastime for Western Carolina University Students. And those tubers stand to benefit from some of the river put-ins and improvements near Cullowhee, most notably at East LaPorte Park and Lena Davis Landing.

“It’s the most popular activity on the river,” Singleton said.

“College students in the summer time are looking for fun recreation that is inexpensive — they go up to East LaPorte, throw the tubes in and take out at Lena Davis.”

A string of new or upgraded river access areas on the But if there’s one new river Tuckasegee River and the chain of lakes on the upper east and recreation perk that has the west forks are being installed over the next couple of years, with whitewater glands of Singleton salisome already completed. Duke Energy was required to serve up vating, it’s the upcoming whitewater recreational perks in exchange for their hydropower permits. releases on the upper west fork of the Map courtesy of Duke Energy Tuckasegee River. As part of Duke’s re-licensing agreement, the company • C.J. Harris Access area at the Dillsboro agreed to release seven water surges per year Dam, equipped with parking and boat put-in from its dam in Lake Glenville causing rushing area. rapids on the typically placid streambed below • Barkers Creek River access area, with for select days of the year. parking and boat put in.

Duke typically diverts water below the dam • Whittier River access area, with boat put- through a series of pipes for several miles overin, parking lot. land to a power house, reducing the natural The paddling public isn’t even aware of flow of water in the riverbed. During the releaswhat’s waiting for them when paddle season es, the water is returned to the river bed — starts up again in late March, and some areas plus some extra. may be underutilized until word spreads, The first release will be in the second weekaccording to Mark Singleton, the executive end in April and will be complimented by a director of American Whitewater, a national new access trail that provides a put-in beneath paddling advocacy organization based in Sylva. High Falls.

“It’s going to take some time,” Singleton The Nantahala River is also seeing a series said. “A lot of folks don’t know these access of public river access improvements and new areas exist.” whitewater releases as a condition of Duke’s The string of small lakes on the upper east hydropower permits for dams on that river.

New or improved access sites offer jumping off point for river recreation in Jackson

BY ANDREW KASPER STAFF WRITER his spring, rolling down the Tuckasegee River will be, for the most part, as it has been in years past — but getting onto the river is becoming a whole lot easier.

As canoers, kayakers, fishermen, collegeaged tubers and other water recreationists dust off their paddles, poles and life jacket in anticipation of the approaching thaw, they will find that their options have multiplied.

Four new river access areas have been developed along the Tuckasegee River over the past year. Two have just been finished in Cullowhee and Whittier. They include new parking areas, a boat ramp to launch canoes, kayaks or small drift boats, and information kiosks. The Cullowhee site will also include bathrooms.

Even more river access areas will be coming to the Tuckasegee River in Jackson County over the next couple of years thanks to Duke Energy. Duke operates seven hydroelectric dams on the Tuckasegee River. Duke’s federal permits to harnesses the power of the Tuck ran out a few years ago. To get new permits, Duke had to serve up a suite of environmental and recreational benefits to the public.

A total of nine new or improved river recreation sites will eventually span the length of the Tuck from the narrow, steep cascades of its upper reaches to the wide, flat river valley.

They include: • A put in at the popular standing whitewater wave on the east fork of the Tuckasegee River called Eternity by local paddlers.

• Shook Cove Road boat put-in and parking on the upper east fork in Canada.

• Tuckasegee Power House river access on the upper west fork of the Tuckasegee River, with boat put in and parking.

• High Falls river access on the upper west fork of the Tuck near Glenville.

• East Laporte County Park enhancement project. Improvements to existing parking and put-in.

• Cullowhee Dam, a.k.a. Lena Davis Landing, with improved parking, signage bathrooms, and a kayak and canoe portage around the dam.

• Locust Creek River access area with parking and boat put-in.

T

Remaking recreation on the Tuck

A total of nine new or improved river recreation sites will eventually span the length of the Tuck.

Mark Haskett photo

Bear Creek Lake on upper Tuck gets boat ramp, dock and pier

A boat ramp on Bear Creek Lake in the Tuckasegee area of Jackson County has been renovated by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. A new floating dock with handicapped-accessible handrails was also installed.

Bear Lake is small — but is the “biggest” in the chain of “small” lakes that dot the upper Tuckasegee River.

The new access includes a 14-foot wide, 90-foot long ramps.

The bottom elevation of the ramps is 88 feet, so boaters can launch even when the lake levels are low in the winter. It is the only public access on Bear Lake.

“The lake is quite deep, and offers anglers bass, bluegill, trout and other species,” said Jeff Ferguson, an engineer with the Commission.

The Commission manages the lake as hatchery-supported trout waters, and stocks it with catchable-size rainbow trout, with a total of 6,000 planned for this spring and fall.

Duke Energy and the Wildlife Commission jointly own the access area, and the Commission maintains it. The renovation was funded using Sportfish Restoration Federal Grant Funds and vessel registration receipts. Duke Energy plans to pave the parking area, install a toilet and build an accessible fishing pier.

BY DON H ENDERSHOT

GBBC at BBLNWR ranslation — Great Backyard Bird Count at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge; the tradition continues.

Since a spur-of-the-moment GBBC at Black Bayou with my brother back in 2006, I have only missed two years of counting in Louisiana. It’s a great excuse to visit friends and family with a great bird count in a beautiful setting thrown in as lagniappe. And this year’s trip followed suit beautifully.

After a day of visiting family and showing

T

Loggerhead Shrike.

Dick Daniels • carolinabirds.org

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Smoky Mountain News

Wade, dash, splash or take the full plunge into Lake Junaluska from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 to help raise money for Haywood Waterways Association.

The Polar Plunge will benefit the annual Kids on the Creek program, which exposes every sixth-grader in Haywood County to an aquatic biology field day in a local stream or river.

Participants will dash from the shore into Lake Junaluska as deep as they can muster. Costumes are encouraged. Prizes will be awarded to top fundraisers and best costumes.

The suggested donation for plunging is $20 or $5 for students, but plungers are encouraged to solicit donations from others to support their daring deed. Haywood Waterways already surpassed is initial goal of $4,000, raising $4,375 from 106 donors as of Monday.

A hot chili lunch will cost $5 with proceeds benefiting Lake Junaluska Assembly and their work to preserve the lake. haywoodwaterways.org or 828.476.4667 or crowdrise.com/polarplungeforkidsinthecreek.

MOVING SALE!

179 Highlands Rd. Franklin

February 20-26, 2013

my little girls around the tiny village of Mer Rouge, where I grew up, we headed to a small camp along the Ouachita River for a cookout hosted by old friend and fellow Mer Rougeian Gil White. There was a fire ring, a circle of friends, open area for little girls to stretch their legs, adult beverages, vegetable carbonnade and copious lies that everyone swore were the absolute truth — in short, a perfect evening.

Friends and family, happy and full, waddled off by ones and twos into the dark, leaving Gil, the girls and I to spend the night before heading to Black Bayou the next morning to count birds. Gil had his tent up

to sleep in, graciously turning over the tiny camp, complete with wood stove, to the girls and me. In a fitting end to a wonderful evening, a large pack of coyotes serenaded us around bedtime.

The next morning we drove over to Black Bayou. My wife met us there to pick up the girls, who were not up for a few hours of kicking around the refuge counting birds.

Gil and I began the morning standing on a bridge over Bayou Desiard as a seemingly unending stream of common grackles passed overhead. We recorded a very conservative 800 individuals.

We were soon joined by Burg Ransom. Ransom is a super photographer and Black Bayou provides a great setting for much of his work.

If you have access, check out hisFaceBook page to see some wonderful photography.

Well, we counted birds, but I have to admit we didn’t beat the bushes the way we have in the past. In fact, we didn’t even get to one area of the refuge we usually cover.

On the flip side, it was a great morning to hike the trails of Black Bayou with friends and we still managed a respectable count. We ended with a total of 57 or 58 species (I haven’t done the official tally yet) and got great looks at lots of great birds like loggerhead shrike, bald eagle, several red- tail hawks, anhinga, wood duck and a beautiful male purple martin.

The only drawback to this annual trek is always the same. It ends way too early. But next February is only 12 months away and the bayou, the camp and friends and family will be beckoning once again.

(Don Hendershot is a writer and naturalist. He can be reached a ddihen1@bellsouth.net.)

YOUR GATEWAY TO CYCLING THE GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS!

outdoors

The Naturalist’s Corner

WITH 12-MONTH CONTRACT

828.506.4112 or 828.507.8828 Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

27

outdoors

Study: Hunters and fishermen have large economic impact

Hemlocks are sprayed in the Smokies to combat the woolly adelgid, a deadly insect for the trees. The spray program was supported by the Great Smoky Mountain Association. Donated photo

Smokies Association pushes for membership

Smoky Mountain News

February 20-26, 2013

The Great Smoky Mountains Association is launching a membership drive in honor of its 60th anniversary this year.

The Great Smokies Association raises money, support and public awareness for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The nonprofit has given $30 million for Smokies projects over its history, from the construction of the new Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Museum to educational programs for children and young adults.

New memberships are being sweetened with monthly incentives, such as a drawing for a free weekend stay at a vacation cabin for new members joining in February. www.SmokiesInfo.org or call 888.898.9102.

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The 1.63 million people that hunt or fish in North Carolina have a noticeable impact on the state’s economy, according to recent industry figures.

In 2011, outdoorsmen and women spent an estimated $2.3 billion and supported more than 35,000 jobs in the state. The data was compiled by the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.

In terms of economic impact, the report states that hunters and anglers support more jobs in North Carolina than the combined employment of Merrill Lynch Co. Inc. and Nortel Networks Corp., the two largest employers in the state with 25,000 combined jobs. Fishing in the state ranges from mountain trout fly fishing to Outer Banks chartered ocean fishing. Nationwide, there are more than 37 million anglers and hunters age 16 and up who spent $90 billion on recreation in 2011.

Parkway foundation names new chief officer The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation has named Willa Coffey Mays as its new chief development officer.

“I believe my responsibility is not only to

Willa Coffey Mays was appointed the new chief development officer of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. Donated photo

generate funds for the Parkway, but also to raise the public’s consciousness of its needs and get them involved with the Parkway on a personal level,” said Mays, who has 20 years of experience with nonprofit and environmental organizations in the capacity of marketing, fundraising, leadership and program development.

Since 2009, Mays has been the executive director of Appalachian Voices, an environmental organization based out of Boone. She previously worked for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation as the director of development from 2007 to 2009.

outdoors February 20-26, 2013

Smoky Mountain News

29

King

outdoors

Vote Greg has a nice

ring to it A fundraiser

for the Haywood County Schools Foundation Through February 26: In the spirit of Mardi Gras and the HCSF Ball on March 2, stop

by City Bakery on Main St. Waynesville and buy a mini King Cake or special order a full-sized cake . Proceeds benefit HCSF/Greg for King.

February 21, 6:30 p.m.: Wine tasting and sale at the Classic Wineseller.

Taste five wines with food pairings and take advantage of special savings not available to the public! $50/person.

Proceeds benefit HCSF/Greg for King. Reservations: 452-6000.

Smoky Mountain News

February 20-26, 2013

THE CLASSIC

February 23, 5-8:30: Music and beer at BearWaters. Join the Hermit Kings out of Asheville for rock n’ roll with country and soul. $20/person. Proceeds benefit HCSF/Greg for King/Beth Brown for Queen.

February 27, 4 p.m. until ... CASH MOB!!! Visit the corner of Walnut and Main in downtown Waynesville, drop some money in our “hat” and get Mardi Gras beads! Proceeds benefit HCSF/Greg for King/Beth Brown for Queen.

Vote with your donations for King Greg and Queen Beth Brown, and help the Haywood County Schools Foundation!

I AM A CANDIDATE FOR KING AND I APPROVE THIS MESSAGE! 30

Land Trust for Little Tennessee helps gain protection for another town watershed The Land Trust for the Little Tennessee recently helped the town of Andrews protect and conserve its 930-acre watershed in Cherokee County.

It marks the fifth town that the Land Trust for the Little Tennessee has served as a partner in the protection of their watershed — tracts that either once served or still served as the source of stream-fed drinking water for town residents.

Other towns included Bryson City, Murphy, Sylva and Waynesville.

The land trust aided the towns by writing grant proposals to acquire funds from the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund.

Grants were then combined with matching funds so that each town could permanently conserve the watershed tracts, which are now under conservation easements held by the state.

Sylva’s 1,088-acre Fisher Creek watershed was conserved through cooperative work with Land Trust for the Little Tennessee and the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust Fund. Donated photo

Parkway vista and Overmountain Victory Trail section protected The Conservation Trust for North Carolina recently purchased a 128-acre tract in McDowell County that contains an important portion of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail and is highly visible from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The tract, which lies between two other properties that the land trust previously protected, is located at the Heffner Gap

Overlook (Parkway milepost 326) and also contains a short but critical link of the trail, which traces the route taken by Colonial militia to the pivotal battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolution.

The property was purchased in December for $700,000 from a couple from Atlanta with a $544,000 grant from the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Scenic Byways Program and other funds.

The property is expected to be incorporated within the official boundaries of the Blue Ridge Parkway and dedicated as an official section of the trail.

WATR to talk water quality during yearly gathering The Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River will highlight its accomplishments from the past year and outline plans for the coming year during its annual meeting from 6:15 to 7:30 Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the Ginger Lynn Welch Comples on Aquoni Road in Cherokee.

“WATR is excited to enter another productive year with a variety of activities that engage our members, support the public interest, and serve our watershed,” said Roger Clapp, executive director of WATR. The program will include a talk on how bio-monitoring can help improve water quality by Eric Romaniszyn, the executive director of the neighboring Haywood Waterways Association and a board member of WATR. Romaniszyn conveys a deep passion that basic watershed science should be accessible to everybody, and that knowing basic aquatic biology helps to inspire proper stewardship of mountain streams.

Eric Romaniszyn, executive director of the Haywood Waterways Association, will give a talk about monitoring local streams at an annual gathering for the Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River

Socializing starts at 5:30 p.m. followed by the meeting. Donations for the meal are accepted and there will be door prizes. www.WATRnc.org or 828.488.8418.

WNC Calendar BUSINESS & EDUCATION • Computer Class: Facebook Settings, 5:45 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 20, Jackson County Public Library.

Space limited. Register at 586.2016.

• Smoky Mountain Chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association meeting noon, Saturday, Feb. 23, Terrace Hotel, Lake Junaluska.

Chapter serves Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, and Graham Counties. Program presented by Paige Jones, KARE (Kids Advocacy Resource Effort).

Ed Fox, 456.5251, Haywood County; Betty Brintnall, 586.9292, Jackson County; and Luci Swanson, 369.8922 Macon County.

• National Entrepreneurship Week, through Feb. 23, Haywood Community College, Clyde. Schedule of events, www.haywood.edu. Dr. Michelle Choate, HCC department chair of business & entrepreneurship, 565.4219.

• Computer Class: Basic Computer Skills, 5:45 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 25, Jackson County Public Library. Space limited. 586.2016.

• Computer Class: Internet Safety, 5:45 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 27, Jackson County Public Library.

Space limited. 586.2016.

• Dedication Celebration of Western Carolina University’s College of Health & Human Sciences Building, 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, 4121 Little Savannah Road, Cullowhee.

• Networking After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, Sid’s on Main, Canton. Young Professionals of Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. Appetizers provided, cash bar available.

• Grand Opening new Professional Arts and Crafts/Instructional Facility, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, March 1, Haywood Community College. 627.4522. www.haywood.edu.

• Issues & Eggs, 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, Gateway Club, Church St., Waynesville. Speaker is Jack Ewing, executive director of Lake Junaluska, in celebration of the Lake’s 100th anniversary.

• One-on-One Computer Support Program available at the Jackson County Public Library. This program is designed to help people who need individual assistance in learning computer skills. Individual appointments are set up by the Adult Services Department, 586.2016 for more information.

COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS • Haywood County Around 100 Years Ago, According to Ernestine, 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, Bethea Welcome Center. Sponsored by Live and Learn Committee of the Junaluskans. 452.7802.

All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted.

• Yard sale, Saturday, March 2, North Canton Elementary School hosted by NCES fifth grade students to raise money for a three-day field trip to Camp Daniel Boone in March. NCE, 646.3444.

• Foster Pet Adoption, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 2, Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation’s Adoption Center, 256 Industrial Park Drive, Waynesville. Photos of pets available for adoption at www.sargeandfriends.org or www.petfinder.com. 246.9050.

• Welcome to Medicare presentation, 10 a.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 27, Senior Resource Center, 81 Elmwood Way, Waynesville. Presented by councilors from the Haywood and Jackson County County office of the North Carolina SHIIP (Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program). John, 356.2833.

KIDS & FAMILIES • Mountaineer Little League Baseball sign-ups 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Feb. 23, Waynesville Recreation Center.

• Mountaineer Little League Softball sign-ups 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, Dutch Fisher Park, Waynesville.

BLOOD DRIVES Jackson • Cashiers Community Blood Drive, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, Cashiers Fire Department, 341 US Highway 64W, Cashiers. Eric Kehres, 989.3126.

• Sylva Community-Jackson County Blood Drive, 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, March 1, Jackson Senior Center, 100 County Services Park, Sylva.

Haywood • Pisgah High School Blood Drive, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Friday, March 8, Pisgah High School Library, 1 Black Bear Drive, Canton. Stephanie Kuykendall, 646.3440.

• American Red Cross blood drive 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Monday, March 11, Junaluska Fire Department, 90 Old Clyde Road, Lake Junaluska, beside Junaluska Post Office. Billy or Larry, 452.4404 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 800.733.2767.

Macon • Angel Medical Center Blood Drive, 8 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 5 p.m. Friday, March 1, 120 Riverview St., Franklin, Barbara Hall, 369.4166.

HEALTH MATTERS • Lunch and Learn, What is a Healthy Lifestyle? 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, dining room, Angel Medical Center, Franklin. Speaker is Dr. Kit Helm, medical director of cardiac/pulmonary rehab for Angel Medical Center. Free. Bring lunch to buy in cafeteria. 349.8290.

• Barium Springs Lunch & Learn: Giving Them Hope Tour, noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 19, Sylva Office, 151 Desoto Trail, Sylva. Lunch provided. Please RSVP the Monday before the tour by calling Autumn Weil, 231.5413.

RECREATION & FITNESS

• Public comment period regarding potential merger of Waynesville and Lake Junaluska, 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, Town Board Room, top floor of Waynesville Town Hall/Police Department building, 9 S. Main St., Waynesville.

• Western North Carolina Carvers (WNCC) 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 24, Harvest House, 205 Kenilworth Road, Asheville. Bruce Dalzell, 665.8273.

• Grand opening of new fitness rooms at Central Haywood and Pisgah high schools, 1 p.m. Thursday, March 7. http://teacher.haywood.k12.nc.us/pepgrant/

• Mardi Gras Ball, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2, Laurel Ridge Country Club, to benefit the Haywood County Schools Foundation, $100 per ticket, black tie optional,

Canton. Speakers will be from various churches. Meal available for $5 after the service.

SENIOR ACTIVITIES sit-down dinner. Jenny Wood, 550.0550. www.thecmwgroup.com/mardi-gras-ball-tickets.html.

• American Red Cross Lifeguard Training certification course Feb. 21-24, MedWest Health and Fitness Center, Clyde. $235 for MedWest Health and Fitness Center members, $255 for non-members, and includes all materials and instruction for both lifeguard training and CPR training. 452.8056.

• Spark Companions fundraiser, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 1, Country Traditions, Dillsboro. Wine tasting, book reading, silent auction. $12 entry fee includes an exclusive Country Traditions wine glass. Spark Companions is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to helping people pay vet bills, buy dog or cat food, etc.

Smoky Mountain News

THE SPIRITUAL SIDE • Purim Services, 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, Mountain Synagogue, 216 Roller Mill Road, Franklin. Zvi Altman will conduct the service, with a kiddush to follow.

Phyllis Cardoza, 369.9270.

• Weekly Lenten Services, noon, through March 21, Canton First United Methodist Church, 31 Newfound St.,

• On-field tryouts for Mountaineer Little League Softball, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, Dutch Fisher Park, Waynesville.

31

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 Hosted by The Friends of the Marianna Black Library to raise money for the library. Amateurs and professionals welcome. Cash prizes. Elise Delfield, 488.0580.

• 56th annual Pancake Day, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 26, First United Methodist Church, 566 S. Haywood St, Waynesville. All-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, bacon, beverages, $7 adults, $3 children under 12. 456.9475.

• On-field tryouts for Mountaineer Little League Baseball, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 2 and March 9, Waynesville Elks Field.

• Drink-N-Think, open-mic for thought, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Biweekly (every other week), Wednesday, Feb. 27, The Mad Batter, 568 Centennial Dr., Cullowhee. 5 percent off purchase. 293.3096.

• Free homework help 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, children’s area, Waynesville library. Tutors available. No appointment necessary.

Volunteer homework tutors, contact Carole Dennis 356.2511 or cdennis@haywoodnc.net.

• Annual Chili Cook-off, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9, Highlands Community Building. Live music dancing, chili, salsa, and cornbread. $20 at the door.

Competitors contact Jennifer, 526.2112.

Science & Nature • SciGirls GLOBE at Night program, 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, Pisgah National Forest. For area girls ages nine to 14. Co-hosted by PARI and Transylvania County 4-H. Program details, specific hours and registration details can be found on the PARI web site, www.pari.edu. Register at www.pari.edu/programs/students/scigirls. http://pbskids.org/scigirls. www.pari.edu. www.facebook.com/Pisgah.Astronomical.Research.Institute.

Literary (children) • Children’s Story time – Tack the Penguin, 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 20, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016 • Family Night- Pancakes and Pajamas, 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• Word- Teen writing program, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time – Playful Penguins, 11 a.m.

Friday, Feb. 22, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time with Miss Sally – Polar Bear, Friday, Feb. 22, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• Anime Club, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, Marianna Black Library, Bryson City. 488.3030.

• Children’s Movie, noon, Saturday, Feb. 23, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time - Rotary Readers, 11 a.m.

Monday, Feb. 25, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time – Sweet Teeth, 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• Children’s Story time – The Tooth Fairy, 1 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 27, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

FOOD & DRINK • Sixth annual Chocolate Cook-Off, 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 23, Bryson City Presbyterian Church.

A&E LITERARY (ADULTS) • Coffee with the Poet featuring Caleb Beissert, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, City Lights Bookstore, Sylva.

586.9499.

• Louise Nelson, local author of Country Folklore and many books about Haywood County, 2 p.m. Fridays, Feb. 22, March 1 & 8, Senior Resource Center, 81 Elmwood Way, Waynesville. 452.2370.

• Ron Rash will read from his new book, Nothing Gold Can Stay: Stories, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, Blue Ridge Books, 152 S. Main St., downtown Waynesville.

456.6000.

• Adult Creative Writing Workshop, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• YA Novelists Reading and Panel Discussion, 3 p.m.

Saturday, March 2, City Lights Bookstore, with Beth Revis, Carrie Ryan and Megan Hansen Shepherd.

586.9499.

• Comic Stripped: A Revealing Look at Southern Stereotypes in Cartoons, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, through Tuesday, May 14, Mountain Heritage Center, Western Carolina University. 227.7129.

ON STAGE & IN CONCERT • Nashville clarinetist Brian Hermanson, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 21, recital hall of WCU’s Coulter Building. Free. Pianist Vance Reese, of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Chorus and the Asheville Lyric Opera, will accompany Hermanson.

School of Music, 227.7242.

• The Highlands Cashiers Players (HCP) present, Social Security, Feb. 21-24, and March 1-3, Performing Arts Center, 507 Chestnut St., Highlands. http://highlandspac.org/events/social/event_social.html or 526.8084.

wnc calendar

• Live music, Friday, Feb. 22, Liz & AJ Nance, City Lights Café, Sylva, 587.2233.

• Rashomon, performed by stage and screen students from Western Carolina University, 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 20 through Saturday, Feb. 23, Hoey Auditorium, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee.

Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for seniors and WCU faculty and staff; and $7 (in advance) and $10 (day of show) for students. 227.7491. For tickets, call the Bardo Arts Center box office, 227.2479 or go online to bardoartscenter.wcu.edu.

• Voices in the Laurel My Jazzy Valentine Dinner Concert, rescheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, First Baptist Church, Waynesville. Tickets sold individually ($25), couples ($45) or reserve a table for eight ($180) for your family and friends. To purchase tickets, visit www.voicesinthelaurel.org under Support Us. Tickets may also be purchased by phone 734.9163.

• 3-in-1 Tour featuring Dove Award winner and Grammy-nominated artist, Brandon Heath, Mandisa, and Dove and Grammy award winner, Laura Story, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, Franklin. Tickets start at $22 each.GreatMountainMusic.com or call 866.273.4615.

• Auditions for the opening production of its 2013 season “Welcome to Mitford,” 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24 and Tuesday, Feb. 25, main stage, Haywood Arts Regional Theatre (HART), 250 Pigeon St., Waynesville.

Play is based on the novels by North Carolina writer Jan Karon and has nearly twenty major roles.

Direction by Wanda Taylor and will run weekends April 19 – May 5.

February 20-26, 2013

• 60-minute radio show of Tarzan of the Apes, performed before a live audience at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, in the John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center. $10. Proceeds to fund scholarships in participating academic departments. For tickets, 227.2479 or online at bardoartscenter.wcu.edu. Don Connelly, 227.3851 or dconnelly@wcu.edu.

• Balsam Range & Cordle, Jackson and Salley, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2, Colonial Theatre, Canton.

Tickets available 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Colonial Theatre Box Office, 53 Park St. Canton.

ART/GALLERY EVENTS & OPENINGS • Third Thursday reception for a new exhibit, Critology, 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University. Artists Max Presneill and Mary Anna Pomonis will speak. www.fineartmuseum.wcu.edu or 227.3591.

Friday, Feb. 22, Gallery 86, 86 N. Main St.,Waynesville.

Exhibit, Fluid Expressions, through March 9, Gallery 86. www.haywoodarts.org.

• Haywood County Arts Council is looking for artists living in the Blue Ridge National Heritage area for a June 2013 exhibition at Gallery 86, 86 N. Main St., Waynesville. Exhibition will feature traditional pottery to coincide with the June 8 Appalachian Lifestyle Celebration in downtown Waynesville and other local events focused on Appalachian traditions. Submit samples of work to Ana Woodall at info@haywoodarts.org by Feb. 25. Ana at 704.984.2660 or the Arts Council at 452.0593 • Clay demonstrations by Deborah Schwartzkopf, 9:30 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, room 151, John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee. Artist’s talk from 5 to 6 p.m. room 130 of the Bardo Arts Center. A collection of her work will be on exhibit in the Star Lobby of the Bardo Arts Center, adjacent to the WCU Fine Art Museum. All events are free and open to the public. Joan Byrd, WCU School of Art and Design, 227.3595.

• Textures, Wednesday, March 13 through Saturday, April 6, Gallery 86, 86 N. Main St., Waynesville.

CLASSES, PROGRAMS & DEMONSTRATIONS • Hand-dyed silk and fiber scarves workshop, 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, March 1, Uptown Gallery, 30 East Main St., Franklin. 349.4607 or MCAAgallery.org. Pre-registration required.

• Creating Stained Glass, 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through March 14, south lobby of the Cordelia Camp Building, Western Carolina University. $85, Office of Continuing Education, 227.7397 or 800.928.4968, or go online to learn.wcu.edu and click on Conferences and Community Classes.

FILM & SCREEN • Family movie, 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, Marianna Black Library, Bryson City. Animated love story for all ages set in New Orleans during the fabulous Jazz Age. 488.3030.

• Classic film, 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, Marianna Black Library, Bryson City. Movie stars Rita Hayworth and Frank Sinatra in this 1957 musical. 488.3030.

• Movie Night, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, Jackson County Public Library, 586.2016.

• Artist reception for Dominick DePaolo, 6 to 8 p.m.

Outdoors • Seventh annual Wild Game Dinner, 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, Haywood County Fairgrounds. Fundraiser for Wildlife Club at Haywood Community College. Door prize drawings, silent auction, live auction, live entertainment. Grand prize drawing will be a lifetime hunting/fishing license. Game and non-game calling competition. $10 ($5 if you bring a dish) and children under 12 years old eat free. 627.4560.

OUTINGS, HIKES & FIELDTRIPS • Second annual Polar Plunge Benefit-t-t-ting Kids in the Creek, 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, Lake Junaluska beach. Sponsored by Haywood Waterways Association.

• Off the Beaten Path” Guided Hike: Tree ID, 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 2, Chimney Rock State Park. No additional cost with paid Park admission • Climbin’ the Chimney, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 2, Chimney Rock State Park. $20 per person per climb, plus Park admission. http://chimneyrockpark.com/park/climbing, 284.8433.

• Classic Hikes of the Smokies information sessions, 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, REI Asheville. Pre-register REI Hiking in the Smokies 101 at rei.com/asheville. www.friendsofthesmokies.org.

• WMI - Wilderness First Responder (WFR) March 2-10 in Cullowhee. Nine-day comprehensive wilderness medical course is the national standard for outdoor trip leaders. Landmark Learning, 293.5384 or main@landmarklearning.org.

• Hunter Safety courses, 6 to 9:30 p.m. March 4 to 6, room 309 Haywood Community College campus. HCC campus. Participants must attend three consecutive evenings to receive their certification. Free and no age limits. Must register online in order to attend any session, www.ncwildlife.org.

COMPETITIVE EDGE • 4th annual Cubs on the Fun Run Sprint and 5k, 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23, Meadowbrook Elementary School. Entry form at http://teacher.haywood.k12.nc.us/bswanger/files/2011 /10/2013-brochure-entry-form2.pdf.

• Emergency Medical Technician Refresher Training, Feb. 22-24, Cullowhee. Meets core National Registry of EMT’s requirement for recertification. Landmark Learning 293.5384 or main@landmarklearning.org.

• Third annual Valley of the Lilies Half Marathon and 5K, Saturday, April 6, Western Carolina University.

Register at imathlete.com. Free training program developed by WCU’s athletic training faculty is being emailed to all registered runners and walkers. Group training runs are held on the campus at 6 a.m.

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and at 8 a.m. on Saturdays. Plans for beginner and experienced runners and walkers. Register at imathlete.com. http://halfmarathon.wcu.edu.http://halfmarathon.wcu.edu.

• Hike, 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, Devil’s Britches, Cataloochee Ranch. Sponsored by Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC), Highland Brewing Company, and US Fish and Wildlife. Bring water, camera, warm clothing, good hiking shoes, and lunch. Friendly dogs allowed. Guided hike.

Registration is required. Rich Preyer, 253.0095 ext 205 or rich@appalachian.org.

• Area Caneberries (Brambles) Workshop, A Closer Look at Blackberries and Raspberries as a Small Farm Endeavor, 10 a.m. to noon, Wednesday, Feb. 20, Jackson Extension Center, 538 Scotts Creek Road, Sylva. Speaker: Gina Fernandez, NCSU Extension Small Fruits Specialist.

Free. Register at Jackson Extension Center, 586.4009.

PROGRAMS & WORKSHOPS • Regional Trails Plan public open houses, 5 to 7 p.m.

5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, Jackson County Public Library, Sylva. Sponsored by the Southwestern Commission. www.regiona.org.

• Fly Selection 101, 10 a.m. to noon, Monday, Feb. 25, Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, Pisgah National Forest. Learn various types of fly patterns and the when, where and how to use them on the river and lake. Ages 12 and up. 877.4423, www.ncwildlife.org/Enews/index.htm.

• Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River (WATR) meeting, 5:30 p.m., social time; 6:15 p.m. business meeting, Tuesday, Feb. 26, Ginger Lynn

SAVE BIG During Building Value Days Smoky Mountain News

Welch Complex Community Room on Aquoni Road on the Cherokee Qualla Boundary. Speaker will be Eric Romaniszyn, WATR board member and executive director of the Haywood Waterways Association. Park across the road near the fire house. Directions at www.WATRnc.org or call WATR office, 488.8418.

For 110 years, we have provided exceptional quality and dependable buildings that have stood strong for generations. Now through the end of February, join the legacy and take advantage of the biggest sales event of the year.

FARM & GARDEN

• Third annual Sustainable Viticulture Conference, Wednesday, Feb. 20, Warren Wilson College. $60 paid in advance or $75 walk-in. Registration fee includes lunch, coffee break refreshments, handouts, and free parking.

Online registration, www.JeweloftheBlueRidge.com and www.GrapeSAVI.org. Chuck Blethen, Sustainable Appalachian Viticulture Institute, 606.3130 or email Blethen@GrapeSAVI.org.

Open House Event

Feb. 22-23, 2013 8 am–6 pm Locally at

828-687-7171

40 Vaughn Circle Fletcher, NC

mortonbuildings.com 32

110th Anniversary SALE

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MarketPlace information:

JACKSON COUNTY PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 every week to over 500 locations across in Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties along with the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. For a link to our MarketPlace Web site, which also contains a link to all of our MarketPlace display advertisers’ Web sites, visit www.smokymountainnews.com.

Would like to thank the EVERGREEN FOUNDATION for their financial assistance which helped us send 6 Clinicians to EMDR Training.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desentization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Rates: ■ Free — Residential yard sale ads, lost or found pet ads.

■ Free — Non-business items that sell for less than $150.

■ $12 — Classified ads that are 50 words or less; each additional line is $2.

■ $12 — If your ad is 10 words or less, it will be displayed with a larger type.

■ $3 — Border around ad and $5 — Picture with ad.

■ $35 — Non-business items, 25 words or less. 3 month or till sold.

■ $300 — Statewide classifieds run in 117 participating newspapers with 1.6 million circulation. Up to 25 words.

■ All classified ads must be pre-paid.

ARTS & CRAFTS ALLISON CREEK Iron Works & Woodworking. Crafting custom metal & woodwork in rustic, country & lodge designs with reclaimed woods! Design & consultation, Barry Downs 828.524.5763, Franklin NC

Classified Advertising: Scott Collier, phone 828.452.4251; fax 828.452.3585 | classads@smokymountainnews.com

AUCTION

WAYNESVILLE TIRE, COO

INC.

R

DI

SC OV ER E

ATR

PE

Serving Haywood, Jackson & Surrounding Counties

3 AUCTIONS Auction 1: Industrial Fac., Comm.

Land & 3 Modular Homes in Fayetteville, NC, at Holiday Inn Bordeaux, 3/4/13 at 11am. Auction 2 & 3: Industrial Equip & Home & Office Furn., Held Online, 2/26 to 3/5.

Iron Horse Auction Company, Inc. 800.997.2248, NCAL3936, www.ironhorseauction.com

Offering:

MAJOR-BRAND TIRES FOR CARS, LIGHT & MEDIUM-DUTY TRUCKS, AND FARM TIRES.

Service truck available for on-site repairs LEE & PATTY ENSLEY, OWNERS STEVE WOODS, MANAGER

MON-FRI 7:30-5:30 • WAYNESVILLE PLAZA

456-5387

72548

3 COURT ORDERED AUCTIONS Home & Lot in Southern Pines, NC, 4+/-Acre Residential Land Tract in Hoke County, NC & House, Land & Condo Units in Cumberland County, NC, March 7th at 10am, 12pm & 3pm. See Website for Locations, Iron Horse Auction Company, Inc., 800.997.2248. NCAL3936. www.ironhorseauction.com FIREARMS AUCTION Early & Vintage Winchester, Parker, Remington, L.C. Smith, Lefever, Browning, Marlin, Ithaca, Smith & Wesson. ONLINE ONLY AUCTION Bidding ENDS March 4 - Bid NOW www.HouseAuctionCompany.com.

252.729.1162.

NCAL#7889

AUCTION FROG LEVEL AUCTIONS Every Friday & Saturday.

Friday night starting at 6pm with preview at 5pm. Saturday Auction starts at 3pm - Spaces available for selling, call David at 828.775.9317 for selling info.

Antiques, Collectables, Tools, Furniture, House Wares, New & Old, This & That, Something for Everyone! See our Full Schedule with Photos, Info & Directions at: www.froglevelauctions.net For more information or To Book A Spot Call 828.775.9317 or email: david@froglevelauctions.net Terms: Cash or Credit/Debit Card Only, 13% Buyers Fee 3% Discount For Cash Auction Firm NCAFL 9537, David Roland NCAL 9133 & Kai Calabro NCAL 9127 255 Depot St., Waynvesville, NC 28786.

HOME IMPROVEMENT & TOOLS Auction - Saturday, February 23, at 10 a.m. 103 Locust Ave. Locust, NC. Cabinet Sets, Doors, Carpet, Tile, Hardwood, Bath Vanities, Windows, Lighting, Name Brand Tools.

NC Sales Tax applies. www.ClassicAuctions.com 704.507.1449.

NCAF5479 NO RESERVE NO MINIMUM Auction. Sells Regardless of Price.

Former Fast Food Restaurant in Newton, NC. Selling Online: February 28th. www.auctionEbid.com.

Auction Management Corporation.

770.980.9565. NCAL#7403.

RESTAURANT EQPMNT. AUCTION Wednesday, February 27 at 10am.

201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC. (East of Charlotte) Large Quantity of New/Used Equipment. Gas Equipment, Bar Equipment, Coolers, Freezers, more. www.ClassicAuctions.com.

704.791.8825. ncaf5479.

CARWILE AUCTIONS INC. Saturday, Feb, 23, 9am. Charlotte Co., Va. Tractors, Combines, Trackloaders, Hay Equipment, Vehicles, Antiques, Advertising Memorabilia, Selling 2 Auctions! 434.547.9100. www.carwileauctions.com.

VAAR392.

CONSTRUCTION/ REMODELING ATTENTION HOMEOWNERS Needing siding, windows, roofs.

10 homes will be selected in your county this month for our showcase before/after remodeling program. Save hundreds. All credit accepted. $89/month 1.866.668.8681.

DAVE’S CUSTOM HOMES OF WNC, INC Free Estimates & Competitive rates. References avail. upon request. Specializing in: Log Homes, remodeling, decks, new construction, repairs & additions.

Owner/Builder: Dave Donaldson.

Licensed/Insured. 828.631.0747 or 828.508.0316 SULLIVAN HARDWOOD FLOORS Installation- Finish - Refinish 828.399.1847.

TRIM CARPENTER/HANDYMAN Projects start to finish. Any job no size too big or small, Free Estimates. Painting, Kitchen Remodeling, Bath Renovation, Honey-dolist, Doggie Doors, Bookshelves, Closets. Call Harold for more info 828.456.4000.

BOOTH ELECTRIC Residential & Commercial service.

Up-front pricing, emergency service. 828.734.1179. NC License #24685-U. HAYWOOD BUILDERS Garage Doors, New Installations Service & Repairs, 828.456.6051 100 Charles St. Waynesville Employee Owned.

CARS - DOMESTIC 2000 FORD MUSTANG GT Convertible. New custom paint, style bar, Mach I rims and lots of upgrades completed. Serious inquiries only. $10,000. Please call 828.226.7461.

DONATE YOUR CAR, Truck or Boat to Heritage for the Blind. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. 877.752.0496.

SAVE $$$ ON AUTO INSURANCE From the major names you know and trust. No forms. No hassle. No obligation. Call READY FOR MY QUOTE now! CALL 1.877.835.8343.

SAPA

R

WNC MarketPlace

AUTOMOBILE PARTS DDI BUMPERS ETC. Quality on the Spot Repair & Painting. Don Hendershot 858.646.0871 cell 828.452.4569 office.

FURNITURE COMPARE QUALITY & PRICE Shop Tupelo’s, 828.926.8778.

REMAINING FURNITURE LUMBER Sale! Walnut, Butternut, Cherry, Ash & Curly Maple Slabs $4,000 Call for more information 828.627.2342 HAYWOOD BEDDING, INC. The best bedding at the best price!

533 Hazelwood Ave. Waynesville 828.456.4240

LUMBER CHESTNUT LUMBER Some 6 feet sections, Some 17 ft. boards $800. Call for more information 828.627.2342

FINANCIAL

EMPLOYMENT

$$$ ACCESS LAWSUIT CASH NOW!!

Injury Lawsuit Dragging? Need $500-$500,000++ within 48/hours? Low rates. Apply Now By Phone! 1.800.568.8321. wwwlawcapital.com Not Valid in CO or NC. SAPA BEWARE OF LOAN FRAUD. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.

SAPA PAYOFF ALL Your unsecured debt now! 15 year old Company. Rated A+ with BBB. Bad Credit OK. 1.800.844.5049. www.FederatedFinancial.com SAPA

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES SEARCHING FOR AN Environmentally friendly franchise with strong recurring revenues?

NaturaLawn of America is a nationwide system with over 25 years experience. Average location revenues in excess of $500k. www.naturalawn.com. SAPA

"CAN YOU DIG IT?" Heavy Equipment Operator Training! 3 Wk. Hands On Program.

Bulldozers, Backhoes, Excavators.

Lifetime Job Placement Asst. w/National Certs. VA Benefits Eligible.

1.866.362.6497 AIRLINES ARE HIRING Train for hands on Aviation Maintenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial Aid if Qualified - Housing available. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance.

1.866.724.5403.

SAPA APPLY NOW, 13 Drivers. Top 5% Pay & Benefits.

Credential, Fuel & Referral Bonus Avail. Class A CDL Required. www.ad-drivers.com 877.258.8782.

BECOME DIETARY MANAGER (average annual salary $45,423) in eight months in online program offered by Tennessee Technology Center at Elizabethton. Details: www.ttcelizabethton.edu 1.888.986.2368 or email: patricia.roark@ttcelizabethton.edu

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

COMPANY DRIVERS: $2500 Sign-On Bonus! Super Service is hiring solo and team drivers.

Excellent hometime options. CDL-A required. Recent graduates with CDL-A welcome. Call 888.441.9358 or apply online at: www.superservicellc.com DRIVER Qualify for any portion of $0.03/mile quarterly bonus: $0.01 Production, $0.01 MPG. Two raises in first year. 3 months recent experience. 800.414.9569. www.driveknight.com DRIVERS Class-A Flatbed. Home Every Weekend! Up to 37c/mi. Both ways. Full Benefits. Requires 1 year OTR Flatbed Experience. 800.572.5489 x227. SunBelt Transport, Jacksonville, FL. DRIVERS - CDL-A $5,000 Sign-on Bonus For exp'd solo OTR drivers & O/O's. Tuition reimbursement also available!

New Student Pay & Lease Program.

USA TRUCK. 877.521.5775. www.GoUSATruck.com

FOSTER PARENTS NEEDED The Bair Foundation, a Christian Foster Care Ministry, is looking for committed families willing to open their homes to local foster children & teens. Training, certification, reimbursement & support provided. Call Now 828.350.5197 NOW HIRING! National Companies need workers immediately to assemble products at home. Electronics, CD stands, hair barrettes & many more.

Easy work, no selling, any hours. $500/week potential. Info 1.985.646.1700 DEPT NC - 4152 (Not valid in Louisiana) SAPA OWNER OPERATORS: $5,000 Sign-On Bonus. Excellent Rates. Paid FSC, loaded & empty.

75% Drop & Hook. Great Fuel & Tire Discounts. L/P available. CDLA with 1 year tractor-trailer experience required. 888.703.3889 or apply online at: www.comtrak.com

EMPLOYMENT

GYPSUM EXPRESS Regional Hauls for Flatbed Comp ny Driver Terminal in Roxboro. As about Performance Bonus comin April 1st & more. Melissa, 866.317.6556 x6 or go to: www.gypsumexpress.com

MEDICAL CAREERS BEGIN HERE Train ONLINE for Allied Health an Medical Management. Job place ment assistance. Computer ava ble. Financial Aid if qualified.

SCHEV authorized. Call 1.877.206.7665 www.CenturaOn line.com SAPA

TANKER & FLATBED COMPANY. Drivers/Independent Contractors Immediate Placement Available.

Best opportunities in the Truckin Business. Call Today.

800.277.0212 or go to: www.primeinc.com

NEED MEDICAL OFFICE TRAINEE Become a Medical Office Assista at CTI! No Experienced Needed!

Online Training gets you job read HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. Careertechnical.edu/nc 1.888.512.7122

72545

Puzzles can be found on page 37.

www.smokymountainnews.com

February 20-26, 2013

These are only the answers.

34

Great Smokies Storage 10’x20’

92

$

20’x20’

160

$

ONE MONTH

FREE WITH 12-MONTH CONTRACT

828.506.4112 or 828.507.8828 Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

EMPLOYMENT

APARTMENTS FOR RENT

HAYWOOD SPAY/NEUTER 828.452.1329

Ann knows real estate!

NICOL ARMS APARTMENTS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS Offering 1 & 2 Bedroom Apartments, Starting at $400

Ann Eavenson

Section 8 Accepted - Handicapped Accessible Units When Available

OFFICE HOURS: Tues. & Wed. 10:00am - 5:00pm & Thurs. 10:00am- 12:00pm 168 E. Nicol Arms Road Sylva, NC 28779

Prevent Unwanted Litters And Improve The Health Of Your Pet

CRS, GRI, E-PRO

ann@mainstreetrealty.net

506-0542 CELL

Phone # 1-828-586-3346 TDD # 1-800-725-2962

Low-Cost spay and neuter services Hours:

72532

Equal Housing Opportunity

Monday-Thursday, 12 Noon - 5pm 145 Wall Street

101 South Main St. Waynesville

RIVER PARK APARTMENTS LAWN & 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

HEAVY EQUIPMENT SAWMILLS FROM ONLY $3997.00 Make & Save Money with your own bandmill. Cut lumber any dimension. In stock ready to ship.

FREE Info/DVD: www.NorwoodSawmills.com. 1.800.578.1363, Ext. 300N.

93 Wind Crest Ridge in Dillsboro. Social community designed for seniors, the disabled and handicapped, has regularly scheduled, varied activities. Energy efficient, affordable 1 BR apts. AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY! Rental assistance available. Disability accessible units subject to availability and need. $25 application fee; credit/ criminal required. Call site for information 828.631.0124, Office hours are M-Th 1-3 pm. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Professionally managed by Partnership Property Management, an equal opportunity provider, and employer.

EVER CONSIDER A Reverse Mortgage? At least 62 years old? Stay in your home & increase cash flow! Safe & Effective!

Call Now for your FREE DVD! Call Now 888.418.0117. SAPA

TUPELO’S

10-5 M-SAT. 12-4 SUN.

FURNITURE

Sophie - A playful, young boxer mix. She is housebroken, walks well on the leash, is crate trained and loves to ride in the car. Sophie has been excellent with the young children in her foster home, and despite being about 45 pounds, Sophie believes she is a lap dog!

72417

with $100 Silpada Jewelry order get mani/pedi for only 35$

Great Smokies Storage 92

20’x20’

160

$

72572

Treat Yourself!

Gi

Cer ficates Friday February 22, 1 3pm

72137

$

Mani/Pedi combo $55

Silpada Jewelry Show

ON DELLWOOD RD. (HWY. 19) AT 20 SWANGER LANE WAYNESVILLE/MAGGIE VALLEY 828.926.8778

10’x20’

Pro/file

456 4000

163 Depot Street Waynesville

smokymountainnews.com

INDOOR & OUTDOOR

mainstreetrealty.net

Nail Impressions

WE SAVE YOU MONEY

BEST PRICE EVERYDAY

(828) 452-2227

facebook.com/smnews

SMN

REAL ESTATE ANNOUNCEMENT

Gazer - A handsome male tabby about 3 years old. He is named Gazer because he will follow you around and gaze into your eyes.

MainStreet Realty

February 20-26, 2013

TRUCK DRIVERS WANTED Best Pay and Home Time! Apply Online Today over 750 Companies!

1 Application, Hundreds of Offers! www.HammerLaneJobs.com. SAPA

PETS

WNC MarketPlace

SONOCO Production Associates Needed Sonoco Products, a Fortune 500 Company, has openings for sixteen (16) production associates.

Qualifications required for these openings include a high school education, good work history, ability to work in a team environment, excellent safety awareness and strong mechanical aptitude.

Scheduled working hours will be based on a 12-hour rotating shift consisting of 4 crews of 4 people each. (4 on, 7 off, 4 on, 3 off, 7 on, 3 off.) Applications will be received at our plant located at 6175 Pigeon Road, Canton, NC on February 21, 2013 between the hours of 8 AM and 3 PM. Interested candidates should apply in person during this appointed time.

The starting pay rates for these openings range from $11.00 to $14.50 per hour for production associates and $16.45 to $18.15 per hour for lead positions based on qualifications and skill sets.

In addition Sonoco offers the following benefits to our employees: Medical plan, dental plan, retirement savings plan, 401k savings plan, life insurance, accident & sickness benefits, tuition reimbursement, paid holidays, and a vacation plan.

Successful candidates will be required to pass a pre-employment drug screen and criminal background check. Any additional questions may be directed to Sonoco Products Company at 423.613.1210.

Sonoco is an Equal Opportunity Employer

ONE MONTH

FREE WITH 12-MONTH CONTRACT

828.506.4112 or 828.507.8828 Conveniently located off 19/23 by Thad Woods Auction

35

WNC MarketPlace

HOMES FOR SALE

Haywood County Real Estate Agents Michelle McElroy — beverly-hanks.com Marilynn Obrig — beverly-hanks.com Mike Stamey — beverly-hanks.com Ellen Sither — esither@beverly-hanks.com Jerry Smith — beverly-hanks.com Billie Green — bgreen@beverly-hanks.com Pam Braun — pambraun@beverly-hanks.com

VACATION RENTALS

ERA Sunburst Realty — sunburstrealty.com

CAVENDER CREEK CABINS Dahlonega, North Georgia Mountains. **WINTER SPECIAL: BUY 2 NIGHTS, 3RD FREE!**1,2,&3 Bedroom Cabins with HOT TUBS! Virtual Tour: www.CavenderCreek.com Call NOW Toll Free 1.866.373.6307 SAPA

Haywood Properties — haywood-properties.com • Steve Cox — haywoodproperties.com

Keller Williams Realty kellerwilliamswaynesville.com • Rob Roland — robrolandrealty.com • Chris Forga — forgarentalproperties.com

MEDICAL

BEAUTY SERVICES

2.819 ACRE TRACT Building Lot in great location.

Build your second home log cabin here. Large 2-story building.

Was a Hobby Shop. $81,000. Call 828.627.2342

ATTENTION DIABETICS With Medicare. Get a FREE Talking Meter and diabetic testing supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all, this meter eliminates painful finger pricking!

Call 877.517.4633. SAPA

STORAGE SPACE FOR RENT

ATTENTION SLEEP APNEA Sufferers with Medicare. Get FREE CPAP Replacement Supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery!

Best of all, prevent red skin sores and bacterial infection! Call 888.470.8261. SAPA

GREAT SMOKIES STORAGE Conveniently located off 19/23

by Thad Woods Auction. Available for lease now: 10’x10’ units for $55, 20’x20’ units for $160.

Get one month FREE with 12 month contract. Call 828.507.8828 or 828.506.4112 for more info.

MEDICAL CANADA DRUG CENTER Is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90 percent on all your medication needs. Call Today 877.644.3199 for $25.00 off your first prescription and free shipping. SAPA

BEST PRICES, Huge discounts, Viagra™ 40 pills $99.00. Get Viagra™ for less than $3 per pill. Call NOW 1.888.721.2553. SAPA DO YOU KNOW YOUR Testosterone Levels? Call us at 888.414.0692 and ask about our test kits and get a FREE Trial of Progene All-Natural Testosterone Supplement. SAPA MEDICAL ALERT FOR SENIORS 24/7 monitoring. FREE Equipment.

FREE Shipping. Nationwide Service. $29.95/Month CALL Medical Guardian Today 866.413.0771

MIA PERMANENT COSMETICS Is Haywood County’s Premier Permanent Makeup Clinic. We offer Custom Eyebrows, Eyeliner, Lip Liner and Shading. Eyelash Extensions, Eyelash Perm and Areola Pigmentation. For pricing, photos and more info, visit online at: www.miatattoos.com or call 828.619.0055. Let your outer beauty catch up with your inner beauty!

PERSONAL ARE YOU PREGNANT? A childless married couple (in our 30’s) seeks to adopt. Will be hands-on mom/devoted dad.

Financial security. Expenses paid. Nicole & Frank.

1.888.969.6134 MEET SINGLES RIGHT NOW! No paid operators, just real people like you. Browse greetings, exchange messages and connect live. Try it free. Call now 1.888.909.9978.

SAPA

72534

Talk to your neighbors, then talk to me.

MOUNTAIN REALTY

Mountain Home Properties — mountaindream.com

®

See why State Farm insures more drivers than GEICO and Progressive combined. Great ser vice, plus discounts of up to 40 percent.* Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

C CALL ALL FFOR OR QUOTE QUOTE 24/7.

24/7.

Mieko Thomson

• Sammie Powell — smokiesproperty.com

February 20-26, 2013

HOMES FOR RENT FURNISHED HOUSE FOR RENT 2/BR 1/BA older farmhouse; some furniture available. Rural setting, great views, located on Macktown Gap Rd., Dillsboro. Great for young couple. No washer/dryer hookup. $550 per month. References and deposit required. Available March.

Call 828.226.8572 for more info.

Beverly Hanks & Associates — beverly-hanks.com • • • • • • •

BRUCE MCGOVERN A Full Service Realtor shamrock13@charter.net McGovern Property Management 828.283.2112.

LOTS FOR SALE

®

Thomson

Main Street Realty — mainstreetrealty.net

ROKER/R /REALTOR EALTOR®® BBROKER

Chad McMahon, A gent 3 4 5 Wa l n u t S t r e e t Waynesville, NC 28786 Bus: 828 - 452- 0567 chad.mcmahon.r v37@s t atef arm.com

Cell (828) 226-2298 Cell

mthomson@remax-waynesvillenc.com mthomson@remax-waynesvillenc.com www.ncsmokies.com www.ncsmokies.com

McGovern Real Estate & Property Management

2177 Russ Avenue Waynesville NC 28786

• Bruce McGovern — shamrock13.com

1001174.1

*Discounts var y by states.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company State Farm Indemnit y Company, Blooming ton, IL

Prudential Lifestyle Realty — vistasofwestfield.com Realty World Heritage Realty — realtyworldheritage.com • Carolyn Lauter — realtyworldheritage.com/realestate/viewagent/1701

www.smokymountainnews.com

RE/MAX — Mountain Realty • • • • • • • • •

remax-waynesvillenc.com | remax-maggievalleync.com Brian K. Noland — brianknoland.com Connie Dennis — remax-maggievalleync.com Mark Stevens — remax-waynesvillenc.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 Bonnie Probst — bonniep@remax-waynesvillenc.com

The Seller’s Agency — listwithphil.com • Phil Ferguson — philferguson@bellsouth.net

Discover the state you’re in.

72418

CALL NOW TO ADVERTISE IN THE NEXT ISSUE 36

828.452.4251 OR ads@smokymountainnews.com

1-800- V I S I T

NC

W W W. V I S I T N C . C O M .

MERCHANDISE

WANTED TO BUY CASH FOR Unexpired Diabetic Test Strips!

Free Shipping, Friendly Service, BEST prices and 24 hour payment!

Call Mandy at 1.855.578.7477, Espanol 1.888.440.4001, or visit www.TestStripSearch.com SAPA CASH FOR DIABETIC TEST STRIPS Check us out online! All Major Brands Bought. Dtsbuyers.com 1.888.978.6906 SAPA

STEEL BUILDINGS STEEL BUILDINGS Year End Blow-Out. MAKE OFFER and Low Monthly Payments on 4 Remaining. 20x20, 25x28, 30x40, 40x56 SAVE Thousands Call Now! 757.301.8885.

SCHOOLS/ INSTRUCTION

AIRLINES ARE HIRING Train for hands on Aviation Career.

FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance. 877.300.9494.

ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE From home. Medical, Business, Criminal Justice, Hospitality. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial aid if qualified. SCHEV certified. Call Now 888.899.6918 or go to: www.CenturaOnline.com AVIATION CAREERS Train in advance structures and become certified to work on aircraft. Financial aid for those who qualify. Call aviation institute of maintenance 1.877.205.1779.

SAPA HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA From Home 6-8 weeks. ACCREDITED. Get a Diploma. Get a Job! No Computer Needed. FREE BROCHURE 1.800.264.8330 Benjamin Franklin High School www.diplomafromhome.com.

SAPA

SERVICES * REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL! * Get a 4-Room All Digital Satellite system installed for FREE and programming starting at $19.99/mo.

FREE HD/DVR upgrade for new callers, SO CALL NOW. 1.800.935.9195.

SAPA

SERVICES DISH NETWORK. Starting at $19.99/month (for 12 mos.) & High Speed Internet starting at $14.95/month (where available.) SAVE! Ask About SAME DAY Installation! CALL Now! 1.888.827.8038 HIGHSPEED INTERNET Everywhere By Satellite! Speeds up to 12mbps! (200x faster than dialup.) Starting at $49.95/mo. CALL NOW & GO FAST! 1.888.714.6155 LOCAL PHONE SERVICE With long distance starting at $19.99/mo. Taxes not included. No contract or credit check. Service states may vary. Call today: 1.888.216.1037 SAPA MY COMPUTER WORKS: Computer problems? Viruses, spyware, email, printer issues, bad internet connections - FIX IT NOW! Professional, U.S.-based technicians. $25 off service. Call for immediate help. 1.888.582.8147 SAPA

YARD SALES NORTH CANTON ELEMENTARY School 5th graders will be holding a Yard Sale at North Canton Elementary School on Saturday, March 2nd from 8 am - 1 pm. This Yard Sale will be a fundraiser to help pay for the students to go on a 3 day, 2 night field trip to Camp Daniel Boone at the end of March.

If you have any questions concerning this Yard Sale or would like to make a donation to help a student, please call NCE at 828.646.3444.

WEEKLY SUDOKU

Super

CROSSWORD

SUPER CROSSWORD CLACKING CAT ACROSS 1 “My dear,” in Milan 8 Early calculators 13 Miser visited by ghosts 20 Protective plastic film 21 - rex (cat breed) 22 Chewed the fat 23 Start of a riddle 25 Thaws again 26 Procedure: Abbr.

27 Muscle fitness 28 Sport - (4WD vehicle) 29 Galley tool 30 A number of 31 Riddle, part 2 36 Painter Rousseau 38 In another country 39 Vision problem 40 Klensch of fashion 41 Terse denial 44 - Aviv 46 “Ad - per aspera” (motto of Kansas) 48 Riddle, part 3 53 Fifth of XV 54 Novelist Santha Rama 55 In - (before birth) 56 Table crumb 57 “Viva - Vegas” 58 On top of, to bards 59 - Martin (British auto) 61 Cast - for 63 Pops 64 Cuts short 65 Riddle, part 4 70 LeBlanc of

“Friends” 73 Reminiscent of 74 First Hebrew month 75 Bovine milk pitcher 79 French buddy 80 Blowup, in photog.

81 - Lingus 82 Elk’s call 85 Rebs’ gp.

86 Paw bottom 87 Riddle, part 5 91 Sharp insults 93 Municipal reg.

94 Verdugo or Kagan 95 Repetitious learning 96 Moroseness 98 Hopes that one will 101 Lube again 102 End of the riddle 107 Apple line 108 “A,” in Arles 109 - offensive (1968 attack) 110 Gehrig and Gossett 111 Very little 114 Bacon slices 116 Riddle’s answer 119 Saint- - (Loire’s capital) 120 Six Flags attractions 121 Unable to tear oneself away from 122 Most tightly packed 123 At - of (priced at) 124 Energy-draining things

4 “Boston Legal” fig.

5 Tiki bar drink 6 “The show’s starting” 7 Cigna rival 8 Suffix with lime 9 Desensitized 10 2009 film set on Pandora 11 Show up at 12 Ending for Benedict 13 “Scat!”

14 Second-order angel 15 Cup top 16 Baby bodysuits 17 Like films not shot in a studio 18 Tie the knot 19 Ford dud 24 Clutch sitter 29 More strange 32 Berlin Mrs. 33 Hit for the Jackson 5 34 Really irk 35 Smelting residues 36 - pin drop 37 Places of exile 41 “King” Cole 42 Show a deficit 43 Albania’s capital 45 Purple bloom 47 Melodies 49 Melody 50 Alternative to a 401(k) 51 Twistable little treats 52 “Nothin’ “ 60 Frequently, to a poet 62 Held the deed to DOWN 63 Strip bare 1 Crows’ calls 64 Slithering swimmer 2 In need of a massage 66 Narrow road 3 Thinks through logi- 67 “Feel free to send cally me”

68 Hanging Gardens city 69 Comply with 70 Atlas filler 71 Merge into a single body 72 Artificial inlet subject to ebbs and flows 76 Affecting the entire college, say 77 Question from Judas 78 Stand for a canvas 80 The sun, in Spain 81 “- shall come to pass ...”

83 Pistol or rifle 84 Meadowland 88 Clear, as a chalkboard 89 Dubs anew 90 Russian city or region 92 Sacs 97 Shows grief 99 Like fictitious tales 100 Big name in stretchy swimwear 101 Rebel as a group 102 Sacked 103 Not solidified 104 Mop & (cleaning brand) 105 Karaoke selections 106 Fran and Ollie’s friend 112 -’acte (play break) 113 Parts of psyches 115 Pittsburgh-Boston dir.

116 Chorus syllable 117 Suffix with lobby or hobby 118 Counterpart of “nope”

answers on page 34

Answers on Page 39

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Be(ar) careful in the Smokies Editor’s note: This column first appeared in The Smoky Mountain News in February 2007.

George Ellison

I

HOME.’ All hearts suddenly lifted, blisters shrank, hunger departed, and the freezing drizzle became a May shower. The camp disappeared in a blur. Everything was piled — stuffed — on our cart. In hardly more than it’s taken me to write about it, we were loaded and ready for the six-mile trudge down to the lake.”

Before long they were eating dinner at the Fontana Village Resort. Back across the lake, way up on Hazel Creek, a well-fed bear was hunkering down, waiting for the next influx of campers.

George Ellison wrote the biographical introductions for the reissues of two Appalachian classics: Horace Kephart’s Our Southern Highlanders and James Mooney’s History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees. In June 2005, a selection of his Back Then columns was published by The History Press in Charleston as Mountain Passages: Natural and Cultural History of Western North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains. Readers can contact him at P.O. Box 1262, Bryson City, N.C., 28713, or at info@georgeellison.com.

Smoky Mountain News

ent. I read his account of a midweek outing with sympathy: “I stepped into the creek and, using my fly rod for balance, headed across. I almost made it. As I reached for a hardy limb to pull myself up onto the other bank a foot slipped and I sprawled backwards. The swift water was only about 18 inches deep there, but it rolled me over. I began to slide downstream toward the next waterfall. I grabbed a root and managed to pull the top half of me up onto the moss of the shore. My bottom half stayed in the water because I couldn’t lift my legs. In brim-full hip boots, they felt like elephant stumps. I threw fly rod and all the detachable equipment up on the bank and, with both hands, lifted one leg and then the other high enough to drain, then lay there shivering and gasping.”

After finally getting back to camp and companions, Baldwin found that “dry clothes, a warm fire, and food restored me.”

Everything was starting to seem OK. They were having fun. But that, of course, was the moment when the bear made his appearance.

First there was an unexpected “sound” in the nearby brush.

Nobody moved.

The sound came again, closer this time. One of the campers “groaned, struggled to his feet, groped in the table clutter for a flashlight, and aimed the beam toward the noise. A black bear about the size of a breeding bull at puberty was standing a car’s length from us, staring.

“We jumped up and yelled and waved arms. The bear regarded us for a moment, then turned and ambled back out of sight into the woods.”

Anyone who knows anything about this sort of incident knows that the bear would return. It was only a matter of when.

“We had already stored all our food according to the forest ranger’s instructions,” Baldwin noted. “Everything edible was in a heavy plastic bag pulled up out of reach by a rope thrown over a limb of our oak tree and tied to the trunk. How high was the bag? I don’t know … but even the tallest among us couldn’t reach it.”

After the bear’s first appearance, they “piled pots and pans and everything to do with cooking on the camp’s wooden table, replenished the fire, and went to bed.”

By the time Baldwin “had settled myself on the roots and lumps that were my mattress, the bear was back, clattering among the pots and pans … . Frustrated, I suppose, by smelling food but not finding any, the bear came over to my tent — I heard him through the canvas, probably less than a foot from my face, snuffling

and rooting around. I tried to think of what I would do if he came into my tent. I imagined waking up with bear breath in my face. With my arms zipped inside the sleeping bag, I knew what would happen. The bear wouldn’t have to bite me. I’d die of fright.

“But even with hideous, hungry death so close I could hear its teeth click, my camping-in-the-mountains-anesthetic took control. I went to sleep ….

“Jim’s shout woke me the next morning, ‘Oh, no! The bear got our food!’

“I crawled out of my tent into a cold, foggy drizzle. Our food cache, disemboweled, hung from its limb, flaccid and empty.

Food remains, mostly ripped-up packages, littered the whole area under the bag. A broken jar of grape jelly, with the purple surface licked smooth, lay next to a chewed box of pancake flour. All our cooking gear had been swept off the table.”

The group momentarily contemplated sticking it out for the whole week, making do with the few supplies that were unscathed. But suddenly one of them came to his senses and blurted out: “’NO . . . LET’S . . . GO . . .

February 20-26, 2013

n the natural world there are certain experiences that rivet our attention and remain stored in our memory banks.

Through the years, I’ve written about my own encounters with rare plants, endangered landscapes, copperheads and timber rattlers, coyotes, skunks, eagles, red and gray foxes, box and snapping turtles, and so on. Not infrequently, I’ve received feedback from readers reporting that they have had similar experiences.

Columnist An encounter that took place back in the late 1970s was one of my most memorable, but, for whatever reason, I’ve never gotten around to writing it down. It involved a female black bear with cubs that at dusk invaded my camp on the headwaters of Hazel Creek in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To cut a long and rather hair-raising story short, let me just note that — after driving me and my companion back up the trail to the Silers Bald shelter — she obliterated my tent, most of our camping equipment, and all of our food supply. For good measure, she even made off with my backpack.

Recently, I chanced upon a collection by Mart Baldwin titled Drifting the River: Growing Up Wild in the South (Old Fort NC: Wolfhound Press, 1999) in which the author captures the essence of my bear-invasion episode. My guess is that not a few readers will be nodding their heads in agreement.

Baldwin, who currently resides in Hendersonville, grew up in the Carolinas and Georgia. He attended Furman University, spent a year in Germany on a Fulbright scholarship, earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from UNC-Chapel Hill, and retired as vice president of Shipley Company in Boston. Aside from all that, he grew up with a love for wild places and animals.

Drifting the River consists of 26 chapters in which the author chronicles his and his family’s experiences with themselves as well as with water moccasins, swamps, hurricanes, porpoises, a catfish named “Hopkins,” fishing worms, hammerhead sharks, “an octopus the size of an orange,” a fishing lure named “Pecks Popper,” and more.

In the chapter headed “A Bear’s Reach,” Baldwin relates an incident that took place in 1965 on Hazel Creek, where he and three friends had ventured for a week’s trout fishing. After crossing Fontana Lake on a motorboat, they hauled their gear — which “hard decisions had pared … down to the very barest essentials … a pile so high it resembled a slightly compacted Mt. LeConte” — in a cart to a campsite six miles upstream.

Baldwin’s fly-fishing skills were about like my own — that is, just about nonexist-

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