For bears, relocation not always happily ever after Page 30
On the Cover:
Jackson County’s historic Sylva Sam statue — erected as a monument to those who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War — is again the center of controversy. In 2021, plaques were installed over a depiction of the Confederate flag and the words “Our Heroes of the Confederacy.” However, in a sudden move and with no public input, Jackson County commissioners gave the greenlight to remove the plaques. (Page 12) File photo
News
Order seals sheriff’s evidence room amid missing items........................................4 FEMA decision to cost WNC millions..........................................................................5
Small increase proposed for Haywood Community College budget..................6 ‘As lean as we can be’: HCS on a tight budget........................................................7 Police seek help for bomb threats..................................................................................8 Maggie budgets for ‘needs, not wants’......................................................................10 Mountain Projects raises alarm on housing crisis....................................................11 Cherokee man sentenced following murder plea....................................................15 From hurricanes to handcuffs: Sheriff Wilke recaps a whirlwind year..............16 Farmers talk Helene recovery, continuing loss of farmland..................................19
Opinion
As Earth Day nears, let’s talk plastic pollution..........................................................20 A&E
Following Helene flooding, Canton art collective to reopen................................22 Greening Up the Mountains returns to Sylva............................................................28
Outdoors
For bears, relocation is no happily ever after............................................................30 The Joyful Botanist: Robin’s Plantain..........................................................................35
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Order seals Cherokee County Sheriff’s evidence room amid missing items
BY KYLE P ERROTTI
N EWS E DITOR
An order filed in Cherokee County Superior Court April 10 sealed all areas where there may be any evidence related to criminal cases, critically hampering the agency’s ability to serve taxpayers. This comes only about a week after District Attorney Ashley Welch issued a Giglio order against Milton “Sport” Teasdale, who heads up the sheriff’s office’s criminal investigative division.
“[Christie located] the former audit, and there were voluminous sticky notes on the audit that indicated missing items of evidence,” the order reads, adding that CCSO confirmed that, at this point, there is at least one missing piece of evidence.
The order ultimately states that the evidence room, along with any other places any evidence may be found, such as individual offices or patrol vehicles, must be sealed pending an external audit.
The order to seal the evidence room, signed by Chief Resident Superior Court Judge Tessa Sellers, noted that on April 8, District Attorney Ashley Welch was notified that the sheriff’s office had conducted an internal audit in 2022 under former Sheriff Derrick Palmer and that there “may have been” evidence missing at that time. According to the order, the issue was not reported to Welch at the time. Welch requested that CCSO Attorney Holly Christie share a copy of that 2022 audit report.
In a brief conversation with The Smoky Mountain News on April 11, County Attorney Darryl Brown said that the sheriff’s office is complying with the order and that any locations where CCSO evidence was being stored have all been sealed.
comes on the heels of another blow the office suffered when it comes to its ability to investigate criminal cases. On April 1, Welch issued Teasdale’s Giglio order.
A Giglio order, known in police circles as “the career killer,” is issued by a district attorney when a law enforcement officer has compromised their credibility to the degree that their character could impeached on the witness stand. Basically, they can’t be trusted to testify during a trial. Welch has previously issued one Giglio Order in 2018.
That letter sent from Welch to Teasdale, obtained by SMN, states that after a review of materials and information related to Teasdale’s initial investigation of the policeinvolved shooting of Jason Kloepfer in December 2022, it was determined that Teasdale was “dishonest” on “more than one occasion.”
In a sworn affidavit filed in January, Welch states that she received a phone call from Teasdale in which he said Kloepfer had a “history of violence with law enforcement officers” and that a “hostage situation” had taken place over several hours. However, footage taken by a camera Kleopfer kept in his home showed that he was in bed when officers told him to come to his door.
“We do not like having to take this action, but the reputation and integrity of both law enforcement and our justice system are at stake in this situation. The credibility of the justice system rests on the foundation that public servants are truthful with integrity that is beyond reproach.”
“I did that personally yesterday morning,” he said.
The order mandates that the sheriff’s office was to immediately set up a temporary evidence storage location so that new cases could be opened. While it isn’t immediately clear how this will impact day-to-day sheriff’s office operations, the lack of ability to access previous evidence vital to ongoing investigations will hamper the ability to move the ball forward on any current cases.
In an email to SMN, District Attorney Welch commented on Judge Sellers’ order.
“We are in the beginning stages of an investigation that is critical to upholding public trust in the justice system,” Welch said in the email.
“I want to assure the people of Cherokee County that the District Attorney’s Office will do what is necessary to ensure their safety and protection,” she added. “As the highest law enforcement officer over the seven westernmost counties, it is my sworn duty as prosecutor to make sure that officers operate strictly within the bounds of the law.”
The order to seal any areas of CCSO with evidence
“Detective Teasdale told me that when Jason Kloepfer came to the door of his home, there was a verbal altercation between him and law enforcement and that Kloepfer had come to the door with a gun,” the affidavit reads.
The same footage shows Kloepfer go to his door, unarmed, with his hands raised in the air, apparently complying with orders.
“… it became clear to me that the information Detective Teasdale provided to both Assistant DA Hindsman and me within a few hours after the shooting was not accurate,” Welch said in the affidavit.
In an interview with SMN for the March story, Welch said that while she couldn’t comment on pending litigation — even in a case where her office isn’t representing the state — she admitted that she’s never dealt with something of this “magnitude,” and at that time she was weighing whether a Giglio Order would be appropriate for Teasdale.
“We do not like having to take this action, but the reputation and integrity of both law enforcement and our justice system are at stake in this situation,” the letter reads. “The credibility of the justice system rests on the foundation that public servants are truthful with integrity that is beyond reproach.”
Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith. File photo
District Attorney Ashley Welch
FEMA decision to cost WNC millions
Rep. Edwards accepts ruling while governor files formal appeal
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT
P OLITICS E DITOR
In a move that will cost the state and local governments hundreds of millions of dollars, the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied North Carolina’s request for an extension on the period during which the federal government would reimburse 100% of recovery expenses for Hurricane Helene.
Rather than fight the decision, the region’s representative in Congress, Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) said he’s ready to move on.
“Instead, I’m focusing on other ways I can make a tangible difference in helping the citizens of Western North Carolina recover more quickly,” Edwards told the Asheville CitizenTimes April 11.
On Sept. 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene ravaged Western North Carolina, causing an estimated $60 billion in damage. President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration two days later. Three days after that, Biden increased the federal cost share for eligible expenses from 75% to 100% for 180 days, retroactive to Sept. 25, 2024. About two months later, Biden again made adjustments to the deal so that upon the expiration of the 180-day period, federal reimbursements would drop to 90% rather than 75%.
Previously, Edwards seemed willing to stand up for communities in his district that are claiming billions in storm damage; five days before the expiration of the 180-day period, Edwards signed a letter to President Donald Trump, along with both of the state’s senators and 13 of the state’s 14 members of Congress, in support of Gov. Josh Stein’s February request to extend the match for an additional 180 days.
has until May 11 to appeal the decision. Stein’s response urged the president to “reconsider FEMA’s bad decision, even for 90 days.”
On April 14, Stein announced he will appeal the ruling.
“I continue to urge Congress and the White House to appropriate additional funds at a meaningful level,” Stein said.
Edwards told the Citizen-Times that the extension request was “unprecedented” and that he would continue “to assist survivors with FEMA casework and working with the administration to find additional avenues to alleviate the financial stress our communities and the state of North Carolina are facing.”
But Edwards’ approach hasn’t exactly been working. Edwards, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, helped write and pass a $110 billion disaster recovery bill last December but failed to carve out enough money to help his own state address the $60 billion in damage. North Carolina is only expected to receive between $9 billion and $15 billion from the bill.
“Due to the extensive scope and scale of continuing recovery work, we are concerned that a reduction in the federal cost share at this time will risk undercutting important work that is currently underway,” the letter reads.
FEMA’s response, addressed to Stein on April 11, said the request to extend the 100% federal cost share “is not warranted.” The state
Additionally, a Smoky Mountain News investigation into the distribution of federal money to local governments revealed that local governments are losing ground waiting for FEMA funds to flow — some of them, even having to spend their own money on projects that just can’t wait. Out of 23 city and county government units claiming more than $1.7 billion in damage, only nine have received any funding from FEMA — totaling just $67.2 million, or less than 4% of needs. Fourteen of those local governments have received nothing at all, six months after the disaster.
The impact of FEMA’s decision, should it stand, will affect municipalities large and small across Edwards’ congressional district. Towns like Canton, with a $9.7 million general fund but $11.3 million in damage, will now have to fork over the 10% not covered by the federal cost share, leaving the town to come out-of-pocket for $1.3 million or more.
Edwards did not respond to an interview request by The Smoky Mountain News and hasn’t spoken to SMN since stating in a June 2023 town hall that he would only speak to media outlets that give him favorable coverage.
Rep. Chuck Edwards
Recovery is about to get more expensive for Helene-ravaged communities in Western North Carolina. Jack Snyder photo
Small increase proposed for Haywood Community College budget
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT
OLITICS E DITOR
Haywood Community College is asking Haywood County commissioners for a modest increase in its operating budget for fiscal year 2025–26, citing inflationary pressures, employee retention initiatives, rising costs across multiple service categories and a surprising surge in enrollment.
The proposed budget was presented to the Haywood County Board of Commissioners on April 7 by President Shelley White, recently named the North Carolina Community College President of the Year by the state board and the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation.
White began her presentation by recounting the uncertainty that Hurricane Helene visited upon the school’s students.
“Of course, like everyone in our county, the college had impacts from Helene last fall; all of our students and employees as well,” White said. “We were certainly concerned about the momentum our college was having at that time and the direction our students would take following the hurricane.”
But what many thought would be a disastrous decline in enrollment due to the disruption of the school calendar and the negative financial effects on some household budgets didn’t actually end up that way. Working with students and employees, administrators were able to support those who needed help and in turn increased enrollment for the current semester by 10%.
“We saw the biggest increase in our enrollment from spring-overspring that I’ve seen since I’ve been there, since 2020,” said White.
With that growth have come new programs that reflect White’s experience pivoting the college to disaster response — both natural and humancaused.
some of the knowledge and experience disaster-ridden Haywood County has to offer.
“When I came in 2020, we embarked on a strategic plan, a five-year strategic plan. One of our main goals, we had five goals on that plan, and one of those goals is to engage with our community, to be a place where our community can connect, to be a place for our community to come and enjoy the beauty of the county but also to connect with educational opportunities whether that’s in the school system or if you’re an adult learner or if you’re out in our communities,” White said. “We really have something for everyone, and I believe we have fulfilled that goal as we come to the end of our fiveyear strategic plan and we start looking ahead to our next five-year plan.”
office support, are set to rise by $10,000 to $545,000. The increase reflects a 5% uptick in custodial contract expenses. Similarly, service agreements are expected to increase by $1,000 to $144,660 despite a substantial $40,000 reduction in telecommunications costs after switching providers. One encouraging line item in the budget is insurance, where HCC is not anticipating an increase. Minor premium hikes were offset by the planned termination of at least one policy, resulting in what will likely be a net zero change. In today’s insurance market, where double-digit increases have become the norm, holding the line is considered a win.
Despite the overall budget increase request, HCC is finding savings in other areas. The college is projecting a $15,000 decrease in utility costs, largely due to favorable year-end projections for water and natural gas expenditures. White said that staff had been diligent in looking for more opportunities for energy efficiency.
In 2021, when Tropical Storm Fred damaged eastern Haywood County, HCC became a community hub of sorts. In 2023, when Pactiv Evergreen closed its Canton paper mill, HCC became a resource for displaced workers and added a CDL program to get some of them back to work. In 2024, after Helene, HCC established a program to train the line workers that restore basic services when things go haywire. This fall, HCC will begin to offer a program in public safety administration, which will both strengthen local public safety and disaster response in the future and perhaps export
White’s proposed budget represents a 4.7% increase overall that reflects a $161,650 increase over the current fiscal year that would bring HCC’s county allocation from $3.43 million to approximately $3.59 million.
The lion’s share of the requested increase, almost $66,000, is earmarked for salaries and fringe benefits. In addition, HCC is proposing the creation of a new part-time events A/V technician position, suggesting that increasing demands on campus event support justify the addition.
Contracted services, including custodial and sheriff’s
White named top NC community college president
Shelley White, president of Haywood Community College, has been named the North Carolina Community College President of the Year by the North Carolina Community College System State Board and the North Carolina Community Colleges Foundation.
Presented by the John M. Belk Endowment, the honor is awarded to a community college president who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and made a lasting impact on both their institution and the North Carolina Community College System. White was recognized for exceptional commitment to workforce development, innovation and student achievement.
“White led Haywood through significant challenges, including
Perhaps the most notable single-item increase is in “other costs,” which rose from $0 in 2024-25 to $122,533. The proposal is intended to augment a contingency fund in anticipation of unexpected costs to materials, supplies, fuel, legal fees or other miscellaneous items.
In addition to the operating budget, White also proposed a number of capital outlay requests totaling $570,000 and including $115,000 in IT replacements or upgrades, a chemistry lab hood replacement ($20,000) and HVAC unit replacements ($100,000).
There’s also a Helene-related expense, $60,000 for engineering related to a storm drain collapse along Armory Drive. White said the work and the engineering, with a projected cost of just over $404,000, is intended to harden the infrastructure in case of future disasters, should be reimbursable by FEMA. Ten other storm impacts to the college, from roof leaks to damage from fallen trees, are estimated to cost a total of $53,000, however those costs could now change based on FEMA’s recent decision to discontinue 100% cost sharing.
Commissioners lauded White’s leadership, not just during Helene but also during her relatively brief tenure at HCC.
“I always say I was so impressed and humbled and thankful that when the mill closure was announced how quickly you jumped in and filled those voids for those folks and the community in general,” said Commissioner Jennifer Best.
“Not only do we have the number one president but we’ve also got the number one community college, in my opinion, in the whole state,” Vice Chair Brandon Rogers said.
the COVID-19 pandemic, historic flooding, and the closure of the county’s largest employer, the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill,” a March 13 announcement reads. “Under her leadership, the College secured over $3 million in grants to expand workforce training in high-demand fields, launched new programs and implemented cutting-edge instructional technologies. She has fostered strategic partnerships with four-year universities, businesses and community organizations while advocating for workforce training at local, state and federal levels. Her leadership has also driven long-range strategic planning, resulting in increased enrollment and expanded student support services.”
White began her tenure as president of Haywood Community College on Jan. 1, 2020. Prior to her current role, she served for 18 years at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, including five years as vice president of economic and workforce development.
A graduate of Isothermal Community College, White received her Ph.D. in education from Western Carolina University.
Growing Haywood Community College has presented a preliminary budget with a 4.7% increase. Harrison Keely photo
‘As lean as we can be’ HCS on a tight budget
HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF W RITER
Haywood County Schools is working with a tight budget for the coming year.
After making cuts where possible over the last few years, Superintendent Trevor Putnam told county commissioners last week that the school system was as lean as it could be and would dip into its fund balance for the second year in a row in order to balance the budget for the 2025-26 school year.
“We’re as lean as I would allow us to be,” said Putnam.
During the first six months of Putnam’s tenure, he said he cut 42 positions, both faculty and administration at the Central Office. But now, Putnam says, there’s no more cutting to be done.
For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the school system is limiting budgetary expansions. It is requesting a $18,285,134 allocation from the county and will allocate $719,483.75 from its fund balance, which, along with ABC revenues and fines and forfeitures, will bring revenues equal to estimated expenses of $19,373,617.75.
funding which provided an additional allocation of $15,692,592 to Haywood County Schools.
“These funds were expended over four years,” said Finance Officer Leanna Moody. “We got these funds in the 2021-22 fiscal year, and they ended in September of 2024. So, we had them for three months this [fiscal] year.”
Salary-related expenses paid with ESSER funds for the current fiscal year totaled $878,278. Haywood County Schools did not pay for newly created positions using ESSER funds, but some were used for remediation tutoring and to help offset some expenses paid for by local funds.
“That is a huge impact affecting our budget this coming year,” Moody said.
What’s more, Haywood County Schools lost 117 students this year, and that reduction will be reflected in the 2025-26 fiscal year state, federal and local funding allocations.
priation rate is $2,591.43 for the 6,370 Haywood County School students, plus 686 charter school students. This is up $81.57 from the county per pupil allocation rate of $2,509.86 in the current year budget.
The loss of 117 students has significant impacts on next year’s budget.
“I want to bring this into perspective,” said Moody. “If our ADM had remained the same, and we hadn’t lost those 117 students, our county appropriation this coming fiscal year would have been $18,544,273. So just the loss of those students, that’s a net loss of $259,000 to the school system.”
“The current funding formula provides a 3.25% per pupil appropriation increase; but however, due to the loss of the students, the total percentage increase will only reflect about a 1.81% increase in overall funding,” Moody Continued.
The fiscal year 2025-26 anticipated county appropriation is $18,285,134. This amount is combined with $345,000 in fines and forfeitures, $24,000 in ABC revenues and a $719,483.75 fund balance allocation to make revenues equal expenditures, for a
rate in 2023 continues to provide annual funding to the Sheriff’s Office for school resource officers in every school at an annual cost of about $1.48 million.
The primary focus points for Haywood County Schools’ 2025-26 budget are to recruit, retain and support employees, limit expansion items in the local current expense budget and adjust the budget as needed to account for loss of ESSER funding, declining enrollment and associated issues with the Canton mill closure.
Several factors are impacting the creation of the 2025-26 budget for Haywood County Schools, including the loss of ESSER III
for their school systems,” said Commissioner Tommy Long.
According to Putnam, the school system receives a little over $600,000 annually in lottery funds, which can only be used for capital projects.
“That’s probably not the cure all that maybe we were led to believe it would be,” said Long.
According to the North Carolina Department of Education, about 30% of lottery revenue goes to education.
The North Carolina Education Lottery website paints a somewhat different and misleading picture, claiming that in fiscal year 2024, a total of $3,083,000 went to education programs in Haywood County.
In 2024, the NC Education Lottery saw record sales of $5.4 billion.
In the coming year Haywood County Schools will remain eligible for the Community Eligibility Provision which provides federal reimbursement so that all students can access free breakfast and lunch.
“The problem is, the reimbursement rate is not a full reimbursement of what it actually costs us to produce the meal, so you’ve
Haywood County’s school system, like many local public entities, is operating on a limited budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Additionally, after the mill closure in Canton in 2023, Putnam was able to secure a $3 million grant from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety. Those funds were used to offset some local expenses for utilities, to the tune of about $1 million during the current fiscal year.
“We will not have those next year, so that’s a huge hit to our budget for next year,” said Moody.
According to Moody, utility costs have increased approximately $450,000 over a two-year period.
The anticipated county per-pupil appro-
total $19,373,617.75 local current expense budget. This marks the second year in a row that the school system has had to allocate more than $700,000 from its fund balance to balance the budget.
In addition to the annual state public schools allocation, which has not been finalized for the 2025-26 fiscal year but sits at $53,341,808 in the current fiscal year, commissioners were curious about state lottery funding for the school system.
“Years ago, they said that was the magic wand to help us with our budgeting woes and to help bolster the local county’s budget
been seeing a loss in that area,” said Putnam. “We’re going to continue to do it; it’s the right thing. Our kids need the meals. We’re going to continue to seek money.”
Haywood County Schools currently ranks sixth in the state out of 115 school districts.
“Kudos to the school system and everybody in it,” said Commissioner Jennifer Best. “I deal with people that are moving here, and I always say we have a really strong school system. I always try to throw that number out that we’re sixth out of 115.”
File photo
Trevor Putnam. File photo
Attorney General, regional LEOs band together to fight fraud
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT
Nearly two dozen law enforcement professionals from across Western North Carolina stood behind Attorney General Jeff Jackson — literally and figuratively — at the Historic Haywood Courthouse April 14 to warn grifters who might be looking to take advantage of Hurricane Helene’s victims.
“What we want to do is send a warning to criminals and a promise to citizens. The warning for criminals is, you are looking at a united front by law enforcement to keep people safe. If you are thinking about using this moment where people are struggling to rebuild to take advantage of them, you should think again. You will face consequences,” Jackson said, after an hourlong meeting with various chiefs and sheriffs. “And for our citizens, many of whom are wondering whether to stay here in Western North Carolina, to keep their families here — you are safe.”
“The warning for criminals is, you are looking at a united front by law enforcement to keep people safe. If you are thinking about using this moment where people are struggling to rebuild to take advantage of them, you should think again. You will face consequences.”
— N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson
Jackson has made a number of visits to the region, like his predecessor-turned-governor Josh Stein, warning about the variety of scams that can pop up in the aftermath of disasters. In Biltmore Village March 13, Jackson said his office was “paying very close attention” to the rebuilding process.
Flanked by sheriffs, police chiefs and SBI personnel, Jackson related the story of a restauranteur who told him a few weeks ago that he was about to take delivery of some copper pipe and was worried about it disappearing.
“We are going to do everything in our power to make sure that you and your family are safe to rebuild,” Jackson said.
Although some traditional post-disaster offenses end up being property crimes, other scams are slightly more sophisticated and rely on desperate consumers ignoring potential red flags such as contractors not putting deals in writing, or contractors demanding to be paid in full up front, or in cryptocurrency.
“If you’re a contractor, your work is needed here, and we’re glad that you’re interested, but here’s the thing, you better treat people fairly,” said Jackson. “You better be honest. You better do what you say you’re going to do. We are not going to tolerate contracting fraud.”
Jackson said his office would prioritize complaints com-
ing out of Western North Carolina, while Haywood Sheriff Bill Wilke, in his characteristically straightforward manner, admonished those who would prey on the county’s residents.
“If you have poor intentions, if you think you’re going to come to Western North Carolina and take advantage of folks who have been impacted so heavily, think twice — we are standing in that gap, and we will find, investigate, charge and assist in the prosecution of anyone who’s going to take
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson speaks to reporters at the Historic Haywood County Courthouse on April 15.
and then text based fraud. We have both of them going right now,” said Jackson. “A lot of folks, by the way, have been getting recent text messages claiming that they owe a toll, so we have a specific investigation going with respect to that. And then there is a discussion about how we can become increasingly aggressive with law enforcement spoofing.”
Wilke also answered a question about charitable fraud in regards to dozens of nonprofits that have sprung up in the wake of Helene, purporting to help victims. Some of these,
advantage of our good citizens,” Wilke said.
With that, Jackson announced a new initiative called Safe to Rebuild, designed as a resource for Western North Carolina residents who want to file complaints. The North Carolina Department of Justice website also has resources on how to avoid becoming a victim or how to report shady propositions.
In a somewhat related scam, residents of Haywood County have been reporting a series of phone calls where callers purport to be specific members of law enforcement agencies, asking for charitable donations to the department or demanding “fees” for missed jury duty. Sometimes, these callers can even “spoof” the phone number of the sheriff’s office to make the calls look legitimate. Sheriff’s office employees will never call you asking for money.
A similar, text-based scam informs potential victims that they’ll face serious consequences because they failed to pay a ticket or a toll — unless they quickly transfer funds to the caller.
“There are specific investigations for phone call fraud
Police seek help for bomb threats
Aseries of recent bomb threats to multiple targets across Waynesville has law enforcement asking for tips that could help with arrests.
On April 14, the Hazelwood Ingles was evacuated due to a threat, the seventh in 10 days according to Waynesville Police Chief
David Adams. Previously, Walmart had been evacuated at least twice.
“We don’t have any leads right now,” Adams said. “We definitely need the public’s help.”
Adams said his department had received assistance from the State Bureau of
such as Haven on the Hill in Haywood County, have sucked up law enforcement resources and generated scads of allegations — thus far unsubstantiated — about all manner of wrongdoing.
“Be very careful about what you’re giving your money to. Be very careful about your GoFundMe accounts. These are very easy to gather money for a cause, but you really don’t know what that money is going to. Law enforcement’s ability to act on that is hampered simply because there are elements to a crime that relate to fraud and theft that are difficult to prove through GoFundMe accounts,” said Wilke. “So the messaging that I want to get out across to this is — if you’re going to give money, there are several well established, long established, nongovernmental organizations and 501(c)3s that are reliable and will use the resources to go where you intend them to go, which is to help those who are suffering from flood related issues.”
To learn more about the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Safe to Rebuild initiative, visit ncdoj.gov/helene/safe-to-rebuild.
Investigation and that they were reviewing videotape from the incidents, which appear to involve written threats in bathrooms.
Anyone with information about the messages can submit an anonymous tip through the town’s police app, by calling Crime Stoppers at 877.92.CRIME or the WPD at 828.452.2491 or through WPD’s Facebook page.
On March 19, a threat cleared out the
Haywood County Courthouse in the early afternoon; however, a suspect was apprehended less than four hours later.
Sheriff Bill Wilke said the courthouse threat was different from the others in that it was submitted by phone.
“Not to reveal too many methods, but with the utilization of witnesses and technology, that came to a close very quickly,” Wilke said. — Cory Vaillancourt, Politics Editor
Cory Vaillancourt photo
Maggie budgets for ‘needs, not wants’
Maggie Valley’s proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year reflects a cautious and calculated approach, with officials holding the line on taxes but planning modest increases to some service fees.
“This is a year of needs, not wants,” said Town Manager Vicki Best during an April 11 preliminary budget presentation at Maggie Valley’s town hall.
The proposed budget totals $4.1 million in general fund revenue, an uptick from the current year’s $3.8 million with no change to the property tax rate and no planned use of fund balance. At 40 cents per $100 in assessed value, Maggie Valley’s property tax rate remains lower than 60% of North Carolina’s municipal governments. Based upon a collection rate of 97.57%, the town will raise more than $2 million from property taxes, its largest revenue source.
Sales tax revenues, the town’s second largest revenue source, are projected to rise by 2% — a conservative estimate despite an actual increase of 3.78% over the first eight months of the current fiscal year, which began July 1, 2024. Fortunately, sales tax distributions to the town do not appear to have suffered greatly from the impact of Hurricane Helene last September.
Additionally, the town has no real debt against its general fund, except for a $5,500 yearly copier lease.
No fee increases are proposed for motor vehicles, planning and zoning, solid waste or the festival grounds, however there is a proposed 3% increase for the sewer fee.
“We’re going to continue to try to see slower gains annually, as opposed to waiting five years,” Mayor Mike Eveland said of the long-term strategy to avoid dramatic rate hikes. “I think with our user fees, that’s what we’ve been doing over the last four or five years.”
The town’s sewer fund totals $1.23 million, and the only
existing debt — $174,000 related to a prior sewer expansion — is scheduled to be paid off in 2028. No new sewer-related debt is proposed, and capital projects have been put on hold in favor of continued repair work stemming from storm damage.
Where the town is moving forward, it is doing so thoughtfully, with a focus on personnel and equipment.
Town employees will see a 3% cost-ofliving adjustment totaling $53,633, based on the January consumer price index year-over-year increase. The town also plans to undertake a comprehensive pay study for the first time since 2019, part of a broader effort to maintain competitiveness in employee compensation and retain talent across all departments.
Rising health care costs have the town preparing for a potential 5% increase in premiums, budgeting a total of $407,901 to continue offering 100% coverage for employees and 80% coverage for dependents.
able to locate a missing person. “It helps us … have more awareness to missing people with Alzheimer’s, dementia, that drive away and that kind of thing. We have a way to find resolution in a positive manner for those families.”
Elsewhere in infrastructure, the town will move forward with the repaving of Panoramic Loop. Town officials said additional streets are expected to be added to Maggie Valley’s road system during the 2025-26 fiscal year.
While no major new capital projects are included in the budget, the town continues to work through extensive stormrelated damage caused by Tropical Storm Helene. With an estimated $4.3 million in damages, Maggie Valley has already started work on the Fox Run Pipe Bridge and has completed repairs to the Flossie White room at town hall. Debris removal from public rights-ofway is also complete.
There are currently 31 employees on the town’s payroll, including seven administrative staff, 15 police officers, five public works employees and four sewer department personnel. No new hires have been requested in this budget cycle.
Hit harder than some but not as hard as others by Hurricane Helene, the Town of Maggie Valley still saw substantial damage. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Public safety remains a priority in the upcoming budget, with the purchase of two new police vehicles at a cost of $55,300 and the addition of a $7,300 license plate reader. Police Chief Matthew Boger emphasized that the technology is more than just a crime-fighting tool.
“It’s not always about criminal activity,” said Boger, who recounted a recent incident where the police department was
Engineering design for future sewer projects is expected to begin soon, and public works staff have already conducted extensive repairs to parks and greenways. The town has submitted reimbursement requests to FEMA totaling between $40,000 and $50,000, but officials expect a 60- to 90-day delay before funds are received. Projects not yet submitted now could cost more, as FEMA rejected calls from Gov. Josh Stein to extend the 100% federal funding of recovery expenses. The FEMA decision came after the town’s budget meeting.
Alderman Jim Owens was not at the meeting due to illness. Alderman Phillip Wight was absent as well, but Best said the town would schedule an additional work session for the budget, and hopefully pass whatever aldermen decide to adopt at the town’s regular June 10 meeting. By law, municipal budgets must be passed before July 1.
Over 450 Tires In Stock
Mountain Projects raises alarm on housing crisis
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF W RITER
In the face of challenges with Section 8 rental assistance, Mountain Projects
Executive Director Patsy Davis visited county commissions in both Haywood and Jackson counties this month to inform elected officials of just how dire the situation is becoming.
“I felt like as elected officials in Jackson County and our leaders, you needed to know what we’re seeing and the housing crisis that I feel is coming,” Davis told Jackson County Commissioners in a presentation April 1.
Section 8, also known as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is a federal rental assistance program that helps low-income individuals and families afford housing. It provides rental assistance by covering a portion of the rent, with families paying the rest. Between Haywood and Jackson counties, there are 1,004 vouchers available for income-qualified recipients.
“We send supplemental rental payments to a landlord to help them afford rent in the county,” said Davis.
Mountain Projects administers those vouchers in Haywood and Jackson counties as the public housing authority.
“Over the last few years, we’ve experienced a lot of challenges with rental prices in our community,” Davis said. “In May of 2023 you really start seeing rents in Haywood and Jackson County start growing rapidly.”
While the average cost of the rental assistance payment Mountain Projects provided in January 2022 was $466.60, by March of this year that number had climbed to $746.06.
In August 2024, before Hurricane Helene ravaged Western North Carolina, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) contacted Mountain Projects and told the nonprofit that the public housing authority was in a shortfall situation, meaning Mountain Projects did not have sufficient funding levels to keep paying such high rental assistance payments.
While in years past, HUD would have been able to provide more funding to Mountain Projects in order to cover the increased rental assistance payments, federal cuts to HUD programming meant that the department did not have any additional funds to give. HUD informed Mountain Projects that it couldn’t replace any vouchers it lost and froze the rental assistance department completely.
“They do not predict that we will be out of the situation in the entire year of 2025,” said Davis. “That’s creating a great hardship for the lower income residents, our elderly, our disabled.”
Davis described the predicament as a “standstill situation.”
Maximizing voucher use has been a challenge for Mountain Projects due to landlords leaving the program for the more lucrative private and vacation rental markets. The Fair Market Rents set by HUD often fall below actual market rates, but in
of a housing crisis that I feel like is coming.”
According to Davis the organization is getting 10-15 calls a week for people needing rental assistance in Jackson County.
“We do a lot of fundraising; we write every grant that comes our way, we try to put Band-Aids on people out of our donations and our resources,” David explained. “If we can avoid homelessness, we do. We know how much it costs to rehouse somebody once they become homeless and of course especially in our counties west of here, Tropical Storm Fred, Hurricane
2023 and 2024 Mountain Projects received approval from HUD to raise rent standards to 120% which makes voucher more competitive.
However, because HUD bases funding on prior-year spending, Mountain Projects is consistently underfunded for the current year as the need for vouchers rises. Additionally, with confessional stop-gap funding stuck at 2024 levels, Mountain Projects will likely remain in shortfall through 2025, unable to issue new voucher to assist families on the waiting list.
Mountain Projects closed its waiting list in October, at which point it had 552 applications for rental assistance. Of those, 137 were in Jackson County, and at that time had been waiting over 200 days for rental assistance.
In Jackson County, 44% of Mountain Projects clients are families with children, 33% are families with disabilities, 15% are elderly families and 10% are homeless families. In Haywood County, 46% of Mountain Projects clients are families with children, 32% are families with disabilities, 21% are homeless families and 18% are elderly families.
To qualify for rental assistance, household income must be below $28,850 for a single-person household, $33,000 for a twoperson household, $37,100 for a three-person household and $41,250 for a four-person household.
The fair market rent in Haywood and Jackson counties prior to Hurricane Helene was $1,250 for a one-bedroom unit.
“For somebody who’s a lower wage earner it’s really a hardship and we’re seeing families having to make really hard decisions,” said Davis. “This is really the verge
Mountain Projects has advocated to HUD, especially after Helene, but has not been able to get the shortfall status overturned.
“If you have any contacts with any elected officials on the federal level, please advocate that they unfreeze our funding,” Davis told commissioners. “Haywood and Jackson County are not like any other housing authority in this country. You can’t tell me anybody else has been through a major mill closing and two catastrophic weather events back-to-back within a three-year period. So, HUD should treat us a little bit differently, but they won’t listen to us.”
Commissioner Todd Bryson said he was deeply and personally appreciative of the work Mountain Projects does in the community.
“Y’all assist parts of my family, and if it wasn’t for the HUD, they wouldn’t have a place to live,” said Bryson. “It’s sad to see all these different folks that can’t find a place to live, but it really breaks my heart to see seniors without a place to live because many of them have worked their entire lives and now they can’t find a place to live and have to choose between a meal or housing or their power bill.”
Bryan urged Davis and Mountain Projects to approach the board with a request in the future if there was something the commission could do to help the situation.
Helene, Canton papermill closing… these are all things that’s just been piled on over the last few years.”
“We appreciate it,” Davis said. “We try not to ask for anything we don’t need but we certainly will.”
People are waiting the better part of a year to see whether they can receive a Section 8 voucher. Mountain Projects graphic
Behind closed doors
Commissioners make covert decision about Confederate statue
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF W RITER
On the morning of April 8, county employees removed commemorative plaques from the Confederate statue outside the Jackson County Library and placed them in the county’s storage facility. Few in the county, save the board of commissioners, knew the possibility of removal was even on the table.
That’s because, while the decision to install the plaques — which covered up a depiction of a Confederate flag and the words “Our Heroes of the Confederacy” — in 2021 was a highly public discussion among community members, the decision to remove it was made in secret.
The reasoning behind the decision to remove the plaque is still vague. The only commissioner who responded to requests for comment, Chairman Mark Letson, said he was not in favor of removing the plaque.
This marks the second time this year that the Jackson County Commission made a decision behind closed doors that has implications for residents.
The statue of an unnamed confederate soldier was erected outside the then-new Jackson County Courthouse 110 years ago. More recently nicknamed Sylva Sam, a 1915 article in the Jackson County Journal said the statue was a community effort to honor “the deeds of the Confederate soldiers and their wives, both living and dead.” Commission records show that the statue was paid for by
local donors and erected by the county after a vote by the county commission.
In 2020, as Black Lives Matter protests and conversations about race spread across the United States in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers, some residents of Jackson County voiced criticism that the statue glorified racism and the Confederacy. At this time, people across the country were reckoning with Confederate statues and whether they should still occupy public spaces.
At the center of these voices in Jackson County was an organization called Reconcile Sylva, which aimed to have the monument removed from the downtown area.
“Home is often a place that you feel safe, secure, and loved — those haven’t been my feelings lately as I have spent time in town and seen armed men guarding the statue of the Confederate soldier known as ‘Sylva Sam’ that stands overlooking our beautiful town,” wrote Sylva resident and Reconcile Sylva leader Kelly Brown in a letter to the editor that appeared in The Smoky Mountain News at the time.
“The way forward may be hard and require you to be uncomfortable and to confront your own biases, but it is right,” he wrote. “I hope that you will be able to proudly tell your grandchildren you were on the right side of history in deciding to remove a statue that depicts racism and hatred in our region.”
Those who remember the public discussion that broke out over what to do with the Confederate statue will also remember the voices of those who were in favor of leaving it in place exactly as it had existed for over 100 years. Many of those residents cited the desire to honor and remember ancestors in the county who had fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.
In 2020 some residents of Jackson County voiced criticism that Sylva Sam glorified racism and the Confederacy. File photo
“When we faced the decision about what to do with that monument, we sought public input,” said Gayle Woody, who was serving as a county commissioner at the time. “We reached out to the community. We had public hearings. We had over 100 people come and speak, expressing opinions on both sides.”
That summer of 2020 in Sylva, hundreds of protesters showed up for both sides of the argument — to preserve the statue in its original form and location, and to remove it or change it in some way to better represent the complex nature of the Civil War and its lasting legacy on the small mountain town.
On Aug. 4 of that year, Jackson County Commissioners voted to keep the statue in place, but to modify it. The vote came in response to a resolution from the Town of Sylva asking the county to move the statue outside city limits.
Commissioners voted to cover the Confederate flag etched into the base of the statue with a plaque describing Jackson County’s involvement in the Civil War and cover the words below the flag, “Our Heroes of the Confederacy.”
“We came up with a compromise that we felt respected the history of the original monument that was erected by the community,” said Woody. “We voted to leave the monument where it was and respect the original intent, but at the same time acknowledge that there were parts that were misconstrued in our current climate.”
Nine months later, the commission approved $14,000 to modify the Confederate monument. The Confederate flag would be covered with a large plaque that read, “Jackson County N.C. Civil War Memorial. This monument was erected by the citizens of Jackson County in memory of those who died during the American Civil War. F
Originally dedicated on September 18, 1915. Rededicated on May 11, 1996, to honor Jackson County Veterans of all wars.” The words “Our heroes of the Confederacy” would be covered with a plaque spelling out the nation’s unofficial motto, “E Pluribus Unum,” which means “out of many, one.”
“That was so important,” said Woody of the motto. “We have very many viewpoints, and we listened to all those different viewpoints, but we’re still one community. We wanted what we did to reflect everyone in our community.”
on county property and what is required to be a vote.
“We had a general discussion about what’s votable and what is part of just general practice and can be done on consensus,” said Letson. “At that point, other commissioners, once learning what the rules are, they reached out to Mr. King and expressed that they wanted to remove the plaques from the statue. And once he had consensus, he realized that he could go ahead and proceed with what was obviously a board consensus.”
“Honestly I would prefer not to have
“There should have been a discussion in public regarding this issue, in my opinion. I don’t want this to be something that happens again. If there’s a consensus that we want to act on something, we should then bring it before the public.”
— Chairman Mark Letson, Jackson County Commission
While the plaque placed on the statue in 2021 represented a sort of compromise, not everyone was happy. There were people on both sides of the issue that had hoped for a different outcome. But people were involved. Hundreds of residents protested or showed up to public comment session to make their voices heard, as the community grappled with a nuanced discussion about the legacy of the Civil War, public remembrance and race in the county in the 21st Century.
None of that type of discussion took place prior to the April 8 removal of the 2021 plaques from the Confederate statue.
Instead, commissioners decided to remove the plaque without any public discussion or vote.
According to County Manager Kevin King, “each board member, individually, shared concerns regarding the plaque added to the historic statue at the old courthouse in 2020 [sic]. After consulting with legal counsel, it was determined the plaque could be removed.”
But Chairman Letson said he was not in favor of removing the plaques.
“I was not in favor of that,” Letson told The Smoky Mountain News. “I felt we had already done this in 2020, prior to the board… had there been a vote, I would have voted to have it remain.”
Not only was Letson opposed to removing the plaques; he was also opposed to the way in which it was done.
“There should have been a discussion in public regarding this issue, in my opinion,” said Letson. “I don’t want this to be something that happens again. If there’s a consensus that we want to act on something, we should then bring it before the public.”
Decisions about what gets put on the agenda or is discussed at any meetings are determined by a majority vote of commissioners.
“You want open and positive transparency with your government, and I don’t feel like we provided that,” said Letson.
According to Letson, the board did have discussion about the “legality of doing things to county property.” He said the board had a general conversation regarding what it does
done it in this fashion, but once he had consensus, it didn’t matter, because a vote was not required per our county attorney,” Letson continued.
In North Carolina, open meetings law requires most official meetings of public bodies to be conducted in sessions open to the public. There are nine permitted purposes for meeting in closed session — to prevent the disclosure of information that is privileged or confidential; to prevent the premature disclosure of an honorary degree, scholarship, prize, or similar award; to consult with an attorney employed or retained by the public body in order to preserve the attorney-client privilege between the attorney and the public body; to discuss matters relating to the location or expansion of industries of other businesses in the area served by the public body; to establish or instruct the public body’s staff or negotiating agents concerning the position to be taken by or on behalf of the public body in negotiating contracts; to discuss personnel; to plan, conduct or hear reports concerning investigations of alleged criminal conduct; to discuss and take action regarding plans to protect public safety as it relates to existing or potential terrorist activity; and to view a recording released pursuant to G.S. 1321.4A.
This marks the second time this year that the Jackson County Commission has made a decision covertly, thereby prompting public dissent. The first came in February when commissioners voted to seek partisan school board elections.
On the agenda at commissioners’ Feb.18 meeting was a resolution to change the date of school board elections so they happen in the fall during the General Election, rather than the Primary Election. This move had been discussed previously and was largely understood to help increase voter turnout. However, when the item came up for a vote, Commissioner John Smith amended the resolution so that it also called for school board elections, previously nonpartisan, to be made partisan. Using this method, there was no notice or opportunity for public input prior to unanimous approval by the board.
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Cherokee man sentenced following murder plea
U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. sentenced Brandon Tyler Buchanan to 30 years in prison for second degree murder, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to a press release sent out by Ferguson’s office, Buchanan, 33, an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term and to pay $888,500 in restitution to the victim’s estate.
Wesson, Model M&P, .9mm handgun was later found in Buchanan’s apartment. Laboratory testing confirmed that it was the firearm Buchanan used to shoot and kill the victim.
An obituary described Toineeta as “an old soul who never met a stranger.” A 2015 graduate of Swain County High School, Toineeta was a talented all-around athlete who especially loved football, receiving MVP on the Cherokee Braves JV football team and All Conference his junior year on the Swain Maroon Devils football team. He was a partner in a local drywall company and enjoyed hunting, giving much of the fish and bear meat he got to Cherokee elders.
The murder occurred on the afternoon of Nov. 11, 2022, shortly after which, tribal police officers responded to a 911 call following reports of the shooting. When officers arrived, Buchanan admitted to shooting someone. They subsequently found the body of Kobe Toineeta not far from the apartment. He’d sustained five gunshot wounds.
Court documents show that a Smith &
“As a tribe, our collective hearts are broken over the loss of Kobe Toineeta, such a young and vibrant spirit,” read a Nov. 13, 2022, post from then Principal Chief Richard Sneed. “There are no words to properly express the magnitude of loss his family is
During the homicide investigation, police executed a search warrant at the home and found 387 oxycodone 30-milligram pills, 99 clonazepam 2-milligram pills, more than 300 grams of firearms and $13,000 cash. Buchanan and a woman he shared a residence with were initially hit with a slew of charges tied to the possession and sales of multiple kinds of illegal narcotics.
Only a few days later, Buchanan was charged with murder.
On May 31, 2024, Buchanan pleaded guilty to second degree murder and remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
‘Speed A Little. Lose A Lot’ campaign launches
The N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) is reminding drivers that speeding has life-threatening consequences.
Now through April 20, law enforcement officers throughout the state will conduct speed patrols and checkpoints to catch speeders.
The “Speed A Little. Lose A Lot.” initiative is one of many annual GHSP campaigns to curb reckless driving. The campaign emphasizes that even a small increase in speed significantly increases the risk of severe or fatal crashes.
In 2024, speeding was categorized as the fourth leading factor in crash fatalities in North Carolina. A preliminary report from the N.C. Department of Transportation states that 373 people died due to speed-related crashes.
Driving at high speeds is dangerous and decreases the driver’s ability to control the vehicle. In ideal weather conditions, a vehicle traveling 55 miles per hour will require more than 200 feet to stop completely, according to the N.C. Driver Handbook.
From hurricanes to handcuffs
Sheriff Wilke recaps a whirlwind year
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
In a year-in-review summary report released this week, Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke outlined key accomplishments and challenges from 2024, marking a year of operational growth, community engagement and the continuing fight against crime and drugs.
“Nothing remains static, particularly in the law enforcement world,” Wilke told commissioners April 8. “So much changes over time, but the trick is to stay healthy during those changes and stay up to date with things and ensure that our approaches and our policies are in conjunction with those changes.”
The 2024 report provides a comprehensive look at patrol operations, detention data, narcotics enforcement and support services while acknowledging the efforts of deputies, staff and volunteers who contributed to public safety and well-being over the past year.
Maintaining adequate levels of staffing, not only in operations but also in detention and in the 911 call center, appears to be going well, with the office currently looking at an 8% vacancy rate.
“We’ve had some real experience retire this year, and I will tell you, I had some concerns about that because you had folks that had been in that office for decades, and there’s a ‘season’ to a career in office,” Wilke said. “I’m pleased to tell you that we have some young folks in there who have come in and really stepped up to answer the call.”
Although turnover can be expected in any business or government agency, Wilke reported 74 out of 79 operational positions as filled, as of the county’s last payroll period.
has remained relatively flat, growing less than 2.1% to the current $8.8 million.
Deputies performed a wide range of duties beyond law enforcement in 2024, including mediating neighbor disputes, responding to involuntary commitments and assisting with missing persons searches — not to mention operating under extreme circumstances during Hurricane Helene.
nary.
“We had a bomb threat just before lunch at our courthouse. Courthouse was cleared by 2:00, an arrest was made and someone was sitting in Haywood County jail by 6 p.m. that evening,” Wilke said. “That is a great testament to the courthouse deputies working with our criminal investigations division.”
zens three times over,” said Wilke.
Commissioner Tommy Long asked Wilke for more details on the drug data.
“Can you kind of tell us the trajectory of how it compares to last year, year before last, the year before that, and what are you seeing?”
Wilke said some trafficking seems to be down from the previous year, because from an economics standpoint, the cost of fentanyl and meth in Haywood County is “more than twice what costs just going one county to the east, and I think a lot of that has to do with
Patrol deputies, organized into four 12hour rotating squads consisting of seven people each, responded to 3,046 reported incidents in 2024 — more than eight per day — resulting in 1,046 arrests.
The detention center is down seven employees out of a total of 48, but the school resource officer program and the 911 call center currently have no vacancies.
Calls surged to more than 180,000 in 2024. Wilke said that “most” of the increased call volume is attributable to Helene; however, the increase is part of a trend since 2022, when the office logged 160,000 calls. In 2023, HCSO reported 170,000 calls.
Over that same period, the Sheriff’s Office budget
ensuring secure judicial proceedings throughout the year. But just two weeks ago, the entire office sprang into action for an incident that was somewhat out of the ordi-
Evidence management remained a priority, with 365 new cases logged, 182 disposed of, and 207 items sent for forensic analysis.
The two teams of the Crime Suppression Unit, a specialized team focused on narcotics and high-crime areas, logged 214 arrests, including 65 trafficking charges. They executed 43 search warrants targeting nuisance locations and worked collaboratively with investigators and residents to develop long-term solutions.
Wilke’s office also recorded significant narcotics seizures throughout the year.
Methamphetamine continues to plague the region, with officers confiscating more than 5,470 grams, or about 12 pounds. Deputies also seized almost 17 pounds of cannabis, 1.25 pounds of fentanyl and smaller amounts of heroin, LSD, cocaine and morphine.
“That’s enough fentanyl to kill Haywood County’s [63,000] citi-
nine months in 2023, the office had seized more than 2.1 pounds of fentanyl, for instance.
Alluding to recent legalization of cannabis on the Qualla Boundary, Wilke reiterated his stance against it.
“This is not good, and this sheriff will never agree that marijuana is a harmless drug or that it should be legalized. Now, I understand that there are arguments for it, but I’ve seen too much destruction that it has caused,” he said. “It is a gateway drug for several people, maybe not everybody, and that’s not a popular opinion in certain sects of our community, but I’ve seen it cause too much destruction. It’s also a delivery mechanism for other drugs. You don’t know what you’re getting today. Years past, if you bought marijuana, it was grown in someone’s backyard, it had a percent of THC that I think was close to 5 to 7%. These days, you’ve got it in gummies, cookies, brownies, I mean, it’s being purveyed and sold in packages in stores. You don’t know what you’re getting. You’re getting overdoses and finding that this is a CBD gummy, and it’s laced with fentanyl or some sort of opiate.” F
Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke speaks to commissioners on April 8. Haywood County government photo
Haywood communications team wins prestigious honor
Three public information officers who serve the people of Haywood County were recently recognized in Asheville by the North Carolina City and County Communicators, a statewide network of dedicated professionals working in public information, communications, marketing and media across local governments and universities.
Dillon Huffman, public information officer for Haywood County government, Allison Richmond, public information officer for Haywood County Emergency Services and Gina Zachary, public information officer for the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, will all share a first-place award for General Use on a Single Platform — Facebook — to keep the public updated during Hurricane Helene last fall.
“I think the biggest thing we did was, we spoke with one voice across government, the sheriff’s office, public health and emergency services,” said Huffman, a former television news anchor and reporter. “We had one singular message that we hoped would cut down on confusion and let people know the message was correct.”
Another thing Huffman mentioned was that the team just never stopped — even as Helene destroyed telecommunications networks and power sources. Not knowing who had access to what forms of communication, the team continued its messaging to the benefit of the general public, the media and people outside the affected area who may have been concerned about loved ones.
The North Carolina City and County Communicators group fosters the exchange of ideas, supports career development and training and advocates for the essential role of communication in effective local government operations.
The K-9 unit logged 200 training hours, conducted 80 vehicle searches, six suspect or subject tracks, nine school searches and 25 inter-agency assists. All dogs are trained in narcotics detection and evidence recovery. Two of the six dogs are certified full patrol K9s, trained for suspect apprehension. The department also mourned the loss of K-9 Axe in 2024, who served over six years and was credited with assisting in the seizure of significant quantities of drugs, 159 firearms, and nearly $94,000 in cash. Axe’s contributions, alongside his handler Deputy Hayden Green, were praised in the report as life-saving.
The 13-member Special Response Team answered five callouts and logged 144 hours of tactical training. SRT operations included warrant services, search-and-rescue missions and barricaded suspect interventions.
Haywood County’s detention center processed 1,954 male and 878 female inmates in 2024. Officers conducted more than 77,000 head counts, 169,000 special watches and 621,000 cell checks — a reflection of both diligence and the facility’s heavy workload.
Among the top charges for inmates were failure to appear (1,449), probation/parole violations (277), and drug trafficking (245). Wilke said he was committed to reducing the number of FTAs through a “helpful reminder” program but admitted that it didn’t really have an impact on people in the “lifestyle” who were committed to absconding.
“Until we change that lifestyle, we’re really not going to change that number,” he said.
Reintegration efforts included 244 sup-
port meetings in coordination with outside groups such as Narcotics Anonymous and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Additional referrals were made to recovery court, residential treatment and veteranfocused programs.
The Sheriff’s Office also maintains a fulltime victim advocate to support individuals impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault. In 2024, the office assisted with 33 protective orders, while the nonprofit REACH of Haywood County helped secure 82 more.
The department also marked awareness events in April (Sexual Assault Awareness Month) and October (Domestic Violence Awareness Month), reinforcing its commitment to supporting survivors.
Staff processed 388 new concealed handgun permits and 839 renewals, collecting more than $23,000 in associated fees. Deputies also conducted 118 sex offender residence checks, resulting in one criminal charge.
Administrative staff handled public inquiries, fingerprinting, and front-line communication while managing nearly $50,000 in fee collections from civil services and fingerprinting.
“We are a strong and solid office, and every day, those folks come to work with the greater good in mind, and it’s because they have your support as well. And it’s important that you know that; I relay that to them all the time, and they see it, and they saw it during [Helene], and they saw it during the wildfires. They see it when it really matters.”
The full 2024 report is available through the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office.
(From left) Gina Zachary, Allison Richmond and Dillon Huffman. Haywood County government photo
Haywood farmers talk Hurricane Helene recovery, continuing loss of farmland
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
Local elected leaders and farmers, along with state and federal officials, gathered April 14 over bacon and eggs to tackle twin challenges facing Western North Carolina’s agricultural sector — ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene and the accelerating loss of prime farmland.
“Most people eat three meals a day, and they never really think much about where that food comes from,” said Don Smart, longtime president of the Haywood County Farm Bureau. “Those eggs over there and the bacon this morning comes from North Carolina. North Carolina is one of the leading poultry states in the nation, and one of the leading hog-producing states in the nation.”
billion industry that employs 10% of the state’s workforce, but the threats against it have never been more ominous.
us in agriculture as well as in non-agriculture areas with that terrible hurricane we had,” Smart said.
Last November, Rathbone joined North Carolina Executive Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency Bob Etheridge and Robert Bonnie, undersecretary for farm production and conservation at the USDA, at the WNC Regional Livestock Center, shortly after U.S. Agriculture Secretary and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack visited Asheville. All of them warned that the coming year could be a bleak one if farmers didn’t get help quick.
Rathbone, a Haywood County native, told The Smoky Mountain News that the erosion of farmland due to Helene, and the subsequent loss of productivity, was substantial.
“Everybody here seen firsthand the dev-
upcoming state budget and through unrelated bills.
“I guess the message that I want to convey to all the farmers is, we’re working as quickly as we can,” Pless said. “So we got about 23 counties with major damage. We have a lot of Christmas trees that are gone. We have a lot of farmland that’s gone. We have a lot of infrastructure, be it farms, tractors, things like that, we have a lot of farm homes that are gone.”
Adding Helene’s local damage to recent national trends noting the steady reduction in prime agricultural land means if some action isn’t taken to preserve agricultural resources, Americans will begin to take notice — from the grocery store to the
Help available for Helene farm damage
In March, the North Carolina General Assembly established an agricultural and aquacultural disaster program for producers who suffered verifiable losses in disasteraffected counties from any declared disaster in 2024, including Hurricane Helene. The deadline to apply is May 4. To learn more, visit ncagr.gov/agdisaster or call 866.645.9403 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
remaining farmland — could be lost.
Despite efforts like conservation easements and a $10 million annual allocation by the General Assembly to attract agricultural processing facilities, funding falls short. For instance, in 2024, Manning said that 100 applications for farmland preservation would require $60 million, yet only $20 million was available.
The issue hasn’t changed much since that 2024 breakfast, which has local farmers like Brandon James, of Crabtree, thinking creatively. James mentioned a state effort called the Local Agriculture Growth Zone.
has decreased from nearly 80,000 acres four
When Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina last September, it left a swath of chaos that was easily observable to most — buildings, gone; bridges, destroyed; roads, torn asunder. Somewhat less tangible tragedies, in the form of damage to agriculture and aquaculture producers, will leave a mark no less enduring on both the land and on the local economy.
“2024 was a challenging year not only for agriculture but for our community as a whole,” said Kaleb Rathbone, an assistant commissioner to N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler since 2021 who oversees agricultural programs and small farms in Western North Carolina.
impossible to be able to continue operating without some kind of support.”
The General Assembly’s latest Helene relief bill, passed last month, included $311 million for agricultural and aquacultural producers who suffered verifiable losses in disaster-affected counties in 2024. The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is May 4, with disbursements expected by midsummer.
“We’re going through a difficult time right now,” said Rep. Mark Pless, who represents Haywood and Madison counties in the General Assembly and said that he expects to see more money to come from the General Assembly, both through the
This decline is attributed to growth and development pressures, as North Carolina’s appeal as a top business destination fuels urban expansion just as tourism in the mountains squeezes the housing market and drives housing construction.
Statewide, the situation is equally alarming. At that same breakfast, Rathbone cited an American Farmland Trust study ranking North Carolina as the second most at-risk state for farmland loss by 2040, potentially losing up to 1.6 million acres.
Ryan Manning, then farmland preservation coordinator for Haywood County, warned that if those trends continue, an additional 4,400 acres — about 9% of the
“That’s where money raised by the counties or a nonprofit entity or whatever, the state will match that dollar for dollar. If we could get $100,000 or $10,000 or whatever from the county to go to some of these farmland preservation easements or pay legal fees, they can use the money to do anything to help preserve that,” James said, with Haywood County Commission Chair Kevin Ensley and Vice Chair Brandon Rogers looking on intently.
James added that the state will now match up to $2 million, Troxler had told him that a county down east had implemented a procedure whereby the back taxes from farmland that’s coming out of farm use would go into the state’s farmland preservation fund.
Afton Roberts, representing her family’s multigenerational farm in Swain County, has another idea — using a portion of money collected by county tourism development authorities to endow a dedicated preservation fund. Specifically mentioning Haywood County’s $3 million in annual collections, she said 15% of that would generate $450,000 a year.
Such use of TDA money isn’t likely possible right now due to legal requirements in how TDAs spend their money; however, Pless has filed a bill to abolish Haywood’s TDA and told The Smoky Mountain News he’d be open to reimagining how a reestablished TDA’s revenue could benefit locals more than it already does.
Just as without wild game sanctuaries and wild game laws there’d be no more game, Smart said, the same thing is happening to Haywood County’s farmland.
“We’re losing our rural character and I think we all try to keep some of it,” he said. “So that’s why I’m an advocate, to try to get some of these farmers and farms to hold on.”
For most North Carolina farmers, 2024 was a challenging year. Cory Vaillancourt photo
As Earth Day nears, let’s talk plastic pollution
Picture this — your bottle of body wash, discarded and forgotten, now sits floating in the Pacific Ocean, mingling with millions of others in a toxic soup of waste. Like you, I toss containers into the trash without thinking twice. A few weeks ago, I threw away a bottle of Axe body wash, but just before I did, I glanced at the ingredients. As my eyes scanned the long list, they caught on something at the bottom. In small-branded print, it said, “Unilever.” What’s Unilever? Perplexed, I looked at another item, a bottle of Dove shampoo. It said the same thing — Unilever.
After a quick search, I discovered Unilever is one of the most lucrative brands in the world, and one of the largest producers of single-use plastics. The company also owns Ben & Jerry’s, Degree, Suave, Popsicle and others — raking in billions of dollars in annual revenue and pumping thousands of tons of plastics into our environment. I go through about three large containers of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner per year in shower products alone, and I’m only one person in a world of eight billion.
Plastics now reach every corner of the Earth. According to an article published by the Geneva Environment Network, plastics have been found on Mount Everest, in the Mariana Trench and in the Arctic. Plastics are now ubiquitous with the natural environment.
How did we get to this point? The answer is complex, and although consumers play a role, it begins and ends with the companies that make plastic our only option. Plastic in some form has been around since the early 1900s but became widely popular in the 1960s as a sanitary, versatile and cheap alternative to materials like wood and glass. From cars to fast food packaging to clothing, people couldn’t get enough of it. It wasn’t until the 1980s, however, when scientists discovered that plastics never fully decompose, but instead, break down into ever-smaller pieces, known as microplastics. As consumers became increasingly aware of plastics’ harm, conscientiousness increased.
Companies profiting from plastics were listening and came up with a “solution” to ease consumer worries. Enter
Trump has never really had to work
To the Editor:
Migrant/immigrant workers know what real work is, tending crops under a blazing sun that provide the food that we eat, doing jobs that no one else wants to do. Isn't it a bit ironic that thousands of workers are being deported by a president who never worked a day in his life.
Paul Strop
Waynesville
Let’s keep debate focused on facts
To the Editor:
My family has called Webster, N.C., home for six generations. In the past I have served the community as the vice mayor of Webster,
recycling. Recycling was initiated in the 1980s and plastic companies have been pushing it on consumers ever since. In an effort to continue growing profits, companies who make plastics such as ExxonMobil promote recycling as a way to combat the waste they create, even though they know that recycling will never fix such a gargantuan problem. The fact of the matter is, recycling is expensive and not a feasible alternative to producing new plastics, which is less expensive. The issue is purely economical. Instead of finding true solutions, companies are redirecting it onto consumers so they can continue to profit. Today, 90% of consumer products contain plastics, and less
Companies want a complacent consumer, so they make us think recycling is a much larger production than it actually is. Through manipulative marketing, we assume we’re doing good by tossing our items in the recycling bin, but really it’s all a strategic tactic to keep us buying.
We are voraciously consuming these products — bottles, bags, straws, soap containers — and polluting our world, while conglomerates like Unilever and ExxonMobil line their pockets with the destruction they’ve wrought.
Our beaches are dirtier, our lakes less clear and the air more polluted. It’s time regulations were put in place for these companies so that progress can be made. We must become vigilant in creating a cleaner world for future generations.
Whether we like it or not, this is our reality. A major part of the blame has to be placed on greedy corporations, but that doesn’t mean we as consumers are innocent. We are the ones using plastic products every day. We all have a responsibility in restoring our planet. Picking up bottles and cans on the sidewalk or using reusable grocery bags are small ways to help but won’t lead to seismic change. To really move the needle, we need to look at what's worked before.
LETTERS
president of the Webster Memorial Cemetery Fund and currently serve on the Webster Board of Adjustments and as a board member on the Webster Historical Society. I am not registered with any political party and follow no pre-ordained political agenda.
In my opinion Chad Jones’ recent guest column is a perfect example of the pot calling the kettle black. He accuses opponents of the new gas station project on N.C. 107 of hidden political agendas, while openly acknowledging his own political identity, one that clearly shapes his interpretation of this entire issue.
Let’s be clear: opposition to the Lewis gas station is not rooted in some backroom political plot. It simply comes from a place of concern — about the environment, traffic safety, overdevelopment, local history and character. These are real, tangible issues that affect the residents of our community, regardless of political affiliation.
In 2022, the Philippines signed into effect The Philippines’ Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law that fines companies nearly $200,000 for failing to manufacture plastic that isn’t sent directly to recycling facilities. The first year, companies were required to divert 40% to recycling, increasing by 10% each year. By the fifth year, 80% will be turned into recycling facilities. India, South Korea, Japan, Chile and the European Union implemented similar policies. In the Philippines that year, plastics dumped into the ocean fell by 80%, and it cut plastic-produced greenhouse gas emissions by 25%. This policy implements a system that places the responsibility of recycling on the company, not the consumer.
Given the current political climate in the U.S., it will be an arduous task to replicate a policy similar to what is in place in the Philippines. Many opinion articles detail why plastic companies should pay for their harm but neglect how to initiate change. To get legislation in place, consumers have a role to play. Call your congressperson, join a protest, share information with everyone you know, donate to research. Most importantly, become more intentional with the items you’re consuming. It starts with us, the ones who consume plastic products and keep plastic companies afloat.
If we continue on this road of indifference, the coming years will only compound the destruction we’ve caused. We’re quickly moving toward a world that looks very different from the one we’ve enjoyed for eons. The truth is that companies don’t care about you and they don’t appear to care about the environment. Their priority is the bottom line. If we don’t change the system, we can’t change the outcome. With impetus from consumers, governments will hopefully enact laws that restrict the use of plastics. These laws will force companies to change their wasteful ways, helping us build a cleaner future.
(Brooks Barbee is a Haywood County native and a sophomore at Christ School in Asheville. The original version of this op-ed was written as an assignment for his AP Language and Composition course taught by Mr. William Gordon. Earth Day is April 22, but awareness of human consumption should be a concern every day.)
Jones says this is a “kerfuffle” with shady motives, but in doing so, he engages in the very thing he claims to condemn: politicizing a local issue. When he says, “I believe we have a couple people out there spearheading this for other reasons,” he offers no evidence — just speculation that conveniently aligns with his political beliefs. That’s not civic engagement, that’s conspiracy theorizing.
He frames support for the project as “keeping it local” and wraps it in a narrative of loyalty to local business. That’s fine, but it ignores that being local doesn't automatically mean being above criticism. If people have concerns about the environmental impact or how this project fits into broader development plans for our community, they have every right to voice them — without being accused of carrying out partisan attacks.
Jones asks, “Would they go after him ... if he were the Chairman of the Jackson County GOP?”, but in the same breath, he brings political roles into this. He is essentially
admitting that he views the world through a MAGA political lens, and yet criticizes others for possibly doing the same. That’s not objectivity; that’s projection.
This gas station debate deserves open discussion, not finger-pointing and political paranoia. Not everyone who disagrees with a project is part of some political scheme. Sometimes, people just want to protect the place they call home.
Let’s keep the conversation focused on facts, transparency and the long-term health of our community — not political distractions.
Neal
To the Editor:
Since adolescence, I have stood
F
Morgan Webster
Term limits are not a cure all
To the Editor:
To prescribe term limits for what ails Congress is like offering bleach for COVID19. It can’t help. It is likely to make matters worse. It’s a distraction from what ought to be done.
Term limits, adopted by initiative, ruined Florida’s legislature when they took effect in 2000. They didn’t just purge the most experienced members. They also insured that new ones would not be around long enough to remember or learn the mistakes of the past. Worse, it put them even more under the thumbs of the lobbyists and House and Senate leadership cliques.
As in most legislatures, the Florida Senate president and House speaker make committee assignments and decide what bills will be brought to the floor for a chance to pass. It’s not democratic. The presiding officers are chosen up to six years in advance solely by the other members of the majority party who’ll be term limited. On one occasion, as few as 13 people made that fateful choice for speaker. Six years later, he boasted that his members were “like sheep,” waiting to be told what to do.
Some of us watching from the press galleries saw how it tamed people who, before term limits, would have stood up for themselves and their constituents. And that socalled “reform” did nothing to accelerate turnover. Rather than run against entrenched incumbents whom the lobbyists would favor, aspiring lawmakers simply began waiting for term limits to open their chosen seats.
That’s what would surely happen to the Congress too, where there’s too little competition as it is. What’s wrong with Congress can be said in two words: money and gerrymandering. Both could be cured in the same way as it would take to adopt term limits: constitutional amendment. That’s difficult, to be sure, but the effort should be spent on what’s worthwhile, not what’s wrong. One amendment should instruct the
for the principles and platform of the Republican Party, especially in the area of fiscal restraint. I watched as several previous administrations bloated the national budget — recently by $2 trillion annually. Fiscal responsibility was ignored as many raided the “pork barrel,” spending our children’s heritage and shackling them with debt that could render our nation insolvent.
During the Biden years, money was printed to meet every conceivable desire, bringing the debt to $36 trillion. Several congressmen have pleaded for fiscal restraint to no avail. Finally, President Trump serves as the “Man in the Arena,” leading the effort to fix the problem, and for that, he is cussed, threatened and berated almost continually by people who apparently have little concern about the problems that plague us. The goal is a balanced budget and a vibrant economy — things that strengthen the United States. Raising four great-grandchildren, a balanced budget is not optional; to meet the needs of these precious kids, we deny our-
Supreme Court that “Congress and the states may establish restrictions on money to be spent directly or indirectly on election and referendum campaigns.”
The other should tell the court that “congressional districts may not be created to advantage or disadvantage any political party or candidate.”
It’s the Supreme Court, after all, that put our government on the auction block with a series of amendments dating as far back as 1976 that equated the spending of money to free speech. The result? Paid “speech” has drowned out free speech. The Supreme Court also gave free reign to gerrymandering by refusing to overturn it except where the motivation is clearly to discriminate against racial minorities. Republicans, Democrats and minority party members are entitled to no protection.
There are 435 seats in the U.S. House. The Cook Political Report rates only 18 of them as tossups next year. A recent letter in The Smoky Mountain News recommends a website that calls for a constitutional convention to authorize term limits for Congress. A constitutional convention is a bad idea for many reasons, not the least of which is the vast sums of money that would be raised and spent to control it
Despite what the sponsors claim, there would be no limits on the damage it could propose. Remember that the first convention, in 1787, was supposed to only recommend amendments to the ineffective Articles of Confederation, not replace them. A look at that website shows that it’s also a front for President Trump, which is another good reason to shun it. Term limits are a beguiling notion, to be sure. But they’re powerfully antidemocratic. The people should be able to elect whom they want as long as they want. What they need is fair districting and campaigns shaped by ideas rather than torrents of dark money.
Martin A. Dyckman Asheville
selves some of the pleasures of “retirement.”
So far, it is working, and we are blessed. (Philippians 4:11) But, I still wonder why any American, knowing the state of affairs, doesn’t want things trimmed down. What part of “necessary” don’t they understand? What part of fiduciary responsibility can we ignore? Sooner or later, there will come a Day of Reckoning.
I have watched as Democratic politicians have criticized persons involved in this “work to right the ship.” Perhaps they think this will enamor them in the eyes of the voters in 2026. I believe most Americans have enough common sense to read this for what it is — a tantrum of a spoiled group who have had their way, dragging the country down in the process — and who have no appreciation for those who honestly pledge to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Budgetary restraint is part of the process.
David A Williams, Waynesville
Taking the wheel
Following Helene flooding, Canton art collective to reopen
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR
Last Thursday afternoon, dark storm clouds overtook downtown Canton. Sitting on a couch in the Cold Mountain Art Collective on Adams Street, Hannah Burnisky gazes out at the raindrops sliding down the large front windows of the business.
“I love rainy days,” Burnisky noted. “I’m one of those moody weather people. It doesn’t really trigger me, [at least] until they start calling for flood advisories.”
Owner of CMAC, Burnisky is an acclaimed potter and instructor at the studio/gallery. With over 50 artisan members as part of the CMAC, the small, one-story 102-year-old building has become a beacon for creativity and community within the tightly knit mountain town.
Last September, the CMAC was overtaken by devastating floodwaters due to Hurricane Helene. When the nearby Pigeon River spilled over its banks, over seven-and-a-half feet of water quickly enveloped the structure.
“It was Saturday around 1 p.m., and I rounded the top corner here on Main Street and saw [the building] — it was heartbreaking and emotional,” Burnisky said. “[The floodwaters]
had peaked. And I sat there for a few hours, just watching the waters recede. As soon as it was low enough, [officials] let me come in and look at everything.”
The floodwaters busted out windows, destroyed furniture and filled the CMAC with a thick, slippery, smelly layer of mud and rotting debris. Burnisky stood there amid the absolute demise of her dream.
“As the waters were receding, we watched our picnic table float around, and it ended up down by the train tracks,” Burnisky slightly grinned, signaling a much-needed sense of humor in dark times. “And it still had the flower pots on it, so I went and retrieved those.”
Luckily, the day before the historic storm, Burnisky was able to pack up most of the art-
Want to go?
The “Grand Re-Reopening” of the Cold Mountain Art Collective will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 19, at the gallery, located at 33 Adams St. in downtown Canton.
Roll Up Herbal Bar (artisan nonalcoholic beverages) will also be onsite. There will be complimentary “fairy hair,” sweet treats, popcorn, a raffle and more. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.492.1333, email coldmountainartcollective@gmail.com or visit coldmountainartcollective.com.
work in the gallery.
“I spent all of my time getting every bit of artwork out of the gallery, loaded it into my [car] and took it home,” Burnisky said. “Because if something had happened to all of the artwork, I don’t think I would’ve recovered as well.”
To note, this is the second time the CMAC has been flooded since it launched almost four years ago. Back in August 2021, after being open only four days, it was inundated by the Pigeon due to Tropical Storm Fred. Burnisky reopened the facility later that year.
“I knew immediately I was going to rebuild, even seeing my building submerged,” Burnisky said of the Helene aftermath.
The “Grand Re-Reopening” of CMAC will be held on April 19. Beyond the gallery art-
work for sale and its studio members, the CMAC will once again offer an array of ceramic classes and other workshops.
“It’ll be emotional. It’s exciting and also terrifying,” Burnisky said of the upcoming celebration. “I’m just trying to take it one step at a time, one foot in front of the other. I’m ready to welcome the community back more than anything.”
Thankfully, Burnisky had flood insurance. But that doesn’t erase the trauma experienced or the long road to recovery for the CMAC. Tear down the walls to the studs. Spray for mold. Sweep out the mud. Put up new drywall. Repaint everything. Hang-up the artwork again. Rebuild. Repeat. Even Burnisky’s young children helped out.
“My [then eight-year-old] son was shoveling mud out onto the street and the excavator would come over, scoop it up, take it away and wave [to him],” Burnisky reminisced “He had on his work boots and his overalls. He was just ready to get at it.”
Originally from Asheville, Burnisky initially pursued a career as an English teacher, but it was a spur of the moment decision to take a beginner’s ceramic class at AB-Tech that forever shifted the trajectory of her life.
“It was just a very basic wheel class, but it was so hands-on, and I’m a very hands-on, texture-oriented kind of person,” Burnisky said. “That’s the kind of art I love, and it always upset me that we didn’t have a ceramics class in high school. The second I got into ceramics, I knew ‘this is it.’”
From there, Burnisky rented kilns in Asheville’s River Arts District. Eventually, she wanted a place of her own, and in her own style and theme. Once Burnisky became a stay-at-home mother, she knew it was her chance to become a full-time artist. In 2017, the young family relocated to Canton, with CMAC coming to fruition thereafter.
“These artistic voices need to be heard,” Burnisky said of the importance of why places like CMAC need to exist. “People need a creative outlet, and I just want to be an advocate for those voices.”
The Cold Mountain Art Collective in Canton will reopen April 19 following the devastating flood of Hurricane Helene last September.
Garret K. Woodward photo
Walking outside, Burnisky looks up at the storm clouds, her eyes slowly descending and scanning the building, her mind undoubtedly thinking about all she’s been through with CMAC and everything the structure has witnessed in its century-old existence.
Soon, Burnisky points to a set of small, newly-placed plaques on the inside of one of the outer doorways. It’s the waterline markers for each of the four floods that have hit the building since the dawn of the 21st century.
The lower plaque states “Tropical Storm Fred/August 17, 2021/32 Inches,” with the next two as follows: “Hurricane Frances/September 8, 2004/4 Feet” and “Hurricane Ivan/September 17, 2004/5 Feet 6 Inches.” Standing on your tippy toes, the top plaque reads: “Hurricane Helene/September 27, 2024/7 Feet 7 Inches.”
“She’s gone through a lot, survived a lot,” Burnisky said of the building. “And as long as she’s still standing, I’ll continue coming back.”
This must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
‘I’m young in eternity, I’m old in my father’s face’
Iwoke up this morning with this heavy feeling of how fast time is moving. I mean, in essence, time doesn’t exist and everything is all one moment. But, I still see those increasing grey hairs in my beard and wellearned laugh wrinkles in my face.
Regardless, the heaviness came from thinking about how far away some faces are in the rearview mirror, how fast the speedometer is tracking, how blurry and unknown the faces are on the horizon out the windshield of the vehicle of my intent, come hell or high water.
And I think of this quote I recently came across: “Remember, you haven’t yet met all the people in your life who’ll love you.” That sentiment has been rolling around in my head, all while the last whispers of winter are fading into the ether, the trees blossoming across the mountain ridge facing my humble abode apartment.
es of my mind. Those images, interactions and interpretations of elementary, middle and high school. College chaos. Early 20s missteps. Still more missteps in your 30s. Step into your 40s with heartache, a pile of bills and a BetterHelp.com subscription.
No matter, for your life and every single thing in it is, well, “one thing,” you know?
To that, there’s been a few things that the universe has thrown my way in the last couple of weeks that have made me question where I stand. I told my therapist last week that “I feel like the universe has it out for me right now.” To which, she replied stoically, “Well, maybe you should look at it as, ‘The universe is looking out for me.’”
And she’s right. Instead of being all humho about how certain cards in your deck have fallen, why not see it as trusting the process? And realizing that when things shift and filter out of your daily life, then there’s room now created to manifest and cultivate your true self and every beautiful person, place or thing that may encompass.
Which just reminded me of something a buddy of mine said, “It’s not about the cards you’re dealt, it’s about how well you play your hand.” True that, my brother. True that. Just when you feel like folding and asking for another hand from the card dealer (God, the universe, whatever), usually something crosses your path and reminds you just how lucky you are to be alive and present in this current reality.
As I continue down the rabbit hole of weekly online therapy sessions, I find myself also traversing down Memory Lane. Peeling back the layers of my youth and young adulthood, it’s been this journey into the far reach-
called up all our riffraff cronies and invited them over for Saturday night shenanigans. Don’t forget: BYOB. Extra points for stolen liquor from your parents’ cabinet.
By nightfall, streams of headlights poured down the old, desolate farm road to the house. Beer pong and card games. Stereo blasting the local rock station 99.9 WBTZ. Labatt Blue beer bottles shoved into the snowbanks outside. Tom’s dog wandering around the rooms. And all of those oncefamiliar faces talking to you, talking to everyone else. Faces you’d date later in life, others you still keep in touch with.
Those once-familiar faces are parents themselves now, many of which having teenage kids of their own as we speak. They’re teachers and law enforcement officers, insurance and car salesmen, small business owners and doctors. Some are still MIA, seeing as once we graduated high school, certain folks just wanted to get the heck out of our cow town and run for the nearest major city or furthest state on the map.
And here I sit in a coffee shop in Waynesville, North Carolina, just about 1,100 miles from my hometown. And 18-hour or so drive (depending on traffic) door-to-door to my parents’ farmhouse. Tom and I are still in cahoots, thankfully. I haven’t called Rouses Point home in 22 years. Lots of physical and emotional miles between that starting line and my current position. Some 13 years here at the newspaper, too. The work remains bountiful. Gratitude remains.
The journey is never over. The quest for your true self will remain until the last moment you’re awake on this earth. I think of that quote from Keith Richards, guitarist for The Rolling Stones, in the documentary “Under the Influence”: “You’re not grown up until the day they put you six feet under. You’re never grown up.”
Later in that same film, Richards goes, “Life’s a funny thing. Nobody wants to get old, but they don’t want to die young, either.” And just as I’m typing this, “Drive” from rock act Incubus echoes through the headphones. I remember vividly when that song hit the airwaves in 2000/2001. Back then, I was a teenager and thought I already knew everything, or at least how everything might unfold. Funny, eh?
And I remember the exact first time I heard “Drive.” It was the morning after a house party at my best buddy Tom’s house. To preface, I grew up in Rouses Point, New York, on the Canadian Border along Lake Champlain. Tom lived right over the bridge in Isle La Motte, Vermont, a tiny island in the middle of the lake. This was the middle of winter, so the landscape was covered in snow and ice.
I woke up on a recliner in Tom’s living room. A slight headache and cottonmouth from the booze and cigarettes. “Drive” was on MTV in the corner, the number soaking into my body and soul. To note, Tom’s parents were gone for the weekend, so, of course, we
The sunshine warms my face exiting the coffee shop to answer a phone call. I again notice the nearby trees and all the new leaves each is sprouting. I think of all of the heavy, emotional baggage I left on the side of the road this past winter. And I think of the endless possibilities in the “here and now” of spring, and what else might just be happily waiting around the corner to surprise me this year.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
HOT PICKS
1
Jazz/swing duo Russ Wilson & Hank Bones will perform at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville.
2
Wayne Erbsen will share his new book, “Southern Mountain Music” and play live music at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
3
A rising Americana/bluegrass act, the Asheville Mountain Boys, will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville.
4
Jam-rock ensemble Prophets of Time will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, April 18, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva.
5
The “Easter Hat Parade” will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 19, in downtown Dillsboro.
Snapped at a lounge in Toronto, Canada. Garret K. Woodward photo
Blow the tannery whistle
Rain on the scarecrows (concluded)
Principal Chief of the Cherokees, John Crowe. This was back in 1976 and the Tennessee Valley Authority had announced their plans to flood the Tellico Plains. Although the Cherokees did not occupy Tellico, the region was considered significant to the Cherokees since it had traditionally been their sacred burial ground.
Crowe voiced his opposition to the proposed flooding. Eventually, the TVA agreed to consider recompense to the Cherokees and ended by offering a strip of land on which they would build a museum in honor of Sequoyah. The museum would become the property of the Cherokees and they would be entitled to staff and operate the museum for profit. However, before construction could begin, the TVA discovered that the water of the new dam had already flooded the area where Sequoyah had lived. Plans were immediately developed to “rebuild” Sequoyah’s birth place and work began.
By the time the museum was complete, John Crowe was no longer principal chief, so once again I was fortunate to be the driver for the new Principal Chief, Robert Youngdeer.
So it was in 1986 that Chief Youngdeer and I drove to Tellico to meet with the archaeology team that had assembled approximately one hundred remains of the Cherokees that had been removed and
impressive list of legal forms that Chief Youngdeer was required to sign. Things ground to a halt when Chief Youngdeer refused to sign any document until he understood what it was.
One of the most important issues was in a document that gave the archaeology office the right to reclaim the remains if they were needed to further medical knowledge that concerned the health of Cherokees. I am not sure that I understood why this was an issue; however, Chief Youngdeer made it clear that the remains would never be returned, and that he intended to take steps to see that the remains were safe.
He told the archeology staff that he intended to take some of the remains on the Appalachian Trail and bury them in obscure locations. He also stated that he intended to take the majority of the remains and bury them at the Sequoyah Museum under several tons of concrete. I do not know what Chief Youngdeer did with those remains that we brought back to Cherokee, but I am confident that they are beyond recall to the archaeology team.
The actual dedication of the Sequoyah Museum was an impressive affair. The entire Tribal Council was in attendance, as well as an impressive number of TVA officials and state officials. Robert Bushyhead, a well-known tribal personality and actor was the guest speaker, and the Museum
impressive display of carvings, paintings and masks. All went well until Bushyhead was concluding his speech, and suddenly, the manager of the museum came rushing to the speaker’s stand to announce that they had a “bomb threat.” Yes, the Scarecrow called!
In 15 minutes, there was no one left at the site of the museum except the fellow who was the janitor and me. I decided not to go, but I visited the museum where the manager had removed the money form the cash register, but the display of arts and crafts were untouched, including a large statue of Sequoyah. A few cars returned eventually, but the dedication ceremony was over. I decided to leave, too, and as I passed through Vanore, I turned on my car radio.
“Rain on the scarecrow, blood on the plow! This land fed a nation; this land made me proud.”
(Gary Carden is one of Southern Appalachia’s most revered literary figures and has won a number of significant awards for his books and plays over the years, including the Book of the Year Award from the Appalachian Writers Association in 2001, the Brown Hudson Award for Folklore in 2006 and the North Carolina Arts Council Award for Literature in 2012. His most recent book, “Stories I lived to tell,” is available at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva, or online through uncpress.org.)
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Brian Ashley Jones & Melanie Jean (Americana/country) April 16 and Marc & Anita Pruett (Americana/bluegrass) April 23. All shows begin at 5 p.m. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-events/livemusic.
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host The Russ Wilson Duo (swing/jazz) 7:15 p.m. April 19 for a special dinner performance ($70 per person, includes tax and gratuity). Limited seating. Reservations required. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” with Mike Kinnebrew (singer-songwriter) April 23. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Admission is $40 per person. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com/orchardsessions.
• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host Las Montanitas (Latin/world) May 22. Tickets are “pay what you can” ($25, $15, $5). 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Alma Russ (Americana/folk) April 16, Logan Sempsrott (singer-songwriter) April 18, Hot Dog Sunrise (rock/jam) April 19, Natti Love Joys (reggae/roots) 3 p.m. April 20, Laura Thurston (singer-songwriter) April 24, Different Light April 25 and Lori & The Freightshakers (classic rock/country gold)
Scotsman welcomes Asheville Mountain Boys
A rising Americana/bluegrass act, the Asheville Mountain Boys, will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville.
A super-group of sorts, the outfit is a well-oiled machine of some of the finest pickers and grinners around in Southern Appalachia. It features John Duncan (banjo/fiddle), Zeb Gambill (mandolin), Jacob Brewer (bass) and Marshall Brown (guitar).
The sheer beauty and fundamental foundation of bluegrass music resides in one simple truth about the tones, textures and talents within the “high, lonesome sound” — its timelessness.
A song written and recorded a century ago could (and often does) sound as fresh, relevant and soothing right now in this exact moment in time. Whereas something conceived and captured today could have the same historic parameters and effect on the sentimental, jovial mindset as it did decades previous.
Case-in-point, the Asheville Mountain Boys are the latest bluegrass ensemble to make waves around Western North Carolina when it comes to real deal, high-quality acoustic melodies in the realms of Americana, folk, roots and mountain music.
The show is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.246.6292 or visit scotsmanpublic.com.
Asheville Mountain Boys will play Waynesville April 19. File photo
(piano/R&B) April 26. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrew-
(Cherokee) will host Chicago (classic rock) 9 p.m. April 18. For tickets, click on caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” 6-9 p.m. Thursdays ($5 cover), Zorki (singer-songwriter) 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, “Bluegrass Brunch” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays (free) and the “Salon Series” with Ben Nichols (Americana/indiefolk) 8:30 p.m. April 24 (admission is $55.20 per person, tax included). 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host Shane Meade & Rob Masten (indie/folk) April 19. All events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.226.0262 / innovation-brewing.com.
• Junction Pub (Sylva) will host “Open Jam” 7 p.m. Sundays, “Open Mic” 6 p.m. Thursdays, Breakcutters April 18, Rich Manz Trio (oldies/acoustic) April 19, Blended Hemp April 25 and Acoustic Reign April 26. All events begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.370.2090 / facebook.com/jctpub.
• Lands Creek Log Cabins (Bryson City) will host the “Sprang Thing Festival” with an array of local acts April 18-19. 828.488.9793 / landscreeklodge.com.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Scott Stambaugh (singer-songwriter) April 18, The V8s (oldies/R&B) April 19 and Tim Akins
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music Bingo” 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Prophets of Time (rock/jam) April 18 and Tim Akins (piano/R&B) April 25. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Listening Room (Franklin) will host Michael Reno Harrell (singer-songwriter) 2:30 p.m. May 3. Suggested donation $20. Located at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
• Macon County Public Library (Franklin) will host The Vagabonds (Americana) at 2 p.m. the first and third Monday and a “Song Circle” open jam from 3-6 p.m. the first Tuesday each month. Free and open to the public. 828.524.3600 or fontanalib.org.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host “Open Mic Night” with Frank Lee every Thursday, Shane Meade & Rob Masten (Americana) April 18 and Alma Russ (Americana/folk) April 25. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Otto Community Center (Otto) will host James Thompson (Americana) 4 p.m. April 18. Bring a beverage and snack of your choice. Free and open to the public. 770.335.0967 / go2ottonc.com.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host Gnarly Fingers (classic
rock) April 19 and “Songwriters Showcase 52” April 26. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.
Rock, jam at Lazy Hiker
Jam-rock ensemble Prophets of Time will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, April 18, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva.
A multi-genre blending rock band hailing from the mountains of Western North Carolina, the Prophets of Time are composed of six freewheeling spirits, the culmination of which being an energetic live show built around danceable rock-n-roll music.
The show is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.349.2337 or visit lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub
Prophets of Time will play Sylva April 18. File photo
On the beat
‘Mouth of the South’ returns to Classic Wineseller
Jazz/swing duo Russ Wilson & Hank Bones will perform at 7:15 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at The Classic Wineseller in Waynesville.
His voice will stop you in your tracks. Known as the “Mouth of the South,” Wilson is a bridge to an era, a time when style and class were synonymous with musicianship and showmanship.
A beloved crooner in Western North Carolina, Wilson performs in as many different and varied groups as there are days in the week.
One day, Wilson will jump in with an old-time gypsy jazz outfit at a wine lounge playing selections from the 1920s and 1930s, the next, he’ll be adorned in a tuxedo fronting a 16piece big band orchestra onstage playing numbers from the 1940s and 1950s.
Tickets are $70 per person, which includes music, food, tax and gratuity. Beverages are extra. Limited seating. Reservations required.
For more information and a full menu, call 828.452.6000 or visit classicwineseller.com.
Bryson City community jam
A community jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 17, on the front patio of the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.
Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer or anything unplugged is invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in, or you can just stop by and listen. The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of the Sawmill Creek Porch Band.
The community jams offer a chance for musicians of all ages and levels of ability to share music they have learned over the years or learn old-time mountain songs. The music jams are offered to the public each first and third Thursday of the month — spring, summer, fall. This program received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment of the Arts.
For more information, call 828.488.3030.
On the street
Greening Up the Mountains
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host R.A. Nightingale (singer-songwriter) 6:30 p.m. April 15, Cristina Soto (singer-songwriter) April 18, Michael Kitchens (singer-songwriter) April 19, Jamie Rasso (singer-songwriter) 6:45 p.m. April 22, “Karaoke By Spoon” 6:30 p.m. April 23, Paul Bowman (singer-songwriter) April 24, “Open Mic With Dirty Dave” 6:30 p.m. April 25 and Joe Munoz (singer-songwriter) April 26. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host Kevin Dolan & Paul Koptak April 17, Asheville Mountain Boys (Americana/bluegrass) April 19, Rheva & Keegan (Celtic/folk) 11 a.m. April 20 and Rich Manz Trio (oldies/acoustic) April 24. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 / scotsmanpublic.com.
• Slanted Window Tasting Station (Franklin) will host Harvest String Duo (Americana) 6 p.m. April 18, “SWTS Third Anniversary Party” noon April 19 and Adam & Joe 6 p.m. April 25. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.
• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) will host a Community Jam 5:30-7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.479.3364 / stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with Melissa McKinney (singer-songwriter) April 17 and Remedy 58 (blues/soul) April 24. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public.
828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
• Twisted Spoke Food & Tap (Maggie Valley) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.926.1730 / facebook.com/twistedspokerestaurant.
• Unplugged Pub (Bryson City) will host Mountain Gypsy (Americana) April 17 (free), Bo Bullman (singer-songwriter) April 18, Mile High Band (classic rock/country gold) April 19, “Line Dancing” 7 p.m. April 23 (free), “Karaoke Night With Lori” April 24 (free), Rock Holler April 25 and Second Chance April 26. All shows are $5 at the door unless otherwise noted and begin at 8 p.m. 828.538.2488 / unpluggedpub.com.
• Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host J.R. Williams (singer-songwriter) 2 p.m. April 19 and Rene Russell (Americana/roots) 2 p.m. April 27. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 / valleycigarandwineco.com.
• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Jason” Tuesdays, “Tom’s Trivia” Wednesdays and Fine Line April 18. All shows and events begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.7440 / valleytavern.com.
• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host Rail Town April 19, David Crisp April 20 and Breeze Cable April 27. All shows begin at 2 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.
• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts
Presented by the Town of Sylva, the 27th annual Greening Up the Mountains festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 26, along Main Street and Bridge Park in Sylva.
The festival is a heritage arts gathering that celebrates the arrival of spring through both traditional and contemporary forms of Appalachian art, music, food and beverage which honor our community and local artisans. First created in conjunction with Earth Day celebrations, the festival still thrives to be good stewards of the beautiful mountain town and surrounding area.
In addition to over 150 arts, crafts and food vendors, attendees can enjoy a 5k run, demonstrations of blacksmithing and glass blowing, beverage arts featuring local craft breweries, children’s activities and live music throughout the day.
The live music schedule for the Bridge Park Music stage is as follows: TLQ+2 (10-11 a.m.), Maggie Valley Band (11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.), Bird In Hand (1-2 p.m.) and Robertson Boys (2:30-4 p.m.)
For more information and a full schedule of events and activities, visit greeningupthemountains.com.
Greening Up the Mountains returns to Sylva April 26. File photo
Russ Wilson will play Waynesville April 19. File photo
Pigeon Community ‘Storytellers Series’
The Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center in Waynesville has recently announced its 2025 “Pigeon Community Conversations with Storytellers Series.”
This curated series will showcase awardwinning storytellers from Western North Carolina’s African American, Latino and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian communities.
Through live storytelling, readings, music and focused questions, the “Pigeon Community Conversations with Storytellers Series” examines the purpose and power of storytelling in underrepresented communities.
• May 8: LaKisha Blount explores the essence of her experiences and generational stories of Black mountain life in Appalachia through her figurative oil paintings. Using bold colors, gritty textures of layered paint and intricate markings, Blount aims to capture the raw emotion and beauty of everyday life.
• June 12: Joseph Drew Lanham is an American author, poet, wildlife biologist and 2022 MacArthur Fellowship-winner for his work “combining conservation science with personal, historical and cultural narratives of nature.”
• July 10: Kelle Jolly is an “AffrilachianGeorgia-lina-Peach,” embracing a rich blend of cultural influences. Through the art of storytelling and her mastery of the ukulele, she joyfully expresses her folk traditions.
Types of storytelling to be explored are written, traditional, musical and spoken word poetry, which will reflect Western North Carolina’s diversity of talent. The series is appropriate for all community members. Everyone is welcome to attend.
PCMDC Program Director Tausha Forney will lead this series starting in April 2025. The conversations are casual and will allow for audience participation. There will be six events held at 6 p.m. at the PCMDC • April 10: Kathi Littlejohn has been telling Cherokee stories for more than 40 years at events, festivals and schools. She has been leading Cherokee history tours for five years to
• Aug. 14: Roy Harris belongs to three storytelling organizations: the Asheville Storytelling Circle (of which he is a former president), the North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers and, more recently, the National Association of Black Storytellers.
• Sept. 11: Glenis Redmond is the First Poet Laureate of Greenville, South Carolina, and is a Kennedy Center Teaching Artist. Tickets are $10 for community members, $7 for seniors (ages 65 and over) and $5 for students. Children 12 and under may attend free of charge.
Tickets may be purchased in advance and can be purchased at the door of each performance. Reduced price $50/$40/$30 series passes are also available. Refreshments are available for purchase. Please contact Tausha Forney for information about individual event sponsorships.
Smoky Mountain
Dillsboro’s ‘Easter Hat Parade’
A beloved Western North Carolina tradition, the “Easter Hat Parade” will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 19, in downtown Dillsboro. Bring your finest Easter bonnet and dress up the smiles on everyone’s face by joining in and walking in the parade. And if you do not participate in the parade, you can simply do as hundreds of others do — come to Dillsboro and watch the array of folks strolling “down the avenue” in their finery. A full day of fun will include kids’ activities, face painting and visits with the Easter Bunny. Ribbons and prizes will also be awarded for unusual hat categories. The parade travels on streets around downtown. This is a pet-friendly event. For more information, visit dillsboronc.info.
Glenis Redmond will be in Waynesville Sept. 11. File photo
WCU faculty art showcase
Featuring works from faculty artisans at Western Carolina University, the 2025 School of Art & Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition will be displayed through May 2 in the Bardo Arts Center in Cullowhee.
Outside of the classroom, faculty members in the School of Art & Design are active artists and scholars that make significant contributions to the arts. The exhibition provides students and the community with an opportunity to view recent works created by distinguished faculty members whose primary research output is studio-based.
For more information, visit wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center.
Haywood Arts presents ‘Quilted Expressions’
The Haywood County Arts Council (HCAC) will present “Quilted Expressions: A Celebration of Block-Based Art,” an innovative exhibit that reimagines the traditional quilt, throughout June 2 at HCAC’s Haywood Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville.
This unique showcase challenges conventional ideas of quilting and expands the definition of what a quilt can be. Artists working in all mediums have been invited to create pieces inspired by the structure and tradition of quilts, with each artwork limited to a maximum size of 12-by-12 inches.
From textiles and mixed media to painting and sculpture, the exhibit highlights the beauty of blockbased design across various artistic disciplines.
“This show is an exploration of pattern, form and storytelling,” says HCAC Executive Director Tonya Harwood “Quilting has long been a symbol of community, craftsmanship and creativity. This exhibit honors that tradition while pushing boundaries in exciting new ways.”
“Quilted Expressions” is part of HCAC’s ongoing mission to celebrate artistic innovation and support both emerging and established artists. The Haywood Handmade Gallery, run entirely by dedicated volunteers, is a cornerstone of Waynesville’s growing arts scene.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, visit haywoodarts.org or email director@haywoodarts.org.
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host “ArtWorks” at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Come create your own masterpiece. The materials for art works are supplied and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share with each other. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host an adult arts and crafts program at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Ages 16 and up. Space is limited to 10 participants. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / fontanalib.org/brysoncity.
• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio located at 1283 Asheville Road. Workshops will include art journaling, watercoloring, mixed media, acrylic painting and more. 828.283.0523 / cre828.com.
• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. 517.881.0959 / galleryzella.com.
• Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7
p.m. every third Monday each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. The club is a nonprofit organization that exists for the enjoyment of photography and the improvement of one’s skills. The club welcomes photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.
• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.452.0593 / haywoodarts.org.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.631.0271 / jcgep.org.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. 828.339.4000 / southwesterncc.edu/scc-locations/swaincenter.
• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. 828.586.2248 / dogwoodcrafters.com.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular arts and crafts workshops. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org.
A work from Lisa Townsend. Donated photo
Thoreau found God in the natural world
“We are not human beings on a spiritual journey, but rather spiritual beings on a human journey.”
Teilhard de Chardin
— from: “Thoreau’s God”
Idiscovered Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson when I was in high school. From that point on, Thoreau and Emerson became true teachers for me going forward and into and during my college years. My first ‘wisdom-keepers’ you might say. And I’ve continued to read and re-read their work to this day, identifying essentially with their spiritual connection to the natural world and the universe.
Two subjects of primary interest that continue to inspire and mystify. During my years living in the Southern Appalachian woods and off-the-grid, Thoreau’s “Walden” became something of a bible for me. Much has been written about Thoreau since his lifetime (1817-1862) and a new book has just been published that focuses on his spiritual writing and specifically on his idea and interpretation of God (Thoreau’s God, Univ. of Chicago Press, 2024, 232 pgs.) by journalist, Thoreau scholar and author of four books on Thoreau, Richard Higgins.
Higgins writes in the book’s Introduction, “{This is a book} that grounds Thoreau’s philosophical views and how he related to the natural world. It gives us a better sense of what motivated him and what he was all about.” Higgins goes on to say that Thoreau was “interested in people’s private encounters with the holy and the difference those moments made in their lives.”
None other than Ralph Waldo Emerson said of Thoreau: “Few know about nature’s secrets, as Thoreau did and none in a more large and religious synthesis.” Higgins says: “His writings and the example of his life helped blaze a trail that many others have traveled ... and has more readers today than any American author from before the Civil War.”
“The more thrilling, wonderful, divine objects I behold in a day, the more expanded and immortal I become,” Thoreau wrote. He was interested in a profound and sacred experience of a sacred mystery that is greater than ourselves. His writings show a man actively seeking to find the divine in nature
and to fathom its depths. He emphasized a more loving God and the goodness and potential of human nature, rather than its depravity. As a young man, as Higgins reminds us, Thoreau did not want to study religion, he wanted to experience it. To “revere” he says, was for Thoreau, to truly see something, to value it and be humbled by it — not in fear, but in awe. He saw the
back at our failings robs our attention of what we are being given in the present,” he writes. Or as Higgins says, “The natural world, and the gladness and freedom he found in it, was Thoreau’s antidote to despair.”
“Thoreau’s God” focuses not only on Thoreau’s brilliance, wit and authorship, but also cites many of his major influences and supporters with references to and quoted material from such spiritualists and naturalists as Emerson, Jonathan Edwards, William Blake, John Muir, Darwin, Loren Eisley, E.O. Wilson, Chaucer, Wordsworth and many others including Emily Dickinson and Tielhard de Chardin, whom I have quoted above. Thoreau kept good company, before, during and after his lifetime — even when he was living alone at Walden Pond as a voracious reader. As we turn the pages, Higgins goes on to cite the minor role that humanity holds in the scheme of things and Thoreau’s higher regard for the wild, non-human world and his view of the universe as a divine creation. And then he comes back to the subject of the human perspective when writing “God is my father & my friend — men are my brothers — but nature is my mother and my sister.”
forests as a “grande and sacred church.” Thoreau believed in putting belief into practice. “the only prayer for a brave man is to be a doing,” he wrote.
On a more cultural level, Thoreau believed that capitalism, with its machines, markets mindless work and trivial entertainment, was damaging people’s capacity for reverence. His daily visits to the woods, fields and waters of Concord set his spiritual wheels in motion. “We must drink from the very fountains from which truth springs,” Thoreau wrote; “however high up the mountainside they may be.”
In terms of his idea of one’s relationship to God, “It is only by forgetting yourself that you draw near to him,” he says. He was always teaching the importance of the Present and the present moment. “Looking
So there are apparent contradictions, which is in many ways who Thoreau is. “A walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction,” as the saying goes. But in the end his spiritual thinking and longing go beyond Earth and earth atmosphere. “There are higher planes. Infinitely higher planes, of life than this thou art now traveling on. Know that the goal is distant, and is upward,” he writes. Yet, in the end, he has practical advice for his readers when he writes: “We must securely love each other as we love God, with no more danger that our love be un-requited or ill-bestowed.” And finally we’re back in Walden woods with Thoreau’s last word and denoument: “God begins where nature ends.”
(Thomas Crowe is a regular contributor to The Smoky Mountain News and Smoky Mountain Living and is the author of the award-winning memoir “Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods” and is publisher of New Native Press.)
• Wayne Erbsen presents "Southern Mountain Music" with live music at City Lights Bookstore (Sylva) on Thursday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. Free. 828.586.9499 / citylightsnc.com.
• Jennifer Moorman discusses her novel, "The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds," at City Lights Bookstore (Sylva) on Saturday, April 19 at 1 p.m. Free. 828.586.9499 / citylightsnc.com.
• Mildred Kiconco and Robert McGee share poetry and essays at City Lights Bookstore (Sylva) on Saturday, April 19 at 3 p.m. Free. 828.586.9499 / citylightsnc.com.
Writer
Thomas Crowe
For bears, relocation is no happily ever after
A GPS-collared bear runs into the woods after being trapped in Great Smoky Mountains
Kristin Botzet photo
the most detailed look yet at what happens to black bears moved out of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Their chance of surviving the first year after relocation, she found, is just 10%.
Botzet worked as a wildlife research technician for five years before starting her graduate program at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2021. While relocating grizzlies and black bears in northern Idaho, she started wondering whether anyone had ever used GPS collars to get an indepth look at what happens once a bear is moved. Discovering that no such study existed, she reached out to multiple graduate programs in her quest to pursue that question. Botzet eventually connected with research ecologist Joe Clark, who would become her advisor at UT. Clark was already working to secure funding for just the type of project Botzet had in mind.
Between 2021 and 2023, Botzet worked with officials from Great Smoky Mountains National Park and TWRA to capture 27 bears exhibiting conflict behaviors in the park and relocate them to release sites in Cherokee National Forest. She also obtained National Park Service data from an additional 23 bears relocated between 2015 and 2020. All 50 bears had been exhibiting behavior that showed a potentially dangerous level of comfort with humans and their food.
From most of these bears, Botzet was able to obtain hair samples, which she analyzed for molecular information indicating whether their diet was composed primarily of natural foods or human foods. In the months following these captures, GPS collars fitted on each bear transmitted precise location data.
Botzet compared this information against similar data from an additional 37 bears that had not been engaged in conflict, which she captured and released in the Pigeon River Gorge, near release sites for relocated conflict bears. Her study also considered data from 39 conflict bears that had been captured and re-released inside the park between 2016 and 2018.
“Previous research has alluded to, when you relocate bears, they move a lot,” Botzet said. “We knew that going into it, but the degree of it was kind of surprising.”
In the six months following her relocation, one adult female in Botzet’s study, bear 1173, covered 1,000 miles touching four states. At one point, the bear came within five miles of her original capture location but continued on to den about 11 miles from her release site. This bear was healthy and had reared cubs in previous seasons, but she did not give birth that winter. Another bear, also a female, traveled nearly 750 miles through four states during her nine-month monitoring period, though she never came close to her capture location.
All this travel, combined with the stress of relocation, leads to perhaps the most poignant outcome of Botzet’s study: relocated bears were 96% less likely to survive the next year than conflict bears that remained inside the park. Compared to the 10% probability of survival for relocated bears, Botzet
found an 87% probability for conflict bears that stayed in the park and an 84% probability for resident bears without reported behavior issues.
For relocated bears, hunting was by far the most common cause of death, with a risk more than 11 times greater than for resident bears.
with people, and they weren’t as likely to run into other bears that were protecting their home range,” he said. “And so the success of moving them has definitely gone down over the last few years.”
From an outside perspective, relocating a bear may seem like an easy fix, allowing the bear to embark on a new life and reliev-
“Fifteen, 20 years ago, we had more areas that we could take the bears where they weren’t as likely to have interaction with people, and they weren’t as likely to run into other bears that were protecting their home range. And so the success of moving them has definitely gone down over the last few years.”
Dan GIbbs, black bear program coordinator for TWRA
“Hunting is prohibited in the park boundary, so these bears went from a protected area to an area where bear hunting is very popular and there’s a lot of hunting pressure,” Botzet said. “Likely, the combination of them being unfamiliar with their surroundings with that new pressure put them at higher risk of being harvested than their resident counterparts.”
TWRA views hunting as a tool for managing population growth, not for managing conflict with humans. Relocated bears make up a very small proportion of the overall harvest.
“Taking these bears in harvest is not changing conflicts in the landscape,” Musser said.
Within one year, nearly one-third of the surviving adult bears in the study returned to their original capture location, with young male bears more likely to remain near the release site. In many cases, conflict behavior persisted, an outcome that was more likely in bears whose hair analysis indicated a heavier reliance on human food prior to relocation. The probability of a relocated bear’s behavior being reported to a wildlife agency within the next year was 45%, and the probability of conflict rose to 63% when factoring in GPS data. Bears hanging around homes and other human developments indicated the possibility of additional, unreported conflicts.
“Food conditioning is really hard to reverse once it’s taken root,” Botzet said. “Once you have a food-conditioned bear, you pretty much have to remove the potential rewards completely, and it’s just not possible to do that.”
It’s even less possible now to totally remove a bear’s access to food rewards than it may have been a couple decades ago. Between 2010 and 2020, populations in North Carolina and Tennessee grew by 903,905 and 564,736 respectively, according to US Census Bureau data. Dan Gibbs, black bear program coordinator for TWRA, said that the bear population in East Tennessee increased by about 1,000 during that same period.
“Fifteen, 20 years ago, we had more areas that we could take the bears where they weren’t as likely to have interaction
ing residents of potential danger: a win-win solution. But the new research indicates otherwise, as Musser told the police chief who called her about the neighborhood bear.
“I said, ‘Unfortunately, if I move it, it’s an even higher chance that it will not survive,’” she said. “And I explained Kristin’s research.”
The police chief was crestfallen, but the knowledge motivated him to address the heart of the issue. He realized, Musser said, that TWRA’s reluctance to move the bear stemmed from concern for its welfare, and that saving it would require its human
neighbors to step up. Even if TWRA relocated the bear in question, it wouldn’t have been long before another bear discovered the food source that had attracted the first animal.
Gateway communities are taking steps to reduce food conditioning. In recent years, programs in Asheville and Gatlinburg have distributed bear-resistant dumpsters and trash carts to homes and businesses, and in October 2024 the government of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, voted to transition its city to bear-resistant dumpsters. BearWise, a cooperative effort including 44 states, continues its work to educate people about how to safely live and recreate in bear country. However, litter, unsecured garbage and gaps in knowledge pose continual challenges.
“In terms of what’s next, I think it’s more the questions of what can we do as bear biologists, bear managers, to focus more on the human component of human–bear conflicts,” Botzet said. “What can we do to better shift it towards addressing the root of the problem?”
(Holly Kays is the lead writer for the 29,000member Smokies Life, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the scientific, historical, and interpretive activities of Great Smoky Mountains National Park by providing educational products and services such as this column. Learn more at smokieslife.org or reach the author at hollyk@smokieslife.org.)
To help protect black bears where you live or travel, follow the BearWise Basics at bearwise.org.
WCU hosts ‘Life on Our Planet
Western Carolina University will welcome eight-time Emmy-nominated showrunner Dan Tapster to talk about the making of our planet.
“Life on Our Planet,” a new Netflix series chronicling the ongoing rise and fall of lives on Earth, from the cataclysmic events that reshape our ecosystems to the creatures that survived (or didn’t) along the way.
During this event, audience members
will hear from Tapster as he describes the process and his experiences while working on the series. Executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, “Life on Our Planet” uses stunning natural history and world-class VFX to reveal the story of life in a way that has never been attempted before.
The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 24. Tickets are available at wcuarts.universitytickets.com/w/event.as px?id=1500.
Smokies hosts cemetery decorations day
On Sunday, April 27, with the cooperation with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the North Shore Cemetery Association will begin a year of decorations at Branton and Lower Noland Creek Cemeteries. To attend, drive four miles up the Noland Creek Road or carpool with someone from the Noland Creek Trail Parking Area on Lakeview Drive (Road to Nowhere). Decorations are held rain or shine. A parking pass will be needed for parking. Free special use parking permits are available. Handicapped tags and placards are exempt.
Dress is casual, but wear sturdy footwear and clothing suitable for hiking and weather conditions.
The gate will open at 9 a.m. and close at 4 p.m. At 10:30 a.m., the group will visit Branton Cemetery (28 graves), place flowers on the graves, have a short service in song and a devotion and return to Campsite No. 64 for lunch. Afterward, the group will go to Lower Noland Creek Cemetery (12 graves). Participants need to bring their own lunch, snacks and drinks. Some may want to bring a folding table and chairs as there are only two picnic tables present.
Want to hike the Waynesville watershed?
On April 24, the Town of Waynesville and Haywood Waterways Association will provide a tour of the water treatment facility followed by a moderate to strenuous 2.7-mile hike in the Waynesville Watershed. This protected 8,000acre watershed provides drinking water for many Haywood County residents. The event is free for
For help with carpooling or a more detailed description, the latest information or cancellations, visit facebook.com/northshorecemeterydecorations or call 706.896.2183.
Haywood Waterways members and a $5 donation for nonmembers; memberships start at $25.
The group will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the town’s water treatment plant (341 Rocky Branch Road). The hike will conclude around 1:30 p.m. Bring lunch and water. Please leave pets at home. Space is limited to 15 individuals. Members can sign up now. Non-members can sign up starting April 17. Reservations can be made by contacting Christine O’Brien at christine@haywoodwaterways.org or 828.476.4667, ext. 1.
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Dan Tapster will present on April 24. Image courtesy of esk., Netflix, and IMG Artists
The Joyful Botanist
BY ADAM B IGELOW
Robin’s Plantain
Among the earliest flowering members of the Aster Family (Asteraceae) is the robin’s plantain (Erigeron pulchellus). Around Cullowhee, the robin’s plantain begins blooming in early April at lower elevations and can be seen blooming at higher elevations into June. The geography of this region, with varying elevations, slope facing and other microclimatic factors provide for many opportunities to view species in bloom at different times of the spring.
the ray flowers, which emanate from the center like rays of the sun. These ray florets range from light pink to a darker lavender color, and there can be as many as 50 ray flowers ringing each flower head, which makes for a very showy flower.
I love the genus name, Erigeron. It always sounds like it should be a character in Lord of the Rings. I would venture that Erigeron would have been a ranger like Aragorn. According to NC State University, the name erigeron comes from the combination of two Greek words, “eri” meaning early, and “geron” meaning old man. This creates the seemingly paradoxical phrase early old man, which is a reference to the early spring blooms and the downy hairs on these plants that look like a white beard.
Robin’s plantain is related to many other species of Erigeron which are known collectively as fleabanes. Of the eight species of Erigeron that live in North Carolina, six of them can be found growing in the mountain regions. Annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus), Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus) and daisy fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) resemble the robin’s plantain, except that their flower heads are smaller and more numerous. They are also more weedy-looking than the larger and stately robin’s plantain.
The flower heads of robin’s plantain, like other members of the composite group of the Aster family, have two different types of petals on each flower. In the center are the yellow disc flowers. These are the fertile florets that produce pollen and nectar, and later where the seeds will develop after pollination. Surrounding these disc flowers are
The second part of the botanical Latin name of this beautiful flower is pulchellus. This derives from a Latin word “pulcher” which gives us what I believe is the ugliest word for beauty in the English language, pulchritude. Were I to walk up to someone and pay the compliment of, “You’re looking very pulchritudinous today,” I would probably be smacked — unless the recipient were a student of language, perhaps.
Robin’s plantain grows in a wide variety of conditions and can be a beautiful addition to a full sun to partly shady native plant garden. It spreads itself easily from both seed and as a groundcover through creeping rhizomes. Robin’s plantain is also very beneficial to wildlife, providing pollen and nectar to pollinating insects with its numerous small fertile flowers.
It also serves a s a host plant for over 20 different species of moths and butterflies, including the beautiful pearl crescent butterfly (Phyciodes tharos), a lovely orange and black butterfly found throughout most of North America.
As you’re walking along a springtime trail or even driving down the road, you are likely to see robin’s plantain blooming at this time of year. I encourage you to get outside and walk among the wildflowers in springtime. You don’t even have to be a beautiful early old man to do so.
(The Joyful Botanist leads weekly wildflower walks most Fridays and offers consultations and private group tours through Bigelow’s Botanical Excursions. bigelownc@gmail.com.)
Robin’s Plantain grows in a wide variety of conditions.
Adam Bigelow photo
‘Kids Fishing Days’ in the Cherokee National Forest
Spring is here, and it’s time for that childhood tradition of fishing at the local fishing hole. To honor and promote that tradition, the USDA Forest Service and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will host two “Kids Fishing Day” events during April in the Cherokee National Forest’s Ocoee/Hiwassee Ranger District. Anglers 15 years and under are invited to try their luck.
This first event will be from 7 a.m. to noon at McCamy Lake in the Chilhowee Recreation Area on April 19. From U.S. near the Ocoee Ranger Station turn onto National Forest System Road 77 / Ocoee Scenic Byway. Continue up Chilhowee Mountain seven miles to the Chilhowee Recreation Area and then follow the signs.
The second event will be at Spring Creek on April 26 from 7-11 a.m. Spring Creek Road-National Forest System Road 27 (NFSR) is located just north of the Hiwassee River and east off U.S. Highway 411. From Hwy 411, take the turn off to Gee Creek Campground and follow NFSR 27 toward the Spring Creek Shooting Range. The turn-off from NC 411 is approximately six miles north of Benton and five miles south of Etowah.
Catchable size trout will be stocked for both events. Fishing will be restricted to children 15 years of age and younger. A non-fishing parent or guardian must accompany all kids. All applicable state licenses are required for the events.
For details and additional information about the upcoming “Kids Fishing Day” events, please contact Bo Reynolds at 423.338.3319 or the Ocoee Ranger District at 423.338.3300.
Haywood to host hazardous waste collection event
Haywood County has partnered with Consolidated Waste Services and EcoFlo to hold its spring Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) located at 278 Recycle Rd. in Clyde.
This event is only for Haywood County residents. Please don’t bring or dropoff items prior to the event. Early drop-offs could incur fees and fines.
During this event, Haywood County residents are encouraged to drop off these household pollutants free of charge. Consolidated Waste Services and EcoFlo will have representatives on hand to collect the following items:
• Aerosols
• Mixed Solvents
• Mercury & Articles
• Pesticide Solid
• Acid Cleaners
• Oil-based Paints
• Paint Related Material
• Lab Packs
• Propane (Grill and Camp Size)
Spring litter sweep begins
The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Spring Litter Sweep kicked off April 12 and runs through April 26. This biannual cleanup event invites residents across the state to bag litter and beautify roadsides, all while helping protect North Carolina’s natural charm.
Every spring and fall, the Litter Sweep rallies volunteers to roll up their sleeves, grab some gloves and remove roadside trash.
“We’re excited to see volunteers out there starting Saturday and throughout the entire sweep,” said Jeremy Goodwin, NCDOT’s roadside environmental engineer. “Their hard work ensures our roadsides stay clean and welcoming for everyone. Every bag of litter picked up is a win for our
The following items can be disposed of yearround. You do not need to hold them for the HHW event. Water-based paints (latex) can be dried out in the can using kitty litter, sawdust or sand and disposed of with your regular trash once the paint has solidified. Full cans of paint will be accepted at the collec-
• Household batteries (Alkaline, NiCad, Lithium) and leadacid (car) batteries are collected yearround at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).
• Fluorescent tubes and Compact fluorescent bulbs are collected year-round at the MRF.
• Antifreeze is collected year-round at the Jones Cove Convenience Center and the MRF.
• Motor oil and oil filters are collected yearround at all Convenience Centers and the MRF.
• Medications and pharmaceuticals are collected year-round at the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office. Please contact them for their schedule.
For additional information on the event, contact the Materials Recovery Facility at 828.627.8042.
state. These folks aren’t just cleaning up, they’re showing pride in their communities and making North Carolina safer and more beautiful for everyone.”
NCDOT maintenance crews will also be doing their part, collecting litter and hauling away filled bags. Volunteers can request free cleanup supplies, including gloves, safety vests and trash bags, from their local NCDOT county maintenance office.
Joining the Litter Sweep is easy. Just bring a good attitude, a love for clean communities and a strong dislike for roadside clutter.
For more information or to get involved, visit ncdot.gov/littersweep and share your cleanup efforts on social media using #LitterSweepNC.
File photo
Market PLACE WNC
MarketPlace information:
The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!
Rates:
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Note: Highlighted ads automatically generate a border so if you’re placing an ad online and select a highlight color, the “add border” feature will not be available on the screen.
Note: Yard sale ads require an address. This location will be displayed on a map on www.wncmarketplace.com
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF HAYWOOD IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION
CHELSEA COMBS
Plaintiff, v. PATRICK L. COMBS Defendant,
NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION
Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows:
Complaint for permanent custody and ex parte motion for emergency custody
You are required to make defense to such a pleading no later than May 2nd, 2025 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.
This 28th day of March,
2025
NIELSEN LAW, PLLC
Joshua D. Nielsen Attorney for Plaintiff 413 Walnut St Waynesville, NC 28786 (828) 246-9360 (828) 229-7255 facsimile
Publication Dates: April 2nd, April 9th and April 16th, 2025
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000195-430
Ronald F. Benhart, having of the Estate of Rebecca E. Benhart of Haywood County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Jul 02 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Executor 105 Pinellas Lane Waynesville NC 28785
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.24E001717430
Co-Administrator 359 Saddlebrook Lane Clyde
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FULL-TIME REPORTER
The Smoky Mountain News is seeking a full-time reporter to help us report on our four-county coverage area in Western North Carolina, which also includes the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The Smoky Mountain News is an award-winning independently owned regional newspaper with offices in Waynesville and Sylva that has a weekly print edition and a strong online presence.
While our reporters follow traditional beats that generate smaller weekly stories, we also prioritize long-form stories, and it’s not abnormal for us to run investigative or enterprise stories that are 3,000 words or more. Applicants who can follow a beat while working on more in-depth, long-term stories are preferred.
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Experienced preferred but we are willing to consider talented newcomers who show promise. Interested candidates should send an email to info@smokymountainnews.com with their resume and three examples of their best work.
