People in Jackson County are up in arms over the approval of a project that would lead to the construction of a gas station near the Tuckasegee River, claiming there could be a host of issues, from traffic accidents to fuel leaking into the water. As the effort to stop the structure from being built picks up steam, citizens have found several avenues to make their voices heard. (Page 6) Hannah McLeod photo
News
‘Hands off’ protests hit their mark, nationally and locally..........................................4
Inked: Hurricane Helene’s legacy lives on, through comics....................................8
The war on peace: Kristen Wall lost her job, but not her mission......................10 Commission requests report on libraries....................................................................12
Pheasant sentenced to life in prison for murder......................................................13
Opinion
Against partisanship in schools....................................................................................14
Trump doesn’t care about our suffering......................................................................14
A&E
A little taste of home: Junction Pub opens in Sylva................................................16 Haywood Arts presents ‘Quilted Expressions’........................................................22
Outdoors
Debris removal begins along Pigeon River................................................................24 Up Moses Creek: The Last Trail....................................................................................27
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fraudulent firing of our board and replacement of our president. I am I am opposed to waste. That’s why I am sickened by millions in contracts being canceled after USIP spent years developing trust with peace activists all over the world. That’s why I’m sickened that USIP’s website, which has provided conflict resolution training to tens of thousands of people here in the United States and in conflict zones around the world, has been taken down. It’s why I’m sickened by closing down an entire Peace Institute that has existed for 40 years whose entire peace budget of $50 million is 400 times smaller than just one of Elon Musk’s Space X contracts at the Department of Defense.”
All three of the local rallies, plus one in Bryson City, took place in counties that during the last election voted for Trump by margins of between 54% and 68%.
As the Waynesville event concluded, speakers reminded the crowd that demonstrators would continue protesting at the Historic Haywood County Courthouse every Friday at noon, just as they had in previous weeks — hearkening back to Couture’s comments in Sylva earlier that day.
“This shows the politicians in power that we are here, that we see them, that we hear them, and that we are not going to tolerate their actions,” she said. “We know that even if 3.5% of the population turns out, that we can change the direction of this country. We’re not asking for a huge number of people, we’re asking for a small minority of people that consistently show up to these events to make their voices heard and not to be afraid, because there is a lot of fearmongering going on right now, telling people not to come to rallies, telling people not to show up.”
Guardrail replacement work begins in Swain County
Contract crews for the N.C. Department of Transportation will be replacing guardrail along a stretch of N.C. 28 for the next several months.
Beginning in mid-April, crews from Reynolds Fence & Guardrail will remove all existing, outdated and substandard guardrail along N.C. 28 from the U.S. 74/N.C. 28 intersection south to the Swain/Macon County line.
Crews will replace the existing guardrail with new guardrail and guardrail end units for safety improvements. Additionally, shoulders will be improved to decrease standing water on the highway. Motorists can expect daily lane closures on N.C. 28 at varying locations as the project progresses. No weekend closures are anticipated.
The $1.1 million contract has a completion date of Sept. 12.
Drivers are reminded to use caution when approaching work zones and utilize drivenc.gov for realtime traffic information.
WCU students to hold Helene fundraiser
The Night’s Watch, a student group at Western Carolina University, will hold a fundraiser for victims of Hurricane Helene at Sylva’s Bridge Park from 2 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 12. Food, local artists/vendors, games, prizes, live music by Sam Underwood, Fidei, Mitchell D. Russotti and Upstream Rebellion. Adults $10, students $5, kids free. For more information, contact Kyle Hillebrand, kyleahillebrand22@gmail.com or at 704.651.7037.
Blake Hart, executive director of Haywood Christian Ministry, lamented USDA cuts that will hurt farmers and increase food insecurity in a region already struggling with hunger.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
Fueled up
Public opposition mounts over gas station project
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
Anew gas station, T&C General Store, is planned for the corner of N.C. 107 and South River Road, where the old Jack the Dipper used to sit, right on the Tuckasegee River.
While a project of this nature is permitted in the zoning district, the public has expressed concern over environmental, aesthetic and traffic safety concerns, especially in the wake of flooding from Hurricane Helene.
“The construction of a convenience store adjacent to the Tuckasegee River could not come at a more inappropriate time or be placed in a more inappropriate location,” said Miller Watson, owner of a full-service fly shop and WCU graduate.
The plot of land, just over 70,000 square feet, which sits in Sylva’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, is zoned “general business” and is subject to the zoning and development review processes of the Town of Sylva. However, the county’s planning department administers the town’s zoning ordinance through an interlocal agreement between the county and the Town of Sylva.
TopCats River Market, INC., owned by Jackson County resident Cody Lewis, submitted a zoning permit application for the project on Jan. 9, and because convenience stores/gas stations are a permitted use in Sylva’s ETJ, the application was approved on Feb. 1.
“Upon review, the planning department determined that the site plan met all of the required developmental standards, and the zoning permit was issued,” said County Planning Director Mike Poston.
To receive that approval, Lewis also had to submit a site plan, developed by a North Carolina licensed design professional that demonstrates compliance with the development regulations found in the Town’s zoning ordinance, things like setbacks, parking requirements and landscaping buffers.
“If the applicant submits a site plan that meets those requirements, then staff will issue the zoning permit,” said Poston. “The planning staff monitors the development and will perform a final inspection to confirm compliance with the zoning permit.”
This process does not require any public hearings or necessitate additional approval for obtaining a zoning permit as long as the permit is for a use listed as permitted or permitted with supplemental standards within the zoning ordinance. However, as with all municipalities, there was a required public hearing prior to the approval of Sylva’s current zoning ordinance that established the uses as permitted within the General
Business District. But this hasn’t stopped the public from voicing concerns over the safety of the project and complaining about a lack of public input in the decision-making process.
At the April 1 meeting of the Jackson County Commission, 10 people spoke in opposition to the gas station project. A petition titled “Stop the TopCat River Market on NC 107 and S. River Road in Jackson County, NC” had 1,325 signatures as of Tuesday morning.
comments in opposition to the proposed location of a gas station on the Tuckasegee on Hwy 107 due to environmental, aesthetic and traffic safety concerns,” said Webster Mayor Tracy Rhodes. “I think that the impacts of Helene and the recent flooding along the waterways in Haywood and Buncombe counties have contributed to the community’s concerns. Webster did have flooding, but we were lucky in that the brunt of the storm missed us.”
The resolution, proposed by Webster Commissioner Dale Collins, says that the development of gas stations along riverbanks poses a significant risk to water quality due to the potential for underground storage tank leaks, fuel spills and stormwater runoff contamination.
It also states that the project “presents significant traffic safety concerns,” the approval process has “lacked sufficient public transparency and engagement,” and that “existing
Not only does the resolution oppose the development of gas stations along rivers in Jackson County, it also seeks stricter zoning and environmental regulations, requests that state and local agencies conduct comprehensive environmental and traffic impact analyses before approving such developments, and calls for greater public involvement and transparency in the development process.
Lewis did conduct a traffic impact analysis for the project, contracting J.M. Teague Engineering and Planning out of Waynesville for the work in August of last year.
“We did engage a traffic engineer who completed a traffic study that was accepted and approved by NCDOT,” said Lewis. “The addition of a traffic light for the new Ingles no more than a half mile north of our site will slow traffic considerably.”
Shortly after Lewis obtained the zoning permit, the old Jack the Dipper building was burnt to the ground. It was intentionally set on fire on the morning of Feb. 19 by the Sylva Fire Department who used the fire as a training exercise.
Plans for the new gas station show an impervious area of 24,269 square feet, or about 34.54% of the entire parcel. On a build like this, the maximum impervious area permitted is 70%.
“The fuel is supposedly being mitigated, which is fine,” said Bobby Bennett in public comment at the April 1 Jackson County Commission meeting. “It’s more about the water temperature. Every time we build a parking lot, the water temperature in the rivers go up because you have warm water coming off the pavement that is substantially warmer than the river, so it elevates the temperature.”
Lewis told The Smoky Mountain News that run-off was a primary concern.
“The paved surface of the parking lot and fueling area will sit an average of three feet below the grade of the top of the bank,” said Lewis. “A retaining wall is being installed around the entire perimeter of the paved area to hold back the soil between the paved surface and the top of the bank, which also serves as a hard barrier to prevent encroachment into the trout buffer and prevents any stormwater from flowing towards the river.”
According to Lewis, the paved surface slopes toward N.C. 107 with all stormwater collected by onsite drains. Each of these drains will be equipped with distillate/petroleum filters that prevent any potential fuel mixed with stormwater runoff from entering the drainage system.
These drains divert the water into a series of stormwater runoff filters, retention basins and sand filters, ending with a 370-square-foot bioretention basin that filters the water over more than 100 hours before routing it to the existing drainage system next to N.C. 107.
The Town of Webster, which borders Sylva’s ETJ, signed a resolution to “Oppose Gas Station Developments Along the Tuckasegee River in Jackson County” on April 2 in a unanimous vote.
“Recently the Town has received public
zoning and environmental regulations must be strengthened to ensure future developments do not compromise the county’s natural resources, public safety or economic sustainability.”
“I hope the public is comforted by the fact that this project is being undertaken by a local small business owner who greatly values the local environment and river system, instead of a nameless, faceless, outside corporation that would never go to these lengths to protect the place my family has called home for nine generations,” said Lewis. “If it wasn’t safe, I would never undertake the project.”
During construction, the site will be ringed by super silt fencing F
The construction site, as viewed from the river. Hannah McLeod photo
The location of the new gas station has raised concerns from some Jackson County residents. Town of Sylva drawing
on three sides in an effort to protect the trout buffer, a primary concern among members of the public. No trees in the trout buffer along the river are allowed to be removed unless they impede the installation of the silt fencing.
“Untamed development along trout streams in Jackson County threaten the enjoyment and happiness of residents along those banks,” said Collins in comments to the county commission. “The trout fishing economic impact is tremendous. $1.38 billion are spent in Western North Carolina for trout fishing [annually].”
In June 2016, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a resolution recognizing Jackson County as the “Premier Fishing Destination” in the state.
“Our businesses rely on rivers and watersheds that have been heavily affected by Hurricane Helene and in the midst of cleanup efforts and all that we’re doing to fix our watersheds, this feels like a very challenging approval,” said Watson. “Our hands are full enough without having to battle gas stations being built.”
The county contains 4,600 miles of trout streams and receives an annual stocking of 92,800 trout, which is the most of any county in the state. It also contains the state’s longest contiguous stretch of North Carolina Mountain Heritage Trout Waters and is home of the state record for the largest rainbow trout ever caught.
“The bigger picture than the predictable controversy over this gas station that’s being built points to the need for stricter ordinances to protect our green space and our waterways specifically.”
— Julie Vanleuven
“For every dollar spent on trout fishing, there was a $1.93 return to the state economy, a return that is now potentially affected by builds just like this gas station,” Watson said during public comment at the Jackson County Commission meeting April 1. “I beg of this commission to consider this moving forward and please understand the detrimental aspects that are in the scope of builds like the Lewis gas station on 107.”
Residents presented concerns about the safety of any project like this following the devastating flooding from Hurricane Helene.
“I was one of the guys that did clean up with EPA on a lot of the water sheds and I’ll tell you, we got super lucky, we missed that storm by maybe 50 miles,” said Wes Buchanan. “We were pulling gas tanks out of those rivers from half a mile away; the gas stations weren’t even close and you’re pulling their tanks out of the rivers.”
“I don’t think we can deny we’ve had a couple of generational floods back-to-back to back in less than maybe 10 years,” Buchanan con-
tinued. “I don’t think it’s going to get less frequent, and I think it’s slightly irresponsible to maybe not allow the public to chime in on stuff like this. From a guy that’s cleaned up a lot of these rivers and pulled gas tanks like the ones they’re proposing out of there, we just can’t guarantee that something’s not going to happen.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration logged a record crest of the Tuckasegee River during Hurricane Helene at 15.97 feet. This is about 10 feet below the site of the gas station, which is on level with N.C. 107. But for members of the public, who have seen more frequent catastrophic flooding in Western North Carolina throughout the 21st Century, their fears aren’t quelled by.
“Let’s remember that initial forecasts suggested that Jackson County might take a direct hit from Helene, and we all breathed a sigh of relief when the storm turned at the last moment,” said Kate McKittrick in public com-
ments on April 1. “Imagine the impact of a direct hit on the business that is under construction. It is important to acknowledge that there will be more storms, and they will be more severe, and we need to plan for that.”
The gas station project includes an underground fuel storage tank to be located beneath the concrete pad where the gas pumps will be situated. According to Lewis, the tank will be strapped to concrete anchors, which is not a requirement, but something he is choosing to do at an additional expense.
“The tank will be underground and covered by approximately 350,000 cubic feet of dirt, plus the concrete pad and canopy, all weighing in excess of 1.5 million pounds,” said Lewis. “That’s why underground tanks are the much safer alternative to above-ground tanks in this application. Above ground tanks are far more susceptible to being carried away in a flood event given the lack of weight holding them down.”
Even still, members of the public have made it clear this is not the type of construction they want to see along their waterways.
“Any fisherman will tell you no one wants to look up from the water and see a gas station looming above one of the most treasured stretches of the Tuck,” said Casey Walawender in comments to the county commission. “Even with all the precautions in the world, a spill or runoff issue this close to the river could have lasting consequences for native plants and wildlife.”
While the public may not have any avenues to stop the gas station project that has been permitted and is following the required guidelines for construction, some members of the public are already looking forward at what can be done to prevent such projects in the future.
“The bigger picture than the predictable controversy over this gas station that’s being built points to the need for stricter ordinances to protect our green space and our waterways specifically,” said Julie Vanleuven. “Our county needs to take a good hard look at planning for growth in the future. I would like you as a commission to prioritize developing a path forward to adequately modernize the county’s planning and permitting ordinances and processes. We need to plan to protect the natural resources that we share that drive our economy.”
Poston said he encourages anyone that is interested in the future development of the county to attend the county’s planning board meetings, scheduled for the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Department on Aging in Sylva. At the town level, Sylva currently had a vacancy on its planning board as of its March 27 meeting.
The construction site, as viewed from the road. Hannah McLeod photo
Inked: Hurricane Helene’s legacy lives on, through comics
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
EDITOR
When Hurricane Helene tore through Southern Appalachia last year, it left behind more than just downed trees and flooded homes. Helene carved enduring, indelible stories into the lives of those who lived through it. Now, a group of writers and artists is set to give those stories a vibrant physical presence by turning firsthand accounts of survival, resilience and loss into vivid, illustrated narratives — and they want to hear from you.
“We want this to be the true story of what happened and how it happened, so that it’s out there for people to be able to access,” said Lauren Sankovitch, managing editor. “We want to make sure that it is it set up in a way that it can be fighting back against misrepresentation and the large amount of misinformation and disinformation that’s been filtering through these kinds of disasters.”
The Appalachia Comics Project, a brainchild of the team at Good Trouble Productions, transforms personal experiences into powerful visual storytelling, preserving a piece of history while proving that even in the face of destruction, creativity can do more than just entertain.
Good Trouble Productions was founded in 2019 by comics industry veterans Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine DeLandro and Matt Fraction, alongside Vaughn Shinall, a
tech product outreach leader with literary agency experience, and Andrew Aydin.
Aydin, who lives in Western North Carolina, is a New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award winner and co-author — with the late Congressman John Lewis — of the graphic memoir series “March” and its sequel “Run,” which chronicles the life of Lewis and the Civil Rights movement.
“Everybody loves to read comics, whether you’re a kid or a parent or an adult sitting in the auto repair shop waiting to get your car back,” Aydin told The Smoky Mountain News. “Reading a comic is fun, and it’s also one of those things that helps you learn. We forget that the language of comics, the sequential narrative, is the fundamental human language.”
Aydin was personally affected by Hurricane Helene, and in response, decided to embark on this new endeavor, creating an accessible historical record that will not only preserve the community’s stories but also provide fair compensation for those sharing them.
“We’ll be putting into place contracts so that we can make sure that these survivors that are telling their story are getting paid for their work, because telling stories is work, so we want to make sure that everyone is compensated appropriately,” Sankovitch said.
The title, “Islands in the sky,” comes
from a sermon Aydin heard on the radio shortly after Helene struck; as internet and cellular infrastructure failed, that preacher was the first human voice he’d heard in days. Aydin said the term referred to isolated mountain communities made even more isolated by the lack of communications.
expand the project and possibly include additional volumes that delve deeper into the lives of those impacted by the storm.
“I don’t think the rest of the country understands what we went through,” Aydin said. “And the stories that they did hear about what happened in Western North Carolina weren’t from the people who actually survived it. We had so many outsiders and interlopers and influencers and everybody else coming in trying to tell our story, and this is an opportunity for all of us who survived to tell what really happened and also to tell what we learned.”
The Kickstarter campaign for the project is set to launch in early May, with an additional goal of raising funds to pay the creators and help produce the book in early 2026. Physical copies of the comic will be available through the campaign, alongside digital rewards. The team is also working on a strategy to offer the comics to local libraries and bookstores that were impacted by the storm, helping rebuild the region’s artistic and literary community.
While the focus
The process for submitting stories to Appalachia Comics is simple; fill out a brief questionnaire on the project’s website and later, the Appalachian Comics Project team will conduct follow-up interviews to gather further details, helping participants refine their stories. Once completed, survivors will collaborate with comic professionals to craft their narratives.
“The follow-up is really where we can kind of get a sense of what the story is that they’re wanting to tell and ideally, help them kind of tease out where the where those major story elements are, and then how we might be able to shape that into a piece for the larger project,” Sankovitch said.
The final project will feature approximately 10 stories across about 120 pages. Depending on the success of a forthcoming Kickstarter campaign, the team hopes to
of this project is on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the larger vision for Appalachia Comics extends far beyond this single project. The organization hopes to produce a series of comics that celebrate the people and culture of Appalachia, using the medium of graphic novels to educate, engage and inspire people of all ages.
“I hope that what we can do is give that power to new voices in the region, in Western North Carolina and Appalachia, so that this isn’t just a one-time project, that we’re recording these stories to go in schools and to go in libraries, so that the lessons and the tragedies and the inspiration will live on,” Aydin said.
For more information on the Appalachia Comics Project or to submit your story, visit appalachiacomics.org.
The Appalachia Comics Project wants to hear your stories of survival from Hurricane Helene. David Marquez/Laura Martin illustration
The war on peace: Kristen Wall lost her job, but not her mission
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS EDITOR
It was 9:32 p.m. on Friday, March 28, and as Kristen Wall was getting ready for bed, she learned via email that she, along with colleagues, had just joined more than 200,000 federal workers who’d been fired. But Wall didn’t work for the National Park system, or the Social Security Administration, or NASA, or even FEMA. Wall’s work involves a somewhat higher purpose.
“My personal commitment to peace is not just a job or even a career,” she told a crowd at the United Methodist Church’s Peace Conference at Lake Junaluska April 4. “It is a life calling that I will continue regardless of the status of my employment, regardless of the existence of my organization, and yes, even regardless of the type of political system I live in.”
The Peace Conference got its start in 2006 when a 95year-old peace advocate, Lake Junaluska resident and former Columbia College President Rev. Wright Spears, assembled members of the community from diverse backgrounds to foster dialogue around a simple, albeit elusive concept — peace.
“We’re engaging people of all faith traditions and many denominations, different faith traditions outside of Christianity, as well as people with no faith tradition,” said Rev. Beth Crissman, the Peace Conference’s director, district superintendent and director of peace building ministries for the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. “But we are also very clear that we are speaking to the Christian church, because right now, we have a lot of work to do within the church to really reclaim the core of who we are and what we’re called to be about as builders of peace.”
The conference featured roughly two dozen speakers, including Crissman, giving presentations over two days on intersectional justice, bridging divides and cultivating inner peace at a time when divisiveness seems to be the prevailing sentiment. This year’s conference theme was “breaking down the dividing walls.”
“We actually launched our morning session by addressing that the dividing walls are not the differences that we have among us, but the hostility we have toward one another in those differences,” Crissman said. “This has become a highly politicized and divisive season, because we have as a nation started to use the differences among us — whether that’s difference in race, difference in gender identity, difference in socioeconomic standing — to pit against one another and to say that one person’s rights or ability to exist in a state of ‘shalom’ or wholeness or completeness is more important than someone else’s.”
Wall, daughter of retired Haywood County physician Steve and wife Betsy, is an alum of both Tuscola High School and the North Carolina School of Science and Math, holds a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University and a master’s degree in conflict transformation
from Eastern Mennonite University. Previously, she led democracy and peacebuilding programs in Kosovo for the National Democratic Institute and researched nonviolent foreign policy at Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies. In 2017, she co-authored “Governance for Peace” and has taught nonviolent communication workshops to inmates, religious groups and peace-
at Lake Junaluska over the April 4 weekend. Cory
building students. Until receiving that Friday night email, she had worked on the learning, evaluation and research team at the U.S. Institute of Peace, where she co-authored a guide on monitoring dialogue in conflict zones.
“Throughout much of my adult career I have sought to share the practices of democracy and conflict transformation with other nations and partners who seek freedom and peace,” she said. “I have committed myself to walk, though at times very imperfectly, in the path of nonviolence and recognition of the innate dignity of all people. This includes the dignity of those misguided people who have ended my job and seek to destroy my organization.”
The U.S. Institute of Peace provides research, analysis, and training in areas such as diplomacy, mediation and peacebuilding to help prevent and resolve conflicts worldwide. Operating as a nonpartisan body, USIP is funded entirely through congressional appropriations to maintain its independence. Its headquarters are — or rather, were — in Washington, D.C., near the National Mall.
“This Institute, we think, will be a valuable source of scholarly research and information on ways in which we can promote peace with freedom,” Reagan said during Feb. 26,
Waynesville church hosts suicide support group
Over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022 — one death every 11 minutes. Over one million people a year survive a suicide attempt, and 13.2 million seriously think about ending their life.
Edward Shneidman is considered the “Father of Suicidology” and first used the word “Psychache” — the ache of the soul, overwhelming pain, loss of hope; therefore, suicidal ideation to relieve the pain. Most people have been affected by suicide in
some way. Those who are survivors of suicide loss deserve support and care every day.
A grief support group for Survivors of Suicide (SOS) begins Thursday, April 10, from 5-6:30 p.m. at Grace Church in the Mountains, 394 N. Haywood St., Waynesville. The group will meet the second Thursday of every month. It is for those grieving the death of someone who died by suicide.
1986, remarks on its establishment. “As Abraham Lincoln reminded us in his second inaugural address, ‘We must do all which may achieve a just and lasting peace with all nations.’ We should always remember that peace follows in freedom’s path and that conflicts erupt when the democratic will of the people is denied. History shows that democratic nations are naturally peaceful and nonaggressive. Democracies take up arms only in self-defense. I have always put in a sentence that people don’t start wars, governments do.”
In March 2025, USIP encountered significant challenges when the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, sought to take control of the Institute. On March 14, Trump fired board members. Employees tried to prevent DOGE staffers from entering the building — which USIP considered private property — but according to Wired, “the DOGE team returned a few days later with a physical key they had gotten from a former security contractor.”
That led to a legal battle, with nearly all employees based in the U.S. being terminated. The situation worsened when a federal judge ruled in favor of DOGE’s intervention and allowed the USIP headquarters building to be transferred from the USIP to the General Services Administration.
One of USIP’s biggest wins, Wall said, was its long record of working to prevent extremism.
“One of the projects that we were doing that is now canceled is resettling former family members of former ISIS members who are at risk for re-radicalization,” she said. “Some of the work that USIP was doing was negotiating with tribes in Iraq so that they could figure out an approach to reintegrate sons and daughters of ISIS fighters from mothers that maybe had been raped or taken away from communities.”
Despite USIP’s important international successes over decades, Wall’s Peace Conference speech focused on the domestic issues that are simultaneously driving Americans apart and eroding the conditions Reagan thought necessary for democracy to flourish. Over 45 minutes, she broke it all down in terms that even a schoolchild could understand.
“I used to be a kindergarten teacher,” she said. “We must share this country. We must be patient and take turns. It’s okay to be angry, but it’s not okay to call names or grab or hit. We must use our words. It is that simple.”
In a more complex analysis, Wall said that as a rulebased system of order, democracy is based on the accountability of the three branches of government and that peaceful societies arise when democratic principles are utilized to solve conflicts without violence through political processes. In short, it’s hard to have peaceful societies without democracy, and it’s hard to have a democratic society without peace.
“I have come to the realization that democracy is a living thing,” she said. “It does not live in the past. It only lives in the present.”
The group will provide a space for people to be seen and heard as they speak about the unspeakable with other people who truly understand and care. It is not to take away the pain or grief or guilt but to help people work through these — normalize the grief process — a group of support and compassion. “The medicine is in the shares.”
Facilitator Marion Klingler, Grace Church in the Mountains parishioner, said, “John and I lost our 27-year-old son, Mitchell, on Feb. 13, 2016. We were mem-
bers of a (30 year old) SOS support group in Raleigh for several years and received much comfort. Now we would like to share our experience and hope with our new friends here in Haywood County. We were facilitators of Al-Anon and Nar-Anon groups in the Raleigh area for several years, and I am a retired school counselor, so we are coming to this situation both as peers and experienced facilitators.”
The Klinglers may be contacted at grace.sos.wvl.gmail.com.
Kristen Wall, who spent time growing up in Haywood County, spoke at the United Methodist Church’s Peace Conference, held
Vaillancourt photo
Commission requests report on libraries
BY HANNAH MCLEOD STAFF WRITER
The Jackson County Commission invited Library Director Tracy Fitzmaurice to come before the board and give a report on the state of libraries in the county after concerns were raised over library security last month.
ber of NC Cardinal the libraries have 8.1 million items in their catalogue.
“The nice thing about that is that our residents here in Jackson County have access to very specialized collections that we may not be able to afford,” said Fitzmaurice. “As you know, books are expensive, especially specialized ones.”
Jackson residents also have access to the state of North Carolina’s Government and Heritage Library, which offers assistance with family history research.
Jackson County has two libraries, both of which operate within the Fontana Regional Library system — the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library and the Jackson County Library in Sylva. The Fontana Regional Library system covers Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, with commissioners renewing the 10-year FRL agreement in November.
While the Sylva library is open six days a week, the Cashiers library is open five days a week.
“Future plans, I would love to work on seeking funding in the next year or two to try and make that a reality for the people in Cashiers,” said Fitzmaurice.
A growing trend over the last decade has been access to electronic resources. In 2016, the North Carolina General Assembly voted to fund special ebook collections for children in grades K-4. Additional funding allocated last year enabled the library system to expanse that collected and divide it into two platforms, one for grades K-3 and one for grades 4-8.
“They felt it important obviously to keep those books available for the right ages in the right platforms,” said Fitzmaurice. “During the last state budget development, the legislature added $300,000 recurring every year to keep this collection going.”
Jackson County has two libraries, both of which operate within the Fontana Regional Library system the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library and the Jackson County Library in Sylva. NC Cardinal System image
As of the end of February, there are 35,013 active library card holders in Jackson County, or about 79% percent of the population. To be an active card holder a person has to have used their library card within the last three years.
“That is a pretty impressive number when you think about nearly four fifths of this community has a library card,” Fitzmaurice said.
So far this fiscal year, 92,994 patrons have visited libraries in Jackson County, which puts them on track with last year, and more than 120,000 items have been checked out.
“The number usually starts climbing up especially in the Cashiers area, for you all from that area you know the change once spring gets here,” said Fitzmaurice. “Also, summer learning programs will kick in and we see huge numbers during the summer with school children that are there for us in the reading program.”
Between the two libraries, there are 20 full-time employees and eight part-time employees who handle circulation, programming, technical services, bookkeeping, room oversight and technology maintenance.
Because the library is funded by the state, it is allowed to be part of the NC Cardinal System, which it joined in 2012. All but 28 counties in North Carolina participate in NC Cardinal, with five counties set join in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
“That means if you’re in Beaufort County on vacation and you want to use their library you can use it with your Jackson County library card,” said Fitzmaurice. “You could also check out a book in Beaufort and then bring it back here and we have a mailing system that goes back and forth.”
In addition to its own book circulation, libraries in Jackson County circulate an additional 15,000 books annually through NC Cardinal. While Jackson libraries are home to about 120,000 books, as a mem-
One of the library’s primary services now is technology assistance. It offers classes on iOS, for apple product users, as well as classes for android users.
“We have tech time digital navigators,” Fitzmaurice said. “They travel to our libraries once a week and they also teach classes at the Department on Aging and at the Senior Center in Cashiers.”
The two digital navigator positions are paid for with a $300,000 grant through Digital Champion that Fitzmaurice obtained last year.
“When they teach a class at Department on Aging, if folks that take that class show up for six classes, they are given a Chromebook through that grant, so they are able to maintain access after the class,” Fitzmaurice said. “That’s a really big boon for a lot of people that can’t afford the digital equivalent.”
In addition to normal library programming and classes which have drawn a total of about 8,800 attendees so far this year, the library rents its rooms out for use by non-library programs. So far this year, it has had 1,569 nonlibrary programs with more than 10,000 people attending those.
Both libraries in Jackson County offer free lunches, working with JCPS at the Sylva library and MANNA Foodbank in Cashiers.
The library briefly considered hosting a medicine cabinet through the non-profit pharmacy group NC MedAssist but decided against it after staff and members of the public expressed concern about having over-the-counter medicines.
“We still have things like Band-Aids, toothbrushes, soap, things like that, but there’s no more oral medications,” said Fitzmaurice.
Commissioner Jenny Lynn Hooper asked Fitzmaurice, “why would you donate soap?”
Fitzmaurice said that library staff kept it on hand to give out to unhoused people who use the library if they needed it.
“I mean, like why does HERE [of Jackson County] not do that?” Hooper asked.
“I’m sure they do too,” Fitzmaurice responded. “But a lot of people use the library, so it’s just easy access. I know the Methodist church has a place they can use to wash up in, several of the churches do.”
Hooper then asked Fitzmaurice if she was aware that “they,” ostensibly referring to the unhoused population, dye their hair in the bathroom sinks at the library. Hooper was referencing an accusation she made back in March when commissioners addressed library security that “they are doing hair dye in the sinks.”
Fitzmaurice said that there has only been one instance of someone dying their hair in the library sink and that it was done by a teenager, not an unhoused person.
Stand against partisanship in schools
It’s been a few weeks since I wrote a column for this space. Instead, we’ve been fortunate enough to print your opinions.
I take it as a sign of a newspaper’s health relative to its relationship with readers when we have a lot of letters to the editor or guest columns coming to my inbox. Since Hurricane Helene and the presidential election, it seems plenty of you have had plenty to say. I wanted to express a sincere thank you to all of those who have submitted and to those of you readers who gained, perhaps, a better sense of how your neighbors feel about what’s going on in this country. Discussion on important issues is a good thing. Keep’em coming.
The Jackson County commissioners think helping their local school board get mired in partisan politics is a good thing? I respectfully disagree.
Jackson commissioners surprised their citizens by deciding without any prior notice to call for a vote to make the school board partisan, meaning candidates will declare their political affiliation before they run in the primary and general election.
Preservation is a long-term commitment
To the Editor:
I was recently honored with Western Carolina University’s Mountain Heritage Award, an award I treasured receiving. In her remarks in presenting this to me, Chancellor Kelli Brown noted my 30-plus years of cultural preservation. While I hope I am deserving of this award, I have to say that preservation is never the responsibility of any one person. It is always a community effort. Years ago, when I taught museum studies at my previous university, I told my students they would pass this course if they would remember two key principles: preservation and access. What does this have to do with anything? These two principles can be applied to any preservation effort because without preservation, there can be no access and without access, there is no point to preservation.
Over the past decade or so, Jackson County has made great progress in providing access to the Tuckasegee River. Various agencies created a trout fishing trail, a blueway and several new access points for paddlers. While all these efforts are commendable, they cannot provide the intended recreational and economic impact if we do not preserve the river. While I am no biologist, I cannot imagine anyone thinking that there will be no gasoline and oil runoff into the river. Certainly, one may keep this from happening in the short term, but preservation is not a short-term principle, it is one that makes us think of the next and future generations.
Citizens didn’t ask for the switch. Commissioners didn’t tell anyone they were considering it. Their methodology and their decision are prime examples of why partisanship at this level of local government often causes many more problems than it solves.
Unfortunately, seems the Jackson commissioners aren’t alone in their thought process (despite the fact that their methodology reveals what some might describe as a lack of respect for their constituents). In 2015, 17 North Carolina school districts had partisan elections. By 2024, that number had grown to 52. The state has 115 school districts.
Public school boards in this state have a tough job balancing the needs of students, parents and staff. Installing a brand of partisanship that will only divide the community and make these decisions even more difficult, controversial and personal is just a bad idea.
Let’s end this with the words of Jackson County School Board Chairman Wes Jamison:
LETTERS
I have recently spoken out in support of preserving the pristine waters of the Tuckasegee River from contamination and runoff from a proposed gas station to be built along the banks of the river. Personally, I hate to oppose a project by a family with long-term ties in Jackson County. I have lived here a bit over 20 years, but I have come to love our county and especially its natural resources. I have had the opportunity to work with Jackson County to create a dozen interpretive waysides that share the history and culture of our region, many of these are placed along the Jackson County Greenway and along the Tuckasegee River. While I can work on these cultural and historical access points, without preservation of the river, we are only looking at half the equation that guides my work. Preservation is a long-term commitment, one that is the responsibility of the entire community.
champion and protect.
“A strong school board is one that brings together people with different perspectives, all working toward the shared goal of providing the best possible education for our students. We don’t need a public school system that appears to serve only one part of the community — we need one that represents and serves everyone. It is my hope that our General Assembly representatives, Sen. [Kevin] Corbin and Rep. [Mike] Clampitt, will recognize this and choose not to move forward with the request made by four of our county commissioners.”
Well said.
And former county commissioner, public school teacher and school board member Gayle Woody also had a pithy statement about this proposal: “It will not serve the interest of our students and teachers. School board members, unlike other elected officials, must bear sole allegiance to the students and parents they serve and not leaders or platforms of specific political parties.”
Unfortunately, Mike Clampitt has already filed a bill in the General Assembly to make this happen. No surprise there. Clampitt is as partisan as they come. Here’s hoping that this bill never sees the light of day.
(Scott McLeod can be reached at info@smokymountainnews.com.)
On Truth Social, Trump posted an insulting message to average Americans who are retired on fixed incomes, financially insecure, sick, working two jobs, in debt and trying to raise families on minimum wage: “ONLY THE WEAK WILL FAIL!”
Gas station would be a big mistake
To the Editor:
I used to go to the old Jack the Dipper building between Cullowhee and Sylva. It was a produce stand at the time; the fellow running it sold great watermelons. Traffic was usually a problem (the spot is at the bottom of a hill, there are two intersections, a bend, a left turn lane, and a bridge). If things were too hectic, I just kept going rather than skid to a screeching halt.
Crashes were fairly common on that busy stretch of road. The most memorable one was right in front of the produce stand. A cop from Western Carolina University was dealing with about 10 crazy people after a fenderbender. She looked miserable in her bullet proof vest trying to prevent further mayhem and keep the crazies out of the road.
Anna Fariello Cullowhee
Trump doesn’t care about our suffering
To the Editor:
The other day, while driving to a golf outing, President Donald Trump demonstrated a callous disregard for the suffering his tariffs have inflicted on hundreds of millions of Americans, whose interests he was elected to
In response to the historic plunge in the stock market that has ensued from his reckless tariffs, he posted: “THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO GET RICH, RICHER THAN EVER BEFORE!!!”
This is our President who is openly disdainful of the average American people. His unchecked policies are rendering us financially weaker and more vulnerable to the political whims of an amoral government.
I am joined by an increasing number of decent people who want this man and his cadre of sycophants removed and imprisoned.
Lori Stephens Waynesville
Some developers and investors want to put a Mobil gas station on this spot. They all know the traffic situation; anyone standing there at noon can tell it is dangerous. The temptation to sell gas, beer and cigarettes is winning out. I am sure there will be traffic crashes associated with this project. When things go to court, I hope judges sock it to the developers, investors, Mobil Oil and the Jackson County government for putting a gas station in a spot better suited for a guardrail.
Chris Bogardus Cullowhee
Editor Scott McLeod
A little taste of home
Junction Pub opens in Sylva
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
It’s mid-afternoon and the seats are starting to fill up at the Junction Pub in Sylva.
Located along Skyland Drive near downtown, the old-style railroad depot structure is now entering its next chapter.
“This building has been sitting empty for many years,” said Junction Pub owner/chef Craig Szymanski.
“And I’d been looking around at every building around here that’d been a restaurant before — this place just seemed to fit what I was looking to do.”
is
With its official grand opening to be held April 11-13, the Jackson County establishment is a much-anticipated addition to the already-bustling culinary scene in the small mountain town.
Formerly No Name Sports Pub, the building itself has remained dormant for the better part of the last decade. And as No Name, the business was a highly-popular spot when it came to watching sports and seeing live music — two aspects of the Junction Pub that Szymanski aims to revive and focus on.
“I heard all these stores from people about how they loved this place and how great it was [for music and food],” Szymanski said. “And that’s exactly what we’re trying to bring back.”
If Szymanski’s name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s also the owner/chef for the Rivers & Rails Tavern in Dillsboro. Opened in 2020, the tavern has become a haven for those in search of a wide-range of food styles and offerings — Korean to Mexican and beyond.
“R&R has some Asian flare to it that I took from my time living out west [in California],” Szymanski said. So, [with the Junction], I’m bringing more of my New York/Eastern stuff [to the table].”
In contrast to R&R, the Junction Pub will have a keen focus on Italian and Greek cuisine — gyros to mussels, lamb meatballs to shrimp fra diavolo — which harkens back to Szymanski’s roots as a New York native. There’s also a “Weekend Brunch” component to the menu atop the usual pub standbys (burgers, wings, etc.).
“[The Junction] is scratching that
Northeast itch,” Szymanski said.
Raised just outside of New York City in Rockland County, New York, Szymanski was a teenager in the 1980s when he started washing dishes and prepping ingredients at city eateries, gradually working his way up to becoming a chef of his own.
As expected, those decades-old metropolitan restaurants were tight ships that expected quality and respect to what not only what was being served, but also who was serving it.
“I learned so much from growing up in New York, where we’d go right into the city and experience some of the greatest food you’ll ever eat, everything from Italian or Chinese — you soak in all of this culture and tradition,” Szymanski reminisced.
From New York, Szymanski headed for culinary work in California, working and honing his kitchen craft in authentic Mexican and Asian restaurants for the better part of 20 years. During this West Coast period, Szymanski also acquired and developed a successful catering company.
By December 2018, Szymanski and his family had decided to relocate to Western
Want to go?
The grand opening of the Junction Pub will be held April 11-13 at the restaurant/taproom, which is located at 1070 Skyland Drive in Sylva.
Featuring an array of specialized Italian and Green menu items, the establishment also hosts live music throughout the week. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, call 828.370.2090 or visit facebook.com/jctpub.
With a keen focus on Italian and Greek dishes, the Junction Pub in Sylva will be hosting its grand opening April 11-13.
North Carolina. It was a fresh start, with Szymanski eventually becoming the chef at Balsam Falls Brewing when its kitchen opened in August 2019. That move eventually parleyed itself into the opportunity for Szymanski to open Rivers & Rails Tavern.
“We want to offer these dishes you can’t find anywhere,” Szymanski said. “There’s so much room for growth in the food scene here, this growth you really can’t find anywhere else — we love it here.”
Aesthetically, Szymanski did an extensive renovation of the Junction Pub building, from brand new bathrooms to a complete overhaul of the live music stage in the backroom. A lifelong musician himself, Szymanski is excit-
ed for the acts to jump up behind the microphone.
“I just love music and I know this area loves music,” Szymanski said, who also plays drums in the venue’s house band, Break Cutter.
To note, there’s an “Open Jam” starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and an “Open Mic” 6 p.m. Thursdays, all of which atop a slew of live bands and singer-songwriters that are booked on the weekends. Talks are also in the works to create a “Comedy Night” and feature stand-up.
“This place is about everybody being able to come in and enjoy all of the things we have,” Szymanski said. “We’re ready to be open.”
Craig Szymanski
the owner/chef at the Junction Pub. Garret K. Woodward photos
Chicken gyro.
This must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
Ain’t no time like the present to get your shit together
This evening, I realized that a wine bottle ordered at a restaurant (half-off bottles on Mondays) never lasts long enough when you’re with someone you love (friend, family, partner, etc.). And it never seems to empty itself when you’re by yourself.
Last Monday night. Vinnie’s Neighborhood Italian restaurant on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville. A long-time, beloved establishment. Although I’ve known about it since I moved to Western North Carolina some 13 years ago, I’d only been wandering in for the last two years or so. Initially, my former girlfriend and I would go seemingly every Monday for the half-off wine bottle special. Order some garlic knots and our usual favorite Italian dishes. It was a semiregular tradition we enjoyed for the majority of our two-year relationship. It was a great way to not only tie a bow on a long weekend, but to kick start the fresh work week with a delicious meal and hearty conversation.
a messy encounter until you finally stand and walk alongside the person you’re meant to ultimately traverse this earth with.
HOT PICKS
1
The “Kids at HART” production of “Children of Eden!” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. March 10-11 and at 2 p.m. March 12 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
2
Popular rock/soul act The Paper Crowns will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, March 10, at The Scotsman in Waynesville.
3
The Natti Love Joys (reggae/roots) will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin.
4
A special opening reception for “Quilted Expressions: A Celebration of Block-Based Art” will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday, April 11, at the Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville.
5
Ted Olson and Thomas Rain Crowe will host a special poetry reading at 1 p.m. Sunday, April 13, at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.
sports in high school. Oh, and I was diagnosed with ADHD as a fourth-grader, eventually thrown onto a heavy prescription of Ritalin for most of my youth in the 1990s.
And last week was the first time I’d returned for the Monday special since she and I broke up almost four months ago when the snow was flying around the mountains of Western North Carolina. It was odd to pull up, park, walk in and grab a seat at the bar counter solo. No waiting for two chairs or a nearby table to open up. Just sit down and order. Pick the usual bottle of pinot noir. No garlic knots this go-round since they’ve been temporarily removed from the menu. Select my favorite dish there, which is the chicken paillard (with spinach and mashed potatoes). Drip some of the complementary bread in the small dish of olive oil and drops of vinegar with gusto. And ponder.
Gaze around Vinnie’s at the smiling couples (both young and old) and retrace your steps as to how you ended up at this juncture of your life. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, you think. But, then again, the one and only thing you can control is this world is how you react to a situation. Other than that? It’s pretty much a crapshoot of how the cards fall, although being genuinely kind to others and passionate in your daily endeavors does add up to a life well-lived.
That phrase by the late Scottish poet Robert Burns rolls across my thoughts: “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” I think of the women I’ve loved over the course of my existence. Women who’ve broken my heart, whose hearts I’ve broken. It’s always
In regards to matters of the heart, my intent has remained pure and passionate since the first time I fell in love in middle school. And yet, my follow-through still needs some work. The eternal quest for understanding and loving myself remains real and worthwhile. In which, immediately following this most recent breakup, I decided to sign up for therapy.
It was Christmas morning. I woke up alone and with a heavy heart. A deep sense of sadness filled my apartment. At a quarter to noon, I finally decided to get up and face the day. And also face the reflection in the bathroom mirror. By noon, I logged into BetterHelp.com and signed up for therapy, something that I’ve now been doing every week since that gloomy Christmas day.
In these last three months of online therapy sessions, I’ve learned so much about myself. They say the first step to loving yourself and getting to the root of your restless mind and personal traumas is to actually say out loud, “I’m not doing well.” And, against my normal “it is what it is” ethos of self, I’ve done that. Instead of saying, “Everything’s fine,” when asked by friends and strangers how I am, I now say the truth in how I’m feeling. And it’s incredibly liberating.
To preface, I’ve always been well aware of what rolls around my mind. My deep insecurities. My confidence to push ahead, come hell or high water. My fearlessness to pursue love. My fear of abandonment. Intense childhood trauma coupled with years of incessant bullying at the hands of my peers, not to mention a lack of friends until I got extremely good at
Through therapy, the culmination of the last paragraph has made me realize I have an anxious attachment style, one where I’m consciously and subconsciously seeking validation in every aspect of my life (friends, family, lovers, etc.). In essence, I just want to be loved (and love) and to solve problems. But, the insecurities within get the best of me and I sometimes end up self-sabotaging things in my life, trying to dig myself out of a hole only to have the hole get deeper.
All of which leads to troubled relationships, especially when, looking back, I usually have chased after women who would be labeled as dismissive avoidant — the logic being that you seek those who encompass things you’re missing. The dynamic is viceversa, too, where the dismissive avoidant seeks something from what I have to offer, only to usually push away when things get too heavy or complicated.
But, regardless of those I pursue, what remains is, well, me and what I’m going to do about changing certain patterns in my life. The first step is saying you’re not doing well. The second step is to acknowledge your past patterns, to place labels on your actions and reactions. And to, ultimately, be cognizant of why you do what you do before you do it — to mitigate habits and motives.
Thus, I sat at Vinnie’s. Solo, but with optimism in my heart. We’re all a work in progress. I’m willing to do the work and will continue to do so. I want to make sense of everything. I want peace within and to radiate compassion. Like The Beatles sang, “And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make.”
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
• April 10 • 6-7:30
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 historically and culturally significant places in Western North Carolina.
TICKETS:
$10 for community members
$7 for seniors • $5 for students Free for children 12 and under Tickets are available at the door or for purchase in advance at pcmdc.org Series passes available at a discount.
The pier at St. Augustine Beach, Florida. Garret K. Woodward photo
• American Legion Post 47 (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” 3 p.m. every Tuesday. Free and open to the public. 828.456.8691.
• Angry Elk Brewing (Whittier) will host semiregular live music on the weekends. All shows are free and open to the public. 828.497.1015 / facebook.com/angryelkbrewingco.
• Balsam Falls Brewing (Sylva) will host “Open Mic” 8-10 p.m. every Thursday. Free and open to the public. 828.631.1987 / balsamfallsbrewing.com.
• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host an “Open Jam” 6 p.m. Tuesdays, “Trivia” 7 p.m. April 16 and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.
• Bevel Bar (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.246.0996 / bevelbar.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host Doug & Lisa April 19. All shows begin at 5 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• Blue Stage (Andrews) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.361.2534 / thebluestage.com.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Karaoke Night” Wednesdays, “Trivia” 7 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows are located in The Gem downstairs taproom and begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 / boojumbrewing.com.
Reggae, soul at Lazy Hiker
The Natti Love Joys will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Franklin.
A roots-rock-reggae band that has been playing live since 2003, the group consists of husband and wife duo Anthony “Jatti” Allen and Sonia “Marla” Allen (formerly Sonia Abel).
Jatti was previously the bassist for the reggae group The Congos, while Marla originates from the cult all female reggae group Love Joys, where she recorded two albums under the legendary Wackies label run by Lloyd Barnes (Bullwackie).
The show is free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 or lazyhikerbrewing.com.
Natti Love Joys will play Franklin April 12. File photo
open to the public. 828.586.9678/ innovationbrewing.com.
• Innovation Station (Dillsboro) will host “Music Bingo” on Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 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” on Sundays, “Marg Monday Karaoke” on Mondays, “Trivia” on Tuesdays, “Open Mic” on Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All events are free and begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 828.370.2090 / facebook.com/jctpub.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Natti Love Joys (reggae/roots) April 12, Scott Stambaugh (singer-songwriter) April 18 and The V8s (oldies/R&B) April 19. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Breadheads Tiki Shak (Sylva) will host “Tiki Trivia” at 7 p.m. every first Thursday of the month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.307.2160 / breadheadstikishak.com.
• Bryson City Brewing (Bryson City) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0085 / brysoncitybrewing.com.
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Brian Ashley Jones & Melanie Jean (Americana/country) 5 p.m. April 16. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-events/livemusic.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host “Open Mic Night” 6 p.m. April 11. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.
• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host “Team Trivia” Mondays and “Hiker Bash” noon April 12 (Phil Thomas noon to 3 p.m., Dirty Dave 710 p.m.). All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.634.0078 / curraheebrew.com.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Fireside at The Farm” sessions on select weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. 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, Unspoken Tradition (Americana/bluegrass) April 11, Rich Manz Trio (oldies/acoustic) April 12, David Cheatham (singer-songwriter) 3
p.m. April 13, Alma Russ (Americana/folk) April 16, Logan Sempsrott (singer-songwriter) April 18, Hot Dog Sunrise (rock/jam) April 19 and Natti Love Joys (reggae/roots) 3 p.m. April 20. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.
• Frog Quarters (Franklin) will host live music from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. Free and open to the public. Located at 573 East Main St. 828.369.8488 / littletennessee.org.
• Gathering Room (Waynesville) will host an “Open Acoustic Jam” from 6:30-8:30 p.m. the last Friday of every month. All welcome to play or listen. 828.558.1333 / thegatheringroom828.com.
• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.742.5700 / happsplace.com.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host Chicago (classic rock) 9 p.m. April 18. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahscherokee.
• 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 Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic w/Phil” on Wednesdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows and events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and
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
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 award-winning 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.
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 historically and culturally significant places in WNC.
• May 08: 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
On the table
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have its wine bar open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host semi-regular taptakeovers from local and regional breweries on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. 828.452.0120 / waynesvillewine.com.
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.
• 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.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit pcmdc.org.
• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturdays at the Bryson City Wine Market. Select from a gourmet selection of charcuterie to enjoy with your wines. Educational classes and other events are also available. 828.538.0420.
• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. There will also be a special “Beer Train” on select dates. 800.872.4681 / gsmr.com.
LaKisha Blount will be in Waynesville May 8. File photo
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 the month of April.
The show will be on display at HCAC’s Haywood Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville. A special opening reception will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday, April 11, at the gallery. Guests are invited to enjoy refreshments, while exploring this inspiring collection of artwork.
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 block-based 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.
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• “Spring Reception” will be held from 4-6 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at the Uptown Gallery in Franklin. Free and open to the public. Refreshments served. 828.349.4607 / franklinuptowngallery.com.
• 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 show-
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.
The museum’s hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and until 7 p.m. on Thursday.
For more information, visit wcu.edu/bardo-arts-center.
cases. 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. They welcome 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/scclocations/swain-center.
• 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 Tybee Maitri. Donated photo
BY KYLE PERROTTI NEWS EDITOR
Equipment and personnel have arrived in Haywood County to begin removing debris at 22 sites along the Pigeon River.
The initial focus of the debris removal will be on things like downed trees, appliances and vehicles that, if dislodged and sent downstream, could cause further catastrophic damage. With that in mind, it’s best for the county to begin the debris removal efforts as soon as possible. After all, catastrophic storms don’t consider when and where to hit — they simply happen.
At a county commission meeting last month, Joe Stanton, an assistant director with North Carolina Emergency Management, said that while Haywood is ahead of other areas going through this process, the county should still expedite when reasonably possible.
“As soon as we can get that done, the better off our citizens are and the faster recovery happens,” Stanton told the board.
have been the Army Corps of Engineers; however, commissioners expressed concerns with both the uncertain cost of using the Corps and also its responsiveness.
Stanton told commissioners that the Army Corps of Engineers could take up to two more months to get assessments and reports before it could start work.
The decision to begin the waterway debris removal was made at the commission meeting last month as the body voted to choose Southern Disaster Recovery to lead the effort with the help of local contractors who will be on the ground and in the waterways. The other choice for cleanup would
“If we chose Army Corps, it could take 30-60 days and then they could tell us, ‘no we don’t have the funding,’” said Commissioner Brandon Rodgers. Rodgers added that when the county reached out to the Army Corps of Engineers in October, less than a month after the storm, it didn’t respond quickly, perhaps because it had a lot on its plate due to the regional scope of the disaster. Rodgers opined that Haywood County may not have been big enough to take priority.
“SDR has been very responsive and open to answering our questions and meeting with us,” Rodgers said. “I can’t say the same for The Corps.”
Commissioners had praise for the job SDR had done during the initial debris cleanups following Tropical Storm Fred. SDR president Chip Patterson, who was born in Haywood County, recalled what he saw in 2021 as he spoke to the board.
“At the time, we all thought, ‘that’s probably as bad as it can get,’” Patterson said. “None of us could have anticipated that a few years later, we’d see a much larger, stronger storm.”
According to its website, SDR, based out of Greer, South Carolina, specializes in cleanup and recovery from all kinds of disasters across the country.
“For communities around the nation, SDR has been the first team called for disaster debris removal after the worst storms imaginable,” the website says. “We’ve helped communities and regions recover after hurricanes, ice storms, floods, wildfires and tornadoes. Our secret to making the impossible possible is the utilization of hands-on project management, exemplary safety practices and extraordinary work ethic,” it reads. With extensive disaster management experience and a team experienced in public works, emergency management, public safety and disaster debris removal, we approach every project with a high regard for communication, safety and professionalism rarely seen in the industry.
Up to this point, SDR and its subcontractors have already removed over 33,000 cubic yards of debris just from rights of way around Haywood County. The next phase, waterway removal, like right-of-way removal, is considered “emergency work.” The aim is to remove debris that could be washed downstream and cause further damage to buildings, bridges and other important infrastructure.
It has been determined that there are four waterways with significant enough debris to warrant emergency removal — the Pigeon River, the west fork of the Pigeon River, Hominy Creek and Jonathan Creek. The Pigeon River will be the first to see debris removals.
The assessment that led to the identification of the 22 debris removal sites — all of which FEMA must approve — along the Pigeon River was done with F
Chip Patterson speaks to Haywood County Commissioners. From YouTube
Debris removal has begun along the Pigeon River in Haywood County. Kyle Perrotti photo
WCU pitches new ‘Ballparks and Brews Tour’ for alumni, friends
The Western Carolina University Office of Alumni Engagement is stepping up to the plate and taking a swing at a new summer event designed to bring together members of the Catamount family at baseball stadiums across North and South Carolina.
Christened “The Ballparks and Brews Tour,” the series of alumni gatherings will be making stops at five minor league baseball games in May and June as far east as Durham and as far west as Spartanburg, South Carolina.
in the exclusive Dash Pad. Tickets are $20.
• Friday, May 16 — Hickory Crawdads; first pitch at 7 p.m. vs. the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, featuring postgame fireworks. Tickets are $5.
• Thursday, May 29 — Durham Bulls; first pitch at 6:35 p.m. vs. the Memphis Redbirds, featuring dinner in the University Kia Korner. Tickets are $20.
• Thursday, June 5 — Charlotte Knights; first pitch at 7:04 p.m. vs. the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, featuring “Thirsty Thursday” specials, ballpark cash and field-level seats. Tickets are $20.
“We’re excited to introduce this tour as a brand-new way to interact with fellow Catamounts while enjoying America’s favorite pastime,” said Stacey Miller, WCU director of alumni engagement. “At each stop, we will be creating a special WCU section where you can cheer, connect and enjoy game-day fun with alumni, friends and family.”
The Ballparks and Brews Tour schedule:
• Thursday, May 8 — Winston-Salem Dash; first pitch at 6:30 p.m. vs. the Bowling Green Hot Rods, featuring a $2 beer night and dinner
drones operated by another company. Considerations when identifying those sites included how far upstream they are from infrastructure. Once those sites were identified, SDR used GIF maps and property records to identify landowners who would need to be contacted to obtain a “right of entry,” basically permission to come onto the land and work. Patterson said that fol-
• Friday, June 13 — The Hub City Spartanburgers; first pitch at 7:05 p.m. vs. the Wilmington Blue Rocks, featuring $10 in ballpark cash, on-field replica cowboy hat giveaway and postgame fireworks in the newly opened Fifth Third Park in Spartanburg. Tickets are $15.
To RSVP and purchase tickets for WCU’s Ballparks and Brews Tour, click on the alumni events link at the website: wcu.edu/engage/alumni.
A limited number of tickets will be available for each game.
For more information about Ballparks and Brews or to learn more about other alumni events, including the 2025 Alumni Weekend, call 828.227.7335 or email alumni@wcu.edu.
a temporary processing site, sort and thin out debris and then take what’s left to a permanent spot. Equipment and personnel used for clearing waterways will vary based on the depth and width of the river, as well as the speed of the current, at each spot. Patterson said he expected to use 20-25 pieces of equipment for removal and about 10 trucks for hauling.
Panthertown Map Association publishes 30th anniversary edition
Panthertown Map Association, the non-profit publishers of Burt Kornegay’s popular map, “A Guide’s Guide to Panthertown,” recently celebrated the publication of the newly revised 30th anniversary edition with a $7,500 donation to Friends of Panthertown.
Friends of Panthertown is the local 501(c)3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to work in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to conserve Panthertown as a backcountry natural resource and to enable sustainable recreation. Their organization is celebrating two decades of protecting and maintaining
these treasured public lands located within Nantahala National Forest.
Friends of Panthertown staff and volunteers serve as stewards of the forest, providing interpretive education and conservation of this public resource while maintaining 30 miles of trails dispersed over 6,311 acres in Panthertown Valley.
“Volunteers are always needed to help out on the trails in Panthertown,” shared Trails and Stewardship Director Kara McMullen. “It’s a great way to get involved and meet others who also care for this special place. No experience is required, and training is provided.”
Kornegay’s maps are available to purchase at local retailers including City Lights Bookstore and Black Balsam Outdoors or online at panthertownmap.com.
More info is available on the Friends of Panthertown website at panthertown.org.
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lowing Fred, only one property owner in the Cruso area denied SDR permission to work. Now that work has begun, the process for debris processing is relatively simple: remove items, collect and transport items to
Once the sites along the Pigeon River are cleared, workers will tend to the other three waterways. After that, non-emergency debris removal will continue on public and private lands.
Friends of Panthertown Executive Director, Jason Kimenker, and Trails & Stewardship Director, Kara McMullen, meet with Burt Kornegay and Mike Purdy. Donated photo
Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Discover Durham photo
While Tropical Storm Fred brought flooding to parts of Haywood County in 2021, Helene caused widespread devastation across the region. Cory Vaillancourt photo
Central Haywood High School gets new tractor
The Haywood County Farm Bureau Board of Directors is proud to announce the sponsorship of Central Haywood High School’s new tractor. This tractor will be used by Kevin Bailey, Ed.D., Central Haywood High’s agriculture teacher, to improve student understanding of agricultural equipment and give them real-world education and experiences directly related to the agricultural industry.
Haywood County Farm Bureau is dedicated to promoting the next generation of agriculture leaders through education and pro-
viding a strong support system to our county’s educators. Haywood County Farm Bureau strives to fulfill the philosophy of North Carolina Farm Bureau of being the “trusted Voice of Agriculture and the leading grassroots membership organization advocating for all farmers, ranchers and rural communities.” Learn more about the Haywood County Farm Bureau by contacting Amanda Stasi, amanda.stasi@ncfbssc.com.
Haywood County Farm Bureau Board member Marie Ferguson (left to right), board President Don Smart and Central Haywood High School agriculture teacher Kevin Baily pose by the school’s new tractor. Haywood County Farm Bureau photo
Application period open for crop loss disaster assistance in 2024
FARMERS URGED TO SIGN UP BY THE MAY 4 DEADLINE
N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced that the Agricultural Disaster Crop Loss Program is open and accepting online applications through May 4 from farmers who suffered crop losses from Hurricane Helene, Tropical Storm Debby and drought and other weather-related conditions in 2024.
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is administering the statewide program as part of the more than $524 million disaster package approved by the N.C. General Assembly, with nearly $311 million designated for relief for farmers.
“Our farmers are reeling from a disastrous 2024 season, so we are moving quickly to get this program up and running to get money flowing to them. This funding is a lifeline as they look to restore their farms and livelihood,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “A total of $200 million is earmarked for farmers in Western N.C. and over $100 million has been approved for crop losses across the remainder of the state. All 100 counties are included in the coverage.”
Criteria include:
• Farmers who experienced a verifiable loss of agriculture or aquaculture commodities as a result of an agricultural disaster in 2024.
• Farm is located in an area affected by disaster.
• The commodity or aquaculture was planted, or being raised, before the date of the disaster designated in the Secretarial or Presidential declaration for the county where the commodity is located, and the verifiable losses are being claimed. Eligible farmers can access and submit the online application at ncagr.gov and will need to have a Form 578 on file with the USDA Farm Service Agency and a completed W-9. Local county extension offices will be able to offer application assistance for producers who do not have internet access.
Join Franklin Bird club for Macon County walks
The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the Greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane.
The public is welcome. All walks are weather dependent. Additional information, including directions to each location and a bird club check list can be found at littletennessee.org/franklinbird-club.
Schedule and meeting places for upcoming walks:
• April 16: Macon County Library parking lot
• April 23: Big Bear parking lot
• April 30: Salali Lane
• May 7: Macon County library parking lot
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is administering the statewide program as part of the more than $524 million disaster package approved by the N.C. General Assembly, with nearly $311 million designated for relief for farmers. Donated graphic
NCDA&CS is also operating its disaster assistance hotline at 1.866.645.9403 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to help with questions. A wide range of commodities will be included in the program, including specialty crops and tobacco, and growers are encouraged to review the full list online.
The General Assembly indicated its intent to revisit agricultural needs again after review of Congressional disaster funding.
For more information, including a section with frequently asked questions, visit ncagr.gov/agdisaster, or call the NCDA&CS disaster assistance hotline.
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