Smoky Mountain News | August 27, 2025

County commission chair abruptly resigns Page 5

Mulch fire continues to smolder in Haywood Page 24

CONTENTS

On the Cover:

Among the most devastated parts of Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene is the Chimney Rock area. Last week, former governor and current senate candidate Roy Cooper visited the area to talk about storm recovery. However, the Republican frontrunner for the Senate race, Michael Whatley, also President Donald Trump’s appointed storm recovery czar has been absent, betting the question: where’s Whatley? (Page 6) Cory Vaillancourt photo

News

Former student alleges abuse by Jackson County band instructor......................4

Swain commission chair abruptly resigns....................................................................5

As Chimney Rock reopens, shopkeepers recount what it took to get there....7 Hypocrisy, lies and censorship fuel drag protest in Sylva........................................8 COVID mounts late summer surge amid onset of flu season............................10

Davis exit marks another shift in NC-11 Dem race................................................11

Whittier project reimagines county land as community attraction......................12

Swain County manager withheld commission chair’s resignation letter..........13

Opinion

Tit-for-tat gerrymandering wars won’t end soon......................................................14

This ex-Republican fears for the future........................................................................14

A&E

The Brothers Gillespie to play Canton Labor Day..................................................16 Thunder in the Smokies returns to Maggie Valley....................................................21

Outdoors

Mulch fire continues to smolder in Haywood............................................................24 Colquitt Foundation gives $750,000 to the Smokies............................................27

STAFF

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C ONTRIBUTING: Jeff Minick (writing), Susanna Shetley (writing), Adam Bigelow (writing), Thomas Crowe (writing)

Be

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Gap ground meat and other meat products in the mea your local Ingles Market.

Swannanoa, NC — Y Yoou might spot th and colorful cans of specialized ea blends on the local your Ingles store.

Former student alleges abuse by longtime Jackson County band instructor

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT

P OLITICS E DITOR

Aformer Smoky Mountain High School student has come forward with allegations of inappropriate behavior by her longtime band teacher, saying he groomed her as a teenager and left her struggling in silence for years.

Grace Pressley, who graduated in 2018 and is now an adult, told The Smoky Mountain News Aug. 22 that she reported Andrew Lewis “Drew” Umphlett to the Jackson County Public Schools Board about a month ago, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office a few weeks ago, after learning that he had returned to teaching following a brief career change.

“I was in the band program during that time, and Drew Umphlett was my band teacher from sixth grade all the way until when I graduated high school,” Pressley said. “He was very inappropriate. He was in love with me. He told me this. He locked me in his vehicle to tell me that he had been in love with me for quite some time.”

At the time, she was just 15 or 16 years old.

According to Pressley’s allegations, Umphlett would occasionally kiss her on the head, would change clothes in his office where students could see him and would leave notes in her locker saying he loved her.

“When he told me that he had been in love with me — this was the in-person, in-the-vehicle thing — to me it seemed like he was asking for permission,” Pressley said. “He did want to be in a relationship with me.”

Pressley said she told Umphlett that his feelings were not reciprocated and that she did not report the behavior while she was in school, fearing the personal and academic consequences.

Umphlett is indeed under investigation but could not say for what.

After reports that a JCPS staff member was recently escorted from school property, JCPS Public Information Officer Shaneka Allen issued the following statement to The

“Being in band was really important to me, and so I never told anybody,” she said.

When Pressley eventually moved away, she revealed the allegations to her parents, who had been friends with Umphlett and eventually confronted him directly.

“I texted Drew and I said, ‘What you did to me was not okay. I still remember, and if you see me in public, don’t con-

Mountain High School was suspended pending the outcome of an investigation. While we understand there may be questions, this is a personnel matter, and in accordance with law, we are unable to share additional details at this time. Please be assured that the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority. The district is following all established policies and procedures, including cooperating with law enforcement, and we will provide updates if and

Allegations about a staff member prompted Jackson County Public Schools to suspend a staff member, pending a full investigation. Jackson County Public Schools photo

victim who remains reluctant to step forward.

“I know that it was not just an isolated incident, and this victim is from years before I was at school, so this has been happening,” Pressley said. “It spans a decade at least.”

Pressley also worked with AWAKE, a Jackson County child advocacy organization, which referred her to law enforcement.

Tony Cope, captain of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, confirmed to SMN that

Personnel records are largely protected by state statute, so no further information is available from JCPS on the nature of the investigation or the identity of the person being investigated.

Pressley believes Umphlett’s behavior was textbook groomclassmates witnessed inappropriate behavior, including his changing clothes in the band office, and at least one of those

underwear … stripped down to everything but his underwear and put on his after-school band recalled. “There were a few girls who saw that and have reported

She believes that Umphlett

“If it is true that there was an investigation against him before and nothing happened, I would be pretty upset,” she said.

Pressley says she hopes her decision to speak out will encourage others to do so.

“I do feel like people should know he has a ton of people — I mean, kids — that were in the band program for years that just think he’s a wonderful person,” she said. “I just think that that people should know what kind of person he is.”

Umphlett’s contact information was not immediately available.

Swain Commission Chair abruptly resigns

BY LILY LEVIN STAFF W RITER

Swain County Commissioner Chairman Kevin Seagle has announced his resignation, effective Aug. 31. Seagle.

Ahead of the announcement, Seagle was absent from the board’s Aug. 19 meeting, cited “unfounded accusations” and “personal attacks” in a letter detailing his decision “with a heavy heart but a clear conscience” dated Aug. 15.

Seagle, a Republican, has operated Kevin Seagle Ministries since 2013. He is a building inspector by trade and since 2023 has owned and operated a development consultancy called Smoky Mountain Consultative Services.

ordinary for someone in his position.

“People miss meetings on vacation. They’re somewhere for work,” Cooper explained. As for Seagle’s resignation, it’s also “not that unusual,” Cooper said, adding that commissioners might resign when they are planning to move somewhere else.

“But the ‘accusations’ and the ‘clear conscience’ language, yes, [that’s] noteworthy” — and not all that typical.

In North Carolina law, when a chairman’s seat is vacated, there are multiple options.

The rest of the board may choose a temporary replacement for that spot, which they can do first by naming an entirely new appointee as chairman. Alternatively,

County Commission Chairman was conspicuously absent at the Aug. 19 meeting.

Sitting in his seat is Vice Chair Tanner Lawson. Lily Levin photo

First elected to the Swain commission in 2018, Seagle finished second in a field of four with just enough votes to claim one of two seats on commission that year. In 2022, Seagle ousted incumbent Chair Ben Bushyhead with 58% of the vote.

Seagle’s absence wasn’t mentioned until the end of the Aug. 19 meeting.

“I’m sure all of you got the letter,” said Commission Vice Chair Lawson, who occupied Seagle’s normal seat. “We are working with the attorney and [University of North Carolina] School of Government to make sure the process that has to happen will be right. We want to make sure that we do it the right way. I want to make sure we do it right and do it legal.”

In a county embroiled in controversy after the indictment and sudden retirement of former Sheriff Curtis Cochran on multiple sexual assault charges, the chairman’s resignation is yet another bump in county government’s uncertain road going forward. But is Seagle’s resignation actually unusual, and what steps will be taken to fill his chair?

Western Carolina University political scientist Chris Cooper thought Seagle’s noshow on Aug. 19, in itself, wasn’t out of the

Cooper noted, the board might also name “a current commissioner to the seat, which would set off a second vacancy to be filled.” State law requires that any appointee “be of the same political party as the member being replaced.” Accordingly, Swain’s next chairman must also be a Republican, and any additional vacancy must be filled by a member of the same party, too.

Swain County has an Oct. 30 deadline — 60 days following the vacancy — to appoint someone via one of these two methods. If commissioners are unable to decide within that allotted time, the clerk will report the vacancy to the county clerk of superior court, who will then move to fill the seat in no more than 10 days.

The temporary replacement will serve as appointed until the new term following the next general election. Swain County holds commissioner elections every two years, and any biannual general election for the board will trigger an appointee’s term limit, so in 2026, the new commissioner can choose whether to run again.

Lawson will continue to “act in the absence or disability of the chairman” until the board fills that spot.

Swain

P OLITICS E DITOR

Scenic Chimney Rock has historically been an out-of-the-way place, nestled tightly against the Broad River in a narrow valley between lush, towering peaks that peer down at nearby Lake Lure. It’s always been difficult to get there — especially now, with most roads still closed 11 months after Hurricane Helene — but you’ll know you’re heading in the right direction up Highway 9 by the near-ceaseless stream of dump trucks coming down and out.

Helene inflicted an estimated $60 billion in damage on North Carolina, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in state history; that steady line of trucks is the most visible sign that the region’s recovery is far from over and that the pace of federal funds trickling in has been frustratingly slow.

The man put in charge of recovery by President Donald Trump is a longtime party boss with little disaster management experience who is also running for U.S. Senate.

On Jan. 24 — four months after Helene carved a swath of destruction through Rutherford, Buncombe and Madison counties and four days after Trump was sworn in as the nation’s 47th president — Trump flew into Asheville Regional Airport in Fletcher with a twofold directive.

The first, by executive order, was to establish the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council, headed up by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Ostensibly, the purpose of the council was to meet periodically and to issue a report on options for FEMA reform to the president within 180 days of establishment.

as Western North Carolina’s recovery czar. Whatley, a lawyer who served as chair of the North Carolina Republican Party from 2019 to 2024 and then as chair of the Republican National Committee from 2024 to Aug. 22 of this year, declared his candidacy for incumbent Republican Sen. Thom Tillis’ seat on July 31, after Tillis said he wouldn’t run again.

Trump endorsed Whatley before Whatley even announced, calling him “fantastic at everything he does,” which, for a region still in disarray due to storm damage and federal funding hang-ups, seemed to provide a ray of light.

“I want to say that we’re very disappointed in FEMA,” Trump said. Jan. 24. “Your new governor [Josh Stein, who took office Jan. 1], it’s not his fault. He’s brand new to the whole situation. But we’re going to work together with the governor. We’re going to work together with your senators, but really, we’re going to work a lot with your congressmen, especially the three that are in the area, and Michael Whatley. And I’d like to put Michael in charge of making sure everything goes well.”

During a campaign stop in Chimney Rock Aug. 21, former North Carolina governor and Whatley’s likely Democratic opponent Roy Cooper was asked if he indeed thought everything was going “well.”

“Absolutely not. And in fact, [Whatley’s] part of the problem, because Washington, D.C. insiders have made it so much more difficult for people in Western North Carolina to recover, and in fact, people in Western North Carolina have been left holding the bag,” Cooper told The Smoky Mountain news. “We should not be playing political games with disaster recovery.”

eral government, specifically DHS, had been “holding up hundreds of millions of dollars in Hurricane Helene aid for North Carolina, while also running behind schedule on millions more in disaster preparedness grants.”

A DHS press release from Aug. 21 touts $96 million in aid during August alone, bringing the total to more than $320 million in FEMA reimbursements since Jan. 20 — and more than $650 million dating back to the Biden administration — but in the context of $60 billion in documented need, it’s definitely too little and maybe too late for some.

“With FEMA, it’s never worked as well as we wanted it to work,” Cooper said. “North Carolina has had a lot of storms, but now it’s worse than ever. It’s completely broken, and it’s time to put politics aside and start writing the checks so the people of Western North Carolina can recover.”

Whatley’s appointment was supposed to mean accountability. Instead, it has given rise to a question now being asked across the mountains and increasingly in Raleigh and Washington — where’s Whatley?

Since his appointment, Whatley has rarely, if ever, been visible in Helene’s disaster zone. His most substantial activity tied to recovery has been as co-chair of the Final Report Subcommittee of the FEMA Review Council, which records from the Federal Register show has met only twice in seven months, for a total of about three hours.

overwhelming — if not from the buzz of circular saws and smell of wet sawdust enveloping Chimney Rock’s Main Street, then from the amount of aid that’s actually made it to the entities that need it.

At the six-month anniversary of Helene in March, an investigation by SMN found that for local governments impacted by the storm, just 4% of needs had been met, and that most hadn’t yet seen a nickel. Near the nine-month anniversary, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported the figure had climbed to 6%.

Last week, WRAL reported that the fed-

The first meeting, on May 20 in Washington, D.C., was 100 minutes. The second meeting took place in New Orleans on July 9 and lasted 60 minutes. The next meeting, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is scheduled for 75 minutes on Aug. 28. Noem set the tone at the first meeting.

“President Trump has given us the responsibility of looking at an agency that, in the past, has been there in times of crisis for many people on their worst day that they’ve ever experienced, but many times in the past, it has failed,” Noem told members.

Cory Vaillancourt photo

Senate candidate and former Gov. Roy Cooper (center) talks to Chimney Rock Mayor Peter O’Leary (left) and Lake Lure Mayor Carol Pritchett (right) on Main Street in Chimney Rock on Aug. 21. Cory Vaillancourt photo

As Chimney Rock reopens, shopkeepers recount what it took to get there

BY LILY LEVIN STAFF W RITER

As you enter Chimney Rock, you will see bulldozers and construction workers and other visceral reminders of Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic impact. But as you absorb the village’s incredible landscape and people, you’ll notice shops newly reconstructed and others half-filled with merchandise, a proud proclamation of their survival.

You’ll also pass stores like Willow Creek or The Finderie (formerly Featherheads) or Bubba O’Leary’s General Store — well stocked and brightly lit, owners welcoming you in from behind the counter. All three of these shops required nearly a year to reopen, a timeline that offered illness and loss and cautious hope and the sincere promise of finding something like normalcy once again.

Behind the counter at The Finderie, Christina Kulak recalled walking into her old shop after the storm.

“We had water to about your shoulder and mud to our knees. Imagine a washing machine, but of mud, and just squished everything around.”

walked in with a denial letter. All they did was write in our information,” said Frank

temporarily moved to Tryon International Equestrian Center & Resort, a marketplace for

“I also was able to get a little bit of help from food stamps,” he said. But now, with the federal budget cuts, after the 2026 midterm elections, the Willow Creek shopkeeper will lose both of those essential resources.

Manager Kasha Jones said Bubba O’Leary’s was also filled with mud. At both shops, soldiers from the the 101st Airborne Division were what Kulak called “angels” — they cleared every last bit of mud out.

For Willow Creek co-owner Donald Hastings, the impact was more personal.

“Business-wise, when it hit, I lost my livelihood,” he said. “And then not more than a month after that, I found out I had kidney cancer. I had to have my kidney removed.”

Regarding the store’s loss of inventory, Hastings faulted his flood insurance provider most of all.

“I have been a member of Farm Bureau since basically 1978,” he said. “And I have been doing business with them, concerning [Willow Creek], since 2000.”

And yet the shop wasn’t covered.

“They were waiting for us when we

A DHS source told SMN that the work taking place behind the scenes — on both the review council and on the backlog of FEMA applications — has been substantial; however, it’s not necessarily something the public would see until the final council report is released, or until the checks are cut.

“With

TEMPORARY RELOCATION

In addition to the 101st Airborne, Kulak cited the help from the Amish and Spokes of Hope — both still aiding recovery efforts in Chimney Rock — as a significant driver in getting back on her feet. She explained that the two groups helped with supplies, electricity, and even built some of the showcases for The Finderie’s jewelry collection.

But at O’Leary’s, after the mud was cleared, the job was to vacuum. Everything had to be vacuumed, Jones noted, over the span of two to three months.

“I did 100 pair of socks. It took me, like, almost half the day to do. At the same time, [we were] having fun while doing it,” said store employee Megan Ryder, adding that the feeling of mutual support made it all the more bearable.

While their sites were undergoing maintenance, Bubba O’Leary’s and The Finderie both

Kulak said the Finderie’s sister enterprise, Rock Creations, continues to sell merchandise at Tryon — along with many other vendors not yet able to return to their original stores.

Willow Creek, on the other hand, temporarily relocated to Forest City, but business didn’t go as well as they’d hoped.

“That’s nothing against Forest City,” coowner Donald Hastings said. “People are nice and stuff there. A lot of people just didn’t know we were there.”

Hastings said neither he nor Plichta received FEMA relief money for themselves, though they were able to get two grants for the business. Either way, it hasn’t been nearly enough; the co-owners estimated that 60% to 70% of Willow Creek has been financed by personal savings.

Hastings was grateful for his ability to get on Medicaid after his cancer diagnosis, which has helped him cover the cost of kidney removal.

LOOKING BACK, FORWARD

While Christina Kulak, who works at The Finderie, mourned all the village had lost, she expressed excitement for what’s to come.

“We don’t have half our town that people remember…and you can’t get back in our river,” Kulak said.

Kulak encouraged more tourism despite these changes.

“I’m grateful for all the people that are coming, because there is really great things — new things to do here,” said, adding that raisetherock.com features a list of proposals for the village. “It’s going to be a really awesome place.”

At Bubba O’Leary’s, employee Lourdes Hernandez, who doesn’t live right in town, explained she’s most reminded of Helene’s ongoing impact on her way to work. “Driving here … I see all the destruction,” she said.

Nonetheless, in the four weeks following the O’Leary’s reopening, said Ryder, things have been “more normal than not.” She added, “When you look out the window, you’re like, ‘Oh, wow, this kind of feels like the store again!’”

BRINGING OUT THE BEST

All three general store employees agreed that the storm has brought the community of Chimney Rock closer together — especially among those who work at its shops.  Kulak echoed the community sentiment in the village.

“Everyone’s just here for the best intentions …There’s a lot of really good people in this world, and I hope that that story gets out into the world more than anything,” Kulak said.

Back at Willow Creek, shopkeeper Frank Plichta snuck a mini snickerdoodle creme pie from the store’s selection and passed it to The Smoky Mountain News reporter over the counter.

“It’s Little Miss Debbie’s,” he said, grinning sheepishly, “so you know it’s the best.”

FEMA, it’s never worked as well as we wanted it to work. North Carolina has had a lot of storms, but now it’s worse than ever.

It’s completely broken, and it’s time to put politics aside and start writing the checks so the people of Western North Carolina can recover.”

N.C. Governor Roy Cooper

tle to alter the fundamental trajectory of Helene recovery.

But for residents, the perception remains clear. Billions have been promised, but little has arrived. Whatley, charged by Trump to ensure things “go well,” has done lit-

“It is amazing to see the dedication and the courage and resilience of the people here, to talk with business people who are opening back up for the first time since

the storm, and the sense of hope and optimism that you feel here. I do know that the road to recovery, though, will continue to be long, and there is so much more to do,” Cooper said, as an empty dump truck grumbled down Chimney Rock’s tight Main Street. “People in Washington need to step up. People at FEMA need to step up to help Western North Carolina.”

Michael Whatley did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

From left to right: Lourdes Hernandez, Megan Ryder and Kasha Jones at Bubba O’Leary’s General Store. Lily Levin photo

Hypocrisy, lies and censorship fuel drag protest in Sylva

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT

P OLITICS E DITOR

Outside agitators continued their assault on the First Amendment in Sylva Aug. 24, as a small group of right-wing activists demonstrated against a private event in the Jackson County Public Library — demanding the government enforce their morality in public spaces by infringing on the liberty of others.

The protest was organized by Jackson County resident Keith Blaine, who has made a name for himself by spreading lies about the Fontana Regional Library System both before and after commissioners voted to withdraw from the eight-decade regional library partnership with Swain and Jackson counties over LGBTQ content back in June.

“My wife and I are the ones that got Keith involved in fighting the library,” said Bode Catlin, a Macon County Republican Party precinct chair. “He knew nothing about it when we got him involved.”

Catlin’s wife, Diann, is a member of the Macon County Public Library Board of Trustees.

Jackson County taxpayers are expected to be on the hook for the estimated $500,000 increase in library expenses that will result if the county follows through with the withdrawal. Catlin, who does not pay taxes in Jackson County, said he wasn’t aware of the additional expense and

defended coming from Macon County to tell Jackson County taxpayers to eat the increase next year — after a substantial property tax increase was already passed in this year’s budget. Caitlin’s position appears at odds with traditional conservative ideology.

“That’s normally how we are,” he said, of the low-tax, low-regulation economic

mindset usually espoused by the right.

Standing among about 20 other demonstrators including Blain and Caitlin was Richard Simi, whose contradictions were even sharper than Catlin’s. Public records show only one “Richard Simi” registered to vote in North Carolina, out of Wake County.

Simi said he was against the library

holding a public event during normal business hours that he said was not “appropriate for young children.” But Simi’s comments were indicative of the state of discourse around LGBTQ rights in Jackson County today — facts are few and far between, while falsehoods fly freely.

The 2025 Mx. Sylva Belle Pageant, which began in the Community Room shortly after Blaine’s protest started, was a private, ticketed event not open to the general public. Organizers reserved their right to refuse entry to anyone.

The pageant, which began at 6 p.m., was also not held during normal business hours, as the Jackson County Public Library is never open to the public on Sundays. The pageant was billed as family friendly.

“What I tell people that I organize with is that if you could see it happening in a ‘Shrek’ movie, then it’s probably fair game,” said Bergen Mackey, who helps coordinate the Sylva Belles drag cooperative and organized the pageant. Bergen added that she’d told her performers to cut down on the cussing and avoid racy outfits, and that she’d screened performers’ musical selections for suggestive lyrics.

Simi’s stance, however, was that the only problem he had with the event was its content.

“Yeah, local governments, we’ve always been about that, especially with like, sexual content exposed to young children,” he said. “Do we not want children not exposed to sexual content?”

When confronted with the fact that the Bible — of which multiple copies are housed at the same library — contains sexual content, Simi deflected.

“There’s references to things that have happened. It’s not [the same],” he argued. Asked whether he would also support banning Christian events from the same public space, he claimed those types of events didn’t harm children.

Any law that regulates speech because of what is being said — its topic, its idea or its message — is a content-based restriction. Content-based laws must pass strict scrutiny, meaning the government must prove the law serves a compelling governmental interest and is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest. In the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Reed v. Gilbert, the court reaffirmed that even seemingly benign motives don’t excuse content-based regulation.

The court held that “a government, including a municipal government vested with state authority, has no power to restrict expression because of its message, its ideas, its subject matter or its content,” the opinion reads. That principle was quoted directly from earlier First Amendment precedent in Police Dept. of Chicago v. Mosley, that “content-based laws — those that target speech based on its communicative content — are presumptively unconstitutional and may be justified only if the government proves that they are narrowly tailored to serve compelling state interests.”

The exchange underscored a double standard — drag, according to Simi, is intolerable, but his pre- F

Bode Catlin, of Macon County, protests against a private event at the Jackson County Library in Sylva. Cory Vaillancourt photo

By 6 p.m. on the night of the event, more than 120 people had gathered on the lawn of the Jackson County Public Library for a quiet, peaceful “read-in” to counter the protesters at the fountain far below.

Cory Vaillancourt photo

ferred traditions are perfectly acceptable.

“If any other 501(c)3 can rent out this beautiful complex, then why is it such a question when it comes to us?” Mackey asked. “If somebody wants to host a fundamentalist Christian pro-family [event] in this space, as long as they go through the appropriate channels with the Jackson County Public Library, full sail ahead. I don’t want to legislate morality. I have no intention of legislating people’s private lives.”

Instead, the goal is to create space for people to be seen, validated and safe.

“This is a chance for us to represent for other folks that feel like they can’t be as honest about themselves,” said Mackey.

“If any other 501(c)3 can rent out this beautiful complex then why is it such a question when it comes to us? ... I don’t want to legislate morality. I have no intention of legislating people’s private lives.”

Bergen Mackey

Blaine’s group down by the fountain never grew larger than about 25 people, but as showtime approached, more than 125 pro-library, pro-liberty counterdemonstrators slowly assembled on the library’s lawn. The numbers were similar to those demonstrated during weeks of public comment over the FRL withdrawal vote, with vocal library opponents consistently outnumbered by supporters.

The counterdemonstrators spread out blankets, unfolded portable chairs and silently read books in the shade of the historic courthouse, avoiding confrontation with demonstrators far below.

They were also there to serve as a buffer against any attempts by demonstrators to disrupt the event, as happened in 2023 after social media threats and a verbal altercation at the library’s entrance over organizers’ refusal to sell tickets to three people trying to get into the performance.

Fortunately, there were no such incidents this year. Sylva Police Chief Chris Hatton issued a statement later that night, commending both sides for the orderly expression of First Amendment rights.

“Through it all, Sylva Police Department was present, not to interfere, but to ensure safety,” Hatton wrote. “As Chief, I’m proud to say that SPD doesn’t take sides. My officers were met with kindness from both sides, including handshakes and well wishes. We were thanked for our participation throughout the evening. Our job is to protect the space where voices could be heard, safely and freely. And that’s exactly what happened.”

COMEIN!! COME IN!!

memorylane

COVID mounts late summer surge amid onset of flu season

BY KYLE P ERROTTI

N EWS E DITOR

The last year has brought an unusual pattern in COVID surges.

Typically, the virus is worst during the winter with an additional summer surge beginning around June. Last winter, there were fewer infections, hospitalizations and deaths, and while this year’s summer surge has been delayed, it’s now being felt across the region. As experts observe an uptick in cases, they are reminding people to take basic precautions to minimize the spread of the virus.

There are currently two dominant new omicron variants; the omicron variant initially emerged in late 2021 and was characterized by being more contagious. Reports indicate that one of the two new variants is unique in the way it causes more extreme throat soreness than prior variants.

Haywood County Medical Director Dr. Mark Jaben is among those still closely following these trends. He notes with concern that while hospitalizations are still low, they are typically a lagging indicator that follow a few weeks behind the trends in case counts. With the current rise in cases, he fears that those more severe cases are just around the corner.

Late August also puts the region on the doorstep of respiratory illness season, when influenza and RSV show up in schools and are brought home to parents. In addition, Haywood County still isn’t out of the woods regarding a small wave of 15 pertussis (whooping cough) cases. Jaben said that there must be no new spread in the community over the course of two incubation periods, which for pertussis is a total of 42 days, for the outbreak to be over. It’s been about three weeks since the last new case was reported.

“We know that every year, three weeks into school, we get a wave of viral illness that’s indistinguishable from either pertussis or COVID, and add to that the fact that a lot of people often times feel like their upper

respiratory issues may be allergies,” Jaben said. “With the upswing of COVID starting later in the year than it has before, it just sort of compresses all that together, meaning it’s going to be even more difficult than usual for people to know what they have.”

To make matters worse, the reporting isn’t as good as it used to be, so it’s harder than ever to get a more precise look at where cases are ebbing or surging. Jaben and others are reduced to using anecdotal evidence to estimate trends.

the vaccine for the general public; it won’t even include children or pregnant women, only elderly and high-risk individuals.

Jaben pointed out that insurance companies had covered COVID vaccines up to this point, but that doesn’t mean they will continue to, especially considering that they haven’t even been approved yet.

The coronavirus has faded to the background of everyday life, but it can still threaten vulnerable populations during surges.

Jaben said that this year’s RSV and flu vaccines have been approved, manufactured and are available. That’s not what’s happening on the COVID front. In June, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. fired all 17 members the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replaced them with a group that includes known vaccine skeptics and science deniers. Jaben considers that almost none of the people appointed by Kennedy meet the criteria to be “reliable sources” since they both lack expertise and have conflicts of interest.

virus is the same: don’t expose other people. This is a simple concept — stay home if you’re sick, wash your hands, avoid large groups and poorly ventilated areas — but practicing those concepts aren’t as easy, as proven during the uncertain period from 2020 to 2021 when the disease reached pandemic levels.

“This gives them an opening to say, ‘No, we’re not going to cover them,’” Jaben said. “Are people going to pay out of pocket for this? Probably not.”

Jaben said that people, whether they’re vaccinated or not, should be more “cognizant” of how COVID spreads and infects different populations.

That committee would normally, after review, recommend the COVID vaccine early on in the summer, but it has yet to make a recommendation. In a draft of the recommendation that was leaked last week, it appears the ACIP will no longer recommend

As of now, insurance companies are still covering last year’s vaccine, and Jaben said that works for now, but it’s uncertain how long they’ll be available or whether the new vaccine, when and if approved, will be made available at pharmacies.

On top of all of that, there are those who will simply never trust the COVID vaccine. While it has a proven link to cases of myocarditis in young men, that side effect is rare and typically mild, especially compared to the severity and likelihood of someone with COVID suffering the same condition.

“One of the things that’s happened with the last couple of waves is that we’ve had kids, particularly children under two, with as high of hospitalization rates as older people.”

—

Dr. Mark Jaben, Haywood County Medical Director

This creates a tremendous amount of uncertainty — uncertainty that can create quite the headache for professionals like Jaben whose careers revolve around tracking disease patterns.

While COVID is behaving a bit different this year and new vaccines aren’t yet available, the other core tenet to combatting the

“We know that older people, folks with underlying health conditions, people with immunocompromising conditions are vulnerable,” Jaben said. “One of the things that’s happened with the last couple of waves is that we’ve had kids, particularly children under two, with as high of hospitalization rates as older people.” What this ultimately means is that even healthy people should consider how to protect others in this period of greater spread. Just because an individual and perhaps their family are healthy doesn’t mean that by contracting the virus and spreading it, they aren’t ultimately enabling the infection of someone in the community who is more susceptible to serious illness.

“I would encourage people, if you get viral type illnesses, take a test … because your choices will have other implications that impact other people,” Jaben said.

File photo

Davis exit marks another shift in NC-11 Dem race

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT

P OLITICS E DITOR

Weeks after a bitter dispute over a Democratic gala laid bare divisions in Western North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District, the field is shifting again.

Moe Davis, who joined other candidates in protesting the event’s handling and was first to enter the race back in May, said in a Facebook post late on the evening of Aug. 22 he would exit the race.

North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District Democrats think they can unseat incumbent Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards. Wikipedia photo

frontrunner at this point in the race.

“I’m grateful to everyone who supported my effort to kick ass for the working class in Western North Carolina, but at the end of the day you can’t overcome the overwhelming weight of the party’s dynasties who have aligned behind the status quo,” Davis said.

“Tonight, I concede to John Ager. He cleared the deck to pass down his state house seat to his son Eric in 2022 and he’s doing the same for his son Jamie in 2026 … political office is a family heirloom that gets handled down

The gala flap erupted in July, when district party leaders initially planned to feature only newcomer Jamie Ager as the keynote speaker at the annual event. Davis and three other candidates called it favoritism and threatened to boycott. The controversy forced changes to the program and led to the resignation of the district chair, but it also spotlighted the crowded primary and the party’s belief that a Democrat can unseat two-term Republican incumbent Chuck Edwards in 2026. Davis, the Democratic nominee in 2020, is a former Air Force prosecutor and judge who retired as a colonel. He lost that General Election to Madison Cawthorn after a decisive primary win. His decision to bow out this time narrows a field that still includes Ager, Zelda Briarwood, Paul Maddox and possibly nurse practitioner Chris Harjes, who said he would also run for NC-11 chair. Others may still enter the race. The chair election will take place Sept. 3. True to form, Davis left harsh words for the party and for Ager, who is the perceived

like it’s granddaddy’s pocket watch.”

John Ager, Jamie’s father, was a state House rep from 2015 to 2023. Jamie’s brother, Eric, is currently one of Buncombe County’s state House reps. Jamie’s grandfather, Jamie Clarke, was a North Carolina congressman in the 1980s, serving until 1991.

“I’m grateful to everyone who supported my effort to kick ass for the working class in Western North Carolina, but at the end of the day you can’t overcome the overwhelming weight of the party’s dynasties who have aligned behind the status quo.”

— Moe Davis

Jamie addressed the topic of “dynastic entitlement” in a July 28 interview with The Smoky Mountain News.

“At the end of the day, I care, and I think caring is why I’m running, not because of trying to uphold some image or whatever,” he said.

The candidate filing period for the 2026 General Election begins on Dec. 1. The Primary Election will be held on March 3, 2026.

Whittier project reimagines county land as community attraction

BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS EDITOR

On a quiet stretch of riverfront wedged between Sylva and Cherokee, the old Drexel furniture plant in Whittier is set for new life as an economic development engine that just might end up hosting a few “engines” of its own.

For years, the property at 271 Clearwood Drive languished, leased out to farmers, overgrown and largely forgotten. Now, county officials say, it will become one of the most ambitious economic development projects in Jackson County’s history — a multi-phase event and agricultural center designed to boost tourism, support farmers and provide a gathering place where none existed before.

“This is something that’s been in the works for quite some time,” said Tiffany Henry, Jackson County’s economic development director. “It’s a property the county has owned for decades, but it’s been highly underutilized in a lot of ways. We’ve been trying to figure out what we could do with that site, what’s the highest and best use of that property, and we felt like Whittier, being the heart of our agricultural community, deserved something more.”

What’s emerging is the Charles R. Elder Event Center, a 24,000-square-foot enclosed structure named for a late county commissioner who served three terms and passed away in June. The center will include ADAcompliant public restrooms and flexible meeting space that the county has long lacked.

If things continue according to plan, Jackson County’s new events space could begin hosting events — and generating economic activity — in less than a year. Jackson County government photo

Adjacent to the event center, plans call for a 48,000-square-foot open-air pavilion, retaining one of the old Drexel loading docks as a nod to the property’s industrial past. The

pavilion could serve multiple audiences — Future Farmers of America students, 4-H programs, truck shows, concerts and county fairs.

For Jackson County, which does not currently have a fairground-type facility as in other counties, the project fills a longstanding gap.

“We just don’t have big meeting space,” Henry said. “This gives us the capacity to host events and serve the community in a more flexible way.”

The sprawling 28-acre parcel fronts the Tuckasegee River and is one of few large, flat tracts in the county still available for development. That scarcity makes the location even more strategic, but in Western North Carolina, rivers carry tremendous flood risk.

Much of the site lies in the floodway, so mitigate that risk, the county removed about 20,000 square feet of concrete, creating flood storage capacity. The open-air design of the pavilion also allows water to flow through without catastrophic damage.

The county has already secured a $500,000 federal planning and development assistance grant. Additional applications are pending, including nearly $800,000 from the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund.

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is also working with the county to extend water infrastructure to the site, a benefit not only for the event center but for surrounding residents.

“You don’t make projects like this happen without partnerships,” Henry said. “And we are fortunate enough to have another opportunity to partner with EBCI on a grant application to [the Appalachian Regional Commission] for water.”

The $1.5 million phase one includes drying-in the main building and is now complete.

Phase two adds the pavilion. Phase three outfits the event center with a commercial kitchen, giving farmers the chance to produce

value-added goods for regional markets. Henry said phases two and three would together likely cost another $1.5 million, but total costs remain a moving target dependent on engineering and grant awards. The county, Henry said, is phasing construction deliberately to spread risk and match funding opportunities.

Commissioner Todd Bryson pressed County Manager Kevin King on how the county would profit from the venture. King pointed not only to direct revenue from leases and events, but also to room occupancy taxes and sales taxes.

“All of that money will be coming back into Jackson County,” King said.

But the parcel also carries another advantage — a rail spur once used to ship furniture still connects directly to the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad main line.

“We’ve been working with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad to look at options for train excursions to be leaving out of the Whittier area,” King told commissioners Aug. 19.

King added that the railroad has already secured a grant from N.C. Rail to improve siding on the property, opening up the possibility of special events and tourism packages without undermining the railroad’s successful Dillsboro operations. Any excursion would generate new entertainment tax revenue, money the county currently does not collect.

“We’re really ramping that up in hopes that we can get it operational by summer of 2026,” King said.

The ultimate timeline depends on funding and construction schedules. Henry said the goal is to open the first phase by late spring 2026, assuming water line work can begin this fall. County staff expect to return to commissioners soon with lease agreements and contracts for electrical, HVAC and plumbing.

Swain County manager withheld commission chair’s resignation letter

BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR

Swain County Commission Chairman

Kevin Seagle’s resignation was made public after an Aug. 19 meeting with a letter released by County Manager Lottie Barker — a letter requested by The Smoky Mountain News the previous day that Barker had in her possession but failed to provide.

By the night of Friday, Aug. 15, rumors were swirling that Seagle had or was planning to resign from his post as chair. Over the weekend, SMN attempted to make contact with Seagle, to no avail, but confirmed Seagle’s resignation with two off-the-record sources.

to Barker by phone, only to be informed that Barker was out of the office but would be available via email. SMN then contacted Barker via email around 10 a.m. asking if the rumors were true and made a public records request for any letter of resignation Seagle may have provided. SMN also asked Barker to disclose how she learned of Seagle’s resignation, and when.

lets, including SMN, late that night. Seagle’s letter was dated Aug. 15.

On Aug. 22, SMN asked Barker for the email she received from Seagle with the letter attached. Barker didn’t initially provide it — she provided another copy of the letter. A subsequent request for the actual email Barker received from Seagle including the letter showed that Barker had received the email with Seagle’s resignation letter attached at 9:50 a.m. on Aug. 15.

Seagle simply wrote, “Please see attachment above. Wish you all the best.”

Later on Aug. 22, Barker told SMN she did not provide the letter to SMN “due to

or if just providing it in writing was sufficient.”

The next day, Tuesday Aug. 19, Barker replied but didn’t provide any documents or the circumstances of how she learned of Seagle’s resignation.

Instead, Barker wrote, “I can tell you that this matter concerning Kevin Seagle will be discussed tonight at our regular session and I can follow up with you tomorrow about it.”

Later that evening, Seagle’s resignation was announced during the regular commission meeting, when interim Chair Tanner Lawson revealed the existence of the letter. Barker sent the letter to various news out-

The document became a public record the moment it landed in Barker’s inbox because it contained no legally privileged information, thus Barker’s response doesn’t meet legal standards for privacy — or for withholding it.

Swain County government has been under intense scrutiny of late for a number of unusual resignations; in addition to Seagle, several weeks ago Sheriff Curtis Cochran resigned after being charged with a half-dozen sex-related crimes. Last week, Swain County Elections Director Adam Bynes resigned to take a job in Durham.

WCU professor to speak at civics meeting

Indivisible CommonGround WNC will host its August meeting on Thursday, Aug. 28, at the Jackson County Public Library in Sylva. The event will take place in the Community Room from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Chris Cooper, professor of political science at Western Carolina University, will deliver a presentation on the structure and function of the North Carolina General Assembly. The event is free and open to the public. Pizza, salads and drinks will be provided. For more information, visit facebook.com/groups/indivisiblecommonground.gv

Tit-for-tat gerrymandering wars won’t end soon

Congressional redistricting — the process of drawing electoral districts to account for population changes — was conceived by the Founding Fathers as a once-perdecade redrawing of district lines following the decennial U.S. census. Today it has devolved into a near-constant feature of American politics — often in response to litigation, and frequently with the intent of maintaining or gaining partisan advantage.

Polls show widespread public disapproval of manipulating political boundaries to favor certain groups, a process known as gerrymandering. However, we currently see little hope of preventing a race to the bottom, where numerous states redraw their maps to benefit one party in response to other states drawing their maps to benefit another party.

The most recent round of tit-for-tat gerrymandering began in Texas. After drawing their post-census congressional maps in 2021, Republicans in the Texas Legislature, at President Donald Trump’s behest, are advancing a new set of maps designed to increase the number of Republican congressional seats in their state. The goal is to help Republicans retain control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections by converting five Democratic seats to ones that will likely result in a Republican victory.

and tight partisan margins in Congress have turbocharged the process.

There are ways to tweak this gerrymandering run amok and perhaps block a bad map or two. But none of these approaches are likely to stop partisan actors entirely from drawing maps to benefit themselves and their parties.

The most obvious strategy would be to create guardrails for the legislators and commissions who draw the maps. Such guidelines often specify the types of data that could be used to draw the maps — for example, limiting partisan data.

Anti-gerrymandering rules could also limit the number of political boundaries, such as city or county lines, that would be split by new districts. And they could prioritize compactness, rather than allowing bizarrely shaped districts that link farflung communities.

These proposals certainly won’t do any harm, and might even move the process in a more positive direction, but they are unlikely to end gerrymandering.

redistricting commissions produce maps that are more competitive and fairer. For example, a nonpartisan scholarly review of the 2021-2022 congressional and state legislative maps found that commissions “generally produce less biased and more competitive plans than when one party controls the process.”

Commissions are popular with the public. In a 2024 study with political scientists Seth McKee and Scott Huffmon, we found that both Democrats and Republicans in South Carolina preferred to assign redistricting to an independent commission rather than the state Legislature, which has been in Republican control since 2000.

Studies using national polling data have also found evidence that redistricting commissions are popular, and that people who live in states that use commissions view the redistricting process more positively than residents of states where legislators draw congressional lines.

A NATIONAL SOLUTION OR BUST

In response, California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is pushing to redraw his state’s map. Under Newsom’s plan, Democrats could gain five House seats in California, offsetting Republican gains in Texas. The California Legislature approved the new maps on Aug. 21 and Gov. Newsom signed the bills that day. Next, the maps will be presented to California voters in a special election on Nov. 4, 2025 for approval.

Newsom vows that he isn’t trying to disband the independent redistricting process that California enacted in 2021. Rather, he proposes to shift to these partisan gerrymandered maps temporarily, then return to independent, nonpartisan redistricting in 2031.

Democrats in Illinois and New York, and Republicans in Indiana, Missouri and South Carolina, have signaled that they may follow Texas and California’s leads. Based on our research on politics and elections, we don’t expect that the wave will stop there.

RULES FOR MAPMAKERS

Redistricting has always been an inherently political process. But the advent of widespread, easily accessible computer technology, increasingly predictable voting patterns

This ex-Republican fears for the future

To the Editor:

For example, North Carolina had an explicit limitation on using partisan data in its 2021 mapmaking process, as well as a requirement that lawmakers could only draw maps in the North Carolina State Legislative Building. It was later revealed that a legislator had used “concept maps” drawn by an aide outside of the normal mapmaking process.

In a world where anyone with an internet connection can log onto free websites like Dave’s Redistricting to draw maps using partisan data, it’s hard to prevent states from incorporating nonofficial proposals into their maps.

COURTS AND COMMISSIONS

A second way to police gerrymandering is to use the courts aggressively to combat unfair or discriminatory maps. Some courts, particularly at the state level, have reined in egregious gerrymanders like Pennsylvania’s 2011 map, which was overturned in 2018.

At the national level, however, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Rucho v. Common Cause in 2019 that partisan gerrymandering claims presented “political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts” and ultimately were better suited to state courts. There are still likely to be claims in federal courts about racial dilution and other Voting Rights Act violations in gerrymanders, but the door to the federal courthouse for partisanship claims appears to be closed for the time being.

A third option is for states to hand map-drawing power to an independent body. Recent studies show that independent

LETTERS

In the 2024 Presidential race, 49.8% of the votes went to Donald J. Trump, who promised to reduce the costs of consumer goods, end the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and fix our immigration crisis. To his credit, he has essentially closed our border. Below are other things that he has done in his eight months in office. Maybe you are celebrating those accomplishments, or maybe you are not. Read on and decide for yourself.

• Did you care that he cut food assistance and medical care for the poorest Americans so billionaires could keep their tax cut?

• Do you think the President should be able to ignore the Constitution?

• Did you expect him to use your tax dollars to investigate his political enemies?

• Did you anticipate that costs would increase on consumer goods because of his tariffs?

• Did you want him to deport illegal immigrants, even those who are working and pay-

While redistricting commissions are popular and effective in states that have adopted them, current actions in California show that this strategy can fail if it is embraced by some states but not others.

Unfortunately, there is no simple solution for tit-for-tat gerrymandering. Litigation can help at the margins, and independent redistricting can make a difference, but even the best intentions can fail under political pressure.

The only wholesale solution is national reform. But even here, we are not optimistic.

A proportional representation system, in which seats are divided by the portion of the vote that goes to each party, could solve the problem. However, removing single-member districts and successfully implementing proportional representation in the United States is about as likely as finding a hockey puck on Mars.

A national ban on gerrymandering might be more politically palatable. Even here, though, the odds of success are fairly low. After all, the people who benefit from the current system would have to vote to change it, and the filibuster rule in the Senate requires not just majority but supermajority support.

So, brace for what’s about to come. As James Madison famously observed, forming factions — groups of people united by a common interest that threatens the rights of others — is “sown in the nature of man.”

Gerrymandering helps factions acquire and retain power. If U.S. leaders aren’t willing to consider a national solution, it won’t disappear anytime soon.

(Chris Cooper is a professor of political science and public affairs at Western Carolina University, while Gibbs Knotts is a professor of political science at Coastal Carolina University.)

ing taxes but have been unable to get a path to citizenship because both parties have not reformed our broken system?

• Did you think using the military domestically is proper?

• Did you expect him to extort money from universities and law firms that did not support his agenda?

• Do you support cutting funds for medical research for cures for such diseases as cancer and Alzheimer’s?

• Do you think cutting less than 1% of our budget that provided food and medical services for the poorest in the world is what

America should do?

• Do you think sitting Presidents should make billions of dollars personally?

• Do you think it is a good thing for the U.S. government to invest in private companies?

• Do you think rewriting history about the horrors of slavery is the right thing to do?

Well, that is President Donald J. Trump’s record. Maybe you support all of those things, but perhaps you do not! As an ex-Republican, I fear for our country that my grandchildren will inherit from this President.

Linda Arnold Highlands

Guest Columnist

Chris Cooper

Guest Columnist Gibbs Knotts

Gimme one good reason

The Brothers Gillespie to play Canton Labor Day

Appalachia. A sonic blend of Americana, indie and folk stylings, the quintet remains steadfast, inspired and, more importantly, hungry for what’s just beyond the horizon of their intent.

“Creatively and sonically, we’re better than we’ve ever been,” said guitarist Aaron Gillespie. “When we first started out, like all bands, there’s a period of becoming, where you kind of figure out your sound and your style and who you are.”

With its last album, “American Pastoral” (2022), TBG offered up a 19-song opus about the state of this country, the “Where are we?” and “Where to from here?” sentiment floating the minds of many looking around and trying to see the forest for the trees. And it was during this recording where the group started to truly find its musical identity.

“Since then, we’ve been sharpening it with every new song and every new piece of material,” Gillespie said. “We have a pretty good sense of who we are now and what works for us, both creatively and directionally.”

Now, some seven years into the bountiful endeavor, TBG — which includes lead singer Davis Gillespie, drummer Clay Gillespie, guitarist Chance Kuehn and bassist JR Williams — remain as determined as ever to push fur-

We know what’s good for us and will nourish us. We needed a couple years on the road cutting our teeth and learning the rules of the game to truly get to a point where our approach is refined.”

And it’s that live realm that remains the

songs age, and the artist, [too], each song gives new meaning and adaptation,” Kuehn said. “It’s an honor to get to share the stage with so many of my friends over the years and to do what we love in front of amazing people that support us. That will never get old, dated

“Growing up here and living here has shaped who we are, so it’s inherent in our music. As much as we experiment and take influence from a pretty wide variety of music.”

— Chance Kuehn

Want to go?

The 117th Canton Labor Day Festival will take place Aug. 31Sept. 1 at Sorrells Street Park in downtown.

• Sunday, Aug. 31: musical acts include Outlaw Whiskey (1 p.m.), Tricia Ann Band (2:30 p.m.), Commodore Fox Band (4 p.m.), Dirty Grass Soul (5:45 p.m.) and Craig Morgan (7:30 p.m.)

• Monday, Sept. 1: Bailey Mountain Cloggers (noon), Xander Wells (12:45 p.m.), Steve Jordan (2 p.m.), The Brothers Gillespie (3:45 p.m.), Nick & Brew (5:30 p.m.) and Balsam Range (7 p.m.).

Tickets are $15 for a twoday pass or $10 for a one-day. To note, chairs are required for music events, as there will be no standing allowed. As well, the Labor Day Parade will run from 10-11:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 1, in downtown.

For more information, a full schedule of activities and/or to purchase tickets, visit cantonlaborday.com.

pable. It resonates with not just people from Waynesville or Haywood County, but all 23 counties this side of the state.”

When asked about the role of the singersongwriter in the modern era, one of incessant white noise and constant digital distraction, Davis finds the role as important as ever. That respect for the craft is always at the forefront whenever he sits down with a guitar and begins to chip away at a new melody echoing through his heart and soul.

bread and butter for TBG. Known for wild-nout, whirlwind performances — whether it be under the neon lights at some East Tennessee dive bar or simply a hometown throw-down in their native Waynesville — that sacred space of plugging in and rocking out resides at the core of why the band does what it does.

“It’s why we do it at all. We love playing music at any capacity,” Kuehn noted. “A fisherman is out there all day catching fish because deep down that brings them joy. We’re out there catching fish and they sound good. The live world is incredibly frustrating at times, but so is fishing.”

or something not worth doing.”

When it comes to their home of Western North Carolina, TBG finds itself consistently in awe of these ancient mountains and the unique folks who inhabit the high peaks and low valleys of this region.

“Growing up here and living here has shaped who we are, so it’s inherent in our music. As much as we experiment and take influence from a pretty wide variety of music, [WNC] is still just there in the back or in some cases very obviously at the forefront,” Clay said. “The people and places here are who these songs are about. And I think that is pal-

“I’ve definitely found, as I’ve gotten older, that I want to be more thoughtful and careful about what I say. Mainly, I want to make sure I put good things out into the world and that it’s authentic,” Davis said. “[And] that’s probably the biggest responsibility of being the singer-songwriter, essentially speaking for the band as a whole, and being the voice that everyone is hearing. I want to make sure our message and our image comes across as authentic and genuine.”

And it’s that genuine sense of self that rises to the top of each melody conjured and captured, shared and sung by The Brothers Gillespie.

“These are real experiences I’ve had — and we’ve had — and these are our actual thoughts and feelings and perspectives and interpretations of the world,” Davis said. “And I think if you can capture that, and convey it in the least amount of words possible, do it with a catchy melody and make it pretty, that’s the goal — that’s songwriting, that’s music.”

The Brothers Gillespie will perform in Canton Sept 1. Donated photo

This must be the place

BY GARRET K. WOODWARD

‘Maybe the clouds will, at least, have silvery lines’

another music festival (the band sets, key interviews, etc,), there other moments now held closely. That great heart-to-heart conversation at the hotel bar during last call with a friend (also working the festival, who lives in the Midwest). That $18 breakfast I was apprehensive to order (due to the price), but was rewarded with a huge steaming plate of morning deliciousness, eaten with gusto, each table given its own pot of coffee. And all those afternoon trail runs to burn off the eggs and sausage.

Then, there was the dining area in Terminal A at the Salt Lake City International Airport. Just this pretty nondescript spot where thousands of people find themselves each day. But, for me, as I sat at the bar in the Market Street Grill waiting for my flight, taking in that specific vantage point, I realized that I had dinner and drinks at that same restaurant exactly a year ago, and with the woman I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. I remember our conversation and the hopes we had for the future, together.

Hello from the Cantina Laredo in Terminal T of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It’s Sunday, 8:29 p.m. I’ve just consumed two overpriced Michelob Ultra drafts and one giant chicken quesadilla (hadn’t eaten all day). In this moment, I decided to use my layover time to write this here column for you readers (yes, you).

In the last five minutes, my gate for the final leg of this trip back to Asheville and greater Western North Carolina has changed. Terminal T to Concourse B to A to B again. Screw it. I’m just going to simmer here at the bar counter of the Laredo and casually enjoy my light ale, in my own time. That plane ain’t boarding for at least another hour.

This morning, I awoke in a king-size bed at the Hotel Park City, an extremely posh and lavish lodging accommodation surrounding by the Wasatch Mountains here in the high-desert beauty and high-altitude of Utah. I didn’t pay for the accommodations, thankfully. Sheesh. I’m a journalist, not a millionaire. God bless assignments that cover the cost.

Maybe one more dip in the private hot tub attached to my room before the Uber comes to bring me to the airport in Salt Lake City later this morning? Maybe one more cup of coffee to jolt me into the impending long day of travel, of genuinely joyous interactions with strangers like two ships passing in the night? It’s nothing and everything, and I’m here for all of it. As one should be in the grand scheme of things, eh?

Now? I sit here and watch the Major League Baseball “Little League Classic” between the Seattle Mariners and New York Mets. It just dawned on me that this is my last trip out west this summer. The Rocky Mountains and everything leading up to it. My absolute favorite place to wander and ponder. I think most of you picking up this newspaper can attest to that. Like I tell folks, “I could travel the West for eternity, but I’ll always live in Western North Carolina.” You dig? It’s truth.

Ever since I first stepped foot in the West at age seven, visions of it happily and mightily haunt my dreams, at least until I physically find myself in the vastness of “it all, out there” once again, which, thankfully, has been numerous times over the years. Three trips in three months this go-round (June, July, August) to the frontier of our forefathers. Three trips to clear my mind of stress, cleanse my heart of pain, and further the depths of my soul, the miles and moments slowing ticking away with each sunrise and sunset.

June was Telluride, Colorado (by plane). July, the whirlwind odyssey of a solo journey in my rusty, musty pickup truck from my doorstep in Waynesville to Whitefish, Montana, and back. August? Park City, Utah (again by plane). Each trip planned out with a basic framework of familiar people, places, and things along the way. Each trip ending in sincere gratitude for all of those beautifully unexpected people, places, and things that eventually revealed themselves in due time.

Park City. What a town. Good lord. So much money rolling through there. It causes someone like myself (a vagabond, scruffy writer) to feel a slight sense of imposter syndrome. But, just when that may strike me, it quickly disappears, for this is exactly where vagabond, scruffy writers need to be, and should be — infiltrating the rich and wealthy, all in hopes of genuine interaction over endless complimentary shrimp and goblets of white wine.

For myself? I lean in. Count me in for whatever shenanigans, wherever and with whomever. All I ask? That they be good people of moral consciousness and sound judgment. Even if they’re not? I can still learn something from them and, hopefully, they can walk away with something from me. Who knows? Who cares? Time is fleeting like grains of sands in a windstorm. Give me another adventure to chase down.

Beyond the organized chaos of covering

Just about a month later, Hurricane Helene tore apart our home of Western North Carolina, countless lives flipped upside down, including ours. By Christmas, she had ended things between us and disappeared down her respective path in life. From that point, I started to journey along this new landscape, walking solo at my own pace and in my own time. Wandering and pondering, trying to make sense of the road to the “here and now.”

Lots of bountiful thoughts have been conjured within my heart and soul since then, with this current juncture being one of deep reflection and gratitude to be able to circle back to these familiar spots that become measuring sticks of your growth, atop simply becoming part of your long-term memory. Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.

HOT PICKS

1

“An Appalachian Evening” series presents renowned Americana/ bluegrass ensemble The Darren Nicholson Band at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.

2

Rising regional Americana/ bluegrass act Upstream Rebellion will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, at The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville.

3

“Concerts on the Creek” music series will host Boukou Groove (funk/soul) at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

4

A special stage production of “The Cake” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28-30 and 2 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.

5

Author Sarah Plott will host a reading for her latest work, “Seeds and Spit,” from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville.

Park City, Utah. Garret K. Woodward photo

• 4118 Kitchen & Bar (Highlands) will host live music 6-8 p.m. Thursdays. Free and open to the public 828.526.5002 or 4118kitchenbar.toast.site.

• American Legion Post 47 (Waynesville) will host an “Open Mic” 3 p.m. Tuesdays and semiregular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.456.8691.

• Appalachian Women’s Museum (Sylva) will host “Music on the Porch” 2-6 p.m. Sept. 6. appwomen.org.

• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host an “Open Jam” 6 p.m. Tuesdays, “Trivia Night” 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Jon Shain (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. Aug. 30 (admission $20 per person). 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.

• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host Doug & Lisa Aug. 30. All shows begin at 5 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.

• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Karaoke Night” 9 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia” 7 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Jam” 10 p.m. Thursdays, Trusty Hucksters Aug. 30 and Carolina Drifters Sept. 6. 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.

• Brookings Anglers (Cashiers) will host the “Brookings Bash” with Balsam Range, Jupiter Coyote and Canon Tyler from 2-7:30 p.m. Aug. 30. Tickets start at $65 per person. Proceeds benefit Transylvania Habitat for Humanity and Western North Carolina Relief. For tickets, visit transylvaniahabitat.org/brookings-bash.

• Bryson City Brewing (Bryson City) will host Tricia Ann Aug. 29, Johnny Blackwell Aug. 30, Freight Shakers (classic rock/country gold) Sept. 5 and Blackwater Station Sept. 6. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0085 / brysoncitybrewing.com.

• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Brian Ashley Jones & Melanie Jean (Americana) Aug. 27 and 4 p.m. Aug. 31 and “Mountain Square Dance” (live music/clogging) Sept. 6. All shows begin at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-events/live-music.

• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host Bob Zullo (guitar/vocals) 7:15 p.m. Aug. 29 and Sept. 19 ($10 cover both nights). The kitchen and wine bar open at 4 p.m. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.

• Concerts On The Creek (Sylva) will host Boukou Groove Aug. 29. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, but donations are encouraged. 828.586.2155 / mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek.

Upstream Rebellion will play Waynesville Aug. 30. File photo

• John C. Campbell Folk School (Brasstown) will host a “Community Jam” 7 p.m. Thursdays (at the nearby Crown Restaurant) and semi-regular live music on the weekends. folkschool.org.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host Jamie Saylor (Americana) Aug. 29 and Tim Akins (R&B/pop) Aug. 30. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.

• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music Bingo” 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Tim Akins (R&B/pop) Aug. 29. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.

Bluegrass rolls into Scotsman

Rising regional Americana/bluegrass act Upstream Rebellion will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, at The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville.

Hailing from the depths of Western North Carolina, Upstream Rebellion is rooted in the intricate musical traditions of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky mountain ranges. The ensemble showcases a captivating blend of bluegrass standards and original numbers.

To learn more about Upstream Rebellion, you can search the band’s name on Facebook and “Upstream.Rebellion” on Instagram.

The show is free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 or scotsmanpublic.com.

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host “Open Mic” at 6 p.m. every second Friday of the month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.

• Currahee Brewing (Franklin) will host “Team Trivia” Mondays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 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 “Orchard Sessions” with Martin & Kelly Sept. 10. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Admission is $50 per person, with discounts rates available for hotel guests and members. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com/orchard-sessions.

• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host “World Drum Classes” every Friday at 2:30 p.m. (adults) and 4 p.m. (family friendly, all ages) and “Waynesville Acoustic Guitar Group” 2-4 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday of the month. Free and open to the public. 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.

• Friday Night Live Concert Series (Highlands) will host Foxfire Boys (Americana/bluegrass) Aug. 29 and Silly Ridge Sept. 5. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Christopher M. Caruso (singer-songwriter) Aug.

27, Bemi Aug. 29, Hot Dog Sunrise (rock/jam) Aug. 30 and Bo Bullman (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. Aug. 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.

• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host Corey Stevenson (singer-songwriter) Aug. 27, Doug Ramsey (singer-songwriter) Aug. 28, Rock Holler Aug. 29, Corey Stevenson Band Aug. 30, Kody Paul (singer-songwriter) Sept. 4, Dillon & Company Sept. 5 and Rock Holler Sept. 6. 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 Jamey Johnson Sept. 5-6. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” with Scott Low 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 The Lone Below (Americana/indie) 8:30 p.m. Aug. 28 (tickets are $53.24 per person, tax included). 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.

• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic with Phil” on Wednesdays and Phil Thomas (singer-songwriter) Aug. 30. All shows and events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.586.9678 / innovation-brewing.com.

• 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/franklin.

• Meadowlark Motel (Maggie Valley) will host a “Bluegrass Jam” 5-7 p.m. Sundays, Blend Hemp (acoustic) Aug. 30, Tricia Ann Band (rock/country) Sept. 4 and Adrian Warwick (singer-songwriter) Sept. 6. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.1717 / meadowlarkmotel.com.

• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host “Open Mic Night” with Frank Lee every Thursday, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) Aug. 29, Ron Neill (singer-songwriter) Aug. 30, Terry Haughton (singer-songwriter) Aug. 31 and Bridget Gossett (singer-songwriter) Sept. 1. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.

• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host Ryan B. Jazz Trio 5 p.m. Aug. 29, Bemi (singer-songwriter) 2 p.m. Aug. 30, The Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs (Americana) 5 p.m. Aug. 30 and Blue (Americana) 2 p.m. Aug. 31. Free and open to the public. 828.785.5082 / noc.com.

• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host Firecracker Jazz Band (jazz/swing) Sept. 6. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.

• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Paradise 56 (oldies) Sept. 13. All shows begin at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown. Free and open to the public. franklinnc.com/pickin-onthe-square.html.

• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host “Karaoke” 7 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Mic” 6:30 p.m. Fridays, R.A. Nightingale (singer-songwriter) Aug. 29 and David Lloyd (singer-songwriter) Aug. 30. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.

On the beat

• Saturdays On Pine Concert Series (Highlands) will host Southside Station (Americana) Aug. 30 and The Parks Brothers Sept. 6. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.

• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host Upstream Rebellion (Americana/bluegrass) Aug. 30, Bratfolk (Americana) 2 p.m. Aug. 31, Shane Meade (indie/folk) Sept. 4 and Bear Creek String Bandits (Americana) Sept. 5. 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 Tim Austin (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. Aug. 31, Blue Jazz (blues/jazz) 6 p.m. Sept. 5, R.A. Nightingale (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. Sept. 6 and Gregg Erwin (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. Sept. 7. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.

On the wall

‘Art

• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with Remedy 58 (blues/soul) Aug. 28 and David Cheatham (Americana/ folk) Sept. 4. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 / trailborn.com/highlands.

• Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host Second Chance (rock/country) 2 p.m. Aug. 31. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 / valleycigarandwineco.com.

• Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 5202 (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.456.9356 / vfw5202.org.

• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host Madison Owenby 3 p.m. Aug. 29, Rail Town Sept. 1, Breeze Cable (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. Sept. 5 and Monica Spears (singer-songwriter) Sept. 7. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.

• Wells Events & Reception Center (Waynesville) will host “80s Dance Music” 7 p.m. Aug. 29 and Brent Thompson (jazz) Sept. 7. 828.476.5070 / wellseventcenter.simpletix.com.

• Western Carolina Brew & Wine (Highlands) will host live music 4-6 p.m. Saturdays, “Music Bingo” 6-8 p.m. Saturdays, Katie & Ezra (Americana) 4:30 p.m. Aug. 29 and Christian Jones (singer-songwriter) 1 p.m. Sept. 7. Free and open to the public. 828.342.6707 / wcbrewandwine.com.

• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host Hollow Body Tour Aug. 29, Back Dirt Road Aug. 30 and Spare Parts Bluegrass Band (Americana/bluegrass) noon Aug. 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.743.6000 / whitesidebrewing.com.

• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts

a

Waynesville art walk, live music

A cherished gathering of locals and visitors alike, “Art After Dark” will continue its 2025 season from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5 in downtown Waynesville.

Each first Friday of the month (MayDecember), Main Street transforms into an evening of art, live music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors alike.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit downtownwaynesville.com.

Abstract art, surrealism showcase

With the exhibit dubbed “Faces of the Unseen,” artwork by Ralph Verano will be on display through the month of September at the Macon County Public Library in Franklin.

Verano was born in a small town in Southern Central New York State. He became fascinated with art at a very early age when his grandfather would draw comic characters for him.

He graduated from Buffalo State College with a degree in graphic design. After living and working in Florida for 30 years, Verano’s love of the mountains eventually brought him to settle in Franklin.

Verano’s character-driven art represents his love of abstract art and surrealism with a desire to create something unique and original. His work has evolved over time because of his willingness to experiment with different techniques, ideas and styles.

Verano has always felt that discovery is the most important element in his work

and the need to challenge himself is what maintains his interest in the thing that has been his passion since he was a child.

The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, visit rverano.blogspot.com.

Open call for art grants

The Haywood County Arts Council in Waynesville is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Grassroots Arts Program grants.

Applications are open through Sept. 5, 2025. Local nonprofit arts organizations and arts programs are encouraged to apply. This grant opportunity is not open to individuals.

Established in 1977 by the North Carolina Arts Council, the GAP program supports both programming and general operations for arts groups across the state. In Haywood County, this funding opportunity is made possible through a partnership between the Haywood County Arts Council and the NC Arts Council. Grant awards typically range from $500 to $5,000.

Eligible expenses include costs related to artistic programming such as artist fees, publicity, musical performances and equipment rental. Operating support can also be

• “Chiaroscuro,” the latest exhibition at the Haywood County Arts County, will run through Sept. 1 at HCAC’s Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville. This evocative show features work by regional artists who creatively explore the classic chiaroscuro technique across a variety of mediums. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit haywoodarts.org.

• “Didanisisgi Gadagwatli: A Showcase of Pottery from the Mud Dauber Community Workshop,” is now on display at the Museum of the Cherokee People in Cherokee. On view through May 2026, the exhibition features works by students of Tara McCoy (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) handcrafted during an intensive three-month workshop. For more information, visit motcp.org.

• “Art After Dark” will be held from 6-9 p.m. each first Friday of the month (MayDecember) in downtown Waynesville. Main Street transforms into an evening of art, live music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors alike. The event is free and open to the public. downtownwaynesville.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.

• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio. 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.

covered, including rent, utilities, staff salaries, office supplies and small-scale capital improvements. In 2024, eight local arts nonprofits received a combined $26,023 in GAP funding through HCAC.

Please note, all grant recipients must provide a 1-to-1 cash match for the amount awarded. A list of these matching funds is required and must be included in the final grant report.

Applications will be evaluated by a panel using eight review criteria: completeness, feasibility, organizational health, community accessibility, alignment with arts and culture, multicultural relevance, regional impact and artistic merit. No matching funds are required for this grant.

The submission deadline is Sept. 5, with funding decisions announced in late September or early October. Funds will be distributed in October and supported projects should be completed by June 30, 2026.

To apply and learn more about eligibility, visit haywoodarts.org/grants-funding.

• 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.

• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts

‘Remnants’ is a work by Ralph Verano. Donated photo

Suzanne Barrett Justis is

featured artisan at

After Dark.’ File photo

On the street

‘Thunder in the Smokies’

‘Thunder in the Smokies’ returns to Maggie Valley. File photo

The annual “Thunder in the Smokies” fall motorcycle rally will be held Sept. 5-7 at the Maggie Valley Fairgrounds.

The oldest and largest event of its kind in the Great Smoky Mountains, the weekend celebration will feature live music, dozens of vendors, motorcycle shows/games, prizes and much more. For more information, a full schedule of events and/or to purchase tickets, visit thunderinthesmokies.com.

On the stage

HART presents ‘The Cake’

A special stage production of “The Cake” will be held at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28-30 and 2 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville. The show is a tender, thought-provoking comedy about a small-town baker whose beliefs are tested when she’s asked to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Tickets start at $19 with seating upgrades and discounts for seniors/students available. For more information, call the box office at 828.456.6322 or visit harttheatre.org.

• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. For tickets, click on caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.

• Highlands Performing Arts Center (Highlands) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. mountaintheatre.com / 828.526.9047.

• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host a stage production of “The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe” 7 p.m.

On the table

• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host “Wind Down Wine Flight” 6 p.m. Thursdays. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.

ALSO:

• 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 tap-takeovers 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

Sept. 5-6, 2 p.m. Sept. 6 and 3 p.m. Sept. 7. smokymountainarts.com / 866.273.4615.

ALSO:

• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semiregular stage productions on the weekends. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.

• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. thepeacocknc.org / 828.389.ARTS.

Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. 828.452.0120 / waynesvillewine.com.

• “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.

On the beat

‘An Appalachian Evening’

The “An Appalachian Evening” series will continue with a performance by renowned Americana/bluegrass ensemble

The Darren Nicholson Band at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.

A Grammy-nominee and winner of 13 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards, Nicholson has taken his own brand of mountain music around the world.

A regular for years on the Grand Ole Opry and a founding member of acclaimed bluegrass group Balsam Range, Nicholson now spends his time recording, writing new songs and performing as a solo act, one with a keen focus within the realms of Americana, bluegrass and country music.

The annual summer concert series offers an ever-changing schedule of bluegrass, folk and oldtime mountain music by awardwinning artists — quality entertainment for the entire family.

with locals and visitors alike. The concert will be held in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for students grade K-12. Dinner will also be available for purchase in the Schoolhouse Cafe starting at 6 p.m.

For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or visit stecoahvalleycenter.com.

Rich in cultural heritage, the series continues to be a favorite

Concerts on the Creek

County Chamber of Commerce will continue its 16th season of the annual “Concerts on the Creek” music series.

Boukou Groove (funk/soul) will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.

Boukou Groove brings their brand of “New Orleans Soul Funk” to audiences along Florida’s Emerald Coast and NOLA clubs like the Maple Leaf and Tipitinas. They’ve also appeared at numerous festivals and clubs nationwide, also completed two tours in Japan, performing to capacity crowds at

“Concerts on the Creek” are held every Friday night from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, with donations encouraged. Dogs must be on a leash. No smoking, vaping, coolers or tents are allowed. Bring a chair or blanket. There will be food trucks on select nights. For more information, call the chamber at 828.586.2155, visit mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek or go to the “Concerts on the Creek” Facebook page.

Bryson City community jam

A community jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, 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.

Darren Nicholson will play Stecoah Aug. 30. File photo

Boukou Groove will play Sylva Aug. 29. File photo

The Walker Sisters — all on their own

Of all the chapters that I read and reviewed in my most recent review of the book “Letters From the Smokies” in Smoky Mountain Living (June-July 2025), the story of the Walker Sisters was the one story that got my attention probably more than any of the others. In her book “The Walker Sisters of Little Greenbrier,” place-based author Rose Houk has created a photo history of their story. In this brief 60-page book, on the cover is a photo from 1905 of all seven sisters dressed in church attire and taken at their remote rural family home around the beginning of the 20th century in Little Greenbrier on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains. Houk tells their amazing story so well in this slim volume filled with photos and archive memorabilia that I’m going to keep a low profile here, and let you enjoy a bit of her narrative and their history for yourselves.

LOCATION

covered with newspapers and magazines; the job of repapering was an annual chore,” she writes.

FOOD

Living off-the-grid and self-sufficiency was the name of the game for the Walker sisters, as Houk describes. “The Walker sisters were organic gardeners and guardians of biodiversity long before these ideas became trendy. A gate behind the house opened onto a huge vegetable garden, fenced with hemlock stakes and surrounded by prolific orchards. The women enjoyed plenty of fresh food during the growing season. But what couldn’t be eaten at harvest had to be preserved for later consumption. No one was ever turned away from the Walkers, and if there were too many guests, they would set a second table. For them, food was much more than simply a substance to keep body and soul together — it was a measure of generosity, satisfaction, and kinship.”

WEAVING & SEWING

weed to ease the itch of poison ivy. In springtime, they might dig some ramps or down a tonic of sulfur and molasses.”

SCHOOL & EDUCATION

Back at the turn of the 20th century, education wasn’t manatory as it is today. Houk tells us that, “For most mountain children, formal schooling occupied only two or three months of the year when farm chores were lighter. And though the Walkers were diligent students, none of the girls went beyond sixth or eighth grade. In those days the value of an education for a young woman was questioned, because people generally assumed she would marry and stay home.”

THE NATIONAL PARK

Rose Houk begins the book, “In a small log cabin on a mountain farm, six women lived their entire lives. They were the Walker sisters, who spent their childhoods, grew into young women, and lived out their final years here in Little Greenbrier, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains. Six sisters, all born in the nineteeth century, who experienced the joys and comforts and griefs and sorrows that every person eventually knows, who held firmly to their habits and ways; and who through their lives witnessed immense changes in the world beyond.” Houk describes their homeplace and activities in poetic detail almost as if she were there and witnessing it all for herself. “When rain pelted the cabin or snow flew outside, everyone gathered around the hearth, while a pone of corn baked and a pot of beans bubbled with sweet aroma. The walls were

About the sisters more domestic creative work, Houk writes: “When the women weren’t cooking or farming, a large part of their daily domestic routine involved spinning and weaving. Spinning was a skill gained through much practice, and the Walker sisters kept several wheels spinning for hours on end with some of the skeins dyed with poke berries or walnut bark. Besides providing a creative outlet, quliting was a welcome social affair. Women gathered around the frame at a quilting bee and got a chance to catch up on all the local gossip, as they stitched a cherished heirloom.”

HEALTH & MEDICINE

“When it came to staying healthy,” Houk writes, “mountain people turned to herbal medicine and home remedies before they would ever seek out a doctor. In their own herb garden outside the back door, the Walker sisters grew horseradish, boneset and peppermint for curative teas and poultices. The wild plants of the hills and forest were sought for their healing properties as well — sassafras to build the blood and rag-

Blue Ridge Books welcomes Plott

Houk spends a good deal of time in the book writing about the creation of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and how the Walker sisters had to deal with this in terms of their very survival. “While many mountain people were displaced by the park, the Walker sisters stood their ground and throughout negotiations with the government; they wanted a lifetime lease so they could remain in their Little Greenbrier home for the rest of their days. In the end, the Walker sisters did receive the desired lifetime lease plus $4,750 for their land. Though they could stay for the rest of their lives, park regulations curtailed or ended some of their traditioanl practices such as hunting and fishing, herb gathering, wood cutting and livestock grazing.”

AT THE END

Toward the end of the sisters’ lives at their home in the Smokies, “park rangers kept a watchful eyes out for them, too, lending a hand when they got snowed in. As the land began to reclaim itself, the Walker sisters worried about forest fires and the threat of foxes and hawks marauding among their crops and chickens.” As Arthur McDade writes in his 2021 article on the Walker sisters: “With the passing of the Walker Sisters, a fascinating period of Smoky Mountain history died with them. But the heritage of the sisters is maintained today in historic photos, archival interviews and recordings, articles, books and memories, and in the historic structures and grounds which survive today.”

(Thomas Crowe is the author of the award-winning memoir “Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods.” He lives in Jackson County.)

Author Sarah Plott will host a reading for her latest work, “Seeds and Spit,” from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, at Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville. “Seeds and Spit” is a heartwarming and hilarious tale of a young boy named Colton and his adventures in baseball. From gaining new friends, to noticing a certain pretty girl, building a treehouse and breaking a few rules, this book will have you cheering for Colton and rooting for the others. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.456.6000 or visit blueridgebooksnc.com.

Writer Thomas Crowe

STAFF W RITER

Anyone who’s been through the eastern part of Haywood County, even just driving toward Buncombe County on I-40 has likely seen — or smelled — the smoke.

The Two Banks Development mulch fire in Canton is nothing new. But as communities surrounding TBD’s landfill continue to be impacted, it seems that neither the problem nor the solution are as simple — or risk-free — as they might’ve first appeared.

TBD’s multiple mulch pits are loaded with debris sent to the landfill by FEMA and other contractors, according to North Canton Fire Department Chief Steve Kelley, who has been working nonstop with his crew to put out the fire since it first started smoking. The chief said that because mulch is highly combustible, certain standards must be met regarding its storage and administration so heat doesn’t build.

But some of these standards were waived after Hurricane Helene, though he wasn’t sure of the specifics.

North Carolina passed a law October 2024 to promote hurricane recovery and relief, relaxing certain restrictions, including open burning of storm-related debris, until March 2025. A June 2025 state law made various reforms to the initial recovery and relief measures. For example, HB 251 stipulated that “persons or entities undertaking activities to

process tree stumps and other vegetative debris into mulch, compost or soil amendments” in counties under a major disaster declaration during Helene do not require solid waste composting permits for certain facilities, approval of erosion and sediment control plans, air quality permit requirements for vegetative debris processing equipment and State Fire Code limitations on mulch pile storage.

However, the law limits the total quantity of processed and unprocessed material for entities covered by HB 251 to 25,000 cubic yards. Kelley estimated the burning pile to be about 700,000 cubic yards, adding that it’s just one of five in the landfill.

fire was the inevitable result of TBD turning off its “sprinkler system.”

The sprinkler system was enacted following TBD’s first external mulch fire in late July of this year. Kelley said that landfill employees would use water trucks to put out spot fires — up to 2 million gallons per day, drawn directly from the nearby Pigeon River to avoid disturbing the town’s water supply. But Kelley noted that “unfortunately, because of that, runoff overflowed their settling pond, and which in turn, ran into the river,” killing many fish living there.

“The odors and poor air quality being reported are unacceptable not just for those living near the landfill, but for residents across the entire Town.”

“In the whole property … I think they approximately figure that they’ve got 2.3 million cubic yards of mulch,” he said.

— excerpt from Aug. 21 Canton Town Board letter

In an Aug. 22 statement, TBD claimed “… a controlled burn was conducted to help process storm-related vegetative debris. Since then, we are taking aggressive steps to control and significantly reduce associated smoke and impacts.” But according to Kelley, the external

While TBD has an National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit for industrial process and commercial wastewater discharge, the permit allows it to discharge wastewater into waterbodies if the water is pretreated to avoid exceeding certain restrictions on contaminant levels, alongside submitting weekly monitoring reports.

A TBD representative said everything the company had done was strictly in line with its NPDES permit.

Kelley recounted that on Sunday, Aug. 17, “the EPA shut [the sprinkler system] down.”

Canton’s town board released an Aug. 21 letter about the mulch fire clarifying its lack of jurisdiction over the landfill while emphasizing the gravity of the situation.

“The odors and poor air quality being reported are unacceptable,” it read, “not just for those living near the landfill, but for residents across the entire Town.”

In a conversation with Smoky Mountain News, Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers reiterated what’s stated in the letter.

“I’ve said from the get-go, we have enjoyed our relationship with the company, and [TBD owner] Eric [Spirtas], he has been very forthcoming, and cooperative … But actions matter more than words. But I also think that Eric realizes that, and he and he will take actions to fix this, and he has to.”

“I cannot have my town engulfed in smoke,” Smathers added. “But we also cannot have our rivers running with discharge.”

What might Two Banks Development do next to mitigate this ongoing storm debris hazard? According to Kelley, “everybody’s trying to come up with the best possible scenario to make everybody happy.” He cited conversations with TBD representatives, EPA officials and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Air Quality Division. The chief suggested accelerating the fire, allowing for a cleaner burn. In any case, “there’s no option that’s going to be cheap for [TBD],” he noted.

The TBD landfill’s continuous smolder is nothing new. A Shot Above photo

Outdoor Youth Science Program ecoEXPLORE Celebrates 100,000 Observations

This month, The North Carolina Arboretum and ecoEXPLORE celebrates 100,000 observations of wild plants and animals taken by North Carolina youth and submitted to iNaturalist. In celebration, the Arboretum is inviting everyone to pitch in on selecting the top 10 photos by voting in this poll. The deadline to participate is Sept. 1.

iNaturalist is a global, open-source platform used by researchers, land managers, educators, and conservationists to document and track species. Young naturalists participating in ecoEXPLORE add to that knowledge by submitting their own personal nature observations. Those images are reviewed by science professionals before being added to iNaturalist, where they contribute to real biodiversity research and environmental monitoring.

Voters can choose up to 10 photos from 34 eligible finalists, and the winners will receive a bonus badge and bonus points through ecoEXPLORE. The winning contributions will also be displayed at The North Carolina Arboretum. The poll can be found at this link: bit.ly/voteecoexplore-100k.

Designed for children ages 5-13, ecoEXPLORE (Experiences Promoting Learning Outdoors for Research and Education) blends scientific inquiry with outdoor exploration, offering themed challenges, badges and nature-based prizes to motivate participation. What began as a pilot project in Buncombe County in 2015 has now grown to include youth and families from all 100 North Carolina counties and the Qualla Boundary. Learn more at ecoexplore.net. iNaturalist

Jackson TDA releases new birding guide

The Jackson County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) announced the launch of its Birding in Jackson County guide — a free, full-color publication designed to help locals and visitors discover one of the most engaging outdoor activities the region has to offer. With a wide variety of public lands and habitats ranging from river valleys to mountaintop forests, Jackson County is home to an incredible diversity of bird species. The guide highlights

DEQ reminds residents not to burn trash

The open burning of trash, metal, plastic and all other man-made materials not only harms the environment and poses a public health risk, it’s against state law.

Open burning is only allowed in limited circumstances and only for vegetative materials like leaves, limbs and yard debris.

The open burning rule, the state’s oldest air quality regulation, limits what can be burned outdoors and when. Other requirements of the open burning rule:

Residential yard waste and commercial land clearing burning can only occur between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. No new vegetation can be added to a burn pile after 6 p.m.

Burning is only allowed when the air quality forecast is Code Green or Code Yellow. Burning on Code Orange, Red or Purple days is prohibited. Check your county’s air quality forecast at the online Air Quality Portal.

Yard waste must originate at a private residence and be burned on that site. In other words, residents can only burn vegetation from their

top birding locations across different elevations, best seasons to visit, and species to watch -making it an ideal companion for both beginners and experienced birders.

The JCTDA has printed 20,000 copies of the guide, which are available for free at the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson County Chamber in Sylva. Designed for accessibility and ease of use, the guide includes maps, seasonal tips, and

own yard — not yard waste from other homes or locations.

Burning of yard waste is only allowed if permitted under local ordinances and only if public pickup of yard debris is not available.

Campfires, outdoor cooking fires and bonfires are permissible, unless prohibited by local ordinances or temporary burn bans, provided that only vegetation such as firewood is burned. Fires must be controlled and never left unattended.

Commercial land clearing operations are also limited by the open burning rule. Land clearing is the uprooting or clearing of vegetation in connection with construction, land development or mining, or the initial clearing of vegetation to enhance property value. The burning of this debris must comply with all open burning rules, including the following key restrictions: As a general rule, the vegetation should originate on the site where the burn is taking place. Land clearing waste can be transported and burned at another site up to four times a year only if specific conditions in the open burning rules are met.

Kerosene or diesel fuel may be used to start a land-clearing fire, but no other man-made materials can be burned.

Land clearing burn piles must be at least

listings for ADA-friendly trails and observation spots.

An interactive digital version is also available on the official tourism website at discoverjacksonnc.com under the “Things to Do” menu.

The guide was written by Cullowhee-based birding expert Topher Stephens, a professional naturalist, educator and leader of the Birders of the Tuckaseegee Watershed. It reflects decades of field experience and a commitment to conservation and public engagement.

500 feet from occupied structures and at least 250 feet from any public road when the prevailing winds are blowing toward the road. Information on wind direction is available from the National Weather Service.

The Division of Air Quality enforces the state open burning rule, partnering with local law enforcement, firefighters and fire marshals, and the N.C. Forest Service to ensure compliance. Violators can be fined up to $25,000 per violation per day. To submit an open burning complaint, contact the DEQ Regional Office that serves your county.

Local county and municipal governments may have more stringent burning restrictions than state law. Contact your local officials to learn what burning rules may be in place where you live.

The open burning rule includes exceptions for certain special burns, including firefighter training exercises and prescribed burns. For more information about open burning, and to watch a video that reviews these state laws, visit DEQ’s Open Burning website.

If you need this information in Spanish or another language, call 919.707.8446 or email shawn.taylor@deq.nc.gov.

Inductees into the WNC Agricultural Hall of Fame celebrated

WNC Communities announced the induction of the 2025 honorees into the prestigious Western North Carolina Agricultural Hall of Fame. This honor recognizes individuals who have shown unwavering dedication, visionary leadership and outstanding contributions to the agribusiness sector of the region.

blending his knowledge of federal and state programs through agencies such as NRCS and Soil and Water Conservation to improve mountain farming practices. He is a champion of collaboration, often hosting field days to share his insights with fellow farmers. His dedication to innovation and sustainable agriculture continues to highlight the vital connection between conservation and farming.

828-456-HAUS (4287) 641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC

641 North Main Street, WAYNESVILLE, NC

(3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse)

(3/10 Mile North of the Courthouse)

828-456-HAUS (4287)

509 Asheville Hwy., Suite B, SYLVA, NC

(Located in the NAPA Auto Parts Center)

509 Asheville Hwy., Suite B, SYLVA, NC (Located in the NAPA Auto Parts Center) 828-586-HAUS (4287)

828-586-HAUS (4287)

The induction ceremony took place Aug. 8 at the WNC Agricultural Center’s Davis Event Center, bringing together community members, industry leaders and families to celebrate the achievements of the 2025 inductees. This annual event serves as a reminder of the crucial role agriculture plays in the economic and cultural fabric of our region.

Since 1986, Jim Walgenbach has served as a research and extension entomologist at the Mountain Horticultural Research & Extension Center, leading groundbreaking studies in the area of integrated pest management on fruit and vegetable crops. This has included development of insect phenology models to optimize pesticide applications and non-insecticide strategies such as pheromone-mediated mating disruption that has empowered farmers in Western North Carolina to more effectively manage pest populations, reducing crop damage and saving

with NC State University’s Amazing Grazing program 25 years ago, contributing invaluable research that has benefitted beef cattle farmers throughout Western North Carolina. Hyatt’s use of Adaptive Grazing Management, a method that improves soil health, increases rainfall infiltration and enhances forage growth, allows him to graze animals year-round, eliminating the need for supplemental hay.

Having retired from the Farm Service Agency in 1997, Mr. Hyatt embraced full-time farming,

Learn overland navigation

focused on the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, a pest that was first detected in North Carolina in 2009. Through his work, he has helped develop integrated pest management programs to control this invasive species. His contributions have been particularly valuable to apple and tomato growers, who benefit from his expertise and solutions. Walgenbach’s compassionate and collaborative approach has made him a trusted resource for farmers both locally and internationally.

Friends of Panthertown invites the public to a one-of-a-kind outdoor skills event: “Orienteering With Map and Compass,” led by renowned wilderness guide and author Burt Kornegay (“A Guide’s Guide to Panthertown”).

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 5. An indoor portion will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library, and an outdoor portion will be held from 1-3 p.m. at the Salt Rock Gap Overlook in Panthertown Valley.

This free event offers participants hands-on instruction in essential navigation techniques using a map and compass. The morning indoor session will cover the basics, while the afternoon field session will put those skills into real-world practice in the beautiful Panthertown Valley.

Ideal for amateur navigators, families and nature lovers, this program promises a memorable and educational outdoor experience.

Advance registration is required, as space is limited. Register at panthertown.org/events.

Jim Walgenbach (left) and Bass Hyatt (right) were inducted into the WNC Agricultural Hall of Fame on Aug. 8, 2025. Donated photo

Colquitt Foundation gives $750,000 for Helene recovery in Smokies

The Colquitt Foundation has given $750,000 to the nonprofit Friends of the Smokies to save historic structures and help the national park’s Cataloochee Valley recover from damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

“Hurricane Helene left its mark on Cataloochee Valley. Cataloochee Ranch was founded in that valley, and we feel a responsibility to help. We are honored to partner with Friends of the Smokies to contribute towards its revival and restoration,” said David Colquitt.

The Colquitt Foundation made the gift on behalf of The Swag as well as Cataloochee Ranch, two historic mountain retreats operated by the Colquitts on the boundary of Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Haywood County, North Carolina.

“Cataloochee Valley is a jewel for our entire region. Its cultural, historical, environmental, and recreational value is something that cannot be replaced. On behalf of our 150+ Haywood County team members, we are honored to make this contribution,” said Annie Colquitt.

Haywood Community College hosts fall hunter safety courses

Haywood Community College’s Department of Arts, Sciences and Natural Resources and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will offer 4 opportunities for hunter safety courses in Fall 2025. Classes will be offered Sept. 9-10, Oct. 7-8, Nov. 12-13 from 6-9 p.m. on the HCC campus in the Walnut building,

“The National Park Service is dedicated to preserving and sharing the rich history of the Cataloochee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park,” said Charles Sellars, Acting Superintendent. “This generous donation is critical as we restore the historic buildings that help tell these stories. We are deeply grateful to the Colquitt Foundation for their support.”

“We’re incredibly grateful to the Colquitt Foundation for this generous gift,” said Dana Soehn, President and CEO of Friends of the Smokies. “At a time of great need, their support helps us protect historic treasures like the Caldwell Barn and Beech Grove School in Cataloochee Valley, ensuring these pieces of the past endure for future generations.”

The $750,000 gift is one part of a larger $2 million commitment by the Colquitts to help the region with its ongoing recovery from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.

and tree stand safety.

room 3322. Participants must attend two consecutive evenings to receive their certification.

Dahlia Ridge Trail Run

Haywood Community College will hold the third annual Dahlia Ridge Trail Run at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, in Clyde.

This 5k is a timed, family-friendly walk/run event open to all levels of runners, walkers and hikers. Participants will receive a t-shirt and enjoy a post-race party with live music and food available for purchase. Online registration is open through Sept. 11, but racers can also register in person on the day of the event. To be guaranteed a shirt, please register by Aug. 29.

tools and technology needs of HCC students. This year, funds raised will support the Lavender Fund, which helps students facing unexpected life emergencies such as groceries, rent, childcare, utilities and more. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, this type of support is needed more than ever as students continue to balance school with everyday life challenges.

For more information about the trail race on HCC’s main campus or to register, visit gloryhoundevents.com/event/dahlias-ridge-5k. For more information about how to give to HCC’s Foundation or support this event, please visit haywood.edu, email hebirenbaum@haywood.edu or call 828.627.4544.

These courses are offered for the public as a community service and are free of charge. There are no minimum age requirements; however, a written exam must be completed without assistance. Courses are taught by wildlife officers, hunter education specialists and certified volunteer instructors. Certification is accepted in every state and province in North America. Pre-registration is required. Anyone interested in taking a hunter safety course must register online to attend. Course registration may be completed at ncwildlife.org.

EdwarddJones

Traavvis Brother ton

David and Annie Colquitt’s foundation has committed

Market PLACE WNC

Legals

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:

• $15 — Classified ads that are 25 words, 25¢ per word after.

• Free — Lost or found pet ads.

• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*

• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m. Monday for your ad to run again FREE

• $375 — Statewide classifieds run in 170 participating newspapers with 1.1+ million circulation. (Limit 25 words or less)

• Boost Online — Have your ad featured at top of category online $4

• Boost in Print

• Add Photo $6

• Bold ad $2

• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4

• Border $4

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

p: 828.452.4251 · f:828.452.3585 classads@smokymountainnews.com www.wncmarketplace.com

Case No.25E000414-430

Pamela Smathers, having Charles Ray Blaylock

having claims against the Nov 20 2025

Land For Sale

Co-Executor 375 Robinson Farm Rd Canton, NC 28716

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