One of the region’s treasured gems, the North Carolina Arboretum, was heavily damaged during Hurricane Helene. Now, the arboretum is working with other regional partners to come up with solutions to problems that arose after the storm. (Page 24)
Ed Wright photo
News
Former Franklin Mayor Jack Horton reflects on career of service..........................4 Jackson Board of Elections vote to close WCU voting site..................................6
Swain Animal Services meeting filled with public shock, disapproval..............10 Ethics violation prompts removal of tribal ABC Commissioner..........................13
Opinion
The oath that guards our republic................................................................................14 Give the gift of local news..............................................................................................14
A&E Highway junkie: A conversation with Andy Thomas................................................16 Waynesville’s Pigeon Center hosts ‘Season of Lights’..........................................22
Former Franklin Mayor Jack Horton reflects on decades in government
BY KYLE PERROTTI NEWS EDITOR
ast Monday marked the likely end of a career of service for outgoing Franklin Mayor Jack Horton. But, that career began decades before he ever held elected office.
In February 1976, as part of that program, Horton landed in Swain County, where he helped out in all departments, including the tax department, which he said was “way behind” at that point. He drafted a letter informing delinquent property owners that the tax department could foreclose on properties and garnish wages to collected what’s owed. The tax collector sent it out.
“The people started pouring in raising Cain,” Horton said with a hearty chuckle.
loved when he was cutting his teeth in Bryson City. In October 1985, he took the job.
In 1990, Horton moved to Waynesville to begin what would be his longest stint at any of his jobs — as Haywood County’s first-ever manager. Prior to Horton coming onboard with Haywood County, the commission chair served as county manager.
Horton, who served six years as mayor of Macon County’s largest town, also had a prior career as a town and county manager, mostly in Western North Carolina. While there are similarities and differences in those two duties, Horton said he’s tried to keep one guiding principle on the horizon the whole time.
“What I believe in is public service and the public interest,” he said. “Make sure you do what you think and feel is in the best interest of the citizens that you’re serving.”
A Navy veteran, upon leaving active duty and joining the reserves, Horton went on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Appalachian State University with the intention of going on to law school. Around that time, the university began its town and county manager program, something that in the 1970s was relatively unheard of.
“I thought, well, that’s a good backup plan in case I don’t get in law school,” Horton said.
Feeling like he was between a rock and a hard place, the tax collector subsequently left the job, and in July 1976 Horton was hired into the role. In 1978, after the election of some new county commissioners, Horton was appointed to serve as the county manager “at the ripe old age of 28.”
But, Horton eventually burned out in the demanding role and left public service. After two years working in the finance division of a local car dealership, a job in which Horton made more money but he considered less intellectually fulfilling, he took a town manager job in Huntersville, North Carolina, where he’d grown up.
He enjoyed the gig with the small town government as it gave him an opportunity to work in just about every area, allowing him to learn the workings of the electric, sewer and water systems.
“I even did payroll and taxes and everything,” he said.
After about two years, Horton heard that Macon County was hiring a county manager. Although he enjoyed his job, he leapt at the opportunity to return to the mountains he’d
He considers that he accomplished a lot in his tenure in Haywood, including the construction of Waynesville’s parking deck, the White Oak Landfill, multiple school buildings and the agricultural research center. Horton thinks that each of these projects — costly items that created vigorous debates — in the long run served to help the county.
Perhaps most controversial may have been Haywood’s justice center, which replaced the smaller, dated historic courthouse in 2005. Although the county had to finance the project and spent 15 years paying it off, the foresight needed to build the facility proved vital as district and superior court dockets have exploded over the last couple of decades.
“The resident Superior Court Judge, John Snow, said ‘You better do something or else I’m going to hold you in contempt,” Horton said.
“The other thing that I think worked really good is that we instituted what we call the Council of Governments, where Canton Waynesville, Maggie Valley and Hazelwood, which was I think still operating back then, would get together two or three times a year and talk about com- F
Jack Horton has lived a life of public service as both a county and town manager and elected official. Kyle Perrotti photo
mon interests,” he added. “Those are good because we’re all dealing with certain issues that affect everybody, and it’s good to be on the same page.”
Horton regards his time in Haywood County fondly. Both of his sons went to school at Tuscola, which to Horton makes the place still feel a bit like home.
“And I still have a lot of good friends in Haywood County,” he said.
After his departure from Haywood County, Horton spent a couple of years as manager in Caldwell County before taking over the manager’s position in Macon. He retired as Macon County’s manager in 2013.
While he spent several years enjoying the quiet splendor of retired life, he still felt the itch to work and serve. This time, he ventured into a world he’d always just lived on the fringes of — politics. He decided to run for town council in 2019. When former Vice
Mayor Barbara McRay, whom Horton called a “visionary,” passed away, he moved into the role.
mayor, the 75-year-old is also on several boards and involved with his church.
“I decided it’s time for me to scale back my obligations and devote more time to doing what I can for my family,” he said.
Now that he’s beginning to look back on a life of service, Horton can consider the similarities and differences between serving in appointed administrative and elected roles. He thinks that both jobs are made easier by having strong county or municipal staff, which he says is the case now in Franklin under Town Manager Amy Owens, who is also the president of the Western North Carolina City and County Managers Association, a position Horton once held.
While elected officials are held accountable by voters, Horton said it’s naïve to think that managers are removed from the politics. When it comes to high-profile decisions regarding things like capital projects, administrators must weigh the public need with money needed to bring something across the finish line, as well as what money
Then, when former Mayor Bob Scott decided not to run for a fifth term, Horton ran for the office unopposed, as he did again in 2023.
“I would have run again, but Council Member Jack Horton has filed to run for mayor,” Scott said in his 2021 announcement saying he wouldn’t run again. “Jack is qualified and well known across the state. I can leave knowing that if elected, Franklin will be in good hands with Jack.”
Horton said he’s also been happy with the town’s accomplishments since he’s been elected, especially how the board has been able to grow an even healthier fund balance than what had already existed.
“Our fund balance now is equal to over a year’s worth of expenditures,” he said. “If we had no money coming in, we could still operate the town and meet our obligations for a year. Not many municipalities or counties are able to do that.”
However, Horton has decided that now is the time to focus more on family. His wife is currently the sole caretaker for her 99-year-old mother. In addition to being
can come from grants or other outside sources and how much taxpayers will have to pay.
“If it’s an unbearable burden, you can’t get it done,” he said. “You don’t always have to agree with the board, but the board makes the policy, and then you follow their policy. If it gets to the point where your philosophy and the board’s philosophy is just not a good combination, then you probably need to find something else to do.”
In hindsight, Horton thinks about his time as county manager specifically through the lens of something a colleague once said. “Being the manager is like that middle piece in the hourglass; no matter which way you turn it, you’re always under pressure.”
However, Horton, a man who lives by a few key quotes, considers one most applicable to his time in government. It comes from President Lyndon B. Johnson but is applicable to any high-pressure leadership position: “The presidency is like being a jackass caught in a hail storm. You’ve got to just stand there and take it.”
New Franklin Mayor Stacy Guffey (left) presented former Mayor Jack Horton with a plaque at the December town meeting.
Kyle Perrotti photo
Jackson Board of Elections vote to close Western Carolina University voting site
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT POLITICS EDITOR
The seemingly indiscriminate closure of an early voting site at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee prior to the March 3, 2026, Primary Election by the Republican-majority Jackson County Board of Elections has students of all political stripes up in arms and the university’s chancellor refusing to speak out on what critics of the proposal are calling voter suppression.
“It certainly feels that way,” said Zach Powell, president of WCU’s college Democrats. “I know that some board members have sort of painted it as a financial concern for the county, but it does feel like the votes of students are being targeted.”
That the site is threatened at all is a direct consequence of actions the Republican-led General Assembly took in the wake of disgraced Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s loss to then-Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, in the Nov. 7, 2024, gubernatorial contest. Under decades-old law, governors had appointed members to the state and county elections boards.
On Dec. 11, 2024, tucked away in a disaster relief bill, Republican legislators reassigned those powers to one of the Council of State offices they did manage to win — state auditor.
The bill passed both chambers of the General Assembly in less than 24 hours but was vetoed by then-Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat. Legislators voted to override Cooper’s veto, and on June 25, all county elections boards instantly changed from 3-2 Democrat majorities to 3-2 Republican majorities. The state-level board experienced similar meta-
morphosis.
Jackson County Board of Elections members (left to right) Jay Pavey, Roy Osborn, Bill Thompson, Wes
the
First reported by the Sylva Herald, the idea of closing the WCU early voting site came up without prior notice shortly before the Nov. 18 Jackson County Board of Elections meeting began; in a document obtained by The Smoky Mountain News, Republican Chair Bill Thompson presented an analysis of early voting sites that said it was “a waste of taxpayer’s [sic] money” to operate two early voting sites less than five miles apart and that Jackson County could save up to $20,000 by closing any one of the five sites.
Based on data from the 2024 Primary Election, eliminating the WCU early voting site would make it harder for students, faculty and staff to vote — but would have a disproportionate impact on those who have historically supported Democratic candidates.
During the 2024 Primary Election, 345 people pulled Democratic presidential preference ballots at the WCU early voting location, making it the third-busiest early voting site for Democrats of the five early voting sites. More Dem votes were cast at WCU during early voting than in any Election Day precinct — even though Dem turnout was likely down due to President Joe Biden’s lack of Primary Election opposition that year.
Conversely, during that same election, just 182 people at WCU pulled Republican presidential preference ballots, despite more than half a dozen Republicans — including Donald Trump — appearing on the ballot. The meager GOP total made WCU the fourth-busiest early voting site for Republicans out of five early voting sites and the 10th-most
popular site or method of voting out of the 20 precincts and early voting sites offered by the county. Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador, won GOP early voting at WCU, defeating Trump 86 to 81.
All told, the WCU early voting location was one of the most popular ways for Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans to vote that year, but it was only of average popularity for Republicans in general.
Of all ballots cast for Democrats and Republicans at the five early voting sites in the 2024 Primary Election, WCU’s 527 was fourth-lowest. The lowest, 270, came in at the Cherokee early voting site in Whittier. However, more Republicans showed up there than at WCU.
An analysis by WCU political science professor Chris Cooper shows that during the 2024 Primary Election, “the average age of the people who voted at the WCU campus was the youngest of any early voting site in the state” and that upon the site’s establishment in 2016, the percentage of votes from 18-to 25-year-olds initially tripled or quadrupled before settling into roughly double prior levels of around 3%. More than 76,000 people have voted at the site since its inception.
During the 2024 General Election, nearly 3,000 people — more than one in seven of all voters that year — utilized the WCU polling site, according to Evie Grey Corn, vice president of the Student Democracy Coalition.
A nonpartisan student group focused on civic education, civil dialogue and increasing student participation in elections and governance, the SDC trains its members to maintain strict neutrality in all public-fac-
Hanemayer and Betsy Swift listen to public comment during
Dec. 9 meeting. Cory Vaillancourt photo
ing activities, researching issues students care about, hosting civil dialogues in hightraffic areas on campus and preparing fact sheets so students can ask questions with confidence that the answers will be grounded in law and process, rather than ideology.
Corn grew up in Hendersonville and came to WCU to study forensic anthropology, drawn by the familiarity of the region and the feeling that Cullowhee would become her new home. She registered as an unaffiliated voter in Jackson County as soon as she moved onto campus four years ago, has lived in Jackson County year-round during her studies, works in Jackson County, pays federal and state taxes in Jackson County and has only ever voted in Jackson County.
Easy access to an early voting site in the same building where she works on campus, Corn said, allowed her to vote without sacrificing classes, labs or shifts; her schedule is packed with long hours in STEM courses, hours-long labs and work shifts that leave little room for travel to an off-campus polling place.
“Oh gosh, it maybe took me like five minutes,” she said of her most recent early voting experience on campus. “It’s as simple as having to run down to the coffee shop and get your coffee.”
She’s also concerned that if the location is closed during the Primary Election, the board will make the case to close the site during the 2026 General Election as well.
dents tend to vote Democratic, so eliminating the site that students are able to access the easiest would definitely cut down on the number of Democratic votes in the county,” he said. “You don’t see the board attempting to close [the Cherokee] site, because people would call it out as an attempt to disenfranchise native voters.”
Powell rattled off a string of statistics that provide further insight into how closing the site would suppress not only voting but also the ability to vote — the WCU polling site accounted for 77% of same-day registrations during the 2024 Primary Election and 64% during the General Election. One out of every five votes cast at the site, he said, was cast by someone who registered that same day.
He also expressed concerns about the Cullowhee site’s ability to absorb hundreds or thousands of new voters and that staffing the site to handle the influx would cut into the purported savings that would be realized by closing the WCU site.
“At the end of the day, I’m not sure how much money is really being saved if you’re going to need to hire additional poll workers at Cullowhee Rec to handle this influx of voters to process same-day registrations,” Powell said.
Jackson County isn’t the first place Republican-led boards of elections are trying to make it harder for North Carolinians — and Democrats — to vote.
The county’s most recent budget, about $107 million, includes a substantial property tax increase that doesn’t even account for the estimated $500,000 cost for the county to withdraw from the Fontana Regional Library system next year.
Without the on-campus site, Corn worries that thousands of students who don’t have cars will face barriers to voting that cannot easily be overcome. The Cullowhee early voting site, located at Cullowhee Parks and Recreation building, is a mile walk from campus — down a road that isn’t meant to be walked and at a site not served by public transportation. She said very few students even know where the recreation center is.
“It’s back past the elementary school,” she said. “There is no crosswalk, there are no sidewalks. You would just have to be walking on the side of the road, in the grass or in the ditch for 30 minutes. My biggest fear — it’s horrible to think about — is that there is going to be that student that is determined to vote, that will not stop anything and that will cross the road where there is no crosswalk and get hit by a car.”
Corn said a petition against closing the site put forth by the SDC has drawn hundreds of signatures from students of every political background.
Like Corn, Powell registered to vote in Jackson County almost as soon as he got there. A Rutherford County native and political science major, Powell lives in Jackson County year-round, has worked in Jackson County and pays federal and state taxes in Jackson County.
“I think that the Republican majority board are privy to the fact that college stu-
Both Corn and Powell felt heartened by the support they say they’ve received from fellow students, but at least one of them is disappointed in the lack of institutional support from the university. Chancellor Kelli Brown declined an interview request from The Smoky Mountain News.
“I would like to see the administration and the chancellor come out in stronger support of the polling site,” Powell said. “I think the chancellor probably wants to stay away from anything that could be perceived a political topic. It would be nice to see some stronger support for general civic engagement and access to the ballot for WCU students from the chancellor.”
Jackson County isn’t the first instance of Republican-led boards of elections trying to make it harder for North Carolinians to vote.
According to reporting from Tricia Shapiro’s NC News Digest, Madison County’s Republican-led Board of Elections “voted without public notice or comment to eliminate two of the county’s three early voting sites” in October.
In November, the Republican-led Guilford County Board of Elections voted to move forward with 11 early voting sites, but without polls at the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
— which is 83% Black — and at UNC-Greensboro. An estimated 14,000 students utilized the sites in the 2025 municipal election.
Because neither of the votes in those two cases was unanimous, the majority’s plan, along with the minority’s plan, will be submitted to the Republican-led State Board of Elections, which will vote to approve, modify or replace the plans.
According to draft minutes from the Nov. 18 Jackson Board of Elections meeting, Thompson’s surprise attempt to close the WCU site was tabled after the board’s Democrats, Roy Osborn and Betsy Swift, offered a motion to table it pending site visits. They were joined by two Republican board members, Jay Pavey and Wes Hanemayer, in tabling the item. Thompson voted no.
Cooper was first to speak at the Dec. 9 meeting, in front of an audience of about 40 people. Cooper didn’t explicitly argue for or against the site; however, the statistics he restated from his published analysis made clear that the intent of the decision and the impact of the decision would be quite different.
Two other administrators from WCU — but not Brown — followed Cooper’s lead by explaining the setup and amenities at the site.
Another speaker, Tom Howard, began talking before he even reached the podium, saying essentially that he’d planned to support the closing of the site but after hearing from Cooper and others before him, he’d changed his mind. A woman in the audience told him, “It’s OK to change your opinion.” Howard responded, prompting substantial applause from the crowd.
Chris Cooper, the Robert Lee Madison distinguished professor and director of the Haire Institute for Public Policy at Western Carolina University, testifies to the impact of closing an early voting site on campus during a Dec. 9 meeting of the Jackson County Board of Elections. Cory Vaillancourt photo
terity programs, we started looking, where can we trim costs? I ask you to consider this,” Kuehl said, without explicitly calling for the closure.
Catherine MacCallum, chair of WCU’s staff senate, reminded the board that closing the site would require more hours, more staffing and more money spent by taxpayers to accommodate voters at another site, while a subsequent speaker, Paul Dispenza, joked that if the board was really looking to save money, they should just close all the early voting sites.
Student Karl Firm read a nonpartisan statement from the SDC opposing the move; after the meeting concluded, Firm told SMN that the statement was intended to be a joint statement including the college Democrats and college Republicans; however, when the SDC couldn’t get the Republicans to sign on, they could no longer allow the Democrats to do so — in the interest of maintaining balance.
Powell previously told SMN the college Democrats had signed the statement.
Of the 22 speakers, only one, David Parker, explicitly recommended closing the WCU site, saying that based on comparisons with Buncombe County, Jackson County actually offered too many early voting sites.
“I can do whatever I want, I’m an American!” he said.
John Herrera, a Democratic candidate for the Jackson County commission in the 2026 election, poked holes in the cost-savings argument advanced by Thompson.
“One voter disenfranchised or discouraged is too much,” Herrera said. “The WCU polling place is an investment, and a dollar well spent.”
Green’s Creek Township resident Steve Kuehl mentioned that he’d walked “miles” on campus when he was in college and that absentee voting was always an option for students — plus, Kuehl said, he’d just seen a 30% increase in his property tax bill thanks to the Republican-led county commission passing a budget with substantial hikes in June.
“My years in the corporate world, when we had to raise funds, we either went out and sold bonds or we began aus-
The final speaker was Tom Downing, who became known for his fiery criticism of commissioners during last summer’s library debate. His comments to the Board of Elections were equally passionate.
“The truth is, there won’t be any money saved because, as you’ve heard today and from an expert in elections — Dr. Cooper — you’ll need more staff at the remaining Cullowhee voting site, especially on Election Day, because people will not have voted early on campus,” Downing said.
Downing then launched into broad criticism of Republican leadership in the General Assembly, which hasn’t passed a state budget but found time to gerrymander another congressional seat.
“So don’t talk to me about fiscal responsibility, sir! I think any reasonable person would conclude that the Republican Party wants to stop WCU students and faculty and staff from registering to vote on campus!” Downing yelled. “Why am I angry? This is a blatant example of election interference and voter suppression!”
After public comment, the two sides presented proposed plans for early voting. Roy Osborn, in conjunction with fellow Democrat Betsy Swift, presented a plan that would leave things basically as they are — with the WCU early voting site intact.
Thompson, however, presented his plan for closing the site but in doing so made several misrepresentations of the physical space where the WCU polling place would be located, calling it “inaccessible.”
He noted the length of the walk to the polling F
NCDOT awards contract for N.C. 107 reconfiguration
The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently awarded a contract to improve travel conditions on N.C. 107 through Sylva.
Buchanan & Sons of Whittier earned the $103 million contract for a transformative project that will improve safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. In general, the project will convert N.C. 107 from a narrow, five-lane highway into a safer, wider highway featuring turn lanes, bulb-outs and bike lanes.
The entire project encompasses 2.6 miles of N.C. 107, from Mill Street to Lovedale Road, and a short stretch of U.S. 23 Business where it meets N.C. 107. Overhead utility lines are currently being moved, and construction operations should begin in the spring on the 1,674-foot-long Mill Creek culvert.
The project includes the following features:
• One new signalized intersection — Cherry Street and East Hall Heights.
• Six new bulb-outs providing U-turn accessibility.
• Six upgraded traffic signals.
• Twenty-four retaining walls to reduce property acquisition.
• Two new bike lanes — one in each direction.
The contract allows crews to begin operations in April of 2026 and calls for the work to be completed by late 2031. The contract requires most of the work to be conducted at night to reduce impacts to traffic and local economic activity in the corridor. The construction is phased to keep at least one lane in each direction open at all times, along with access to every business along the route.
site from the parking lot but ignored assurances from WCU administrators that a parking lot at the Health and Human Sciences building would be reserved only for voters and would eliminate the need for voters to climb a tall set of stairs.
Thompson’s motion to accept the closure was seconded by fellow Republican Jay Pavey. Pavey, a local attorney, is best known for representing a Waynesville pastor involved in another election-related controversy — in 2005, Chan Chandler resigned as pastor at East Waynesville Baptist Church after allegedly “running off” nine congregants who did not support then-President George W. Bush.
Thompson and Pavey were joined by the board’s third Republican, Wes Hanemayer of Cashiers, who offered no comment on his yes vote. Osborn and Swift voted no.
Because the measure was not passed unanimously, the two plans will now go to the Republican-majority State Board of Elections for a hearing. Jackson County Board of Elections Director Amanda Allen said the deadline to submit the proposals is Dec. 19; however, the NCSBE is encouraging counties to submit as early as possible.
It’s unclear if the state board’s final decision could wind up before a judge. As of Dec. 9, there are 68 days until the Primary Election and 85 days until Election Day.
AREA’S BEST BURGER
Swain Animal Services meeting filled with public shock, disapproval
BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRTIER
Swain County’s standing animal services ordinance dates back to late 2019, pending the establishment of an animal services center and adequate funding for its operation and staff.
As Swain’s first county-operated animal shelter prepared to open its doors — with staff to include Jerry Bryan, who has served for two years as the department’s director, and Pam Orr, who has worked as an officer for six months — the animal services committee began working on a new draft.
The updated 2025 ordinance has been a routine source of constituent comment to commissioners since its publication, so last Thursday, the committee responsible for writing it took a seat at the court of public opinion.
The prevailing sentiment among the 30 or so people at a Dec. 4 public hearing was nearly unanimous: the ordinance failed the test. While some argued that the 2019 version was far from perfect, they said six years later, the county had come up with something even less palatable. One public commenter didn’t hold back.
“This [ordinance] is a disgrace to the citizens of Swain County,” he said.
2025 CHANGES
The 2025 ordinance was similar to its 2019 predecessor — though with a few notable exceptions. The newer version updated the penalty system for violating any measure: a $75 fine for the third offense, in place of 2019’s $50, and $200 instead of $100 for the fourth.
This year, the regulation added a representative each to the animal services board from the offices of sheriff and health director, expanding the five-person committee
to seven. The 2025 edition also included a false reporting clause, defined nuisance animals, added a fake service animal penalty and tweaked language and policy concerning dangerous and potentially dangerous dogs.
Among the things it scrapped was a detailed section outlining a rabies vaccine requirement for pets at the responsibility of the owner. The most recent ordinance listed its rabies mandate through a double negative — subtly removing compulsory vaccinations at the discretion of the Local Health Director.
“Should it be deemed necessary by the Local Health Director that pets be vaccinated in order to prevent the threatened epidemic or to control the existing epidemic, it shall be unlawful for an owner or keeper to fail to provide current vaccinations against rabies for that pet,” it read.
But by and large, the ordinance angered the audience because of a change documented in a single sentence: “Animal Control Officers may carry a firearm.”
While the clause required said officer to “hold a valid NC concealed handgun permit or meet the standards in USHR 218 or relevant NC laws, and pass an annual firearms qualification conducted by the Swain County Sheriff’s Office,” that wasn’t cutting it for many a public commenter. Committee member Gina Wiggins offered an explanation after the first took issue with allowing animal services to be armed.
“[Injectable euthanasia is] a controlled substance, and it can’t leave the facility,” she said.
“If something happens to a dog on a side road and it needs to be taken care of, I mean, do you think a taser will take care of it?“ Wiggins asked, adding that when a bear or elk is hit in the national park, the protocol would be to end its suffering with a firearm.
“There’s a difference between an elk and a dog. A huge, thousand-pound difference,” the commenter responded.
And Beth Cline-Stroud, executive director of Paws animal shelter in Bryson City, said animal services is too trigger-happy — at least, that’s the opinion of many she’s intertwined with.
“We’re getting a lot of people calling us and saying that animal control is shooting dogs. Well, if you don’t allow them to carry a gun, these people can’t accuse them of coming out there and shooting dogs,” she told the committee.
But according to Cline-Stroud, it’s not just talk. She’s heard stories of animals being shot, and she’s been called to the scene to rescue them. Paws, she said, has “picked up animals that the Sheriff’s department has said, ‘We need to shoot them unless you come.’”
In fact, staff at Paws are often forced to pick up the slack.
“I’ve been told we’ve had animal control for two years, okay? Two years. I’ve been working for years helping animals, and the last two years have been the hardest for Paws … We’ve had more calls. We’ve had more issues,” she said.
In the end, County Commissioner David Loftis confirmed Bryan’s actions with a question.
“Have you euthanized any animals since you’ve been employed by Swain County?” he asked.
“One, at the request of the owner,” Bryan responded.
“How did you discharge the animal?” inquired another member of the audience.
“With a firearm,” the animal services officer said.
“Did it run off in the river and die?” asked the county commissioner.
“It did,” Bryan responded.
“Whose firearm did you use F
Swain residents expressed their concerns about the 2025 animal services ordinance Lily Levin photo
to dispatch that time?” Loftis continued.
“One of the sheriff’s deputies,” said Bryan.
“What would the deputy’s name be that would do that, sir? What deputy would that be who would let you have his firearm?” Loftis asked.
“What difference does that make?” the ASO responded, a question that was met with cries of disapproval from the audience.
C ONCERNS ABOUT ASO EXPERIENCE
Bryan is certified to vaccinate for rabies and certified to euthanize. But there’s a catch: both ASOs still haven’t acquired their DEA license. Thus, any injectable euthanasia is performed by the veterinarian. But animal services still calls the shots. According to Cline-Stroud, though it’s life or death, Bryan and Orr have made questionable decisions. She spoke of a woman who owned six dogs. Two had gotten into a fight on the woman’s private property.
SWAIN COUNTY SHELTER
When the shelter opens, it’ll aim for the nokill designation — meaning 94% of animals taken in are fostered, sent to a rescue or adopted off the floor. Still, Cline-Stroud expressed concerns about the process to ensuring the shelter animals are adoptable. “What are you going to do for enrichment?” she asked, adding that “if you really want to get these dogs and cats adopted, you’ve got to get them socialized, and you’ve got to give them permission.”
“There’s an exercise area behind the building. There is this fence all the way around,” Bryan said.
Cline-Stroud brought attention to the veterinarian. What happens to the county’s animals when she’s not available?
“She’s in the process now of purchasing a brick and mortar, and so she’ll have a mobile service in the brick and mortar,” Bryan said.
“We’re getting a lot of people calling
us and saying that animal control is shooting dogs. Well, if you don’t allow them to carry a gun, these people can’t accuse them of coming out there and shooting dogs.”
— Beth Cline-Stroud, Paws animal shelter executive director
Following that incident, she said, “the vet called me because the animal control officer had told her she had to euthanize all six.”
That situation deeply concerned the Paws director, and she began doubting the relevant experience of the ASOs.
Bryan cited his previous career in imparting essential on-the-job knowledge.
“I have 26 years of investigative experience. I’m a retired law enforcement officer. One investigation is the same as another,” he said.
“I’m not arguing. There is a difference,” Cline-Stroud responded, before asking both officers if they’d had any animal handling or behavioral background before applying to the job.
Neither could say they had, though Orr mentioned that she’s been through training since becoming an employee of Swain County.
Applications sought to operate Waynesville license plate agency
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles is seeking applicants for a commissioned contractor to operate a license plate agency in Waynesville. In North Carolina, NCDMV oversees LPAs, but the agencies are managed by private businesses or local governments.
The contract for the current agency, at 80 Waynesville Plaza in Waynesville, expires on May 14, 2026. The agency has been owned by MLG
“In Swain County?” ClineStroud asked.
“No ma’am. In Macon,” Bryan said, adding that without a material clinic, the vet has been treating animals “in the field.”
Later, the conversation pivoted to the shelter’s plans to open its doors. Sept. 1 was the projected date and initial announcement. The ASOs haven’t issued a correction — and according the Paws director, that’s had disastrous consequences.
“We get calls every day about kittens over across the recycling center; your building is right across from there. Why are you not helping those kittens? There’s cats that’s been run over in that road, and we have gotten more calls about dead animals right in that section … Ever since it went out that that building was going to be open on Sept. 1,” Cline-Stroud said.
“When you see a dead animal, you’re supposed to call DOT. They’ll pick the animals up,” responded committee member Gina Wiggins.
“Yeah, but you’re right there,” ClineStroud said.
Enterprises, Inc. and operated by Melissa Gladden since 2008.
Completed applications must be returned to NCDMV no later than Dec. 19. The applications (Form MVR-93A, Form MVR-93B, or Form MVR93M) can be found on the Connect NCDOT website. Interested applicants may call 919.615.8521 with questions. All applications must now be submitted via email to applicationlpa@ncdot.gov. No mail-in applications will be accepted.
People are reminded that many vehicle services can be completed online, including property tax payments and registration renewals. To get started, please visit ncdmv.gov.
Holiday y Gifts...
Ethics violation prompts removal of tribal ABC Commissioner
BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER
Travis Smith began his career with the Tribal Alcohol and Beverage Control Commission on Feb. 27, 2024. He was guaranteed a four-year term until a fellow TABCC member submitted a grievance to the Eastern Band of Cherokee’s Office of Internal Audit and Ethics Aug. 14 of this year.
The complainant alleged Smith “acted individually, jointly or through another to threaten, intimidate, or discipline any person as reprisal for any legitimate action taken by the person” and “failed to maintain or enhance the honesty and integrity of his respective office; and safeguard the reputation of the EBCI as a whole.”
An OIAE investigation of each count uncovered substantial evidence the TABCC member had violated both — for many months, on multiple occasions. Specifically, Smith had been “engaging in a persistent pattern of intimidation and public belittling of staff, issuing conflicting directives that impeded departmental operations and creating a hostile work environment” that caused “emotional distress and a decline in morale among TABCC employees.”
But though the findings filed Nov. 6, the Cherokee One Feather didn’t update its site with the report until last Wednesday. Smith was removed from TABCC, fined with $2,500 upon Ethics Review Committee recommendation and barred for 5 years from any appointed position.
On Dec. 4, Principal Chief Michell Hicks posted to Facebook that the EBCI was accepting applications for the vacant TABCC position.
Travis Smith of Birdtown placed fifth — and last — in 2025 tribal council primaries, preventing him from advancing to the fourslot General Election. Ten years ago, however, his candidacy was viewed favorably by EBCI voters.
During his single term from 2015-2017, Smith was largely responsible for initiating the impeachment of former Principal Chief Patrick Lambert. According to The Smoky Mountain News, the then-council member made “a spur-of-the-moment move to order an investigation” into Lambert’s office, which “carried narrowly with 55 percent of the vote.”
Tribal council removed Lambert in a 9-3 vote after finding him guilty on eight of 12 articles of impeachment. The chief claimed impeachment was merely retaliation against his investigation into the previous administration — which led the FBI, citing “possible criminal conduct,” to raid the Qualla Housing Authority office.
Due to Lambert’s landslide win and simi-
larly high approval rating, the measure was unpopular among EBCI members. Proimpeachment incumbents fared worse than their anti-impeachment counterparts in subsequent races. With a last-place finish in the 2017 Birdtown general election, Smith was no exception.
SMN reported that in response to his defeat, the former council member took to Facebook.
“I worked 21 years for our Tribe before being elected and I will seek employment again,” he wrote.
Indeed, Smith did seek employment again with the Eastern Band. He became Secretary of Housing in 2018, a position he held for a year before re-entering his former field of construction management. Then, five years later, he was appointed upon a unanimous vote to replace Shannon Ross as TABBC commissioner.
The Office of Internal Audit and Ethics also investigated Smith’s predecessor.
Multiple times throughout the week of Aug. 20-25, 2022, Ross claimed to be an Alcohol Law Enforcement officer in attempt to persuade a bartender to violate the onedrink-at-a-time policy at Harrah’s Casino. Despite his ploys, staff called security, and Ross was driven home by the same chief ALE officer he’d previously claimed to oversee.
The Ethics Review Committee recommended Ross pay $1,000 and “obtain an alcohol assessment with adherence to the recommendations of that assessment.” He retained his TABCC position.
The commission stayed out of trouble for some time before confronting a larger issue in 2024, when George M. Littlejohn did a friend a favor.
The OIAE found that the TABCC member worked behind-the-scenes to ensure Myers Construction, owned by his close friend and step-uncle, won a contract with his board “and subsequently benefitted from the contract financially.”
Myers Construction also paid Littlejohn $12,000 for his work at the Tribal ABC store.
This violation was graver than one too many drinks or tactless false identity. Littlejohn was removed from the board, fined $5,000 and barred for five years from appointment to any tribal position.
Though the One Feather only displays audits and investigations filed in and after 2022, the OIAE has investigated multiple other complaints about tribal officials in roles from the medical board to council. Some were dismissed on all counts; others were upheld as significant violations. Nonetheless, the TABCC ranks first in most audited EBCI bodies, with three substantiated grievances.
The oath that guards our republic
In the cacophony of politics, one truth must remain clear: America’s armed forces swear allegiance not to a man, not to a party, but to the Constitution of the United States. That oath is the bedrock of our Republic. It is the firewall against tyranny. And it is being tested as never before.
Every soldier, sailor, airman and Marine is charged by law to follow only legal orders. This distinction is not semantic — it is the difference between a democracy governed by the rule of law and a dictatorship ruled by whim. The Uniform Code of Military Justice, the Geneva Conventions, and the Constitution itself demand that our military reject unlawful commands. To obey otherwise is to betray the very nation they are sworn to protect.
Today, that oath faces a perilous challenge. The current Commander in Chief, a convicted felon, and his compliant Secretary of Defense have shown open disdain for the Constitution and the laws of armed conflict. The Secretary’s public declaration that America’s armed forces will not follow
Thanks to Trump and the GOP
To the Editor:
The elections last November ushered in a new wave in American politics with speeches and assurances of lower food and housing prices, the elimination of inflation, dramatically reducing the federal deficit, real government transparency and efficiency, a better healthcare system and a safer, wealthier America. Heck yeah! Who’s not in favor of helping all working people get ahead and keeping family safe?
international law is not just reckless — it is a direct repudiation of obligations our nation has carried since World War II. It signals to the world that America may abandon the moral compass that has defined its military conduct for generations.
The danger is not hypothetical. At some point, senior military leaders will be confronted with an order that is manifestly illegal. It may be an order to target civilians, to ignore the Geneva Conventions, or to use the military as a domestic political weapon. When that moment comes, their decision will reverberate far beyond the battlefield. It will determine whether the United States remains a constitutional republic or slides into authoritarianism.
History teaches us that republics fall not only when lead-
LETTERS
in a financial and personal wilderness without even a map. Unfortunately, what we are now witnessing is the complete opposite of what these promises offered and the pain being afflicted falls most heavily on our country’s least able to fight back and the most vulnerable. The elderly, children of struggling parents, the working poor, disabled veterans and many others will suffer as emergency and lifesupporting programs get eliminated or defunded.
Is this the “Great Again” America?
Trump and the GOP have been completely
The truth turns out to be a very different set of priorities. As the facts bear out today, the President’s One Big Beautiful Bill, the signature piece of legislation heralded by the GOP as a renaissance for the nation, is working to undo the safeguards put in place by previous legislation, leaving millions of people
unwilling to negotiate anything in their continuing resolution to fund the government while they attempt to portray Democrats as the villains and cause of the shutdown, a position that has no factual, logical or ethical basis, like much of what Trump says and foists on his party to support. This is obviously a bla-
ers betray their oaths, but when institutions fail to resist. The military’s fidelity to the Constitution is not optional — it is the last safeguard of liberty. If our generals and admirals yield to unlawful commands, they will not only dishonor their oath, they will imperil the very survival of the Republic.
The American people must understand this: the oath to the Constitution is not ceremonial. It is a living covenant. It binds our armed forces to the principles of law, justice and democracy. And it demands courage —not just on the battlefield, but in the halls of power when unlawful orders are given.
The test is coming. It is only a matter of time. When it arrives, the future of our Republic will hinge on whether our military leaders remember the oath they swore — not to a man, but to the Constitution.
(David Crane is a retired U.S. Army Officer and lives in Maggie Valley.)
tant power-grab by our leader which only works when his cowardly supporters fall in line at his command and vote on legislation as directed. The truth of the matter is that through his strong-arm and often illegal tactics of usurping congressional powers and ignoring direct court orders, he has demonstrated his total disregard for the rule of law, his oath to uphold the Constitution and his obligations and duties to the American people.
Even a quick look at the actions over the first 10 months of this administration should raise many concerns in everyone. Let’s have a little peek:
• Repress civil rights by restricting free access to voting and public information.
• Target free speech who’s message in contrary to their narrative.
• Suspend habeas corpus by arresting and incarcerating people without formal charges.
• Challenging states’ rights when they don’t align with their agenda.
• Mass firings of critical government employees in all areas of security, oversight, consumer protections.
• Elimination of watchdogs and guardrails so that their agenda can be implemented without scrutiny.
• Limit judicial independence through lawsuits, threats and firings.
• Alienating our allies around the globe, upsetting international trade and national security.
• Ignore international law though disregard of protocols and long-respects norms and responsibilities.
• Using our courts for revenge on anyone who previously sought justice/inquiry over his past actions.
• Granting pardons for criminals who have been found or plead guilty of crimes against the nation.
I suspect this list is incomplete and will continue to grow as the days progress. If you
appreciate these actions, you can thank Trump and the GOP. If you prefer an honest government, please take note and vote accordingly.
John Beckman Cullowhee
Give the gift of local news
To the Editor:
My wife and I are part-time residents of Western North Carolina, and regardless of where we are we rely on The Smoky Mountain News to keep up with what is happening locally. We make a (very) nominal monthly contribution to the newspaper, recognizing that it is the best source of local and hyperlocal news in the region. In a recent e-mail from Scott McLeod, we were shocked to learn that we are in a group of less than 100 who do so. Seriously, people?
There are many sources from which to get the national and international news, but where else can we get in-depth, up-to-date reporting on what is happening with the various city and county governments? That sort of thing has great value to all of us. Regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum you must admit that the reporting and other content in the SMN is balanced, professional, thorough and insightful, and should be supported and expanded.
Granted, for some folks even a nominal contribution is not possible, but for a lot of us it is, and it can make a big difference in the access we have to the information that directly impacts the quality of life in the mountains. So, in this season of giving, go to the SMN homepage, click on the “Contribute” button at the bottom of the homepage, and give yourself a gift — that of local news. It will benefit us all.
Tom Foley Bryson City and Decatur, Ga.
Guest Columnist
David M. Crane
A conversation with Andy Thomas
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
There’s a heaviness when you listen to Andy Thomas’ latest album, “Highway Junkie.” Not only from the swamp rock meets honkytonk melodies, but also the underlying tone and hard truths of this whirlwind journey of a singer-songwriter pushing into the next phase of his promising career.
“It’s crazy when you set everything aside and put your mind to something,” Thomas said. “I’m a hard worker, and this album is a product of that.”
Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, Thomas has worked his way up the ranks as an electrifying guitarist up and down the East Coast, whether it’s fronting his own wild-nout project The Trongone Band or being the six-string rocket fuel for the melodic muscle car that is acclaimed Americana act Yarn.
“I’ve known for a long time that I was wired for this life,” Thomas said of being a musician and performer. “[The road and the stage] feels like home for me. I love playing, traveling, and getting the inspiration to write — it’s where I feel most at peace.”
Produced by fellow Richmond native and longtime friend Dave Schools, the legendary bassist for Widespread Panic, and captured at the renowned Spacebomb Studios, “Highway Junkie” connects the dots of Thomas’ troubled past and hard-fought strength of self in the present.
“Well I’ve been trying to outrun the shadow of my father/Every damn day I get a little bit farther,” Thomas roars through the title-track. “I can’t sit around and wait to die/The good lord knows that ain’t my time.”
The 12-song LP is the culmination of years of trials and tribulations, of triumphs and the continued resolve to harness one’s potential. But, more so, in the game of life for Thomas, whose sobriety in recent years has become a deep source of stability and motivation — this unrelenting quest to seek out long-held dreams once thought to be beyond the horizon of one’s intent.
“I’m still navigating [sobriety] every day, but once I got into the thick of it, after a few months, I was able to find new things to replace ‘all that,’” Thomas said candidly and happily. “I was able to refine my love for music, and why I did it. I’ve got a story. I know I have a purpose on this earth, and I need that to translate into my music — if I can beat this, I can do anything.”
Thomas is now based in South Florida. Leaving the MidAtlantic for “The Sunshine State” was one of survival, both personally and professionally. Beyond wanting a change of landscape and fresh slate by which to manifest a new life, Thomas was looking to dig deep within, to get down to the core of his music — the essence of why he’s dedicated his life to this ancient craft.
“I just got in this lane where I was writing songs every day after dinner, for two hours at least,” Thomas said of “Highway Junkie.”
“And I just did that until I had this bucket of songs — that’s when I called Dave.”
Thomas remembers the day he contacted Schools. It had been a while since the two had talked, but Thomas knew Schools was “the guy” that needed to be behind the console of “Highway Junkie.” Back in 2020, the duo worked together on an EP for The Trongone Band. But, with the pandemic and the subsequent shutdown of the music industry, everything unraveled.
vation job, Thomas paused for a moment, sat in his work truck, and decided to call Schools.
“I was parked in the fire lane, ready to drive my truck up to the front door [to pick up my supplies],” Thomas chuckles. “I just called him and said, ‘Let’s make a record.’ He was immediately onboard. Then, I sent him all my songs and flew up to Richmond [to record].”
Want to go?
Featuring guitarist Andy Thomas, Americana/rock sensation Yarn will host its “Christmas Yarn Ball” at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, at The Grey Eagle in Asheville.
For “Nothing I Wouldn’t Do (For You),” Thomas tapped Southern Appalachian songbird Dori Freeman (on the suggestion of Schools) to take the duet reins on the westernstyle two-step ballad. The soaring number is a poignant ode to Thomas’ significant other, with the melody initially given as a Christmas gift to her — this meaningful gesture of genuine love and honest purpose.
“You make this life worth livin’/You gave it all a meaning,” Thomas and Freeman seamlessly intertwine on the tune. “And if there was another day without you/You know my heart it would be bleeding”
Doors at 7 p.m. The show is all ages. Standing room only. Tickets are $24.60 per person (tax included).
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit thegreyeagle.com.
“[The Trongone Band] imploded and we never did anything with [the EP],” Thomas said. “So, I felt like [Dave and I] had this unfinished business that we needed to do, because we had such a great time doing that small project. I had to circle back and do this with Uncle Dave.”
When not onstage or on tour, Thomas is a longtime construction worker in South Florida. Pulling into a Home Depot parking lot one day to grab some supplies for a reno-
“I knew that song had to be on the record, but we had to find the right person to do it,” Thomas said. “And [Dori] crushed it beyond my expectations.”
With “Highway Junkie” soon to be released, Thomas is already headlong into planning out an upcoming tour in support of the record. The wheels are turning — either along the endless pavement of the open road or within the restless mind of Thomas himself — amid this unfolding landscape of creativity and compassion he’s living and thriving in, constantly fueled by his own unrelenting drive to see just what lies ahead for his music and for his life.
“You just need to count the wins and be grateful,” Thomas said. “And this album is a token of gratitude — this is why I’m doing everything I’m doing.”
Guitarist Andy Thomas will appear with Yarn in Asheville Dec. 16. File photo
This must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
‘Love lost, such a cost, give me things that don’t get lost’
This afternoon, when I walked into my publisher’s office here in Waynesville, I sat down to catch up with him about nothing and everything, the holidays and how things are on the home-front of our respective lives. After some friendly banter, he handed me a small envelope. It was a handwritten note from his 90-year-old father-in-law, Bill, who lives on the other side of the state.
It read: “Dear SMN, A few years ago, dear Margy told me how much she enjoyed Garret Woodward’s column. Now, I’m enjoying it alone. Thank you, Garret, for sharing your story.” To note, Margy is Bill’s late wife, who has passed away in recent years. She was quite the character in our interactions.
When I finished reading the note, a smile emerged on my face. I’ve known Bill since I started working at this newspaper in 2012. We’ve shared a few Thanksgiving celebrations together (me being a holiday orphan most years) and other family events my publisher is kind enough to invite me to. He’s a pretty unique and incredibly intelligent individual with many accomplishments to be proud of, most of which being his family.
with love in my heart and curiosity in my soul. And it means so much to me to get messages from readers, especially older folks, who thankfully pick up this publication and scan this column, seeing whatever wandering and pondering I’m up to this week.
To preface, I grew up in an older family. I’m the oldest of two children (now 40). My father was 42 when I was born, my mother 36. Thus, when I was a kid, my aunts, uncles and extended family were older. My father’s parents were already gone by the time I was in preschool. Thankfully, I still had my mother’s parents around. I also had my great-grandmother in my daily existence until she passed away at age 103, right when I was in middle school.
A native of Detroit, Michigan, Bill and I (also a North Country native) have had some great chats over the years, too, including a fiery love for professional hockey and the “Original Six” teams (Bill a Red Wings fan, myself a die-hard for the Montreal Canadiens). As well, we have genuine solidarity about surviving all of those frigid winters along the Canadian Border.
Beyond that, I harbor such gratitude for folks like Bill, the elders of any and all families. The wise and familiar faces that anchor the end of a dinner table. The wisdom and lore that radiates so effortlessly from people who have traversed this earth for numerous decades. Their presence is not lost on me and I champion their willingness to talk atlength to this scruffy writer (me).
I’ve been writing this column every week since June 2013. Hundreds and hundreds of pieces, with many I don’t even remember, seeing as a life in motion is a blur, happily. Time flies when you’re having fun, and I aim to enjoy each step along the road of life, all
HOT PICKS
1
Renowned Americana/bluegrass act Appalachian Road Show will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, on the Grand Stage at the Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center in Robbinsville.
2
A special production of “Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberly” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 13 and 5 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
3
The 42nd annual “Lights & Luminaries” will be held from 59 p.m. Dec. 12-13 in the streets of downtown Dillsboro.
4
The second annual Cold Mountain Christmas Craft Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Bishop Johnson Dining Hall in Lake Logan.
5
The “Season of Lights” will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center in Waynesville.
Mormon farmer. I was 23 at the time. And each week, I’d swing by his old farmhouse and interview him about whatever he wanted to talk about, usually right after he’d make me a ham sandwich for lunch and hand me a large glass of milk. Tales of the early 20th century and living in the West. I think of the artists and musicians I’ve been able to interview about their craft. Even as a young writer, I would specifically aim to record conversations with an array of musicians that were in the winter years of their lives. Even then, I knew I had to get to them on tape as soon as possible, seeing as the sands of time were fleeting. If I didn’t do so, I’d regret it once they were gone. Names like Bobby Osborne, Raymond Fairchild, Jesse McReynolds and so on.
From day one, I’ve been an “old soul,” someone who truly has felt out of place alongside my peers. Older people are just more interesting to me. They’ve lived a lot of life and I want to hear everything they have to say. In hindsight, this explains how my career trajectory led me to journalism. Even as a kid, I would continually gravitate towards the oldest person in any room I found myself in, often asking them questions and listening to their stories.
I think back fondly on all of those longgone World War II veterans I was able to sitdown with, either personally or professionally. Same goes for a handful of Holocaust survivors I was lucky enough to cross paths with years ago and hear their stories. All of them calibrated not only my empathy and compassion for people and the universe, but also how I conduct myself on a daily basis.
I think of the old cowboys and ranchers I would track down when I was a rookie journalist in Eastern Idaho in 2008. One of which being Verl Bagley, a 92-year-old
But, mostly, it’s the serendipitous interactions that happen when you least expect it. Some of the most enjoyable and meaningful conversations came about by happenstance. Sometimes it’s sitting at the counter at a diner or a dive bar and you take notice of the older person sitting alone a few stools down. Start with the small talk and sincerity of time and place, then shift towards deeper topics and digging through the layers of one’s past.
The key being to hear their life story and, perhaps, offer them a platform to feel seen and heard. I do so out of pure love and fascination for every single human being I come in contact with. And it never ceases to amaze me how, within a few minutes of small talk, someone will literally tell you their life story, every personal detail offered up to a complete stranger. Of which, I do the same, this two-way street of the shared experience that is life on this planet. It remains as fulfilling and real with each vibrant soul I come across.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
The letter sent by Bill last week. Garret K. Woodward photo
On the beat
Haywood Community Band holiday concert
The Haywood Community Band will present its “Tis the Season” holiday concert at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at Calvary Road Baptist Church in Maggie Valley.
“We are extremely excited to bring live holiday music to our community,” said conductor/composer Stephen Razo. “We hope the concert inspires Christmas cheer and enjoyment for all.”
The concert opens with Sean O’Loughlin’s “Christmas Exhilaration” as the audience hears soaring bell tones and crisp rhythms creating festive fanfares wrapped around classic holiday tunes. For the first time, participants in “Take Two” will join the concert band in the performance of “Snow Day Celebration!”
In “Christmas on the Town Square,” the music takes us to a time in small-town America. Also in the concert are beautiful arrangements of “I Saw Three Ships” and “Angels, From the Realms of Glory.”
A highlight of the program will be an adaptation of Sergei Prokofiev’s “Midnight Sleighride” from his Lieutenant Kijé Suite. The band’s powerful low brass and percussion sections are highlighted in the opening phrases.
Our “Save a Seat” campaign awards those who come as a group and have the highest attendance for the concert. An additional award is given to a first-time attendee and the person who brought them.
Donations received provide support for young people excitedly learning an instrument and playing in a school band. For more information, visit haywoodcommunityband.com. To donate, visit givebutter.com/IJZ4zR.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host Blue Mountaineers (Americana/bluegrass) and Paul Koptak (singer-songwriter) Dec. 13. All shows begin at 5 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / facebook.com/brbeerhub.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Karaoke Night” 9 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia” 7 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Jam” 10 p.m. Thursdays and semi-regular live music on the weekends. All shows are located in The Gem downstairs taproom and begin at 9 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.0350 / boojumbrewing.com.
• Breadheads Tiki Shak (Sylva) will host “Tiki Trivia” at 7 p.m. every other Thursday of the month and semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.307.2160 / breadheadstikishak.com.
(Americana/folk) 1-9 p.m. Dec. 20 and Paul Edelman (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. Dec. 21. 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) Dec. 11, Dillon & Company Dec. 12, Blue Jazz (blues/jazz) Dec. 13 and Charles Walker (singer-songwriter) Dec. 19. 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 John Morgan (country) 7:30 p.m. Dec. 13. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Franklin) will host “Music Bingo” 7 p.m. Tuesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, “Open Mic Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, J.B. & Friends (Americana) Dec. 13 and Shane Meade (acoustic/soul) Dec. 20. 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” 7 p.m. Mondays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays, “Old Time Jam” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, Prophets Of Time (rock/jam) Dec. 12 and Natti Love Joys (reggae/roots) Dec. 19. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
• Legends Sports Bar & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host Blue Mountaineers (Americana/bluegrass) 5-7 p.m. Mondays, “Open Mic Night” 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Karaoke Thursdays (6 p.m.) and Saturdays (7 p.m.), with live music each Friday (8 p.m.). Free and open to the public. 828.944.0403 / facebook.com/legendssportsgrillmaggievalley.
“Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Mic” 6:30 p.m. Fridays, Paul Bowman (singer-songwriter) 6:30 p.m. Dec. 13, Rusted Melody 6:30 p.m. Dec. 16, George James (singer-songwriter) Dec. 19 and Michael Kitchens (singer-songwriter) Dec. 20. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.
• Salty Dog’s Seafood & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Russell” on Mondays, Ginny McAfee (singer-songwriter) Dec. 12, Waynes & Eric Dec. 13, Shane Meade (acoustic/soul) Dec. 19 and Susie Copeland (singer-songwriter) 6:30 p.m. Dec. 20. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.9105 / facebook.com/saltydogs2005.
• Sauced (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9585 / saucedwnc.com.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic” first Wednesday of every month, Rene Russeel (Americana) Dec. 11, “Yachty Or Nice Party” with DJ Captain Kipper Dec. 13, Jenny & The Weazels (Celtic/folk) 3 p.m. Dec. 14, Holler & Crow “Ugly Christmas Sweater Party” Dec. 17, The Brothers Gillespie (Americana/indie-rock) 10 p.m. Dec. 20 and Bratfolk (Celtic) 3 p.m. Dec. 21. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 / scotsmanpublic.com.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host “Irish Christmas In America” (Celtic/traditional) 7 p.m. Dec. 12 and “Christmas With The Isaacs” (Christian/gospel) 7 p.m. Dec. 19. Tickets now available, with seating upgrades offered. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.
• Bryson City Brewing (Bryson City) will host Tricia Ann Dec. 12, Borrowed Time Dec. 13, Crimson Moon 8 p.m. Dec. 19 and Mile High (classic rock/country gold) Dec. 20. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0085 / brysoncitybrewing.com.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Fireside at the Farm” with Mike Kinnebrew (singer-songwriter) Dec. 17. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Admission is $40 per person, with discounts rates available for hotel guests and members. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Bobby G. (singer-songwriter) Dec. 12, Rich Manz Trio (acoustic/oldies) Dec. 13, 8trk Cadillac 3 p.m. Dec. 14, Rick James (singersongwriter) Dec. 19, “Women Of Music”
• Meadowlark Motel (Maggie Valley) will host Blended Hemp (acoustic/oldies) Dec. 13 and Chris Morel (singer-songwriter) Dec. 20. 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, Bird In Hand (Americana/indie) Dec. 12, Scott James Stambaugh (singersongwriter) Dec. 13, Liz Petty (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. Dec. 14, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) Dec. 19, Wyatt Espalin (singersongwriter) Dec. 20 and Shane Meade (acoustic/soul) 5 p.m. Dec. 21. All shows begin at 6 p.m unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Otto Community Center (Otto) will host “Music Nights” with James Thompson from 4-6 p.m. first and third Friday of the month. Free and open to the public. go2ottonc.com.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host “Karaoke” 7 p.m. Wednesdays,
• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) will host a Community Jam 5:30-7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month (free) and semiregular live music on the weekends. 828.479.3364 / stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with Remedy 58 (blues/soul) Dec. 11 and Melissa McKinney (Americana/soul) Dec. 18. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host Tim Austin (singer-songwriter) Dec. 14, David Crisp (singer-songwriter) Dec. 20 and Zorki (singer-songwriter) Dec. 21. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.
• Water’n Hole Bar & Grill (Waynesville) will host “Open Mic Night” 8 p.m. Mondays, “Holiday Pop-Up Party” Dec. 12, “Ugly Sweater Karaoke Party” Dec. 18, Carolina Clay Dec. 19 and DJ F
Haywood Community Band. Donated photo
Mountain Layers goes Americana
Jackson County Americana/folk duo Bird in Hand will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at Mountain Layers Brewing Company in Bryson City.
The road less traveled has always been the way for husband-and-wife duo Bird in Hand.
Bryan & Megan Thurman call the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina home and the region is directly reflected in their music. Bird in Hand is upbeat and new while still rooted in the traditions of American folk.
The two have played all over the Appalachian region, as well as across the country, and share an onstage chemistry that demands attention. They need to be seen live to understand the meaning of “Appalachian Thunder Folk.”
The show is free and open to the public. For more information, go to mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
Kountry Dec. 20. All shows begin at 9 p.m. 828.456.4750 / facebook.com/waternhole.bar.
• Wells Events & Reception Center (Waynesville) will host semi-regular live music on the weekends. 828.476.5070 / wellseventcenter.simpletix.com.
• Western Carolina Brew & Wine (Highlands) will host live music 4-6 p.m. Saturdays, Mick Mayer (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. Dec. 12 and “Music Bingo” 6 p.m. Dec. 19. Free and open to the public. 828.342.6707 / wcbrewandwine.com.
Lazy Hiker to rock out
Jam-rock ensemble Prophets of Time will hit the stage at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at Lazy Hiker Brewing in Sylva.
A multi-genre blending rock band hailing from the mountains of Western North Carolina, the Prophets of Time are composed of six freewheeling spirits, the culmination of which being an energetic live show built around dance-able rock-n-roll music.
The show is free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.349.2337 or click on lazyhikerbrewing.com.
Bird in Hand. File photo
On the stage
‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’
A special production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 19-20 and 2 p.m. Dec. 13-14, 20-21 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
When the unruly Herdman kids, the “worst children in the history of the world,” show up at church and muscle their way into the annual Christmas pageant, everyone expects total disaster. What they get instead
is the most surprising, hilarious and heartfelt pageant ever staged.
Full of mischief, laughter and unexpected moments of grace, Barbara Robinson’s beloved classic is a holiday favorite for the whole family.
For more information
and/or to purchase tickets, visit harttheatre.org or call the box office at 828.456.6322.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host stage productions of “Wheel of Fortune Live!” 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 13 and “The Velveteen Rabbit” 7 p.m. Dec. 18. smokymountainarts.com / 866.273.4615.
• 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 a special production of “Home for the Holidays” on select dates and times through Dec. 21. mountaintheatre.com / 828.526.9047.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. thepeacocknc.org / 828.389.ARTS.
• Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. 828.488.7843 / swainartscenter.com.
‘Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberly’
A special production of “Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberly” will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11, 13 and 5 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
Adam Bigelow
While the Darcys host a grand holiday gathering upstairs, the servants below find themselves in the midst of a holiday scandal. An unwelcome guest — Mr. Wickham, Lydia’s incorrigible husband and Mr. Darcy’s sworn enemy — arrives uninvited, throwing the household into turmoil. As secrets unravel and loyalties are tested, the staff must navigate the complexities of class, love and forgiveness.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit harttheatre.org or call the box office at 828.456.6322.
On the wall
Cold Mountain Christmas Craft Fair
The second annual Cold Mountain Christmas Craft Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Bishop Johnson Dining Hall in Lake Logan.
Holiday shopping, pictures with Santa, cookie decorating, live music and more. Guests will experience a charming holiday event in a pristine gem of Haywood County.
Mile-long Lake Logan is surrounded by the Shining Rock Wilderness and Pisgah National Forest, making this a premier destination for Southern Appalachian hospitality, adventure and downhome family fun.
Folks can enjoy a glass of warm cider by the fire or embark on a winter hiking adventure using one of the on-campus trails. Lakeside cabin rentals with a 20% discount are available for families and friends who would like to make it a weekend getaway
• “Holiday Market” will run through Dec. 27 at The Bascom Center for the Visual Arts in Highlands. Discover unique, handcrafted gifts by local and regional artists, including members of The Bascom Clay Studio. Celebrate the season with holiday-themed workshops for children and adults. For more information, call 828.526.4949 or visit thebascom.org.
(email info@lakelogan.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.
For more information, visit lakelogan.org/event/cold-mountain-christmas-craft-fair-2025.
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host “ArtWorks” at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Come create your own masterpiece.
F
‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ will be at HART on select dates. Donated photo
‘Christmas at Pemberly’ will be at HART on select dates. Donated photo
Lake Logan will host a craft fair Dec. 13. File photo
On the table
• “Letters to Santa, Hot Cocoa & Cookies” from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through the holidays at the Bryson City Visitors Center in downtown. Free and open to the public. greatsmokies.com/events.
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host semi-regular culinary events and workshops throughout the week. For a full schedule of upcoming activities, tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranchevent.
• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host “Wind Down Wine Flight” 6 p.m. Thursdays. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.
On the wall
HCAC ‘Small Works’ exhibit
• 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.
• “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.
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have its wine bar open 4-8 p.m. Fridays/Saturdays and semi-regular wine tastings on the weekends. 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.com.
The Haywood County Arts Council’s (HCAC) “Small Works” exhibit will run through Dec. 31 at the HCAC Gallery & Gifts showroom in downtown Waynesville. The annual exhibit that expands the types of work for sale in the downtown Waynesville gallery, as well as who can display their work. Other than specially curated exhibits, which occur a couple times annually, this exhibit is the only one that allows any artist within the western mountain region to participate for a small fee. With dozens of artists participating, the exhibit promises to be eclectic. Although the only requirement is that the pieces be 12 inches in any dimension or smaller, HCAC challenged participants who are making holiday themed works to consider artistic expressions that are multicultural in nature and celebrate the many different holidays — ways of celebrating and ways of experiencing holidays. For more information, visit haywoodarts.org.
The materials for art works are supplied, and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share with each other. Ages 16 and up. Space limited to 10 participants. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / vroberson@fontanalib.org.
• CRE828 (Waynesville) will offer a selection of art classes and workshops at its studio located at 1283 Asheville Road. Workshops will include art journaling, watercoloring, mixed media, acrylic painting and more. 828.283.0523 / cre828.com.
• Gallery Zella (Bryson City) will be hosting an array of artist receptions, exhibits and showcases. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. 517.881.0959 / galleryzella.com.
• Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7 p.m. every third Monday each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. The club is a nonprofit organization that exists for the enjoyment of photography and the improvement of one’s skills. The club welcomes photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.
• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. The HCAC gallery is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. 828.452.0593 / haywoodarts.org.
ALSO:
• 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.
File photo
On the street
‘Christmas at Lake Junaluska’
Dillsboro’s ‘Lights & Luminaries’
The 42nd annual “Lights & Luminaries” will be held from 5-9 p.m. Dec. 12-13 in the streets of downtown Dillsboro.
A beloved annual tradition, the “Christmas at Lake Junaluska” celebration will be held Dec. 12-14 at the Lake Junaluska Conference & Retreat Center.
• “Holly Jolly Trolley Tour” from 5:30-8 p.m. Dec. 12 and 14 at the York Dining Commons. Join Jolly Elf as you tour the lake in the Holly Jolly Trolley. Enjoy festive Christmas lights, an onboard scavenger hunt, music, hot cocoa, cider, a marshmallow roast and more.
• “Holiday Craft Market & Family Activities” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Dec.
13, at the Harrell Center. Enjoy a spirited and fun day of Christmas shopping.
• “Festival of Lessons and Carols” at 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at Memorial Chapel. Feel the spirit of Advent and Christmas this holiday season during Festival of Lessons and Carols, a one-hour traditional English service featuring Scripture readings and corresponding music.
For more information and a full schedule of activities, visit lakejunaluska.com/events-calendar.
Experience the magic as the entire town is transformed into a winter wonderland of lights, candles, laughter and song. Over 2,500 luminaries light your way to shops and studios.
Each night, shops will stay open way into the night providing free refreshments, musicians and singers performing in individual shops. The sound of hooves will echo through the night with old-fashioned horse and buggy rides.
With retail shops offering a variety of quality arts and crafts, unique gifts, clothing, gourmet foods/wines and specialty Christmas items, the festival provides a unique holiday shopping experience.
Shopkeepers and restaurants are open late. See Santa and Mrs. Claus as they ride through town in their pickup truck. Write a letter to Santa and drop it off at his special mailbox. Live music will also be held on Front Street.
Free and open to the public. For more information, visit dillsboronc.info.
All aboard ‘The Polar Express’
“The Polar Express” train ride will roll down the tracks on select dates from the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad depot in downtown Bryson City.
Climb aboard one of the powerful locomotives and historic train cars as it departs the Bryson City Depot for the North Pole to pick up Santa Claus himself. Upon arriv-
• Cherokee Christmas Parade will be held Saturday, Dec. 13. For more information, visit visitcherokeenc.com/event/2025-winterfest.
• “A Smoky Mountain Christmas Celebration” will be held from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, in downtown Waynesville. Hundreds of Luminaries, live music, clogging, church choirs, Santa & Mrs. Claus, storytelling, holiday treats/beverages and more. Free and open to the public. downtownwaynesville.com.
ing at our depot, you’ll be immersed in the story as GSMR chefs serve you hot chocolate and sweet treats while singing and dancing all the way to the North Pole.
On the return trip to Bryson City, Santa will visit each coach and hand out the first gift of Christmas to each child. To note, there are a handful of seating and pricing options available.
For a complete listing of departure dates and times, call 800.872.4681 or visit gsmr.com.
• “Christmas Wonderland” hayrides will be held at Darnell Farms through Dec. 28 in Bryson City. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Limited seating available. For a full schedule and/or to purchase tickets, visit on darnellfarms.com.
• “Winterfest” ice skating and food truck rodeo every Friday and Saturday through Dec. 27 at the Cherokee Welcome Center. visitcherokeenc.com/event/2025-winterfest.
• “Christmas Light Show Drive-Thru” is running everyday through the holidays at the Great Smoky Mountains Event Park in Bryson City, except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission is $20 for cars and family vans, $40 for activity vans and limousines. Tour buses and school buses are not allowed due to the tight turns at the entrance. For more information, visit explorebrysoncity.com/events/christmasholiday/christmas-lights.
Ready for ‘Season of Lights’?
The “Season of Lights” will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, at the Pigeon Community Multicultural Development Center in Waynesville.
The event is PCMDC’s beloved winter celebration, returning to the building for the first time since Hurricane Helene. This joyful fundraiser brings our community together to experience 10 winter traditions from around the world — each with its own music, food, crafts, stories and beautiful displays of light.
As you walk through the building, you’ll visit rooms dedicated to holidays such as Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, La Gritería, Advent, Japanese New Year, Yule, Winter Solstice and Christmas. Each room is lovingly decorated and hosted by community ambassadors sharing culture, history and fellowship.
Enjoy warm drinks, homemade treats, vibrant flavors, kid-friendly activities and the magic of learning how light is celebrated across cultures. Whether it’s your first time or a cherished family tradition, “Season of Lights” is a night filled with joy, connection and celebration.
Admission is $20 for adults, $7 for students ages 13-17, $5 for students ages 6-12 and free for children under the age of five.
Tickets are available at the door or online at zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/season-of-lights.
JCTDA photo
‘Christmas at Lake Junaluska’ will be Dec. 12-14. File photo
Author creates a marvelous world for children
If you go to a child’s birthday party and bring a book as a present, you may not win the most popular present award. Having been invited to the party of a little girl I know, who was six turning seven, I decided to forego the popularity part and I headed to my local bookstore. Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville has a cozy, well-lit, wellorganized, wellstocked room for children’s books, and I spent a leisurely half-hour there, my idea of a good time. I looked at all the new and lovely picture books, took my time, enjoyed them, then let them be and chose an old favorite of mine, a Mr. Putter book.
Putter, who loves pear jelly, discovers he can no longer pick his pears in his old way. He can no longer climb the ladder. His legs are too “cranky.” He comes up with an alternate plan because he wants those pears. The plan
Putter and Tabby Turn the Page,” was the very book I’d chosen from my local bookstore for the birthday present.
Mr. Putter has his own series, and I am glad for that. He is a man worth knowing. He is the creation of Cynthia Rylant, who grew up in rural West Virginia, and I would guess that Appalachian storytelling helped form her writing soul. She has written over a hundred children’s books and won many awards, including the Newbery Award for her 1993 novel “Missing May” and two Caldecott Awards.
Mr. Putter in this series lives up to his name. He is an old man who takes pleasure in ordinary things, like sitting on the front porch of his big old house, tending his roses, taking naps, and listening to opera. In all of these activities, his companion is his fine old orange cat, Tabby. They are two of a kind. Next door lives his best friend Mrs. Teaberry, also old but much more adventurous. Mr. Putter is always nervous when Mrs. Teaberry calls. What is she going to suggest? Joining a band? Running a race? He is never nervous, however, when she bakes him something special, which she does in almost every book. The special things may be odd, like banana crunchies, but they are always tasty.
The comedian of the group is Mrs. Teaberry’s bulldog Zeke, whose enthusiasm causes all kinds of trouble. It’s a fun and funny foursome in a sometimes funny but always friendly world. I once knew a fouryear-old who wanted to be Mrs. Teaberry. Her beloved Papa, she said, would be Mr. Putter.
“Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears,” (Harcourt Brace, 1995, 40 pp), is one of my many favorites in the series. Though picking pears does not always bring up exciting images, excitement comes because Mr.
goes one way and then another, and seems to be a failure, but then success comes in an unexpected fashion. The book ends with a marvelous two-page picture of Mrs. Teaberry’s house and yard, and bulldog Zeke alone at one window, watching pears arc through the air to land on the grass, watching with a look that combines wonderment and perplexity.
This series of picture books is that rarity where the pictures are every bit as good as the story. They tell their own story. They are varied, expressive, unique and amusing. They entertain the adults. Illustrator Arthur Howard is as much a master as Cynthia Rylant, and the two blend seamlessly. When asked to name their favorite Mr. Putter, a small set of aficionados that I know, with ages ranging from four to 75, named “Paint the Porch,” “Walk the Dog,” and ”Turn the Page.” The last one listed, “Mr.
Carden to discuss Christmas traditions
At the party, I was happy to observe that my present was opened with a fervor equal to that for all the other presents (it was a conspicuously book-like present). Once opened, the book was greeted with a quick positive exclamation, then put aside without much of a pause (on to the next!), the exact same way every present was treated. Two days later, the now seven-yearold asked me to read it to her, and when I’d finished she asked me to read it again. Later in the day, I heard her older brother, age 10, laughing. What was he laughing at? He had picked up her new book and was laughing at Zeke’s antics.
In a recent editorial I read about technology and children, the editor stated how important it was that the natural innocence of children be protected. I couldn’t agree more. I know this series, set in a kind but lively world, will do just that.
Blue Ridge Books usually has some Mr. Putter books on the shelf, and they will order any in the series. I’m sure other book stores would as well. These would be great holiday presents. Maybe my faith is too big, but I believe there’s a book out there for everybody, for every adult and every child, and any bookstore staff I’ve ever met would be happy to help a customer find the one. Go for a book, and shop local. Happy December, everybody! Along with Mr. Putter, Tabby, Mrs. Teaberry and Zeke, I wish you plenty of good company, some quiet reading time, some good treats to eat, adventure, and maybe a nap or two.
(Anne Bevilacqua is a book lover who lives in Haywood County. abev1@yahoo.com.)
Writer Ann Bevilacqua
After the storm
How collaboration is driving the Arboretum’s restoration
BY LILY LEVIN STAFF WRITER
When Drake Fowler returned to the North Carolina Arboretum after Hurricane Helene, the extent of the damage broke his heart.
“We lost 10,000 trees over 80 acres,” he said.
However, as the initial shock of grief subsided, Fowler, the arboretum’s executive director, considered how to find opportunity amid destruction. He envisioned an intentional plan to restore the forest; one that would educate the community, promote conservation and honor Appalachia’s diverse ecosystems. Such a plan would require strategic management, and Fowler needed to look no further than Western Carolina University, his alma mater, and Ed Wright, his former business school professor.
“We started this project through a small mini-grant from Western Carolina University and used their business department to help document how we were going to make decisions about what we plan to put back,” Fowler explained.
“I asked Drake, ‘Could we help?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, let's figure out how to start, how to begin to get this place put back together.’ And so I think that's the role that that we played, was organizing the project,” Wright recalled.
Alongside fellow WCU Professor Hollye Moss, Wright helped the staff choose eight arboretum zones as focal points for restoration. Fowler told The Smoky Mountain News that the team outlined top priorities for each — aesthetically pleasing, facilitates conserva-
tion, encourages species regeneration — to inform planting decisions.
Wright and Moss studied aerial maps showing normalized difference vegetation index, a method of documenting forest health based on light reflected and absorbed by different plants in satellite images. The two professors also studied “previous research done on reforestation projects all over the U.S.” to prepare for January 2025, and with it, “our first official meeting,” Wright said.
Admittedly, there was still a learning curve when combining the disparate disciplines of forestry and business.
“I'm smiling because [the beginning of the project] was a very interesting time for me,” he said.
Fowler’s former professor had shown up to the first partnership meeting in his typical work attire: loafers and dress pants. “And then I realized we were going out in the mud,” he said. On his way home, Wright said he made a pit stop at a discount store “and bought some decent boots.”
The boots proved essential.
He explained that meetings were split between a conference room and “the field,” where project members would take “the ATVs to the side of the mountain and [hike] down for a mile or two.” At the conclusion of the investigation, the team had evaluated all eight zones through 26 factors across six different categories to guide the arboretum’s plans for reforestation.
PHASE TWO
With data from each focal zone, Fowler set his sights on a detailed, realistic guide to regenerating the arboretum’s forests — the next stage of the project.
The arboretum is being supported by grants from the Glass Foundation and Laura Jane Musser Fund. It aims to finish this stage
quarter to discuss goals and objectives, even though Nov. 21 marked the “first official date under contract.”
Planning ahead was a critical decision.
While Fowler said EcoForesters is tasked with drafting concrete action items for the eight aforementioned areas, “they’re actually doing a plan for our entire property.”
But Fowler, a landscape architect by trade, knew an implementable plan couldn’t solely consist of words. It needed drawings, too, hence the role of NC State University’s landscape architecture program as another partner.
Graduate student Liliana Teta and Professor Carla Delcambre, he explained, are “working in conjunction with EcoForesters to take their recommendations and actually start drawing circles and deciding… how to implement this plan.”
of the plan “and show it to the public around Arbor Day of this year,” Fowler said.
A partner was also required for this subsequent step. While one might assume many arboretum employees fit the bill, that’s not exactly the case, the executive director said.
“Most of our staff are horticulturists … So, our staff is really good at taking care of individual plants. They definitely understand ecosystems. But forestry is its own practice, and [foresters are] looking at soil types, aspect, the shape of the land,” he said. An Asheville-based nonprofit called EcoForesters was selected.
“We do a lot of forest planning for private landowners, explained Andy Tait, the group’s
And Teta is designing a plan of her own. While the arboretum reevaluates the specifics of its natural landscape, she’s questioning how to improve human access.
“One of the challenges that I get to try to figure out is how to make an ADA loop throughout this area, and what that could look like,” she said.
Teta said she’s also designing a tent structure for those “that might have not been able to enjoy the arboretum because they aren't able to walk as far.” It’s a “multi-flexible space” with a “fireplace component,” she said, adding that “we want to bring that naturalistic feel to it, while also making it accessible.”
Teta values the opportunity on Arbor Day to teach the audience about her project. And fowler said it’s important for the arboretum — part of the state university system — “to enable young folks like Liliana that are doing research to use us as a classroom and advance.”
“Most of our staff are horticulturists … So, our staff is really good at taking care of individual plants. They definitely understand ecosystems. But forestry is its own practice,
— Drake
senior forestry director.
EcoForesters, Tait added, does “everything from full forest management planning to implementation,” including thinning dense thickets and controlling invasive plants. Not only did the arboretum find the conservationfocused nonprofit aligned with its mission, but EcoForesters had also been a steady collaborator. The group had already contributed its time and resources pro bono to the arboretum as a means of securing grant-based funding from the latter organization.
“This is a long-term relationship that we have with them,” Fowler told SMN, highlighting the group’s extensive work with local property owners.
Tait recalled he and Executive Director Lang Hornthal have been meeting with arboretum staff monthly throughout the past
The arboretum also benefits from this research.
“I think the project's better when we get more disciplines and brains around this,” he (fowler) said.
CLASSIFYING CONDITIONS
Now that it’s December, Tait said he and his coworkers are “clamping some formal inventory — going to go out there and actually record the mix of species, the composition of the forest,” while observing the size and structure of the trees.
According to Tait, that data provides insight into current conditions of the forest, which foresters can then compare to the “desired future conditions” and “determine what’s possible and
Fowler
Red Oak seedling starting to return.
Ed Wright photos
what’s appropriate for each site.”
Current conditions at the arboretum are marked by significant post-Helene improvement — a testament to the work of another set of partners.
“FEMA contractors were there; Army Corps of Engineers were there. Volunteer organizations were there. There were chainsaws going for weeks,” Wright said.
And there’s still ongoing cleanup, which Fowler described as “a debate we wrestle with every day.”
“Some might argue, ‘hey, just leave all this downed timber. It’s habitat,’” he theorized, but excessive debris are a fire hazard, an overhead hazard and a fall hazard, especially since “we use our forests as our classrooms.”
Not to mention, he added, that “it looks really ugly” to have timber-covered trails. Though the opposite would also be brutal.
“We don’t necessarily want it like the Black Forest in Germany, where the ground level is manicured,” he said.
Fowler has settled on leaving “10 to 25% of that [timber] on the fourth floor for habitat but then getting out an inordinate amount of down.” It’s a balance — but the arboretum has found creative ways to recycle the wood. The Asheville Tool Library offered it freely to the public. A portion was milled by UNC-Asheville’s Team Lab and used as signage for the troll exhibit.
Now, Fowler said, it’s being processed as firewood for both Winter Lights and, through a partnership with rural organizations, “to people further out in the county that heat their homes with the wood.”
As with removing timber from the arboretum, multiple outlets are required to achieve the future conditions it desires. What might work for one location might be harmful to another, and a single zone can host an array of options, such as Willow Pond.
“The area adjacent to this pond was heavily impacted, and so we're starting to think about, ‘Okay, do we put that into forest, or should we extend this meadow ecosystem
deeper into this disturbed area?’” Fowler said.
Though a key priority throughout the 99acre property is the recultivation of oak.
“Oaks in particular are the keystone species for wildlife. They’re an incredibly important species that’s been declining for about 100 years,” said Tait, explaining that while oaks aren’t uncommon, they aren’t regenerating either.
For example, there tends to be a discrepancy between the composition of forest overstory and understory in this region. Fowler told SMN that “an oak sapling — the little one that you walk by on the trail — could be 10 years old,” noting that for it to start “cruising upward,” the missing ingredient is sun. This makes the process of oak regeneration “a bit ironic,” he said, because it largely consists of weeding maples, pines and tulip poplars — faster growers that will “shade out the oaks.”
“In some areas, we might be doing more removal than planting,” explained Fowler.
Tait noted the absence of another essential ingredient: flames.
Diverse forests were once plentiful because “Native Americans were burning this landscape for thousands of years,” he said. A controlled burn reduces the risk of an extreme wildfire by reducing fuel loads. According to Tait, it also “restores fire-adapted communities like oak and short leaf pine.”
“For the short leaf pine, it actually needs fire to regenerate, so it creates another more diverse, now very uncommon, habitat or forest type,” he said.
However, the arboretum doesn’t own the property; it has 99-year lease on the entirely Pisgah Forest land area. As a result, plans are dependent on approval by the Forest Service.
“We wouldn't be doing anything on the property that would conflict with that document,” Fowler said.
Still, he added, “we live in a pretty complicated little nexus because we're part of the university system in the state of North Carolina, but we're on federal land.”
Andy Tait, co-director at EcoForesters; Mac Franklin, director of horticulture at NC Arboretum; Drake Fowler, director at NC Arboretum survey the forest
Up Moses Creek
BY BURT KORNEGAY
‘Hit them hard!’
Aman who lives up Caney Fork once told me he didn’t split red oak for firewood because its sap smelled like urine. He called it “piss oak.” His remark came back to me one day in September while I stood in my woodlot filling my lungs with the odor from a ton of freshly buckedup red oak waiting to be split, and all I can say is that one man’s stench is another’s sweet aroma.
Along with its pleasingly pungent smell, I like red oak simply because it’s a tree that’s ready at hand in our woods, and it makes for a long-lasting woodstove fire. Red oak splits cleanly too when the grain is straight, and I’ve learned how to work with it when the grain is not — as in knot.
But here’s the icing on the cake: red oak draws hoverflies. Hoverflies are insects that look like big yellow jackets, but they don’t have a stinger. And they don’t bite. No sooner have I split the first redolent piece of red oak than one of these flies will zoom up out of nowhere and, living up to its name, hover with a high-pitched whine just inches from the freshly opened face, savoring its fragrance. A hoverfly doesn’t smell with nostrils but with hair-like olfactory sensors on its antennae. Below the blur of its wings, I can see the creature in mid-air rubbing its front legs together like hands, “Mmm mmm, gonna be good!” Then it walks around on the surface sucking up sap with an elongated “proboscis,” a kind of shopvac of a mouth. Once I become scented, the fly even sups on me.
But, truth to tell, I’d wade into any old pile of wood, even if it wasn’t red oak. I love the heat that splitting wood builds inside me as much as I love backing my outside up to our woodstove on a frigid day. Splitting wood brings the tree and tool and me, hand and eye, together in a work that’s hale and whole. No gas-powered wood splitter, please! Why let a machine have all the fun? Why turn such satisfying labor into a mere
chore to get done? It’s one thing to make a living selling firewood — you need to split a lot of cords. It’s another to chop wood for home.
Besides, how can I hear poetry with an engine at my ear?
My favorite woodlot poem is Robert Frost’s “Two Tramps in Mud Time.” He’s in his yard happily splitting oak “as round about as the chopping block,” when suddenly “out of the mud two strangers came.”
They looked to be out-of-work lumberjacks. And one of them puts Frost off his aim by shouting, “Hit them hard!”
“I knew pretty well why he dropped behind
And let the other go on a way. I knew pretty well what he had in mind:
He wanted to take my job for pay.”
Poor Frost. One minute he’s chopping wood and “giving a loose to my soul,” and the next, feeling the stares of the jobless men, he finds himself torn between “my love and their need.” The lumberjacks split him.
So he turns from splitting wood to stacking words into a poem:
I’m hard pressed to set the wood on the chopping block fast enough to keep up with the tool’s rise and fall. In one afternoon, my ton of red oak dwindles to mere pounds, and he’s standing thigh-deep in fragrant pieces.
So far this fall I’ve had the oak to myself. It was a tree that had been slowly dying for no reason I could see. It was 90 years old by ring count — red oak’s prime of life. It stretched out 100 feet when measured on the ground. According to a wood-weight chart, each bolt I sawed the thick trunk into weighed more than 200 pounds.
To split a chunk like that in half, I look for the check that’s almost always in the center of the sawed-off end. That thin crack
there where tens of thousands of leaves are lifted up to combine earth’s nutrients with sunlight and grow the whole.
Though the usual idea is to split firewood into pie-shaped pieces when viewed on end, I also chop out squares, rectangles, parallelograms and half-rounds, and stack them as I go — custom-chopping to fit each piece into the rising wall. I work like a mason who drystacks rocks, though the wood I stack is wet. My object is to build a wood wall chin high and seven paces long. Given a year to dry, it contains a winter’s heat. Also mason-like, I use accumulating chips and slivers as steadying shims. Leftovers go into the kindling box. It’s a wise use of things my country kin
“You’d think I never had felt before The weight of an ax-head poised aloft, The grip on earth of outspread feet, The life of muscles rocking soft And smooth and moist in vernal heat.” Chant those verses, and if they don’t power-up your swing, go get yourself a word splitter.
Itinerate loggers have never put me on the spot. And when I keep the pleasing work to about an hour a day, I can stretch it out for weeks. But if my son Henry gets wind of it and takes over the splitting maul,
betrays a fatal gap in the wood’s defenses. Now, hit it hard! Hit it true too, and the crack will spread. Hit it again, and again, if need be, until you hear a distinctive, hollow “pop.” That sound comes out of the block’s core like a mortal groan. It tells you the sharp steel bit just breached its 90 rings of armor. Now swing again, and the block will fall apart, “splinterless as a cloven rock.”
The Ajax of the tree is its base or “butt bolt,” and it can kick your butt. It is just there that the oak has built itself to withstand great tension, connecting as it does the tree’s anchoring roots with its airy crown, up
taught me when, as a boy, I helped them at hog-killing time: “Everything but the squeal.” What an old-fashioned notion in today’s throwaway world!
When you fell it, buck it up and split it, you break a forest tree down into smaller and smaller pieces. But once you start to stack what falls off the chopping block, another kind of tree grows in your woodlot, one that during the short days of winter will bring the summer’s sun indoors.
(Burt and Becky Kornegay live in Jackson County. “Up Moses Creek” comes out the second week of the month.)
‘And every piece I squarely hit / Fell splinterless as a cloven rock.’ Robert Frost. Burt Kornegay photo
Celebrate the holiday season in the Smokies
Embrace the spirit of the season with two festive events at Great Smoky Mountains National Park this December. Visitors are invited to celebrate Appalachian holiday traditions and create new memories during the “Festival of Christmas Past, Present and Future” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, and the Holiday Homecoming on Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Sugarlands Visitor Center and Oconaluftee Visitor Center, respectively.
This event offers a glimpse into the region’s rich cultural heritage. Park rangers, volunteers and artists from Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts will demonstrate traditional Appalachian arts and crafts. Guests can enjoy live music by the Grassy
Creek Bluegrass Band from noon to 1 p.m., explore a nostalgic display of Christmas trees from different decades and participate in hands-on holiday crafts for children.
The celebration continues with the Holiday Homecoming event, featuring a day of seasonal activities. From 10 a.m. to noon, visitors can take part in hands-on traditional crafts and activities. From 1-3 p.m., enjoy traditional music and caroling, offering a joyful and immersive holiday experience for everyone.
Both events are free and open to the public. The Sugarlands Visitor Center is located on Newfound Gap Road, two miles south of Gatlinburg. The Oconaluftee Visitor Center is located on Newfound Gap Road, just north of Cherokee.
Macon Library hosts ‘mind, body, flow’ class
Macon County Library is hosting a “mind, body, flow” class. Classes are Tuesdays at 9 a.m. starting Dec. 16 in the Macon County Public Library Meeting Room.
This no-impact class uses slow-paced, fluid movements that promote calmness while exercising the body and brain, to help improve strength, balance, mood and cognitive function, while reducing stress, blood pressure and the risk of falling. Wear comfortable clothes and flat, non-slip shoes. Bring a water bottle.
NCDEQ launches WNC Recovery Grants
The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality has launched the Western NC Recovery Grants Program to help communities affected by Hurricane Helene secure long-term recovery funding. The program offers free grant-writing and technical assistance to local governments, eligible non-
profits partnering with them, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians across 39 disaster-declared counties. DEQ staff will assist with proposal development, budgeting, project funding strategies and application requirements. Construction projects must have site control to qualify for most grants. Communities can request help through the online form; the program is open year-round, though applicants should note any upcoming grant deadlines.
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
DOJA, Brown Tabby Cat. Petite 8-yr old female. Sassy, affectionate; loves petting. Prefers to be only cat in household. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 publicrelations@ashevillehumane.org
DUKE, Hound mix — white & brown. 5 yr-old male, 69 lbs. Friendly with humans of all ages; hesitant with other dogs. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ashevillehumane.org
ONE AND THE SAME
1 Enchilada alternative
8 Threaten like a mad dog
15 Recurring design
20 Proved to be beneficial to
21 Audrey of "Sabrina"
22 "Magic Bites" author Andrews
23 [Span] [Span]
25 Some spongy balls
26 Morning times, in brief
27 Astrologer Sydney
28 Films based on reportage, for short
30 Heavy drinker
31 Musical scale starters
33 [Cogitates] [Cogitates]
36 Severe shock
39 Pear or lime 41 Somber
42 [Criminal] [Criminal]
46 Surrealist painter Max
47 Swiss peaks
48 Ukraine city
49 Having some benefit
52 Pick-up-sticks logic game
53 Lad from London, say 54 Old-time TV announcer Johnny
56 Spike of corn
59 "I -- reason why ..."
61 [Star] [Star]
67 Reportage on American events
69 Gas station brand
70 Golf great Soerenstam
71 [Residence] [Residence]
76 Old Icelandic poetry books
77 Coast Guard officer:
[Brotherly] [Brotherly]
Pie portions
[Dictated] [Dictated] 102 Accessories for cue sticks and blackboards
Follower of "http://" 106 Greek epic about Troy
Mario's video game brother 108 Real devotee
Jazz singer Cleo
[Character] [Character]
Snaky curves
Attack the integrity of
Go in circles
ANSWERS ON PAGE 26
SUDOKU
Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
