When Hurricane Helene wrought devastation on Western North Carolina, Richie Cunningham, president of the Mountaineer Little League baseball program in Haywood County, feared not only for his own family and property, but also for the baseball field behind the Elks Lodge in Waynesville. Sure enough, the whole facility was ruined. While the community has pitched in to help rebuild, there is still more work to be done. (Page 4) Kyle Perrotti photo
News
New report dives into ongoing child care crisis..........................................................6 Ballots are set for upcoming WNC municipal elections..........................................8 Waynesville march honors the legacy of John Lewis..............................................10 Haywood allocates opioid funds to treatment, prevention....................................14 Former Swain County Sheriff indicted on rape charge..........................................15 Pioneer Heritage Festival to be held in Clyde on July 26......................................16 Education news..................................................................................................................19
Opinion
A&E
Break free, rolling stone: Justin Osborne of Susto..................................................22 ‘Anything Goes’ at HART................................................................................................27
Outdoors
Researchers, funded by NC Collaboratory, scramble for Helene data............30 Combat Mosquitos in Haywood County....................................................................34
Jack Snyder.
D IGITAL MARKETING S PECIALIST Tyler Auffhammer. .
ADVERTISING SALES: Amanda Bradley. .
Maddie Woodard.
C LASSIFIEDS: Scott Collier.
N EWS E DITOR: Kyle Perrotti.
WRITING: Hannah McLeod. .
Cory Vaillancourt. .
Garret K. Woodward.
ACCOUNTING & O FFICE MANAGER: Jamie Cogdill.
D ISTRIBUTION: Scott Collier. .
jessica.m@smokymountainnews.com
jack.s@smokymountainnews.com
tyler.a@mtnsouthmedia.com
amanda.b@smokymountainnews.com
maddie.w@smokymountainnews.com
classads@smokymountainnews.com
kyle.p@smokymountainnews.com
hannah@smokymountainnews.com
cory@smokymountainnews.com
garret@smokymountainnews.com
smnbooks@smokymountainnews.com
classads@smokymountainnews.com
C ONTRIBUTING: Jeff Minick (writing), Susanna Shetley (writing), Adam Bigelow (writing), Thomas Crowe (writing)
Protein is a satisfying macronutrient and can be found in based and plant-based foods. Included in this list are som McGrath
LL MEALS
both animalme that are
1. otein powder Make protein balls with pr r, , nut butter, rolled cocoa powder and chia seeds. Roll in crushed nuts and chill. (optional: sweeten with honey or maple syrup)
ed oats, nd chill.
2. Have a fruit and vegetable smoothie using a base of soy milk or Fairlife milk (higher in protein) and add protein powder vanilla Greek yogurt along with fresh or frozen fruit.
3. Make tuna salad, substitute plain Greek yogurt for part of the mayonnaise and have with crackers or atop a salad or with raw vegetables.
oy milk or or plain or t of the with raw
4. Have a peanut butter burrito. Spread peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla, mash ½ of a banana on top and sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with a little honey. Roll it up and toast it in a toaster over until warm. Enjoy this with a glass of Fairlife milk or soy milk.
5. Make up a trail mix with nuts, raisins and a cereal that protein amount.
6. n, fr
7.
Make up bean salad with black beans, cor reesh grape o T and cilantrro Toop with grated cheese and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
8. Make a salad or side dish using cooked quinoa instead of rice.
whole wheat nnamon and er over until has a higher tomatoes esh lime juice. d of rice.
Volunteers overhaul Waynesville little league field following Helene
BY KYLE PERROTTI
N EWS E DITOR
Mountaineer Little League Baseball has been around since the 1970s, but like everything else, once Hurricane Helene hit, its immediate future was uncertain.
The program, which allows kids from the western part of Haywood County to partake in America’s pastime, relies on the use of five fields to play ball. Some belong to the town or are on private property, and there is one on Elks Lodge property behind the club near the Frog Level area. On Sept. 27, when the storm hit and swamped a whole region, costing six lives in Haywood County and about $60 billion in damage regionally, due to a nearby creek that escaped its banks, the
Elks Lodge field was submerged as water crept up toward Dellwood City Road.
Like everyone else in Western North Carolina, once the rains picked up and rumors of widespread flooding circulated, Mountaineer Little League President Richie Cunningham considered not only his own home and family but also the state of the field.
“As soon as it started flooding, I knew we were gonna be in trouble,” Cunningham said.
When he finally laid eyes on the property, his fears were realized.
middle of the field. It was pretty much wiped out. The storage shed was destroyed, which meant our equipment was destroyed. The light poles in the outfield, those were totally gone.”
“It killed the infrastructure as far as the lights and stuff,” said Brent Yarski, Head of Trustees for the Elks Lodge. “Those poles fell, and not only that, but the conduit going to each pole was ripped up when the poles fell.”
Yarksi and Cunningham both grew up playing baseball on that field. Lasat season, there were about 350 kids enrolled in the Mountaineer Little League program between baseball, softball and tee ball. While a lot of kids now play on travel teams, which require a good deal of time and money, The Mountaineer Little League is for any-
“I had seen pictures and how high the water level was. It washed the dugout completely away and a set of bleachers were pushed over right into the middle of the field. It was pretty much wiped out. The storage shed was destroyed, which meant our equipment was destroyed. The light poles in the outfield, those were totally gone.”
—
Richie Cunningham
Here’s the aftermath of Hurricane Helene at the baseball field. Note that the bleachers ended up where the pitcher’s mound once was. Donated photo
one at any skill level. It’s all about the players; that’s why Cunningham and others put so much of their own time into making sure there’s a place for everyone to play.
“We want to give all kids something to do, and that’s why we do it,” he said.
In recent months, the effort to rehabilitate the field has picked up, and anyone driving by may notices trimmed grass and a freshly laid dirt in the infield.
In a sense, the league has taken advantage of a bad situation with the ruined field, figuring if it needs to be rebuilt anyway, they’d might as well improve it — and that’s exactly what’s happened. First, they rotated the diamond about 90 degrees, which creates more space for the field and reduces the amount of time direct sunlight is hitting the batter’s box. They also built new dugouts that offer more space and structural stability than the old ones that were washed away.
Yarski said the generosity of local con-
league district and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
With all of these efforts, Cunningham said he hopes to see action return to the Elks Lodge field in time for the fall season, if even only one game.
“We’ll really kick it off next spring,” he said.
Of course, there is still more work to be done. The biggest project right now, Yarski and Cunningham said, has been replacing those outfield lights that were ripped up during the storm. In addition, new stands need to be purchased, and a new concession stand and ADA-compliant bathrooms need to be built.
“Give ‘til it hurts,” Yarski said, encouraging people to donate time or money or whatever they can. “We still have a long way to go.”
To complete some of these projects, Mountaineer Little League and the Elks Lodge are doing further fundraising, includ-
have been working together to restore the
struction companies that have donated materials and labor, as well as a whole host of volunteers that have made this project much easier than it could have otherwise been.
“Everybody’s chipping in,” Yarski said. Even the Atlanta Braves helped out, through the team’s “Braves Park Projects” program, which teams the organization up with Truist to provide capital improvements to local recreation centers, youth organizations, fields and ballparks throughout “Braves Country.” Through that program, the Braves will provide Mountaineer Little League with an outfield fence valued at about $5,000.
Even local hero Cal Raleigh, the Sylva native and Seattle Mariners catcher who leads the MLB in home runs, donated some game-used equipment to raise money. Other donations have also poured in from other little leagues, as well as the regional little
ing opportunities for local individuals and businesses to see their names in certain places like the dugouts.
“We’re going to sell banners, and we’ve actually already sold one of the dugouts,” Yarski said. “We do have another dugout for sale… We’ll name the field after you want. But mainly, we have scoreboard signs and blocks that can be bought.”
Monetary donations will also be collected during the Elks Lodge annual barbecue beginning at 11 a.m. July 26 in Waynesville. That event will feature live music from Shed House Trio and the Darren Nicholson Band. Pulled pork plates with sides and a dessert will be on sale for $16 and presold Boston butts will go for $40.
Registration for fall ball is open until Aug. 31. Those interested can visit mountaineerlittleleague.com. Practices will begin the week of Sept. 8, and games will begin the week of Oct. 6.
Richie Cunningham, (left) and Brent Yarski
field after Helene. Kyle Perrotti photo
Report dives into ongoing child care crisis
BY KYLE PERROTTI
N EWS E DITOR
The child care industry has been sounding the alarm for years now, but with federal stabilization grants drying up a few months ago, what was for many a smoldering problem has become a five-alarm fire.
With this in mind, Gov. Josh Stein issued an executive order in March creating the North Carolina Task Force on Child Care and Early Education, headed up by Democratic Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt and Republican Sen. Jim Burgin. On June 30, the task force published an interim report with an introduction addressed to Stein that says more attention must be paid to several “significant challenges” in the industry lest the problem become even worse.
“These challenges are not insurmountable,” the introductory statement reads. “North Carolina’s legacy of tackling big problems with public and private solutions positions our state to lead the way in child care and early education once again. With grit, collaboration, and a vision of a brighter future for children and families in mind, we can get there.”
According to the report, the need for childcare far exceeds the availability of providers, with about one child care center for every 100 children up to age 5, and there is only one licensed child care slot available for every five families that need one.
The report claims that at an average annual cost of $11,720 per year, child care costs are unaffordable for most families in the state.
This creates problems not only for families looking to find care for their children but also the state’s economy as a third of respondents to a 2023 North Carolina Chamber Foundation survey indicated they had turned down a job opportunity or promotion because of child care challenges. More than a quarter of respondents said the challenges caused them to leave the workforce. According to the report, child care issues result in an estimated $5.65 billion annual loss for the state’s economy, and unplanned worker absences due to childcare challenges cost the state an estimated $1.36 billion in tax revenue per year.
Sheila Hoyle, the interim executive director for the North Carolina Early Education Coalition, helps lead the way influencing policy on behalf of the childcare industry. She said that many young families can’t enter the workforce unless they have access to this vital service. In addition, a lack of child care hurts the next generation of workers during their most formative years.
“We know from what we understand about child development that one thing that gives children the best chance of having success in public school is that they have a good early learning experience,” Hoyle said.
To make matters worse, government
ee wages has dried up. Funding provided from the American Rescue Plan Act kicked in October of 2021 but ran out June of last year. While the North Carolina General Assembly passed funding for stabilization grants to make up for some of those losses suffered by child care centers, those grants ran out in March.
With that, even as cost of living continues to rise, many early childhood educators, even those with degrees, saw a pay cut, and there isn’t any indication that money is coming back any time soon.
The task force report notes that in 2024, 60% of child care center directors, owners and operators reported they were experiencing a staffing shortage. Part of the reason for that is that early childhood teachers haven’t been paid enough — even while the extra funding was in place — to make ends meet. As of 2023, workers were paid an average of $14 per hour, about half the state’s median hourly wage.
Mary Moody runs the Silver Bluff Kids Early Learning Center on the Silver Bluff Assisted Living Facility property in Canton, which is licensed for 54 children and currently has 50 enrolled. Mary has 12 employees, most full time. She said that in the 21 years she’s owned and operated her center, it’s never been a “money making business,” but that since the grant funding has gone away, things have gotten worse.
“It all comes back to the fact that there’s just not enough money coming in to pay us for the true cost of care for the children,” Moody said.
Moody said that when an employee
published last year by the Center for the Study Care Employment found the median wage for child care workers in North Carolina to be $11.69, and 43% of households where someone is employed in the industry participated in safety net programs to the tune of $122 million total. Unless someone is passionate about being a caretaker, there just isn’t much incentive to seek those jobs. Hoyle agreed with Moody.
“Our wages are low in child care, and we also know that our fees for parents are already higher than most families can afford, so we wind up with pieces of our system working against each other,” Hoyle said. “I would identify the financing of child care programs as the major issue that that we’re struggling with today.”
Industry-wide, along with pay issues, Moody said there has been a higher burnout rate among those who enter the profession. According to Moody, providers have encountered higher workloads with more children under their care at one time and a “major increase in behavioral problems.” According to Southwestern Child Development Commission Executive Director Mandy Mills, the burnout rate may just get a bit worse, too, considering Stein last month signed into law a bill that allows for larger overall classroom sizes. This means that, while minimum studentto-teacher ratios remain the same, if there is more than one teacher in a room, they can pack more children in.
“It’s just going to be a really big sensory issue, packing all those kids together,” Mills said, adding that this has a negative affect
about having 15 one year olds in one classroom.”
The Southwestern Child Development Commission partners with childcare providers to administer subsidies, offer referral services and provide training and resources. It serves 14 Western North Carolina counties. Mills said that Moody is somewhat of an anomaly in the industry as she’s enjoyed a strong employee retention rate. With that lack of turnover, despite what Moody still considers pay below what her staff deserves, the stability has created for her a good reputation in the industry. While Moody was humble about her center’s relative success at keeping employees, Mills was more blunt in saying that reputation is earned simply because Moody is a competent and attentive leader whom people want to work for.
“With Mary, the quality is there,” Mills said.
However, many places end up having to hire “the best they can get,” which often ends up being people with little relevant training or experience. Mills said that one facility in The Smoky Mountain News coverage area that she declined to name had six teachers and lost five all at once. The morning something like this happens, when parents bring their kids to the center, they are informed that there is no one there to take care of them. Sometimes, places permanently shut down all at once, leaving parents without any short-term care.
“I’s nothing for a center to call and say we’re shutting down,” Mills said. “I mean, it’s kind of like the norm
Child care has been a critical problem that Gov. Josh Stein is attempting to address through a March executive order. Stock photo
One of the key findings of the task force report is that rural child care providers experience greater financial strain because the ratio of overhead to revenue is lower for facilities with fewer children. They also miss out on additional subsidy reimbursement revenue because of their physical locations — basically, under the current system urban counties, despite having similar costs of doing business, receive greater subsidies.
Subsidies reimburse providers for services delivered to low-income families. In North Carolina, the amount child care providers are reimbursed for the care and education they deliver to children in the subsidy program is based on their local market rate. The majority of funds that come into North Carolina for child care cover from the federal government and go to the Division of Child Development in Raleigh before being allocated to the 100 counties.
receive a minimum child care subsidy reimbursement rate without penalizing counties that already receive subsidy reimbursement at rates at or above the floor,” the report reads, adding that a rate floor would also enable providers to payer higher wages, the benefits of which will be seen throughout the state’s economy.
Hoyle echoed that sentiment.
“Years ago, there was belief that it costs more to do childcare in an urban area,” Hoyle said. “What we are finding out today that that’s not true, that urban costs may actually be higher because childcare is a program that depends on volume of scale.”
Hoyle said that with the establishment of the rate floor, Moody, for example, could see an increase of up to $400 per child per month.
“They love being here, but it’s a lot of responsibly,” Moody said. “They see a sign that says, ‘Now hiring’ for $19 an hour to hand somebody coffee out a window and take their money, and that person’s going to get paid more than they are getting paid to take care of 10 children. So that’s what they’ll do.” now. We’re like, who’s still open?”
The North Carolina General Assembly sets the state’s child care subsidy reimbursement rates at the 75th percentile of the market rate in each county. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the state has more than 3,000 different child care subsidy reimbursement rates, with different subsidies paid to child care providers depending on its county, ages of the children, setting (center or home-based) and star rating of the program.
“Getting that right floor would allow me to increase the teachers’ wages to where they could get living wages,” Moody said. “But the other thing is, our staff need health insurance. That’s another thing, is that a lot of them leave burnout from centers because they can’t afford to take care of their own health, and so they’re jeopardizing their health by continuing to work in childcare centers.”
During the task force’s June meeting, several other recommendations were made. One was that that state government could make it easier for child care providers to provide employees non-salary benefits to make them competitive in the broader labor market.
Along with recommending that the state explore partnerships with its university, community college and public school systems, another proposed solution is to allow for people who work in child care to have their own children’s care subsidized, a program several states have already adopted with differing policies but similar positive results, according to the task force report.
In addition, the report recommends creating an endowment to help meet lowincome families’ child care needs by leveraging public and private dollars to set up an investment fund, the interest of which can be used for state child care needs.
the same song, and certainly from government that has said, ‘we have to work on this issue,’” Hoyle said.
For those dealing with these issues day to day on the ground level, while progress is great, further action is necessary to save many who have made a life in this struggling industry.
Each county has a market rate established by a provider survey.
Those in the industry SMN spoke with said there are flaws in that survey that favor urban counties and lead to inequities in rural areas. The solution many propose to address this is for the government to establish a child care subsidy rate floor. The task force report recommends a minimum subsidy rate based on the state’s average market rate, which would bring underfunded counties up without any negative effect on larger counties with higher market rates and prevent further closures in already underserved rural areas.
“This would help ensure that child care programs in all 100 North Carolina counties
“While an endowment can be created with solely public or private dollars, this tool functions best as a public-private partnership that utilizes matching grants to ensure dollars stretch further,” the report reads, noting that other states, such as Nebraska, Connecticut and Montana put this into practice in different ways, each successful.
According to Hoyle, the possible solutions all boil down to an increased financial stake from just about everyone — state and federal governments, employers and the parents themselves — although at this point it appears that the task force solutions place the onus almost entirely on the state government. While there is much work to be done, Hoyle said she has been happy to at least see a modicum of progress across the board.
“I think the thing that I am most encouraged about right now is that this year we have seen movement from both the economic sector, from parents who are saying
Over
Sheila Hoyle
Mary Moody
Mary Moody’s Haywood County child care center has about 50 children enrolled. Donated photo
Ballots are set for upcoming municipal elections
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT
P OLITICS E DITOR
With the end of the municipal election filing period, candidates are now gearing up to take their message to voters as they look to claim seats on local government boards across Western North Carolina.
In The Smoky Mountain News core coverage area — Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties — 57 candidates seek 37 seats defended by 27 incumbents in 11 municipalities hosting 19 separate races from Canton to Franklin.
In six of those races, 13 candidates are completely unopposed. Barring write-in campaigns, those candidates will be sworn in later this year, after the Nov. 4 elections. Until then, the remaining 44 candidates will compete for 24 seats on 13 public bodies.
The elections will be notable this year as they’re the first since President Donald Trump returned to office, the first since Hurricane Helene dealt varying amounts of damage to small local governments and, in Jackson County, the first since Jackson County commissioners controversially voted to leave the Fontana Regional Library system over LGBTQ+ content.
ncsbe.gov/results-data/candidatelists#current.
In-person early voting begins on Oct. 16. As of July 22, Election Day is only 108 days away. Until then, be sure to check in with SMN for full coverage of all contested races.
HAYWOOD COUNTY
In Clyde, two seats on the Board of Alderman are up for reelection. Incumbent aldermen Frank Lay and Diane Fore both filed, as did two candidates who ran in 2023, Kathy Cogburn Johnson and Cory Nuckolls. Clyde is dealing with substantial property tax base loss due to Helene, but has tremendous opportunities for outdoor recreation and affordable housing. In 2023, it took about 80 votes to win a seat. Voters may choose any two of the four.
Information in this report was current as of noon on Tuesday, July 22, and reflects candidate lists provided by the North Carolina Board of Elections. To see updated lists for the entire state, visit
Waynesville’s Town Council used to be elected all at once, but the town has recently adopted a staggered system that means Julia Freeman and Anthony Sutton are up again this year after serving a one-off two-year term.
Freeman and Sutton have both filed, as has realtor Landen Stevenson. During a spirited 2023 election, top vote-getters had more than 1,400 votes, with Sutton and Freeman coming in just under 1,300. Voters may choose two of the three.
Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers has filed for his third term as mayor, and for the third time will have no opponent — a testament
to the job he’s done, or perhaps a testament to how hard his job truly is; Smathers has guided the town through the Coronavirus Pandemic, Tropical Storm Fred, the closing of the century-old Pactiv Evergreen paper mill, the 185-acre mill parcel’s impending redevelopment and, of course, Helene.
Alderman Tim Shepard and Alderwoman Kristina Proctor have also been a big part of directing the town through those challenges. Both filed to keep their seats; however, they’re being opposed by towing company owner Adam Hatton, who ran in 2023, and former Canton Police Officer Neal Swanger. In 2023, winners earned 249 and 219 votes, respectively, while Hatton claimed 150. Voters may select any two of the four.
Maggie Valley incumbent aldermen Jim Owens and John Hinton have both filed for reelection to their seats but have no challengers.
JACKSON COUNTY
In the Town of Sylva, Mayor Johnny Phillips is unopposed. Commissioner Mary Gelbaugh has retired after 12 years of service, creating an open seat, and Commissioner Joe Waldrum has filed for reelection, leaving voters to pick any two candidates from a crowded field that includes Waldrum, Brooklyn Joan Brownie, Dwight D. McMahan, Taylor Horne, Samuel McGuire and Calvin Autrey, Jr. In 2023, it took a little over 200 votes to claim a seat.
But that’s not the only Sylva race generating interest. Commissioner Jon Brown is running to keep his unexpired seat (SMN had previously reported incorrectly that Brown was elected; he was in fact appointed). Brown made waves by torpedoing a proposed resolution of support for the FRL but
has since expressed regret for the decision and plans to put forth another. He’ll be opposed by Sarah Hirsch, who was outspoken during the lead-up to Jackson County commissioners voting to leave the Fontana Regional Library system, and Perry Matthews, general manager of Meatballs Pizzeria. Voters must select only one. In the Village of Forest Hills, three seats are up for election. Mayor Marcia Almond has filed but will be challenged by former Jackson County Commissioner Ron Mau. For Village Council, Mayor Pro Tem Daniel Shields filed, but Robert Kehrberg, who stepped in to fill a vacancy on Council, decided not to run. Planning board member Amy Bollinger has stepped up, as has James Hartley. Voters may select two of the three. Races in Forest Hills usually generate about 50 votes.
In Webster, Mayor Tracy Rodes is done after 10 years of service, but Commissioner Leigh Ann Young has filed to replace Rodes and will do so without opposition.
Three seats on Webster’s Board of Commissioners are also up for election. Incumbent Dale Collins is part of a five-person field that includes Sara Stahlman, Daniel Riggs, Susan Raaf and Brad Reisinger. In 2023, the top vote-getter received 20 votes.
Dillsboro is unique in that it still doesn’t have staggered terms, meaning the mayor and all five members of Town Council are up for reelection this year. It doesn’t, however, mean all that much — no one filed to oppose any of them, so Mayor Tim Parris will be rejoined by Council members James Cochran, John Miele, David Gates, Gladys Pilarski and Keith Clark.
There are only a handful of voters in the Jackson County side of Highlands, with most of them residing in the Macon County side.
2025 municipal election roundup
Italics indicate incumbents.
HAYWOOD COUNTY
Canton
Choose one:
Mayor Zeb Smathers
Choose two:
Board of Aldermen/women Kristina E. Proctor
Board of Aldermen/women Tim Shepard
Board of Aldermen/women Neal Swanger
Board of Aldermen/women Adam Hatton
Clyde
Choose two:
Board of Aldermen Diane Fore
Board of Aldermen Frank Lay
Board of Aldermen Cory Nuckolls
Board of Aldermen Kathy Cogburn Johnson
Maggie Valley
Choose two:
Board of Aldermen John Hinton
Board of Aldermen Jim Owens
Waynesville
Choose two:
Town Council Julia Boyd Freeman
Town Council Anthony Sutton
Town Council Landen Stevenson
JACKSON COUNTY
Dillsboro
Choose one:
Mayor Tim Parris
Choose five:
Town Council James Cochran
Town Council John P. Miele
Town Council Gladys Pilarski
Town Council David Gates
Town Council Keith L. Clark
Forest Hills
Choose one:
Mayor Marcia Almond
Mayor Ron Mau
Choose two:
Village Council Daniel Shields
Village Council Amy Bollinger
Village Council James Hartley
Sylva
Choose one:
Mayor Johnny Phillips
Together, they’ll decide who will fill one seat in the remote mountain enclave. Incumbent
Mayor Patrick Taylor will face Paul Ordner. When Taylor was last elected, he counted 347 votes.
Commissioners Amy Patterson and Eric Pierson will retain their seats unopposed.
MACON COUNTY
Franklin Mayor Jack Horton will not seek another term, opening up an opportunity for Council member Stacy Guffey or Matthew Holland to follow Horton. In Horton’s last election, he received 89 votes.
Guffey’s move opens up his Town Council seat and along with the departure of David Culpepper, who chose not to seek reelection, the board will certainly see some
Choose two:
Town Council Joseph Waldrum
Town Council Brooklyn Joan Brownie
Town Council Dwight D. McMahan
Town Council Taylor (Armstrong) Horne
Town Council Samuel McGuire
Town Council Calvin Alvoyd Autrey Jr.
Choose one:
Town Council (unexpired term)Jon Brown
Town Council (unexpired term)Sarah Hirsch
Town Council (unexpired term)Perry Matthews
Webster Choose one:
Mayor Leigh Anne Young
Choose three:
Board of Commissioners
Dale Collins
Board of Commissioners Sara Stahlman
Board of Commissioners Daniel Riggs
Board of Commissioners Susan Raaf
Board of Commissioners Brad Reisinger
MACON COUNTY
Franklin
Choose one:
Mayor Stacy J. Guffey
Mayor Matthew D Holland
Choose three:
Town Council Rita Salain
Town Council Jeff Berry
Town Council Travis Higdon
Town Council Kelton Bailey
Town Council Tim Cook
Town Council Paul A. Thatcher
Town Council Bob Scott
Town Council Kore P Newman
Highlands
Choose one:
Mayor Patrick Taylor
Mayor Paul Ordner
Choose two:
Board of Commissioners Amy Patterson
Board of Commissioners Eric Pierson
SWAIN COUNTY Bryson City
Choose two:
Board of Aldermen Tim Hines
Board of Aldermen Ben King
Board of Aldermen W. Kent Maxey
Source: North Carolina State Board of Elections, The Smoky Mountain News
changes come November.
Council Member Rita Salain is in, as are newcomers Jeff Berry, Tim Cook, Travis Higdon, Kelton Bailey, Paul Thatcher, Kore Newman and former Franklin Mayor Bob Scott. In 2023, about 90 votes was enough to claim a seat. Voters may choose any three.
SWAIN COUNTY
Incumbent Bryson City aldermen Tim Hines and Ben King have decided to give it another go, but will face opposition in the person of W. Kent Maxey. Voters may choose two and can normally expect around 60 votes to be cast.
For more information on the upcoming municipal elections, visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections at ncsbe.gov.
Near the end of the event, demonstrators stood in silence, holding candles dedicated to the memory of late Congressman John Lewis (D-GA). Jeffrey Delannoy photo
Waynesville march honors the legacy of John Lewis
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
On the five-year anniversary of the death of civil rights icon and longtime U.S. Congressman John Lewis, more than 170 people clad in black and white gathered on the steps of the Haywood County Historic Courthouse for a somber memorial that quickly turned into a powerful statement of resistance.
The rally, organized by local activist group Hands off Haywood, began just after 7 p.m. with a speech that evoked the spirit of Lewis’ decades-long fight for justice and nonviolence.
“There are more than 1,600 such gatherings happening across the country tonight,”
ing a political demonstration of any kind. For others, it was just the latest chapter in a lifetime of activism.
“You may be out here tonight for the very first time,” Larsen said. “What matters is that it’s never too late to be the person you were meant to be. And you, every one of you, were meant to be an activist.”
Even as attendees acknowledged the rollbacks of civil rights protections, threats to free speech, mounting pressure on social safety nets and the uphill battle ahead, they also acknowledged one another.
“We hope you feel surrounded and supported by those who are also on this journey,” said Larsen. “Whatever your personal experience, we can all agree that it’s been an
said Carol Larsen, a member of the Hands off Haywood planning committee. “We wear black in remembrance of him. And when invoking his name, we remember that Black and indigenous populations have been fighting for freedom longer than we’ve been alive — longer than we’ve even been a nation.”
The event was one of many nationwide observances commemorating Lewis, who died on July 17, 2020. A towering figure in the Civil Rights movement, Lewis famously led the 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where he suffered a fractured skull at the hands of police. Until his death, he continued urging Americans to get into what he called “good trouble” in pursuit of justice.
That phrase echoed throughout the evening in Waynesville, where organizers, speakers and attendees carried Lewis’ message forward not just in symbolism, but also in a call to action.
“John Lewis knew firsthand the importance of building endurance for the long fight,” Larsen said. “This evening is about recharging our batteries and building that endurance together.”
For some, it was their first time attend-
emotionally exhausting time.”
Retired Air Force Major Mary Ford delivered one of the most impassioned speeches of the evening. As the crowd listened intently, Ford, who served 17 years, described the threats to the Constitution as her greatest concern.
“As a retired military officer, the shredding of our Constitution has hit me the hardest. I, like many, took an oath to support and defend the Constitution,” Ford said, later adding that she’d never imagined she’d have to defend it here at home. “We are looking at the denying of medical care and food to our most vulnerable. These actions don’t just affect the recipients. They will affect nursing homes, hospitals and those who provide food assistance and the list goes on and on.”
She went on to describe how Lewis’ legacy inspired her to transform her frustration into purpose.
“It’s OK to be angry,” Ford said. “But then breathe and let the anger go. Turn it into hope and action.”
As the last of the sun’s rays faded behind growing storm clouds, Ford walked down S EE MARCH, PAGE 12
The march, which snaked from the courthouse to town hall and back down Main Street to the courthouse, was attended by around 170 people. Jeffrey Delannoy photo
the courthouse steps and took her place at the front of the silent procession. In single file, well over 150 people followed behind her in silence, most clutching signs. They marched slowly and solemnly, a visible and audible contrast to the hustle of a normal summer evening on Main Street. No counterdemonstrators were present, although there were one or two hecklers that tried to engage with marchers to no avail. Even longtime activists admitted the experience was unexpectedly powerful, as the procession made its way past restaurants, bars and shops. Outside the Waynesville Diner, a young girl stood and watched the marchers pass. Her expression,
according to Ford, captured the gravity of the moment.
“That image will stay in my heart forever,” Ford said.
The demonstration wasn’t just for show, Larsen said. Rather, it was intended to galvanize local residents to take their involvement to the next level not just by attending marches and rallies, but also by registering to vote, volunteering for campaigns and even running for office themselves.
“Our emphasis is as much on supporting one another as it is encouraging one another to take action,” Larsen said. “Showing up here tonight, it doesn’t change the way government governs. But leaving here inspired to go take further actions is what we’re all about.”
Larsen said that while the organization’s weekly Saturday protests have become a familiar fixture on the courthouse lawn since early March, this event felt different. It wasn’t just a protest, it was a moment to find comfort in community and to rediscover purpose in a time of political fatigue.
“This group stands for compassion being shown by all, to all,” she said. “We stand for the rule of law and its due process application to all people. We stand for civil rights for all, the very rights John Lewis fought so hard for.”
As the crowd returned to the courthouse after the march — Democrats, unaffiliated voters and, according to organizers, even a few quiet Republicans — volunteers began distributing candles. Hundreds of tiny
flames sprang to life and danced in the evening breeze, illuminating faces lined with determination, weariness and hope. Most simply stood in silence.
Once the candles were snuffed out and the courthouse lawn emptied, the mood remained somber but resolute until a torrential thunderstorm — looming all afternoon but politely holding space for those honoring Lewis’ memory — chased remaining attendees to the safety of their cars and homes. But for many, John Lewis’ legacy isn’t just a memory. It’s a mandate.
“The fact that at 70 years old, I did my first protest, and now I’m leading protests, that wasn’t on my bingo card,” said Ford, reflecting on her unexpected organizing role. “But I’m in it till the end.”
FROM 11
Most marchers wore black and white, meant to draw attention.
Jeffrey Delannoy/Cory Vaillancourt photos
Haywood allocates nearly $3M in opioid funds to treatment, prevention
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
Haywood County commissioners have adopted a resolution and corresponding ordinance that lays out how nearly $3 million in opioid settlement funds will be spent over the next 14 years, focusing heavily on treatment, recovery and mitigation within the criminal justice system.
The funding, part of a national settlement with companies involved in opioid manufacturing, distribution and dispensing, must be used according to strict state guidelines under North Carolina’s Memorandum of Agreement with local governments.
On July 21, commissioners formally approved a seven-part strategy totaling $2,932,343 through a resolution and companion ordinance that establishes the fiscal framework for the spending.
The largest allocation, more than $1 million, is earmarked for recovery support services, including housing, peer support, transportation, job training and childcare for those in recovery.
Another $500,000 will go toward addiction treatment for people who are incarcerated, along with $500,000 for diversion programs designed to offer alternatives to jail for nonviolent offenders struggling with substance use disorder.
Other approved strategies include $350,000 for evidence-based addiction treatment, $250,000 for reentry programs that help individuals transition back into society after incarceration, $200,000 for naloxone distribution to reverse overdoses and $100,000 for employment-related services.
All funds were available starting July 1, and must be expended by June 30, 2039.
Each strategy comes directly from the MOA’s “Exhibit A,” a list of high-impact, evidence-based interventions. The MOA requires counties to choose from this menu unless they complete a broader strategic planning process to unlock additional options under “Exhibit B.” Haywood chose to follow Option A,
streamlining implementation while ensuring compliance with the state’s guidelines.
The ordinance adopted by the board establishes a new settlement project fund specifically for these expenditures and authorizes the county finance officer to track and report the use of funds annually. No county general fund revenue will be used to supplement the settlement fund expenditures.
Under Section 13.2 of Chapter 159 of the North Carolina General Statutes, such a project ordinance allows multi-year spending, accommodating the long-term nature of opioid response strategies. According to the ordinance, the county’s finance officer must also maintain detailed accounting records to meet both state and settlement agreement compliance standards.
The adopted measures are the latest step in a years-long process that began when Haywood joined the national litigation against opioid producers and distributors. The resulting settlements have brought billions of dollars into local communities across the country, with North Carolina counties like Haywood expected to receive annual installments over time.
While much of the damage from the opioid epidemic is already done, county leaders say the funding represents a chance to mitigate future harm and rebuild systems of support.
The July 21 resolution and ordinance follow months of internal planning and public discussion, although no specific partner organizations or vendors have yet been announced. Contracts for services are expected to be brought before the board in future meetings as funds become available.
As part of ongoing transparency requirements, Haywood County will publish annual reports detailing how the funds are spent and what outcomes are achieved. That data will also be shared with the state to help inform future investments in opioid prevention and recovery.
Haywood commissioners took a big step in combatting substance use disorder. File photo
Former Swain sheriff indicted on rape charge
BY KYLE PERROTTI N EWS E DITOR
Former Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran, who retired earlier this month amid sexual assault charges, is now facing a second-degree rape charge.
Cochran was formally indicted on the latest charge Monday, July 21, and was arrested by an SBI agent the morning of Tuesday, July, 22.
Cochran, who was first elected to office in 2006, was charged on June 27 with one count of sexual battery, soliciting a prostitute and assault on a female, all misdemeanors, as well as felonious restraint. In addition, Cochran has been charged with violations of the Cherokee Code; specifically, two counts of oppression in office and one count of abusive sexual contact.
According to court records, Cochran, in an official Swain County Sheriff’s Office vehicle, solicited two women — both of whom he picked up while walking along the road — for prostitution. He also allegedly touched them on their breasts and legs without consent and in one case, he even allegedly exposed himself. The alleged victim in the rape case is different than the two victims of the prior alleged assaults.
Shortly after Cochran’s arrest, District Attorney Ashley Welch filed a petition for his removal from office.
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Tessa Sellers suspended Cochran and set a hearing in Graham County for July 7 to review the suspension. She set a final determination in Swain County for July 21 on the petition to remove Cochran; however, he retired unceremoniously on July 1 before those hearings could be held.
According to an email from Swain County, at the time he retired, Cochran’s salary was $102,205 per year.
His pension eligibility is determined through the NCOrbit retirement system. The county completes a form showing the retirement date, and that’s its only role in the process. There are no other county benefits Cochran will continue to receive.
On his most recent charge, Cochran was released on $50,000 bond under the conditions that he doesn’t leave the state, doesn’t break any other laws and doesn’t have any contact with his alleged victim. He is scheduled to appear in court alongside his attorney, Jack Stewart, on Sept. 24. Seconddegree rape is a class C felony, punishable by 44-182 months in prison.
Curtis Cochran
Pioneer Heritage Festival to be Held in Clyde
The Haywood County Historical & Genealogical Society is hosting a Pioneer Heritage Festival in Clyde, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 26.
The festival is free to the public and will take place on the grounds of the Museum of Haywood County History at 178 Morgan St. The event is sponsored in part by Visit Haywood.
Heritage demonstrations will be held onsite with artisans showcasing the skills that were needed for daily living in the early 1800s. Blacksmithing, building skills, broom making, basket making, weaving and colonial toy making will be some of the featured demonstrations. Experts on American long rifles will be on hand to showcase their collection and answer questions. Colonial era maps provided by the Mountain Gateway Museum will be on display for visitors to view. Members of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will help visitors learn how to identify ancestors who fought in the American Revolution.
showcasing the skills that were needed for daily living in the early 1800s. Donated photo
The festival is a family-friendly event. Kids of all ages will enjoy unique “hands-on” activities including shelling corn, pumping water, churning butter, making cane fishing poles, playing with colonial toys and interacting with each other at selfie stations.
Food trucks will be onsite, and old-time music will be performed by local musicians.
During the festival, visitors can take a free tour of the Museum of Haywood County History, which is housed in the historic Shook-Smathers House.
Planning for the Pioneer Heritage Festival, an America 250 NC event, was accomplished with assistance from the Haywood County America 250 NC Committee. The Committee includes representatives of Haywood County government, Haywood County Historical & Genealogical Society, the Sons of the American Revolution, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Town of Waynesville.
For more information, contact hchgsociety@gmail.com or call 828.564.1044.
Meet Chris Cox at Smoky Mountain Roasters
Local author and award-winning Smoky Mountain News columnist Chris Cox will make an appearance at Smoky Mountain Roasters in Hazelwood from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, July 26. Sponsored by Blue Ridge Books and Smoky Mountain Roasters, the event will feature signing and sales of Cox’s latest book, “We didn’t miss a thing.” Cox’s wry humor and uncommon wit shines across all 428 pages of what SMN book review columnist Jeff Minick said was a work that drops the reader “into the middle of a family and give us a real-life version of its ups and downs, its struggles and triumphs, its comedies and tragedies.” 444 Hazelwood Ave. Free. facebook.com/blueridgebooks.
More whooping cough cases identified
Haywood County has confirmed an additional case of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, increasing the total number of active cases to eight.
Among the confirmed cases, one is an adult, and the rest are children and teens under the age of 19 within the county.
Haywood Health and Human Services will continue to monitor closely and will provide updates to the community as the number of active cases changes.
Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness that spreads through coughing or sneezing. It causes intense coughing fits that can interfere with breathing, eating and sleeping. The illness can be especially dangerous for babies, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
Common Symptoms:
• Severe or long-lasting coughing fits.
• A “whooping” sound when inhaling after a cough.
• Vomiting after coughing.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Mild fever (or no fever at all).
Recommendations to avoid catching the illness include: 1. Get vaccinated:
Vaccination is the most effective prevention method. The CDC recommends:
• Babies and young children: Shots at 2, 4, 6, and 15–18 months, and again at 4–6 years.
• Pre-teens: Booster shot around age 11 or 12.
• Adults: Tdap booster if not received before.
• Pregnant women: Tdap vaccine during each pregnancy (between 27–36 weeks).
2. Stay home if sick:
Anyone experiencing symptoms should stay home from work, school, or daycare to help prevent spreading the illness.
3. Practice good hygiene:
Wash your hands frequently and cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
Vaccinations are available at Haywood County Health and Human Services, located at 157 Paragon Parkway in Clyde. The Health Department works with both insured and uninsured patients. To schedule an appointment or ask questions, call 828.452.6675.
To learn more about pertussis and how to protect yourself and your family, visit cdc.gov/pertussis.
WCU offers ACE CNC machining bootcamps
Western Carolina University’s College of Engineering and Technology will offer two free America’s Cutting Edge Machining Bootcamps this summer open to students and community members high school age and older. The sessions run July 28 through Aug. 1 and Aug. 4–8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on WCU’s campus.
ACE is a national Computer Numerical Control machine training program created to help meet the workforce demand for machinists. Managed by the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation through an agreement with the Department of Defense Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program, ACE bootcamps introduce participants to the fundamentals of machining and advanced manufacturing, regardless of prior experience.
Each participant will create a working air engine — a small, piston-powered device that spins when air is applied.
To learn more, visit americascuttingedge.org. To register, email WCU engineering faculty member Scott Pierce at rspierce@wcu.edu.
HCC nursing program to hold open house
Thursday, July 24
Haywood Community College’s nursing program will hold an open house on Thursday, July 24 from 5-6 p.m. in the Juniper Building on the main campus.
Guests will be able to meet HCC’s instructors, receive program and classroom tours and review key dates regarding the admissions process for this program.
Classroom tours will showcase training and education tools such as the anatomage table, full-scale patient bed and the interactive manikins.
Students can also talk with admissions officers, advisors and financial aid experts for this program. From scholarships and grants to key partnerships with organizations such as Haywood Regional Health System, there are multiple ways students can receive partial or full funding for the nursing program.
Registration for fall classes is currently open. Attending this event will allow potential students to receive all the necessary information to get ready to enter this highdemand career field.
Students complete tiny home, graduate from SCC/TERO facilities maintenance class
To help fill some of the region’s most pressing workforce needs, Southwestern Community College partnered with the
Pisgah French student wins national award
The American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) is pleased to announce that Rebecca Terrell has received a 2025 AATF Outstanding Senior in French Award. This award is only given to one student per school annually. This award is made out to students who have demonstrated excellence in the study of French as well as exceptional commitment to the French language and the many cultures where it is spoken. Recipients must be nonnative speakers of French and be in their senior year, have completed three years of formal French study, maintain an “A” average in French and “B” overall, and participate in extracurricular French activities.
broad eligibility criteria, be focused on a particular school or county, offered to students pursuing a degree in a stated field or available to those who will attend a designated college or university.
HCC hosts fundraiser for students
Get ready to shop for a cause at Soles Helping Souls, a one-of-a-kind fundraising event hosted by the Haywood Community College Foundation on Thursday, July 31. This exciting evening combines fashion, fun and philanthropy to support the Lavender Fund, which provides critical emergency assistance to HCC students in need.
The event, Soles Helping Souls, will feature over 200 pairs of ladies’ brand-name shoes in the box, such as Fly London, Clarks, and more. These shoes are offered at a discount with proceeds benefiting HCC students. This shopping experience is elevated with local vendors offering handcrafted jewelry, artisan soaps, bath bombs and other boutique treasures.
Tickets are $10 for general admission and $20 for VIP access, which grants early entry at 5:30 p.m. The event begins at 6 p.m. in the Juniper Building on HCC’s campus. To purchase tickets, visit givebutter.com/soleshelpingsouls.
Terrell has studied French for three years and is the student of Emily M Burrus. She a member of the French Club at Pisgah High School in Canton and has participated in local National French Week activities. She is a member of the National Honor Society and is studying multiple languages including French, Spanish, Japanese and Korean.
Terrell is highly involved in community volunteering including assisting at blood drives, volunteering at food pantries, cemetery beautification projects, and litter pick-up. She is certified in CPR and a participant in the MAHEC Health Careers Academy. She enjoys creative writing and literary analysis.
Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) in Cherokee to train students in construction skills over the past six months. Their project? Building a tiny house.
Fourteen students drove in the last nail earlier this summer and graduated from the Facilities Maintenance class on July 1 on SCC’s Jackson campus. They developed floor plans and got experience practicing plumbing and electrical work in addition to learning hands-on construction skills that can be used to secure employment.
The partnership between SCC and TERO allows enrolled members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) to learn a skill without paying tuition or materials costs.
Tuition was covered by Southwestern, and TERO paid for the materials.
“The skills these students gain will lead to stable, fulfilling employment for everyone willing to learn, put in the time and work hard,” said Scott Sutton, SCC’s dean of workforce continuing education. “For me personally, it’s been exciting to watch the progress of a tiny house being built from the foundation all the way until the last shingle is nailed onto the roof.”
The tiny house built by the class will be
sold, and proceeds will go back into the program.
For more information or to sign up for a future class, contact Latresa Shuler at 828.339.4425 or ldowns@SouthwesternCC.edu.
Community Foundation awards scholarships totaling $586,500
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina approved scholarships totaling $586,500 to 94 WNC students in 59 schools in 20 counties. More than 50 volunteers from the community worked to review applications and select recipients.
Top recipient Nayely Mireles of Blue Ridge School was awarded the Gene and Lee Meyer Scholarship, valued at $12,000 over four years, the Heffington Scholarship, valued at $3,000, and the WNC RegionalNewton Academy-Forster/Stevens Scholarship, valued at $1,000. Tung Dang and Trenton May of Smoky Mountain High also earned scholarships. Scholarship endowments can have
For more information about the event or how to give to HCC’s Foundation, visit haywood.edu, email hebirenbaum@haywood.edu or call 828.627.4544.
Blue Ridge Premier Realty gives $1,000 to SCC’s College & Career Readiness
Having worked for Southwestern Community College years ago, Susan Fouts is keenly aware of how SCC changes lives.
Now with Blue Ridge Premier Realty, Fouts and her colleagues Angie Hambling and Renee Corbin recently donated $1,000 to help Southwestern’s College & Career Readiness program give even more folks a fresh start in life.
“Increasing education attainment increases chances of owning a home,” Fouts said. “Literacy and high school diploma attainment are critical.”
SCC’s College & Career Readiness gets students ready for college classes and careers through High School Equivalency prep classes while also providing English Language Acquisition classes — and much more.
“We’re extremely grateful to the team at Blue Ridge Premier Realty for supporting our mission and our students,” said Devonne Jimison, SCC’s College & Career Readiness director.
For more information about SCC, visit SouthwesternCC.edu, call 828.339.4000 or drop by your nearest SCC location.
A win for open records, a warning to charter schools
A judge’s ruling earlier this month that ordered Shining Rock Classical Academy — a charter school in Haywood County — to turn over public records requested by a mother and this newspaper is a win for taxpayers across this state who fork over their hard-earned cash to fund both regular public schools and charters. Despite being less regulated than traditional public schools, charter schools still must comply with laws regarding public records.
The case was also a win for Rebecca Fitzgibbon, the mother who filed and suit and has claimed for years that Head of School Josh Morgan bullies and even ridicules students, an accusation backed up by former teachers and employees who testified under oath at the trial.
Finally, the ruling and court testimony raise some important questions about school discipline. Many of Fitzgibbon’s public records requests surrounded school policies regarding discipline and subsequent follow-up when parents weren’t satisfied with the outcome. And speaking of discipline, the school resource officer at Shining Rock admittedly used a “come along” hold on an 11-year-old student who was described as unruly, breaking the child’s wrist. Is this what we want from SROs in our schools, whose costs are routinely justified to local elected officials as a deterrent to school violence and mass shootings?
This whole court case stems from Fitzgibbon’s efforts to make sure the school had policies to follow when it came to disciplining students. As a former member of the school’s board, she first tried to work within the system after an incident involving her son. Stymied by Morgan and others on the board who refused to recognize their own shortcomings, she eventually had to seek relief through the judicial system.
Charter schools enjoy greater autonomy than traditional
Why we rally under ‘No Kings’
To the Editor:
America’s founders rejected monarchy for a reason: no one should ever hold unchecked power. That’s why Indivisible and others rally under “No Kings,” because that principle is under direct assault.
President Trump’s boasts about wanting to be a “dictator on day one” and to “run the country and the world” are not empty words — they signal a dangerous agenda. Through support for the “Unitary Executive Theory” and Project 2025, he seeks to concentrate power in the presidency, gut the independence of federal agencies, demand personal loyalty from public servants and sideline Congress and the courts.
But the threat goes even deeper. Trump has deliberately dismantled government systems to give himself and his loyalists unchecked control over the country. The National Security Council, for example, now serves to advance the president’s personal agenda rather than provide independent advice. Trump and his allies have claimed the constitutional authority not only to ignore laws themselves but to authorize others to do the same — as seen in recent letters from his attorney general to major companies.
public schools. They are subject to fewer regulations, particularly in terms of governance and academic accountability. In this case this lack of oversight — no elected school board running things — led to instances where Shining Rock under Morgan’s leadership routinely ignored public records requests or, even worse, tried to charge outlandish fees. Fitzgibbon had raised concerns about her child’s treatment and was met with resistance and even a countersuit for defamation filed against her (the judge threw it out) when she requested access to certain public records that could have clarified the school’s handling of the situation.
The denial of access to public records in this case is a significant problem. Public records laws exist to ensure that institutions funded by taxpayer money are held accountable to the public. When charter schools withhold these records, they effectively shield themselves from scrutiny, preventing parents and community members from holding them accountable for their actions. This lack of transparency undermines public trust, especially when it comes to handling sensitive issues like student discipline or allegations of misconduct.
Moreover, the public’s right to access these records is vital for maintaining a check on the power of charter schools. When records are withheld from the press, it fosters an environment where mismanagement or unethical behavior can thrive without the risk of exposure. The legal victory in the defamation part of this case highlights the need for charter
LETTERS
We are witnessing a direct assault on the rule of law and an accountable government. Federal courts, legal experts and watchdog groups have documented dozens of actions that violate or undermine constitutional principles: issuing executive orders that override constitutional rights, defying court rulings, attacking First Amendment freedoms and firing oversight officials to install loyalists. The Trump administration has lost numerous legal challenges for overstepping constitutional bounds and he has twice been impeached for abuses of power and obstruction of Congress. Alarmingly, the president has taken the unprecedented step of unleashing the U.S. military domestically, turning the power of our armed forces against the very Americans they are sworn to protect. This pattern of disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law is unmistakable.
Legal experts warn that this is how democracies die. When power is concentrated in one man’s hands, freedom and accountability vanish. We rally under “No Kings” because America must never be ruled by a would-be autocrat. We demand a government that serves the people, not the whims of a single individual.
Now is the time to defend the Constitution, uphold the rule of law, and stop
schools to respect the principle of transparency, ensuring that parents and the public can access relevant information when concerns arise.
This case also raised questions about the role of school resource officers in administering discipline. Originally, SROs were introduced to schools to provide a safe and secure environment, acting as law enforcement officers on campus. However, in many cases, not just at Shining Rock, roles have expanded to include disciplinary responsibilities. This blurs the lines — are SROs primary function ensuring safety or are they there to get involved in non-criminal behavioral issues?
In the case of Fitzgibbon, an SRO was involved in disciplining her child for a behavioral issue. This raises important concerns about the appropriateness of SROs handling situations that are not criminal in nature. SROs are law enforcement officers, and their presence and authority can create a power imbalance in situations that may be better handled by educators or counselors.
This case serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability in charter schools, as well as the potential dangers of over-relying on SROs for school discipline. Charter schools must respect the public’s right to access records, ensuring that they operate with the same transparency as traditional public schools. Additionally, the role of SROs in disciplining students should be carefully considered, with a focus on maintaining the separation between law enforcement duties and educational responsibilities. Addressing these issues is crucial to ensuring that all students, regardless of the type of school they attend, are treated fairly and with respect.
(Scott McLeod is the editor and publisher of The Smoky Mountain News. info@smokymountainnews.com.)
this push toward authoritarianism in its tracks — affirming the fundamental truth that in America, no one, not even the president, is above the law.
When a disaster like Hurricane Helene strikes, the impulse to “clean up” is powerful. That said, our recent approach in Jackson County to stream debris removal doesn’t make sense for the environment or our economy.
Folks that understand our creeks and streams know that “woody debris” and logs across the steam create pools for brookies and more. Appalachian streams are dependent on the decomposition of leaves and wood. Scientific acronyms, like a stream with LWD (large woody debris) with a lot of CPOM (coarse particulate organic matter), translate into a PGFS (pretty good fishing spots). All those leaves and branches are the base of a stream’s “food pyramid,” like grass in a prairie and oak trees in a forest. Removing that base causes the pyramid to start crumbling.
Everyone recognizes that excessive storm accumulation of dead wood in certain places may not be good for humans and might need to be moved for human safety. But the current debris removal program is overkill. An overkill that diminishes the Tuck’s reputation as a trout-fishing hotspot, a boon to our economy, and just plain ol’ beautiful. Yes, it is mind boggling and frustrating that there is money to remove debris but not money to revegetate impacted streamside buffers. But we can’t let a boggled mind lull us into inaction. Let’s support groups like WATR (Watershed Association of the Tuckasegee River) for taking action to heal the damage and for taking a practical approach when it comes to healthy streams for wildlife, fishing, drinking water and our economy.
Michael A. Wall Executive Director, Balsam Mountain Trust Sylva
We should beware of ‘Shock
Exhaustion’
To the Editor:
Sadly, the U.S. doesn’t seem to be making much progress in saving our democracy and way of life. Humans have a great gift for resilience, which helps us go
Editor Scott McLeod
through some very tough times and come out stronger. The flip side of that is we can get used to anything if it goes on long enough.
America is being subjected to a tsunami of grievance and fraud visited upon us by a very troubled man who, driven by his deep well of insecurity and need for control, has seeped into every corner of our lives. Masha Gessen, a Russian-American journalist, warns us of “Shock Exhaustion.” It is based on Masha’s experience of living, working and being tried in absentia in Russia, where Putin made changes in such rapid succession that people accepted his policies as routine and thus acceptable. Many believe that Putin’s influence on our president has resulted in our rapid rise to authoritarianism. Are we letting ourselves fall into complacency and a normalization of cruelty and fear?
Hitler was named chancellor on Jan 30, 1933. Dachau, his first concentration work/death camp, was opened on March 22, 1933, about two months later. (We are nearing our sixth month of autocracy). It started out as a forced work facility, but many died of starvation, disease, “medical experiments” and execution. Are our new immigration camps modeled after Hitler’s (who built more than 1,000 in total)?
In the Big Billionaires Budget, $45 billion was allocated for new camps which could add space for 100,000 detainees. The administration promised they would only be jailing and deporting dangerous criminals, but quickly expanded by white supremacist Stephen Miller to include lawabiding citizens and immigrants who were working toward becoming American citizens. This cruel policy is due to a hatred of difference and works as permanent voter suppression.
Thanks to all who are gathering together, protesting, writing, speaking out and learning to moderate the stress he puts us through. We all need to up our game and not be lulled into complacency. We are at a very perilous place.
Caryl Brt Waynesville
Who would have believed?
To the Editor:
A year ago …. who would have thought …
That the richest man in the world who helped elect the president with $290 million would be appointed to a bogus government agency and then walk in to real agencies with his teenage hackers with handles like “Big Balls” and fire thousands of government employees, destroying decades of institutional knowledge and dismantling agencies and parts of agencies that work on behalf of and protect American citizens.
That legal immigrants, those with misdemeanors, expired visas, or no involvement with the justice system would be kidnapped off the streets by masked “agents” and sent to places like “Alligator Alcatraz” or to third world foreign countries — with no due process and no legal representation.
Finding our authentic selves isn’t selfish
As I age and evolve, I realize more and more why it’s so important to be fully authentic, not only because it feels lighter but because it allows us to develop deep and true relationships, which ultimately is the most beautiful part of being human. Reflecting upon the stages of my life, I can recall periods where I’ve lost my way and disconnected from my true self. Why does this happen to so many of us?
Often, parents have their own ideas about the type of child they want to raise or a certain vision for their sons and daughters, which affects the way they parent. For many people, negative or positive situations in their own upbringing guide how they raise their own kids.
As an only child of a mother with mental health conditions and a father who worked long hours in a mill, my mom was sheltered as a child. Her parents were afraid to let her do things like play sports or go to dances or sleepovers. They finally allowed her to go to a roller skating rink one time and she broke her arm. Instead of viewing this as a common occurrence for a kid who’d never roller skated, they saw it as evidence that the world was dangerous. She spent a lot of time alone at her house perfecting skills like sewing and cooking. A talented seamstress and avid reader and writer, she was a creative who had minimal ways to release her imagination. She also loved Hollywood and used to tell stories of when her dad would take her to the cinema on Saturdays. When she was a teenager, she got a rare opportunity to lip sync on a local TV station. This experience gave her a taste of the spotlight which she loved. All of this shaped the way she chose to parent my sister and me.
When she became a mother, she wanted us to have the opportunities she missed out
Or that the president would cruelly rejoice at these kidnappings and threaten to send his political “enemies” like journalists or anyone who disagrees with him there, too.
on. With us being little girls, she assumed we’d both love dance lessons, baton classes, musical theater and beauty pageants. My sister was more of a girly-girl than I was and since she was older and already engrained in all these activities when I came along, my mom enrolled me in the same classes and lessons. I went along with it but always felt displaced, like I’d rather be running through the woods exploring or going to art camp. To this day, I hate wearing makeup and would rather be hiking or paddling on a lake than at a nail salon.
It was around middle school where I started to think, “Wait a minute. I have a choice here — I don’t enjoy all of this performative stuff.” It was hard to tell my mom that I wanted to quit everything because she loved dressing up her little “dolls” and watching us perform. When I look back on all of that, I realize my mom was simply doing her best and trying to give us the childhood she never had but always wanted.
During adolescence, I found the courage to advocate for myself. I quit dance lessons and pageants and joined more school sports and clubs. I was fully leaning into my true identity and those four years felt incredible and easy. Then I went to college and again, tried to fit into the “college girl” mold and became off-kilter again. I joined a sorority, even though I wasn’t really the sorority type. Additionally, my major wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do, but I kept going anyway. College was a good experience overall, but socially and aca-
beholden only to the president and those who cater to his whims.
That the “Justice” Department would be cleaned out of those working for the American people and stacked with those
demically, I wasn’t aligned with my true self.
When I became a mom, I vowed to be a student of my children and allow them to be who they truly are instead of trying to make them become something I’d fabricated from societal pressure or whatever influences inadvertently infiltrate our subconscious when it comes to parenting. My boys are similar in some ways but very different in other ways. They have different personalities and different interests, and I’ve worked hard to nurture each in his own way.
All of this brings me to wonder, why do we conform in the first place? On the surface, conforming seems like it would be easier or safer, and as humans, our core evolutionary goal is to keep ourselves safe. Being unique and authentic is messy and daring. It puts us at risk to be disliked or ostracized. In the end, however, it’s worth it.
When we are authentic, we have stronger relationships, we’re better leaders, our self-confidence improves, we’re more at peace, others trust us more, our mental and physical health is stronger. I was recently reminded of the quote by Howard Thurman that says, “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
This single quote conveys the sentiment of this column. If we could stop worrying about fitting in, pleasing others or blindly following the standard quo, and instead, focus on what makes us come alive, so much could shift within our own souls and the world collectively.
(Susanna Shetley is a writer, editor and digital media specialist. susanna.b@smokymountainnews.com.)
That laws would be passed to give more money to the richest and take food and medical care away from those who need some help; that money Congress has already allocated for programs benefiting real (but not wealthy) people would be taken away; or that Congress with very few exceptions would really just go belly up to do the bidding of
the president no matter how damaging to real people.
That cryptocurrency would be
enshrined to be reimbursed first with my real money if it caused a bank run as occurred many times in 2023; or that the president would set up a crypto scheme he can use for untraceable bribes.
That the acting head of FEMA, David Richardson, would say he “didn’t know there was a hurricane season,” but FEMA is on the short list for demolition anyway.
That Russell Vought, the main author of Project 2025 — the blueprint for dismantling the U.S. government, would be in charge of the Office of Management and Budget and able to make his dreams come true and the chaos, cruelty, and corruption permanent, with all of the above rubber stamped by the supreme “court”.
No one would have believed these things a year ago — but our democracy is being systematically dismantled according to Project 2025 and a dictatorship installed instead, with citizens marching in the street to object. Let’s keep marching — truth is so much stranger than fiction.
Phyllis Jarvinen Waynesville
Susanna Shetley
Break free, rolling stone
Justin Osborne of Susto
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR
When it comes to modern-day singersongwriters, Justin Osborne is becoming a fast-rising face in the musical realms of Americana, alt-country and indierock, his poignant words cutting through the white noise and endless distraction of a chaotic, digital world.
Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, Osborne is the founder and lead singer of Susto, a popular wild-n-out rock outfit whose core values remain quality songwriting, soaring vocals and a staggering stage presence. Though nowadays Osborne resides in Austin, Texas, Osborne finds his true home being onstage night after night, this sacred space of sound and scope — gratitude radiating in this shared interaction between a musician and their audience.
Catching up with The Smoky Mountain News while currently on tour, Osborne spoke atlength about his creative process, takeaways from his unrelenting musical journey thus far, and the power of what it means to step up to microphone and sing your truth with songs immortal.
The Smoky Mountain News: What do you see when you look in the rearview mirror at the road to the “here and now?”
I’m really grateful to be able to have this life, and to be able to perform and connect with people through songs so regularly.
My songs have taken me more places than I could’ve ever hoped or imagined, and they’ve given me a really special life. It’s hard to separate my life and experience from the act of writing songs, because it’s really all been tied
you’ve been on the road for a little bit and you’re in a rhythm. A lot of times it feels like an emotional and spiritual connection between a bunch of people. And even when it doesn’t quite get there, I think that’s always ultimately what you’re going for.
Over time, [live performance has] revealed itself to me as an important place for self-
“Sharing creative space with the folks I’m playing with, as well as the audience, is something I’m always looking for. It’s sacred to me, and I think it always has been.”
— Justin Osborne
out, through the songs.
Sharing creative space with the folks I’m playing with, as well as the audience, is something I’m always looking for. It’s sacred to me, and I think it always has been. I’ve really come to appreciate it and trust it more as I’ve gotten older and my career has developed.
It’s also a space of self-discovery and growth, so that part of it keeps every performance feeling alive and unique.
SMN: What are the structures and templates you meander through in conjuring and cultivating a melody?
Justin Osborne: I got into songwriting about age 12. Even though neither of my parents really played, we had a guitar that had belonged to my grandparents. And I started attempting to learn chords on it, mostly with the intent of writing songs. I learned a few cover songs, too. But, from the start, my main motivation was writing songs. Since the self-titled Susto album was released [in 2014], I’ve been all in on making records and touring for a living. Luckily, I’ve had some really wonderful help along the way from folks around me, and folks who believe in me.
All this, plus stubbornness probably, has allowed me to keep doing it and create a living out of it. It’s a miracle when I think back on everything that got me to where I am today.
Want to go?
As part of the “Salon Series,” singer-songwriter Justin Osborne will perform an intimate showcase at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 24, at the Highlander Mountain House in downtown Highlands. Admission is $39.19 per person. Other upcoming acts for the “Salon Series” will also include rising Americana/country act Holly Williams Aug. 28.
To note, there’s also live music by singer-songwriter Zorki from 1-3 p.m. every Saturday and a “Bluegrass Brunch” from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Sunday.
For more information and/or to purchase a ticket, visit highlandermountainhouse.com or call 828.526.2590.
into that for a long time and continues to be.
SMN: In the live realm, what does that space mean to you?
JO: Performing is like a ceremony. I don’t know how else to describe it. Especially after
expression and connection. The traveling involved with performing can be a lot on me and my family, and that can make the whole thing seem like the wheels are going to fall off sometimes. But, once the performance begins, it’s possible to transcend and really get a lot
JO: There is no absolute formula for me. There are no rules. And I don’t ever try to force it. I mostly write when I’m feeling personally compelled to or when I’m asked to by someone I know.
When I engage in songwriting, I try to view it as a sacred ritual or practice, while also not taking it too seriously. I write some things alone, and some things with other people. I’ve pretty much tried every approach in the book that I know of. And I love all the different methods, because, ultimately, you’re writing a song.
Inspiration comes from everywhere. There’s nothing really off the table for songwriting in my opinion. In our house, we write a song about everything, from silly stuff with the kids, to making sense of the world’s chaos, to mourning the deaths of family members. Songwriting allows you to use any moment, any situation, to be creative and leave an artistic monument to what you witnessed, felt or thought.
When I’m really feeling inspired by something, sometimes a song will literally just fall out of me, like it’s pulled from thin air. I’ll just pick up a guitar, start to play and sing whatever comes to me, and like magic it’s there. The ability to do this, I’m sure is the result of many years honing my skills as a writer. And I haven’t always been able to do it, but it’s my favorite way of writing. Because, when it happens, it feels like I was “supposed” to write that song.
It’s like the song was just right there floating through time and space, and I just reached out and grabbed it. In those moments, I feel like the story was meant to be told, and I was meant to tell it — and that’s a powerful feeling.
Justin Osborne will play Highlands July 24. Donated photo
‘Well,
HThis must be the place
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
I don’t worry, I’m sitting on top of the world’
ello from Room 12 of The Sapphire Motel on North Seventh Avenue in Bozeman, Montana. I’m currently on my way to Whitefish, in the far northwest corner of the state, for the Under the Big Sky festival. I’m here on assignment, once again, where the gratitude to do so remains.
The one-floor retro motel is picturesque and pristine. Right next to my old truck is an antique Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight, placed neatly and nicely to intrigue the passerby tourists to possible pull in and book a room. It’s worth it. Trust me. I’d stay here again in a heartbeat. There’s just something so nostalgic and glorious about these roadside motels.
Regardless, my mind is wandering and pondering, as always. This town (Bozeman) is home to a lot of memories and ghosts of my past. I have a long history in this city tucked away in the depths of the high desert of the Rocky Mountains. Heck, the memories go all the way back to the early 1990s when my parents took my little sister and I (at seven years old) were first brought to “The West” to see and feel everything here.
The “Friends” reruns on the motel TV reminds me of my late cousin (the older brother I never had) and my aunt, the old days on the Canadian Border when I was a young kid visiting them from my childhood home across town. The show was always on their TV. The gas station around the corner from this motel reminds me of when the two of them called Bozeman home and I’d routinely visit them. This was years ago.
South Dakota. I had just spent the last two days with dear friends who reside there. Of which, the wife of the couple was someone I worked with during my rookie reporting gig at the Teton Valley News in Driggs, Idaho, in 2008. We’ve remained friends, thankfully.
She’s a soulmate of sorts, a rock to stand on amid the uncertain chaos of a modern world.
HOT PICKS
1
“An Appalachian Evening” series will continue with a performance by Unspoken Tradition at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.
2
A special stage production of the Broadway classic “Anything Goes” will be held at 7:30 p.m. July 2426, 31, Aug. 1-2, 7-9 and 2 p.m. July 27, Aug. 3,10 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
3
Asheville Mountain Boys (Americana/bluegrass) will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 26, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Waynesville.
4
“Concerts on the Creek” music series will host Sun of Stars at 7 p.m. Friday, July 25, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.
5
Singer-songwriter Wyatt Espalin will hit the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City.
desert prairie, I thought of so many people, places, and things. Most prominent was my late grandfather. He always seems to pop into my head when I traverse the Rockies. He was obsessed with “The West,” even though he never ever traveled around these parts. I fondly remember visiting him at our family house on the Canadian Border, my hometown of Rouses Point, New York. He always had old reruns of cowboy shows or Western flicks blaring on the TV. He would talk about how much he loved those images. I find solidarity in that.
And yet, when I pulled up to that gas station, a flood of memories came across my field of vision of times rolling in for cold cases of beer (for my cousin and I) and cigarettes (for just my cousin). It’s funny how certain generic places hold such a spot in the back of your mind. This random gas station to most (if not, all folks). But, for me, it conjures vivid images of a time and place that doesn’t exist anymore — only in my heart of hearts, only in the depths of what means the most to me.
It’s wild to know a town (Bozeman) so well, even if I feel kind of like a stranger here nowadays. I used to have family here. A guest room to crash in. A free place to stay and park my truck. Friendly, familiar faces to welcome me and offer me a hearty dinner and even heartier conversation and interaction. Now? I have to a book a motel room. My aunt is in Charlotte. My cousin buried in a cemetery in my hometown.
Earlier today, I awoke at a Fairfield Inn in Sheridan, Wyoming. The night prior, I was rocketing up Interstate 90 from Rapid City,
So, as I rolled along the highway towards Montana via Wyoming, the sun started to fall behind the mighty Big Horn Mountains to the west. And, like clockwork, I put on some of the finest tunes to play in such a setting, which, for me, is Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys. The first of which was “Sittin’ On Top Of The World.” The melody and words seamlessly echoing from the stereo and out into the ether of my journey, “All of summer, and all of fall, just trying to find my little all in all.”
And, truth be told, there is something so damn splendid and mesmerizing when you play Bob Wills, the truck on cruise control at a steady 80 miles per hour. Nothing but endless highway in front of you, nothing but meaningless concerns and priorities in the rearview mirror. When Bob Wills hits your heart and soul in the midst of a cross-country trek across the country, nothing else seems to matter but “the moment” itself. You dig? If not, you’ll find out in due time, my friend. Trust me. As I watched and observed that sunset fade in real time atop the Wyoming high
So, here I am. This motel room in Bozeman. My family long gone from this place. But, their fingerprints appear on the restaurants and breweries and such as I drive around town, nonchalantly trying to locate a parking spot. I think of them, and I salute them. I think of my former girlfriend, who I also brought through here in recent years. It was her first time in Montana. I salute her, too. She was a good’un.
If there’s any point to this week’s column, it’s to express deep sorrow and profound gratitude for simply being present in those moments, all of which only now existing in my thoughts. Would you rather have those memories created and vanish or not have them at all? I prefer that former. Give me the truth of a human being trying to make sense of “it all,” even if “it all” remains as elusive as ever. I remain. They do, too.
Room 12. Bob Wills on the stereo. It’s almost an hour past midnight (Mountain Standard Time). The aim tomorrow is Missoula. Thereafter? Whitefish for the festival, then back down through my old stompin’ grounds in the Grand Teton Mountains of Eastern Idaho and Western Wyoming. And I’m here. And I’ll make sure to send you a postcard.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
The Sapphire Motel in Bozeman, Montana.
Garret K. Woodward photo
On the wall
Cherokee Pottery exhibition
A special showcase, “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.
Renowned for her pottery, McCoy began making crafts at 12 years old. She honed her skills while taking arts and crafts classes with Alyne Stamper (EBCI) and has won numerous awards at the Cherokee Fall Festival and at Southwestern Association of Indian Arts (SWAIA) Santa Fe Indian Market.
Today, she shares her knowledge with others. Designed to increase and uplift pottery making among members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, McCoy’s workshop uses a hands-on approach, empowering first-time potters to bring their own personal style to ancestral techniques and methods. For more information, visit motcp.org.
• “Form” is the latest exhibit on display at the Haywood Handmade Gallery, located at the Haywood County Arts Council in downtown Waynesville. This engaging show features work from local artist members and explores the concept of form. For more information visit haywoodarts.org.
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host “ArtWorks” at 1 p.m. every second Thursday of the month. Come create your own masterpiece. The materials for art works are supplied and participants are welcome to bring ideas and supplies to share. 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. 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 welcomes photographers of all skill levels to share ideas and images at the monthly meetings. waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.
• Haywood County Arts Council (Waynesville) will offer a wide range of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.452.0593 / haywoodarts.org.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.631.0271 / jcgep.org.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. 828.339.4000 / southwesterncc.edu/scc-locations/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.
On the stage
‘Anything Goes’ at HART
A special stage production of the Broadway classic “Anything Goes” will be held at 7:30 p.m. July 24-26, 31, Aug. 1-2, 7-9 and 2 p.m. July 27, Aug. 3,10 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
“Anything Goes” is a story that sparkles with Cole Porter’s unforgettable score and dazzling dance numbers. Set aboard the S.S. American, this Tony Award-winning musical is a whirlwind of mistaken identities, romantic entanglements, and slapstick comedy.
Billy Crocker stows away to win the heart of his true love, Hope Harcourt, while Reno Sweeney, a famous nightclub singer, and Moonface Martin, Public Enemy #13, get caught up in a whirlwind of mischief and romance. Featuring some of the most iconic show tunes ever written, like “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “You’re the Top,” “Anything Goes” and more, this timeless musical is packed with high-energy tap numbers and a shipload of laughs.
Suitable for all audiences. Tickets start at $19 with seating upgrades and discounts for seniors/students available. For more information, call the box office at 828.456.6322 or visit harttheatre.org.
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. For tickets, click on caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Highlands Performing Arts Center (Highlands) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. mountaintheatre.com / 828.526.9047.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts
(Franklin) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. smokymountainarts.com / 866.273.4615.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. thepeacocknc.org / 828.389.ARTS.
• Balsam Mountain Inn (Balsam) will host “Wind Down Wine Flight” 6 p.m. Thursdays. 828.283.0145 / thebalsammountaininn.com.
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will have its wine bar open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 828.452.6000 / classicwineseller.com.
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host semiregular tap-takeovers from local and regional breweries on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. 828.452.0120 / waynesvillewine.com.
• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every Friday and Saturdays at the Bryson City Wine Market. Select from a gourmet selection of charcuterie to enjoy with your wines. Educational classes and other events are also available. 828.538.0420.
• “Uncorked: Wine & Rail Pairing Experience” will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on select dates at the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad in Bryson City. Full service all-adult first class car. Wine pairings with a meal, and more. There will also be a special “Beer Train” on select dates. 800.872.4681 / gsmr.com.
MOTCP is located in Cherokee. Donated photo
HART presents ‘Anything Goes’ on select dates.
On the beat
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host Rick Yates (singer-songwriter) July 26. All shows begin at 5 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• Boojum Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Karaoke Night” 9 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia” 7 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Jam” 10 p.m. Thursdays, The Dan Clare Collective July 26 and Carolina Drifters Aug. 2. 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.
• Bryson City Brewing (Bryson City) will host Johnny Blackwell Band July 26 and Blackwater Station Aug. 2. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0085 / brysoncitybrewing.com.
• Cataloochee Ranch (Maggie Valley) will host Kelly Morris (singer-songwriter) July 23 and Helena Rose & Joey Brown (Americana) July 30. All shows begin at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-events/live-music.
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host James Hammel (pop/jazz) 7:15 p.m. July 26 and The Two Armadillos (classic rock/oldies) 7:15 p.m. Aug. 2. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.
• Concerts On The Creek (Sylva) will host Sun Of Stars July 25 and Positive Mental Attitude (jam/roots) Aug. 1. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, but donations are encouraged. 828.586.2155 / mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host Asheville Mountain Boys (bluegrass/country) 6 p.m. July 26. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7.50 students. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org/music.
• Farm At Old Edwards (Highlands) will host the “Orchard Sessions” with The Darren Nicholson Band (Americana/bluegrass) Aug. 13. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Admission is $50 per person, with discounts rates available for hotel guests and members. 866.526.8008 / oldedwardshospitality.com/orchard-sessions.
• Folkmoot Friendship Center (Waynesville) will host “World Drum Classes” every Friday at 2:30 p.m. (adults) and 4 p.m. (family friendly, all ages) and “Waynesville Acoustic Guitar Group” 2-4 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday of the month. Free and open to the public. 828.452.2997 / folkmoot.org.
• Friday Night Live Concert Series (Highlands) will host ABC Combo July 25 and Ezra & Katie Aug. 1. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.
• Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host “Jazz On The Level” 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Sleeping Dogz July 23, JR Williams (singer-
Cowee welcomes Asheville Mountain Boys
Espalin comes to Mountain Layers
Singer-songwriter Wyatt Espalin will hit the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at Mountain Layers Brewing in Bryson City.
Born and raised in Hiawassee, Georgia, Espalin has been entertaining audiences since he was eight years old. A blend of Americana, bluegrass and indieroots music, he’s a beloved fixture on the Southern Appalachian live music circuit.
Free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.538.0115 or visit mtnlayersbeer.com. To learn more about Espalin, go to wyattespalinmusic.com.
Wyatt Espalin will play Bryson City July 27. File photo
Reggae, soul at Scotsman
A rising Americana/bluegrass act, the Asheville Mountain Boys will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 26, at the Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Waynesville.
A super-group of sorts, the outfit is a well-oiled machine of some of the finest pickers and grinners around in Southern Appalachia. It features John Duncan (banjo/fiddle), Zeb Gambill (mandolin), Jacob Brewer (bass) and Marshall Brown (guitar).
The sheer beauty and fundamental foundation of bluegrass music resides in one simple truth about the tones, textures and talents within the “high, lonesome sound” — its timelessness.
A song written and recorded a century ago could (and often does) sound as fresh, relevant and soothing right now in this exact moment in time. Whereas something conceived and captured today could have the same historic parameters and effect on the sentimental, jovial mindset as it did decades previous.
Case-in-point, the Asheville Mountain Boys are the latest bluegrass ensemble to make waves around Western North Carolina when it comes to real deal, high-quality acoustic melodies in the realms of Americana, folk, roots and mountain music.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $7.50 for students. For more information, call 828.369.4080 or visit coweeschool.org/music.
Community jam
A popular regional reggae/soul act, the Natti Love Joys will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 26, at The Scotsman Public House in Waynesville.
A roots-rock-reggae band that has been playing live since 2003, the group consists of husband and wife duo Anthony “Jatti” Allen and Sonia “Marla” Allen (formerly Sonia Abel).
Jatti was previously the bassist for the reggae group The Congos, while Marla originates from the cult all female reggae group Love Joys, where she recorded two albums under the legendary Wackies label run by Lloyd Barnes (Bullwackie).
Free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.454.5664 or visit froglevelbrewing.com.
Natti Love Joys will play Waynesville July 26.
A community jam will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, on the front patio of the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.
Anyone with a guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer or anything unplugged is invited to join. Singers are also welcomed to join in or you can just stop by and listen. The jam is facilitated by Larry Barnett of the Sawmill Creek Porch Band.
The community jams offer a chance for musicians of all ages and levels of ability to share music they have learned over the years or learn old-time mountain songs. The music jams are offered to the public each first and third Thursday of the month — spring, summer, fall. This program received support from the North Carolina Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of North Carolina and the National Endowment of the Arts. For more information, call 828.488.3030.
Asheville Mountain Boys will play Franklin July 26 File photo
On the beat
songwriter) July 25, Crystal Fountains July 26, Paul Edelman (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. July 27 and Riley Monroe July 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.454.5664 / froglevelbrewing.com.
• Happ’s Place (Glenville) will host Corey Stevenson (singer-songwriter) July 23, Dillon & Company July 24, Charles Walker July 25, The Remnants July 26, Kody Paul July 30, Doug Ramsey July 31, Kayla McKinney Aug.1 and Dillon & Company Aug. 2. 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 The Black Crowes (rock/jam) 9 p.m. July 25. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahscherokee.
• High Country Wine & Provisions (Highlands) will host Dan Hickman (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. July 25. Free and open to the public. 828.482.4502 / highcountrywineandprovisions.com.
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” 6-9 p.m. Thursdays ($5 cover), Zorki (singer-songwriter) 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, “Bluegrass Brunch” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays (free), the “Salon Series” with Justin Osborne (singer-songwriter) 8:30 p.m. July 24 ($39.19 per person, tax included). 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic with Phil” on Wednesdays and Mike Hollon 6 p.m. July 26. All shows and events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.586.9678/ innovationbrewing.com.
• Legends Sports Bar & Grill (Maggie Valley) will host an “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.
• Macon County Public Library (Franklin) will host The Vagabonds (Americana) at 2 p.m. the first and third Monday and a “Song Circle” open jam from 3-6 p.m. the first Tuesday each month. Free and open to the public. 828.524.3600 or fontanalib.org/franklin.
• Marianna Black Library (Bryson City) will host a “Community Jam” from 6-7:30 p.m. each first and third Thursday of the month and Granny’s Mason Jar (Americana/bluegrass) 7 p.m. July 24. Free and open to the public. 828.488.3030 / fontanalib.org/brysoncity.
• Meadowlark Motel (Maggie Valley) will host a “Bluegrass Jam” 5-7 p.m. Sundays, Woolybooger (blues/folk) 7 p.m. July 24 and Bridget Gossett (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. July 26. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise
noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.1717 / meadowlarkmotel.com.
• Mountain Layers Brewing (Bryson City) will host “Open Mic Night” with Frank Lee every Thursday, Mountain Gypsy (Americana) July 25, Ron Neill (singer-songwriter) July 26 and Wyatt Espalin (singer-songwriter) 5 p.m. July 27. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.538.0115 / mountainlayersbrewingcompany.com.
• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host River Pickin’ 5 p.m. July 25, Phibian 2 p.m. July 26, Beer & Loathing 5 p.m. July 26, Blue (Americana) 2 p.m. July 27, Ryan B. Jazz Trio 8 p.m. Aug. 1, Mike Hollon 2 p.m. Aug. 2 and Blue (Americana) 2 p.m. Aug. 3. Free and open to the public. 828.785.5082 / noc.com.
• Otto Community Center (Otto) will host James Thompson (Americana) 5 p.m. Aug. 1. Bring a beverage and snack of your choice. Free and open to the public. 770.335.0967 / go2ottonc.com.
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host “Tribute: A Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band” Aug. 1 and Harvest Moon (Neil Young tribute) Aug. 2. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.
• Pickin’ On The Square (Franklin) will host Tribe Called Praise (Christian/contemporary) July 26. All shows begin at 6 p.m. at the Gazebo in downtown. Free and open to the public. franklinnc.com/pickin-on-the-square.html.
• Rathskeller Coffee Haus & Pub (Franklin) will host “Karaoke” 7 p.m. Wednesdays, “Trivia Night” 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, “Open Mic” 6:30 p.m. Fridays, Jamie Rasso (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. July 26 and Madison Owenby (singer-songwriter) 7 p.m. July 29. Free and open to the public. 828.369.6796 / facebook.com/rathskellercoffeebarandpub.
• Saturdays On Pine Concert Series (Highlands) will host The Boomers July 26 and High 5 Aug. 2. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host Emily Dawson (singer-songwriter) July 24, Natti Love Joys July 26, Rich Manz Trio (acoustic/oldies) July 31 and “Blues Night with Spiro Nicolopoulos Blues Apocalypse” Aug. 1. 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 Big Daddy Weave & Ben Fuller (Christian/pop) 7:30 p.m. July 27. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.com.
• Stecoah Valley Center (Robbinsville) will host a Community Jam 5:30-7:30 p.m. every third Thursday of the month (free), Unspoken Tradition (Americana/bluegrass) 7:30 p.m. July 26 (adults $20, kids $10) and The Special Consensus (bluegrass) 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 (adults $25, kids $10). 828.479.3364 / stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• Stubborn Bull (Highlands) will host “Live Music Mondays” with local/regional singersongwriters with Breeze Cable Aug. 4. All shows begin at 5:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.200.0813 / the-stubborn-bull.com.
• Trailborn (Highlands) will host its “Carolina Concert Series” with Remedy 58 (blues/soul) July 24 and Juan (singer-songwriter) July 31. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
• Valley Cigar & Wine Co. (Waynesville) will host Amos Jackson (soul/funk) 6 p.m. July 25 and Dick Dickerson (indie/acoustic) 2 p.m. July 27. Free and open to the public. 828.944.0686 / valleycigarandwineco.com.
• Valley Tavern (Maggie Valley) will host “Karaoke with Jason” Tuesdays, “Tom’s Trivia Night” 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Misbehavin 6 p.m. July 24. All shows and events begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.7440 / valley-tavern.com.
On the street
ALSO:
• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host Zorki (singer-songwriter) 3 p.m. July 25 and Breeze Cable (singer-songwriter) July 27. All shows begin at 2 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.482.5573 / thevineyardathighholly.com.
• Wells Events & Reception Center (Waynesville) will host “Beach Music” with DJ Jeanne Naber 6 p.m. July 25 and Simply Amos (funk/R&B) 6 p.m. Aug. 8. 828.476.5070 / wellseventcenter.simpletix.com.
• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host Kid Billy (singer-songwriter) July 25, Back Dirt Road July 26, Angela Easterling (singer-songwriter) Aug. 1 and Spare Parts (Americana/ bluegrass) Aug. 2. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.743.6000 / whitesidebrewing.com.
• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts
• “Farmers & Artisans Market” will be every Friday morning (May-October) at 117 Island St. in Bryson City. Stop by the old barn along the river for local, homegrown produce, as well as baked goods, jellies/preserves, authentic crafts and more. Picnic tables onsite. There will also be live music. Leashed pets are welcome. This is an outdoor event. 828.488.7857.
Tyler Ramsey returns to Yonder
‘An Appalachian Evening’
The “An Appalachian Evening” series will continue with a performance by Unspoken Tradition at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 26, in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.
Unspoken Tradition is about new, original bluegrass. Inspired by their own influences and the roots of traditional and newgrass music, this Western North Carolina-based quintet brings a sound that is both impassioned and nostalgic, hard-driving and sincere.
In recent years, their singles have all charted in the Bluegrass Today top 20, including “California” (No. 1) “Irons in the Fire” (No. 2) and “Carolina and Tennessee” (No. 4).
A 2019 release, “Myths We Tell Our Young,”
Acclaimed singer-songwriter and former member of Americana/indie juggernaut Band of Horses, Tyler Ramsey will perform at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 27, at Yonder Community Market in Franklin.
Praised by NPR, Stereogum, WNYC and The Huffington Post, Ramsey is a multi-instrumentalist equally at home playing guitar, piano, keyboards, bass and percussion, but is best known as a talented finger-style guitarist and singer-songwriter.
A well-established and acclaimed guitar player and singer in the Western North Carolina music scene, where he calls home, Ramsey first learned to play music on piano before moving to the guitar.
Ramsey grew up listening to and studying country-blues guitar players like Mance Lipscomb and Mississippi John Hurt, and American finger pickers like John Fahey and Leo Kottke — absorbing their sound and making it all his own.
Admission is a suggested donation of $20. Lawn chairs and blankets allowed. For more information, visit eatrealfoodinc.com.
‘Concerts on the Creek’
The Town of Sylva, Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department and Jackson County Chamber of Commerce will continue its 16th season of the annual “Concerts on the Creek” music series.
Sun of Stars will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, July 25, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.
debuted at #5 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts and has seen five top-charting radio singles, including a #1 spot on the Bluegrass Today chart for “Dark Side of the Mountain.”
The annual summer concert series offers an everchanging schedule of bluegrass, folk and old-time mountain music by award-winning artists — quality entertainment for the entire family.
Rich in cultural heritage, the series continues to be a favorite with locals and visitors alike. The concert will be held in the air-conditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for students grade K12. Dinner will also be available for purchase in the Schoolhouse Cafe starting at 6 p.m.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or visit stecoahvalleycenter.com.
“Concerts on the Creek” are held every Friday night from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Everyone is encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. These events are free, with donations encouraged. Dogs must be on a leash. No smoking, vaping, coolers or tents are allowed. Bring a chair or blanket. There will be food trucks on select nights.
For more information, call the chamber at 828.586.2155, visit mountainlovers.com/concerts-on-the-creek or go to the “Concerts on the Creek” Facebook page.
Chamber music in Waynesville
The popular Chamber Music Society of the Carolinas will continue its annual summer residency at 4 p.m. July 27 and Aug. 3 at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.
Featuring the Jasper String Quartet and other talented special guests, performances are creative, joyful, up-close and intimate.
“It’s music that transcends sitting in your seat,” said J Freivogel, founding and current first violinist of the Jasper String Quartet. “Experience the thrilling nature of live performance during the CMSC concerts. Come hear top-notch musicians and see their craft up close. Watch the way they create — and hear the musical ‘conversation’ between instruments.”
Tickets are $35 per person. Students and youth will be admitted free. Donations to the CMSC can be made online and are appreciated to support these performances.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit cms-carolinas.com. Tickets are also available at the door by cash/check.
Marianna goes Americana
A regional Americana/bluegrass act, Granny’s Mason Jar will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 24, at the Marianna Black Library in Bryson City.
Following in the footsteps of Doc Watson, Norman Blake, Clarence White and Tony Rice, Granny’s Mason Jar brings together the talents of Jared “Blue” Smith (The Blue Revue, Bluegrass Lumber Company) and Aaron Plantenberg (Commonfolk, Big House Radio) — the duo continuing the tradition of flatpicking and other traditional acoustic guitar styles.
Free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.488.3030 or visit fontanalib.org.
Tyler Ramsey. File photo
Unspoken Tradition will play Stecoah July 26. File photo
A book-length love poem to nature
Reminiscent of “Starting From San Francisco,” one of the first books by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, San Francisco is also where Victor Depta spent some of his early years and where this 2024 reprint of his 1973 book “The Creek” (Ohio Univ. Press, 2024) begins — with references to Coit Tower, Nob Hill and the Fillmore District when he was there and reading Wordsworth, Whitman and Rimbaud. But the surreal narrative of his poems is more akin to the early poems of San Francisco’s surrealist poet Philip Lamantia and quickly move out into the countryside as his focus changes from streetcars and cafes to forested hillsides and mountain streams. He is visiting his grandparents with accompanying family members and in this sense these poems are a kind of memoir of those days and that experience. In essence one could say that “The Creek” is a kind of long love poem to nature as well as to an anonymous young lady back home.
through the window with the news he’s here! He’s here!. But nobody came and the crow flies out the door and/she’s waiting for somebody more wonderful/than God, but nobody shows up.” Again, we get surreal references to his mother in the poem “When I Went In My Grandmother’s Flower Garden:” “I saw my mother in bed with some lilies. She/ had gourds under her eyes, pumpkin seeds/on her mouth and a piece of broccoli/leaning out of the top of her head.”
upstream and feminine/ where I stand,” he writes. And then one of my favorite passages from the poem “Into the Hill Proper”: “There’s pokeweed and thistles, sagegrass,/dewberries and poplars with large /chubby leaves and slender trunks/and the ironwood and beech are delicate as/the white hands of Victorian ladies /waving hello.” I love his images and great poetic leaps.
In the end, Depta comes back to the love poems.
While some of these are surrealistic love poems written by a youthful protagonist, Depta also gives the things in nature the qualities of humans, personifying them. “I met some wild carrots, dainty/ones with lace and long arms and skinny/elbows ... rigid and blue-veined and scarlet and the/oval of love,” he writes. Then, describing the corn growing in his grandfather’s garden, he writes: “... the blades/are Indians who don’t understand the big/to-do and flit among the corn stalks.” All this to say that the main focus in “The Creek” is on family, place and shelter.
“I wanted to sit quietly and write a poem of/quality that you could see through to some/raspberry vines with wine stems powdered/ lavender,” he tells us. In the following pages we have poems filled with grasshoppers, butterflies, turtles, worms, nightcrawlers and birds, goldenrod, roses and weeds, sycamores, beech and hickory, cantaloupes and cherries. As he forages the forest, he gives us youth-inspired poems, abstractly imagined if not always fully formed, but one sees the potential mature poet blossoming as he sits in a cafe in San Francisco reminiscing of time spent in nature with family and well-met wildlife. With “budweiser cans lying at the bottom of the creek,” he thinks of his imagined love: “dreamed you from California,” he writes in his love poem “But I Can’t Disappear.” And then in the poem “It’s Raining” we have these lines: “It’s raining, and out by the creek the crows/are cut stones lifting across the wind…. My fifty-two year old mother/is waiting for a crow to fly
In many of the descriptions of his experiences in nature there is lovely alliteration: “the purple haze of the grass is/anthers scattering sparks of blue chromosomes/on the skin,” he writes. Or in self-descriptive passages like “I know myself. I have violets for eyes. My/spine is a ragweed of nerves.” I especially like his description of his soul: “What used to be called the soul is a/portable RCA television whose love when/from its built-in antenna reaches the/skin does not stucco it all over with/animals but with flowers.” Who today writes like that? Or when he writes: “My nerves/streaming in sounds for Faberge, Pepsi/ and Coca-Cola.”
His perceptions of the natural world are far-reaching. “The creek is masculine
“When I think of love, it’s a field with/puffballs or brown dust of mushrooms/when you step on them,” he writes in the poem “When I Think of Love.”
Having stepped on those cloudy puffballs myself, I can’t say that I ever related that experience to falling in love. But herein lies Depta’s brilliance.
“Disguising poems so the family doesn’t think/I’m a freak sure is hard,” he laments toward the end of the volume. But then he states: “My poems have the appearance of photographs.” And his poems are, in fact, like photographs. And we see this in one of the almost hallucinogenic images with which he ends the book: “I’ve been dreaming recently of a house/... Everybody I knew including the white Buick and/the blue jellyfish went inside, all of them. The walls blossom/and the petals above my head are changing/to sails which whirl like white silk and/glisten as my mother walks in with bourbon from/behind the refrigerator and smiles.”
(Thomas Rain Crowe is an internationally-published and recognized author of more than 30 books, including the multi-award winning nonfiction nature memoir “Zoro’s Field: My Life in the Appalachian Woods.”)
Writer Thomas Crowe
A caddisfly larva collected from Richland Creek is shown under magnification from a binocular microscope. Jerry Miller photo
From Creek to Classroom
NC Collaboratory funds local research
in wake of Helene
BY CORY VAILLANCOURT STAFF WRITER
This past spring, a group of teenagers waded through Waynesville’s Richland Creek under the watchful eye of Suzanne Orbock Miller, but they weren’t there to splash and play — thanks to an innovative grant program linking universities with local partners, Miller’s Tuscola High School students were
gathering important scientific data.
“They were super-excited. Then again, any time they can get out of the classroom, they’re super-excited,” Miller laughed. “But when they got there, they realized that this was serious.”
Months earlier, for the fourth time in 20 years, regional waterways again slipped their banks amid torrential rainfall produced by Hurricane Helene — wrecking roads, swallowing homes and once again exposing just how vulnerable the mountains of Western North Carolina are to extreme weather events.
But while local governments scrambled to assess damage and families began the long road to recovery, a quieter wave was already gaining strength, powered by the state’s universities and funded by an organization just nimble enough for moments like this.
“Literally the next day, we started having discussions,” said Jeff Warren, executive director of the North Carolina Collaboratory, a state-funded research entity headquartered at UNC-Chapel Hill. “Let’s look at all available funding that hasn’t been sent out the door.”
NC Collaboratory was established in July 2016 by a legislative mandate in that year's biennial budget — originally a simple little
provision that talked about creating an entity that would bring the scientific and policy expertise of academia to bear across the state by standing up projects with local partners, local governments and state governments. Since 2016, the Collaboratory has grown into a $225 million operation.
“Often, we will get studies sent to us that are mandated in a bill, but we can also do discretionary studies where we know there would be legislative interest,” Warren said. “Sometimes it's things we find that are opportunistic and timely that may not be on their
That conversation the day after Helene was one of those opportunities and marked the beginning of an unprecedented rapidresponse academic initiative. With hundreds of thousands of dollars reallocated internally, the Collaboratory sent out the call to researchers at three of the UNC system’s western campuses: Western Carolina University, UNC-Asheville and Appalachian State.
“We said, ‘Look, these are the people that were impacted. They live in these communities. They're local. Let's start reaching out,’” Warren said. “And we got a wonderful
The response came after serious deliberation on how to respectfully approach deployment in a region where so many had lost so
“Humanity has always got to come before science,” Warren said. “You want to be respectful of the local communities impacted. I would argue that the best thing we could probably do moving forward before the next natural disaster is actually set up some training for researchers. You can’t just drive up into a holler and walk up to people’s front doors.”
Projects funded by the Collaboratory aren’t just about data. They’re more about application.
tThat real-world focus starts with project design.
“On every grant, every funding agreement specific to Helene, we required a partnership, a non-academic partnership,” Warren said. “Projects came in working with local governments, working with a state agency, working
Tracking Helene’s impact, one research project at a time
After Hurricane Helene swept through Western North Carolina, leaving behind extensive flooding, structural damage and environmental disruption, the NC Collaboratory launched a series of applied research initiatives aimed at strengthening disaster response and resilience. The taxpayer-funded projects are intended to provide practical guidance for emergency management, recovery strategies and future preparedness.
Partnering with universities across the state — including Western Carolina University, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Chapel Hill, Appalachian State and Davidson College — the Collaboratory has backed interdisciplinary studies in disciplines like as flood prediction, infrastructure integrity and post-disaster recovery. Some of the work focuses on quickly gathering time-sensitive,
location-specific data in the wake of the storm, such as evidence of flood levels, sediment movement and the displacement of residents. Other projects emphasize long-term recovery, including restoring ecosystems, evaluating infrastructure needs and protecting at-risk communities and species.
Brian Byrd, Western Carolina University
• Post-Hurricane Helene mosquito surveillance in Western North Carolina
The goal of this project is to conduct rapid, late-season mosquito surveillance to assess the impact of the hurricane on local mosquito populations, with a focus on disease vectors and invasive species in Western North Carolina.
Diane Styers, Western Carolina University
• Mapping perishable data following Hurricane Helene
This project aims to survey safely accessible areas within the Swannanoa corridor and French Broad River through the River Arts District. These areas have been flagged as priority regions following Hurricane Helene.
Jerry Miller, Western Carolina University
• Analyzing flood deposits for heavy metals and microplastics postHelene
This project investigates how heavy
and microplastics
with local nonprofits.”
Ultimately, NC Collaboratory decided on making $10,000 microgrants — modest amounts meant to spread the money as far as possible.
One of those grants went to Jerry Miller, the Whitmire professor of environmental science at Western Carolina University.
“So there's really three components to it,” Miller said of his research. “During Helene, you got massive amounts of deposition on the floodplain, as well as erosion of the floodplain deposits in the channel. What we did is, we went out and immediately sampled those deposits after the event.”
When Miller looked for a local partner, he didn’t have to look far; since 2004, his wife, Suzanne Orbock Miller, has been an environmental educator at Tuscola.
“For the last 20 so years or more, I've taken my students out to look at water quality in the streams of Western North Carolina, since they live here,” Suzanne said. “They were good field trips. They have looked at macroinvertebrates, looked at turbidity, looked at sediment.”
This past spring, they were looking to trap a certain species of caddisfly, which are reliable indicators of good water quality.
“The work that Tuscola was involved with and Haywood Waterways and us was initially focused primarily on Richland Creek,” Jerry said. “Where the sediment ties into the caddisfly is that the caddisflies are of course bottom-dwellers and represent fish food, but they're also getting their nest, their casing, and building that casing out of the sediments.”
Bad sediment means bad caddisflies which means less trout and a cascade of consequences up and down the food chain. Students collected around 150 of them on two trips to send off for study.
“They were amazed at the amount of life beneath their feet that they never even considered,” Suzanne said. “I always find that very cool as a teacher, you know, that it's their own discovery and I'm just providing an opportunity for them to do that.”
Arthur said that kind of engagement is part of what makes the Collaboratory unique.
“There is nothing like this anywhere else in, I would say, by far, the country — possibly the world,” she said. “Academic research is extremely important for advancing knowledge, but it also has tremendous capacity to benefit people in the real world now.”
The sediment samples collected by Jerry and his team were analyzed for two main groups of contaminants, trace metals — lead, cadmium, zinc, mercury — and microplastics, which Jerry called “a new emerging contaminant.” Both can negatively affect caddisflies.
Trace metals, he said, move through a watershed by clinging to sediment and end up in the floodplain as deposits.
“That’s where the danger lies. The concern is that those concentrations of the metals could be high enough that they would pose a risk both to ecological health — organisms other than humans — as well as
That meant identifying the high-water mark, calculating elevation above the channel, describing vegetation types and soil texture and then systematically collecting samples across different floodplain environments.
“The point of all of this was that our sampling would be able to tell us where metals are being concentrated, as well as microplastics,” Jerry said. “If there was a remediation that had to take place, you would be able to identify where those hotspots are, and that would guide your remediation protocols.”
His team has already shared preliminary findings with some of the landowners who allowed access to their properties.
“Based on our preliminary data, [the
centrations are actually lower now, after Helene, than they were before.
“The driving force is that the floodplain deposits, a lot of those as you go deeper and deeper in the floodplains, date back a few thousand years,” he said. “They're probably pretty clean. They wouldn't have any anthropogenic contamination, microplastics. Anything before about 1950 is probably devoid of significant microplastics and during the flood, we got massive amounts of erosion so you're eroding a lot of those very old deposits, and they're getting mixed with the more recent sediments. And so it had a dilutionary effect. There’s a cliché that’s used a lot in contaminant hydrology — ‘the solution to pollution is dilution.’”
The Collaboratory’s grant helped Jerry’s team of five graduate students get into the
tion studies to systemic financial risk analysis to chronicling the lessons learned by local law enforcement.
Other Helene projects, with bigger price tags, include a $2.1 million reallocation of funds for cutting-edge standalone wastewater treatment plants delivered to the town of Hot Springs, which lost its own plant during the storm, and a sophisticated mapping project that could save lives in the future.
“We have a very large investment of right at $4 million that we used to go ahead and acquire laser elevation and digital photo data from across the hardest hit counties in Western North Carolina, 13 counties, and those are slowly coming
The health of Western North Carolina’s waterways, after Hurricane Helene, has been a topic of major concern. Jackson TDA photo
are distributed through river sedimentation processes, such as extreme floods, by analyzing the flood deposits in the Pigeon River basin. The study will help identify areas that are vulnerable to future major weather events.
Brad Johnson, Davidson College
• Assessing flood stage along the Blue Ridge Escarpment after Hurricane Helene
This project aims to measure the peak flood stage for river systems along the Blue Ridge escarpment to better understand flooding hazard, peak discharge and geomorphic impacts of Hurricane Helene.
Katie Schneider, Western Carolina University
• High-water mark mapping and channel surveying to support flood modeling in the French Broad River basin
In a collaborative effort, this project will mark high water levels that are adjacent to dam structures. The data collected will be used to compute peak discharge, and the information collected will be used to map high water marks in other critical locations.
Andrew Hansen, Western Carolina University
• Lessons learned when planning for and responding to Hurricane Helene
This case study details lessons learned by state and local law enforcement when planning for and responding to Hurricane Helene. Thematic analysis and open-coding strategy will be used to analyze the qualitative data obtained through in-depth interviews.
Antonia Sebastian, UNC-Chapel Hill
• Automated recovery monitoring postHelene
Using an AI-based recovery monitoring model, this project uses images of structures in Asheville that were damaged by Hurricane Helene to create models of flood damage and improve estimates of systemic financial risk.
Sarah Jackson, Western Carolina University
• Evaluating the physical and social place-based dynamics of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene
This study aims to examine the geographic, social and communication dynamics of communities most affected by Hurricane Helene, with a focus on urbanrural differences, social vulnerability and the spatial variation of warnings and evacuation messages.
Jackie Langille, UNC-Asheville
• Evaluating the stability of bedrock failure planes following Hurricane Helene
This multistage project is working to better understand the landslides along I40 and US-70 and how bedrock failure planes and stability is associated with these transportation corridors.
Mickey Henson, Western Carolina University
• Assessment of sites across Western North Carolina that need post-Hurricane Helene rehabilitation
Working collaboratively with state and federal agencies, the Kimmel School of Construction Management at WCU is assessing and rehabilitating Heleneimpacted sites.
Hollye Moss, Western Carolina University
• Planning grant to prepare for a collaborative study of forest recovery in the North Carolina Arboretum
A collaboration between the North Carolina Arboretum, WCU and the National Forest Service, this project aims to study forest recovery by assessing damage, removing hazardous trees, controlling erosion and planning reforestation efforts.
Christopher Cox, Western Carolina University
• Helene Optimization and Planning Effort (HOPE)
This project plans to connect local hubs, such as community centers and groups of people, to create a multi-year recovery plan to rebuild houses and provide essential supplies.
Christopher Godfrey, UNC-Asheville
• Destructive weather and critical infrastructure in the Western North Carolina Mountains: lessons from Hurricane Helene, part I: an evaluation of low-level NEXRAD radar coverage gaps in Western North Carolina
A multi-phase project will use quantitative precipitation estimates from remotesensing platforms to examine how radar beam obstruction limits precipitation measurement in mountainous regions.
Caitlin Crossett, UNC-Asheville
• Destructive weather and critical infrastructure in the Western North Carolina Mountains: lessons from Hurricane Helene, part II: an analysis of low-level winds, tree damage and their relation to widespread power outages
This project assesses the duration and intensity of Helene’s low-level winds compared to those of previous tropical cyclones. The multi-stage project will aid in understanding what made Helene more destructive than other tropical cyclones.
Douglas Miller, UNC-Asheville
• Destructive weather and critical infrastructure in the Western North Carolina Mountains: lessons from Hurricane Helene, part III: an examination of the I-40 washout using rainfall observations from a high-elevation gauge network covering the Pigeon River Gorge and basin
Using rainfall observation, this project seeks to compare Interstate 40 damages post-Helene to those after the 2004 washout — a storm with similar total precipitation. Specifically, this project will
observe the precipitation over the Southern Pigeon River, the main source of water that led to the destruction of I-40.
Ashley Case, UNC-Asheville
• Post-Helene restoration efforts to improve water quality and mitigate flooding
This project will involve community partners and students in streambank stabilization, river cane planting, invasive species management and Eastern Hemlock restoration along the French Broad River, focusing on ecosystem restoration and water quality improvement.
David Gillette, UNC-Asheville
• Investigating the effects of flooding from tropical storm Helene on Eastern Hellbenders and their habitat in the West Fork French Broad River watershed
By comparing pre- and post-flood conditions, this research will inform conservation efforts and guide policy decisions regarding the protection and recovery of Eastern Hellbender populations in North Carolina.
Christine Hendren, Appalachian State University
• Western North Carolina Research for Resilience and Recovery (WNC R3)
Based on the need for resilient rebuilding efforts, this project will host a multistakeholder regional workshop to identify key research needs, create a regional expertise database and lay the groundwork for larger-scale research and implementation to support recovery across the region.
Alexandra Mitchell, UNC-Asheville
• Lessons learned from health care Leaders during Hurricane Helene
Led by experts in healthcare, policy and education, the Western North Carolina Health Policy Initiative will gather insights from healthcare leaders to guide future policies and programs for WNC organizations and governments.
Paige Ambord, UNC-Asheville
• Informing USGS emergency messaging strategies for landslides
In collaboration with the US Geological Survey, this study aims to understand how residents in landslide-prone areas perceive risk and prepare for landslides, combining technical knowledge with local experiences. The findings will help improve emergency communication strategies and early warning systems for compound hazards, particularly in rural areas.
Cheryl Tormey, Western Carolina University
• Hillslope geology of the lower Hickory Nut Gorge area
This research aims to better understand the geological and hydrological factors that contribute to landslide risk in western North Carolina. Led by the North Carolina Geological Survey and university researchers, the effort focuses on developing county-scale risk assessment models.
online and being heavily utilized by local governments,” said Warren. “The thrust of that was just to make the data available to local governments as a decision-making tool, an analytical tool.”
Even before Helene, the Collaboratory had established a good track record by financing other projects with real-world impact.
“We have funded probably around 750 grants across the entire UNC system,” Warren said, adding that they’re currently supervising around 300 and that they were recently approved to work with nonpublic universities like Campbell, Davidson, Duke and Wake Forest. “That would include the School of Science and Math and the School of the Arts.”
Warren pointed to one example of a project that’s come through the research phase and entered the startup phase.
“Years ago, we embarked on a multi-pronged effort, with a lot of funding out there, but we have one particular team that developed a technology that was very promising to remove PFAS from the water, specifically drinking water,” he said. “And here we are, three-and-a-half, four years later, and it's been a significant investment. It's been over a $10 million investment.”
The product is currently removing PFAS from water three or four times as fast as current state-ofthe-art technology can and utilizes a reusable resin that helps drive down cost.
“You can strip the PFAS off, concentrate them, deal with them with other technologies to destroy them but use the resin again and again and again,” Warren said. “Technology is what makes science real for the non-scientists.”
Arthur said seeing a physical product come to life is also encouraging for scientists who want to see results from their research.
“A lot of researchers get into this business wanting to impact the world in a positive way,” she said.
The Collaboratory has also funded research in energy, child welfare and the foster care system.
“We have partnered with some absolutely fantastic DSS offices across the state,” Arthur said. “And the DSS directors are the ones who are in the driver’s seat. Rather than just have a lot of researchers do their theoretical work, we want to make sure that any research is really driven by their local questions in their local counties.”
In another case, UNC-Wilmington received funding for a mass spectrometer — then gave the local utility company training support and access.
“The utility company invites students in,” Arthur said. “They are committed to helping with career development and training.”
That sense of purpose drives the Collaboratory’s mission. “We like to give [the public] things that make their lives better,” Warren said. “Knowledge is part of that. Technology is a very big part of that.”
But in a larger sense, perhaps the most important accomplishment to come out of the Collaboratory’s effort is the encouragement of a whole new generation of scientists like Jerry and Suzanne.
“One family from Pakistan really stands out, because both she and her brother and her cousin were in my class and she was just thrilled, because she said in her country, they would never do this until they were in graduate school,” Suzanne said. “This is something she was aspiring to. And it was fall, and all the leaves were falling down, and she was in the middle of the creek, and she'd seen all these macroinvertebrates and the light was shining, I mean, it was shining through. She was just, like, turning in circles. She said, ‘This is so beautiful. What an adventure.’”
MountainTrue launches river cleanup program
MountainTrue, a nonprofit conservation organization serving Western North Carolina, is partnering with the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) to launch a comprehensive River Debris Cleanup Program to address ongoing impacts from Tropical Storm Helene. The program will utilize $10 million in state funding granted through the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management and sub-granted to NCDEQ to help with Helene recovery efforts.
The program is designed to supplement existing federal debris removal funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is restricted to debris posing an immediate threat to public health and safety or tied to limited economic recovery efforts. While FEMA and United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have prioritized major rivers and large debris, significant debris remains in smaller streams and tributaries—posing risks and threatening vital tourism and recreation industries throughout the region.
To close this gap, MountainTrue will deploy paid cleanup crews across Western North Carolina for the next 18 months. Since Hurricane Helene, MountainTrue staff and volunteers have removed almost 3 million pounds of trash and debris throughout the hardest hit counties of Western North Carolina. MountainTrue will expand this work by cleaning over 150 miles of river
The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has awarded more than $11 million authorized by the General Assembly in grants to communities and nonprofits in Western North Carolina from Great Trails State Program funding.
In addition to being an important part of the region’s ecology, rivers and streams are also an important part of the region’s tourism infrastructure. File photo
grams to navigate affected waterways, remove waste, stabilize stream banks and strengthen local community engagement. MountainTrue currently has established volunteer operations on the French Broad, Green, Broad and Watauga rivers, with strong community partnerships already in place.
Targeted counties include Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke,
Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
For more information about MountainTrue's River Debris Cleanup Program or to get involved, visit mountaintrue.org/cleanup-crew/. For more information about the NC Department of Environmental Quality, visit deq.nc.gov.
The Great Trails State Program legislation was established through the General Assembly in 2023, representing a historic investment of $25 million in North Carolina trails. The program offers matching grants to North Carolina local governments, public authorities, regional council of governments and nonprofit
Western North Carolina grant recipients and amounts are as follows:
• Clay, Graham, Haywood, and Macon Counties: Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards, $253,731 for urgent wilderness restoration: trail stewardship and re-covery after the storm.
• Jackson County: Friends of Panthertown ,$86,667 for Panthertown Valley trail & bog bridge project.
• Jackson County: The Village Green of Cashiers, $233,673 for resurfacing, en-hancing, and maintaining trails in The Village Green.
2,500+ 5-STAR
Cooperative Extension to host gardening classes
N.C. Cooperative Extension of Haywood County is hosting a Learn to Grow series and Lifelong Gardening classes, which provide information presented by the horticulture agent, Rachel Douglas, and N.C. State Extension Master Gardener volunteers on a full variety of home garden-ing topics. Classes provide research-based, unbiased
information on current garden, fruits and landscape practices.
All Learn to Grow classes will be held at the N.C. Cooperative Extension, Haywood County Center located at 589 Raccoon Road in Waynesville. Pre-registration is required. The cost for each class is $10. You may register by calling 828.456.3575.
Master gardeners available to answer questions
Master Gardeners are available to answer questions about lawns, vegetables, flowers, trees and or-namental plants; disease, insect, weed or wildlife problems; soils (including soil test results) and fertilizers; freeze and frost damage; and cultural and chemical solutions to pest problems.
Email HaywoodEMGV@gmail.com with a detailed description of the problem, plant or insect. Send clear digital photos if possible. Or call 828.456.3575 and describe your home gardening issue to the receptionist. Either way, a Haywood County Master Gardener volunteer will get back to you within a few days with research-based information. Or drop by the Extension office on Raccoon Road in Waynesville for the on-site clinic, which is staffed Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.
Join Franklin Bird Club for Macon County walks
The Franklin Bird Club leads walks along the Greenway on Wednesday mornings at 8 a.m. through September. Walks start at alternating locations: Macon County Public Library, Big Bear Park and Salali Lane. The public is welcome. All walks are
weather dependent. Additional information, including directions to each location and a bird club check list can be found at littletennessee.org/franklin-bird-club
Schedule for upcoming walks:
• July 30, meet at Macon County Library parking lot.
• Aug. 6, meet at Big Bear parking lot near the playground.
• Aug. 13, meet at Salali Lane.
Combat mosquitos in Haywood County
Haywood County Development Services is offering free insect repellent with deet and insect repellent bracelets to anyone who needs them. Stop by the office at 157 Paragon Parkway in Clyde Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to pick up whatever you may need.
Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines receives grant
The Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University has just received a grant from the North Carolina Department of Environmental and Natural Resources for $54,612.
The PSDS studies coastlines around the world to advocate for more responsible strategies for development. program is also continuing a project for the National Parks Service where it conducts vulnerability assessments to structures in the nation's natural and cultural heritage sites.
Around the end of the last ice age 15,000 years ago, the ocean was 300 feet lower than it is now. The coast of North Carolina and every other coastline around the world stretched miles farther than what we see now. As the earth warmed, ocean-levels rose, submerging much of the continental shelf and moving the coastline.
As the coast moved in, so did the beaches, estuaries and wetlands.
“It’s important to keep in mind that the coastal zone is dynamic,” said Robert Young, professor of coastal geology at WCU and director of the PSDS. “This is a delicate balancing act of protecting economic and social interests of coastal communities and environmental interests of coastal environments.”
Young conducts research on which areas are most vulnerable to damage from storms and flooding and then sits down and talks with state and local governments, elected officials, concerned citizens, the media, and nonprofit organizations.
The PSDS also maintains the Beach Nourishment Database, an interactive model that tracks how much money each state has spent on beach nourishment. In the state of Florida alone over $3 billion dollars have been spent on beach nourishment projects.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Act of 2021 allotted $47 bil-
Robert Young is a professor of coastal geology at Western Carolina University. Donated photo
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
of personality. Loves to play and go for walks. Asheville Humane Society (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ashevillehumane.org
KITTENS!! Asheville Humane Society has kittens available for adoption; all 2-6 months old and cute as can be! Fee includes vaccinations and spay/neuter. (828) 761-2001 adoptions@ ashevillehumane.org
ANSWERS ON PAGE 34
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!
