Raleigh’s success makes former coach proud Page 27
On the Cover:
Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran has held his office going on 20 years, despite coming into the position with zero law enforcement experience. Now, as the 72 year old faces a host of criminal charges related to multiple alleged sexual assaults, The Smoky Mountain News has gone back through its archives to lay out the timeline of Cochran’s rise, long career and sudden downfall. (Page 6) Jack Snyder illustration
News
Shining Rock shakeup signals shift in school strategy............................................4 Jamie Ager enters NC-11 race touting rural roots, business acumen
Sylva passes resolution in support of Fontana Regional Library........................11 Waynesville officials ignore board term limits............................................................12
Opinion
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)
I NFO & B ILLING | P.O. Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786
Outdoors
SUBSCRIPTION:
‘A new direction’ Shining Rock shakeup signals shift in school strategy
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT
P OLITICS E DITOR
In its first regular meeting since a superior court judge ruled that Head of School Joshua Morgan was responsible for the “improper use of governmental authority to stop or inhibit the public from accessing public records,” Shining Rock Classical Academy’s governing board doubled down on Morgan’s leadership, bid farewell to two longtime advisors, took substantial steps to bolster transparency and voted not to appeal the case.
“I hope that the community sees that we are trying to push forward in a different direction,” said SRCA Board Chair Alyson Weimar.
The judgement, order and injunction were issued by Judge Shari Elliott on June 26 after a parent, Rebecca Fitzgibbon, filed suit in 2023 over claims the public charter school located in Waynesville failed to comply with public records laws, including several related to requests she made surrounding a disciplinary incident with her son. The school unsuccessfully countersued for defamation.
Elliott declared the school’s public records fulfillment procedure illegal, ordered the school to produce the records Fitzgibbon requested and instructed the school to avoid violating public records laws in the future.
During the July 23 meeting, the board established an unusual procedure to provide more insight into its handling of public records requests.
“We are going to start listing all of the current public record requests, the requester and the fulfillment status. There are a lot of documents,” Weimar said. “These will be published to our public page once minutes are approved, but these are all the different public records that have been requested. In an effort to have full transparency with the board and the community, this is something that we are going to start practicing going forward.”
Morgan proceeded to go into detail on recent requests, including by The Smoky Mountain News and Fitzgibbon. The requests themselves are public records. Most public bodies don’t post public records requests for public inspection, but some do. No public bodies in SMN’s core coverage
ously handled requests, including an August 2019 request by SMN that ended up as part of Fitzgibbon’s case against the school.
On July 23, nearly six years after the initial request and a month after Elliott’s ruling, SMN began to receive some — but not all — of the public records requested from SRCA at that time. Morgan delivered those public records personally, through email, foreshadowing another move by SRCA’s board related to its public records procedures.
longtime board attorney David Hostetler he believed some of the costs were not permissible by law. Lay later resigned.
“Despite Lay’s concerns, Morgan, in collaboration with Ridnouer, Hostetler and others, implemented Shining Rock’s formalized public records response protocol and applied it to Fitzgibbon’s public records requests with the intended purpose of stopping or inhibiting Fitzgibbon’s submission of public records requests to Shining Rock,” the ruling reads.
After a recent court ruling, Shining Rock Classical Academy in Haywood County is looking towards the future. SRCA photo
area include a regular presentation of pending requests and fulfilment status during governing board meetings.
Although Morgan adopted a dismissive tone during his presentation, it was a significant departure from how the school previ-
According to Elliott’s ruling, Morgan and SRCA allowed consultant Katy Ridnouer of KLR Partners LLC to bill exorbitant amounts for routine public records fulfillment tasks in violation of the law.
Frank Lay, an attorney and SRCA board member at the time, told Morgan and
When the topic of renewing Ridnouer’s annual retainer — which paid her $1,950 a month for 10 hours of work — came up in the meeting, board members didn’t mention the ruling or her testimony at trial. Instead, they concentrated on what they F
called duplicative duties and a lack of bigpicture thinking.
“With what she is doing, which I’m just seeing this here, isn’t that something that is already being done by someone else or could be done by someone else?”
Board member Larry Davis asked.
Weimar said she wanted the board “to come around Josh and further empower him to do the job of head of school” while also mentioning the school’s new board governance and compliance tool, called Board on Track. The school has begun using the web-based platform to publish agendas, meeting minutes and documents. Admittedly, it’s not yet perfect, but school officials are working to make it more useful to the public. Board on Track also offers free trainings included with the service, which was another component of Ridnouer’s work.
Board member Rob Gevjan said that in other trainings he’d participated in, he’d seen potentially beneficial insight that the school just wasn’t getting from Ridnouer.
“Moving into some things that I’ve not seen Katie doing, I think it’d be beneficial looking at defining the vision of the board,” Gevjan said. “How do we figure out how to, in the community, advocate for Shining Rock? What type of people should we be thinking about inviting to the board?”
Ridnouer had been associated with the school since at least 2018 and was involved with the hiring process that elevated Morgan from interim to permanent head of school after his predecessor was fired over sexual assault allegations.
Ultimately, the board decided not to renew Ridnouer’s retainer agreement.
“I feel that perhaps we have outgrown our relationship with Katy and it’s time for us to move forward in a new direction,” Weimar said.
The board then moved on to Hostetler’s annual retainer renewal. Hostetler’s firm, Lexis School Law Services, had been retained by SRCA since May 2018, per public records provided by the school. At that time, the annual retainer was $14,500 with various hourly billing amounts based on the type of additional work to be performed. From August 2018 through June 20, 2025, SRCA had paid Lexis nearly $119,000.
Part of the court ruling mentions Hostetler’s role in SRCA’s public records fulfillment process.
“Shining Rock had no legal justification to charge Fitzgibbon the cost for separating out confidential from non-confidential information from otherwise releasable public records prior to release, a function included in the legal review by Hostetler or performed by others at his direction,” it reads.
Davis again spoke first, encouraging separation from Hostetler and Lexis without mentioning the ruling.
“We’ve had the same attorney for the last seven, eight years. Maybe it is time to get some new lenses, new eyeballs on this stuff,” he said. “Our school’s growing from what it was when they first got Hostetler
here, so maybe we do need to focus on someone that does have a lot of experience in charter schools, especially through high school, now that we are a high school.”
The retainer agreement expired at the end of June, but Hostetler performed an open meetings law training for the school on July 16 that he’d have to be paid for, one way or the other.
“The easiest thing, looking at his agreement, would be to pay him through July in terms of work that he has pending with us,” Morgan said, adding that he’d given Hostetler some tasks and didn’t see them coming any closer to completion.
“I’m going to be blunt. I think some of those tasks, we actually need a new lens to look at them,” Weimar interjected.
“I think that is a very fair statement,” Morgan replied.
“I’m not sure I want [Hostetler] to complete those tasks,” Weimar continued.
The board eventually decided to engage Durham-based Stella Law, but not by lump-sum retainer — SRCA will pay an hourly rate between $295 and $400 an hour, based on the type of work and billed in six-minute increments. Weimar said they’d previously met with Lisa Gordon Stella, who represents other public charter schools, and were impressed.
Gevjan, well aware of public scrutiny focusing on the taxpayer-funded school and its unelected board, added a comment once the board voted to sever ties with Hostetler and Lexis.
“I know some optics could seem like, ‘Well, what is Shining Rock doing? What’s the board doing? They lost a case. They’re firing their counsel,’” he said. “I just want to mention that part of this last training that we had kind of opened my eyes, and I think multiple of our eyes, just to recognizing that a different lens is needed.”
On July 24, the school issued a press release announcing its separation with Hostetler and Ridnouer and thanked them for their service.
The board’s final act of the evening, perhaps the greatest indicator that the school truly wants to push ahead in that “new direction” Weimar called for, was to vote unanimously in open session not to appeal the ruling in the Fitzgibbon case.
“So the insurance company wants a 90% confidence we could win the appeal,” Weimar said. “Our attorney through Utica [National Insurance Group, the school’s liability carrier] Andy [Santaniello] says that he does not feel comfortable giving a 90% confidence.”
With that being said, Weimar felt that the insurer would likely not cover the appeal costs, or would maybe cover part of it, leaving the school — and taxpayers — on the hook for another costly affair. The school is already facing a fee hearing, likely in September, where a judge will consider a request for SRCA to pay up to $111,000 in attorney’s fees incurred by Fitzgibbon over the course of her case.
“I think we should just go with it and let’s go ahead and settle this thing and just move on to the future,” Davis said.
The rise and ruination of Swain County Sheriff Curtis A. Cochran
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
For nearly two decades, a self-styled reformer with no law enforcement experience who toppled a longtime sheriff and rode a rising red tide to four reelection victories enjoyed his unusual transformation from outsider to one of the most powerful law enforcement figures in rural Western North Carolina, but it came with a growing cost — budget troubles, payroll strife, political grudges and ultimately a cascade of criminal charges that would chase Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran from office, leaving behind an unanswered torrent of questions.
His unlikely political ascent began in 2006 when Cochran, a Republican and Swain County’s maintenance department manager for the previous 13 years, challenged incumbent Swain County Sheriff Bob Ogle, a Democrat who had held the office since 1992.
During the campaign, Cochran promised fresh leadership, capitalizing on public dissatisfaction with the elusive yet ubiquitous demon ravaging much of the region — meth. He criticized Ogle for not focusing on interagency cooperation and for perceived staffing issues that were out of Ogle’s control.
Ogle stood on his extensive law enforcement experience as sheriff and previously with the Waynesville Police Department and State Highway Patrol, highlighting it with an anecdote about a recent domestic disturbance that had become a complex crime scene after a shooting. Cochran, who had never worked in law enforcement before, wouldn’t know what to do, Ogle said, and would have less training than the greenest deputy on the force.
“The days are gone where you could give someone a badge and a gun and tell them to go to work as a deputy,” Ogle said at the time. “It’s a whole different ballgame.”
Cochran said that prior to becoming the county’s maintenance director, he’d overseen large public works projects across the nation, including supervising 50 workers on a $2.3 billion sewer project in Milwaukee, and that he was capable of running the office. Swain County didn’t have nearly that number of deputies at the time.
mired in disputes over compensation. At the center was a longstanding “meal deal” whereby Swain County commissioners paid sheriffs to feed inmates and then looked the other way as profits were purportedly pocketed — a blatant conflict of intertest that likely compromised the well-being of detainees.
What followed was a sustained discussion about entrenched patronage and backroom fiscal practices that had long blurred the lines between public service and private graft in Swain County.
Over the next few years, Cochran’s relationship with county leaders grew more adversarial.
Amid mounting financial pressure and a warning from the county auditor that either massive tax hikes or drastic cuts to the county’s budget were needed, public scrutiny over internal spending reached a new high in late 2009.
Aggravating the situation, that fall, a jailer used a county credit card to purchase a television at Sam’s Club while shopping for jail supplies, saying she planned to reimburse the county (she did) but raising even more questions about oversight.
Around the same time, the county braced for further jail revenue losses when the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians received an $18 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to build a jail of its own. Swain’s gamble on its own oversized facility, which relied on revenue from holding Cherokee prisoners, was starting to look more and more like a bust and threatening the $450,000 annual loan repayments.
“I have managed far more people under extreme and dangerous and precarious situations,” said Cochran, who would go on to win the race by just 92 votes.
Now a pioneer of sorts, Cochran bucked Democratic dominance with a narrow victory that would make him only the second Republican sheriff in a century and mark the beginning of a 20-year tenure defined by controversy, legal battles, political feuds and, at the end, a criminal indictment. Almost immediately, Cochran became
of Democrats cut Cochran out of the deal over his opposition. The move left Cochran as the lowest-paid sheriff in the state at just $38,000 annually. Commissioners said it wasn’t political and that it was just a good time to end it.
“We are the only county in the state that has this arrangement, and it is an illegal arrangement,” said then-County Manager Kevin King, now Jackson County’s manager, in the Nov. 28, 2006 issue of SMN.
Upon taking office, Cochran claimed the defunct arrangement had been worth more than $100,000 annually and asked for a $42,000 raise.
budget cuts, prompting accusations of politically motivated retaliation during a time when employee furloughs were being discussed as a way to fill budget shortfalls.
Simultaneously, Swain’s new $10 million jail — three times the necessary size and originally billed as a revenue generator — failed to attract outside inmates, resulting in sharp shortfalls and mounting blame between Cochran and the commissioners.
An additional budget controversy erupted over $160,000 in overtime pay, with King blaming Cochran and Cochran blaming King. The county enacted stricter overtime policies in response.
As Cochran prepared to defend his seat in 2010, a crowded field of challengers lined up, citing staffing issues, Cochran’s ongoing and eventually unsuccessful lawsuit over his pay and jail mismanagement — including a murder suspect who’d escaped. Despite the criticism, Cochran easily won his primary and advanced to the General Election, where the Republican prevailed by 25 points in a county that was still largely voting Democrat.
By the 2014 election, no Republican would bother to challenge Cochran, who continued to consolidate control just as Republicans were starting to gain a foothold in the region — but not on the Swain county commission. Cochran defeated retired State Highway Patrol Sgt. Chuck McMahan by 17 points, but controversies persisted.
At some point, commissioners had increased Cochran’s salary to $72,000, but in June 2015, he requested a $20,000 raise from the county, which countered with $8,000. The increase would bring Cochran’s salary into line with Haywood and Macon counties, despite Swain having just a fraction of their populations.
A week later, it was revealed that his jail became the subject of a state investigation into allegations of excessive force.
As his next election approached, questions arose about Cochran’s eligibility for office, centered on his military service.
Swain County resident Jerry Lowery filed a candidate challenge in February 2018, alleging that some 200 people had told him that Cochran was dishonorably discharged from the Marines. Lowery theorized that a dishonorable discharge was equivalent to a felony charge, which would have made Cochran ineligible to run for sheriff per state law.
Cochran attended a March 5, 2018, hearing at the Swain County Board of Elections where his lawyer, David Sawyer, said Cochran had requested a copy of his DD-214 and asked that it be expedited. Sawyer reserved his rights to argue its relevance to statute and depose Lowery.
The meeting was recessed to allow for discovery, but as F
Cochran, sheriff of Swain County since 2006, has seen plenty of controversy over the past 20 years. File photo
Lowery walked out of the building, the first of what would become a series of incidents during which Cochran exercised his power in questionable ways took place.
Swain County deputies arrested Lowery on a decade-old warrant out of Jackson County for obtaining property under false pretenses. Lowery found that suspicious, as he’d lived at the same address in Bryson City for the past 25 years.
“Curtis wants to get the attention off of himself and make me look bad — he’s just trying to weasel his way out of this,” Lowery said at the time.
In a subsequent hearing, Sawyer said that since Cochran had served for less than 90 days, he never received a DD-214.
Lowery attempted to present a witness who was discharged from the military after only a month as an example of how even short-time service members would still receive a DD-214. Lowery’s attempt failed when Sawyer objected to the relevance.
The Smoky Mountain News was able to obtain limited information from Cochran’s military personnel file stating he was discharged after serving just over a month. The information provided did not contain any details about Cochran’s departure from the military, but Cochran claimed he had to return home for a family medical emergency.
While he was home, Cochran said he received a letter from the military stating they’d release him from duty if he signed a document waiving any rights to VA benefits. Cochran said he signed the waiver but never did receive a DD-214 form, which he chalked up to moving around a lot for jobs.
The National Personnel Records Center administrator who fulfilled the FOIA request subsequently confirmed that usually, anyone with even one day of service would receive a DD-214 form. Cochran’s circumstances were different.
“He didn’t have one for certain reasons not releasable,” Julie Willi told SMN at the time.
Eventually, Lowery’s challenge was dismissed because he failed to prove that Cochran had been convicted of a felony. Indeed, Cochran’s administrative assistant testified during the hearing about a thorough background check she ran on Cochran, revealing he’d never even been charged with a felony, in state or federal court. Lowery appealed. Cochran won, but the whole affair added to an environment of distrust and division surrounding Cochran’s ongoing service. It wouldn’t be the last time.
Two months later, after Bryson City police officer and Democrat Rocky Sampson entered the sheriff’s race, Cochran suspended a longstanding mutual aid agreement with the Bryson City Police Department.
Mutual aid agreements between law enforcement agencies in North Carolina — including tribal, municipal, county, state and federal entities — are common and ensure effective public safety responses across jurisdictional boundaries, allowing agencies to provide assistance to one another during emergencies or when specialized resources are needed.
Sampson said Cochran’s suspension of
the mutual aid agreement was politically motivated and retaliatory.
Not long after Sampson joined the Bryson City Police Department in July 2017, Cochran approached Chief Greg Jones alleging Sampson was being investigated for misconduct or sexual harassment while previously working for the Clay County Sheriff’s Office.
“I always do background checks, but seldom do I go talk to a sheriff or police chief,” Jones told SMN at the time. “But I asked the [Clay County] sheriff, straight out, if there had been any type of investigation and his answer was no. I asked him if anything had happened out of the ordinary and he said, ‘No, Rocky has been a valuable deputy and resigned of his own free will and terms.’”
Jones reported back to Cochran, but said he heard nothing further. Cochran told SMN he’d learned the allegations from Davis, but Jones and Sampson confirmed that there was never any investigation and that Sampson was still on good terms with his former department. His resignation letter from Clay County cited a family medical concern that required him to be closer to Bryson City.
Cochran’s letter suspending the agreement gives some credence to Sampson’s allegations of politically motivated retribution.
“After careful consideration concerning a Bryson City Police Officer’s possible actions of an incident that may have happened in a neighboring county, Clay County to be specific, I have made the hard decision to suspend the mutual aid agreement between the Swain County Sheriff’s Office and the Bryson City Police Department,” Cochran wrote. “I regret that this decision has to be made, but for the protection of the citizens of Swain County, the deputies and my office, I feel that this is the right decision at this time.”
The race became a referendum on Cochran’s leadership, but he again won by a wide margin, defeating Sampson by nearly 30 points to earn his fourth term in a county that was finally and dependably sending Republicans to the White House, to Congress and to the North Carolina General Assembly.
In 2019, as Swain County deputies happened to be in the process of arresting a 22year-old convicted felon, he volunteered information that the owner of a trout farm just outside Bryson City had hundreds of pounds of explosives and would pay him to kill Cochran and other law enforcement personnel.
The State Bureau of Investigation raided the trout farm, seizing firearms, electronic devices and potential evidence that could be tied to explosives, conspiracy or solicitation to commit felony first-degree murder.
After questioning the trout farm owner, Gerald Laschober, for several hours, the SBI let him go.
Laschober is the witness Lowery brought to the 2018 candidate challenge hearing — the one who was prohibited from testifying about his DD-214 to refute Sawyer’s claims about Cochran’s DD-214.
No charges were ever filed against Laschober, who sued Cochran and Deputy
Charles Robinson over the raid in December 2021 and claimed in a court filing that he received a letter of exoneration from the district attorney. Laschober’s suit was finally dismissed in September 2024.
The following year, Cochran was named in a lawsuit challenging curfew enforcement during the Coronavirus Pandemic, drawing scrutiny from civil liberties advocates. The plaintiff, pulled over and cited on an April 10, 2020, grocery run, filed suit in federal court three days later. County commissioners repealed the curfew ordinance on May 4, 2020, and the lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed the next day.
By 2022, Cochran announced a bid for a fifth term, emphasizing his record on drug enforcement. Despite growing concerns about morale, he again won reelection, this time against Democrat Doug “Tank” Anthony, with more than 70% of the vote.
The long arc of Cochran’s career would come crashing down in the summer of 2025.
statement on June 29 emphasizing that the investigation into Cochran was ongoing and also credited VAWA with giving the Eastern Band the opportunity to provide justice for all parties locally, instead of in the Asheville Federal Building.
“The reinvestment of our inherent sovereign jurisdiction via VAWA 2022 was exercised in charging every crime alleged,” Hicks wrote. “We will continue to use all sovereign authority and power to protect the due process rights of the EBCI and the people within its lands.”
Two days later, Cochran retired, avoiding a removal hearing. At the time, his salary had finally grown to just over $100,000. As a longtime local government employee, his pension eligibility is determined through the Local Government Employees’ Retirement System. It’s unclear whether it can be revoked if a legal determination unfavorable to Cochran is made.
But the unplanned retirement wasn’t
On June 27, the 72-year-old Cochran was arrested and suspended from office following four state charges — sexual battery, assault, solicitation of prostitution and felonious restraint involving two women he picked up along the side of the road.
The alleged incidents occurred in a county vehicle, but on Cherokee land, spurring tribal prosecutors to file three charges of their own — two counts of oppression in office and one count of abusive sexual contact.
The reason tribal authorities were able to bring charges against Cochran was due to the Violence Against Women Act, which expanded the power to prosecute non-tribal defendants who would normally end up in federal court.
In 2022, a further expansion of VAWA granted tribes broader authority to prosecute non-tribal offenders for crimes related to domestic violence, hailed as a long-overdue shift in the fight to bring greater awareness to the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous women, both on the Qualla Boundary and throughout the United States.
Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, issued a
nearly the end of Cochran’s legal troubles.
Three weeks after his resignation, Cochran was indicted by a grand jury for second-degree rape involving a new victim, the third woman to come forward to date. He was released on bond but barred from contacting the accuser and is expected to appear in court Sept. 24. In North Carolina, second-degree rape is a class C felony, punishable by 44-182 months in prison.
The charge capped a stunning fall for one of Western North Carolina’s most controversial and enduring political figures. Even if he’s acquitted on all charges, his life’s work will be forever tarnished.
Once the outsider looking in, Cochran now stands as an insider looking out from the wrong side of the system he’d sworn to uphold.
His exit, hastened not by voters but by charges too grave to ignore, leaves behind a divided county, a shaken sheriff’s office, a legacy defined less by reform than by retribution and ruination.
For Swain County, Cochran’s story may finally be nearing its conclusion — but the consequences of his long tenure will take years to unfold.
Cochran’s mug shot is a far cry from official portraits taken in years past. File photo
with farmland preservation. “There’s probably a lot of different answers around more dense development in urban areas. Homes on 10acre rural estates are not helping anybody.”
Ager said the federal government does have a role in farmland preservation, affordable housing and infrastructure, but those roles are often obstructed by bureaucracy. He pointed to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene as a vivid example. His family lost fencing, water lines and electricity. While the community rallied, federal aid was slow, confusing and overly complex.
“There were people trying to help, but it was hard to know who was doing what, where, when,” he said. “Mitigating risk for fraud and abuse is noble idea, but it often makes it hard to get the money where it actually is needed. I don’t know what the layers in that bureaucracy are, but in general, the people with the backhoes getting to work are the ones who are actually fixing things.”
Two months after Helene, then-Gov. Roy Cooper and a delegation traveled to the White House with a $25 billion request toward an estimated $60 billion in damage. Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said he authored the relief bill that ultimately passed, but out of more than $100 billion in the bill, it’s estimated North Carolina will only receive $9-15 billion. Edwards has never responded to Smoky Mountain News inquiries about why the funding was so scant.
Jamie Ager enters NC-11 race with message of rural roots, business acumen
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
On a fourth-generation family farm nestled in the hills just outside of Fairview, Jamie Ager spent his childhood watching the seasons change, the animals grow and the land evolve with the rhythms of life in the mountains. Today, that land is not only the site of a thriving regenerative agriculture business, but also the launching pad for a campaign that could reshape North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District.
Ager, 47, is a Democrat running for Congress in a district long dominated by conservatives, but he believes his experience as a farmer, businessman and community builder offers a compelling alternative to Republican incumbent Chuck Edwards — one rooted not in ideology, but in pragmatism, problem-solving and shared values across party lines.
“I’ve worked with my hands, I’ve been on a farm, I’ve done these things,” Ager said. “I’ve seen the challenges of being a working person trying to make it work. That’s different than a lot of people.”
Ager’s political roots run deep, and as with many families, dinner table conversation over decades helped shape his worldview. His grandfather, Jamie Clarke, served in the North Carolina House, North Carolina Senate and Congress from 1987 to 1991. His father, John, served in the North Carolina House from 2015 through 2023, and brother, Eric, is one of
Buncombe County’s current House reps. But Ager is quick to reject the notion of any dynastic entitlement.
“At the end of the day, I care, and I think caring is why I’m running, not because of trying to uphold some image or whatever,” Ager told The Smoky Mountain News July 28. “My grandfather was a minister. I was always told that service is the way we are ultimately happiest as humans. When you’re a part of something larger than yourself, you’re happier and you feel like you’re on a mission. There’s no better feeling.”
As a farmer, Ager is intimately familiar with the agricultural challenges of Western North Carolina. A degree in environmental studies and sustainable agriculture from Warren Wilson College formed the foundation of Ager’s career.
He and his wife Amy returned to the family farm in the early 2000s and began selling pasture-raised meats to local restaurants and coops. Today, the farm spans about 250 acres of family and leased land and supports approximately 25 local employees. The Ager family raises beef cattle, chickens, turkeys and pigs — all pasture-raised and hormone-free, using rotational grazing to promote soil health and carbon sequestration.
“Our mission is to build community through agriculture,” Ager said. “What we mean by that is really looking at the opportunity for business to drive change and represent
to the customer a brand story that is good for the land, good for the animals and good for the people.”
That philosophy, Ager said, informs his politics. Despite coming from a family of progressive Democrats, Ager does have more than a little bit of that small-government conservativism that’s often found in people who work with their hands.
“My family’s legacy is kind of built around being environmentalists, which I 100% am, but I remember as a kid seeing some of this regulatory stuff come through, and when it hits the ground, it’s often kind of slightly ridiculous,” he said. “The idea around regulatory activity is to create change, and the challenge of putting regulations in that are effective and make sense on the ground is that they are often disconnected.”
He believes entrepreneurship is the key to creating a resilient agricultural system and wants to see federal policy shift from incentivizing the cheapest food possible to rewarding sustainable, soil-friendly practices. He’s also concerned about the loss of farmland in North Carolina — the state was recently ranked second in the nation for farmland loss, behind Texas — and supports conservation easements and smarter development to preserve agricultural land for future generations.
“This farm was put into a conservation easement, which I’m grateful for,” he said, of balancing affordable housing development
“That’s frustrating, yeah, the fact that Chuck Edwards said we’re going to get all this money, and [he] actually sits in roles that can help facilitate getting that money, and then not actually being clear about what’s going on, that’s a leadership problem,” Ager said.
He was similarly critical of Edwards’ response — or lack thereof — to the closure of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill in Canton, which cost more than 1,000 good-paying jobs across the region in mid-2023. After being informed of trouble at the mill prior to its closure, Edwards has repeatedly refused to say what, if anything, he’d done to prevent it from closing.
“I would have called the mill and asked for a meeting,” Ager said. “What can we do to help mitigate this problem? We could do some math pretty quick. This thing’s not fixable? Let’s come up with a plan for this community.”
As for the National Park Service, Ager and his family are avid park-goers and supporters. He opposes staffing cuts and supports increased federal funding for park infrastructure, calling the Smokies “a huge economic driver for our region.”
Edwards also refused to speak to SMN after a parking fee was implemented in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to help address a maintenance backlog. Congress has repeatedly failed to fund adequately what many call “America’s best idea,” over decades. Edwards refused to tell SMN what he’d done to prevent those maintenance costs from being passed on to visitors that drive Western North Carolina’s economy or what he’ll do about it in the future.
“It’s sort of this classic Republican move to defund things and then point out that they’re
Jamie Ager’s entry into the NC-11 Democratic Primary Election had long been anticipated.
Cory Vaillancourt photo
not operating well and to me, that’s just baloney,” Ager said. “Here in Western North Carolina, we have a pretty big commitment to the Smoky Mountains — most visited national park in the country. let’s be excited about that resource, invite people to the region and get some dollars flowing to our small towns.”
On entitlement programs like Social Security, Medicare and the VA — entitlements Edwards has refused to protect, even as Elon Musk’s DOGE attempted to close a Social Security office in Franklin — Ager is unequivocal.
“These are very effective ways to help those who need help,” he said. “These programs make America a great country and create the safety net that we all need.”
With two brothers who are veterans, one a wounded warrior, Ager views the VA as essential and said it should be strengthened, not undermined.
“These programs are terrific examples of how humans are generous and want to help other humans,” he said.
Ager also defended the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ sovereignty, criticizing Edwards for threatening to withhold federal highway funding in response to tribal members voting overwhelmingly to legalize cannabis.
our cost to customers and it’s a huge amount of work to continue to monitor cost increases, to make sure your pricing is appropriate, to make sure that everybody’s margins are not eroded too much. That’s been the biggest challenge. The potential worry that we have around tariffs is just like, hey, every time you create destabilization, It creates potent the potential for more price increases.”
Ager struck a more moderate tone on guns and abortion, declining to promise sweeping legislative action but affirming his values.
“I’m generally not going to push too hard on Second Amendment stuff,” he said. “But when there’s gun violence and then you say we need to focus on mental health, and then you go defund mental health — that’s inconsistent,” he said.
issue.
Asked how he compares to Moe Davis, the retired Air Force colonel who was the Democratic nominee for the 11th Congressional District in 2020 and entered the upcoming race a few months ago, Ager didn’t criticize directly but offered a contrast.
“I think one of the challenges the Democratic Party has is that we are very idealistic … but executing idealism is different than having an ideal,” he said. “That’s what we’ve done here at Hickory Nut Gap — executed on some idealism and figured out how to help create change.”
While Davis has been known in the past for his fiery rhetoric, Ager prefers what he called a “happy warrior” approach — measured, methodical and built on relationships.
“I’m generally not going to push too hard on Second Amendment stuff,” he said. “But when there’s gun violence and then you say we need to focus on mental health, and then you go defund mental health — that’s inconsistent.”
— Jamie Ager
“Executing on values requires collaboration and trust,” he said. “To me, that’s where the real work gets done.”
Though a Democrat, Ager said he’s been frustrated with the party’s urban-centric blind spots.
“There’s a level of condescension that comes out of urban areas for rural people,” he said. “That pisses me off.”
He believes the path to victory lies not in pandering to partisans but in speaking plainly to people of all stripes.
“That’s where we definitely disagree,” Ager said. “They’re creating a ton of economic activity. Having the autonomy and the sovereignty to make their own decisions … that’s their right.”
While cautious about federal cannabis legalization and acknowledging problems with legalization in some western states, Ager said he supports learning from those experiments.
On economic policy, Ager was skeptical of tariffs and said that uncertainty is bad for business.
“We’re in the beef business,” Ager said. “These price increases that we’ve gotten on beef mean we have to pass along
He called himself “pro-choice and pro-family,” but emphasized the need to support families after children are born.
On LGBTQ rights, which are under attack from religious extremists, his simple affirmation probably says more than pages upon pages of policy statements or proposals.
“We live in a great country where freedom is granted to everybody in the Constitution,” he said. “So let’s do everything we can to make sure that’s how we roll.”
Ager supports continued aid to Ukraine and a strong NATO alliance. He’s critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and concerned that blind allegiance to Israel has become a partisan
“The more we look at things through partisan lenses, the more we lose. I’ve got nothing but love for other people for solving hard problems,” he said. “If Republicans have good ideas, let’s listen. Let’s implement them.”
Asked if the district, recently rated at rated R+5, is truly winnable if he’s able to make it through a crowded Democratic field — Ager and Davis are joined by Zelda Briarwood and Chris Harjes — Ager didn’t hesitate.
“I think I win,” he said.
The Primary Election for seats in the General Assembly, Congress and U.S. Senate will take place on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Sylva passes resolution in support of Fontana Regional Library
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT P OLITICS E DITOR
Two weeks after spearheading the removal of a resolution in support of the Fontana Regional Library system from the Sylva Board of Commissioners agenda, a move he later called a “rookie mistake,” Commissioner Jon Brown made good on his promise to introduce a new resolution of support, which passed July 24 — more than a month after Jackson County commissioners voted to leave the system over LGBTQ+ content.
“I’d like to make a motion to add an item to the agenda, to revisit the resolution in support of our county library,” Brown said at the outset of the
At the June 10 meeting, Brown moved to strike the proposed resolution, arguing the board hadn’t drafted, vetted or discussed it, and that it was inappropriate to take a public position on a controversial county-level issue. The tiny Jackson County municipalities of Forest Hills and Webster each passed a similar resolution the week prior.
Brown said Sylva’s board should refrain from commenting on what he viewed as divisive local debate. His motion passed on support from Brown and commissioners Blitz Estridge and Mary Gelbaugh, over the opposition of commissioners Brad Waldrop and Joe Waldrum.
Right around that time, Jackson County commissioners were locked in a contentious debate with supporters of the FRL who urged commissioners to remain part of the eight-decade library partnership that includes Macon and Swain counties. Opponents — many citing their own religious agenda — claimed the system was pushing an LGBTQ+ agenda, while supporters warned of diminished service, increased cost and legal liability over First Amendment concerns.
Brown did say in quashing the motion that he hoped the Jackson County Public Library would remain part of the FRL system and that he would remain open to discussing some sort of resolution in the future.
On June 24, Jackson commissioners voted 4-1 to leave the system, ignoring hours of public comment, hundreds of emails and
sobering financial projections by County Manager Kevin King. Chairman Mark Letson was the only vote against withdrawal. While there’s still time to change course during the year-long disentanglement process from FRL, commissioners have given no public indication they plan to do so.
Criticism from the community followed quickly and spilled over into Sylva’s July 10 meeting when Luther Jones lambasted the board’s decision during the public comment period, saying it was the first time he had felt ashamed of the board’s actions and describing Brown’s move as censorship. Jones warned that voters should hold board members accountable in upcoming elections. Gelbaugh isn’t seeking reelection, but Brown and Waldrum are both hoping to retain their seats and have drawn a crowded field.
After Jones’ criticisms, Brown admitted his move was “a rookie mistake” and that he should have left the resolution on the agenda so it could be voted on after debate.
“What we what we did last meeting in removing that from the agenda was probably not the best way to handle that,” he told Jones. “I’ll admit that, and I think that was a learning experience for me.”
Brown went on to express optimism that a resolution in support of the library was forthcoming.
That resolution came at the end of the July 24 meeting, after Brown had it added to the agenda at the outset.
Mayor Johnny Phillips read the title, “Resolution of support for Jackson County’s Continued Participation in the Fontana Regional Library System” and asked Brown if he had anything to add. Brown said no, Phillips called the vote, and the motion passed unanimously without further discussion.
The only substantive change from the resolution presented June 10 was the inclusion of a clause noting that “Fontana Regional Library has processes in place which allow patrons to express concerns related to content and request modifications to content management.”
Commissioner Brad Waldrop was on vacation at the time of the vote.
Swain County Board of Elections office to move
On June 17, the Swain County Board of Commissioners voted to authorize the Board of Elections to relocate to the Swain County Business Education and Training Center, located at 45 East Ridge Drive in Bryson City. The Board of Elections voted unanimously to request this relocation at its regular meeting on May 13.
The Training Center has abundant space for voting, parking, storage, training and office operations and is in an area that is conducive
to road safety during busy voting periods. This new location will enable the Board to better serve the public, enhance voter safety and continue to conduct free and fair elections.
The final day of candidate filing is scheduled to be the last day of operations at the Board’s present location, and relocation is scheduled to be completed by July 21. A ribboncutting or similar ceremony will be held on Tuesday, July 22, on which date the incoming Board of Elections will be sworn in at Noon.
Waynesville officials ignore board term limits
BY C ORY VAILLANCOURT
P OLITICS E DITOR
Two members of Waynesville’s Zoning Board of Adjustment were improperly appointed by Town Council in violation of the town’s own term limits policy, a Smoky Mountain News investigation has found.
Created in 1958, the ZBA is a quasi-judicial board that hears appeals and variance requests related to land development standards. It meets monthly if needed and consists of five members and three alternates who serve three-year terms.
There are nine such town boards, covering everything from parks to planning to public art, with some dormant or only sporadically active but others quite busy.
According to the Town of Waynesville Board/Commission Manual, on July 12, 2018, the then-Board of Aldermen — now called Town Council — limited its various advisory board and commission members to three consecutive terms.
However, commission-specific information included in the manual for nearly all states, “The Board of Aldermen approved the extension of the terms of the Boards and Commissions to three (3) three-year terms, retroactive to 2013.”
That means anyone serving in 2013 or after would be subject to the three-term rule. This minor yet significant adjustment to the three-term rule, perhaps relevant at the time, is becoming less so as time goes by, but it still exists and was apparently overlooked in two cases — ZBA members Henry Kidder and Joshua Morgan, who serves as chair.
Morgan has been under fire since a recent judicial order found him responsible for the “improper use of governmental authority” in withholding public records at Shining Rock Classical Academy, where since 2018 he has served as head of school.
Some have called for Morgan’s removal from the ZBA on that basis alone, but council members who responded to an SMN inquiry offered varying degrees of defense for Morgan.
intended purpose of stopping or inhibiting Fitzgibbon’s submission of public records requests to Shining Rock.”
First appointed to the ZBA on July 12, 2016, Morgan was subsequently reappointed on June 25, 2019, and then on July 26, 2022. That should have been his last term, set to expire on June 30, 2025, however a last-minute addition to the consent agenda on June 10, 2025, listed Morgan as an applicant to the ZBA.
Morgan dated his ZBA reappointment application March 4, 2025, in clear violation of the town’s policy manual that sets the legal guardrails for the board he chairs.
The consent agenda passed unanimously without discussion, giving Morgan a fourth three-year term through June 30, 2028.
Council Members have the authority to override the threeterm limit “when they deem the circumstances of an individual’s service to the community to be of such notable impor-
ing agendas and minutes well after his third term expired on June 30, 2024 — starting with the July 2, 2024, ZBA meeting and continuing through the most recent May 6, 2025, meeting. The required statement explaining why Kidder’s service was “of such notable importance as to warrant a continuation of service” was not included with any meeting materials, nor was such a statement uttered by any member of Council during the meeting.
As it turns out, Kidder’s service may not have been notable enough to warrant such a statement.
During a Feb. 6, 2024, meeting of the ZBA, Kidder was the lone holdout on a relatively straightforward request to subdivide a single lot so developers could build an affordably priced long-term rental duplex. In a region with a longstanding, welldocumented affordable housing crisis, Kidder had apparently been unaware of the problem throughout nearly a decade of service on the ZBA.
“What is the affordable housing shortage?” Kidder asked during the meeting.
The incidents, dating back to 2019, were covered heavily at the time by SMN.
Council member Anthony Sutton said he wasn’t aware of the allegations made against Morgan during Morgan’s 2022 reappointment and noted that on the ZBA, Morgan has no authority over public records fulfillment like he does at SRCA. “I will continue to monitor the situation closely and will take appropriate action, when necessary, up to and including asking for his resignation,” Sutton said.
Jon Feichter, another member of Council, said he didn’t recall seeing that coverage at the time make the connection from Morgan the school principal to Morgan the ZBA applicant.
“As for his continued service on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, adherence to public records laws is non-negotiable. By that standard, what happened at Shining Rock was clearly wrong. I believe the actions taken there — by Josh Morgan and others — amounted to what the court described as ‘an improper use of governmental authority that restricted access to public records and information,’” said Feichter. “However, to my knowledge he has served honorably on the ZBA for many years, and as long as that continues, he has my support.”
But Chuck Dickson, a Council member and former town attorney himself, provided the strongest defense of Morgan, saying that although the allegations the court later found to be true were publicly known before Morgan’s third and fourth term reappointments, absent a judicial order they meant little to him. Dickson also said that he was not of the opinion that Morgan is “morally or ethically unfit to serve because of his erroneous interpretation of the public records statutes.” Morgan’s interpretation of public records laws may have been erroneous, but according to the court ruling, he had acted with specific intent when he and others “ … implemented Shining Rock’s formalized public records response protocol and applied it to Fitzgibbon’s public records requests with the
tance as to warrant a continuation of service,” but that’s not what happened with Morgan.
When someone’s service to the community is of such notable importance, any council member may nominate the individual to another term and “state that they believe special circumstance to warrant a continuation of service.”
As Morgan’s fourth appointment to the ZBA on June 10 was part of the consent agenda and was passed without any discussion whatsoever, no member of council stated any reason why Morgan’s service was of “such notable importance” as to warrant a continuation of that service for a fourth term, nor is any such statement included in the advisory board reappointment packet.
A similar situation appears to have taken place with Henry Kidder, who was first appointed to the ZBA on June 23, 2015, according to meeting minutes.
SMN was unable to locate any published minutes denoting Kidder’s reappointment to a second term, which would have occurred sometime near the middle of 2018; however, a ZBA agenda from Sept. 4, 2018, records his elevation to chair upon the resignation of Neal Ensley, who had served on the board since 2002.
A July 27, 2021, Board of Alderman agenda lists Kidder as one of more than two dozen people seeking appointment to one of the town’s various advisory boards, and indicates a motion passed reappointing Kidder to the ZBA with a term ending June 30, 2024.
That should have been it for Kidder; however, video from the June 11, 2024, Town Council agenda shows Council approving a motion reappointing several members to the Planning Board, the ABC Board, the Waynesville Housing Authority and the ZBA.
No names were mentioned by council or in supporting documents, and minutes from 2024 are not published in the town’s publicly available document repositories, but the reappointments apparently included Kidder, as he’s noted in ZBA meet-
“Have you read the papers lately?” thenChair George Escaravage shot back.
Later, Kidder revealed that he was also unaware of the existence of the town’s comprehensive land use plan, which guides nearly all land use and development within the town. Per statute, as a condition of being allowed to adopt and enforce zoning regulations, local governments must “maintain a comprehensive plan or land-use
The most recent plan was adopted during Kidder’s second term on the ZBA, after more than two years of heavy media coverage, public hearings and input from community members. On Sept. 8, 2020, the new plan replaced a longstanding predecessor plan that had been implemented well before Kidder’s first term.
“That’s not a law, that’s a plan, right?” Kidder continued. “So we shouldn’t consider that. We should only consider the [town’s land development standards].”
Despite the improper appointments, it’s possible Kidder and Morgan remain on the ZBA indefinitely. In accordance with General Statute 160A-62, “All city officers, whether elected or appointed, shall continue to hold office until their successors are chosen and qualified.”
The town’s policy manual, however, conflicts with that statute in that it proscribes procedures for “when a vacancy occurs on a board or commission due to a resignation or the end of a three (3) year term” — specifically including in the definition of “vacancy” both resignations and the end of a threeyear term.
When a vacancy does occur, “the Town Clerk’s office should be notified by the chair of that board or commission as soon as possible,” according to the manual. It’s not known if the chair of the ZBA, Morgan, complied with this provision by informing the clerk that a vacancy existed due to his third term ending on June 30.
The next meeting of the ZBA is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 5. An agenda has not been published as of press time on Tuesday, July 29, but there have been no public calls for the resignations of Kidder and Morgan from town officials, and the town has given no indication the meeting won’t proceed as normal — with Kidder and Morgan continuing to serve beyond the limits imposed in town policy.
Generally, Council can remove members from boards at will, except for the ZBA, meaning the only remedy to the situation short of resignations or the nomination of new members would be to initiate removal “for cause,” which would involve a public hearing where those causes are outlined and an opportunity for the board member in question to be heard.
The Town of Waynesville is currently seeking applicants for the Zoning Board of Adjustment. File photo
Find time to stop in the woods and breathe
BY JOHN B ECKMAN G UEST C OLUMNIST
It started as a ripple softly lapping against my back as I pulled into the driveway of our quiet mountain cove. The roar of the interstates and swarms of fellow travelers behind me after the 1,300-mile sojourn to Lake Erie and back. I made it. Breathe.
That sense of peaceful relief swelled as I parked in my usual spot and wrenched my stiff self out of the seat, reentering a world of the familiar, comfortable and loved. My magical tide rose as I stretched and walked toward the messy summer gardens with a light misty view of the Balsams and their patience greeting me with their ever-open arms.
With the days of life behind the windshield rapidly fading, I stepped through the vegetables and flowers into a forest of poplars, maples and walnuts, embraced by walls of greens and grays under a ceiling of dappled dancing light. I gazed soft-eyed around seeing all things comforting and right, the only sounds the fall of the creek and birds calling out the day’s news. On a raft of grateful and perfect satisfaction, sensations that all is well can roll over us, bobbing us on waters in ease and joy, back to a place where the world makes gentle sense. Ahhhhhh …
The barn I’d built 18 years ago stood silently and proud
Democratic Party is in disarray
To the Editor:
As we approach the 2026 mid-term elections, the political climate is marked by uncertainty for the Democratic Party. Confusion and disorder echo throughout their ranks, causing many to doubt the party’s sustainability. Meanwhile, the Republican Party has a unique opportunity to benefit from this chaos, provided it avoids complacency and overconfidence.
The Democratic Party faces significant challenges. Confusion spreads within the party, with different factions pushing their own agendas. This disunity has led to unclear messaging that fails to resonate with voters, a crucial issue in this high-stakes election.
Radical progressive groups have gained control of the Democratic Party. These socialist Democrats favor Palestinians, gender alteration, illegal criminal immigrants, DEI, solar and wind energy and socialist reforms such as free universal healthcare and free college education for everyone, including illegal immigrants. These are not issues that resonate with independent moderates.
Independent moderates, who are crucial for winning elections, tend to focus more on issues that directly affect their everyday lives. This contrast highlights the challenges the Democratic Party faces in creating a unified strategy. In a desperate mindset, the Democratic Party has resorted to polarizing and dangerous rhetoric.
With the Democratic Party in disarray, Republicans might begin to feel overly confident. This sense of false security can be a dangerous trap. The Republican Party must
behind me, now home to a family of wrens while the carpenter bees and pileated woodpeckers worked diligently to return the wood to the dust from which it arose. I shook its welcoming hand as I approached and stood in the doorway looking back across the valley below, a late afternoon sun shining its spotlight on our local Broadway stars. Perhaps my moment’s exceptional wonder at the serene surroundings was due to the constant hum and chatter of my previous week and its hundreds of interactions packed with buckets of noise. True quietude can sometimes be the greatest gift of all, when we long for nothing, wrapped in incredible, understated beauty asking only to be swept up in its perfection, and the freedom to breathe, effortlessly. It should come as little surprise that hundreds of thou-
LETTERS
remember that victories are earned on the ground, not just in social media echo chambers.
The challenge is to maintain focus and humility. While this disarray within the Democratic Party presents a golden opportunity for the Republican Party to present itself as a reliable alternative, complacency and overconfidence can lead to unexpected losses. To avoid this pitfall, Republicans must engage actively with voters and address their concerns directly daily, ensuring they do not take their support for granted.
For the Republican Party, specifically members of Congress, the key moving forward is to leverage the Democratic Party’s confusion, commit to strongly supporting President Trump’s “America First” agenda to fulfill his promises to the American people and forge strong connections with the electorate. Understanding voters’ needs and desires is more crucial than ever.
Republican Party engagement begins at the local level through the county Republican Party. Engagement can take various forms, including open county party meetings, issuebased town halls, community events and targeted digital outreach. By focusing on local issues, the Republican Party, elected Republican officials, and Republican candidates can increase their visibility and establish lasting relationships.
To effectively address the challenges of the Democratic Party, Republicans need a clear and sensible message that resonates with everyday Americans. That common-sense message already exists in President Trump’s campaign promises. If done correctly, Republicans can translate voter dissatisfaction
sands of people from everywhere flock to Western North Carolina. They arrive perhaps to visit the exceptional attractions our area offers, an exciting outdoor adventure or maybe they, too, are looking for some float time in our reservoir of Blue Ridge bliss, beyond their world of constant distractions. (For those readers more technology tethered 24/7, try turning off the phone for four hours, or six ... (OMG !!) … you’ll see what I mean. No dude, it really works.)
I’d encourage visitors, and everyone else to make time to immerse yourself in a quiet wood, not saying a word, listen and learn, observe little things while finding your own slice of time with whispering peace. Get out of the car, out of your mind, and into the woods. Amazing things happen there. You’ll see.
(John Beckman is a builder and gardener who lives in Jackson County. beckmanmtn@yahoo.com.)
with the Democratic Party and its extreme socialist agenda into significant electoral gain
L.E. Cossette Waynesville
We must cure this sickness
To the Editor:
Western Carolina University is only one of many public institutions being infected with the disease of Trumpism. Single-handedly Trump has mandated that diversity can no longer be promoted in hiring, curriculum, and even in student populations. Teaching the truth is at risk of dying, as well. On top of that, Trump uses monetary threats to enforce his edicts.
As the Trump agenda grinds on, it is imperative that we remember the truth. diversity, equity and inclusion is a good thing, a necessary thing in a democracy. The MAGA mantra of “DEI divides us!” is a Trump-created lie, a fabricated rant to gin up the racist portion of his base. This lie appeals to those who want to believe that white people (men in particular) are somehow being marginalized or treated unfairly.
However, that is not true. White victimhood is simply a reaction or backlash to the promotion of full representation in our government, our public institutions and in our daily lives. After several hundred years, inclusion of everyone has finally become an aspirational goal in America.
But under Trump, this goal is being blotted out. To illustrate, compare photos of Biden’s Joint Chiefs of Staff to Trump’s. You’ll see clearly what this deadly disease can do.
Trump’s buzz word providing cover for
racism, sexism or any other phobia is “merit.” Ironically, the mandate for meritbased choices loses all credibility when considering Trump’s hirings and firings. Take, for example, his firing of Carla Hayden, the librarian for the Library of Congress, who happens to be a superbly qualified Black woman. Alongside that, consider some of his cabinet picks, and you’ll notice Trump doesn’t follow his own mandate for meritbased hiring. There’s RFK Jr., now at the helm of national health, who does not have a medical degree in anything. Likewise, Pete Hegseth’s most salient credential for Secretary of Defense is his hosting a weekend Fox News program. Such high level cabinet positions require true expertise, not Trump mouthpieces.
Let’s be clear — DEI initiatives have never promoted hiring women or minorities without the corresponding professional qualifications. Rather, DEI advocates choosing those with the least representation who are also highly credentialed in their fields. Because our country has a long history of White (male) supremacy, DEI seeks to make full representation a reality. In essence, diversity, equity, and inclusion is a goal of democracy, not “radical left ideology.”
So when the disease of Trumpism comes for you and your organization, as it has for Western Carolina University, don’t remain silent. Be vocal about the truth. Actively support what you know is right. Openly claim that diversity, equity, and inclusion is the cornerstone of a representative government.
Curing the sickness of Trumpism will take courage. Your voice and your vote are the only vaccine. You are the cure.
Faye Kennedy, Whittier
GSMNP photo
Cultural evolution
tion and community thrive. It keeps us rooted and open, local and global,” Christian said. “And it reflects who we are at our best — a small town with an open heart and an outwardlooking spirit.”
In the decades since its inception, Folkmoot has hosted upwards of 200 groups from around 100 countries. Each group would not only perform at the Friendship Center in Waynesville; they’d also appear at venues around Western North Carolina during their visit.
“At its core, Folkmoot’s strength comes from two things,” Christian said. “Radical hospitality — welcoming everyone, whether it’s hosting international dancers or offering studio space to a local artisan — and people who show up volunteers, teachers, performers and neighbors who’ve kept it going for decades through sheer heart and commitment.”
Folkmoot lets festival go, pivots to next chapter
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR
In a move that will raise some eyebrows and just as many questions, the decades-long dance festival put on by Folkmoot USA in Waynesville has quietly been eliminated.
“At this moment, we feel that year-round programming will better serve Folkmoot’s mission and allow us to adapt to change,” said Folkmoot Board Chair Peter Christian. “By letting go of the fixed festival structure, Folkmoot gained flexibility.”
“Letting go of the festival was a hard decision, but not a careless one. It was made with the intention of preserving the mission, rather than the model,” added board member Jake Gilmore. “Survival depends on evolution. Folkmoot’s future will be defined not by what it stops doing, but by what it dares to become.”
With the beloved nonprofit cultural organization now switching to year-round programming, other avenues of revenue and possibility within its large facility and cultural footprint are being explored, and the future of Folkmoot is on much more stable ground lately.
“Folkmoot is growing. Rooted in the traditions that built it and expanding into something even more inclusive, creative and connected,” Christian said. “We’re reimagining cultural programming that reflects, serves and involves our entire community of Haywood County and surrounding areas.”
“Supporting Folkmoot isn’t about holding onto the past,” Gilmore added. “It’s about recognizing the rare and powerful role it plays in shaping a healthier, more connected future for this region. And that’s something worth fighting for.”
Meaning “meeting of the people,” Folkmoot was created in 1984 by local surgeon Dr. Clinton Border. Border was inspired by the folk festivals he interacted with while traveling through Europe in the 1970s.
“Over 40 years, that vision has grown into one of the Southeast’s flagship international events,” Christian said. “Long before ‘global citi-
zenship’ became part of the mainstream, Folkmoot was fostering intercultural understanding through person-to-person connection.”
Border believed in the power and importance of cultural exchange and also knew the value Folkmoot could bring to the people of Western North Carolina. The inaugural event
was held in Waynesville in 1984 to coincide with North Carolina’s 400th anniversary.
“Folkmoot is special because it blends global vision with small town soul. It doesn’t just showcase cultures, it creates real human connection,” Christian said. “It’s a place where people from completely different backgrounds come together, share a meal, exchange stories and realize how much we have in common.”
That initial gathering in 1984 brought in groups from England, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Turkey, Mexico, Puerto Rico, India and also performers from the continental United States.
“When Folkmoot thrives, culture, connec-
Even though Folkmoot grew in popularity and scope in the 1980s and 1990s, a lot of things started to affect the health and wellbeing of the festival in a post-9/11, post-COVID world. Since the early 2000s, travel has not only become increasingly expensive (especially when booking/hosting international groups); it also has become more difficult in acquiring foreign visas atop rising insurance costs.
And yet, Folkmoot was able to hold on. But, the biggest among the many changes is the simple notion that the novelty of seeing some-
thing unique like an international group has shifted in a digital world where everyone has access to everything at all times.
“The world changed, and so did how we connect,” Christian said. “In the 1980s, bringing international dancers to rural North Carolina was extraordinary. It gave people here a rare, real-time experience of global culture before the internet, before YouTube, before TikTok. But, today, access to international music and dance is everywhere.”
Last year, the Folkmoot Board created a three-year strategic plan to aid in this transition and transformation of the organization as it navigates the future. This encompasses ever-
evolving community outreach.
“Today, that means offering affordable concerts, hands-on art and dance workshops, studio space for local creatives and free community events,” Christian said. “We partner with local schools, nonprofits and artisans to bring cultural experiences directly to Haywood County — building something that’s not just for tourists, but for the people who live here every day.”
The plan includes several key points: “keeping the Friendship Center vibrant and financially sustainable, deepening our programming to reflect the diverse interests of our community, and building strong partnerships both locally and internationally.”
“We’re also embracing digital storytelling, so that the incredible stories and cultures we celebrate here in Waynesville can ripple out far beyond Western North Carolina,” Christian said. “We’re early in this journey and you’ll see more unfold as the plan continues.”
According to Christian, over 5,000 attendees came to the year-round programming in 2024, which encompasses an array of events from concerts to community activities and workshops. It also included the festival itself, last held in July 2024, which had shrunk down to a one-day gathering from its former glory of a two-week long extravaganza of song and dance.
“Now, we’re opening the door to a new chapter,” Christian said. “Folkmoot recognizes that moving forward will require adaptive leadership, fresh ways of communicating and the courage to continue shifting from a festival model to a full cultural ecosystem.”
“Getting to this moment took decades of dedication. Moving forward will take courage, clarity, and collaboration,” Gilmore added. “But, if Folkmoot can evolve with integrity — while holding onto its core mission of cultural connection — then its next chapter could be just as impactful as its first.”
Gilmore is also the owner/operator of Axis Yoga, which has its studio within the Folkmoot Friendship Center (formerly the Hazelwood Elementary School) in Waynesville. The small business is one of many now calling the facility home, with the former classrooms the ideal space for these entities to have a brick-andmortar venue.
“Folkmoot has played a meaningful role in supporting Axis Yoga and its instructors by providing a platform to share affordable, community-based wellness practices,” Gilmore said. “Through yoga, singing, tai chi and dance, we’re able to create opportunities for connection, empathy and shared experience — strengthening not only individual well-being, but also a sense of positive group identity.”
Aside from Axis, there’s an array of other businesses within the center: Viking Stained Glass, Stone Cottage Band Instrument Shoppe, The Pollinators Foundation, Think Somatics and more. That number is constantly growing as Folkmoot continues to evolve the property and adheres to its mission of cultural exchange and community inclusion.
“What makes Folkmoot successful is the
Dancers from countries around the world came to Waynesville as part of Folkmoot. File photos
‘I have something on my mind, was it you on the other side’
HTuesday. The skies are overcast with a slight drizzle this morning. The streets in this small outpost town are somewhat quiet, too, especially after the whirlwind of the Under the Big Sky music festival this past weekend.
Door-to-door, it’s 2,290 miles from my apartment in downtown Waynesville to the Apres (4,580 miles roundtrip). This being my third time attending the massive Rocky Mountain gathering, I’ve got a pretty good lay of the land at this point. Beyond the event itself, I know where all the rowdy latenight saloons are, as well as the best spots for a late lunch after a gloriously sweaty hike in the nearby woods.
And this go-round was no different. Libations and shenanigans way past the midnight hour. Drinks hoisted high and in unison of this moment together with dear friends from across the country, some only seen at this juncture each year. Disappearing acts into the ancient forest, hiking up the mountain ridges to get a better view of just how remote this area is. Not to mention the hearty meals along the way.
The organized chaos of a music festival unfolding in real time. Over 20,000 music freaks running around a 400-acre working ranch turned venue for this one weekend in mid-July each year. And there I was, in the middle of it all, trying to capture the moment athand and simply immerse myself in the who, what, where and why of being in attendance within the vastness of the endless universe.
But, beyond all the bands and songs, hot midday sun and late evening sunsets, cold
Skip ahead to the here and now. Wednesday morning. I’m currently sitting on the balcony of a hotel in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Slowly making my way back across the country to Western North Carolina in the coming days. The roar of the nearby falls echoes through the quaint downtown. The warm late July sunshine radiating across the desolate rolling valleys and high peaks of rural Eastern Idaho.
I used to run around these parts some 18 years ago, when I was 22 and a rookie newspaper reporter in 2008 in Driggs, Idaho. I covered ranchers, ski bums, rich folks and whatever oddball characters I’d come across in my travels between Teton County, Idaho, and Jackson, Wyoming just over the Teton Pass. And I love every subject I found out here. That sense of exploration, discovery and pure joy is still within me throughout my work in WNC and greater Southern Appalachia.
It all seems like yesterday and a million years ago at the same time. I was so young then. I still feel young, even at age 40 now. In truth, the older I get, the more I realize how young I was (looking back). I remain just as curious and inspired. And now, I return to Teton Valley to dive deep into the people, places and things that still ricochet around the back of my mind, especially in the midst of a cross-country road trip.
Passing through Swan Valley, take a left on Route 33 and eventually over the Big Hole Mountains, the truck then slowly descending into Teton Valley. A warm, soothing breeze pushing into the open windows of the vehicle. The sounds of Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys radiating from the stereo. Melodies conjured and released the better part of a century ago. Still so poignant, so rich in character and melodic depth. Wills’ tunes continually bring ease and appreciation to me.
unknown. And to, perhaps, walk away with a better sense of self, better awareness of our surroundings.
Running into old friends and catching up about nothing and everything and everything in-between. Making new acquaintances and fast friends amid the whirlwind energy of the festival itself. Leaning in close during a loud concert to hear them better. Leaning in close to find common ground and make genuine connections about life, families and careers.
By Monday morning, I’m typing away in my hotel room, putting the finishing touches on a festival recap article for Rolling Stone. By that afternoon, I’m hiking up a trail with one of the public relations folks running the festival. The four-mile out and back trek underneath a slight drizzle offering a majestic ridgetop view of the splendid Whitefish Lake. Hike back down in time to get ready for dinner with the others.
A couple hours later, we’re sitting at a table in some fancy Italian restaurant. The annual “goodbye” dinner. Well, until next year. They all call Los Angeles home. Jovial folks and easy to befriend. My kind of people. Hearty laughter and conversation. Wines glasses toasting the moment. Plans in motion to hang again soon, hopefully at least once before we find ourselves back out here for the next installment of UTBS.
Soon, the nose of my dusty truck will cruise into the small mountain town of Victor, Idaho. I’ll surely drive by my old apartment, that $500-a-month studio behind an empty mobile home, during that winter of 2007-2008 with record-breaking snowfall (over 600 inches). Deadlines and assignments on my desk at the newsroom in nearby Driggs.
Cold, silent nights spent asleep in that tiny apartment, waking up in the middle of the night and gazing at the stars outside the window. My thoughts would hover around my decision to leave the East Coast right after college and drive across America to chase this dream of the written word. Everything familiar in my life up until that point now in the rearview mirror. Now what? And where to from here, eh? Funny how those same questions still ring true in my 40-year-old head.
Regardless, it’s been 17 years since those Idaho days. So much has happened, with so much more to do, see and experience. And I’m here for all of it. Plans are in the works to have dinner and drinks tonight with some of my old Victor friends at the Knotty Pine Supper Club, a block from that former studio of mine. I’m excited to see them. And I’ll make sure to send you a postcard of what transpired. Stay tuned.
Life is beautiful, grasp for it, y’all.
Me in Montana. Jessica Holley photo
On the wall
Haywood Arts presents ‘Chiaroscuro’
The Haywood County Arts Council’s latest exhibition “Chiaroscuro” will run from July 30-Sept. 1 at HCAC’s Handmade Gallery in downtown Waynesville.
“Chiaroscuro” highlights the bold use of light and shadow to create depth, mood and movement in art. This evocative show features work by regional artists who creatively explore the classic chiaroscuro technique across a variety of mediums.
There will be a special opening night reception during Art After Dark from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at the gallery. The reception and exhibition are both free and open to the public.
For more information, visit haywoodarts.org.
Pottery exhibition
The ‘Chiaroscuro’ exhibit will run through Sept. 1. Donated photo
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 work-
• “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 about the showcase and/or other events at the HCAC, visit haywoodarts.org.
ALSO:
• WNC Paint Events will host painting sessions throughout the region on select dates. For more information and/or to sign up, visit wncpaint.events.
Over 450 Tires In Stock
• 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.
shop 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.
Waynesville art walk, live music
A cherished gathering of locals and visitors alike, “Art After Dark” will continue its 2025 season from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, in downtown Waynesville.
Each first Friday of the month (MayDecember), Main Street transforms into an evening of art, live music, finger foods, beverages and shopping as artisan studios and galleries keep their doors open later for local residents and visitors alike.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit downtownwaynesville.com.
• Waynesville Photography Club meets at 7 p.m. every third Monday each month on the second floor of the Haywood Regional Health & Fitness Center in Clyde. The club is a nonprofit organization that exists for the enjoyment of photography and the improvement of one’s skills. waynesvillephotoclub@charter.net.
• Jackson County Green Energy Park (Dillsboro) will be offering a slew of classes, events and activities for artisans, locals and visitors. 828.631.0271 / jcgep.org.
• Southwestern Community College Swain Arts Center (Bryson City) will host an array of workshops for adults and kids. 828.339.4000 / southwesterncc.edu/scclocations/swain-center.
• Dogwood Crafters in Dillsboro will offer a selection of upcoming art classes and workshops. 828.586.2248 / dogwoodcrafters.com.
• Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center (Franklin) will host semi-regular arts and crafts workshops. 828.369.4080 / coweeschool.org.
power of personal exchange. A perfect example for me was co-hosting International Yoga Day,” Gilmore said. “It was truly beautiful — the families, the hallways filled with people connecting, laughing and sharing. Outside, the field was alive with local businesses selling food and handmade goods, while yoga classes, tai chi, hula hooping and family-friendly workshops flowed all day long. To see Folkmoot quite literally bursting at the seams
with our community moving, gathering and growing together — it warmed my heart like no other time in my life.”
With the legend and legacy of the festival now placed on the shelves of time, what matters most for Folkmoot at this current juncture is same thing that it took to launch itself those many decades ago — cultural intuition, creative input and community support.
“What’s going to propel Folkmoot forward
Folkmoot’s annual parade used to end at the Historic Haywood County Courthouse. File photos
HOT PICKS
1
“Concerts on the Creek” music series will present Jackson County rock/reggae Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.
2
A special stage production of the Broadway classic “Anything Goes” will be held at 7:30 p.m. July 31, Aug. 1-2, 7-9 and 2 p.m. Aug. 3, 10 at the Haywood Arts Regional Theatre in Waynesville.
is a blend of honoring its cultural mission, while embracing innovation,” Gilmore said.
“A bountiful chapter won’t come from nostalgia, it’ll come from courage — to rethink outdated models, to bring new leadership voices to the table and to boldly align programming with the realities of today’s world.”
To learn more about Folkmoot, its mission and to see what’s coming up on its event calendar, visit folkmoot.org.
What’s new at Folkmoot
A cultural arts beacon of Haywood County and greater Western North Carolina, the Folkmoot Friendship Center in Waynesville hosts an array of events, classes and workshops Upcoming concerts include Peter Mawanga Trio (Sept. 18), Free Planet Radio (Oct. 16), Rudy’s Bluegrass Revue (Nov. 13) and more to be announced in the coming months.
Ode to Folkmoot, ode to the what’s next
BY GARRET K. WOODWARD
ARTS & E NTERTAINMENT E DITOR
July 2012. When I was in the running for the open position of arts and entertainment editor here at The Smoky Mountain News, I had to drive from where I was living at the time (Plattsburgh, New York) to Waynesville (1,100 miles each way) for the final interview.
It was late Friday afternoon when I rolled into the SMN newsroom, our old office which is now Church Street Depot (my former desk is where the beer cooler is now). Disheveled and delirious, I sauntered in and met publisher Scott McLeod. He said he liked my resume, but he couldn’t hire me until he saw how I was in the field (on assignment). Thus, he handed me a camera and a notepad and said, “Okay, the Folkmoot festival is kicking off around the corner on Main Street. Go get me two stories from the event and we’ll talk on Monday about the job.” He locked up the office and walked off into his open weekend.
Now alone and left with my existential ponderings, I stood there on Church Street with two thoughts in my mind: “I can’t mess this up, I want this gig,” and “What in the hell is Folkmoot?”
Wandering onto Main Street, I could hear live music echoing down the corridor. On the far end, in front of the courthouse, there it was, the Waynesville Street Dance led by Joe Sam Queen. The special guest was one of the Folkmoot dance groups, from Slovakia. Pen and paper in-hand, I tried to get some quotes on-the-fly, but nobody spoke English. Thankfully, I was able to finally track down one person who spoke broken English. I got my quotes, and I also was able to see first-hand just what makes Folkmoot such an incredible organization — this annual coming together of worldwide cultures in Western North Carolina in the name of diplomacy and fellowship.
And that exact sentiment remains to this very day. It truly does. Throughout my 13 years here in WNC and at the newspaper, I’ve
written countless stories about Folkmoot, whether it be in-person interviews with foreign groups from around the globe or merely telling the general public what’s new and what’s next for this cultural bastion that’s held steady for several decades now.
The culmination of those experiences has not only enhanced my view and appreciation for world cultures, it’s also made me a better person. I don’t take Folkmoot for granted, nor should you. Which is why — with the recent announcement that the annual dance festival will cease to be, moving forward — I see what Folkmoot is doing and the endless possibility of what’s to come looking ahead.
The only constant in life is change, with that change a means of survival to find stability. Folkmoot will always retain one foot in tradition, the other in the realm of growth for survival. Sure, the annual festival is now gone. But, in my honest opinion, that opens up a lot of space, literally and figuratively, for Folkmoot to pivot and focus on other avenues of programming and partnerships.
It’s about maintaining a healthy, bounti-
3
Chamber Music Society of the Carolinas (CMSC) will continue its annual summer residency at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3, at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville.
4
“An Appalachian Evening” series will continue with a performance by The Special Consensus at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.
5
“Art After Dark” will continue its 2025 season from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, in downtown Waynesville.
In terms of musicians, “World Drum Classes” will be held every Friday at 2:30 p.m. (adults) and 4 p.m. (family friendly, all ages), with the “Waynesville Acoustic Guitar Group” meeting from 2-4 p.m. every second and fourth Saturday of the month.
To note, for live music events, there are several options for admission, which includes “pay what you can” options for patrons.
For a full schedule of events and activities, visit folkmoot.org.
ful organization, all while taking a serious look at what’s best for Folkmoot, what needs to be done to ensure future generations are able to enjoy and partake in the events. So, instead of one big bash each July, there will now (and has already been) monthly cultural events offered to the public.
Live music. Dance. Demonstrations. Anything and everything remains on the table, just that it’ll all be spread across a calendar year to conjure a firm footing for the organization to thrive and push headlong into the 21st century and beyond. Go on their website (folkmoot.org). See what’s coming up. Purchase tickets. Immerse yourself.
Don’t forget, Folkmoot is here for your enjoyment, to get outside of your daily existence and experience something different, something unique and beautiful. That’s been the cornerstone of the organization since day one. And will remain so.
As I’ve always said, the true litmus test of the strength of a community and its residents lies in its support of the arts. Support Folkmoot. Support local organizations. Support arts and culture.
On the beat
Cataloochee Ranch welcomes Edwards
Americana/folk singer-songwriter A. Lee Edwards will perform at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, at the Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley. Edwards has been a singersongwriter for over 30 years. His music holds an honesty and an authenticity, not built on outward style, but inner substance. He is joined by a backing band of some of the top players in the region, all of which with vocal harmonies reminiscent of The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers and Buck Owens & Don Rich.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranch-events/live-music.
Community jam
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.
Chamber music in Waynesville
The popular Chamber Music Society of the Carolinas (CMSC) will continue its annual summer residency at 4 p.m. Sunday, 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.
‘An Appalachian Evening’
The “An Appalachian Evening” series will continue with a performance by The Special Consensus at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, in Lynn L. Shields Auditorium at the Stecoah Valley Center in Robbinsville.
The Special Consensus is a bluegrass band that has achieved a contemporary sound in over four decades of performing. Band leader/founder Greg Cahill is a recipient of
• Blue Ridge Beer Hub (Waynesville) will host Paul Koptak (singer-songwriter) Aug. 9. 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 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 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 Helena Rose & Joey Brown (Americana) July 30 and A. Lee Edwards (singer-songwriter) Aug. 6. All shows begin at 5 p.m. unless otherwise noted. For tickets and reservations, visit cataloocheeranch.com/ranchevents/live-music.
• Classic Wineseller (Waynesville) will host The Two Armadillos (classic rock/oldies) 7:15 p.m. Aug. 2 ($10 cover) and The Jazz Cats Duo (jazz) 7:15 p.m. Aug. 8 ($15 cover). The kitchen and wine bar open at 4 p.m. 828.452.6000 or classicwineseller.com.
• 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.
(blues/jazz) Aug. 8 and The Alamo Band Aug. 9. 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 Foreigner (classic rock) 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 and Bret Michaels (classic rock) 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9. For tickets, visit caesars.com/harrahs-cherokee.
• Highlander Mountain House (Highlands) will host “Blues & Brews” with Scott Low 6-9 p.m. Thursdays ($5 cover), Zorki (singer-songwriter) 1-3 p.m. Saturdays, “Bluegrass Brunch” 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sundays (free) and the “Salon Series” on select weekends. 828.526.2590 / highlandermountainhouse.com.
• Innovation Brewing (Sylva) will host “Monday Night Trivia” every week, “Open Mic with Phil” on Wednesdays and Andrew Danner (singer-songwriter) Aug. 16. All shows and events begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.586.9678/ innovation-brewing.com.
• John C. Campbell Folk School (Brasstown) will host a “Community Jam” 7 p.m. Thursdays (at the nearby Crown Restaurant) and semi-regular live music on the weekends. folkschool.org.
• Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host “Music Bingo” 6:30 p.m. Mondays, Alma Russ (Americana/folk) Aug. 1 and Grizzly Mammoth (rock/funk) Aug. 8. All shows begin at 8 p.m. Free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. 828.349.2337 / lazyhikerbrewing.com.
the prestigious “Distinguished Achievement Award” from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) and was inducted into the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) Hall of Greats. The group also has received seven IBMA awards and two Grammy nominations.
The annual summer concert series offers an ever-changing 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 airconditioned Lynn L. Shields Auditorium.
Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for students grade K-12. Dinner will also be available for purchase in the Schoolhouse Cafe starting at 6 p.m.
For more information and/or to purchase tickets, call 828.479.3364 or visit stecoahvalleycenter.com.
• 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 Ezra & Katie Aug. 1 and McClain Family Band Aug. 8. 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 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 Kody Paul July 30, Doug Ramsey July 31, Kayla McKinney Aug. 1, Dillon & Company Aug. 2, Kody Paul (singer-songwriter) Aug. 6, Doug Ramsey (singer-songwriter) Aug. 7, Blue Jazz
• Listening Room (Franklin) will host Ruth & Max Bloomquist Aug. 16. Suggested donation $20. Located at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
• Macon County Public Library (Franklin) will host The Vagabonds (Americana) at 2 p.m. the first and third Monday and a “Song Circle” open jam from 3-6 p.m. the first Tuesday each month. Free and open to the public. 828.524.3600 or fontanalib.org/franklin.
• Meadowlark Motel (Maggie Valley) will host a “Bluegrass Jam” 5-7 p.m. Sundays, Amos Lee (R&B/soul) July 31, Ginny McAfee (singer-songwriter) Aug. 2 and Adrienne Black & The Oracles Aug. 9. All shows begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.926.1717 / meadowlarkmotel.com.
• Nantahala Outdoor Center (Nantahala Gorge) will host Ryan B. Jazz Trio 8 p.m. Aug. 1, Mike Hollon 2 p.m. Aug. 2, Blue (Americana) 2 p.m. Aug. 3, Boogi Therapi 5 p.m. Aug. 7, River Pickin’ 5 p.m. Aug. 8, Daniel Shearin 2 p.m. Aug. 9, Eddie Clayton 5 p.m. Aug. 9 and Blue (Americana) 2 p.m. Aug. 10. Free and open to the public. 828.785.5082 / noc.com.
A. Lee Edwards will play Maggie Valley Aug. 6. File photo
The Special Consensus. File photo
On the beat
‘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.
Popular Jackson County rock/reggae
Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) will hit the stage at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at Bridge Park in downtown Sylva.
to bring a touch of reggae to these mountains.”
“Concerts on the Creek” are held every Friday night from Memorial Day through
“Our music is full of inspiration from these mountains. Water, mountain landscapes, nature, trails. They all take part in the inspiration process for us. We are proud to call Sylva home, and our sound could not be what it is without this town,” said PMA guitarist Miller Watson. “It’s also really cool to see the similarities in bluegrass music and reggae and how they took shape from the development of African banjo. It’s also nice
• Peacock Performing Arts Center (Hayesville) will host “Tribute: A Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band” Aug. 1, Harvest Moon (Neil Young tribute) Aug. 2 and “Songwriters Showcase 55” Aug. 9. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, 828.389.ARTS / thepeacocknc.org.
• Saturdays On Pine Concert Series (Highlands) will host High 5 Aug. 2 and HC Oakes Band Aug. 9. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. highlandschamber.org.
• Scotsman (Waynesville) will host Rich Manz Trio (acoustic/oldies) July 31, “Blues Night with Spiro Nicolopoulos Blues Apocalypse” Aug. 1, Alma Russ (Americana/folk) Aug. 7 and Karmachain Aug. 9. All shows begin at 8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.246.6292 / scotsmanpublic.com.
• Slanted Window Tasting Station (Franklin) will host R.A. Nightingale (singer-songwriter) 6 p.m. Aug. 1, Zorki (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. Aug. 3, Adam & Joe 6 p.m. (Americana) Aug. 8 and David Potter (singer-songwriter) 4 p.m. Aug. 10. 828.276.9463 / slantedwindow.com.
• Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (Franklin) will host Creedence Revived (classic rock) 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16. 866.273.4615 / smokymountainarts.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
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.
Concert Series” with Juan (singer-songwriter) July 31 and David Cheatham (Americana/folk) Aug. 7. All shows begin at 6 p.m. Free and open to the public. 828.482.1581 or trailborn.com/highlands.
• Vineyard At High Holly (Scaly Mountain) will host 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 Simply Amos (funk/R&B) 6 p.m. Aug. 8. 828.476.5070 / wellseventcenter.simpletix.com.
• Western Carolina Brew & Wine (Highlands) will host live music 4-6 p.m. Saturdays, “Music Bingo” 6-8 p.m. Saturdays, David Lloyd (singer-songwriter) 4:30 p.m. Aug. 1 and Christian Jones (singer-songwriter) 1 p.m. Aug. 10. 828.342.6707 / wcbrewandwine.com.
• Whiteside Brewing (Cashiers) will host Angela Easterling (singer-songwriter) Aug. 1, Spare Parts (Americana/bluegrass) Aug. 2, Seth & Sara (Americana) Aug. 8 and Andy Ferrell (singersongwriter) Aug. 9. All shows begin at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Free and open to the public. 828.743.6000 / whitesidebrewing.com.
• Yonder Community Market (Franklin) will host “Country Thursdays” (Americana/country) 6 p.m. Thursdays and Holler Choir (Americana/indie) 4 p.m. Aug. 24. Family/dog friendly. 828.200.2169 / eatrealfoodinc.com.
• Find more at smokymountainnews.com/arts
2
PMA will play Sylva Aug. 1. Garret K. Woodward photo
On the street On the stage
Dancing in the streets
The “Mountain Street Dance” will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, in front of the historic courthouse in downtown Waynesville.
Swing, stomp, and spin along with our mountain community at Waynesville’s summer street dances, a cherished tradition brimming with Haywood hospitality. Dance your way into the over 100-year history of families gathering to watch traditional dance teams and listen to live bluegrass.
Participation encouraged. Free to attend. For more information, visit downtownwaynesville.com.
ALSO:
• “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.
‘Anything Goes’ at HART
A special stage production of the Broadway classic “Anything Goes” will be held at 7:30 p.m. July 31, Aug. 12, 7-9 and 2 p.m. 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 Awardwinning musical is a whirlwind of mistaken identities, romantic entanglements, and slapstick comedy.
HART presents ‘Anything Goes’ on select dates.
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.
ALSO:
EG & IGHTSINS
This issue of Insights
Eggs
& Associates and W Weells
GGS
• Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (Cherokee) will host semi-regular stage productions on the weekends. For tickets, visit 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
On the table
• 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 semi-regular tap-takeovers from local and regional breweries on the weekends. Free and open to the public. 828.246.9320 / blueridgebeerhub.com.
• “Flights & Bites” will be held starting at 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays at Bosu’s Wine Shop in downtown Waynesville. 828.452.0120 / waynesvillewine.com.
• “Take A Flight” with four new wines every
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.
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.
File photo
Street dances return to Waynesville Aug. 8. File photo
Read this if you’re jonesing for your phone
By now, most Americans are aware that cell phones are addictive. The dopamine hits keep on coming, and huge numbers of Americans keep on getting the high those hits delivered. Social media users, the texting fanatics, news junkies and the rest of us, even those of us who only minimally slip that little device in our fingers, are all hooked.
“Don’t leave home without it” was an old slogan for American Express checks and cards. Today that same tagline applies to our phones.
Nomophobia, or anxiety caused by leaving the cell phone at home or without access to wireless networks, runs rampant in all age groups.
Jonathan Haidt’s 2024 “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” became a best-seller and a must-read for parents for its insights into the horribly negative effects of smart phones on adolescents and teens. From sleep deprivation to perfectionism, from lower grades in school to stress and depression, Haidt makes the case that smart phones are a major reason for the ballooning rates of emotionally distraught teens.
Though less attention is paid to adults 20 years of age and up, the smart phone has brought a plague of ill effects to them as well. Attention spans shrink, precious time is wasted watching everything from porn to videos of kittens on YouTube, and a sense of constant urgency brought on by texts, calls, and online posts burns up energy and leaves exhaustion in its wake.
A case in point: I’m 74 years old and am not on social media, but my work requires — or so I like to tell myself — daily doses of news and commentary. Taken throughout the day, these dopamine visits add up to two or three hours clicking through articles. The result? I’m more easily distracted than I once was, I read fewer books than I once did, and I think and worry far more than ever over events far beyond my powers of control. Keep in mind that Facebook or TikTok are foreign to me, and my phone receives fewer than 15 calls and texts a day. In short, I’m a digital wimp compared to most of my fellow Americans, yet still in some respects a slave to the digital world.
In her latest book, “The Unplugged
Hours: Cultivating a Life of Presence in a Digitally Connected World,” writer and online coach and educator Hannah Brencher offers a way to bring this thief of time and energy under control.
Several years ago, on her 33rd birthday, while her husband Lane and her young
pushed herself hard, always on the run from one project to the next, a list-maker extraordinaire, busy, busy, busy. She felt a “Growing Disconnect” with friends and even her husband — but like so many other people she knew, she regarded this as a normal consequence of racing through the day with her phone at her side.
daughter were laughing together inside the Florida house where they were all visiting a friend, Brencher sat by herself, sipping coffee and trying to set goals for the year, which was a birthday tradition for her. “And that’s when I felt it. A gentle nudge in my spirit seemed to come out of nowhere, impressing me with four words: Turn off your phone.”
That nudge launched Brencher onto a project: living 1,000 hours in a year with her phone turned off. She made up a paper tracker of a thousand tiny bubbles, which can be found in her book and at her website hannahbrenchercreative.com, and set out to go phone-free, starting one hour at a time and then building hours from there.
Before setting off on this odyssey, Brencher found herself living a life of “constant connectedness.” Since college, she had
Upcoming readings at City Lights
In other words, Brencher understands and sympathizes with hard-core phone users, and offers some great tips for cutting back on time spent on devices. If you can’t face an hour without your phone, for example, then try half an hour. Before shutting off the phone, make a list of chores you hope to complete or pleasures you hope to pursue when you’re phone-free. Don’t get down on yourself when you fail to meet your expectations. Get back on your feet and keep plugging away at becoming unplugged.
The rewards for these efforts may surprise you. In Brencher’s case, she found herself more present in the lives of her daughter and husband. She learned to enjoy the more abundant quiet hours in her life as she broke from the distractions of the phone. She noted that “I watched as my hurried language changed from ‘I don’t have enough time’ to ‘I’ve had the great gift of time — and it has been enough for me.’”
And so she advises readers, “There will always be new advances and new temptations to plunge deeper into digital connectivity. But you get to decide when enough is enough. You get to set the pace for your own life. You can slow things down. You can find your own rhythm.”
If you’re looking for some help reducing your phone time, or if you just want to read about a woman who struggled and triumphed in the battle of the phone, pick up a copy of “The Unplugged Hours.”
(Jeff Minick reviews books and has written four of his own: two novels, “Amanda Bell” and “Dust On Their Wings,” and two works of nonfiction, “Learning As I Go” and “Movies Make the Man.” minick0301@gmail.com.)
The following events will be held at City Lights Bookstore in Sylva. Mike Rayder will present “Altered on the Appalachian Trail” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2. The memoir recounts his 2,190-mile hike from Georgia to Maine in search of purpose. Now retired and living in Western North Carolina, Rayder reflects on how the journey changed his life. Natalie C. Anderson will present her young adult thriller “That Kind of Girl” at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7. The novel follows two teens entangled in a murder investigation. Anderson is a writer and international development professional based in Geneva, Switzerland. Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 828.586.9499 or visit citylightsnc.com.
Writer Jeff Minick
Unexpected family connection inspires artist to remake historic Smokies photos
Word from the Smokies
BY HOLLY KAYS | S PECIAL TO SMN
hen Claire Stovall applied to the Artist-in-Residence program at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, she hoped to use the time to work on the wildlife textile collages she had highlighted in her application. Then she told her family she’d been selected for the program — and that plan spun on a swivel.
“My grandmother and great-uncle both said, ‘Do you know about Dutch Roth?’” she recalled.
Stovall, 24, had never heard that name before, though she figured he had to be some distant relation — Roth was her grandmother’s maiden name. She was surprised to learn that Albert Gordon “Dutch” Roth, her great-grandfather’s cousin, is a well-
known figure in the history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, considered instrumental in documenting these rugged mountains prior to the park’s creation.
“Roth, along with his hiking partners Jim Thompson and Carlos Campbell, explored and photographed almost all of the area’s backcountry in the runup to the establishment of the park and provided people with a glimpse of what would be lost without the herculean task of conserving the area for future generations,” said Smokies Librarian-Archivist Michael Aday.
More than 5,000 of Roth’s images remain preserved at the University of Tennessee archives, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park holds about 100 more. However, Roth was never a
professional photographer — the Knoxville father of two spent his career as a pipefitter for the Southern Railway. But the mountains were his passion. A founding member of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, Roth was an avid hiker and amateur photographer.
“I had no idea I had this connection prior to applying, so it was really quite a magical series of events that just happened to get put together,” Stovall said.
Stovall is used to stitching pieces of happenstance into something beautiful. Her current artistic focus, textile collages made using camouflage patterns, began after she finished her master’s in consumer and design science and started designing clothing for Realtree, a hunting and camouflage brand. She noticed that most of the fabric swatches her office received ended up getting thrown away.
“My first camouflage collage was just me thinking about how I could use these fabrics in a creative manner to make something for my office,” she said. She ended up with a fabric portrait of a tom turkey and a passion for the puzzle-like process.
Stovall arrived in the Smokies with a new kind of puzzle to solve. Though she grew up just north of Atlanta in Roswell, Georgia, she had never been to the park before. To orient herself to the geography of her family history, she visited Aday at the Collections Preservation Center in Townsend. He pulled up all the Dutch Roth photos the park has in its archives, and Stovall found herself inspired by the images — and by how diligently Roth had documented the location of each shot in neat cursive writing.
“I thought, ‘I can find all these places,’” she said.
This realization reformed the focus of her month in the park. Instead of working on her textile collages, she sought to replicate as many of Roth’s photos as possible. Aday pulled up a collection of old maps for her to reference, and Stovall became a regular at the park’s backcountry office, embarking on a “crazy scavenger hunt” during which she hiked almost 300 miles to remake 35 of Roth’s nearly 100-year-old photos.
The process gave her a deep appreciation for her ancestor’s stamina and backcountry prowess.
“One of the things that he was known for was images that were difficult to get,” Stovall said. “They claim he used to climb trees or go up on crazy rocks, and the cameras back then were really heavy, so it wasn’t something that was typical for a photographer to be doing.”
During his lifetime, Roth made frequent appearances in the pages of the Knoxville News-Sentinel,
Claire Stovall hiked to Charlies Bunion three times in search of a clear view like the one Dutch Roth captured but still ended up with a cloud obscuring part of the vista.
Photos by Dutch Roth, courtesy of GSMNP Archives (top), and Claire Stovall (bottom).
Wearing her Volunteer-In-Park uniform, Artist-in-Residence Claire Stovall interacts with park visitors during her residency in June. NPS photo
and even a cursory glance at these stories reveals that he was a man full of energy and good cheer.
Roth was present on the October 1924 hike to the top of Mount Le Conte that led to the founding of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, and he led the first official hike after the club was formed. Despite the “hard nature” of his work as a pipefitter, he summitted Le Conte 20 more times over the next three years, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported in its Sunday morning issue September 4, 1927. In fact, by that date Roth had reached every other high point in the Smokies except Mount Guyot, climbing many of them multiple times; the story’s headline declared him “champion of Smoky Mountain hikers.”
Meanwhile, Roth’s “habit of photoplay” resulted in “one of the best collections of amateur pictures of the Smokies yet seen.” The paper quoted one-time SMHC president Brockway Crouch who said Roth’s “genial spirit is an inspiration to the other hikers,” and “not only does he carry the heaviest load of all, but he always seems ready to help others.”
Though Stovall didn’t shimmy up trees like Roth was known to do, she tried to frame her shots as identically to his as possible. Sometimes, this was easy — a view of a particular peak or landform is simple enough to replicate if you’re standing at the right overlook. But other images were more challenging, especially those show-
Placed side by side, the images show how much has changed in the past century. In many places, the forest is older and more grown up than it was in Roth’s day, when logging companies were still active on the land that now forms the park. When she hiked to a place called Parsons Bald to replicate a photo Roth had taken overlooking Gregory Bald, Stovall was surprised to find a thick stand of trees where her ancestor once had a clear view.
certainly no longer new, though it remains an immensely popular way to summit Mount Le Conte. Roadwork also proved a timeless presence in the mountains.
crossing.”
Stovall left the Smokies with a desire to continue telling her family’s story and plans to work with her grandmother, a photographer;
“There was an interesting Appalachian Trail crossing at Cheoah Bald and Stecoah,” Stovall said, mentioning a location south of
her great-uncle, a newspaper editor; and her great-aunt, a genealogy enthusiast, to write a book about Roth’s legacy. She feels the pull of family, which perhaps is why during her residency she so enjoyed spending time in Gatlinburg’s Glades Road art district when she wasn’t hiking. Many of these artists continue to perfect the same crafts their grandparents once practiced.
“It’s just a beautiful connection that I think gets lost in today’s world,” she said. “It’s really cool to see that, and to see the knowledge of the crafts being passed down through the generations. It’s nice to be able to pay homage to what Roth did.”
Each year between June and November, Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosts artists in residence who spend time developing their own work as well as leading public outreach events. Park partner Friends of the Smokies funds the program. Check the park calendar for events. Visit Stovall’s website to learn more about her work.
Holly Kays is the lead writer for the 29,000member Smokies Life, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the scientific, historical and interpretive activities of Great Smoky Mountains National Park by providing educational products and services such as this column. Learn more at SmokiesLife.org or reach the author at hollyk@smokieslife.org.
Claire Stovall displays some of her textile collage works depicting wildlife species native to the Southern Appalachians. Claire Stovall photo
Dutch Roth marks the route for the Appalachian Trail between Buckeye Gap and Silers Bald in a 1929 photo taken by Carlos Campbell, Roth’s friend and hiking companion. SMNP Archives photo
When Dutch Roth walked the Appalachian Trail at Stecoah Gap in 1927, outside the park boundary south of Fontana Lake, he took a photo of the new road then under construction. His descendent Claire Stovall had the opportunity to do the same when she returned to the site this summer, finding new construction underway. Photos by Dutch Roth, courtesy of GSMNP Archives (top), and Claire Stovall (bottom)
Kayak Wolf Lake with Jackson County Rec
Adults and youth ages 10 and up are welcome to kayak Wolf Lake with Jackson County Recreation.
The day will begin at 9 a.m. Aug. 7 by meeting up at the Cullowhee Recreation Center.
NCDEQ Dam Safety Program unveils tool to improve storm preparedness
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Dam Safety Program, with help from Applied Weather Associates, is releasing the state’s first Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) study and evaluation tool, which is designed to better prepare for future storms and their possible impact on dams in the state.
The PMP study incorporates data from 91 storms in North Carolina and surrounding areas over the past 150 years, tracking the type of storms, the storms’ severity, the size of the area covered and the intensity of rainfall. Recent storms including Hurricane Helene are included in the study. The tool is expected to modernize the state’s emergency response approach to the impacts of severe rainfall events on hydraulic structures such as dams, spillways and flood control structures.
Cost is $25 for adults and $20 for youth. Register at jcprd.recdesk.com/community/program. For questions, contact Trevor Brown at 828.293.3053, ext. 45, or trevorbrown@jacksonnc.org.
can cover multiple states and typically have a longer duration of rainfall
Tropical storms including hurricanes that typically cover large areas and last for longer periods. Additionally, the PMP takes into account terrain characteristics, a wider range of rainfall durations and smaller watershed areas to include possible impacts on smaller high-hazard dams across the state.
The PMP study evaluates storms with durations as short as one hour and includes watershed areas as small as 1 square mile or less, which accounts for most dams in North Carolina.
A local storm might only last an hour or two over a small area, but it can also bring a higher volume of rainfall. For a large dam with a significant watershed area, that storm may be insignificant. But for a small dam with a small watershed area, the volume of rain dropped in those one or two hours could be enough to overtop the dam.
The new PMP study evaluates three types of storms:
Local storms, which include smaller thunderstorm systems with shorter durations of rainfall
General storms, which are large systems that
Though the PMP study cannot be used to predict specific impacts of oncoming storms, the new tool can provide more accurate data to inform preparation for oncoming systems, as well as the design of important hydraulic structures such as dams.
The Dam Safety Program has published the PMP study on its website, as well as provided the actual PMP evaluation tool, user manual, tutorials and other usage information.
Georgann Eubanks
File photo
File photo
Raleigh’s success makes former little league coach proud
Watching Cal Raleigh win the final round of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on TV last week was a special kind of thrill for Steve Wilson, who works in Purchasing, Shipping and Receiving for Southwestern Community College.
It doesn’t seem like long ago that a much smaller version of Raleigh was stepping into the batter’s box for Jackson County’s Little League (ages 10-11) All-Star team, which Wilson coached back in 2007. That squad won North Carolina’s District 5 Championship and came up just short of winning the state title.
Even then, young Raleigh was already overachieving.
“He was small, but he also played above his age group, so his skill was about the same as everybody else at the point,” recalled Wilson, who’s been at SCC for more than 30 years. “He was the only switch-hitter on the team and played about three positions in the field. My practice time was jampacked with batting practice skills, and Cal had one of the most smooth swings on the team from both sides of the plate.”
These days, Raleigh is putting together a season to remember, potentially a historic one, as a member of the Seattle Mariners. He’s on pace to eclipse the 60-homer mark, something only nine other men have ever done, and he was the first catcher ever to win the Home Run Derby.
Sylva to Host CycleNC Mountain Ride August 1-3
The Town of Sylva was selected to be the host of the 2025 CycleNC Mountain Ride August 1-3, 2025, hosted by North Carolina Amateur Sports. Approximately 400 cyclists and their families from across the state will be attending. For this event, cyclists will be enjoying “go at your own pace” riding tours on country roads throughout Jackson County (and Swain County on Sunday).
The Jackson County Little League (ages 10-11) All-Stars team that won North Carolina’s District 5 championship in 2007 included, front row, from left: Zach Carter, Hayden Hodgin, Jordan Couch, Nolan Neesam, Austin Davis, Cal Raleigh. Second row, Conner Wilson, Tanner Nations, Jamey Hagedorn, John Morgan; back row, Manager Steve Wilson, Coach Scott Carter. Donated photo
All of Jackson County has been abuzz this summer about Raleigh’s dream season. He grew up in Cullowhee, where his father Todd was a longtime coach at Western Carolina University. Cal Raleigh graduated from Smoky Mountain High School in 2015. While at Smoky, he even took a couple of dual-enrollment classes at Southwestern. His parents, Todd & Stephanie, still own and operate Print Shak in Sylva — and both have sports backgrounds in the county.
Mark Watson Park.
Mountain Ride Route Schedule
• Friday: 1-5 p.m. optional 16-mile warm up rides
• Saturday: Routes Open 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sunday: Routes Open 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Route Details:
• Friday: Cyclists will ride out-and-back to Balsam Mountain Inn via Chipper Curve, Skyland, and Dark Ridge Road.
Many of these cyclists will be visiting from out of town and will be staying in area hotels and vacation homes. However, many of these cyclists will be camping at Bridge Park and Friends of Panthertown on Friday and Saturday nights. RV campers will be hosted at Monteith Park. In addition, all rides will start and end at Bridge Park. Most cyclists will be parking at
• Saturday: Cyclists will ride along the River Roads to Cullowhee, then one route to Judaculla Rock, and one route up the “Ring of Fire” which is composed of Cullowhee Mountain Road, Walnut Creek, Ellijay, and Tilley Creek Road. All routes come back to Downtown Sylva via Mockingbird and Yellowbird Branch.
• Sunday: Cyclists will have the unique option of taking the train from Dillsboro to Bryson City or “racing” the train following 74, Barker’s Creek, Thomas Valley, Whittier, 19W at Darnell Farms into Bryson City. From the Depot. There is an option to ride the Road to Nowhere before coming back to Sylva via Ela, and Whittier, crossing 441 to ride Camp Creek and Sunset Farms to Wilmont and back the same route through Dillsboro to Sylva. For more information, visit ncsports.org/event/cyclenc_mountain_ride.
Todd led the Catamounts to a pair of NCAA tournament berths (2003 and 2007) and coached several future big leaguers. Stephanie, like Cal and her other children, played for Jackson County Youth sports and was a standout, three-sport athlete (basketball, volleyball and track) at Sylva-Webster High School.
Scott Baker, SCC’s Vice President for Information Technology and a classmate of Stephanie (then Deitz), recalls how she was
named Sylva-Webster’s “Most Athletic” female their senior year.
“She was always a great athlete in elementary school and high school,” Baker said. “I have no doubt the Deitz side of the family is where Cal and his brothers and sisters got some of their athletic prowess.”
Wilson and Baker have long been charter-members of the ever-expanding local fan base that’s following Cal Raleigh’s every swing.
“I’m glad he got where he is,” Wilson said. “I’m sure he’s the same as when he played on that Little League team: He eats, sleeps and drinks baseball.”
Although Raleigh’s the only member of that 2007 Jackson County all-star team to make the big leagues, Wilson said he is proud of all the boys on that team and the careers they’re now pursuing as grown men.
Meanwhile, Baker’s also been enjoying Raleigh’s long-ball heroics and the spotlight they’re shining on Jackson County.
“It is really exciting and something special to witness Cal’s journey and professional baseball success,” Baker said. “Having someone like Cal from our hometown and community not only doing so well, but doing it with both humility and class is heartwarming. I could not be more proud of Cal and happy for all of his family with everything happening. Thank you for letting us share in your success.”
CycleNC photo
Market PLACE WNC
Legals
MarketPlace information:
The Smoky Mountain News Marketplace has a distribution of 16,000 copies across 500 locations in Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, including the Qualla Boundary and west Buncombe County. Visit www.wncmarketplace.com to place your ad!
Rates:
• $15 — Classified ads that are 25 words, 25¢ per word after.
• Free — Lost or found pet ads.
• $6 — Residential yard sale ads.*
• $1 — Yard Sale Rain Insurance Yard sale rained out? Call us by 10a.m. Monday for your ad to run again FREE
• $375 — Statewide classifieds run in 170 participating newspapers with 1.1+ million circulation. (Limit 25 words or less)
• Boost Online — Have your ad featured at top of category online $4
• Boost in Print
• Add Photo $6
• Bold ad $2
• Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue Highlight $4
• Border $4
Note: Highlighted ads automatically generate a border so if you’re placing an ad online and select a highlight color, the “add border” feature will not be available on the screen.
Note: Yard sale ads require an address. This location will be displayed on a map on www.wncmarketplace.com
The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration (EDA) is considering a request for Federal assistance from Western Carolina University to commence the Cullowhee Dam Remediation Project, located in Cullowhee, North Carolina. Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), EDA is conducting an assessment of the potential of the proposed project to affect the environment and/or historic properties. Notice is hereby given that the project is proposed to be located in, or may
Executive Order (EO) 11988 and/or EO 1 1990
The project is intended to both repair and improve the dam’s structural integrity and to improve the navigability of the Tuckaseegee River
for outdoor recreation. The project will be located at 91 Casey Road, Cullowhee, North Carolina, 28723, within census tract # 37099950600. Project information is available for review at the Western
Economic Development and Strategic Partnerships, 530 1 University Way, 530 HFR Administration Building, Cullowhee, NC 28723. 828-227-2979.
If you have any information regarding potential impacts to historic properties or environmental resources including wetlands or with this proposed project, please provide any comments by email to ATRO-REO@eda.gov.
Comments received by 5:00 pm eastern on Tuesday, September 2nd will be considered. A copy of the NEPA/NH PA decisional document will be available upon request at the EDA Atlanta
September 2021 version
NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION
Case No.25E000221-490
Robert Sanders Burgess and Rebecca Burgess,
Co-Executors of the Estate of Malcolm Stewart Burgess, Jr. of Jackson County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before Oct 09 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment.
Co-Executors
c/o J.K. Coward, Jr. 705 W Main Street Sylva, NC 28779
Announcements
YOU MAY QUALIFY for
are between 52-63 years old and under a doctor’s care for a health condition that prevents you from working for a year or more. Call now! 1-833641-3892
GOT AN UNWANTED CAR? DONATE IT TO PATRIOTIC HEARTS.
Fast free pick up. Patriotic Hearts’ programs help their own business. Call 24/7: 1-833-426-0086
STOP OVERPAYING FOR AUTO INSURANCE! A recent survey says that most Americans are overpaying for their car insurance. Let us show you how much you can save. Call Now for a no-obligation quote: 1-833-399-1539
DO YOU OWE over $10,000 to the IRS or State in back taxes? Get for you! 1-833-441-4783
Auction
LIQUIDATION AUCTION
Massive Golf Course Liquidation Auction Friday, August 1st at 10 a.m. Johnson Properties, 48 Progressive Pkwy Angier, NC www.johnsonproperties.com
Land For Sale
TINY HOME LOTS FOR SALE $50k-$77k/ea. Each lot comes with wa-
ter & power run to each lot, and septic. Located in Franklin, NC. Visit our website for directions & more info. www.TinyMountainEstates.com (828) 200-0161 TinyMountainEstates@gmail. com
Medical
HEARING AIDS!!
HIGH-QUALITY RECHARGEABLE, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45day money back guarantee! 888-970-4637
HEARING AIDS!! High-quality rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45-day money back guarantee! 888-970-4637
Miscellaneous
PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for a quote, service or an inspection today! 1-833-406-6971
BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-833-540-4699
VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-833-641-6594
Musical Instruments
WE BUY VINTAGE GUITARS! Looking for 19201980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. These brands only! Call for a quote: 1-833-641-6624
WE BUY HOUSES FOR CASH AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-888247-1189
WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC TIMESHARE Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 844-213-6711
WE BUY HOUSES FOR CASH AS IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys Houses: 1-888247-1189
WESLEY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC TIMESHARE Cancellation Experts. Over $50,000,000 in timeshare debt and fees cancelled in 2019. Get free informational package and learn how to get rid of your timeshare! Free consultations. Over 450 positive reviews. Call 844-213-6711
Services
Construction/ Remodeling
WATER DAMAGE CLEANUP & RESTORATION: A small amount of water can lead to major damage in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home’s value! Call 24/7: 1-833-928-1861. Have zip code of service location ready when you call!
WATER DAMAGE
& RESTORATION: A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. We do
Samsung or LG
76 "Where -- from ..."
Really hot
In the future
San -- Padres
Not at all iffy
Made of a certain
wood 86 Place for a car jack
"-- Lips Are Sealed"
"Bibleman" star Willie
Nest nugget
"Aw, shucks"
Simple putts
In fine -- (doing well)
Big city in Penna.
Betray by blabbing
Novelist Shaw
Store lure
"You! Look over here!"
Calendar unit 117 -- out a living (barely scraped by)
119 H.S. transcript stat 120 & so forth 121 "The Simpsons" tavern keeper 122 Fed. cleanup group 123 DeLuise of "Silent Movie"
124 Drink a little
complete repairs to protect your family and your home’s value! For a FREE ESTIMATE, call 24/7: 1-833-880-7762
AGING ROOF? NEW HOMEOWNER? STORM DAMAGE? You need a local expert provider that proudly stands behind their work. Fast, free estimate. Financing available. Call 1-833-889-1843
Entertainment
GET DISH SATELLITE TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-877-9207405
AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-833-4232924
Home Improvement
BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as
ANSWERS ON PAGE 26
ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-833-776-0111
REPLACE YOUR ROOF with the best looking and longest lasting material – steel from Erie Metal Roofs! Three styles and multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer – up to 50% off installation + Additional 10%
off install (for military, health workers & 1st responders.) Call Erie Metal Roofs: 1-855-585-1815
NO MORE CLEANING OUT GUTTERS. Guaranteed! LeafFilter is the most advanced gutter protection for your home, backed by a no-clog guarantee and lifetime transferrable warranty. Call today 1-877-649-1190 to schedule a FREE inspection and no obligation estimate. Plus get 20% off! Seniors and military save
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!
an additional 10%. Restrictions apply, see representative for warranty and offer details
NEED NEW WINDOWS? Drafty rooms? Chipped or damaged frames? Need outside noise reduction?
windows may be the answer! Call for a consultation & FREE quote today: 1-833-890-1293
Legal, Financial and Tax
DENIED SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY?
APPEAL! If you’re 50+,
attorneys can help! Win or Pay Nothing! Strong, recent work history needed. 877-553-0252 [Steppach-Ave Scranton PA 18503]
GET A BREAK on your taxes! Donate your car,
truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855-869-7055 today!
DENIED SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY? Ap-
SSD and denied, our attorneys can help! Win or Pay Nothing! Strong, recent work history needed. 877-553-0252 [Steppach-Ave Scranton PA 18503]
GET A BREAK on your taxes! Donate your car, truck, or SUV to assist the blind and visually impaired. Arrange a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Heritage for the Blind Today at 1-855-869-7055 today!
Wanted to Buy
WE BUY VINTAGE GUITARS! Looking for 19201980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. These brands only! Call for a quote: 1-833-641-6577
Yard Sales
ST. MARY’S CHURCH YARD SALE
Fri. Aug 1st, 2025 from 8:30 AM-4 PM Sat. Aug 2nd, 2025 from 8:30 AM-4 PM
Huge Indoor/Outdoor Church Yard Sale. St. Mary’s Catholic Church 22 Bartlett Street Sylva, N.C. Rain or Shine
